The Defiant

Latest Episodes:

Arbitrum Uncovered: Steven Goldfeder on Ethereum L2s, Rollups, and the Future of DeFi Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Steven Goldfeder, Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs, the parent company of Arbitrum—the leading Ethereum Layer 2 solution by Total Value Locked (TVL).

In this episode, we explore:

How optimistic rollups work and their role in Ethereum's scalability
The ZK vs. optimistic rollup debate
The future of Ethereum L2s and their impact on the Ethereum ecosystem
Steven’s insights on DeFi growth, ETH vs. BTC, and the importance of neutrality in tech stacks

The episode kicks off with a special clip from AJ Warner, Co-Founder of Arbitrum, recorded at EthCC, before diving into Steven’s journey into blockchain and his vision for the future of Ethereum scalability.

00:00:00 – Why Ethereum Made Rollups Too Cheap to Ignore

00:00:31 – Meet AJ Warner, Co-Founder of Arbitrum (Live from EthCC!)

00:00:45 – Robinhood’s Big Crypto Announcement: What It Means for Ethereum

00:06:10 – Transition to Steven Goldfeder: The Visionary Behind Arbitrum

00:07:05 – Steven’s Journey: From Academia to Blockchain Pioneer

00:13:24 – Optimistic Rollups 101: How They Supercharge Ethereum

00:21:06 – ZK vs. Optimistic Rollups: The Great Debate

00:29:34 – How Ethereum L2s Are Strengthening the Ethereum Mainnet

00:36:20 – What More Can Ethereum Do to Support L2s?

00:38:57 – The Status of Stage 2 L2s: What’s Next?

00:40:12 – Enshrining L2s: The Future of Ethereum Scalability

00:40:25 – Infrastructure Trade-Offs: Making the Right Choices

00:46:35 – Bridging the Gap: Interoperability Between L1s and L2s

00:51:38 – What Sets Arbitrum Apart from the Competition?

00:56:51 – Neutrality and Fairness: The Cornerstones of Tech Stacks

01:04:52 – DeFi’s Next Chapter: Steven’s Predictions for ETH, BTC, and Beyond

01:08:37 – Closing Thoughts: The Road Ahead for Ethereum and Arbitrum

Don’t miss this deep dive into the world of Ethereum Layer 2s and the innovations shaping the future of blockchain.

Inside Kadena’s $50M Leap: Grant Program, Next-Gen Scalability & Insights from CEO Stuart Popejoy Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

Explore the unfolding landscape of crypto and blockchain innovation in our in-depth interview with Stuart Popejoy, CEO of Kadena and former head of JP Morgan’s Center for Blockchain Excellence. Guided by the following chapters, this conversation illuminates the journey from the earliest days of institutional blockchain to Kadena’s latest breakthroughs:

00:00 – Defiant Intro
00:07 – When cost savings alone couldn’t revive crypto’s promise
00:55 – Meet Stuart Popejoy: Kadena’s vision, shaped by lessons from JP Morgan
06:00 – JPM Coin’s evolving roadmap
07:35 – Early hurdles building enterprise blockchain at JP Morgan
10:38 – Why technology alone isn’t enough—it must disrupt
13:57 – Kadena’s own answer: scalability, chainweb, and the art of possibility
16:25 – The real challenges builders face in scaling dApps
16:56 – Bitcoin proposals lost to time
17:50 – Braiding chains: scaling without losing stability
23:27 – Kadena’s bold $50 million grant program—fueling a new era for developers
25:15 – The role of real-world assets (RWAs) in blockchain’s evolution
29:00 – Public blockchains as a frontier for finance and technology
30:00 – Closing infrastructure gaps on the road to mass adoption
33:00 – How do we inspire an active, not passive, crypto user base?
35:42 – Why self-custody is the change we need in consumer behavior
38:10 – Next-gen adoption: getting all ages onchain
40:13 – What traditional finance keeps getting wrong about blockchain
42:48 – Kadena’s next moves after making waves at EthCC
44:20 – Reflections and closing remarks

From the keys of disruption and the quest for scalability to transformative grant programs and the vision for a blockchain-powered future beyond EthCC, this is crypto at its most reflective and real.

🔗 Links & Details:

Explore Kadena’s grant program https://www.kadena.io/grants

Vlad Tenev on Robinhood’s Bold Move into Crypto, DeFi, and Ethereum L2s Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Vlad Tenev, Co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, to explore how Robinhood is bringing tokenized U.S. stocks to the EU, launching an Ethereum L2 with Arbitrum tech, and shaping the future of finance. From tokenized private shares to the long-term vision of blockchain adoption, Vlad shares insights on regulation, innovation, and the battle between Robinhood and Coinbase. Is crypto the backbone of global finance? Tune in to find out!

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: How do you get people in the U.S. excited about stocks onchain?

00:52 Introduction to Vlad Tenev, Co-Founder and CEO of Robinhood

01:30 Tokenized U.S. stocks, private company stocks, Robin Hood blockchain, USDG, and other announcements

02:35 Robinhood offers tokenized U.S. stocks to customers in the EU

06:52 Primary market for private companies’ tokenized shares

13:55 Robinhood launches Ethereum L2 using Arbitrum tech

18:45 Will Robinhood launch a token?

20:00 What regulation will need to happen in the U.S. to launch these products here?

24:47 How do these crypto announcements fit into the long term vision of RH?

28:43 RH chain as an enabler for this vision of global adoption

30:45 Will crypto remain a niche asset class or become the backbone of finance?

35:10 Robinhood vs. Coinbase

37:10 The DeFi Mullet: UX and DeFi on Robinhood

41:55 What makes Vlad a believer in crypto innovation?

46:10 Closing remarks

20% Yield on Stablecoins Is Just the Beginning | Vikram Arun, Superform CEO Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Looking to understand stablecoins, onchain yields, and the future of DeFi?

Join us as Vikram Arun, CEO of Superform, shares expert insights on stablecoin yield strategies, the role of Web3 technology in automation, and whether 20% onchain yields are truly sustainable in today’s crypto economy.

Plus, we explore the impact of the GENIUS Act on the crypto industry and discuss the intersection of innovation and regulation in shaping the future of digital assets.

Topics Included:

The evolution of stablecoins as a financial tool
Why automation is critical for DeFi growth
The long-term potential of yield-generating assets
The fading stigma of crypto and its real-world financial integration

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Info

00:41 Introduction to Vikram Arun, Founder and CEO of Superform

01:31 Crypto is a better form of money

03:30 Early AMMs as an entry into crypto

05:44 Stablecoins and yield

07:35 20% onchain yield on Superform: is it sustainable?

11:03 Web3 tech with Web2 functionality

13:23 Automation in stablecoin yield

15:51 The GENIUS Act’s effects on the crypto ecosystem

17:30 GENIUS and decentralization

21:20 The importance of demand in ideating crypto products

22:55 Circle, Stripe, Paypal, and public sentiment towards stablecoins

24:27 Interest rates hold steady, what’s the impact on crypto?

26:40 Speculation and the memecoin resurgence

30:00 Yield-generating assets and age demographics

32:05 Integrating wealth building into people’s mindsets with DeFi

33:45 The next phase of onchain yield

36:25 Will this innovation be enough to defeat crypto’s bad reputation?

37:48 Crypto’s rising tide into TradFi and daily life

39:55 NFTs in the next DeFi summer

41:48 Advice for people who want to start earning yield

43:00 Lightning round!

43:55 Closing remarks

Emin Gün Sirer on Scaling Avalanche and Redefining Decentralization Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

What does the future of blockchain look like, and where do multi-chain systems fit in? On this episode, we're joined by Emin Gün Sirer, CEO and Founder of Ava Labs and one of the most prominent figures in blockchain innovation. Emin unpacks how Avalanche is reshaping the decentralized world with its groundbreaking consensus protocol, multi-chain scaling, and commitment to maintaining blockchain’s core values.

We also discuss:

Avalanche vs. Bitcoin and Ethereum
Gaming and DeFi innovations on Avalanche
Fighting centralization and the challenges of scale
The role of stablecoins and central banks in Avalanche’s ecosystem

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant intro

00:07 If the future of blockchain is centralized, I don’t want to be here

00:54 intro to Emin Gün Sirer, Founder and CEO of Ava Labs

04:29 Building the fastest consensus protocol on the market

04:43 How is Avalanche different from Bitcoin?

08:10 Avalanche vs. other multi chain systems

12:16 L2 scaling vs. multi chain scaling

16:55 Evaluating Ethereum’s promises

19:45 Interoperability on Avalanche

20:25 What’s the narrative behind Avalanche?

23:47 Avalanche’s long term strategy 💫

26:25 Gaming example: OTG

29:16 How flexible are Avalanche chains?

31:13 How do you maintain the tenets of blockchain across chains?

33:05 What's the liquidity breakdown between these L1 chains?

34:54 Avalanche’s TVL vs users and adoption

38:00 Fighting centralization on Avalanche

43:15 AVAX value and uses

45:58 Increased activity on Avalanche

48:00 It’s been a Bitcoin story: where do alt projects fit in?

53:33 Stablecoins and exciting catalysts for DeFi

53:15 Assets want to be digital

55:35 How do stable coins fit into Avalanche?

56:19 Prediction: central banks getting into stablecoins

57:11 Challenges with central banks getting into stablecoins

59:13 The next major milestones for Avalanche

01:06:52 Closing Remarks

Ethereum Staking ETFs: How They Could Transform Crypto Investing | Insights with Evan Weiss Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Ethereum Staking ETFs are gaining traction—but what does this mean for crypto investors? Evan Weiss, COO of Alluvial, breaks it down. Get key insights on regulation, institutional staking infrastructure, and the financial benefits for everyday users. Plus, learn how institutional players are driving change in the staking ecosystem and the potential for ETFs to revolutionize and democratize crypto investments.

From Capitol Hill to the crypto ecosystem, Evan Weiss dives into the growing momentum behind Ethereum Staking ETFs.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Intro Quote

00:43 Intro to Evan Weiss, COO of Alluvial and Founder of POSA

03:09 Proof of Stake Alliance, staking, and regulation

05:57 POSA on Capitol Hill

08:26 Ethereum ETFs gaining momentum

12:31 Case study: 3iQ Ethereum Staking ETF

13:53 Staking, liquidity, and better returns for consumers

15:17 REX Shares proposes Ethereum staking ETF classified as a C-corporation

18:16 How Pectra has influenced institutional staking infrastructure on Ethereum

21:51 Normalizing staking for everyday users

25:41 How staking democratizes transaction fees

28:19 SEC’s May 29, 2025 Staking Statement

29:33 Staking is not a small business

30:34 Staking industry coming together on regulation

32:17 Increased security and rewards in crypto investing

34:59 Key steps for institutions and governments in regulating crypto

37:52 Will Ethereum Staking ETFs be as common as stocks?

38:16 Tradfi’s creativity meets crypto technology

39:00 The role of liquid staking evolving with institutional activity

40:23 Closing Remarks

Every Company Will Be a Crypto Company: Expert Insights with Sandy Kaul from Franklin Templeton Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

What happens when traditional finance and decentralized finance collide? Join us in this insightful interview with Sandy Kaul, Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton, as we explore the firm’s groundbreaking crypto experiments, DeFi-enabled opportunities, and the future of tokenized money market funds.

Key Topics Covered

Franklin Templeton’s onchain money market fund
How evolving crypto infrastructure is reshaping TradFi
New TradFi products enabled by crypto
Tokenization vs. stablecoins
Supply chain and enterprise resource management powered by DeFi
Regulation, obstacles, and the merging of TradFi and DeFi

Get a front-row seat to how one of the world’s leading financial institutions is driving innovation in the space.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

01:04 Introduction to Sandy Kaul, Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton

06:56 Franklin Templeton experimenting with crypto to save costs

08:11 Franklin Templeton’s onchain money market fund

09:26 Evolving crypto infrastructure from 2019 to today

11:42 What do institutions look for when planning to launch a product onchain?

13:41 Choosing blockchains based on use cases

16:15 Three new TradFi offerings enabled by crypto

19:56 Additional applications for DeFi: supply chain management

21:56 Additional applications for DeFi: enterprise resource management systems

22:49 Tokenized money market funds vs. stablecoins

25:11 Product bundles and asset classes

28:31 Obstacles to offering more crypto products

31:26 What clarity are you looking to regulation for?

34:16 Complex DeFi products being accepted in TradFi

35:13 DeFi and TradFi need to support one another

37:04 Regulation will open up new pools of assets and value

38:56 What will the merging of TradFi and crypto look like?

41:10 Will the back of house for these firms move onchain?

42:55 Consumer demand for crypto products

47:15 Payments outside of fiat

48:34 Incorporating crypto into Franklin Templeton model portfolios

50:35 What is the demand for current crypto offerings?

54:30 What does success look like for Franklin Templeton?

55:30 Closing Remarks

NFC Lisbon Recap: Art, Finance, and Digital Economies with Alex Estorick Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Defiant Podcast, Vinny speaks with Alex Estorick, Editor in Chief of Right Click Save, about the evolving landscape of NFTs and digital art. They discuss the convergence of art and technology, the financialization of culture, and the role of artists in a world where art and finance are increasingly intertwined. The conversation also touches on the emergence of meme coins as cultural artifacts, the diversity within the crypto community, and the challenges artists face regarding royalties in the NFT space.

Highlights of this episode include:

The convergence of art and technology
The emergence of meme coins as cultural artifacts
Diversity and challenges within the crypto and NFT space
Opportunities for artists in DeFi and Web3
The role of AI, tokenized data, and decentralized ownership in the future.

00:00 Episode Intro

03:08 Introduction to Alex Estorick and the NFT Revolution

04:55 Financialization of Art and Culture

08:37 The Role of Artists in a Financialized World

12:13 Cultural Moments and Meme Coins

15:38 Diversity of Habits and Politics in the Crypto Community

17:40 Takeaways from Conversations at NFC

19:10 Is the Battle for Blockchain Dominance Necessary?

20:25 Renewed Bullishness on Ethereum

22:45 Reactions to the Debate Around Royalties

28:30 The Evolution of Value in Digital Art

30:20 Exploring DeFi Opportunities for Artists

35:35 The Intersection of Crypto and AI

37:25 Tokenizing Personal Data and Personhood

42:01 Decentralized AI and Data Ownership

45:05 The Future of Crypto in a Dystopian Landscape

48:15 Navigating the Complexities of Web3 and Digital Economy

50:15 Closing Remarks

Ethereum's Next Moves: Insights from Tomasz Stańczak and the Ethereum Foundation Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

In this conversation, Camila Russo interviews Tomasz Stanczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, discussing the evolution of Ethereum, addressing criticisms, and the foundation's strategic initiatives. They explore the importance of communication, the restructuring of the foundation, and the focus on scaling Ethereum through L1 and L2 dynamics.

Tomasz shares insights on the vision for Ethereum as a global economy, balancing user needs with core values, and the foundation's treasury management and DeFi strategies. The conversation concludes with a look at future developments and milestones for Ethereum.

Takeaways:

Ethereum has evolved significantly since its inception, focusing on scaling and communication.
The Ethereum Foundation has faced criticism regarding its communication strategies.
Restructuring within the foundation aims to enhance protocol development and management.
Funding and support for developers are crucial for the ecosystem's growth.
The relationship between L1 and L2 is vital for Ethereum's scaling strategy.
Ethereum aims to position itself as a global economy hub.
User needs and core values must be balanced for long-term success.
Treasury management strategies are evolving to include DeFi protocols.
The foundation is committed to transparency and community engagement.
Future milestones include significant scaling and security improvements.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Episode Teaser

01:24 Hero Quote

01:35 Introduction to Tomasz Stańczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation

03:18 Community Criticism and Foundation Response

06:45 Strategic Actions by the Ethereum Foundation

09:39 Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Developers

13:50 The strengths of Ethereum as a Network

17:17 Scaling Ethereum: L1 and L2 Dynamics

20:55 The One Trillion Security Initiative

23:00 Specific Milestones in the Short Term

25:53 Navigating the Tension: World Computer vs. Store of Value

29:15 Ethereum as a Global Economy

30:43 Will Solana Become An Ethereum L2?

32:43 User Priorities: Decentralization vs. Usability

37:02 Treasury Management and ETH Sales

36:55 The Role of Stablecoins in Ethereum's Future

39:55 The Impact of Ethereum Foundation's DeFi Allocations

42:00 Guiding DeFi Protocols Towards Security and Decentralization

51:10 The Future of Ethereum: Use Cases and Community Expectations

54:50 Upcoming Milestones for Ethereum

56:50 Closing Remarks

Zero Knowledge Proofs: The Game-Changer for Digital Privacy You Need to Know, Featuring Rob Viglione Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

This week, we spoke with Rob Viglione, Co-founder and CEO of Horizen Labs, to explore the groundbreaking potential of Zero Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) in safeguarding digital privacy, bridging TradFi and DeFi, and creating income streams for consumers that empower them through the ownership of their own digital data.

From balancing transparency and onchain privacy to the intersection of AI and Web3, Rob dives into the critical role cryptography will play in reshaping how we share and protect data. Learn how ZKPs can combat data misuse, empower individuals to monetize their information, and reimagine compliance as we step into a world where privacy is a fundamental human right.

Key Highlights:

1. How ZKPs protect medical records and financial history

2. Will banks adapt, or become irrelevant?

3. The role of cryptography in privacy-centric AI systems

Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion packed with insights on the future of data, privacy, and decentralized innovation.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Podcast Teaser

00:52 Hero Quote

00:59 Introduction to Rob Viglione

01:34 The beauty of ZKPs

02:40 How to balance transparency and privacy onchain

04:00 Why it’s so easy to overshare data

04:50 Living in an age of constant data leaks

06:34 The concept of wealth is fundamentally different now

07:33 Google adopts ZKP to verify age

09:00 A world of a trillion proofs

09:30 How can Web3 handle growing volumes of proofs?

10:09 Will Web2 relinquish their chokehold on our data?

11:52 Monetizing data as an incentive to online privacy

12:45 New opportunities for earning a living by monetizing your data

14:14 The intersection of crypto and AI

16:17 ZKPs and data protection

18:00 ZKPs and AI in medical records and financial history

20:18 How can ZKPs act as a safeguard against misuse in AI

22:15 Hackers and scammers are a certainty; how do we fight them?

22:36 Cryptography, ZKPs, and privacy-centric AI systems?

25:13 Why is privacy a human right?

26:25 Institutions, privacy, and Web3

26:45 Institutions coming onchain

28:30 Better communicating privacy as a human right in the context of Web3

30:30 Will ZKPs change the way people interact with the internet?

32:11 Marketing in the age of AI

33:24 ZKPs and KYC

35:40 Why ZKPs are bad for bad actors

37:38 Government regulation vs. Web3 companies regulating the industry themselves

39:00 It doesn’t make sense for politicians to be anti-crypto anymore

41:53 Can ZKPs redefine compliance and how it’s enforced?

43:13 How can ZKP tech support institutional privacy and consumer data?

44:45 TradFi onchain as a stepping stone to DeFi

46:39 Lightning round! Favorite existing use case for ZKP

46:54 Lightning round! Favorite potential use case for ZKP

48:04 Lightning round! Best advice for keeping your data safe online

48:49 Closing statements and where to follow Rob

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