The Defiant

Latest Episodes:

The Global Shift to Bitcoin: What It Means for the Future of Finance Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we explore the global shift toward Bitcoin as digital gold with Jeff Garzik, Co-Founder of Hemi, the largest programmable Bitcoin sidechain. Jeff shares his journey as a crypto OG, from contributing to Bitcoin in its earliest days to building innovative scaling solutions for Bitcoin. We discuss macroeconomic trends driving Bitcoin adoption, the evolution of decentralized finance, and how Hemi is shaping the future of BTCFi.

Chapters

00:00: Intro to the episode
00:06: Why the world is turning to Bitcoin
01:00: Meet Jeff Garzik: A crypto OG’s journey
03:06: From Linux to Bitcoin: Lessons in decentralization
06:08: Scaling Bitcoin: The evolution of sidechains
09:05: Hemi’s approach to Bitcoin security and DeFi
12:17: The rise of Bitcoin as a global reserve currency
15:16: Hemi’s innovations: Proof of Proof mining and beyond
20:20: Bitcoin DeFi: Challenges and opportunities
25:00: Macro trends driving Bitcoin adoption
30:00: The future of Bitcoin DeFi and Hemi’s roadmap
35:00: Bitcoin’s role in a decentralized financial future
40:00: Closing thoughts and where to find Hemi

How Lido is Redefining Ethereum Staking: Dual Governance, Liquid Staking, and the V3 Upgrade Jul 22, 2025

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In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Hasu, strategic advisor to Lido, to explore their cutting-edge developments in Ethereum staking. From the introduction of dual governance to the game-changing Lido V3 upgrade, Hasu breaks down how Lido is enhancing decentralization, liquidity, and security for stakers. We also dive into the evolving role of Ethereum in DeFi, the future of staking for institutions, and the broader implications of programmable money.

Chapters

00:07 Introduction

01:22 Introduction to Lido and Its Importance

02:49 Governance Changes in Lido

06:03 Understanding Dual Governance

08:51 Participation and Engagement in Governance

11:46 Systemic Risks of Centralized Staking

14:37 Decentralization and Node Operators

17:50 The Future of Lido and Ethereum

20:39 Becoming a Node Operator in Lido

23:46 Distributed Validator Technology (DVT)

29:32 Understanding DVT and Its Impact on Ethereum

31:54 The Debate on Staking Caps for Ethereum

39:50 Ethereum's Role in DeFi and Beyond

47:40 Introducing Lido V3: A New Era of Staking

55:38 Future Integrations and Growth of Lido

Invisible Wallets and Decentralized Privacy: Georgi Koreli’s Vision for Web3 Jul 18, 2025

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Privacy in the digital age is more than a feature—it's a necessity. In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, host Vinny sits down with Georgi Koreli, co-founder and CEO of Hinkal Wallet, to explore the cutting-edge innovations shaping Web3 privacy. From Georgie’s fascinating journey from professional wrestling to crypto entrepreneurship, to the challenges of public blockchains and the solutions Hinkal Wallet offers, this conversation dives deep into the future of decentralized finance.

Discover how privacy stacks, invisible wallets, and decentralized coordination are transforming the financial ecosystem, and learn why privacy is the key to unlocking mass adoption in crypto. Georgi also shares insights on regulatory challenges, the role of compliance, and how enterprises can prepare for the next wave of blockchain innovation.

Chapters:

00:07 Transparency vs. Privacy: The paradox of innovation and exposure in Web3.

03:05 Introduction to the podcast and Georgie Corelli.

03:22 Georgi’s Background and Journey to Crypto

04:27 Public Blockchains and Privacy

05:16 The Concept of Invisible Wallets

10:01 Regulatory Perspectives in Europe

12:58 The New Privacy Stack

15:42 Public vs. Private Blockchains

17:18 Privacy and Compliance

20:08 Lessons from Recent Data Breaches

24:02 Decentralized Coordination and Privacy

28:15 Preparing for Mass Adoption of Crypto

32:08 The Future of Privacy in Finance

39:22 Closing Thoughts

From Crisis to Comeback: How Euler Labs Survived a $200M Hack to Thrive in DeFi | Michael Bentley Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Michael Bentley, co-founder and CEO of Euler Labs, to explore one of the most remarkable comeback stories in DeFi history. From a devastating $200M exploit in 2023 to surpassing $1B in outstanding loans, Euler Labs has redefined resilience and innovation in the crypto space.

Michael shares the emotional and technical challenges of navigating the exploit, the process of recovering funds, and the lessons learned along the way. We also dive into the evolution of Euler Labs, the launch of V2, and their groundbreaking innovations in DeFi lending, borrowing, and stablecoins.

Whether you're a crypto enthusiast, a DeFi builder, or just love a good comeback story, this episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and a behind-the-scenes look at the future of decentralized finance.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:27 - Meet Michael Bentley: CEO of Euler Labs

02:03 - The Early Days: From PhD to Crypto

04:02 - Founding Euler Labs: Hackathon Beginnings

08:10 - Innovations in DeFi Lending

13:00 - The 2023 Exploit: What Happened?

20:33 - Recovering $200M: Negotiating with the Hacker

33:04 - Picking Up the Pieces: Team Resilience

36:41 - Launching V2: A New Chapter

42:29 - Differentiating Euler Labs in DeFi

45:24 - The Future of DeFi: Institutional Adoption

50:43 - Lessons for Founders: Resilience and Security

52:24 - Closing Thoughts: The Hard Things Are Worth It

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