Technology

The Rollup

Where digital assets and finance converge. Live from the financial capital of the world.

Website: https://therollup.co/

Latest Episodes:

Nick White on TIA Investor FUD, The Mammoth Vision, and Lazybridging Apr 19, 2025

Show notes

After a majorly successful week for the Celestia ecosystem, winning Noble's new AppLayer & Ethena's 'Converge' chain, we are coming to you with an episode recorded in Denver this year with Nick White.

We first touched on FUD and asked Nick to openly address the FUD from the community regarding staking, locked tokens, and the tokenomics in general.

The technical discussion started their "Go Bigger" roadmap with gigabyte blocks, and dive into how ZK accounts and lazy bridging. Nick explains that their approach isn’t about chasing quick gains but building the infrastructure that can *actually* support thousands of rollups.

Let's explore.

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𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥: 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘍𝘪 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬, 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘈𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭, 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮, 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴.

Harry Kalodner on Arbitrum's Future, Timeboost, and L2 Sequencer Revenue Models Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

In today's episode, we explore TimeBoost on Arbitrum with Harry Kalodner.

Arbitrum DAO has signaled a vote recently to go live with timeboost on mainnet.

This innovative mechanism shifts from first-come-first-serve to a priority bidding system while maintaining transaction privacy and fairness.

We examine how TimeBoost returns value to the Arbitrum DAO, eliminates latency racing, and builds a more equitable ecosystem. Harry discusses governance challenges and the delicate balance between operational efficiency and decentralization.

After a year of development, this upgrade delivers major ecosystem benefits with minimal impact on user experience.

Let's dive in.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

Mantra's Co-Founder On The Meteoric Rise of OM, Market Maker Rumors, and UAE Relationships Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

We filmed this interview with John Patrick Mullen during consensus Hong Kong, in late Feburary 2025.

From obscurity to a $13 billion market cap, OM token's 7,000% surge and recent 90% downfall has left many questioning what's really happening behind the scenes?

We aim to provide some clarity from before the crash to help you all understand what was happening. The most revealing is what happens when we press on the tougher questions about price action, market makers, tokenomics, and whether this meteoric rise could unravel as quickly as it formed (seems it has, for now).

What a wild ride the last few days. Hopefully this provides some perspective.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

How Cultural Evolution Is Shaping Our Future with Robin Hanson Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

The shifts in cultural evolution are impacting our society in ways we can’t ignore.

Today, we're joined by Robin Hanson, economist and polymath from George Mason University. Robin is known for exploring questions that often remain unanswered, from prediction markets to the possibilities of alien civilizations.

In this conversation, we explore how his Futarchy concept, after 26 years, has found its way into the world of crypto, the effects of cultural drift, and the intersection of population decline with advancing AI. We dive into how society has lost some of its evolutionary selection pressures and uncover some of the hidden challenges we face.

Robin's insights on cultural drift and potential solutions at the scale of civilization will give you a new way of looking at the world.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

The Upcoming Bitcoin Institutional Boom with Jeff Garzik & Max Sanchez Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

Bitcoin is so back. Institutions are talking about it more than ever and are investing at a rapid pace, while the US government is setting up a strategic Bitcoin reserve.

In today's episode, we explore the "Back to Bitcoin" thesis with Hemi co-founders Jeff Garzik and Max Sanchez.

Hemi takes the best from Bitcoin and Ethereum, combining Bitcoin's security with Ethereum's programmability. How? They embed a Bitcoin full node into the EVM, allowing developers to interact with Bitcoin in completely new ways.

We cover Hemi's successful mainnet launch, their Bitcoin tunneling system, and how they're enabling new possibilities without compromising security. Their technology supports both bridged assets and native Bitcoin interactions.

This conversation highlights Bitcoin's growing influence, with nation-states potentially becoming the next major adopters after institutions.

Let's get into it.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

How To Capitalize on USA vs. China Tariffs With Arthur Hayes and Nils Pihl Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

The clash of economic superpowers is reshaping our future with AI as the ultimate battleground.

Today, Arthur Hayes and Nils Pihl from Auki Labs explore how US-China trade tensions reflect a deeper struggle for dominance in physical AI and robotics – where China holds surprising advantages.

We discuss with Arthur the move China will be forced to make: devaluing the Yuan to create an independent currency away from USD and other Western fiat currencies.

Nils explains why decentralization must expand beyond finance into physical infrastructure, while Arthur breaks down why both powers will choose currency devaluation over austerity, making Bitcoin the clear winner. We also confront the unsettling reality of our transition to post-scarcity – where those who fail to "grab the ladder" now may be left behind forever.

This conversation connects macro trends to technological evolution in ways that will reshape our understanding of both.

Let's get into it.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

The Modern Day Oracle with Marcin Kazmierczak and Jakub Wojciechowski Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Oracles are the center of DeFi. They're not just important, they're *vital*. But with the rise of high-performance blockchains, oracles are having to rethink their entire game plan.

In today's episode, we sit down with Marcin and Jakub from RedStone to explore oracles at their breaking point as blockchains get faster and more demanding. This isn't just another Chainlink competitor story, it's about real incidents exposing oracle design complexities.

From the Hyperliquid backstop failure to the Polymarket/UMA exploit and Pyth's costly price freeze, we examine how different oracle systems fail. Marcin and Jakub take us behind the scenes, breaking down geographic challenges, data delivery models, and the unique demands of scaling for systems like MegaETH.

We also cover why zkTLS won't replace oracles soon, the true costs of Ethereum updates, and what it takes to reliably serve hundreds of blockchains simultaneously.

Let's get into it.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

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Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

How To Position For The Institutional Crypto Frenzy with Arthur Hayes, Guy Young, and Omer Goldberg Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

The competition for stablecoin market share is more complex than most realize, especially as institutional adoption heats up.

In today's episode, we’re breaking down the nuances of this battle with Guy Young, founder of Ethena, Arthur Hayes, CIO of Maelstorm, and Omer Goldberg, founder of Chaos Labs. We mostly explore the macro landscape, which is now plagued with tariffs, and how Ethena's Converge announcement positions them at the intersection of DeFi and institutional finance.

Guy breaks down Ethena's journey from USD+ to building their own purpose-built chain, explaining that "if your product is not thinking about how it's trying to benefit from institutional capital flows, you're slightly dead in the water." He reveals a forthcoming $500 million seeding of their new iUSDE product.

Arthur Hayes doesn’t hold back when talking about Circle vs. Tether. His take? "Circle has no distribution. It's pretty much Coinbase and they have no defensibility on their net interest margin, unlike Tether." He also shares his thoughts on how the West and East approach trading differently, and how that’s shaping the institutional side of things.

We also cover the macro environment, Trump's tariffs, and Fed policy, with Arthur explaining why he's reallocating to Bitcoin as he sees liquidity coming back into play.

Great one. Enjoy.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

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Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

What Happens When You Ditch Global Consensus? With Shresth Agrawal Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

Consensus is slow by design.

In crypto, we’ve accepted the tradeoff: robustness at the cost of speed. Whether it’s proof-of-work or proof-of-stake, every node reprocesses every transaction, every time. It’s secure and reliable... but often overkill for most of what we actually do.

What if we stopped treating every transaction like a global event? What if the base layer didn’t have to decide who bought a coffee first, especially when those transactions have nothing to do with each other?

Pod Network offers an alternative closer to a network of local agreements, where state can move fast, stay composable, and only invoke ordering when absolutely necessary.

We sat down with Shresth Agarwal at ETHDenver to talk about rethinking onchain design. If you’ve ever thought about the limits of blockspace, MEV, or how far we can push latency while keeping decentralization intact, this conversation is going to give you something new to think about.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

Uniswap, Ekubo, and the Rise Of Innovative DEX Designs Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

What if DEXs could do more?

Ekubo thinks they can. Their approach? Dedefining efficiency from the ground up, from memory architecture to fee mechanics, decreasing gas costs while unlocking features like TWAMs.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Moody, Ekubo's founder and Uniswap v3 co-author, alongside Benjamin Sturisky from the Starknet Foundation.

We explore why they chose Starknet over Ethereum mainnet, reflecting shared values around validity rollups, Cairo optimization, and account abstraction.

Our conversation covers capital-efficient liquidity, revenue models, the appchain vs. shared ecosystem debate, token launches, and the practical economics of building protocols that work in the real world.

Let's jump in.

Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co

Website: https://therollup.co/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd..

Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast

Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup

Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy

Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh

The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl