Technology

The Rollup

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

Website: https://therollup.co/

Latest Episodes:

How MegaETH enables real-time apps on Ethereum Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

One of the core ideas that we shared in this podcast and throughout the NYC sessions was creating more optimizations for Ethereum L2s which currently don't exist today. It feels like we've settled in to the current standards of 2 second block times and a standard of TPS which has been normal.

MegaETH is trying to flip this model on its head. Centralized block production via a beefy sequencer, and decentralized block validation via inheriting Ethereum's security.

For those who’ve been in the DeFi for a while, it’s clear that performance and scalability have always been key challenges (remember DeFi Summer?). MegaETH steps into this conversation with a fresh perspective, focusing on maximizing Ethereum's potential rather than breaking away into becoming an L1.

"Make Ethereum Great Again" = MEGA.

We sat down with Namik, one of MegaETH’s co-founders, to get a better understanding of their architecture and strategy. From leveraging Ethereum’s security to scaling performance with 100,000 TPS and 1ms block times, they’re pushing boundaries without sacrificing decentralization...or are they?

What are the key tradeoffs with their design?

Is MegaETH thinking about becoming an L1?

Why has their barbell brand strategy been so successful thus far?

Testnet is coming very soon, and Namik was kind enough to share some alpha with us in this stream. MegaETH has stayed true to the ethos of building with Ethereum while aiming to bring in new users and use cases.

Hope you enjoy this fast paced conversation live from the heart of NYC.

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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.

Are Based Rollups The Solution To Ethereum's Long-Term Value Capture? Sep 03, 2024

Show notes

Based rollups are a really interesting design because they offer MEV to the L1 (which acts as the sequencer) rather than accruing the value to the rollup operator. This has been the biggest argument for L2s being parasitic to the L1.

We think based rollups change that for the better. The core issue still remains, however: Current rollups likely will not opt-in to based designs because they will lose their sequencer revenue and entire business model would have to undergo a dramatic shift.

Today, we’re diving into the world of Gwyneth, a rollup solution aimed at solving some of the most pressing issues in DeFi—fragmented liquidity, scalability, and user experience. Designed with synchronous composability at its core (being based), Gwyneth brings a new level of efficiency to L2s making it feel like a single chain even as multiple chains work together under the hood.

We’ll also take a closer look at the technical improvements that Gwyneth brings to the table, including real-time proving, modular sequencing, and a unique approach to block building. The Booster Rollup functionality further enhances this by allowing new rollups to inherit state from L1, preventing the need to recreate entire ecosystems from scratch.

Pretty technical pod here to end the week off. Really enjoyed it.

Website: https://therollup.co/

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

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

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

How To Build A Cult-Like Community in Crypto with XION Sep 03, 2024

Show notes

This was one of the wildest interviews we've ever done. From the attire of our guest, to the level of entertainment, technical detail, and insights on community building -- this is one of those conversations that has everything.

We originally sought out to ask Burnt about his strategies of growing his community (cult), how XION has nailed down collaborations with some of the world's largest brands, and how he envisions the chain abstraction landscape shaping up in the coming years.

We ended up having a lot of laughs and squeezing some alpha out.

XION's approach to chain abstraction is all about hiding the complexity so that users can enjoy the benefits of crypto without even realizing they're on a blockchain. Burnt mentioned quite a bit about making the UX in crypto as easy as the internet, with some very blunt takes.

We learned about the state of their mainnet, XION token, and how they plan to implement chain abstraction at a practical level.

Lots of laughs and fun takes here, hope you enjoy.

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

Where Is The Demand for Data Availability? With EigenDA Sep 02, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re diving into a topic that's crucial for the future of Ethereum and the broader modular ecosystem: Data Availability.

Recently, there's been chatter on X about DA being commoditized to zero and the only value accrual in the modular stack being in execution. Is this true? Where is the current demand for DA? Are modular DA providers competing with Ethereum?

In our latest conversation with Teddy from EigenDA, we explored the nuances of scaling Ethereum and why the demand for block space could be the make-or-break factor in its evolution.

EigenDA’s modular approach to DA is not just about scaling—it’s about making Ethereum more efficient as it transitions towards its singular role as settlement layer. While the much-anticipated 4844 upgrade has changed the landscape for data availability, there has been a lag in demand for DA providers.

On the practical side, EigenDA is working closely with high-throughput rollups like MegaETH, Movement Labs, LayerN, and Celo to create the necessary demand for DA. By targeting specific use cases and partnering with these projects, EigenDA aims to drive blockspace demand, making its modular approach to DA not just innovative, but essential.

These high TPS L2s should drive a ton of data posting onto EigenDA's AVS, which is the largest currently.

With regards to chain abstraction -- the key focus for this series -- we discuss how there's potential for a future where gas costs are abstracted away, allowing developers to sponsor them, leading to onchain interactions as seamless as browsing the web.

Hope you enjoy the first video of many in this NYC content series.

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

ZKVMs and Proof Verification Aug 30, 2024

Show notes

Join us for a discussion about ZKVMs and Proof Verification with ZKVProtocol, RiscZero, ProjectZKM and Aligned Layer.

Website: https://therollup.co/

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

Why SolverFi Is The Next Big Trend In Crypto Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

We've been studying the chain abstraction stack pretty heavily recently.

Over the last few months, we've developed a thesis that our optimal outcome in the more immediate future is to have a frontend UX powered by a wallet abstraction provider which allows for all your crypto balances across all chains to be aggregated in one place. Then, when you interact across various different dApps in the crypto space, the cross-chain bridging and settlement takes place via intent-based interoperability providers (aka solvers).

At its core, the intent-centric approach shifts the focus from specific chains to desired outcomes, enabling users to specify what they want, while solvers—a network of offchain agents—work behind the scenes to make it happen across multiple blockchains.

In our discussion today with Kevin Wang from Khalani, we delve into how this model enhances user experience by removing the complexities of gas fees, bridging, and the need for users to interact directly with specific chains.

We discuss the process to democratize solver networks breaking down the solving process into specialized tasks, allowing smaller solvers to collaborate, which in turn creates a more scalable and efficient architecture.

We’ll also look at how Khalani’s infrastructure supports low-latency execution and onchain coordination. We pushed back on the possibilities of "dethroning" the Wintermute's of the world (those who dominate the solving game currently) and Kevin responded quite thoroughly with a plan to do so.

This piece is packed with insights into how intents can optimize both application performance and user interaction in a rapidly evolving onchain world.

Hope you enjoy.

Website: https://therollup.co/

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

What is a ZK coprocessor and what onchain apps do they enable? Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

Join us for a discussion about ZK coprocessor and what onchain apps do they enable.

Participants:

Ismael Hishon-Rezaizadeh from Lagrange

Mo from Brevis

Felipe Argento from Cartesi

Website: https://therollup.co/

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

How To Navigate The Volatile Crypto Markets Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

A bit of a different vibe from our typical technical content as we dive into the perspective of one of the most well known crypto funds, built by Arthur Hayes, ex-CEO of BitMEX. If you've been in the space for a while, you know that market swings are extremely frequent and can be quite volatile.

The key to thriving in this environment isn’t about trying to predict the next big move but about understanding how to manage risk, maintain discipline, and stay informed...which is easier said than done.

None of this content is to be perceived as financial advice, but we did talk more about markets than we usually do.

In our conversation, we explore the transition from BitMEX’s meteoric rise to its current focus, as competition from new market entrants like Binance and FTX reshaped the landscape. Akshat reminisces about the unique, egalitarian culture at BitMEX, where humility and inclusivity were the foundations of success.

We'll also talk about philosophy and strategy of Maelstorm. Akshat explains how they’re building a 100-year portfolio, targeting early-stage crypto projects that align with their pillars of entropy, trustless decentralization, and new models for internet monetization.

The time horizon on these investments was really interesting and shifted our perspective away from typical 3-5 year cyclical journey.

Enjoy this deep dive into the thought process of a successful fund manager in the volatile crypto space.

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

DeFi on High TPS Modular Appchains Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

Join us for a discussion about DeFi on High TPS Modular Appchains with Simon Jones of Reya and Cedo Salah of StorkOracle.

Website: https://therollup.co/

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

A Friendly Debate About Bitcoin Scaling Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

When we originally drew this piece up, we were thinking to make it solely about Bitcoin blockspace (as shown in the thumbnail), but this debate stretched a vast number of topics.

In today's piece, we’re diving into the nuanced evolution of Bitcoin, from its foundational role as digital gold to its potential as a robust platform for onchain applications.

Bitcoin’s narrative is shifting, but its core principles remain strong. Our conversation with Rena Shah, COO of Stacks, and Rich Rines, a core contributor at CoreDAO, explores the tension between keeping Bitcoin’s base layer ossified and the need for subtle innovation to maintain its relevance in the ever-evolving DeFi landscape.

From the debate on block size to the emergence of L2 solutions like Stacks and Core, this discussion touches on critical points that could shape Bitcoin’s future. Rena and Rich also delve into the importance of economic alignment and decentralized yield sources, which could be key to unlocking the next wave of Bitcoin DeFi.

We all agreed that ETFs and BlackRock controlling more BTC supply is a bad thing.

But, they found room to disagree on nuances that were important to discuss.

As we unpack these insights, we’ll consider what it means for Bitcoin to balance security, innovation, and utility in a space that is filled with many political, economic, and social coordination concerns.

Very fun episode, and perfect for a Friday. Enjoy!

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