On this episode of FYI, we dive into the intricacies of crypto infrastructure with Konstantin Richter, the CEO and founder of Blockdaemon, and Chris Sharp, Blockdaemon's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). They cover Blockdaemon's journey, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the early crypto market. Konstantin and Chris share insights into the evolving belief in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, reflecting on their growing acceptance in mainstream finance. They then discuss developing Blockdaemon's product suite, transitioning from basic node operations to sophisticated services like staking and Application Programming Interface (API) integrations. The conversation explores the importance of decentralization and multi-party computation in ensuring crypto security, emphasizing Blockdaemon's commitment to robust and reliable infrastructure. Finally, they touch on the diverse regulatory landscapes in Asia, Europe, and the U.S., exploring their impact on the crypto industry and the future possibilities in this rapidly evolving sector.

"Not a lot of people saw the benefit of like, ‘Hey, why do I want to pay someone to do something? I can just download some open-source software and run on the server myself’. Even if it's janky, the requirements in the network and expectation around crypto was low enough that people weren't like, ‘Hey, I need to make sure there's instant settlement that my transaction goes through.’” - Konstantin Richter 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Origin of Blockdaemon
• Unique challenges in maintaining and operating crypto infrastructure
• The importance of multi-party computation in crypto security
• The evolving belief and adoption of Bitcoin and Ethereum
• Decentralization and resistance to censorship in crypto
• Blockdaemon's impact on crypto infrastructure
• Acquiring a wallet company, Sepior, and its implications
• Blockdaemon’s product evolution
• The importance of reliability and distributed computing in crypto networks
• Perspectives on the evolution of the crypto market