In this episode of Hashing It Out, host Elisha Owusu Akyaw sits down with Armani Ferrante, CEO of Backpack, to discuss the evolution of centralized exchanges, Backpack’s innovative approach to trading and the role of compliance in crypto. From proof of reserves to Backpack’s new perpetual futures system, they dive into how exchanges can build trust in a post-FTX world.

(00:00) – Intro and guest Introduction
(01:12) – Crypto in 2025
(06:02) – The birth of Backpack
(09:51) – Lessons from FTX
(15:04) – Proof of Reserves debate
(22:05) – What makes Backpack unique?
(27:32) – Traders’ reactions
(29:04) – New blockchain integrations
(31:22) – Solana’s future
(35:50) – DEXs vs. centralized exchanges 

This episode of Hashing It Out is brought to you by Cointelegraph and hosted by  Elisha Owusu Akyaw, with post-production by Elena Volkova (Hatch Up).

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Follow this episode’s host, Elisha Owusu Akyaw (GhCryptoGuy), on X at @ghcryptoguy.

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