Mike Silagadze from EtherFi

Mike Silagadze is the Founder and CEO of EtherFi.

EtherFi is a decentralized non-custodial ETH staking protocol. It is the only staking protocol that allows stakers to retain control of their keys while delegating validator operations to node operators.

Takeaways

- Building and Exiting Top Hat

- Why EdTech is a Challenging Space to Build

- From Hedge Fund to EtherFi as a Platform

- Understanding Staking and Restaking in Crypto

- Simplifying Staking: The EtherFi Solution

- Infrastructure Challenges: Navigating TradFi and DeFi

- User Experience in DeFi

- Global Reach: The Impact of a Borderless Approach

- 30% of Latin Americans Have Used Stablecoins

- Choosing the Right Jurisdiction for Crypto Businesses

- Building Amidst Market Volatility

- Insights on Fundraising and Investor Relationships

- Future Predictions for DeFi and Mass Adoption

- The Impact of DeFi on Traditional Finance

- Government Involvement in Crypto: A Double-Edged Sword

Chapters

00:00 Building Top Hat: Lessons from the Journey

04:30 Transition to Crypto: The Spark of Interest

07:57 From Hedge Fund to EtherFi: The Evolution

10:23 Understanding Staking and Restaking in Crypto

16:04 Simplifying Staking: The EtherFi Solution

17:39 The Future of DeFi: Bridging TradFi and DeFi

20:38 Infrastructure Challenges: Navigating TradFi and DeFi

22:13 User Experience in DeFi: A New Approach

25:42 Global Reach: The Impact of a Borderless Approach

26:38 Navigating Global Compliance and User Engagement

27:25 The Rise of DeFi in Latin America

29:11 Choosing the Right Jurisdiction for Crypto Businesses

30:16 Building Amidst Market Volatility

32:15 Adoption Trends in Finance: TradFi, FinTech, and DeFi

34:30 Insights on Fundraising and Investor Relationships

38:32 Motivation Behind Long-Term Business Building

40:25 Future Predictions for DeFi and Mass Adoption

42:43 The Impact of DeFi on Traditional Finance

46:11 Government Involvement in Crypto: A Double-Edged Sword

47:57 Overcoming Challenges in Entrepreneurship

Keywords

Top Hat, education technology, crypto, EtherFi, staking, DeFi, TradFi, user experience, financial services, global finance, DeFi, cryptocurrency, compliance, Latin America, fundraising, market volatility, adoption, traditional finance, government involvement, entrepreneurship