When Shift Happens Podcast

E135: Chainlink CoFounder: Why Crypto Needs Wall Street to Go Mainstream

27 snips
Aug 21, 2025
Sergey Nazarov, the co-founder and CEO of Chainlink, discusses the pivotal role of traditional finance in driving cryptocurrency's mainstream adoption. He explains why institutions aren't crypto's adversaries but essential partners. The conversation covers the limitations of traditional banking versus the security and transparency blockchain offers, and how Chainlink’s infrastructure enhances smart contracts. Sergey also delves into the importance of self-custody and navigating the evolving landscape of decentralized finance amidst market volatility.
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INSIGHT

Institutional Capital Is The Next Growth Engine

  • Sergey Nazarov argues mainstream crypto growth requires TradFi capital, not more retail users.
  • He reasons retail penetration tops out and hundreds of trillions in institutional capital will drive the next phase.
INSIGHT

Oracles Make Smart Contracts Useful

  • Chainlink verifies external data so smart contracts can execute trustworthy transactions.
  • Combining on-chain consensus with Chainlink's external verification enables complex DeFi and real-world use cases.
ADVICE

Automate Proofs Of Reserves And Composition

  • Use proof-of-reserves and proof-of-composition to expose real asset holdings and composition in near real time.
  • Automating those proofs prevents large frauds and bank-run style collapses like FTX or Wirecard.
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