Still Early: Crypto Venture After Hype With Framework | Fully Diluted with Messari Research

VC Brandon Potts (Framework Ventures) joins Fully Diluted to cut through the noise on crypto venture right now. We cover why “let the token rip” is a dead-end playbook, where real demand and distribution come from, and why the next wave looks like application-specific infrastructure, stablecoins at scale, and energy/DePIN feeding AI—not generic infra or meme “vibe-coded” apps.

What we cover

🔹 Why most CT hot takes are wrong & why we’re still early

🔹 The new bar for founders: demand, distribution, revenue (not pre-launch tokens)

🔹 Application-specific infra (e.g., Hyperliquid, Plasma) vs. generic chains

🔹 Stablecoins after policy clarity (“Genius”): cost of capital, distribution, yield

🔹 Energy x DePIN: on-chain finance for power, credits, and data centers

🔹 Crypto ↔ AI reality: how miners morphed into the AI backbone; investable angles

🔹 GPU marketplaces: where the thesis works—and where it breaks

🔹 The coming B2B crypto/SaaS moment and why execution beats narratives00:32 Introductions

02:17 Crypto Venture Market

15:09 Stablecoins & Tokenization

30:25 AI & Energy Investments

39:29 GPU Compute & Infra Protocols

43:06 Mapping & Decentralized Data

47:41 Potts’ contrarian take: we’re still early

50:50 Conclusion

Hosted by Dylan Bane and Matthew Nay of Messari

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This episode and its contents do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Messari, Inc. Hosts and guests may hold cryptocurrencies discussed in this content. This content is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as investment advice. You should conduct your own research, and consult an independent financial, tax, or legal advisor before making any investment decisions. Nothing contained in this content is a recommendation or suggestion, directly or indirectly, to buy, sell, make, or hold any investment, loan, commodity, or security, or to undertake any investment or trading strategy with respect to any investment, loan, commodity, security, or any issuer. This content should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security or commodity. Messari does not guarantee the sequence, accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information provided in this content.