Jesse Walden

On today's episode of Empire, Jason Yanowitz and Santiago Roel Santos are joined by Li Jin and Jesse Walden of Variant. Bringing their specific expertise on the creator space, Li and Jesse discuss what it means to form a crypto creator economy that not only supports quality content but attracts players to actually invest in the concept. With Jason and Santiago, they cover mainstream adoption, NFTs, what it means to be an owner, and more.--ParaSwap:If you want to make a swap at the best price across the DeFi market, check out paraswap.io. ParaSwap’s state-of-the-art algorithm beats the market price across all major DEXs and brings you the most optimized swaps with the best prices, and lowest slippage.--Empire is brought to you by Blockworks, a financial media brand delivering breaking news and premium insights about digital assets to millions of investors. For more content like this, subscribe to Blockworks' free daily newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/Follow me and Santiago on Twitter, @JasonYanowitz and @santiagoroel; let us know what you thought of the show!Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UTePv1CR3APdKOiosR3Iq?si=41bc452345b649f9Subscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://apple.co/3srZf7M

Austin Adams, founder of Whetstone Research, and Jesse Walden, founder of Variant, share their insights on the booming decentralized exchange (DEX) landscape. They discuss the evolution of automated market makers like Uniswap, emphasizing vertical integration to improve liquidity. The duo dives into the design of Doppler and its role in the market, highlighting challenges in token issuance and pricing dynamics. Additionally, they touch on innovative pricing mechanisms and the importance of security in DeFi, particularly with Uniswap's $15.5 million bug bounty.

Join Jesse Walden, co-founder of MediaChain Labs and current expert at Variant Fund, alongside Linda Xie, an early product manager at Coinbase now at Scalar Capital. They break down NFTs, from their definitions to their revolutionary impact on ownership and digital assets. The duo tackles common misconceptions like the environmental concerns and the ‘just a JPG’ critique. They also discuss the innovative uses of NFTs in art, community engagement, and the potential of decentralized organizations to transform how creators monetize their work.

Guests like Sangeet Paul Choudary and James Currier explore dystopian aspects of socio-technological trends, while Alex Komoroske and Kelly Sarabyn share visions resisting powerful technological forces. The podcast wraps up Season 5, discussing a range of topics from AI dominace to empowering teams and system transformation.

Jesse Walden, founder of Variant and expert in the ownership economy, dives into the fascinating world of NFTs. He explains what NFTs are and their potential to revolutionize creative industries, particularly music. The discussion covers how NFTs can transform artist-fan relationships, unlock new revenue streams, and simplify rights management. Walden also highlights the impact of legacy brands engaging with NFTs and the democratizing effects of NFTs in the investment landscape, making it accessible even for everyday people.

Decentralized social networks and headless marketplaces are explored in this episode. Farcaster, a decentralized social network built on Ethereum, has seen a 400% increase in daily active users. The discussion unpacks headless marketplaces, onchain identity and money, permissionless composability, frames, and the ownership economy. Physical NFTs and the bridging of the physical and digital worlds are also discussed.

Linda Xie, co-founder of Scalar Capital and former Product Manager at Coinbase, joins Jesse Walden, founder of Variant Fund and ex-co-founder of Mediachain Labs. They dive deep into the world of NFTs, simplifying complex topics like digital ownership and the myths surrounding it. Listeners learn about the minting process, community engagement, and the environmental debates tied to NFTs. They also explore how NFTs are reshaping traditional economic models and empowering creators, making them more accessible than ever before.

Kayvon Tehranian, CEO of Foundation Labs, and Jesse Walden, founder of Variant, dive into the transformative potential of decentralized technology in the creator economy. They discuss how crypto empowers creators by eliminating traditional gatekeepers and enabling direct fan engagement. The conversation explores the dynamics of creator tokens, speculation, and the cultural vs. financial motivations driving market growth. They emphasize starting small in the crypto space to explore innovative revenue streams while fostering a supportive community.

Ben Leventhal, co-founder of Blackbird and former co-founder of Resi, joins Jesse Walden, a partner at Variant, to discuss how Blackbird is transforming restaurant loyalty with cryptocurrency. They share insights on the challenges in the restaurant industry, emphasizing the need for direct customer engagement without middlemen. The duo explores the subtle integration of crypto in consumer apps and the innovative dual-token system of Blackbird. Personal anecdotes highlight their journeys and the potential of blockchain in revolutionizing loyalty programs.

Jesse Walden and Li Jin, co-founders of Variant Fund, delve into the transformative power of the ownership economy and NFTs. They explore why web3 is more beneficial for creators compared to web2 and discuss the potential of NFTs beyond mere art. Jesse shares his musical background and passion for music NFTs, while Li highlights how web3 can resolve gig economy challenges. The duo also addresses criticisms from notable figures and shares insights on NFT trends that could shape the future, advocating for decentralized economic models.