Tarun Chitra

In this discussion, Tarun Chitra, an investor at Robot Ventures with a focus on blockchain and perpetual DEXs, joins the hosts to explore the cutting-edge Lighter project. They dive into the origins and evolution of perpetual trading, comparing privacy and transparency in market-making. Tarun emphasizes the benefits of custom ZK circuits over existing zkVMs for system efficiency. The conversation also covers the role of quants and engineers in building robust DEXs, and the innovative ways Lighter utilizes Ethereum and zero-knowledge rollups to enhance trading experience.

Tarun Chitra, Founder and CEO of Robot Ventures, brings deep expertise in crypto and AI to the conversation. He reveals how AI models like O3, Claude, and Gemini each excel in different tasks, emphasizing the need for specialized tools in a fracturing AI landscape. Tarun explores the challenges and exciting opportunities of merging AI with cryptocurrency, including edge computing and innovative projects. He also shares insights on staking trends and the future of DeFi, highlighting a cautious yet optimistic outlook for investors.

Join Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly Capital, and Tarun Chitra, co-founder of Gauntlet, as they dissect the recent downturn in crypto markets following the FOMC meeting. They debate which emerging assets might endure a bear market and analyze the implications of major investments by Paradigm and Sequoia in Citadel Securities. The conversation also takes a critical turn as they discuss the controversial 'Cryptoland' project and the uprising within the Pudgy Penguins NFT community, focusing on the shift towards community governance.