Epicenter - Learn about Crypto, Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies

For centuries, we have been led to believe that nation states are the only way to organize humankind at scale. But governments all around the world are failing to react swiftly to the severe destruction of our planet from things like war and climate change, and this is endangering our whole species. Nation3 is ready to overturn this, by building a Web3-powered, tax-free, solarpunk sovereign cloud nation. It is structured as a DAO, meaning there is no legal entity, no gatekeepers, and no influence by trad states. The goal is to gradually build or invest in products and services that allow citizens to be actively involved in economic activity. The $NATION token serves as the gateway to participate in the community Discord, participate in governance decisions, receive an NFT passport, and eventually receive services provided by the new cloud nation.We were joined by founders Luis and Anastasiya to chat about why they see this is as necessary for humankind, how the legal, governance and economic aspects will work, and the long term visions for the project.Topics covered in this episode:Luis and Anastasiya's backgroundsThe problem that Nation3 is trying to solveHow the legal system worksThe differences between Nation3 and traditional nationsThe core services Nation3 will provideWhy is the nation tax-free and how will the economy be supported?Issues with selling passportsHow will democracy work?The biggest learnings from AragonWhat is the vision for acquiring landEpisode links: Nation3Nation3 TechtreeNation3 on TwitterAnastasiya on TwitterLuis on TwitterSponsors: Tally Ho: Tally Ho is a new wallet for Web3 and DeFi that sees the wallet as a public good. Think of it like a community-owned alternative to MetaMask. - https://epicenter.rocks/tallycashThis episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/469

Wormhole is a decentralized cross chain messaging protocol powering the transfer of value and information across high value chains. A network of Guardian nodes secure the protocol by observing and attesting to events and data on its connected chains. These attestations are gossiped around the open Wormhole peer-to-peer network, allowing anyone connected to the network to observe the flow of information. Portal is a bridging app built on top of Wormhole where users can seamlessly bridge tokens and NFTs across supported chains and easily enter the network’s ecosystem.We were joined by Dev Bharel, Developer Relations for Wormhole. He gave us great insight into how the protocol works, security assumptions and incidents, the concept of generalized messaging passaging, and the Portal Bridge as a first adopter of the Wormhole protocol. We also chatted about what else is being built on Wormhole, and how you can get involved.Topics covered in this episode:Dev's background and how he got into cryptoAn overview of WormholeThe different network ecosystems in Wormhole and challenges with adding new networksThe Wormhole guardian network and its plans for expansionThe user experience on Portal BridgeRelayers on the networkUsing Wormhole bridge assets directly with non-native tokensThe Wormhole hack and the changes that have been madeUsing zero knowledge proof on bridgesEpisode links: Portal BridgeWormhole hackBug bounty programDeveloper docsWormchainxHack hackathonWormhole on TwitterDev on TwitterSponsors: Omni: Access all of Web3 in one easy-to-use wallet! Earn and manage assets at once with Omni's built-in staking, yield vaults, bridges, swaps and NFT support.https://omni.app/ -This episode is hosted by Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/468

With the long awaited Ethereum Merge successfully executed last month, we caught up with Vitalik at DevCon in Bogota to talk shop: How does he see the state of the network, does he think looming centralization is a threat. Was Ethereum's danksharding plus third party layer 2s a good architecture decision? How much of an issue is MEV?Topics covered in this episode:The state of the network and credible neutralityShould validators have agency?How much of a problem is MEVThe Ethereum SurgeThe road to DankshardingDecentralizing the sequencerThe future of the spaceThe one most important thing we need to get right in the coming year for the ecosystem to succeedEpisode links: EthereumDevcon 6Episode 402 - Ethereum – Can It Go Beyond DeFi?Join the Epicenter team!Sponsors: Tally Ho: Tally Ho is a new wallet for Web3 and DeFi that sees the wallet as a public good. Think of it like a community-owned alternative to MetaMask. - https://epicenter.rocks/tallycashThis episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/467

Since its announcement a few weeks ago at Cosmoverse in Medellin, Atom 2.0 has sparked intense debate in the Cosmos community and throughout the blockchain ecosystem. It proposes three pillars for the Cosmos Hub: Interchain Security, the Interchain Allocator, and the Interchain Scheduler. However, parts of the paper have been contested and debated over fears of token holder dilution, potential treasury mismanagement, and even the collapse of the Hub. We chat with Ethan Buchman and Zaki Manian to dive deep into Atom 2.0 and its vision for Cosmos moving forward.Topics covered in this episode:The ATOM 2.0 announcement and follow upThe goal of the whitepaperInterchain Security and its role in Cosmos' futureInterchain Security vs. Mesh SecurityCosmos scalabilityLiquid staking in the Cosmos ecosystemDistributing funds through the AllocatorAtom issuance modelThe motivation behind the Interchain SchedulerThe governance process - voting on the whitepaperNext steps to community adoptionEpisode links: Atom 2.0 WhitepaperAtom 2.0 forum postAtom 2.0 Debate episode on The InteropEthan on TwitterZaki on TwitterJoin Epicenter!Sponsors: Tally Ho: Tally Ho is a new wallet for Web3 and DeFi that sees the wallet as a public good. Think of it like a community-owned alternative to MetaMask. - https://epicenter.rocks/tallycashThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Brian Fabian Crain. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/466

After a 2 year hiatus, Devcon was back for its 6th and best year so far, this time in Bogota, Colombia. As things wrapped up we grabbed a few of the Ethereum community's most prominent names for a recap on the conference. Hear as we chat to Nick Johnson from ENS, Anett Rolikova from Nethermind, David Hoffmann from Bankless, and Joseph Schweitzer from the Ethereum Foundation, about their particular standouts of the event, the LatAm and wider Ethereum community, and what they see coming next for Devcon 7 and beyond.Topics covered in this episode:Introductions and a look back over the conferenceThe LatAm Ethereum communityFavourite talks from the conferenceHaving a booth at DevconWhat's in store for Devcon7 next yearThe future vision for the eventEpisode links: DevconDevcon 4 recap from PragueSponsors: Omni: Access all of Web3 in one easy-to-use wallet! Earn and manage assets at once with Omni's built-in staking, yield vaults, bridges, swaps and NFT support.https://omni.app/ This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/465

Bonus Episode: At a side event at Devcon in Bogota Colombia, Friederike moderated a panel discussion on censorship resistance and credible neutrality with Phil from Flashbots, Patrick from Infura, Sebastian from HOPR, Martin from Gnosis, and Sreeram from EigenLayer. We dove deep into what credible neutrality constitutes, whether it needs defending, and if so how we should go about it.Topics covered in this episode:Introduction to the panelWhat is censorship resistance and credible neutrality?When has Ethereum been or not been crediably neutral, and where is it todayRecent cencorship instances in the spaceThe roadmaps for more credible neutralityEpisode links: DevconThis episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/B007

We caught up with Cosmoverse co-founder and YouTuber Cryptocito, for a chat from this year's event in Medellin. We look back on the 2nd edition of the conference and how the ecosystem has grown since last year. We also dive into some of the announcements, notably, ATOM 2.0.Topics covered in this episode:Cosmoverse in MedellinCryptocito's background and how Cosmoverse was bornHighlights from the conferenceMesh security systemsCosmos community growthThoughts on Interchain Foundation (ICF)ATOM 2.0Episode links: CosmoverseCrytpocito's youtubeCosmoverse on TwitterCryptocito on TwitterSponsors: Omni: Access all of Web3 in one easy-to-use wallet! Earn and manage assets at once with Omni's built-in staking, yield vaults, bridges, swaps and NFT support.https://omni.app/ -This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/464

HOPR is a decentralized and incentivized peer-to-peer mixnet open to anyone who wants to join and run a node. The network allows people, companies, and devices to exchange information online with its metadata stripped. People who communicate and transact using HOPR — or apps and services which run on top of the platform — can be sure that no-one can find out what data is being shared, who is sending or receiving it, or even how much data is being sent. HOPR gets its name from the fact that it provides metadata privacy by sending data packets through multiple nodes - or “hops” – in the network. Decentralization ensures that the network is fully independent and there is no entity that can control it or intercept the traffic.We were joined by HOPR founder Sebastian Bürgel, who chatted about the need for a platform such as this in the space, how it works by sending packets through nodes, the HOPR token, and The DecenGov DAO.Topics covered in this episode:Sebastian's backgroundAn overview of HOPRMixnet vs onion routingWho is the HOPR user?How packets move through the networkThe distribution requirements for HOPR nodesThe costs involvedThe HOPR tokenThe DecenGov DAOWhy privacy systems in crypto have such a hard time finding tractionEpisode links: HOPRHOPR on TwitterSebastian on TwitterJoin the Epicenter team!Sponsors: Tally Ho: Tally Ho is a new wallet for Web3 and DeFi that sees the wallet as a public good. Think of it like a community-owned alternative to MetaMask. - https://epicenter.rocks/tallycashThis episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/463

Crescent is an AMM/Orderbook Hybrid Decentralized Exchange that allows trading inter-chain assets in a cost-efficient manner. Crescent is a sovereign Cosmos chain that was created after migrating the Gravity Dex from the Cosmos Hub. Crescent particularly focuses on efficient use of liquidity by giving powerful tools to market makers to use their capital and provide good prices for traders. We were joined by the founder of Crescent Network, Hyung Lee, to chat about his involvement in the Cosmos ecosystem, B Harvest, the Gravity DEX, and combining AMMs and orderbooks. We also hear about Crescent's roadmap and future role within the ecosystem.Topics covered in this episode:Hyung's background and how he got into crypto and the Cosmos ecosystemLaunching Crescent on its own chainThe vision for Crescent's role within the ecosystemLiquidity formation for the projectComparing AMM and orderbooks and the advantages/disadvantages of eachHow AMM and orderbooks have been combinedThe future of AMMsDifference between a market maker and a liquidity providerCross chain dex aggregationMEV and the interchain worldEpisode links: The Crescent EthosCrescent NetworkCrescent on TwitterHyung on TwitterSponsors: Omni: Access all of Web3 in one easy-to-use wallet! Earn and manage assets at once with Omni's built-in staking, yield vaults, bridges, swaps and NFT support.https://omni.app/ -This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/462

In the countdown to the merge, Sebastien and Friederike teamed up with Eduardo Antuña, Co-founder of DappNode, at this year's Dappcon which is back after a 2 year hiatus. Hear as they chat about what the merge means for the broader Ethereum ecosystem.Topics covered in this episode:Update on DappconThe implications of the Tornado Cash sanctions in the wider crypto spaceZK bridging and the mergeThe Gnosis ecosystemThe importance of privacyThe user experience in crypto and how its important for onboardingPOAP distributionEpisode links: DappconThe MergeDappcon on TwitterEduardo on TwitterSponsors: Tally Ho: Tally Ho is a new wallet for Web3 and DeFi that sees the wallet as a public good. Think of it like a community-owned alternative to MetaMask. - https://epicenter.rocks/tallycashThis episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst & Sebastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/461