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AZTEC Protocol is a protocol that enables private transactions on Ethereum. At its core, AZTEC is an Ethereum contract, otherwise known as the AZTEC Cryptography Engine. The protocol uses a zero-knowledge proof system, allowing users to effectively create shielded representations of tokens, which can then be sent and redeemed for the underlying token. CEO and CTO, Tom Pocock and Zac Williamson have plans to build AZTEC into a fully functional DeFi stack with which all kinds of trades, swaps, and financial operations will be possible, with privacy.Topics covered in this episode:How Tom and Zac met and founded AZTEC ProtocolWhat AZTEC is and what problem is solvesHow AZTEC enabled transactions work in practice from a user perspectiveThe challenges of making DeFi systems like MakerDAO fully privateHow ERC-20 tokens could be issued as private tokensThe AZTEC trusted setup ignition ceremonyZKPs for privacy vs scaling solutionsGrowing the privacy ecosystem and getting people excited about privacyThe security guarantees of using AZTEC and other ZKP systemsEpisode links: AZTEC ProtocolAZTEC Protocol - SDKAZTEC Protocol - research papersAZTEC Protocol TwitterTom Walton-Pocock TwitterZac Williamson TwitterReset EverythingSponsors: Least Authority: Register for Security Sessions on April 30th to learn about security audits for your blockchain project - https://leastauthority.com/meetupStatus: A multi-purpose communication tool that combines a peer-to-peer messenger, secure crypto wallet, and web3 browser - https://status.im/This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/335

Ryan Sean Adams is the Founder of Mythos Capital, a crypto fund and staking provider for “big fish” stakeholders. He also writes the popular DeFi newsletter, Bankless. In addition to providing excellent insights about the ecosystem, Bankless takes a very practical approach to leveraging DeFi. Ryan shares strategies and encourages readers to complete action items to utilize the full potential of decentralized finance and become bankless. He also hosts a podcast by the same name with David Hoffman.Topics covered in this episode:Ryan's background as a tech entrepreneur and how he got involved in cryptoLaunching ​Mythos Capital and the thesis behind this fundThe importance of becoming “bankless” to preserve self-sovereigntyWhat good analogies we can use to describe DeFi and the use of clear terminology to describe cryptoassetsThe power and advantage concentrated in centralized exchangesTrustless nature of Ethereum vs. BitcoinThe role of nation-states in the DeFi ecosystem as it continues to growThe idea that “Eth is money” and Eth as a store of value asset in EthereumThe impact of Covid19 on the economy and crypto marketsThe future of Ethereum and BitcoinEpisode links: Mythos CapitalBankless newsletterBankless podcastRyan Sean Adams on MediumMythos Capital on TwitterRyan Sean Adams on TwitterReset EverythingSponsors: Least Authority: Register for Security Sessions on April 30th to learn about security audits for your blockchain project - https://leastauthority.com/meetupThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Brian Fabian Crain. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/334

In another of our bonus episodes recorded at EthCC in Paris, we caught up with Jason Goldberg, CEO and Founder of Pepo and Ost, and James Dyer, Co-founder and Head of Product at Decrypt. At the time of recording Decrypt were about to announce they were launching their own token that rewards audience engagement, built on Ost technology. We chatted to Jason and James about this relationship, the problems solved by these monetization models, the link between Pepo and Decrypt tokens, and DeFi, and what the future holds for media and tokens.Topics covered in this episode:Background of Jason and JamesDecrypt's affiiation with ConsenSysThe issues and problems being solved with the respective monetization modelsThe levers Pepo are using to ensure users trust the platform and promote growth in the ecosystemThe reasons Decrypt chose Ost to build their platform onThe different components of the Ost toolkit and how these are leveragedThe technology involved with getting tokens to sponsor a 'season'How Pepo and Decrypt market themselvesThe bridges between Pepo and Decrypt tokens, and DeFiHow good UX standards of the wallet are reached, in particular the recovery wallet featureOvercoming the challenges of civil attacks and malicious actsThe future of media and tokens and what the new models look likeEpisode links: PepoOstDecryptOst Powers Decrypt Token for Media EngagementPepo TwitterOst TwitterDecrypt TwitterThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture.

What will the World look like when capital is no longer scarce? In his book, World After Capital, Albert Wenger makes the case that technological progress throughout the ages (foraging, agrarian, industrial) brought a change in scarcities. As society transitions from the Industrial Age to the Age of Knowledge, scarcities will also shift – human attention will become our most valued scarce resource.Albert Wenger is a Managing Partner at the VC firm Union Square Ventures. A graduate of Harvard and MIT, he holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology. Before joining USV, he founded several companies in the aughts, and was the President of del.icio.us when the company was sold to Yahoo! in 2005.Topics covered in this episode:His motivations for writing “World After Capital”How the properties of near-zero marginal cost and universality are unique to the digital ageHuman attention as the primary scarce resource in the Knowledge AgeThe shift towards the Knowledge Age and the role of capital in the futureCovid19 as a catalyst for positive societal change, and things like universal basic incomePotential upsides for crypto in the current economic crisisThe asymmetry between technological progress and privacyEpisode links: Union Square VenturesWorld After CapitalContinuations by Albert WengerPutting the Economy in Suspended Animation: A ProposalWorld After Capital: Laying a Foundation (Regulation & Self-Regulation)Albert Wenger TwitterReset Everything Virtual Conference – April 29thSponsors: Status: A multi-purpose communication tool that combines a peer-to-peer messenger, secure crypto wallet, and web3 browser - https://status.im/This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/333

We caught up with Joseph Lubin, Founder of ConsenSys, at this year's EthCC. It has been over a year since he last came on the show, and we wanted to get his take on what has been happening in the ecosystem since then. We talked about the ConsenSys reorganization, interoperability between public and permission blockchains and the opportunities there, government-backed stable coins and the possibilities of nation-states building their own, DeFi and the phenomenal growth in the ecosystem, his predictions for 2020, and thoughts on the challenges facing Eth2.0.Topics covered in this episode:A look back on the past year since we last had Joe on the showThe ongoing ConsenSys reorganistaionJoe's views on the recent Twitter discussion that “Ether is the ConsenSys token”Interoperability between public and permission blockchains and the opportunities thereGovernment-backed stable coins and the possibilities of nation-states building their ownThe evolving naratives around EthereumJoesph's vision on how DeFi compliments the existing financial systemJoseph's predictions for 2020The challenges ahead for Eth 2.0Episode links: ConsenSysJoe Lubin on Epicenter (episode 269)EY and ConsenSys Announce Formation of Baseline Protocol Initiative to Make Ethereum Mainnet Safe and Effective for EnterprisesJoseph Lubin TwitterConsenSys TwitterReset Everything virtual eventThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/ethcc-joe-lubin

In this episode we are joined by David Hoffman, Chief of Operations at RealT, a company which tokenizes realestate assets into security tokens. He is also well known for numerous pieces he has written on Ethereum and DeFi and is co-host of the POV Crypto podcast. Hear us as we talk about his writings, how tokenizing real estate assets works, Bitcoin on Ethereum, the feedback loop problem and effects of the USD in DeFi, and a debate on whether Ether is an asset.Topics covered in this episode:What RealT is and how tokenizing real estate assets worksUsing the Uniswap protocol for tradingThe thesis behind David's “Defining Ether as an Asset” postThe crypto-economics economics of Bitcoin on Ethereum (tBTC, wBTC)The feedback loop problem in DeFiThe effects of the USD price on volatility in DeFiThe argument that Ether is a ”triple-point asset”The utility value of EthereumRebutting the argument the Ethereum will eat all of the world's valueEpisode links: RealTDefining Ether as an AssetEthereum is an Emergent StructureEther Is EquityEther: A New Model for MoneyPOV Crypto PodcastReset Everything EventRealT TwitterDavid Hoffman TwitterPOC Crypto Podcast TwitterSponsors: Nervos: If you’re a developer or project seeking funding for an innovative idea, check out the Nervos Grants Program today - https://www.nervos.org/grantsThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/332

This week we have a special episode on the entire globe's most talked about topic, the Corona Virus. We are joined by guest Ryan Selkis, CEO of Messari. Ryan was one of the first people in the space to start talking about Covid19 and has been very vocal on this subject on Twitter and his newsletter since the crisis began in January. We discuss how this virus has become so deadly and the current health and economic conditions, containment and protecting yourself, how the markets, crypto and startups have been affected, and what is yet to come.Topics covered in this episode:How Ryan become so interested in the Corona VirusThe current global health and economic impact of Covid19The provisions Ryan is making personally and on a company levelMessari's plans for virtual events over the coming weeksA deeper look into the global financial impact of Covid19What does this all have in store for startupsThe stimulus being put in place in the US and its monetary effectsThe current state of the marketsThe long term effects from a societal perspectiveRyan's prediction on what happens nextEpisode links: Ryan Selkis TwitterRyan's List of Must Follow Expert Accounts on TwitterTBI/Messari 2019-nCoV TrackingCoronavirus: Why You Must Act NowRIP Moon TimesMessari Corona Coverage & ResourcesMainnet Events, by MessariDonald G. McNeil Jr.Google Sheets - create and edit spreadsheets online, for free.Epicenter 2020 Audience SurveySponsors: Status: A multi-purpose communication tool that combines a peer-to-peer messenger, secure crypto wallet, and web3 browser - https://status.im/ShapeShift: ShapeShift is the leading crypto platform offering zero-commission trading - https://shapeshift.com/This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Brian Fabian Crain. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/331

This episode was recorded at the third annual Ethereum Community Conference in Paris last week and we were joined by Gonçalo Sá, Co-founder of ConsenSys Diligence, Jérôme de Tychey, President of Ethereum France, and Cassidy Daly, Token Designer at Centrifuge. We discussed the issues surrounding centralization and DeFi in token governance, the security complexities of composability attacks like the ones we saw recently which leveraged flash loans, and of course, the coronavirus.Topics covered in this episode:Gonçalo and Cassidy discuss their talks at the EthCC eventThe current points of interest around centralization in DeFiDefining ecosystem decentralization guidelinesIssues with token governance in DAOsSecurity complexities of comparability attacks and the recent flash loansHow the Ethereum community is improving response times to attacksEthCC, hugs and coronavirusEpisode links:Ethereum Community Conference 3EthCC - TwitterJérôme de Tychey: “Opening Speech” at EthCCJérôme de Tychey: “Closing Speech” at EthCCFriederike Ernst: “Prediction Markets” at EthCCCassidy Daly & Abbey Titcomb: “Putting the 'De' back in 'DeFi'” at EthCCCassidy Daly: “The Gateway for Real-World Assets into the Blockchain Multiverse” at EthCCGonçalo Sá TwitterJérôme de Tychey TwitterCassidy Daly TwitterThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/episodes/bonus-ethcc-3

We are joined by founder of TQ Tezos, Jacob Arluck. TQ Tezos is a company that works to advance the Tezos ecosystem by creating open source software and other public goods. It's been over two years since we last did an episode about Tezos and this was a good refresher on how that project is shaping up. We hear about the decentralized and permissionless nature of the Tezos infrastructure, the protocol development of Tezos, and how TQ is working to make Tezos more accessible.Topics covered in this episode:Decentralized nature of Tezos development and the teams that make up the ecosystemWho is funding Tezos protocol developmentPermissionless nature of the Tezos architecture and governance mechanismHow TQ is working to make Tezos more accessibleThe impressive number of development languages and issues around interoperability and comparabilityMichelson – the stack-based DSL (domain-specific language) and the shift towards Michelson 2.0The types of applications being built on TezosThe role of the Tezos Foundation and the Breitmans todayA look back on Tezos governance two years in, and the future of the protocolEpisode links: Amending TezosReflecting on Athens, the first self-amendment of TezosJacob Arluck MediumJacob Arluck TwitterTQ Tezos TwitterTezos TwitterEpicenter 2020 Audience SurveySponsors: Nervos: If you’re a developer or project seeking funding for an innovative idea, check out the Nervos Grants Program today - https://www.nervos.org/grantsThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/330

Joe Lallouz is the CEO of Bison Trails, who provide staking infrastructure for a variety of PoS blockchains. They have built a really impressive system for deploying nodes across multiple cloud services. In light of the $25m recently raised by Bison Trails, Joe shares their vision to build a better PoS ecosystem for everyone, the types of customer they run validators for, and the cutting edge stuff they're working on in terms of deployment, redundancy and key storage. We also hear their view on infrastructure centralization in PoS, protocol improvements, and Bison Trails' role with Libra Association.Topics covered in this episode:How Bison Trails got started and their vision to build a better proof of stake ecosystem for everyoneThe types of customer they run validators for and their approach to improving the productThe networks they support and their approach to adding new networksBison Trail’s technical infrastructure design and the cutting edge stuff they're working on in terms of deployment, redundancy and key storageHow the company thinks about infrastructure centralization in PoSThe company’s involvement in different crypto communities and discussions around protocol improvementsBison Trail’s role with Libra Association and how they are participating in the technical design of the protocolEpisode links: Bison Trails WebsiteBison Trails Raises $25M in Funding Round Led by Blockchain CapitalBison Trails - LibraBison Trails - Blockchain Capital BlogBison Trails TwitterJoe Lallous TwitterSponsors: ShapeShift: ShapeShift is the leading crypto platform offering zero-commission trading - https://shapeshift.com/Status: A multi-purpose communication tool that combines a peer-to-peer messenger, secure crypto wallet, and web3 browser - https://status.im/This episode is hosted by Meher Roy & Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/329