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

We’re joined by Erik Voorhees, Founder & CEO of Shapeshift. His third appearance on the podcast is timed nicely as July marked ShapeShift’s fifth anniversary. From its early days as the “Google Translate for cryptocurrencies”, it has grown into an organization of 75 people, and Erik talks about the learning curves he has endured on his journey. Our conversation also coincides with the launch of ShapeShift’s brand new V2 platform, which includes a self-custodial asset management dashboard, hardware wallet support, and many other new features. One notable change is that ShapeShift now requires users to create an account and perform KYC, something which very much pains Erik. We also discuss Bitcoin, Libra, and the future of money, topics which are always fascinating to approach from Erik’s Libertarian viewpoint. Topics covered in this episode: ShapeShift celebrating its 5th anniversary the lessons learned since launch What is ShapeShift 2.0 and the problems addressed by this product ShapeShift's new features and what people can expect to come in the future Why users now have to register and perform KYC What is the FOX token and what is it's utility ShapeShift's business model and target segment Why the company chose to shut down Prism Erik's views on the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems today Speculations about Libra and the future of money Episode links: ShapeShift ShapeShift on GitHub Building a Bridge to Financial Sovereignty (ShapeShift 2.0 announcement) Erik's tweetstorm on Libra KeepKey Release Notes ShapeShift Twitter Erik Voorhees Twitter Sponsors: Trail of Bits: Trust the team at the forefront of blockchain security research - https://trailofbits.com Azure: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks - http://aka.ms/epicenter StarkWare Sessions: September 16th in Tel Aviv – 20% off with the code EPICENTER - https://epicenter.rocks/starkware This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/300

We're joined by Igor Barinov, the tech lead of the POA Network. The POA Network achieves a reduction in transaction costs by many orders of magnitude by having a set of trusted validators. All validators must be US public notaries, so their identities are known and legal recourse against them can be taken in the offchain world. We also talk about the xDai network, which enables Dai transactions on a POA chain: Dai are transferred into a smart contract on the mainnet and then become available to be transferred at much lower cost on the POA Network. Similarly, they can be transferred out of the xDai network and become available again on the mainchain. We talk about use cases, governance, and limitations. Topics covered in this episode: Igor's background and how he got into blockchain The POA network setup and how to become a validator What informs design decisions and how to find suitable notaries The consensus mechanism on the POA Network The role of the POA token The xDai network and its purpose The role of the DPOS token Use cases of POA and xDai Networks Episode links: POA Network website POA products overview xDAI Chain POSDAO White paper Ocean Protocol releases own POA network Beginners guide: What's the POA network Sponsors: StarkWare Sessions: September 16th in Tel Aviv – 20% off with the code EPICENTER - https://epicenter.rocks/starkware Trail of Bits: Trust the team at the forefront of blockchain security research - https://trailofbits.com Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg - http://vaultoro.com This episode is hosted by Meher Roy & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/299

We're joined by Rune Christensen, CEO and Co-Founder of MakerDAO. We discuss the rise of Maker DAI as an algorithmically backed stable token and get into the weeds of the new version featuring multi collateral DAI as well as the ability to natively generate interest on DAI. We also cover the current governance model and how this can be attacked. The governance will undergo an overhall for the new version of Maker, introducing an Emergency Shutdown that can be triggered through MKR holders and promises to make the system more resilient. Lastly, we venture into what Rune hopes the future will bring for MakerDAO. Topics covered in this episode: Recap of how single collateral DAI is kept at peg of 1 USD Why was DAI intermittently trading at < 1USD Governance functions exercised by MKR holders Sale of MKR tokens and MKR distribution Is the current governance model satisfactory? New governance mechanisms to be rolled out soon Introduction of multi collateral DAI Interest generating DAI: Implementation and rationale Future of Maker DAO: What will be able to serve as collateral? Episode links: MakerDAO white paper MakerDAO CDP portal MakerDAO Blog Roadmap Multi Collateral DAI DAI in numbers DAI in DeFi Sponsors: Cosmos: Join the most interoperable ecosystem of connected blockchains - http://cosmos.network/epicenter Azure: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks - http://aka.ms/epicenter This episode is hosted by Sunny Aggarwal & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/298

We’re joined by Ameen Soleimani, Co-founder and CEO of SpankChan. From his humble beginnings at ConsenSys, he went on to create SpankChain in 2017 at the height of the ICO boom. The project aims to create a better and safer environment for sex workers by removing the intermediaries who take significant commissions on their revenues. SpankChain’s initial product, an adult cam platform, allows users to pay performers in crypto with a native asset over sophisticated payment channels. More recently, Ameen headed a project called Moloch DAO, a decentralized autonomous organization with the goal to fund Ethereum 2.0 development. Moloch has but few simple functions: making proposals, voting on proposals, and exiting. This simple design, heavily inspired on “The DAO” of 2016 has attracted funding from Vitalik Buterin, Joe Lubin and other prominent community members. Topics covered in this episode: Ameen’s background as an early ConsenSys employee working on payment channels Why Ameen decided to found SpankChain and how the project has evolved since its inception What is Moloch DAO and why he decided to launch it The mechanism behind Moloch and how it compares to other DAOs How one becomes a member of Moloch and participates in governance The simplicity of Moloch DAO and its essential functions How Moloch DAO scales and its intended lack of a smart contract upgrade mechanism The attention and funding the project has already received Proposals already made on Moloch, including YangDAO, and their utility to the ecosystem Ameen’s views on the broader Ethereum space, his outlook on Eth 2.0 and the future of the project Episode links: Moloch DAO Moloch Ventures · GitHub Moloch DAO white paper Moloch Summoning Guide The State of Ethereum 2.0 report A Study of Libp2p and ETH2 A Call for a Temporary Moratorium on The DAO YangDAO Ameen Soleimani on Twitter Moloch DAO on Twitter SpankChain DappCon – 20% off with the code “EpicenterDappcon2019” Epicenter Meetup at Berlin Blockchain Week – Thu 22 Aug 2019 Berlin Blockchain Week 2019 Sponsors: Azure: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks - http://aka.ms/epicenter Trail of Bits: Trust the team at the forefront of blockchain security research - https://trailofbits.com This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/297

We’re joined by Jerry Brito, Executive Director of Coin Center. Having discovered Bitcoin in 2011, Jerry was among the first lawyers to talk about crypto in the U.S. capital. In 2014, he founded Coin Center, a leading research and advocacy center focussing on cryptocurrencies. In this enlightening conversation, we talk to Jerry about his paper titled “The Case for Electronic Cash,” in which he articulates why private peer-to-peer payments are essential to an open society. We also discuss Libra and the possible regulatory challenges the proposed private cash system may face. Finally, Jerry explains the recent FinCEN guidance on cryptocurrencies, which broadly follows the recommendations of Coin Center. Topics covered in this episode: Jerry’s background as a lawyer and his crypto beginnings in D.C. Coin Center, it’s mission and the primary battles which the organization is fighting “The Case for Electronic Cash” paper and why cash is vital for a free and open society The main dysfunctions of cashless societies Jerry’s high-level views on Libra How Libra is different from other cryptocurrencies and electronic payment systems The backlash immediately following the announcement and how it was received by governments Ways in which Libra could be regulated The recent FinCEN guidance and how it affects cryptocurrency users and companies Episode links: Coin Center Jerry Brito's website FinCEN’s new cryptocurrency guidance matches Coin Center recommendations The Case for Electronic Cash The differences between Bitcoin and Libra should matter to policymakers Jerry's thoughts on Libra (tweetsorm) Jerry response to Libra Association's Head of Policy on sanction's list (tweetsorm) Buidl Asia HackAtom Seoul DappCon – 20% off with the code “EpicenterDappcon2019” Announcing the Chorus One Podcast Cosmology – A newsletter about the Cosmos network Sponsors: Vaultoro: Vaultoro - Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg Azure: Azure - Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/296

In this episode, we caught up with Robert Leshner, founder of the Compound protocol. Compound is a fascinating smart contract protocol, running atop Ethereum, that allows users to lend and borrow specific ERC-20 tokens with a duration-free interest model. The protocol acts as a central borrower and lender of user tokens and algorithmically prices the interest charged to borrowers and lenders. Compound is one of the first examples of a well-functioning lending market built using smart contracts. Topics covered in this episode: Robert's background and how he came to found Compound The workings of the compound protocol Statistics of usage of the protocol Intended plan for governance of the protocol in the future Business model of the company and the protocol Comparison of compound to other lending protocols on Ethereum Outlook and future plans Episode links: Compound Website Compound Protocol Stats Our plan to create Compound v2 Robert Leshner on Twitter Robert Leshner on Linkedin Compound Finance on Twitter Sponsors: Cosmos: Join the most interoperable ecosystem of connected blockchains - http://cosmos.network/epicenter Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg - http://vaultoro.com This episode is hosted by Meher Roy & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/295

We're joined by Rob Dawson, Head of Product at PegaSys. PegaSys is the protocol engineering spoke of ConsenSys, and the team building Pantheon, a Java implementation of the Ethereum client. The Pantheon client was built from the ground up as both a mainnet, and consortium chain client. Written in Java with an Apache 2.0 license, it benefits from being easily accessible to enterprises, who predominantly use that language. The PegaSys team has built additional features into the Pantheon client like privacy, permissioning, and the ability to deploy chains on IBFT, a consensus algorithm better suited for consortium networks of up to 40 validators. Working closely with other protocol teams (Geth and Parity), and being a founding member of the Ethereum Enterprise Alliance, PegaSys is also working towards Ethereum 2.0. Topics covered in this episode: Rob’s background as an enterprise Java developer and how he became involved in the blockchain space The role of PegaSys in the broader ConsenSys ecosystem The Pantheon client and why they chose to build a new Ethereum client The case for Java and why enterprise has a preference for this language Pantheon’s unique features of privacy, permissioning, and performance What is Istanbul BFT and how it differs from Parity POA and Tendermint BFT The types of applications which are better suited for IBFT The Ethereum Enterprise Alliance (EEA) and PegaSys’ work on standards PegaSys’ work on Ethereum 1.x and Ethereum 2.0 The team's recently announced certification program Episode links: PegaSys Website Introducing Pantheon, a Mainnet Java Client - Demo & Roadmap (Devcon4) Another day, another consensus algorithm. Why IBFT 2.0? Scaling Consensus for Enterprise: Explaining the IBFT Algorithm Blog Posts and Webinars - Pantheon PegaSysEng/pantheon: An enterprise-grade Java-based, Apache 2.0 licensed Ethereum client PegaSysEng/artemis: Java Implementation of the Ethereum 2.0 Beacon Chain Komgo Sponsors: Trail of Bits: Trust the team at the forefront of blockchain security research - https://trailofbits.com Azure: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks - http://aka.ms/epicenter This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/294

The complex and evolving regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies has been a topic for many years. After a long period of waiting, the SEC started pursuing fraud causes in the last 1-2 years. But the recent lawsuit against Kik is the first time that the SEC goes after a large, non-fraud case. We were joined by lawyer Stephen Palley to discuss the Kik case, the US regulatory landscape and recent announcement of the Libra cryptocurrency promoted by Facebook. Topics covered in this episode: The SEC lawsuit against Kik The potential path of the process and how it could resolve in the end Why the Kik case is unlikely to provide any regulatory clarity in the next few years What a settlement in the Kik case could look like Whether the Howey test is still a sensible way to regulate securities How US regulators will deal with decentralized exchanges Stephen's thoughts on Libra Episode links: Annotated Guide to the SEC's Complaint against KIK - Katherine Wu Kik and the SEC: What’s Going On and What Does It Mean for Crypto? - Katie Haun Kin Sets Up $5 Million DefendCrypto.org to Take on the SEC - Unchained Podcast SEC vs. Kik: The Lawyers Speak - CoinDesk Episode 135 with Stephen Palley: Lawmodynamics – How to Sue a DAO Stephen Palley on Twitter Sponsors: Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg - http://vaultoro.com Azure: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks - http://aka.ms/epicenter This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/293

This is part two of a two part bonus series. These sessions were recorded at the first Interchain Conversations conference which took place in Berlin on June 13th and 14th, 2019. The firs part of this bonus episode features the validator panel moderated by Brian Fabian Crain, Co-founder of Chorus One. The panel included Florian Liss of Staking Facilities, Hendrik Hofstadt of Certus One, Aurel Iancu of Dokia Capital, and Jun Soon Kim of stake.fish. The conversation goes into the role of validators beyond staking, ways in which we can avoid too much centralization, and how validators will differentiate in a market which tends towards homogeneity. The second part of this episode is a governance debate moderated by Sunny Aggarwal. The first topic is on plutocracy and features Jae Kwon and Rigel Rozanski. The second is about revokable governance and features Chris Goes and Jack Jampolin. Subscribe to Epicenter for new episodes every week.

This is part one of a two-part bonus series. These sessions were recorded at the first Interchain Conversations conference which took place in Berlin on June 13th and 14th, 2019. The first part of this episode is “Epicenter Live,” a live podcast recorded on stage at the event. It features hosts Meher Roy, Sunny Aggarwal, Brian Fabian Crain, and Sebastien Couture. In this conversation, we discuss the topic of blockchain interoperability. We look at how different projects address interoperability and seek to form a picture of how these projects might interact in a multi-blockchain future. We also discuss how these protocols address application comparability and speculate on how they will remain competitive. The second segment is the opening Q&A between Jae Kwon and Sebastien Couture. Among other things, Sebastien spoke with Jae about the recent Cosmos launch, the Interchain Foundation, and the future of the Tendermint company. Subscribe to Epicenter for new episodes every week.