
Epicenter - Learn about Crypto, Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies
Epicenter brings you in-depth conversations about the technical, economic and social implications of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. Every week, we interview business leaders, engineers academics and entrepreneurs, and bring you a diverse spectrum of opinions and points of view.
Epicenter is hosted by Sebastien Couture, Brian Fabian Crain, Friederike Ernst, Meher Roy and Felix Lutsch. Since 2014, our episodes have been downloaded over 8 million times.
Latest episodes

Aug 23, 2024 • 55min
Zeal: The Day-to-Day Crypto Wallet for EVM Chains - Hannes Graah
Hannes Graah, an innovator in EVM chain wallet development, discusses the emergence of Zeal as a user-friendly crypto wallet. He explores the need for self-custodial wallets to enhance security and usability, addressing the challenges users face with traditional solutions. Key topics include account and gas fee abstraction, smart contract interactions, and the importance of banking the unbanked. Hannes also highlights Zeal's mobile-first approach and its potential to integrate seamlessly with everyday transactions, all while prioritizing user privacy and growth in the evolving Web3 landscape.

Aug 17, 2024 • 53min
Alkimiya: Blockspace, the Digital Real Estate - Leo Zhang
Leo Zhang, an expert in blockchain technology and digital real estate, discusses the emergence of a marketplace for blockspace as the crypto industry matures. He shares insights on the dynamics of reserving blockspace to mitigate rising costs during high demand. The conversation also highlights the evolution of transaction fees, the competitive landscape of blockchain mining, and innovative solutions like ‘Paymasters’. Leo emphasizes the significance of proposer-builder separation and explores the current market sentiment surrounding ETH and Solana.

Aug 9, 2024 • 58min
Nansen: AI & Blockchain Analytics - Alex Svanevik
Alex Svanevik, a pioneer in AI and blockchain analytics, discusses his journey from data science to cryptocurrency after discovering Ethereum in 2017. He highlights how Nansen labels blockchain data to aid traders by identifying ‘smart money’ wallets. The conversation dives into the integration of AI for data processing and the importance of human oversight in maintaining data accuracy. Ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and transparency are also explored, along with Nansen's roadmap for innovative features in blockchain analytics.

Aug 2, 2024 • 1h 9min
MultiversX: Blockchain Sharding 101 - Lucian Mincu
Lucian Mincu, a blockchain expert and founder of Elrond (now MultiversX), dives into the world of blockchain sharding. He delves into the Scalability Trilemma and compares sharding architectures with Ethereum’s. The conversation highlights the importance of cross-shard transaction routing and the concept of sovereign chains. Lucian shares MultiversX’s vision for a multi-chain ecosystem, emphasizing innovation in security and usability. The discussion also touches on collaborations with governments for NFT marketplaces, showcasing the evolving landscape of blockchain technology.

4 snips
Jul 26, 2024 • 1h 18min
Mel Project: Is Web3 Truly Decentralised? - Eric Tung
In this engaging discussion, Eric Tung, a key contributor to the decentralization of Web3, shares insights from his work with Mel Project. He highlights the scalability issues hindering mass adoption and critiques centralized solutions like Infura. Eric introduces light clients for off-chain composability and emphasizes the importance of security against ISP-level censorship. He also discusses the innovative Streamlet consensus model, the UTXO architecture’s benefits, and Mel Project's low-volatility cryptocurrency designed to combat traditional market fluctuations.

5 snips
Jul 20, 2024 • 1h 10min
How Gnosis 3.0 Paves the Way for Mass Adoption - Friederike Ernst
Friederike Ernst, from Gnosis, discusses Gnosis' journey to improve consumer dApp UX for mass adoption. Topics include Gnosis 3.0, Gnosis DAO, Gnosis Pay for on-chain payments, modularity in EVM, and potential shift to L2 architecture.

5 snips
Jul 14, 2024 • 52min
Ethereum at a Crossroads - Vitalik Buterin (Live from EthCC 7)
Vitalik Buterin discusses Ethereum's challenges like L2 competition and staking decentralization. Topics include non-financial crypto apps, account abstraction, Solana vs. Bitcoin, geopolitics, and AI impacts.

Jul 5, 2024 • 1h 11min
‘Aave v4 Will Unify Cross-Chain Liquidity’ - Stani Kulechov
Stani Kulechov, CEO of Aave, discusses Aave V4 upgrade proposing cross-chain liquidity unification, Aave's evolution, risk management, GHO stablecoin, liquidation strategies, expanding to non-EVM chains, stablecoin evolution, DeFi institutional adoption, and Aave's future role in the industry.

11 snips
Jun 28, 2024 • 1h 9min
Fabric Ventures' Investment Thesis Since the Dawn of Bitcoin to AI - Richard Muirhead
Richard Muirhead, co-founder of Fabric Ventures, discusses their investment thesis evolving from Bitcoin to AI. Topics include user-generated AI, on-chain autonomous agents, DeFi innovations, missed opportunities, and the impact of crypto liquidity on VC investing.

Jun 21, 2024 • 1h 2min
Plurality: How Taiwan Managed to Unite Its People Through Tech - Audrey Tang & Glen Weyl
Taiwan's Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, and Glen Weyl discuss how technology can unite people, avoid division, and strengthen democracy. They talk about collaborative mentality, Web3 governance, and human facilitators in decision-making. Exploring Taiwan's unique approach to digital transformation and inclusive growth through technology.