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

Konstantin Lomashuk, co-founder of cyber•Fund and Lido DAO, dives deep into the evolution of the cybernetic economy and his entrepreneurial journey. He reflects on early investments in cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and the foundational moments of the Cosmos Network. Konstantin emphasizes the challenges of scaling businesses and the significance of decentralized governance. He also contrasts Solana and Ethereum, discussing their paths to innovation and the integration of AI in crypto, raising concerns about centralization while exploring new investment opportunities.

Ismail Khoffi, a pioneer in blockchain scalability and modularity, teams up with Mustafa Al-Bassam, an expert in rollups and interoperability. They dive into Celestia's revolutionary approach to blockchain with its modular architecture. The duo discusses how Celestia prioritizes data availability and scalability. They also unveil innovations like lazy bridging and Zero-Knowledge proofs that promise enhanced interoperability. Plus, they explore the balance of decentralization and governance, highlighting the potential of sovereign rollups in the evolving crypto landscape.

Trent McConaghy, a pioneer in AI and cryptocurrency, teams up with Richard Craib, an expert on prediction markets, to explore the evolution and impact of prediction markets in crypto. They discuss how AI has transformed these markets through advanced predictive models. The conversation touches on Numerai's unique crypto hedge fund and the collaborative potential with Predictoor. They also delve into the complexities of user dynamics, the future of decentralized prediction markets, and how AI could solve market inefficiencies.

In this discussion, Sam Hart, head of product at Skip Protocol, shares insights on creating seamless cross-chain experiences in the Cosmos ecosystem. He dives into the challenges of interoperability, highlighting the role of Skip’s innovative Go API and Skip:Connect tools. Sam explores the ongoing competition between Ethereum and Cosmos, addressing unique economic behaviors and the impact of Miner Extractable Value. He also discusses the future of cross-chain monetization and the importance of enhancing user experiences through advanced blockchain solutions.

In this day and age, privacy and confidentiality are more important than ever. Advancements in the cryptographic research of zero knowledge proofs (ZKPs), fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) and multi-party computation (MPC) paved the way for computational integrity and confidential computing. While FHE allows for computation to be performed on encrypted data without the need for prior decryption, it is MPC that enables compliance with regulations (e.g. AML). Arcium aims to build a global super computer for parallelised confidential computing, powered by custom MXEs (multi-party computation execution environments).Topics covered in this episode:Yannik’s backgroundConfidentiality & decentralised complianceConfidential computingTEEs (trusted execution environments) & side-channel attacksZKP vs. MPC vs. FHEArcium’s global super computer architectureHow Arcium differentiates itself from other privacy protocolsUse casesCensorship risksEcosystem developmentEpisode links:Yannik Schrade on TwitterArcium on TwitterSponsors:Gnosis: Gnosis builds decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem, since 2015. This year marks the launch of Gnosis Pay— the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Get started today at - gnosis.ioChorus One: Chorus One is one of the largest node operators worldwide, supporting more than 100,000 delegators, across 45 networks. The recently launched OPUS allows staking up to 8,000 ETH in a single transaction. Enjoy the highest yields and institutional grade security at - chorus.oneThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Felix Lutsch.

The future is multi-chain, scalable and modular. However, while Cosmos’ IBC set the standard for interoperability, Ethereum’s L2 shift revealed a huge problem of liquidity fragmentation across the many rollups fighting for market share. Polymer aims to bridge the two ecosystems and bring the best of both worlds: Ethereum’s native liquidity and Cosmos’ interoperability, through a modular framework using the OP-stack and IBC.Topics covered in this episode:Bo’s background and the evolution of PolymerScaling limits of L1s vs. L2sThe ‘endgame’ for rollup frameworksIBCInteroperability & network topology: 70’s/80’s vs. blockchainsPolymer hubMonomer frameworkPre-confirmation & finality trade-offsCross-rollup interoperabilityBuilding appchains with MonomerModularityEpisode links:Bo Du on TwitterPolymer Labs on TwitterSponsors:Gnosis: Gnosis builds decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem, since 2015. This year marks the launch of Gnosis Pay— the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Get started today at - gnosis.ioChorus One: Chorus One is one of the largest node operators worldwide, supporting more than 100,000 delegators, across 45 networks. The recently launched OPUS allows staking up to 8,000 ETH in a single transaction. Enjoy the highest yields and institutional grade security at - chorus.oneThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture.

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.

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.

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.

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.