The Crypto Beat

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Thrive Founder Daniel Jacobs. In this episode, Jacobs shares how Thrive uses a mix of expert and AI agent reviewers to validate contributions, making grant funding faster, fairer, and ensure they are supporting the creation of value. Jacobs also critiques the value-extraction mindset in crypto and advocates for a shift toward long-term value creation and ecosystem sustainability. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:03 – The Origin of Thrive 04:23 – Reviewer Incentives  05:35 – AI Agent Adoption 08:52 – Confirming AI Accuracy 12:36 – Comparisons to Kaito 13:58 – Growth Metrics 16:26 – Challenges in Crypto Grant Funding 20:50 – Extracting vs. Creating Value 25:07 – Are VCs good for the space? 28:37 – Moving into “Fundamental Season” 30:07 – Interesting projects 31:17 – Daniel’s Predictions for 2025 31:42 – Closing Thoughts The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Daniel Jacobs - ⁠https://x.com/thrivegiraffe Thrive Protocol - https://x.com/thriveprotocol Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Metamask Co-Founder Dan Finlay. In this episode, Copeland and Finlay discuss the evolution of the crypto industry, the intersection of blockchain and AI, and MetaMask's goal to build a wallet for a much broader audience outside of crypto natives. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Crypto’s evolution 02:57 - MetaMask's strategy 04:39 - Mainstream Use Cases  07:20 - MetaMask’s Grants Program 10:57 - Challenges in Building MetaMask 15:17 - Improving Multi-Chain UX 17:16 - The Pectra Upgrade 23:06 - MetaMask’s revenue streams 25:33 - From Memes to Fundamentals 27:58 - Experimenting with AI  32:19 - The Solana Meme Coin 37:04 - Native Support for Solana  40:09 - The Changing U.S. Regulatory Landscape 41:20 - The Elusive MetaMask Token 42:17 - Hopes for the Future 43:01 - Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Dan Finlay - https://x.com/danfinlay MetaMask - ⁠⁠https://x.com/MetaMask Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Backed Finance Co-Founder Adam Levi. In this episode, Copeland and Levi discuss the rise and future of tokenized equities, and how it could prove to be bigger than stablecoins. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:46 - Observations From Token2049 02:14 - Adam’s Experience in the Space 03:51 - Understanding the Business Model 08:28 - Another Crypto Collapse? 11:56 - Why Tokenized Equities Are Gaining Steam 15:58 - Regulatory Concerns and Global Access 18:46 - Adoption Barriers 20:10 - Unlocking DeFi With Real-World Assets 23:06 - Yield-Bearing Stablecoins  25:21 - Coming Next in Tokenized Equities 26:01 - Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠ Guest links: Adam Levi - https://x.com/leviadam1 Backed Finance - ⁠https://x.com/BackedFi Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

Jose Fernandez da Ponte, SVP of Blockchain, Crypto and Digital Currencies at PayPal, shares insights into the payment giant's bold crypto strategy. He discusses the launch of PayPal's stablecoin, PYUSD, and its potential to compete with Tether and USDC. Fernandez also highlights emerging use cases for stablecoins in everyday transactions and the growing involvement of traditional finance in crypto. With a focus on compliance and innovation, he outlines PayPal’s vision for integrating blockchain in the future of finance.

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by OP Labs Co-Founder and Systems Engineer Mark Tyneway.In this episode, Copeland and Tyneway discuss the progress and current state of Optimism. Tyneway unpacked OP Labs' focus on user experience and interoperability, and how crypto's future could become more app-focused.OUTLINE00:00 - Introduction00:48 - Optimism’s Growth and Ecosystem Highlights05:04 - Crypto’s App-Focused Future06:57 - Native Interoperability and Cross-Chain Messaging16:10 - Adoption Through Apps20:18 - Staying Focused on the Vision25:23 - Crypto’s Growing Relevancy27:51 - Value Accrual to ETH vs Layer 2s33:12 - The Super Token36:00 - ZK Proofs39:24 - Biggest Challenges for Layer 2 Growth40:43 - Optimism’s 2025 Vision41:36 - Outro and Final ThanksThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Mark Tyneway - https://x.com/tyneslolOP Labs - https://x.com/OPLabsPBCOptimism - https://x.com/OptimismAre you hiring in crypto?Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test.Faster hiring, stronger teams.Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Aave-Chan Initiative Founder Marc Zeller.In this episode, Copeland and Zeller discussed Aave's decentralization, the Horizon Initiative, and the ACI's "most important proposal" of a six-month, $1 million dollar per week buyback program.OUTLINE00:00 - Introduction05:15 - The most Important Proposal07:32 - DeFi Isn't Dead — It's Maturing10:43 - Buybacks17:16 - Liquidity Incentives and Yield Optimization25:23 - The Horizon Plan32:49 - GHO and Stablecoin adoption38:42 - Embracing Competition to Grow GHO40:14 - Bitcoin-Backed Loans 43:09 - Bullish Outlook on Ethereum48:12 - Building on Mainnet vs. L251:31 - Fixing Ethereum54:10 - Outro and Final ThoughtsThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Marc Zeller - https://x.com/lemiscateAave-Chan Initiative - https://x.com/AavechanAre you hiring in crypto?Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test.Faster hiring, stronger teams.Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Morpho Co-Founder & CEO Paul Frambot.In this episode, Copeland and Frambot discussed Morpho, a permissionless lending and borrowing infrastructure that allows builders and platforms to create their own products. The discussion also covers Morpho's integration with Coinbase, the evolution of crypto lending, the and the potential future of layer-2 solutions and app-specific chains.OUTLINE00:00 Introduction 00:24 Sponsor break01:14 What Is Morpho?05:03 Shifting From End To End Products07:35 Morpho Token11:12 Protocol Fees and Monetization 13:13 Surge in TVL 17:27 Evolution of DeFi Lending 21:44 Coinbase Integration 26:37 The Future of Crypto Lending 33:18 The Success of Stablecoins36:30 App Chains and Layer 2s 40:20 What’s Next For Morpho & ConclusionThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Paul Frambot - https://x.com/PaulFrambotMorpho - https://x.com/MorphoLabsAre you hiring in crypto?Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test.Faster hiring, stronger teams.Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campusThis episode is brought to you by our sponsor:AwakenUse Awaken to save time and money on your taxes. Go to https://awaken.tax/ to learn more.

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Superfluid Co-Founder & CEO Fran Renzi.In this episode, Copeland and Renzi discussed Superfluid, a protocol that allows for continuous, second-by-second streaming of cryptocurrency payments. Renzi explains how the protocol works by using a different accounting method than traditional token transfers, allowing for more efficient and scalable recurring payments, with potential applications in areas like employee compensation, subscription services, and gaming. OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:25 Sponsor break01:14 Diving Into Superfluid04:27 How Superfluid Works08:49 The Accountant’s Nightmare11:05 Scaling 17:10 Going Cross-Chain21:32 Garnering Participation24:02 Hacker House Results29:24 Meme Coins vs Utility Season32:49 Reasons For Money Streaming39:57 Smart Contracts and Smarter Payroll43:18 Banks, Blockchains, and Bottlenecks49:17 Streaming For Games50:55 ConclusionThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Fran Renzi - https://x.com/francescorenziaSuperfluid - https://x.com/superfluid_HQAre you hiring in crypto?Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test.Faster hiring, stronger teams.Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campusThis episode is brought to you by our sponsor:AwakenUse Awaken to save time and money on your taxes. Go to https://awaken.tax/ to learn more.

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Offchain Labs Co-Founder & CEO Steven Goldfeder.In this episode, Copeland and Goldfeder discussed Arbitrum’s latest developments, including the BoLD protocol, which enhances security and decentralization for optimistic rollups. They discuss the broader Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem and challenges in governance. The conversation also touches on Ethereum’s long-term strategy, competition with Solana, and what a U.S. strategic crypto reserve should consist of.OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:48 Arbitrum’s BoLD move05:43 How decentralized is Arbitrum today?11:07 DAO ETH deployment debate15:25 Layer 2s and Ethereum’s value proposition18:55 Activity shifting to Solana and Hyperliquid23:33 Are Layer 2s ready for Appchains?26:26 The Layer 2 business development battle29:12 Will Arbitrum share sequencer revenue?33:23 Lobbying and bribing in Arbitrum governance37:31 Crypto politics & the U.S. reserveThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Steven Goldfeder - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgoldfed/Steven Goldfeder on X - https://x.com/sgoldfedOffchain Labs - https://www.offchainlabs.com/Offchain Labs on X - https://x.com/OffchainLabs

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Ethos CEO Trevor Thompson.In this episode, Copeland and Thompson discuss reputation scores in crypto and how Ethos aims to bring accountability through on-chain trust mechanisms. The discussion also covers the potential impact of reputation markets, comparisons to Friend Tech, and how transparency influences trust in the crypto space.OUTLINE00:00 - Introduction01:17 - Ethos explained03:44 - Ethos’s vouching system06:15 - Reputation growth07:50 - Points and potential token launch11:28 - Lessons from Friend.tech13:58 - Transparency and accountability18:37 - Building a strong community23:53 - Preventing scams with reputation scores29:33 - Weighing reputation scores33:32 - Ethos markets40:29 - Potential long cons42:24 - KOL tokenization and reputation45:27 - The future of Ethos48:45 - Closing thoughtsThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGuest links:Trevor Thompson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-thompson-atx/Trevor Thompson on X - https://x.com/0x5f_ethEthos - https://www.ethos.network/Ethos on X - https://x.com/ethos_network