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CryptoNews Podcast

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Apr 28, 2025 • 35min

#434: Daniel ‌Marin, Founder of Nexus, on Enabling the Verifiable Internet, Aggregating Unused Compute Power, ZK Tech, and Verifiable AI

Daniel ‌Marin is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nexus. Daniel founded Nexus in 2022 while he was at Stanford with the mission to enable the Verifiable Internet, which will redefine digital trust and create a more transparent, secure, and efficient world. To achieve this mission, Nexus is building a globally distributed Layer-1 blockchain powered by a zkVM engine.Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Stanford University. He was named to Forbes’ ’30 Under 30’ list in 2025, and earned Bronze medals at the International Physics Olympiad in 2018 and 2019.In this conversation, we discuss:- Are we back?- Enabling the Verifiable Internet- Parallels between AI and ZK- Aggregating unused compute power- Verifiable AI- Solving critical issues around privacy, trust, and security- 2.1 million users and 3.6 million nodes already connected to the network- With Nexus, more nodes = faster blockchain- Verifiable computation will impact many markets, blockchain is just one example- The power of zkEVM- The future of AI & BlockchainNexusWebsite: nexus.xyzX: @NexusLabsDiscord: discord.gg/nexus-xyzDaniel MarinX: @danielmarinqLinkedIn: Daniel Marin---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Apr 24, 2025 • 32min

#433: Leah Wald, CEO of SOL Strategies, on Becoming More Than the MicroStrategy of Solana, TradFi Crypto Investments, and Solana ETFs

Leah Wald is CEO of SOL Strategies (CSE: HODL), a publicly traded Canadian company actively investing in, supporting, and providing infrastructure for the Solana blockchain ecosystem. Prior to Sol Strategies, Leah co-founded and was the CEO of Valkyrie Investments, leading the firm to over $1.3 billion in AUM through cryptocurrency trusts, hedge funds, and ETFs. Valkyrie’s advisory business was acquired by CoinShares, and its private trust division by Abra Capital in 2024. Previously, Leah worked at the World Bank Group in the sub-Saharan African region and served as a Partner at Lucid Investment Strategies, one of the first RIAs to allocate GBTC for their clients. Ms. Wald is a contributing writer for Forbes and co-authored the book Hyperwave Theory: The Rogue Waves of Financial Markets.In this conversation, we discuss:- Becoming more than the MicroStrategy of Solana- Acquiring OrangeFin Ventures + Laine Validators (Stakewiz)- The difference between SOL Strategies and SOL ETFs- Investing in ETFs vs companies- Why investment advisors don’t push public crypto companies + ETFs- Partnership with Pudgy Penguins- The future of the Solana ecosystem- Pudgy penguins securing a SOL validator- Investing in crypto via publicly traded companies- Launching a Solana staking mobile app- Bridging consumer brands with institutional blockchain infrastructure:- Branded validatorsSOL StrategiesWebsite: solstrategies.ioX: @solstrategies_LinkedIn: SOL Strategies Inc.Leah WaldX: @LeahWaldLinkedIn: Leah Wald ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Apr 21, 2025 • 38min

#432: John Lilic, CEO of Telos, on Quantum Money and Quantum Computing’s Threat (and Opportunity) to Crypto

John Lilic, CEO of Telos, is a technology entrepreneur and investor focused on blockchain, cryptography, and quantum infrastructure. A leading angel VC, he has taken the Q pill and believes the quantum threat and opportunity are arriving much sooner and more profoundly than most in the blockchain ecosystem realize.In this conversation, we discuss:- The quantum pill- Quantum vs Blockchain Security- Quantum money- Post-Quantum money vision- PQC- Concepts for quantum-native financial infrastructure- Crypto has serious competition coming with quantum on the rise- Why blockchain is an important step but not the final destination- Why the quantum threat is arriving sooner and with greater impact than most expect- The disconnect between popular discourse and real quantum progress- How to get involved in quantum computing today?TelosWebsite: www.telos.netX: @HelloTelosTelegram: t.me/HelloTelosJohn LilicX: @LilicJohnLinkedIn: John Lilic--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by Treehouse. Treehouse features two powerful innovations: tAssets, a new class of liquid staking primitives, designed to generate enhanced yields through interest rate arbitrage, and DOR, short for Decentralized Offered Rates, a transparent and reliable consensus-driven benchmark rate for digital assets.Together, they tackle some of DeFi’s biggest problems: fragmented interest rates and the lack of unified benchmarks.So whether you’re after stable yields or helping shape the future of on-chain finance, Treehouse has the infrastructure to power your journey.They’re also running their GoNuts rewards program, simply hold tAssets to earn Nuts, and stand to be rewarded at the end of the campaign.Head over to their website at treehouse.finance to explore more, and follow them on X @TreehouseFi to stay updated.The future of decentralized fixed income is being built, and it's being built by Treehouse.
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Apr 17, 2025 • 28min

#431: Jag Sidhu, Core Developer at Syscoin, on Scaling Bitcoin's Utility and Creating AI-Ready Infrastructure for Crypto

Jagdeep (Jag) Sidhu is the core developer at Syscoin and part of the management team at SYS Labs, Building Bitcoin’s only modular network. Jag has a strong background in software engineering and is a pioneer in the crypto industry. As a core developer, Jagdeep has marshalled the world’s fifth-oldest surviving cryptocurrency into its second decade, creating tools, technologies, and services that enhance the functionality and usability of the Syscoin platform.In this conversation, we discuss:- Trump’s tariffs tantrums and it’s market implications- Will crypto decouple from trad-fi?- Building on Bitcoin- The founding story and history of Syscoin- AI-Ready infrastructure for crypto- Human observation in the development of AGI- Supporting AI-driven decentralized applications- Scaling Bitcoin’s utility- Launching mainnet for zkSYS- Merge-Mining with Bitcoin- Proof-of-Data Availability (PoDA)SyscoinWebsite: syscoin.orgX: @syscoinTelegram: t.me/Syscoin_OfficialJag SidhuX: @realSidhuJagLinkedIn: Jagdeep Sidhu--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by Treehouse. Treehouse features two powerful innovations: tAssets, a new class of liquid staking primitives, designed to generate enhanced yields through interest rate arbitrage, and DOR, short for Decentralized Offered Rates, a transparent and reliable consensus-driven benchmark rate for digital assets.Together, they tackle some of DeFi’s biggest problems: fragmented interest rates and the lack of unified benchmarks.So whether you’re after stable yields or helping shape the future of on-chain finance, Treehouse has the infrastructure to power your journey.They’re also running their GoNuts rewards program, simply hold tAssets to earn Nuts, and stand to be rewarded at the end of the campaign.Head over to their website at treehouse.finance to explore more, and follow them on X @TreehouseFi to stay updated.The future of decentralized fixed income is being built, and it's being built by Treehouse.
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Apr 14, 2025 • 29min

#430: Chris Chung, Co-Founder of Titan, on Solana DeFi, DEX Aggregators and Stablecoins

Chris Chung is the CEO & Co-Founder of Titan, Solana’s first Meta DEX Aggregator. In addition, Chris is very active in the Toronto Solana ecosystem as the local ambassador for MonkeDao in Toronto, as well as a Superteam Canada member. Chris previously served as the CTO of a cryptocurrency and US equity hedge fund building out low latency analytics, back office reporting, and trading systems.In this conversation, we discuss:- Crypto in Canada- Living in Toronto- Talented Canadians moving to USA- Solana DEX landscape and why it's ripe for disruption- What exactly is a “Meta DEX Aggregator?- Live-streaming price updates- SOL vs. ETH- Titan's role in the Solana DeFi stack- One-Click Spot Swaps = bread and butter- Amazing time to buy $SOL- Next growth catalyst = payments & stablecoinsTitanWebsite: titandex.ioX: @Titan_ExchangeTelegram: t.me/TitanDexSolChris ChungX: @realRockyChungLinkedIn: Chris Chung---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by Treehouse.  Treehouse features two powerful innovations: tAssets, a new class of liquid staking primitives, designed to generate enhanced yields through interest rate arbitrage, and DOR, short for Decentralized Offered Rates, a transparent and reliable consensus-driven benchmark rate for digital assets.Together, they tackle some of DeFi’s biggest problems: fragmented interest rates and the lack of unified benchmarks.So whether you’re after stable yields or helping shape the future of on-chain finance, Treehouse has the infrastructure to power your journey.They’re also running their GoNuts rewards program, simply hold tAssets to earn Nuts, and stand to be rewarded at the end of the campaign.Head over to their website at treehouse.finance to explore more, and follow them on X @TreehouseFi to stay updated.The future of decentralized fixed income is being built, and it's being built by Treehouse.
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Apr 10, 2025 • 27min

#429: Willem Shroé, CEO of Botanix Labs, on Building a Bitcoin EVM L2, The Future of Bitcoin, and Spiderchain

Willem Schroé is the CEO and Co-Founder of Botanix Labs, the team behind Spiderchain, the on-chain home of Bitcoin Finance. Willem is an engineer and lifelong entrepreneur from Belgium, where he researched authenticated encryption and macroeconomics, and was a national mathematics medalist. He formed the thesis of the Spiderchain whiteboarding in the halls of Spangler while doing his MBA at Harvard, and continues to be a menace to whiteboards across the world with his cryptographic scribbles.In this conversation, we discuss:- Bitcoin EVM outperforming BitVM- ZKrollups don't work on Bitcoin- Bitcoin isn't digital gold; it's digital money- Using Bitcoin for day-to-day transactions- Bitcoin finance adoption- Fully programmable Bitcoin without compromising decentralization- The importance of unlocking Bitcoin’s $1T+ market cap for on-chain finance- How Spiderchain differs from other Bitcoin Layer 2s- Earning yield from your bitcoin without selling- The importance of decentralization- The magic of whiteboardsBotanix LabsWebsite: botanixlabs.xyzX: @BotanixLabsDiscord: discord.gg/botanixlabsWillem SchroéX: @WillemSchroeLinkedIn: Willem Schroé ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Apr 7, 2025 • 26min

#428: Vikram Arun, CEO of Superform, on The Future of DeFi, High-yield Stablecoins, and Why The Market Is Down

Vikram Arun is the Co-Founder of Superform, an on-chain wealth app to grow your crypto portfolio. With a background in engineering and finance, Vikram has been building in the crypto space since 2017. Prior to Superform, he co-founded Ledger Capital, a crypto research firm, and worked on Wall Street conducting biotech equity research and analyzing high-growth technologies. At BlockTower Capital, Vikram co-led a $100m DeFi and Yield Fund, building scalable trading strategies across 15 chains with a focus on statistical arbitrage. Seeing the need for scalable DeFi products, he left BlockTower in 2021 to launch Superform. Vikram holds a Bachelor’s in Engineering and a Master’s in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis.In this conversation, we discuss:- Why the market is down right now- Current market cycle- The founding story of Superform- Stablecoin indexes- High-yield stablecoins are becoming crypto’s killer app- Bringing users on-chain without the on-chain feeling- Superform V2 shows where DeFi is headed- DeFi is finally breaking past the power user bubble- Capital efficiency is the next frontier- What will bring DeFi to the masses?- Next wave of DeFi Applications- Are memecoins actually dead?SuperformWebsite: www.superform.xyzX: @superformxyzDiscord: discord.gg/superformVikram ArunX: @vik_runaLinkedIn: Vikram Arun ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Apr 3, 2025 • 28min

#427: Joanna Zeng, CEO of SOON Network, on Being an ETH L2 Using SVM, The Future of High-performance L2s, and Community Centric Building

Joanna Zeng is the co-founder and CEO of SOON Network, before establishing SOON (Solana Optimistic Network), Joanna used to be a currency trader on Wall Street, and has since held roles in business development and product management at Aleo, Optimism, and Coinbase. She also served as a founding board member of CryptoNYC and is an active angel investor.SOON is a Layer 2 (L2) blockchain built on Solana's Virtual Machine (SVM). It uses Optimistic Rollups to take Solana’s already impressive speed and low costs to a whole new level.Under Joanna’s leadership, SOON has rapidly progressed, launching its DevNet within six months and positioning itself as a key player in the next wave of blockchain innovation. Her journey from traditional finance to blockchain exemplifies her vision and commitment to creating sustainable, real-world solutions that push the boundaries of decentralization.In this conversation, we discuss:- SOON is an ETH L2 using the SVM- Saratoga Water going viral- Community-Centric Building- SOON led a ‘co-builder’ funding round in 2024 with no VC involvement, allowing community to have stake in the project- High-Performance L2s- Solana Virtual Machine (SVM)- SOON’s decoupled SVM separates execution from consensus- Kaito yaps- Key benefits of using SVMs compared to EVMs- The future of L2s- Ethereum L2 fragmentationSOON NetworkWebsite: soo.networkX: @soon_svmDiscord: discord.gg/soon-svmJoanna ZengX: @justsayuluvjoLinkedIn: Joanna Zeng ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Mar 31, 2025 • 24min

#426: Darius Tabai, CEO of Vertex Protocol, on Perpetual Trading, DeFi Infrastructure, and UX Improvements

Darius Tabai is the CEO and co-founder of Vertex Protocol, a leading decentralized exchange built on Arbitrum. Darius is an experienced trader with a history of working in FX, Commodities, and Crypto. Darius’ previous roles include the Head of Trading at JST Digital, Head of Trading at CrossTower, Global Head of Metals Trading at Merrill Lynch, and the Global Head of Precious Metals Trading at Credit Suisse.In this conversation, we discuss:- The story behind founding Vertex Protocol- What is a perp DEX?- Arbitrum's speed, low fees, and EVM compatibility- DeFi Infrastructure & UX Improvements- The competitive landscape of DEXs- What Makes Vertex Unique?- Tokenomics & Protocol Incentives- The rise and fall of memecoins- Liquidity across blockchains- Partnership with Berachain and SONICVertexWebsite: vertexprotocol.io X: @vertex_protocolTelegram: t.me/LiquidityLoungeDarius TabaiX: @DariusTabai ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50
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Mar 27, 2025 • 36min

#425: Ian Smith, CEO & CTO at Quantum EVM, on Quantum Computing Risks to Blockchain and The Future of Web3 Security

Ian Smith is the CEO & CTO at Quantum EVM. He’s a seasoned technologist with 21+ years of experience spanning blockchain, cryptography, cloud microservices, and AI-driven solutions.Proficient in 20+ languages, including Golang, Python, and C++, he has led groundbreaking projects across industries. Ian has worked with major organizations like NASA, Oracle, VISA, and Boeing, contributing to secure, scalable systems in finance, IoT, and blockchain.With deep expertise in cryptography and post-quantum security, Ian has designed advanced blockchain architectures and smart contract platforms. His blend of technical depth and leadership makes him a key innovator in next-generation digital ecosystems.In this conversation, we discuss:- The Quantum Threat to Cryptography- Quantum Computing Risks to Blockchain- Why existing cryptographic systems are vulnerable and how to prepare- Quantum-Safe Solutions- Practical steps to secure blockchain infrastructure and decentralized applications- The Future of Web3 Security- How post-quantum cryptography will transform the blockchain landscape- The Timeline and Race for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)- What’s next for Quantum EVM?- Quantum safe crypto addressesQuantum EVMWebsite: quantumevm.comX: @quantumevmTelegram: t.me/quantumevmIan SmithX: @IanSmith_HSALinkedIn: Ian Smith---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

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