World Ledger with Coco Kee

Welcome back. I am Coco. BlockchainAsia has been rebranded as World Ledger.I am excited to share this new podcast episode featuring Xin Yan, co-founder of Sign. We discuss his journey from training as an electrical engineer to co-founding Sign, an omni-chain attestation protocol.We explore Sign’s product offerings, clients, and revenue model — yes, we talk about how to make money! Xin also shares his vision for Sign and the industry and the company’s fundraising experience, and offers advice for fellow founders.Founded in 2021, Sign is already profitable! Tim Draper wrote a blank check for the pre-seed round, and Sequoia’s U.S., China, and India entities all participated in its Seed Round. Most recently, Binance’s venture arm led Sign’s $16M Series A round. Notably, Sign does not have a token.Enjoy our conversation and discover why such prominent investors readily invested in Sign.01:35 Introduction and launch of the business03:50 Sign Protocol and Product Offerings – EthSign, SignPass, Token Table08:21 How EthSign works14:56 How SignPass works and its clients17:48 Adoption of blockchain technology and its impact on developing countries21:02 Examples of EthSign users22:44 Sign’s business model23:42 Token Table’s business model in detail26:49 How Token Table can help improve airdrop mechanism28:24 The role of Token Table in global markets outside of crypto32:17 The dynamics of different roles played by Sign Protocol and Token Table34:02 Target markets34:37 Fundraising journey from pre-seed to seed to Series A36:45 Advice for fellow foundersTo receive updates, subscribe to my newsletter: worldledger.substack.com

I officially launched BlockchainAsia Podcast in February 2024. Since then, I have interviewed eight insightful guests from the U.S., Europe, and Asia. These include the former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, two C-suite executives of Taiwanese companies that deliver real-world use cases of blockchain, the founder of a Web3 incubator in Hong Kong, a partner from a VC Fund headquartered in Singapore, the Founder and CEO of Malaysia’s first licensed digital asset fund manager, and the Head of Capital Markets for the Nasdaq-listed first ASIC bitcoin mining rig manufacturer headquartered in Singapore. I've collected some highlights to showcase these engaging conversations. To stay informed, subscribe to my free newsletter The information in the podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, not investment or financial advice, and the speakers' views are their own.

In this episode, I explore AI technology to convert one of my blog posts into a podcast! Any differences between my written post and the AI-generated audio version do not necessarily reflect my views To stay updated, subscribe here.

Many people still remember Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse affected a significant number of technology companies, including the stablecoin platform Circle, which had $3.3 billion in cash reserves deposited at SVB. In this episode, I sit down with Ken Wilcox to understand the root causes of Silicon Valley Bank’s downfall and some lingering questions, e.g. why all the lines of defense failed, and why regulators were not more forceful despite being aware of the warning signs. Ken Wilcox was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) from 2001 to 2011, then the CEO of SVB's joint venture with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB-SVB) in Shanghai until 2015, followed by four years as its Vice Chairman. He is the author of "Leading Through Culture: How Real Leaders Create Cultures That Motivate People to Achieve Great Things" and The China Business Conundrum (Wiley, 2024) Ken’s Substack Musing on the Middle Kingdom and More To stay informed, subscribe to BlockchainAsia Show notes -Introduction -Understanding loan-to-deposit ratio -Impact of COVID-19 on Silicon Valley Bank -Problem of excess Deposits -Long-term Treasury Bonds -Bank run and social media -Reflections on failures across all lines of defense -Importance of banking culture and risk control -Alternatives to Silicon Valley Bank and the joint venture in Shanghai -Conclusion and new book announcement

This special episode features Coco's observations and findings from her trip to Hong Kong and Mainland China. - Hong Kong's geographical advantages to becoming a Web3 hub; its unique role as a testing ground and development center of Mainland's ambition to be a key player in Web3 - Economy in Mainland China - 20% of Bitcoin's hash power in China - Central government's potential change of plans to legalize crypto assets and the catalysts driving the change Follow BlockchainAsia on Substack to stay informed. https://blockchainasia.substack.com/

Jupiter Zheng from HashKey Capital, an expert in cryptocurrency valuation, dives into the current state of the Bitcoin market. He discusses various valuation models like NVT and MVRV, alongside the stock-to-flow method. The conversation reveals intriguing predictions, including Cathie Wood's projection of Bitcoin reaching $1M by 2030. Jupiter also addresses skepticism surrounding digital assets and the evolving methodologies needed to evaluate them effectively, highlighting challenges and future trends in the crypto landscape.

This is a special episode. I put together a trail of the past 10 episodes of BlockchainAsia Podcast. Revisiting these conversations, I have to say they remain very relevant and insightful. If you've missed any episodes, you can catch up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube Podcasts. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter: https://blockchainasia.substack.com/  

Vera Wu, the COO of Numbers Protocol, delves into how blockchain technology verifies digital content authenticity and fights misinformation. She highlights their collaborations with Reuters and Stanford's Starling Lab to document historical events and enhance election integrity. The conversation also covers innovative tools for content verification, the challenges of distinguishing AI-generated content, and the quest for regulatory frameworks in the digital landscape. Vera’s insights reveal the transformative potential of tech in empowering content creators and promoting trust.

In this episode of BlockchainAsia Podcast, I have an engaging dialogue with Ioana. Our conversation explore a diverse array of topics, from the gradual adoption within large financial institutions to the merits and drawbacks of the EU's regulation-centric approach. We dive into what makes the Middle East an appealing destination for founders worldwide and compare the contrasting execution mentalities between Asian and European startups. She sheds light on Domin Network's unique offerings, illustrating how NFTs are evolving beyond speculative collectibles into practical tools for enhancing brands in a scalable manner, along with the company's growth plans. Ioana also provides insights into events such as Dubai Token2049, Paris Blockchain Week, and NFT:NYC. Ioana's professional journey, from the European Parliament to Citigroup, and now with Domin Network, is connected by a common theme: a quest for innovative frontiers, with blockchain and crypto emerging as the focal point. Follow Ioana on LinkedIn and X To stay informed, subscribe to my free newsletter Disclaimer: The content in Blockchain Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, represents personal views and opinions, and does not constitute investment advice or recommendations.

Hann Liew, Founder & CEO of Halogen Capital, Malaysia's First Licensed and Shariah-Compliant Digital Asset Fund Manager, joins this episode of BlockchainAsia Podcast and discusses: - Why he chose to launch a digital asset fund after exiting a Fintech company he founded and built for more than 10 years - The key regulatory event in Malaysia that has been beneficial to the country’s crypto market - How his Web2 Fintech expertise becomes an advantage for his new fund - What he learns about retail and institutional investors in Malaysia when distributing his new fund - What impact U.S. BTC spot ETF has had and Hong Kong’s ETFs will have on Malaysia’s crypto market - What is a Shariah-compliant fund and why it offers a unique value proposition - Things that people may not be aware of about Malaysia, e.g., one of the top 10 Bitcoin mining countries To learn more about Halogen Capital, visit its website, follow Hann Liew on X (@ooihann) To get more content in our inbox, subscribe to the free newsletter blockchainAsia.substack.com