The Smart Economy Podcast: Real-World Blockchain Applications with Crypto, DeFi, NFTs, and DAOs

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Gregory Di Prisco, co-founder and Chief Architect at M0, a platform that aims to empower builders of application-specific stablecoins.What you’ll learn:Why the future of stablecoins may lie in modular infrastructure rather than monolithic issuers like Circle and TetherHow M0's extension model enables partners to launch custom stablecoins while abstracting complexityThe key differences between the GENIUS Act and the STABLE ActWhy consumer experience will drive mainstream stablecoin adoptionHow yield distribution and compliance can be modularized through third-party service providersWhy dollar-denominated stablecoins continue to dominate despite macro uncertaintyHow stablecoins could integrate into everyday transactions within five years, largely invisible to end usersAnd much more!With a background in futures trading and involvement in cryptocurrency dating back to 2010, Gregory has held key positions, including Head of Business Development at MakerDAO and co-founder of Distributed Capital, one of the first crypto VCs. His journey from traditional finance to blockchain technology includes supporting ETF development through tools like EtherIndex and significant contributions to the stablecoin ecosystem.Episode Highlights:[00:37:01] User Experience Trumps Technical Details[00:42:45] The Wholesale-Retail Model for Stablecoins[00:51:07] The Future of Stablecoin Adoption[00:25:03] Consumer Demand for Digital CashPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Paul Neuner,  the Founder and CEO of Telcoin, acompany leveraging blockchain technology to provide low-cost DeFi products for mobile phone users globally.What You’ll Learn:Why state-chartered digital asset banks may offer a more efficient path to crypto adoption than federal chartersHow Telcoin's eUSD differs from traditional stablecoinsThe emerging framework for merchant adoption of digital cash payments that could reduce fees from 3% to under 1%Why upcoming stablecoin legislation in May 2024 could accelerate mainstream crypto adoptionHow telecom companies could play a crucial role in the future of digital identity and financial servicesThe roadmap for connecting 3 billion people to digital cash through local currency integrationWhy institutional adoption and regulatory clarity are positive signals despite retail crypto market sentimentAnd much more!Paul is the Founder and CEO of Telcoin, acompany leveraging blockchain technology to provide low-cost DeFi products for mobile phone users globally. With a vast background in telecommunications fraud and security, Paul founded Mobius Wireless and Sedona before entering the blockchain space. As an innovator in digital banking solutions, Paul has worked closely with Nebraska legislators to establish groundbreaking digital asset banking regulations and is actively involved in shaping federal stablecoin legislation.Episode Highlights:[12:31] Nebraska's Digital Asset Banking Innovation[21:06] Digital Cash vs Stablecoins Evolution[38:01] Two-Phase Payment Strategy[48:10] Regulatory Outlook for 2025Previous guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Alan Orwick,  the CEO of Dominant Strategies, a development entity creating tooling and applications on the Quai Network.What You’ll Learn:Why traditional stablecoins represent an "Achilles heel" for cryptoHow Quai Network's dual-token model (QUAI and QI) creates a complete monetary system with a store of value, medium of exchange, and unit of accountThe surprising environmental benefits of PoW mining, including carbon-negative operations through methane captureWhy PoW can be more scalable than PoS through innovations like proof-of-entry-minimumHow Quai's UTXO-based QI token creates a truly private, cash-like digital currency with fixed denominationsAnd much more!Alan graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2020 with a degree in Computer Science, where he founded Texas Blockchain, a student club focused on exploring blockchain technology. Following graduation, Alan worked at Apple as a full stack software engineer. Alan is currently driving forward a portfolio of projects, most notably Quai Network.Episode Highlights:[20:50] Stablecoins, Strategic Reserves & US Dominance[25:44] Stablecoin Monopoly and Opportunity for Disruption[35:21] Why QI Is More Than Just a Stablecoin[53:29] PoEM and the Return of Proof of Work[56:49] Dual Token Model: QI and QUAIPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Ingo Ruebe, the founder of Kilt Protocol, a decentralized digital identity solution serving enterprises, governments, and consumers.What You’ll Learn:Why Web2 identity is fundamentally brokenThe difference between identity and identificationHow W3C standards are reshaping digital credentialsBuilding resilient systems for defense and enterpriseThe power of owning your personal dataBridging traditional industries with blockchain techThe future of AI agent identificationAnd much more!With a background as a computer scientist and former CTO of a major publishing company, Ingo has vast experience across the healthcare, media, and energy sectors. After discovering blockchain technology at South by Southwest in 2015, he founded Kilt Protocol in 2018 to address fundamental issues in Web2 identity systems. His work in developing standardized digital identity solutions through the W3C consortium and the Decentralized Identity Foundation has helped shape industry standards for digital credentials.Episode Highlights:[14:50] The Fundamental Difference Between Identity and Identification[24:48] Blockchain's Three Key Benefits for Identity Systems[38:16] Social KYC: Rethinking Digital Identity Verification [48:18] Preparing Identity Systems for AI AgentsPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by David Hoffman, the co-founder and host of Bankless, a cryptocurrency media brand and community that focuses on educating and empowering individuals to navigate the decentralized financial landscape.What You’ll Learn:The journey from Ethereum maximalism to broader crypto coverageBuilding a media business while maintaining ethical standardsThe firewall between Bankless Media and Bankless VenturesHow content strategy evolves with shifting market interestsManaging community expectations and misunderstandingsThe differences between crypto Twitter and public perceptionFinding a balance between audience demands and personal interestsWhat really happened with the AICC controversyAnd much more!David is the co-founder and host of Bankless, a cryptocurrency media brand and community that focuses on educating and empowering individuals to navigate the decentralized financial landscape. With deep roots in the Ethereum ecosystem since 2017, he helped build Bankless from a newsletter into a comprehensive media organization that includes podcasting, educational content, and venture capital investments. As a prominent content creator in the blockchain space, David has played a crucial role in making complex blockchain concepts accessible while striving to maintain high ethical standards in the industry.Episode Highlights:[17:57] The Three-Way Content Optimization Framework[25:27] Building a Sustainable For-Profit Crypto Media Business [52:21] The 2:1 Podcast Preparation Rule[35:55] Managing Media and Venture Capital SeparationPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Patrick Young, Head of Go-to-Market at Galxe, a platform for Web3 community growth and engagement.Join them as they:Delve into Patrick's background in blockchainExplain how Galxe builds and maintains resilient Web3 communities Discuss Galxe's identity solutions, including Galxe Passport and Galxe ScoreExamine the role of Galxe's EarnDrop program in assisting with token distribution and community buildingHighlight the development of Gravity Chain, Galxe’s upcoming L1 blockchainConsider the convergence of blockchain and AI technologiesExplore how blockchain can support different inference layers and serving frameworksDiscuss how Galaxy's suite of products creates an end-to-end lifecycle management system for Web3 projectsAnd much more!Patrick Young is the Head of Go-to-Market at Galxe, a leading platform for Web3 community growth and engagement. With extensive experience in blockchain education and ecosystem development, Patrick helped create one of the first blockchain curricula at Miami University and has been instrumental in shaping community-driven approaches in the Web3 space. His background includes key roles at Block Key Capital, Ledgermatic, and Chainlink Labs, where he helped grow the team from 65 to 700 people while running their Web3 commercial services business. His expertise in bridging traditional institutions with Web3 communities and his involvement in Galxe's forthcoming Gravity blockchain makes him a valuable voice for those interested in the future of decentralized ecosystem development.Episode Highlights:[17:16] Building Effective Web3 Communities Through Quest[28:07] Transforming Token Distribution with EarnDrop[38:00] Galxe's Identity Protocol: The Future of Web3 Authentication[50:14] Gravity Chain: Building the Infrastructure for Web3 ScalePrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Joe Doll, general counsel at Magic Eden, a leading cross-chain NFT marketplace.Join them as they discuss:The transformative impact of the new administration's pro-crypto executive orderHow stablecoins could cement U.S. dollar dominanceMagic Eden's journey to becoming the #1 NFT marketplace by users and revenueThe evolution of NFT projects from 2021 to presentThe real story behind Operation Chokepoint 2.0The importance of upcoming stablecoin legislationBuilding regulatory-compliant infrastructure in cryptoHow culture shapes successful Web3 companies And much more!With extensive experience in crypto law spanning eight years, including roles at prominent firm Fenwick & West where he helped launch 40-50+ tokens, Joe brings unique insights into both the technical and regulatory aspects of digital assets. His work with major clients like Coinbase, Kraken, Yuga Labs, and OpenSea, combined with his current role at Magic Eden, provides a comprehensive view of how regulation and innovation intersect in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.Episode Highlights:[00:00] Intro[04:35] Stablecoins and US Dollar Dominance[08:25] Evolution of Crypto Regulation [17:10] Magic Eden's On-Chain Vision[22:31] Surviving the NFT Bear Market [29:46] NFT Quality: 2021 vs Today[39:54] Magic Eden's Regulatory Approach[48:58] Operation Chokepoint 2.0 ConfirmedPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Eli Cohen, general counsel at Centrifuge, a platform for tokenized real-world assets.Join them as they discuss:The evolution from traditional finance to tokenized assetsHow T-Bills are being brought on-chainBuilding regulatory-compliant RWA infrastructureDesigning DAO governance for financial protocolsThe future of on-chain institutional asset managementBalancing innovation with complianceHow Centrifuge aims to create efficient securitization processesAnd much more!With vast experience spanning traditional finance, market infrastructure, and cryptocurrency regulation, Eli brings a unique perspective to the intersection of RWAs and blockchain technology. His distinguished career includes roles at CME Group, where he helped launch Bitcoin futures in Asia-Pacific, Block.one, and various positions working with financial regulators across multiple jurisdictions. For the past three years at Centrifuge, Eli has been instrumental in developing compliant frameworks for bringing traditional financial assets onto the blockchain while navigating complex regulatory environments across global markets.Episode Highlights:[00:00] Intro[03:00] Understanding the Two Categories of Real World Assets (RWAs)[34:09] The Microbrewery Model of Asset Tokenization[38:09] Hybrid Governance Structure for DeFi Platforms[48:29] Evolution of RWA Markets Beyond Treasury BillsPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so

Zac Williamson, CEO and co-founder of Aztec, is a blockchain innovator with a rich background in particle physics. He delves into the evolution of zero-knowledge technology and its pivotal role in enhancing blockchain privacy. Zac shares insights on the development of a novel programming language for private smart contracts and the balance of moral legitimacy in privacy tech. He also discusses Aztec's ambitious plans for 2025 and the future landscape of decentralized privacy networks, highlighting the profound implications for digital identity.

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Mingchao (Fisher) Yu, co-founder and CTO of Babylon Labs, a non-custodial staking protocol that uses the underlying value of Bitcoin to secure a variety of proof-of-stake networks.Join them as they discuss:How Bitcoin can secure PoS chains trustlesslyThe journey from 1,000 BTC to $3.3B+ TVLBuilding truly decentralized security marketsThe roadmap for Bitcoin's evolution in DeFiUniting traditional finance with crypto through BTCThe future of cross-chain security sharingReal institutional adoption insightsAnd much more!Fisher's career has spanned a variety of roles from deep technology systems engineering to leadership in blockchain innovations at Babylon, where he's currently steering efforts to integrate Bitcoin more fully into the decentralized finance landscape. Before Babylon Labs, Fisher was a managing director at Hash Laboratories, senior staff research engineer at Dolby Laboratories, and senior system engineer at InterfereX Communications.Episode Highlights:[00:01:57] Introduction to Fisher Yu and Babylon Labs' non-custodial staking protocol[00:16:32] Babylon's founding story and origin in late 2021[00:17:06] Evolution from merge mining to Bitcoin staking solution[00:23:11] Three target ecosystems: Cosmos, Ethereum rollups, Bitcoin rollups[00:27:27] Babylon's three-phase launch strategy[00:38:13] Current adoption metrics: 66.8K+ stakers, 74K delegations[00:42:57] Geographic restrictions and regulatory considerations[00:47:55] Discussion on Bitcoin centralization concerns[00:50:19] 2025 roadmap and vision for "Bitcoin DeFi genesis"[00:51:56] Contact information and community channelsPrevious guests include: Rusty Matveev, Chief Strategy Officer at Calaxy; Andrew Lawrence, CEO and Co-Founder of Censo; Zac Townsend, CEO and Co-Founder of Meanwhile; Jesper Johansen, CEO and Co-Founder of Northstake; Tama Churchouse, COO of Cumberland Labs; Holly Wood of Boson Protocol; Sid Powell of Maple Finance; Chad Barraford of THORChain; and many others.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Laying the Groundwork for a Billion-User Blockchain with Rich Rines, Contributor at Core DAOStaking the Future: From Blockchain Beginnings to Institutional Innovations with Chen Zhuling of RockXThe Unstoppable Nature of Blockchain: A Conversation with Bonart Mati of ObligateAttention all blockchain, crypto, and Web3 professionals! If you're a founder, CEO, or expert doing something innovative in this space, we're interested in speaking to you! Apply to be a guest on our platform and connect with our vibrant community of blockchain professionals:  https://fame.so/nnt-guestThe Smart Economy Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at fame.so