Endgame with Amanda Cassatt

What happens when the country that taught the world inflation becomes the testing ground for the future of money?In this episode of Endgame, Amanda sits down with Camila Russo, author of The Infinite Machine and founder of The Defiant, to trace how growing up in Latin America shaped her understanding of money, power, and why crypto matters long before the West noticed. Before becoming one of crypto’s most influential journalists, Camila was a Bloomberg reporter living in Buenos Aires during the peso’s collapse, covering Argentina’s economy as her own salary evaporated under currency controls.Camila explains how living through Argentina’s currency controls made Bitcoin feel inevitable, why DeFi was the first time crypto felt real, and why stablecoins have become the economic backbone of everyday life across the region. She breaks down why LATAM became a proving ground for UX-driven financial apps, how its developers are quietly building one of crypto’s most important talent hubs, and why countries like Argentina and Brazil may define the next phase of mainstream adoption.This is a look at crypto through the eyes of someone who’s lived the problem before meeting the technology.Timestamps0:00 – How We Met & Crypto Beginnings1:37 – Working in Argentina & Bloomberg5:07 – Living Through Hyperinflation6:07 – Discovering Bitcoin11:43 – Crypto in Argentina vs US12:25 – Back to New York & Crypto Coverage14:41 – Choosing Ethereum for a Book16:37 – Early DeFi & Starting The Defiant21:19 – Crypto Media Landscape23:15 – Conflicts of Interest in Crypto Media26:53 – Global Media Insights31:54 – Broken Media Business Model36:36 – Incentivizing Investigative Journalism38:16 – Argentina Today & Crypto Use Case44:48 – Innovation in LatAm CryptoRESOURCES:Follow Cami: https://x.com/CamiRussoFollow The Defiant: https://x.com/DefiantNewsCheck out The Defiant: https://thedefiant.io/Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast  Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

In this episode of Endgame, Ethereum Foundation Co-Executive Director Tomasz K. Stańczak joins Amanda to discuss how the organization behind Ethereum is changing.Together they talk about why institutions on Wall Street are now asking for more decentralization, open source, and censorship resistance, and what it means for Ethereum to actively defend its values while staying credibly neutral. Tomasz also breaks down how the Foundation is preparing for AI, quantum, and agent-based finance, and the biggest risk he sees.Tomasz argues that If Ethereum “wins,” the world will look like intermediaries quietly melting into the network, basic financial functions trending toward zero fees, and the systems that run money, institutions, and governments become open source by default.Timestamps:00:00 Ethereum Foundation’s Changing Direction04:06 Reaching Institutions & Improving Communication07:43 Decision-Making, Decentralization, and Innovation12:32 Defending Core Ethereum Values15:51 Technology vs. Culture: Can Ethereum Stay True to Its Vision?18:36 Institutions Building Their Own Blockchains20:10 Ethereum as a Global Consensus Layer21:50 AI, Quantum, and the Future of Ethereum23:22 Proof of Stake, Security, and Governance24:35 Risks and Wins for Ethereum in 10 Years26:19 The Path to Zero-Fees & Open Source CoordinationRESOURCES:Follow Tomasz: https://x.com/tkstanczakSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast  Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

In this episode of Endgame, Milk Road’s Co-Owner and Head of Research, Kyle Reidhead, joins Amanda Cassatt to share his take on how crypto works today, across markets, media, and the broader tech cycle. Kyle outlines why he thinks crypto cycles follow global liquidity rather than the Bitcoin halving, and why he believes the surge in AI infrastructure spending could stretch this bull market longer than most assume.He also describes his perspective on how information moves through the industry, from the early signals on X to why he prefers creators and analysts who hold crypto over those who don’t. This episode dives deep into Kyle’s own mental model of markets, media, and where he thinks the next phase of adoption will come from.Timestamps:0:00 The Milk Road Origin Story5:00 Building a Fun Crypto Newsletter10:00 Crypto Transparency & Accountability15:00 Prediction Markets & Market Accountability20:00 Bull Markets, AI, and Liquidity Cycles25:00 AI Buildout & the Future of Tech Infrastructure30:00 AI Usage Explosion & Computing Demands40:00 Speculation on Space & the Future Beyond EarthRESOURCES: Follow Milk Road: https://x.com/MilkRoadFollow Kyle: https://x.com/KyleReidheadSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@amandacassatt?utm_source=about-page

What happens when the American empire goes offline?In this episode of Endgame, Amanda Cassatt sits down with Balaji Srinivasan to explore a world run by China and the internet.Balaji outlines the forces driving that shift, from America’s unacknowledged debt spiral and split into “Blue, Red, and Tech America,” to an approaching reality check that will reveal how much value the West has already lost.He argues the next global order won’t be decided by governments or currencies, but by code and that the ideals of liberty, capitalism, and equality before the law have already been backed up to the cloud.Together, they map what comes after collapse: the transition from nation-states to network states.Timestamps:00:00 Reflections on the Network State's Predictions09:12 The Global Competition for Tech Talent17:48 The Trifurcation of America: Blue, Red, and Tech29:57 Class Warfare and the Rise of Tech Resentment31:57 The Complexities of Capitalism and Technology34:57 Navigating the Disruption of AI38:10 The Mark to Market Dilemma41:30 The Shift of Economic Gravity46:42 The Future of Global Power Dynamics58:09 Restoring American Values in a Digital AgeRESOURCES: Follow Balaji: @balajis https://x.com/balajisSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@amandacassatt?utm_source=about-page

What happens when Ethereum staking outperforms U.S. Treasuries?In this episode of Endgame, Alluvial CEO Mara Schmiedt joins Amanda Cassatt to unpack how Ethereum staking evolved from a technical mechanism into the internet’s first native yield.They examine why traditional finance is starting to experiment with onchain systems, how liquid staking tokens are collapsing the boundary between DeFi and TradFi, and what it means when the world’s most risk-averse capital begins earning yield from a decentralized protocol instead of a central bank.Amanda and Mara compare staking to what search ads were to Google, a sustainable revenue engine for an entire ecosystem, and trace the macro implications of that idea. If protocol-native yield exists outside government debt and monetary policy, it redefines how value is created and who controls it.From ETF staking models to custodians bridging into DeFi, this episode unpacks how crypto’s yield engine is threading its way into the heart of global finance and what that might reveal about where the real change is happening.Timestamps:00:01 – Amanda & Mara Introduce the Episode00:12 – Mara’s Crypto Origin Story03:32 – What is Staking & Why It Matters10:04 – Non-Correlated Yield vs. TradFi11:27 – LSTs Explained19:15 – The Technology Behind Secure Staking27:31 – Defining “Institutional” in Crypto35:28 – Who’s Not Staking Yet?40:03 – Staking & DeFi Convergence43:52 – Vision for the Future of Open FinanceRESOURCES: Follow Mara: https://x.com/MaraSchmiedt Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@amandacassatt?utm_source=about-page

Silicon Valley is building AI on the wrong assumptions, says Microsoft economist and researcher Glen Weyl.Glen Weyl has spent his life at the intersection of tech and politics and sees a critical gap in tech driven by Bay Area culture, where the voices of religious and culturally grounded communities are almost entirely absent. He argues that this lack of perspective has shaped Silicon Valley’s AI culture, creating blind spots with enormous consequences.  Rather than viewing history through the "great man" lens, as driven by virtuosic leaders often acting unilaterally, Glen takes a systems view of what drives progress and his current work focuses on bringing religious conservatives into the conversation, balancing tech’s internal logic with the realities of the world it seeks to reshape. This week on Endgame, Glen joins Amanda to explore a future where AI may replace capitalism with a 'Gaia'-like system. He draws on examples from India and Taiwan, where tech and religion are integrated to drive innovation, design public infrastructure, and create neutral protocols that produce hyper-competitive markets, offering a model for how Bay Area–driven tech could close its own gaps.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 The Future of Labor and Capital05:18 Eschatology and AI Doomerism11:09 The Role of Religion in Technology17:01 Human Value in an AI-Driven World22:57 Rethinking Value and Hierarchies29:50 Global Perspectives on Innovation and Governance31:45 The Role of Individuals vs. Collective Systems37:09 Democracy in the Age of Information43:42 Balancing Spirituality and Technological Advancement50:59 Decentralization through Technology: The India Stack55:38 Government Intervention and Economic GrowthRESOURCES:Follow Glen: https://x.com/glenweylSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440 Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

What if you could choose your child before they’re born?Noor Siddiqui, founder of Orchid, joins Amanda Cassatt to explore one of the most profound frontiers in biotech: genetically screening and selecting embryos during IVF. At the intersection of science, ethics, and the human desire for legacy, this conversation asks how far we’re willing to go to optimize health, reduce suffering, and rethink what it means to become a parent.They examine the promises and perils of “super babies,” a futuristic term quietly approaching reality. Once reserved for preventing rare genetic diseases, embryo testing is now exploring polygenic scoring, offering parents insight not only into potential health outcomes but also into cognitive traits such as IQ. With that insight comes questions about eugenics, equity, and where the line lies between informed choice and engineered outcomes.Noor shares how the burden of genetic disease shapes families and why she believes informed embryo selection can empower rather than control. Amanda and Noor also discuss the fertility crisis, the economic and cultural shifts reshaping family planning, and what it would take to build a world where having a child doesn’t demand superhuman effort or superhuman genes.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction to Orchid and IVF Technology02:57 Understanding Genetic Testing in Embryos06:08 The Concept of 'Super Babies' and Genetic Blessings09:03 Selection Pressure in Embryo Choices12:02 The Burden of Genetic Diseases14:43 Ethical Considerations in Genetic Selection17:49 The Future of Reproductive Technology20:49 Enhancements vs. Remediation in Genetic Technology23:36 The Role of Cost in IVF Accessibility26:32 The Future of Genetic Editing and CRISPR29:40 Conclusion and Future Outlook40:57 The Future of Reproductive Technology44:21 The Global Fertility Crisis48:40 Cultural Shifts in Parenthood51:24 The Purpose of Life and Parenthood55:53 Nature vs. Nurture in Child Development59:47 Personal Aspirations and Family Planning01:02:09 The Ethics of Genetic Selection01:08:54 Existential Questions and Identity

Crypto began as a rebellion against banks, bailouts, and surveillance. But what happens when the same forces it tried to outrun start reshaping the industry from within?Megan Knab, founder of Franklin, joins Amanda Cassatt on Endgame to examine where crypto may be drifting off course. She raises concerns about what happens when privacy disappears, how unbanking and financial exclusion play out in practice, and why stablecoins, if implemented incorrectly, could entrench the very systems crypto was meant to disrupt.From Tornado Cash and the prosecution of developers, to the ethical standards builders should hold themselves to, the conversation circles back to what it means to take cypherpunk values seriously in 2025. For Megan, that extends beyond manifestos and protocols, it’s about how anyone involved in crypto can carry those values forward in practice, from the tools they use to the way they choose to build, transact, and communicate.The lingering question: if crypto repeats the mistakes of legacy finance, what was the point of building it at all?TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Coinbase Military Parade Controversy03:02 The Origins of Cryptocurrency and Its Antithetical Nature to Government05:39 The Dangers of Government Involvement in Crypto08:49 The Unbanking Phenomenon and Its Implications11:52 Corporate Compliance and the Erosion of Cypherpunk Values14:51 Standards for Cryptocurrency Companies17:34 The Role of Privacy in Financial Transactions20:39 The Impact of Institutionalization on Crypto's Goals27:47 The Cypherpunk Values and Their Evolution31:33 Privacy Technology: Tornado Cash and Its Implications39:59 Stable Coins: Bridging Traditional Finance and Crypto45:36 The Future of Privacy in a Centralized World

➡️Like this episode? Leave a review: https://ratethispodcast.com/endgameIt feels like crypto adoption is moving at lightning speed, but is anyone still "in it for the tech"?Eddy Lazzarin, CTO of a16z crypto, joins Amanda Cassatt on Endgame to explore the growing influence of capital markets, and government and regulatory access, in the current landscape, as well as the specific breakthroughs he anticipates in AI and privacy that would make technology once again the driver of progress.Touching on Tornado Cash, they discuss whether privacy technology has a future in an environment where governments are active players in the industry, the impact of the coming massive wave of asset tokenization, and how Eddy expects AI and crypto will actually converge and find product-market fit.From his vantage point at the intersection of new technology and venture investing, Eddy reflects on what real innovation looks like when the narrative is shaped as much by capital as it is by code.This conversation offers a window into how one of crypto’s most influential firms evaluates technology, risk, and opportunity.➡️Talking Points: 00:00 Understanding the Role of CTO at A16Z02:56 A16Z's Evolving Perspective on Venture Capital05:56 The Impact of Regulation on Technology Innovation08:46 Navigating the Intersection of Traditional Finance and Crypto11:46 The Future of Corporate Integration with Blockchain14:43 The Coexistence of Legacy Systems and New Technologies17:43 The Role of AI in Bridging Old and New Systems29:27 Trusting AI: Expanding Boundaries32:31 The Privacy Paradigm: Current Challenges and Future Solutions42:49 Navigating the Future: Privacy, Compliance, and User Experience55:31 Envisioning the Future: A Non-Custodial Financial Ecosystem➡️Show Links: Follow Eddy: https://x.com/eddylazzarinSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast  Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

How decentralized AI will win, according to NEAR Founder Illia Polusukhin.Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol, joins me on the latest episode of Endgame to challenge everything we think we know about AI.In this episode, Illia explains: - The dangers of AI being monopolized by corporate interests- Why a user-owned, decentralized model is the way forward- The role of blockchain and confidential computing in building a system that prioritizes privacy, transparency, and true user empowermentTIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Future of AI and the Internet02:57 The Dangers of Centralized AI06:07 User-Owned AI and Decentralization08:53 Challenges in AI Model Creation11:57 Blockchain's Role in AI Infrastructure14:57 Confidential Computing and User Privacy17:52 Data Center Dynamics and AI Demand21:00 Autonomous Agents and Their Potential23:54 The Spectrum of AI: Abundance vs. Doom26:53 The Future of Work and Automation29:42 The Role of Crypto in AI Development32:46 Real-World Applications of Blockchain and AI35:38 The Path Forward for Decentralization38:41 The Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity41:51 The Vision for a Utopian Future44:41 The Challenges Ahead for AI and CryptoRESOURCES:Follow Illia: https://x.com/ilblackdragonSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast  Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin  Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ