
Validated
When it comes to blockchain, the thing people talk about most — the price — is actually the least interesting part. Crypto conversations are too often about who’s up and who’s down, what to buy and what to sell, and today’s drama on Twitter. Most conversations about crypto miss how it’s going to change ... everything.
On VALIDATED, we’ll be talking to the people who are rethinking the internet — and our world. No hype cycles. No financial advice. Just conversations on the biggest ideas shaping the future of the internet.
Web3 is complicated, but never boring.
Latest episodes

Mar 7, 2023 • 43min
Build Block Better: It's Infrastructure Week
Running a blockchain network requires sophisticated hardware and software working together. The term "blockchain infrastructure" refers to any component of this system that actually facilitates the existence of a blockchain. In this episode, we talk with Aaron Henshaw, co-founder of Bison Trails, a pioneering blockchain infrastructure platform that was later acquired by Coinbase. Aaron shares his perspective on building infrastructure for different blockchains, running blockchain infrastructure at enterprise scale, how infrastructure companies will have to adapt if legacy tech giants become competitive within the space, and more. DISCLAIMERThe content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

Feb 28, 2023 • 46min
How web3 Is Disrupting the Web 2 Venture Playbook with Li Jin
In 2019, Li Jin was a tech VC and evangelist for specialized Web 2 platforms and marketplaces. Now, she's all in on web3. From Li's point of view, many of the "passion economy" businesses that were hard to scale in Web 2 are actually more viable in web3. Her current thesis is that ownership - not just revenue - is the next big opportunity in tech, and the best way to facilitate that is on web3.DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Feb 21, 2023 • 35min
Are Zero-Knowledge Proofs All They're Hyped Up to Be?
Zero-knowledge proofs are one of the most compelling and counterintuitive technologies in crypto today. How can you prove something with zero knowledge of the thing you're proving? This episode examines the current and future use cases of zero-knowledge systems while having an honest dialogue about both their challenges and promise. DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Feb 14, 2023 • 42min
Meet a web3 Musician Who Makes Money
Black Dave is a multi-disciplinary artist best known for his music NFTs. Unlike many artists who migrate to web3 from Web 2, web3 is where Black Dave got his start. Dave's web3 origin story is not only unique, but also a crucial part of his success. Dave shares his thoughts on digital culture, community building, the intersection of web3 with the mainstream music industry, and more.DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Feb 7, 2023 • 42min
Crypto-Powered Physical Infrastructure with Sami Kassab
A century ago, infrastructure was synonymous with big things, like bridges, roads, and electrification projects financed by nation states or the world’s largest corporations. But today, the nature of infrastructure is changing. Thanks in large part to the introduction of tokens, infrastructure can now be decentralized, deployed by individuals to solve real-world problems. This is exactly what Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) are doing In this episode, Messari researcher Sami Kassab provides a general overview of the DePIN space and gives an in-depth breakdown of the Decentralized Wireless (DeWi) sector.DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Jan 31, 2023 • 48min
A Decentralized Collective Memory with Sam Williams
Permanent information storage is not just a means of preserving data, but a way to resist the grip of authoritarian regimes. According to Sam Williams, co-founder of Arweave, immutable storage systems are a revolutionary movement that will make a more objective truth accessible forever. DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Jan 24, 2023 • 52min
How Crypto Journalism Actually Happens with Danny Nelson
Being a crypto journalist - a good crypto journalist - is hard work. When it comes to reporting, no other sector requires the same level of technical proficiency, an understanding of financial markets, and a primer in digital anthropology. In this conversation, Austin and Danny navigate a lot of complicated topics including conflicts of interest within crypto native media, reporting in an industry where everyone has a hidden objective, citizen journalism on Twitter, and more.DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Jan 17, 2023 • 44min
What Keeps a Crypto OG Hopeful? with Ryan Selkis
Ryan Selkis, founder of Messari, has been a crypto investor, writer, and advocate since 2013. As someone who has witnessed multiple market cycles firsthand, Ryan is as optimistic as ever about the future of blockchain. Throughout this episode, Austin and Ryan find paradoxical silver linings in the tumult of 2022. Looking forward, they discuss how DC's views of crypto are changing, exciting new sectors within crypto like DeSoc and DePIN, and more.DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.

Jan 10, 2023 • 1min
Introducing Validated (Trailer)
Introducing Validated, a new podcast where host Austin Federa talks to people who are rethinking the internet — and our world. No hype cycles. No financial advice. Just conversations on the biggest ideas shaping the future of the internet.

Nov 29, 2022 • 40min
Highlights from Breakpoint 2022 - Ep 77
0:00 - Intro1:19 - Web3 School in Sierra Leone10:53 - An Artist and Monke Go to Washington25:25 - How Compression Will Decimate Network Costs on Solana DISCLAIMER The information on this podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The information on this podcast is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or financial advisor.
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