

Talking Tokens
Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations
Talking Tokens is a podcast focused on interviewing the best crypto leaders, startups, market players and up-and-coming founders that are changing the industry.
Join Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated host and seasoned crypto journalist-turned-entrepreneur, to dive into the best talks in crypto in an easy-to-understand way.
The episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, X and more.
For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens
Join Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated host and seasoned crypto journalist-turned-entrepreneur, to dive into the best talks in crypto in an easy-to-understand way.
The episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, X and more.
For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 8, 2025 • 53min
Lavande | How Crypto Decisions Get Made
For this week’s Tuesday episode, we’re airing the fourth Optimism x Token Relations webinar Jacquelyn moderated with Lavande, head of governance at Optimism. We discuss how she looks at governance and decentralized voting within the Superchain ecosystem and broader crypto landscape. We also dive into her views on different voting models and mechanisms, the importance to change algorithms, incentivizing users, Optimism’s Retro Funding and more.=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Apr 3, 2025 • 39min
Tiffany Fong Talks Sam Bankman Fried, Elon Musk, Celsius and Internet Fame
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Tiffany Fong, an online personality and YouTube content creator. We discuss her rise to fame, how she first got into crypto over a decade ago, why she started tracking the downfall of crypto lending platform Celsius, her friendships with ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and Elon Musk.=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Apr 1, 2025 • 57min
Dan Tapiero | Bitcoin Could Reach $180k This Cycle
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Dan Tapiero, founder, CEO and CIO of 1RoundTable and 10T Fund. They discuss Dan’s perspective on traditional markets and equities, how he still owns gold, his focus on digital gold – bitcoin – and growth stage teams. They also dive into the current administration and how it can open the floodgates for crypto companies to IPO as well as his long term outlook.=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 27, 2025 • 28min
Ira Auerbach | Building the Palantir of Blockchains
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Ira Auerbach, head of Tandem – the partner studio and venture capital arm by Offchain Labs. We discuss his journey into web3, challenges to running a venture arm, how he thinks about scaling Ethereum through Tandem, the 3 initial teams it funded and how he advises projects on go-to-market strategies.=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 25, 2025 • 50min
Kain Warwick | Creating DeFi Apps People Actually Want to Use
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Kain Warwick, founder of Synthetix and Infinex. They discuss Kain’s founder journey, how he looks at building user experiences, the current DeFi trends he’s following and more.=======================Follow Kain: https://x.com/kaiynneFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 20, 2025 • 26min
Anthony Anzalone | Bringing Institutions to Blockchains
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with the CEO and Founder of XION Anthony Anzalone, also known as Burnt Banksy. They discuss why he created another layer-1 blockchain, how it’s aiming to create real consumer adoption in countries like Portugal, Nigeria and Argentina, building for institutions and more.======================Follow Anthony: https://x.com/BurntBanksyFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 18, 2025 • 53min
Armani Ferrante | How Backpack Is Revolutionizing Crypto Exchanges
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Armani Ferrante, Backpack and Mad Lads cofounder and CEO. They discuss Ferrante’s journey from Apple to Alameda to building multiple startups on Solana. We also dive into his experience operating during the FTX collapse, how that shaped him to operate Backpack’s business, what he’s doing to scale the exchange and more.This episode is a part of the Solana Sessions campaign that Jacquelyn is doing, diving into founders’ journeys and startups building on Solana.Check out the accompanying newsletter via Token Relations here: https://www.token-relations.xyz/s/solana-sessions=======================Follow Armani: https://x.com/armaniferranteFollow Backpack: https://x.com/BackpackFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 13, 2025 • 47min
Miles Fuller | How To File Your 2025 Crypto Taxes
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Miles Fuller, head of government solutions at TaxBit. Miles was previously at the IRS for 15 years and was also a special assistant at the US Attorneys’ Office. He has spent recent years as counsel to the IRS for digital asset tax issues, including the tax treatment of digital assets, examination techniques, information gathering, data interpretation, and tax calculations. They discuss what’s new for 2025 crypto taxes, how the IRS is trying to close the “tax gap,” advice for US residents filing taxes this year, how to track capital gains and losses through crypto exchanges vs crypto wallets and more.If you’re lost on how to file your crypto taxes, this is a good – and yes, fun – episode to listen to.========================Follow Miles: https://x.com/TaxBitMilesFollow Taxbit: https://x.com/taxbitFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 11, 2025 • 59min
Scaling The Avalanche Blockchain In 2025
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn interviewed GoGoLabs Founder Steven Gates, Avant Founder Rhett Shipp and Ava Labs Senior Ecosystem Growth Associate for DeFi Matthew Schmenk. This recording is a part of Avalanche's quarterly webinar with Token Relations. The panelists dive into what's scaling the network, DeFi opportunities, the emergence of "Appchain season" and use cases for them. They also discuss real world assets, stablecoins, memecoin fatigue and how Avant's "stable-value token" avUSD fits into the DeFi landscape on Avalanche DeFi.=======================Follow Steven: https://www.x.com/stvngtsFollow Rhett: https://x.com/rhettshippFollow Matt: https://x.com/mattschmenkFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations=======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

Mar 6, 2025 • 46min
Erik Voorhees | Bitcoin OG Is Solving AI’s Biggest Risk
On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Erik Voorhees, founder of Venice.AI. They discuss how Erik got into bitcoin back in 2011, his decade-plus journey in crypto, how he’s building an AI platform that’s open-sourced, privacy-focused and why that matters. They also talk about whether AI has feelings, if AI x blockchain makes sense, how the AI agents can evolve and his outlook for the sector.======================Follow Erik: https://x.com/ErikVoorheesFollow Venice AI: https://x.com/AskVenice/highlightsFollow Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinekFollow Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations======================Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ?si=9a9fda1d29224d57&nd=1&dlsiSubscribe to the podcast on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens=======================Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.


