Andrej Radonjic, CEO of Wind Labs and creator of the Grass Network, dives into the recent Grass airdrop, which engaged nearly three million wallets! He discusses how crypto could potentially fix the internet and enhance AI functionalities. The conversation covers the ethical challenges of data collection and the future of AI with real-time internet access. Andrej also explores the tokenomics of the GRAS network and highlights the advantages of Solana's infrastructure over traditional systems, paving the way for innovative developments in Web3.

Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric, brings his deep insights into Solana's potential in the crypto market. He explores the bullish macro environment for risk assets and how political events, especially elections, could impact crypto prices. McCann also delves into the rise of meme coins attracting institutional investors and the essential risks Solana faces regarding developer engagement. He highlights the evolving landscape of crypto venture, hinting at exciting trends for future investments.

This week, they're diving into Solana's booming on-chain activity and its record economic value. The conversation touches on the enhancements and emerging challenges in the blockchain, along with the intriguing rise of AI meme coins. They also discuss Stripe's recent acquisition of Bridge, and how meme coins are reshaping the crypto landscape. Expect insights on future innovations, including social finance and augmented realities, while highlighting the importance of user-centric solutions in this rapidly evolving space.

Gm! This week, we’re joined by Daniel Lev from Coinflow! We discussed Stripe’s acquisition of Bridge, challenges faced by crypto payments businesses, and TradFi’s adoption of stablecoins. Additionally, we unpacked the impact of US regulations on the stablecoin sector, and the fees associated with on and off-ramps in crypto. Finally, we covered interesting use cases Coinflow is enabling today. Enjoy!–Follow Coinflow: https://x.com/CoinflowLabsFollow Daniel: https://x.com/SirDigitalDanFollow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknaveFollow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/LightspeedpodhqSubscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeedUtilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/--DragonSwap is the DeFi Hub on Sei’s Layer 1, allowing users to swap, provide liquidity, and farm! Built on Sei’s sub-second execution environment, DragonSwap is transforming the DEX landscape by building an “onchain CEX” that leverages chain-abstracted AVSs, enabling users to buy any asset on any chain.With tons of incentives already available, September will bring even more to Sei users with partners like Stargate and Frax!Start farming on Sei today by visiting https://dragonswap.app/--Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3SykSubscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgVSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PDGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/--(00:00) Introduction(01:45) Stripe Acquires Bridge(07:03) Challenges Faced By Payments Businesses(10:46) The Problems With ACH(14:07) TradFi Adoption of Stablecoins(26:58) Sei Ad(27:25) How Cypherpunk Are Stablecoins?(30:49) Struggling With US Regulations(41:06) Fees Associated With Crypto Ramp Providers(45:53) Daniel's Journey Before Coinflow(50:28) Gaining Solana Labs as a Client(52:04) Mobile Integrations(55:10) What Is Coinflow Enabling Today?--Disclaimers:Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! this week, Emmett Hollyer joins the show to discuss the next chapter of Solana Mobile ahead of their latest phone release in 2025. We reflect on why the Solana Saga was successful, how to create a great product, crypto UX & how crypto can break the mobile duopoly. Enjoy!--Follow Emmett: https://x.com/m_itFollow Jack: https://x.com/whosknaveFollow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/LightspeedpodhqSubscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed--Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(01:47) Solana Mobile(06:38) Building A Crypto First Phone(08:27) Solana Seeker(11:17) Solana Saga(16:09) Marques Brownlee's Saga Phone Reaction(17:53) The Saga Phone Breakout Moment(20:12) Solana Mobile's Adoption Flywheel(24:44) Breaking Up The Mobile Duopoly(30:28) Super Apps vs Decentralization(34:56) Crypto Apps(40:11) Crypto UX(41:51) The Next Chapter For Mobile--Disclaimers:Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Sol Jakey, a comedic content creator on Solana, and Solana Steve, co-founder of the Web3 media company Superbased, dive into the vibrant creator economy in crypto. They explore strategies for capturing attention within this space and the unique advantages of building on Solana. The conversation touches on NFTs, meme coins, and the community dynamics that foster engagement and resilience. They candidly discuss the balance between commerce and speculation, while also contemplating the future of content creation in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Tristan Frizza, a builder at Zeta Markets, and Jayant Krishnamurthy from Doro Labs discuss the evolving landscape of DeFi on Solana. They tackle the challenges of congestion and suggest Layer 2 solutions to enhance performance. The duo highlights the importance of high-frequency price data through oracles and the recent transformation of Solana's DeFi post-FTX collapse. They also explore the competitive dynamics between Layer 1 and Layer 2, emphasizing the need for unique innovations in the decentralized finance space.

Gm! this week, Leah Wald joins the show to discuss what led Cypherpunk Holdings to go all in on Solana. We deep dive into the Solana ETF outlook, investing in the ecosystem, the role of staking, TradFi demand for Solana & much more!--Follow Leah: https://x.com/LeahWaldFollow Jack: https://x.com/whosknaveFollow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/LightspeedpodhqSubscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed--Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:25) Going All In On Solana(09:14) Investing In The Solana Ecosystem(16:01) Solana ETF(23:50) Staking(30:45) TradFi Demand For Solana--Disclaimers:Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! this week, we begin by discussing Snowden's recent comments that Solana is centralized. We then deep dive into Mert's biggest takeaways from recent conferences, the impact of Firedancer, reasons to be bullish DePin & more. Enjoy!--Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknaveFollow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/LightspeedpodhqSubscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed--DragonSwap is the DeFi Hub on Sei’s Layer 1, allowing users to swap, provide liquidity, and farm! Built on Sei’s sub-second execution environment, DragonSwap is transforming the DEX landscape by building an “onchain CEX” that leverages chain-abstracted AVSs, enabling users to buy any asset on any chain. With tons of incentives already available, September will bring even more to Sei users with partners like Stargate and Frax!Start farming on Sei today by visiting https://dragonswap.app/--(00:00) Introduction(03:28) Is Solana Centralized?(18:02) Defining Success In Crypto(23:49) Sei Ad(24:15) Firedancer(32:50) Solana TPS & Block Demand(39:37) The Firedancer Impact(44:49) Crypto's KOLs(53:09) Crypto Conferences(56:19) Bullish DePin--Disclaimers:Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Arnold Lee, CEO and co-founder of Sphere, a pioneering Solana-based payments company, shares insights on revolutionizing global fintech payments. He explains how SphereNet addresses the challenges of international transactions, balancing permissioned and permissionless systems. The conversation touches on celebrity collaborations in cryptocurrency, including a project involving Iggy Azalea, highlighting their professional approach. Lee emphasizes the importance of smaller companies in blockchain innovation and the need for user-friendly applications for broader acceptance.