The Rollup

For today's special episode, we were joined by Haseeb of Dragonfly to discuss his 2025 predictions in-depth. The intersection of artificial intelligence and DeFi is no longer a distant future—it's happening now. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they're fundamentally changing how developers approach smart contracts, how projects structure token launches, and how we think about the future of blockchain execution environments. While AI-powered development tools are making smart contract creation more accessible than ever—potentially cementing EVM's market dominance—emerging alternatives like Move and SVM are gaining traction. This raises compelling questions: Will AI-assisted development favor established platforms, or will it level the playing field for newer protocols? We also discussed how token distribution models are evolving in parallel with these technological shifts. We're witnessing a transition from simple points-based airdrops to sophisticated, KPI-driven incentives that leverage onchain data for more transparent and equitable distribution. This evolution reflects a broader trend toward data-driven tokenomics and more nuanced approaches to further onchain price discovery. But these advancements come with their own set of challenges. As AI tools become more integral to DeFi development, we're seeing signs of a growing technological divide between early adopters and those slower to adapt. There's also the question of AI fatigue—a phenomenon familiar from previous tech cycles. How will these dynamics influence the DeFi ecosystem's development? In this piece, we'll explore these intersecting trends and their implications for builders, users, and the broader DeFi landscape. From the changing nature of smart contract development to the future of token distribution, we'll examine how AI is reshaping the foundations of decentralized finance—and what it means for what comes next. Join The Rollup Edge: https://members.therollup.co Website: https://therollup.co/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd.. Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast Follow us on X: https://www.x.com/therollupco Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥: 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘍𝘪 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬, 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘈𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭, 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮, 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴.

Jeff "Jihoz" Zirlin, co-founder of Axie Infinity and Ronin, dives into his journey of creating a massive user base in the Web3 gaming world. He shares how Ronin emerged from the challenges of scaling on Ethereum, resulting in a platform that now supports millions of users. Jihoz discusses the transformative impact on communities in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brazil, turning gaming into an economic engine. His strategies for fostering community engagement and genuine utility shine a light on how players' emotional connections redefine success in gaming.

Wei Dai, a researcher at 1kx and PhD cryptographer, dives into the transformative shift in crypto investing from infrastructure to applications. He likens rollup clusters to high-speed railways, revolutionizing transaction speed and value transfer. Dai discusses three innovations crucial for these clusters: resolving scalability challenges, ensuring economic sustainability, and opening new opportunities for developers. With a focus on interoperability and modular blockchains, he highlights how these advancements are reshaping DeFi ecosystems and liquidity dynamics.

Hasu, a Flashbots contributor and blockchain optimization expert, joins Robert Miller, who is innovating in the rollup space, to discuss groundbreaking advancements in trading systems. They delve into Unichain's unique approach to enhancing transaction speed and trade ordering. The duo explains how Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) secure trading processes, boosting efficiency and user experience. They highlight the importance of creating specialized blockchains tailored for specific needs, paving the way for a more reliable and decentralized cryptocurrency landscape.

Mert Mumtaz, a Canadian entrepreneur and co-founder of Helios, dives into the innovative world of Solana's blockchain. He discusses its high-speed, low-cost transactions that challenge traditional models. The Pudgy Penguins launch is a highlight, showcasing community involvement despite hiccups in the claim process. Mert also explores ZK compression, scalability challenges as AI demands grow, and the complexities of Miner Extractable Value in Solana. His insights reveal the exciting technical advancements shaping the future of blockchain.

Guy Zyskind, co-founder of Fhenix and a privacy blockchain technology expert, discusses the revolutionary impact of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) on data processing. He explains how FHE enables secure smart contracts to compute encrypted information, enhancing privacy in transactions. You'll learn about real-world applications, like sealed-bid auctions and secure payroll systems, that leverage FHE on the Arbitrum ecosystem. Zyskind also shares insights on how these advances could reshape the future of blockchain interactions and user experiences.

Join Ryan Wyatt, Chief Growth Officer at Optimism Foundation; A.J. Warner from Offchain Labs; and Jill Gunter, Co-founder at Espresso Systems, for a lively discussion on the philosophical divides between Ethereum's scaling solutions. They dive into how Arbitrum and Optimism tackle critical challenges like governance and interoperability. Discover how licensing models and distinct growth strategies shape their approaches. The conversation reveals not just technical specs, but the underlying visions mapping the future of blockchain ecosystems.

Join industry veterans Sam Kazemian and Jordi Alexander as they unravel the complexities of valuing digital assets in the crypto sphere. Sam challenges traditional frameworks by categorizing tokens into 'sovereign commodities' and 'labor-representing tokens,' sparking a lively debate on Ethereum's narrative. Jordi dives into the concept of 'community money,' highlighting how assets like Solana and Dogecoin thrive on social dynamics. They also touch on the significance of provenance and community engagement in shaping crypto valuations. Dive into their insightful conversation!

Steven Goldfeder, an expert in Ethereum scaling and Arbitrum's technology, discusses the evolution of Arbitrum from academic research to a thriving ecosystem. He dives into the innovative Arbitrum Stylus and the importance of developer-centric solutions. The conversation explores interoperability among blockchain chains, emphasizing synergy between DeFi and gaming. Goldfeder also introduces the FRAXSTOL and a unique community source licensing model that encourages collaboration in Web3, highlighting the significance of user engagement in shaping the future of decentralized finance.

Sam Battenally, CEO of Rise and a tech innovator, dives into the world of based rollups, presenting a game-changing approach for Ethereum scaling. He explains how this method leverages Ethereum's existing validator network, enhancing security and infrastructure sharing. The conversation highlights the potential of innovations like parallel EVM engines and the emergence of the 'GigaGas era' for unlocking new blockchain applications. Battenally emphasizes the collaborative spirit in the industry and how each new rollup participant boosts liquidity and shared security.