The Rollup

Bobby Beniers from CoinFund, a prolific panel moderator, joins the discussion on the intersections of crypto and military sponsorship, specifically the backlash against Coinbase's collaboration with the U.S. Army. They delve into the rise of Hyperliquid and innovations like Eigenlayer, alongside market analysis influenced by geopolitical tensions. The duo explores AI's impact on content creation, shifting public sentiments, and the emergence of decentralized exchanges while sharing insights on monetizing crypto ventures and evolving trading strategies.

Guests include DC Builder, a research engineer focused on AI and ZK technologies, Himanshu Tyagi, co-founder of Sentient working on decentralized AI, Zagabond, co-founder of Azuki aiming to revolutionize anime culture in Web3, Jonah Burian from Blockchain Capital, and Robbie Rollup, an analyst at Dragonfly Capital. They dive into the convergence of AI and crypto, tackle the challenges of decentralized identity, explore Bybit's new DEX launch, and share insights on innovating within the creator economy, emphasizing the importance of user verification and privacy in an AI-driven world.

Rune Christensen, co-founder of Sky Ecosystem and former MakerDAO leader, dives into the transformation of DeFi. He shares insights on generating substantial revenue, with Sky's impressive $99M in Q1. The conversation also covers the remarkable growth of the USDS stablecoin, now at $8 billion in circulation. Rune discusses Sky's innovative staking options that provide real yield, and how community-driven frameworks boost USDS accessibility, setting the stage for a prosperous future in decentralized finance.

Pranav Kanade, a VanEck veteran since 2017, delves into the myth of institutional money flooding into crypto. He dissects the shift from traditional financing to a focus on liquid tokens, arguing that the future of crypto hinges on legitimate business models versus mere speculation. Pranav also highlights the evolution of institutional engagement and the vital need for sustainability in investments. With insights on navigating altcoins and revenue generation, he paints a compelling picture of the crypto landscape's potential growth.

Nick White, VP of Celestia Labs, shares insights on modular blockchains, while DeFi Dad discusses Ethereum's resilience and innovative financial primitives. Shiv Shankar, CEO of Boundless, explores regulatory shifts and their implications for the industry. Omer Goldberg of Chaos Labs delves into oracle problems and market risks. Camila Russo highlights the dynamic landscape of crypto media, and Dmitriy Berenzon offers a deep dive into the venture capital trends in the digital asset space. They also touch on the rise of Zero-Knowledge technology and its potential impacts.

Rune Christensen, the visionary founder of MakerDAO, now pivoting to Sky and USDS, joins early DeFi educator Lito Coen for an insightful discussion. They dive into the intricate landscape of cryptocurrency regulations, particularly the Genius Act's potential impact on stablecoins. Topics like DeFi interoperability, innovative financial products, and the future of on-chain user experiences take center stage. Listeners will find engaging insights on emerging trends, risk management, and the balance between user engagement and profitability in an evolving crypto ecosystem.

In this discussion, Ryne Saxe, founder of Eco and a pioneer in stablecoin interoperability, dives deep into the exciting yet complex world of stablecoins. He explores how fragmentation is creating unique opportunities, especially as new issuers challenge giants like Tether. Ryne elaborates on Eco's vision of becoming the 'Visa of stablecoins,' facilitating hassle-free transactions. He also highlights the role of purpose-built chains and compares bridging solutions, focusing on enhancing user experience and the potential for seamless interoperability across platforms.

This episode features Jason Yanowitz, co-founder of Blockworks, who dives into market cycles and institutional crypto investments. Bobbin Threadbare, from Myden, discusses innovative ZK technology and its role in scalability and privacy. Bitcoin core developer Jeff Garzik shares insights on making Bitcoin programmable through sidechains. Former Coinbase strategist Binji talks about pushing optimistic timelines in crypto projects. Together, they explore the future of stablecoins, the evolving crypto landscape, and the growing role of Bitcoin as a mature asset.

Felix Jauvin, aka 'Fejau', is a macro analyst and the host of the Forward Guidance Podcast, who dives deep into the intersection of fiscal policy and global markets. He explores how current tariff policies influence Bitcoin and gold, questioning what happens when anticipated investment strategies actually succeed. Jauvin highlights macro signals that savvy traders track, examines the potential of specific crypto companies to boost GDP, and discusses the implications of U.S. fiscal dynamics on emerging alternatives to dollar dominance.

Mike Dudas is a crypto venture capitalist at Six Man Ventures, focused on pioneering app-based blockchain innovations. He discusses the end of the era of valueless tokens, emphasizing a shift towards genuine value creation. Mike believes buyback models are becoming essential and criticizes overhyped infrastructure projects, advocating for consumer apps instead. He highlights the new crypto app economy where real revenue meets token utility, suggesting that we're entering a promising phase of accountability and innovative opportunities in the crypto space.