The Rollup

Eric, a product contributor at Coinbase, discusses X402, an innovative payment standard designed for machine-to-machine transactions. He highlights how X402 simplifies payments for AI agents and its potential to unify fragmented payment methods. AJ Warner from Offchain Labs dives into Arbitrum's growth as a premier DeFi platform, emphasizing its secure environment for financial institutions. Together, they explore groundbreaking ideas on digital payments and the future of DeFi, showcasing the transformational impact on finance and technology.

Stepan Simkin, Co-founder and CEO of Squads, and Garrett Harper, Head of partnerships, dive into Western Union's groundbreaking $15B asset move on Solana. They discuss the importance of vertically integrated infrastructure and compare enterprise versus crypto-native stablecoin strategies. The conversation shifts to how Squads enhances liquidity and addresses the growing need for secure stablecoin solutions. With insights on the future of payroll in USDC and the ambitious path to a $3.7 trillion stablecoin market, listeners get a glimpse of the dynamic landscape ahead.

David (Seamus), CEO of Hyperliquid Strategies, discusses the upcoming HIP3 markets and their innovative capital strategies. Stepan (Stepon), Co-founder of Squads, reveals how their platform supports stablecoin issuers on Solana and debunks misconceptions about Western Union's involvement. Steven McIntosh, CIO at Sui Group Holdings, explains the concept of agentic commerce and Sui's unique infrastructure that supports AI-driven transactions, partnering with Google DeepMind for a pilot project. A deep dive into tokenization, liquidity, and the evolution of stablecoins is also featured.

Josh Swihart, CEO of Electric Coin Company and a pioneer in digital privacy, dives into the fascinating world of Zcash. He discusses how Zcash originated zero-knowledge encryption and its significant momentum, including a staggering $100M in flows through NEAR intents in just eight weeks. They explore the implications of the shielded pool for privacy and fungibility, the need to navigate regulators while innovating, and the potential for Zcash to target billions of users, positioning it as a challenger to traditional fintech.

This week features Namik, leader at MegaEth, discussing innovative fundraising and its ecosystem plans. Josh Swihart from Electric Coin Company dives into Zcash’s privacy features and the adoption of shielded transactions. Sunny, CEO of VeChain, covers real-world applications and sustainability partnerships, including UFC collaborations. Prediction Market Trader shares insights on FOMC trading strategies, while Framework Partners Michael and Vance analyze macro impacts on crypto. A packed conversation on finance and technology!

In this discussion, Rachel Mayer, a fintech and crypto builder at Circle, shares insights on the innovative Arc platform. She explains why Arc is structured as a Layer 1 instead of Layer 2, enhancing gas fee predictability and privacy. Rachel dives into the concept of stablecoin-as-gas, which enables instant settlement, making blockchain adoption easier for institutions. With over 100 launch partners, she highlights the significant shift in market dynamics as $8 trillion daily FX transactions start flowing on-chain, transforming liquidity and user experiences.

Dive into the future of blockchain with insights on Securitize's public SPAC deal and the tokenization movement reshaping Wall Street. Learn about ARK’s launch as a Layer 1 for stablecoins, emphasizing seamless multi-chain liquidity and programmable foreign exchange. Discover Dango’s innovative DeFi strategies and its focus on prediction markets in niche areas. Explore the resurgence of ICOs and how Legion aims to democratize capital formation through targeted distribution. It's a whirlwind of trends and transformative ideas!

Luca Prosperi, founder of M0 and a leader in DeFi credit and governance, dives into the exciting world of stablecoins. He reveals why every major app will likely issue its own stablecoin, discussing MetaMask’s innovative dollar design without relying on banks. Luca highlights the challenges of stablecoin fragmentation and the hidden differences in bank dollars. As stablecoins are projected to soar from $300B to trillions, he explores their impact on liquidity, lending, and the future of financial services, emphasizing the importance of developer-friendly approaches.

Tony McLaughlin, CEO of Ubyx and former SWIFT executive, dives deep into the world of stablecoins, asserting they should be treated like checks by banks. He explains how public blockchains can solve adoption issues for financial institutions. The conversation highlights the importance of multi-chain wallets for banks and the significance of understanding stablecoins as negotiable instruments. McLaughlin also discusses the future where stablecoin wallets become standard in banks and predicts a Cambrian explosion of stablecoins enhancing global commerce.

Haseeb Qureshi, a partner at Dragonfly and seasoned crypto investor, joins to delve into the decline of DAT mania and its implications for retail speculation. He explains why current market movers are mostly institutional players, and why user-generated prediction markets are unlikely to succeed. Haseeb also critiques the limitations of upcoming ETFs for long-tail assets and discusses the dynamics surrounding stablecoins and banking. Lastly, he highlights the competitive landscape in sports betting, weighing in on Polymarket vs. Kalshi.