Best Mike Ippolito | Blockworks Podcasts (2024)

1
How ZK Accounts Expand dApp Limits | John, Uma, & Zaki 57:41

23m ago57:41

57:41

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of ZK accounts and their potential. Uma, Zaki, and John, unpack ZK accounts, the trade-offs involved in design decisions, and the political landscape. We explore how ZK accounts enable trustless interoperability, enhance scalability, and unlock a dimension for dApps. The conversation also touches upon th…

1
Will the Fed Cut Rates in 2024? | Roundup 58:49

4d ago58:49

58:49

In this episode, we discuss FOMC, previous rate cutting cycles over the years, and if the FED will cut rates prior to the presidential election. We also breakdown the differing approaches blockchains take when dealing with MEV, and the ways networks and applications can monetize. Finally, we dive into how Trump’s stance towards crypto has affected …

1
Josh Lee - Keplr, and the future of Interchain Wallets 52:19

10m ago52:19

52:19

In this episode, we chat with Josh Lee, founder of Keplr. We reminisce about the early days of Keplr, and what building a Korean Crypto company is like. We also touch on the origin story behind Osmosis, and what Josh has learned from being a co-founder of both Keplr and Osmosis. Josh also shares lessons from building an infrastructure company in Cr…

1
How AVSs Enable Scalable, Secure and Customizable Execution | S8 E4 | Ludwig & Muto 1:33:32

3d ago1:33:32

1:33:32

In this episode, Ludwig from Sorella Labs and Muto from Ethos, two AVS builders, join to discuss the potential of restaked ETH and attributable security to revolutionize DeFi. They dive into how AVSs offer a scalable alternative to rollups by leveraging restaking to enable customizable off-chain execution while preserving the benefits of shared L1 …

1
Crypto's Great Rate Cut Cycle | Roundup 54:11

7d ago54:11

54:11

In this jam-packed episode, we dive into Starkware's million dollar initiative to scale Bitcoin with ZK tech, debate the implications of looming ETH ETF approvals, and discuss how the largest rate cutting cycle of our lifetimes could supercharge crypto. We also break down Coinbase's new Web3 wallet, the convergence of crypto infrastructure, and why…

1
Exploring Crypto's Modular Path | Rex & NoSleepJon 47:32

8d ago47:32

47:32

In this special episode, the Jason and Mike announce the launch of Expansion, a new Blockworks podcast focusing on the modular blockchain ecosystem. Expansion hosts Rex and NoSleepJon aim to explore the modular design concepts and architectural principles in the blockchain space. They highlight the benefits and challenges of modularity, the cultura…

1
The Modular Integration Spectrum | Keone & Zon 1:04:18

9d ago1:04:18

1:04:18

In this episode, Keone from Monad and Zon from Initia to discuss the spectrum between modular and integrated blockchain designs. They explore the tradeoffs in decentralization, performance and scalability between the two approaches. They explore AppChains, rollups, composability challenges in modular systems, EVM compatibility, and when to scale bl…

1
The Power Dynamics of Liquid Restaking | S8 E3 | Sam, Krane, & Clayton 1:13:23

10d ago1:13:23

1:13:23

In this episode, we dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of liquid restaking. Our expert panel unpacks the history and rise of Liquid Restaking Tokens, exploring LRT design, yield strategies, the leverage dynamics between LRTs and Eigen Layer, and the potential impact of introducing multi-assets like Bitcoin. We examine the challenges posed by…

1
Is Crypto Bipartisan Now? | Roundup 1:05:45

14d ago1:05:45

1:05:45

In this episode, the guys debate whether Democrats can reverse course before the upcoming election. They also discuss the rise and fall of meme coins, despite Iggy Azalea's recent token launch. The conversation then shifts to the challenges facing Bitcoin's L2 development, OpenAI's legal battles over celebrity rights and employee NDAs, and Nvidia's…

1
Exploring EigenLayer and The Future of Ethereum Security | S8 E2 | Sreeram Kannan 1:50:58

17d ago1:50:58

1:50:58

In this episode we are joined by Sreeram Kannan, founder of EigenLayer, to discuss the current state and future potential of restaking. The conversation covers Eigenlayer's rapidly growing ecosystem of actively validated services (AVS), the different types of security guarantees made possible by restaking, and how restaking can benefit both externa…

1
How ETH ETFs Will Reshape Crypto | Roundup 1:05:12

21d ago1:05:12

1:05:12

In this episode, the crew dives into discuss the 75% odds of an ETH ETF approval this month. They unpack the implications of ETH ETFs on crypto market structure and institutional adoption. The conversation also covers the evolving regulatory landscape and the backlash against Yuga Labs over their CryptoPunks moves. Finally, they debate the future o…

1
Restaking's Renaissance: The Next Generation of Blockchain Security | S8 E1 1:07:36

24d ago1:07:36

1:07:36

This episode takes a deep dive into the evolving landscape of restaking and shared security. Mike and Myles trace the history of restaking from early iterations like Polkadot and Cosmos to the rise of specialized providers like Eigen Layer. They break down the market structure, analyzing the supply and demand sides, and exploring how new entrants p…

1
The Growing Partisan Divide in Crypto | Roundup 1:16:04

29d ago1:16:04

1:16:04

In this episode, the guys discuss the recent prosecution of the Tornado Cash developer, the potential partisan nature of crypto regulation, and the ongoing vote on SAB 121. They delve into the history of asset seizure in the US, the shifting political attitudes towards crypto, and the potential implications for the industry. The conversation also t…

1
The Solana End Game | Anatoly Yakovenko & Lucas Bruder 1:11:32

1M ago1:11:32

1:11:32

Gm! This week we invite Anatoly Yakovenko & Lucas Bruder to the show for a discussion on the current state of Solana. We deep dive into the transaction problem as on chain volumes have exploded in recent months. Toly & Lucas explore the solutions that could help to increase chain performance & what's next for Solana. Enjoy! -- Follow Anatoly: https…

1
Anand Gomes - Paradex and the Crypto Derivatives Landscape 59:05

25d ago59:05

59:05

In this episode, we chat with Anand Gomes, founder of Paradigm and Paradex, two different crypto derivatives products. We begin with Anand’s journey as a derivatives trader, which led him to build Paradigm, an institutional block trading platform for crypto options. After the FTX crash, Anand was inspired to create a new decentralized exchange – Pa…

1
Will Crypto Leave the US? | Roundup 1:07:02

1M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

In this episode, the crew discusses the current state of crypto regulation and political candidate support in the US. They explore the viability of meme coins and the challenges of annualizing returns in the crypto space. The conversation also debates crypto-native gaming, the importance of crypto remaining a key industry in the US, and the technic…

1
Interoperability's Product-Market Fit | Deep Dive 50:53

1M ago50:53

50:53

In today's episode, Michael chats with Nikhil Suri from the Wormhole Foundation about the future of multichain and interoperability in crypto. They discuss the challenges of creating a seamless user experience across different chains, the role of general message passing protocols like Wormhole, and the potential impact of zero-knowledge proofs on s…

1
Eigen's Dual Staking Dilemma: Eth vs Eigen Security | Roundup 1:16:27

1M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

In this episode, Mike and Myles dive into Eigen Layer's major announcement, unpacking the details and implications of the Eigen token airdrop, the Eigen Foundation, and the positioning of Eigen as an "intersubjective work token". They discuss the community's mixed reaction to the airdrop details and geo-fencing, the objectives and considerations ar…

1
Crypto's Multichain Masterplan | S7 E8 1:32:32

2M ago1:32:32

1:32:32

Season 7 | Episode 8 In this wrap-up episode of Season 7, Mike and Hart dive deep into the multichain endgame of crypto. They discuss how the user and developer experience might evolve in a multichain future, the role of ZK tech in enabling interoperability, and the importance of standardization across chains. They explore the potential for L1 asse…

1
Solana: State Of The Network | Mert Mumtaz, Dan Smith | Lightspeed 1:02:35

2M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Gm! Bell Curve's season 7 will be back soon. This week our friends Mert and Dan from the Lighspeed discuss the state of the network, MarginFi drama, Uniswap vs the SEC, airdrops, Monad's $225 million raise & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Dan: https://twitter.com/smyyguy Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lights…

1
Bitcoin's Renaissance: Inside Runes, Ordinals, and Transaction Revenue | Roundup 1:09:42

2M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

In this week's round up the Mike and Vance dive into the recent Bitcoin correction, discussing the narratives surrounding interest rates, politics, and the upcoming halving. They explore the launch of Runes on Bitcoin and its potential impact on the ecosystem. The conversation also delves into the merging of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the challenges fac…

1
Cem Özer - Sovereign Labs, Rollups, and Appchains 55:27

2M ago55:27

55:27

In this episode, we chat with Cem Ozer, founder of Sovereign Labs. We begin with Cem’s personal journey in crypto, and how this experience led him to build Sovereign Labs. We then discuss how developers evaluate the many permutations of rollups and blockchain frameworks available today, and where Sovereign Labs fits into this landscape. We dive int…

1
Inside the Crypto Options and Derivatives Boom | Nick Trileski 54:58

2M ago54:58

54:58

In this episode, Mike is joined by Nick Trileski, a crypto options trader at Cumberland DRW, for an in-depth discussion on the current state of the crypto options and derivatives market. They explore the growth of options trading, the psychology around all-time highs, and the increasing institutional demand as evidenced by rising open interest. The…

1
The Battle of Restaking Platforms & Alt L1s | Roundup 1:03:27

2M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

In this week's round up the Mike, Michael, and Vance break down Uniswap's fight with the SEC over a Wells notice and the implications for DeFi, as well as Bearchain's massive $100M raise. The risks of hedging altcoin investments using perpetual futures contracts are explored, along with the significance of Circle and BlackRock uniting to bridge tra…

1
Solana's MEV Inflection Point: Users vs Protocol | Deep Dive | Eugene & Lucas 1:26:48

2M ago1:26:48

1:26:48

In today's episode, Mike is joined by Eugene from Ellipsis Labs and Lucas from Jito to discuss the current state and future of MEV on Solana. The trio dives into the philosophical divergence between Solana and Ethereum's approaches to mitigating MEV, with Solana prioritizing user experience and low fees while Ethereum focuses on incentive compatibi…

1
The Evolution of Crypto Venture Funds | Roundup 1:06:14

2M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

In this week's round up the Mike, Michael, and Vance examine the new market structure emerging as fresh capital starts to flow back into the space and debate whether this could break the traditional crypto market cycles. They also discuss the impact of early liquidity on founders and teams through token launches. Additionally, they analyze the impr…

1
Jacob Arluck and Andrew Huang - Celestia, Conduit, and the Modular Future 1:06:18

2M ago1:06:18

1:06:18

In this episode, we chat with Jacob Arluck, head of strategy at Celestia Labs, and Andrew Huang, founder of Conduit. We cover a number of topics in the modular blockchain space, starting with the impact of DA solutions on the rollup landscape and the budding partnership between Conduit and Celestia, the leading RaaS and DA solutions in the market r…

1
Network Effects and Value Accrual in Crypto | S7 E7 | Kyle Samani 1:20:23

2M ago1:20:23

1:20:23

Season 7 | Episode 7 In today's episode Kyle Samani from Multicoin Capital joins Michael and Hart to discuss the complex dynamics of network effects in the blockchain ecosystem. The conversation dives deep into the different types of network effects at play, the phenomenon of anti-network effects caused by high gas fees, and the potential for block…

1
Are Crypto Market Cycles Changing for Good? | Roundup 1:09:05

3M ago1:09:05

1:09:05

In this week's round up the Mike, Michael, and Vance examine the new market structure emerging as fresh capital starts to flow back into the space and debate whether this could break the traditional crypto market cycles. They also discuss the impact of early liquidity on founders and teams through token launches. Additionally, they analyze the impr…

1
Credible Commitments: How Pre-Confirmations Unlock L2 Interoperability | S7 E6 | Jonas & Murat 1:22:18

3M ago1:22:18

1:22:18

Season 7 | Episode 6 In today's episode Mike and Hart are joined by Jonas from Chainbound and Murat from Prime to dive deep into the emerging world of pre-confirmations on Ethereum L2s. They discuss the current challenges facing L2s including centralized sequencers and limited composability, and explain how pre-confirmations act as credible commitm…

1
Restaking and Shared Security: Lessons from Cosmos, Polkadot, and Beyond | Roundup 1:21:27

3M ago1:21:27

1:21:27

In today's episode, Mike is joined by Myles and special guest Jim Parillo from Figment Capital to explore the latest developments in the restaking ecosystem. They dive into lessons learned from shared security models in Cosmos and Polkadot. The conversation also touches on the differences between liquid staking tokens (LSTs) and liquid restaking to…

1
Dencun: The Catalyst for Ethereum's L2 Vision | Roundup 1:11:08

3M ago1:11:08

1:11:08

In this week's round up the Mike, Michael, and Vance discuss the impact of the Dencun hard fork on Ethereum L2s, which has lowered fees and opened up new opportunities for L2 business models and applications. The conversation also covers Maker's DSR hike, the return of meme coin mania, Jito's decision to end its mempool product, the AI investing cr…

1
Debating the MakerDAO Endgame | Vance Spencer, Mark Phillips, and Hasu 1:05:53

3M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

In today's interview Sam and Brick are joined by Vance, Mark, and Hasu. Together they dive into MakerDAO's endgame. They discuss the current state of MakerDAO, including the DAI stablecoin and RWA adoption. The conversation then shifts to the bull case for Maker, with a focus on the new subDAO structure and how it aims to drive demand for the Maker…

1
Chainlink: From Price Feeds to Universal Cryptoeconomic Standards | Sergey Nazarov, Co-founder 1:05:39

3M ago1:05:39

1:05:39

In this week's roundup the Bell Curve crew is joined by Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, joins us to discuss the evolution of Chainlink from a focus on price feeds to a platform for data, compute, and cross-chain services. Sergey explains how Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) enables the secure transfer of both data and value acr…

1
The ZK-Proof Endgame for Full Interoperability | S7 E5 | Uma Roy 1:19:21

3M ago1:19:21

1:19:21

Season 7 | Episode 5 In today's episode Mike and Hart are joined by Uma Roy to dive deep into the world of zero-knowledge proofs and their transformative potential for blockchain interoperability. The conversation explores the fundamentals of ZKPs, the current ZKP landscape, and the economics of generating and verifying proofs. Uma shares insights …

1
Understanding the Rise of AI and Crypto as TradFi Plays Catch-up | Roundup 51:10

4M ago51:10

51:10

In this week's round up the Mike and Michael kick things off with their takes on ETHDenver and the excitement around restaking and AI applications in crypto. Shifting gears they analyze the recent crypto market performance and debate whether crypto's regulatory outlook is positive in an election year. Regarding institutional interest, Vance describ…

1
Debating the Multichain End State: Service Providers vs Immutable Protocols | S7 E4 | Bryan Pellegrino 1:35:00

4M ago1:35:00

1:35:00

Season 7 | Episode 4 In today's episode Mike and Hart are joined by Bryan Pellegrino, co-founder of LayerZero, to debate the the end state of the multi-chain future. They debate technical specifics like message passing protocols, bridging frameworks, censorship resistance, and security tradeoffs, as well as philosophies around infrastructure layers…

1
Unpacking FDV, Token Distributions, and Hidden Value in Bull Markets | Roundup 1:10:52

4M ago1:10:52

1:10:52

In this week's round up the crew kicks things off with discussing recent commentary and analysis around Bitcoin ETF dynamics and the case for a potential Ethereum ETF approval. A debate then ensues on conceptual frameworks for valuating crypto tokens using market capitalization versus fully diluted valuation metrics and draw interesting parrelels o…

1
Why One Chain Can't Rule Them All: Polygon's Aggregation Layer Deep Dive Brendan Farmer 52:48

4M ago52:48

52:48

In this week's interview Sam and Ren from 0xResearch are joined by Brendan Farmer, the Co-Founder of Polygon. Brendan unpacks why no single blockchain can scale like the internet due to heterogeneous requirements across chains. He then introduces Polygon's solution - an Aggregation Layer that enables low-latency, trustless interoperability between …

1
Leverage, Restaking, and Ethereum ETF Demand | Roundup 1:18:02

4M ago1:18:02

1:18:02

In this week's roundup the team checks in on booming Bitcoin ETF inflows versus declining gold ETF interest. Debating the likelihood and demand dynamics of an Ethereum spot ETF launch, they analyze whether restaking poses leverage risks and how to value Eigenlayer's opportunity. They then shift gears and discuss Starkware’s critiqued token distribu…

1
The Chain Abstraction Thesis | Season 7 Episode 3 | Sam & Illia 1:54:17

4M ago1:54:17

1:54:17

Season 7 | Episode 3 In today's episode Mike and Hart are joined by Sam Hart of Skip Protocol and Illia Polosukhin to dive into the world of chain abstraction. They discuss the consensus around the need for intent-based interoperability solutions, the incentives (or lack thereof) for ecosystems to be interoperable, and predictions around rollup con…

1
Designing Sustainable Game Economies and Scaling Blockchain Games | Roundup ft. Robbie Ferguson 1:06:43

4M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

In this episode of Bell Curve, Robbie Ferguson of Immutable joins to discuss the state of blockchain gaming. They cover the core thesis behind web3 games - giving gamers real ownership of in-game assets to capture the $150B yearly market. Robbie explains Immutable's focus on providing the best platform for developers through solutions like ZK rollu…

1
How Intents Unbundle Assets from Protocols | Season 7 Episode 2 | Ft. Christopher Goes 1:46:32

4M ago1:46:32

1:46:32

Season 7 | Episode 2 In today's episode Mike and Hart are joined by Christopher Goes, Founder of Anoma. Chris unpacks flawed assumptions baked into current blockchain design and explains his vision for an intent-centric topology. Chris critiques the limitations of existing virtual machines modeled on outdated centralized mainframes, arguing they ca…

1
Inside the Evolution of Liquid Staking & Modular Money | Jon Charbonneau & Aidan Salzmann 1:57:43

4M ago1:57:43

1:57:43

Today's episode explores the intersection of liquid staking and the modular money ecosystem. Mike is joined by Stride Labs co-founder Aiden Salzman and John Charbonneau general partner of DBA. The trio dives deep into the architecture of the Stride protocol, including stTIA and the liquid staking module (LSM). The discussion touches on incentive al…

1
The Return of ETH as Digital Money and Betting on Prediction Markets | Roundup 1:16:37

5M ago1:16:37

1:16:37

In this week's roundup Mike and Vance dive into the latest developments across crypto including the state of Bitcoin ETFs, return of ETH as money, and the growth of prediction markets. They discuss the recent impressive growth of Polymarket, a prediction betting platform now generating substantial interest and volume without any incentive programs.…

1
The Multichain Endgame: Modularity, Network Effects, and The Intent Paradigm | Season 7 Episode 1 Ft. Hart Lambur 1:40:49

5M ago1:40:49

1:40:49

In today's Season 7 premiere Mike is joined by our season co-host Hart Lambur, co-founder of Across Protocol and UMA Protocol. Join them as they explore the emerging multichain endgame. First, they discuss different models for interoperability between chains and how protocols may connect in the future. This ties into the rise of an intent-centric b…

1
Ethereum's Roadmap Dichotomy: Prioritizing the Protocol vs. the Asset | Roundup 1:06:55

5M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

In this week's roundup Mike and Myles dive deep into the dichotomy emerging between Ethereum the protocol and Ethereum the Asset. As Ethereum pushes activity to rollups and prioritizes exporting ETH's value, tough questions arise around stake rates, liquid staking derivatives, and monetary policy. Should Ethereum target a lower stake rate to favor …

1
The Solution to Oracle Extractable Value 54:32

5M ago54:32

54:32

In today's episode of Bell Curve we are joined by both the UMA and Flashbots to dive into their latest collaboration, Oval. Oval unlocks a new MEV capture mechanism for protocols to monetize the value that they create. We unpack Oracle Extractable Value (OEV), a type of MEV that has historically been uncaptured by protocols. Stay tuned for all this…

1
TradFi Embracing Crypto, Private Equity Froth, and Macro Headwinds | Roundup 1:18:03

5M ago1:18:03

1:18:03

In this week's roundup Mike is joined by Michael and Vance of Framework Ventures. The trio kick things off by discussing macro sentiment and if a "soft landing" is truly on the horizon. The conversation then explores signs of excess in private market deals. The team also analyze the BTC ETF flows data so far, evaluating the implications of over $11…

1
Solana's Local Fee Markets Aren't Real | Eugene Chen 1:05:48

5M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Eugene Chen joins us to discuss why Solana's local fee markets aren't real. Well, they are real, but they don't yet work as advertised. Eugene is the co-founder of Ellipses Labs, Phoenix Protocol, and Umbra Research and he is one of the sharpest builders in Solana! In this episode, we discuss how Solana transactions work, how to improve Solana's fe…

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