FCAT Crypto Brief™

In this episode, the team covers the growing intersection of crypto and artificial intelligence, exploring how digital assets, agentic payments, and decentralized infrastructure could shape the future of autonomous systems. Join us as our hosts discuss whether blockchain could serve as the financial layer for AI agents, the role of stablecoins in machine-to-machine payments, emerging cybersecurity...

This week on the FCAT Crypto Brief, the team explores two security stories making waves across the ecosystem. First, they unpack a recent hardware wallet supply chain exploit, how attackers were able to compromise devices before they reached users, and what the incident reveals about operational security, self-custody, and the evolving risks facing crypto holders. Then, the conversation shifts to...

As decentralized finance continues to mature, traditional and blockchain-based financial systems are becoming increasingly interconnected. On this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, Stani Kulechov, founder and CEO of Aave, joins our hosts to discuss the evolution of on-chain lending, the growing role of tokenized real-world assets, and how public blockchains are enabling new approaches to financial...

Recorded live at Boston DAO, join our hosts as they discuss key trends shaping crypto, the evolution of DeFi and decentralization, and how some of the industry's biggest past predictions compare to today's ecosystem. Episode Topics: [00:00] Welcome and introductions [02:07] Trends in tokenization [10:30] Privacy on-chain [14:04] DeFi vs. decentralized finance [18:25] Past trends and current applic...

Could blockchain unlock new ownership opportunities for renters? Groma's Seth Priebatsch and Chris Lehman join the FCAT Crypto Brief to discuss tokenized real estate, on-chain REITs, and how they're looking to help renters build something akin to equity as part of their existing lease. The conversation explores different approaches to real estate tokenization, perspectives on liquidity, and the ec...

Could blockchain help connect local communities to the projects they fund? Ian Cain of QUBIC Labs joins the Brief to discuss the evolution of the blockchain ecosystem from early experimentation to real-world infrastructure. The conversation explores Boston's growing blockchain community, the role of digital infrastructure in future markets, and a pioneering municipal initiative designed to bring b...

Tokenization continues to evolve, with builders bringing stocks, ETFs, and other financial instruments on-chain to expand access to capital markets and enable new forms of trading and collateralization. Ian De Bode of Ondo Finance joins our hosts to explore the rise of tokenized securities, their role across markets, the infrastructure required for always-on trading, and how regulation may influen...

The future of payments is being built in real time. From stablecoin infrastructure acquisitions to embedded wallets and programmable money, a new generation of payment rails is rapidly emerging. Join us as we unpack the trends driving this transformation and welcome new co-host Dom Breslin to the Brief. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [02:05] Coldcard hack, wallet security, and AI [11:43] Development...

On this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, the team explores onchain vaults and their growing role in decentralized finance. The discussion examines how vaults automate lending, borrowing, and yield strategies, along with the role of vault curators and the tradeoffs between convenience, risk, and control.  The conversation also highlights key infrastructure, market, and risk considerations, explori...

What does it take to build a thriving Web3 ecosystem from the ground up? In this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, our hosts sit down with Alejandro Gutierrez, founder of Superteam Ireland, to discuss the power of community in driving blockchain innovation. Alejandro shares his journey from tokenizing real-world assets to building one of Europe's fastest-growing Web3 communities and explains why g...

Join us for the Crypto Brief as our hosts unpack the rise of tokenized collectibles and what it could signal for the future of assets on-chain. We open with recent updates from the Ethereum Foundation, examining the impacts and implications of these shifts. Then, we explore how everything from trading cards to fine art is moving on-chain and is reshaping ownership, liquidity, and access in the pro...

Join our hosts as they sit down with author and industry leader John Hargrave to discuss his book, The Intelligent Crypto Investor , and explore how traditional financial frameworks can be reimagined on-chain. Listen in as we explore key trends, emerging economic levers and how enduring investing principles can be applied to DeFi—alongside important considerations and practical approaches for navi...

Join our hosts as they explore the evolution of perpetual futures and how these “no-expiration” instruments are reshaping crypto market structure. From the mechanics of funding rates to the differences between traditional and perpetual futures, we break down why perps have become a dominant trading vehicle in digital assets. We'll cover the rapid rise of on-chain platforms like Hyperliquid, examin...

Join us as our hosts break down recent crypto exploits to examine how malicious actors are leveraging emerging technologies alongside more traditional tactics to execute attacks. We unpack how these incidents unfolded, their broader implications for DeFi, and the growing role of AI in both offensive and defensive security. We’ll highlight key trends shaping the threat landscape and outline practic...

This episode, we're joined by author and journalist Natalie Brunell to explore the foundations of financial re-education and how Bitcoin is expanding access in an increasingly digital, global economy. Drawing from her recent book Bitcoin is for Everyone , Natalie shares why understanding money as a technology matters today, how Bitcoin’s network can enable greater inclusion across borders, and wha...

Recent advances in quantum computing are bringing renewed attention to longstanding questions around cryptography. In this episode of the Crypto Brief, the team is joined by FCAT's VP of Quantum Technology Mike Dascal to unpack the underlying technologies and why quantum risk should be on everyone's radar. The episode explores practical threat models for digital assets—from legacy wallets to in-fl...

For much of the internet’s history, technology has supported human transactions. Increasingly, it’s executing them directly.  On this episode of the Crypto Brief, our hosts examine agentic payments: transactions executed by autonomous AI systems. Based on pre-programmed directives, these agents discover services, access resources, and settle payments without hands-on human involvement.  This discu...

In this episode of the FCAT CryptoBrief, Blockspace Media  Co‑founder Charlie Spears joins the team to unpack how Bitcoin’s most influential debates are evolving as the ecosystem becomes increasingly sophisticated and operationally fragmented. Charting the rise of OPNEXT as a convergence point for developers, miners, investors, and researchers alike, Spears highlights why connecting disparate stak...

Listen in as Weston Jones, a Digital Asset Engineer from FCAT’s Blockchain Incubator, joins our hosts to break down recent developments on Solana and beyond. Together, they explore the forces driving infrastructure and innovation—from design philosophy and validator operations to community‑driven security, trade‑offs, and how Solana compares with other major networks as the broader ecosystem conti...

As crypto continues to evolve, institutions are entering the fold. In this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, the team breaks down why TradFi players—including banks, asset managers, and infrastructure providers—are moving into DeFi, as well as key considerations surrounding the adoption of real‑world assets, on-chain lending, and settlement at an institutional scale. Listen in as our hosts explore...

Join us as we take a look at recent conversations within the Ethereum ecosystem, including Vitalik Buterin’s updated perspective on the “roll‑up centric roadmap” and how the community is approaching L1 and L2 development. Our hosts walk through the broader context, covering stakeholder incentives, validator dynamics, the pace of L2 progress, and Ethereum’s evolving upgrade priorities.   Episode To...

As crypto matures, what will the future of enforcement, compliance, and accountability look like? Listen in as Amanda Wick, a former federal prosecutor and longtime leader in financial crime prevention, joins the Brief to give her take and examine how innovation and integrity can evolve together. From sanctions to travel rule implementation, this episode offers a front‑row seat to see key shifts a...

Curious about what’s next for crypto in 2026? Chris Kuiper, Vice President of Research at Fidelity Digital Assets®, joins our hosts to unpack the trends shaping the digital asset landscape in the year ahead. Tune in for insights on emerging developments, potential market shifts, and what these changes could mean for the industry at large. Read the full report here:  https://www.fidelitydigitalasse...

In this episode of FCAT Crypto Brief™, we sit down with Doug Mehne, Chair of the Boston Blockchain Association, to explore what it really takes to build strong blockchain communities—both locally and globally. From fostering collaboration across traditional finance and digital assets to creating spaces for candid conversations, Doug shares how intentional programming, education, and advocacy are d...

Listen in as we catch up with researcher Alexander Neumüller from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) to discuss their latest report exploring the critical role energy plays in sustaining Bitcoin’s decentralized network. From mining operations and miner sentiment to the potential of renewable solutions, we unpack how power shapes the future of digital currency—and why it matters fo...