Base Layer

Fernando joins me on Base Layer at such an amazing time in the growth of DeFi, where the total value locked (TVL) was $830M end of April 2020 to almost $5B as this podcast gets released. Balancer is a n-dimensional automated market-maker built on Ethereum so we learn what that means, what's being done via Balancer in platforms such as Smart Pools, what their native token BAL provides participants...

Kain joins me on Base Layer for an amazing chat about Synthetix: a decentralised synthetic asset issuance protocol built on Ethereum. These synthetic assets are collateralized by the Synthetix Network Token (SNX) which when locked in the contract enables the issuance of synthetic assets (Synths). The creation of synthetic assets is not new in the world of finance but the way Kain and his team have...

Jesse joins me on Base Layer for an epic conversation from the Co-Founder and CEO of one of the biggest Digital Asset exchanges in the world. We discuss how it evolved and more importantly, what the future entails for Kraken in terms of retail v institutional, new tools coming out, etc. We also spend time talking about M&A as Kraken as been one of the most acquisitive companies in Digital Assets....

Alex joins me on Base Layer for an amazing episode discussing Socios and Chiliz; Socios.com, powered by chiliZ ($CHZ), is a Fintech Platform for Fan Engagement & Fan Monetization of Sports teams. It is a Consumer-Facing product using blockchain technology. They have announced some major teams that have already announced partnerships: FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, West Ham, AS Roma,...

Robert joins us on Base Layer for a great conversation to learn about everything Compound is doing. For those unaware, Compound it is a decentralized protocol which establishes money markets with algorithmically set interest rates based on supply and demand, allowing users to frictionlessly exchange the time value of Ethereum assets. We talk about a wide range of topics, starting more 101 for thos...

Alex joins us for a powerhouse episode to discuss the work he and his team have done to build River Financial, a premier Bitcoin financial institution. River's focus is on helping clients accumulate, sell, and manage their Bitcoin holdings. We discuss the UI/UX of competitors, why the focus is just on Bitcoin when other competitors are opening up to other Digital Assets, the "human touch/white glo...

Max joins me on Base Layer to discuss what he and his team have built at B2C2; a leading cryptocurrency market maker. Brokers, banks, exchanges, hedge funds and family offices around the world have begun to trust B2C2 to deliver seamless execution in the major cryptocurrencies and fiat currency pairs. Max came from Goldman where he was a Trader on the Global Liquidity Products desk as well as a Sw...

Michael joins us on Base Layer for a very timely conversation about the maturing security solutions Fireblocks is creating in the Digital Asset ecosystem. From his days at Check Point Software Technologies to Fireblocks, we discuss what his company is working on: an enterprise-grade platform for financial institutions that need to streamline digital asset operations – without sacrificing security....

Corey joins me on Base Layer to discuss Status which has a mission to "to be a secure communication tool that upholds human rights. Designed to enable the free flow of information, protect the right to private, secure conversations, and promote the sovereignty of individuals." We also discuss "Waku" which is their peer-to-peer (p2p) messaging protocol that removes centralized choke points from you...

Dave Hendricks, the CEO of Vertalo stops by Base Layer to discuss the work they are doing to better optimize cap tables, help tokenize assets such as real estate and give us a overview of the state of the state of "tokenizing the world" - there's a tremendous amount of infrastructure needed to get that done and Dave gives a thorough overview of where we are in this.

Mati, formerly the Senior Market Analyst at eToro joins me on Base Layer to talk about a multitude of issues in the global markets right now. First, based on some questions from Institutional Investors we discussed USD as reserve currency and if there any issues with that with that in the future. We also discuss role of CBCD's right now like China's DCEP; do they infringe on Bitcoin and other Digi...

Raghu joins me on Base Layer and it's a fantastic overview of the infrastructure of the capital markets in Digital Assets. Raghu tells a story of his beginnings which include being brought in by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet to help with Chrome OS and more. He then found his way into Digital Assets and experienced the pitfalls of Digital Asset market fragmentation firsthand while trading his own...

Alex, the Co-Founder of The Giving Block joins me for a special Base Layer. The Giving Block was founded in 2018 after seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin being donated to the few nonprofits that were equipped to accept those donations. Early investors in Digital Assets have done very well for themselves, but a question loomed: how could they donate digital assets to help those in ne...

Muneeb and Steve join me back on Base Layer to talk about a big joint venture. Blockstack and Algorand, have jointly announced an independent open-source project to support a first-of-its-kind smart contract language, Clarity. Recognizing the need for smart contract languages that are more safe, secure, and predictable in order to mature the industry beyond its current state, teams run by Blocksta...

Josh Wolfe, co-founder Lux Capital which is one of the most inspiring venture capitalists firms supporting scientists and entrepreneurs who "pursue counter-conventional solutions to the most vexing puzzles of our time" came on my show and it was an absolute honor! Josh and I have a similar upbringing which drives us in different ways and having him talk about his drive & inspiration was amazing. W...

Jenny Q. Ta joins me on Base Layer for a great conversation! Jenny is a seasoned entrepreneur with two highly successful early ventures to her credit. As Founder and CEO of Titan Securities, a full-service broker-dealer and investment banking firm, Prior to that venture, Jenny had filled the role of Founder, CEO, and driving force behind Vantage Investments, another full-service broker-dealer and...

Adam joins me on the show to delve into his very successful past, from co-founding Doctor on Demand which ushered in a whole new world of telemedicine to looking at talent networks like Toptal & Upwork and applying distributed & decentralized architecture to truly empower those in the network in Braintrust Network. We discuss the intricacies of how Braintrust is empowering this new network that ju...

Jesse from Strix Leviathan joins me for a great conversation about the use of technology and systematic approaches to in investing in digital assets. Jesse has over 20 years of experience as a technical entrepreneur. Prior to Strix Leviathan, Jesse founded Blue Box, a cloud computing startup. Jesse raised $22M in venture capital for Blue Box and subsequently sold the company to IBM where Jesse was...

Jeff joins the show and my goodness is it a good one! Every year Jeff releases about 10 "predictions" in tech that based off his vast experience he feels are close to coming and without fail he has been spot on. We talk about his 2020 predictions which have included the rise of Face ID and biometrics esp in a post COVID/contactless world, Student Debt and the rise of anger among parents and studen...

Cody Willard, Hedge Fund Manager and writer, joins me on Base Layer to discuss the equity markets and Digital Asset Landscape. His analysis has been featured on CBS News, ABC’s 20/20, in the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine and many other places. We discuss the recent Robinhood phenomenon in which retail traders have picked up shares of companies like Hertz and outperform...

The CEO of Atari, Fred Chesnais joins me on Base Layer for an amazing episode from such an iconic brand that inspired me and many others into the world of technology. We discuss Fred and Atari's past - the hard work bringing it back from the brinks of bankruptcy and the new visions he has for it's growth. We discuss the recent news of their partnership with Litecoin and their new console that aims...

Andy Edstrom, CFA, CFP is a financial advisor and a member of the investment committee at WESCAP Group, where he manages wealth and provides financial advice to clients. Andy is the author of the book Why Buy Bitcoin: Investing Today in the Money of Tomorrow. Additionally, his opinions on Bitcoin have been published in The Wall Street Journal, and his opinions on regulation of the Internet monopol...

Andy Edstrom, CFA, CFP is a financial advisor and a member of the investment committee at WESCAP Group, where he manages wealth and provides financial advice to clients. Andy is the author of the book Why Buy Bitcoin: Investing Today in the Money of Tomorrow. Additionally, his opinions on Bitcoin have been published in The Wall Street Journal, and his opinions on regulation of the Internet monopol...

Andy Edstrom, CFA, CFP is a financial advisor and a member of the investment committee at WESCAP Group, where he manages wealth and provides financial advice to clients. Andy is the author of the book Why Buy Bitcoin: Investing Today in the Money of Tomorrow. Additionally, his opinions on Bitcoin have been published in The Wall Street Journal, and his opinions on regulation of the Internet monopol...

Jeff joins me for an amazing chat that covers a wide array of topics. Jeff is the co-founder of BuildDirect, an online marketplace for heavyweight home improvement products that connects buyers with sellers. He has been at the forefront of technology for over 20 years since the dot-com era. Jeff also wrote an amazing book: "The Price of Tomorrow: Why Deflation Is the Key to an Abundant Future. In...