blockCAST PODCAST

Charles d’Haussy, CEO of dYdX Foundation, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a conversation on entrepreneurship, Ethereum, DeFi, and why decentralized trading is pushing global markets toward a 24/7 future. Charles shares his journey from building companies in Hong Kong, to helping shape fintech strategy inside the Hong Kong government, to working with Consensys during Ethereum’s ea...

Joseph El Am, General Manager of PRYPCO, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a deep dive into what Real-World Asset tokenization actually looks like when it leaves theory and starts touching title deeds, liquidity, regulation, and real investors in Dubai. Joseph explains how PRYPCO became the first platform in the region to tokenize a title deed in partnership with Dubai Land Departm...

Luuk Strijers, CEO of Deribit, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an inside look at building crypto’s leading options venue and what Coinbase’s acquisition means for product, scale, and institutional trust. We unpack Deribit’s 85% institutional mix, $266B monthly volumes, why BTC options dominate, how DVO (Deribit Volatility) and vol futures fit market structure, and what it takes t...

Paul Dawalibi‏, CEO of Innovation City in Ras Al Khaimah, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou on blockCAST podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on how free zones are evolving and why the next chapter of tech, AI, digital assets, Web3, gaming, robotics, and health tech in the UAE may be written in RAK. Paul explains why free zones, rather than tourism, have historically been the UAE’s...

Jez Mohideen, Co-Founder and CEO of Laser Digital, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an in-depth conversation on building institutional-grade digital-asset infrastructure. Beginning his career in investment banking and quantitative trading, Jez brings decades of experience across fixed income, hedge funds, and global capital markets into the digital-asset space. He shares how Laser...

Michael Ayers, Group CEO and Partner of Rostro Group, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a sharp conversation on building and scaling a modern brokerage group. Starting his career in the City of London during the 2008 financial crisis, Michael’s trajectory led him to lead a global, multi-asset firm spanning CFDs, securities, futures, and prime-of-prime solutions. He shares how Rostr...

Ian Weisberger, CEO & Co-Founder of CoinRoutes, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an insightful conversation on building institutional-grade trading infrastructure for digital assets. The discussion explores Ian’s journey from software engineer to leading a global fintech and how CoinRoutes delivers best execution across fragmented liquidity spanning CEXs, perps DEXs, futures,...

Andrey Lazorenko, CEO of ADI Foundation, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a dynamic conversation on building blockchain infrastructure in the UAE. The discussion explores Andrey ’s leadership journey and career path, while highlighting the ADI Foundation’s pivotal role in launching the Dirham stablecoin - set to be regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. He shares insights on ho...

Michael Chan, CEO of Zand Bank, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a compelling episode on the evolving role of banking in the digital asset ecosystem. The conversation delves into Michael’s journey to becoming a bank CEO, exploring the education, career path, and leadership qualities required to reach the top. He shares insights into Zand Bank’s pivotal role in the UAE as a trusted...

Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist and Chairman of the AI Task Force of Cyprus, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a thought-provoking episode on the future of AI and its intersection with digital assets. The discussion explores how AI is transforming both the private and public sectors, with a focus on value creation, resource efficiency, and strategic implementation. Demetris sha...

Juliet Su, Founding Partner of New Tripe Capital, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to explore the evolving landscape of venture capital in the crypto industry. The episode delves into Juliet's journey from a corporate career in China to pioneering Web3 investments in the UAE, the shift from ICO frenzy to institutional adoption, and the growing importance of stablecoins and real-world...

Mohammed Al-Tamami, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Mamun, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to discuss how his Omani fintech is leveraging its crowdfunding license to build a robust trade finance platform. The episode explores Mamun's pivot from an infrastructure provider to a direct liquidity provider, its expansion into the UAE and Bahrain, and the strategic importance of...

Tarik Erk, General Manager for MEA at Crypto.com , joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to discuss how the crypto giant is building its global strategy from its hub in Dubai. The episode explores Crypto.com ’s landmark partnership with the Dubai government, the critical role of a compliance-first approach in navigating VARA regulations, and the future of crypto payments, stablecoins, and...

Ahmed Allam, Senior Financial Expert at His Highness Ruler’s Court in Dubai, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an in-depth discussion on the legal and regulatory landscape of the UAE. From company formation and liquidation to financial fraud investigation and crypto regulation, Ahmad shares his expert perspective on what it takes to succeed legally in Dubai. The episode explores th...

Benjamin Grolimund, General Manager of RAIN, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an in-depth discussion on pioneering cryptocurrency in the Middle East. From RAIN’s groundbreaking achievement as the region’s first regulated crypto platform in 2019 to navigating the complexities of a 2024 hack, Ben shares his journey from traditional finance to leading a trusted exchange. The episode...

Andreas Tsindos, CEO of MWAN, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a far-reaching conversation on unlocking blockchain’s real-world potential—across healthcare, tokenized rewards, and seamless digital experiences. From building one of the region’s top event companies to pioneering Web3 development since 2015, Andreas shares his journey from civil engineer to decentralized architect. T...

Toli Mancris, CEO of EX Sports, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for an eye-opening conversation exploring the evolution of collectibles, timeless value, and entrepreneurial vision in the digital era. From the nostalgia-driven power of Panini and Topps trading cards to the economics of scarcity and cultural relevance, Toli shares fascinating insights on why collectibles continue to th...

Jose Aguinag, CEO of Tungsten, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a dynamic conversation exploring the future of digital asset custody, cybersecurity, and institutional crypto infrastructure. From the anatomy of the Bybit hack and the tactics of the Lazarus Group to the vulnerabilities in multisig wallets and supply chains, Jose shares hard-hitting insights on how secure asset manag...

Phillip Lord, President of Oobit, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou for a dynamic conversation exploring the future of AI, humanoids, and digital finance. From the rise of tokenized payments and AI agents to the disruptive power of robotics in everyday life, Philip shares hard-hitting insights on how emerging technologies are reshaping industries and redefining the future of work. With...

NeosLegal Irina Heaver, Managing Partner joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to explore the dynamic intersection of AI, crypto, and law. As the first female guest on the podcast, Irina shares her journey through the evolving regulatory landscape, shedding light on the legal frameworks shaping the future of digital finance. Gain exclusive insights into how the UAE is emerging as a global...

D2A2 Saqr Ereiqat, Secretary General, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to discuss his transformative journey—from arriving in Dubai in 2008 with wide-eyed wonder to becoming a key architect of the UAE’s digital asset revolution. Hear firsthand how early challenges, groundbreaking regulatory shifts, and a passion for technology converged to shape a thriving crypto ecosystem in the regi...

Middle East Venture Partners pioneer Rabih Khoury joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to unpack the shifting landscape of digital assets, AI innovation, and capital markets across the MENA region. From the rise of venture capital and angel investing in the Middle East to AI-driven disruption, tokenization, and the future of IPOs, this deep-dive covers it all. Rabih reflects on his journe...

MENA crypto trailblazer Talal Tabbaa from CoinMENA joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to dissect the fast-evolving world of digital assets, meme coin frenzies, and the rise of regulated exchanges. From the Trump token craze and why meme coins trump NFTs in liquidity to the intricacies of listing processes, real-world asset tokenization, and bridging the DeFi-tradfi gap—this deep-dive un...

Cybersecurity trailblazer Marwan Hachem from Fears Off joins blockchain innovator Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to explore the unseen battlefield of exchange security, ethical hacking, and the shifting landscape of digital asset protection. Together, they dive into the art of uncovering vulnerabilities, the fine line of ethical disclosures, and strategies to outsmart an ever-evolving wav...

Blockchain visionary Pierre Samaties from DFINITY joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou to explore the crossroads of AI and crypto, the evolution of mining strategies, tokenizing artificial intelligence, navigating smart regulations, the disruption of software industries, and how AI coins are reshaping ecosystems. From his journey into the heart of DFINITY to revolutionizing tech in the ME...