Searching for Mana with Lloyd Wahed

What will drive crypto’s next major cycle: Bitcoin, stablecoins, tokenisation, or something much bigger? Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, joins Lloyd Wahed to break down how institutional investors are really approaching crypto, why adoption often takes years, and what finally gets capital off the sidelines. He explains why Bitcoin should be understood as a service, makes the long...

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has spent years arguing that regulators should create clear rules, not make policy through enforcement. Now, with the CLARITY Act advancing, a more supportive administration in Washington and institutions finally entering digital assets, she believes the industry has a genuine opportunity. But she also has a warning. Regulatory clarity alone won’t determine what happ...

Recorded live at Art Basel 2026, in front of the Zero10 sector at the world's most significant contemporary art fair. In this conversation, Rani and Lloyd discuss the bank's digital art collection and prize, the question of scarcity and artist career management, what it takes to build lending infrastructure for NFTs, and why the institutions that will matter in this space are the ones that arrived...

Four conversations from this season of Searching for Mana, woven into one. Chris Perkins on why Franklin Templeton bet on him to run their crypto platform, and why institutions now have more risk if they're not in the space. Sidney Powell on Maple's reverse innovator's dilemma against the JP Morgans and Blackstones now circling the Bitcoin backed loan market. Alex Buelau on what banks actually nee...

"Getting banks to use blockchain has never been about the technology. If you cannot answer why a bank makes more money by going blockchain, there is no reason for them to adopt it." In this episode of Searching for Mana , Lloyd Wahed is joined by Alex Buelau, founder of Rayls, the Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for institutional finance. After more than a decade building infrastructure for banks...

"Maybe the value is created in AI. But the future of ownership is very likely to happen on the blockchain." In this episode of Searching for Mana, Lloyd Wahed is joined by Boris Revsin, CEO of Tribe Capital, a US-based, multi-stage venture firm managing just under $2.5 billion across crypto, AI infrastructure, and frontier tech. Boris joined Tribe in 2022 to run the fintech and crypto group and ha...

"A business needs to get bought. Not sold." In this episode of Searching for Mana - O n Location , Malak Alba is joined by Bernard Schmid at the Digital Assets Forum in London, catching him at the centre of the industry he's helping to build. Bernard is Co-Founder of Areta, the leading crypto-native M&A advisory firm by deal count, and spent years at the Blackstones and Deutsche Banks of the world...

“The wave that we're catching is that all of this is going to shift on-chain and be done with stablecoins over the next 10 years.” In this episode of Searching for Mana , Lloyd Wahed is joined by Sidney Powell, CEO of Maple Finance, to explore how on-chain credit is evolving into a serious capital markets category. Maple now manages around $4bn in AUM and has originated more than $20bn in loans si...

“Technology is not political. It’s just technology.” In this episode of Searching for Mana , Lloyd Wahed is joined by Chris Perkins, Head of Franklin Crypto at Franklin Templeton. Chris’ path into digital assets spans the US Marine Corps, 15 years on Wall Street, and senior roles across crypto, including as President at CoinFund, before stepping into one of the most significant institutional roles...

“Digital Assets are not a monolith.”   In this episode of Searching for Mana, Lloyd Wahed is joined by Max Gokhman, Deputy CIO at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions   Digital assets are often framed through cycles of hype and volatility. But from an institutional perspective, the more relevant question is whether something more structural is taking place beneath the surface. Max argues that t...

“The vision is to rotate the world’s economy on-chain.” In this episode of Searching for Mana, Lloyd Wahed is joined by Eric Saraniecki, Co-Founder of Digital Asset and a key architect behind the Canton Network. Despite the ambition, the reality today is far more constrained. Financial systems still rely on fragmented infrastructure, delayed settlement, and processes that haven’t meaningfully evol...

“No government in the world is anywhere near AI-native.” In this episode of Searching for Mana, Lloyd Wahed sits down with Benedict Macon-Cooney, Chief AI & Innovation Officer at the Tony Blair Institute. They discuss how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape government, public services, and the structure of the modern state. Benedict shares insights from working with leaders and governm...

In this episode of Searching for Mana – On Location, Malak sits down with Yoni Assia, Founder and CEO of eToro, to explore how online trading has evolved from phone brokers and desktop platforms to mobile-first, crypto-native investing. Recorded live at the Milken Institute's Middle East & Africa Summit in Abu Dhabi, Yoni shares how eToro pioneered social and copy trading, introduced Bitcoin to Eu...

In this episode of Searching for Mana - ON LOCATION, guest host Malak Alba speaks with Paul Abrahimzadeh, Partner at 1789 Capital. Paul discusses his transition from Citigroup to 1789 Capital and shares insights into the firm's investment philosophy of 'patriotic capitalism,' which focuses on bolstering American competitiveness. The conversation covers Paul's methods for identifying high-growth co...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed sits down with Maja Vujinovic, CEO & Co-Founder of FG Nexus. Maja shares her remarkable journey from being a refugee in childhood to becoming a successful entrepreneur.  She discusses the financial struggles she observed early in life, which led her to the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.  Maja also recounts her experience of getting kick...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed sits down with Kyle Samani, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Multicoin Capital and Chairman of the Board of Forward Industries, for an insightful discussion about the Solana blockchain and Multicoin Capital's role in the blockchain space. Samani delves into the unique features that distinguish Solana from other blockchains, such as its high...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed speaks with Kevin de Patoul, Co-founder and CEO of Keyrock. Kevin shares how he built Keyrock from its beginnings in 2017 into a global force in digital asset market making, operating across thousands of markets and exchanges. The conversation covers the evolution of digital assets, the challenges of bridging traditional and crypto finance, a...

In this episode of the Searching for Mana podcast, host Lloyd Wahed sits down with Sandy Kaul, EVP Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton. They discuss the groundbreaking potential of digital assets and blockchain technology in transforming the financial industry. Sandy shares her journey from a journalist to a thought leader in fintech, highlighting pivotal moments and the innovative directions...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, Dan & Sachin are joined by Steffen Vollert, Co-Founder and CEO of Volt.io — one of the leading players driving real-time payments across borders through open banking infrastructure. From the early days of Volt’s seed raise to the complexity of global expansion — including their launch in Australia — Steffen shares what it takes to build a high-growth payments...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed sits down with Stani Kulechov, the founder and CEO of Avara, to delve into the transformative impact of decentralised finance.  Stani discusses the origins and growth of Aave, the significance of blockchain technology, and the innovative solutions his team is developing in the DeFi space. The conversation includes insights into Aave's pioneer...

In this episode of Searching for Mana , host Lloyd Wahed sits down with Mishal Kanoo, Chairman of the Kanoo Group, for a thought-provoking conversation on the intersection of tradition and innovation in business. Kanoo shares insights into his family's business legacy, the importance of professional management, and the role education plays in ethical leadership. The episode also tackles broader th...

In this episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed speaks with Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, to delve into the expansive possibilities of blockchain technology and Cardano's unique position in the ecosystem.  Discussing Cardano's resilience, decentralised governance, and long-term vision, Gregaard sheds light on how the Foundation's non-profit ethos drives innovation and s...

In this episode of Searching for Mana , Lloyd Wahed meets with Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, to unpack her journey from an early fascination with Bitcoin to leading one of blockchain’s most groundbreaking ecosystems. With her expertise spanning traditional finance and digital assets, Lily provides a rare, balanced view of where blockchain is heading and how Solana is advancing the...

In this episode of Searching for Mana Fintech , co-hosts Dan and Sachin engage in a compelling conversation with Robin Gilthorpe, CEO of Earnix, a pioneering company providing AI-driven SaaS solutions for the financial and insurance sectors.  Since its founding in 2001, Earnix has led innovation with dynamic tools that transform insurer operations, from risk evaluation to real-time pricing. The di...

  In this compelling episode of Searching for Mana, host Lloyd Wahed engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Jeremy Allaire, the visionary Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Circle. Together, they explore the transformative journey of Circle and its flagship digital currency, USDC. Delving deep into the origins, challenges, and subsequent rise of Circle, the conversation sheds light on how st...