The Crypto Conversation

The next big thing in DeFi is LEVERJ - the world's first scalable decentralized derivatives exchange​. LEVERJ is a trading platform created to perform like traditional financial exchanges while maintaining the critical function of security. Built on Gluon, a Plasma sidechain, LEVERJ is self-custodial by design, meaning that users always control their private keys and funds. Gluon is a mathematical...

Mona El Isa is the founder of the Melon protocol. Melon is an Ethereum-based protocol for decentralized on-chain asset management. Melon empowers anyone to set up, manage, and invest in customized on-chain investment vehicles. The process of setting up an investment fund on Melon costs less than $60 and takes ten minutes using the Melon terminal.  Why you should listen: After spending a decade bui...

Kosala Hemachandra is the founder and CEO of MyEtherWallet, one of the original and most popular Ethereum wallets. MEW is now at the center of a fast growing ecosystem designed to become the nexus of Ethereum. Why you should listen: MyEtherWallet was founded in 2015, ten days after the launch of Ethereum - as one of the first client-side interfaces for the Ethereum blockchain. With first-mover adv...

Josh Olszewicz is a professional crypto trader at Techemy Capital and the lead analyst at Brave New Coin. On this episode of the Crypto Conversation Josh joins Andy to discuss the recent positive price action, the TokenSets platform, and Josh confirms that we're in a crypto bull market.  Why you should listen: Josh says that the technical indicators are looking very strong for BTC with strong echo...

James Beattie is the CEO of the Toronto Futures Options Swaps Exchange (tFOSE), a new Canadian-based derivatives exchange and clearinghouse. tFOSE is currently seeking regulatory approval in Canada and plans to open for trading in early 2021.   Why you should listen: Canada has been slow to bring institutional-grade crypto asset products to market. The Canadian exchange-traded derivatives market i...

Loi Luu is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kyber Network - one of the best used Defi protocols in the world. Kyber is an on-chain liquidity protocol that powers decentralized applications, exchanges, funds, and DeFi lending protocols.    Why you should listen: Loi Luu has a PhD in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore, where he worked to improve the base technical layers of decentra...

Hugh Karp is the founder and CEO of Nexus Mutual - a people-powered alternative to insurance. Nexus Mutual uses the power of Ethereum so individuals can share risk together without the need for an insurance company.  Why you should listen: Hugh is an insurance professional and actuary with 15 years of experience. An actuary is a business professional who deals with the measurement and management o...

Why you should listen: Vallas says "the promise of the Blockchain industry is extraordinarily expansive. Before we build out that capability we need a renewed focus on establishing confidence. Confidence in our vision, confidence in the regulatory frameworks that underpin this emergent technology, and confidence in the people and organizations that will drive the uptake in this space." Key takeawa...

Eden Dhaliwal is the Global Managing Director at Conflux Network, a high-performance, layer-1 blockchain protocol designed for scalability, security, and extensibility for the next generation of open commerce, decentralized applications, and Web 3.0. Conflux is the most endorsed DLT project in China. Why you should listen: Conflux Network is an open protocol for a new world of Dapps, finance, and...

Techemy Capital and TokenSets have collaborated to launch a suite of DeFi-based investable products to help investors tap into the open finance ecosystem. Hosted on the TokenSets automated asset management platform, Techemy has created two actively managed investment portfolios that allow investors to gain exposure to BTC and ETH price action. Investors can take advantage of the crypto market's pr...

Torsten Hoffmann is a documentary filmmaker who has completed two full length blockchain films. Bitcoin: The End Of Money As We Know It from 2015, and his new film Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains and the Future of the Internet which is now available online.  Why you should listen: After writing a research paper on alternative currencies as part of his MBA at Oxford University, Torsten was intrigue...

A New Zealand software engineer, Sam Blackmore is the CEO and co-founder of Vimba, a platform that makes it easy for users to save Bitcoin using an automated dollar cost average strategy.  Why you should listen: After growing up as a surf photographer, Sam moved to Bristol in the early 2000s where he documented the street art culture popularized by Banksy. As a software engineer, Sam became fascin...

An OG Bitcoiner from Colorado with a background in precious metals, Stephen Macaskill is the co-founder and CEO of the Dasset digital asset exchange. Based in New Zealand, Dasset has announced a strategic partnership with the U.S. based Bittrex exchange. The new partnership will give Dasset users access to deeper liquidity. Why you should listen: Stephen says the impetus for Dasset came from the r...

Framework Ventures is a San Francisco based venture firm with a strong DeFi thesis. Framework believes a new age of venture capital is upon us, known as 'Network Capital.' Rather than just hold onto the asset, this type of investing aims to be more holistic. "If you're going to be investing in decentralized networks, this requires a new hybrid model where the stakeholders can participate in market...

Robert Breedlove wrote The Number Zero and Bitcoin. Robert says Satoshi gave the world Bitcoin, a true "something for nothing." This discovery of absolute scarcity for money is an unstoppable idea that is changing the world tremendously, just like its digital ancestor: the number zero.  Robert is the CEO of Parallax Digital, a firm specializing in digital asset investments. The company is founded...

Stephen Stonberg is the COO/CFO at Bittrex Global, a digital asset exchange based in Liechtenstein. Bittrex Global is a spin-off from one of the OG crypto exchanges, the original Bittrex, based in the U.S. Bittrex Global serves all Bittrex users based outside of the U.S. Why you should listen: Stephen Stonberg is a graduate of Harvard who spent time at Goldman Sachs. Working in the finance industr...

Jeff McDonald is the co-founder of the NEM Foundation. Jeff was one of the first members of the NEM community and has helped build the NEM project to where it is today. NEM is preparing for the launch of Symbol (codename Catapult), the second generation of the NEM blockchain.  Why you should listen: Jeff McDonald shares recollections of the NEM journey to date. NEM was one of the earliest enterpri...

Chris Brookins is the founder of Valiendero Digital Assets, a quantitative cryptocurrency investment fund. Chris is the co-author of a new report titled Safe Havens - How gold and bitcoin can adapt to a new paradigm. In the current global crisis - the world is trending towards negative interest rates, money printing, and a decline in cash - traditional safe-haven assets are being turned on their h...

DJ J-SCRILLA is a critically acclaimed hip-hop producer and illustrator from Washington DC. His discography includes hall of fame rappers Killer Mike, Raekwon, and Smif N Wessun. DJ J-SCRILLA has released a new hip-hop album called Sound Money that tells the story of Bitcoin, and samples John Mcafee, Hotep Jesus, and Andreas Antonopoulos. Why you should listen: Sound Money by DJ-SCRILLA is a body...

Hugo Renaudin is the CEO and co-founder of LGO Group, a digital asset exchange for institutions. Hugo says that Bitcoin has a fascinating market infrastructure. It is both revolutionary, but imperfect. Hugo says the Black Thursday crash revealed underlying problems with Bitcoin's market infrastructure. The crash triggered a wave of liquidations that could have sent BTC to zero. What can be done to...

Loong Wang is the CTO and co-founder of Ren, a DeFi protocol that enables the private, permissionless transfer of value between any blockchain. Ren is solving the blockchain interoperability problem. Why you should listen: Loong studied computer science and distributed systems and then became increasingly interested in the potential of blockchain and decentralized finance. The goal of Ren is gener...

Marco Streng is the CEO of Genesis Mining, one of the largest Bitcoin cloud-mining companies. Genesis has mining locations in Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and Europe. Marco studied mathematics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He set up a Bitcoin mining operation in his dorm room that ended when the electricity bill arrived. Why you should listen: Bitcoin mining is a contest for cheap...

Diogo Monica is the president and co-founder of Anchorage, the leading crypto custodian for institutional investors. Anchorage was selected as a founding member of the Libra Association and recently completed a $40m Series B fundraise, led by Visa.  Why you should listen: Diogo says that custody needs have evolved beyond simple cold storage. With proof-of-stake assets allowing on-chain governance...

Muneeb Ali is the co-founder and CEO of Blockstack, a decentralized computing network that gives users control of their data. Muneeb talks about the limits of Web 2.0 and how that led to an intrusive ad model, and how web 3.0 changes this model by giving individuals control of their digital sovereignty. Why you should listen: Muneeb explains that over a dinner with Balaji S. Srinivasan in February...

Trent McConaghy is a data and statistical modeling expert. Alarmed at the exponential spread of COVID-19, Trent became concerned that if the virus followed the same trajectory as in Wuhan and Lombardy - other cities would be similarly overwhelmed. Trent created a model to answer the question - how long before hospital capacity gets overwhelmed; at which point the death rate jumps? The focus of the...