Web3 with Sam Kamani

What does it take to bring regulated, yield-bearing assets like U.S. Treasuries on-chain? Michele Crivelli, co-founder of NexBridge, shares how they're solving financial inclusion through tokenization of RWAs on the Liquid Network. From regulatory approvals in El Salvador to plans for tokenized equities and discretionary mandates, Michele breaks down the steps, the setbacks, and the massive potential of compliant asset tokenization.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Michele and the episode’s focus on tokenized real-world assets.

[00:01:00] Michele's Journey: From Swiss banker to launching NexBridge in El Salvador.

[00:02:00] Vision for NexBridge: Why Michele believes tokenization is key for financial inclusion.

[00:05:00] Differentiating NexBridge: Regulated issuance and choosing Liquid Network over Ethereum.

[00:10:00] Ideal Users & Use Cases: Investors, emerging markets, and treasuries as collateral.

[00:12:00] Go-to-Market Strategy: Working with centralized exchanges and regulatory hurdles.

[00:15:00] The Education Gap: Why RWA adoption is still misunderstood.

[00:17:00] Roadmap: Tokenized equities, discretionary mandates, and SME fundraising in LatAm.

[00:20:00] Cross-chain Strategy: Bitcoin-first, but open to EVM chains.

[00:21:00] Challenges: Banking hurdles and fragmented global regulation.

[00:23:00] Lessons Learned: What Michele would do differently if starting again.

[00:24:00] Final Ask: Michele’s call for CEX partnerships to expand distribution.

[00:25:00] Outro: Sam wraps up with links and how to connect with NexBridge.

Connect

Jon Kol, founder of Hyperlane, joins Sam Kamani to dive deep into one of crypto’s biggest challenges—interoperability. From his days at Morgan Stanley to building Hyperlane, Jon shares how they’re enabling any chain to communicate with any other through permissionless, modular frameworks. He explains why monolithic architectures can’t scale, how modular security flips the bridge security model, and why interchain accounts will redefine how users interact with Web3. If you're building across chains, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Jon Kol and the mission of Hyperlane—interoperability for every chain.

[00:01:00] Early Crypto Days: Jon shares his Bitcoin and Ethereum rabbit hole moment at Morgan Stanley.

[00:03:00] From Wall Street to Web3: Why he left traditional finance to help rebuild the internet of value.

[00:06:00] Why Hyperlane: The realization that one chain can’t serve global finance—and the need for scalable communication.

[00:08:00] Building Blocks: The philosophy behind Hyperlane and how it differs from LayerZero, Cosmos, etc.

[00:10:00] Modular Interoperability: Any chain, any VM—Hyperlane can connect them all.

[00:12:00] Security First: How Hyperlane’s modular security avoids the “one breach risks all” trap.

[00:14:00] Defense in Depth: Let developers stack their own security modules and future-proof integrations.

[00:18:00] Use Cases: From DeFi bridges to governance, interchain AMMs, and yield routing via Superform.

[00:22:00] Interchain Accounts: Why the future is one wallet, infinite access—regardless of chain or VM.

[00:26:00] The Stablecoin Pain Point: Fragmentation across chains and the case for gasless, one-click stablecoin transfers.

[00:30:00] Lessons Learned: What Jon would do differently—don’t wait for others, build use cases in-house.

[00:34:00] 2025 Vision: Interoperability becomes invisible—users stay on one chain, access anything cross-chain.

[00:36:00] The Ask: Hyperlane is hiring builders who want to fix fragmentation and unlock Web3’s next layer.

Connect

Martins from Gravity Team joins Sam to discuss the evolution of market making in Web3. Starting as a prop trading desk in 2017, Gravity now trades 1% of all spot crypto volume, provides liquidity to token projects, and invests in Web3 infrastructure. Martins explains what founders should look for in a market maker, why stablecoins and payments are the next wave, and how Gravity is building a global trading platform with offices from Latvia to Singapore.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Martins from Gravity Team and outlines the episode’s topics. [00:01:00] Origin Story: Martins shares how he discovered Bitcoin in 2017 and launched a trading desk. [00:02:00] Early Arbitrage: Realizing inefficiencies in the Thai crypto market sparked Gravity’s beginning. [00:04:00] What is Gravity: Martins explains Gravity’s transition from prop trading to market making and investments. [00:05:30] Differentiator: Gravity’s strength lies in bridging Web2 ↔ Web3 through tech-driven liquidity services. [00:06:30] Market Making 101: Why projects need market makers and what they should look for. [00:09:00] One-Stop Shop: Gravity offers OTC, treasury, and even investment—beyond just spreads. [00:11:00] Regulation Shift: Why 2025 will mark the rise of stablecoins and Web3 payment rails. [00:14:00] Prop Trading Arm: Gravity still runs HFT strategies, not just market making for clients. [00:16:00] Investment Focus: Gravity’s criteria for backing projects like Cookie3 and Usual Labs. [00:18:00] Strategic Synergies: Gravity looks to invest in other trading teams and infrastructure. [00:19:30] Key Trends: The stablecoin surge and institutional interest in payments. [00:20:30] Infrastructure Gap: Web3 needs a “Stripe for stablecoins” to reach mass adoption. [00:21:00] Biggest Lesson: Martins would’ve scaled faster and taken more risk early on. [00:23:00] Managing Risk: Why mission-aligned strategies beat short-term gains. [00:25:00] Final Ask: Gravity is hiring globally, investing in trading talent, and open to partnerships.

Connect

Lucian from MultiversX (formerly Elrond) joins Sam Kamani to break down how they’re building one of the fastest L1 blockchains in the world. From sharding to Supernova, discover how MultiversX is tackling decentralization, scalability, and real-world adoption with a new wave of architecture, global partnerships, and government use cases. Lucian also shares what he’d do differently, how they're supporting builders, and the thinking behind their US expansion.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Lucian and today's focus on MultiversX and scalable L1 innovation.

[00:01:00] Web3 Origins: Lucian shares his early exposure to Bitcoin and the journey from NAM to founding Elrond

[00:04:00] Why Elrond Started: Gaps in scalability, early insights on sharding, and forming the founding team.

[00:06:00] Tech Architecture: The database analogy for blockchain – consensus, state, and disk.

[00:08:00] Understanding Sharding: Lucian explains adaptive state sharding using real-world computing concepts.

[00:11:00] Scaling Without Sacrifice: How MultiversX optimizes scalability without compromising decentralization.

[00:12:00] Current Use Cases: From DeFi and NFTs to real government integrations and national-level domain projects.

[00:14:00] Andromeda Upgrade: One-shot finality explained and how it transforms blockchain performance.

[00:15:30] Supernova Upgrade: Reducing block time to 600ms and beyond – toward real-time L1 performance.

[00:17:00] Tradeoffs and Vision: What Lucian’s team chose to optimize for and the engineering behind it.

[00:23:00] What He’d Do Differently: From launching in Europe to distribution lessons and US expansion.

[00:26:00] Bootstrapping Usage: Lucian discusses incentivizing real use over speculation.

[00:30:00] Scaling with Ecosystem: Stablecoins, gaming, payments, DeFi, and government adoption trends.

[00:34:00] Call to Action: Lucian invites builders, governments, and investors to collaborate.

[00:36:00] Roadmap Highlights: Why Andromeda and Supernova are game-changers for the L1 space.

[00:37:00] Grants and Investment: Supporting startups via Growth Games and launchpad ecosystem.

[00:38:00] Final Words: Sam wraps up with links and how to get involved with MultiversX.

Connect

In this episode, I speak with Maksym, founder of WeFi, about his mission to create a fully decentralized alternative to traditional and neobanks. We dive into his origin story, the architecture of WeFi, how it abstracts complex DeFi systems for everyday users, and why millions of unbanked users are the real opportunity. Maksym also shares insights on banking regulations, token incentives, and why simplicity—not complexity—wins mass adoption.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode featuring Maksym from WeFi.

• [00:01:00] Origin Story: Maksym shares how he got into crypto in 2016 while building a real estate tech platform.

• [00:02:00] Early Challenges: Why traditional banks were the biggest blockers for blockchain adoption.

• [00:03:30] What Is Deobank?: The evolution from banks to neobanks to Deobank.

• [00:04:30] Custodial vs. Non-Custodial: How Deobank bridges both models seamlessly.

• [00:06:30] Regulatory Shift: Why banks are now more open to crypto partnerships.

• [00:08:00] UX is Everything: The challenge of educating users and abstracting DeFi complexity.

• [00:10:00] Who Can Use It?: Targeting the 1.4 billion unbanked people worldwide.

• [00:11:00] Ferrari Giveaway: Maksym explains why community-first is core to WeFi's vision.

• [00:13:00] Visa Integration: How WeFi offers real-world spending with stablecoins.

• [00:15:00] Instant Yield: Why users earn on idle stablecoins—even while spending.

• [00:17:00] What’s Next: Launching DeFi-native credit products and scaling to 1M users.

• [00:18:30] Final Ask: Maksym calls for community builders, not funding.
  

Connect

In this episode, Sam Kamani talks with Bundeep Singh Ranga, co-founder of Pi Protocol, about a new model for stablecoins. Bundeep shares how Pi separates principal and interest using tokenized US treasuries, empowering anyone to become a stablecoin minter and earn yield—without giving up liquidity. We explore why stablecoins are just getting started, what decentralization really means for finance, and how Pi Protocol plans to reach underserved markets around the globe.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Bundeep Singh and the stablecoin focus of this episode.

[00:01:00] Immigrant Mindset: How being an outsider inspired Bundeep’s entrepreneurial journey.

[00:03:00] Market Opportunity: Stablecoins vs. global fiat—why we’re at just 0.0002% of the addressable market

[00:04:30] Birth of Pi Protocol: Solving the limitations of centralized minting by decentralizing the yield.

[00:06:30] How Pi Works: Users mint stablecoins by bringing tokenized US treasuries and retain the yield.

[00:08:30] The Tether Comparison: How Pi gives users what centralized stablecoins keep for themselves.

[00:10:00] Breaking the Atom: Separating principal (stablecoin) from interest (yield) with smart contracts.

[00:13:00] Not a Security: How Pi avoids regulatory friction while offering real utility and upside.

[00:14:00] Get Involved: Testnet now live on Solana and Ethereum—how to access and contribute.

[00:15:00] Global South Focus: Why unbanked and remittance-heavy markets are ripe for stablecoin adoption.

[00:16:00] Closing Thoughts: Pi’s vision, open roles, and why now is the best time to join.

Connect

Paul, co-founder of Somnia Protocol and former Improbable exec, joins Sam Kamani to unpack why we still need new Layer 1s—and how Somnia’s high-performance, EVM-compatible blockchain is designed for mass-scale gaming, AI agents, and prediction markets. From his time at Goldman Sachs to building billion-dollar startups, Paul shares deep technical insights on compression, consensus, and abstracting Web3 for everyday users.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode featuring Paul from Somnia Protocol.

• [00:01:00] Guest Intro: Paul shares his journey from Goldman Sachs to building billion-dollar gaming infrastructure.

• [00:03:00] Discovering Ethereum: Why Ethereum sparked Paul’s imagination more than Bitcoin.

• [00:04:00] Gaming & Interoperability: Building large-scale immersive events and early Metaverse experiments.

• [00:07:00] Why Somnia?: The technical limitations that forced them to build a new L1.

• [00:10:00] Compression Innovation: Solving blockchain bottlenecks with novel networking and compression.

• [00:13:00] Who’s Building on Somnia: Projects in gaming, DeFi, AI, social, and entertainment.

• [00:15:00] Blockchain Should Be Invisible: Why UX abstraction is the next big unlock for Web3.

• [00:18:00] Mainnet Plans: What Somnia needs before mainnet—ecosystem readiness, tech, and community.

• [00:20:00] Founder's Lessons: Why Paul wishes he invested in public storytelling and personal brand earlier.

• [00:23:00] Gaming Favorites: From League of Legends to Zelda—how Paul still finds time to game.

• [00:25:00] The Real Web3 Gaming Unlock: Prediction markets and financializing gameplay.

• [00:27:00] Final Ask: Paul’s call to developers and consumers to explore Somnia Testnet.
  

Connect

Eric from Polyhedra joins Sam Kamani to unpack how zero-knowledge proofs are redefining interoperability, AI verification, and developer tooling. They dive into the launch of ZK PyTorch, EXP Chain, and how verifiable AI could become the new standard for trusted machine learning. If you’re building with LLMs, exploring trustless infrastructure, or care about blockchain security—this episode is for you.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam welcomes Eric from Polyhedra and previews the conversation on ZK proofs, AI, and Web3.

• [00:01:00] Polyhedra Origin: Eric shares how he met the team while working at LayerZero and why he joined the project.

• [00:02:30] The Problem with Bridges: Why Polyhedra’s ZK-based approach makes interoperability more secure.

• [00:04:00] What is Expander?: A fast, scalable ZK proof system designed for real-time verifiability.

• [00:06:00] ZK PyTorch: Turning any PyTorch model into a verifiable model in minutes.

• [00:08:00] Verifiable AI Use Cases: Why financial applications like agents handling payments need proof-backed AI.

• [00:10:00] Developer Workflow: How easy it is to integrate ZK PyTorch into existing machine learning pipelines.

• [00:13:30] ZKML Festival & Community: Polyhedra’s push to educate AI developers on trust-minimized systems.

• [00:15:30] Marketing Advice: Eric’s background in content-driven growth, and why domain-specific content still wins.

• [00:19:30] EXP Chain: Polyhedra’s new L1 for verifying ZK proofs cheaply and efficiently on-chain.

• [00:23:30] The Future of Verifiable AI: The team’s goal to bring sub-second ZK proofs to large language models.

• [00:25:00] Call to Action: How developers, users, and founders can get involved with Polyhedra’s ecosystem.
  

Connect

How do you power the next generation of AI — without centralized data monopolies?

In this episode, I talk with Ben Noble, Marketing Director at Sapien, about how Sapien is building the world’s first decentralized data foundry — rewarding people for training AI and contributing real-world data.

We cover:

• How Sapien is combining Web3 incentives with AI data collection

• Why real human input still matters for AI training

• Ben’s best advice for marketing Web3/AI startups

• Storytelling strategies for founders

• How to simplify complex ideas and drive viral messaging

If you’re building in AI, Web3, or growth marketing, this episode is packed with practical insights you can use immediately.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode and previews key topics: AI, Web3, storytelling, and startup growth.

[00:01:00] Ben’s Journey: How Ben got started in AI, left for Web3, and came full circle.

[00:04:00] What Sapien Does: Decentralized data foundry explained — sourcing human expertise to train AI.

[00:06:00] How It Works: How users earn rewards by contributing data to Sapien’s platform.

[00:09:00] Customers and Use Cases: Sapien’s partnerships with enterprises like Alibaba, the UN, and others. [00:13:00] Safeguards: How Sapien prevents bots and fake data submissions. [00:15:00] Why Human Data Still Matters: The limits of AI and the need for human empathy and diversity. [00:19:00] Growth Strategies: Ben shares why partnerships and referrals outperform traditional marketing.

[00:22:00] Web3 vs Web2 Marketing: The importance of authenticity, speed, and viral one-liners.

[00:27:00] Future of AI: Will we see iterative improvements or major leaps? Ben’s perspective.

[00:30:00] Storytelling Lessons: Why contextualizing numbers is crucial for effective messaging.

[00:36:00] What’s Next for Sapien: Growing to 1M+ taskers and scaling the AI gig economy.

[00:39:00] How to Get Involved: Sapien is closing their Series A and looking for users to join their data platform.

Connect

How do you grow a Web3 startup without falling into the same old traps — airdrops, bots, and unsustainable hype?

In this episode, I speak with Sandesh, founder of Bandit Network, who shares how they’re building growth infrastructure for Web3 — combining off-chain and on-chain data, enabling sustainable campaigns, and even launching their own rollup for deeper integrations.

We explore:

• Why airdrops and point systems often fail

• How meme launchpads are evolving into engagement tools

• Mapping Twitter usernames to wallet addresses

• Growth lessons from powering campaigns for Bonk, Brave, and Shardeum

If you care about Web3 user acquisition, retention, and real community-led engagement — this one's for you.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam sets up the episode and introduces Sandesh from Bandit Network. [00:01:00] Bandit Overview: Sandesh explains what Bandit does and how his journey from AI to Web3 began. [00:04:00] Early Web3 Involvement: Sandesh shares how his AI-powered creator startup was acquired and how that led to Bandit. [00:06:00] The Problem with Growth Tools: Why airdrop tools failed and how Bandit builds Lego-like infrastructure for campaigns. [00:09:00] Trends in Growth: Why meme launchpads are evolving into community engagement tools. [00:13:00] Meme Campaign Example: How one community uses roasts and meme voting as engagement loops. [00:15:00] Airdrops vs Bots: Sandesh explains how Bandit uses tools like Proof of Humanity and Bitcoin Passport to combat sybil attacks. [00:18:00] Challenges and Monetization: Bandit’s biggest challenge is staying trend-adaptable; revenue is SaaS + custom token deals. [00:21:00] What’s Next: Bandit is launching a rollup protocol for mapping Web2 identities to Web3 wallets. [00:24:00] The Bigger Vision: Building a decentralized growth protocol with support from QuickNode. [00:25:00] Fundraising: Bandit is raising $3–4M in their current seed round. [00:26:00] Closing Thoughts: Sam recaps why Bandit solves a real and pressing pain point in Web3 growth.

Connect

What happens when a meme coin gets rugged—and the community takes over?

In this episode, Sam chats with S from Neiro, the community takeover lead, to explore the real mechanics behind meme coin takeovers, the evolution of the Neiro project, and how it became the spiritual successor to Dogecoin.

From Vitalik-backed donations to exclusive IP licensing and thoughts on political meme coins like TrumpCoin and Milady, S shares what it takes to build a decentralized movement in a chaotic crypto market.

They also dive into the current state of macroeconomic uncertainty, how meme coins can bridge to real-world products, and why community contributors matter more than token holders.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces S from Neiro and sets the tone for a deep dive into community-led meme coins.

• [00:01:00] Neiro Origins: S shares how he stumbled into Neiro after a developer rugged and the community took over.

• [00:03:00] What Is a Community Takeover?: S explains how decentralized contributors rebuild abandoned tokens.

• [00:07:00] Decentralization & Purpose: Why meme coins can create meaning and a sense of belonging.

• [00:09:00] Charity & Vitalik's Donation: How Neiro caught Vitalik’s attention and began its mission-led narrative.

• [00:11:00] IP Rights & Real-World Utility: S talks about exclusive Neiro licensing and monetization ideas like NFTs and pet food.

• [00:15:00] Meme Coins vs Political Tokens: Thoughts on TrumpCoin, Millennia, and the extractive nature of some meme trends.

• [00:20:00] Timing in Crypto: Why meme coin success (or failure) often depends on timing.

• [00:27:00] DeFi x Meme Coins: Can meme tokens integrate into lending, staking, and other financial products?
  

• [00:31:00] Dealing with Volatility: S shares mindset tips for surviving crypto market swings as a leader.

• [00:35:00] The Global Market Chaos: Thoughts on current macro uncertainty and political influence on the markets.

• [00:39:00] Final Ask: S encourages contributors to join Neiro’s mission—not just as investors, but as builders.

  
  

Connect

Frank Cheng, founder of Apeiron and DoodiPals, joins Sam to unpack four years of building in Web3 gaming. From raising three funding rounds to building an entire gaming franchise, Frank shares practical lessons on tokenomics, community building, and how to retain real players. Learn why most Web3 games fail and how to fix them, what role AI will play, and why "fun" is the best utility of all.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Frank Cheng from Apeiron and DoodiPals.

• [00:01:00] Frank’s Background: From private equity to gaming founder.

• [00:03:00] Fundraising Journey: Raising 3 rounds and migrating to Ronin.

• [00:05:00] Web3 vs. eSports: Monetization struggles and similarities.

• [00:09:00] Tokenomics: Apeiron’s dual-token model and real utility.

• [00:11:00] Mobile Strategy: Expansion across SEA and Latin America.

• [00:13:00] Retention: DAU strategies, off-season drops, and incentives.

• [00:15:00] Community: How Frank built lasting connections on Discord.

• [00:18:00] Duty Pals: The IP and content strategy behind the Apeiron universe.

• [00:20:00] Future Trends: Web3 onboarding friction and AI’s potential.

• [00:23:00] Generative AI: Challenges, copyright, and training game agents.

• [00:28:00] Roadmap 2025: Memes with fundamentals, new token layers.

• [00:30:00] Inspirations: What Axie Infinity and Big Time get right.

• [00:32:00] Evolving Tokenomics: Why vesting by usage beats time-based unlocks.

• [00:35:00] Founder Reflections: What Frank would do differently.

• [00:38:00] Final Ask: Looking for investors, talent, and community partners.
  

Connect

Yang Tang, co-founder of Memetica, joins Sam to dive deep into the world of AI agents — what they are, how they’re trained, and how they’re already generating value across Web2 and Web3. From his background in institutional finance and machine learning to launching BSD and Liam, Yang walks us through building intelligent, monetizable agents and why the future of AI is vertical-specific and application-first.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam welcomes Yang Tang and introduces the topic of AI agents.

• [00:01:00] Yang’s Background: From Wall Street to machine learning to Web3.

• [00:03:00] Evolution of Trading: How everything became algorithmic post-2008.

• [00:05:00] Why AI Agents Now: LLMs aren't applications — agents are.

• [00:06:00] Core Features: Memetica’s pillars — memory, RL, and utility.

• [00:08:00] Competing with Giants: Why focus beats AGI and big capital.

• [00:10:00] Data Strategy: Why private data is useless without context.

• [00:12:00] Use Cases: Real-world agent examples like Liam and BSD.

• [00:14:00] Reinforcement Learning: How Liam evolved to boost impressions.

• [00:16:00] Tokens and Agents: The rise of BSD and market cap milestones.

• [00:18:00] Pricing and Ownership: Who owns the agent’s IP and revenue?

• [00:20:00] SME and Enterprise Use: From sports betting to social media ops.

• [00:23:00] Institutional AI Demand: Why application matters more than research.

• [00:25:00] Distribution Challenges: Why even strong products struggle to scale.

• [00:28:00] Time vs. Decision Value: Where AI agents can win right now.

• [00:30:00] Agent vs. Human: Running A/B tests with agents on social.

• [00:34:00] AI Misuse: The Trump chart story and hallucination risks.

• [00:36:00] Launching Tokens: What it takes to create tokenized agents.

• [00:38:00] Utility vs. Distraction: The token paradox for founders.

• [00:41:00] Building for SMEs: Future plans to support long-tail businesses.

• [00:44:00] Hiring and Scaling: What Memetica needs to grow.

• [00:46:00] Accuracy & Safeguards: How Memetica agents reach 95%+ accuracy.

• [00:47:00] Final Ask: Yang is raising, hiring, and looking to onboard more creators and partners.

Connect

Kevin from Layer 1X joins Sam Kamani to discuss how they’re building a quantum-resistant, bridgeless blockchain that enables secure cross-chain swaps, multi-chain token issuance, and zero-gas fee transactions.

Kevin also shares insights from his PhD in blockchain and quantum computing, and why he believes most of Web3 is unprepared for the quantum era. If you're building in DeFi, infrastructure, or cross-chain protocols, this one's a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Kevin and the episode’s focus on Layer 1X, quantum computing, interoperability, and cross-chain infrastructure.

• [00:01:00] Kevin’s Background: Kevin shares how he entered Web3 in 2019, built a rewards platform, and began exploring quantum and blockchain through a PhD.

• [00:03:00] What Layer 1X Does: Layer 1X aims to enable bridgeless interoperability, empower developers, and offer quantum-resistant infrastructure.

• [00:05:00] Quantum Threats to Blockchain: Kevin explains quantum threats to cryptography and how error correction in quantum computing could make current blockchains vulnerable.

• [00:07:00] Blockchain Upgrades for Quantum Safety: Can Bitcoin or Ethereum become quantum-resistant? Kevin shares thoughts on protocol-level upgrades.

• [00:11:00] Why Build a New L1?: Kevin explains why Layer 1X had to be its own L1 — to control cross-chain validation, optimize gas, and integrate quantum resistance from the start.

• [00:15:00] Beyond the Chain: Multi-Chain Rollups and Use Cases: A look at how Layer 1X enables multi-chain rollups, composability, and better use of underutilized chains.

• [00:17:30] Use Case - Gaming & Identity: Kevin shares examples of how game assets and user tokens can function across multiple chains with Layer 1X.

• [00:20:00] Liquidity Abstraction & DeFi Fragmentation: How Layer 1X is solving one of DeFi’s biggest problems — fragmented liquidity across chains.

• [00:24:00] Growth & Campaigns: Kevin discusses their successful “Swapathon” and upcoming campaign making cross-chain swaps gasless and free.

• [00:27:00] Revenue Model & Incentives: How Layer 1X is already generating revenue through cross-chain fees, NFTs, and tokenomics innovation.

• [00:30:00] Release Pool Model: An anti-dump mechanism allowing token distribution based on market demand and long-term health.

• [00:32:00] Web3 Blindspots: Kevin argues Web3 projects are too focused on token price and not enough on sustainable revenue or infrastructure.

• [00:35:00] Trends for 2025: More projects will go multichain, off-chain services will go on-chain, and awareness of quantum resistance will grow.

• [00:37:00] Funding & Next Steps: Layer 1X is raising $25M to scale adoption and expand its quantum-resilient protocol stack.

• [00:38:30] Closing: Sam recaps the value Layer 1X brings to the Web3 space and thanks Kevin for sharing his journey.

  
  

Connect

Can encryption make Ethereum more fair?

In this episode, I speak with Loring Harkness, the ecosystem lead at Shutter Network, about a crucial — and often ignored — issue: malicious MEV. Loring explains how MEV bots extract value from unsuspecting users through front-running and sandwich attacks — and how Shutter uses threshold encryption to stop it.

We talk about encrypted mempools, the recent whitepaper proposing encrypted mempools for Ethereum, and how commit-and-reveal encryption is already protecting DAOs, auctions, and bounties via Shutter’s API.

Loring also shares his journey from building financial inclusion tools in Myanmar to becoming a passionate advocate for privacy and credible neutrality in Web3.

Whether you're building a dApp, trading onchain, or want a fairer Ethereum — this episode is for you.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Intro: Sam introduces Loring Harkness and the mission behind Shutter Network

[00:01:00] Origin Story: How a coup in Myanmar inspired Loring’s pivot from TradFi to Web3

[00:04:00] What is Shutter?: Commit-reveal threshold encryption explained

[00:06:00] Understanding MEV: How front-running and sandwich attacks work

[00:08:00] Shielded Trading: How Shutter encrypts transactions to blind MEV bots

[00:10:00] Integrations: Shielded trading on Gnosis and plans for Ethereum mainnet

[00:11:00] The Cost of MEV: Over $1.3B lost to MEV since 2020

[00:12:00] Ethereum Whitepaper: How Shutter’s proposal was received

[00:14:00] The Shutter API: Making commit-reveal encryption accessible to dApps

[00:16:00] Game Theory: Loring’s live demo using rock-paper-scissors

[00:20:00] Scaling Up: How Shutter supports many use cases and transactions

[00:23:00] Real-World Adoption: Shielded voting on Snapshot and Paddle Battle auctions

[00:25:00] The Real Threat: Why Ethereum must align with its own values

[00:27:00] Community Ask: Why users and developers must demand fairness

[00:29:00] Wrap-up: Links and next steps for integrating Shutter Network

Connect

How do you prove someone is human in the AI era?

In this episode, Sam Kamani speaks with Terence Kwok, the founder of Humanity Protocol — a decentralized identity blockchain now valued at over $1B. Terence shares how Humanity Protocol uses palm biometrics, ZK proofs, and partnerships with validators to establish proof of personhood, enable on-chain reputation, and prevent identity fraud.

We explore use cases ranging from education credentials and credit scoring to gaming identities and undercollateralized lending — plus how AI is blurring the lines between human and machine online. Terence also shares the story of how he went from building a travel tech unicorn to launching a global identity protocol out of Hong Kong.

If you're building in identity, AI, or Web3, this is one not to miss.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Intro: Sam introduces Terence Kwok and Humanity Protocol's billion-dollar vision.

[00:02:00] Background: Terence shares how he pivoted from travel tech to Web3 identity.

[00:04:00] What is Humanity Protocol?: A blockchain for proof of personhood and credentials.

[00:07:00] Why Now?: The urgency of verifiable human identity in an AI-powered world.

[00:09:00] Privacy & Sovereignty: How Humanity Protocol keeps biometric data safe.

[00:13:00] Who Issues Credentials?: The role of validators and verifiers in the network.

[00:16:00] Business Model: How staking, revenue-sharing, and token incentives work.

[00:18:00] Beyond Network Effects: Use cases that work even with a small user base.

[00:23:00] zkTLS Innovation: Zero-knowledge proofs for Web2 credentials.

[00:26:00] On-Chain Credit: Proof of income and net worth for lending protocols.

[00:28:00] Human Signals: Uber ratings, Airbnb history, and anti-bot credentials.

[00:31:00] TPS vs Humanity: Why identity matters more than just scaling blockchains.

[00:34:00] The Path Forward: Permissioned transactions and smarter chains.

[00:36:00] Roadmap: App, mainnet, zkTLS, and biometric scanner rollouts.

[00:37:00] Final Ask: Bringing on more dApps, developers, and potential investors.

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, Sam is joined by co-host Amanda Whitcroft to interview Hoansoo Lee, co-founder of Exabits.ai. With a PhD from Harvard and deep expertise in edge computing, Hoansoo shares how Exabits is decentralizing the GPU cloud for AI by combining high-performance chips like the H100 and Blackwell with tokenized infrastructure on Web3 rails.

They explore why AI compute is the "new energy," how Exabits differentiates from competitors like CoreWeave, and the opportunities for DeFi and structured finance in this emerging landscape. Hoansoo also discusses the limitations of decentralized compute, the challenges around AI experimentation, and how data, compute, and causality intersect in building next-gen AI.

Whether you're a founder building in AI, a researcher, or a curious investor, this episode is packed with deep insights into the future of decentralized compute and what’s next in the AI x Web3 convergence.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces co-host Amanda and guest Hoansoo Lee from Exabits.ai.

[00:01:00] What is Exabits?: Hoansoo explains Exabits in one sentence—high-quality GPU compute for AI.

[00:02:00] Who Uses It: Discussing their customer base across Web2 and Web3.[00:03:00] Hardware Stack: Exabits runs 60,000+ GPUs including H100s and Blackwells.[00:04:00] Competitive Landscape: Why Exabits is different from other Web3 dePIN projects.

[00:05:00] Founding Story: How a background in edge computing led to building Exabits.

[00:06:00] Go-to-Market: Customer acquisition through partnerships, referrals, and conferences.

[00:07:00] Growth Opportunity: Why structured finance and GPU financialization is the next big thing.

[00:08:00] AI Efficiency vs. Demand: DeepSeek, scaling laws, and the compute boom.

[00:10:00] Energy + Compute: AI’s demand for energy and its parallels to historical tech trends.

[00:11:00] Decentralized Compute: Limitations of latency-sensitive decentralized AI infrastructure.

[00:13:00] AI = Bitcoin Mining 2.0: The evolution from minting Bitcoin to minting intelligence.

[00:14:00] Pillars of AI: From compute/data/models to experimentation and causal inference.

[00:17:00] AI Limits: Why synthetic data can't replace real-world experimentation.

[00:18:00] Scarcity & Innovation: How chip scarcity could spark further innovation.

[00:20:00] In-House Servers: Why building H200 racks in-house is a differentiator.

[00:21:00] How It Works: A user’s experience on Exabits from login to compute access.

[00:23:00] Founder Advice: Hoansoo’s take on building something with real customers and solid fundamentals

[00:24:00] Roadmap: Data center expansion, orchestration features, and governance via staking.

[00:25:00] TGE Ahead: Exabits’ upcoming token generation event and next steps.

Connect

In this episode, Brayden Doig from Abyss joins Sam Kamani to discuss his innovative trading card game powered by AI. He shares how Abyss is merging AI with storytelling to create unique, one-of-one NFTs that evolve through user choices. Brayden also dives into his involvement with the Taste Foundation and how AI can transform the entertainment landscape.

He talks about his artistic journey and how artists should embrace AI technology while preserving their craft. Plus, he gives valuable advice for Web3 gaming founders navigating the post-2022 downturn. If you're interested in gaming, art, NFTs, and AI, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Brayden and previews the topics of AI, art, NFTs, and gaming.

[00:02:00] Abyss Overview: Brayden explains how Abyss is a one-of-one AI-powered trading card game.

[00:03:30] How It Works: Soul-bound NFTs, player choices, and AI-generated cards.

[00:06:00] Art Style: How Brayden trained AI on his own digital artwork for Abyss.

[00:08:30] AI + Artists: Brayden discusses how artists can use AI without losing ownership or identity.

[00:10:00] Protecting Artists: Smart contracts, zk proofs, and Taste’s focus on ethical AI.

[00:12:00] AI as a Creative Partner: How AI enhances creativity instead of replacing it.

[00:15:00] Embracing Change: What past tech shifts can teach us about adopting AI today.

[00:16:30] Abyss Roadmap: Phases, data collection, and long-term gameplay powered by AI.

[00:20:30] White-Labelling the Platform: The broader vision for creative industries.

[00:21:00] AI Agents in Gaming: Will autonomous agents soon play alongside human characters?

[00:24:00] Collecting Metadata: Why choices matter in building future gameplay.

[00:27:30] Advice to Web3 Creators: Tenacity, creativity, and finding the right people.

[00:30:00] Enemies Mean Progress: What gaming teaches us about startup adversity.

[00:32:00] The Ask: Taste Foundation is closing their seed round and seeking artists & IP holders.

Connect

In this episode, I speak with Arpan Gautam from Noon Capital — a self-funded project building what they call the most intelligent and fair yield-bearing stablecoin. We dive into how their stablecoin (USN/sUSN) delivers through-cycle returns by allocating capital across delta-neutral strategies, and why they’re committed to distributing 90%+ of returns and up to 80% of governance tokens back to users.

We also discuss how Noon Capital avoids the pitfalls of treasury-only stablecoins, why they’ve rejected VC funding, and Arpan’s advice for founders on staying focused and aligned as a team.

Whether you're a DeFi builder, an investor in yield-bearing assets, or just curious about the next generation of stablecoins — this is a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode with Arpan from Noon Capital and outlines the focus on stablecoins and DeFi.

[00:01:00] What is Noon Capital?: Arpan explains their mission to build a fair and intelligent yield-bearing stablecoin.

[00:03:00] Yield Intelligence: How Noon adapts across market cycles using delta-neutral strategies.

[00:05:00] Fairness via Governance: Noon distributes up to 80% of governance tokens to users — no VC involvement.

[00:06:30] Arpan’s Background: From McKinsey and Goldman to crypto trading and stablecoin design.

[00:09:00] The Origin Story: How Noon spun out from prop trading into product.

[00:11:00] Performance: Past returns and how Noon balances between T-bills and funding rate arbitrage. [00:13:30] Users & Growth: Why institutional LPs are first movers and how retail follows.

[00:16:00] Market Indicators: What data Noon tracks to stay ahead — from Fed signals to Bitcoin open interest.

[00:17:30] USN vs SUSN: The difference between Noon’s staked and unstaked stablecoins.

[00:19:00] Scaling Challenges: Growing TVL and building composability in DeFi and beyond.

[00:21:00] Founder Advice: Arpan shares a simple but powerful rule — one North Star goal for the entire team.

[00:23:00] Ask: Noon is looking to connect with liquid funds, whales, and builders — but remains proudly self-funded.

Connect

Chris Duggan is the Senior Marketing Manager at ChainGPT and former content lead at BNB Chain (Binance). In this episode, recorded live in New York, Chris dives deep into how ChainGPT is building an expansive AI ecosystem for Web3—from smart contract generation and NFT creation to incubating new AI-native projects.

We talk about ChainGPT's explosive social growth (1M+ followers), his personal journey through the metaverse, and why co-marketing, creativity, and cultural relevance are everything in Web3 marketing today. He also shares actionable advice for founders, builders, and content creators looking to grow their presence and leverage AI effectively.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode and guest Chris Duggan from ChainGPT.

[00:01:00] What is ChainGPT: Chris explains how ChainGPT builds AI infrastructure for Web3, including smart contract tools, NFT generators, and launchpads.

[00:03:30] Smart Contract Generator & Auditor: How developers can create, audit, and deploy contracts with zero coding knowledge.

[00:05:00] Chris's Journey: From writing and the metaverse to Binance and now ChainGPT.

[00:08:00] Marketing DNA: Why ChainGPT’s branding and visuals are key to its rapid growth.

[00:10:00] Differentiators: How ChainGPT goes beyond the usual with tools, launchpads, SDKs, and an upcoming blockchain (AIVM).

[00:12:30] Content Strategy: Chris breaks down how to think in benefits (not features), and why fun and variety win.

[00:16:00] Meme Culture: How ChainGPT uses humor, memes, and a mascot to go viral.

[00:19:00] AI Agents: How ChainGPT is building autonomous agents for market news, trading, and dev tools.

[00:24:00] Future of AI x Web3: What’s coming with AIVM and the decentralized AI agent economy.

[00:28:00] AI Content Fatigue: Why authenticity and human-created content still matter.

[00:30:00] What Founders Should Do: Co-marketing, cross-promotion, and collaborating with similar projects.

[00:33:00] Final Ask: ChainGPT invites devs, founders, and creatives to try their tools, apply for incubation, and build with them.

Disclaimer

Nothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. Finally, it would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, recorded live at Digital Asset Summit in New York, I sit down with Paul Talbert from ATV Fund to discuss how they’re transforming fixed-income investing through tokenization.

Paul explains how mortgage-backed securities (MBS), a traditionally illiquid asset class, are now being made accessible, efficient, and transparent through blockchain. We talk about how this tokenized product compares to stable coins, why it appeals to global investors, and the challenges of scaling a compliant, yield-bearing Web3 fund.

We also dive into the convergence of AI, DeFi, and traditional finance, the growing acceptance of tokenized RWAs, and how ATV is positioning itself to serve institutions, family offices, and—soon—retail.

If you’re curious about tokenized treasuries, on-chain income, or how crypto can bridge the TradFi gap, this episode is for you.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Paul Delbert from ATV Fund, recorded live at DAS NYC.[00:01:00] What is ATV Fund: Paul explains their focus on tokenized mortgage-backed securities.[00:02:00] Why Tokenization: How ATV is building the ETF equivalent for real-world assets.[00:04:00] Tax Efficiency & Yield: Why tokenized MBS offer advantages over ETFs and stablecoins.[00:06:00] Access & Participation: How accredited investors can buy into ATV’s two tokenized products.[00:08:00] Sovereign Wealth & Institutional Appetite: Paul explains their go-to-market focus.[00:09:00] Industry Trends: How growing government support is reshaping crypto finance.[00:11:00] Benefits of MBS: Exposure to USD, low risk, and global investor appeal.[00:13:00] Stablecoins vs Tokenized Assets: Why ATV offers a better alternative for yield-seeking investors.[00:15:00] Wallet Recovery & KYC: How ATV balances self-custody with investor safety.[00:16:00] Main Challenges: Scaling the fund and educating the market.[00:17:00] What Keeps Him Up: Navigating fast-moving AI and DeFi integrations.[00:19:00] The Big Ask: Paul shares ATV’s upcoming raise and what they're looking for.

Connect

In this live-recorded episode from Digital Asset Summit in New York, Sam chats with Pedro, the founder of WalletConnect. Together, they unpack what it takes to make crypto more usable for everyday users and developers. Pedro dives into the journey of WalletConnect—from solving MetaMask's dominance to powering over 600 wallets and working with Stripe for seamless crypto payments.

We talk about decentralization, account abstraction, stablecoins, interoperability across blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, and Sui, and how WalletConnect’s upcoming token launch fits into the mission of making Web3 feel more like Web2.

If you're a developer, founder, or builder trying to simplify crypto UX—this one's a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam sets the stage for a live episode from DAS NYC with Pedro from WalletConnect. [00:01:00] What is WalletConnect?: Pedro explains how it bridges wallets and apps across chains. [00:02:00] Backstory: Pedro’s journey from building Ethereum wallets to creating WalletConnect. [00:04:00] Web3 vs Web2 UX: Comparing crypto integrations to Stripe and how WalletConnect is closing the gap. [00:05:00] Stablecoins & Payments: How stablecoins enable predictable fundraising and payroll. [00:07:00] Developer Stack: SDKs, Privy, Thirdweb—how to integrate wallets + payments. [00:09:00] Identity Layer: Wallets solve auth and payments in one; building token-gated flows. [00:10:00] Institutional Adoption: Stripe, AWS, node operators—why institutions are finally onboard. [00:11:00] Focus Shift: Why payments and identity are the key value props of Web3 now. [00:13:00] Challenges: Fragmentation, tribalism, and why interoperability must win. [00:15:00] Missteps of the Past: Web3 messaging hype vs real impact of account abstraction. [00:17:00] Ethereum’s Tradeoffs: The need to be more pragmatic and less idealistic. [00:19:00] Biggest Challenge Now: Fighting tribalism and building a truly neutral platform. [00:21:00] Chain Landscape: What Ethereum, Solana, and Sui can learn from each other. [00:25:00] Smartphone Analogy: Why blockchains will become as boring—and stable—as iOS vs Android. [00:26:00] The Ask: Get involved, stake, govern, and participate in the WalletConnect ecosystem.

Connect

In this episode, recorded live from New York during the Digital Asset Summit, Sam sits down with Matt Wright — founder of Gaia and partner at EVM Capital.

Matt has been building at the frontier of developer ecosystems, decentralized tech, and now AI agents. He walks us through his journey from organizing global hackathons to JP Morgan and ConsenSys, and finally to Gaia — a decentralized inference network for AI agents.

We discuss how AI agents are about to become the dominant users of the internet, why the current stack is overly reliant on centralized providers like OpenAI, and how Gaia empowers developers to run their own sovereign LLMs with zero data leakage. Matt also breaks down Gaia’s unique domain system, monetizing knowledge bases, and how Web3 primitives (like tokens, wallets, and identity) make agent coordination actually work.

If you're curious about the intersection of AI and blockchain, and what the future of work might look like in an agent-native world, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces the episode, live from New York at the Digital Asset Summit, featuring Matt Wright from Gaia.

[00:01:00] Matt’s Background: From AngelHack to JP Morgan to ConsenSys, Matt shares how his journey led to building Gaia.

[00:02:00] Developer Culture: Matt contrasts how developers in Asia and the West ship products—and how Gaia merges both.

[00:05:00] Enter Gaia: The idea behind Gaia, born at the intersection of decentralized AI and blockchain.

[00:08:00] AI Agents: Why the future of apps is agentic, and what most people don’t yet understand about AI agents

[00:11:00] Gaia Nodes: How Gaia enables anyone to own, host, and serve AI models without relying on centralized APIs.

[00:14:00] Enterprise Data: Why 80% of the world’s useful data lives off-chain—and how Gaia helps unlock it.

[00:17:00] Current Use Cases: Matt shares examples from DeFi, Fitch Ratings, and other niche knowledge bases powered by Gaia.

[00:20:00] Monetizing Knowledge: Gaia’s domain system and how developers can turn knowledge into APIs for agents to query.

[00:22:00] Challenges with Agents: The three major problems—hallucination, agentic complexity, and trust—and how Web3 solves them.

[00:25:00] Web3 + AI Synergy: Why reputation, wallets, and governance unlock a new kind of agent-native internet.

[00:28:00] Future of Agents: Speculating on where agent economies are heading—citizenship, sovereignty, and governance.

[00:31:00] Day 1 of the AI Internet: Why agents will dominate the internet before they ever walk like humans.

[00:34:00] Gaia’s Ask: Gaia is live and open-source. Matt shares how developers can deploy nodes, build on top, and collaborate.

[00:36:00] Wrap-Up: Sam closes the conversation and shares where listeners can connect and get involved with Gaia.

Connect

Barna, co-founder of Malda and mendi.finance, joins the podcast to break down Ethereum’s biggest DeFi problem: liquidity fragmentation. He explains how their protocol is using ZK co-processors and a host-extension chain model to unify lending and borrowing across rollups like Linea, Base, and more. We talk about why Ethereum’s growth has stalled, how liquidation mechanics work across chains, and what’s next in capital-efficient DeFi.

Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Barna and previews the discussion on Ethereum, DeFi, and Malda.

[00:01:00] Barna’s Background: From VC to Web3—how Barna entered crypto and launched Mendi Finance.

[00:02:30] Rise of Rollups: Why Mendi chose Linea and the appeal of zk rollups.

[00:04:00] Fragmentation Problem: How liquidity gets stuck across chains and slows DeFi down.[00:07:30] Bridging Bottlenecks: Why even optimistic rollups and native bridges hurt capital efficiency.

[00:10:00] Lending Constraints: How fragmented liquidity impacts borrowing depth and real-time trades.

[00:13:00] Global Architecture: The host-extension chain model and zkVMs powering Malda’s unified protocol

[00:17:30] Liquidations Across Chains: Barna explains how Malda lets liquidators repay from any supported chain

[00:20:00] Testnet + Mainnet Plans: What's next for Malda as they prepare for launch and audits.

[00:22:00] Future Upgrades: Building dynamic interest rates, loyalty incentives, and more with zk computation.

[00:24:30] Ask and Call to Action: Public sale coming soon—team open to investors, builders, and contributors.

[00:26:00] Wrap-Up: Sam and Barna close the episode with final thoughts and how to connect.

Connect

What if taking photos could earn you rewards?

Most Web3 games struggle with retention, but Snpit has built a thriving community in Japan, Italy & beyond—and their users keep coming back.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I talk to Ani from Snpit.xyz about:

✅ How Snpit gamifies photography with battles, leaderboards & NFTs

✅ The secret to acquiring & keeping real Web3 users

✅ How Japan’s unique market shaped Snpit’s success

✅ Why Web3 projects need sustainable business models

✅ How Snpit is integrating AR & real-world rewards

If you're a Web3 founder struggling with user retention, this episode is for you.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Ani from Snpit, a Web3 photography GameFi platform that’s growing fast in Japan & Italy.

[00:01:00] What is Snpit?

• A "Snap-to-Earn" platform that rewards users for taking photos

• Photo battles where users compete & vote on the best pictures

• Building an authentic, unprocessed photo database

[00:03:00] Ani’s Journey into Web3

• Started as a casual crypto investor before diving in full-time

• Fascinated by GameFi, tokenomics & business models

• The challenges & rewards of working on a Web3 startup

[00:05:00] How Snpit Works—A Step-by-Step Guide

• 📷 Take photos using the Snpit app (not your phone’s camera)

• ⚔️ Compete in photo battles & earn points if you win

• 🗳️ Vote on battles—guessing the winning photo earns rewards

• 📈 Upgrade your camera NFTs for better earnings & quality

[00:08:00] Gamification in Snpit

• Camera NFTs with different levels & attributes

• Gacha system—lucky draws for special in-game items

• AR & AI possibilities—future integrations

[00:11:00] How Snpit is Winning in Japan’s Tough Market

• Japan is one of the hardest markets to crack

• Cultural & regulatory challenges

• Why Japanese users stick with products long-term if they find value

[00:14:00] Who’s Using Snpit?

• 40% of users are in Japan, major growth in Italy & Southeast Asia

• Photography-focused users, not just Web3 natives

• Why Italy became a surprise market for Snpit

[00:18:00] Winning the Japan Tourism NFT Awards 🏆

• Snpit’s partnership with HIS, a major Japanese travel agency

• How Web3 is revolutionizing tourism & digital souvenirs

• Why Snpit is built for long-term sustainability, not short-term hype

[00:21:00] Snpit’s Revenue Model—How They Make Money

• NFT sales & upgrades

• In-app purchases & subscriptions

• Gacha system & IP collaborations (Anime, Gaming, Travel, etc.)

• Ad revenue & B2B brand partnerships

[00:24:00] Augmented Reality & The Future of Snpit

• Snappy Guilds—A new AR-powered game for real-world territory battles

• Inspired by Pokémon Go, Geoguessr & Risk

• Combining gaming, photography & real-world exploration

[00:29:00] Snpit’s Ask—What They’re Looking For

• Partnerships with Web3 projects launching tokens

• Helping projects with user engagement & growth in Asia

• Opportunities to collaborate with other NFT & GameFi projects

[00:31:00] How to Connect with Snpit

Connect

What if we could trade without trusting anyone?

Crypto promised decentralization, but most trading still relies on centralized exchanges.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Alexis from Yellow.com to discuss:

✅ Why trustless trading is the missing piece in crypto

✅ How Yellow is bringing Lightning Network principles to trading

✅ The billion-dollar opportunity in building a trustless settlement layer

✅ Lessons from Bitcoin, Ethereum & early crypto pioneers

✅ Why traditional finance will soon adopt trustless trading

Yellow.com is building the infrastructure to remove trust from trading—just like Bitcoin did for money.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Alexis from Yellow.com and the discussion on trustless trading, crypto innovation & finance disruption.

[00:01:00] Who is Alexis?

• Co-founder of Yellow.com & GSR, two major crypto firms

• A crypto OG since 2013, involved in Bitcoin, Ethereum, & Ripple

• Built two companies with 500+ employees globally

[00:03:00] What is Yellow.com?

• A trustless trading infrastructure that removes counterparty risk

• Uses Ethereum state channels for instant PNL settlements

• A missing piece in Satoshi’s vision—removing trust from trading

[00:05:00] Why is Trustless Trading So Important?

• Trust limits financial innovation

• Bitcoin removed trust in money; Yellow removes trust in trading

• Most crypto trading still relies on trusted intermediaries

[00:07:00] How Yellow Uses State Channels for Instant Profit Settlement

• Similar to Lightning Network but for trading

• Trades settle instantly without requiring counterparty trust

• Institutions & retail can trade against exchanges without risk

[00:10:00] How Big is the Trading Industry?

• Payments industry: $8 Trillion per day

• Trading industry: $650 Trillion per day

• Crypto trading is tiny in comparison—trustless trading unlocks new markets

[00:12:00] How Yellow Compares to Clearing Houses in Traditional Finance

• ClearSync smart contracts replace clearing houses

• Automated, trustless arbitration using Ethereum

• Faster, cheaper, and safer than legacy systems

[00:14:00] Biggest Challenges in Building Yellow

• Educating institutions & traders on trustless trading

• Adoption curve similar to Bitcoin & Ethereum in the early days

• Convincing major players to shift from centralized models

[00:18:00] Lessons from Bitcoin & Ethereum’s Early Days

• Vitalik Buterin & early Ethereum days in Barcelona

• The anti-system movement that fueled Bitcoin’s rise

• Why removing trust has always been the key innovation in crypto

[00:21:00] The Future of Crypto Trading—Mergers, Acquisitions & Consolidation

• Major banks & exchanges will start consolidating

• Robinhood acquiring Bitstamp, Crypto.com buying licenses

• Traditional finance is preparing for the crypto wave

[00:25:00] Yellow’s Growth & Future Roadmap

• Launching a US-regulated public sale via Republic

• Expanding partnerships with institutional players like HSBC

• Building a global community around trustless trading

[00:27:00] Why the Name ‘Yellow’?

• Derived from the Dolch word list—one of the world’s most recognized words

• Instant brand recognition across all languages & cultures

• A branding masterstroke for a global financial infrastructure

  
  

Connect

How do we bring the next billion users into Web3?

So many crypto projects have promised mass adoption, but most new users don’t stick around. What if we could change that?

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Jack from TON Society to discuss:

✅ Why Telegram’s ecosystem is key to onboarding millions

✅ How TON Society is using gamification to build sticky communities

✅ The success of TON-based viral mini-apps & games

✅ What most crypto projects get wrong about user retention

✅ How to make Web3 invisible—so mass adoption can happen

TON’s ecosystem is growing fast—this episode will give you insights into why!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Jack from TON Society and the discussion on crypto onboarding, gamification & community-building.

[00:01:00] What is TON Society?

• A community-driven movement focused on developers & creators

• Why TON leans into Telegram’s activist culture

• TON’s mission: Frictionless transactions & global accessibility

[00:03:00] Jack’s Journey into TON Society

• TON Society started as grassroots events but grew to a global movement

• Running 182+ events worldwide, onboarding thousands of developers

• Why community-driven growth is TON’s core strategy

[00:05:00] TON’s Expansion in the US & Asia

• US expansion plans with a friendlier crypto regulatory landscape

• Why Asia’s developer ecosystem is perfect for TON’s super app model

• How WeChat, Grab & Kakao prepared Asia for Telegram’s mini-apps

[00:07:00] Why Telegram’s Distribution Model is a Game-Changer

• TON leverages Telegram’s unique viral mechanics

• Why TON mini-apps scale faster than traditional Web3 dApps

• No algorithmic censorship—every user sees content directly

[00:10:00] The Virality of TON Mini-Apps

• How Notcoin reached 35M users in 3 months

• Hamster Kombat: 300M+ users in six months

• Why Telegram’s viral sharing beats traditional social media algorithms

[00:12:00] The Problem With Incentivized Growth

• TON’s rapid growth attracted new users—but they didn’t stick

• How airdrops & tap-to-earn lead to high churn rates

• The key to sustainable adoption: strong post-airdrop utility

[00:14:00] TON’s Sustainable Growth Model

• How Bloom’s DEX & MemePad strategy retains users

• Why tokens need real-world utility to avoid mass exits

• What Web3 projects must learn from failed incentive programs

[00:16:00] Gamifying Web3 Adoption: Open League & Hackers League

• How TON Society’s competitions bring in high-quality developers

• Hackathons fueling TON’s developer ecosystem

• Why Web3 needs better onboarding experiences for builders

[00:18:00] TON’s Big Bet: Skill-Based Gaming & Crypto Adoption

• Skill-based competitions vs. Meme coins—why retention is 6x higher

• How TON’s gaming tournaments could drive real Web3 engagement

• The missing piece: fun, sustainable, & rewarding games

[00:22:00] Why Crypto Needs to Be Invisible for Mass Adoption

• The biggest misconception in Web3: people don’t care about profit

• Convenience > Decentralization (for the average user)

• Why Web3 should work in the background, like any other tech

[00:27:00] TON’s Next Phase: Onboarding Household IP

• Bringing major gaming IPs into TON’s mini-app ecosystem

• How TON is targeting mainstream entertainment brands

• Why traditional US-based IP might not be the future of gaming

[00:30:00] Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• TON Society is running more hackathons & looking for great builders

• Investors & projects looking to get involved in TON’s ecosystem

• How to connect with TON Society & start building

  
  

Connect

Are NFTs dead? Or are they just evolving?

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Neil from Mojito to explore how NFTs are still powering major brands, how real-world assets (RWAs) are reshaping digital ownership, and how loyalty programs in Web3 could be the next major adoption driver.

Key topics we cover:

✅ How major brands like Mercedes, Sotheby’s & Pernod Ricard are using NFTs

✅ Why RWAs and tokenized assets are the future of NFTs

✅ The next evolution of NFTs—beyond collectibles to financial utility

✅ How Web3 loyalty programs could reshape brand engagement

✅ How Mojito is onboarding enterprises into Web3

If you think NFTs are dead, this episode will change your mind!

Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Neil from Mojito and the discussion around the evolution of NFTs & Web3 adoption.

[00:01:00] Neil’s Background & Journey into Web3

• How curiosity about smart contracts led him to blockchain

• Moving from eCommerce & brand-building to NFTs & Web3

[00:03:00] What is Mojito? Solving Enterprise NFT Adoption

• Mojito as a Web3 engagement platform

• Working with Mercedes-Benz, Sotheby’s, Pernod Ricard & more

• Why brands still see value in NFTs & blockchain

[00:05:00] Surviving the NFT Crash—How Mojito Pivoted & Thrived

• Why Mojito focused on enterprise clients rather than retail hype

• How the NFT winter separated speculation from real utility

• Lessons learned from Web3 booms & busts

[00:08:00] Navigating Web3 Narratives: How to Build for Long-Term Success

• Why Web3 is obsessed with new trends (AI, RWAs, etc.)

• Should companies chase the latest narrative?

• How Mojito balances innovation with customer needs

[00:10:00] AI, NFTs & The Evolution of Web3 Engagement

• Why AI agents & NFTs will eventually converge

• How trading bots & automation are already using Mojito’s marketplaces

• The hidden infrastructure powering Web3 innovation

[00:12:00] What Does an NFT Partnership Look Like?

• How brands integrate NFTs into their strategy

• Real-world assets (RWAs) & tokenized collectibles

• The role of Web3 consulting in onboarding enterprises

[00:15:00] Introducing Mojito Loyalty—A New Approach to Web3 Engagement

• Why existing loyalty programs (points, miles) are broken

• How blockchain-based loyalty can increase engagement

• Partnerships with Sweet Blockchain for low fees & fast transactions

[00:17:00] NFT Lending, DeFi & Unlocking New NFT Utility

• How tokenized RWAs are being used as DeFi collateral

• Why fractionalization & lending will change NFT finance

• The rise of NFT-backed stablecoin loans & liquid staking strategies

[00:20:00] The Future of NFTs—Utility Will Win

• Why NFTs will eventually move into the background

• The transition from speculation to real-world use cases

• NFTs as protocols rather than products

[00:23:00] Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• Mojito is launching a free-tier loyalty program for brands

• How any business can experiment with Web3 engagement

• Connect with Mojito & explore their latest products

  
  

Connect

Is the internet becoming more centralized and restricted? 🌍 

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Joshua Meng from RSS3 to discuss the importance of decentralizing content, making the internet more open, and how RSS3 is powering AI agents and Web3 applications.

Key topics we cover:

✅ Why traditional RSS doesn’t work for Web3

✅ How RSS3 is enabling decentralized AI & open content aggregation

✅ The role of RSS3 in making AI agents smarter

✅ How developers can build & monetize their own data nodes

✅ Why the internet is becoming more siloed & how Web3 can fix it

If you're passionate about open information, AI, and the future of decentralized content, this is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Joshua Meng from RSS3 and the vision behind decentralizing content distribution.

[00:01:00] Joshua’s Background & Journey into Web3

• How his experience in social media & publishing led him to decentralization

• The early days of RSS and how RSS3 is rethinking it for Web3

[00:03:00] What is RSS3? How is it Different from Traditional RSS?

• Why Web3 content isn’t structured the same way as Web1

• How RSS3 works like Google for Web3 content—indexing and structuring decentralized data

• Why forcing every dApp to follow a single standard won’t work

[00:06:00] AI Agents & RSS3: The Future of Machine Intelligence

• How RSS3 is enabling AI agents to access decentralized data

• Why AI models need decentralized content sources to function effectively

• Recent integrations with AI-powered projects like Hayan & Virtuous Game Framework

[00:08:00] How to Use RSS3—Developers & AI Integration

• The step-by-step process to access RSS3’s decentralized data

• How to run your own RSS3 node and monetize data access

• How AI agents can “subscribe” to Web3 content

[00:10:00] Running an RSS3 Node—Cost & Setup

• The low cost of running a node (~$20/month on a cloud provider)

• How developers can monetize their node by providing structured data

• Why this model is similar to The Graph, but for Web3 content

[00:12:00] Who is Using RSS3 Today?

• Follow.is: A rapidly growing Web3-powered RSS reader

• Web3.bio: Aggregating social feeds across decentralized platforms

• Fungi & Mask Network: Using RSS3 for DeFi & social content tracking

[00:14:00] The Long-Term Vision for RSS3

• Why Web3 will be multi-protocol and need a unified data layer

• The internet is becoming more fragmented—how RSS3 can keep it open

• Why RSS3 wants to be the decentralized content hub

[00:16:00] The Biggest Challenge—Growing Web3 Adoption

• Why Web3 still struggles with usability & terminology

• The challenge of convincing users to switch from centralized platforms

• How RSS3 depends on the success of decentralized social networks

[00:19:00] Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• Developers: Join the RSS3 ecosystem & run a node

• Why an open internet matters more than ever

• RSS3 is hiring & looking for community contributors

Connect

🤖 Will AI agents replace human decision-making?

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with David Pinger from Warden Protocol to explore how AI agents are transforming finance, automation, and blockchain infrastructure.

🚀 Key topics we cover:

🔹 Why blockchain isn’t for humans—AI agents will drive Web3 transactions

🔹 How AI agents make independent, on-chain decisions

🔹 The risks of AI-driven finance & how to prevent agent exploit

s🔹 How Warden Protocol enables fully autonomous AI-powered economies

🔹 Warden’s new AI agent toolkit & why developers are building trading bots

If you're curious about AI agents, decentralized automation, and blockchain's role in the future of AI, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces David Pinger from Warden Protocol, discussing AI agents and blockchain automation.

[00:01:00] David’s Background & Journey into Web3

• How his experience at Uber, Binance & Credo led him to AI + blockchain

• Why most financial transactions are already done by bots

• The realization that blockchain isn’t for humans, but for AI agents

[00:04:00] Why AI Agents Will Dominate Web3

• Why AI agents will drive most blockchain transactions

• The rise of autonomous billion-dollar AI-driven corporations

• How AI agents hire, pay, and interact without human intervention

[00:06:00] The Warden Protocol Vision: AI-Native Blockchain Infrastructure

• Why today’s blockchains aren’t built for AI

• How Warden enables AI agents to interact, transact & operate independently

• Building a machine-to-machine economy

[00:10:00] What Stage is Warden at?

• The Warden Agent Kit is now live

• How developers can build their own AI trading agents

• Why AI agents today lack true independence

[00:14:00] The Biggest Challenge: AI Model Accuracy & Trust

• Why AI agents need confidence scoring for decisions

• How faulty AI predictions can lead to massive losses

• How Warden ensures agents are reliable & resistant to manipulation

[00:16:00] Threshold Cryptography & Cross-Chain Agents

• How Warden enables multi-chain AI agents

• The role of multiparty computation (MPC) in AI security

• Partnering with Silence Labs & 4DeFi for keychain security

[00:18:00] The First AI Agent Warden Created: Trading AI

• Why trading is the first real-world AI use case

• How AI agents make real-time investment decisions

• Why AI-powered trading is more effective than human traders

[00:22:00] What People Get Wrong About AI Agents

• The biggest misunderstanding about AI decision-making

• Why AI models can be wrong & need confidence verification

• How Warden ensures AI agents don’t make costly mistakes

[00:26:00] The Risk of AI Rug Pulls—Are AI Agents the Next Big Exploit?

• Why AI-powered scams will become more common in 2025

• How to verify AI agent authenticity & prevent human override

• Introducing “Blue Check” verification for AI agents

[00:29:00] Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• Developers: Build AI agents on Warden Protocol

• Why AI-powered economies will reshape Web3

• Next steps for Warden: Expanding the agent ecosystem

  
  

Connect

Can tokenization unlock financial access for millions?

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Jose from OwnChain, live at Consensus 2025 in Hong Kong, to discuss how OwnChain is bringing real-world assets (RWA) on-chain and revolutionizing financial markets.

🔥 Key topics we cover:

🔹 How OwnChain is bridging real-world assets to DeFi

🔹 Why tokenization & fractionalization unlock new opportunities

🔹 How their 2M+ users are accessing global assets on-chain

🔹 Regulatory hurdles & how they navigate compliance🔹 Upcoming mainnet launch, staking, and what’s next for OwnChain

If you're curious about RWAs, DeFi, and financial inclusion, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Jose from OwnChain, discussing RWA tokenization and financial access.

[00:01:00] What Problem Does OwnChain Solve?

• Why 80% of high-value assets are still offline

• The 4 major challenges of real-world assets (RWA)

• How OwnChain streamlines compliance, access & trading

[00:04:00] How Users Interact with OwnChain

• A one-stop user experience for KYC & global asset access

• Integrations with banks, telecoms & existing finance platforms

• Why fractionalization is key for liquidity & market creation

[00:06:00] How OwnChain Enables Fractionalization & Liquidity

• Why smaller assets (like single properties) don’t benefit as much

• How fractionalization creates new secondary markets

• Navigating regulatory barriers

[00:09:00] Bringing Institutions & OTC Desks On-Chain

• OwnChain’s enterprise solution for large players

• How they embed their tech into banks & telecoms

• Why institutions need a compliant way to access RWAs

[00:10:00] The OwnChain Roadmap & Vision

• Mainnet launch in Q3 2025

• Unique tokenized assets launching on day one

• Expansion plans for liquidity & staking incentives

[00:14:00] Current Trends in Web3 & Crypto

• Macro trends: Institutional adoption & regulatory clarity

• Micro trends: Tokenization of traditional assets gaining traction

• The impact of altcoin cycles & market volatility

[00:16:00] The Future of Tokenized RWAs & Staking

• How staking & DeFi mechanics can enhance real-world assets

• Example: Tokenized gold that generates yield

• Why this is the next major unlock for blockchain finance

[00:17:00] Final Thoughts—Jose’s Advice & Call to Action

• Join the OwnChain community & explore the airdrop

• Calling asset owners to tokenize with OwnChain

• The importance of financial inclusion via RWAs

Connect

In this live-recorded episode from Digital Asset Summit in New York, Sam chats with Pedro, the founder of WalletConnect. Together, they unpack what it takes to make crypto more usable for everyday users and developers. Pedro dives into the journey of WalletConnect—from solving MetaMask's dominance to powering over 600 wallets and working with Stripe for seamless crypto payments.

We talk about decentralization, account abstraction, stablecoins, interoperability across blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, and Sui, and how WalletConnect’s upcoming token launch fits into the mission of making Web3 feel more like Web2.

If you're a developer, founder, or builder trying to simplify crypto UX—this one's a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam sets the stage for a live episode from DAS NYC with Pedro from WalletConnect.

[00:01:00] What is WalletConnect?: Pedro explains how it bridges wallets and apps across chains.

[00:02:00] Backstory: Pedro’s journey from building Ethereum wallets to creating WalletConnect.

[00:04:00] Web3 vs Web2 UX: Comparing crypto integrations to Stripe and how WalletConnect is closing the gap.

[00:05:00] Stablecoins & Payments: How stablecoins enable predictable fundraising and payroll.

[00:07:00] Developer Stack: SDKs, Privy, Thirdweb—how to integrate wallets + payments.

[00:09:00] Identity Layer: Wallets solve auth and payments in one; building token-gated flows.

[00:10:00] Institutional Adoption: Stripe, AWS, node operators—why institutions are finally onboard.

[00:11:00] Focus Shift: Why payments and identity are the key value props of Web3 now.

[00:13:00] Challenges: Fragmentation, tribalism, and why interoperability must win.

[00:15:00] Missteps of the Past: Web3 messaging hype vs real impact of account abstraction.

[00:17:00] Ethereum’s Tradeoffs: The need to be more pragmatic and less idealistic.

[00:19:00] Biggest Challenge Now: Fighting tribalism and building a truly neutral platform.

[00:21:00] Chain Landscape: What Ethereum, Solana, and Sui can learn from each other.

[00:25:00] Smartphone Analogy: Why blockchains will become as boring—and stable—as iOS vs Android.

[00:26:00] The Ask: Get involved, stake, govern, and participate in the WalletConnect ecosystem.

Connect

Are stablecoins too centralized? Is there a way to get high yields without sacrificing decentralization?

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Jean from Smardex, live at Consensus 2025 in Hong Kong, to discuss how Smardex is pushing the boundaries of stablecoins with USDN—the first fully decentralized synthetic dollar.

🔥 Key topics we cover:

🔹 Why most stablecoins are centralized (USDT, USDC, etc.)

🔹 The failure of algorithmic stablecoins & lessons from Terra Luna

🔹 How Smardex’s USDN achieves decentralization & high yield (26% APY!)

🔹 How their protocol balances ETH longs & shorts to maintain a stable peg

🔹 The future of decentralized finance & what’s next for Smardex

If you’re interested in DeFi, stablecoins, and high-yield strategies, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Jean from Smardex, discussing their stablecoin innovation live from Consensus 2025 in Hong Kong.

[00:01:00] What Problem Does Smardex Solve?

• The issue with liquidity management in DeFi

• How traditional stablecoins sacrifice decentralization for usability

• Why most AMMs create too much impermanent loss

[00:03:00] Introducing USDN—The First Fully Decentralized Synthetic Dollar

• How USDN avoids CeFi risks

• How Smardex designed a fully on-chain, decentralized perpetual market

• Why traditional stablecoins rely on centralized collateral

[00:06:00] The Three Types of Stablecoins & Why USDN is Different

1️⃣ Centralized Stablecoins (USDT, USDC) - Backed by banks & RWAs

2️⃣ Algorithmic Stablecoins (Terra Luna, DAI) - Collateral-based but risky

3️⃣ Synthetic Stablecoins (USDN) - Balanced by perpetual trading strategies

[00:08:00] How USDN Maintains a Stable Peg & Generates High Yield

• Delta-neutral strategy—ETH longs vs USDN shorts

• Funding rate dynamics—How traders pay interest to USDN holders

• No need for staking or KYC—just hold USDN & earn yield

[00:11:00] Why USDN’s APY is 26% & How It Works

• Yield comes from ETH longs paying funding rates

• Wrapping ETH into Lido staked ETH (wstETH) for additional yield

• How USDN holders benefit from double compounding

[00:15:00] How Users Can Mint USDN

• Option 1: Swap for USDN on DEXs (Uniswap, Curve, etc.)

• Option 2:Mint USDN directly using ETH or wstETH (recommended for large amounts)

• How rebasing ensures yield flows directly into wallets

[00:19:00] The Ultimate Test—USDN’s Stress Test in a Market Crash

• How USDN handled the recent Ethereum price drop

• Why their liquidation system worked flawlessly

• Proof that their fully on-chain model is sustainable

[00:23:00] The Future of USDN & Smardex’s Roadmap

• Adding new on-chain trading features

• Expanding collateral options beyond ETH

• Transitioning USDN governance to a DAO

[00:26:00] Final Thoughts—Jean’s Advice for DeFi Builders

• Why decentralization is non-negotiable

• How Smardex scaled from 3 to 40 employees without VC funding

• How to join Smardex—hiring now in Switzerland!

  
  

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In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Michael O’Rourke from Pocket Network & Grove to discuss the future of decentralized infrastructure in Web3.

Key topics we cover:

🔹 What is Pocket Network & why does Web3 need decentralized infra?

🔹 How AI, blockchain & data infrastructure are merging

🔹 The role of Grove in scaling decentralized infra

🔹 Why the internet is shrinking & how Web3 can counteract it

🔹 Pocket Network’s 2024 roadmap—Shannon upgrade & permissionless demand

If you care about Web3 infra, AI, or decentralized data, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Michael O’Rourke from Pocket Network & Grove, discussing Web3 infra & decentralization.

[00:01:00] Michael’s Journey into Crypto & Web3

• Started in Bitcoin (2013) & got hooked by the decentralization vision

• How growing up in the Dominican Republic shaped his perspective on financial systems

• Why video games & digital assets made crypto an obvious next step

[00:04:00] What Problem Does Pocket Network Solve?

• Decentralized RPC & API access for Web3 apps

• Why Web3 infra should NOT be centralized

• The hidden reliance of most dApps on centralized services

[00:07:00] Grove vs. Pocket Network—What’s the Difference?

• Pocket Network = Decentralized infra protocol

• Grove = One of the key gateways running on Pocket Network

• Why they rebranded to avoid confusion

[00:09:00] Why Web3 Projects Register Foundations & What It Means

• Foundations help separate development from governance

• Why Pocket Network uses a direct democracy (1 person, 1 vote, not token-weighted)

• How Cayman Islands laws allow DAOs to control foundations

[00:12:00] What’s Coming Next—Pocket Network’s 2024 Roadmap

• Shannon Upgrade—Launching in Q2

• Enabling true permissionless demand for decentralized data

• Why open data sources are critical for Web3 & AI

[00:14:00] Why the Internet Is Shrinking & How Web3 Can Fix It

• Countries are creating “walled gardens” for the internet

• US, EU, and China are siloing online services

• Web3 infra can keep data open & accessible

[00:18:00] The Future of AI & Web3 Infra

• Why AI models need decentralized infra to scale

• Pocket Network now supports open-source LLMs

• The battle between open-source vs. closed AI models (DeepSeek, OpenAI, Mistral, etc.)

[00:23:00] The Biggest Challenge in Scaling Web3 Infra

• Moving beyond blockchain RPCs to support AI, storage, social, etc.

• Why AI data needs decentralized infra just as much as blockchains

• How Pocket Network is accelerating adoption

[00:26:00] Michael’s Bold Take—Web3 Still Needs More Infra

• Why infra innovation hasn’t caught up with blockchain growth

• Why ephemeral cloud services & decentralized compute will be the next big thing

[00:27:00] Final Thoughts—Michael’s Advice for Web3 Founders

• Ignore the hype cycles & just keep building

• Focus on solving real problems, not just narratives

  
  

Connect

In this episode ofWeb3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down withJohn Woods, CTO of Algorand, to discusshow Algorand is pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology andwhere AI and decentralization intersect.

Key topics we cover:

🔹How Algorand is different from other Layer 1s

🔹Why privacy & decentralization are non-negotiable in Web3

🔹AI & blockchain—how they truly work together

🔹What’s next for Algorand—developer tools, post-quantum security & more

🔹Why Algorand is focused on real-world utility, not just hype

If you're into blockchain, AI, or Web3 infrastructure, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00]Introduction: Sam introduces John Woods, CTO of Algorand, and the key topics for this episode.

[00:01:00]John’s Journey into Blockchain

• From Forex trading & central banking to Ethereum, Cardano & now Algorand

• Why cryptography fascinated him & led him into Web3

[00:04:00]What Makes Algorand Unique?

• Abest-in-class Layer 1 blockchain

• 2.7s block times, instant finality & 10,000 TPS

• Pure Proof of Stake—how Algorand prevents forks & reorgs

• Post-quantum cryptography—future-proofing security

[00:06:00]Where Does Algorand Fit in the Blockchain Landscape?

• Ethereum = staking & DeFi, Bitcoin = digital gold, Solana = meme coins

• Algorand = built for speed, security & real-world utility

• Declarative assets—no smart contracts needed for tokens & multi-sig

[00:08:00]Why Build on Algorand?

• Best-in-class developer experience—TypeScript & Python smart contracts

• Why declarative programming makes blockchain development easier

• How Algorand’s architecture eliminates common blockchain issues

[00:12:00]The Role of AI in Blockchain & Why Most “AI Tokens” Are Useless

• The two real use cases for AI & blockchain1️⃣Truth & data integrity in an age of deepfakes2️⃣Decentralized AI model training—breaking monopolies

• Why AI agents don’t need an AI token—crypto already works for them

[00:18:00]How AI is Changing Developer Workflows

• Why Algorand is integrating AI to improve developer experience

• AI-powered coding assistants & better smart contract debugging

[00:22:00]The Future of AI & Blockchain—What’s Real & What’s Hype?

• How AI agents will manage wallets & execute transactions

• The challenge of making decentralized AI training trustless

• Why AI & blockchain together create a financial operating system

[00:28:00]What’s on Algorand’s Roadmap for 2024-2025?

• 🔹Privacy-first blockchain transactions

• 🔹Post-quantum security for long-term decentralization

• 🔹Next-gen developer tools—making Web3 easier to build on

• 🔹P2P network topology—removing reliance on centralized relays

• 🔹Increasing transactions per second & reducing sync times

[00:32:00]Algorand’s Biggest Challenge & North Star

• Why “awareness” is the biggest challenge for Algorand

• Building a developer-friendly, scalable & decentralized blockchain

[00:37:00]How to Get Involved in Algorand

• 🚀Developers—Build on Algorand using Python & TypeScript

• 📢Job seekers—Algorand is hiring, including a Chief of Staff role

• 💡Users—Try Algorand’s staking, one of the best in the industry

  
  

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I chat with Marcel & Dmitry from SQD about AI agents, Web3 data, and the future of decentralized infrastructure.

🔥What’s inside this episode?

🔹Why AI needs decentralized data & how SQD is making it happen

🔹The rise of AI agents & how they will reshape crypto & finance

🔹How SQD is solving Web3’s biggest data problems

🔹The latest trends in AI & Web3—meme coins, restaking, and real use cases

🔹How agents will manage your crypto & trade on your behalf

If you're into AI, Web3, or decentralized data, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00]Introduction: Sam introduces Marcel & Dmitry from SQD

[00:01:00]What is SQD?

• Building the first decentralized data lake for Web3

• Enabling permissionless access to blockchain data

• Why Web3 data is still centralized & how SQD is fixing it

[00:03:00]How AI & Web3 Are Converging

• The explosion of AI agents & why data is the key

• How SQD enables AI models to query blockchain data

• The shift from DeFi data to AI-driven automation

[00:06:00]The Journey of SQD—From Indexing to AI Infrastructure

• How SQD started as a blockchain indexing solution

• The pivot toward AI & Web3 data services

• Why decentralization matters for AI data

[00:08:00]The Role of Data in the AI Boom

• AI models need high-quality, indexed data

• How blockchain data powers AI-driven applications

• The long-term vision for a decentralized AI data marketplace

[00:11:00]How AI Agents Will Change Web3

• What is an AI agent & how do they work?

• How AI agents will trade, manage wallets & execute transactions

• Why AI needs real-time access to Web3 data

[00:14:00]The Three Pillars of AI—Compute, Data & Infrastructure

• How NVIDIA benefited from the AI revolution

• Why decentralized data is the missing link

• The role of blockchain in securing AI-generated insights

[00:17:00]How Crypto Has Changed in the Last Year

• The shift from DeFi to AI, meme coins & BTC restaking

• Why utility projects are struggling for attention

• The rise of GambleFi & why it dominates the market

[00:22:00]Best AI Agent Platforms & Tools

• Platforms to create AI agents today — Skate.pro, ElizaOS, KuruAI

• How SQD integrates with AI development platforms

• The future of personal AI-powered crypto trading assistants

[00:26:00]What’s Next for AI & Web3?

• AI-powered crypto wallets & financial automation

• Tether’s new AI-driven wallet assistant — A glimpse into the future

• The impact of AI-driven wealth management

[00:30:00]SQD's Roadmap — What’s Coming Next?

• Real-time structured blockchain data for AI & trading

• Expanding beyond Web3 data to other enterprise data sets

• Opening a new office in New York & expanding the team

[00:34:00]Biggest Challenges Ahead for SQD

• Scaling the team while maintaining agility

• Educating Web3 projects on decentralized data solutions

• Navigating regulatory uncertainty in AI & blockchain

[00:36:00]Call to Action—How to Get Involved with SQD

• 🚀If you’re building in AI or Web3, reach out to SQD

• 📢SQD is hiring! Looking for top talent in engineering & product

• 💡Developers & founders—Get started with SQD's API today

  
  

Connect

In this episode ofWeb3 with Sam Kamani, I chat withEvan from Mintify about how they’re buildingthe ultimate platform for trading on-chain assets—NFTs, tokens, and beyond.

🔥What’s inside this episode?

🔹How Mintify is bridging institutional & consumer crypto trading

🔹Lessons from pitching to 400+ VCs & raising funds in a bear market

🔹The evolution of NFTs—where are they headed in the next cycle?

🔹Why Evan believes crypto cycles might be changing forever

🔹The impact of US regulation on Web3 & global crypto adoption

If you're into NFTs, Solana tokens, or Web3 trading, you don’t want to miss this one!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00]Introduction: Sam introduces Evan & Mintify’s mission to simplify Web3 trading.

[00:01:00]Evan’s Background & Journey into Web3

• Serial entrepreneur with 3 exits & 5 startups

• Early investor in SpaceX, Discord, Rainbow Wallet

• How gaming & World of Warcraft led him to discover crypto

[00:03:00]What is Mintify?

• Building the Robinhood of on-chain assets

• Trading NFTs, tokens, & more across multiple blockchains

• From Bloomberg Terminal-style tools to a consumer-friendly UX

[00:05:00]Why Mintify is Moving from Institutional to Consumer Trading

• Lower friction = More adoption

• Simplifying wallets, security & on-ramping

• Why the current crypto UX is still too complex for mass adoption

[00:07:00]The Future of NFTs—Will the Term ‘NFT’ Disappear?

• Why Evan believes NFTs will become invisible infrastructure

• How gaming, RWAs, & tokenized assets will evolve in Web3

• Are NFTs just waiting for their next cultural moment?

[00:11:00]How Mintify is Expanding to Solana & Other EVM Chains

• Why Solana tokens are a major focus for 2024

• Expanding into Base, zkSync, & modular L2s

• A seamless cross-chain trading experience for all assets

[00:14:00]The Crypto Boom & Bust Cycle—Will This One Be Different?

• Why crypto cycles might be changing forever

• The impact of institutional adoption on volatility

• How leverage & speculation still drive market risks

[00:19:00]Fundraising in the Worst Bear Market & Pitching 400 VCs

• How Mintify raised 3 rounds despite tough market conditions

• Lessons from pitching to hundreds of investors

• What VCs are really looking for in Web3 startups

[00:22:00]The Dangers of Growing Too Fast in Crypto

• Why hiring too quickly kills agility

• Lessons from startups that scaled too fast & collapsed

• Why Mintify focuses on lean, high-performance teams

[00:26:00]The Future of US Crypto Regulation & Onshoring Founders

• Why many US-based crypto founders left—but are now returning

• How regulatory clarity could change Web3 adoption forever

• Will the US become the dominant crypto hub again?

[00:28:00]What’s Next for Mintify?

• 🚀Token launch at the end of February

• 📱New consumer-friendly iOS app in Q2

• 🏗️Expanding into RWAs & gaming

• 🔥Bringing NFT-like assets to the mainstream without calling them NFTs

[00:29:00]Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• Mintify is looking for testers & early adopters!

• Follow Mintify & join their growing ecosystem

  
  

Connect

In this episode ofWeb3 with Sam Kamani, I chat withJerry from Apex Fusion about their ambitious goal ofbuilding a next-gen Layer 1 blockchain that merges the best of Bitcoin & Ethereum.

🔥What makes Apex Fusion unique?

🔹 Atri-chain architecture combining security, speed & scalability

🔹Native liquid staking without the need for LSTs🔹A modular framework integrating both UTXO & EVM ecosystems

🔹Solving blockchain fragmentation by bridging major networks

🔹Regulatory clarity & the changing U.S. crypto landscape

If you're into Layer 1s, modular blockchains, or the future of Web3 infrastructure, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00]Introduction: Sam introduces Jerry & the vision behind Apex Fusion.

[00:01:00]Jerry’s Background & Journey into Web3

• Fromtraditional tech (Dell, CSC) to Cardano & blockchain

• Howreading the Bitcoin & Ethereum whitepapers changed his perspective

• WhyFidelity’s early Bitcoin adoption convinced him to go all in on crypto

[00:03:00]The Problem Apex Fusion is Solving

• Thetwo major blockchain ecosystems: Bitcoin (UTXO) vs Ethereum (EVM)

• Why interoperability between them is crucial for Web3’s future

• Thechallenges of tribalism in crypto & the need for collaboration

[00:07:00]The Apex Fusion Tri-Chain Architecture🔹Prime: A puresettlement layer based on UTXO & Cardano’s tech🔹Nexus: AnEVM-compatible execution layer using Polygon Edge🔹Vector: AUTXO-based smart contract layer using Plutus & Haskell

• Why splitting security, execution & scalability across different chains makes sense

[00:14:00]Solving the Blockchain Trilemma

• Prime = Maximumsecurity & decentralization

• Nexus & Vector = High-speedexecution & scalability

• A neutral L1 that doesn’t compete with L2s

[00:17:00]Why Apex Fusion Has Native Liquid Staking

• Unlike Ethereum,staking doesn’t require locking tokens

• No need for liquid staking derivatives (LSTs)

• More decentralized & capital-efficient staking model

[00:22:00]How Open-Source Innovation Drives Web3

• Apex Fusion is inspired by both Satoshi & Vitalik’s vision

• Encouraging builders to improve on existing blockchain architectures

• The difference between Web2 & Web3 ecosystems

[00:27:00]Why This Cycle is Focused on Meme Coins Instead of Utility

• How the rise of Solana & meme coins has created too much noise

• Why real-world utility will ultimately win in the long run

• Regulatory clarity in the U.S. & the impact on real Web3 adoption

[00:32:00]The Future of Crypto Regulation & U.S. Onshoring

• Why many U.S. founders left & are now looking to return

• The importance of clear regulation for Web3’s future

• How Apex Fusion structured itself for compliance from day one

[00:38:00]Apex Fusion’s Roadmap

• Prime mainnet launch in Feb-March 2024

• Scaling through developers, partnerships & testnet adoption

• Upcoming release of Nexus, Vector & the Router Bridge

[00:42:00]How Apex Fusion is Funded & Plans for Growth

• $6M raised from strategic investors & TRGC VC

• Why they avoided excessive VC influence & focused on fair launch

• Opportunities for partnerships with value-added investors

[00:45:00]Final Thoughts & Call to Action

• Apex Fusion is looking for validators (SPOs), devs & early builders

• Reputation system live—earn rewards by contributing to testnet

• Follow Apex Fusion for updates on the mainnet launch

Connect

What if you could leverage real estate like a DeFi asset? In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Rusher, co-founder of RAAC, to discuss how they’re revolutionizing Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization. RAAC is bridging the gap between real estate, gold, and DeFi, unlocking liquidity and enabling lending, staking, and more—all on-chain.

We dive into: 

✅ How RAAC tokenizes real estate as 1:1 backed NFTs

✅ Their strategy for onboarding the next $100B into DeFi

✅ The challenges of regulation and liquidity in RWA markets

✅ How they integrate Curve Finance and auto-compounding for yield generation

✅ The future of gold-backed stablecoins and institutional adoption

This conversation is a must-listen for crypto investors, DeFi enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the tokenization of real-world assets.

Key Timestamps

🔹 [00:02:20] – Kevin’s journey from finance to crypto & DeFi

🔹 [00:03:30] – What RAAC is solving in real estate tokenization

🔹 [00:05:51] – How RAAC integrates DeFi lending with RWAs

🔹 [00:09:41] – The biggest challenge of bringing real-world assets on-chain

🔹 [00:12:43] – How Kevin’s stablecoin farming background led to RAAC

🔹 [00:16:11] – $3B in LOIs—how RAAC is attracting institutions

🔹 [00:20:18] – The unique revenue model behind RAAC’s ecosystem

🔹 [00:24:05] – Why onboarding $100B to DeFi matters more than "the next billion users"

🔹 [00:27:39] – The future of stablecoins, TradFi, and DeFi merging

🔹 [00:31:29] – RAAC’s upcoming launch & token sale timeline

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I talk with Amos Whitewolf, the Co-Founder of Perion, about the next evolution of gaming, Web3 adoption, and how Perion is creating a meta-layer for competitive gaming.

🎮 Perion is gamifying games like Fortnite by adding crypto-based rewards, leaderboards, and challenges—without changing how players already play.

What we discuss:

🔹 The biggest challenge in Web3 gaming—onboarding & monetization

🔹 How Perion lets gamers earn crypto while playing their favorite games

🔹 The problem with Web3 gaming’s reputation & how to fix it

🔹 What Fortnite, Axie Infinity, and League of Legends got right

🔹 Why publishers should embrace blockchain (without alienating players)

If you’re a Web3 founder, gamer, or interested in blockchain adoption, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Amos & Perion’s vision for Web3 gaming.

[00:01:00] Amos’ Journey into Web3 & Gaming

• Started in crypto in 2017—fascinated by removing financial middlemen.

• Professional gamer—boosted League of Legends accounts.

• Discovered Axie Infinity, became #1 ranked player in the world.

• Founded a gaming guild & built a Web3 gaming community.

[00:05:00] The Power of Gaming Communities

• Why gaming is more social than people realize.

• How gaming DAOs & guilds helped Web3 adoption.

• Why Web3 gamers are different from Web2 gamers.

[00:07:00] What is Perion?

• Solving the Web3 gaming onboarding problem.

• No need to switch games—Perion adds Web3 to existing games.

• Built-in challenges, leaderboards, and crypto rewards for Fortnite.

• Gamifying gaming—why Perion is Strava for competitive gamers.

[00:10:00] How Perion Works

• Players connect their Epic ID & play Fortnite as usual.

• Earn crypto by completing in-game missions.

• Leaderboard-based earnings—gamers compete & get rewarded.

• Future expansion to Steam & other major gaming platforms.

[00:14:00] Why Web2 Gamers Hate Web3 (and How to Change That)

• Most Web3 games feel like cash grabs—how Perion avoids that.

• No NFTs or token sales—just pure rewards for playing.

• Educating gamers by giving them crypto first, then showing the value.

[00:18:00] How Perion Monetizes

• Players don’t pay—publishers & partners do.

• Game developers use Perion to drive real engagement, not fake downloads.

• Gamers get rewarded, publishers get true active players.

[00:22:00] Why Web3 Gaming is the Best Onboarding Tool for Crypto

• 16-year-old gamers are the real unbanked.

• Most Web3 adoption in Southeast Asia, Latin America, & Eastern Europe.

• Once gamers earn crypto, they start spending it—driving real usage.

[00:26:00] What Blockchain Perion is Using & Why

• DAO vote decided on Base as the primary chain.

• Evaluated Solana, Ethereum, and other L2s.

• Bet on Base’s rapid growth & regulatory clarity in the U.S..

[00:30:00] Perion’s Next Steps

• February 21st launch—first playable version goes live.

• Goal: Onboard 1M Fortnite players & expand to other games.

• More partnerships with game studios & publishers.

• Long-term goal: Making Web3 gaming seamless & fun.

[00:34:00] Final Thoughts & Sam’s Key Takeaways

• Web3 gaming is about onboarding—not speculation.

• Gaming is the real gateway for mass crypto adoption.

• Perion’s model could onboard tens of millions into Web3.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I talk with Hadley Stern, Chief Commercial Officer at Marinade Finance, about staking on Solana, institutional DeFi adoption, and how Marinade is revolutionizing staking yields.

Marinade is Solana’s largest staking marketplace, managing over $2B TVL. Unlike other providers, Marinade does not run its own validators—it decentralizes Solana by automatically distributing stake across 100+ validators for maximum yield and network security.

🚀 Topics we cover:

🔹 How Marinade boosts staking APY with its unique stake auction model

🔹 Why institutional funds are finally moving into DeFi staking

🔹 The impact of Fire Dancer & Solana’s upcoming upgrades

🔹 Challenges in staking adoption & why Marinade’s model is different

🔹 What’s next for Solana staking & how Marinade plans to grow in 2025

If you’re staking SOL or interested in institutional DeFi, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Hadley Stern & Marinade Finance’s staking solutions.

[00:01:00] Hadley’s Web3 Journey:

• 18 years at Fidelity—ran the Bitcoin Incubator in 2014.

• Founded Fidelity Digital Assets, led crypto custody at BNY Mellon.

• Why he left TradFi to focus on DeFi & Solana staking.

[00:04:00] What is Marinade Finance?

• Unlike Lido or Coinbase, Marinade doesn’t run its own validators.

• Decentralizes Solana by distributing stake across 100+ validators.

• Stake auction model—validators bid with MEV & fees to boost APY.

[00:06:00] Why Marinade’s APY is Higher Than Competitors

• How stake auctions create 50-150 bps higher yield than normal validators.

• Solana’s evolving staking landscape & Marinade’s institutional appeal.

[00:08:00] Institutional Adoption of DeFi & Staking

• Why banks & funds are finally interested in Solana.

• How ETF approvals & new regulations are opening up institutional DeFi.

• Why tokenization & stablecoins will drive the next adoption wave.

[00:12:00] Marinade’s Institutional Offering—Marinade Native

• Unlike liquid staking (mSOL), Marinade Native has zero smart contract risk.

• Institutions retain full custody of SOL & can withdraw at any time.

• Why Marinade Native is better than Lido & other staking providers.

[00:14:00] Solana Upgrades: Fire Dancer & Slashing

• Fire Dancer will increase validator diversity & resilience.

• Slashing risks & how Marinade is preparing for protocol changes.

[00:16:00] Marinade’s 2025 Goals

• Growing TVL from 9M to 18M SOL.

• Expanding in U.S., Europe, Dubai, & Asia.

• Integrating with more wallets, custodians & DeFi protocols.

[00:20:00] Solana vs Ethereum: Hadley’s Take

• Why Ethereum’s gas fees & L2 complexity are hurting adoption.

• Solana’s simplicity & business focus give it an edge.

• Will Ethereum survive without L2s? Hadley’s perspective.

[00:23:00] Upcoming Events & Where to Meet Marinade

• ETH Denver, Token 2049 (Dubai), Digital Asset Summit (New York), & Breakpoint.

• Why crypto conferences are key to ecosystem growth.

[00:25:00] Final Thoughts & How to Stake with Marinade

• Try Marinade Native for the safest staking experience.

• Follow Marinade Finance & stay updated on institutional staking trends.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I speak with Chris Chung, co-founder of TitanDex, a DEX aggregator built on Solana.

TitanDex aims to provide traders with the best swap prices by aggregating liquidity from multiple DEXs, reducing slippage, front-running, and MEV attacks.

🔹 How TitanDex finds the best prices & outperforms competitors

🔹 The role of DEX aggregators in the evolving Solana DeFi landscape

🔹 Why Solana’s speed & low fees make it ideal for DeFi

🔹 The impact of Fire Dancer & Solana’s future scalability

🔹 What’s next for TitanDex & how users can join the private beta

If you're into DeFi, Solana, or trading, this episode is packed with insights!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Chris and the vision behind TitanDex.

[00:01:00] From TradFi to DeFi:

• Chris’s background in hedge funds & US equities.

• How his team transitioned to crypto fund management in 2018.

[00:03:00] What is TitanDex?

• A DEX aggregator that finds the best trading routes across Solana.

• Meta Aggregator—aggregates other aggregators for optimal pricing.

[00:05:00] Why Solana?

• Low fees, high speed (400ms blocks), & smooth UX make Solana ideal.

• Ethereum has too much latency & high transaction costs for DEX aggregation.

[00:07:00] The Dark Side of DEX Trading: MEV & Sandwich Attacks

• How front-running & sandwiching impact traders.

• Why slippage & stale quotes are a bigger problem than most realize.

[00:09:00] Titan’s Competitive Edge

• Custom pathfinder algorithm—allocates trades at machine-level precision.

• Avoids chunked liquidity issues found in other DEX aggregators.

• Outperforms competitors 80% of the time in price optimization.

[00:13:00] Solana’s Future & The Fire Dancer Upgrade

• 1 million TPS scalability—what it means for DeFi & trading.

• Why Solana congestion issues aren’t chain failures, but app-side limits.

[00:17:00] Titan’s Revenue Model

• Basic swaps = Free (no extra fees).

• Monetization via advanced trading features (DCA, limit orders, etc.).

[00:20:00] Fundraising & Titan’s Growth

• Raised $3.5M pre-seed from Round13 & Beluga.

• Plan: Expand user base, refine features, & prepare for public launch.

[00:23:00] Call to Action:

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I speak with Roman Saganov, founder of Antix, where they’re building AI-powered digital humans that merge Web3, gaming, and generative AI.

With a background in developing PUBG, FIFA, Game of Thrones, and more, Roman and his team are now bringing digital twins, AI agents, and blockchain identity verification to content creation.

🔹 How AI digital humans will revolutionize gaming & social media

🔹 Why blockchain is essential for securing digital identity🔹 The future of AI-generated content & its real-world applications

🔹 How Antix enables influencers & creators to scale content across languages

🔹 The role of AI agents in customer support, media, and gaming

If you’re interested in AI, Web3, or the future of content creation, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Roman and the groundbreaking AI & Web3 innovations at Antix.

[00:01:00] From Web2 Gaming to Web3 AI:

• Roman’s journey from working on PUBG, FIFA, Game of Thrones, and more.

• Why gaming expertise is crucial for building AI-powered digital humans.

[00:04:00] What is Antix?

• How Antix enables influencers to create AI-driven digital twins.

• The difference between Antix and other AI chatbots like Character AI.

[00:09:00] How Antix Works—Real-Time AI Digital Humans

• AI-powered avatars that can speak in 30+ languages.

• Deepfake protection & blockchain-based identity verification.

[00:14:00] AI & Web3—Solving Identity & Trust Issues

• Why deepfakes pose a massive threat to digital identity.

• How blockchain ensures authenticity of AI-generated content.

[00:21:00] The Future of AI Agents

• How AI agents will automate boring tasks & free up human creativity.

• Why AI-generated content will dominate social media & marketing.

[00:29:00] The Challenges of Scaling AI Digital Humans

• The hardware & computational barriers to real-time AI.

• Why collaborating with governments is key for AI adoption.

[00:38:00] Call to Action:

• Antix is hiring! If you’re an engineer, join their team.

• Want to try AI-powered digital humans? Sign up for early access.

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I speak with Kai, founder of ICN (Impossible Cloud Network), a Web3-powered alternative to AWS and traditional cloud computing.

Kai, a serial entrepreneur who scaled a gaming company to 1,400+ employees, saw firsthand the inefficiencies and costs of centralized cloud infrastructure. Now, he’s on a mission to build a decentralized cloud network that offers high-performance storage, computing, and AI-ready infrastructure at a fraction of the cost.

🔹 Why AWS and Big Tech’s cloud dominance is unsustainable

🔹 How ICN is onboarding Web2 enterprise customers into Web3

🔹 The challenges of decentralized storage & compute—and how ICN solves them

🔹 How AI is reshaping cloud computing and data storage

🔹 Why decentralization is the future of enterprise cloud solutions

If you’re a founder, investor, or just curious about how Web3 is disrupting cloud computing, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Kai and ICN, a decentralized alternative to AWS.

[00:01:00] From Gaming to Web3 Cloud:

• Kai’s journey from running a 1,400-employee gaming company to founding ICN.

• The moment he realized Web3 was the future of cloud infrastructure.

[00:05:00] The Problem with Centralized Cloud Computing:

• How AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure dominate the cloud market.

• Why enterprise cloud bills are skyrocketing—and how ICN offers a cheaper, better solution.

[00:09:00] ICN’s Web3 Approach to Cloud Storage:

• How ICN has already onboarded 1,500+ enterprise customers.

• Why decentralized cloud storage is more cost-effective and scalable.

[00:14:00] The Role of Tokenomics:

• How ICN compensates node operators before its token launch.

• Why decentralized cloud networks need strong incentives.

[00:21:00] Competing with AWS—The Right Strategy:

• Why most Web3 founders shy away from cloud computing.

• The key strategies ICN is using to break into the enterprise market.

[00:29:00] Beyond Storage: AI, Compute & the Future of Cloud:

• How AI is reshaping demand for decentralized cloud computing.

• Why future cloud services will revolve around AI models and decentralized inference.

[00:38:00] Call to Action:

• How to join ICN as a node operator, developer, or partner.

• Opportunities for enterprise customers looking for a decentralized cloud solution.

  
  

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I speak with Pauline Cohen, the visionary behind the Polkadot Blockchain Academy (PBA). With a career spanning giants like Coursera, Pauline brings her expertise in education to Web3, addressing the massive gap in blockchain talent.

We dive deep into:✅ How PBA is creating world-class blockchain developers for Polkadot and beyond.✅ The challenges of online education and strategies to boost completion rates.✅ Why more women aren’t entering Web3 development—and how to change that.✅ AI’s role in personalized learning and the future of blockchain education.✅ The next big steps for Web3 education and PBA’s vision for inclusivity and accessibility.

Whether you’re a developer, a lifelong learner, or simply curious about Web3 education, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the future of blockchain learning.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Pauline Cohen and the Polkadot Blockchain Academy.

[00:01:00] The Origins of PBA:

• Why and how Polkadot Blockchain Academy was created.

• The need for high-quality blockchain education.

[00:04:00] Lessons from Web2 Education:

• Pauline’s experience at Coursera and how it shaped PBA.

• The importance of combining academic rigor with scalable solutions.

[00:07:00] Addressing Completion Rates:

• Why online courses often struggle with low engagement.

• PBA’s approach to fostering community and peer learning.

[00:11:00] Challenges in Web3 Education:

• How to make blockchain more accessible for non-technical learners.

• Bridging the gender gap in Web3 development.

[00:18:00] AI’s Role in Education:

• How personalized AI tutors could revolutionize learning.

• Why human interaction remains key to effective education.

[00:24:00] PBA’s Future Vision:

• Expanding blockchain education across industries.

• Building learning pathways for diverse audiences, from developers to marketers.

[00:30:00] Call to Action:

• Opportunities to join PBA online or in person.

• Collaborating with universities and communities to bring blockchain education worldwide.

  
  

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I chat with Marcos from Parfin, a leader in blockchain infrastructure for institutional finance.

We dive deep into:

✅ Parfin’s Mission: How they’re enabling banks and financial institutions to adopt blockchain and tokenized assets seamlessly.

✅ Rayls Blockchain: A cutting-edge EVM-compatible chain designed for secure and scalable institutional use.

✅ Stablecoins and Tokenization: Why 2025 is poised to be a tipping point for stablecoin adoption and tokenized financial instruments.

✅ Challenges in Institutional Adoption: Insights into regulation, interoperability, and building trust with TradFi players.

✅ Future Vision: How Rayls aims to transform financial markets by creating secure, scalable, and interoperable blockchain infrastructure.

Whether you’re a Web3 builder, an institutional player, or just curious about the intersection of blockchain and finance, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of institutional crypto adoption.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Marcos and Parfin, discussing their role in institutional blockchain adoption.

[00:01:00] Marcos’ Journey:

From traditional finance to blockchain.

Early adoption of Bitcoin and the founding of Parfin.

[00:04:00] What Problems Does Parfin Solve?

Enabling banks to tokenize assets and adopt blockchain.

Overview of Parfin’s two main products: the Parfin Platform and Rayls Blockchain.

[00:07:00] Bridging TradFi and Crypto:

How Rayls subnets help institutions tokenize assets securely.

The evolving role of stablecoins in payments and settlements.

[00:12:00] Tokenization Trends:

What’s next after stablecoins?

The growing demand for tokenized financial instruments like debt and bank notes.

[00:18:00] Challenges in Institutional Adoption:

Navigating regulation and compliance.

Driving liquidity and building trust with financial institutions.

[00:24:00] Advice for Founders:

Key strategies for selling to institutions.

The importance of security, compliance, and understanding the TradFi mindset.

[00:27:00] Parfin’s Roadmap:

Launching the Rayls public chain and subnets.

Opportunities for developers and collaborators to join the journey.

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I chat with Neil from Tap Protocol about the groundbreaking work they’re doing to bring Turing-complete smart contracts to Bitcoin.

We discuss:

• Tap Protocol’s Mission: Solving Bitcoin’s lack of smart contracts by leveraging L1 co-processing.

• Key Use Cases: DeFi, generative art, gaming, and AI agents on Bitcoin.

• Growth Strategies: What’s working in Web3 marketing, community building, and content creation.

• Trends for 2025: DeFi, AI agents, and the next wave of Bitcoin adoption.

• Opportunities for Builders: How developers can join the Tap Protocol ecosystem and bring innovative ideas to Bitcoin.

Whether you’re a Bitcoin enthusiast, Web3 founder, or developer, this episode is packed with insights into the next evolution of blockchain innovation.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Neil and the focus on Tap Protocol’s innovations for Bitcoin and DeFi.

[00:01:00] Neil’s Journey into Web3:

• From Bitcoin investment in 2017 to working across NFT, infrastructure, and protocol projects.

• Landing at Tap Protocol and driving growth.

[00:04:00] What is Tap Protocol?

• Solving Bitcoin’s smart contract limitations by using L1 co-processors.

• Bringing advanced programmability, DeFi, and ownership to Bitcoin.

[00:07:00] Use Cases on Tap Protocol:

• Generative art, gaming, launchpads, AI agents, and more.

• Unique innovations like Digital Matter Theory (DMT).

[00:10:00] Marketing Strategies for Web3:

• Lessons from working with protocols and NFT projects.

• The importance of condensing complex ideas into bite-sized content.

• Why video content and community engagement are critical.

[00:14:00] Navigating Social Media:

• X (formerly Twitter) as the central hub for Web3.

• Expanding to TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms.

[00:19:00] Trends for 2025:

• The rise of DeFi and AI agents on Bitcoin.

• Stablecoin adoption as a backbone for future innovation.

[00:28:00] Opportunities for Builders:

• Developers can use familiar programming languages (Python, Rust).

• Grants, support, and community engagement for new projects.

[00:32:00] Closing Thoughts:

• Neil’s vision for Tap Protocol’s roadmap and their push for Bitcoin-native innovation.

• How developers and collaborators can join the journey.

  
  

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I chat with Raghu, Developer Relations Engineer at Kava.io and the driving force behind Hard.fun, an AI-powered meme coin launchpad.

We discuss:

• Meme Coin Ecosystem: How Hard.fun simplifies token creation and why community-driven meme coins thrive.

• AI in Web3: Kava’s plans for decentralized AI agents and models.

• Challenges and Growth: Educating meme coin creators, bridging liquidity gaps, and timing the market.

• Developer Support: Grants, incubations, and opportunities for builders on the Kava blockchain.

Whether you’re curious about launching a meme coin, leveraging AI in Web3, or exploring Kava’s ecosystem, this episode has it all.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Raghu and the conversation’s focus on Kava, Hard.fun, and the future of meme coins and decentralized AI.

[00:01:00] Raghu’s Journey into Web3:

• From finance and tech to blockchain development.

• Transitioning into Developer Relations at Kava.io.

[00:04:00] What is Hard.fun?

• An AI-powered meme coin launchpad governed by Kava’s HARD token.

• Simplifying meme coin creation and governance.

[00:07:00] Differentiators of Hard.fun:

• Combining AI and blockchain for seamless user experiences.

• Decentralized governance and liquidity support for meme coins.

[00:12:00] Kava’s Decentralized AI Initiative:

• Developing decentralized AI models and agents.

• Plans for launching AI-powered solutions by 2025.

[00:16:00] Challenges for Meme Coin Creators:

• Educating founders about bonding curves, liquidity, and market dynamics.

• The importance of community and narrative in meme coin success.

[00:22:00] Developer Opportunities on Kava:

• Kava Rise: Grants for developers based on TVL.

• Incubation programs for dApps and meme coins.

[00:27:00] Future Plans for Hard.fun:

• Expanding cross-chain compatibility via Stargate.

• Attracting users from other blockchain communities.

[00:29:00] Closing Thoughts:

• The importance of timing the market and embracing multi-chain ecosystems.

• Raghu’s advice: “Web3 is all about building—don’t stop innovating.”

  
  

Connect

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I interview Diana De Morais, founder of Prospherious, a crypto payment gateway on a mission to bring mass adoption to Web3.

We discuss:

• The Current Crypto Payment Landscape: Why existing solutions fall short of driving adoption.

• Prospherious’ Approach: Mimicking traditional payment systems like Visa to create a user-friendly crypto payment experience.

• Challenges in Building a Startup: Insights on being a female founder in a male-dominated industry.

• Future Vision: Launching the MVP, navigating MiCA regulations, and making crypto payments seamless for businesses and users.

If you’re curious about the future of crypto payments or how to make Web3 accessible to everyone, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Diana and the episode’s focus on simplifying crypto payments and driving Web3 mass adoption.

[00:01:00] What is Prospherious?

• A B2B crypto payment gateway designed to mimic traditional payment flows.

• Solving pain points for businesses and users in crypto transactions.

[00:03:00] The Problem with Crypto Payments:

• Complex user flows, lack of education among merchants, and minimal user demand.

• Why simplicity and user-friendly interfaces are key to mass adoption.

[00:05:00] How Prospherious Works:

• A payment gateway resembling fiat systems for seamless crypto transactions.

• Real-time settlement for merchants and reduced transaction fees.

[00:08:00] The Impact of Stablecoins:

• Addressing volatility concerns for merchants and enabling smooth transactions.

• The role of stablecoins in driving crypto adoption globally.

[00:13:00] Diana’s Journey into Web3:

• Starting in crypto in 2014 and transitioning from traditional payments to blockchain.

• Lessons learned from working with early crypto payment gateways.

[00:16:00] Overcoming Challenges:

• Tackling biases as a female founder in the Web3 space.

• Fundraising plans for 2025 and building a scalable ecosystem.

[00:20:00] Insights from the Market:

• Why many businesses still struggle with crypto adoption.

• The importance of educating merchants and simplifying backend processes.

[00:26:00] Call to Action:

• Prospherious is seeking merchants for MVP testing, legal advisors in Europe, and funding partners for its next round.

  
  

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In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I interview Eneko, co-founder of Stabolut, live from the Emergence Conference in Prague. Stabolut is pioneering the next generation of stablecoins, launching USB, a fully decentralized, crypto-backed stablecoin that eliminates reliance on traditional financial systems.

We discuss:

• The Problem with Traditional Stablecoins: Why reliance on banks and treasuries undermines decentralization.

• How USB Works: A crypto-backed, delta-neutral strategy that ensures USD stability.

• Future Roadmap: Plans to launch in Q1 2025, expand into new currencies, and develop a complete money transfer ecosystem.

• Challenges and Trends: The impact of institutional adoption and the growing scrutiny of stablecoins by governments.

Eneko also shares his entrepreneurial journey, from early Bitcoin meetups to building a crypto-native financial system.

If you’re interested in the evolution of stablecoins and decentralized finance, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Eneko and the topic of stablecoins, recorded live at the Emergence Conference in Prague.

[00:01:00] Eneko’s Background:

• From web hosting to mobile gaming to crypto entrepreneurship.

• Early exposure to Bitcoin in 2011 and its transformative impact.

[00:02:00] What is Stabolut?

• Why the world needs an alternative to bank-dependent stablecoins like USDT and USDC.

• Introduction to USB, a stablecoin backed entirely by crypto assets.

[00:04:00] How USB Works:

• Explaining the delta-neutral strategy that keeps USB pegged to the US dollar.

• Why USB remains stable regardless of crypto price volatility.

[00:07:00] Challenges in Building USB:

• Overcoming skepticism about a new stablecoin model.

• Competing with well-established stablecoins in a global market.

[00:09:00] Roadmap and Vision:

• Launching USB in Q1 2025.

• Building a money transfer ecosystem with mobile apps for emerging markets.

• Expanding into other currencies like EUR.

[00:13:00] Global Trends in Stablecoins:

• The role of stablecoins in countries with hyperinflation.

• Potential regulatory challenges as stablecoins grow in adoption.

[00:16:00] Institutional Adoption:

• How validation from players like BlackRock is transforming crypto.

• Predictions for institutional investments in 2025.

[00:19:00] Call to Action:

• Stabolut’s focus on hiring top talent and raising funds to support its growth.

• Building partnerships to scale and promote USB globally.

  
  

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