On March 26, 2025, Collider. VC hosted Building Blocks 2025, as part of ETH TLV. Our host, Yitzy Hammer was invited to come and interview guests and speakers.

Youval Rouach is CEO and Co-Founder of Bits of Gold, one of Israel's leading crypto currency exchanges and also of BILS, the first Israeli-shekel backed stablecoin, to be issued by Bits of Gold.

Tigran Gambaryan⁠ spent 8 months in grueling conditions in a Nigerian prison. But that’s not what made him famous.

Episode 52 of Beyond the Code dives into Tigran’s incredible journey. For those of you who don’t know, Tigran started off as an IRS special agent, where he used a simple Excel spreadsheet to reverse engineer the Bitcoin blockchain and track major crypto criminals such as those responsible for the Mt. Gox hack, Welcome to Video, Alpha Bay and Silk Road —earning him the nickname, “the man who broke Bitcoin”. After a decade in Government law enforcement, Tigran took up a pivotal role at Binance leading their financial crimes unit and fostering global regulatory ties. Tigran’s story is one of innovation and grit, as chronicled in Andy Greenberg’s Tracers in the Dark. 

But things took a turn for the worse for Tigran when he made a trip to Nigeria last February and what was supposed to be a simple training session spiraled into detention, interrogation, and bribes and imprisonment, exposing systemic corruption. After 8 grueling months in Nigeria’s Kuje prison, through media pressure and U.S. diplomatic efforts, Tigran’s release was finally secured and thankfully he is now home with his family. 

Links to videos and articles:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Caa4X7GqTkQ 

https://www.wired.com/story/tigran-gambaryan-us-congress-resolution-hostage-nigeria/

https://fmino.gov.ng/disregard-falsehoods-being-peddled-by-tigran-gambaryan-against-nigerian-government-officials-fg/

https://www.wired.com/story/tigran-gambaryan-us-congress-resolution-hostage-nigeria/

https://www.cryptotimes.io/2025/02/14/nigeria-used-binance-as-scapegoat-wanted-150-million-bribe-tigran-gambaryan/ 

https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1832182160918503643 

For those interested, you can buy Andy Greenberg's book, Tracers in the Dark, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/3umNV17If you want to do it right (chronologically), start with Nick Bilton's book, American Kingpin (https://a.co/d/hTRVY2C), which tells the story of Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road. These books are imperative to understanding how the space migrated from basically a hub for libertarians, Cypher punks and criminals, into what it is today.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tigran-gambaryan-0852679a/ 
X: https://x.com/TigranGambaryan

In Episode 51 of Beyond the Code, host Yitzy Hammer welcomes Eran Lahav, Co-Founder and CEO of First Read, an AI-powered legal tech platform designed to revolutionize how lawyers draft, review, and manage legal documents. In this insightful conversation, Eran shares his journey from accounting and finance to launching a cutting-edge AI tool for lawyers that improves efficiency and streamlines legal workflows.

Throughout the episode, Yitzy and Eran discuss the growing role of AI in legal services, exploring how tools like First Read are helping lawyers save time without compromising data security. Eran explains how First Read's SOC 2 certification ensures client data remains protected and why privacy concerns have been a major challenge in the adoption of AI for legal professionals.

The episode also explores the future of legal tech, with Eran revealing exciting plans for First Read's AI capabilities, including personalized features that adapt to individual lawyers' writing styles and preferences. As AI in law firms continues to expand, Eran emphasizes the importance of precision, customization, and understanding the unique needs of legal professionals.

For listeners eager to try First Read, a special discount code — byndthecode10 — is available for a limited time.

In this episode ofBeyond the Code, Yitzy sits down with financial planner andBlue & White Finance co-founderNadav Ellinson to tackle one of the most debated questions in investing:How much Bitcoin (or crypto) should be in your portfolio (if any)?

We discuss:

✅ The risks and rewards of allocating crypto in a long-term portfolio;

✅Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) vs. Bulk Buying—which strategy works best?

✅Bitcoin vs. ETFs—Should you hold your own crypto or go the traditional route?

✅ The apocalyptic scenario where Nadav (sort of) admits Bitcoin might save you.

This episode is packed with insights for both crypto enthusiasts and skeptics alike. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just crypto-curious, don’t miss this one!

🔗FollowNadav Ellinson &Blue and White Finance for more information on smart financial decision-making. 

Episode Summary:

In this milestone 50th episode of Beyond the Code, host Yitzy Hammer sits down with Amanda Wick, CEO and founder of the Association for Women in Crypto, for an expansive conversation that goes far beyond the blockchain. Amanda shares her incredible journey—from her days as a federal prosecutor tackling early crypto crimes to her pivotal role in the January 6th Committee’s financial investigation, and now leading a global movement to empower women in Web3. Together, Yitzy and Amanda explore the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, the systemic challenges women face in tech, and the broader forces shaping the new world financial order—topics central to her upcoming book, The Catalysts. Expect candid insights, sharp reflections on government inefficiency, and a compelling case for why Web3 is about more than just "crypto bros." Plus, Yitzy drops an exciting announcement about his law firm’s latest hires!

Show Notes:

• (00:00) Introduction: Yitzy welcomes Amanda Wick to celebrate Episode 50 and dives into her multifaceted career.

• (01:54) Gender Dynamics in Crypto: Amanda challenges stereotypes and discusses the "motherhood penalty" impacting women’s careers, drawing from Nobel Prize-winning research.

• (05:16) From Jersey to Justice: Amanda recounts her path from aspiring FBI agent to federal prosecutor, shaped by a post-9/11 pivot.

• (12:22) Crypto’s Criminal Roots: Amanda shares her first encounter with Bitcoin in 2012 as a money laundering prosecutor and how blockchain analytics transformed the industry.

• (20:07) Chainalysis & Beyond: Transitioning from government to the private sector, Amanda reflects on her time at Chainalysis and the power of marketing in tech.

• (35:00) January 6th Insights: Amanda offers a raw perspective on the Capitol attack’s financial investigation and its broader implications.

• (46:28) Founding the Association for Women in Crypto: Learn how Amanda built a global nonprofit from a laptop, fostering education, networking, and advocacy.

• (1:04:28) The Catalysts Unveiled: Amanda previews her book, The Catalysts: The Accelerating Forces Forging the New World Financial Order, a 360-degree look at global finance and societal shifts.

• (1:14:17) Inspiring Women in Crypto: Amanda highlights three trailblazers—Michelle Gitlitz, Carol House, and Bullish Dumpling—who’ve shaped her journey.

• (1:21:06) Yitzy’s Big Announcement: Yitzy reveals his crypto law firm’s first hires—two accomplished women joining the team!

Guest Links:

• Amanda Wick: LinkedIn | X

• Association for Women in Crypto: Website

• Pre-order The Catalysts: AmandaWick.com ( launching soon) or Amazon Kindle (available early May 2025).

Connect with Beyond the Code:

• Subscribe for weekly episodes on YouTube and Spotify!

• Follow Yitzy on X/Twitter, at https://x.com/ijhammer, for updates.

• Join our Telegram community: https://t.me/byndthecode

In Episode 49 of Beyond the Code, Bentzi Rabi, CEO of Utila, shares his fascinating journey from an Israeli intelligence unit to founding an enterprise-grade crypto operations platform. Discover how a chance encounter at a Bitcoin embassy chess club sparked his crypto passion, leading him to challenge giants like Fireblocks with Utila’s focus on flexibility, on-chain innovation, and stablecoin payments. Bentzi reflects on navigating a volatile market, keeping the fire alive through crypto winters, and his vision for a maturing digital asset landscape.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentzi-rabi/ 

https://x.com/bentzzi 

https://utila.io/ 

Last week, Yitzy attended Coindesk's premier event in Hong Kong, #ConsensusHK, where he livestreamed Beyond the Code episodes with leading innovators in the blockchain arena (more on that in the coming weeks).

This week, Yitzy is back with the 48th episode of BTC!

In this episode, Yitzy connects with Dr. Jimmie Lenz, a trailblazer in the crypto space and FinTech educator at Duke University. They explore Dr. Lenz’s remarkable journey from traditional finance to pioneering blockchain applications in academia, discussing innovations like soulbound tokens, the tokenization of real-world assets, and income share agreements. The conversation also touches on the challenges of regulatory compliance, the evolving role of AI, and generational shifts in work ethics, offering listeners practical insights into the future of digital assets and financial innovation.

About Our Guest. Dr. Jimmie Lenz is the Director of the Master of Engineering in Financial Technology and Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity at Duke University and the Frank and Irene Salerno Visiting Professor of Financial Economics.   Lenz also leads the Digital Asset Research and Engineering Collaborative (DAREC) at Duke University.  Jimmie is an experienced executive, lecturer, and scholar in the fields of FinTech, Risk Management and Capital Markets.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmie-lenz-5a80485/ 

X: https://x.com/jimmie_lenz 

Web: https://www.jimmiehlenz.com/bio

Coffee & Crypto Podcast with Lee and Jimmie: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yxDPqe6ZNwMqG8BT0PwQt?si=533bd4581a69481f 
DA@D - https://www.digitalassetsatduke.org/

In this episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy sits down with Tom Teman from the Ethereum Foundation to explore his path from early crypto days to shaping the future of wallets through account abstraction. Tom details his journey founding Portis, getting acquired by ShapeShift, and eventually joining Kraken—before landing at the Ethereum Foundation. He dives deep into ERC-4337, explaining how it revolutionizes wallet design by improving key management, enabling flexible recovery, and letting users pay gas with any token. Along the way, Tom shares candid insights into the Ethereum Foundation’s unique structure, the culture shifts he’s seen in big crypto companies, and why making crypto more user-friendly is the key to mainstream adoption. Whether you’re a builder, investor, or newcomer to web3, this conversation is packed with behind-the-scenes intel on how Ethereum is evolving from the inside out.

https://x.com/tomteman

In this special episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy Hammer welcomes back Jonathan Caras for a lively discussion on the rise of meme coins and their impact on the crypto landscape. From the evolution of token issuance—Bitcoin, ICOs, DeFi Summer—to the chaotic yet fascinating world of meme tokens like $TRUMP Coin and $MELANIA Token, Jonathan unpacks how these tokens sidestep traditional expectations and regulatory hurdles. Together, they explore the cultural and community-driven value of memes, the role of innovation versus speculation, and what this new era of crypto might mean for the industry’s future. Tune in for sharp insights and a touch of humor on one of the most unexpected trends in Web3!

In this episode, Yitzy sits down with Eylon Aviv, a partner at Collider.VC, Israel’s leading crypto-centric venture capital fund. Eylon shares his journey from early days at tech unicorn IronSource to becoming a driving force in Israel’s crypto ecosystem. We discussed Eylon’s investment thesis, the unique challenges and opportunities of being a crypto-focused VC, and the innovative ways the fund supports startups in Israel and beyond. Eylon offers candid insights into the future of Web3, the importance of community, and how Israel’s tech DNA is shaping its role in the global crypto space.

Tune in for a lively discussion packed with practical advice, thoughtful reflections, and a sneak peek into Building Blocks 2.0.