Blockcast

Justin Wang, CEO of Capital Layer, a Taiwan-based stablecoin infrastructure provider helping banks integrate stablecoin rails into their existing systems, joins the show this week, arguing that the next wave of stablecoin adoption in Asia will be led by banks rather than crypto-native platforms. He walks through why Taiwan's regulatory shift and manufacturing base make it a proving ground for that thesis.

Wang traces his path from an early crypto payments startup in Singapore to founding Capital Layer roughly a year ago, now serving four banks across Taiwan and Japan with plans to expand to six or seven by year end. He explains why global custody vendors have struggled to localize for Asian banking infrastructure, and why he believes trust in banks, not wallets, will shape how retail and corporate users adopt stablecoins.

The conversation also covers Taiwan's newly passed virtual asset act and its 2027 compliance deadline, why 18 to 20 of Taiwan's 38 banks have already applied for stablecoin licenses, and how Taiwan's dominance in AI hardware manufacturing is creating a new corridor for stablecoin payments between device makers and their global suppliers.

Hosted by Takatoshi Shibayama, Head of APAC at Ledger, with co-host Lisa J. Tan, CEO of Economics Design.

Everything discussed on this episode is not investment, financial, or relationship advice.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

Hosted by Takatoshi Shibayama of Ledger with co-host Lisa J. Tan of Economics Design, joined this week by Timothy Han of Blockhead, this episode of Licensed to Shill breaks down the Ethereum Foundation's proposal to cut staking yield and asks whether trimming the rate solves anything if ETH still has nowhere productive to go.

More than a third of ETH's supply is staked with providers like Lido, and the Foundation wants to prevent liquid-staking concentration while protecting non-stakers from dilution. The proposed cut would take yield from around 3% down to roughly 1.2%.

The panel brings the macro lens, comparing the move to central bank rate cuts and, more pointedly, to Japan's decades of near-zero rates without a productive outlet for capital. Lisa says Ethereum risks the same fate: capital parked with nothing to do.

Timothy Han noted ETH's original design as "internet money" for a network economy that never fully materialized, arguing the token still lacks a use case beyond staking and trading despite anchoring roughly 90% of DeFi activity.

The conversation also covers the migration of trading liquidity to layer-2s and chains like Solana, whether Ethereum's core developers are fairly compensated, and a broader debate about shifting crypto's value framework from consumption to production.

Everything discussed on this episode is not investment, financial, or relationship advice.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

Jeannie Lim, co-founder and head of growth at stablecoin payments startup Xweave, argues that stablecoin adoption is not happening where most of the industry looks for it. Retail use is negligible, she says. The real growth is in institutional treasury settlement and person-to-person remittance among people the banking system has never reached.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

Stablecoins were phase one. Tokenized RWAs were phase two. Ben Nadareski, CEO and founder of Solstice, joins Taka and Lisa to make the case for phase three: tokenized yield – professional-grade yield strategies, on chain, accessible to institutions and retail investors through the same infrastructure.

Ben breaks down how Solstice built a $500 million liquidity protocol on Solana, why they run their delta-neutral strategy on centralised exchanges instead of DeFi protocols, and what a four-and-a-half year trading track record actually looks like when you bring it on chain.

The conversation also covers the recent wave of DeFi exploits – including the Drift hack and Kelp DAO – and why Ben thinks the problem isn't DeFi itself, but protocols that treat security as a tech problem rather than a financial management one. He walks through the three due diligence checks every DeFi investor should run before depositing capital, from proof-of-reserves attestations to multi-sig configurations.

Plus: why Solstice launched its SLX governance token only after the business was already profitable, what Lisa looks for when advising early-stage protocols, and Ben's take on why the Solana Foundation is outperforming its L1 peers right now.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

CoinEx's Jeff Ko joins the Licensed to Shill panel to discuss the current state of crypto, institutional adoption, cybersecurity, and infrastructural challenges. THe panel shares their insights on how traditional finance is converging with crypto, the importance of fixing industry vulnerabilities, and the role of Web2 in driving Web3 adoption.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

Colin Goltra, CEO of Morph, joins hosts Takatoshi Shibayama and Lisa JY Tan, alongside co-host Nikhil Joshi (CEO, Emurgo), to discuss agentic commerce, stablecoin payment infrastructure, and what it means for an AI agent to transact independently of its human creator.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

This episode digs into what actually happens after a protocol says it’s “decentralized.” Not the whitepaper version. The operational version.

Tanisha Katara joins Taka, Lisa J.Y. Tan, and Nikhil Joshi to unpack how governance works once real money, real validators, and real incentives are involved. The conversation moves from academic theory to validator wealth concentration, then into AI agents negotiating with each other inside governance systems.

Connect with Tanisha Katara:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

The Middle East is poised to become a pivotal hub in the global cryptocurrency ecosystem. Countries within the region are increasingly recognizing the strategic importance of integrating blockchain technology into their economic frameworks, energy markets, and geopolitical strategies, according to Lara Eggimann and Jeff Gorman, co-founders of Bitcoin Arabia, a strategic Bitcoin advisory and ecosystem builder that connects the global Bitcoin industry with the Middle East’s most powerful stakeholders.

From the regulatory shifts in Bahrain and the UAE to the energy-driven mining initiatives in Saudi Arabia and Oman, regional leadership seems committed to exploring blockchain's potential. As sovereigns and private players align their visions, expect the Middle East to be at the forefront of decentralizing power, safeguarding national assets, and pioneering new financial paradigms.

The panel also explores the regulatory environment in various GCC countries, the potential for Bitcoin mining, and the implications of a multipolar world on global economics. The conversation highlights the unique challenges and opportunities within the region, emphasizing the importance of energy and regulatory frameworks in shaping the future of digital assets.

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

Licensed to Shill opens 2026 with a forward-looking conversation on the forces shaping the next phase of digital assets.

Takatoshi Shibayama (Head of APAC, Ledger), Nikhil Joshi (COO, Emurgo), and Lisa JY Tan (Founder & Managing Director, Economics Design) share their expectations for the year ahead – where crypto infrastructure is maturing, where speculation is giving way to utility, and where new risks are emerging.

They dig into the rise of stablecoins, AI-driven payments and customer service, and how personalization is reshaping consumer expectations. The discussion moves through regulation and compliance across jurisdictions, the impact of US policy shifts, and the growing importance of financial literacy as financial services become increasingly retail and software-driven.

Real-world assets, prediction markets, NFTs beyond the hype cycle, and the role of SMEs in pushing practical adoption all feature as the panel weighs what’s likely to matter – and what’s likely to fade – in 2026.

Chapters

04:49 – Geopolitical Implications of Stablecoins

12:45 – The Role of Money in a Tech-Driven World

17:13 – Taxation and Non-Fiat Currency

22:37 – Service Differentiation in a Tech-Driven Market

31:06 – Financial Literacy and Education

37:11 – Regulatory Challenges in Asset Tokenization

50:17 – The Future of Prediction Markets

01:00:30 – The Clarity Act and Its Implications

01:11:38 – The Future of NFTs: Comeback and Utility?

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].

In this episode of Blockcast, Takatoshi Shibayama interviews Marc Liu, the head of APAC for Jito Foundation. They discuss Mark's career journey from working at Ripple to his current role at Jito Foundation, exploring the evolution of payment systems and the transformative impact of blockchain technology. 

Key topics include the role of stablecoins, the challenges of cross-border payments, and the future of decentralized finance.

• Chapters:
  • Introduction to Mark Liu
  • Career Journey from Ripple to Jito
  • Blockchain's Impact on Payments
  • The Role of Stablecoins
  • Challenges in Cross-Border Payments
  • Decentralized Finance and the Future
  • Jito Foundation's Contributions to Solana

More at Blockhead.co and join us on Telegram to stay up to date with the latest news.

🎙️ Hey there, Blockcast listeners! 🎙️ This podcast provides commentary and discussion on cryptocurrency and related topics. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Guests appearing on this podcast may discuss companies or strategies, but these discussions are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any particular asset or pursue any specific strategy. The hosts and guests are not financial advisors, and listeners are urged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Investments in cryptocurrency are inherently risky, and you could lose money.

Reach us at [email protected].