Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase, explores the company’s expanding role in decentralized finance (DeFi), highlighting the launch of Bitcoin-backed USDC loans through Morpho and Coinbase’s broader efforts to integrate DeFi solutions. He explains how Coinbase is working to connect centralized finance (CeFi) with DeFi by incorporating decentralized protocols while prioritizing security and regulatory compliance. Robinson also discusses the introduction of cbBTC as an alternative to WBTC, the company’s approach to multi-chain development, and its plans for further DeFi integrations. Additionally, he addresses ongoing debates about Ethereum Layer 2 networks and their impact on the main chain, emphasizing the importance of improved cross-chain interoperability. He also provides insights into Coinbase’s asset listing process, the role of meme coins in the crypto ecosystem, and the company’s broader mission to support a more open and accessible financial system.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro: Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase

00:45 - Coinbase’s expanding role in DeFi

01:16 - Bitcoin-backed USDC loans powered by Morpho

02:34 - How Coinbase enables BTC holders to access liquidity

05:15 - Risks involved in Bitcoin-backed loans

08:58 - Liquidation risks and loan-to-value ratios

11:13 - Early demand and adoption of the product

13:15 - cbBTC vs. WBTC: Why Coinbase launched its own Bitcoin wrapper

18:47 - How cbBTC is issued and traded

21:36 - Coinbase’s approach to self-custody and wallets

24:07 - The role of Coinbase Wallet in bridging CeFi and DeFi

27:31 - Coinbase’s long-term DeFi strategy and future integrations

29:50 - Will DeFi become a mainstream part of traditional finance?

33:51 - Coinbase’s evolution from exchange to financial institution

34:34 - The rise of Base: How Coinbase grew its Layer 2

38:28 - Are Layer 2s parasitic to Ethereum?

49:08 - The role of meme coins in crypto and Coinbase’s listing process

54:20 - The future of on-chain finance and economic freedom

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Bill Barhydt, Founder and CEO of Abra, discusses the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency markets and investment strategies in this week's The Defiant Podcast. He attributes Bitcoin’s price movements to macroeconomic factors, including U.S. monetary policy and liquidity cycles, and notes a growing trend of companies holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets. Barhydt also examines Ethereum’s scalability challenges and the increasing role of DeFi in financial systems, suggesting that decentralized infrastructure could eventually become the standard for banking. Additionally, he expresses optimism about potential regulatory clarity in the U.S., particularly regarding stablecoins and digital asset classifications.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Bill Barhydt & Abra

00:48 - Barhydt’s Background in Crypto & Finance

02:23 - How Abra Manages Crypto Wealth

05:45 - Bitcoin Loans & Prime Brokerage Explained

10:10 - Crypto Market Volatility & Macroeconomic Factors

13:24 - Bitcoin Dominance & Altcoin Cycles

18:11 - Solana vs. Ethereum: Market Trends & Adoption

24:29 - U.S. Crypto Regulations & Policy Predictions

36:05 - Trump’s Crypto Involvement

39:04 - Institutional Interest in Bitcoin & ETFs

50:18 - The Future of DeFi & Traditional Banking

52:14 - Barhydt’s Price Predictions

54:12 - Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

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Kain Warwick, founder of Synthetix and Infinex, discusses the evolution of DeFi and the trade-offs required to improve user experience while maintaining decentralization. He explains how Infinex aims to offer a more accessible, centralized exchange-like interface while remaining non-custodial, addressing long-standing UX challenges in DeFi. Warwick also reflects on Synthetix’s recent governance restructuring, competition from Hyperliquid, and the potential shift back to a stablecoin-focused model. Looking ahead, he highlights the importance of regulatory clarity, improved infrastructure, and greater accessibility in driving the next phase of DeFi growth.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Kain Warwick

00:15 - Kain’s history in DeFi

01:26 - Motivation behind Infinex and staying in crypto

02:21 - Challenges of bull and bear markets

05:55 - The idea behind Infinex and UX innovation

08:40 - Trade-offs in building a user-friendly DeFi platform

17:05 - Passkeys and the seamless user experience

24:26 - Adoption metrics and user growth

26:51 - Future roadmap: Bitcoin, XRP, and Doge integration

33:08 - The Patron NFT sale: Lessons learned

37:19 - Synthetix updates: Governance and structural changes

39:27 - The role of attention in crypto success

47:50 - Synthetix’s stablecoin pivot and liquidity strategy

51:14 - Differentiating Synthetix’s stablecoin from others

54:03 - Avoiding the pitfalls of past algo stablecoins

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Preston Van Loon, an Ethereum core developer, joins The Defiant Podcast this week to discuss his role as a plaintiff in the high-profile Tornado Cash lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He described how the sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash impacted legitimate users seeking privacy on Ethereum and underscored the significance of a recent appellate court ruling questioning whether smart contracts qualify as “property” under U.S. sanctions law. Van Loon also noted the possibility of a friendlier regulatory environment in the United States, suggesting that changing policy stances could spur crypto innovation. Finally, he addressed ongoing discussions within the Ethereum community about development priorities, governance structures, and the challenges of maintaining a decentralized protocol as the ecosystem grows.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Background

01:15 - What is Tornado Cash?

04:00 - Why Tornado Cash Was Sanctioned

06:45 - Filing the Lawsuit

09:50 - Court Ruling and Implications

14:00 - Next Steps in the Legal Case

18:00 - Privacy Rights and Crypto

24:00 - Impact on Builders and Industry

34:00 - Ethereum's Role and Future Challenges

50:00 - Community Feedback and Leadership

55:00 - Closing Remarks

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Sam Kazemian, founder of Frax Finance, outlined the development and goals of FraxUSD, a decentralized stablecoin designed to integrate with both traditional finance and decentralized ecosystems. The upgraded FraxUSD offers redeemability through custodians like BlackRock and SuperState while providing competitive yields through diversified strategies. Kazemian described Frax’s broader vision as building a digital economy anchored by its flagship stablecoin and Fraxstool, a high-performance Ethereum Layer 2.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:48 - Founding Story and Differentiation of Frax

02:01 - Vision for Decentralized Stablecoins

02:41 - Features of FraxUSD

08:51 - Best of Both Worlds Design for FraxUSD

13:08 - Future of Stablecoins

23:05 - Yield Strategy of FraxUSD

34:16 - FraxUSD in Real World and On-Chain Usage

42:02 - Stablecoins as the Gateway to Crypto

47:12 - Roadmap and Future of Frax

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Zhouxun Yin, the Co-Founder of Magic Eden, joins The Defiant Podcast to discuss the evolution of one of the largest NFT marketplaces. In this episode, he shares the story behind Magic Eden’s founding, their decision to focus on Solana early on, and their multi-chain expansion strategy. Z dives into the challenges of navigating the bear market, enforcing royalties, and launching a token to unite their ecosystem. He also explores the future of NFTs, their integration with AI, and Magic Eden's ambitious shift toward becoming an all-encompassing on-chain trading platform.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:30 - Founding Magic Eden

03:40 - Surviving FTX and Solana’s Challenges

07:20 - Navigating the NFT Bear Market

12:00 - The Bitcoin Ordinals Bet

16:00 - Multi-Chain Expansion

24:30 - Launching the $ME Token

32:00 - Addressing Airdrop Challenges

46:50 - The Royalty Debate

54:10 - Long-Term Vision for NFTs

01:03:00 - On-Chain Trading and Future Goals

01:10:35 - Closing Thoughts

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Sandy Peng, co-founder of Scroll, tells us the journey of building one of the most anticipated Ethereum Layer 2s, their focus on ZK rollups for scalability, and the unique value proposition of high security, decentralization, and low costs. Sandy discusses Scroll's transition from general purpose chain design to supporting specific use cases driven by ecosystem builders and founders. They explore challenges and lessons from Scroll's recent token airdrop, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, equitable distribution, and fostering a vibrant community. Sandy highlights the Scroll Open initiative and their long-term vision to create a thriving "city" for innovation and talent in the blockchain space.

Chapters

00:00 - Sandy Peng on Scroll's Rise

00:30 - Scroll’s Evolution and 2025 Vision

01:30 - The Founding Story of Scroll

02:30 - Why ZK Rollups?

04:00 - Scroll's Unique Edge in the L2 Space

07:00 - Transition to Use Case-Specific Chains

09:00 - Scroll's Vision for Builders and Founders

11:00 - Sub-Cent Costs and High Security Explained

15:00 - Decentralization: Scroll’s Progress and Plans

20:00 - Governance and the Role of Scroll Tokens

25:00 - Airdrop Lessons and Community Feedback

35:00 - Reflections on Token Distribution Trends

46:00 - Layer 2s and Ethereum’s Value Narrative

50:00 - Scroll Open: Building the Future Economy

58:00 - Scroll's Big Picture Vision

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Johann Kerbrat is the Vice President and General Manager of Robinhood Crypto, leading the charge in bringing crypto to millions of retail investors. In this episode, Johann shares the journey of Robinhood Crypto, from its early days of launching in 2018 to its recent innovations, including staking, self-custody wallets, and a potential shift towards a full-fledged crypto exchange. He discusses how Robinhood is leveraging blockchain to enhance efficiency, lower costs, and expand access to financial instruments.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:14 - History of Robinhood Crypto

01:23 - Why Robinhood Added Crypto

02:42 - Robinhood's Perspective on Crypto

07:12 - How Robinhood Monetizes Crypto

12:31 - Competing with Crypto Exchanges

14:22 - Token Listing Strategy

16:53 - Balancing Features and Asset Expansion

18:17 - Staking in the EU and Regulatory Concerns

21:22 - Staking Demand and Customer Education

24:08 - Robinhood Wallet Features

27:23 - Self-Custody Wallet Metrics

28:49 - Meme Stock Frenzy and Decentralized Trading

31:42 - Blockchain for Settlement and Efficiency

39:08 - Marketplace vs. Exchange Transition

41:49 - Upcoming Milestones for Robinhood Crypto

43:19 - Market Trends and Future Vision

44:49 - Long-Term Vision for Robinhood Crypto

46:00 - Closing Remarks

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In this episode, Dimitry Gusakov, Community Staking Lead at Lido, discusses the protocol’s efforts to enhance decentralization and accessibility in Ethereum staking. He explains the launch of the Community Staking Module, which lowers barriers for individual validators while addressing concerns about centralization within the Ethereum ecosystem. The conversation also explores potential impacts of proposed Ethereum staking changes and Lido’s roadmap for further decentralization in 2025. Tune in to gain insights into the evolving landscape of liquid staking and its role in securing Ethereum.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:14 - What is Lido and Liquid Staking?

02:20 - Liquid Staking Use Cases in DeFi

05:33 - Addressing Centralization Concerns in Lido

08:25 - Community Staking Module: Decentralization Efforts

10:49 - Requirements to Become a Home Validator

13:26 - Rewards and Entry Barriers for Home Validators

16:12 - Hardware Setup for Validators

23:39 - Socialized Rewards and Offline Allowances

26:38 - Higher Rewards for Running a Node

34:23 - Impact of CSM on Lido’s Decentralization

41:13 - Ethereum Security and the Importance of Decentralization

52:19 - Ethereum Issuance Proposal: Implications for Lido

01:06:07 - Future Developments for Lido in 2025

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In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake dives deep into the Beam Chain proposal, a transformative upgrade aimed at accelerating Ethereum’s roadmap and enhancing its consensus layer. Justin explains how the Beam Chain would incorporate key innovations like SNARK proofs, quantum security, and single-slot finality to boost decentralization, security, and scalability. He also discusses incremental upgrades like staking caps and pre-confirmations, which aim to improve Ethereum’s performance and user experience in the near term. The conversation explores Ethereum’s competition with Solana and Bitcoin, highlighting how Ethereum’s long-term focus on robustness and scalability positions it to thrive as the foundational layer for the decentralized internet.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Justin Drake

01:03 - What is the Beam Chain?

02:41 - Why Ethereum Needs Acceleration

05:06 - Lessons from the Merge for the Beam Chain

07:06 - Solving Ethereum’s Technical Debt

15:58 - Faster Confirmation Times

18:11 - Pre-confirmations in Ethereum

24:14 - Layer 1 and Layer 2 Pre-confirmations

30:41 - Big Ticket Changes in the Beam Chain

31:04 - Snarkification of Consensus Layer

33:31 - Single Slot Finality

39:00 - Trustless Bridges Between Blockchains

49:00 - Native Rollups and Execution Sharding

54:04 - Ethereum vs. Solana on Performance

01:10:00 - Near-Term Upgrades to Watch For

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