In this episode of WuBlockchain Podcast, Sam MacPherson, co-founder of Phoenix Labs, shares how Spark has evolved from a DeFi lending protocol into a capital allocator managing nearly $4B across DeFi, CeFi, and RWA. He explains the Spark Liquidity Layer's role in optimizing yield--especially through tokenized U.S. Treasuries--while maintaining a 25% cash reserve to ensure stability. Sam discusses the platform's modular governance via the Sky-Star system, its push into the APAC market, and the upcoming SPK token launch for staking and governance. Transparency and on-chain auditability remain Spark's core strengths over traditional finance. Text summary

Timeline:

00:00 Opening & Brief Intro

01:40 Transition from Lending Protocol to Diversified Capital Allocator

03:26 Strategic Logic Behind the $1 Billion Tokenized Treasury Deployment

04:36 Market Conditions That Informed Timing of RWA Investment

06:06 Reconciling DeFi Decentralization with Centralized Custodians

07:48 Target Return Profile and Outperforming Treasury Yields

08:55 Reinvesting in Existing Treasury Partners and Negotiated Fees

09:30 Partner Selection Via Tokenization Grant Competition

10:28 Role of Tokenized Treasuries in Yield Stabilization

11:11 Competitive Advantage: Trust, Scale, and On-Chain Transparency

12:47 Liquidity Layer's Operation and Ecosystem Integrations

14:58 Managing Risk and Maintaining Yield Stability with High Cash Reserves

16:39 Protocol Resilience During Historical Market Crashes

17:38 Regulatory Compliance in RWA Interface and Protocol Design

18:51 Next RWA Target: Investment-Grade Corporate Debt

20:03 Community Outreach and Expansion Strategy in APAC

20:55 Modular Star System for Fast Governance and Scaling

22:23 Adapting to Macro Trends Like U.S. Interest Rate Shifts

23:47 Upcoming SPK Token Launch and Governance Utility

In this episode, Shardeum CTO Srinivasan Parthasarathy shares how Shardeum is building an auto-scaling Layer 1 blockchain using dynamic state sharding and a blockless transaction model. The architecture enables linear scalability while keeping node requirements low, offering a unique balance between performance and decentralization.

He also discusses lessons from testnet operations, key bug bounty findings, and the network's security approach, including a custom "Proof of Quorum" consensus that rotates node responsibilities every 60 seconds. As an open-source, community-driven project, Shardeum aims to launch its mainnet on May 5, with smart contract support and incentive programs to follow in a phased manner. Text summary

Timeline:

00:00 Intro & Shardeum overview

01:47 How does Shardeum scale while keeping node access low?

07:44 What are the trade-offs of this scaling design?

10:29 What did you learn from the incentivized testnets?

13:28 What critical bugs were found in the bounty programs?

15:15 How will you handle security after mainnet launch?

16:36 How is your RPC layer different from other EVM chains?

21:07 Will you continue audits and bug bounty programs?

22:19 How are you growing the community and ecosystem?

23:28 What projects are being built on Shardeum now?

26:28 How will the token be used for staking and governance?

30:19 How do you ensure transparency and independence?

31:58 When is mainnet launching and why is it significant?

33:41 How will you engage and grow the contributor base?

In this podcast, Jeff Garzik, who was involved in the early development of Bitcoin, shared significant events and development obstacles in Bitcoin's early days and his experiences working with Satoshi. He then focused on introducing Hemi, which combines the security of Bitcoin and the programmability of Ethereum. Hemi enhances its functionality through unique mechanisms and is expected to expand its market after financing. Jeff also shared his views on Hemi's relationship with other projects and the challenges it faces.

Timeline:

00:00 Opening and brief introduction

01:20 Early key events of Bitcoin

04:03 Early development difficulties of Bitcoin and their influence on current development

06:14 Experience of working with Satoshi and his decentralization concept

07:37 Satoshi's anonymity maintenance and unique Bitcoin development approach

09:21 Bitcoin's open-source development model and its fulfillment of expectations

10:26 Alignment of Bitcoin's development with Satoshi's vision

11:19 Current state of Bitcoin, ecosystem development and its relation with Layer 2 tools

12:33 Reasons for creating Hemi as a Bitcoin-Ethereum dual-chain solution

14:06 Debate on evolving Bitcoin core protocol or confining innovation to Layer 2

14:46 Origin of Hemi model: flaws in Bitcoin infrastructure?

15:53 Hemi's Proof of Proof mechanism and its enhancement of Bitcoin utility

17:14 Risks of the Proof of Proof mechanism

18:22 Role of Hemi Virtual Machine in Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems and its differences from other Layer 2 solutions

20:08 Relationship between Hemi and projects like Lightning and Stacks (competition or complement)

21:13 Hemi's interaction with existing infrastructure

22:22 Compatibility between EVM and Bitcoin and potential application scenarios

23:50 Hemi's financing and how partnerships aid its growth

25:23 Reasons for investors' choice to invest in Hemi

26:48 Non-financial support of Finance Lab for Hemi

27:21 Response to Bitcoin community's doubts about financed projects

28:51 Hemi's solutions for DeFi liquidity and scalability  

29:44 Key milestones to attract more liquidity with $1B TVL  

30:57 Testing phase insights for mainnet launch readiness  

32:37 Challenges in launch plan and ensuring smooth rollout  

33:41 Navigating regulations with Bitcoin security & Ethereum programmability  

35:30 Attracting institutional investors to BTC & ETH  

38:11 Bitcoin maximalism vs. multi-chain future--Hemi as a bridge

In this episode, we feature Jason Zhao, co-founder of Story, who delves into how Story leverages blockchain to transform IP management. Jason shares his background in AI and blockchain, explaining how Story converts IP into programmable assets. The platform addresses major issues in the traditional IP system, such as high costs, lack of transparency, and complex legal barriers. With the rapid growth of AI reshaping the IP landscape, Jason emphasizes that efficient IP management will become crucial for global industries. Story aims to serve as the foundational infrastructure for a global IP system and has already secured over $100 million in funding from investors like Stability AI and A16Z. 

Timeline:

00:00 Opening & Introduction

00:33 Jason's Background and Interest in Blockchain

01:43 Story's Vision: Bringing IP On-Chain

05:07 Why Address Modern IP Challenges

07:51 Issues with Traditional IP Infrastructure

10:17 How Story Enables a Global IP Framework

14:37 Funding Journey and A16Z's Support

18:20 Blockchain's Growing Influence on Global Institutions

21:23 Story's Technical Innovation and Market Opportunity

27:39 Core Technology: ERC-6551 Token-Bound Accounts

30:17 Cross-Chain and System Interoperability Plans

33:33 Mainnet Launch and Future Milestones

In this interview, Colin from WuBlockchain discussed the following topics with MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor, including: Will MicroStrategy continue acquiring Bitcoin indefinitely? Could MicroStrategy face risks in the future? How does he view the cyclical nature of cryptocurrencies and the potential upcoming bear market? Will MicroStrategy lend or stake Bitcoin to earn interest? What does he think about Asian companies imitating MicroStrategy? Will MicroStrategy develop its own Bitcoin network? How much Bitcoin does Michael personally hold, and why did he announce that he would destroy his private keys after his death? Does he still believe that "bank custody is safer than self-custody"? How does he view Trump's new policies and the idea of a national Bitcoin reserve? Is Bitcoin becoming too centralized in the U.S.? Is Bitcoin too expensive, accessible only to the wealthy and institutions? What are his thoughts on young people investing in memecoins? Is Bitcoin a religion? And what advice does he have for Chinese investors? 

As of February 9, 2025, MicroStrategy holds 478,740 BTC, with a total acquisition cost of $31.1 billion and an average purchase price of $65,033, making it the largest Bitcoin-holding entity in the world. Text summary

Timeline:

00:00 Introduce yourself and MicroStrategy

02:03 Will MicroStrategy keep buying Bitcoin?

03:23 Concerns about MicroStrategy's average purchase price

04:30 Thoughts on Bitcoin price cycles and a possible bear market

07:05 Will MicroStrategy lend or stake Bitcoin?

08:34 How do you see Asian miners adopting MicroStrategy's strategy?

09:45 Will MicroStrategy develop or support Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions?

11:22 How much Bitcoin do you personally own? Any other crypto?

12:02 Why not leave your Bitcoin to family or donate it after death?

15:02 Are banks safer than self-custody for Bitcoin?

19:55 How would Trump's election affect crypto? Would he create a national Bitcoin reserve?

21:10 Is Bitcoin still decentralized?

23:22 Are other cryptocurrencies worth considering? Thoughts on meme coins?

29:30 Is Bitcoin too expensive for average investors?

33:14 Will MicroStrategy continue promoting Bitcoin globally?

36:10 Will Bitcoin's protocol evolve?

38:45 Is Bitcoin a religion? How does it compare to meme coins?

41:24 Any message for Chinese investors?

This interview features Art Abal, Managing Director of Vana Foundation and co-founder of Vana Protocol. Vana focuses on empowering individuals to own and benefit from their data, addressing key challenges in AI and Web3 through innovations like Data DAOs and Data Liquidity Pools.

Art discusses how Vana ensures data quality, engages its community, and differentiates itself from other Web3 projects. He also highlights the role of Vana tokens in governance and transactions, the speculative potential of dataset-specific tokens, and plans for the upcoming mainnet launch. This conversation provides a concise look at Vana’s mission to transform data ownership and unlock its value for AI.

Text summary: wublockchain.medium.com

Timeline:

00:00 Background and founding purpose of Vana Protocol

03:17 How did Vana establish its partnership with Paradigm?

05:17 Key strengths that attracted Paradigm's investment

06:07 Specific reasons why Paradigm recognized Vana's potential

07:38 What strategic support did Paradigm provide beyond funding?

09:57 Collaboration and interaction with the a16z team

11:38 How does Vana stand out to attract investors in a competitive space?

13:44 Thoughts on VC-backed projects and the rise of meme coins

18:02 How does Vana build trust with data contributors and the community?

21:00 How do data liquidity pools and Data DAOs operate?

24:12 How is Vana different from other Web3 data projects?

28:04 How does Vana ensure data quality, and what is the role of its token?

30:09 Growth potential of dataset-specific tokens

31:44 How does Vana secure user data and ensure privacy?

34:11 Why was Telegram chosen as the platform for user interaction?

36:38 Mainnet launch plans and future roadmap

In this conversation, Colin and Murad explore the unique role and future of meme coins (such as Doge and Pepe) in the cryptocurrency landscape. Murad shares his journey from being a Bitcoin advocate to a meme coin investor, explaining the community-driven factors behind meme coin success. He sees meme coins as more than short-term hype, describing them as a social innovation with a stronger “wealth creation for the masses” potential compared to traditional VC tokens. Murad emphasizes the importance of evaluating the community and leadership behind meme coins and predicts that increasing participation from the Asian market will drive a global meme coin trend. Additionally, he is cautiously observing AI-themed meme coins, noting that these projects need more time for their communities to mature. Text summary

Timeline:

00:00 Brief Intro to Murad

01:53 East Asian Studies and Finance at Princeton

03:20 Early crypto career and insights into OKX

04:29 Shift from traditional trading to meme coins

06:27 Bitcoin has meme qualities but is mainly a store of value

07:22 Meme coins succeed due to fair distribution and community, VC tokens suffer from overvaluation

11:03 Recommends holding select high-quality meme coins long-term

12:50 Focus on community strength and "diamond hands" for meme coin investment

14:23 U.S. election impact is minimal; global economics are the main driver

15:15 Wallet transparency has little effect; holding strategy is public

16:05 Meme projects need market makers, but choose "clean" partners

16:32 Centralized exchanges are still key for meme coin liquidity

17:36 Solana is preferred for meme coins; multi-chain is the future

18:34 Focus on Ethereum and Solana, less on Bitcoin ecosystem

19:31 Expects more Asian market involvement in meme coins

20:36 AI meme coins show promise but need more time to mature

In this interview in October 31 Dubai Binance Blockchain Week, Binance Founder CZ reflected on his time in prison, sharing insights on human connections and his unique sentencing under the Banking Secrecy Act He has stepped down as Binance CEO but retains a major shareholder role and no plans to return His focus now is on investing in blockchain, AI, and biotech, and supporting new entrepreneurs.

CZ also introduced Giggle Academy, a digital learning platform to aid underserved regions, using AI for personalized education and job training While he has no immediate plans to issue a new token, he envisions a sustainable Web3 economy within the platform.

Timeline:

00:03 CZ thanks the audience  

00:10 Host indirectly refers to CZ’s prison time, CZ responds briefly  

00:22 CZ shares his reflections on prison restrictions and missing family  

01:33 CZ explains his unique sentencing under the Banking Secrecy Act  

03:13 CZ recalls the judge’s positive comments and short sentence  

04:12 CZ discusses friendships in prison; mentions guards asking for crypto advice  

05:17 CZ reflects on harsh sentences for minor offenses  

05:56 CZ describes “prison consulting” and his preparations  

08:18 CZ on current relationship with Binance after stepping down  

10:57 CZ dismisses lifetime ban rumors; can still invest in crypto  

12:12 CZ focuses on blockchain, AI, biotech, and mentorship  

13:36 CZ remains optimistic on crypto’s future growth  

16:17 CZ sees regulatory progress, slower in large countries  

17:36 CZ avoids US election topics for legal reasons  

19:47 CZ introduces Giggle Academy, a platform for digital education  

27:04 No new token planned, but may integrate existing crypto assets

In this episode, we are joined by Eva, Director of The Graph Foundation, to discuss the current state and future of The Graph and the broader Web3 ecosystem. We explore key topics such as AI integration, decentralized data, and how The Graph is expanding its offerings for developers. We also touch on the challenges faced by the Web3 developer community, the role of the GRT token, and the impact of decentralized data in addressing misinformation and information bubbles.

Timeline:

00:34  Brief Intro to Eva and The Graph

01:46  What is the Graph Foundation and your role there?

05:00  How would you explain The Graph and how its protocol works for beginners?

06:21  What is a knowledge graph and how does it benefit Web3 applications?

09:22  What is the role of the GRT token in The Graph network?

11:26  Which chains does The Graph support now?

12:30  What new data services has The Graph introduced, and how do they enhance the protocol?

16:49  How do the core development teams of The Graph operate and collaborate?

20:19  How is The Graph integrating AI, and what impact might this have on decentralized data?

23:00  Are there any recent developments or announcements about The Graph that excite you?

25:42  What are the best ways for people to get involved with The Graph?

27:30  What is Horizon, and how does it compare to other similar initiatives?

29:00  What concerns do you have about the direction of Web3, and how can the community improve?

31:58  How can Web3 and decentralized data help address misinformation and information bubbles?

In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation with Chris Yin, co-founder and CEO of Plume Network, discussing how Plume is tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) through its unique RWAfi platform. Chris provides detailed insights into the challenges and opportunities of tokenizing real-world assets, and explains how Plume is combining traditional finance with crypto-native principles to drive the development of RWAfi. He also shares the future prospects of Plume within the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.

TImeline: 

00:00 Introduction to Plume Network & RWAfi

02:00 How Plume Leverages Key Partnerships for RWA and Data Availability

03:06 Challenges with Traditional RWAs and Plume’s Approach

07:58 Innovations in Tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAfi)

11:01 Institutional Adoption and Tokenization of Assets

13:48 Tokenized Asset Categories and Yield Opportunities on Plume

18:15 Success Stories and Real-World Asset Deployment on Plume

22:54 How Plume Identifies Suitable Assets for Tokenization

27:08 Innovations to Enhance Returns on Tokenized RWAs

31:04 User Engagement and Tools for Interacting with Tokenized RWAs

33:48 Navigating Regulatory Challenges and Ensuring Compliance

36:42 Security Measures for Tokenized Physical and Digital Assets