Epicenter - Learn about Crypto, Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies

What began as an AI company trying to seek solutions in order to pay remote (unbanked) workers, Near AI became, in 2018, Near Protocol. Its sharded design was inspired by modern database architecture and large language model (LLM) training. Near Protocol aimed to solve the scalability trilemma, through a modular approach, combining data availability sharding with stateless validation. By abstracting away archaic blockchain standards, Near basically enabled decentralised full stack development and, in terms of UX, a distributed custodial solution via chain abstraction and account aggregation.We were joined by Illia Poloshukhin, co-founder of Near Protocol, to discuss Near’s journey, from AI company to high-throughput L1 blockchain, and how LLM training influenced the modular design choice.Topics covered in this episode:Illia’s background in AI & MLScaling large language models (LLMs) and the role of attentionStochastic Parrot vs. Understanding spectrumFrom Near AI to Near Protocol and the role of LLMsHow Near abstracted the blockchain away and enabled decentralised full stack developmentDefining ecosystem standards to improve UXChain abstraction, account aggregation and interoperabilityChain threshold signatureNear’s intent layerNear’s modularity, Nightshade sharding & stateless validationEigenLayer integrationEpisode links:Illia Polosukhin on TwitterNear Protocol on TwitterSponsors:Gnosis: Gnosis builds decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem, since 2015. This year marks the launch of Gnosis Pay— the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Get started today at - gnosis.ioChorus One: Chorus One is one of the largest node operators worldwide, supporting more than 100,000 delegators, across 45 networks. The recently launched OPUS allows staking up to 8,000 ETH in a single transaction. Enjoy the highest yields and institutional grade security at - chorus.oneThis episode is hosted by Meher Roy & Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/529

6 Tammi 20241h 28min

As Ethereum ‘merged’ to its current proof-of-stake consensus model, the steep (for retail) minimum stake of 32 ETH created a serious risk of centralisation through staking delegation to centralised entities. Lido DAO was envisioned to preserve staking decentralisation, while also providing additional value for staked ETH in the form of liquid staking tokens (LST). However, as its market share reached the first threshold of 33%, concerns have started to be voiced regarding Lido’s own risk of centralisation. Through its dual governance model where stakers can veto $LDO voters, and the upcoming implementation of distributed validator technology (DVT) and community staking module (CSM), the Lido DAO aims to preserve staking decentralisation.We were joined by Isidoros Passadis, contributor and Master of Validators at Lido DAO, to discuss Ethereum’s current liquid staking landscape, Lido’s governance model and what steps it takes to ensure staking decentralisation.Topics covered in this episode:Isidoros’ background and how he started working at Lido DAOLido’s core architecture and how it ensures decentralisationTransitioning from a curated node operator set to a permisionless modelDistributed Validator Technology (DVT)Lido’s dual governance modelstETH bridging and use cases in DeFiHow Lido adapts to Ethereum forks & EIPsMaximum validator effective balance and minimal staking issuanceEthereum vs. Lido governanceLido’s approach to MEVRestaking & EigenlayerExpanding Lido to other chainsLido’s market share and other liquid staking competitorsEpisode links:Isidoros Passadis on TwitterLido on TwitterSponsors:Gnosis: Gnosis builds decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem, since 2015. This year marks the launch of Gnosis Pay— the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Get started today at - gnosis.ioChorus One: Chorus One is one of the largest node operators worldwide, supporting more than 100,000 delegators, across 45 networks. The recently launched OPUS allows staking up to 8,000 ETH in a single transaction. Enjoy the highest yields and institutional grade security at - chorus.oneThis episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/528

30 Joulu 20231h 30min

10 years ago, Adam B Levine, the host of ‘Let’s Talk Bitcoin!’, decided that it was time to encourage other voices to step onto the crypto podcast scene. Among many applicants, Sebastien and Brian were the only 2 Europeans, so Adam suggested that they teamed up in order to record the pilot episode. On December 20th 2013, Sebastien and Brian released ‘Regulation and the Future of Bitcoin’, which marked the beginning of a 10-year (and counting) long journey. The rest is history.On this anniversary episode, our hosts were joined by special guests and friends of Epicenter, to share their favourite moments and fun stories gathered during the 10 years of epicness.Topics covered in this episode:Adam B Levine - Epicenter’s godfather & the early days of EpicenterTrent McConaghy - From Ascribe to Ocean. Ahead of the NFT and inscription hypeSebastien Buergel - How he got into crypto, early ventures and Meher’s secretGriff Green & Lefteris Karapetsas - The DAO hack and Sebastien Buergel’s alleged roleSam Jernigan & Anna Rose - From TradFi to ZKJordi Baylina & Ryan Zurrer - Standing in the Epicenter of the storm and the unsung hero of the DAO hackRichard Muirhead - The future of zk proofs, privacy and AIEpisode links:Adam B Levine on TwitterTrent McConaghy on TwitterSebastian Buergel on TwitterGriff Green on TwitterLefteris Karapetsas on TwitterSam Jernigan on TwitterAnna Rose on TwitterJordi Baylina on TwitterRyan Zurrer on TwitterRichard Muirhead on TwitterThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture, Brian Fabian Crain, Friederike Ernst, Meher Roy, Felix Lutsch and Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/527

23 Joulu 20232h 25min

gnosis.ioUnlike Ethereum ‘programmable money’, Bitcoin lacks native smart contracts by design. In an attempt to expand Bitcoin past its store of value narrative, wrapper contracts provided wBTC on other chains for DeFi applications. However, wBTC does not directly represent the native asset and it is, therefore, subject to potential exploits. DLC Link introduces a novel approach, by allowing entities to self-wrap dlcBTC.We were joined by Aki Balogh, co-founder of DLC Link, to discuss discreet log contracts, their trust assumptions and what they mean for Bitcoin’s use cases and liquidity.Topics covered in this episode:Aki’s background and switching from AI to cryptoDiscrete Log Contracts (dlc)Trust assumptions in dlcBTC bridges and dlc attestersThe non-fungibility of dlcBTCPotential regulationsCurrent status and roadmapOther BTC bridgesEpisode links:Aki Balogh on TwitterDLC Link on TwitterEpicenter's 10-year anniversary live streamSponsors:Gnosis: Gnosis builds decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem, since 2015. This year marks the launch of Gnosis Pay— the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Get started today at - gnosis.ioChorus One: Chorus One is one of the largest node operators worldwide, supporting more than 100,000 delegators, across 45 networks. The recently launched OPUS allows staking up to 8,000 ETH in a single transaction. Enjoy the highest yields and institutional grade security at - chorus.oneThis episode is hosted by Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/526

16 Joulu 20231h 4min

When it comes to NFTs and blockchain gaming, very few companies can rival with Animoca Brands’ early conviction, investment thesis and time horizon. They understood early on that community building and network effects are the core pillars for a true paradigm shift in gaming. However, culture and narratives transcend the boundaries of gaming, becoming social phenomena. Animoca’s latest undertaking, the Mocaverse, aims to unite communities in a truly open metaverse.We were joined by Yat Siu, chairman of Animoca Brands, to discuss the importance of digital culture in our modern-day lives and how NFT ownership unlocks community building in the open metaverse.Topics covered in this episode:Yat’s background and Animoca Brands’ interest in NFTsDigital culture & narrativesAnimoca Brands’ investment thesisBlockchain & NFT adoption by Web2 brandsFinancial inclusion & financial literacyOwnership & play-to-earn gaming: East vs. WestNFT use cases & IP rightsInteroperabilityDecentralisation & the value of ownershipMocaverse Long-term vision & the open metaverseEpisode links:Yat Siu on TwitterAnimoca Brands on TwitterSandbox on TwitterAxie Infinity on TwitterThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/525

9 Joulu 20231h 10min

With an average block time of 5 seconds and sub-cent transaction gas fees, Celo focuses on scalability and ease of access in order to bring DeFi to those that need it the most. Celo’s vision of ensuring equal access is reflected through their mobile-first design, aiming to disrupt legacy TradFi. The upcoming transition to an L2 rollup aims to tap into Ethereum’s security, while maintaining minimal costs through Celo’s scalability and EigenLayer’s data availability solutions.We were joined by Marek Olszewski & Rene Reinsberg to discuss Celo's mobile-first approach to building a low-fee, high-throughput blockchain with real-world applications, and their transition to an Ethereum L2.Topics covered in this episode:Rene’s and Marek’s backgroundsCelo’s design principlesCelo’s scalabilityMobile compatibility for blockchains and dAppsWallet UXStablecoins as gas token & transaction confirmation timesOptimising mobile accessibilitySocialConnect & off-chain social identifiersCelo’s transition to an Ethereum L2Single block finality in an optimistic rollupSequencer decentralisationLowering costs of settling on Ethereum via EigenDACredit Collective & Impact MarketMento DAOThe future of CeloEpisode links:Marek Olszewski on TwitterRene Reinsberg on TwitterCelo on TwitterMiniPay on TwittercLabs on TwitterCredit Collective on TwitterImpact Market on TwitterMento Labs on TwitterSponsors:dYdX Foundation: The recently launched dYdX chain features new governance and token economics, that empower stakers and promote validator decentralisation. Bridge your DYDX tokens and contribute to the evolution of dYdX chain, fully permissionless and community driven. - https://bit.ly/47kqG59This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/524

1 Joulu 20231h 7min

Homo- (Greek prefix meaning ‘same’); -morphic (Greek suffix meaning ‘having a specific shape/form’)Intuitively, one could deduct that homomorphic encryption indicates that the initial data and the encrypted result (cipher) could share the same form. Based on this property, it can be inferred that computation can be performed on the encrypted data, without prior decryption. By decrypting the result, you get the same output as the computation performed on the unencrypted data. While homomorphic encryption can be either additive or multiplicative, fully homomorphic encryption supports both types of operations. Unlike ZKPs, which are proofs of computational integrity, fully homomorphic encryption allows for encrypted data computation, without revealing additional information about the original data. This could provide the missing link for ensuring private transactions on blockchains’ public ledgers.We were joined by Rand Hindi, CEO of Zama, to discuss fully homomorphic encryption solutions, how they differ from ZKPs & MPC, and how they can be leveraged to ensure compliant programmable privacy.Topics covered in this episode:Rand’s background and his interest in privacyMeeting Pascal and founding ZamaFully homomorphic encryption (FHE)Zero knowledge proofs vs. Multi-party computation vs. Fully homomorphic encryptionTaking fully homomorphic encryption 'mainstream'Zama’s productsfhEVMHow multi-party computation would secure fhEVMMulti-key homomorphic encryption & functional encryptionDeploying an FHE rollupFHE use casesPrivacyZama’s business modelEpisode links: Rand Hindi on TwitterZama on TwitterFhenix on TwitterSponsors: dYdX Foundation: The recently launched dYdX chain features new governance and token economics, that empower stakers and promote validator decentralisation. Bridge your DYDX tokens and contribute to the evolution of dYdX chain, fully permissionless and community driven. - https://bit.ly/47kqG59This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/523

24 Marras 202359min

"The advancements of zero knowledge proving technology, hardware acceleration and proof recursion have significantly increased the efficiency of EVM-compatible zk provers. As a result, the former tradeoff in efficiency implied by EVM-compatibility is gradually improving. Translating Ethereum’s virtual machine bytecode ensures seamless scaling for applications, without the need for additional audits and security compromises.We were joined by Ye Zhang, co-founder of Scroll, to discuss the EVM-compatible zero knowledge landscape and how Scroll aims to stay true to Ethereum’s values and community.Topics covered in this episode:Ye’s background in zk researchHardware limitations for zk techFounding ScrollWhy Scroll went for EVM compatibilityEfficiency of EVM- vs. non-EVM-compatible zk proversThe timeline of ideating ScrollScroll mainnet launchBuilding the Scroll communityScroll tokenSequencer decentralisationData availability, validiums and security tradeoffsL2 bridges and interoperabilityRoadmapEpisode links: Ye Zhang on TwitterScroll on TwitterSponsors: dYdX Foundation: The recently launched dYdX chain features new governance and token economics, that empower stakers and promote validator decentralisation. Bridge your DYDX tokens and contribute to the evolution of dYdX chain, fully permissionless and community driven. - https://bit.ly/47kqG59This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/522

18 Marras 20231h 11min