StarkWare Bets on Becoming Bitcoin's Execution Layer, Not on Attracting Corporate Chains

In this episode, we’re joined by Marta Belcher, President and Chair of the Filecoin Foundation, to dive deep into the transformative potential of decentralized storage and its role in shaping the future of technology. Marta shares her insights on how Filecoin is enabling decentralized AI, preserving humanity’s most important data, and creating alternatives to big tech.We explore the incentives and economics behind Filecoin, its critical use cases in journalism and human rights, and how it’s helping to build censorship-resistant systems. Marta also discusses the challenges and opportunities of governance in decentralized systems, the evolving regulatory landscape for crypto in the U.S., and the pivotal role of the market structure bill.Chapters00:00: The Decentralized AI Revolution00:28: Filecoin’s Role in Decentralized AI01:29: What is Filecoin?02:14: The Importance of Decentralized Storage03:29: Incentives and Economics of Filecoin06:10: Filecoin for Journalism and Human Rights08:25: Decentralized AI and Filecoin’s Infrastructure13:10: Governance in Decentralized Systems22:13: Regulation and Crypto’s Future in the US29:02: Filecoin’s Growth and Use Cases37:05: Filecoin’s Long-Term Vision

18 Aug 45min

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Adrian Brink, Co-Founder of Anoma and Namada, to explore the intersection of privacy, sovereignty, and resilience in Web3. Adrian shares his journey from the early days of building Cosmos to building intent-based systems that empower communities and protect dignity at scale.We dive into the challenges of designing for a fragmented world, the promise of cryptography, and the importance of local-first infrastructure. Adrian also discusses the Tornado Cash case, the role of intent-based systems in addressing regulatory concerns, and how cryptography can help communities defend against external threats.From the evolution of Web3 to the future of AI-driven coordination, this conversation is packed with insights on building networks that bend toward freedom without breaking under the weight of reality.Chapters00:00: Setting the stage: intention, privacy, and protecting dignity in a digital world03:39: Sovereign infrastructure: community defense and resilience against external threats05:23: Reimagining privacy: moving beyond Band-Aid solutions to foundational change07:24: The state of Web3: challenges, stagnation, and the need for meaningful innovation10:02: Intent-based systems: reshaping privacy and sovereignty for individuals and communities12:03: Flexibility and security: building adaptable systems for diverse global needs15:13: Tornado Cash and regulatory challenges: intent systems as a potential solution20:13: Navigating high-risk environments: sanctions, blackouts, and global regulations25:20: The next 100 million users: making crypto accessible and practical for everyday life30:05: Financial literacy and coordination: unlocking new possibilities for global commerce35:00: Cryptography and trust: scaling trust systems for local and global communities40:00: Societal transformation: blockchain’s role in reshaping politics, economics, and governance45:00: AI and intents: the future of coordination in the age of artificial intelligence48:12: Staying grounded: Adrian’s advice for navigating innovation and building for the right reasons49:19: Closing thoughts: where to find Adrian and what’s next for Namada

15 Aug 49min

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Paul Frambot, Co-Founder of Morpho, details how DeFi is transforming the financial industry by intersecting with fintech, shifting value to network users, and reshaping how lending protocols work. He outlines the evolution from early peer-to-peer lending to today's permissionless, immutable infrastructure, highlighting Morpho's product design, its approach to risk management, and specific use cases in institutional finance and global wallet integration. Discussions cover the role of risk managers, transparency benefits, the emergence of DeFi as backbone infrastructure for fintechs, and how platforms like Coinbase now use Morpho behind the scenes.Paul reflects on how Morpho enables global liquidity, allows businesses and individuals to create custom lending markets, and how DeFi’s open competition leads to better rates and more efficient markets. The conversation wraps with thoughts on unsecured lending, the path to real-world financial product integration, and Morpho's long-term vision to become the foundational protocol for global financing.Chapters:00:00 Fintech disruption, DeFi’s impact on infrastructure 01:21 Founding Morpho: backstory and protocol design 03:04 Pushing for permissionless, immutable protocol infrastructure 04:16 Institutional adoption, wallet integrations, and B2B use cases 07:01 Managing risk and collateral in open protocols 10:32 Shift in institutional engagement and business adoption 15:20 Native on-chain fund issuance, regulations, and international frameworks 17:04 Equity and securities as next steps for on-chain finance 19:03 Real-world example: Coinbase leveraging Morpho for global lending liquidity 20:28 End-to-end DeFi integrations: wallet abstraction and feature parity 22:26 Four core benefits when fintechs use DeFi as backend 24:07 Transparency, self-custody, and proof of reserves in DeFi 25:06 Institutional desire for infrastructure ownership—not just distribution 26:29 Competitive rates: DeFi vs. traditional finance lending 27:51 Barriers for banks: regulation, compliance, privacy, and operational hurdles 30:00 Privacy on-chain: transaction anonymity vs. amount privacy 32:29 How DeFi lending markets evolved: competition and network effects 34:00 Differing visions: Morpho as infrastructure vs. Aave as integrated bank 37:12 Market size: overcollateralized and undercollateralized lending potential 38:04 How DeFi could unlock unsecured credit 41:24 Under-collateralized lending, trust, and on-chain identity primitives 44:28 Morpho’s long-term vision and the future of DeFi/fintech convergence

12 Aug 46min

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Nicholas Kunkel, Founder of Chronicle Labs and a pioneer in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi). From his early days at MakerDAO, where he helped build the first oracles and decentralized exchanges, to launching Chronicle Labs, Nicholas shares his journey of innovation and problem-solving in the crypto space.We dive into the challenges of building efficient oracles, the rise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), and the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) with DeFi. Nicholas also discusses the technical and strategic differences between Chronicle Labs and other oracle providers, the role of tokenized assets in reshaping finance, and his ambitious vision for a future where decentralized and traditional finance merge seamlessly.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Niklas Kunkel, Founder of Chronicle00:22 From MakerDAO to Chronicle Labs: Building the first oracles and decentralized exchanges.01:23 The Birth of Oracles05:27 Chronicle Labs vs. Competitors10:11 Exploring the role of tokenized treasuries, private credit, and other RWAs in DeFi.13:07 Challenges of RWA Integration: Data requirements, liquidity concerns, and the complexities of tokenizing real-world assets.21:30 Convergence of DeFi and TradFi25:33 Chronicle’s Business Model30:24 Scaling tokenized assets to surpass crypto-native assets in total value secured.34:19 Long-Term Vision35:44 Closing Thoughts

8 Aug 36min

On this episode of the Defiant Podcast, Charlie Hu, co-founder of Bit Layer, discusses the evolution of Bitcoin beyond its role as a store of value. The conversation addresses trends in Bitcoin programmability, the development of layer two networks, liquidity in DeFi, and adoption by institutions. Cami and Charlie discuss technical distinctions among Bitcoin scaling solutions and the integration of Bitcoin with other blockchain ecosystems. Then, they conclude by exploring practical considerations for developers and users interested in these changes.NOTE: At the time of publishing (Aug. 4) BitLayer TVL was at $400M, higher than at the time of recording which was at $300M, mentioned in the podcast intro. Chapters:00:00 Introduction; Bitcoin’s binary narrative debated 00:17 Potential impacts of low network activity 00:37 Bitlayer overview and recent platform developments 00:59 Bitcoin’s price rally and changing role 01:26 Guest background: early experiences in Web3 02:09 Lessons from Ethereum and cross-chain growth 03:15 Founding Bitlayer; motivations and industry context 06:06 Network sustainability and security considerations 09:59 Bit Layer’s technology focus and design choices 16:00 Bitcoin Virtual Machines and cross-ecosystem cooperation 30:08 Unlocking Bitcoin liquidity; DeFi adoption and risks 45:00 Institutional involvement and new use cases 52:00 Onboarding, governance, and next steps for the ecosystem

4 Aug 57min

Dogecoin started as a joke, but could it become the foundation of a thriving app ecosystem? In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Jordan Jefferson, CEO of MyDoge and DogeOS, to explore why building infrastructure on Dogecoin is an exciting opportunity. We discuss the unique culture of the Doge community, the challenges of building on a meme coin, and how DogeOS is positioning itself as the app layer for the people's currency. Whether you're a DeFi enthusiast, a crypto trader, or just Doge-curious, this conversation is packed with insights, laughs, and a vision for the future of Dogecoin. Welcome to the moon.Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Dogecoin's EvolutionA look at Dogecoin's journey from meme coin to movement.02:04 Meet Jordan JeffersonCEO of MyDoge and DogeOS shares his vision for Dogecoin.03:14 Why Build on Dogecoin?The unique opportunity Dogecoin offers for developers and users.05:38 The Power of the Doge CommunityHow memes, vibes, and a strong community drive innovation.09:07 DogeOS: The App Layer for DogecoinExploring DogeOS's features, from gaming to DeFi and beyond.15:09 Gaming and Memes: Dogecoin's Secret SauceWhy casual gaming and meme culture are perfect for Doge.20:00 DeFi on Dogecoin: Opportunities and ChallengesBuilding financial infrastructure for the people's currency.34:20 Why DeFi Users Should Care About DogeBetter yields, safer leverage, and unique opportunities.49:07 ZK Upgrades and the Future of DogecoinHow zero-knowledge proofs could unlock Dogecoin's potential.54:31 Lightning Round: Fun with Jordan JeffersonQuick-fire questions about Doge, gaming, and digital cash.

1 Aug 56min

On the 10th anniversary of Ethereum's genesis block, we sit down with Joe Lubin, Ethereum co-founder and CEO of ConsenSys, for an exclusive deep dive into the past, present, and future of the Ethereum ecosystem. From the concept of 'digital oil' to Ethereum's role as the foundation of a decentralized global economy, Joe shares his vision for the next decade of blockchain innovation. Tune in to hear his thoughts on staking strategies, the rise of DeFi, and why Ethereum is poised to become the substrate for the world's financial system.Chapters00:00 Introduction – Setting the stage for Ethereum’s 10th anniversary.01:00 Joe Lubin’s Vision – Ethereum as civilization-scale infrastructure.02:19 Staking Strategies – Insights into ConsenSys’ ETH accumulation and staking.05:08 Overcoming Challenges – Scalability, usability, and regulatory hurdles.10:08 Decentralized Stablecoins – The need for ETH and BTC to support DeFi growth.15:11 DeFi and TradFi Convergence – How Ethereum is reshaping finance.22:08 Ethereum’s Role in the Global Economy – Becoming the substrate for trust.30:00 Multi-Chain Future – Why Ethereum will remain foundational.40:00 The Next Decade – Joe’s predictions for Ethereum’s growth and impact.45:00 Closing Thoughts – Celebrating Ethereum’s 10th birthday.

30 Juli 46min

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Sam MacPherson, CEO and co-founder of Phoenix Labs, to discuss Spark (SPK)—the DeFi protocol making waves in the cryptocurrency world. From its groundbreaking subDAO model to its recent $10 billion TVL milestone, Spark is reshaping decentralized finance. We dive into the latest developments, including the Ignition Airdrop and institutional adoption. Tune in to explore how Spark is bridging the gap between traditional finance and DeFi, and what the future holds for this rapidly evolving ecosystem.Chapters00:00 - IntroductionMeet Sam Macpherson, CEO of Phoenix Labs, and the vision behind Spark.01:23 - Spark’s Rapid GrowthHow Spark became one of the biggest DeFi protocols with $10B TVL.05:10 - The SubDAO ModelBalancing decentralization and nimbleness to scale effectively.08:05 - Why Decentralization MattersSam’s passionate defense of decentralization as a core principle for global infrastructure.12:00 - Challenges of Traditional DAOsThe limitations of flat governance structures and how Spark overcame them.15:30 - Ignition Airdrop and Overdrive PhaseHow staking incentives are driving SPK adoption and price action.20:00 - Institutional AdoptionSpark’s partnerships with Coinbase, BlackRock, and the rise of tokenized RWAs.24:00 - Spark Liquidity LayerEnhancing governance and liquidity.27:16 - Spark Token LaunchGovernance, staking, and how SPK empowers the community.30:00 - Transparency in DeFiSpark’s commitment to making every layer of its ecosystem visible.35:00 - The Future of StablecoinsWhy scaling stablecoins requires diverse collateral types.38:00 - Bitcoin-Backed LoansTapping into new markets with OTC Bitcoin loans and institutional interest.42:00 - Bridging DeFi and Traditional FinanceHow Spark is integrating with fintechs and creating seamless user experiences.45:00 - Ethereum’s Role in DeFiSam’s thoughts on Ethereum’s evolution and its renewed optimism.

28 Juli 46min