Talking Tokens

Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations

Talking Tokens is a podcast focused on interviewing the best crypto leaders, startups, market players and up-and-coming founders that are changing the industry. Join Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated host and seasoned crypto journalist-turned-entrepreneur, to dive into the best talks in crypto in an easy-to-understand way. The episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, X and more. For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/ Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens

  1. 22 HRS AGO

    Talking Tokenization: Why Tokenizing Stock Beats Traditional Shares | Maja Vujinovic

    In this episode of Talking Tokenization, Jacquelyn Melinek interviews Maja Vujinovic, CEO and co-founder of Digital Assets FG Nexus. Maja unpacks FG Nexus’s recent partnership with Securitize to put both its common and dividend-paying preferred shares fully on Ethereum, making it the first time a Nasdaq-listed company can offer truly onchain equity with programmable features. The conversation covers what “native tokenization” really means, contrasts it with traditional “wrapped” assets, and explores how direct onchain issuance lowers settlement times, improves transparency, and radically rethinks corporate finance. Maja shares lessons from building in regulated markets, the technology and governance challenges in real-world asset tokenization, and how programmable shares could rewire global investor access and governance. The episode closes on advice for founders and institutions eyeing the path from pilot to mainstream adoption.Sponsored by Securitize, the proven leader in tokenized funds, equities, and private markets. Discover more at securitize.io.Sponsored by Fireblocks, infrastructure for secure tokenized assets. Learn more at fireblocks.com.Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:02) - What tokenization really means and how it works in practice (02:16) - Inside FG Nexus and Securitize’s partnership to tokenize equity (03:54) - The significance of being a Nasdaq-listed firm with onchain shares (05:21) - What “natively tokenized” means vs wrapped or synthetic assets (07:11) - Why corporate participation matters for legitimacy and adoption (09:45) - How tokenization can expand liquidity, transparency, and access (11:17) - How Wall Street and major banks are now exploring stablecoins (12:46) - The path to adoption: regulation, revenue models, and marketplaces (14:32) - “Not all tokenization is created equal:” structural vs surface innovation (16:40) - Removing intermediaries: why smart contracts shift cost and trust (18:22) - The future of how AI and blockchain change corporate roles (20:59) - Why tokenized equities are the next evolution of capital markets (22:21) - Why FG Nexus chose Ethereum over other L1s (24:45) - Neutrality, decentralization, and Ethereum’s institutional alignment (26:09) - How FG Nexus fits into Ethereum’s ecosystem and future plans (27:46) - The Clarity Act and what it means for DeFi participation (29:57) - Challenges in tokenization: liquidity, interoperability & accounting gaps (31:48) - How blockchain will reshape corporate finance in 5–10 years (33:45) - “Rewriting Wall Street:” programmable finance for global markets (35:02) - The funniest and most interesting tokenization requests she’s received (36:57) - Closing thoughts: improving, not replacing, the existing financial system Subscribe & FollowSubscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Twitter: Jacquelyn Melinek https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have a financial interest in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    38 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    How dYdX’s President is Building the Future of Decentralized Trading

    On this episode of Talking Tokens, host Jacquelyn Melinek sits down with Eddie Zhang, President of dYdX. Eddie shares his journey from product building at Meta (Facebook) and founding a Y Combinator-backed social startup to leading at dYdX, one of the world’s largest decentralized perpetuals exchanges. They break down how dYdX integrates social trading and community tools, the launch of Telegram trading bots, and an ambitious roadmap that brings real-world assets and new on-chain products to DeFi. Eddie discusses how smaller group chats drive trust and engagement, why UI/UX is critical for retail growth, and dYdX’s approach to competing in a crowded derivatives market. The episode explores the unique challenges and opportunities for consumer crypto adoption, product defenseability, and how dYdX is positioning to scale with both institutional market makers and everyday traders. Sponsored by Fireblocks, the secure engine behind leading tokenized asset infrastructure. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:34) - Eddie’s background: Facebook, startups, and the path to crypto (02:07) - From social apps to decentralized trading (03:02) - Integrating social trading into Telegram & dYdX (04:06) - Building trust through small group trading communities (05:52) - How crypto trading behavior evolved since 2021 (07:39) - The rise of real-world assets and pre-IPO markets (09:14) - Tokenized stocks and new listing mechanics (10:31) - dYdX’s next phase: infrastructure, speed & order gateways (12:13) - Network effects, defense strategies & user retention (14:09) - Consumer product focus and unified trading interfaces (16:25) - What makes a great trading experience (19:16) - Memecoins, risk appetite & retail speculation cycles (22:54) - Institutions, market makers & the path to scaling (26:41) - dYdX’s roadmap for 2025 (29:36) - Final advice: stay long-term minded and compound wins 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow on X: Host Jacquelyn Melinek https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have financial interests in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    32 min

  3. 9 OCT

    Bitcoin ETFs & The Next Decade of Crypto Investing | Hong Kim

    In this episode of Talking Tokens, host Jacquelyn Melinek sits down with Hong Kim, co-founder and CTO of Bitwise Asset Management, recorded live at Token2049 in Singapore. Hong shares his journey from an early interest in Ethereum and product development to building one of the first institutional crypto asset management firms. The conversation covers the evolution of crypto asset management from niche and speculative to a maturing industry gaining recognition among major institutions. Hong explains Bitwise’s product strategy focusing on ETFs, staking, and innovative yield strategies aimed at mainstream adoption. He sheds light on reaching global markets, evolving regulatory dynamics, and the vision for tokenized securities and on-chain asset management. Hong closes with timeless advice on maintaining perspective amidst crypto’s cycles and the profound growth still ahead. Sponsored by Fireblocks, the leading infrastructure for secure tokenized asset custody and settlements. Learn more at fireblocks.com. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro: Hong Kim at Token2049 Singapore (00:40) - Founding Bitwise in 2017 & spotting the early asset management gap (02:01) - How crypto evolved from “meme stock” to institutional asset class (03:13) - Why Bitcoin ETFs mirror gold’s adoption curve (05:11) - Building credibility & product-market fit in crypto asset management (06:32) - Inside Bitwise’s top-performing products: BTC, ETH & crypto equities (07:33) - Circle’s IPO & why stablecoins changed investor sentiment (09:06) - Global expansion & how Bitwise educates financial advisors (10:46) - Consistency through bear markets: why trust is built over time (11:52) - Hong’s perspective on Korea’s unique retail trading culture (13:50) - Stablecoins, regulation & Asia’s growing institutional appetite (15:25) - The future of tokenization & asset management onchain (17:21) - Bitwise’s staking, DeFi & yield strategies for institutions (20:01) - The SEC, tokenized equities & removing regulatory roadblocks (22:32) - What tokenized Wall Street could look like in 3 years (24:45) - Final advice from Hong Kim You can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you like the show, please let us know by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow us on X Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Follow us on Instagram Talking Tokens: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

    26 min

  4. 7 OCT

    Inside World Liberty Financial: USD1, Governance, and Building Trust in Crypto

    On this episode of Talking Tokens, we’re sharing Jacquelyn Melinek's fireside chat from Korea Blockchain Week with Zak Folkman, co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a crypto project backed by members of the Trump family. Zak shares his journey from early Ethereum adoption to co-founding World Liberty Financial and launching the USD1 stablecoin and WLFI token. They discuss how USD1 wants to integrate transparency by adopting Chainlink’s real-time proof of reserves, set new compliance standards with KYC and AML, and build community governance unlike other stablecoins. Zak explains the company’s chain-agnostic approach and global expansion efforts, including partnerships in Asia, and previews upcoming products like their retail wallet and debit card integration. The episode explores how World Liberty Financial aims to bridge traditional finance with web3 in a compliant and user-friendly way while targeting mass adoption. This episode is sponsored by Fireblocks, the leading stablecoin infrastructure for global enterprises. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:03) - Zak Folkman’s background and why he started World Liberty Financial (02:00) - Early crypto journey: Ethereum, smart contracts & law school inspiration (03:47) - The mission: merging crypto and traditional finance (04:45) - Highlights from Mar-a-Lago Twitter Spaces with President Trump (05:37) - Its ICO & the importance of KYC and AML compliance (06:54) - Why regulation and guardrails are essential for mass adoption (07:50) - USD1 becomes one of the fastest-growing stablecoins (08:49) - WLFI governance token and community participation (10:07) - Protecting holders during volatility: reserves & bankruptcy-remote backing (12:55) - Proof of reserves with Chainlink and full transparency audits (14:58) - Upcoming partnerships, debit card & retail fintech app (17:45) - No plans for a WLFI chain (19:50) - Global expansion: growth across Asia, Korea & Singapore (22:02) - Governance rights, user voting & token holder influence (24:00) - Balancing regulation, security & decentralization (25:52) - Final thoughts: making USD1 the world’s most adopted stablecoin 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow on X: Host Jacquelyn Melinek https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have financial interests in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    27 min

  5. 2 OCT

    Why Bitcoin Adoption is a Once-in-a-Generation Financial Revolution | American Bitcoin

    In this episode of Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn Melinek sits down with Mike Ho, Matt Prusak, and Donald Trump Jr. from American Bitcoin. They discuss Bitcoin as the ultimate scarce asset and compare it to gold, underlining Bitcoin’s fixed supply and growing institutional adoption. The team shares their business model behind American Bitcoin, blending mining and treasury operations to maximize Bitcoin accumulation and shareholder value. They explore how institutions are finally embracing Bitcoin amid evolving regulatory clarity and rising market maturity, including major moves in the US. Don Jr. reflects on Bitcoin’s power for financial democratization and global influence. The conversation dives into the future opportunities and long-term strategies for crypto adoption across global markets like South Korea, and how Bitcoin is poised for a financial revolution beyond simple investment. This episode is sponsored by Fireblocks, the leading stablecoin infrastructure for global enterprises. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:01) - Introduction and host welcome (01:39) - Bitcoin as the world’s one true scarce asset vs gold (04:15) - Ownership and dormant supply insights (05:50) - American Bitcoin’s business model: combining mining and treasury (08:10) - Tools to increase Bitcoin ownership per share (10:00) - Institutional adoption trends and current owners (12:10) - Bitcoin regulatory advances and US policy impact (14:00) - Introduction of Donald Trump Jr. joining remotely (15:40) - Bitcoin as a global borderless value transfer and prosperity tool (18:20) - Democratization of finance with Bitcoin and crypto (21:30) - Bitcoin diplomacy and influence globally (24:00) - Market differences: US, South Korea, and global opportunity (26:00) - Future strategies for Bitcoin and crypto adoption (28:20) - Closing reflections from all guests 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow on X: Host Jacquelyn Melinek https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have financial interests in discussed assets or companies. Not investment advice.

    29 min
  6. Talking Tokenization: Bringing Wall Street to Ethereum | Vivek Raman

    30 SEPT

    Talking Tokenization: Bringing Wall Street to Ethereum | Vivek Raman

    In this episode of Talking Tokenization, Jacquelyn Melinek interviews Vivek Raman, CEO of Etherealize and former Wall Street high yield credit trader. Vivek shares his journey from top-tier banks to pioneering Ethereum-based tokenization solutions. He explains why tokenizing existing financial assets on public blockchains is crucial for the future of finance and how Etherealize is tackling the challenges of institutional-grade privacy, compliance, and scalability. The episode covers the shift in institutional sentiment towards blockchains, the importance of public and layer-2 Ethereum networks, and the massive opportunity tokenizing the global capital markets presents. Vivek also highlights why privacy solutions onchain are mission-critical and shares his outlook on regulatory tailwinds and the urgent need for responsible innovation today.Sponsored by Securitize, the proven leader in tokenized funds, equities, and private markets. Discover more at ⁠securitize.io⁠. Sponsored by Fireblocks, the trusted stablecoin infrastructure for global enterprises. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:08) - Why Vivek left banking? The lack of tech upgrades on Wall Street (03:22) - Discovering Ethereum in 2020 and seeing product-market fit (05:07) - Defining tokenization in simple terms (07:11) - Why Ethereum is the best back-end for financial assets (09:27) - Stablecoins as the first step in tokenization (12:03) - Regulatory clarity, bipartisan support & the Clarity Act (14:46) - Etherealize raises $40M to build tokenization infrastructure (18:25) - Privacy as table stakes for institutional adoption (20:11) - Future tokenized assets: treasuries, mortgages, car loans (23:01) - Global opportunity: emerging markets & democratized access (27:04) - The urgency of building responsibly before momentum fades (31:00) - Tokenization makes assets programmable and globally accessible (35:09) - Investing in private companies like OpenAI & regulatory issues (38:06) - Scaling Ethereum for institutions & risks of fragmentation (40:07) - Final thoughts 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141⁠ Follow on X: Host Jacquelyn Melinek⁠ https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek⁠ | Podcast⁠ https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens⁠ Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/⁠ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have financial interests in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    43 min

  7. 25 SEPT

    PayPal Just Made a HUGE Crypto Move | Matt Tabbiner

    On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sits down with Matthew Tabbiner, CEO of Stable, a layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoins. Stable recently received a strategic investment from PayPal Ventures and enabled use of PayPal USD (PYUSD) on its chain, aimed at expanding the stablecoin’s distribution and utility for payments, remittances, and commerce. They discuss why Stable uses USDT as the native gas token, how that design targets fast, low-friction settlement, and what this means for institutions, B2B flows, and emerging markets. They also cover how Stable fits alongside broader moves in the sector as major issuers and payments firms push stablecoin infrastructure onchain. This episode is sponsored by Fireblocks, the leading stablecoin infrastructure for global enterprises. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:23) - Stable’s mission for everyday utility of stablecoins (03:14) - Why Stable is purpose-built as a payments chain (05:25) - New PayPal partnership and support for PYUSD (07:33) - UX/UI challenges and why PayPal is Stable’s perfect partner (09:07) - Explosive B2B stablecoin growth in market (2,900%+ since 2023) (12:20) - Remittances, payroll, and multinational adoption use cases (14:17) - Launching the Stable Wallet and fee-free P2P USDC transfers (16:28) - Stripe, Tether, and enterprise validation for stablecoin rails (19:58) - Financial inclusion: 1.5B unbanked and mobile-first adoption (22:12) - Emerging markets (Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia) vs. U.S. adoption (25:09) - Institutional adoption, treasuries, and guaranteed blockspace (29:14) - Everyday utility: from savings to paying for coffee (32:06) - The “Summer of Stablecoins” and institutional momentum (36:09) - Final advice: build from user needs, ground up 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow on Twitter: Host Jacqueline https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have a financial interest in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    40 min
  8. Introducing Talking Tokenization : The Future of Finance Tokenizing Wall Street

    23 SEPT

    Introducing Talking Tokenization : The Future of Finance Tokenizing Wall Street

    Welcome to Talking Tokenization, a new podcast series unlocking how onchain assets are transforming finance, capital markets, and the way the world trades. Award-nominated journalist Jacquelyn Melinek leads conversations with the people and projects building the real world asset ecosystem, from tokenizing treasuries and private credit to launching the next wave of onchain funds and public equities. This series is supported by Securitize, the industry’s leading platform for tokenizing investments. In the debut episode, Carlos Domingo, co-founder and CEO of Securitize, explains what it takes to move from pilot projects to institutional mainstream, why BlackRock’s onchain fund is a true turning point, and how compliance-first infrastructure is powering the rise of a new financial industry. Dive in to hear what’s next as tokenization enters a new era of scale and impact. If you want to understand how global markets are being rebuilt for the next decade and how this movement will shape investing and access around the world, this is the conversation to follow. Sponsored by Securitize, the proven leader in tokenized funds, equities, and private markets. Discover more at securitize.io. This episode is sponsored by Fireblocks, the stablecoin infrastructure of choice for top global businesses, from Visa and Worldpay to Bridge and Revolut. Learn more at fireblocks.com. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) - Introducing Talking Tokenization (01:40) - Why capital markets need tokenization (04:15) - Launching Securitize in 2017 and early challenges (07:20) - Why tokenization failed before and why it works now (10:05) - Stablecoins, regulation, and adoption momentum (13:15) - The KKR partnership: first tokenized fund (16:40) - BlackRock’s $2B tokenized treasury fund explained (20:30) - Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin integration (23:50) - DeFi meets tokenization: lending, collateral & Aave (27:40) - Native tokenization vs wrappers: what investors must know (31:20) - Tokenized stocks and the path to mainstream adoption (35:00) - Market structure, regulation & investor protections (38:40) - What’s next for Securitize and RWAs (42:20) - Final thoughts from Carlos Domingo 📢 Subscribe & Follow Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Support the show by leaving a review! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141 Follow on X: Host Jacquelyn Melinek https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek | Podcast https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/ Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guests may have a financial interest in discussed entities or assets. Not investment advice.

    47 min
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About

Talking Tokens is a podcast focused on interviewing the best crypto leaders, startups, market players and up-and-coming founders that are changing the industry. Join Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated host and seasoned crypto journalist-turned-entrepreneur, to dive into the best talks in crypto in an easy-to-understand way. The episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, X and more. For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/ Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens

Information

  • Creator
    Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    151
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations
  • Show Website
    Talking Tokens

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