Bits and Borders

Aaron Stanley
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From digital assets to tokenization to artificial intelligence, Bits and Borders explores the growth of frontier technology in frontier markets

  1. 10 Jun

    #185: Unlocking Stablecoin Liquidity with Checker CEO Jack Chong

    Jack Chong is co-founder and CEO of Checker, a stablecoin liquidity network connecting FX banks, payments companies, and neobanks across emerging markets. He joins host Aaron Stanley to discuss why cross-border stablecoin payments are still broken, and how Checker is building the infrastructure layer to fix it. Chong's path from Hong Kong to Oxford to a language school in Jordan to building stablecoin rails in New York and Latin America is not a straight line, but it explains exactly why Checker is built the way it is: global product, local execution, regional investors with boots on the ground. In its first 12 months, the network processed over $3 billion in payment volume. Chong breaks down the Brazil-China corridor, where most cross-border business payments still run through informal brokers, and makes the case for why Brazil's VASP regulation arriving in Q4 is a pivotal moment for any institution that wants to offer stablecoin products. He also floats an intriguing idea: stablecoins as the conduit that opens the BRL carry trade, long a Wall Street macro favorite, to crypto natives and retail investors.

    35 min

  2. 5 Jun

    #184: David Z. Morris on SBF and the Collapse of Effective Altruism

    David Z. Morris is a financial journalist and author of Stealing the Future, a post-trial account of the FTX collapse and the effective altruism ideology behind it. He joins host Aaron Stanley to discuss what the criminal trial revealed that earlier books missed, why Michael Lewis's account functionally serves as a defense of the fraud, and how the ideology that shaped Sam Bankman-Fried continues to circulate under new names. Morris was part of the CoinDesk team that broke the story and later covered the trial for Protos. Topics include the SBF truther movement, speculative but documented questions about Sullivan & Cromwell's intelligence connections, Caroline Ellison's story, stimulant culture at FTX, and how effective altruism has rebranded as "abundance" and "effective accelerationism." Morris argues that EA gave SPF an ethical framework that explicitly justified stealing customer funds - and that the same logic is still being sold to engineers in Silicon Valley today.

    1hr 6min

  3. 26 May

    #183: Tokenized Credit for Brazil's Creative Economy with DUX

    Luiz Octavio Gonçalves Neto is the founder and CEO of DUX, a company building financial infrastructure for the creative economy in Brazil. He joins host Aaron Stanley to discuss how DUX uses invoice factoring and blockchain-based liquidity to serve a $2.5 trillion global sector that traditional banks have largely ignored. DUX buys receivables from creative economy companies, marketing agencies, event producers, music studios, and creator agencies, paying them upfront instead of waiting 90 days for big brands to settle. The company has done R$182 million in volume and is targeting R$1 billion by year-end. Luiz covers how its Web3 liquidity platform lets global investors deploy stablecoins into Brazilian private credit, why blockchain serves as an anti-fragile capital backup, and what's next as DUX launches a neobank and prepares a rebrand. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 🎙Listen to Bits and Borders on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@promenadeadvisory.com #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization #RWAs

    58 min

  4. 1 Apr

    #182: Live from Merge Sao Paulo: Staking Goes Global with Figment's Sthefano Batista

    Sthefano Batista is Head of Latam at Figment, the world's largest institutional provider of staking services with $18 billion in assets staked. Recorded live at Merge Sao Paulo, Sthefano joins host Aaron Stanley to break down how Figment is building the staking market across Latin America, why major institutions like BlackRock, Nubank, and Robinhood trust Figment with their crypto yield strategies, and what makes Brazil one of the most interesting regulatory environments for staking in the world. They dig into the nuances of proof-of-stake infrastructure, how Figment protects clients from slashing risk, the difference between retail and institutional staking priorities, and what the recent VASP regulatory updates in Brazil mean for the industry. You can connect with Sthefano on Linkedin ------------------------------------------------------------------ Figment is the leading independent provider of staking infrastructure with $18B assets under stake and provides the complete solution for over 1000 institutional clients in Latin America and globally. Through its enterprise-grade infrastructure, Figment enables clients such as banks and exchanges, to earn rewards on Proof-of-Stake assets such as Ethereum and Solana, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠figment.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------------------------🎙Listen to BCR on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@promenadeadvisory.com #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization

    33 min

  5. 26 Mar

    #181: Live from Merge Sao Paulo: Agentic Commerce with Rodrigo Coelho of Edge & Node

    Rodrigo Coelho is CEO of Edge & Node. In this episode, recorded live at Merge Sao Paulo, joins host Aaron Stanley to explore the cutting edge of agentic commerce and blockchain data infrastructure. Rodrigo shares how Edge & Node, the original team behind The Graph protocol - built the indexing layer that quietly powers much of Web3 today, and how their new product, AMP, is modernizing that infrastructure for institutional adoption. The conversation digs into why crypto rails are uniquely suited for the agentic economy: from micro-payments between AI agents to ephemeral virtual cards bridging the gap for everyday merchants, and why agents paying each other via stablecoins may be closer than we think. You can connect with Rodrigo on https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigoco/ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Figment is the leading independent provider of staking infrastructure with $18B assets under stake and provides the complete solution for over 1000 institutional clients in Latin America and globally. Through its enterprise-grade infrastructure, Figment enables clients such as banks and exchanges, to earn rewards on Proof-of-Stake assets such as Ethereum and Solana, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠figment.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------------------------🎙Listen to BCR on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@promenadeadvisory.com #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization

    41 min

  6. 12 Mar

    #180: Why Brazil is a Blockchain Talent Hub with Owen Healy

    Owen Healy has spent five years matching blockchain talent with crypto projects around the world - and he's built a 50,000-follower LinkedIn following doing it. In this episode, Aaron sits down with the Ireland-based recruiter to explore how the blockchain talent market actually works: how recruiters get paid, how candidates can trust a headhunter is acting in their interest, and why referrals still beat job boards every time. Owen shares why Brazilian developers and blockchain professionals are increasingly in demand globally, what skills make candidates hireable regardless of location, and how the remote work pendulum is swinging back toward hybrid models. He also breaks down his "multi-chain" approach to job searching - why one-click LinkedIn applications rarely work, and how building genuine relationships inside target companies is the real edge in today's AI-saturated hiring landscape. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Figment is the leading independent provider of staking infrastructure with $18B assets under stake and provides the complete solution for over 1000 institutional clients in Latin America and globally. Through its enterprise-grade infrastructure, Figment enables clients such as banks and exchanges, to earn rewards on Proof-of-Stake assets such as Ethereum and Solana, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠figment.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------------------------🎙Listen to BCR on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@promenadeadvisory.com #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization

    42 min

  7. 31/12/2025

    #179: BRL Stablecoin Deep Dive with Rodrigo Trindade of Iporanga Ventures

    Rodrigo Trindade is an investor at Iporanga Ventures. He joins host Aaron Stanley to discuss his comprehensive research on local stablecoin adoption across Brazil and Latin America. Rodrigo built his own tracking dashboard monitoring on-chain metrics including supply, holders, transaction volumes, and DeFi activity for regional stablecoins. He argues that while USD-denominated stablecoins will remain dominant globally, local currency stablecoins are essential infrastructure for building functional on-chain financial systems in Latin America, where users need to transact, borrow, and lend in their native currencies. Looking ahead, Rodrigo identifies credit and yield products as the next major opportunities in the space, emphasizing the need for better transparency through real-time proof of reserves and improved liquidity infrastructure. ------------------------------------------------------------------Brazil Crypto Report is presented by Avenia If you're building a wallet, a crypto consumer app, or a global payment platform, Avenia is your bridge to Latin America. Instantly connect to PIX, SPEI, and CBU using stablecoins — with one API. No banks. No FX desks. No SWIFT. Move money globally, with full compliance and real-time settlement. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠avenia.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Figment is the leading independent provider of staking infrastructure with $18B assets under stake and provides the complete solution for over 1000 institutional clients in Latin America and globally. Through its enterprise-grade infrastructure, Figment enables clients such as banks and exchanges, to earn rewards on Proof-of-Stake assets such as Ethereum and Solana, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠figment.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------------------------🎙Listen to BCR on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@activomedia.ai #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization

    46 min

  8. 18/12/2025

    #178: Can Crown Become the Circle of Brazil? with John Delaney

    John Delaney is CEO and co-founder of Crown. Crown recently raised a $13.5 million Series A round led by Paradigm and is the issuer of BRLV - Brazil's newest and stablecoin with over 360 million BRL subscribed. He joins host Aaron Stanley to discuss Crown's unique approach to capturing institutional flows in Brazil's high-yield environment - namely by letting BRLV holders earn native yield generated from the underlying reserves. The conversation explores BRLV's groundbreaking bankruptcy-remote reserve structure with perfected legal guarantees, making it the first stablecoin globally to implement such comprehensive security protections. Delaney shares insights on Brazil's position as a prime stablecoin market given its massive M2 money supply, crypto-friendly central bank, and positive real interest rates that outpace inflation. He outlines Crown's ambitious 10-year vision to achieve one trillion BRL in circulation, projecting stablecoins will represent high single-digit percentages of Brazil's money supply as financial infrastructure migrates on-chain. You can connect with John on Linkedin ------------------------------------------------------------------Brazil Crypto Report is presented by Avenia If you're building a wallet, a crypto consumer app, or a global payment platform, Avenia is your bridge to Latin America. Instantly connect to PIX, SPEI, and CBU using stablecoins — with one API. No banks. No FX desks. No SWIFT. Move money globally, with full compliance and real-time settlement. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠avenia.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Figment is the leading independent provider of staking infrastructure with $18B assets under stake and provides the complete solution for over 1000 institutional clients in Latin America and globally. Through its enterprise-grade infrastructure, Figment enables clients such as banks and exchanges, to earn rewards on Proof-of-Stake assets such as Ethereum and Solana, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠figment.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------------------------🎙Listen to BCR on your favorite podcast platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: aaron@activomedia.ai #brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization

    49 min
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About

From digital assets to tokenization to artificial intelligence, Bits and Borders explores the growth of frontier technology in frontier markets

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Stanley
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    192
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aaron Stanley
  • Show Website
    Bits and Borders