web3 with a16z crypto

"web3 with a16z" is a show about the next generation of the internet, and about how builders and users — whether artists, coders, creators, developers, companies, organizations, or communities — now have the ability to not just "read" (web1) + "write" (web2) but "own" (web3) pieces of the internet, unlocking a new wave of creativity and entrepreneurship. Brought to you by a16z crypto, this show is the definitive resource for understanding and going deeper on all things crypto and web3. From discussing the latest and leading trends to sharing research, data readouts, and insights from top scientists and makers in the space, this is a show with a variety of formats and topics listeners can pick and choose from. It is hosted by the longtime showrunner of (and original team behind) the popular a16z Podcast. Learn more at a16zcrypto.com. *** Posts should not be considered investment advice or an advertisement for investment services. Reposts of third party content are not attributable to a16z; see disclosures for more information: https://a16z.com/disclosures/.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Trump's Tech Czar on Crypto, AI, and American Innovation

    with @DavidSacks @pmarca @bhorowitz @eriktorenberg Today’s episode features David Sacks, the Trump administration’s “AI and crypto czar," in conversation with a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, and General Partner Erik Torenberg. They dig into: how the U.S. is approaching AI and crypto policy,the fight over open source software,the status of tech regulation and legislation (like the CLARITY Act for crypto),what’s at stake in the geopolitical race with China, and moreThis episode is a special crossover with the a16z podcast, which you can follow for more conversations like this. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:16 David Sacks on Crypto and AI Policy 02:34 Trump's Vision for Crypto 06:16 The Crypto Crackdown and Debanking Years 08:58 AI Regulatory Capture and Gatekeeping 11:30 How Permissionless Innovation Built Silicon Valley 16:21 "Woke" vs. Orwellian AI 21:48 When AGI? 24:29 Polytheistic AI and "End-to-End" Humans 31:07 The Future of AI: Controlled or Decentralized? 37:13 Open Source and Global Competition 41:53 The AI Race: US vs China 46:32 Amping Up Energy and Infrastructure 47:17 Cultural Divides Over the American Tech Stack 55:01 The European approach and Doomerism 01:06:14 Crypto and the Legislative Process (GENIUS, CLARITY) 01:11:13 The Future of the Democratic Party 01:14:12 San Francisco Politics 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resourcesfrom a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/  🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/  *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 18m
  2. 1 NOV

    The Data Behind Crypto's Breakout Year

    with @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin Today, we’re bringing you something special: a presentation from our 2025 Founders Summit, which we just wrapped last week in beautiful Carlsbad, Calif. You’ll hear from Daren Matsuoka, our Head of Data and Fund Strategy, as he walks through the insights from this year’s State of Crypto report — our deep-dive into the data, themes, and signals shaping the industry right now. Stay through to the end for audience Q&A featuring our founders and to hear a16z crypto CTO Eddy Lazzarin share his takes on this year’s findings. To watch the full video — and explore more deep dives, explainers, and interviews — visit the a16z crypto Youtube channel. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to stay updated. Oh, and if you haven’t already, be sure to check out the full State of Crypto report at a16zcrypto.com/stateofcrypto, and also to listen to the episode just before this one — a conversation between Daren, Eddy, and me where we unpack the numbers and trends, explain what they mean, and why they matter. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Crypto Market Developments in 2025  07:19 Institutional Adoption and Market Trends 09:05 Stablecoins: The First Killer Use Case  12:08 The Evolution of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)  13:18 DePIN and Physical Infrastructure Networks  15:12 Blockchain Scaling and Infrastructure  17:24 Privacy, ZK Technology, and Quantum Computing  18:53 Crypto and AI: Converging Technologies  21:08 Regulatory Clarity and Legislative Progress 23:27 Looking Ahead  24:04 Q&A Session 📊 Download the full State of Crypto 2025 report and explore our interactive dashboard to track the industry’s key metrics. 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources.from a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/  🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/  *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    38 min
  3. 22 OCT

    State of Crypto 2025: The Latest Data, Trends, and Themes Revealed

    with @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin @rhhackett Each year, the State of Crypto report analyzes the data — cutting through the noise — to track crypto’s evolution across markets, technology, policy, culture, and more. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 State of Crypto report reveals how this once-fringe technology has hit recent all-time highs and gone mainstream — from stablecoins and tokenized assets to rapid adoption by major financial institutions. In this episode, we dig into the findings and themes from this year’s report with lead author Daren Matsuoka, a16z crypto’s head of data and fund strategy; and Eddy Lazzarin, a16z crypto’s chief technology officer. We talk about what’s changed since last year, why stablecoins are “suddenly” taking over, and how institutions — from fintechs to legacy banks — are embracing crypto technologies. We also look ahead at trends like:  AI and crypto (and where the jobs are moving);why stablecoins have gone mainstreaminstitutional adoption — from Stripe and Visa to BlackRock and Robinhoodprivacy on public blockchainstokenization of real world assetsbitcoin’s resurgence and the rise of "digital gold"where developer energy is goingwhat’s really happening with memecoins, perps, and prediction marketsthe changing regulatory environment in the U.S.and what the next phase of crypto’s “adulthood” might look like — what happens next year when crypto turns 18Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Overview of the 2025 State of Crypto Report 05:04 The Evolution and Mainstreaming of Crypto 08:27 Crypto’s Market Cycles and All-Time Highs 12:08 The Price-Innovation Cycle (and Its Dislocation) 15:40 Memecoins, Stablecoins, and Entrepreneurs 17:25 AI and Attracting Tech Talent 21:18 Crypto Adoption and User Metrics 26:58 Airdrops, Farming, and Changing Metas 31:24 Bitcoin’s Resurgence and Store of Value 42:09 Institutional Adoption and Market Dynamics 50:08 The Evolution of Stablecoins 54:20 The Growing Role of Stablecoins in the Global Economy 01:00:54 The Importance of Privacy in Crypto 01:08:46 Tokenization of ‘Real World Assets’ 01:20:46 Perpetual Futures and Prediction Markets 01:29:41 Outlook for the Future 📊 Download the full State of Crypto 2025 report and explore our interactive dashboard to track the industry’s key metrics. 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources.from a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/  🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/  *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 37m
  4. 29 AUG

    Surviving Market Cycles & Startup Lessons for Founders

    with @AriannaSimpson @jacqmelinek Crypto is known for its high and low market cycles: What must founders know — and what can they do — to survive the swings? In this episode, we unpack the lessons of past crypto cycles and how they shape the current wave of building — from stablecoins to AI x crypto. We also dive into the founder journey: from raising money and staying committed in 2025, to handling copycat competitors, cofounder disputes, growing too fast (or slowly), and more. You'll hear from a16z crypto General Partner Arianna Simpson, who has spent over a decade investing in crypto. She joins Jacquelyn Melinek, cofounder & CEO of Token Relations and host of the Talking Tokens podcast, where this conversation first aired, and which we’re excited to share with you here.  Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 1:19 Arianna Simpson's Crypto Origin Story 3:23 Market Cycles & Investing Priorities 5:52 Interrogating the Stablecoin Trend 13:25 Intersection of AI x Crypto 17:49 The Role of Blockchains for Authenticity and Verification 23:07 Future of AI Agents and Monetization Models 27:23 Traits of Successful Crypto Founders 30:05 Challenges and Changes in Fundraising 33:57 Current State of the Market 37:33 Advice for Founders:   • Pivoting when PMF is missing   • Raising capital after bootstrapping   • Competing with copycats   • Cofounder disputes and breakups   • Growing too fast & scaling pains 47:52 Conclusion *** 📩 Subscribe for more from a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/  🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/ *** As always, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.

    49 min
  5. 22 AUG

    After the Foundation Era: Tokens, Policy, and Startup Structures

    with @eddylazzarin @milesjennings @JasonYanowitz Welcome to web3 with a16z crypto. Today’s episode is on a super timely topic: How to design, govern, and grow decentralized networks in today’s changing policy landscape. It covers: Why the “foundation era” of crypto is ending — and what comes next with DUNAs and BORGsHow U.S. policy shifts are creating real rules of the roadThe difference between network tokens vs. company tokens (and why it matters for investors, builders, and other participants)When protocols should flip the fee switch and start generating revenueCommon mistakes founders make when launching tokens and structuring projectsTo unpack it all, you’ll hear from Miles Jennings, head of policy and general counsel at a16z crypto, and Eddy Lazzarin, a16z crypto’s CTO, in conversation with Jason Yanowitz, cofounder of Blockworks and host of the Empire podcast (where this conversation first aired) ... and which we’re excited to bring to you here. Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 3:14 Regulatory Progress and Optimism in DC 9:34 The Problem with Offshore Foundations 13:58 The End of the Foundation Era 27:29 DUNAs and BORGs: New Legal Structures 38:42 Understanding Network Tokens 43:42 Network Tokens: Beyond L1 and L2 48:37 Company Tokens: Evolution and Challenges 51:09 The Legal Landscape of Token Offerings 1:04:25 Turning on the Fee Switch: When and Why 1:12:47 Balancing Portfolio Needs and Regulatory Clarity 1:15:36 Common Questions from Founders 1:20:17 Conclusion   📩 Subscribe for more from a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/  🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/  *** As always, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 21m
  6. 7 AUG

    The antimemetics (and memetics) of making ideas happen -- in crypto and beyond

    with @nayafia and @smc90  Ideas, memes, and vibes are some of the most important drivers of modern technology adoption, marketing, and much more -- and have been much-covered by everyone from Darwin to Dawkins to Girard to many others. Yet the topic of antimemetics -- self-censoring (vs. self-propagating) ideas -- whether something fringe, forgotten, or forbidden -- haven't been studied as much, especially in the context of modern networks.  So in this special book-launch episode, we cover the important concept of antimemetics (and memetics) -- focusing on:  where and how ideas take off in groups, whether in online chats or other high-shared context communities; how ideas not just spread but are contained, or mutate in strange ways; why packaging ideas matters; and what we can all do to move ideas to action. Where do bureacracy, institutions, and protocols come in? What about tacit knowledge that lies in these communities, how (or do) we make it explicit? What roles -- from truth tellers to champions to individual nodes in networks -- can and do people play in making something go from mere commentary to reality? After all, ideas -- or ideas as viruses -- are how movements happen, how innovation happens, how things change... or don't ever change despite being discussed all the time.   Our expert guest in this special book episode (following in our long tradition of sharing what we're reading) is Nadia Asparouhova, the author of the new book, Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading; she is also the author of the book Working in Public: The Making and Maintenance of Open Source Software. a16z crypto's Sonal Chokshi -- who previously hosted Nadia's book-launch episode for the a16z Podcast and almost a decade before that on the changing culture of open source -- interviews Nadia on these themes, how they connect, and why they matter for the crypto industry and beyond. We also dig into some critiques -- and opportunities for builders -- too, including what happens to the public commons; network propagation including across networks; reality distortion fields; hidden knowledge; and cultural stagnation vs. cultural abundance. All this and more in this episode of web3 with a16z!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 35m
  7. 22 JUL

    GENIUS Becomes Law: What It Took to Pass the First Rules for Stablecoins in the U.S.

    with @rhhackett @milesjennings @BenNapier & Michael Reed Today we're talking about the passage of the GENIUS Act — that's the "Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act" — which provides clear rules of the road for stablecoins in the U.S. We cover the law's implications, the recent high-stakes vote in the House of Representatives, and the bipartisan efforts to pass this groundbreaking bill. We also touch on the CLARITY Act — a major new “market structure” bill that would establish a clear regulatory framework for digital asset markets — which the House also passed with bipartisan support and which is now headed to the Senate. Here to separate the signal from the noise are members of the a16z crypto team who had a front-row seat to the action. We've got Miles Jennings, a16z crypto's General Counsel and Head of Policy, plus a16z Government Affairs Partners Ben Napier and Michael Reed, who are responsible for liaising with House Republicans and House Democrats, respectively. They share the inside scoop. Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:01) Understanding the GENIUS Act (3:56) News Summary: What Happened in the House (5:45) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Contention (7:01) House Vote Drama: Republicans (9:31) House Vote Drama: Democrats (14:28) Winners and Losers (16:01) Decentralized Stablecoins and SEC Involvement (17:49) CLARITY Act and Future Legislation (21:47) Looking Ahead Resources: The GENIUS Act [full text]Clear rules for stablecoins and the road ahead by Chris Dixon (a16z crypto, July 2025)The CLARITY Act — Why it matters, what to know, and what to do by Miles Jennings and Aiden Slavin (a16z crypto, July 2025)*** As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    24 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

"web3 with a16z" is a show about the next generation of the internet, and about how builders and users — whether artists, coders, creators, developers, companies, organizations, or communities — now have the ability to not just "read" (web1) + "write" (web2) but "own" (web3) pieces of the internet, unlocking a new wave of creativity and entrepreneurship. Brought to you by a16z crypto, this show is the definitive resource for understanding and going deeper on all things crypto and web3. From discussing the latest and leading trends to sharing research, data readouts, and insights from top scientists and makers in the space, this is a show with a variety of formats and topics listeners can pick and choose from. It is hosted by the longtime showrunner of (and original team behind) the popular a16z Podcast. Learn more at a16zcrypto.com. *** Posts should not be considered investment advice or an advertisement for investment services. Reposts of third party content are not attributable to a16z; see disclosures for more information: https://a16z.com/disclosures/.

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