The Defiant - DeFi Podcast

Camila Russo
The Defiant - DeFi Podcast

The internet of money is being built with blockchain technology and without banks. We call it DeFi, short for Decentralized Finance, and this is where you can hear the builders and users of this cutting edge world tell their stories first hand. Hosted by Camila Russo.

  1. Deep Dive into Ethereum's Beam Chain: Exclusive Insights with Researcher Justin Drake

    14 HR AGO

    Deep Dive into Ethereum's Beam Chain: Exclusive Insights with Researcher Justin Drake

    In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake dives deep into the Beam Chain proposal, a transformative upgrade aimed at accelerating Ethereum’s roadmap and enhancing its consensus layer. Justin explains how the Beam Chain would incorporate key innovations like SNARK proofs, quantum security, and single-slot finality to boost decentralization, security, and scalability. He also discusses incremental upgrades like staking caps and pre-confirmations, which aim to improve Ethereum’s performance and user experience in the near term. The conversation explores Ethereum’s competition with Solana and Bitcoin, highlighting how Ethereum’s long-term focus on robustness and scalability positions it to thrive as the foundational layer for the decentralized internet. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Justin Drake 01:03 - What is the Beam Chain? 02:41 - Why Ethereum Needs Acceleration 05:06 - Lessons from the Merge for the Beam Chain 07:06 - Solving Ethereum’s Technical Debt 15:58 - Faster Confirmation Times 18:11 - Pre-confirmations in Ethereum 24:14 - Layer 1 and Layer 2 Pre-confirmations 30:41 - Big Ticket Changes in the Beam Chain 31:04 - Snarkification of Consensus Layer 33:31 - Single Slot Finality 39:00 - Trustless Bridges Between Blockchains 49:00 - Native Rollups and Execution Sharding 54:04 - Ethereum vs. Solana on Performance 01:10:00 - Near-Term Upgrades to Watch For Our sponsors https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast http://supra.com ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    1h 15m
  2. "‘By 2025, Ethereum Will Feel Like One Unified Network" | Hart Lambur

    4 NOV

    "‘By 2025, Ethereum Will Feel Like One Unified Network" | Hart Lambur

    Hart Lambur, co-founder of Across Protocol and UMA, discusses Across’s mission to enable fast, low-cost asset transfers between Ethereum layer twos, with a focus on creating a seamless user experience. He explains how the protocol’s “intent architecture” leverages third-party solvers to improve cross-chain interactions, offering a cohesive way for users to transfer assets and execute transactions across different Ethereum networks. Lambur also emphasizes the importance of Ethereum’s upcoming account abstraction upgrades in achieving a unified ecosystem, allowing actions on any Ethereum chain from a single wallet. He envisions a future by 2025 where Ethereum feels like a unified network, improving user experience significantly. Chapters 00:04 - Introduction to Hart Lambur 00:14 - Hart’s Background and Motivation for Building Across Protocol 00:50 - Integration with Uniswap 10:34 - Challenges in Ethereum Interoperability and Gas Fees 12:03 - Ethereum’s Scalability Achievements and New Issues 18:04 - Account Abstraction: ERC-7702 and Its Role in Ethereum 27:02 - Intents Architecture 41:00 - Current User Experience Issues in Ethereum and Solutions 52:32 - Hart’s Vision for Ethereum as a Unified Network by 2025 57:08 - Closing Thoughts on Ethereum’s Future and Overcoming Fragmentation This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    1h 2m
  3. ZKsync 3.0: Elastic Chain and the Future of Scalable Web3 with Matter Labs’ Nana Murugesan

    28 OCT

    ZKsync 3.0: Elastic Chain and the Future of Scalable Web3 with Matter Labs’ Nana Murugesan

    Nana Murugesan, President of Matter Labs and former VP of Business Development at Coinbase, joins Camila Russo in this week’s podcast to discuss the latest updates from ZKsync, including the recently launched Elastic Chain. He explains how ZKsync’s approach to interoperability and customization aims to make Web3 infrastructure as seamless as Web2, emphasizing the importance of user-friendly experiences for mainstream adoption. Nana also highlights Matter Labs' partnership with Buenos Aires to bring ZK-backed digital identity to millions of citizens, showcasing a promising model for government and Web3 collaboration. Finally, he shares upcoming milestones for ZKsync, with new chains and collaborations in Latin America, gaming, and the creator economy. Chapters 0:00 - Introduction 0:17 - ZKsync and Elastic Chain 2:57 - Evolution of ZKsync 5:22 - Interoperability and Customizability in Web3 7:30 - User Experience 10:16 - The Role of Governments in Blockchain Adoption 14:41 - Digital Identity on the Blockchain 17:18 - Why Zero-Knowledge Proofs Matter 21:02 - Cost and Throughput Advantage of ZKsync 25:07 - UX and Interoperability Challenges 27:05 - ZKsync in Latin America 30:05 - Upcoming Projects on Elastic Chain 32:39 - Future Focus for Matter Labs 33:46 - Closing Remarks This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    35 min
  4. From Rock Bottom to Success: How Bitcoin Saved Dylan Kawalec's Life

    21 OCT

    From Rock Bottom to Success: How Bitcoin Saved Dylan Kawalec's Life

    In this week’s podcast, Dylan Kawalec, Head of Developer Relations at Goat Network, discusses the Goat Founders Club, which is a new initiative aimed at empowering developers and entrepreneurs to build on the Bitcoin Layer 2 ecosystem. He explains how the program incentivizes builders through a unique points reward system that can be converted into tokens, fostering a more developer-centric community. Dylan also dives into the technical aspects of the Goat Network, including its decentralized sequencer model and use of zero-knowledge rollups, to enhance Bitcoin's scalability and interoperability. Lastly, he shares his personal story of how Bitcoin transformed his life, highlighting his unwavering passion and optimism for the future of the network. Chapters 00:00 - Dylan Kawalec and GOAT Network 00:16 - What is the GOAT Founders Club? 03:46 - About GOAT Network: Bitcoin Layer 2 Overview 05:12 - Differentiation from Other Layer 2s 07:00 - Founders Club Tracks for Developers 11:03 - Governance Token: Future Role of GOAT Token 12:28 - Role of Bitcoin on GOAT Network 15:07 - Sequencer Model and Bridging to Other Chains 21:00 - Dylan’s Personal Bitcoin Story 24:56 - Inspiration Behind Founders Club 42:11 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    42 min
  5. Why Sui is Skyrocketing: Price Surge & Growing Ecosystem | Adeniyi Abiodun, Mysten Labs

    14 OCT

    Why Sui is Skyrocketing: Price Surge & Growing Ecosystem | Adeniyi Abiodun, Mysten Labs

    Adeniyi Abiodun is the co-founder of Mysten Labs and a major contributor to the Sui blockchain. In this week’s podcast, he discusses Sui's unique positioning as a "global coordination layer for the internet," emphasizing its decentralized nature and its technical advancements such as parallel execution and the use of the Move programming language. He highlights the expertise of the team behind Sui, their focus on scalability, and the potential for Sui to revolutionize payments and digital asset ownership. Abiodun also addresses challenges like decentralization concerns and outlines future growth areas, including gaming and DeFi. Chapters 0:00 - Introduction with Adeniyi Abiodun, Co-founder of Mysten Labs 0:42 - What is Sui and how it's different from other L1s 1:50 - Addressing the centralization problem of the internet 3:52 - Scalability and throughput advantages of Sui 5:24 - How Sui solves scalability and throughput challenges 7:31 - Move language: A better approach for Web3 development 10:33 - Object-based model vs account-based model in blockchains 16:00 - Sui token's recent price surge and adoption trends 19:16 - Native USDC launch and its impact on DeFi growth 22:11 - Sui's low latency and fast transaction speeds 33:19 - Expanding Web3 adoption and onboarding billions of users 45:37 - Sui’s vision for the future This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    49 min
  6. Democratic Candidate John Avlon on Depolarizing Crypto Regulation and Building Bipartisan Support

    8 OCT

    Democratic Candidate John Avlon on Depolarizing Crypto Regulation and Building Bipartisan Support

    John Avlon is a congressional candidate for New York, advocating for bipartisan support of emerging technologies like cryptocurrency. In this week's podcast, John emphasizes the need for clear and reasonable regulation to foster innovation without stifling it, while warning against making technology a partisan issue. Avlon critiques the current regulatory landscape, including the approach of figures like Gary Gensler, and highlights the potential risks of pushing innovation overseas. He advocates for Democrats to embrace technology as a key driver of U.S. competitiveness, underscoring that this election will shape the trajectory of the nation's future. Chapters 0:00 Intro to John Avlon 1:02 Pivotal Moment For Crypto 3:50 US Crypto Policy 8:40 Regulatory Framework 17:40 Trust In Kamala Harris 26:30 Crypto Lobby 31:21 Balance In Regulation 44:05 John Avlon's Bags 47:12 Threat To Democracy This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    52 min
  7. Building The Web3 Super App: Jack Booth on TON's Path to Global Crypto Adoption

    1 OCT

    Building The Web3 Super App: Jack Booth on TON's Path to Global Crypto Adoption

    Jack Booth is the co-founder of TON Society, a grassroots initiative driving community engagement in the Ton blockchain ecosystem, closely integrated with the Telegram messaging app. Booth explained how TON is evolving as a Web3 super app, bringing decentralized applications and financial tools to a global audience. He discussed the ecosystem’s unique structure, built on Telegram’s open mini-apps platform, enabling users to seamlessly access crypto services. Booth also emphasized TON's vision of onboarding millions of new users into crypto by creating simple, user-friendly applications and fostering mass adoption outside the U.S. 00:00 - Introduction & TON's Relationship with Telegram 02:35 - TON's Vision for Web3 & Telegram Mini Apps 05:15 - The History of TON and Regulatory Challenges 07:22 - Telegram Integrates TON Wallet 09:56 - TON’s Focus on Emerging Markets 13:07 - TON Society & Community Building 17:30 - TON Blockchain's Sharding Model 21:11 - Scaling Challenges 24:20 - TON’s Deflationary Potential 29:25 - Pavel Durov's Arrest & Impact on TON 39:31 - Power of Telegram's Announcement Channels 44:01 - Centralization vs. Decentralization in TON 49:01 - TON as a Web3 Super App 53:19 - Tap-to-Earn Apps & Airdrops This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    1h 9m
  8. Redefining DeFi Lending: How Morpho Gives Users Control and Customization | Paul Frambot, Co-Founder

    24 SEPT

    Redefining DeFi Lending: How Morpho Gives Users Control and Customization | Paul Frambot, Co-Founder

    Paul Frambot, co-founder and CEO of Morpho Labs, explains how Morpho is a decentralized and permissionless lending protocol that allows users to create customized lending and borrowing pools. Unlike traditional DeFi platforms like Aave, Morpho externalizes risk management, giving users control over their risk exposure and liquidity. Frambot shares how Morpho started as a rate-optimizing solution and evolved into Morpho Blue, a more scalable protocol with over $1 billion in deposits. He discusses the advantages of building in Europe, Morpho's vision to make financial infrastructure a public good, and how fintech partnerships could drive future DeFi adoption. We also touch on Morpho's upcoming token launch and its long-term strategy to compete with other major DeFi protocols. 0:00 - Intro to Paul Frambot 0:30 - What is Morpho and How it Differs from Competitors 2:00 - Paul's Background and Entry into DeFi 3:30 - Early Development of Morpho Optimizer 5:00 - Transition to Morpho Blue and Permissionless Lending 8:00 - Managing Risk, Liquidity, and Customization 11:00 - Real-World Assets and New Use Cases in DeFi 14:00 - Challenges and Advantages of Building in Europe 18:00 - Morpho's Long-Term Vision: Financial Infrastructure as a Public Good 23:00 - Future of DeFi: Fintech Integration and Token Launch 28:00 - Competition with Aave and Growth Strategy 33:00 - The Role of Fintech in Scaling DeFi 38:00 - Long-Term Vision for DeFi and Fintech 43:00 - Morpho's Upcoming Tokenomics and Governance 48:00 - Future Trends and Adoption in DeFi 52:00 - Closing Thoughts and Paul's Outlook on DeFi This episode was sponsored by: NEAR: https://redactedbangkok.ai/?utm_source=thedefiant&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=defiant&utm_content=newsletter Stellar: https://stellar.org/soroban?utm_source=defiant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=defiant_podcast ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    55 min

About

The internet of money is being built with blockchain technology and without banks. We call it DeFi, short for Decentralized Finance, and this is where you can hear the builders and users of this cutting edge world tell their stories first hand. Hosted by Camila Russo.

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