51 Insights – What Matters in Digital Assets

Marc Baumann
  • 5.0 (1)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

We talk with digital asset leaders and innovators about what's next in finance and commerce. www.51insights.xyz

  1. 1D AGO

    143: Bad Databases

    Hey, it’s Marc. The big story this week: Stripe is launching its own “blockchain for payments.” Circle has Arc. Google has GCUL. Who's operating the nodes? How decentralized is this? How do the validator economics look like? Here’s the truth: these aren’t blockchains. They’re databases with extra cryptography and political and legal overhead. Meanwhile, the real progress is happening in open protocols: Ondo moving stocks on Ethereum, Galaxy putting its equity on Solana, and Aave turning RWAs into collateral. Interesting fact: For the first time, public companies now hold over 1M Bitcoin, nearly 5% of the supply. In just five years, corporate treasuries have amassed $110B in Bitcoin, echoing gold’s role as a reserve asset. 👉 Crypto Treasury Alpha: We launched another newsletter covering institutional moves and digital asset treasury vehicles. Subscribe below 👇 Also, our highlights this week: * Stripe and Paradigm launch Tempo, its L1 for payments * Fireblocks launches the Network for Payments * Ondo lists 100+ tokenised U.S. stocks and ETFs on Ethereum * Galaxy puts Nasdaq stock directly onchain * Aave turns RWAs into DeFi collateral And much more. Top Boardroom Reads * Why Digital Asset Adoption Is Accelerating (Goldman Sachs). An interview with Matthew McDermott, Global Head of Digital Assets. * DeFi Is Following The SaaS And Fintech Playbooks (Ark Invest). It explores the evolution of Decentralised Finance (DeFi), drawing parallels to historical unbundling and rebundling cycles observed in SaaS and fintech industries. * The New Entertainment Economy (Fiftyone). A webinar with industry leaders and builders from CreatorFi, EVEN, and Republic Film unpacking blockchain as an infrastructure in the music and entertainment space. * 6 myths about privacy on blockchains (a16z crypto). It addresses six common misconceptions about privacy on blockchains, emphasising that concerns about new technologies and privacy are not new, dating back to the telegraph. * Money’s new operating system (51). An fintech-focused stablecoin report. * The Great Chain Debate (Maja Vujinovic). Explores in a why centralzed blockchains from Stripe and Cricle won’t win. We agree. 🙌 Work with us: We create pioneering thought leadership that helps digital asset and technology companies lead the conversation, earn trust and win business. Top Signals This Week Stripe builds its own blockchain Stripe and Paradigm just launched Tempo, a blockchain purpose-built for payments. Co-designed with Visa, Deutsche Bank, Shopify, Nubank, OpenAI, and Anthropic, it comes with features like fiat-denominated fees and batch transfers (critical for payrolls and remittances, irrelevant for trading). [RELEASE] So what? Stripe isn’t saying “Tempo is the stablecoin chain.” They’re saying “Tempo is the payments chain.” It is working with top banks, which can plug their tokenised deposits into their infrastructure. Plus, Tempo’s design, fiat-denominated fees and batch payments are positioning it as the “neutral”, Stripe-grade settlement layer for finance. Our take: This is Stripe’s play to control the money rails. Just like Google with GCUL and Circle with Arc, the strategy is simple: own the chain, own the money. But here’s the catch: corporate blockchains always face the same wall: they can’t solve the trust problem. IBM’s Hyperledger fizzled, Meta’s Libra collapsed under regulatory pressure. Institutions like BlackRock or governments won’t settle trillions on rails owned by one company. They need neutral, credibly open infrastructure. Fireblocks launches the SWIFT of stablecoins What happened: Fireblocks unveiled its Network for Payments, already processing $200B/month in stablecoin flows across 300+ firms, 40+ providers, and 100+ countries. Participants include Circle, Bridge (Stripe’s $1B acquisition), and major OTC desks, PSPs, and banks. The single API lets companies move, convert, and settle stablecoins globally without stitching together fragmented rails. [RELEASE] So what: Unlike Stripe’s Tempo (payments-focused L1) or Circle’s Arc (USDC-centric), Fireblocks isn’t building its own chain. It’s building the connectivity + orchestration layer across all chains and issuers. Think SWIFT, but for stablecoins: * Multi-issuer: Supports USDC, USDT, PYUSD, EURC, and others * Multi-rail: Works across blockchains, banks, and on/off-ramps This neutral position matters. Again: No one wants to settle trillions on rails owned by one firm. Fireblocks sidesteps that trap: it doesn’t care which stablecoin or chain wins, it just moves the money. Punchline: While Stripe and Circle fight to own the rails, Fireblocks may quietly own the plumbing. And in payments, plumbing is where the real power sits. 📈 Ondo puts 100+ U.S. stocks on Ethereum What happened: Ondo Finance launched Ondo Global Markets, offering more than 100 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs on Ethereum, with support for Solana and BNB Chain to follow. Assets are backed 1:1 by U.S.-registered broker-dealers, transferable onchain 24/7, and integrated with wallets and protocols like BitGo, Ledger, 1inch, and LayerZero. [NEWS] So what: Stablecoins exported the dollar. Ondo wants to export the entire U.S. stock market. * Access: Ondo plans to scale to 1,000 assets by year-end, giving eligible investors in APAC, Europe, Africa, and LatAm onchain access to U.S. equities. * Liquidity: Tokens plug into DeFi rails for lending, collateral, and yield, beyond just “buy and hold.” * Scale: Competes directly with Kraken’s xStocks, Robinhood’s EU tokenized equities, and Coinbase’s pending U.S. tokenized stock play. The implications are massive for emerging markets. Buying U.S. equities today often requires complex FX, intermediaries, and high fees. Galaxy puts Nasdaq stock directly onchain Galaxy Digital just became the first Nasdaq-listed company to tokenise its SEC-registered public equity directly on Solana via Superstate’s Opening Bell. Unlike wrappers or synthetics, these tokens are legal GLXY shares with real shareholder rights, updated in real-time by Superstate as transfer agent. [RELEASE] So what? Most tokenised stocks so far (Kraken xStocks, FTX-era synthetics) were derivatives without issuer participation. In Galaxy’s model, shares are issued and recognised by the company itself, unlocking direct regulatory legitimacy and legal clarity. This signals that if equities can live onchain with full compliance, capital markets infrastructure is about to compress settlement times from days to seconds. Aave turns RWAs into DeFi collateral Aave just launched Horizon, a lending market where institutions can borrow stablecoins against tokenised Treasuries, loans, and funds. At launch, collateral comes from Circle, Superstate, and Centrifuge, with backers like Ripple, VanEck, and WisdomTree in the mix. [RELEASE] So what? Until now, tokenized Treasuries and other RWAs were largely dead weight in DeFi, isolated from lending markets and capital-inefficient. Horizon changes that by making RWAs productive collateral. Qualified investors can post RWAs and borrow stablecoins; anyone can supply stablecoins (RLUSD, USDC, GHO) and earn yield from institutional borrowers. News Flash * Jack Ma's Yunfeng Financial Group bought $44M of ETH. Link * US SEC unveils agenda to revamp crypto policies, ease Wall Street rules * FIS launches AI-powered treasury suite. Link * VersaBank USA launches pilot for tokenised, FDIC-insured deposit receipts. Link * ~40% of daily code at Coinbase is AI-generated. Link * Trump family secures $5B paper fortune from WLFI crypto token launch. Link * Gemini just launched an XRP-branded credit card with Ripple. Link That’s all for now, folks. Take care – Marc & Team 🚀 Work with us: We create pioneering thought leadership that helps digital asset and technology companies lead the conversation, earn trust and win business. * Check out our AI newsletter, AI Operator, here. * Check out our Crypto Treasury Alpha newsletter here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    9 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Forget Bitcoin. Jack Ma buys ETH

    Today, Jack Ma's Yunfeng Financial Group bought $44M of ETH. Coincidence? No. 10 years ago, Maja Vujinovic, blockchain pioneer and CEO of FG Nexus (NASDAQ: FGNX), launched the first trade finance deal between J.P. Morgan and General Electric on Ethereum. She brought in Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum & Chairman of SharpLink, to execute on her vision: "Ethereum will be the backbone of tomorrow's financial system. Smart contracts will be our future." This is playing out now. Today, Joseph Lubin, says: "Ethereum will 100x from here". ETH ETF inflows hit $1.8B last week — 10x more than Bitcoin ETFs. What’s going on? Two things: 1) ETH as a settlement layer We're rapidly moving towards what many people call the "on-chain economy". where assets run on a blockchain. Money. Stocks. Bonds. Fame. There will be markets for everything. Right now, we’re in a race to control the rails of this new financial system. And whoever wins, owns the money: * Centralized: Stripe , Circle, Google, etc. They thrive on speed, distribution, integration. * Decentralized: Ethereum, Avalanche , Solana, Ripple, etc. They thrive on trust. They are credibly neutral infrastructure. The catch? Corporate chains can't solve the trust problem that blockchain was built to fix. This is why, right now, nothing settles on centralized rails. Everything settles on decentralized rails. And Ethereum owns a huge part of that: * 60% of the $280B stablecoin market. * 55% of the $26B tokenized assets market. Both of these markets are expected to EXPLODE. Who's going to capture that value? Everyone who holds ETH. "Corporate chains are AOL in 1995: fast, distribution-heavy, but walled gardens. Ethereum is TCP/IP: messy, neutral, unstoppable. One’s a toll road. The other is becoming a highway system for global finance", says Maja. (Further reading: The Great Chain Debate) 2) ETH as a reserve asset → 3-4% staking yields (vs. 0% ETFs) → Direct access to DeFi yields and liquidity In short: Etherem is a productive asset with cash flows. This is why "treasury companies" are racing to acquire ETH: * BitMine: $8.1B (1.9M ETH) * SharpLink (SBET): $3.6B (Joseph Lubin) * FGNexus (FGNX): $200M (Maja Vujinovic) And they're buying more every day. Maja Vujinovic nailed it: "The real story isn’t corporate L1 launches. It’s that Nasdaq-listed firms are adding billions in ETH to their balance sheets, staking it, restaking it, turning it into productive collateral. That’s what will anchor the on-chain economy," Meanwhile, Joseph Lubin posts: “Wall Street will need to [be] operating on decentralized rails. That means staking, running validators, operating L2s/L3s, participating in DeFi, and writing smart contracts for financial instruments. Ethereum will replace much of the many siloed stacks they operate on" Of course, they're talking their own books. But they have a point: When governments issue digital currencies, they won't build on Stripe's network. When BlackRock tokenizes $10 trillion in assets, they need truly neutral rails. Not because it's better tech. Because it's trustless, politically neutral, and nobody can shut it off. "That’s the only neutrality that regulators, aswillset managers, and sovereigns will trust.  And only Ethereum offers rules no CEO can tilt,” says Maja. (Further reading: Ethereum, Stablecoins, and the Operating System of Global Finance) It’s all about trust Trust is a new kind of virtual commodity. And ETH is the purest form of it, at least right now. The bet? Ethereum will become the operating system Wall Street is preparing to stake its future on. "The shift we're entering is not measured in billions, but trillions. And most of it will be captured on Ethereum", says Maja. Take care, Marc 🚀 Work with us: We create pioneering thought leadership that helps digital asset and technology companies lead the conversation, earn trust and win business. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    7 min

  3. 6D AGO

    142: Mastercard. Google. Onchain.

    Hey, it’s Marc. “Ethereum is the Wall Street token.” That’s not crypto Twitter talking. It’s Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck. His point is simple: every bank will need rails for stablecoins, and they’ll ask where to build them. His answer: Ethereum. That’s the backdrop this week as Google is building its own blockchain, Mastercard embeds stablecoins, and Rain made stablecoins swipeable at 150M Visa merchants. 👉 Crypto Treasury Alpha: We launched another newsletter covering institutional moves and digital asset treasury vehicles. Subscribe below 👇 Also, our highlights this week: * Google is building its own blockchain, CME already testing it * Mastercard goes stablecoin-native, settlement live across EEMEA * U.S. puts macro data onchain * Rain raises $58M, makes stablecoins spendable at 150M+ merchants * Solana gets $1B Wall Street treasury vehicle, Galaxy, Jump, Multicoin leading And much more. 🚨Save your spot for our upcoming webinar! We’ll unpack how artists, music labels and filmmakers can strategically leverage blockchain to unlock direct-to-fan monetisation, onchain royalties, fan engagement and film financing. Spots are limited! Subscribe here to get notified of our upcoming events. Top Boardroom Reads * Ethereum meet Wall Street (Joseph Lubin). His take on SharpLink, Fundstrat and the future of Ethereum. * The productive treasury: A corporate guide to integrating Ethereum and digital asset staking (Eigenlayer). * Google’s new Layer 1 blockchain (Rich Widmann). * Money’s new operating system (51). An fintech-focused stablecoin report. * Bitcoin Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions (Bitwise). The report details the macroeconomic factors influencing Bitcoin's outlook, such as rising U.S. debt, fiat debasement risks, friendlier regulation, and institutional adoption. * The State of Crypto Venture Capital in 2025 (Pantera Capital). Paul talked about how 2025 marks crypto’s most mature cycle yet, defined by record M&A and IPO activity, regulatory clarity, and convergence with AI, payments, and global finance. * Building the Stripe of Crypto Payments (51). A podcast with Iron CEO on how stablecoins are becoming the new rails for global finance. * The future of money is onchain (51). A discussion with the CEOs of OpenTrade and Ubyx on stablecoin use cases, infrastructure and programmatic yield. * The Relative Benefits and Risks of Stablecoins as a Means of Payment (BCA Research). The paper discusses the utility of stablecoins for retail payments through an objective, evidence-based approach that compares stablecoins with traditional retail payment methods. 🙌 Work with us: We create pioneering thought leadership that helps digital asset and technology companies lead the conversation, earn trust and win business. Top Signals This Week Google launches its own blockchain Google announced the Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), its own layer-1 blockchain earlier this year. It’s EVM-compatible, Python-programmable, and already being tested with CME Group for payments and tokenisation. Now, the announcement has gained new traction from a LinkedIn post of Google’s Web3 lead. [NEWS] Why it matters: GCUL isn’t just another chain. It’s Google applying the same playbook Stripe and Circle are running: own the rails, own the money. But here’s the catch: history is littered with failed corporate chains (IBM’s Hyperledger, Meta’s Libra). Why? Because centralized blockchains can’t solve the trust problem. Institutions like BlackRock or governments issuing digital currencies need credibly neutral, public infrastructure, not rails owned by one company. Don’t confuse distribution with trust. [OUR TAKE] Mastercard goes stablecoin-native What happened: Mastercard and Circle are rolling out stablecoin settlement (USDC + EURC) across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. For the first time, acquirers on Mastercard’s network can settle merchant payments in stablecoins instead of waiting days for fiat bank wires [RELEASE]. Why it matters: Merchants don’t get paid directly, acquirers do. Embedding stablecoins into the acquiring stack means: * Faster payouts → no waiting days for cross-border payouts * Lower costs → stablecoin rails vs legacy correspondent banking This is Mastercard putting stablecoins at the core of commerce rails, sidestepping banks and owning the flow of settlement [OUR TAKE]. U.S. Government puts macroeconomic data onchain The U.S. Department of Commerce (via the BEA) and Chainlink are publishing official GDP, inflation (PCE), and consumer demand metrics onchain across 10 blockchains (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Avalanche, etc.). These feeds are secure, audited, and enterprise-grade. [Announcement] Why it matters: Onchain GDP and inflation data embed macro directly into enterprise workflows: * Payments: stablecoin treasuries auto-adjust yields to inflation * Lending: DeFi loans auto-adjust rates if PCE spikes * Risk: automated hedges trigger on macro releases This bridged the gap between Wall Street workflows and onchain finance. Instead of reconciling off-chain feeds, institutions get real-time, tamper-proof data where they already operate, making blockchains not just transaction rails, but macro-aware financial infrastructure. Stablecoins you can swipe Stablecoin platform Rain raised $58M (Series B led by Sapphire Ventures), bringing total funding to $88.5M just 5 months after its $30M Series A. The company reports 10x transaction growth YTD and says its rails now reach 1.5B+ people across 150 countries via Visa, wallets, and on/off-ramps. [RELEASE] [OUR TAKE] Why it matters: Stablecoins have $283B in circulation — but most are stuck on balance sheets, not in daily commerce. Rain fixes that by making stablecoins: * Spendable: direct settlement at 150M+ Visa merchants * Scalable: one API for money-in, storage, and payouts * Enterprise-ready: PCI, SOC 2, and audited contracts This shifts stablecoins from “treasury assets” to operating capital that businesses can actually use for payroll, merchant payouts, and cross-border spend. 🚨Download our latest stablecoin for a deep dive on Rain Solana gets a $1B Wall Street vehicle What happened: Galaxy, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital are raising $1B (with Cantor Fitzgerald as banker) to launch the largest Solana treasury company. Think of it as Solana’s de-facto ETF alternative: investors buy shares in a public vehicle that holds SOL, earns staking yield, and offers leveraged exposure. Why it matters: Bitcoin and Ethereum already have ETFs (11 BTC, 8 ETH) and multiple treasury companies (MicroStrategy, Metaplanet, SharpLink, FG Nexus, Bitmine). Solana has neither. This treasury vehicle: * Becomes the default institutional on-ramp to Solana * Offers 3–5% yield from staking + DeFi (vs. zero from ETFs) * Bridges SOL into capital markets, not just crypto exchanges Our take: Forget waiting on a Solana ETF. Wall Street just built one with yield. News Flash * Tron cuts fees 60% to protect $81B USDT dominance. [Link] * US banks lobbying to amend GENIUS [Link] * Citi’s tokenisation plan with Citi Integrated Digital Asset Platform (CIDAP). [Link] * B5G6G pushes barter trade stablecoin at Africa–Singapore Forum. [Link] * Bitwise files for LINK ETF [Link] * B Strategy plans $1b BNB DAT [Link] * Metaplanet buys $11.7m BTC, joins FTSE Japan [Link] That’s all for now, folks. Take care – Marc & Team 🚀 Work with us: We create pioneering thought leadership that helps digital asset and technology companies lead the conversation, earn trust and win business. * Check out our AI newsletter, AI Operator, here. * Check out our Crypto Treasury Alpha newsletter here. Got suggestions? Reply to this email. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    7 min

  4. AUG 27

    The future of money is... with OpenTrade CEO David Sutter and Ubyx CEO Tony McLaughlin

    “The age of accounts is ending. The age of wallets is beginning.” — Tony McLaughlin, CEO of Ubyx, ex-Citi For the release of our new stablecoin report “Digital Dollar, Real Yield,” we sat down with two of the sharpest operators in stablecoin infrastructure: * David Sutter, CEO of OpenTrade, powering yield infrastructure for fintechs using stablecoins * Tony McLaughlin, CEO of Ubyx and former Citi exec, building the first global clearinghouse for stablecoins Both are quietly shaping what the next decade of global finance will look like, faster, cheaper, programmable. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    45 min

  5. AUG 25

    Building the Stripe of Crypto Payments, with Iron CEO Max von Wallenberg

    “Enterprises don’t want ten integrations to enter the blockchain space. They want one partner that does it all: on-ramps, off-ramps, custody, cards, compliance.” We sat down with Max von Wallenberg, the co-founder and CEO of Iron to discuss how stablecoins are becoming the new rails for global finance. Iron is a stablecoin payments infrastructure company recently acquired by MoonPay. It provides stablecoin APIs that enable wallets, fintechs, and enterprises to move money seamlessly across fiat and crypto rails—covering on-ramps, off-ramps, global payouts, and banking-like functionality for wallets. We’ll talk about: * Regulatory catalyst * Enterprise FOMO * Infrastructure moats * Why every fintech will go stablecoin-native … and much more This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    28 min

  6. MAR 26

    Revolutionizing the Restaurant Business with Blockchain, with Ben Leventhal, CEO of Blackbird

    Hi, it’s Marc. ✌️ “Blockchain is just infrastructure. The real question isn’t ‘Why do you need blockchain?’ but rather ‘Can it make your solution better, faster, and more scalable?.” The restaurant industry is a trillion-dollar business, yet most restaurants operate on razor-thin margins of 4% or less. Traditional platforms like OpenTable and Toast have created walled gardens that limit restaurants' control over customer relationships, payments, and loyalty programs. We sat down with Ben Leventhal, the founder and CEO of Blackbird Labs to discuss the future of first-party data ownership with blockchain. Blackbird, a blockchain-powered platform aims to revolutionize payments and loyalty by giving restaurants direct ownership over their transactions and customer data. It is proving that Web3 isn’t about hype—it’s about solving real-world business problems. Here’s what we’ve covered: * Why Blackbird was built: Restaurants rely on platforms like OpenTable, Toast, and POS systems, but these platforms own the customer data—not the restaurants. The biggest players in restaurant tech (OpenTable, Toast) control customer data. Blackbird enables restaurants to own their payments, loyalty programs, and consumer insights. * Saving millions using blockchain: Payment processing fees eat up 2-3% of revenue—a significant loss for low-margin businesses. Restaurants can reduce these costs significantly by leveraging blockchain. * Restaurants must own their consumer data: The restaurant industry operates on 4% margins—losing even 1-2% to third parties is a major issue. Owning first-party data means you can increase retention without paying intermediaries. * How Blackbird works: Instead of relying on third-party reservation and payment systems, Blackbird gives restaurants full control over transactions and customer data. It enables customers to check in, dine, and leave without manually paying—payment happens in the background. Transactions happen using Fly tokens, stored in an auto-generated wallet for every user, reducing friction. And much more. On the Consumer Experience with Blackbird, “Payments are loyalty. You can’t separate the two. Our goal is to make them seamless for both consumers and restaurants.” Key Take-Aways for Brand Leaders * Blockchain for payments & loyalty can work: Brands should explore tokenized loyalty programs that are interoperable across multiple locations and do not lock consumers into walled gardens. * Pro Tip: Ensure that customer data and transactions are stored in a way that the brand—not third parties—can leverage for direct relationships. * Blackbird’s FlyNet (L3 blockchain on Base) enables real-time transactions and ownership of consumer interactions. It combines payments, loyalty, and consumer data into one seamless platform. * Own your first-party data: Restaurants need flexible, modular tech stacks that empower them to own customer relationships, not rely on third-party platforms that take a cut. * Pro Tip: If your brand is in hospitality or retail, blockchain can help you to own first-party data and reduce reliance on intermediaries. * Removing friction in the customer experience pays off: Brands should look at how friction in payments, loyalty, or onboarding affects conversions and invest in streamlining the experience. * Pro Tip: Benchmark your checkout or payment experience against the best in digital commerce (Amazon, Apple Pay, Uber)—if it’s slower, fix it. * Blackbird allows seamless check-ins and auto-pay, eliminating the “waiting for the check” problem.  * Result: Higher transaction volume, lower payment processing costs, and more engaged customers. * Blockchain is a tool, not the product: Do not start with technology—start with the problem and assess if blockchain (or AI, etc.) is the best solution. * Pro Tip: If your Web3 initiative doesn’t offer clear benefits over Web2 alternatives (better UX, lower costs, more control), reconsider the implementation. * Numbers prove product-market fit: For emerging tech solutions in traditional industries, real adoption numbers matter—always ask for proof of traction. * Pro Tip: When evaluating new tech partnerships, demand KPIs like transaction volume, retention rates, and real-world adoption figures. * Blackbird is already processing over $500K+ in transaction volume in 2025. Over 1,000 restaurants onboarded across New York, San Francisco, and Charleston. Blockchain should be invisible—it’s a tool, not the product. Tune in to dive deeper into Blackbird’s infrastructure and the future of blockchain in the restaurant industry.  That’s all for now. Marc & Team PS: We help companies like Avalanche, Near, or MoonPay with industry-leading thought leadership campaigns. Interested? Start dominating your vertical. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    26 min
  7. Why the Future of Luxury is Tech-First, with Mario Lang, Executive Director & Global Technology Lead at Estée Lauder

    MAR 4

    Why the Future of Luxury is Tech-First, with Mario Lang, Executive Director & Global Technology Lead at Estée Lauder

    Hi, it’s Marc. ✌️ "The biggest AI impact isn't in chatbots—it’s in backend efficiencies like demand forecasting, inventory management, and pricing optimization." We sat down with Mario Lang, Executive Director & Global Technology Lead at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., to discuss the key shifts in technology to define the next decade of luxury. The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) have explored emerging technologies, such as blockchain-based Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for authentication, consumer engagement, and resale tracking. They are also developing AI-driven customer service agents to enhance white-glove luxury experiences. Mario said: “Many brands fail in digital transformation because they silo innovation teams from core business units—tech must be embedded, not an afterthought.” In 2024, ELC and Microsoft expanded their partnership with an AI Innovation Lab to power prestige beauty with generative AI by accelerating consumer engagement, speed to market, and localized relevance across ELC’s 20+ brands. The company also built an AI tool to merge trend data with products to spot trends, optimize marketing, and boost profitability while improving consumer targeting and reducing marketing inefficiencies. AI, blockchain, and immersive commerce are no longer experiments—they are shaping how brands engage, optimize, and sustain long-term value. Here’s what we’ve covered: * Digital Product Passports (DPPs) – The future of CRM * AI in Luxury – Backend first, frontend next * NFTs – From collectibles to utility * AI-powered trend spotting & pricing optimization * Web3 loyalty programs * The shift to interoperable luxury And much more. The future of luxury isn’t brand silos—cross-brand collaboration will redefine consumer engagement. Brands need to stop hoarding consumer data and embrace shared loyalty ecosystems. Key Take-Aways for Brand Leaders * DPPs will be the CRM: DPPs lower the barrier to consumer-brand interaction, replacing the outdated PII (Personal Identifiable Information) model. They authenticate luxury products, support resale, and build long-term consumer relationships. * Action: Start integrating DPPs in your supply chain today across sourcing, retail, and resale. The EU will require them soon for sustainability compliance. * No ID management platform currently exists that fully bridges procurement, retail, and consumer engagement—this is an untapped opportunity. * AI should first optimize operations, then elevate consumer experience: AI agents can enable hyper-personalized luxury service at scale, reducing human resource needs. The biggest opportunity isn’t in chatbots—it’s in backend efficiencies: demand forecasting, dynamic pricing, and supply chain optimization. * Action: Deploy AI to optimize inventory, promo pricing, and customer segmentation before launching consumer-facing AI experiences. * NFTs are not dead—they need utility: The NFT hype cycle is over, but functional NFTs tied to loyalty, gated access, or resale verification will thrive. Sports teams and entertainment brands are leading the way in NFT utility—luxury is behind. * Pro tip: Instead of a collectible, think of NFTs as a membership key—reward consumers with exclusive product drops, events, or brand collaborations. * Metaverse is evolving through AR & Wearables: Full-scale VR adoption is waiting on better hardware, but AR is already driving results in retail activations. Consumers expect seamless blending of digital and physical luxury experiences. * Action: Test AR activations in high-footfall retail spaces and track conversion from AR-driven engagement to purchase. * The future of luxury loyalty is interoperable: Consumers want brand-agnostic loyalty programs where benefits travel across brand ecosystems. The biggest brands are already tracking consumer behavior beyond direct sales—department store data is the next battleground. * Action: Consider partnering with other brands or platforms for shared loyalty programs. A perfect example: Cavs Rewards * The biggest opportunity isn’t just better loyalty—it’s disrupting wholesale retail data access, allowing luxury brands to reclaim customer insights lost in department stores. * Future-proofing- How to vet emerging technologies: Leaders need to assess tech through clear business outcomes, not just “innovation for innovation’s sake.” Brands that fail to connect technology to engagement, conversion, or efficiency will struggle with adoption. * Action: Categorize all new tech into: * Now – Solves an immediate business need (e.g., AI for pricing optimization) * Soon – Competitive advantage in 1-3 years (e.g., DPPs, loyalty evolution) * On the Horizon – Moonshot innovation bets (e.g., AR-based virtual commerce) * Pro tip: Never lead with “innovation” when pitching tech internally—frame solutions in terms of revenue, efficiency, and conversion. The next decade of luxury isn’t about digital gimmicks—it’s about using technology to lower friction while preserving exclusivity. Brands that integrate AI, blockchain, and immersive experiences into existing consumer journeys—instead of treating them as standalone experiments—will win. Dive deeper and listen to the full conversation. That’s all for now. Thanks, Marc & Team 51 can help your Web3 & AI scale-ups to become the go-to name for enterprises & brands. We’ve built the highest-quality growth engine in Web3: * 70K+ B2B business leaders & direct corporate access to get in front of decision-makers. * Institutional grade research & BD execution to deliver high-intent corporate prospects & higher conversion rates * Sales enablement & GTM strategy to close enterprise deals faster. Clients include: Avalanche, MoonPay, Near Foundation, and others. Let’s talk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

    35 min
  8. The State of Immersive Commerce

    FEB 25

    The State of Immersive Commerce

    Hi, it’s Marc. ✌️ “There is no correlation between budget and success. The most successful brands are the ones that understand the community they’re entering and add value rather than just push ads. Spending millions doesn’t guarantee engagement—listening and iterating does.” We sat down with Charles Hambro, Co-founder and CEO at GEEIQ, to break down how brands can use Roblox, Fortnite, and other virtual worlds to drive engagement and stay ahead. GEEIQ is an analytics platform that helps brands track and optimize activations in virtual spaces. Since 2018, it has analyzed hundreds of brand campaigns, proving that gaming isn’t just for experiments—it’s a core marketing channel. Why it matters: Traditional social media is losing ground. Younger audiences are spending more time inside games than scrolling feeds. For brands, this isn’t just an opportunity—it’s the next battleground for attention. On why brands are moving into virtual worlds, Charles said: “Virtual worlds are not just games anymore—they’re social hubs. People aren’t just playing, they’re hanging out. That’s where brands need to be.” By the data: The last 5 years have seen a shift from social media to user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and Zepeto. * In Q4 alone, 110 brands launched activations in Roblox, more than Fortnite (75) and Sandbox (31) combined. * Roblox has seen 847 brand activations since 2018, nearly double Fortnite (477). Here’s what we’ve covered: * Why brands are shifting from social media to virtual worlds—and why Roblox dominates brand activations. * How virtual commerce is evolving—and what Walmart, Gucci, and Hugo Boss are testing. * The biggest mistakes brands make in gaming activations—and how to avoid them. * Why traditional social media and gaming platforms will merge—and how brands should prepare. And much more. Virtual commerce is still in the early stages. Brands should experiment with digital-to-physical strategies, but don’t expect instant ROI—yet. The real winners will be the brands that experiment early, listen to the data, and focus on engagement over impressions. The Ultimate AI x Crypto Intelligence Platform Compare, analyze, and track AI startups & vendors in real-time — powered by research and data, not hype. Join the waitlist for exclusive early access 👉 Key Take-Aways for Brand Leaders * Roblox is not the only game in town: Roblox leads in brand activations, but it’s not the only platform that matters. Fortnite, Zepeto, and others offer different opportunities based on budget, audience, and engagement style. The right choice depends on your strategy—not hype. Breaking it down: * Fortnite → High-quality brand activations, but bigger budgets required. * Zepeto → Strong Gen Z, female audience—ideal for fashion & lifestyle brands. * Decentraland & Sandbox → Web3 & NFT focus, but smaller user bases. * PRO TIP: If reach and engagement are the goal, Roblox is still the best bet. But don’t assume success—test, analyze, and refine before scaling. * From social media to virtual worlds: Brands no longer need approval from platforms like Roblox or Fortnite to launch activations. Just like users can create and publish content, brands can build their own experiences, virtual stores, or branded items without needing direct partnerships with the platform. Virtual worlds function like social platforms where brands can build their own spaces (similar to how they used to create Instagram profiles). * PRO TIP: Don’t treat virtual worlds like traditional gaming—approach them like social media platforms where users expect engagement, not ads. * Brand success isn’t about big budgets: Spending more doesn’t guarantee success—brands that listen to the community and add value perform better. Engagement, not impressions, drives ROI—time spent with a brand in virtual worlds outperforms traditional social media. * PRO TIP: Before launching, use data to study user behavior and adjust your activation accordingly. * E-Commerce in virtual worlds is just beginning: Walmart’s test in Roblox (powered by GEEIQ’s data) showed potential but had limits—only three real-world items were available for purchase. Meanwhile, Roblox partnered with Shopify to let creators sell physical goods directly in-game using Shopify’s checkout, with a full launch set for 2025. Gen Z and Gen Alpha already shop on social platforms and buy virtual items on platforms like Roblox. As virtual worlds evolve, in-game purchases could outpace traditional e-commerce. * PRO TIP: Brands should experiment with digital-to-physical commerce (e.g., selling digital skins that unlock real-world products) to prepare for this shift. * Virtual worlds will become more social: Meta’s Horizon Worlds could be the sleeping giant, with Meta’s 3B+ monthly users and deep platform integration. Expect mergers and acquisitions between virtual platforms and traditional social media. More social features (news feeds, TikTok-like experiences) will be integrated into virtual worlds. * PRO TIP: If you’re planning for long-term brand positioning, start testing activations in virtual spaces now—before competition floods in. * Blockchain and Web3 games aren’t dead: Blockchain and Web3 gaming aren’t a lost cause—they just need a fresh approach. Platforms like Decentraland and Sandbox didn’t resonate because NFTs weren’t the real draw. Users care more about immersive social and gaming experiences than the underlying tech. For blockchain to truly make an impact in gaming, it’s about traditional giants like Roblox or Fortnite seamlessly integrating on-chain assets. * PRO TIP: Brands should focus less on chasing the NFT hype and more on gamifying experiences that enhance engagement. The future of Web3 in gaming lies in creating multiple touchpoints, building lasting loyalty, and delivering real utility—like cross-platform asset ownership. Virtual worlds aren’t just an extension of gaming—they’re the future of brand engagement. Tune in to dive deeper into Charles’ brand strategy. That’s all for now. Thanks, Marc & Team 📊 Data Drop: Top Brands in Gaming / Immersive Commerce We have curated a dataset of 150+ of immersive commerce / gaming activations of major consumer brands. Subscribe to PRO to get free access to all the data (at the bottom of the article) 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.51insights.xyz/subscribe

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