MoneyNeverSleeps

Pete Townsend | GP at Norio Ventures
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

MoneyNeverSleeps is a weekly show where smart people bring one big idea, and Pete Townsend breaks it down in under 15 minutes. Featuring founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. After 300+ long-form episodes, the show has evolved into a sharper, faster format built for a world where insights need to travel quickly.

  1. 5D AGO

    Talent is Equally Distributed, Opportunity is Not | John Hill | Whop [EP. 309]

    Talent is equally distributed. Opportunity is not. John Hill, VP of Story at Whop, has spent his career watching founders in Cape Town, Lagos, and Medellín build something real — and then hit a wall the moment they try to get paid. Whop is an AI-backed platform where anyone can build a digital business in minutes, and in February 2026 it closed a $200 million investment from Tether to embed stablecoin payments across 144 countries. The shift from finding a job to being the job is already happening. This is what the infrastructure behind it looks like. We cover What the wall actually looks like for a founder in Lagos, Cape Town, or MedellínWhy talent is equally distributed but opportunity is notHow Whop has removed the barriers that once kept entrepreneurship out of reachWhat Tether's $200M investment means for creators and builders outside the western financial systemThe shift from finding a job to being the jobWhy the Boston Irish diaspora is the original first dollar entrepreneur storyHow two students turned one skill into $140,000 a year — while still in schoolFor full show notes and guest links visit moneyneversleeps.ie 🌐 https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ MoneyNeverSleeps explores one big idea each week in under 15 minutes with founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. Subscribe and join the conversation. #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfWork #Tether

    15 min

  2. MAR 20

    Markets Never Close: The Case for Tokenized ETPs | Alex Pollak | 21Shares [EP. 308]

    Markets don't close when the exchange does. They just move somewhere else. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Alex Pollak of 21Shares about why crypto ETPs are not just surviving the rise of onchain finance — they're about to become part of it. Alex Pollak is Managing Director and Head of UK and New Markets at 21Shares, which provides the largest suite of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products in the world. Drawing on over 20 years in the ETF and ETP industry, Alex explains why the wrapper that made crypto accessible to institutions is now evolving into something programmable, tokenized, and potentially tradeable around the clock. Across crypto, fintech, and traditional finance, the conversation around tokenized assets and 24/7 markets is moving from theory toward product reality. Exchanges, brokers, and issuers are beginning to ask what happens when the underlying assets never sleep but the fund structure still does. Rather than being displaced by direct crypto ownership or onchain alternatives, ETPs may be about to get smarter — evolving from simple access vehicles into programmable baskets that operate inside a financial system that no longer has opening hours. This isn't a crypto-versus-TradFi conversation. It's a discussion about financial infrastructure, total cost of ownership, and how one of the most successful product innovations in market history is quietly reinventing itself. We cover Why buying crypto directly isn't always cheaper than using an ETPHow total cost of ownership changes the calculation for institutional investorsWhy basket products are the next frontier — and what's holding them backHow regulators in the US, UK, and Europe are shaping the pace of innovationWhy 21Shares wants to tokenize its own ETPsWhat a 24/7 tradeable ETP actually looks like in practiceWhy the long runway for crypto ETPs is just beginningAlex brings a perspective shaped by two decades of watching skepticism turn into a multi-trillion dollar industry — and sees the same pattern emerging in crypto ETPs today. If you're a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand how traditional financial products and onchain systems are beginning to converge, this episode offers a clear-eyed view of where things are heading. 00:00 Markets never close: the cold open 00:30 Intro and guest welcome 01:00 How investors access crypto today 02:30 ETPs vs direct ownership: who uses what 03:30 Total cost of ownership and the spread argument 04:30 How ETP spreads have tightened over time 05:00 From single asset to basket products 06:00 What regulators in the UK, US and Europe are allowing 07:00 The dream: funds as smart contracts 08:00 Tokenizing ETPs and the 24/7 market problem 09:30 Technology ahead of regulation 10:30 The long runway for crypto ETPs 11:00 Closing thoughts and where to find 21Shares For full show notes and guest links, see below. MoneyNeverSleeps explores one big idea each week in under 15 minutes with founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. If you're interested in where financial infrastructure is heading — from tokenized assets and crypto ETPs to programmable markets and onchain settlement — subscribe and join the conversation. 🌐 https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ #CryptoETPs #TokenizedAssets #OnchainFinance

    12 min

  3. MAR 13

    Transparency Equals Liability: Why DeFi Strategies Get Copied | Matteo Manzi | Orion Finance (EP. 307)

    DeFi transparency means every onchain trade is visible.Which means the moment a strategy works, the market can copy it. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Matteo Manzi, co-founder and CEO of Orion Finance, about a structural challenge emerging in onchain asset management: the same transparency that makes blockchain markets verifiable can also expose the intellectual property behind trading strategies. Matteo describes this tension with a simple phrase: “transparency equals liability.” If every transaction is visible in real time, sophisticated traders — or automated smart contracts — can monitor strategies and replicate trades almost instantly. Orion Finance is building infrastructure designed to address this problem. The idea draws inspiration from the multi-pod hedge fund model used by firms like Millennium, where multiple trading teams run independent strategies while sharing capital, infrastructure, and execution efficiency. Matteo calls this concept “Millennium onchain.” Instead of isolated vaults competing in the open, Orion’s architecture allows strategies to operate within a shared system where trades can be netted internally, capital can be allocated across strategies, and execution costs can be reduced — all while preserving the confidentiality of the underlying trading logic. Across crypto and traditional finance, the conversation around onchain asset management is beginning to shift from simple tokenized products toward actively managed strategies, capital aggregation platforms, and composable financial infrastructure. If transparency allows markets to verify what is happening, privacy may be required to make those markets investable. We cover • Why transparency can become a liability for trading strategies• How onchain vault strategies can be copied in real time• What Matteo means by “Millennium onchain”• How multi-strategy capital platforms could emerge in DeFi• Why internal trade crossing and netting improve capital efficiency• How composable vaults could reshape investment products Matteo brings a builder’s perspective shaped by designing infrastructure for onchain portfolio management, explaining how privacy, verifiability, and capital efficiency can coexist in the next generation of financial markets. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand how professional asset management may evolve onchain, this episode explores one possible path forward. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 — Cold open: strategies get copied00:28 — “Transparency equals liability”02:40 — Why DeFi strategies leak alpha04:05 — Orion’s multi-pod architecture07:05 — “Millennium onchain” explained10:30 — Composable vault strategies12:45 — The future of DeFi asset management For full show notes and guest links, see below. MoneyNeverSleeps explores one big idea each week in under 15 minutes with founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. If you're interested in where financial infrastructure is heading — from stablecoins and tokenised assets to AI-driven markets — subscribe and join the conversation. 🌐 https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ #DeFi #OnchainFinance #CryptoMarkets

    14 min

  4. MAR 6

    Why Stablecoins and Banks Will Coexist | Emma Landriault | JPM Coin (EP. 306)

    Money doesn’t become digital overnight.It becomes digital when the rails of finance begin to change. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Emma Landriault of JPMorgan about why stablecoins and bank-issued deposit tokens may end up reinforcing, rather than replacing, each other. Emma Landriault is Executive Director at JPMorgan and global product lead for JPM Coin, a deposit token that enables institutional clients to move money between accounts in real time, 24/7. Drawing on her work building deposit tokens and financial market infrastructure, Emma explains why stablecoins, deposit tokens, and potentially central bank digital currencies represent different layers of the financial system rather than competing forms of money. Across crypto, fintech, and traditional finance, the conversation around stablecoins, tokenised deposits, and onchain settlement is moving from experimentation toward real financial infrastructure. Companies such as Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, and major global banks are increasingly integrating these rails into payments, treasury, and settlement systems. Rather than replacing banks, digital money is emerging as a modular system where different forms of value serve different roles — from programmable treasury operations to onchain settlement and institutional liquidity management. This isn’t a crypto-versus-banks conversation. It’s a discussion about financial architecture, interoperability, and how the rails of global finance are quietly evolving. We cover: • Why stablecoins and bank-issued deposit tokens are designed to coexist• How liability and trust anchors shape different forms of digital money• Why corporate treasurers are beginning to manage liquidity directly from wallets• What programmable treasury operations could mean for financial workflows• How traditional institutions are approaching onchain assets and digital markets• Why the future financial system may look more like interconnected networks than isolated payment systems Emma brings a systems-level perspective shaped by building real financial infrastructure inside one of the world’s largest banks, explaining why operational reality matters as much as technological innovation — and why the next phase of digital finance will likely be defined by interoperability rather than disruption. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand how traditional finance and onchain systems are beginning to converge, this episode offers a practical perspective on where things may be heading. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Why stablecoins and banks can coexist01:00 – Layers of digital money02:30 – Liability, trust, and financial infrastructure04:10 – Deposit tokens vs stablecoins06:00 – Yield, liquidity, and treasury operations07:10 – How corporate treasurers use digital assets08:40 – Programmable treasury and wallet infrastructure10:00 – Institutional interest in onchain finance11:15 – Convergence and network-based financial systems13:00 – The future architecture of digital money13:40 – Closing thoughts For full show notes and guest links, see below. MoneyNeverSleeps explores one big idea each week in under 15 minutes with founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. If you're interested in where financial infrastructure is heading — from stablecoins and tokenized assets to AI-driven markets — subscribe and join the conversation. 🌐 https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ #Stablecoins #DigitalMoney #OnchainFinance

    14 min

  5. FEB 2

    Digital Yuan: Trade, Gold, and the New Money Rails (EP. 305)

    Money doesn’t become geopolitical overnight. It becomes geopolitical when the rails start to change. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend is joined by Sean Lee for a focused conversation on what China is really building with the digital yuan and why this moment is about infrastructure, not currency replacement. Drawing on recent meetings with the People’s Bank of China, Sean explains how the digital yuan is moving beyond a domestic CBDC experiment toward offshore settlement, trade finance, and geopolitical optionality. Rather than replacing the dollar, China appears to be building parallel rails designed to keep trade moving in a more fragmented world. This is not a CBDC hype episode. It’s a grounded discussion about trade, trust, gold, and how digital infrastructure reshapes global money flows. We cover:• Why the digital yuan is shifting from onshore use to offshore settlement• How trade, geopolitics, and optionality are driving new money rails• Why gold still matters in a digital financial system• Where stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenised deposits coexist• What founders should be building for as interoperability becomes multi-dimensional If you’re a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand where global finance is actually heading beyond headlines and hype, this episode is worth your time. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – The next money rails01:00 – From domestic CBDC to offshore settlement02:40 – Trade, geopolitics, and optionality04:00 – Incentives vs mandates05:00 – Gold, trade flows, and Asia’s role07:30 – Digital RMB and new denominations09:00 – Gold-backed stablecoins and layered money10:30 – Stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenised deposits11:45 – What founders should focus on next13:30 – Closing thoughts 🔗 Connect with Sean Lee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-lee-4b7a98/X: https://x.com/CryptoSeanLee 🔔 Subscribe for moreMoneyNeverSleeps breaks down one big idea each week in under 15 minutes, with founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance.🌐 https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ Hosted by Pete Townsend.

    14 min

  6. JAN 26

    Scaling Human Expertise in Crypto and AI

    Scaling human expertise isn’t a technology problem — it’s a trust problem. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Joni Pirovich, founder of Crystal aOS, about where crypto and AI quietly hit their limits — and why human judgment remains the real constraint as systems scale. Joni explains how her background in legal and regulatory work exposed a simple truth early on: expertise doesn’t scale on its own. As crypto firms mature, the challenge isn’t avoiding regulation, but earning trust — proving responsibility continuously, with humans still accountable. This isn’t an AI hype conversation — it’s about judgment, guardrails, and the shift from heroics to systems that actually hold up under pressure. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oN7I1_FV14kMore at https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/moneyneversleeps/id1455819294 Sharp riffs, big ideas, real insights — in 10–15 minutes.New episodes weekly.Hosted by Pete Townsend.

    12 min

  7. JAN 19

    Why Working Less Saved My Startup

    Surviving the hard days of startup life isn’t about working more - it’s about building the right support around you. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Ollie Walsh, founder of Pipit Global (exited to Qenta), about founder burnout, resilience, and what actually helps founders get through the hardest stretches. Ollie explains why cutting hours helped more than pushing harder, how peer groups and a supportive board mattered, and why resilience is built quietly over time. This isn’t hustle culture - it’s endurance. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DiwWvnygiwI More at https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast… Sharp riffs, big ideas, real insights - in 10-15 minutes. New episodes weekly. Hosted by Pete Townsend.

    14 min

  8. JAN 5

    2026 Crypto Predictions: Why It All Gets Boring

    Crypto doesn’t win in 2026 by being louder - it wins by becoming boring.In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend is joined by Alejandro Gutierrez for a sharp set of 2026 predictions on where crypto, onchain finance, and AI actually go next, as the hype keeps fading and the infrastructure takes over. This is Alejandro’s 11th appearance on the show, and the first in the new era of MoneyNeverSleeps: sharper, faster, and YouTube-led.We break down: - Why the next onchain breakout won’t look like a product, but a primitive - Why blockchains weren’t built for humans — and why AI agents may be the real users - Why privacy is coming back, driven by institutions and regulators, not consumers - How quantum risk is moving from theory to something protocols must address now - Why HTTP 402 and internet-native payments will finally resurface for the modern web. Alejandro brings deep experience from the Solana ecosystem and years in crypto, DeFi, and fintech, offering a grounded view on what’s maturing, what’s misunderstood, and what actually matters heading into 2026. If you care about where crypto is heading beyond price action — infrastructure, AI, privacy, RWAs, and the future of onchain finance — this is a sharp, 13-minute deep dive worth your time. Watch On YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@moneyneversleeps1814 Listen On Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8uOLxiscYVWVGEfNxTnd Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/moneyneversleeps/id1455819294 About MoneyNeverSleepsMoneyNeverSleeps is a weekly show where smart people bring one big idea — and Pete Townsend breaks it down in under 15 minutes. Featuring founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. After 300+ long-form episodes, the show has evolved into a sharper, faster format built for a world where insights need to travel quickly. Sharp riffs, big ideas, real insights. Hosted by Pete Townsend. Website: https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/

    13 min
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About

MoneyNeverSleeps is a weekly show where smart people bring one big idea, and Pete Townsend breaks it down in under 15 minutes. Featuring founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. After 300+ long-form episodes, the show has evolved into a sharper, faster format built for a world where insights need to travel quickly.

Information

  • Creator
    Pete Townsend | GP at Norio Ventures
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    307
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Pete Townsend | GP at Norio Ventures
  • Show Website
    MoneyNeverSleeps

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