The Defiant - DeFi Podcast

Camila Russo
  • 4.3 (71)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. 12/22/2025

    Uniswap is about to “turn on the switch.” with Hayden Adams

    In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Uniswap founder Hayden Adams joins us right as the UNIfication (Unification) proposal has moved to a final governance vote—a sweeping plan from Uniswap Labs + the Uniswap Foundation that would activate protocol fees, introduce a programmatic UNI burn, and realign how value accrues across the Uniswap ecosystem. We go deep on what’s actually inside the proposal (and what isn’t), why this moment feels like the end of one DeFi era and the start of another, and how years of “regulation by enforcement” shaped Uniswap’s product decisions—down to Hayden’s firsthand experience with debanking, legal pressure, and the chilling effect on builders. What we coverWhy UNIfication is being pitched as a once-in-a-cycle reset for UniswapThe real mechanics of the fee switch(es) (plural) and how the “token jar” burn design worksThe perceived tension between UNI token holders vs. equity/VC value capture and whether this vote changes thatWhy Uniswap wants to shift from “best frontend” to protocol-first infrastructure (APIs, ecosystem engineering, aggregator hooks)How Unichain fits into the broader strategy—and what “near-free trading” could mean in practiceGovernance backlash: is Uniswap becoming more centralized or more decentralized?Context: the vote is live! Hayden shared that the UNIfication proposal is now in the final governance vote stage.Subscribe for more founder-level conversations at the intersection of DeFi, regulation, and market structure.

    1h 8m

  2. 12/19/2025

    Ethereum’s “HTTP Moment” with Marissa Posner & Yoav Weiss

    In this episode of The Defiant podcast, Camila Russo sits down in Buenos Aires (Devconnect) with Marissa Foster (Product, Ethereum Foundation) and Yoav Weiss (security researcher, Ethereum Foundation) to unpack The Trustless Manifesto and the Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL), why “trust assumptions” are quietly creeping into Ethereum’s stack, and what it will take to preserve Ethereum’s core values while making UX actually usable.We dig into the hidden places users are forced to trust intermediaries, from cross-chain interoperability and solvers to something most people never question: RPCs. Then we get practical: the guests walk through the EIL, a new approach to cross-chain UX that aims to deliver one-signature interop without introducing new trust assumptions, plus why the wallet becomes the center of the user’s security model.Finally, we zoom out: how should wallets warn users, what does “walkaway test” really mean, and why institutions may end up being one of the strongest forces pushing crypto toward less counterparty risk.Topic list: • Why Ethereum’s next phase is “mainstream adoption” — and why that raises the stakes • The Trustless Manifesto: what it is, why it was written, and what it’s trying to prevent • Where trust assumptions sneak in: bridges, interop protocols, sequencers, oracles • RPCs as a giant blind spot: “we trust RPCs blindly” and why that can have real-world consequences • Trustlessness vs UX: why “great values + bad UX” can still lose users • “You can’t build something trustless on top of something that isn’t trustless” • What users should demand — and why it can’t require everyone to be a security expert • How “beat” frameworks help: L2BEAT, upcoming interop criteria, and Walletbeat • The walkaway test: what happens if the team/server/intermediary disappears (or turns hostile)? • L2 sequencers: permissioned vs permissionless, censorship risk, and practical exit paths • Cloud dependencies (Cloudflare outage) and what it reveals about today’s “decentralized” apps • Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL) explained: one-signature, wallet-centric, self-executing interop • Why “solvers open the envelope” — and how EIL avoids that trust model • Liquidity providers, vouchers, and how users pay gas cross-chain without the usual friction • Standards and coordination: wallets, L2s, and dapps all need to meet in the middle • The HTTP analogy: Ethereum today as the “pre-HTTP internet” and what seamless interop could unlock • Institutions and counterparty risk: why big players may push hardest for trust-minimized infrastructure • What’s next: testnet learnings, audits, standards, wallet integrations, and 2026 mainnet targetExplore The Defiant ✨📰 Websitehttps://thedefiant.io/✉️ Free Daily Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...🤑 Weekly Premium Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...✊ Follow The DefiantX/Twitter: https://x.com/DefiantNews📬 Contact our Newsroomeditorial@thedefiant.io🤝 Sponsorships & Partnershipssponsors@thedefiant.io#TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

    40 min

  3. 12/05/2025

    Becoming the "Institutions Chain" With Avalanche’s Morgan Krupetsky

    In this episode of The Defiant podcast we speak with Morgan Krupetsky, VP of OnChain Finance at Ava Labs, to break down one of the most significant shifts happening in crypto today: the rapid institutionalization of blockchain and Avalanche’s strategy to lead it. Morgan walks us through Avalanche’s “real-world adoption first” ethos, explaining how its unique architecture enables enterprises, fintechs, banks, governments, and consumer apps to build purpose-designed blockchains while tapping into a shared liquidity hub.

    40 min

  4. 11/18/2025

    Tokenize Everything: Robert Leshner’s Vision for On-Chain Finance

    Robert Leshner — the mind behind Compound, and now the founder of Superstate — believes the next trillion-dollar shift will come from bringing the world’s assets on-chain. In this episode, Cami sits down with one of DeFi’s earliest pioneers to unpack: Why DeFi itself shouldn’t change — but assets will How tokenized T-bills, basis strategies, and even equities are finally getting institutional traction Why regulatory “tailwinds,” not new laws, unlocked the RWA boom The two competing models of tokenized stocks — and why both will win What happens when DeFi becomes the infrastructure powering TradFi What he’d do differently after Compound’s messy transition to decentralized governance Robert also gives us a candid breakdown of how Superstate is building “canonical tokenization” — letting public companies turn their actual stock into blockchain-native assets — and why the real breakthrough won’t come from issuance… but from DeFi use cases.

    22 min

  5. 11/14/2025

    ​​Is DYOR Dead? Building a Safer Web3 with Alex Katz

    In a world of fast-advancing technology, we are told to trust in our own research. But as the crypto space matures, scams and exploits remain a constant presence. When your assets are gone, they are gone forever, with a near-zero chance of recovery. The old mantra of "Do Your Own Research" falls short against sophisticated threats like address poisoning, advanced malware, and convincing AI deepfakes. How, then, do we build a safer Web3 without sacrificing the decentralized ideals at its core? Alex Katz, CEO of the Web3 security solution Kerberus, joins us to explore this new frontier. We delve into the philosophical debate of autonomy versus protection, the push for auditing standards, and the future of wallet-native security. Chapters 00:00 Android vulnerability: why mobile crypto is risky 01:21 Building safer Web3 without sacrificing decentralization 02:10 Crypto’s Wild West: few rules, big risks 03:37 Why scams continue: prosecution, standards, protection gaps 05:44 Kerberus approach and results: zero user losses 06:24 Coverage up to $30K and growth needs 08:24 Why DYOR is insufficient for modern threats 09:33 Traders’ behavior, phishing risk, and automation 11:25 Crypto antivirus vision and malware threats 12:11 Hardware vs. hot wallets: balancing safety and speed 14:41 Address poisoning, clipboard privacy, and deepfakes 20:22 Autonomy vs. protection: beyond user education 24:44 Wallet security should be default, like antivirus 31:51 Getting grandma into Web3 safely 32:29 Lightning round: tools, myths, key lessons 36:04 Where to find Kerberus and closing notes

    37 min
  6. Avalanche DeFi: the Journey to Bring Institutions Onchain

    11/12/2025

    Avalanche DeFi: the Journey to Bring Institutions Onchain

    In the second episode of Ecosystems: Avalanche, we track the protocol’s trajectory, which included a peak valuation of $13 billion, followed by a period of consolidation and strategic redevelopment. The Defiant founder Camila Russo and Ava Labs' Chief Strategy Officer Luigi D’Onorio DeMeo are joined by founders from BENQI, Euler Labs, and LFJ, who are building on the Avalanche protocol. The conversation covers technical upgrades such as Octane and Etna, aimed at reducing fees, and Interchain Messaging, designed to enhance interoperability between blockchains. It also addresses the strategy to onboard institutional clients, including T. Rowe Price and Wellington, through customized Layer 1 solutions. Can Avalanche cultivate an ecosystem that thrives without relying on constant incentives, particularly regarding liquidity and user retention? Join us to find out.

    15 min

  7. 11/07/2025

    Inside the PYUSD's takeover of PayPal with May Zabaneh, VP Crypto

    In this conversation, May Zabaneh breaks down PayPal’s move into stablecoins with PYUSD and why it matters for financial inclusion. We explore how PYUSD could lower costs for cross-border payments, deliver faster settlement, and plug directly into PayPal’s existing ecosystem. The discussion covers why PayPal built a proprietary stablecoin, early adoption and real-world use cases, and plans for international expansion. We also examine the role merchants play in crypto acceptance, how DeFi and traditional finance are converging, and why interoperability will be essential in the next phase of digital payments. Chapters 00:00 PayPal’s Vision for Stablecoins 02:47 Why PYUSD? Rationale and Goals 05:18 Stablecoin Advantages: 24/7, Inclusion, Cross‑Border 08:22 Why Proprietary vs Supporting Others 11:06 Unlocking B2B and Rebuilding On‑Chain 12:20 PYUSD in the PayPal/Venmo Ecosystem 14:21 International Expansion and Global Transfers 17:02 Merchant Fit: Categories, Costs, Declines 19:32 User Segments: Crypto‑Curious to Super Users 23:28 Pay with Crypto: Scaling to Larger Merchants 29:38 PYUSD in DeFi: Open and Multi‑Chain 32:01 Liquidity, Partnerships, and the Three Pillars 35:56 Interoperability and Evolving Roles 39:11 AI x Payments: Agent‑Driven Commerce 40:42 Finding the Flywheel, What’s Next

    42 min
  8. Why Yat Siu Believes Altcoins Will Surpass Bitcoin

    10/21/2025

    Why Yat Siu Believes Altcoins Will Surpass Bitcoin

    In Web3, we find ourselves in an age of digital phantoms, a "click-farm" era where identity is flimsy and easily fabricated. But what if reputation could be real, portable, and valuable? Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu returns to explore this very question, detailing a vision for a trust layer built on zero-knowledge proofs. He reveals plans for a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin, a joint venture with Standard Chartered and HKT awaiting regulatory approval, and unpacks the Mocaverse ecosystem where staking power and airdrops build a verifiable, cross-chain identity. We also explore the future of Web3 gaming, the coming meta shift from GTA 6, and a bold thesis: why the entire altcoin market may one day eclipse Bitcoin. Tune in to discover how we might build a more trustworthy digital future. Chapters 00:18 Solving Web3's "Click Fraud" Problem 01:01 Animoca's Plan for a Hong Kong Stablecoin 03:12 Navigating Hong Kong and China's Regulatory Landscape 09:11 The Composability and Promise of Stablecoins 11:09 Introducing the Mocaverse Loyalty SDK 12:56 Building an Interoperable Digital Identity 15:04 The Search for Trust in a Permissionless World 18:34 Data Custody, GDPR, and Self-Sovereignty 21:02 Can Reputation Live Across Multiple Chains? 27:07 The Limits of KYC and Airdrop Farming 28:49 Staking Power and Airdrops as a Form of Credit 40:34 Rumors of a US Listing for Animoca 45:13 The Future of Web3 Gaming and the GTA 6 Effect 56:22 Why Altcoins May One Day Eclipse Bitcoin

    1h 1m
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4.3
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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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