#381: George Bousis, CEO of Raise, on Blockchain Innovation in the Gift Card Industry, and The Future of Customer Loyalty Programs

Jeff Garzik is the co-founder and CEO of Bloq and leader of the Hemi Network project. He has long been at the center of developing and commercializing open-source software related to Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Previously, he spent five years as a Bitcoin core developer and ten years at Red Hat.In this conversation, we discuss:- The Future of Bitcoin- Bridging Bitcoin and Ethereum- Proof-of-Proof (PoP)- Micro Nations and Network States- Praxus raising $550mm- Bitcoin is bomb proof- Crypto’s two MVPs: Bitcoin and Stablecoins- The limitations of building on bitcoin- Bitcoin is censorship-resistantHemi NetworkWebsite: hemi.xyzX: @hemi_xyzLinkedIn: Hemi LabsJeff GarzikX: @jgarzikLinkedIn: Jeff Garzik ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Jeff Garzik is the co-founder and CEO of Bloq and leader of the Hemi Network project. He has long been at the center of developing and commercializing open-source software related to Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Previously, he spent five years as a Bitcoin core developer and ten years at Red Hat.In this conversation, we discuss:- Network states - the next big trend- The power of Linux- Jeff’s story about getting into Bitcoin in 2010 (before it was even traded)- Working with Satoshi- Creating ASIC mining software for bitcoin- Satoshi’s anonymity was CIA-level - a true pro- The founding story of Bitcoin- Present day Bitcoin- Future of Bitcoin- Power Law- The internet was started to survive nuclear war- Pros and cons of the lightning network- Getting on-chain is still the biggest challenge- Going back to our peer-to-peer rootsHemi NetworkWebsite: hemi.xyzX: @hemi_xyzLinkedIn: Hemi LabsJeff GarzikX: @jgarzikLinkedIn: Jeff Garzik ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Sunny Aggarwal is the Co-Founder of Osmosis, the premier DEX and DeFi hub for the Cosmos ecosystem and beyond. To date, the Osmosis DEX has facilitated over $35 Billion in trading volume, and more than 100 separate blockchains have connected to the Osmosis blockchain. At Tendermint, Sunny served as a Core Developer of the Cosmos SDK and contributed to the development and launch of Cosmos and IBC. Sunny then decided to build on top of the foundation he had developed at Tendermint and co-founded Osmosis to develop an appchain and DEX that rivals even the most robust centralized exchanges.In this conversation, we discuss:- Present day and future of the Cosmos ecosystem- Bitcoinization of the Cosmos eco- How Cosmos is uniquely positioned to serve as the application layer for Bitcoin- Facilitating over $35B in trading volume to date- Alloyed Assets: Osmosis’s solution for improving UX and reducing liquidity fragmentation- Smart Accounts + 1-Click Trading, Spurring Adoption via UX Improvements- The backstory behind Cosmos- Bitcoin-based DeFi- Proof of Stake- Bringing privacy to a DEX- PolarisOsmosisWebsite: osmosis.zoneX: @osmosiszoneTelegram: t.me/osmosis_chatSunny AggarwalX: @sunnya97LinkedIn: Sunny Aggarwal---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

George Bousis is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor at the forefront of the payments, loyalty, and blockchain industries. As the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Raise, he launched the world's leading platform for digital gift cards. Under his leadership, Raise achieved over $5 billion in sales and saved its customers upwards of $250 million.Raise is recognized globally as a pioneer in the payments, loyalty, and blockchain sectors. George's innovation is showcased by the 30 patents he's authored. This spirit of innovation has attracted significant backing for Raise, helping the company secure over $225 million from leading institutions like Accel, PayPal and NEA.Outside the boardroom, George's passion for startups is evident. He's invested in over 85 companies and co-founded Protagonist. Beyond business, he enjoys gaming, music, real estate, and traveling.George's accolades include three nominations for the Goldman Sachs Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and recognition as a Crains 20 in their 20s standout.He's also committed to giving back, serving as a board member for the Northwestern Hospitals Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation and as a member of the Young Presidents Organization, Chicago Chapter.In this conversation, we discuss:- Introduction to Raise- WalletConnect & Polkadot Integrations- Blockchain Innovation in the Gift Card Industry- Future Vision: blockchain innovation in the consumer space- Overview of the gift card industry- Programming digital money to do anything- TPS and gas fees limiting adoption in the early days of crypto- Billions of dollars in gift cards go unused every single year- Brands taking out the middleman- The future of customer loyalty programsRaiseWebsite: www.raise.comX: @RaiseAppLinkedIn: RaiseGeorge BousisX: @GBousisInstagram: @gbousisLinkedIn: George Bousis  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Anthony Georgiades is co-founder of Pastel Network, a fully decentralized, developer-friendly layer-1 blockchain serving as the preeminent protocol standard for non-fungible tokens ("NFTs") and Web3 technology. While performing his duties as President, Anthony is also a General Partner at Innovating Capital, a technology fund focused on disruptive companies and digital assets that have incubated Pastel Network since day one. Anthony previously spent time on the investment team at First Round Capital and on the operations teams of various startups. He studied finance, management, and computer science at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton and engineering schools.In this conversation, we discuss:- The rise of AI and how Pastel has been in the AI space "before it was cool"- How Pastel is involved in the intersection of AI and Web3- Pastel's new AI product Inference- The fate of NFTs overall- How start-ups can weather the fluctuating trends in the industry- What Pastel has done to maintain its success amid the decline of interest in traditional NFTs- Current crypto market- Solana ecosystem & meme coins- Current factors that are driving the crypto market- The Spatial Web- How AI will drive crypto adoptionPastel NetworkWebsite: pastel.networkTwitter: @PastelNetworkTelegram: t.me/PastelOfficialAnthony GeorgiadesTwitter: @panthonylgLinkedIn: Anthony Georgiades ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Azeem Khan is the Co-Founder and COO of Morph, an EVM Layer-2 blockchain company focused on user-friendly options for developers to create finance, gaming, social media, and entertainment apps. Azeem aims to broaden the global exposure of Web3 projects through the building of critical relationships and deals with NGOs, governments, and for-profit companies. He is a consultant to the UNICEF Crypto Fund, which distributes millions of dollars towards open-source software that is helping to improve the lives of vulnerable children and will be working with Mercy Corp to raise funds and resources for distribution in Gaza.Previously, Azeem was the Head of Impact at Gitcoin where he played a pivotal role in the adoption of quadratic funding to benefit organizations including UNICEF and the American Cancer Society. Azeem’s efforts at Gitcoin resulted in contributions of over $60 million in grants to the company and over $29 billion in global financial impact.In this conversation, we discuss:- Permissionless EVM L2s- UNICEF Crypto Fund- Crypto donations to NGOs- Frictionless aspect of crypto donations- Consumer-friendly blockchain products- Mastering distribution and go-to-market strategy- The lack of go-to-market playbooks in crypto- Allowing builders to build so Morph can help with distribution- The killer crypto consumer app- Stablecoins are the best consumer application in present-day crypto- Crypto adoption takes real-time and we must be patient- Pooling resources together will get us to the finish line.MorphWebsite: www.morphl2.ioX: @MorphL2Telegram: t.me/MorphL2officialAzeem KhanX: @azeemk_LinkedIn: Azeem Khan---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Federico Brokate, VP, is the Head of the U.S. Business at 21.co. In this capacity, he oversees the growth of the U.S. business, providing investors with the most access, convenience, and quality in the digital asset ETF industry. Previously, Federico led the iShares Business Strategy team at BlackRock, where he created and executed strategic initiatives driving organic asset and revenue growth. He also developed go-to-market strategies for new business verticals and managed priority product launches, including the successful launch of iShares’ Bitcoin ETF. Federico holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from NYU Stern School of Business, with dual concentrations in Finance and Global Business.In this conversation, we discuss:- The role firms like 21Shares play in bringing crypto into the mainstream in the U.S., and why accessible products and ETFs will help move the industry forward- Where there is the greatest opportunity for industry development- How a push into crypto ETFs from RIAs could bring in significant flows- 21Shares’ expansion into the U.S. market with the launch of its Spot Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and its Ethereum ETF (CETH)- Letting retail invest in crypto via ETFs- What exactly is an ETF- How do decide which ETF to invest in- Convergence of crypto and tradfi- Arbitrage opportunities in ETFs, mainly by hedge funds and PE funds- The security aspect of ETFs- The future of crypto ETFs- Implications of the upcoming US election21.coWebsite: www.21.coX: @21co__LinkedIn: 21.coFederico BrokateX: @Fede_BrokateLinkedIn: Federico Brokate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Roham Gharegozlou is the Founder and CEO of Dapper Labs, and a Board Member of the Flow Foundation. After founding Axiom Zen in 2012, he developed multiple award-winning products and companies, including Routific and Zenhub. During this time, his team introduced ERC-721 to mainstream audiences and coined the term "NFT" with CryptoKitties, one of the first blockchain games to gain widespread popularity. Under Roham's leadership, Dapper Labs developed NBA Top Shot, NFL ALLDAY, and Disney Pinnacle. He was also instrumental in developing Flow, a blockchain designed for mainstream adoption.Flow is now the home for consumer Web3, attracting major brands like Disney, Mattel, and Ticketmaster/LiveNation, with over 45 million user accounts on the network. With the biggest ecosystem fund in Web3 for supporting developers and projects building on Flow, the network was the L1 of choice for hackers at the most recent ETHGlobal hackathon. Roham holds BA, BS, and MS degrees from Stanford University.In this conversation, we discuss:- The origin story of Crypto Kitties & NFTs- Fungible vs non-fungible things in life- CryptoKitties new game- General Web3: Future of NFT market, blockchain-based IPs- The Crescendo Upgrade: Flow achieving EVM equivalence- What EVM equivalence means for Flow, and on a wider scale, for developers and users- How Flow is building web3's next killer app, and Crescendo's role in mobilizing that process- Making Cadence one of the best smart contract languages in the industry- DeFi on FLOW- Digital IP- Crypto in CanadaFlowWebsite: flow.comX: @flow_blockchainTelegram: t.me/flow_blockchainRoham GharegozlouX: @rohamLinkedIn: Roham Gharegozlou ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Isha Varshney is the Head of Ecosystem at the Celo Foundation. Isha has expertise in decentralized finance, digital currency, and the intersection of technology and economic and social inequality. She also supports global pilots developing Web3 use cases and reimagining infrastructure in emerging markets to increase financial inclusion. Isha previously co-founded a fintech company. She has an MBA from Oxford’s Said Business School and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.In this conversation, we discuss:- Bloom, an advisory service for projects to help them navigate their Token Generating Event (TGE)- Bringing Real-World Asset (RWA) on-chain- How Celo is expanding its ecosystem across Africa- MiniPay, a self-custodial stablecoin wallet- Fintech apps in emerging markets- Testnet going live and getting a shoutout from Vitalik- Onboarding the next 100mm users to crypto- Transitioning from a L1 to L2- The importance of stable coins in emerging markets- Flipping TRON in stablecoin volume- Bringing FX markets on-chainCeloWebsite: celofoundation.orgX: @CeloLinkedIn: Celo FoundationIsha VarshneyX: @ivceloLinkedIn: Isha Varshney ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50

Pascal Gauthier is the Chairman & CEO of Ledger, a tech company that specializes in developing secure hardware for consumers and enterprise-grade custody solutions for institutions, enabling the storage and management of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.He began his career at Kelkoo, later acquired by Yahoo, and was COO at Criteo, where he played a key role in the company's pivot to advertising and global expansion. Pascal Gauthier also worked as a Venture Partner at Mosaic Ventures, a London-based VC firm, and is non-executive chairman of Kaiko, a leading digital data analytics provider.Since he became Chairman & CEO of Ledger in 2019, Pascal Gauthier has expanded the company's product line with Ledger Live, an intuitive digital asset management app, and a next-generation consumer device, Ledger Stax. He also started Ledger Enterprise, the company’s B2B product enabling companies to secure their digital assets at scale. Ledger Enterprise offers TRADELINK, a best-in-class open network to enable custodial trading via exchange and custodial partners. Pascal Gauthier is committed to driving ownership and security in the cryptocurrency industry.In this conversation, we discuss:- Self-custody, security, and the right to economic freedom- Ledger's growth amidst their tenth anniversary and key learnings- How they've performed since the launch of two products— Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex— earlier this year- AI & blockchain's relationship— why proof-of-you is crucial- The unique insight Ledger has as the only hardware solution with a consumer trading business via Ledger Live- Their new HQ in Paris that's home to their revamped white hat hacker lab dubbed the "Donjon"- Working with Tony Fadell, the creator of the iPod- The importance of “cool” in hardware and IRL products- The future of hardware wallets- NYT full page ad for Ledger Stax + FlexLedgerWebsite: www.ledger.comX: @LedgerDiscord: discord.gg/ledgerPascal GauthierX: @_pgauthierLinkedIn: Pascal Gauthier ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.  PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.   PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions.  Code: CRYPTONEWS50  This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below:  PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50