444: Stablecoins That Actually Do Something: RealFi's USDR Explained with Guest Speaker John O'Connor

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, I sit down with Yuji Kumagai from Soneium , a blockchain built by Sony and StarTale , to unpack one of the most exciting shifts happening in Web3 right now. Yuji breaks down how Soneium is turning entertainment IP into an investable asset class, letting everyday people stake in music catalogs owned by artists like The Weeknd and Justin Bieber for as little as $100. We talk about IP Vault, IP USD, and the brand new concept of IP bonds tied to K-pop concerts, plus a new ERC protocol that could automate royalty payments for creators at a global scale. Whether you're a musician, animator, gamer, or just someone who wants a slice of premium entertainment assets that were previously locked away from retail investors, this episode is packed with ideas worth hearing. We also cover Sony's on-chain incubation program for builders and creators who want to launch on Soneium, and what success looks like for the project over the next 12 months. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Soneium Website: https://soneium.org/en/Soneium Twitter/X: https://x.com/SoneiumSony On-Chain Incubation Program: https://onchain-entertainment.sony.com/en/incubation-program/Yuji LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yujikumagai/Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Sam introduces Yuji Kumagai from Soneium and previews the episode's key themes: tokenized IP, music catalog investment, and Sony's incubator• [01:50] Yuji explains Soneium's new direction announced October 26 , on-chain entertainment where emotions bring value• [02:25] Overview of tokenized IP: how creators can raise funds from communities and supporters at a global scale• [04:05] Soneium's evolution from general-purpose L2 blockchain to focused entertainment and tokenized IP platform• [06:27] AI-generated and AI-assisted content is fully welcome on Soneium , everyone is a creator• [07:30] Announcement of Soneium's native token launch plan teased, with more details to come• [08:00] IP Vault explained: a staking protocol giving users exposure to music catalog royalties from artists like The Weeknd and Justin Bieber via Legit Fund• [10:45] IP Vault's first batch launched October 28 and sold out within two hours• [11:38] IP USD explained: a stablecoin used within the Soneium IP ecosystem for investing in IP Vault• [12:51] New ERC protocol (ERC-8432) introduced as an IP registry standard enabling automatic on-chain royalty payments• [14:00] Soneium Portal announced as a hub for IP investment and discovery• [17:04] IP bonds introduced: a new product tied to K-pop IP company Day One Dream, allowing investors to fund concerts and earn royalties• [19:09] Sony's on-chain incubation program announced for creators and builders on Soneium• [21:18] What success looks like in the next 12 months: proven tokenized IP cases, bigger enterprise IPs, and more entertainment applications• [22:19] Incubator program available at on-chain-entertainment.sony.com

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sit down again with Denis from Humea to dig into something that keeps coming up across 500+ episodes: brilliant technical founders building serious infrastructure who just can't get traction. Denis has worked with blockchain, fintech, and hardware infrastructure providers , including projects in the Polygon CDK and Aglayer ecosystem, and institutions like Fidelity and Capital One , and he shares exactly what separates the projects that win from those that burn through capital and stall. We talk about why 80-90% of your buyers don't understand your tech, why flashy websites and feature lists are killing your conversions, and how to run proper user research without falling into the focus group trap. Denis also breaks down the output vs outcome mindset shift every infrastructure founder needs, why design sprints should happen every quarter in Web3, and how AI tools are making it faster than ever to fail intelligently and find product-market fit. I also share two tools I've been exploring , Instinct and Mirofish , and we unpack what they signal about where AI-driven research and simulation is heading. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Humea Website: https://humea.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humeaWeb3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Introduction , why infrastructure founders struggle with traction despite building great tech• [02:00] The core challenge: most blockchain infrastructure deals are B2B, and buyers are business-oriented, not technical• [05:00] Why the Web3 space rewards loud screaming over real value , and how to stand apart from the noise• [08:39] Surprising insight: 80-90% of infrastructure buyers don't understand the tech , you must translate features into value into feeling• [11:30] Real example: a Polygon CDK/Aglayer client whose interface blocked non-engineers from completing purchases• [12:00] How Optimism and Polygon eventually narrowed their message to financial rails , and why that took too long• [14:30] Denis's first steps when an infrastructure project comes to him wanting growth• [16:45] Why design sprints every quarter are non-negotiable in Web3• [17:28] Simulated market entry: probe with 20 small things before building the big machine• [18:20] The danger of "cusdev" (customer development interviews) and false positive data• [19:28] Nielsen Norman standard: 5-8 people per cohort is enough , more wastes time and money• [20:04] Watch what people do, not what they say , and why focus groups are almost always misleading• [22:34] Output vs Outcome: the short book every infrastructure founder should read• [24:00] Paying an industry leader for a single expert interview , an underused and undervalued research move• [27:25] AIDA still works: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action , and why flashy Web3 websites kill the funnel• [29:57] Sam shares Instinct (the $10B AI agent startup) as a masterclass in simplicity over complexity• [32:00] Mirofish: simulating the future with AI agents arguing scenarios in real time• [35:41] Why AI makes it faster and cheaper to fail fast, learn fast, and iterate toward product-market fit• [36:10] Don't be discouraged by BlackRock and Stripe signing with Polygon , the whole world still needs to adopt this technology

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sit down with Michael Huynh, Chief Marketing Officer at Lumia, to unpack why real-world asset tokenization is the next massive wave in crypto. Michael has worked with some of the biggest names in the space , Polygon, Avalanche, and more , and now he's all in on RWAs. We dig into what Lumia is actually building, why they're taking a slower and more precise approach to launching tokenized assets, and why Michael sees RWAs as DeFi 2.0. We talk about the full asset chain of gold, the mortgage market that isn't on chain yet, why STOs were the V1 that failed so RWAs could be the V2 that wins, and what it would actually take to sell a house or a Lamborghini on-chain. Michael also shares his bold marketing vision , including potentially airdropping someone a house. If you're a founder, builder, VC, or just someone trying to understand where crypto is heading, this episode will shift how you think about what's possible. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Lumia Twitter/X: https: https://x.com/BuildOnLumiaLumia Website: https://lumia.org/Michael LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huynh-michael/Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Sam introduces Michael Huynh, CMO of Lumia, and why this episode matters for founders, builders, and investors in the RWA space• [01:42] Michael's crypto journey from 2017 through Polygon and Avalanche, and why he went all in on RWAs• [02:50] Why RWAs aren't sexy like meme coins but represent the liquidity layer DeFi has always been missing• [03:36] What problems Lumia solves , from asset issuance and verification to the full custody chain of physical assets like gold• [07:21] The contract and collateralization layer: diamonds, REITs, and invoice financing as untapped RWA verticals• [09:18] Why STOs in 2018 were the V1 of RWAs and why the second iteration is finally gaining traction• [11:11] Why no assets are live on Lumia yet , the deliberate approach to building airtight validation rails before launch• [12:33] The billion-dollar pipeline deals Lumia has waiting and why they're not rushing to onboard them• [14:00] Sam and Michael discuss liquidity challenges in tokenized asset markets and lessons from prediction markets like Augur and Polymarket• [20:49] Who will use Lumia , both institutional and retail users , and the vision for developers building on top of tokenized assets• [23:52] The biggest challenge Lumia faces right now as a CMO: navigating multi-jurisdiction regulation• [26:51] What scaling challenges Michael anticipates once product-market fit is achieved• [29:01] How the Pokemon card craze was an early signal for RWA adoption, and what it tells us about where the market is heading• [34:07] Stocks on-chain, car fleets as RWAs, Tesla robotaxis, and the endless verticals beyond gold and silver• [37:33] The massive untapped opportunity in mortgage and home equity lending coming on-chain• [39:45] Michael's call to action: think beyond the obvious RWA use cases and build on Lumia• [42:38] Michael's personal goal to airdrop someone a house or a Lamborghini as a viral marketing campaign• [45:13] Lumia will be at Binance Blockchain Week in Bangkok , why Michael thinks it's worth attending• [51:26] How Michael decides which conferences to sponsor versus attend based on CTA potential

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down with Andrey Didovskiy, co-founder of Seasons Protocol, to break down how they are delivering sustainable yields of 24-30% APY paid out in Bitcoin, tokenized gold, and stablecoins , twice a week, directly to your wallet. No staking, no lockups, no complexity. Andrey walks me through the three-part yield generation engine behind Seasons: the Vaults, the Transactional Transfer Tax, and the Stablecoin Module , and explains how their on-chain orchestration system distributes real yield at near-zero cost. We also dig into why they built on Solana, who their users are today, where they are seeing traction across Europe, and what the road ahead looks like as they move toward agentic finance infrastructure. If you have ever been frustrated by price dependency in crypto and want to understand how on-chain cash flow actually works, this episode is for you. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Seasons Website: https://seasons.wtf/Seasons Twitter/X: https://x.com/SeasonsDEFIAndrey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreydidovskiy/Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Sam introduces Andrey Didovskiy from Seasons Protocol and the episode focus on real on-chain yield• [00:48] Andrey shares his journey from early Bitcoin exposure in 2014 to writing ICO white papers during the 2017 boom• [02:22] How Andrey became a top Bitcoin ATM distributor and moved into CEO and COO roles before founding Seasons• [03:20] The core problem Seasons solves: eliminating price dependency through on-chain cash flow• [05:12] How Seasons achieves 24-30% APY and what assets users are paid in (Bitcoin, tokenized gold, JLUSDC)• [05:35] Deep dive into the three-part Yield3 mechanism: Vaults, Transactional Transfer Tax (TTT), and the Stablecoin Module (SSYM)• [07:09] How the Vaults work using delta-neutral Bitcoin strategies and tokenized gold liquidity provision• [08:29] How the TTT works as a 10% transfer fee that feeds directly back into the yield engine• [09:42] How the SSYM holds queued assets in stablecoins and compounds yield during distribution• [10:16] How users receive yield: directly to their wallet twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays• [12:20] The on-chain distribution innovation Seasons built that is 99% cheaper than existing solutions• [13:12] Why Andrey chose to build on Solana and what gives him conviction in the chain long-term• [14:44] Current user base: mostly private individuals in Europe, with institutional conversations beginning• [17:00] Why Seasons is focused on Europe and what makes that market uniquely positioned for crypto adoption• [18:38] How to get started with Seasons: buy on any DEX, hold 1,000-10,000 tokens, become a node automatically• [20:03] Biggest current challenge: finding and retaining the right people and team members• [21:38] How trust and consistency over time is the foundation of scaling a yield protocol• [22:44] Andrey's view on the next 12 months in crypto: maturity, tokenization, and the shift to invisible infrastructure• [24:41] Discussion on capital flows from crypto to AI and whether that interest returns• [28:10] What is next for Seasons in the next 6-12 months: protocol sprint, commercial API, and enterprise cashback tools• [29:55] Andrey's biggest asks: talented people, smart capital, and quality technical and marketing partners

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down with Alexis from Yellow aboard their sailing catamaran SV Yellow in Singapore, right in the middle of Formula One weekend. We got into something I think is genuinely underappreciated right now: the shift from human and algorithmic trading to AI agent-driven trading. Yellow has built what they call a trading OS , market making infrastructure, a decentralized liquidity hub, and an MCP connector that gives AI agents like Claude or Gemini actual hands to execute trades. We also went deep on prediction markets, why liquidity is the missing piece most founders overlook, and the brutal reality of launching a token today when everyone from exchanges to market makers is trying to extract value from your project. Alexis shared some really practical advice for founders on how to survive your TGE and grow slowly and organically , and why Yellow even refunded $8 million to their VCs to avoid that sell pressure. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Yellow Website: https://yellow.com/Yellow Twitter/X: https://x.com/YellowMedia_HQYellow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yellow-com/home/Alexis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirkia/Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [02:04] Welcome and setting the scene aboard SV Yellow in Singapore during Formula One weekend• [09:05] How Yellow has evolved from crypto trading infrastructure into AI agentic trading over the last year and a half• [10:40] Yellow launches its MCP connector at yellow.pro, enabling AI agents to execute trades directly from a chat interface• [12:20] Market making remains Yellow's core revenue driver and now feeds liquidity into pools that agents can tap• [14:35] A banker described Yellow as an operating system for agentic trading , market making, infrastructure, and the MCP connector all in one• [17:20] Yellow builds Santos, a new trading engine built from scratch to handle prediction markets, RWA, and tokenized stocks• [18:30] The fragmented liquidity problem in prediction markets and how Yellow is unifying liquidity across venues• [21:20] Advice for prediction market founders: liquidity is the hardest and most overlooked piece• [29:00] Yellow is in talks with major LLM providers to integrate the MCP connector directly into their platforms• [32:30] MCP connectors explained simply: they give hands to your AI model so it can act, not just advise• [36:20] The crypto industry has become highly professionalized at extracting value from new token projects• [40:00] Exchanges, market makers, and VCs are all incentivized to dump on your project early , founders need to be prepared• [44:30] Practical tips for founders: match community size to token supply, avoid simultaneous listings, and don't gift too many tokens without a buying strategy• [46:50] Exchanges will still list you 6 or 12 months after TGE if your project is solid , don't rush• [49:05] Hyperliquid is the gold standard: one year of traction, no VCs, strong community before token launch• [52:15] Yellow refunded $8 million to VCs to remove sell pressure and let the project grow organically

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down with John from RealFi live at Token2049 to dig into why most stablecoins are just quietly subsidizing US government debt , and what a truly productive stablecoin looks like. John breaks down how USDR works, why they do their own credit origination instead of just allocating to funds, and how they're targeting 12% yield by rotating into private fintech credit. We also get into the Ethena playbook, the real challenges of scaling a credit book on-chain, AI-powered smart contract audits, and why the RWA narrative is finally moving from talk to reality. This is a genuinely different conversation about stablecoins , one grounded in real lending, real underwriting, and real economic impact. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT RealFi Website: https://realfi.co/RealFi Twitter/X: https://x.com/realfi_coWeb3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Most stablecoins are essentially subsidizing US Treasury borrowing , RealFi is building something different• [01:22] Interview recorded live at Token2049 with John from RealFi• [01:59] RealFi launched mainnet on Cardano three days before recording, with Ethereum launch coming in three weeks• [02:44] USDR is designed as a productive stablecoin , passing yield from a mixed portfolio of T-bills, CLO ETFs, and private fintech credit• [04:28] Euro-denominated stablecoins are starting to emerge as real-world use cases like remittances grow• [07:37] USDR currently yields 9%, with a projected move to 12% as the portfolio rotates into more private credit• [08:27] John highlights Ethena as the gold standard , a simple, scalable market-neutral funding rate trade with world-class operations• [10:47] RealFi's portfolio construction: T-bills for liquidity, CLO ETFs, and proprietary fintech credit origination with a one-week cooldown on staking• [12:36] Alpha decay is less of a concern in credit markets than in capacity-constrained hedge fund strategies• [13:55] Macro outlook: John is watching US midterms closely before making strong calls; sees opportunity in well-placed fintech credit• [18:40] AI frontier models are changing smart contract security , audits are no longer one-and-done but a continuous monthly process• [20:38] RWA narrative is finally moving from eight years of conversation to actual on-chain reality• [24:19] USDR is live on Cardano now; Ethereum launch imminent , listeners can join the Discord and follow along

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down live at Token 2049 in Singapore with Kha Nguyen, co-founder of BirdEye, the data infrastructure quietly powering over 5,000 crypto projects worldwide. If you've ever traded on Jupiter or Raydium, or checked your wallet balance on Solana, there's a good chance you've already seen BirdEye's data without knowing it. In this episode, Kha breaks down the enormous engineering challenge of tracking over 400 DEXs in real time, cleaning and reconciling conflicting data across chains, and keeping costs under control as AI companies drive up the price of servers and infrastructure. We also dig into how BirdEye went from zero to powering the biggest wallets and DEXs in crypto, and what's coming next , including an institutional-grade terminal built to serve banks, funds, and family offices entering the space. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT BirdEye Website: https://birdeye.so/Kha LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyenthekha/?locale=enWeb 3 Podcast: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [0:00] BirdEye tracks over 400 DEXs and supplies data to 5,000+ projects worldwide• [1:15] Recorded live at Token 2049 in Singapore• [1:54] The origin story: Kha built BirdEye five years ago to give traders a bird's-eye view of the whole market• [2:37] The core engineering challenge: reconciling conflicting real-time data from hundreds of DEXs• [3:24] Solana and other chains are getting faster, meaning more data to process every day• [4:46] AI infrastructure demand is driving up server and chip costs, squeezing data providers• [5:47] Millions of users interact with BirdEye data daily without knowing it , through wallets, DEXs, and analytics tools• [7:05] Monetization is subscription-based, charging per API request• [7:34] An institutional terminal , think Bloomberg for crypto , is coming soon after over a year of development• [9:48] BirdEye's early growth came from pushing the idea that DEXs and wallets needed richer data like candle charts, holder info, and security signals• [11:49] Kha's network from his time at SolScan helped BirdEye land its first clients• [12:14] Early go-to-market strategy: give the API away for free to get feedback and build adoption• [13:21] Biggest future risk: crypto market cycles are hard to predict and directly impact data consumption• [14:34] Next 12 months focus: launching the institutional dashboard and partnering with top banks, funds, and family offices• [16:15] Kha's biggest admirations go to layer one teams at Solana, Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Monad• [18:04] BirdEye is actively seeking institutional partners to shape their upcoming product

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down with Justin from VEST at Token 2049 in Singapore to dig into why retail trading has been broken for so long , and what they're doing to fix it. Justin comes from a high-frequency trading background and co-founded VEST to bring perpetual futures, one of crypto's most elegant trading tools, to everyday retail traders worldwide. We talk about why CFDs and options are structurally stacked against you, how VEST's prop firm model gets one in three traders a payout versus the industry average of around 5%, and why Justin believes retail adoption , not institutions , will drive perpetual futures into the mainstream. VEST has grown from 1,000 to 27,000 weekly active traders in just three weeks and is processing a minimum of $5 billion in daily volume. This is a conversation packed with raw insight on product design, founder mindset, and where leveraged trading is actually heading. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT VEST Website: https://www.vestmarkets.com/VEST Twitter/X: https://x.com/vestexchangeVEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vestlabs/home/Justin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ma-justin/Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Justin explains why CFDs are B-book and structurally work against the retail trader• [02:14] Why perpetual futures are more intuitive and interest-aligned than options or CFDs• [05:12] VEST's explosive growth: from 1,000 to 27,000 weekly active traders in three weeks• [08:38] How VEST's prop firm model works , pay ~$210 to trade up to $25k in capital• [09:30] VEST's two simple rules: hit your profit target without hitting your loss limit• [11:23] 33% of VEST traders receive a payout vs. 4–6% at traditional prop firms• [15:20] VEST is backed by Jane Street executives, BlackRock, Susquehanna, and KQL , but stays focused on retail• [17:56] The biggest challenge: educating 27,000 traders on how perpetual futures differ from traditional futures• [22:03] What Justin would do differently: build the bridge to what traders want today, not just the end vision• [25:24] Justin's contrarian view: retail adoption will drive perpetual futures mainstream , institutions will follow, not lead• [27:56] What's next: improving the desktop experience and launching a seamless mobile trading app

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down with Mark from GoMining live at Token 2049 in Singapore to dig into one of the most ambitious projects in the Bitcoin space right now. GoMining started by solving a simple but massive problem: Bitcoin mining was only for the wealthy and technically elite. They tokenized hash rate and made it accessible from just $25. But that was only the beginning. Mark walks me through their evolution into a full Bitcoin super app , where you can mine, earn yield, take out instant loans, and spend Bitcoin via a payment card. The conversation gets really interesting when we talk about GoBTCPay, their patented instant Bitcoin payment protocol, and why Mark believes Bitcoin , not stablecoins , is positioned to win the agentic payments race. We also get into the behavioral challenge of getting people to actually spend Bitcoin, why velocity matters for Bitcoin's long-term value, and how they are racing to build data center infrastructure to keep up with explosive consumer demand. This is a must-listen if you care about where Bitcoin is headed as a real-world currency. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT GoMining Website: https://gomining.com/GoMining Twitter/X: https://x.com/gominingWeb3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] GoMining tokenized hash rate, making Bitcoin mining accessible from just $25 and generating historically strong ROI• [02:28] The original problem: Bitcoin mining required huge capital, specialized teams, and was impossible for regular people to participate in• [03:30] ROI during bull cycles has reached 80–90% annually; even bear cycles produce around 25–30%• [04:30] GoMining has expanded into a full ecosystem: yield on Bitcoin and stablecoins (10.5–11% APY), instant loans, and payment cards• [05:30] Their strategic vision is a Bitcoin super app where you can earn, borrow, and spend Bitcoin all in one place• [06:47] The GoMining ecosystem now has over five million registered users• [12:42] GoBTCPay , their patented instant Bitcoin payment protocol , was introduced in May at Consensus in Miami• [14:00] The two-to-three-year strategic roadmap is focused on rolling out GoBTCPay as a global Bitcoin payment rail• [17:30] For Bitcoin to grow in value long-term, it needs to become a means of payment, not just a store of value• [23:00] Mark makes the case that Bitcoin is best positioned to win agentic payments due to neutrality, finality, liquidity, and security• [26:45] Agentic payment volume is projected to reach $3.8 trillion by 2030• [27:25] Infrastructure is the core operational challenge , data centers must be planned and built two years ahead of consumer demand

 EPISODE DESCRIPTION I sat down live at Token2049 in Singapore with Albert and Eitan, the co-founders behind Aeredium , a blockchain rebuilt from absolute first principles. They ignored everything that existed, started from zero, and came up with something genuinely different: 250,000 transactions per second, 40-millisecond finality, no human validators, no MEV, and an AI that continuously hunts for attack surfaces in real time. They also just received a US patent for autonomous AI auditing of stablecoins. We talked about why institutions are slow to adopt but are starting to come around, how AI agents are about to flood blockchains with transaction volume humans could never match, and why blocks per second matters far more than TPS alone. If you care about where institutional-grade crypto infrastructure is heading, this one is worth your time. DISCLAIMERNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend. Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/ CONNECT Website: https://aeredium.io/Twitter/X: https://x.com/aerediumAlbert LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertdadonam/Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/ KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS • [00:00] Albert and Eitan tease Aeredium's core stats: 250,000 TPS, no human validators, and a US patent for AI stablecoin auditing• [01:13] Recorded live at Token2049 Singapore , Albert explains why he rebuilt a blockchain from absolute first principles, ignoring all existing designs• [03:49] Eitan breaks down what financial institutions actually need: privacy, speed, instant settlement, and why existing chains fail to deliver• [05:30] Aeredium is EVM-compatible, meaning existing Solidity smart contracts work out of the box and token listings take around 20 minutes• [06:10] The Aeredium Key (AR Key) , a signature engine using CGGMP24 cryptography that powers a full policy engine for safe AI agent trading• [07:48] Why building for institutions first means retail automatically gets a better product , but not the other way around• [09:07] Institutional response so far: many don't understand it yet, but banks are starting to onboard on the sandbox; a HalfMoon audit was completed successfully• [11:00] The biggest credibility challenge: it sounds too good to be true , so Aeredium is using patents, live AWS deployments, and real-time on-chain audits to prove otherwise• [13:03] Scaling numbers broken down: 15,000 signatures per minute vs 3–6 for traditional banking; 250,000 TPS vs Visa's peak of 60,000• [17:26] Why blocks per second is the real metric that matters , Aeredium settles in 40 milliseconds vs Solana's 400–450ms• [18:09] AI agents will do thousands of transactions per minute; Aeredium is building the secure highway for that agent economy right now• [15:41] Funding update: bootstrapped so far, now opening a $10M SAFE round plus token raise , tokenomics published on their website• [23:09] How to get involved: Telegram, Discord, X, and Aeredium.io