Claim OwnershipThe DeFi Decoded Podcast
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Weekly market commentary and conversations on crypto and the future of finance. Co-hosts Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young break down market trends and interview the founders, investors, and leaders shaping the industry. Where Wall Street and crypto converge.
225 Episodes
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Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Rebecca Simmonds, Managing Executive of the Walrus Foundation. Listen in as they discuss why the next phase of AI won't just be about better models or smarter agents, but about trust, provenance, and ownership of the data those systems rely on. From decentralized storage and verifiable data markets to the rise of personal AI agents and new monetization models for user data, the conversation dives into how crypto infrastructure could become the economic and security layer for the AI economy. They also discuss the real-world path to adoption, from builders and DeFi use cases to enterprise experimentation, along with the challenges of competing with Big Tech, the role of tokens in decentralized data networks, and why the future of AI may depend on individuals reclaiming control of their digital lives. If AI runs on data, this episode asks the critical question: who controls it, and who captures the value?
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Leonard Dorlöchter, Co-Founder of peaq. Listen in as they discuss the rise of the machine economy and agentic commerce, why blockchain is emerging as the economic layer for AI agents, robots, and connected devices, how concepts like DePIN and machine RWAs enable community-owned, revenue-generating infrastructure, why machines are better suited than humans to transact onchain using stablecoins and DeFi, and how identity, reputation, and autonomous payments could unlock the largest product-market fit blockchain has ever seen.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with Bill Barhydt, Founder and CEO of Abra, and Perianne Boring, Chair of the Board of Directors of The Digital Chamber. Listen in as they discuss why crypto feels like it's at an inflection point, Bill's macro case for a liquidity-driven risk-on setup (and why gold may be leading while Bitcoin lags), how stablecoin legislation has shifted the policy battleground toward rewards and yield as banks push to protect deposits, why agencies (SEC/CFTC/Treasury) can move fast but market-structure laws are needed to future-proof regulatory clarity, how committee politics and "pathway" strategy can make or break a bill's progress (including the fallout from Coinbase stepping back), and what the Clarity debate could mean for exchanges, developers, and DeFi—ranging from new growth catalysts to potential constraints depending on how rules get written and enforced.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Bhau Kotecha, Co-Founder and Head of Paxos Labs. Listen in as they discuss why stablecoins are becoming the default onchain financial building block, how Paxos and Paxos Labs power major tokenization and crypto brokerage initiatives (including PYUSD and USDG) while making DeFi services like lending, borrowing, staking, and yield strategies safer and easier for institutions to embed, why the Washington policy fight is shifting toward rewards and yield as the key battleground after the GENIUS Act, how stablecoins could reshape bank deposit economics while strengthening global dollar adoption, and why issuer strategy often starts on Ethereum before expanding cross-chain due to liquidity bootstrapping, developer network effects, and security considerations.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Jillian Friedman, Chief Operating Officer at Symbiotic. Listen in as they discuss Jill's journey from founding a crypto-focused law firm in 2014 to helping pioneer Canada's early digital asset market infrastructure, why regulatory ambiguity has pushed talent and innovation out of Canada, how U.S. stablecoin policy is converging on the key battle over yield as the GENIUS Act is implemented and the proposed CLARITY Act takes shape, and how Symbiotic's "shared security" model aims to unlock capital efficiency by connecting onchain staked assets with networks and applications that need economic security and risk underwriting.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Eric Piscini, CEO of Hashgraph. Listen in as they discuss Eric's early work building Deloitte's blockchain practice, why enterprises initially leaned toward private and permissioned systems, how today's focus has shifted from "buying blockchain" to buying real solutions, what makes Hedera's 32-member Governing Council model distinctive (including governance, validators, and industry-spanning adoption), how regulatory clarity in the U.S. and Europe is shaping institutional engagement, and how interoperability, hybrid architectures (public + private), stablecoins, tokenization, and developer traction could define the next phase of enterprise blockchain adoption.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Thomas Uhm, Chief Commercial Officer at the Jito Foundation and Advisor to Jito Labs. Listen in as they discuss what Abu Dhabi Finance Week and Solana Breakpoint reveal about institutional crypto sentiment, why ADGM is emerging as a serious hub for digital asset regulation and capital formation (with major players spanning BlackRock, Circle, Tether and more), how Solana's market structure is evolving through Jito's block-building, priority-fee "tips," and the upcoming BAM framework for application-controlled execution, what MEV is and how networks can reduce harmful forms of it while still securing validators, why Solana's performance under large DDoS pressure reinforces the "internet capital markets" thesis, and what 2026 could bring—from JitoSOL liquid-staking ETFs (and an options-driven structured products wave) to Breakpoint landing in London.
Join Andrew Young as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Rachel Mayer, VP of Product at Arc. Listen in as they discuss Circle's launch of Arc as a USDC-centric layer one network designed for predictable gas fees, instant finality, and compliant privacy, the rapid shift in stablecoin regulation and the impact of the GENIUS Act, the rise of non-USD stablecoins and tokenized FX markets, how RWAs, Morpho-style vault structures, and tokenized treasuries could reshape global capital flows, and why Arc's architecture, interoperability strategy, and potential transition to delegated proof-of-stake position it as a core platform for the next wave of institutional onchain finance.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto with special guest Federico Brokate, Global Head of Business Development at 21Shares. Listen in as they discuss the rapid rise of Bitcoin ETFs from IBIT's record-breaking launch to today's shifting mix of retail and institutional holders, the tension and interplay between DATs and ETFs as vehicles for crypto exposure, how new SEC generic listing standards have opened the door to products on Solana, Ethereum, XRP, Doge and even staked assets, the case for index and basket strategies such as top-10 ex-Bitcoin products and future active and factor-based crypto ETFs, why this cycle's "Bitcoin up, everything else lagging" dynamic is reshaping how investors think about diversification and power-law outcomes in digital assets, and how jurisdictions from Brazil and South Korea to Saudi Arabia are building regulated ETF frameworks that could broaden global access to the asset class.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto. Listen in as they discuss the recent selloff in AI-led equity markets and how shifts in Fed cut expectations and data-center-driven capex are rippling into Bitcoin and crypto, the White House's AI "Genesis" push and the emergence of AI as systemically important infrastructure, the rise of AI-generated "slop" content and hyper-personalized ads versus a potential backlash toward tech detoxing, why Bitcoin still looks structurally attractive amid ongoing fiscal debasement and generational rotation from gold, and how improving fundamentals in Ethereum and DeFi, mispriced app tokens, and the evolution of DATs and ETF-like structures could create asymmetric opportunities for institutional investors.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Seamus Rocca, Executive Director and CEO of Xapo Bank. Listen in as they discuss Xapo's evolution from the original Bitcoin cold-storage pioneer to a fully regulated private bank, its focus on serving emerging market clients seeking safety in Bitcoin and U.S. dollars, the integration of stablecoins and yield-bearing accounts as a bridge between crypto and traditional banking, the implications of Bitcoin ETFs and digital asset treasuries for institutional adoption, and how Xapo's conservative, Bitcoin-first model is redefining what private banking looks like in the digital age.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto. Listen in as they discuss the flash crash earlier this month and record liquidation cascade triggered by sudden macro headlines, what it revealed about leverage and thin liquidity in crypto versus public markets, the continued divergence between Bitcoin/ETH strength and persistent altcoin weakness, structural issues in token economics and CEX listing dynamics that are driving project buybacks and decentralization pushes under the GENIUS Act, the rise of onchain venues like Hyperliquid and increasing TradFi integration, and shifting dynamics in the digital-asset-treasury market including DATs moving from issuance at premiums to buybacks at discounts, as well as the significance of new Solana, HBAR, and Litecoin ETFs for institutional crypto access.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto with special guest Nick Cannon, VP of Growth at Gauntlet. Listen in as they discuss the rapid institutionalization of DeFi and the rise of onchain asset management, Gauntlet's evolution from a risk modeling firm to a leading vault curator overseeing $1.6B in capital, the convergence of tokenized real-world assets through partnerships with Securitize and Apollo, shifting risk dynamics and security trends across DeFi protocols, the implications of the U.S. Genius Act for stablecoins and yield-bearing assets, and how Solana and other emerging ecosystems are driving the next phase of onchain growth and institutional participation.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto with special guest Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Partner of Draper Associates. Listen in as they discuss the forces reshaping our world. Tim shares why he views Bitcoin as a hedge against bad governance, how founders should diversify their treasuries after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and why stablecoins are accelerating crypto adoption. Tim explores the next frontiers of innovation, from healthcare and finance to space and transportation, and how AI, gene editing, and blockchain are driving a new wave of entrepreneurship. They also dive into liquid democracy, prediction markets, and the rise of decentralized networks in a multipolar world. The episode closes on a hopeful note: with blockchain's "perfect trust," the future of global commerce looks faster, fairer, and more open than ever.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto. Listen in as they discuss the fading premiums and potential consolidation wave in DATs following the Strive-Semler merger this past week, the liquidity and centralization risks emerging in altcoin DATs, the evolving debate over stablecoin regulation from the GENIUS Act to the CLARITY Act as bank lobbying intensifies, how banks might fit into a stablecoin-driven financial system, the surge of crypto IPOs with Circle, Gemini and BitGo, the custody economics underpinning institutional adoption, Coinbase's forthcoming Base token and what it could mean for valuation, and more.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto. Listen in as they discuss Google's launch of its AI Agent Payments Protocol with stablecoin support, how AI agents could become the next interface for the Internet and even decentralize crypto governance, the soaring valuations of prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi and the forces behind them, Forward Industries' $1.65 billion financing to establish the largest Solana DAT to date, the broader trajectory of DATs and whether the momentum is sustainable, how strong fundamentals are colliding with bearish sentiment to fuel what many are calling the most hated rally ever, and more.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of crypto. Listen in as they discuss the accelerating convergence of crypto and Wall Street, the big opportunities and implementation challenges with onchain finance, Solana's outsized rally following large SOL DAT announcements with ETFs on the horizon, a few of the inefficiencies that still exist in today's crypto market, the widening disconnect between all-time high prices and deteriorating sentiment, whether looming rate cuts could meaningfully move the market, and more.
Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Jim Hiltner, Co-Founder and Head of Business Development at Superstate. Listen in as they discuss the accelerating adoption of tokenized real-world assets by issuers and investors worldwide, the Superstate origin story and its evolution, how tokenization democratizes access to U.S. dollar investment accounts, Superstate's USTB and USCC onchain investment funds, the Opening Bell platform that enables public companies to tokenize their shares and why it stands out from other market offerings, Galaxy Digital's launch of GLXY shares on Solana through Opening Bell this past week, the future of capital markets and the role of blockchains in reshaping access to capital and financial infrastructure, how Superstate evaluates which networks to issue on such as Solana versus Ethereum, and more.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of Web3 with special guest Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo, Chief Strategy Officer of Ava Labs. Listen in as they discuss Avalanche's evolution since its inception, enterprise blockchain preferences between L1s versus L2s, the rapid growth of Avalanche's tokenized real-world asset ecosystem, how stablecoins are acting as a Trojan horse for tokenization, some of the most exciting yet overlooked onchain use cases to watch, the future of stablecoins at scale as institutions and fintechs launch and integrate them into their businesses, a crypto market outlook reviewing recent trends and looking ahead to the year to come, and more.
Join Alex Tapscott and Andrew Young as they decode the world of Web3 with special guest David Tse, Co-Founder of Babylon. Listen in as they discuss the ongoing evolution of Bitcoin from a store of value and medium of exchange into a productive asset, how Babylon is leading the way with trustless Bitcoin staking and positioning it as a collateral superpower, the mechanics of Bitcoin staking, the launch of Babylon's Genesis and the incoming wave of chains set to be powered by Bitcoin security, the risks of wrapped tokens and why Babylon's trustless model matters, the potential symbiotic relationship between Bitcoin and Ethereum, the yields available to Bitcoin stakers, the accelerating institutional interest in Bitcoin staking, DeFi's missing piece that could unlocks trillions in value across the ecosystem, and more.
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