Combatting Fraud with AI nad DataGuest: Vijay Pravin, Founder and CEO of BitsCrunchHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Takeaways from Our Guest:1. bitsCrunch helps clients be compliant with AI as the underlying technology.To kick off the interview, we asked Vijay why bitsCrunch is an asset to the crypto industry. Vijay highlighted one of the most common but overlooked aspects that slows adoption and institutional integration – Fraud! bitsCrunch, with AI as the underlying technology, offers monitoring and checking transactions and asset authenticity to ensure that users and companies get what they pay. They monitor the market and the transactions and flag any suspicious activities like wash trading to ensure that the price of an asset is not artificially increased and users will get the value they are paying for. 2. bitsCrunch will offer services for users and companies alike.Vijay explained that although bitsCrunch services sound like the target customers are companies, users can also benefit from it. In the case of a company, while with their easy-to-integrate API big volume data can be monitored, helping in filtering malicious activities and projecting upcoming trends, dedicated platforms will also be put in place for single users. He mentioned that, for example, the Unleash NFT platform will allow people to check the authenticity of the NFT they want to buy. 3. bitsCrunch will continue to monitor the Metaverse. Toward the end of the interview, one of our audience members asked if bitsCrunch would also work in the Metaverse. Although there is no current plan to be in the Metaverse, Vijay stated that, given their product capability along with being an active “investigator” of transactions, markets, and activity, they aim to be present in the Metaverse with a sharp focus on upcoming cross-chain transactions and cross-community game activities of player to provide gaming studios accurate data about their gamers preferences to improve the services they offer.

The Next Generation GamingGuest: Ike T., CEO of Fusionist Host: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Takeaways from Our Guest:1. “Data ownership is not the most important element of Web3 Gaming”.We kicked off the Twitter Spaces by asking Ike about the importance of data ownership for Web3 gamers. Ike explained he doesn’t think data ownership in gaming is very important because, according to his gaming experience, fun, and enjoyability is the key factor for gamers to continue playing – which is an element many Web3 game producers are still trying to navigate and integrate into their games.2. “In the future, Layer 1 and Layer 2 infrastructures will support complex Web3 games.”The conversation then dove deeper into the complexity of games and whether blockchain infrastructures can support them. Ike explained that at the moment, blockchain infrastructures will not be able to support a fully complex game and will need to be built on both Web2 and Web3. For example, Fusionist is not built 100% on the blockchain and consists of Web2 elements. This was a conscious decision, as it was necessary for the game to compete with already existing traditional games. In the future, Ike believes that various Layer 1 or 2 infrastructures will be capable of hosting complex games, however, as at the moment, games need to be built on both traditional technologies and blockchain to ensure a smooth user experience.3. “Fusionist welcomes new users to join and engage with its community”To close off, Ike welcomed new users to engage with the Fusionist ecosystem. All one has to do is create an account and earn tokens by playing the game. Some smaller parts of the game, called exhibitions, are live and ready for play. The game is currently in the test phase, but will soon be released on Steam for everyone to enjoy.

Guests:Justin Colón, Head of Community at Ancient8Alper Çimik, CMO of Coin MuhendisiAbhinav Pathak, Research Partner at Woodstock Fund Three Key Takeaways from Our Guests:1. “Emerging markets are embracing innovation, given their growing economic nature”We started the conversation by asking our guests why cryptocurrency is significant in their local communities. In Vietnam, it's embraced due to being an emerging market with a sizable unbanked population. Additionally, the tech-savvy environment and a robust community of blockchain developers contribute to its popularity. India ranks second in crypto adoption due to its fast-growing economy, mobile-first approach, affordable internet, and widespread digital payment adoption across generations and income classes. Integrating NFTs is expected to engage further and monetize Indian users. In Turkey, the thriving crypto community drives numerous events and adoption efforts, prioritizing community engagement.2. “Regulation will affect people positively, but there is still a long way to go”Considering the current rules and regulations, we wanted to hear our guests' thoughts on what's good and bad about them. All our guests agreed that regulations in their areas are moving positively. However, there are still many different rules in different countries and some unclear areas that governments need to sort out so that blockchain can be used for various purposes. The speakers also think it's important for countries to work together globally to ensure blockchain is open for everyone, not just limited to one region.3. “Education and making products relatable will help global blockchain adoption”To close the roundtable, we inquired about the main barriers to Web3 adoption in our guests' respective countries. All our guests agreed that education and user familiarity with the systems they engage with are key factors. They emphasized the importance of ensuring that the products are relatable to users through localization, encompassing all languages, and ensuring accessibility. Additionally, they highlighted the need for government support for both startups and users to enhance the appeal of blockchain. Another factor currently impacting adoption is the bear market, with the hope that we may witness increased adoption during a bull market.

The Cross-Chain RevolutionGuest: Simon Harman, CEO & Co-Founder of ChainflipHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Takeaways from Our Guest1. Chainflip is a fully native cross-chain DEX. At the start of the interview, Simon explained that Chainflip functions as a swap solution rather than a bridge. It adopts a similar approach to centralized exchanges, with its distinctive feature being the involvement of 150 independent validators distributed globally within the vault. This design choice ensures a high degree of decentralization for the swap process. The architecture of Chainflip also addresses the issue of elevated gas fees on the Ethereum blockchain. While it doesn't directly decrease these fees, users of Chainflip are exempt from paying gas fees for the actual swap. Their only financial commitment lies in the transaction fee incurred when transferring funds from their wallet to Chainflip's vault in preparation for the swap. In essence, Chainflip goes beyond a mere bridge and can be better described as a "fully native cross-chain DEX."2. User-friendliness and simplified onboarding will accelerate DEX onboarding.We asked Simon how decentralized exchanges (DEX) can get more market share. He shared that DEXs are becoming more user-friendly lately, while CEXs are becoming a bigger hassle to set up with increased KYC and verification processes. Nevertheless, he doesn’t think DEXs will completely take over, as buying crypto with Fiat is only possible using a CEX. On the other hand, crypto-to-crypto swaps will predominantly be processed on DEXs. Simon gives the example of Uniswap, which improves its interface and simplifies the user experience for new members. Efforts, as such,  might accelerate the rate at which people switch from CEX to DEX in the future.3. Comprehensive market scans help Chainflip select prime chains for their ecosystem.Finally, Simon explained that the team is constantly scanning the market. This helps them choose which new chains to add to their ecosystem. The main goal is to ensure they can save money for users. Implementing a chain on Chainflips ecosystem only makes sense if they can offer the users a way to save on gas fees or better prices. For example, implementing Phantom wouldn’t make sense as the on-chain liquidity is not big enough. However, they believe Chainflip will significantly impact the Solana network with prices and gas fees; therefore, that is where most of the focus goes.

Guests:Ian Estrada, Co-founder of XLD FinanceMichael Eerhart, CPO at Skynet TradingAhmed Serghini, Co-founder of Hatom ProtocolThree Key Takeaways from Our Guests:1. “There is still a lack of tooling in the DeFi space”We kicked off the spaces by asking our guests about the state of DeFi in the industry. The guests shared that the user experience offered by DeFi apps still needs improvement, which many projects are trying to improve daily. Another trend that the speakers have been seeing is that liquidity has been sparse in decentralized exchange ever since the FTX scandal. Furthermore, DeFi did see a surge in use after the FTX scandal. However, that has subsided almost 1 year after the event, and we see more people returning to centralized exchanges as if nothing ever happened. Finally, the lack of tooling in the DeFi space is another hurdle to overcome, and once that happens, we will see more DeFi adoption from institutions. 2. “Projects need to react to a fast-changing regulatory environment”When asked about regulation, our guests agreed it could impact the crypto industry in two ways – at the project level and user acquisition and retention level. One way regulators can essentially “choke” DeFi is by restricting the onramp and offramp processes, which would hinder the transition from fiat to crypto. If this were to happen, then there might not be any real-world value to the assets classifying them as computer money. Projects must react to regulation, and our guests say this could happen in two ways. However, there might also be other people in the DeFi space that view regulation as an opportunity, as it has the potential to bring legitimacy, consumer protection, and more visibility to their projects. 3. “AI has the potential to enhance the user experience of DeFi protocols” At the end of the session, our guests were asked by an audience member about the integration of AI in DeFi. All guests agree that AI has the potential to enhance user experience and hopefully make it easier for users to understand how some of these rather “complicated” protocols and products work. AI agents could help with trades and offer educational content on storing crypto, trading, and using various functions properly. 

First God Game On The BlockchainGuest: Frank Cheng, Co-founder & CEO of ApeironHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Takeaways from Our Guest1. Aperion’s mission is to grow its gameplay and create a franchise continuously.The interview started by diving deeper into understanding the most important aspects of building a God-Game on the blockchain. Frank explained that he started building a game because, as a gamer, he felt that the games on the market were unfinished – they were missing something. Therefore, he created a game that is not only a game but a franchise. He elaborates on cross-chain interoperability between games and emphasizes that he wants Apeiron players to experience playing a game where they can explore different worlds and not just finish a specific journey to move on to the next level. 2. Aperion is focusing on attracting more mobile gamers.When asked about the difference between Web2 and Web3 gaming communities, Frank explained that Apeiron’s current major focus is attracting more mobile gamers. Especially those who show an interest in crypto. Frank believes Aperion has an advantage over Web2 games as competition is too high, whereas Aperion is still the first god-gam built on the blockchain. Comparatively, Web 2 gamers will need more convincing to start playing blockchain-based games, as PC gamers are the most loyal community members and require exceptional games to switch over to a new one. 3. “The Metaverse will someday allow players to travel between virtual countries”.The metaverse is an important topic within gaming. Frank shared his opinion on what the future of the metaverse will hold and thinks that even though the metaverse is not “popular” as it was one year ago, it will still be seen in gaming. He also thinks there will be only one metaverse, and games will act as countries within that metaverse, allowing players to travel to different “virtual countries” via a passport. This way players can visit and stay for a gamer as long as they want. Frank also expanded on how helpful generative AI could be in realizing this. He believes with AI, even if the games are very different in graphics, in-game assets could be adapted to the game the player wants to play without any major update of the assets somebody holds in their wallet. 

Guests:Ran Neuner, Founder of Crypto BanterAustin King, Co-founder of Omni NetworkAlexei Kulevets, Co-founder of WalkenTop 3 Key Takeaways:1. “We are in a raging bull market.”To kick off the conversation, we asked our guests where we were in the market; there was some discussion between the three if we were in a bear or bull market right now. Ran states that we are in a “raging” bull market, with Bitcoin up 85% compared to last year and seeing the highest level of on-chain transactions. Though Alexei shared how difficult it was starting Walken during a bear market, he agrees we still see signs of a bull market, despite not having 100x altcoin increases. Austin speaks from a builders perspective, stressing that one of the failures people make is demoralization and demotivation during a bear market. Building a team culture who are excited to build despite market conditions is essential. But he says there are many opportunities in the last six months and to come in the upcoming half year. Ran finishes the conversation by stating that his bull market differs from the others as it’s led by institutional inventions, like BlackRock, instead of retail investors. 2. People are starting to understand that crypto is the neutral financial rail that fuels our global economy.The conversation then discusses how the previous bear market demoralized the community. Ran told the audience that he left crypto for two months in 2021 but re-entered when DeFi became a top narrative. Austin says that when comparing the previous 2018 bear market, people didn’t know if crypto would make it. Still, in this cycle, you have people saying that tools like Bitcoin have the potential to revolutionize the financial system – but the fundamental difference is that the world understands that crypto is inevitable. That is why the US government is looking to clamp down on crypto through regulatory action. On the other hand, other global governments, like in Europe and Asia, are starting to understand and seize the opportunity that crypto will be the neutral financial rail that the global economy runs on. 3. With the increase of rules and regulations, the days of 100x might be over.Going deeper into regulation, the three guests mentioned that people don’t want anarchy and chaos; at the end of the day, people in the crypto space want to build valuable systems meaning they are very open-minded about moving their businesses to countries that have a better understanding of crypto and the potential it has in the future. Additionally, Alexei mentioned that one of the reasons the SEC is cracking down on crypto right now proves that the industry is maturing and could become a threat to other fiat currencies, like the dollar. He goes on to say that regions like the UAE are embracing innovation and will be an interesting place for the future of crypto to evolve. 

Web3 Adoption In AfricaGuest: James Zhang, CEO & Co-Founder of Jambo TechnologyHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Key Takeaways 1. Jambo sees product market fit in Africa’s fast-growing and adopting demographic.James introduced the project to kick off the conversation, saying it fundamentally combines two major components: hardware and software. The team is preparing to launch Jambo Color, a $99 Android smartphone to be released across Africa. James continues to say they see an opportunity given by the continent's young demographics and fast adoption of smartphones. Jambo Color will come with preinstalled Jambo software, which consists of tutorials about crypto and Web3 and earning opportunities for its users. The team is hoping this will jump-start the adoption of crypto and Web3 in Africa.2. Web3 is a great opportunity for improving lifestyle. James explained that the unemployment rate in Africa is above 60%, with a population of average age below 35 years old. Coupled with high inflation across many countries, most of the population earns a stable high-value income. For this, Web3 can offer alternative income and an opportunity for many people to change their financial future and gain an improved lifestyle.3. Africa will adopt crypto faster than any other continent.Referencing a personal anecdote, James said his friends from Congo use crypto more frequently than his friends from New York – and this is due to the primary purpose of crypto, namely its permissionless nature, and interoperability. Crypto is essentially the bank of the unbanked, and its fast and easy cross-border payment system allows people without bank accounts to still pay for their everyday needs. James finished the interview by stating that no single coin will bring solutions to all personal needs; however, the technology itself is very much needed, which is why Africa will adopt crypto faster than any other continent.

Guests:Nick Rose, Founder of Ethernity ChainVijay, Founder of bitsCrunchJason Hu, Co-Founder of  YoloYoloTop 3 Key Takeaways :1. The underlying value of NFTs will depend on different use cases and applications that the community accepts and encourages. The discussion started with the guests going deeper into the potential of brand value in the blockchain and how being a first mover in the space can provide a significant advantage. They highlighted the importance of bringing established brands with real-world value, such as Lionel Messi or Disney, onto the blockchain, as it can enhance their value and reach. The underlying value of NFTs depended on the community's acceptance and encouragement of different use cases and applications. While the market sentiment and various factors can influence the trading price of NFTs, all three guests emphasized that there is still much progress to be made in allowing communities to unlock and expand the utilities of NFTs, creating opportunities for users, members, and holders. 2. Given the current stigma around it, NFTs will become an underlying infrastructure that people will interact with and shift gears.During the spaces, we raised the question of whether there is a stigma associated with NFTs, to which the guests acknowledged the existence of resistance and stigma surrounding the term. They mentioned that prominent brands like Roblox have started using the term "digital collectibles" instead of NFTs, aiming to distance themselves from the negative reputation of unsuccessful projects in the space. However, they emphasized the importance of considering that the NFT market has only experienced one bull run so far, and even within that limited timeframe, numerous innovations have emerged and are still being developed. The guests emphasized that we are currently standing at the precipice of what an NFT truly represents, and it is still in its early stages. As a result, they believe that the concept of NFTs is bound to evolve and change significantly in the future. 3. Art and gaming will continue to be disrupted by NFTs, but the sky is the limit in the future. At the end of the conversation, we asked the guests what industry will be most disrupted by NFTs. Without a doubt, gaming came up first, as it is the perfect fit for mass adoption and inclusion, and we can already see use cases happening in real time. For example, Polygon recently made an announcement about its partnership with EA Sports. This collaboration is expected to progress and lead to the introduction of their offerings. In the short term, the disruption in the art sector will persist, as it was the original domain of NFTs, allowing for easy integration of digital art onto the blockchain. Our guests say that artists will witness ongoing innovation within the art sector, and beyond that, the possibilities for NFTs are limitless. As technology evolves, new avenues and opportunities are expected to emerge.

Building AAA Games On The BlockchainGuest: Vlad Korolev, CEO & Co-Founder of Gunzilla GamesHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Key Takeaways:1. Building a strong team is the key to building a strong gameVlad started the interview with a brief introduction, explaining that gaming is as much a job as it is a hobby for him. Throughout his career, he founded and co-founded important Web2 games like Warface, which is also the game he likes to play on the weekends. When creating a game, the most important factor for him is the “fun – this was first and foremost when building Off The Grid. He goes on to say that the Gunzilla Games team he put together all come with their unique skill sets, ultimately the key to making the game as high quality as possible. For example, his colleagues (a studio with 200+ employees) come with experience from games like Assassins Creed and game studios like Rockstar Games and Ubisoft. 2. Gunzilla Games’ Off the Grid is a game for pure enjoymentOff the Grid, the AAA game by Gunzilla Games is not a “traditional” Web3 game. Vlad explained that the game being on the blockchain is not a marketing stunt or an attempt to onboard people to crypto – instead, Off the Grid is on the blockchain to give full control of the assets to the gamers. With the game, he wants to eliminate the centralization of assets. For example, in Web2, if a player’s account is suspended, he will lose all his assets; however, in Gunzilla’s Off The Grid Game, everything can be stored on a hardware wallet, meaning that one's in-game assets are safe. Nevertheless, it is the player’s choice to create a wallet or not, as they can also play the game without being involved in the Web3 features. The game is a game first for pure enjoyment, and if somebody wants to use the perks of the blockchain to improve, buy and sell in-game assets, the option is always there to link a wallet to the account.3. Gunzilla Games is building its Layer 1 Subnet to improve the efficiency of the gameAt the end of the interview, Vlad stated that most of the game's requirements are lower than what a blockchain can offer. Gunzilla Games is building its Layer 1 subnet on Avalanche. Vlad is convinced that the efficiency of the blockchain is more than enough to operate the game smoothly without overloading the potential capacity at hand therefore, it is a no-brainer to give the assets to the gamers and let them decide how they want to transact in-game items, setting scarcity by supply and demand, therefore the price as well.

How ZK Is Shaping BlockchainGuest: Vince Yang, Founder of ZKLinkHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Key Takeaways:1. ZK Proof has two significant components; Validator and ProverThe conversation started with the topic of security. ZK Proof is looked at as an extra layer that is supposed to keep our privacy and, in the meantime, make underlying actions easier. When we asked Vince about the safety of ZK, he stated that ZK is a bulletproof layer that is mathematically proven to have high security. He explains that ZK Proof has two significant components: Validator: This is based on the information of the proof that validates the existence of what is claimed to be thereProver: Bringing proof of the underlying tech. 2. DeFi needs to become more intuitive and comprehensive for day-to-day usersVince explained that the primary focus of zKlink is the blockchain. Specifically, the segment which needs to upgrade most is DeFi. Since DeFi is unintuitive and complicated for most day-to-day users, many tend to go to CEX solutions to complete their transactions, this needs to change. zKLink builds a layer on top of DeFi applications that offers CEX UI and UE for users who can transact and trade on DeFi using their wallets without giving up the ownership of their assets. 3. Make sure to understand what happens to your assets when you place them on a platformToward the end of the conversation, we asked Vince how zKlink proves the security and the ownership of the assets. Vince answered, "When you place your assets on a platform, do you always know what is happening in the background?” The answer, of course, is that you don’t know. Therefore the team organized a massive campaign called Dunkirk, where they simulated a system shut-down, where every user had to try and withdraw their assets from the platform to prove that with this infrastructure, even if there is a system failure, everyone's assets are safe and can be withdrawn to their wallets, unlike on any CEX at this moment.

Guests:Humayun Sheikh, Founder of Fetch.AIPedro Rente Lourenco, Ceo of DotmoovsSabin Dima, Co-Founder of HumansAITop 3 Key Takeaways:1. AI and Crypto need strong and timely regulation to promote trust, transparency, and fairnessDuring our conversation with industry experts, we delved into the challenges facing the nascent industries of crypto and AI. One point of discussion was the need for regulation in both fields, as it can promote wider adoption and protect users' privacy. However, there are also concerns that excessive regulation can stifle innovation and creativity- arguing that self-regulation could be a viable alternative, but with a potential worry that this approach could lead to exploitation by a few bad actors in the industry. Regardless, a growing consensus is that regulators must ensure fair economic dispensation and copyright governance in AI. This is particularly important given the potential for big corporations to exploit AI for their gain is already leading to job losses and economic inequality. In short, we need strong and timely regulation to promote trust, transparency, and fairness in these exciting and evolving industries.2.  A decentralized AI model can empower individuals with unique skills and capabilitiesThe conversation continued with the hosts stating that most AI solutions today are developed by centralized entities and what the benefits are of a decentralized AI approach. The consensus was while the AI model itself cannot be decentralized, stakeholders involved in its development and utilization can be. A decentralized AI model can empower individuals with skills and capabilities that were previously impossible to attain. In today's world, knowledge is highly valued, and asking a question is considered a luxury. For instance, if we want to draw a difference between how web2 and web3 rewards a question, look at what ChatGPT is doing; it takes credit for the questions we ask and profit from answering questions posed to it.In contrast, through Web3 and decentralized models, the first person to ask a question owns that unique question. Web3 rewards that person's curiosity and creativity, and every subsequent person who asks your question allows you to receive a reward. This is a significant improvement over Web2, where individuals who ask questions are not rewarded for their contribution. 3. We must move beyond the generative aspect of AI and focus on how to use the outputs to create actionable itemsAlthough many people view generative AI as a significant breakthrough, it is just the beginning. We must move beyond the generative aspect of AI and focus on how to use the outputs to create actionable items. To do this, we need to develop the necessary frameworks for deployment. For instance, generating an email is just the start; we must also incorporate an email server to send it. Similarly to this concept, to turn AI-generated content into meaningful actions, we need to focus on artificial general intelligence, which is making slow but steady progress. We need to encourage developers to use AI as a tool to generate new business models and make money. They should experiment with new ideas and applications using the frameworks mentioned above. Educating yourself about the field and questioning if things are being done ethically and properly is crucial. Always DYOR (Do Your Own Research) and don't blindly follow what others are saying. Building confidence that you are doing the right thing for the industry is essential.

How To Find Undervalued AssetsGuest: Ivan On Tech, Co-Founder of Moralis MoneyHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Key Takeaways: 1. Looking at the time rather than the price is more important to define the start and the end of a cycleIvan starts the conversation by going deeper into the “Where are we in the market.” He says that the price still does not convince experienced traders that the bull market has started or that the bear market has ended. Nevertheless, Ivan is bullish now but doesn’t believe we will reach All Time High (ATH) in 2023. Most likely, as we reach the better half of 2024 can expect to see a sideways action for Bitcoin and Altcoins in the cryptospace. He goes on to say until now; the market respects the timing of cycles – as we see the same price action as in 2019. Therefore, looking at the timing rather than the price is more important. He says we are right on time in the cycle, which is the only thing that matters.2. The Best way to prepare for the Altseason is to familiarize yourself with different chains, dApps, and DEXsThe conversation moves on to Altcoins. Ivan stresses it is hard to predict when the Alt season will start. There are excellent returns on Altcoins at the moment, but these gains are nowhere near the whole Alt season we’ve seen in the past. He continues to say the best way to prepare for the Alt season is to familiarize yourself with different chains, dApps, and DEXs so that when the market pumps, one has their wallets set up and is ready to go without wasting time or feeling rushed to research the spot. If you wait, you might just be too late. This is not the time to go all in on Altcoins, but it is time to pay attention and learn as much as possible.3. Moralis Money platform can show users on-chain analytics and highlight assets that are in demand before they hit social mediaIvan explained that his view on assets has shifted. The main focus should be supply and demand if you are looking for undervalued assets. You can’t find undervalued assets on Coingecko or Twitter. By the time they start trending on these platforms, it’s too late – they aren’t undervalued. That is why his team developed Moralis Money, a platform where users can find assets with increasing demand before they hit social media. He goes on to say that the platform is easy to use, where one can focus on finding new tokens, use only a few filters that appeal to your strategy, and pay attention to the risk-reward in terms of potential rug-pulls, which are not rare in a pool of newly listed coins. *Nothing in this recap or the audio file constitutes professional and financial advice from Ivan Liljeqvist (aka Ivan on Tech) and Morningstar Ventures.Link:Websites: https://moralis.ioTwitter: https://twitter.com/moralisweb3

What's Next For MultiversXGuest: Beniamin Mincu, Founder & CEO of MultiversXHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTop 3 Key Takeaways:Beniamin describes MultiversX as a new type of Supercomputer based on a blockchain network. MultiversX enables applications that leverage transparency, cryptographic solid primitives, and deterministic programmable contracts. Builders from MultiversX and projects who build on top of Layer 1 can create products that reimagine financial systems, economic interactions, and money.1. xPortal is the key to onboarding users on a bigger scaleThe first key takeaway is the success of the recently launched xPortal application. Since its launch, Beniamin says he is happy with the progress and features the team has released. He appreciates the community feedback and looks forward to releasing new app versions. The xPortal version prepares the growth engine to show the actual supercomputer the MultiversX team is building. Beniamin says xPortal is the best chance for MultiversX to reach a massive scale of people. The entire point of the app is determining the best way to “ship” the product, allowing for a great user experience for the specific features, such as transferring money, playing with NFTs, the card, and more. Moreover, the app's onboarding and distribution must encourage social interaction that allows people to forget about the blockchain technology behind it. Ideally, if this is structured well, the team can start introducing more community challenges where growth is no longer an abstract goal. Still, everything is very closely correlated in the network layer – which would help the ecosystem grow and become more widely adopted. 2. Blockchain is a necessary solution to some of the challenges we will see in AIThe conversation moved from the recent past to a timely topic in the present and future – AI. Apart from encouraging listeners to dive deeper and educate themselves on AI, Beniamin stresses that AI will become an all-powerful tool that brings challenges and opportunities. Blockchain technology can mitigate those challenges because of its strong sense of truth and rationale. Beniamin elaborates and says that in the next couple of months, not even years, we will be able to see some “borderline shocking” new developments in AI. People will find it challenging to understand the truth, and it will be difficult for many to authenticate what AI creates – given the strength it has to create and edit specific facts. Blockchain technology will significantly counter everything AI can do because it can provide transparency and show digital history, potentially distorted by AI. Nevertheless, AI can also be beneficial and will work complementary to the robust features of blockchain. If used correctly, the combination of AI and blockchain can be an essential tool to many that enhances their daily lives and how they work. 3. Embrace the constant change and never stand still in the everchanging spaceTo onboard new people, MultiversX is always looking for how they can improve their products. It is crucial to avoid standing still in this rapidly moving crypto space. Constant experimentation, product iterations, community surveys/feedback, and monitoring of what is relevant are critical to adopting and onboarding new users. This is also what MultiversX is all about. The team is working on many projects in various verticals. They have new exciting projects coming up within MultiversX. And they are also planning the next XDay!Link:Websites: https://multiversx.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/Multiverx

Guests:David Johansson, Founder of BlocklordsFrank Cheng, CEO of ApeironOren Langberg, Head of Marketing at MonkeyLeagueTop 3 Key Takeaways:1. Web2 and Web3 have a lot to learn from each otherAs the industry of Web3 gaming is still at the beginning of its time, all three guests agree that we have yet to see a high-quality and complete game in the space. However, when asked what Web2 game developers can learn from Web3, three key points were outlined as qualities that make Web3 unique and exciting. Ownership Access to liquidityCommunity-driven contentMarketing Features In-game economy, along with token supply & demandCrypto gaming is surrounded by technology, communication, and perception barriers, hindering Web2 gamers from onboarding. The speakers agree that it makes sense for Web2 gamers to come into Web3, as already billions of gamers spend money and time on games. Still, with the transition from understanding a new business model, tokenization of assets, and creating a wallet, going through KYC, a lot is posed against Web2 gamers to make that transition. By creating fun games that separate the meta-features from the main gameplay, we can enter a future where one's entire digital experience will be ownable and liquid – making many exciting products. Ultimately, we all need to learn from eachother.  2. Building upon the best Web2 games, Web3 gaming should add components to enhance experiencesThe conversation moved on to the sustainability of the Play-to-Earn model. All speakers agree that, at the moment, many gamers are coming onto Web3 intending to maximize profits and speculate on the price. This has yet to help Web3 game developers build their core user group, leading to an unsustainable game that no one wants to play. Games must be fun-first, and any game that uses an earning mechanism to acquire users will be challenging. In Web2 gaming, it's the best players earning the most, not speculative users. We must shift to skill - and achievement-based earning models in Web3 gaming, a concept that nods to win-to-earn rather than play-to-earn. Web2 distributors and publishers must change their mindset to fit the Web3 distribution model.We haven’t seen any Web3 publishers and distributors as big as Steam yet. All speakers agree that “traditional” game publishing companies focus on user acquisition, distribution, live handling of operations, and monetization. Web2 publishers must change their mindset when working with Web3 games, as builders mainly focus on driving value to the Token, in-game NFTs, and the users. As Web2 publishers are so hardwired to acquisition and monetization, in the future, we might be seeing more Web3 games self-publishing or the “early” adopter Web2 publishers start to work with blockchain games because they see the potential in the market.When it comes to a publisher like Steam, it has yet to be able to take that spot. Perhaps in the upcoming years, Web3 will come up with its version of Steam, or on the flip side, Steam will start to support Web3 as the industry grows. 3. Web2 distributors and publishers must change their mindset to fit the Web3 distribution modelWe haven’t seen any Web3 publishers and distributors as big as Steam yet. All speakers agree that “traditional” game publishing companies focus on user acquisition, distribution, live handling of operations, and monetization. Web2 publishers must change their mindset when working with Web3 games, as builders mainly focus on driving value to the Token, in-game NFTs, and the users. As Web2 publ

What The Future Holds For Launchpad ProjectsGuest: Joao Leite, Head of Business Development at Polkastarter Host: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTune in to learn how launchpad projects prepare for the bull market and how they upgrade their platform to deliver more value to the community.Links:Website: https://polkastarter.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/polkastarter

Guests:Scott Melker, The Wolf of All StreetsSimon Harman, Co-Founder of ChainflipFlavian Manea, Co-Founder of Bware LabsTop 5 Key Takeaways:1. Despite external factors, Bitcoin is following its 4-year halving cycle The conversation starts by asking our guests where we are in the market cycle and what we expect to see in the future. Scott starts the conversation by saying we aren't seeing anything too different, despite correlations or external factors. He refers to the 4-year halving cycle charts and says Bitcoin follows the path/trend it has always been on. According to the chart, it makes sense that there was a bottom in November, December, and January, and now leading up to May 2024, Bitcoin is setting itself up for a rampant move to the upside. He states that if we look back at this in a couple of years, many will see it as a regular Bitcoin retract cycle. 2. Bitcoin following the equity and stock market is a false narrativeThe conversation continues to understand if there is a correlation between the stock market and Bitcoin. All speakers agree that though there have been correlations between the way the stock market moves to Bitcoin, there is currently no correlation between the two - essentially arguing that it's a bit of a false narrative.3. Products created in this next cycle need to help people in the ecosystem with real-life use cases Moving away from the topic of market conditions, the conversation focused more on the project, founder, and product end of the market. As we had both Chainflip and Bware Labs founders on the call, and Scott, who understands the community, we were curious to hear how launching a product in the current market has been and what they want to see in the future from project founders. Both Flavian and Simon agreed that it would be an exciting time, especially as the last couple of months have been challenging to launch products due to the lack of capital and getting interest from the general public. 4. Important to create crypto products and crypto content that is easy to understandFlavian and Scott dive deeper into the accessibility of products. They both agree that the best way to mainstream adoption is abstracting the complexity that comes with crypto. For example, the vernacular and usability need to be simpler for average users. In the future, users shouldn't be aware that they are using Web3 products and should just be using a product that solves their everyday needs. Moreover, Scott and Simon touched upon the topic of stablecoins in the market. Despite market conditions, they mentioned that many people use stablecoins instead of bank accounts. These products have become more popular as they are instrumental and understandable developments in the ecosystem.5. There is an opportunity for banks who want to do business with "us" (crypto)To round off the conversation, we asked our guests what the future of banks will look like and what needs to happen for more crypto adoption from the traditional financial sector. Scott starts the conversation and says we already see the early signs of adoption from trad-fi. In the past years, there has been a crisis of confidence in the crypto space, but now we are seeing that shift in this crisis towards the banking system. This phenomenon is opening up people's eyes as there are realizing banks are not the place where everything is safe. However, this doesn't mean that banks are going anywhere. 

Navigating Through Blockch-AI-n With A Unified APIGuest: Ganesh Swami, CEO of CovalentHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTune in to learn about building in the bear market, navigating through blockchain with unified API, and listening to some brainstorming about today's AI hype.Links:Website: https://www.covalenthq.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/Covalent_HQ

Guest:Eric Chen, Co-founder of InjectiveMounir Benchemled, Founder of ParaswapThanh Le, Founder of Coin98 WalletTop 5 Key Takeaways: 1. The value proposition of DeFi is only being appreciated nowThe first key takeaway was mentioned when the guests were asked about the various challenges seen in DeFi today. According to our guests, though numerous projects within the crypto space create robust solutions, DeFi was underappreciated until the fall of FTX. With the collapse, users started to understand that the convenience of centralization can have severe consequences. Injective, Paraswap, and Coin98 have all been dedicated and fully committed to decentralization to limit the risk for their users. 2. Traditional financial institutions are looking to DeFi to solve their challengesBefore everything that happened in November 2022, many institutions showed interest in crypto. FinTechs and banks were conversing with mainly CeFi projects to see how they could trade via their infrastructures. This mindset shifted with the fall of FTX, leading to a rise in DeFi. Institutions started to come towards DeFi builders to understand their protocols and build with them. Mounir, Thanh, and Albert all agreed that what institutions are looking for are twofold: Counterparty risk that is suppressed while using DeFiInstant settlement components - which is an upgrade of what already exists in TradeFi3. The DeFi ecosystem needs more builders focused on network obstructionThe conversation flows back to the seamless onboarding and UX of DeFi applications. Especially when it comes to a complex topic like DeFi and crypto, everything needs to be built to increase the attainability for real-world users to gain more market share. A dApp should be so simple to understand that even if one doesn’t know anything about DeFi, derivatives, or leverage, one should still be able to use the dApp. 4. User experience must be simplified before we consider onboarding the next millions of usersAlthough some projects are pushing the limits and have seen immense growth in the DeFi space over the past years, onboarding is still challenging. A topic such as wallet management is still very “heavy” for people to understand, and that is perhaps why DeFi doesn’t have millions of users yet. Similarly, it’s not just the users who need to gain a simplified understanding and suite of tools, but developers too. 5. Education, experimentation, and putting security at the forefront will mature DeFi to the next levelLast but not least, we asked our guests where they see the evolution of DeFi going, given that it currently faces two significant challenges – lack of security and regulation. Our guests agree the industry is on the road to maturity, with more best practices showcased across the ecosystem. Nevertheless, in the short-coming future, DeFi will continue to be in the experimental phase. Albert says there is an inherent tension between innovation and security that protocol builders must face when building. Thus, security will be top of mind. Our guests go on to discuss the misconception that DeFi is safe because it’s non-custodial, but there are still a lot of tech risks that come with it. In the future, it would be good to see more standards on protocol and how it needs to be built. Builders can learn a lot and borrow many regulatory practices from traditional finance based on years of research. 

A Wallet To Access Most Of The Chains In CryptoGuest: Emile Dubié, Co-founder of XdefiHost: Szabolcs Gergely, Podcast & YouTube Host at Morningstar VenturesTune in to learn about the DEFI Wallet, which gives you access to most of the existing chains in crypto and provides you with self-custody and education to ensure that your assets are as safe as possible.Links:Website: https://xdefi.io/Download the App: https://go.xdefi.io/morningstar