Shows
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Building Blockchain for Global Finance | High Stakes Ep. 24What’s holding back real institutional adoption of blockchain? Yuval Rooz, CEO of Digital Asset, joins High Stakes to reveal what institutions really need before moving serious volume on-chain. From tokenized treasuries to the privacy gap in DeFi, Yuval brings over a decade of experience bridging traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure. If you’re tracking where real-world assets are headed or building for regulated markets, this episode is a must-listen.HOST: Alex Nwaka, Co-Founder of Validation CloudGUEST: Yuval Rooz, CEO of Digital AssetKEY TAKEAWAYS• Institutional adoption hinges on native asset tokenization, not IO...
2026-01-1335 minHigh Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Ethereum: The Future of Financial Infrastructure | High Stakes Ep. 23What if Ethereum is closer to replacing Wall Street infrastructure than anyone realizes?In this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka sits down with Vivek Raman, CEO of Etherealize, to explore the deep structural gaps in traditional finance and why Ethereum is poised to fill them. With a decade of experience trading credit on Wall Street, Vivek brings unmatched clarity on blockchain’s institutional adoption curve, from skepticism to inevitability. Whether you’re a portfolio manager, policy maker, or protocol builder, this episode breaks down the why, how, and when of Ethereum’s shift into institutional financ...
2025-12-1642 minHigh Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3AI Underwriting Meets Blockchain: The Compliance Challenge | High Stakes Ep. 22What if blockchain, not AI, is the biggest disruption in finance?In this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka sits down with Michael Tannenbaum, CEO of Figure, to explore how blockchain is reshaping capital markets from the ground up. With a background spanning SoFi and Brex, Michael shares how his real-world fintech experience led him to double down on real-world assets, tokenization, and the massive opportunity behind blockchain-powered infrastructure. From regulatory clarity to capital markets modernization, this conversation is a masterclass for anyone thinking seriously about institutional blockchain adoption.Tune in to...
2025-12-0237 minHigh Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Ex-Goldman Engineer Built a $1B Startup | High Stakes Ep. 21What if the metaverse was never dead, just misunderstood?Season 2 of High Stakes kicks off with Paul Thomas, CEO of Somnia, in a wide-ranging conversation with host Alex Nwaka about what it really takes to build Web3 infrastructure at scale. From Goldman Sachs to improbable startups, Paul unpacks his journey into gaming, blockchain, and why high-performance infrastructure - not hype - is the real unlock for immersive digital experiences. For institutional investors, AI founders, and Web3 operators, this episode offers a sharp look into what’s changing in infrastructure, valuations, and the future of on-chain content creation....
2025-11-1845 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3What Happens When Fintech Meets AI? | High Stakes Ep. 20On this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka is joined by Lex Sokolin, co-founder of Generative Ventures, for an unfiltered conversation on how AI and blockchain are reshaping economic systems. Lex brings a rare blend of Wall Street experience, startup grit, and futurist vision to explore the infrastructure, incentives, and capital flows behind the emerging machine economy. From agentic payments to self-incorporating robots, this episode unpacks what’s hype, what’s investable, and what’s already here.Key Takeaways: • Generative Ventures is built on the thesis that robots will create future GDP and crypto i...
2025-08-2647 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3How Blockchain Lending Will Drive Stablecoin Adoption | High Stakes Ep. 19How Blockchain Lending Will Drive Stablecoin AdoptionIn this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka sits down with Sidney Powell, CEO of Maple Finance, to explore how blockchain lending is shaping the future of stablecoins and institutional finance. Sid unpacks Maple’s evolution, product strategy, and unique position between CeFi and DeFi, while laying out a bold vision for trillion-dollar stablecoin markets. With deep insights into risk management, global expansion, and AI's emerging role, this conversation delivers a comprehensive look at the future of on-chain finance.KEY TAKEAWAYS • Maple Fina...
2025-08-1940 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3How Decentralization Is Reshaping The World | High Stakes Ep. 18How Decentralization Is Reshaping the WorldIn this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka sits down with Yinal Ozkan, Principal Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services, to unpack how decentralized technologies, blockchain, and AI are changing the institutional landscape. From AWS’s early bets on cloud and AI to today’s breakthroughs in Web3, Yinal shares firsthand insight into adoption curves, enterprise readiness, and the future of autonomous agents.KEY TAKEAWAYS • Early cloud skepticism mirrors today’s AI adoption hurdles • AWS growth from $1B to $100B reflects deep infrastruc...
2025-08-1250 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Behind the Rise of Ethereum’s Most Strategic Infrastructure Bet | High Stakes Ep. 17Behind the Rise of Ethereum’s Most Strategic Infrastructure Bet In this episode of High Stakes, host Alex Nwaka is joined by Alon Muroch, CEO and co-founder of SSV Labs, to explore how Ethereum’s most strategic infrastructure layer is evolving. With over a decade of crypto experience, Alon shares how SSV Labs has become a leader in Ethereum staking, now operating 11% of all validators using Distributed Validator Technology (DVT).Alon reveals why validators are more than just network participants. They are the foundation for Ethereum’s future scalability, decentralization, and economic alignment. From ba...
2025-08-0536 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3From Deloitte to Betting Big on Blockchain: Inside Eric Piscini Playbook | High Stakes Ep. 16In this episode, Alex is joined by Eric Piscini, the CEO of Hashgraph. Eric brings decades of enterprise innovation experience, from launching Deloitte’s blockchain practice to leading AI strategy at IBM Watson Health. Today, he’s spearheading real enterprise adoption of blockchain at Hashgraph by making tokenization and decentralization usable and scalable.Eric breaks down how Hashgraph is navigating regulation, integrating AI agents with blockchain, and helping enterprises unlock the next wave of digital transformation with technologies like Hashstia and decentralized AI.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Blockchain has matured from a crypto experi...
2025-07-2947 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Inside Mezo: The Future of Bitcoin | High Stakes Ep. 15In this episode of High Stakes, Alex sits down with Brian Mahoney, VP of Business Development at Thesis and Founding Team Member at Mezo, to explore the next evolution of Bitcoin. From Bitcoin mortgages to stablecoins like MUSD, Brian shares why the future of on-chain finance is Bitcoin-native.You will learn:• Why Bitcoin-backed stablecoins are gaining momentum• How Mezo is building a circular Bitcoin economy• What makes Bitcoin staking possible (without Proof of Work)• How global demand for Bitcoin financing is growing• Why macro trends and regulation are creating massive tailwinds• How institut...
2025-07-2243 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3The Future of AI, Blockchain, and Regulation with Morgan McKenney | High Stakes Ep. 14Alex Nwaka sits down with Morgan McKenney, former CEO of Provenance Blockchain Foundation, longtime Citi executive, and tech-led global operator, to discuss the convergence of blockchain and AI and what it means for the future of finance, blockchain infrastructure, and innovation. Morgan also announces her new role as advisor to Validation Cloud, bringing decades of leadership in finance, blockchain, and AI to help power the future of Web3 infrastructure.In this episode, Morgan discusses:The return of blockchain IPOs- The rise of stablecoin regulationWhy blockchain creates the perfect dataset for AI Why 2025 could be the year o...
2025-06-1247 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Crypto is Macro Now: Bitcoin, Stablecoins, and Global Shifts with Noelle Acheson | High Stakes Ep. 13Alex Nwaka sits down with Noelle Acheson, crypto-macro analyst and author of Crypto is Macro Now, for a conversation on the intersection of crypto and macroeconomics. With a career spanning traditional finance, entrepreneurship, and research leadership at CoinDesk and Genesis Trading, Noelle shares her expertise on the crypto-macro environment. Together, they explore institutional adoption, the evolving role of stablecoins, Bitcoin’s place in a fractured global system, and how crypto is now shaping macro trends. Noelle Acheson is the author of Crypto is Macro Now, a leading newsletter on crypto and macro trends. Noelle was previously Head of Re...
2025-05-2242 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3DTCC: Tokenization, Institutional DeFi, and AI with Dan Doney | High Stakes Ep. 12Alex Nwaka sits with Dan Doney, Managing Director and CTO at DTCC Digital Assets, for a rare and in-depth conversation. With a career spanning the U.S. Navy, the Defense Intelligence Agency, founding the pioneering blockchain company Securrency, and now driving innovation at DTCC, Dan brings a uniquely far-reaching perspective to the future of digital finance. Alex and Dan dive into DTCC’s critical role in modern capital markets, why blockchain is both an opportunity and a necessity for institutional finance, and how global financial systems are converging towards tokenization and institutional DeFi. From commanding nuclear submarines to architecting th...
2025-04-2936 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Obol: Distributed Validators, Ethereum Staking, and Institutional Adoption with Toma Heremans | High Stakes Ep. 11Alex sits down with Toma Heremans, CEO of Obol Association, to explore how distributed validators (DVs) are redefining staking infrastructure, the future of Ethereum resilience, and why institutional adoption is the next major unlock for proof-of-stake networks. Toma breaks down the complexities and misconceptions around DVs and shares his vision for a world where even your phone can help secure Ethereum. He also dives into the staking value chain, the impact of upcoming Ethereum upgrades, and his bold prediction for 2025.Toma Heremans is the CEO of Obol Association, the largest Decentralized Operator Ecosystem. Under...
2025-04-1138 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3dYdX: Perpetuals, Appchains, and AI with Charles d'Haussy | High Stakes Ep. 10Alex sits down with Charles d’Haussy, CEO of the dYdX Foundation, to discuss appchains, the power of perpetuals, decentralized versus centralized exchanges, and how AI-driven strategies are shaping the future of DeFi. Charles also shares insights from his experience in Asia’s FinTech scene, the role of governance in dYdX’s ecosystem, and his bold prediction for 2025.Learn more about Validation Cloud: validationcloud.io🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Tune in weekly for sharp, no-hype conversations on blockchain, AI, and enterprise innovation. 📢 Follow Validation Cloud for more insights:
2025-02-1947 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Chaos Labs: AI, Risk, and the Future of On-Chain Finance with Omer Goldberg | High Stakes Ep. 9Omer Goldberg, CEO of Chaos Labs, joins Alex Nwaka to discuss on-chain finance, AI-driven risk management, and institutional adoption of blockchain technology. Omer shares his journey from Facebook and Instagram to founding Chaos Labs, highlighting how data-driven decision-making and AI-powered financial modeling are reshaping DeFi security. He dives into the challenges of risk management, the launch of Chaos Labs' Edge Oracle Network, and the role of real-time risk monitoring in optimizing DeFi protocols. The conversation also explores institutional barriers to blockchain adoption, the importance of regulatory clarity, and Omer’s fundraising insights for Web3 startups. Tune in for a de...
2025-02-0439 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Stellar: Blockchain Evolution & Financial Inclusion with Denelle Dixon | High Stakes Ep. 8Alex sits down with Denelle Dixon, the CEO of Stellar Development Foundation, to discuss her career journey, the mission of Stellar, and the future of blockchain technology. Denelle shares how she got her start as a trial lawyer and how that led her to leadership roles at Yahoo and Mozilla. She also explains how her career journey informed her approach to driving innovation and fostering financial inclusion through the Stellar Development Foundation. Alex and Denelle explore Stellar’s role in building the internet for payments, the importance of partnerships like MoneyGram and UNHCR, and the potential of tokenized assets. De...
2025-01-1646 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Agora Finance: Stablecoin Markets and Adoption with Nick van Eck | High Stakes Ep. 7Alex sits down with Nick van Eck, CEO and Co-Founder of Agora Finance, to discuss the potential of stablecoins and the future of financial services. In this episode, Nick shares his journey from venture capital at General Catalyst to launching Agora Finance. Nick and Alex explore the evolution of blockchain adoption, the competitive dynamics of the stablecoin space, and Agora’s mission to make the US dollar more accessible globally. Nick also provides insights into key milestones, and market adoption trends.Learn more about Validation Cloud: validationcloud.io🎧 New episodes every Tuesd...
2024-12-1942 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Escape Velocity (EV3): DePIN Use Cases, Markets, and Progress with Salvador Gala | High Stakes Ep. 6Alex Nwaka sits down with Salvador Gala, Co-Founder of Escape Velocity (EV3), to discuss Sal’s journey from traditional finance at Goldman Sachs and Ribbit Capital to building a leading Web3 venture firm focused on DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network). Sal shares insights into the potential of DePIN, the challenges and opportunities in building decentralized infrastructure, and real-world applications across compute, mapping, energy, and more.Learn more about Validation Cloud: https://www.validationcloud.io/🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Tune in weekly for sharp, no-hype conversations on blockchain, AI, and enter...
2024-11-2146 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Aleo: Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Privacy, and Real-World Impact with Alex Pruden | High Stakes Ep. 5Alex Nwaka sits down with Alex Pruden, Executive Director of Aleo, to discuss Alex's journey from the U.S. Army to venture capital to leading Aleo. Alex shares an overview of zero-knowledge cryptography, the challenges and breakthroughs in building Aleo’s privacy-preserving zero-knowledge blockchain, and the real-world applications of zero-knowledge technology.Learn more about Validation Cloud: https://www.validationcloud.io/🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Tune in weekly for sharp, no-hype conversations on blockchain, AI, and enterprise innovation. 📢 Follow Validation Cloud for more insights: • Website: validationcloud.io • Lin...
2024-11-0843 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Arthur Hayes: Crypto Markets, Geopolitics, & Web3 Predictions | High Stakes Ep. 4Alex sits down with Arthur Hayes, Co-Founder of BitMEX and CIO of Maelstrom, to talk about Arthur and Alex's time at Wharton together, Arthur's journey from Wall Street to crypto, the rise of BitMEX and Maelstrom, and how geopolitics, global monetary policy, and decentralization are shaping the future of crypto.About High StakesHosted by Validation Cloud Chief Strategy Officer Alex Nwaka, High Stakes discusses the shifts, opportunities, and challenges defining the future of Web3.About Validation CloudValidation Cloud is a Web3 data streaming...
2024-10-1037 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Ether.Fi: Restaking Differentiators, Implications, and Upcoming Initiatives with Charles Mountain | High Stakes Ep. 3Alex sits down with Charles Mountain, Head of Ecosystem at Ether.Fi, to talk about Charles' transition from traditional finance to crypto, Ether.Fi's role in staking and restaking, and the impact of restaking on decentralization and innovation in the crypto space.About High StakesHosted by Validation Cloud Chief Strategy Officer Alex Nwaka, High Stakes discusses the shifts, opportunities, and challenges defining the future of Web3.About Validation CloudValidation Cloud is a Web3 data streaming and infrastructure company that...
2024-09-3038 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Crypto Regulation: Misconceptions, Trends, & Predictions with Kevin Batteh | High Stakes Ep. 2Alex Nwaka sits down with Delta Strategy Group Partner Kevin Batteh to discuss the misconceptions, trends, and predictions around crypto regulation in the US and beyond. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Tune in weekly for sharp, no-hype conversations on blockchain, AI, and enterprise innovation. 📢 Follow Validation Cloud for more insights: • Website: validationcloud.io • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/validationcloud • X (Twitter): x.com/HighStakesWeb3 • YouTube: youtube.com/@ValidationCloud 👤 Hosted by Alex Nwaka, CSO at Validation Cloud. Cut through the noise. Stay ahead of the marke...
2024-09-0443 min
High Stakes with Alex Nwaka | Blockchain, Crypto, and Web3Hyperledger: Enterprise Adoption, Interoperability, & Decentralized Identities with Daniela Barbosa | High Stakes Ep. 1Alex Nwaka sits down with Hyperledger Executive Director Daniela Barbosa to discuss the challenges and opportunities around enterprise adoption of Web3 technologies including real-world assets, interoperability, and decentralized identities. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Tune in weekly for sharp, no-hype conversations on blockchain, AI, and enterprise innovation. 📢 Follow Validation Cloud for more insights: • Website: validationcloud.io • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/validationcloud • X (Twitter): x.com/HighStakesWeb3 • YouTube: youtube.com/@ValidationCloud 👤 Hosted by Alex Nwaka, CSO at Validation Cloud. Cut through the noise. Stay ahead of the marke...
2024-06-2535 min
The Founder Initiative$350M+ AUM, Touchdown Ventures's Alex Nwaka shares the importance of getting back-channel feedback on your deckIncrementally send your decks to VCs so you can constantly improve it, rather than sending it to every VC all at once.
2022-03-0110 min
Reinventing ProfessionalsLaw Firms Investing in Innovation Through Venture CapitalI spoke with Alex Nwaka, a principal with Touchdown Ventures, which provides venture capital services on behalf of leading corporations. We discussed the model of providing venture capital as a service, why law firms are investing in venture capital, how they are deploying their capital, and the challenges of supporting legal tech companies.
2019-06-2210 minReinventing ProfessionalsLaw Firms Investing in Innovation Through Venture CapitalI spoke with Alex Nwaka, a principal with Touchdown Ventures, which provides venture capital services on behalf of leading corporations. We discussed the model of providing venture capital as a service, why law firms are investing in venture capital, how they are deploying their capital, and the challenges of supporting legal tech companies.
2019-06-2210 min
Reinventing ProfessionalsLaw Firms Investing in Innovation Through Venture CapitalI spoke with Alex Nwaka, a principal with Touchdown Ventures, which provides venture capital services on behalf of leading corporations. We discussed the model of providing venture capital as a service, why law firms are investing in venture capital, how they are deploying their capital, and the challenges of supporting legal tech companies.
2019-06-2110 min