Shows
Genesis Block#35: Genesis Block Interviews - Growth & Capital Markets at Maple FinanceAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our 12th guest interview is with Sid Sheth, Growth & Capital Markets at Maple Finance.
Maple provides the technology for credit experts to start and scale a lending businesses. Their marketplace is where capital allocators participate in a growing range of yield opportunities offered by credit experts.
We interview Sid about his journey from TradFi to DeFi, and dive into exactly how Maple works and how it is better than the current status quo.
To learn more, listen on!
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Genesis Block#34: Genesis Block Interviews - Adam Helfgott, Co-Founder of ValenceAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our 11th guest interview is with Adam Helfgott, Co-Founder of Valence.
Valence is a data enablement company that leverages public blockchains to connect businesses to consumer data. They aim to drive new revenue streams and innovation opportunities by helping all parties receive value for data transactions while remaining secure. Their solutions allow users to store, trade, authenticate and prove origin of data and assets, no matter where the data or the user transacts.
We interview Adam about his journey as a serial entrepreneur, dive into exactly how...2023-10-1047 min
Genesis Block#33: Genesis Block Interviews - Halcyon Price, DeFi Derivatives Lead at Chainlink LabsAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our 10th guest interview is with Halcyon Price, DeFi Derivatives Lead at Chainlink Labs.
Chainlink, one of the core infrastructural components in the blockchain realm, enhances smart contracts by connecting them to real-world data sources and off-chain computation - via a technology known as Oracles - across any blockchain, and provide global enterprises with a universal gateway to all blockchains.
We speak to Halcyon about his experience in the crypto space, the future of Chainlink, and a lot more!
To learn more, listen on!
2023-08-2241 min
Genesis Block#32: Genesis Block Interviews - Phillip Kassab, Growth Lead at Sei NetworkAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our 9th guest interview is with Phillip Kassab, Growth Lead at Sei Network.
Sei is an open-source Layer 1 blockchain specialized for trading, optimizing every layer of the stack to offer infrastructure for trading apps of all types. Leveraging a novel consensus mechanism and technical breakthroughs, Sei claims to be the fastest blockchain in existence.
The team behind Sei Network has raised over $30M from investors including Jump Crypto, Multicoin Capital, and Coinbase Ventures.
We speak to Phillip about his experience in the crypto space, what it takes...2023-07-0153 min
Genesis Block#31: Genesis Block Interviews - Chris James Murphy, Founder of Klink FinanceAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our 8th guest interview is with Chris James Murphy, founder of Klink Finance.
Klink Finance is a gamified crypto asset management platform created to enable a completely new approach toward creating wealth among its user populations in a sustainable and exciting way. Klink's prize-linked deposit account aims to reward users with the chance to win $1M in USDC every week, for holding funds as little as $25. While this may sound too good (and risky) to be true, the idea itself is innovative and draws upon existing financial mechanisms.
To learn more...2023-06-1550 min
Genesis Block#30: Genesis Block Interviews - Aki Balogh, Founder of DLC.LINKAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our seventh guest interview is with Aki Balogh, founder of DLC.LINK.
DLC.link enables self-custodied Bitcoin to be safely used in collateralised lending. It eliminates the need for third-party intermediaries such as custodians, wrapped tokens or bridges (which have led to over $140 billion in lost assets to date).
They've raised $1 million in funding from leading Web3 companies and VC funds, and their team includes professionals from Twitter and Goldman Sachs.
To learn more about Aki and DLC.LINK, start with their website: https://www...2023-05-2850 min
Genesis Block#29: Web3 Social MediaSocial media built on Web3 wants to make the relationship between all stakeholders – creators, users, and the social media platform – more mutually beneficial, and make the presence of a highly extractive middleman obsolete.
Web3 social is a fundamentally new approach at re-architecting the traditional Web2 social media stack, where closed databases and opaque algorithms become open networks where users and creators own their data and there are transparent free market dynamics in algorithm and application feature development.
Listen to learn more!
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Genesis Block#28: Zero Knowledge ProofsZKPs let someone prove that they know, have, or are something without giving up any information about what they know, have, or are.
At their core, ZKPs have strong cryptographic guarantees, with the use of cryptographic techniques like digital signatures and hashing providing assurances that the underlying data has not been accessed, modified, or disclosed in an unauthorised manner.
Watch on to learn more!
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Genesis Block#27: Genesis Block Interviews - Harshal Madnani, Founder of Xade FinanceAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our sixth guest interview is with Harshal Madnani, founder of Xade Finance.
Xade aims to be the 'The Revolut of DeFi', providing all traditional banking services powered by in-house DeFi Protocols with the user experience of a digital bank, through a mobile application intended to be a SuperApp.
Xade is a moonshot. Harshal, only 16, is ambitious. This is just the beginning of a great story.
To learn more about Harshal and Xade's mission, start with their website: https://www.xade.finance/.
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Genesis Block#26: Genesis Block Interviews - Florian Strauf and Mason Fasco of Tokenomics DAOAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our fifth guest interview is with Florian Strauf and Mason Fasco, co-founders and core members of Tokenomics DAO.
Tokenomics DAO is a community of individuals who explore and collaborate on the tokenomics of Web3 protocols and blockchain applications. They produce content and offer services and tools to help builders and investors get a better understanding of tokenomics.
Here are a few links to explore their offerings further. Join their Discord if you're interested in diving deep into this growing new field of token design!
- https...2023-02-221h 13
Genesis Block#25: The State of NFTsCommencing in the summer of 2021, NFTs have successfully widened the scope of “crypto” to a much larger audience. The primary reason for this is the technology’s ability to blend media and culture into the existing financial components of blockchain technology.
Given this, NFTs – implemented in their many forms – are meant to be the gateway to help onboard mainstream internet users. Not just the next 10 million, but 1 billion. Thus, it is important to occasionally take a pulse of the market so that we may recalibrate and reassess where we are in the adoption timeline.
Literature mentioned: ...2023-02-151h 11
Genesis Block#24: Analysing New Order DAO, a Venture Incubator DAONew Order DAO is a Venture Incubator DAO that aims to build and grow DeFi protocols.
They provide selected early stage startups with growth opportunities, networking, fundraising, and functional and technical support.
To date, New Order DAO has incubated [REDACTED], OptyFi, H2O, Frogs Anonymous, and Y2K Finance, and is in the process of bringing Motherboard, Sector Finance, and Wynd into the fold.
Note: We initially indicated in the podcast that New Order would be incubating IVX. However, this is no longer the case and they will now be incubating Sector Finance i...2023-02-071h 16
Genesis Block#23: The Creator and Ownership EconomyThe creator economy refers to the rise of individuals or groups who produce media with educational and/or entertainment value, in order to grow and monetise an audience.
This is in contrast to the ownership economy, which refers to the use of Web3 technology to enable participants of a platform, product, or network to gain ownership stakes in said platform, product, or network.
It is the intersection of the two that we discuss today.
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Genesis Block#22: Genesis Block Interviews - Vokkant Thakkar, Research Associate at Woodstock FundAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our fourth guest is Vokkant Thakkar, a research associate at Woodstock Fund, India's first Web3-native venture fund.
Vokkant primarily focuses on the infrastructure and gaming verticals of Web3, but is well versed across various sectors in this nascent space of ours.
We discuss topics like the inner workings of a Web3 fund, the future of Bitcoin, scrutiny of tokenomics, the current market environment, and more!
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Genesis Block#21: Analysing FRAX, a Partially-Collateralised Algorithmic StablecoinFRAX is a permissionless DeFi protocol that offers a range of DeFi products and services. Its primary product is a partially-collateralised algorithmic stablecoin that enables liquidity systems and lending markets.
FRAX also offers three other products:
- FRAX Swap, an Automated Market Maker (like Uniswap)
- FRAX Lend, a Lending Market (similar to Compound or AAVE)
- FRAX Ether, an Ethereum Liquid-Staking Derivative (similar to Lido stETH)
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Genesis Block#20: Market Update: FTX, Crypto's Enron?Today's episode is an open discussion in light of the events of the last week.
We discuss FTX, SBF, the state of the market, and what comes next for our industry as a whole.
This episode structure will not be routine, and will only be called upon when there are pivotal developments in the market.
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Genesis Block#19: Genesis Block Interviews - Paul J Lei, Protocol Program Manager at GauntletAs part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our third guest is Paul J Lei, a protocol program manager at Gauntlet, one of the premier DeFi and crypto risk simulation platforms.
After having completed his undergraduate studies in Statistics from Harvard University, Paul worked in a couple of TradFi roles at investment banks like Jefferies and Goldman Sachs, where he advised the Financial Services sector, including banks, FinTechs, and hedge funds.
In these jobs, Paul noticed an undercurrent of how DeFi would replace TradFi, and that problems that FinTechs were trying to solve were burdened by...2022-11-0755 min
Genesis Block#18: Real World AssetsFrom the point of view of an insider, it may seem as if the Web3 space is moving at warp speed, with a Cambrian explosion of innovation in all directions -- L1s, L2s, infrastructure, NFTs, DeFi, GameFi, and so on.
But the fact remains that the majority of the value on-chain is generated by "crypto money games", with little to no influence on the physical world.
For blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies to really fulfil its potential in a meaningful manner, as an industry, we are going to have to move towards a reality wh...2022-10-301h 05
Genesis Block#17: Genesis Block Interviews - Carlos Saavedra, Co-Founder of Fyde (Treasury Management Protocol)As part of Genesis Block's guest interviews series, our second guest is Carlos Saavedra.
Born and raised in California, Carlos has spent most of his career in traditional finance. From working in investment banking to venture capital to even portfolio management at Deutsche Bank. His crypto journey started way back in 2014 when he first bought Bitcoin, and since, has been actively angel investing, consulting and advising in this space.
His latest project is Fyde -- a treasury management protocol he co-founded. Find out more about them on https://www.fyde.fi/!
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Genesis Block#16: Web3 MusicMusic is an industry rife with conflicts of interest and shocking contradictions.
While the top most followed individuals in the world are music artists, the industry collectively generates less revenues than it did 2 decades ago.
However, NFTs and other Web3 technologies are promising to change this unfortunate reality.
Today, we dive into the history of the Music industry, promises of Web3 through the lens of music, and the current industry landscape.
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Genesis Block#15: Web3 GamesCryptocurrencies and other Web3-related technologies have revolutionised how value is exchanged.
Middle-men like banks and other centralised entities are gatekeepers who authenticate and secure transactions in exchange for exorbitant fees.
Crypto has replaced these centralised intermediaries with blockchains that are validated by decentralised entities all over the world.
One of the industries that stands to benefit and evolve from blockchain technology is gaming. The design space to incorporate crypto into gaming is wide, but initial efforts have had several clear flaws. 'GameFi' needs to clearly define where crypto fits into gaming and the tec...2022-10-031h 13
Genesis Block#14: Analysing Nexus Mutual, a Decentralised Insurance ProtocolNexus Mutual is a protocol built on Ethereum, offering a decentralised alternative to insurance.
Using blockchain technology, Nexus Mutuals has created a risk-sharing pool in the form of a mutual to return the power of insurance to the people.
It replaces the idea of a traditional insurance company because it is wholly owned by the members. The model encourages engagement as members will get economic incentives for participating in Risk Assessment, Claims Assessment and Governance.
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Genesis Block#13: Analysing Audius, a Decentralised Music Streaming ProtocolFounded in early 2018 (and mainnet going live in Oct 2020) by Roneil Rumburg and Forrest Browning, Audius is a decentralised music streaming service that connects fans directly with artists.
Think Soundcloud but built on a blockchain.
Artists on Audius can upload any and all audio they want, and users can stream, comment, like, and perform other actions you would expect on a music streaming platform.
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Genesis Block#12: Analysing GMX, a Decentralised Derivatives ExchangeGMX is a decentralised derivatives exchange that allows users to trade spot markets for certain assets as well as trade perps (perpetual swaps) using leverage up to 30x.
GMX has a pool of assets known as the GLP pool through which spot and perp trades are executed. The version of GMX on Arbitrum and the version on Avalanche have two separate GLP pools with differing constituent assets.
Due to its decentralized nature and unique oracle pricing method, trades are executed with low fees and low slippage.
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Genesis Block#11: Maximal Extractable Value (MEV)One of the most technical, interesting, and crucial features of blockchain, one that only a few are aware of and even fewer can actually see, is the concept of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV).
Interestingly, it has a clear parallel in traditional finance – high-frequency trading (HFT), which is a form of algorithmic trading that conducts huge numbers of trades within seconds, attempting to make a small profit per trade (mostly through arbitrage).
Similarly, MEV exploits risk-free transactions by using the core features of the blockchain it is built on.
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Genesis Block#10: Analysing Zora Protocol, a Base Layer for NFTsFounded in 2020, ZORA is a decentralised protocol, built on the Ethereum blockchain, where anyone can permissionless-ly buy and sell NFTs.
While NFT marketplaces can be built on top of it, it is not a marketplace/platform in itself. Think of it as a collection of smart contracts that are meant to be the base layer when interacting with NFTs.
We analyse the ZORA Protocol through the lens of our investment template, showcased in How to Analyse a Web3 Protocol (https://youtu.be/MtUoxQaSUjg).
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Genesis Block#9: Analysing Dystopia, a veToken AMM on PolygonIn the third episode in Genesis Block's Protocol Analysis series, we analyse Dystopia Swap, a decentralised exchange and AMM using the ve (3,3) system, focused on providing efficient token swaps and deep liquidity for stablecoins and other assets.
We analyse Dystopia through the lens of our investment template, showcased in How to Analyse a Web3 Protocol (https://youtu.be/MtUoxQaSUjg).
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Genesis Block#8: Analysing Ocean Protocol, a Decentralised Data ExchangeIn the second episode in Genesis Block's Protocol Analysis series, we analyse Ocean Protocol, a decentralised data exchange aiming to bring together data providers, consumers, and service providers into a data marketplace.
Ocean also provides the tools and infrastructure for developers to build value-added services and other marketplaces on top of the data assets created on the protocol.
We analyse Ocean Protocol through the lens of our investment template, showcased in How to Analyse a Web3 Protocol (https://youtu.be/MtUoxQaSUjg).
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Genesis Block#7: SoulboundsAs we’ve covered in our earlier episode, NFTs are nothing but digital files (mp3, mp4, jpegs, etc.) that live on a blockchain and are unique in nature. And being on a blockchain, they inherit all the benefits of smart contracts such as programmability, provenance, security, etc.
However, what all NFTs are, is transferable. That means, there is no restriction on your ability to send/receive an NFT to/from someone else. While this is a feature, the antithesis of the feature – the inability to transfer/receive – comes with its own set of advantages.
Enter Soulbound...2022-07-311h 04
Genesis Block#6: Decentralised Social MediaEveryone is well aware of the problems with current social media platforms. You don't own your data, you're given a 'free' product in exchange for your valuable data, and unilateral decisions about censorship and governance of platforms rule the roost.
With Web3 aiming to impact every industry, it's no surprise that Decentralised Social Media has caught the limelight.
Watch the first episode in our Thematic Analysis series for an intro to what decentralised social media is, the protocols innovating in this space (DeSo, Lens Protocol, and Peer), and what they're all about!
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2022-07-241h 11
Genesis Block#5: Genesis Block Interviews - Quinn Markwith, Economist & Crypto Market AnalystWelcome to the first episode in Genesis Block's Interview series, where we have discussions with folks from all across the Web3 ecosystem!
Our first interviewee is Quinn Markwith, who is an economist by training and currently works as a Market Analyst and Relationship Manager at DAO Maker, an Accelerator, Consultancy, Pe-seed Financier, and Market Maker in the crypto space. His previous experience is as a Market Analyst at eToro in the crypto team, and as an Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics where he covered the Latin American market.
Today, we're discussing the crypto space f...2022-07-1755 min
Genesis Block#4: How to Analyse NFT ProjectsBored Ape Yacht Club. Cryptopunks. Azuki. CrypToadz. Nouns. NFTs took the world by storm in 2021, with a plethora of projects catching the eyes of millions of people around the globe. Jimmy Fallon, Neymar, Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber...they're all people who have or had Bored Apes as their profile pictures on Twitter over the last year.
But apart from their PR execs telling them it was a great marketing ploy, how does one actually analyse these NFT projects? In today's episode, Genesis Block attempts to answer just that question!
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Genesis Block#3: Analysing Tokemak, a Decentralised Market MakerTokemak is a decentralised market making protocol aiming to create a liquidity infrastructure layer to be used by DAOs, DeFi projects, market makers, and exchanges. We analyse Tokemak through the lens of our investment template, showcased in How to Analyse a Web3 Protocol (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtUoxQaSUjg&t=14s).
P.S.: We recorded this before the Terra implosion, so the portion around Terra holding a lot of TOKE doesn't hold true anymore. The figures are from ~April 2022.
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Genesis Block#2: How to Analyse a Web3 ProtocolWelcome to the first episode of Genesis Block! In this video, we explore our process of analysing a Web3 protocol and create a template to do so. We hope this will help separate out the noise from the fundamentals in the ever-expanding Web3 space and bring it closer to the level of maturity we're all aspiring towards!
Note: We recommend listening to this video at 1.2x.
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Genesis Block#1: Hello, World!Hello, World, from Sid Shah, Yash Palod, and Sid Sanghvi!
We're launching Genesis Block, a podcast that explores the depths of Web3 and crypto from a fundamental analysis standpoint.
On Genesis Block, we're aiming to analyse crypto protocols, interview guests from within the industry, and embark on an educational journey that separates the 'real' from the 'hype' in this incredibly consequential industry.
Please like, share, and subscribe to join us as we try to make sense of the Wild West that is Web3!2022-06-2405 min