LIVE from RareEvo: TradFi vs DeFi Stablecoins (Lessons from Hacks, Policy, and Global Adoption)
Gerrit, developer relations at Curve Finance, discusses the unique risks and rewards associated with DeFi stablecoins, and how increased regulatory clarity has fueled the rise of TradFi stablecoins. He also spotlights the crucial role of platforms like Curve in providing essential liquidity and stability, ensuring the continued growth and reliability of the stablecoin sector. Key Takeaways: Key differentiators between TradFi and DeFi stablecoins, including their risk / reward profiles The significance of the Genius Act in transforming the stablecoin landscape How regulatory clarity has spurred the growth of TradFi stablecoins, and why their success often ties to their integration within the DeFi ecosystem How AI could both exacerbate and solve problems in crypto, empowering hackers to find exploits faster and increase phishing risks Why crypto adoption surged in countries like Argentina and created real-world utility that outpaced U.S. adoption Guest Bio: Gerrit has been on-chain since 2014. He joined Curve Finance in 2020, helping shape the decentralized protocol powering DeFi stablecoin and crypto markets by enabling high-yield on-chain savings, protected borrowing, and low-slippage swaps on EVM chains. As a startup founder with deep AI roots, Gerrit launched the first AI-powered résumé grader back in 2008. He’s taught courses at the University of Washington, on topics ranging from AI to blockchain to financial technology, and holds an MBA from MIT with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He's also a founding member of Leviathan News, a Web3 news aggregator. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
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Live at Rare Evo: Stand With Crypto’s Grassroots Advocacy Is Shaping Digital Asset Policy
Elizabeth Hansson is the Michigan President of Stand With Crypto and Founder of the Detroit Blockchain Collective. In this episode she discusses the importance of grassroots activism in shaping digital asset policy, the challenges of educating lawmakers, and how community engagement is driving innovation and regulatory clarity. She also reflects on America's lag in cryptocurrency innovation and the critical need for market structure and state-level legislation. Key Takeaways: How Stand With Crypto is helping to bridge the gap between lawmakers and the crypto industry Current regulatory gaps and need for clear frameworks to foster innovation and protect users in the digital asset space. Why educating policymakers about crypto is essential to dispel misconceptions and encourage informed decision-making (and how communities can help do this). The importance of grassroots advocacy in shaping clear regulatory frameworks that foster innovation. State-level initiatives that are addressing unique local needs and driving progress in digital asset adoption. Guest Bio: Elizabeth Hansson is the Michigan President of Stand With Crypto and the founder of the Detroit Blockchain Collective. With a background in engineering and decentralized systems, she now works at the intersection of technology and policy, leading grassroots advocacy for digital assets across Michigan. Elizabeth has been instrumental in mobilizing communities, building coalitions, and advancing federal legislation to support innovation in the digital asset space. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and no w powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
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22:51
AI's Next Frontier: Privacy-Preserving Neural Networks
Jimmy Secretan, CTO of JustWin, explores the latest innovations in privacy-preserving neural networks, and explains how JustWin is leveraging AI to help small businesses win government contracts. He also explores the future directions of AI, and the impact of AI on user autonomy and privacy. Key Takeaways: Technological advancements shaping the future of secure and ethical AI applications The significance of open-endedness in AI How to build while balancing both innovation and privacy Why AI solutions are a good fit for winning RFPs GPT-5 and predictions for its future impact Guest Bio: Jimmy Secretan, CTO of JustWin, holds a Ph.D. from the Machine Learning Lab at the University of Central Florida, where he specialized in large-scale, privacy-safe neural networks. Having previously served as Chief Scientist at Korrelate, VP of Engineering of Sonobi, and CTO of Roadtrippers, Jimmy has architected privacy-safe AI/ML data pipelines, scaled infrastructure to hundreds of billions of requests per month to power predictive media planning, and led the creation of the AI-driven future of travel data. As VP of Ads and Premium Services at Brave, Jimmy helped launch Brave’s global private ad network; led the development of premium functionality for the Brave browser; and managed initiatives like Brave News and Brave Talk. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
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Decoding the Genius Bill: A Catalyst for Stablecoin Innovation and Adoption
Austin Campbell, Managing Partner at Zero Knowledge Consulting, and Adam Zarazinski, CEO at Inca Digital, explore the Genius Bill and its potential to revolutionize the stablecoin landscape. They discuss the many changes with the current government, including regulations and compliance, along with how this new legislative proposal could drive innovation and widespread adoption of stablecoins. Key Takeaways: Why the Genius Bill matters, and its potential impact on stablecoin adoption New compliance experiments and why the traditional approach is dead The brain drain of crypto experts within banking The need for innovation and technological transformation in traditional finance Guest Bio: Austin Campbell is the managing partner and founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting, and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. Previously, he ran the stablecoin platform and portfolio management at Paxos, and was the chief risk officer of Paxos National Trust. Austin has managed fixed income trading desks at JP Morgan and Citi covering >$100B of cash derivatives, and has been a portfolio manager and structurer at Stone Ridge, the parent of NYDIG. He holds a BS in Mathematics from CSU Chico, and an MBA from NYU Stern. Adam Zarazinski is the CEO of Inca Digital, a fintech company that provides data and analytics on the digital asset ecosystem to government agencies and financial institutions using natural language processing and LLMs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
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LIVE from Rare Evo: How Citi is Bridging The Gap Between Web2 and Web3
Ryan Rugg, Global Head of Digital Assets for Citibank’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS), discusses their approach to integrating Web 2.0 and 3.0. She shares insights on Citi Token Service, a new solution designed to provide 24/7 liquidity and borderless transactions, and explains how it simplifies user experience by obfuscating blockchain complexity. Key Takeaways: The future potential of digital assets and blockchain technology in transforming financial services and enabling faster, more efficient transactions globally The importance of regulatory compliance and collaboration with regulators to ensure responsible innovation The value of daily standups in driving agile development Mutual learning opportunities between traditional finance institutions and Web 3.0 projects Guest Bio: Ryan Hugg is the Global Head of Digital Assets for Citibank’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS), helping clients streamline treasury, payments, and commerce. She recently led the launch of Citi Token Services, a blockchain-based solution enabling 24/7 liquidity transfers and integrating tokenized deposits and smart contracts into Citi’s global network. Previously, Ryan led IBM’s Americas blockchain team, advising clients on tokenization, identity, and sustainability strategies. Her team helped launch New York’s Excelsior Pass, a digital health wallet used by millions, now serving as a model for other credential systems. A passionate advocate for diversity in leadership, she has led multiple initiatives to advance female representation, and mentors emerging leaders toward executive roles. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
Technology is reshaping society—but how are users included in the conversation?
The Brave Technologist explores how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Web3 are influencing our lives, our choices, and our collective future.
Unlike many tech podcasts that focus on hype and disruption, this show puts users at the center of the conversation. Each episode features thoughtful discussions with technologists working to ensure that innovation serves the public interest. How are these tools impacting users? And how can we ensure that technology is developed with transparency, accountability, and the public good in mind?
We’re going deep with founders, builders, policy makers and researchers to explore the worlds of privacy, AI, crypto, digital rights, algorithmic accountability, and everywhere else where cutting edge technology impacts our daily lives.
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