The Index Podcast

What if the biggest unlock in crypto isn't moving money faster — it's not having to move it at all? Ethan Buchman, co-founder of Cosmos, CEO of Informal Systems, and founder of Cycles, sits down with Alex Kehaya to explain why 16th-century bankers may have understood finance better than we do today — and how he's bringing their playbook on-chain.From medieval merchant credit networks to a decentralized clearing protocol built for modern crypto market makers, this conversation goes deep into the history of money, why platforms are "dead" in this cycle, and what real product-market fit looks like in 2026.In this episode:

He almost got scammed by a fake "producer" minutes before this interview even started. Then he told us why he wakes up at 5am hearing phantom AI music. Matt Van Horn, Lyft co-founder and now Founder & CEO of Lyft, has built an army of coding agents that ship dozens of open source PRs a day, and on this episode of The Index he breaks down exactly how.What we cover:

Stablecoins on Solana just hit $15B, and Eco Co-Founder & CEO Ryne Saxe says that number is going to look laughably small in five years. On this episode of The Index Podcast, Ryne breaks down why Solana pulled ahead in the stablecoin race, why Visa and Mastercard are quietly rebuilding their entire plumbing around digital dollars, and how Eco is building the routing layer that ties every chain and every stablecoin together.If you've ever had USDC, USDT, USDG, and a few more scattered across five wallets and had no idea how to move them, this one's for you.In this episode:⚡ Why Solana is winning the stablecoin race: chain performance, a laser-focused ecosystem strategy, and the RWA/tokenization wave building on top of it

He bought her sick cat's medicine with USDT because no bank or pharmacy would touch it. That same "get it done, on-chain" energy is now powering Rosentica, an original multimedia IP turning old, retired trading cards into a full battle economy on Solana. In this episode, Natsuki, Founder & Executive Producer of Rosentica, breaks down how their game One Arena pulled in $3.3M in volume and $1.8M in revenue in just six weeks by turning pack ripping itself into the game.

Brazil banned crypto players from moving big money, so this founder got a bank license instead. Now Trace Finance processes over $10B in cross-border volume and powers the top 4 global payment companies in Latin America.On this episode of The Index Podcast, Bernardo Brites, Co-Founder & CEO of Trace Finance, breaks down how stablecoins plus real bank infrastructure (not stablecoins alone) are quietly becoming the backbone of global money movement, and why the US dollar's dominance might depend on it.

She turned "everyone hates spreadsheets" into a 320,000-user, 150-country AI company, without taking a single dollar of outside funding. Agnese Jaunošāne, COO & Co-Founder of Ajelix, sits down to break down why she and her co-founder said no to VC money, bet big on open-source AI, and are now building their own hardware to own their entire intelligence stack. If you care about who actually controls AI, and why that question matters as much as any Web3 debate, this one's for you.What we get into:

Silver is the one commodity everyone forgot to tokenize. Mark Tormey, founder of Dominion, is fixing that: real, vaulted, audited silver, one token per ounce, live on Solana and built to plug straight into DeFi. This episode is a masterclass in what it actually takes to bring a physical asset on-chain without cutting corners on trust.What we cover

Prediction markets called the 2024 election before the media did. Now Nass Diba, ex-CPO of Rarible and alum of Aave and Dharma, is betting that permissionless, AI-powered prediction markets on Solana are the next big media format. On this episode of The Index Podcast, we get into why Worm just raised $4.5M, why leverage belongs in prediction markets, and how half a million users learned to trade with zero risk through the Worm Cup.What we cover:Why prediction markets are the "next era of media," and why the timing (AI plus info chaos) makes this the moment Why Solana and stablecoins are the only real infrastructure for fast, low-fee, signal-over-noise prediction markets The "invisible hand" approach to curation, letting liquidity decide which markets matter instead of an algorithm Why Worm built a 3-person design team from day one, bigger than most crypto startups, to make prediction markets feel like Instagram instead of a betting slip Leverage in prediction markets, and Nass's actual number for where it stops helping price discovery and starts becoming pure gambling The 3 ways Worm uses AI: market creation, automated resolution, and AI-driven market making Trustless resolution for untrustable events, and why letting market creators resolve their own markets works better than you'd think Inside the Worm Cup: how a free, points-based World Cup prediction game onboarded 500K+ users in 5 weeks Competing with Polymarket and Kalshi's massive war chests without spending a dollar on marketing How Worm is deploying its $4.5M pre-seed and what's next over the following 12 monthsGuest: Nass Diba, Founder & CEO of Worm Worm: https://worm.wtf/ Worm on X: https://x.com/wormwtf Nass on X: https://x.com/NassDibaShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

Sports cards just found their liquidity engine and it's built on Solana. This week on The Index, Alex sits down with Hadi, founder of Gacha Sports, the platform letting fans rip digital packs and pull real, graded sports cards live on-chain. From a childhood card-shop addiction to a fully bootstrapped platform built in 13 days, this is the RWA story crypto Twitter hasn't caught onto yet.In this episode:

Most of the world cannot buy a single share of Nvidia. Brian Huang, co-founder and CEO of Glider, returns to The Index to explain how tokenized stocks change that, and why capital is quietly rotating out of crypto and into equities.Glider is a non-custodial platform for managing wealth on-chain. Brian breaks down the messy new landscape of on-chain stocks, who actually has the best execution, and whether AI can manage your money better than a human advisor.Links: Glider: https://glider.fi/ Glider on X: https://x.com/glider__ Brian Huang on X: https://x.com/BrianInCrypto Brian Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-h-279a9ba1/ Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

Ever tried explaining to your private banker why your money is spread across three countries, two exchanges, and a crypto wallet? Shimon Newman, former Director of Research at Squads and now Founder & CEO of Moto, is building the card that makes that whole headache disappear. This one's for globally mobile customers who are tired of slow settlement times, FX fees, and banks that only pay attention once you've already made it.In this episode of The Index Podcast, Shimon breaks down why he left one of crypto's best companies to build a "secured credit card" that actually behaves like one, how Moto turns stablecoin deposits into real yield-funded cashback, and why he's betting the next $124 trillion wealth transfer won't go to Amex or JPMorgan.What we cover:

Domains are the most entrenched, least liquid asset class on the internet, and it's about to change forever. Inder Singh, VP of Product & Tech at D3 (the team behind Doma Protocol), joins The Index Podcast to break down how a $360B+ industry still run like it's 1999 is finally getting an on-chain upgrade, built natively on Solana.From spot-trading domains like stocks, to fractional ownership of premium names, to AI agents that manage your domain on autopilot, this episode is your crash course in the next big RWA narrative.

Alex Kehaya sits down with Avery Ching, co-founder and CEO of Aptos Labs and former lead engineer on Meta's Libra project, for a wide-ranging conversation on what happens when AI absorbs all of our data, and who ends up owning the intelligence that comes out of it. From Shelby's plan to put your data on encrypted, decentralized rails to Decibel's on-chain trading engine, this episode digs into where crypto and AI actually intersect, and why Avery thinks we have less time than we realize to get it right.In this episode:

Most crypto investors are chasing a lottery ticket. Jake Claver is building the system that keeps you from losing it all when you finally win.Jake Claver is the CEO and Principal of Digital Ascension Group. a firm helping high-net-worth individuals and institutions navigate wealth, sovereignty, and the seismic shift happening in global finance. With a community of 17,000+ members and a mission to help 1 million people reach financial freedom, Jake brings a rare mix of street-level hustle and institutional-grade thinking to every conversation.In this episode, Jake and Alex go deep on:

What if every community, your baseball team, your college campus, your favorite creator's fanbase, had its own currency that worked like real money from day one? Ted Livingston, the founder who built Kik into one of the world's largest messaging apps and launched the first token on Solana, is back with his boldest bet yet: Flipcash.In this episode, Ted breaks down why Bitcoin, Kin, and stablecoins each got it partially right and how Flipcash is designed to capture the best of all three. This one is a must-watch for anyone serious about where crypto payments are actually headed.Topics covered:

From trading desks at UBS to leading global growth at one of the fastest-growing blockchains in the world — Xen Baynham-Herd's journey through crypto is as wild as the industry itself.In this episode, Alex sits down with Xen, Head of Marketing & Global Growth at Base, to unpack what it really takes to bring the world on-chain. If you're building in Web3 or just trying to understand where this is all going, this one's for you.Topics covered:

The man behind one of Solana's most foundational DeFi protocols finally sits down with us. Michael Hwang, CEO of Orca, breaks down how a protocol that's been quietly powering Solana's liquidity for 5+ years is now stepping into the spotlight — and building infrastructure for the next era of on-chain finance.What we cover:

What if every hot take you had could instantly become a trade? Jason Rodrigues, Founder of Cesto, is building exactly that on Solana — and it might be the most exciting DeFi product you haven't heard of yet.Cesto lets anyone invest in curated baskets of assets built around ideas, narratives, and trends — from semiconductors and AI to sports teams and geopolitical headlines. In this episode, host Nicki Scans sits down with Jason to explore how Cesto is turning finance into something you actually feel — and how Solana makes it all possible.

What does it take to build a truly decentralized exchange that can compete with traditional financial markets?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Dhrumil, Co-Founder of Archer Exchange, joins us to discuss why Solana is uniquely positioned to power the next generation of on-chain trading and how Archer is building a fully on-chain order book designed for transparency, efficiency, and deep liquidity.From democratizing market making to creating infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets, Dhrumil shares the vision behind Archer and what it takes to build an exchange that stays true to DeFi principles.Key Topics Covered

What happens when you combine rare whiskey, real-world assets, and Solana?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya sits down with Tzvi Wiesel, Founder & CEO of Baxus, to explore how one of the most unique RWA platforms in crypto is bringing rare spirits, collectibles, lending, and liquidity fully onchain.From tokenized whiskey bottles and decentralized financing to physical asset authentication and viral whiskey vending machines, Todd shares how Baxus is building the future of collectibles on Solana.What You'll Learn: 

What if you could turn an idea into a live Solana app without writing code?In this episode of The Index Podcast, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Jordan O'Neill, CMO and co-founder of Eitherway, to explore how AI agents are making Web3 app development faster, easier, and more accessible for builders around the world.Jordan breaks down how Eitherway helps users prompt, build, deploy, and monetize production-ready apps across Web2, mobile, and Web3 — with deep integrations across the Solana ecosystem.In this episode, we cover: 

What does it take to build the best perps trading experience on Solana?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya sits down with Hunter Simmons, CTO & Co-Founder, and Jordan Prince, CEO & Co-Founder, of Imperial Perps to unpack why Solana perps are evolving fast, what traders actually need, and how Imperial is building a clearer, more transparent trading experience for the next wave of onchain users.From fee transparency to better routing, liquidation risk, UX, and the “seek truth” mindset behind great products, this conversation breaks down where Solana DeFi is heading — without the jargon.In this episode:

AI agents are coming on-chain — and Clawpump wants Solana to be their home base. In this episode of The Index Podcast, Nicky Scanella sits down with Bunny, Mauricio Trujillo Ramirez, co-founder of Clawpump and Tektonic, to unpack how autonomous AI agents could trade, earn, pay for compute, and interact with DeFi in real time.From “eternal agents” to x402, Solana speed, and the future of agentic finance, this conversation breaks down one of the most exciting intersections in Web3: AI x crypto.In this episode, we cover: 

What if markets — not committees — made the big decisions behind crypto fundraising?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya sits down with Proph3t, co-founder of MetaDAO, to unpack how Solana-native fundraising is evolving, why token launches are being reimagined, and how decision markets could reshape how founders raise, govern, and scale.In this episode, we cover:

Crypto adoption isn't just about better tech… it's about better culture.In this episode, John Wilson & Amol Gharte, cofounders of Solana Spaces, break down how real-world experiences are onboarding the next wave of Web3 users.From viral pop-ups to global community building, this is what happens when crypto steps out of the screen and into real life.

What if you could launch a full Solana application just by describing your idea in plain English? Amit Ishairzay and Bilal Shahid, co-founders of Poof (poof.new), are building exactly that — and it's already live.From prediction markets to token escrows to DePIN apps for cleaning up dog poop (yes, really), builders are shipping on-chain products faster than ever. Here's how they're doing it.In this episode:

What if ripping open Pokémon packs as a kid was actually your billion-dollar origin story? Jake, Co-Founder of Phygitals, built a $180M on-chain trading card marketplace on Solana,  bootstrapped, shot down by 7 VCs, and still winning. This one hits different. In this episode, we cover:

Most DeFi protocols are one hack away from collapse. Plish is building Hylo differently — and in this episode, he breaks down exactly why.From winning the Colosseum Radar Hackathon to crossing $100M TVL, Hylo is rewriting the rules of decentralized stablecoins on Solana. No external dependencies. No borrowed risk. Just battle-tested code.What we cover:

What does it take to build the most trusted wallet in the Solana ecosystem and keep it that way?What happens when every trade you make on-chain is public — and your friends start copy-trading you without asking? That's what pushed Kru Shah to build Umbra, the first live app on Arcium's Mainnet Alpha, and he's here to break down exactly how confidential compute is about to change everything on Solana.In this episode:

Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu sits down with host Alex Kehaya to talk about digital ownership, the agentic economy, and why everything we built in Web3 was secretly a proof of concept for what's coming next. This one hits differently.Alex shares how Nansen went all-in on agentic AI, deploying 75 OpenClaws across their entire team, building shared skill repositories, and pioneering what he calls "claw fooding" — getting AI agents to test and fix their own product. We also get deep into agentic trading, Nansen's new CLI that lets your AI agent trade on-chain, and why Alex believes the traditional trading interface is dead.

What if the real crypto opportunity isn't in Silicon Valley but in cargo ports, agricultural corridors, and emerging markets that Wall Street ignores? Arnold Lee moved there to find out.Arnold is the co-founder & CEO of Sphere Labs, building stablecoin payment infrastructure on Solana for the markets that need it most. This conversation goes deep.In this episode:

What We Cover:

What happens when a company has more AI agents than human employees? Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik joins The Index to break down exactly that and a whole lot more.Alex shares how Nansen went all-in on agentic AI, deploying 75 OpenClaws across their entire team, building shared skill repositories, and pioneering what he calls "claw fooding", getting AI agents to test and fix their own product. We also get deep into agentic trading, Nansen's new CLI that lets your AI agent trade on-chain, and why Alex believes the traditional trading interface is dead.In this episode:

What does it take to build the most trusted wallet in the Solana ecosystem and keep it that way?In this episode, Nicky sits down with Filip Dragoslavić, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Solflare, to talk about everything from the early days of Solana (think: 20 people in a Discord server with Anatoly answering every question himself) to what crypto wallets will look like in 2028 and beyond.Filip pulls back the curtain on how Solflare went from a simple staking tool to a full-blown super app, and why 40% of their users never even leave the wallet to interact with outside apps. They also dive deep into some of Solflare's most exciting bets:

What if your paycheck went straight into crypto, and you never had to sell to cover your expenses? Diego García, co-founder & CEO of Pyra (pyra.finance), is building exactly that on Solana. This one will make you rethink how you build wealth.In this episode, we cover:

What happens when AI agents can own wallets, spend money, and interact with the internet autonomously?In this episode of The Index Podcast, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Alfonso Gómez, Founder & CEO of Crossmint, to explore the emerging world of agentic commerce, AI-driven payments, and blockchain infrastructure built for the programmatic economy.Alfonso shares how Crossmint is building tools that make blockchain adoption as easy as integrating an API, enabling companies to add wallets, payments, and digital assets directly into real-world applications.The conversation dives into the future of AI agents with spending power, the role of stablecoins and card networks, and how new technologies could transform the way software interacts with money.You'll also hear fascinating stories from Alfonso's career, from helping design Google's “I'm not a robot” CAPTCHA to shaping messaging infrastructure at WhatsApp, before founding Crossmint to power the next generation of internet payments.

What happens when AI meets the Solana ecosystem?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya sits down with Ben Coverston, founder of Harmonic, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming how startups are built, analyzed, and funded in the crypto space.Ben shares insights into how Harmonic is using AI to map the global startup ecosystem, identify emerging trends, and help investors and builders understand where innovation is happening fastest — including within the Solana ecosystem.The conversation dives into the intersection of AI, venture capital, crypto infrastructure, and data intelligence, and what it means for founders building the next generation of Web3 companies.If you're interested in AI-driven investing, startup intelligence, and the future of Solana, this episode is a must-watch.

How do you bring digital finance to hundreds of millions of users inside one of the world's largest messaging platforms?In this episode of The Index Podcast, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Irina Chuchkina, Chief Growth Officer at Wallet in Telegram, to explore how a crypto wallet integrated directly into Telegram is unlocking financial access for users around the world.Irina shares how Wallet in Telegram has already reached over 100 million users, and how stable digital dollars are helping people in high-inflation economies save, send, and spend money more easily. The conversation also dives into the growing Telegram economy, where wallets are powering payments across mini apps, creator channels, marketplaces, and digital services.They also discuss: • Why stablecoins are becoming essential in emerging markets • The rise of economic activity inside Telegram's ecosystem • Tokenized assets like stocks and ETFs becoming accessible globally • How messaging apps are evolving into financial platforms • The future of wallets, payments, and digital economiesWallet in Telegram aims to expand financial access to up to 1 billion Telegram users, making everyday digital finance as simple as sending a message.

Why is Solana becoming the home for real on-chain governance?In this episode of The Index, Dean Pappas (Director of Realms) explains how Solana's speed, low fees, and native transaction execution make it uniquely suited for scalable, programmable DAOs.We cover:• Why most DAOs fail — and how Solana fixes it • On-chain proposal execution vs. off-chain promises • The “Thanos Test” for true decentralization • Optimistic governance and fast decision-making • How Realms powers major Solana protocolsSolana isn't just built for DeFi and NFTs — it's built for coordination at scale. And Realms is turning governance into a competitive advantage.

In this episode of The Index Podcast, we sit down with Yash Agarwal, CEO of SendAI, to explore why Solana could become the financial layer for AI agents and how autonomous commerce is closer than we think.From launching the Solana Agent Kit (now one of the most widely used AI agent toolkits in crypto) to building an omni-distribution AI trading platform, Yash breaks down how SendAI is creating the tooling layer that enables AI agents to read, write, and transact directly on-chain.

Is gold about to become the most important asset on Solana?In this episode of The Index Podcast, host Nicky Scannella sits down with Usman Saleem, Founder of ORO, to explore how tokenized gold is evolving from a passive store of value into a productive, yield-bearing on-chain asset.With 100+ years of family history in the gold business, Usman brings a rare perspective to crypto bridging traditional gold markets with DeFi infrastructure. ORO isn't just “tokenizing gold.” It's building digital gold rails for the internet on Solana.We cover:Why simply mirroring spot price isn't enough for tokenized goldHow ORO generates real yield (including gold leasing)Why gold may outperform stablecoins as a savings assetBorrowing against gold at 10% instead of 30–40%The institutional unlock for $6–7 trillion in vaulted goldWhy Solana was the ideal ecosystem to launch OROWhat a mature tokenized gold DeFi ecosystem looks like in 5 yearsAs inflation erodes fiat and global markets shift, major institutions are increasing gold allocations. The question is no longer “Should gold be on-chain?” it's “Why isn't all gold digital yet?”If you care about DeFi, RWAs, stablecoins, or the future of capital markets on Solana, this episode is a must-watch.

What happens when most of the internet is no longer human?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Nicky Scannella sits down with Zach Meltzer, Founder of VeryAI, to explore the future of identity, AI agents, and trust in an increasingly synthetic world. As AI-generated content accelerates and autonomous agents begin managing wallets and transacting on-chain, the question becomes urgent: How do we prove what's real?Zach introduces the concept of “Proof of Reality”, combining privacy-preserving biometrics with AI deepfake detection to verify both the human and the content behind every digital interaction. The conversation dives into proof of personhood, the rise of “Know Your Agent (KYA),” the coming explosion of AI-driven transactions, and why crypto infrastructure, particularly Solana, is uniquely positioned to scale identity solutions to billions of users.If over 50% of online content is already synthetic, what happens when that number hits 90%? And could crypto have been built for AI agents all along?This episode explores the intersection of AI, blockchain, and the future of digital trust.

Who really gets access to the best opportunities in crypto?

What happens when real-world assets go fully on-chain with instant, 24/7 liquidity on Solana?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya is joined by Will Beeson, Founder & CEO of Uniform Labs, to break down why liquidity is the missing piece holding back tokenized real-world assets, and how Solana is becoming the leading chain to solve it.Will shares his journey from building fintech banks and working inside global institutions like Standard Chartered, to launching infrastructure that connects TradFi and DeFi through instant settlement and institutional-grade liquidity.In this conversation, we cover:Why liquidity is the existential challenge for RWAsHow 24/7 instant settlement on Solana unlocks new financial primitivesUniform Labs' MultiLiquid protocol and its partnership with MetalayerTokenized money market funds, private credit, and DeFi vaultsWhy institutions are actively building on SolanaThe paradigm shift from holding cash to holding always-on yieldIf you're interested in Solana, RWAs, institutional crypto, or the future of financial infrastructure, this episode is for you.For more information:Learn more about Uniform Labs and follow the conversation directly from the source:Uniform Labs website: https://www.uniformlabs.co/ Will Beeson on X: https://x.com/will_beeson?lang=en Team & ecosystem updates on X: https://x.com/multiliquid_xyz Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya sits down with Manish Dutta, Founder & CEO of Alpha Ledger, to unpack what it really takes to bring financial markets on-chain, the right way.Alpha Ledger is building regulated infrastructure that allows real-world assets (RWAs), equities, treasuries, and private credit to move on-chain with compliance, programmability, and real ownership at the core. This isn't about hype or speculation, it's about upgrading decades-old financial rails and unlocking global, 24/7 access to capital markets.In this conversation, we dive into:Why tokenization isn't a crypto trend, but a financial infrastructure upgradeThe critical difference between narrative tokenization vs. real asset ownershipWhy broker-dealers, transfer agents, and regulation matter on-chainHow digital asset treasuries and on-chain origination are reshaping capital formationWhy Solana is emerging as a serious layer for regulated financial assetsWhat happens when tokenization becomes boring and why that's the real winThis episode is a must-watch for founders building in crypto, institutions exploring RWAs, and anyone trying to understand how TradFi and on-chain finance are finally converging.For more information:Learn more about Alpha Ledger and follow the conversation directly from the source:Alpha Ledger website: https://www.alphaledger.com/Manish Dutta on X: https://x.com/dutta_manish?s=20Team & ecosystem updates on X: https://x.com/OmitowojuP?s=20Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What if staking wasn't just a passive yield strategy, but a fully tradable, financialized market?In this episode of The Index Podcast, host Nicky Scanz sits down with Eric Ashdown, Co-Founder of Pye Finance, to explore the next evolution of staking on Solana: stake trading.Eric breaks down how Pye Finance is unlocking liquidity from locked SOL and future staking rewards, turning Solana staking into what he calls an internet-native commodity market. Drawing parallels to oil, commodities trading, and traditional financial markets, the conversation dives deep into why staking is entering its financialization era and why this shift is inevitable.We cover everything from:Why Solana's validator ecosystem is stronger because it's hard to runHow stake trading can help professional validators survive the “race to zero”What new strategies open up when principal and yield are separatedWhy trust, relationships, and reputation matter more than ever in stakingAnd how Pye Finance could reshape incentives for validators, stakers, and institutions alikeIf you're a validator, staker, DeFi builder, or long-term Solana believer, this episode offers a rare, unfiltered look at where Solana staking and on-chain capital markets are headed next.To learn more about Pye Finance and how the protocol is building stake trading and on-chain capital markets on Solana, visit their official website at https://pye.fi/. You can also follow them on X for the latest updates, product announcements, and ecosystem insights.Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What does it really take to build and scale on Solana in 2026?In this episode of The Index Podcast, Alex Kehaya and Nicky Scanz sit down with Vibhu Norby, serial entrepreneur and member of the Solana Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on distribution, startup psychology, and Solana's biggest strategic battles ahead.Vibhu breaks down why “distribution is the product” and why no feature will ever fix a distribution problem. Drawing from years of building, shipping, and engaging directly with users, he shares hard-earned lessons for founders on go-to-market strategy, community building, and avoiding feature creep in an era of AI-assisted development.The conversation also dives deep into Solana's current challenges and priorities: from perps, RWAs, and payments, to global competition, regional adoption, and why Solana can't afford to take a single month off. Vibhu outlines why 2026 is the year of assets, and how the ecosystem is working toward making Solana the best place in the world to trade, build, and scale real-world financial infrastructure.If you're a founder, builder, or operator navigating Web3, this episode offers a rare, candid look into how the Solana Foundation thinks about growth, risk, and long-term execution, straight from someone in the arena.For more information on Solana's ecosystem, initiatives, and global development efforts, visit the Solana Foundation website athttps://solana.org. There you'll find resources for builders, updates on ecosystem priorities, and insights into how Solana is scaling on-chain infrastructure worldwide.Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What powers the fastest-growing blockchain oracle—and why is real-time, AI-ready data now mission-critical for DeFi? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Marcin Kaźmierczak, Co-founder of RedStone, the fastest-growing oracle network in web3. Together, they unpack how RedStone is redefining what on-chain data can do—for DeFi protocols, institutional finance, and AI agents alike.When a single bad tick can destroy an entire strategy, “good enough” data just won't cut it. RedStone is building the next-gen oracle layer: low-latency, manipulation-resistant price feeds that move at Solana speed, span multiple chains, and empower everything from loans and perps to tokenized treasuries and real-world assets.We explore RedStone's acquisition of Credora, a DeFi ratings platform that turns protocol complexity into clean, institutional-grade risk signals. Because behind every juicy APR is a deeper truth—governance dynamics, multisig vulnerabilities, oracle exposure. Ratings help users choose risk on purpose, while giving institutions the audit-ready insights they need.And as AI agents begin to analyze markets, make trades, and interact with smart contracts, verifiable data isn't just helpful—it's an AI safety layer. We dive into how RedStone's architecture supports AI-native finance, from model training to real-time validation, all with MEV-aware design baked in.Whether you're building in DeFi, deploying capital, or experimenting with AI, this is a deep dive into the composable, verifiable, high-performance data layer powering the next era of web3.Enjoy the episode? Follow The Index, leave a review, and share it with someone building the future.Website: https://www.redstone.finance/Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What happens when blockchain technology moves beyond finance to reshape the physical world around us? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Amira Valliani, Head of DePIN at the Solana Foundation we explore the revolutionary potential of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks and their impact on everything from telecommunications to satellite tracking.Amira's journey from the Obama White House to crypto advocacy offers a unique perspective on bridging the worlds of policy and blockchain innovation. What started as a simple "crypto week" to become conversant at dinner parties blossomed into a three-year mission to help policymakers understand the technology's potential while helping builders navigate Washington's complex landscape.The conversation takes us deep into the world of DePIN projects transforming multiple industries. We discover how GeoNet provides centimeter-precise mapping for agricultural applications, disrupting monopolistic players like John Deere who charge farmers tens of thousands annually for similar services. We explore companies deploying robots through gaming competitions to collect valuable environmental data for future autonomous systems. Perhaps most intriguingly, we learn about "Space DePIN" projects creating decentralized networks for tracking the rapidly growing constellation of satellites orbiting our planet.Beyond the technical innovations, Amira shares valuable insights about engaging with policymakers in Washington DC. She challenges the crypto community to move beyond skepticism and actually visit the Capitol, where they'll find many legislators genuinely curious about blockchain's potential. As she notes, the divide on crypto policy is "much more generational than partisan," with bipartisan support growing as more officials understand the technology's practical applications.If you're a dev working in Web3, exploring DePIN, or building real-world applications on Solana, this conversation offers insight into where the space is headed—and what still stands in its way.Website: https://solana.com/Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What is the future of Bitcoin wealth? This week on The Index, Alex Kehaya sits down with Joe Kelly, CEO of Unchained, to explore the rise of a Bitcoin-focused financial services company built on self-sovereignty.From pioneering Bitcoin-backed loans to securing over 100,000 BTC as a full-suite wealth management platform, Kelly shares how Unchained grew into a 140-person team while staying true to core Bitcoin values.At the heart of their model is collaborative custody. Unlike traditional custodians, Unchained's multi-signature approach gives clients two keys, while the company holds just one—allowing access to loans and IRAs without giving up control. After the collapse of FTX, this model gained serious traction as a safer, more aligned alternative.Kelly opens up about balancing Bitcoin ideals with business realities, building products that satisfy both regulators and sovereignty-minded clients. The conversation also dives into Unchained's Bitcoin IRA, which blends tax compliance with key control—something never before possible in retirement accounts.You'll also hear about Unchained's Legacy Project, which supports education, development, and philanthropy in the Bitcoin ecosystem. As ETFs and institutions move in, Unchained keeps its sights set on empowering individual holders to truly own their financial future.Learn more at https://www.unchained.com/Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What happens when traditional finance collides with decentralized networks? Hadley Stern, Chief Commercial Officer at Marinade Finance, takes us on a fascinating journey from his 18-year career at Fidelity Investments to the cutting edge of decentralized finance. Drawing from his pioneering experience leading Bitcoin initiatives as early as 2014, Hadley provides unique insights into why decentralized networks represent the future of global finance.The conversation explores the revolutionary convergence of traditional finance with blockchain technology. As tokenized equities begin trading on Solana through platforms like Superstate, we're witnessing a fundamental shift in market accessibility. Unlike previous attempts that merely tracked prices, these new offerings provide actual ownership with voting rights while enabling 24/7 global trading – a stark contrast to traditional exchanges' limited hours.Hadley articulates why this matters: "It comes back to this ethos of decentralization and the idea that networks, tools, software, things that we do every day that are currently handled by centralized entities can actually be handled by decentralized entities, and that's better for the world."The total addressable market for "internet capital markets" is staggering – potentially many trillions of dollars. With Solana processing more transaction volume than all other blockchains combined, Marinade Finance is strategically positioned at the center of this revolution as a staking provider for institutional players entering the space.The discussion also touches on fascinating technological parallels, including how AI and "vibe coding" are enabling developers to build applications that reach $100 million in revenue within months – a pace unimaginable even during the early internet boom.Whether you're an investor, builder, or simply curious about where finance is heading, this episode provides an illuminating roadmap to the future of capital markets. Subscribe to The Index Podcast for more conversations with visionaries shaping the next generation of technology and finance.Learn more at https://marinade.finance/Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube