WTF, Crypto

Follow WTF, Crypto
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

WTF, Crypto invites bright minds in the crypto and de-fi space to break down topics like pseudonymity, liquidity pools, regulation and more. Host Mark Lurie peels back the layers of major issues in the crypto universe to understand how it affects you and

Mark Lurie


    • Jun 14, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 39 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from WTF, Crypto with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from WTF, Crypto

    Zero-Knowledge Solutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 36:30 Transcription Available


    We sit down with John Reynolds, a Product Manager at privacy-focused developer platform Aleo, to discuss leveraging zero-knowledge cryptographic solutions to help secure information while also providing privacy. John explains how his experiences at the Air Force Academy first got him invested in personal information and privacy concepts, how ZK proofs work, how CBDCs relate to privacy, and more.  

    Algorithmic Stablecoins

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 36:55 Transcription Available


    In this episode, Reserve Protocol Co-founder, Nevin Freeman joins us to discuss algorithmic stablecoins. Reserve is a permissionless platform for launching and governing 1:1 asset-backed stable currencies. Nevin explains the initial idea behind algorithmic stablecoins and goes into why the flaws in the Terra stablecoin's design, leading to its crash, should have been obvious from the design stage. We also discuss the future of the dollar and why designing a sound stablecoin requires some compromise. 

    Perspective on DEXs

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2023 32:09 Transcription Available


    In this episode, Balancer Co-founder & CEO, Fernando Martinelli joins us to talk DEXs! Mark and Fernando discuss DEX aggregators from a DEX builders' perspective, liquidity migration from L1s to L2s, how the new risk-free rate for Ethereum might affect DEX liquidity, and why Fernando believes in the future most of the TVL for AMMs will be on L2s. 

    On-Chain Real Estate with Sanjay Raghavan

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023 62:25 Transcription Available


    In this episode, Sanjay Raghavan from Roofstock onChain joins us to discuss bringing real-world assets (RWAs) onto the blockchain. Sanjay explains how Roofstock enables buying and selling of tokenized houses (real ones, not digital), discusses the legal considerations of bringing real estate, and other RWAs, on-chain, and digs into the securities debate surrounding cryptoassets. 

    Regenerative Finance with Kevin Owocki

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2023 35:20 Transcription Available


    In this episode, Kevin Owocki, Founder of Web3 crowdfunding platform Gitcoin (and now supermodular) joins us to discuss regenerative finance and regenerative funding. Kevin explains what regenerative finance is, why being a degen isn't all that, and why he believes the future of crypto and Web3 lies in "regen" projects (things where resource capacity goes up over time). We also discuss quadratic funding and why it matters, the idea of retroactive public goods funding, and other potentially exciting novel funding mechanisms. 

    Live from ETHDenver: Governance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2023 42:42


    Another episode recorded live from ETHDenver! In this episode, we're joined by Yitong and Charlie from Agora, a project that works with organizations like Nouns DAO and Optimism to build public governance tooling and infrastructure. Governance is so important to crypto, which is why we're discussing it today. How does distributed/community governance actually happen? To what degree is it happening? And what do all these governance tokens that have experienced a “Cambrian explosion” actually do? Yitong and Charlie fill us in. 

    Live from ETHDenver: Marketing Automation with Jay Jenkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2023 34:48 Transcription Available


    Recorded live from ETHDenver, we're joined by Raleon's Head of Product, Jay Jenkins. Raleon is a Web3 marketing analytics and engagement platform. Mark and Jay discuss how marketing automation works in crypto, why performance marketing doesn't work in Web3, and why incorporating hard data in Web3 marketing tends to be harder. Mark and Jay also chat about the conference and how much reach having a booth at a conference really gets you. ‍

    How to Use Crypto for Payroll

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 34:15 Transcription Available


    In this episode, we're joined by Megan Knab, CEO of Franklin Payroll–a crypto-native full service payroll company. Megan and Mark discuss the gap in the market for crypto-native payroll solutions, the upsides and downsides of getting paid in crypto, and how more web3 workers opting for compensation in crypto will affect the crypto/web3 economy. Megan also discusses compliance and tax considerations for getting paid in crypto, why stablecoins are a popular choice, and the infrastructure needed for wider adoption. ‍

    The Evolution of DAOs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2023 24:41


    We've talked a lot about DAOs on this podcast, but we regularly receive questions about what they are and why they matter. So today's episode is a bit of a different format. It's a talk I recently gave at a conference about the importance of DAOs in the context of the history of human organization. In a hundred years, historians may look back on DAOs, rather than money, as the most game-changing innovation to come out of blockchain.But DAOs probably won't evolve in the way most people think today. So let's jump in.

    How to Incorporate a DAO

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2022 61:30


    Today we're talking about DAO incorporation with David Kerr of Andreessen Horowitz. 

    How Developer Marketing Works on the Blockchain

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2022 35:55


    Today we're demystifying  developer marketing. One of the great things about crypto is that everything is open and composable, which means developers can build their applications using any other application.And when a project gets a lot of developers using it, it defines an ecosystem.  The blockchains and applications that create large ecosystems tend to have network effects which create a lot of value for everyone involved. In this episode we'll break down how this all works. 

    DEX Aggregators: Gas Costs, Slippage, and AMMs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2022 47:19


    Today, we're talking about DEX Aggregators. Over a trillion dollars have been traded through DEXs this year alone. DEXs are especially important when things like FTX happen because people are realizing more and more that if you don't own the keys to your crypto, then it's not really your crypto. In this episode we take a deep look into what traders need to know. 

    How Media Works in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2022 48:27


    Today I'm talking Matthew Leising about the role the media plays in crypto. And the sole that sources and incentives play in the stories told in the media.Matthew Leising worked for Bloomberg News for 17 years and started covering crypto in 2015. In 2020, he published “Out of the Ether,” a history of Ethereum and the people who created it. Earlier this year he co-founded DeCential Media which is dedicated to telling stories of the founders, builders and visionaries of the new decentralized world.

    What Traders Need to Know About DEXs

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 51:35


    In this episode I chat with Angie Malltezi about Decentralized Exchanges (better known as DEXs) and how traders can get the most out of them. 

    Solving the Usability Problem with Web3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2022 47:03


    Today we're talking about usability and access control. One of the most important issues in crypto is usability and its affect on crypto's long term value.

    Crypto Derivatives Explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 51:48


    Today we're talking about derivatives with Barney Mannerings of Vega Protocol. Trading volume for derivatives in the traditional markets are an order of magnitude more than trading everyday spot prices.  But in crypto, derivatives trading volume are an order of magnitude LESS than spot volume for any given asset.That's really a big difference. And in this episode, I want to find out what's holding it back.

    Fractionalizing NFTs

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 45:33


    Today we're talking about fractionalizing NFTs with Andy Chorlian.Consider this:  1040 artists have sold a hundred thousand dollars of more or more of NFTs. That's an amazing number and  it's important because traders don't just want to trade projects and tokens, they also want to trade and collect NFTs. But in the traditional art market, the most reliable returns come from blue chip artists--which are so expensive that only the wealthiest collectors can buy in.In this episode, we look at the dynamics going on here. 

    Bringing Real World Assets onto the Blockchain

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 49:31


    Today we're talking about bringing real world assets on chain. This is really important for traders and crypto holders because whereas the crypto market is $1.2 trillion today, the largest market in the world is actually the mortgage market which is $13 trillion in the U.S. alone.For comparison,  the U.S. stock market is $95 trillion so the assets in the world dwarf the crypto market cap.But real world assets have been surprisingly slow in coming on chain.  I'd love to understand why.

    Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) Explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2022 55:10


    Today, we're talking about the mempool and MEV with Matt Cutler of Blocknative.Matt told me that any given block has 150 to 250 transactions. For context, block times range from,  a few  seconds on Ethereum to 10 minutes on Bitcoin. At any time, there's actually 80,000 to 250,000 pending transactions to get into that block with only about 200. That is insane competition for block space. How does this actually work? How does it affect the gas prices? Which tax every trade? What does MEV mean? And how does it affect traders today? We're gonna find out.And if you want to learn even more about MEV and how it will be impacted by the upcoming Ethereum Merge? Check out Blocknative's blog.

    The Real Risk of Stablecoins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2022 46:54


    Today, we're talking about stablecoins with Patrick Murk. Stablecoins are one of the most popular crypto utilities in terms of use cases. Today, the two largest stablecoins account for over a hundred billion dollars of market cap.That's a really big amount. They're both part of the top five coins and in a lot of ways, stablecoins might fulfill a lot of the promise that Bitcoin was initially proposed, which is payments.We'll start by establishing the lay of the land and identifying the approaches for stablecoins today. 

    NFTs as an Asset Class: Appraisals, Risk, Leverage, and Liquidity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2022 43:03


    In the month of May, NFT sales were $3.7B. That's down from $6B in January but we're still talking about huge numbers.  Where do these NFTs get their prices; why are they valuable? And how does the smart money trade them?

    Crypto Payments: Hype v. Reality

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 36:32


    Today I'm talking to Jessica Houlgrave of Checkout.com. At the core of the crypto narrative has always been payments. The narrative that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are the future of how we'll pay for things.  And yet the reality is that very few people actually pay for things in crypto. In this episode, we dig into the promise, the hype, and the reality of how crypto will be used for payments in the future. 

    Public Companies v. Crypto Companies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2022 20:53


    This week we're doing something new. I'm interviewing members of our own team. In this episode I'm talking with Angie Malltezi, Shipyard's Chief of Staff. She's worked with large public organizations and now she's jumped into the ice bath of Crypto--she's here to tell us about the differences from the inside. 

    How Design Works in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 18:06


    This week we're doing something new. I'm interviewing members of our own team. In this episode I'm talking with Drew Tozer, Shipyard's Head of Design.

    How Communities Work in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 24:42


    This week we're doing something new. I'm interviewing members of our own team. In this episode I'm talking with Ben Klein, Shipyard's Head of Community.

    Insurance for Your Crypto Assets

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2022 40:48


    In this episode we sit down with Krishna Sriram, the Managing Director of Quantstamp, to discuss insurance in crypto.Why? Because over the past year, billions of dollars have been locked in DeFi protocols. Yet more and more hacks seem to be occurring, and in the first four months of 2022 alone $1.3 billion was stolen. That's an enormous number and it's critically relevant to traders and LPs who might lose money. That's why this episode seeks to break down common vulnerabilities within the crypto space, how insurance works within the crypto industry, and how traders can protect themselves with existing crypto insurance solutions.

    Decentralized Autonomous Organizations: What Makes DAOs New?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2022 56:39


    The largest DAOs currently account for $12B in treasury funds, managed by roughly 1.7m voters – and that's only what's being recorded on-chain. These decentralized organizations are becoming increasingly consequential, yet the true size of the rapidly growing DAO ecosystem is difficult to measure.Why? Because most DAOs are burgeoning communities that have not yet shifted their treasuries, governance processes, and other activities onto a blockchain network. And yet DAOs are increasingly changing everything about how we organize people and resources, from high school and chess clubs to international governments and everything in between. Anyone who wants to organize people and resources in the future will be asking themselves whether they want to do it the old way or through a DAO, so if you want to know which way the wind is blowing then tune in today.

    Business Development in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 37:31


    This conversation with Nikita Ovchinnik of the 1inch Network is a great listen for anyone who's interested in how crypto projects approach business development. Why? Because crypto biz dev is unlike that of other industries, in that multi-million dollar deals are often executed without a formal contract or completed between fully decentralized projects that don't even have a leader. But because projects come out with partnerships and announcements all the time, and it's often very difficult for ordinary users or community members to understand what's important to a project's long-term success versus what's just for show. To that end, this episode is an expansive conversation that covers what's truly important for business development in the crypto space – whether you're interested in raising funds, teaming up for a new product launch, or expanding your project onto an entirely new chain.

    Russian Sanctions and Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 49:38


    Today we're talking about international payment systems, especially with respect to what it means for crypto. My guest is Peter Dittus, the former Secretary General of the Bank for International Settlements.

    What Crypto Traders Need to Know About Taxes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 44:35


    Today we're talking about taxes in crypto with Patrick Larsen of ZenLedger, a leading provider of crypto tax software. Trust me, you're going to want to listen to this episode. 

    How To Hire Talent in Web3

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2022 44:13


    Today we're talking about sourcing, hiring, and retaining talent in crypto with Paul Veradittakit of Pantera Capital, one of the oldest and largest crypto investment funds.

    Decentralized Exchanges Explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2022 55:22


    Decentralized Exchanges have started processing an enormous volume on the order of $100 billion per month. There's on chain, peer to peer, and peer to pool decentralized exchanges and traders really need to know about these different options so they can get the best price.Decentralized Exchanges are the core to doing things with crypto. So in this episode, we'll dig into the different types of decentralized exchanges, the risks and opportunities and how they compare to centralized exchanges. 

    Venture Capital's Role in Web3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2022 42:05


    It seems from the headlines like entrepreneurs are raising at insane valuations--sometimes just off a deck or as first-time founders. I invited Regan Bozman to walk me through what's really going on here and what traders need to know.  Episode details here. 

    Crypto Conferences

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2022 46:38


    Today we're talking about in-person events in the crypto space. How do they manufacture FOMO? And as a crypto trader, how important is it that you attend? Episode details here. 

    Making Blockchains/Crypto/Web3 Safe

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2021 47:11


    Today we're talking about being a good actor in the crypto and the surprising ways in which you can accidentally act poorly. In this episode, we find out how you can keep yourself safe and avoid harming the ecosystem. Episode details here.  

    Regulation in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 60:26 Transcription Available


    Today we're talking about regulators. What are they doing, how is the crypto community engaging with them, and what lessons can we draw from other industries who engaged with regulators in the past. Episode details here. 

    Pseudonymity in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 47:36 Transcription Available


    There are billions of dollars entrusted in products built by completely anonymous and pseudonymous developers. What do everyday crypto investors need to know about projects with anonymous team? Episode details here. 

    Liquidity Pools in Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 52:36 Transcription Available


    Today, we're talking about yields in crypto. They are really high, but where do they come from and what are pools? Episode details here. 

    Welcome to WTF, Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 3:25


    Claim WTF, Crypto

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel