Podcasts about kyc

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Kallol from Verified Network, a group at the forefront of tokenized financial products and real-world assets (RWAs).Kallol shares his journey from traditional entrepreneurship to building infrastructure that bridges traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). We talk about the gaps in private banking access, the massive opportunity among the next 750 million investors, and how Verified is building rails for affordable, accessible, and liquid RWA investing.We also dig into how Verified handles compliance, custody, and global issuance across multiple regulated entities. Finally, Kallol reveals what's next in 2026, from fixed-income DeFi distribution to tokenizing mutual funds and expanding partnerships worldwide.

For episode 662 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Mike Miglio, CEO and Founder of DEIN.DEIN, short for Decentralized Insurance Network, is a groundbreaking platform that offers permissionless, decentralized, and DAO-managed discretionary risk coverage. It is specifically designed to provide insurance for smart contracts, stablecoins, centralized exchanges, and other vital services within the DeFi ecosystem.  The platform allows users to purchase coverage for their funds, enabling them to safeguard their assets against potential losses caused by hacks, rug-pulls, or other exploits leading to permanent loss of funds. Additionally, DEIN empowers individuals to actively participate in the insurance process by allowing them to provide coverage and liquidity for various smart contracts, exchanges, or listed services in exchange for yield.

For episode 661 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Kam Punia, Founder and CEO of Pixion Games, the London based studio behind Fableborne and the $POWER ecosystem. He has more than a decade of experience in the games industry, including leadership roles at Konami where he helped drive Yu Gi Oh across digital, trading card and retail channels in Europe. Before starting Pixion Games, Kam scaled major gaming IP across digital and physical formats and later built a studio focused on fast session, skill based mobile titles. Under his leadership Pixion has raised funding, shipped multiple products, and hired talent from Riot, Blizzard, King and Ubisoft.

Will We Say Goodbye to OTPs in 2026? As India enters the next authentication era, this episode of The Core Report explores whether one-time passwords are finally reaching the end of the road and what could replace them in banking, payments, and everyday digital life.In this special edition, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Pramod Varma, Co-Founder & Chief Architect, Networks For Humanity (NFH), Co-Creator, FINTERNET & BECKN Protocol, architect behind Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, eSign, Account Aggregator, and ONDC, to unpack how India's digital public infrastructure is quietly moving beyond OTPs. From face authentication and biometrics to smartphone-based security, layered KYC, and verifiable credentials, this conversation explains why the current system feels broken and what a smarter, more inclusive model could look like by 2026.As digital scams rise and compliance burdens grow, are OTPs still the safest option or have they become a bottleneck? Why do banks still rely on paper, repeated KYC, and friction-heavy verification when India already has the technology to go fully digital? And could Aadhaar-based face authentication and app-driven cryptographic security offer a future that is both safer and easier for consumers and businesses?This episode breaks down the future of authentication in India, the shift away from OTP-based security, and what it means for financial services, digital identity, KYC reform, and ease of doing business. Essential viewing for professionals tracking fintech, policy, digital transformation, and India's evolving digital economy.Subscribe to The Core Report for conversations shaping India's business, policy, and digital economy.#OTPs #DigitalIndia #Authentication #Fintech #TheCoreReport #TheCore

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Stadicus von Bitbox über die technische und ideologische Tiefe von Bitcoin. Wir analysieren, warum die private Schlüsselverwaltung das Fundament für finanzielle Souveränität bildet und wie sich das Netzwerk gegen institutionelle Vereinnahmung sowie technische Bedrohungen wie Quantencomputer wappnet. Der Fokus liegt auf der praktischen Unabhängigkeit durch eigene Full Nodes und der Abgrenzung zu zentralisierten Fiat-Strukturen. Nutzt den Code WASBITCOINBRINGT für 5 % Rabatt auf eure Bitbox und sichert eure Bestände eigenständig ab.LEADING PARTNER

As part of Digital December 2025, in partnership with Laxmi Sunrise Bank Limited, this special roundtable explores how digital payments and software systems are reshaping businesses and the economy in Nepal. This episode brings together three perspectives from Nepal's digital payment ecosystem: Santosh Tamrakar, Managing Director at IMS Software, sharing the system builder's view on business software, data, and scalable growth. Arun Khatri, CEO of Digital Network Solutions, covering digital infrastructure, security, compliance, QR innovation, and biometric identity. Shashank Prabhat Shrestha, Managing Director of Caffeophilia, offering real-world insights from running a multi-outlet business where most transactions are digital. Together, they discuss Nepal's shift from near-zero digitization to a QR-first economy where digital payments are now essential especially for urban businesses. In this episode, you'll learn: Why digital payments are non-negotiable for modern businesses How QR, cards, and compliance systems work behind the scenes The role of data, loyalty systems, and real-time reporting Why sustainable payment systems can't be free forever What's next: biometric KYC and data-backed, collateral-free digital lending Whether you're a business owner, policymaker, or someone who pays digitally every day, this conversation helps you understand how Nepal's digital payment ecosystem works and where it's headed next. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 02:00 – Digital December 03:20 – How Businesses Depend on Digital Payments Today 05:20 – The Evolution of Digitization in Nepal 06:28 – Covid and the Digital Payment Surge 07:02 – Why QR Payments Replaced Cash in Urban Nepal 07:50 – Real-Time Data and Business Control 11:01 – Digitization vs Digital Transformation 14:17 – Customer Loyalty Systems and Data Usage 21:02 – Entrepreneurial Vision and First-Mover Advantage 27:17 – How Digital Payments Reduce Fraud and Risk 33:06 – Biometrics and Centralized KYC 36:42 – QR vs Card Payments: How Nepal Pays Today 46:26 – MDR Explained: The Cost of Digital Payments 01:08:21 – The Future of Unsecured Digital Lending Want to join us live in the studio as an audience member? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/xZi8yptyoxkkc6aa8    ✉ Reach out to us at partners@doersnepal.com  

Peter Kotauczek analysiert die Naivität vieler Bitcoiner, die in einem romantischen Freiheitstraum verharren und dabei die Lernfähigkeit des Staates unterschätzen. Wir diskutieren, warum die Quantenperspektive eine differenzierte Sicht auf die EU-Regulierung ab 2027 und die technischen Bedrohungen für das Netzwerk ermöglicht. Das Gespräch beleuchtet die Notwendigkeit, Bitcoin nicht nur als Ideologie, sondern als harte Arbeit und strategisches Werkzeug für unternehmerische Souveränität in einem überregulierten Europa zu begreifen.LEADING PARTNER

In this Christmas Eve episode of DEX in the City, hosts Jessi Brooks, Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, and Vy Le break down a pivotal moment for crypto: the industry is no longer operating as a self-contained, oppositional ecosystem. It's converging with traditional finance. And the cool thing? Washington is responding. The trio unpacks the latest on the crypto market structure bill, what it means that TradFi players are actively supporting legislation, how compliance tools like KYC became unavoidable, and why crypto may be going through an identity crisis.  They also delve into why Democratic engagement is crucial to getting a bill across the finish line, and why January's confirmed markup could be a turning point. Hosts: Jessi Brooks, General Counsel at Ribbit Capital Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, General Counsel at StarkWare TuongVy Le, General Counsel at Veda Timestamps:

For episode 660 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Esra Ozturk, Head of Product at Luffa. Luffa is a next‑generation social operating system for the fan economy, giving creators ownership over their communities while allowing fans to turn attention into tangible value. The platform unifies wallet, messaging, loyalty, and engagement in a decentralized environment: fans earn rewards for actions like chatting, tipping, minting tokens, joining “SuperGroups,” and completing quests—forming a living fan graph with real‑world worth. Luffa emphasizes privacy and security: it is built with end‑to‑end enc ryption and zero centralized backups, and supports mnemonic‑based registration without requiring phone or email. Luffa runs on Endless Protocol, a decentralized AI‑enabled Web3 infrastructure. In 2025, Endless Web3 Genesis Cloud raised $110 million, reaching a $1 billion post‑money valuation. In the broader ecosystem, Luffa is positioned as a core application within Endless, helping bring community, creator tools, and interaction to life on top of the protocol.

In this Christmas Eve episode of DEX in the City, hosts Jessi Brooks, Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, and Vy Le break down a pivotal moment for crypto: the industry is no longer operating as a self-contained, oppositional ecosystem. It's converging with traditional finance. And the cool thing? Washington is responding. The trio unpacks the latest on the crypto market structure bill, what it means that TradFi players are actively supporting legislation, how compliance tools like KYC became unavoidable, and why crypto may be going through an identity crisis.  They also delve into why Democratic engagement is crucial to getting a bill across the finish line, and why January's confirmed markup could be a turning point. Hosts: Jessi Brooks, General Counsel at Ribbit Capital Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, General Counsel at StarkWare TuongVy Le, General Counsel at Veda Timestamps:

We unpack why KYC in payments became so heavy and how to make it almost invisible with data orchestration, deep KYC, and thoughtful UX. NABU's approach prefills profiles from trusted sources, uses AI to verify the real world, and gives analysts clear, auditable evidence.• mission to move from onboarding to no boarding • why payments face extra AML and sanctions scrutiny • balancing seamless UX with regulatory obligations • EU AMLD6, UBO access, and national eID schemes • API orchestration across multi-country data sources • deep KYC using unstructured data and storefront checks • analyst-first design with explainable reports and flags • access and fairness gains when onboarding gets easierTo connect and keep up to date with all the latest, head over to www.jointheconnector.com or hit subscribe via your podcast streaming platformThank you for tuning into our podcast about global trends in the FinTech industry.Check out our podcast channel.Learn more about The Connector. Follow us on LinkedIn.CheersKoen Vanderhoydonkkoen.vanderhoydonk@jointheconnector.com#FinTech #RegTech #Scaleup #WealthTech

For episode 659 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Vijit Katta, CEO & Co-founder of Tria. Vijit Katta is the CEO and Co-founder of Tria, with over a decade of experience across entrepreneurship, commercial strategy, and early-stage investing. He built Polygon's in-house accelerator, funding early-stage projects; founded a healthtech startup in Austria, and led commercial strategy for multiple 9-figure portfolios at GSK and AstraZeneca; he holds a CS degree from BITS Pilani and an MBA from INSEAD. Tria is a self-custodial neobank that unifies spending, trading, and earning across all chains — without bridges, gas, or custodians. Built for both humans and AI, Tria makes money programmable, enabling anyone or any agent to transact natively on-chain. Powered by its interoperability layer, BestPath AVS, Tria abstracts away the complexity of crypto to deliver instant, global, and autonomous finance. 

Note that this is from a video essay published on YouTube here.For over a year, I've been helping people send aid to Gaza via cryptocurrency because traditional banking systems have failed Palestinians. PayPal and GoFundMe freeze accounts, banks block transfers, and those that go through can take weeks or months. Cryptocurrency offers instant, censorship-resistant transfers that offer higher guarantees.This comprehensive guide covers three methods for sending crypto (SimpleSwap, Revolut, and zkP2P), how to avoid tax complications when fundraising, critical safety tips to prevent irreversible mistakes, and everything you need to know about wallets, networks, and the OTC desk system in Gaza.

Das Jahr 2025 markiert einen Wendepunkt für Bitcoin, da der klassische Vierjahreszyklus durch massive institutionelle Einflüsse an Bedeutung verliert. In diesem Rückblick mit Fab von Coinfinity analysiere ich, warum Bitcoin trotz neuer Höchststände hinter Gold zurückblieb und wie die USA durch strategische Reserven und eine industriefreundliche Energiepolitik die globale Führungsrolle beanspruchen. Wir diskutieren die Auswirkungen der MiCA-Regulierung auf den europäischen Markt und die drohende Gefahr für die steuerliche Haltefrist in Deutschland.LEADING PARTNER

In this episode, I'm joined by Albert Prat, founder of B Brands and BeToken.Albert runs five profitable e-commerce brands doing ~€20M/year, and is tokenizing company equity under European regulation to raise capital, grow inventory, and expand into bigger markets like Germany. We also talk loyalty/community tokens, e-commerce growth levers, and what it takes to compete on delivery speed and supply.Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: BeToken + €20M/year e-commerce brands [00:01:00] Albert's background and the five brands [00:02:00] Why tokenize equity: inventory + growth capital [00:04:00] Primary market now, secondary market coming [00:07:00] Utility token idea: community + rewards across brands [00:08:00] Lockups, liquidity pool, and investor protections [00:10:00] Onboarding: custodied wallets + KYC [00:13:00] Growth plan: stock, Germany, direct website sales [00:16:00] Marketing that works: influencers for fitness brands [00:18:00] E-commerce trends: speed, logistics, competition [00:21:00] 2026 roadmap: raise, list, expand, grow revenue [00:23:00] Targets: €35M next year, €100M longer termConnecthttps://betoken.io/https://x.com/betoken_iohttps://x.com/betoken_globalhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/albert-prat-asensio-29980b68/https://x.com/AlbertP0170DisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

For episode 658 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Joe Rey & Oliver Fuselier of POPOLOGY.POPOLOGY® is the 21st century approach to media education and Citizen Journalism. A platform to aggregate all of your social portals, into a streaming and monetizable POPcast®, on the blockchain. Democratized internet broadcasting is POPOLOGY® Networks. You can even select your favorite fortune 500 brands to place into your curated media stream, called POPmercial® Sponsorships. Create, and earn POPtoken™ with a timeline of curated video assets from every indexing platform, up to 25 membership platforms into one robust restful API is the POPsphere™ workspace. Pinpoint your popularity, powered by artificial intelligence, and build a monetizable audience on your self-expression.

In 2025, regulatory changes and compliance are central to the finance sector. Regulatory technology (RegTech) is rapidly advancing, using AI and real-time monitoring to automate compliance tasks like KYC and AML, reduce costs, and improve accuracy. Key trends include predictive analytics, unified financial crime systems, and a shift toward risk-based frameworks, especially for digital assets. While automation streamlines operations and helps avoid fines, challenges remain with global regulatory differences, cybersecurity risks, and model errors. Innovations such as blockchain and cloud-based solutions are helping institutions adapt, and investing in RegTech is seen as essential for maintaining competitiveness and resilience in a fast-changing financial landscape.

In dieser Folge der Burggespräche analysiere ich mit Peter Kotauczek, warum die herkömmliche Einteilung in Null und Eins – Gut und Böse oder Sicher und Unsicher – bei Bitcoin zu kurz greift. Wir diskutieren Bitcoin als quantenphysikalisches Phänomen und lebendes System, das sich dem staatlichen Zugriff durch seine rein informationelle Natur entzieht. Peter erklärt seinen individuellen Ansatz im Umgang mit KI-Beratern und warum die "retrospektive Deskription" unser Verständnis von Sicherheit radikal verändert. Wer Bitcoin nur als digitales Gold sieht, übersieht die fundamentale Wende im menschlichen Denken, die dieses System einleitet.LEADING PARTNER

For episode 657 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Jack Cameron, Co-founder of CreatorFi.Jack Cameron is the Chief Business Officer and Chief Growth Officer at CreatorFi, where he leads growth strategy and develops brand partnerships across the creator economy. A serial entrepreneur with experience founding two companies, he brings deep media-industry expertise shaped by his work at WPP Media. Jack's background in scaling media solutions and navigating complex brand ecosystems informs his role in building CreatorFi's market presence and shaping its commercial vision. CreatorFi by Insomnia Labs is a fintech IP platform focused on advancing creative IP holders and unique opportunities for media financiers. By partnering with content creator companies, music catalog owners, and UGC developer studios in Roblox and Fortnite, CreatorFi provides direct access to creative IP cash flows in digital IP platforms such as YouTube, Roblox, Fortnite, and music.

Growth shouldn't stall at the border. We sit down with Peter Dougherty, President of Spreedly, to unpack how an open payments platform helps global brands launch faster, reduce vendor risk, and optimize authorization rates without ripping out their stack. Peter traces the evolution from card‑centric orchestration to a broader layer that now includes tokenization, a secure token vault, fraud and KYC options, and connections to multiple processors and alternative payment methods. The takeaway: best‑of‑breed no longer means complexity and long timelines - it means resilience, data‑driven choices, and faster expansion.Peter also looks ahead to a future where agents become the front end of commerce. Discovery, selection, and purchase compress into milliseconds, and payments infrastructure has to keep up. We dig into how mandates, consent, and spending limits will work when agents transact on our behalf; how liability flows when something goes wrong; and why token management becomes the backbone for secure, delegated payments. He shares why platforms that can safely feed agents with PCI‑sensitive data will win as volumes surge across regions and rails.We ground the hype in reality too. Payments is the fastest moving oil tanker - innovation is constant, but adoption takes time. EMV took decades; stablecoins still trail cards and the fastest‑growing APMs. For leaders, the smart move is to build behind an abstraction layer that lets you A/B test processors, adopt new methods, and swap tools without disruption. If you're pushing into new markets or preparing for agentic commerce, this conversation will help you rethink checkout, time to market, and resilience at scale. 

Krypto war bis dato eine der (relativ) anonymen Bastionen im Geldbereich. Aber dies ändert sich mehr und mehr, v.a. für EU-Bürger. Ab dem 01.01.2026 tritt ein neuer Informationsaustausch in Kraft, wobei es aber auch noch sehr viele Länder gibt, die daran nicht teilnehmen werden. In der heutigen Tippausgabe von Faszination Freiheit zeige ich dir, was sich hinter dem „komischen“ Kürzel CARF verbirgt und warum das Thema weit über „nur Steuern“ hinausgeht. In dieser Folge erfährst du u. a.: - Was CARF konkret verändert (und für wen es relevant wird). - Welche Länder nehmen daran teil, und v.a. auch: Welche nicht? - Welche Daten & Transaktionen künftig besonders im Fokus stehen. - Warum „Anonymität“ im Kryptobereich enorm unter Druck gerät? - Welche Denkfehler und Nachweis-Lücken schnell teuer werden können! - Und was du jetzt tun solltest?!

Pedro Arnt, Chief Executive Officer, dLocaldLocal simplifies cross-border transactions in emerging markets, connecting global enterprise merchants with billions of emerging market consumers across APAC, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Through the "One dLocal" concept (one direct API, one platform, and one contract), global companies can accept payments, send payouts, and settle funds globally—without the need to manage separate processors or set up local entities of their own. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Pedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal.

For episode 656 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Adam Liposky, Co-Founder and CEO of Canopy Network.Adam is creating an auto-scaling Layer 1 designed to make launching and growing blockchains as simple as deployment. Before Canopy, Adam helped scale Pocket Network into a top decentralized infrastructure protocol, onboarding 40 plus chains and growing the network to over a billion daily relays. He previously founded and exited NachoNodes, a high-performance staking operation, and later led ecosystem growth at Moonbeam during one of the toughest market cycles.

For episode 655 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Annalea Sanders, Co-President and Board Officer for the Blockchain Security Standards Council (BSSC).The BSSC-Blockchain Security Standards Council-is the leading authority in blockchain security—setting the standards that power trust and confidence.When industry experts discuss blockchain security, not many consider nodes, but they should. If a node doesn't operate correctly, then the risks permeate and impact the whole network, and its users. As a result, experts are placing more importance on node operation standards as a critical part of blockchain industry standards. 

L1 blockchains have gone through every hype cycle: ICOs, NFTs, gaming, metaverse, now AI. But what actually survives?In this episode, I speak with Alexander Zahnd, CEO of Zilliqa, an L1 that launched in 2017 and recently became fully EVM-compatible. Alex shares his journey from a decade in Swiss TradFi and treasury/regulatory projects into DeFi, and how that shaped his views on financial rigor, regulation and long-term blockchain adoption.Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Mercenary DeFi users: Alex explains why liquidity follows the highest incentives and why this is a problem for long-term protocol sustainability.[00:01:00] From Swiss banks to Zilliqa: A decade in TradFi, treasury and regulation, discovering DeFi as “finance without intermediaries,” and joining Zilliqa four years ago.[00:05:00] L1 landscape today: How Zilliqa moved from sharding-focused scalability to full EVM compatibility, and why EVM + SVM gravity is consolidating general-purpose L1s.[00:08:00] Narrative chasing vs. building: ICOs, gaming, NFTs, metaverse, AI—all tried at Zilliqa; why chasing every hype is fragile and a clear, durable North Star matters.[00:11:00] AI x blockchain: Alex uses AI tools daily but is skeptical of forced “AI + chain” narratives until real, organic use cases emerge.[00:13:00] Real institutional adoption: Institutions aren't allergic to crypto; they're allergic to operational and regulatory uncertainty. Why audit-ready, compliant infra will be a major driver.[00:14:00] Where DeFi still has upside: Derivatives, perps, structured products, on-chain treasuries, RWAs, and permissioned DeFi rails for institutions and KYC'd wallets.[00:17:00] Token design lessons: Tokens should coordinate and power utility flows, not exist purely for price appreciation or quick fundraising.[00:20:00] Price vs fundamentals: How token price is the easiest visible metric, but often detached from real usage—unlike equities, where mature analyst coverage helps.[00:24:00] Lowering dev friction: Why Zilliqa's EVM compatibility and AI-assisted tooling matter for non-engineer builders to prototype and ship ideas faster.[00:28:00] On-chain LEIs with Liechtenstein: A government-backed initiative for blockchain-verifiable legal entity identifiers as a bridge between TradFi and Web3.[00:29:00] Alex's ask: Strategic partnerships, institutional integrations and long-range alliances around regulated, EVM-based infrastructure.Connecthttps://zilliqa.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/zilliqa/https://x.com/zilliqaDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

For episode 653 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Erik Balsbaugh, Executive Director of Open Frontier and Board Member Austin Campbell.Open Frontier is on a mission to promote responsible financial innovation while ensuring strong regulatory guardrails, countering Wall Street and big tech, and stopping bad actors. Finance is evolving, and progressive voices need a seat at the table.

For episode 652 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Justin Havins, the DeFi Ecosystem Lead for Katana Network.Katana puts users first: delivering higher real yields through concentrated liquidity, redistributed chain revenue, and productive bridged assets.

Interview with Noah Perlman, Chief Compliance Officer of Binance. In this episode of the Future of Crypto Compliance series, we explore how AI could transform compliance, whether zero-knowledge KYC can go mainstream, the risks of deepfake scams, and the future of privacy coins and sanctions enforcement. This is a special episode of The Future of Crypto Compliance podcast series exploring the trends, disruptions, and regulatory forces shaping the crypto space. In this episode, we touch upon the following topics:- Can AI reduce false positives, and will regulators accept it? - The rise of zero-knowledge KYC and global passporting - Deepfakes, social engineering, and the new frontier of fraud - Are privacy coins here to stay? - Will regulators ever harmonise globally on crypto? - How to build a career in crypto compliance - TradFi vs crypto: who will lead on compliance innovation? Powered by ACX Compliance – the world's largest crypto compliance specialised managed services provider. By crypto compliance professionals. For crypto compliance professionals. The full interview is also available on my YouTube channel: YouTube: https://bit.ly/3YkYoV2  

“If you think they'll have restraint, I think you're making a grave error.” Can your wallet, your node, or even your hardware become “unlicensed financial activity” overnight? I walk through HRF's latest Financial Freedom report on new laws in places like the UAE and Belarus, then riff on how these tactics bleed into Western “financial stability” narratives, KYC social media, and digital ID. Along the way we explore the tools—from DIY hardware to Lightning and e‑cash—that might be the thin line between being banked, blocked, or truly sovereign. References from the episode HRF's Financial Freedom Report #100 (Link: https://hrf.org/latest/hrfs-weekly-financial-freedom-report-100/) Alex Gladstein's essay “Why Bitcoin Is Freedom Money” (Link: https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why-bitcoin-is-freedom-money/) HRF's Bitcoin for Nonprofits webinar (Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0sjqwSFQo8HGMsWIIDRyhx34TsoonOSTfYoWSy-aaBbLeSw/viewform) BTC Sessions' 15‑minute Sparrow Wallet crash course (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EVDtos8ZgI) Bitcoin++ in Taipei (Link: https://btcplusplus.dev/conf/taipei) Nut November: Cashu Ecash Hackathon (Link: https://nutnovember.org/) Cashu Ecash Protocol (Link: https://cashu.space/) My upcoming read following-up on Allen Farrington's "Only the Strong Survive" (Link: https://www.uncerto.com/only-the-strong-survive) My future chat with Matt Ahlborg from PPQ.ai (Link: http://ppq.ai/) Check out the original report Weekly Financial Freedom Report #99 by HRF. (Link: https://hrf.org/latest/hrfs-weekly-financial-freedom-report-99/) Check out our awesome sponsors! Ledn: Need fiat but don't want to sell your Bitcoin? Ledn offers secure, Bitcoin-backed loans with no credit checks, flexible repayment, and fast turnaround—often within 24 hours. With $10B+ in loans across 100+ countries and transparent Proof of Reserves, Ledn is a trusted option for unlocking liquidity without giving up your Bitcoin. (Link: https://learn.ledn.io/audible) HRF: The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.

My guest today is Lea Petrasova, co-founder and CEO of Vexl, a peer-to-peer bitcoin app that lets people exchange bitcoin privately, without identification (KYC) or any middlemen. Lea is a prominent voice in the European cypherpunk community, dedicated to privacy, digital freedom, and restoring bitcoin's original peer-to-peer design. We discuss why identity-linked bitcoin undermines true self-custody, how tightening cash controls and app-store censorship accelerate financial surveillance, and why Vexl chose to remain open-source and non-profit. Lea explains Vexl's reputation-based trust model, the real risks of “dirty fiat,” and the growing global push toward CBDCs and digital IDs. We also explore how Vexl is evolving into a local marketplace for everything from food to services to hardware, showing how private, person-to-person exchange can quietly rebuild resilient, grassroots economies.→ Please like, comment, share & follow - to help me beat the suppressing big tech algorithms & gov. censorship. Thank you!-- SPONSORS --→ Get your TREZOR wallet & accessories, with a 5% discount, using my code at checkout (get my discount code from the episode - yep, you'll have to watch it): https://affil.trezor.io/SHU → Have you tried mining bitcoin? Stack sats directly to your wallet while saving on taxes with Abundant Mines: https://AbundantMines.com/Efrat – AFFILIATES –→ Get 10% off on Augmented NAC to detox Spike protein, with the code YCXKQDK2 via this link: https://store.augmentednac.com/?via=efrat (Note, this is not medical advice and you should consult your MD)→ Be good to your eyes & health, and get the Daylight tablet - a healthier, more human-friendly computer, with zero flicker and zero blue light, by design. Thank me later ;-) https://bit.ly/Efrat_daylight → Get a second citizenship and a plan B to relocate to another country with Expat Money, leave your details for a follow up: https://expatmoney.com/efrat → Watch “New Totalitarian Order” conference with Prof. Mattias Desmet & Efrat - code EFRAT for 10% off: https://efenigson.gumroad.com/l/desmet_efrat → Join me in any of these upcoming events: https://www.efrat.blog/p/upcoming-events -- LINKS –Lea's Twitter: https://x.com/LeaPetras Vexl's Twitter: https://x.com/vexl Vexl's Website: https://vexl.it/ Efrat's Twitter: https://twitter.com/efenigsonEfrat's Channels: https://linktr.ee/efenigsonWatch/listen on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/yourethevoiceSupport Efrat's work: ⁠https://bit.ly/zap_efrat -- CHAPTERS –00:00 Coming Up…01:23 Introduction to Lea05:58 Leah's Journey: From Academia to Bitcoin09:08 The Birth of Vexl12:33 Ad Break: Trezor & Abundant Mines15:28 The Problem Vexl is Solving - Purchasing Bitcoin As Intended23:08 Vexl Locality & Reputation's Model31:56 Ensuring User Safety & Bad Actor33:48 The 1984 Apple Campaign Hypocrisy on Privacy37:08 Launching The Freedom Store40:08 Privacy In Today's Surveillance Reality43:58 Privacy in Bitcoin47:00 Balancing Trust & Usability in Privacy Tools54:00 Sustaining Open Source Projects, via Grants55:20 What Keeps Lea Motivated?

Episode 75: Cayman Directors with Darragh Murphy, Marfire Darragh Murphy from Marfire joins me in the Tokens of Wisdom Studio to tell us all about the wonderful world of Cayman fund directors. From choosing the right director, to working with them once chosen, to navigating the complexities across a fund's lifecycle, Darragh shares the wisdom.  Key Points From This Episode: What is the role of an independent director in the Cayman funds space? Does engaging an independent director mean I am losing control of my fund? Does my Cayman fund always need an independent director? How do you approach conflicts of interest in your role? What's your role in AML and KYC compliance? How do you handle situations when a fund is in distress?How should I choose the right director? What's the smartest thing a new fund manager can do?  Disclaimer: This show is for informational purposes only. Nothing presented here constitutes legal, investment or tax advice. The guests that join us share their considerable fund-related wisdom, but everything they share here is their personal opinion and for educational purposes only. On this show, they are speaking for themselves, and not for their employer or any affiliated entity. Tokens of Wisdom is produced by Dave Rothschild, partner at Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit https://colefrieman.com/ Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dave Rothschild - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcrothschild/Darragh Murphy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darragh-murphy-cta/  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP - https://colefrieman.com/Marfire - https://www.marfire.co/   Music by Joe Ginsberg - https://www.instagram.com/thejoeginsbergFor any questions or comments, email: tow@colefrieman.com

In this episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy sits down with David Alexander “Alex” Scheer, founder and CEO of zkMe, a zero-knowledge identity network that lets users prove who they are - and meet KYC/AML requirements - without exposing their personal data. zkMe builds identity oracles that turn existing credentials (passports, bank accounts, credit scores, tax records and more) into reusable, privacy-preserving proofs using zero-knowledge technology. Alex shares how a career that started in mechanical engineering and aerospace, moved through automotive supply-chain consulting and software, and eventually led him to Shanghai, MiCA, and the decision to jump head-first into decentralized identity. We dig into why MiCA's early drafts convinced him that Web3 would need a decentralized identity primitive to survive, and how zkMe is now serving millions of verified users while staying fully privacy-first and compliant. Together we unpack what zero-knowledge proofs actually are (in human language), why Alex thinks ZK is more foundational than blockchains themselves, and how zk-based KYC can both meet FATF-level requirements and keep users pseudonymous until regulators really have grounds to pierce the veil. We explore the tension between regulators who are increasingly open to ZK approaches and compliance officers who've done things the same way for 40 years, as well as how stablecoins, self-custodial wallets and secondary markets are forcing a rethink of identity and risk.From open banking ZK credentials and under-collateralized lending, to AI agents, the “machine economy,” and the business model behind decentralized compliance, Alex explains where zkMe is growing next and why he sees ZK identity as an anti-cyclical bet on crypto's regulated future.

What happens when artificial intelligence starts dismantling the barriers that kept most people out of private investments?In this episode, Khushboo Jha, Founder and CEO of BuyProperly, explains how AI is changing the way you access, evaluate and navigate private market opportunities. She breaks down the real gap between public and private markets, why due diligence has been so opaque until now, and how AI can process data that no human team could reasonably analyze. You'll hear how AI reshapes risk assessment, flags anomalies that experts might miss, and reduces the manual work that made private investing slow, costly and limited to insiders. Khushboo also shares how her team uses AI across the investment process, from KYC to cybersecurity to extracting information buried in PDFs, emails or even handwritten notes. If you want to understand how private markets are shifting, and what AI actually makes possible today (and what it still can't do), this episode gives you a clear, grounded look at the future of alternative investing.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

At the Fall '25 vCon Conference, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Rebekah Johnson, Founder & CEO of Numeracle, for a timely and urgent discussion on the escalating global fraud crisis and the role identity must play in restoring trust to communications. Johnson, a long-time industry leader on identity assurance, shared insights from her panel on “the state of fraud,” which revealed troubling trends despite industry-wide mitigation efforts. Johnson explains that while robocalls may be declining, fraud itself is surging due to increasingly sophisticated tactics and AI-enabled targeting. “Despite all these mitigation efforts, we actually have a declining situation, not an improving situation,” she notes. Bad actors are using fewer touchpoints and more advanced tools, turning communications channels into highly efficient conduits for financial theft, often to fund organized crime, trafficking, and even hostile state activities. Central to Johnson's message is the need to bring Know Your Customer (KYC) principles into communications—just as the banking industry has done for decades. Without verified identity, she argues, consumers remain vulnerable. “If you're going to get access to communications… there should be a verification process to ensure you are who you say you are,” she says, emphasizing that transparency and verifiable identity are essential to helping consumers make safe choices. Regulatory momentum is building: the FCC's proposed rulemakings touch directly on identity delivery and KYC requirements. But Johnson warns that progress will hinge on implementation by carriers, who face technical burdens without clear financial incentives. Still, she sees identity adoption as inevitable—especially with AI now eroding human ability to distinguish real from synthetic interactions. AI itself, she says, will accelerate the need for digital credentials tied to trustworthy identity. As the conversation turns to Numeracle's mission, Johnson highlights the company's role in protecting enterprise communication channels from being mislabeled as fraud or spam, enabling hospitals, universities, financial institutions, and brands to reach customers reliably. Numeracle also supports UCaaS and CPaaS providers seeking to protect customer reputations across the network. Despite the alarming fraud statistics—estimated in the hundreds of billions—Johnson remains optimistic. “It's not doomsday,” she says. “I'm excited about the future and the role our engineers will play in it.” To learn more about Numeracle's identity and reputation protection services, visit https://www.numeracle.com/.

Did a sportsbook really demand notarized proof Pace isn't addicted to gambling? Pace reads the insane message word-for-word, break down how far responsible-gaming rules have gone off the rails, and expose which books are now asking for mental-health letters alongside the usual KYC. Plus, the weekly grind on NFL and NCAA, and CFL cards with Gosu, this time earlier in the episode!If you want to join our community - use coupon code BEHINDTHELINES for a discount here:inplaylive.com/members For some Free Sports Investing Training (from one of the world's top live sports wagering experts), click here: https://event.webinarjam.com/register...

If crypto wins without privacy, did we actually win? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Aztec co-founders Zac Williamson and Joe Andrews to unpack their eight-year quest to build a private world computer for Ethereum, covering the Aztec ignition chain, zero-knowledge-powered “private intents,” and how you can route trades across L1 and L2s without exposing your strategies or balances. They dive into ZK Passport (turning your NFC e-passport into a proof of personhood), the coming breakdown of selfie KYC in an AI world, holistic on-chain identity, Aztec's one-shot move to a fully decentralized L2. Along the way, Zac and Joe get candid about the regulatory risk of building privacy rails, echoes of the early SSL wars, and what keeps them grinding after nearly a decade of R&D to ship Aztec Alpha ---

Most software teams still think of payments as a chore. We take you inside the playbook that turns it into a growth engine. I sits down with NMI CTO Phillip Goericke to unpack how embedded payments evolved from a basic checkout to a full-stack platform that handles onboarding, underwriting, payouts, analytics, and even embedded finance. The conversation is straight talk on what actually works when you're shipping fast and scaling globally.We dig into the architectural choices that matter: start with a no-code drop-in to activate revenue quickly, then progress to low-code SDKs and finally full APIs when you need deep control. Phillip shares where platforms stall - manual KYC, fragmented global rules, and data blind spots and how a modular approach fixes these without ripping out your stack. You'll hear how compliance-as-a-service, network tokenization, and adaptive 3D Secure can raise approval rates, reduce fraud, and simplify audits while keeping the checkout experience seamless.Looking ahead, we explore why identity, compliance, and data are the foundation for embedded finance. Philip outlines NMI's unified experience that brings payments, onboarding, insights, and new services like business capital into one place. We also tackle AI with clear eyes: use it to augment decisioning and anomaly detection, but wrap it with deterministic controls so money-critical outcomes are consistently right. The key takeaway is a mindset shift: stop treating payments as a feature and start using it as a strategic lever for revenue, retention, and product velocity.If you're building software with transactions anywhere in the flow, this is your blueprint for turning payments into a competitive moat. Subscribe for more deep dives, share with a teammate who owns monetization, and leave a review to tell us what topic you want next.

Take it or Levitt, the boys return and discuss the lie that is Global Adoption ™️. Is Kyle cooked over the re-KYC debacle? Did you enjoy the canned cranberry Jieyi sauce? Also, Mitch is a turkey. All this and more.

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen is joined by Samir Kaji, CEO and Co-Founder of Allocate, to break down the explosive growth of private market investing and why trillions in new capital are about to reshape the entire wealth ecosystem. Fresh off a $30.5M Series B, Samir unpacks how Allocate is building the missing infrastructure connecting fund managers, RIAs, and the next generation of investors, solving the painful workflows, broken data pipes, and manual processes still holding the industry back. From intelligent deal discovery and auto-filled subscriptions to AI-powered diligence and portfolio personalization, Samir explains how technology will unlock access, efficiency, and liquidity at scale for both advisors and allocators.He also dives deep into the current venture cycle, the AI valuation frenzy, and the widening gap between mega-funds and emerging managers. Samir gives an unfiltered look at where the real opportunities lie, why liquidity is the next trillion-dollar unlock, how secondaries will redefine private markets, and what investors should be watching heading into 2030. If you want to understand where private markets, wealth management, and alternative investing are truly headed, this episode is essential listening.The Origin Story: 25 Years Watching the Market Shift (03:09)* Samir's work at SVB and First Republic observing the decline of IPOs* Cloud computing's impact on fund proliferation* Early signs that private markets needed new infrastructure* How HNWIs and family offices began demanding access decades before the rails existedWhy Allocate Exists & What It Actually Solves (07:04)* The fragmented “dark forest” problem of GP RIA connectivity* Why wealth advisors can't scale alt allocations using PDFs and lawyers* The three pillars of AllocateHow Advisors Use Allocate to Scale 10x Without Adding Headcount (14:18)* Auto-filled subs, KYC, allocation setup, client mapping* Helping advisors serve all 150 clients, not just the top 20%* Improving revenue while slashing operational dragUnlocking Liquidity: The Biggest Missing Piece of Private Markets (21:16)* Why secondaries are essential for opening the wealth channel* Borrowing against private fund positions* How tech will reduce massive bid-ask spreads* Why liquidity options will double alt allocations from 5% → 10-30% over timeAI's Real Role in Private Markets (25:20)* AI as the intelligence layer for discovery, diligence & personalization* Uploading 10 fund decks → receiving full breakdowns in minutes* Why workflows, not chatbots, will unlock trillions* Execution, payments & portfolio modeling going from days to secondsThe State of Venture Capital in 2025 (32:17)* Why today's market is “the extreme Tale of Two Cities”* AI startups raising at insane velocity vs. great non-AI companies starving* Why 90% of AI companies won't justify valuations* Seed funds getting squeezed by mega-funds writing “option checks”* How emerging managers can still win (go earlier or niche down hard)Founder Discipline, Revenue per Head, & the New Efficiency Era (40:06)* Revenue-per-employee as the new defining KPI* Why scarcity birthed a healthier generation of founders* Companies going from 5 → 50 → back to 20 employees* Running lean with AI as leverage instead of headcountAbout Samir KajiSamir Kaji is the Co-Founder and CEO of Allocate, a platform revolutionizing how investors access and manage private market investments. With a career in venture banking spanning over two decades at Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic, Samir has an unparalleled view of the venture capital and private equity landscapes. He is also a Kauffman Fellow, the host of the Venture Unlocked podcast, and a personal investor in companies like Carta and Reddit. He remains dedicated to Allocate's mission of making the private markets as transparent and responsible as the public markets.Connect with Samir Kaji on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirkajiVisit the Allocate website: https://allocate.co/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

In this episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal sits down with economist and policy thinker Neelkanth Mishra to unpack why he believes this is the true golden age of Indian entrepreneurship. They talk about:Falling cost of capital and a stronger banking system expanding access to debt and equity.Massive domestic flows via SIPs, EPFO, and insurance fueling startups and exits.Policy shifts in GST, decriminalization, and state reforms that slowly ease doing business.The next wave beyond internet startups: fintech, precision manufacturing, hardware, semiconductors, and data centers.The next wave of entrepreneurship beyond internet companies: fintech, precision manufacturing, hardware, semiconductors, data centers, and chip design.Aadhaar's evolution into a trust and KYC layer, and how lower unit costs in finance, education, and health can break vicious economic cycles.Navigating big tech power, US–China tensions, and political noise while staying focused on India's long runway from $4T to $20T GDP.If you're interested in where India's economy is really headed, how policy and infrastructure shape founder opportunities, or what it takes to build in the middle of geopolitical churn, this conversation with Neelkanth offers rare clarity, realism, and optimism.

Meta Ghambaryan is Web3 Global Marketing Advisor at Asterium, she helps build Central Asia's regulated crypto backbone.#crypto #MetaGhambaryan #asiacryptoAll Episodes can be found at www.thecryptopodcast.org Join my PodFather Podcasting SKOOL Grouphttps://www.skool.com/podfather/about All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants athttps://roycoughlan.com/ Brain Fitness SKOOL Group https://www.skool.com/brainfitness/about  Who is Meta GhambaryanMetakse Ghambaryan or simply "Meta"— the former Executive Director at Web3 Armenia -where she helped to grew a thriving Web3 ecosystem to over 20 companies and 40 experts. Now active as Web3 Global Marketing Advisor at Asterium, she helps build Central Asia's regulated crypto backbone.What we Discussed: 00:24 Who is Meta Ghambaryan01:05 Living in Uzbekistan02:50 Her home country Armenia03:54 The Meaning of Asterium 04:25 Her previous work with Web3 Armenia06:40 Different Cultures09:15 Regulating Crypto Companies10:00 Why Uzbekistan legislation is positive for Crypto13:05 Financial Freedom15:45 Is the KYC information shared19:35 Simplifying Crypto20:30 Backed up by Government Bonds22:45 Buildingthe Eco System25:52 The security to protect users29:20 Do they support Meme Coins & NFT's31:20 Protecting the users with Education34:07 No Gambling allowed35:43 The Process for a New User37:40 Educating users about a Cold Wallet38:24 Whats included in the Learning Courses3How to Contact Meta Ghambaryanhttps://asterium.uz/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/metakse-ghambaryan/https://x.com/mandarina_meta All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠  

What if paying with crypto felt as effortless as tapping your card? We sit down with Jess Houlgrave, CEO of WalletConnect, to unpack how stablecoins, smarter wallet-to-app messaging, and a new wave of SDKs are collapsing the gap between crypto checkout and the one-click experiences consumers expect.Jess traces her path from investment banking to early Bitcoin research to leading a network that connects 700 wallets to 70,000 applications and moves hundreds of billions in value. We dig into the real merchant story: slashing fees from the typical 2–3% card rates to basis points, settling in seconds instead of days, and opening doors in markets where stablecoins are already everyday money. The caveat has always been clunky UX - QR codes, chain selection, gas fees - but that's changing fast as partners like Coinbase Commerce, Mesh, and Privy streamline onboarding and data sharing.We explore two frontiers set to unlock the next wave of growth. First, in-store payments, where WalletConnect's new POS SDK aims to meet the speed and reliability of retail environments and is already rolling out with partners in Asia. Second, recurring payments, where crypto's push model needs safer, revocable permissions to mirror subscriptions without sacrificing user control. Along the way, we zoom out to embedded finance, where neobanks become financial hubs offering custody, trading, and wealth tools, and to data privacy, where wallets enable selective disclosure so users share only what's needed for shipping, KYC, or age checks.Enjoy the conversation, and if it sparks ideas, subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

XRP: FLARE Drops BIG Upgrades — NEW MONEY Coming In | Protecting The Republic From Sedition Today we cover two major fronts: massive crypto developments and growing threats to the American Republic.

For episode 634 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Mitchell Nicholson, Core Contributor to the Sierra Protocol.Sierra Protocol is the issuer of SIERRA, a liquid yield token (LYT) that offers the best risk-adjusted yield in a freely tradeable ERC20 token on Ethereum and Avalanche. SIERRA enables holders to earn passively accrue 6-12% APY compounded daily and does not require staking or claiming, holding periods or lockups, paying hidden fees or providing KYC. SIERRA will be going live in October followed by several exciting partnerships that offer additional yield and utility. Its reserves are managed by OpenTrade, an institutional-grade market leader offering stablecoin yield products and is backed by a16z, Circle, Mercury, Notion and other leading VC firms. ⏳ Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction(1:12) Who is Mitchell Nicholson?(2:02) What is Sierra?(2:44) What are Liquid Yield Tokens?(9:56) Underlying yield sources(12:56) Regulations & Compliance(15:40) Sierra exchange listings(17:30) Liquidity for Sierra(20:13) Partnerships(25:35) Prediction Markets(30:05) Sierra Roadmap(32:50) Sierra website & socials 

Tim Hite is the director of policy at Exodus and a former congressional staffer for Rep. Warren Davidson. He helped shape early self-custody legislation—including the Keep Your Coins Act (a playful nod to “KYC”)—and bridges law, technology, and individual rights. In this episode, Tim's discussion kicks off The Last Free Americans miniseries to share the origin story of self-custody protections on Capitol Hill, how “keep your coins” language differs from the Clarity Act's approach, and what meaningful safeguards against CBDCs could look like. We dig into the evolution of property rights in a digital world, why illicit-finance fears are often overstated, and how social media has changed the legislative battlefield.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email: podcast@unchained.com→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcastTIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro, disclaimers & why self-custody matters now0:51 – “The Last Free Americans”: series premise1:16 – Tim's path: 2017 bull run, law school, FINRA, and meeting Rep. Davidson3:34 – From Hill staffer to crypto policy: Token Taxonomy Act & early frameworks6:51 – The spark for the Keep Your Coins Act and naming the bill11:12 – Two legislative styles: affirming a right vs. restricting regulators16:24 – Digital ownership as a new chapter in American property rights19:05 – CBDCs vs. self-custody: opposite ends of the spectrum22:30 – Social media's role: sunlight, mobilization, and changing the odds30:34 – The 2020 “unhosted wallet” rule & why KYCs on self-hosted wallets don't fit39:00 – Bank Secrecy Act's $10k threshold, report overload, and diminishing returns41:37 – House passage, Senate path, and realistic timelines for the Clarity Act47:26 – What's next: tokenized securities and the future of self-custody52:58 – Peer-to-peer (with an asterisk): whitelists, accounts, and true control55:01 – Closing thoughts: momentum, vigilance, and “nature finds a way”WHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained  → Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Kelly's Twitter: https://x.com/josephkelly  → Tim Hite's Twitter: https://x.com/TimHite  → Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production): https://x.com/DeFBeD

Assembled is the AI customer support platform powering hundreds of modern enterprises including Stripe, Robinhood, Salesforce, and Ashley Furniture. The company's largest customer operates a 20,000-person contact center. With products spanning AI chat and voice agents that resolve 70-80% of tickets to sophisticated workforce management and forecasting systems, Assembled's core thesis challenges the industry narrative: the best support teams orchestrate humans and AI in perfect balance rather than replacing one with the other. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Ryan Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of Assembled, to explore the company's journey from eight months to first customer to becoming the infrastructure behind customer experiences at scale. Topics Discussed: The reality gap between AI support demos and production deployment Why sophisticated buyers now demand quality benchmarks and latency metrics over feature lists The hidden complexity in contact center work: KYC compliance, fraud review, and multi-system workflows How the Klarna "fire everyone" approach failed and what it reveals about the market Patrick and John Collison's all-company support rotations at Stripe The product-market fit question that ended six months of wrong direction Enterprise destiny baked into early product decisions Converting LinkedIn discomfort into a systematic storytelling engine Path dependence from workforce management to AI automation products Why customer support problems rhyme with operations challenges across industries GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Quality-first positioning wins when buyers move past demo amazement: Ryan observed a critical market shift. Sophisticated buyers now run rigorous bake-offs with training data variability and ask for latency metrics, quality benchmarks, and production performance data. The last three AI deals Assembled closed required detailed competitive evaluations. When messaging emphasizes cost reduction over quality improvement, you lose credibility with buyers who understand that turning off support entirely would be free—they're investing in lifetime value and loyalty creation. Position around the buyer's actual objective hierarchy: quality first, efficiency as validation. The product-market fit question that encodes your entire GTM strategy: Ryan's co-founder asked prospects "What is software that you must have or you hate your options?" This single question revealed multiple strategic insights simultaneously: you're targeting painkillers in established categories, pursuing replacement sales against weak incumbents, and entering markets with demonstrated willingness to pay. For Assembled, this naturally surfaced workforce management—a must-have category with Windows 95-era tools serving 20,000-person teams. The question's elegance is how it filters for product-market fit and GTM approach in one conversation. Access the best through respect signals, not connections: When hiring his first engineering executive at 15 people, Ryan got an introduction to a former VP of Engineering at Facebook, then explicitly signaled time respect: requested only 15 minutes, clarified he wasn't recruiting, offered availability "Saturday 8pm or anytime," and had specific questions prepared. The call happened at an odd Saturday time. The insight wasn't just learning about "Dual Lands" leadership (a Magic: The Gathering reference)—it was understanding how exceptional minds construct mental models. You can reach these people through investor networks or multi-hop introductions, but earning their time requires demonstrating you'll use it surgically. Recognize when you're not "the company" to avoid strategic errors: A top recruiting firm told Ryan "you're not Stripe, so you can't sell people like you're Stripe." At any moment, one Silicon Valley company occupies a unique position—Stripe then, OpenAI now—where normal rules don't apply. That company can eliminate product managers, remove all titles, or make unconventional demands. Understanding you're not in that position prevents catastrophic hiring missteps. Ryan had to recalibrate from Stripe-era patterns where his recruiter became Anthropic's president and his onboarding buddy became OpenAI's president. Your positioning must match your actual market gravity, not your aspirational tier. Systematize founder storytelling to compound credibility: Ryan solved founder marketing discomfort by reframing from self-promotion to being an intermediary—sharing customer stories from Armenia, banking conferences, and global contact centers rather than broadcasting opinions. The system: Friday morning sessions with prompts ("interesting things from this week," "near-death moments," "challenges from 1-10M to 10-20M ARR," "why London now?"), team filters for compelling angles, three drafts weekly, then editing. The Science of Storytelling principles apply: narratives demonstrating lived experience build more credibility than thought leadership. This creates a flywheel where audience members surface their own stories in comments and DMs, feeding future content. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role.  Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe EU and other countries are heading in the opposite direction of the US. They are moving towards a CBDC and total control of their population. The US is going to break free from the [CB] enslavement. Trump will be returning the buying power back to the people and its going to shock everyone. The D's just admitted that they were responsible for the shutdown, they received nothing and made the people suffer. Did Trump and team shutdown private flights to keep the [DS] players in this country? Trump pardons the electors and those who were investigating election fraud. Election rigging is about to be exposed to the world. Justice is coming.   Economy https://twitter.com/shanaka86/status/1987750485840031806?s=20 1. Cash Over €10,000 Becoming "Illegal Tender" in January 2027 What's true: Starting in summer 2027 (not precisely January), there will be an EU-wide limit on cash payments for goods and services: no more than €10,000 per transaction (or linked transactions). This applies across all 27 member states, though countries can set lower thresholds if they want (e.g., some already have limits around €1,000–€3,000). The goal is to curb illicit cash flows used for crime. What's false: Cash itself doesn't become "illegal tender"—you can still hold unlimited euros in cash, withdraw it from banks, or use it for smaller payments without issue. The restriction is only on using cash to pay for things above the limit (e.g., you couldn't buy a €15,000 car in cash without switching to wire transfer or card). Violators face fines or penalties, but it's not a blanket criminalization of cash holdings. This builds on existing rules but standardizes them EU-wide for the first time. 2. Every Bitcoin Needing "Government Permission" What's true: The rules ban anonymous crypto-asset accounts or wallets held through service providers (e.g., exchanges like Binance). Crypto firms must perform customer due diligence (CDD)—verifying identities—for any accounts they manage, similar to how banks already handle fiat accounts. Privacy-focused coins (e.g., Monero, Zcash) and unhosted (self-custodied) wallets face extra scrutiny if used for high-risk activities, and anonymous services will be prohibited. What's false: There's no requirement for "government permission" to own or transfer individual Bitcoins (or any crypto). You can still hold Bitcoin in a personal wallet, mine it, or peer-to-peer trade it without approval, as long as it's not through a regulated service that demands KYC (know-your-customer) checks. This ties into the broader Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation (effective 2024–2026), which licenses crypto platforms but doesn't micromanage personal holdings. The "permission" angle misrepresents standard AML checks, which apply to businesses handling crypto, not everyday users. 3. Every Transaction Becoming a "Datapoint in Brussels' Surveillance Grid" What's true: Financial institutions (banks, payment providers, crypto exchanges) must report suspicious transactions to national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), which share data via a new EU-level Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) based in Frankfurt (not Brussels). CDD kicks in for occasional transactions over €10,000, and high-risk activities (e.g., complex/large transfers) get extra monitoring. Records must be kept for 5 years. What's false: Not every transaction is tracked or reported—only suspicious ones, high-value occasional deals, or those flagged under risk-based rules. Everyday purchases (e.g.,

I sat down with Toby  Gilbert, co‑founder of Pact Swap, to dig into how he went from years in telecoms to building infrastructure for the Web3 era. We talk about the problems in decentralized exchanges, why cross‑chain and native Bitcoin support matter, and how Pact Swap is positioning itself to offer DEX functionality at central‑exchange price levels — without KYC and heavy overheads. If you've ever wondered how innovation in DEX infrastructure happens behind the scenes, this episode is for you.Key Learnings[00:01:00] Toby's entry into blockchain came via a deep infrastructure dev friend who highlighted the scaling pain‑points of incompatible chains.[00:02:00] Unlike many who start with Bitcoin or Ethereum apps, Toby started “far further upstream” building infrastructure.[00:03:00] Pact Swap is a cross‑chain DEX that supports native Bitcoin — tackling usability and cost issues with current solutions.[00:04:00] The architecture: Rather than locking hundreds of millions in validator collateral, Pact Swap uses per‑trade collateral and reactive smart‑contracts — making swaps ~95% cheaper than some competitors.[00:05:00] Their go‑to‑market is B2C + B2B (gaming companies, gateways, merchants) — enabling non‑crypto businesses to accept a variety of tokens and instantly swap to stable tokens without KYC overhead.[00:11:00] They're launching a governance & utility token: holders will access fee‑pools, burn tokens to unlock collateral — adding a “gamified” arbitrage model.[00:13:00] Misconception: “Are cross‑chain DEXs safe?” Toby explains how Pact Swap avoids bridges and uses a new architecture to keep it secure.[00:17:00] Big benchmark: Toby expects $0.5 billion/day of trade volume by end‑2026 — scaling to centralized‑exchange levels.[00:18:00] Advice for founders: Be ready to pivot, understand regulation, budget accordingly, and build team culture with open conversation.[00:21:00] On DeFi's next phase: User experience must evolve to bring in non‑crypto users and expand liquidity sources.[00:24:00] On raising: “Build product first, not just a pitch deck” — traction matters more than buzzwords.DisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research.It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Connecthttps://pactswap.io/https://x.com/Pact_Swaphttps://x.com/TobyCoinwebhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-gilbert-64909855/ Be featured on this podcastBe a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton welcomes Alex Pillow, Senior Director of Partnerships & Acquisitions (Corporates & Government Unit) at Moody's and host of the podcast KYC Decoded, for a practical breakdown of how “know your customer” (KYC), third-party due diligence, and third-party risk management map directly onto modern supply chain realities. Alex demystifies integrated risk assessment, connects KYC practices to supplier onboarding and end-tier visibility, and shares where orchestration logic and high-quality data (master data management, beneficial ownership, and external risk signals) meaningfully cut time-to-decision.Alex explores today's most active threat patterns: organized fraud at scale, cyber supply-chain intrusions, and freight fraud, and how to translate visibility into action with clear mitigation pathways. Alex also spotlights lessons from investigative journalism (think massive crypto heists executed via vendor compromises), a “good team vs. bad team” mindset for program design, and why continuous improvement or the “infinite game” is the only sustainable posture for risk leaders. If you're building or leveling up TPRM and supply chain risk programs, this episode is a masterclass in combining people, data, and tooling to get ahead of disruption.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(01:27) Meet Alex Pillow from Moody's(02:14) Alex's podcast KYC Decoded and personal insights(04:49) Marathon training and personal goals(07:56) Understanding Moody's and integrated risk assessment(12:46) What is KYC and why is it important?(17:04) Parallels between KYC and supply chain management(26:09) Fraud and cybersecurity risks(31:59) Combating financial crime and corruption(34:08) Challenges faced by regulators and practitioners(35:34) The role of vendors and consultants(36:22) The Infinite Game: A call to action(39:09) Mindset shift for risk mitigation(42:48) The importance of a risk-based approach(47:54) Building a successful digital transformation toolkit(55:27) The impact of cybercrime on supply chainsAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Alex Pillow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-pillow/Check out the KYC Decoded podcast: https://www.moodys.com/web/en/us/insights/podcasts/kyc-decoded.htmlLearn more about Moody's: https://www.moodys.com Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit:

Recorded live at the Input Whispers: Jazz and Cigars event in Singapore, this special compilation episode created in partnership with Input PR, brings together four insightful conversations exploring the evolving frontiers of Web3, tokenization, fraud prevention, payments, and digital security.In this exclusive collection, co-host Josh Kriger sits down with some of the leading minds shaping the future of blockchain:Edwin Mata, CEO and co-founder of Brickken, on how Real World Assets (RWAs) and tokenization are revolutionizing capital markets and democratizing investment access.Pascal Podvin, co-founder and CRO of Nsure.ai, on leveraging AI to fight fraud and strengthen KYC in an increasingly complex crypto ecosystem.Konstantins Vasilenko, co-founder and CBDO of Paybis, on simplifying crypto onboarding, bridging fiat and digital currencies, and the global rise of crypto debit cards and stablecoins.Alex Katz, co-founder and CEO of Kerberus, on redefining real-time Web3 security, achieving zero user losses, and setting new standards for digital trust.From tokenized assets to next-generation security and payments, this episode captures the dynamic pulse of Web3 innovation straight from Singapore's vibrant crypto scene.Support us through our Sponsors! ☕