Collin Myers & Oisín Kyne: Obol Network – Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) #497

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsZx676Ef3I

Ethereum’s merge and transition to a proof-of-stake consensus implied switching from proof-of-work mining to transactions being validated by entities that have an economic stake in the network. Proof-of-stake distributed networks are subject to complex game theory models (e.g. slashing). Distributed validator technology (DVT) enables a more modular validator stack at every level: key pairs, hardware and entities. This reduces trust dependencies and increases security for validator entities.

We were joined by Collin Myers & Oisín Kyne, founders of Obol Network, to discuss Ethereum’s 2.0 PoS consensus, the current validator landscape and how distributed validator technology (DVT) allows for an increased security and overall smoother UX for validator entities.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
0:28 – Collin’s & Oisín’s backgrounds
7:46 – Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) explained
12:31 – How DVT improves user experience for different staking models
23:05 – Reducing validator costs and increasing fault tolerance through DVT
32:22 – Obol middleware approach
36:47 – Obol v.2
42:41 – Interacting with other middleware from ETH stack
50:57 – Expanding DVT to other ecosystems
56:29 – Future validator landscape
59:13 – How post-Danksharding data availability will be handled by an Obol cluster
1:01:40 – L2 Ethereum equivalence

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Collin Myers on Twitter: bit.ly/3OGu9En
– Oisín Kyne on Twitter: bit.ly/3qbul4y
– Obol Network on Twitter: bit.ly/3IGVeUk

This episode is hosted by Felix Lutsch & Meher Roy.
Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/497

#Umbra’s Stealth Payment System #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWBKhSGmWlI

Recording every transaction on a public ledger presents numerous advantages.
However…is privacy a price worth paying?

Ben DiFrancesco describes Umbra’s non-interactive stealth payment system and how it differs from other privacy tools.

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/496
#umbra #stealth #privacy #epicenter #epicenterpodcast #blockchain #crypto #web3

Ben DiFrancesco: Umbra – Privacy Preserving Token Transfers #496

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUyssphPeo4

Public transaction history in blockchains represents one of their key features which, alongside immutability, aim to provide an alternative to CeFi. However, this transparency comes at a price: privacy. As a result, different solutions have been proposed, that preserve privacy while maintaining all the other benefits of blockchain technology, but there currently isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this problem. For example, zero knowledge proofs convey the validity of a transaction batch without sharing any other details, but the underlying arithmetic circuits are both complex as well as computational intensive. Umbra proposes a system that relies completely on elliptic curve cryptography, employing multiple private-public key pairs to achieve stealth payments.

We were joined by Ben DiFrancesco, founder & CEO of ScopeLift, to talk about Umbra’s privacy preserving stealth token transfer system and if the need for privacy on blockchains outweighs any implicit UX frictions.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
0:27 – Ben’s background
7:34 – Umbra’s mission
10:04 – How Umbra works
17:21 – Non-interactive key distribution
19:40 – Potential solutions (& trade-offs) for Umbra’s computational intensity
27:41 – Generating private-public key pairs by the Umbra smart contract
32:38 – User experience (UX) for senders and receivers
39:38 – Fee structure for deterring griefing attacks
43:05 – How Umbra works for ERC20 tokens & NFTs
47:30 – Privacy preserving withdrawals from stealth addresses
54:39 – Privacy vs. UX friction
59:29 – Smart wallets & account abstraction
1:02:43 – Prioritising privacy

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Ben DiFrancesco on Twitter:
– Umbra on Twitter:
– ScopeLift on Twitter:

This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/496

#PlaytoEarn on #Avax #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2wIls9GC6k

Long criticised for their lack of fun gameplay, #BlockchainGames have evolved into immersive AAA products that rival Web2!

Emin Gün Sirer discusses the importance of a seamless UX for reaching mass adoption.

Avalanche provides the infrastructure layer for AAA games, such as Shrapnel & Gunzilla (Off the Grid).

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/495

#avax #nft #playtoearn #P2E #avalanche #shrapnel #gunzilla #blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

#AI Blockchains on AVAX (NO-CODE) #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkMBzBQomQU

In the dawn of a new tech era, one has two options: fight it or embrace it.
Emin Gün Sirer is proposing a new #Avalanche subnet that replaces code with #AI (#GPT) neutrality: no-code blockchain.
‘It’s either a great idea, or a terrible one!’

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/495

#avax #llm #blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

Emin Gün Sirer: Avalanche – The Future of Crypto: From Gaming to LLM-Powered Smart Contracts #495

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vkFMYglI6Y

As the second Avalanche summit drew to a close, Sebastien Couture and Sunny Aggarwal sat down with Emin Gün Sirer for a fascinating conversation exploring future innovation narratives in crypto. Longtime friend of Epicenter, Ava Labs’ founder and CEO shared his unique insights on the industry, from both a founder, as well as a former academia perspective.
Given Avalanche’s consensus & architecture, it boasts high TPS and scalability properties, incentivising founders to build better products in the AVAX ecosystem.

One of the most controversial narratives is that of LLMs (i.e. ChatGPT) powering smart contract development by bypassing programming languages and even bytecode altogether. The question arises if replacing the human third-party with an AI fixes trust issues or not, but only time will tell which piece of code we can actually consider ‘law’.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
1:34 – Emin’s background, from academia to running a multi-billion dollar company
5:45 – Main takeaways from the 2nd Avalanche summit
8:30 – Innovation narratives in the Avalanche ecosystem. NFTs & blockchain gaming
12:36 – The Avalanche architecture, consensus & scalability
19:07 – Avalanche’s evolution
25:08 – ChatGPT smart contracts & no-code blockchains
31:53 – Auditing AI & security
37:22 – Innovation vs. Stagnation
48:11 – Bitcoin, BTC.b & ordinals
50:34 – Bridging Cosmos with Avalanche: IBC x Warp
54:41 – Best & worst products built by crypto

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Emin Gün Sirer on Twitter: bit.ly/3prhhYh
– Avalanche on Twitter: bit.ly/41rlI2G
– Ava Labs on Twitter: bit.ly/42MwHVr
– Shrapnel on Twitter: bit.ly/3BdxrY5
– Gunzilla Games on Twitter: bit.ly/3MhwOD3

This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/495

L1s & L2s are NOT overpriced #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGaGpHLHxvo

‘When in doubt, just zoom out!’
The entire crypto industry, with all of its niches, from #PEPE to #BTC, amasses $1.19T, whereas:
‣ Amazon $1.13T
‣ Microsoft $2.32T
‣ Apple $2.73T

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/494

#a16z #dialectic #blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

a16z: How Web3 neutralises Web2’s platform risk #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOrwVqLonI

Crypto’s main value proposition is neutralising the platform risk that plagues Web2 startups. Ali Yahya, GP @ a16z discusses which types of applications could benefit from Web3’s immutable trust!

‘Code is law!’🧑‍⚖️

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/494

#a16z #blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

Ali Yahya: Andreessen Horowitz – A16z Crypto Investment Thesis #494

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnk-poMHUsM

When it comes to top-tier VCs, very few equal Andreessen Horowitz’ (a16z) impressive portfolio, which stretches over both Web2 and Web3. Their crypto venture arm includes investments in most industry verticals, from infrastructure projects to NFTs and blockchain gaming. Constructing such a solid investment thesis requires conviction in the long-term prospects of the industry, as well as an influential network.

We were joined by Ali Yahya, GP at Andreessen Horowitz, to discuss about a16z structure, operations and investment thesis, as well as the broader crypto landscape and value proposition.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
0:46 – Ali’s background
6:47 – Why Google didn’t embrace crypto
10:08 – a16z’s team structure
20:08 – The role of a GP in a VC
22:17 – a16z’s thesis when it comes to crypto investing
31:05 – Which crypto niches Ali is most bullish on
46:07 – Governance vs. platform risk
50:05 – Valuation-based investments
59:23 – Protocol revenue and monetary premium for L1s
1:03:34 – Token vs. Equity
1:07:56 – How to prevent banking crisis contagion for crypto projects

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Ali Yahya on Twitter: bit.ly/3VteI3L
– a16z crypto: bit.ly/3HD9KvJ
– a16z: bit.ly/3LQhVY6

This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/494

Jose Macedo: Mars Protocol – Red Bank’ Credit on Cosmos via Osmosis #493

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-3TkxyCIP0

The end of 2022 and beginning of 2023 were marked by centralised institutions failing: from CEXes to CeFi itself, contagion spread quickly in over-leveraged and opaque entities. Amidst this chaos, (crypto)people turned their hopes, once again, to DeFi. However, in lack of traditional enforcing mechanisms, not even battle-tested decentralised lending protocols could find a solution to provide under-collateralised loans, aka credit. Mars Protocol, with its unique hub & outposts architecture, aims to answer this need in the Cosmos ecosystem, by deploying on Osmosis and tapping into its deep liquidity. From manual leverage to credit and yield farming, Mars will feature a wide suite of DeFi products.

We were joined by Jose Macedo, founder of Delphi Labs, to discuss the history of Delphi Digital, their learnings from incubating projects and the vision behind Mars’ ‘Red Bank’ DeFi products.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
0:40 – Jose’s background
3:28 – Delphi Digital’s history
6:55 – Incubating projects on Solana and Terra
10:22 – Learning from Terra
17:56 – The vision behind Mars Protocol
25:12 – Mars’ DeFi suite
29:49 – Different risk parameters and collaterals
33:41 – Mars’ module architecture (outposts) in the Cosmos ecosystem
44:21 – How Mars Protocol differs from Osmosis
47:30 – Mars Protocol roadmap & Mars v.2
50:02 – Ecosystem accelerator

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Jose Macedo on Twitter: bit.ly/3AzkXcH
– Delphi Labs on Twitter: bit.ly/3Ld27gw
– Delphi Digital on Twitter: bit.ly/3LDjKaA
– Mars Protocol on Twitter: bit.ly/41JtDJF
– Astroport on Twitter: bit.ly/427vQy6
– Osmosis on Twitter: bit.ly/3ABxJHW

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/493

#KYVE #Data Lakes Explained #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsRa_WXXE80

#KYVE Network leverages #Arweave to offer a decentralised storing solution for full node #data of any blockchain network.
John Letey explains how the validators upload and vote on data correctness in a trustless way.

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/492

#blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

John Letey: KYVE – Decentralised and Accessible Data Storage #492

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bnR4NsswCw

We often take data storage for granted, but the rise of centralised storing facilities (i.e. AWS, GCP, Azure, etc.) hangs over like Damocles’ sword. When it comes to blockchains, full nodes store that network’s complete data history. Even if storage costs are set to decrease as technology evolves, so do blockchains accumulate more data over time. An interesting solution would be to create a decentralised backup for blockchain data and Arweave is a prime candidate for it. There is but a missing link represented by uploading and validating different blockchains’ data. This is where KYVE steps in, offering a decentralised validating solution to verify uploaded blockchain data and even retrieve it from Arweave, on demand. This also extends to off-chain data, opening new possibilities for data availability and scalability.

We were joined by John Letey, founder and CTO of KYVE Network, to discuss the challenges and use cases of decentralised data storage and how blockchain interoperability could benefit from it.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
1:50 – John’s background
6:25 – Why KYVE migrated to a Cosmos app-chain
14:07 – High-level explanation of KYVE
17:45 – KYVE’s data pools and data streams
22:58 – How KYVE connects to Arweave
25:54 – Validating uploaded blockchain data
28:48 – How Arweave works
41:10 – KYVE v.2
43:52 – How slashing is handled
45:59 – KYVE use cases
54:48 – Future roadmap

Links mentioned in this episode:
– John Letey on Twitter: bit.ly/40ici8V
– KYVE Network on Twitter: bit.ly/3KHLuJw
– KYVE Network: https://bit.ly/3KydgIk
– Arweave: https://bit.ly/3Kyd0sQ

This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Felix Lutsch. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/492

#Uqbar: Smart contracts on #Urbit #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeD2Lc6Yfkk

Q: How do you rewrite the entire tech stack as a truly decentralised, P2P network like #Urbit and still have it perform computation on external input in a native way?🤔

A: #Uqbar solves this!

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/491

#blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #p2p #shorts

Tim Galebach: Uqbar – Smart Contracts on Urbit #491

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stEn6RacXtY

Building a truly decentralised, peer-to-peer network, based on a built-in identity system, limits the ecosystem’s interoperability with the outside world. Onboarding developers and users to Urbit was only the first hurdle. On-ramping crypto was a whole different & daunting task. Uqbar set out to build an execution layer on top of Urbit, enabling smart contracts, which would ultimately settle, via a ZK rollup, on Starknet.

We were joined by Tim Galebach, founder of Uqbar, to discuss the different design choices involved, from Hoon programming DevEx to a hybrid ZK-optimistic rollup.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
1:15 – Tim’s background
6:55 – Urbit explained
16:24 – How Uqbar took shape
20:25 – Integrating crypto in the Urbit stack
32:45 – Hoon’s usability and DevEx
39:44 – AI-enabled Uqbar
44:29 – Uqbar interoperability
54:55 – Rollup vs. L1 approach for Uqbar
59:24 – Hybrid ZK-optimistic rollup
1:09:53 – Getting from programming in Hoon to ZK proofs
1:22:07 – Use cases for Uqbar & Urbit

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Tim Galebach on Twitter: https://bit.ly/40aasqX
– Uqbar on Twitter: bit.ly/43yjPmY
– Urbit on Twitter: bit.ly/43xHvYU
– Uqbar: http://bit.ly/3GHtSfA

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/491

#PlaytoEarn Economies #shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FBCjF4pxZw

Web2 gamers are extremely reluctant when it comes to #NFTs & #BlockchainGaming. Their main argument: it would transform the game into a job.
But weren’t Web2 games already heavily monetised?
Ryan Zurrer discusses in-game economies & incentivisation models in #playtoearn games.

Follow us on Twitter: @epicenterbtc
You can find the entire discussion here:
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/490

#blockchain #epicenterpodcast #crypto #web3 #epicenter #shorts

Laurence Ion & Vincent Weisser: Vita DAO – From DeSci to Longevity Research #488

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpo7h6MTXZQ

Scientific research & publishing are gruelling tasks that extend outside the scope of science itself. Centralised publications abound in archaic practices that span from submitting a paper to getting it peer-reviewed and finally published, process which may take even up to years. In addition, research requires funding from very early stages of pursuing an idea, all the way to its finality (i.e. clinical trial or real-life applications). In TradSci (traditional science), funding is usually obtained once progress has already been achieved or when a startup has been formed.

DeSci (decentralised science) sets out to change this paradigm by funding early stage research via DAOs. When it comes to scientific publications, peer reviewing is also decentralised and incentivised, considerably speeding up the process. Moreover, contributions can be clearly retraced, avoiding false claims over IP, and the research itself becomes much more easily accessible and disseminated.

We were joined by Vincent Weisser & Laurence Ion, stewards of Vita DAO, to discuss the advantages of DeSci in general, and the progress of longevity research in particular.

Topics discussed in this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
01:46 – Vincent’s background and his interest in longevity
12:24 – Laurence’s background and his interest in biotech
17:40 – The purpose of DeSci
29:19 – Which science branch is better suited for DeSci
37:10 – How DeSci fixes contribution acknowledgement & contribution acknowledgement
41:51 – From research idea to startup via DeSci funding
46:09 – $VITA token utility
49:04 – Accelerating scientific publishing via DeSci
58:43 – How IP is attributed in a DeSci setting
1:05:42 – Project review and governance in Vita DAO

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Vincent Weisser: http://bit.ly/3FGA9I4
– Laurence Ion: http://bit.ly/3FGAkTK
– Vita DAO: http://bit.ly/3LFpwsV
– Molecule DAO: http://bit.ly/3TEantR
– Vita DAO projects: http://bit.ly/3ZlWmlW
– Molecule: http://bit.ly/3FQlgmB
– Bio DAO launchpad: http://bit.ly/40ssdCa
– The Longevity Prize: http://bit.ly/40xutIt
– The Longevity Decentralized Review: http://bit.ly/3JIPxF3

This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/488

David Schwartz & Jordi Baylina: Polygon zkEVM – From Mainnet to Mass Adoption – Part 2 #487

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3LUgsktss

While Part 1 (#486) focused on the technological advancements that allowed proofs to be generated in a practical manner, lowering both the time and the hardware requirements, in this episode, we take a closer look at the use cases of different types of zk rollups and how they could promote blockchain mass adoption. Polygon’s zk EVM equivalence, coupled with low transaction fees, promise a frictionless user experience. As with all L2 rollups, sequencer decentralisation remains a pressing issue that needs to be solved.

We were joined by Jordi Baylina (tech lead) & David Schwartz (CTO) from Polygon’s zkEVM, to discuss the relationship between Polygon’s multiple zk rollups, their use cases, as well as network statistics for zk-EVM.

Topics discussed in this episode:
0:00 – Introduction
1:46 – The relationship between Polygon and zkEVM
3:55 – The differences between Polygon’s multiple zk rollups
9:24 – Network participant roles in zkEVM
14:09 – Transaction submission stages
17:49 – Sequencer decentralisation
22:21 – Transaction costs
29:25 – Use cases for different zk rollups
32:52 – Open-sourceness, decentralisation and the licensing of zkEVM’s prover
41:01 – The decentralised identity project (DID)
50:00 – Roadmap after main-net launch

Links mentioned in this episode:
– Polygon zkEVM – From Circuits to Mainnet – Part 1: http://bit.ly/40c06Hl
– Jordi Baylina on Twitter: bit.ly/3JsyhFb
– David Schwartz on Twitter: bit.ly/3JusTBB
– Polygon zkEVM on Twitter: bit.ly/3LehzuE

Sponsors:
– Omni: Access all of Web3 in one easy-to-use wallet! Earn and manage assets at once with Omni’s built-in staking, yield vaults, bridges, swaps and NFT support.
https://omni.app/ –

This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: https://epicenter.tv/487