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The Latest Development

The Latest Development

di Exo Tech

Educazione Tecnologia

Stagione 2

SP3ND Explained: Pay With Solana & Stablecoins on Amazon, Shopify & More (No KYC)

🎙️ The Latest Development – The Summit Series Ep. 5 Cruising Salt Lake City in the Jeep with Josh from SP3ND (@SP3NDdotshop) Pulling out of the MtnDAO office for Episode 5 of The Summit Series! Host Dirt sits down with Josh (aka @jpsychedelic369), co-founder of SP3ND — the easiest way to buy anything on Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and more using your stablecoins (no KYC, no debit card, no headaches). From Texas boys building in Web3, to getting debanked and turning frustration into a real product, Josh breaks down: How SP3ND works as your personal checkout concierge (paste any product link → pay in crypto → delivered anywhere) Their insane 45% new-user retention rate (way above e-commerce averages) The upcoming Shopify module, browser extension, agent integration, and plans to make shopping with crypto even more seamless Why real customer service still matters in Web3 Delivering to 48+ countries, unexpected volume from Europe & Asia, and building a loyal cult community Shot while cruising the beautiful streets (and mountain views) of Salt Lake City during MtnDAO — this is real talk, founder chemistry, and practical insights you can actually use. If you've ever wanted to SP3ND your magic internet money on everyday items without swapping, fees, or friction… this episode is for you. Timestamps 00:00 – Pulling out of MtnDAO 01:50 – Who is Josh & how he met his co-founder 04:30 – The SP3ND origin story (the debanking moment) 07:45 – How the product actually works 12:00 – User journey, retention, and organic growth 18:30 – Returns, customer service & why it matters 23:00 – Financial model, future roadmap & browser extension 28:00 – Unexpected countries are booming! 32:00 – Pitch day stories & live delivery stunt at MtnDAO Guest: Josh (@jpsychedelic369) – COO & Co-Founder of SP3ND Follow SP3ND: 🌐 https://sp3nd.shop X: @SP3NDdotshop The Latest Development is presented by EXO Hosted by Dirt The Summit Series – filmed on location in Salt Lake City during MtnDAO Drop a like if you're ready to SP3ND your stablecoins 👇 Comment your biggest crypto spending pain point — we'll reply! #SP3ND #Stablecoins #Solana #CryptoShopping #AmazonWithCrypto #MtnDAO #Web3Ecommerce #SummitSeries

QuickNode: Mike MacCana on Cryptography Roots, Solana Adoption & Future-Proof Privacy

In Ep 4 of The Summit Series on The Latest Development podcast — presented by EXO and hosted by Dirt — we hit the road in a Jeep cruising up the stunning snowy Wasatch mountains surrounding Salt Lake City, Utah. Joining Dirt is Mike MacCana, Solana Developer Relations at QuickNode, a cryptography veteran, former Node.js contributor, and deep Solana ecosystem builder (Solana Kite, Sandstorm Hackathon prize winner, and more). This candid, unfiltered conversation covers: - Mike's journey from avoiding crypto entirely (while running a cryptography/PKI/SSL optimization company from 2015–2020) → getting air-dropped ETH for Node.js contributions → discovering Solana's speed in late 2021 → quitting his equities trading platform job to build a Solana wallet. - Early frustrations with slow blockchains vs. the "fast and cheap" promise that drew him to Solana. - Deep dives into cryptography history (RSA origins, ancient ciphers, post-quantum tech) and schooling traditional cryptographers. - Building privacy-preserving apps on Solana using Arcium — the encrypted supercomputer enabling confidential computing. - Creating private on-chain elections (votes stay encrypted, only the winner/tally revealed at the end), blind commercial negotiations/auctions, and why Arcium feels like a game-changer for developers (just write normal Rust/Anchor code and get encrypted execution). - Solana's unique "quadfecta" (fast, cheap, decentralized, with real users) vs. other chains, plus the emerging "quinfecta" with privacy. - Everyday hidden Solana adoption (PayPal/Venmo users unknowingly holding Solana addresses for pyUSD), underexplored knowledge gaps, and Mike's mission at QuickNode: empowering Solana devs to build awesome stuff. Shot entirely on-location with epic mountain views, canyon roads, and SLC vibes — this is crypto talk the way it should be: real, raw, and rolling through the Wasatch. Timestamps (approximate): - 00:00 – Jeep intro & safety vibes - ~01:30 – Mike's pre-crypto cryptography world - ~07:00 – Discovering Solana via Twitter Spaces - ~12:00 – Building wallets & early Solana days - ~20:00+ – Arcium deep dive: encrypted elections, blind auctions, Arcium magic - ~Last section – Solana's edge, QuickNode role, and future of privacy onchain If you're a Solana dev, cryptography nerd, or just love mountain drives with real builder convos — this one's for you. Subscribe to The Latest Development for more builder-focused episodes from the front lines of decentralized tech. Presented by EXO. Follow: - Mike MacCana: https://x.com/mikemaccana - QuickNode on X: @QuicknodeSolana | https://quicknode.com - EXO: https://exotechnologies.xyz #EXO #EXOTech #TheLatestDevelopment #Solana #QuickNode #Arcium #PrivacyOnchain #Crypto #Web3 #SolanaDevelopment #ConfidentialComputing #SummitSeries #SaltLakeCity #WasatchMountains

Chomp Founder: The Plan to Gamify What We Really Think

The Latest Development Podcast – Summit Series Ep. 3 Guest: Isaac from Chomp (@chompdotfyi) Hosted by Dirt | Presented by EXO Cruising up the snowy Wasatch mountains in the jeep, host Dirt sits down with Isaac from Chomp during the legendary mtnDAO crypto workshop in Salt Lake City. Filmed on-location as part of the high-energy gathering, this episode captures the raw builder vibes, mountain air, and unfiltered conversation that only happens at elevation. Isaac dives deep into: - How Chomp began as a crypto-native experiment but is now pivoting hard toward mainstream web2 audiences 🔥 - Building an "honesty layer" for the internet: a market that surfaces what people actually believe on subjective topics where opinions shift daily (no objective outcomes like traditional prediction markets) - Why high "belief drift" spaces like daily reality TV episodes make the perfect proving ground (new episode = instant opinion flip = massive conversation) - The Surprisingly Popular algorithm (from the 2017 Nature paper) and how Chomp’s game-theoretic design rewards honest takes + smart crowd predictions - Three-part payout system: nail the crowd percentage, get bonus for surprisingly unpopular (but correct) minority views, reward novel/non-redundant opinions - iOS app launch targeted for mid-April 2026 — starting with fun, addictive question formats. - Chompy the mascot, limited-edition stuffies, the exclusive “Chompy’s Angels” Telegram crew, and Isaac’s closing mantra: peace, love, wellness, and radical honesty — in games and in life Whether you’re grinding at mtnDAO, deep in crypto twitter, or live-tweeting your favorite reality show, this episode shows how incentives + blockchain can finally capture real human beliefs at internet speed. Huge thanks to the entire mtnDAO crew for the unreal energy, connections, and mountain magic that made this Summit Series episode possible. Special shoutout to EXO for powering the series. Follow Chomp: Twitter/X: @chompdotfyi (spell out the dot!) Website: chomp.fyi (stay tuned for launch updates) Follow the show: Subscribe for more Summit Series episodes — builder convos in the jeep, straight from mtnDAO and the slopes 🏔️⛷️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Jeep cruise + mtnDAO workshop intro 01:30 – Chomp’s origin story & shift from crypto to mainstream 04:30 – Targeting gossip, reality TV & rapid belief drift 08:00 – Why Love Island = Chomp rocket fuel 12:00 – Subjective belief markets vs classic prediction markets 18:00 – Surprisingly Popular mechanism breakdown 24:00 – Payout math: accuracy + surprise + novelty rewards 29:00 – Mid-April 2026 iOS launch & early question vibes 32:00 – Final thoughts: peace, love, honesty & living well #mtnDAO #Chomp #SummitSeries #CryptoWorkshop #RealityTV #LoveIsland #PredictionMarkets #Solana #Web3 #HonestyLayer #EXO #SaltLakeCity #MountainBuilders

From Saskatchewan Mines to Solana Privacy: Jerk Terror’s 12-Year Crypto Run

The Summit Series Episode 2 of The Latest Development (presented by EXO, hosted by Dirt)! Filmed in the Jeep en route to Snowbird for mtnDAO week two in Salt Lake City — raw, real-time builder conversation with mountain views. Dirt talks with Jerk (@hydex_io), co-founder/CEO of Hydex: a 12+ year crypto veteran sharing his journey from Bitcoin mining in Saskatchewan to ICO wins, NFT projects, DAO governance lessons, and why privacy is now critical for Solana. Condensed timestamps (minutes:seconds format): 0:07 – Intro & cruising up to mtnDAO week two 0:24 – Why mtnDAO feels different: high-signal building, integrations, feedback > standard conferences 1:05 – Previous guest Beard (mtnDAO co-founder); ideal spot for shipping products, finding users, getting real feedback 1:40 – Jerk’s background: 10–12 years in crypto, started with mining to deeply understand Bitcoin 2:27 – Lifelong tech tinkerer (hardware/software since childhood) 3:13 – 2017 Saskatoon mining farm (400 rigs, custom -40°C overclock cooling) 4:18 – ICO successes (ETH, Zilliqa private seed), Tron trading simulator 5:23 – Full-time crypto life through bears & bulls 6:08 – Psychedelics-themed NFT project (Sideye) originally planned for Solana, built on Polygon 7:46 – NFT hype tail-end lessons; utility vs. scams 9:45 – NFTs evolving to RWAs; power of bespoke communities & DAO governance challenges (Verbs DAO experience) 12:59 – AI tooling to fix DAO decision-making (async, consensus without endless chats) 14:28 – Privacy excitement: essential layer as AI profiling rises; right to private transactions 15:38 – Privacy isn’t just for dark markets — normal people deserve financial discretion 16:42 – Building software (not centralized products) reduces regulatory pressure; true on-chain privacy 18:19 – Hydex origin: team bonded through hardship; Cypherpunk hackathon win with Zcash → Solana privacy bridge 19:48 – Bridge keeps Zcash shielded privacy intact after landing on Solana 20:36 – Roadmap: validator, LST with Zcash rewards, Layer 33 collab, privacy-focused RPC exploration 22:55 – Hydentity: encrypted .sol domains via vault (hides full on-chain history) + custom privacy router 25:01 – User-first UX: simple app + SDK for seamless wallet integration (Backpack, Solflare, etc.) 26:39 – Simulations validate strong privacy; protocol protects users from mistakes 27:32 – AI in dev workflows: must-have but needs structure to avoid refactoring chaos 29:18 – Arrival at the mountain; Hydex socials & website 29:41 – Outro: thanks, Super Team Canada plug, “best time to be building” Hydex focuses on effortless Solana privacy: encrypted .sol domains (Hydentity), Zcash bridge, shielded tools, and protocol-level routing so users stay private without complexity. Connect with Jerk / Hydex X/Twitter: @hydex_io Website: https://hydex.io On-location mountain-road energy straight from the Solana builder scene at mtnDAO. Subscribe for more Summit Series and builder conversations on The Latest Development — hosted by Dirt, presented by EXO. #Solana #mtnDAO #Privacy #Hydex #Crypto #Web3 #SolanaPrivacy #Snowbird #SummitSeries #SaltLakeCity

From mtnDAO Hub to Trading Superapp: Inside Ranger’s Roadmap

The Summit Series kicks off with host Dirt chauffeuring Barrett (co-founder of Ranger Finance & mtnDAO) through Salt Lake City for a candid, on-the-go conversation about building in crypto, the power of co-working spaces, AI adoption, and the future of decentralized finance on Solana. Recorded while driving out of the mtnDAO office, Barrett shares insights into mtnDAO's evolution into a premier builder hub for Solana and beyond, Ranger Finance's roadmap as a unified trading superapp (from perps aggregation to upcoming prediction markets, vaults, mobile, and more), and why now is the perfect time to build amid market dips. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome to the Summit Series; Barrett joins from Ranger Finance & mtnDAO (driving out of the office). 00:30 – What is mtnDAO? Co-working for Solana/crypto builders, recent expansion to 14,500 sq ft in downtown SLC, attracting AI folks and diverse builders. 01:15 – Office upgrades, culture, dream setup for remote workers, provided lunches, networking, and fast user growth/testing. 02:20 – Secret teams, workshops, mobile dev handouts; excitement around AI agents as an unlock, not distraction. 02:35 – AI as productivity multiplier; advice for founders/teams: just start playing/experimenting with LLMs, like early Google search mastery. 03:40 – Optimizing agents like managing humans; iterative learning from one to many agents. 04:45 – Diving into Ranger: excitement over pipeline (prediction markets soon, mobile app in progress despite Apple delays, Earn/vaults priority, growing TVL). 05:50 – Current ~$24M TVL in vaults; goal to hit nine figures in Q1; need better marketing of products. 06:40 – Vision: end-to-end financial management platform (perps, spot, prediction markets, yield optimization). 07:30 – Prediction markets details: aqua-hire of Four Markets team, own DEX (auditing), plus aggregation for liquidity/arbitrage. 08:20 – Aggregation roots (started with perps due to no aggregators then); belief in app-layer monetization and abstraction for mainstream users. 09:20 – Moving beyond chain tribalism; integrating top venues like Hyperliquid; new Solana perps (Bulk Trade, Phoenix, Bullet). 10:30 – Importance of perps for DeFi velocity and capital attraction; app layer as the sticky user touchpoint. 11:40 – Full future vision: seamless on/off ramps, one app for banking, equities, crypto trading (consumer + prosumer bifurcated experiences). 13:20 – Dual front-ends for cohorts; treating them almost as separate apps while sharing backend engine. 14:15 – Balancing running Ranger + mtnDAO; mtnDAO now largely self-running with strong culture and ops team. 15:00 – mtnDAO as a builder machine; future case study potential; people > place; Solana shipping ethos elevated. 16:50 – Talent wins from mtnDAO (e.g., Voltar → vaults/Earn, Forum Markets team). 17:50 – Personal story: how attending mtnDAO years ago changed everything from casual listener to deep in the space. 19:00 – Shoutouts & closing: Ranger updates coming (more tweets, app overhaul); build through bears, noise is gone—prime time; touch snow, enjoy life, stick around. Tune in for real talk on crypto building, AI acceleration, and why Ranger is positioning itself as Solana's go-to trading superapp. Peace! 🚗🏔️

Stagione 1

Solana to $10K? Parker on DFDV, Digital Oil & the Future of Finance

🎙 The Latest Development Podcast | Solana to $10K? Parker (DFDV) on Building the Digital Economy In this high-signal episode of The Latest Development, host Dirt welcomes Parker — COO & CIO of DeFi Dev Corp (NASDAQ: DFDV) — for a deep dive into Solana, public crypto companies, and the future of finance. Parker drops his bold SOL to $10,000 thesis, explains why experiencing Solana on-chain beats any spreadsheet, and shares how DFDV is building an active Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) that treats SOL as productive “digital oil.” From his early finance roots and Kraken days to launching one of the top-performing Nasdaq stocks of 2025, this conversation is packed with conviction and actionable insights. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Welcome 00:29 Parker’s Bold Thesis: Why SOL Goes to $10,000 02:36 User Experience Argument – Try Solana for Yourself 03:08 Parker’s Backstory: From Homeschool to Bitcoin & Kraken 06:38 Founding DeFi Dev Corp – The Kraken Connection 07:15 Why Go Public? The Bridge Between TradFi and DeFi 10:11 MicroStrategy Inspiration & Active vs Passive Treasury 11:45 SOL as “Digital Oil” – Why Build an Operating Business 12:02 Running Validators as a Public Company 14:03 DFDV’s Business Model, Staking, LSTs & On-Chain Strategies 16:08 DFDV Stock vs DFDV SOL – Target Audience & On-Chain Token (DFDVx) 18:28 Liquidity Challenges for On-Chain Public Stocks 22:46 Arbitrage Opportunity for Enterprising Individuals 25:28 Should Solana Ever Go Public? 27:56 Solana as a Digital Economy (Not Just a Company) 33:25 Misunderstood Aspects of Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) 34:48 Debt, Leverage & Why No Margin Calls 35:38 NAV Premiums – Why Active DATs Deserve Tech Valuations 39:39 International Expansion & Franchising Model (DFDV UK + more) 46:04 Final Takeaways: SOL to $10K & DFDV to 1 SOL Per Share Key Topics Covered: SOL to $10K thesis and first-principles on-chain experience DFDV’s journey as a top-performing Nasdaq stock in 2025 Growing SOL per share as the North Star (current ~0.07 → target 1.0) Validator operations, LST strategies, stake looping & DeFi yield Tokenized stock on Solana (DFDVx via Jupiter) Clearing misconceptions around leverage, NAV, and volatility Global brand expansion and local market adaptations Guest: Parker White (@TheOtherParker_) – COO & CIO, DeFi Dev Corp Host: Dirt Presented by EXO If you're bullish on Solana, DeFi, or innovative public crypto vehicles, this episode is essential listening. 👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | Share your thoughts in the comments — where do you see SOL and DFDV heading? Links: DeFi Dev Corp: https://defidevcorp.com Follow Parker: https://x.com/TheOtherParker_ Follow DFDV: https://x.com/DefiDevCorp #Solana #DFDV #DeFi #Crypto #SolanaTo10000 #DigitalAssetTreasury #NASDAQ #Blockchain

Earn the Way You Want to Earn: Gamma's ML-Powered DeFi Agents with Samiar

The Latest Development – EXO Tech Podcast Hosted by Mike | Guest: Samiar from Gamma (@_gammafi) In this episode, Mike sits down with Samiar, founder of Gamma to dive deep into the future of accessible DeFi yield on Solana and beyond. Discover how Gamma uses advanced ML models and proprietary data pipelines to automate delta-neutral stablecoin strategies, delivering hands-off, high-yield portfolios via tokenized agents—no manual rebalancing, no liquidation worries. From building robust data infra for protocols like MarginFi, Jito, and Bonk, to creating "wealth management for the future," Samiar shares the journey, real performance (e.g., ~30% APR in closed beta), and upcoming expansions: SOL agents, RWA strategies, precious metals, and an autonomous hedge fund-style manager that dynamically allocates across agents. They discuss stablecoin dominance (USDC/USDT vs. native yield-bearing options), why building your own data beats relying on others, token utility plans (revenue sharing, staking perks like priority deposits via cash queue), and why slow, steady DeFi compounding beats chasing pumps—especially in volatile markets. Perfect for anyone tired of micromanaging positions and ready to let ML-optimized agents make your money work 24/7. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome 00:44 Samiar's Journey: Fibonacci to Gamma 03:21 Building Reliable Data Pipelines 07:45 Stablecoin Revenue & Ecosystem Thoughts 12:57 Gamma's Delta-Neutral Agent Explained 15:36 Future Agents: SOL, RWA, Hedge Fund Manager 22:19 GM Token Utility & Revenue Flow 35:04 Customizable Agents & Onboarding Vision 43:14 Final Thoughts & Beta Access Follow Gamma: @_gammafi Follow Samiar: @RealSamiar Subscribe for more cutting-edge DeFi, Solana, and crypto insights! #DeFi #Solana #YieldFarming #Gamma #CryptoPodcast #DeltaNeutral #MLinDeFi #EXOTech #EXO #Crypto #StableCoins #TheLatestDevelopment #TLD #TLDR #Hype #FYP

Why the Public Internet Can’t Scale Crypto – DoubleZero’s Plan to Fix It

The Latest Development – EXO Tech Podcast Mike sits down with Austin Fedora (formerly Solana Foundation) — co-founder of DoubleZero — to dive deep into one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in crypto. From leaving Solana to become the man with the plan to build a high-performance, permissionless fiber network designed to make blockchains (starting with Solana) dramatically faster than the public internet — Austin is unlocking real high-frequency trading performance for DeFi and beyond. Topics covered: Why the public internet can’t support 1M TPS blockchains Lessons from high-frequency trading & traditional finance networks How DoubleZero uses dedicated fiber + multicast to beat internet latency The future of validator economics and block production Why Solana is the hardest (and best) first use case Expansion beyond crypto: AI, hot storage (Shelby), breaking cloud walled gardens Hiring & fundraising wisdom from someone who’s lived both Solana and startup life Whether you’re a validator, trader, builder, or just crypto-curious about what comes after software optimization — this is a must-listen on the physical layer that could accelerate the entire industry by a decade. Timestamps / Chapters: 0:00 – Intro & why we skipped the countdown 0:50 – From Solana Foundation to building DoubleZero 4:30 – The moment he decided to leave & become a fiber nerd 8:20 – Team & hiring lessons from Solana days 13:00 – Brutally honest advice on hiring & VCs 19:00 – Is Solana ready? Other chains building for DoubleZero 23:00 – Breaking cloud walled gardens (AWS, Google, egress fees) 28:00 – Web2 + Web3 future use cases (AI data movement) 36:00 – Microwave vs fiber – what HFT actually uses today 43:00 – Low-level optimization & why crypto networking lags 49:00 – Spicy take: Should validators even make money? 51:00 – Multicast – the hidden accelerator coming soon 🎙️ Guest: Austin Fedora – Co-founder, DoubleZero 🎙️ Host: Mike – EXO Tech 📺 Subscribe for more deep dives into crypto infrastructure, scaling, and the next wave of performance. #Solana #DoubleZero #CryptoInfrastructure #BlockchainScaling #DeFi #HighFrequencyTrading #Web3

Keep Asking Why: How Superteam Canada Builds the Next Wave of Solana Founders | Fibs

In this episode of The Latest Development Podcast by EXO Tech, host Mike aka Dirt sits down with Fibonacci aka Fibs, a core member of Superteam Canada (and Lucid Drakes) to dive deep into how they’re fueling the growth of Solana builders across the country. From busting common founder delusions (like thinking user onboarding is easy) to navigating the shift toward internet capital markets and real-world assets (RWAs), Fibs shares candid insights on builder sentiment, hackathon success, mentorship gaps, fundraising challenges, and why persistence + talking to users is everything. Key highlights: - What Superteam Canada actually does: community events, co-working, membership (nearing 100 top Canadian talents), hackathons, and ecosystem partnerships - How Solana builders keep shipping no matter price action - The evolving role of Superteam: from grassroots startup support to institutional relationships and bridging fintech traditions with blockchain innovation - Why 2026 could be the year Solana truly changes the world through accessible finance and global impact projects - Advice for new builders: Keep asking "why" — talk to users relentlessly Whether you're a dev, non-technical founder, vibe-coder, or just Solana-curious in Canada, this conversation is packed with real talk on grit, iteration, co-founder matching, runway realities, and the path from idea to impact. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Founder Delusions 01:09 - Fibs' own disillusionment entering Superteam 02:18 - Adapting to Solana's "internet capital markets" narrative 06:23 - What is Superteam Canada? Membership, events, & impact 08:33 - Builder sentiment in bear markets 12:48 - Funding model: Solana Foundation, sponsors, no profit pressure 16:31 - Onboarding builders: Ideal traits (grit, growth mindset, insanity) 19:36 - Technical vs non-technical founders + vibe coding rise 24:23 - Common walls: Go-to-market, traction funding gap in Canada 27:40 - Mentorship growth & tapping ecosystem wisdom 32:52 - What Superteams might be missing: Early VC involvement & pathways 39:08 - Final advice: Talk to users & keep asking why 41:18 - The rise of RWAs & fintech on Solana in 2026 Guest: Fibonacci (@fibonacci_sol) – Superteam Canada core member, ex-FinTech founder, Solana believer Host: Mike If you're building on Solana or want to join the Canadian wave → Check out Superteam Canada: https://superteam.ca/ Follow Superteam Canada on X: https://x.com/SuperteamCAN Global Superteam: https://superteam.fun/ Drop a like if you're grinding on Solana, comment your biggest takeaway or delusion you've overcome, and subscribe for more builder stories, ecosystem deep dives, and no-BS crypto convos. #Solana #SuperteamCanada #SolanaBuilders #CryptoCanada #Web3 #Blockchain #Hackathons #RWAs #InternetCapitalMarkets #SolanaEcosystem #Founders

Layer33: Decentralizing Solana from the Ground Up w/ Nicky Scanz, Founder

### YouTube Description In this episode of the TLD Podcast, host Dirt (aka Mike) sits down with Nicky Scanz, founder of Layer33 – a new coalition of independent Solana validators aimed at preserving and strengthening Solana’s decentralization. Fresh off their indie SOL pool launch and a standout presence at Breakpoint, Nicky shares his journey into Solana: from minting Degen Ape Academy NFTs on the legendary Sollet mobile web app in 2021, to becoming CEO of DAA, working at Marinade, and now founding Layer33. They dive deep into: - Why 33% stake on truly independent validators is the key safety threshold for Solana’s long-term decentralization - The alarming trend of independent validators shutting down and stake funneling toward institutional operators - How Layer33 unites top indie validators to build products, pool resources, and compete for institutional stake - Upcoming Layer33 tools (RPC service, transaction landing, and bigger secret projects) - The future of staking innovation (shoutout to Pi Finance), institutional adoption, and whether the Solana Foundation should stick around forever A must-watch for anyone who cares about Solana staying fast, cheap, AND decentralized for decades to come. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro & Congrats on Layer33 Indie SOL Pool Launch 00:21 - Dirt or Mike? The host’s name transition debate 00:55 - Nicky’s origin story: How he got into Solana 01:10 - Discovering NFTs in 2021 via Degen Ape Academy & Sollet wallet 02:34 - From NFT collector → full-time at DAA → CEO → Marinade → Layer33 04:03 - Nostalgia for Sollet, Phantom, and early Solana wallets 05:27 - Why NFTs were the ultimate crypto onboarding experience 06:56 - The meaning behind the name "Layer33" (33% decentralization threshold) 08:55 - Technical explanation: Why 33% indie stake makes Solana "safe in perpetuity" 11:02 - Responding to the trend of indie validators shutting down 13:00 - Layer33’s vision: Multiple validator coalitions hitting 33% together 14:11 - Criteria for joining Layer33 (performance + resource commitment) 17:03 - Economic incentives, co-ownership, and revenue-sharing for validators 19:13 - Diversifying revenue streams to keep indie validators profitable long-term 21:45 - Early governance: Telegram channels, enthusiastic contributors, and post-Breakpoint momentum 25:32 - Nicky’s day-to-day as a new founder + funding possibilities 28:50 - Thoughts on Pi Finance and on-chain staking innovation vs. backroom deals 31:26 - Attracting institutional stake: Power, influence, and scale matter 34:51 - Current & upcoming Layer33 products (TX landing, global RPC service, secret big bets) 37:03 - Can Solana survive without the Foundation? (Spoiler: Nicky hopes it sticks around) 39:46 - Wrap-up, holiday cheers, and future conversations 🔗 Layer33: www.layer33.com 🔗 Follow Layer 33: https://x.com/layer_33_ on X 🔗 Follow Nicky: @NickyScanz on X 🔗 TLD Podcast: Subscribe for more Solana deep dives #Solana #Layer33 #Decentralization #Crypto #Blockchain #SolanaValidators Drop a like if you’re staking with indie validators 🚀 What’s your take on Solana’s decentralization – safe forever or still at risk? Comment below!

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