This week, Marc Boiron (CEO, Polygon Labs) and Sandeep Nailwal (CEO, Polygon Foundation) joined Yano to dive into all the happenings at Polygon, their comeback plan, how the industry has shifted since last cycle, the best business models currently for chains and how Katana and the Agglayer will push not only the project, but crypto forward.
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SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees. SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps.
Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork
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Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto.Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.- Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens- Summarize market-moving news instantly- Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The TieGet started today: https://askfocal.com
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Ledn is the leading platform for Bitcoin-backed loans, offering a secure and transparent way to unlock liquidity without selling your Bitcoin. Ledn has issued over $9 billion in loans since 2018 and has never lost a single satoshi of client assets, earning a reputation as the name you can trust in the crypto space.Visit https://www.ledn.io to learn more.
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:58 The Industry Today, As A Builder
06:45 Easier/More Difficult Than Last Cycle
15:36 Ads (Skale)
16:28 Sandeep + Polygon Foundation
21:52 2 Business Models For Chains
36:54 Ads (Skale)
37:47 Katana Explored
46:03 Why Katana
55:26 Ads (Falcon x,LEDN)
01:09:53 Polygon’s Future Vision
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
This week, the Hivemind team explains why crypto feels stagnant despite rising prices, the ongoing failure of real-world asset (RWA) narratives, and how on-chain credit markets are quietly gaining traction. They also dive into the explosion of new token launches, the misguided obsession with “real yield,” what the success of Ethena and Pendle says about crypto's evolution, and more. Enjoy!
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Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis.
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction
(1:26) WW3 Averted
(6:33) Institutional Inflows and Treasury Plays
(8:44) Bitcoin and Altcoin Performance
(15:59) Crypto Innovations, Bitcoin DeFi & Yield Farming
(25:28) Crypto Sentiment vs Fundamentals
(33:45) Proof of Governance Over Staking Inflation
(44:32) HyperLiquid
(57:24) Reflections on Crypto Innovations
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.