Gm! In this episode, Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Kraken, joins Yano to dive into how his background in tech, growth and IPOs makes him the perfect candidate to join Kraken and take the company to the next level. Arjun dives into how his compensation plan and overall approach to Kraken paves the way for a decade long growth trajectory that will take Kraken global and one of the most recognized brands in crypto for retail, traders and beyond.
--
Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from David Canellis.
Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts
--
Follow Arjun: https://x.com/arjunsethi
Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod
--
Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
--
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
--
Is your treasury losing value to inflation? Learn how to make digital assets like ETH and SOL productive with uncorrelated, protocol-driven staking rewards. A new report from Liquid Collective and EigenCloud outlines a practical guide for CFOs to integrate institutional-grade staking and restaking.
Read The Productive Treasury Report: https://liquidcollective.io/corporate-treasury-staking/
--
GEODNET is the world’s largest RTK network, delivering real-time, centimeter-level precision for drones, robots, farmers, and first responders. Recognized by the U.S. Congress, this blockchain-powered network supports mission-critical applications across a wide range of industries.
Discover how GEODNET is changing the world: [https://geodnet.com]
--
(00:00) Intro

(01:10) Arjun’s Background

(14:08) Culture + Product Velocity

(16:45) Arjun’s Incentives

(18:03) Ads (Katana)

(18:50) 1st month at kraken

(21:56) Prioritizing What To Build

(26:00) Future Onchain Trading

(31:20) Kraken Stablecoin

(33:38) Crypto Market Structure

(35:16) Competitor Analysis

(40:17) Hyperliquid

(42:25) X Stocks

(44:58) Ninja Trader Acquisition

(49:33) IPO?

(52:39) Long term Leadership

(53:53) Ads (Eigenlayer, Geodnet)

(55:32) Prediction Markets + Perps

(59:16) Tokenization / Onchain IPOs

(01:04:18) What's Obvious to Arjun

(01:09:46) 4 Year Cycle

--
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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.