Medici Level Up with Paul Faecks, Founder of Plasma

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean speak with Paul Faecks, Founder of Plasma, a stablecoin-focused Layer 1 blockchain. Paul shares his background in early crypto/DeFi, why Plasma is optimized for stablecoin payments, and how Plasma One (a stablecoin neobank with cards and ramps) is intended to drive long-term value beyond blockchain fees. They also discuss token value accrual, validator decentralization, regulatory risks, and more.  

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Key Points From This Episode: 

[00:00:00] Introduction 

[00:12:48] Paul’s background and thesis behind Plasma 

[00:15:12] Regulatory landscape and stablecoin adoption outlook 

[00:18:41] Deep dive into Plasma One’s neo banking model 

[00:19:59] Why a dedicated stablecoin blockchain is necessary 

[00:21:41] Gasless USDT transfers and paymaster design 

[00:23:06] KPIs, incentives reduction, and focus on sustainable growth 

[00:25:09] Productizing stablecoins across global markets 

[00:28:24] Key jurisdictions: Turkey, Middle East, and South America 

[00:29:44] Stablecoins as a geopolitical advantage for the U.S. 

[00:30:19] Plasma One’s target users and business model 

[00:32:28] End-to-end infrastructure for cross-border payments 

[00:33:02] Token value accrual and foundation ownership structure 

[00:35:05] Competition with Stripe’s Tempo and other players 

[00:40:26] Distribution strategy vs. legacy players like Western Union 

[00:42:17] Exchange-to-exchange USDT settlement flows 

[00:45:13] Paymasters and abstracted gas fees 

[00:47:44] Why gas fees alone don’t create long-term token value 

[00:48:41] What makes an L1 token investable 

[00:52:07] Validator rollout and decentralization roadmap 

[00:53:41] Echo pre-deposit launch and token sale structure 

[00:57:25] Fundraising history and major investors 

[01:00:06] Regulatory risks and market infrastructure bill 

[01:01:45] Final thoughts: Stablecoins and 2026 outlook 

Links:  

The Medici Network: https://www.medici.network/   

Podcast Site: https://levelup.medici.network/   

Plasma: https://www.plasma.to/  

Interested in being a Guest? Connect with Elmira on X: https://x.com/elmira_yilham   

Co-Hosts  

David Grider, Finality Capital - https://x.com/David_Grid  

Sean Farrell, Fundstrat Global Advisors - https://x.com/SeanMFarrell  

Guest  

Paul Faecks, Plasma  

X - https://x.com/pauliepunt?lang=en 

LinkedIn - https://de.linkedin.com/in/paul-f-540895a4/en 

Production and editing by The Podcast Consultant  - https://thepodcastconsultant.com/