Epicenter - Learn about Crypto, Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies

John Paller, founder and chief steward of ETH Denver and Web3 community-builder, reflects on nine seasons of the event and his shift from recruitment tech to crypto. He discusses ETH Denver’s role in shaping narratives, debates need for clearer structural vision for Ethereum, how institutions and Agentic AI could drive mass on-chain adoption, and his Regulation Membership proposal for on-chain cooperatives.

Chris Yin, CEO of Plume Network — a founder and former VC building tokenization infrastructure — discusses bringing real-world assets on-chain. He explains why many RWAs lack liquidity and crypto-native UX. Chris outlines Plume’s custom L1 and the Nest vault blending short and long-duration assets. He also covers regulatory plumbing like an SEC transfer agent license and the tension between decentralization and institutional capital.

Michael Svoboda, CEO of Liquid AG and steward of the Liquity protocol, builds governance-free, immutable stablecoin systems. He discusses Liquity V2 and the BOLD stablecoin. Topics include borrower-set interest rates, multi-collateral ETH and LST backing, redemption mechanics that protect the peg, fee distribution to users, and why immutable, peer-to-peer stablecoins offer a different risk profile from traditional rails.

Thomas Thiery, an Ethereum Foundation researcher and author of EIP-7805 (FOCIL), works on protocol design for censorship resistance and MEV mitigation. He explains how MEV centralized block production and maps where censorship can happen. He introduces FOCIL’s validator-driven inclusion lists to force transaction inclusion. They compare public vs private mempools and weigh FOCIL against encrypted mempool approaches.

Zach Abrams, CEO and co-founder of Bridge and fintech veteran who built stablecoin rails and wallets. He explores why stablecoins can make payments faster and cheaper than legacy rails. He explains stablecoin orchestration, limits of the USDC/USDT duopoly, the rise of regionally focused coins, and why wallets could become the new primary bank account.

Join Ben Lakoff of Bankless Ventures, Matthew Arrow from Dark Forest, and Aurora Orellana of G20 Strategies as they explore the future of decentralization. They debate whether Cypherpunk values like self-custody can survive as institutions influence adoption. The panel also tackles the FATF's impact on individual freedoms and discusses the 'DeFi Mullet'—a blend of centralized fronts with decentralized operations. They highlight the importance of jurisdictional competition and the evolving definitions of privacy in the blockchain landscape.

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget and a former journalist and mathematician, discusses her journey to Bitget’s top spot. She reveals the ambitious vision of a 'Universal Exchange' that blends crypto, equities, and commodities. Gracy delves into the fading dominance of altcoins, emphasizing a shift towards blue-chip assets with real-world utility. The conversation also highlights how Bitget uses AI-driven tools for trading and user acquisition, as well as the crucial need for global regulatory compliance as they plan for market expansion.

Reflecting on 2025, the hosts dive into the end of the 'infinite money glitch', signaling a shift to real revenue in the crypto space. They analyze the brutal altcoin market reset and the mainstream entrance of established players like Revolut and Stripe. Discussions include the quantum threat to Bitcoin and its cryptographic challenges. As they gaze into 2026, predictions of growing real-world assets and the evolving landscape of decentralized finance emerge, hinting at a cautious yet optimistic future.

Ismael Hishon-Rezaizadeh, CEO of Lagrange Labs, is a pioneering applied cryptographer specializing in zero-knowledge proofs. He discusses how ZK technology has evolved beyond crypto to enhance defense, including its applications in autonomous drone swarms and national security. The concept of 'Accountable Autonomy' is introduced to ensure AI decision-making transparency. They also explore the US-China tech rivalry, the need for domestic chip manufacturing, and how cryptographic advances could secure crucial military operations.

Joining the conversation is Zac Williamson, co-founder and CEO of Aztec, a cutting-edge layer-2 network focused on programmable privacy for Ethereum. Zac shares the bold decision to dismantle Aztec Connect, emphasizing the importance of true privacy over incremental changes. He discusses their innovative hybrid architecture, the necessity of decentralized sequencers for security, and challenges conventional wisdom about crypto development. Zac also contrasts the privacy landscape in the U.S. with growing regulatory control in Europe, framing Aztec as a crucial defense against surveillance.