Bitcoin.com News Interviews

Ann Chien, Partner at IVC | What Web3 Games Must Do to Succeed in Japan | Breaking Into Asia’s Most Dynamic Gaming Market | Bitcoin.com Interviews🧾 Optimised DescriptionAnn Chien, Partner at IVC (Infinity Ventures Crypto), joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to explore how Web3 gaming studios can successfully enter and thrive in the Japanese market — one of the most influential gaming ecosystems in the world.IVC is a leading Web3 venture capital firm backed by top Japanese gaming studios, with a strong investment portfolio spanning blockchain gaming, AI, DeFi, infrastructure, and digital entertainment. With over 200 portfolio projects and the organization of IVS Crypto, Japan’s largest Web3 conference drawing 12,000+ attendees annually, IVC sits at the heart of the region’s blockchain innovation.Ann shares her deep insights on what makes the Japanese gaming market unique — from cultural expectations and IP sensitivity to user experience design and community engagement — and how Web3 game developers can tailor their approach to appeal to Japan’s massive base of loyal, quality-driven gamers.She also discusses how Bitcoin’s decentralization ethos and blockchain interoperability are shaping the next wave of digital ownership, giving Japanese studios new tools for creative expression and fair monetization.💡 In this episode:• How Web3 gaming can align with Japan’s cultural and design standards• The role of Bitcoin and blockchain in powering fair digital economies• Why IVC invests in next-generation gaming, DeFi, and infrastructure projects• Insights from IVS Crypto — Japan’s largest Web3 conference• Strategies for global studios to expand into Asia’s most advanced gaming market🎧 A valuable deep dive into the intersection of blockchain, gaming, and culture, revealing how Web3 and Bitcoin-driven economies are being embraced in Japan’s gaming sector.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Ann Chien – IVC – Partner at Infinity Ventures Crypto, driving investments in Web3 gaming, blockchain innovation, and the future of decentralized entertainment.

Ilya Abugov, Partner at Sanctor Capital, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss the fast-evolving Web3 gaming landscape — where blockchain, Bitcoin, and decentralized finance (DeFi) converge to reshape how players interact, earn, and own digital assets.Sanctor Capital serves as a strategic sanctuary for visionary Web3 founders, offering early-stage projects the tools, mentorship, and capital to succeed in crypto’s most dynamic sectors — including GameFi, NFT economies, and metaverse infrastructure. Ilya shares insights from years of experience at Crypto Briefing and DappRadar, exploring how data-driven analysis and traditional finance perspectives can guide smarter investments in blockchain gaming.He explains how Web3 games are evolving beyond play-to-earn models into sustainable ecosystems driven by true asset ownership, tokenomics, and community governance — all built on the foundational principles pioneered by Bitcoin.💡 In this episode:• How Sanctor Capital identifies and supports the most promising Web3 gaming startups• The intersection of Bitcoin’s philosophy and decentralized gaming economies• Why data transparency and token design are critical to GameFi’s long-term success• The rise of player-owned assets and metaverse interoperability• What’s next for blockchain gaming as traditional investors enter the space🎧 A forward-looking discussion on how Bitcoin’s decentralization ethos continues to influence Web3 gaming innovation, and how Sanctor Capital is guiding builders through the next phase of blockchain entertainment.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Ilya Abugov – Sanctor Capital – Veteran Web3 analyst and investor, helping shape the future of blockchain gaming, DeFi ecosystems, and metaverse innovation.

In this episode of Bitcoin.com Interviews, Dustin Plantholt speaks with the team behind Logos, a fully decentralized, privacy-preserving, and politically neutral technology stack designed to power the next generation of self-sovereign network states. Logos is now onboarding early supporters onto its Network State technology stack through an innovative Bitcoin Ordinals collection, merging Bitcoin’s permanence with decentralized governance and Web3 infrastructure.The Logos stack consists of three modular, blockchain-based protocols:Nomos – a consensus layer enabling secure, transparent coordination;Codex – decentralized data storage for censorship resistance;Waku – a private, peer-to-peer messaging layer for communication sovereignty.Together, these protocols create the foundation for cyber states, parallel societies, and voluntary digital nations — communities governed by shared values, not borders. By integrating Bitcoin Ordinals, Logos is inviting early contributors and supporters to inscribe their participation on Bitcoin’s immutable ledger, symbolizing a lasting commitment to the ideals of freedom, privacy, and decentralization.💡 In this episode:• How Logos is using Bitcoin Ordinals to engage and reward early adopters• What “network states” mean for the future of governance and digital identity• How Nomos, Codex, and Waku combine to form a sovereign digital infrastructure• Why Bitcoin remains the foundation for permanence and trust in decentralized systems• The role of privacy, censorship resistance, and voluntary participation in Web3 societies🎧 A thought-provoking conversation on how Bitcoin, Ordinals, and decentralized infrastructure are converging to empower borderless, self-governed digital communities.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Logos Network – Building a Bitcoin-aligned, privacy-first network state stack with Nomos, Codex, and Waku, designed to power the future of sovereign, decentralized societies.

Brian Shuster, Founder and CEO of Utherverse, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how Utherverse is redefining the Metaverse and Web3 experience with over 50 million users worldwide since its first launch in 2004. Now in Beta testing for its third-generation platform, Utherverse is designed to serve as a universal metaverse framework, allowing creators and businesses to build, connect, and monetize immersive digital worlds like never before.Shuster shares how Utherverse’s blockchain-powered infrastructure enables interoperability across metaverses, offering seamless integration of NFTs, crypto payments, and virtual economies. He explains why most metaverse projects fail to achieve meaningful adoption — and how Utherverse’s proven engagement model, scalability, and community-driven governance make it uniquely positioned to dominate the next era of digital interaction.💡 In this episode:• The evolution of Utherverse from Web2 to Web3 and its 50M+ user legacy• How blockchain and Bitcoin-inspired principles support metaverse interoperability• Why true decentralization is key to the future of virtual economies• How NFTs and crypto payments power ownership and trade in Utherverse• Brian Shuster’s long-term vision for a connected, creator-driven metaverse🎧 A deep dive into the Metaverse economy, Web3 innovation, and how Utherverse is using blockchain and Bitcoin’s ethos of decentralization to build a truly open virtual world.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Brian Shuster – Founder & CEO of Utherverse, the world’s most established metaverse ecosystem, combining blockchain interoperability, NFT economies, and decentralized infrastructure.

Justin Sun, Founder of TRON and CEO of BitTorrent, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss two major developments reshaping the crypto landscape — the SunPump Beta launch and WBTC’s multi-jurisdictional security upgrade.SunPump is Justin Sun’s new meme coin launchpad built on the TRON blockchain, designed to bring fair, transparent, and community-driven token launches to Web3. The platform aims to democratize meme coin creation, ensuring equal access, fair pricing, and innovative liquidity mechanisms that prevent the kind of manipulation often seen in early-stage crypto markets. With its user-friendly interface and TRON ecosystem integration, SunPump represents a bold move toward mainstream adoption of decentralized trading.The discussion also covers Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) and its latest security partnership with BiT Global, enhancing trust and transparency across Bitcoin’s cross-chain ecosystems. By transitioning to a multi-jurisdictional structure, WBTC strengthens asset custody, governance, and regulatory alignment — ensuring Bitcoin’s place as the anchor of decentralized finance (DeFi).💡 In this episode:• How SunPump is revolutionizing meme coin launches on the TRON blockchain• Why fair-launch mechanics matter for the future of Web3 tokens• Justin Sun’s insights on WBTC’s multi-chain, multi-jurisdictional evolution• How TRON is bridging the gap between Bitcoin and DeFi ecosystems• The growing role of decentralized liquidity in the next Bitcoin bull cycle🎧 A high-energy conversation exploring Bitcoin interoperability, TRON innovation, and meme coin culture — and how Justin Sun continues to push blockchain toward its next frontier.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Justin Sun – Founder of TRON, CEO of BitTorrent, and a leading voice in Bitcoin DeFi, cross-chain innovation, and Web3 adoption.

Alex Guseff, Founder and Lead Architect of Tectum and SoftNote, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to explain how Tectum’s revolutionary Layer-1 blockchain is bringing Bitcoin utility back to the forefront — enabling instant, private, and fee-free payments that make Bitcoin truly spendable again.Developed by Crispmind, Tectum is the world’s fastest Layer-1 blockchain, achieving an unprecedented 3.5 million transactions per second (TPS) through its proprietary Proof of Utility consensus mechanism. Designed for speed, scalability, and privacy, Tectum integrates zero-knowledge proofs and layered processing, allowing seamless transactions across crypto ecosystems without compromising security.Alex breaks down how SoftNote, Tectum’s flagship product, acts as a digital cash layer for Bitcoin, turning BTC into a fast, frictionless medium of exchange — all while maintaining self-custody and full blockchain transparency. This innovation could finally close the gap between Bitcoin as a store of value and Bitcoin as spendable money.💡 In this episode:• How Tectum’s Proof of Utility technology enables record-breaking blockchain speeds• Why Bitcoin’s transaction limitations inspired SoftNote’s creation• How SoftNote makes Bitcoin instant, private, and usable for daily payments• The role of zero-knowledge proofs in securing high-speed blockchain transactions• Alex Guseff’s vision for Bitcoin’s next era of utility and adoption🎧 A powerful look at how Tectum is transforming Bitcoin payments — turning the world’s most secure blockchain into the fastest and most practical financial network for everyday use.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Partner: Tectum – A next-generation Layer-1 blockchain by Crispmind, combining Bitcoin integration, SoftNote payments, and record-breaking scalability through Proof of Utility.

Mohammed Alkaff AlHashmi (Co-Founder & CEO) and Alex Malkov (Co-Founder & CBDO) of HAQQ join Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to share the story behind the Deenar Stablecoin — a gold-backed digital currency designed to merge ethical finance, blockchain innovation, and Islamic principles into one powerful ecosystem.HAQQ is an EVM-equivalent blockchain built on Cosmos SDK, enabling Ethereum-compatible smart contracts to deploy seamlessly while introducing a new model of community-driven, ethical finance. Its mission is to connect decentralized technology with faith-based and environmentally conscious economies, empowering people to transact transparently and responsibly.The founders explain how Deenar, HAQQ’s gold-backed stablecoin, is positioned as a store of value rooted in real assets, offering stability, integrity, and inclusivity for both crypto-native users and traditional investors. They also discuss how HAQQ’s hybrid approach — blending blockchain scalability, EVM interoperability, and gold-backed security — is helping to redefine trust in decentralized finance.💡 In this episode:• The vision and mission behind HAQQ and the Deenar stablecoin• How gold backing adds long-term stability and trust to digital assets• Why ethical and faith-based finance is gaining momentum in Web3• The technical advantages of HAQQ’s EVM-compatible, Cosmos-based chain• How Bitcoin’s ethos of transparency influences HAQQ’s community governance🎧 A timely and visionary discussion on Bitcoin’s role in ethical finance, gold-backed digital assets, and how HAQQ is building bridges between traditional finance, Web3, and global faith-based communities.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Partner: HAQQ Network – A Cosmos-based, EVM-compatible blockchain advancing ethical finance through gold-backed stablecoins, transparent governance, and sustainable DeFi innovation.

Zhibing (Tony) Li, Vice President of Canaan Inc., joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to reveal Canaan’s roadmap for the future of Bitcoin mining — one focused on energy efficiency, eco-friendly innovation, and sustainable blockchain infrastructure.As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of Bitcoin ASIC miners, Canaan has been instrumental in shaping the evolution of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work ecosystem. In this episode, Li explains how the company is pioneering next-generation mining hardware that maximizes hash rate performance while significantly reducing energy consumption.Li also discusses how Bitcoin mining can evolve into a sustainable industry, with new ways to recycle heat energy, integrate renewable power sources, and contribute to grid balancing and green infrastructure projects. With Bitcoin ETFs and institutional adoption rising, Canaan’s mission is to ensure that the backbone of the Bitcoin network remains efficient, resilient, and environmentally responsible.💡 In this episode:• How Canaan is redefining Bitcoin mining with energy-efficient ASIC innovation• The company’s roadmap for carbon-conscious Bitcoin mining infrastructure• How Bitcoin miners can help stabilize power grids and reuse heat energy• The role of hardware innovation in supporting Bitcoin’s long-term security• Why sustainability is becoming central to Bitcoin’s global narrative🎧 A forward-thinking discussion on the intersection of Bitcoin mining, green technology, and blockchain scalability, showing how Canaan is leading the transition toward a sustainable Bitcoin future.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Partner: Canaan Inc. – A global leader in Bitcoin ASIC mining technology, driving eco-friendly innovation, energy efficiency, and sustainable blockchain growth.

Leonidas, co-founder of Ord.io and one of the leading voices in the Ordinals and Runes ecosystem, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to explain why Bitcoin-based NFTs and meme coins represent the next unstoppable evolution of on-chain culture — and how protocols like Ordinals and Runes are transforming the Bitcoin network into a creative and economic powerhouse.Through his work on Ord.io, a pioneering platform for exploring Bitcoin Ordinals, and as host of TheOrdinalShow, Leonidas has become one of the most influential educators in the Bitcoin NFT and Runes movement. He also plays a major role in the $DOG community, a meme token built on the Runes protocol that embodies the spirit of Bitcoin-native creativity and decentralization.Leonidas breaks down how Ordinals allow users to inscribe data directly onto Bitcoin’s blockchain, creating immutable digital artifacts — and how Runes expand that concept into a fungible token standard natively built on Bitcoin. Together, they enable NFTs, meme coins, and digital art to thrive directly on the world’s most secure network.💡 In this episode:• How Ordinals and Runes are revolutionizing Bitcoin utility and culture• Why Bitcoin-based NFTs are more secure and immutable than any other chain• The rise of $DOG and meme coins as drivers of Bitcoin adoption• How Bitcoin’s infrastructure is evolving beyond “digital gold”• Leonidas’ vision for the future of Bitcoin-native creativity🎧 A must-listen for anyone curious about the Bitcoin Ordinals revolution, the Runes protocol, and how NFTs and meme tokens are turning Bitcoin into the most vibrant ecosystem in crypto.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Guest: Leonidas – Co-founder of Ord.io, host of TheOrdinalShow, and a leading advocate for Bitcoin Ordinals, Runes, and the $DOG token movement.

Jesse Adams (CEO) and Chris O’Connell (CTO), Co-Founders of UpRock, join Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how AI, DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks), and crypto rewards are converging to onboard the next generation of users into Web3 — in an age where data has become the new oil.UpRock is a pioneering platform that merges blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to create a global data marketplace. By allowing users to monetize their unused internet bandwidth, UpRock transforms passive connectivity into active income while helping train open, transparent AI systems. Its mission is to democratize access to data, reduce corporate gatekeeping, and build a decentralized infrastructure for the next era of digital intelligence.Jesse and Chris — both seasoned tech entrepreneurs — explain how UpRock’s crypto-powered incentive model encourages user participation while securing data integrity through blockchain verification. They also explore how Bitcoin’s decentralization philosophy informs UpRock’s approach to ownership, privacy, and fair distribution of digital value.💡 In this episode:• How UpRock’s AI and DePIN architecture transforms internet bandwidth into crypto rewards• Why data is the “new oil” and how blockchain restores fairness to data access• How Bitcoin’s decentralization ethos influences AI-driven Web3 projects• Building a user-owned data economy through tokenized incentives• The long-term vision for democratizing AI through open data collaboration🎧 A fascinating discussion at the intersection of Bitcoin, blockchain, AI, and decentralized infrastructure, revealing how UpRock is using crypto incentives to make Web3 adoption effortless and rewarding.🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews🔗 Bitcoin.com💼 Featured Partner: UpRock – Powering a decentralized AI and data economy with DePIN infrastructure, crypto rewards, and Web3 innovation inspired by Bitcoin’s open principles.