#176 Jacob Phillips | Building a Crypto Startup

In this episode of the Stonks Go Moon Podcast, host Rocco Strydom sits down with Jacob Phillips, founder of Lombard Finance, to explore how his journey from college debater to Polychain investor led to building one of the most impactful Bitcoin DeFi protocols.Jacob breaks down how Lombard Finance gives Bitcoin real utility through liquid staking and trust-minimized infrastructure—bringing over 22,000 BTC (worth ~$2B) into the DeFi ecosystem. They discuss the power of timing, why Bitcoin purists don’t need to be won over, and how Lombard is bridging the gap between centralized exchanges and decentralized finance.Other key highlights include:How liquid staking works and why it mattersThe risks of BTC DeFi and how Lombard mitigates themWhy the future is trustless techWhy wallets and aggregators are crypto’s most underrated toolsThe vision for Bitcoin as usable collateral across DeFiWhat’s next for Lombard and the broader BTC DeFi movementWhether you're deep in the crypto weeds or just watching from the sidelines, this episode is packed with insight, alpha, and a look at the future of finance.🎧 Guest Bio: Jacob Phillips is the Founder of Lombard Finance, a next-gen DeFi platform bringing Bitcoin into the permissionless finance world. With a background in traditional finance and research, Jacob previously spent over two years at Polychain Capital and has worked at several top funds. He’s now pioneering solutions to give Bitcoin more utility—making it a true DeFi asset.🔗 Follow : @Lombard_Finance🔗 Learn more: https://lombard.finance