Verdict.finance: Repricing Risk for the Next Wave of DeFi

In this episode of HardWired, Harry sits down with Charles Holmes, founder of Verdict Finance, to explore how one of crypto’s most important emerging infrastructure plays is tackling the problem of risk in DeFi. From Charles’s early experience in crypto to the origin story behind Verdict Finance, the conversation digs into why institutions still struggle to deploy capital onchain and how better risk intelligence could change that.We discuss why legacy security and due diligence models fall short in a fast-moving onchain environment, how Verdict Finance is building a more transparent and commercially useful way to assess protocol risk, and why ratings, coverage, and compliance are becoming essential for the next phase of crypto adoption. Charles also explains how Verdict Finance turns risk into something measurable, tradable, and actionable, alongside the broader suite of products the company is building for protocols, investors, and institutions.Some ideas explored:Charles’s background and how it led him into Verdict FinanceThe story behind Verdict Finance and its mission to improve DeFi risk managementWhy institutions need better ratings, compliance, and coverage before deploying capitalHow Verdict Finance assesses protocol, infrastructure, and dependency risk in practiceThe importance of transparency and due diligence in onchain financeHow Verdict Finance is building tools for protocols, investors, and security teamsWhy AI, automation, and post-quantum security may reshape the next era of crypto infrastructureThe future of DeFi risk, institutional adoption, and onchain finance at scaleA conversation about risk, trust, and building the infrastructure needed for crypto to mature.You can learn more about Verdict Finance here: https://www.verdict.financeThis episode was brought together by AlphaWire: https://alphawire.xyz