Hardwired by AlphaWire

In this episode of HardWired, Harry sits down with Abraham Polishchuk, founder and CTO of Fidesium, to explore how one of crypto’s most critical but often overlooked infrastructure layers, security auditing and developer tooling, is evolving as the industry matures. From Abraham’s early days mining Bitcoin on his laptop to building a Web3-native security firm, the conversation digs into why “code is law” no longer cuts it, and how protocols can stay safe in an era of institutional capital, AI-assisted development, and increasingly sophisticated attackers.We discuss why manual audits alone are no longer enough, how Fidesium combines human expertise with automated tooling to help teams ship faster without sacrificing safety, and what really went wrong in high-profile exploits like Kelp DAO. Abraham breaks down the key failure modes in DeFi, from broken invariants and oracle manipulation to privileged role abuse and OPSEC lapses, and explains why defense-in-depth, surface-area mapping, and real-time monitoring are now table stakes for any serious protocol.Some ideas explored:Abraham’s journey from early Bitcoin miner to Web3 security founderThe origin story behind Fidesium and its mission to raise the security bar in Web3Why institutions and mature protocols can’t rely on “no admins” idealism anymoreHow Fidesium audits code, tooling, and operational processes end-to-endThe Kelp DAO exploit: malicious RPC nodes, bad data feeds, and trusted external systemsWhy AI both helps and harms security — and why “vibe coding” is a terrible fit for DeFiHow protocols should think about risk registers, audit frequency, and change managementThe future of DeFi security as banks, regulators, and Web2 engineers enter the spaceA conversation about exploits, audits, and the infrastructure needed for crypto to stop getting hacked and start scaling safely.You can learn more about Fidesium here: https://fidesium.xyzThis episode was brought together by AlphaWire: https://alphawire.xyz

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

In this episode of HardWired, Harry sits down with Andrew Soper, co-founder of World Mobile, to unpack how one of crypto’s most ambitious infrastructure projects is tackling the real-world problem of connectivity. From Andrew’s background in East Africa to the origin story behind World Mobile, the conversation explores how telecom, energy, and blockchain can work together to build a more inclusive and commercially sustainable network.We discuss why legacy telecom models fail to serve the last mile, how World Mobile uses decentralisation to lower costs and expand access, and why real-world utility matters more than hype in Web3. Andrew also explains the role of tokenomics, validator rewards, and buybacks in aligning incentives with actual usage, alongside the broader ecosystem of services being built on top of the network.Some ideas explored:Andrew’s background and how it led him into World MobileThe story behind World Mobile and its mission to connect everybody everywhereWhy decentralisation changes the economics of telecom infrastructureHow tokenomics, buybacks, and validator rewards work in practiceThe importance of real-world revenue over hype-driven crypto modelsHow World Mobile is expanding into finance, energy, agriculture, and moreWhy partnerships and local expertise are central to scaling globallyThe future of World Mobile, including its stratospheric platform and new territory launchesA conversation about connectivity, infrastructure, and building technology that solves real problems at global scale.You can learn more about World Mobile here: https://worldmobile.ioThis episode was brought together by AlphaWire: https://alphawire.xyz

In this episode of HardWired, Harry sits down with Charlie Varley, founder of Bloom, to explore his journey into Web3, the vision behind Bloom, and how the product is rethinking market intelligence and on-chain trading.Charlie explains how Bloom is building a social layer for investing — where traders and signal producers can share ideas, prove conviction on chain, and help users make more informed decisions. The conversation covers the evolution of crypto through different market cycles, why the space is shifting back toward fundamentals, and how Bloom aims to make trading more transparent, more accessible, and more rewarding.They also discuss the importance of community, the changing nature of fundraising in today’s market, and why authenticity, speed, and execution matter more than ever for founders building in crypto.A conversation about market structure, product, community, and what it takes to build something meaningful in the next wave of crypto.Learn more about Bloom: https://www.bloom.social/Follow Charlie Varley on X: https://x.com/c_varleyFollow Bloom.social on X: https://x.com/bloomsocialThis episode was brought together by AlphaWire: https://alphawire.xyz/

In this episode of HardWired, Harry sits down with Bock from Fidesium to explore his background, the story behind the company, and why smart contract auditing has become such a critical part of crypto security.We discuss recent hacks, the realities of manual audits, and why operational security matters not just for teams building in Web3, but for anyone responsible for protecting capital, infrastructure, and trust.We also look at how cyber security is evolving in crypto, what auditors are actually looking for, and why the gap between “looks secure” and “is secure” is often where the biggest risks live.Some ideas explored:Bock’s background and what led him into crypto securityThe role Fidesium plays in smart contract auditingWhy manual audits still matter in an AI-driven worldWhat recent hacks reveal about common weaknesses in cryptoThe importance of op sec for founders and teamsWhere projects often underestimate security riskHow to think about security as a long-term discipline, not a one-off taskWhy trust in crypto has to be earned, not assumedA conversation about security, vigilance, and what it really takes to build safely in crypto.You can find out more about Fidesium here:https://www.fidesium.xyz/This episode was brought together by AlphaWire: https://alphawire.xyz/