Chain Reaction

Art Malkov, the marketing mastermind behind Polymarket's rise and IoTeX's 2.5 billion market cap peak, joins Chain Reaction to discuss his latest project: Electroneum. Despite Bitcoin hitting $100K, Art argues we're still in a bear market because alts haven't followed - and explains why only projects building real utility will survive.Electroneum represents the "sleeping giant" strategy Art specializes in: taking projects with solid fundamentals and turning them into household names. This 8-year-old project launched the first blockchain smartphone in 2019 (before Solana) and built AnyTask - a commission-free freelancing platform that's onboarded nearly a million users by operating as Web2 on the surface while running on crypto rails underneath.What makes Electroneum unique:Real Web2/Web3 Fusion: AnyTask operates like Fiverr but with no commissions, payments convert to ETN automatically8-Year Track Record: One of crypto's longest-running projects with consistent building through multiple cyclesLayer 1 Innovation: Recently launched EVM-compatible blockchain with transaction costs of 0.00002 centsNGO Focus: Targeting underserved communities with practical blockchain solutionsGSMA Membership: Only blockchain company in the mobile phone consortiumArt reveals his "slingshot strategy" - how every successful Layer 1 needs a breakout application (like Polymarket for Polygon, Pump.fun for Solana). He discusses why this cycle is different, why meme coins without utility are "flash in the pan," and the secret to building sustainable crypto projects that bridge traditional and blockchain worlds.Key Topics: Marketing Strategy, Layer 1 Scaling, Web2/Web3 Integration, Bear Market Analysis, Sustainable Tokenomics, Community BuildingGuest: Art Malkov (@artmalkov), Strategic Advisor at Electroneum Host: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at Ankr (@ankr)Find Electroneum: electroneum.com | AnyTask.com | Twitter @electroneum Find Ankr: ankr.com | Twitter @ankr

Philipp Weiling from Botanix shares how the 2013 Cyprus banking crisis - where the EU seized 47% of deposits over €100K - sparked his journey from traditional finance to Bitcoin DeFi. After building enterprise partnerships at Polygon, Philipp joined Botanix to solve Bitcoin's scaling trilemma. Botanix launches as the first Bitcoin L2 offering "real Bitcoin yield" - not yield paid in other tokens, but actual Bitcoin returns. Their innovative approach uses Bitcoin's hashrate as a random number generator to create forward security, where past funds remain protected even if future validators are compromised. What makes Botanix unique: Real Bitcoin Yield: 50% of all transaction fees distributed to stBTC holders in actual Bitcoin Forward Security: Bitcoin hashrate randomly selects different multisigs for each block, protecting historical funds EVM Equivalence: Full smart contract capability with Bitcoin-denominated gas fees No Native Token: Sustainable economics without inflationary rewards Enterprise Validators: 16 validators, including Galaxy Digital, Fireblocks, and other major players Philipp explains how proof-of-stake runs on top of Bitcoin's proof-of-work, why major DeFi protocols like GMX and Dolomite launched day one, and the vision for a complete financial ecosystem running on Bitcoin. Plus insights on transitioning from traditional finance, the psychology of sovereignty, and building sustainable tokenomics. Key Topics: Bitcoin L2, Real Bitcoin Yield, Forward Security, EVM on Bitcoin, Cyprus Banking Crisis, Sustainable Tokenomics, DeFi Infrastructure Guest: Philipp Weiling (@philippbeiling),Global Head of BD at Botanix Labs Host: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at Ankr (@ankr) Find Botanix: botanixlabs.com | Twitter @BotanixLabs Find Ankr: ankr.com | Twitter @ankr

Porter Adams from Matter Labs joins Chain Reaction to discuss ZKSync's biggest technical milestone in years: achieving full EVM equivalence. No more custom compilers, no more modified tools - developers can now truly copy-paste their Ethereum code to ZKSync.But that's just the beginning. Porter reveals how major banks like Deutsche Bank and UBS are already experimenting with ZKSync chains, using "providiums" (private validiums) for compliance-friendly blockchain adoption. We explore why institutions are drawn to ZK technology and how billion-dollar wire transfers taking weeks is costing banks massive opportunity costs.As a two-time DEF CON quantum hacking champion, Porter provides unique insights into the quantum computing threat timeline. With NIST saying we have until 2035 to transition to post-quantum cryptography, he breaks down what qubits and error correction mean for blockchain security.Key Topics Covered:Full EVM equivalence on ZKSync - what changed and why it mattersBanking adoption: Deutsche Bank, UBS experimenting with blockchain railsZK proofs vs zero knowledge - why most aren't actually "zero knowledge"Quantum computing timeline and cryptography threats (2035 deadline)ZKSync Era's evolution alongside the broader ZKSync ecosystemReal-time proving and the future of user experienceAccount abstraction and email-based wallet recoveryGuest: Porter Adams, Engineer at Matter Labs (@zksync) Host: Feroz Lakhani, Ankr (@ankr)

Episode Highlights: In this deep-dive conversation, Prabal Banerjee, co-founder of Avail, takes us through his incredible journey from academia to building critical blockchain infrastructure. From his early days researching at Polygon to spinning out Avail as a chain-agnostic data availability layer, Prabal shares insights that every Web3 builder needs to hear. What You'll Learn: ✅ Why data availability is the "secret sauce" behind secure rollups ✅ The real differences between L1, L2, and L3 chains (and when each makes sense) ✅ How Avail is solving the interoperability nightmare plaguing Web3 ✅ Why bridge exploits keep happening and how to fix them ✅ The evolution of blockchain development in India and Asia ✅ Honest takes on blockchain security and the need for better safeguards Key Topics Covered: Prabal's transition from PhD research to building at Polygon The technical breakdown of data availability and why it matters Multi-chain security models and their trade-offs Avail Nexus: Making chain abstraction actually work The cultural shift in global blockchain development Hot takes on recent exploits and industry security Guest: Prabal Banerjee - Co-founder of Avail Host: Feroz Lakhani - Brand Director at AnkrFind Avail: X @AvailProject | Website: AvailProject.org Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com

Stanford Professor and Baylon Labs Founder David Tse, whose wireless research powers every smartphone today, explains how Babylon Protocol has attracted 50,000 Bitcoin (~$5B) to secure proof-of-stake networks. We explore the technical and philosophical differences between proof-of-work and proof-of-stake, why Bitcoin holders trust Babylon's trustless approach, and the mysterious whale who staked 10,000 Bitcoin. David shares his journey from pioneering cellular technology to solving blockchain's biggest coordination problems, plus his vision for connecting Bitcoin and DeFi ecosystems. Features gas war stories, miner thank-you messages, and why prediction is hard—especially about the future.Guest: David Tse, Founder of Babylon LabsHost: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at AnkrFind Babylon: X @BabylonLabs_io | Website: BabylonLabs.io Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com

Tyler Sloan, Product Lead for Asphere's scaling solutions, demonstrates how enterprises and developers can launch custom blockchains in 15 minutes using their no-code deployer. We explore the evolution from L2s to L3s, different rollup stacks (Arbitrum, OP, Polygon, ZK), and enterprise demand for private chains. Tyler reveals major partnerships, including Solana permission environments, Polkadot rollup support, and introduces Bitcoin Secured Infrastructure (BSI) as a new category. Plus: live demo of chain deployment, institutional adoption trends, and a sneak peek at the upcoming project Neura.Key Topics: #RaaS, #EnterpriseBlockchain, #MultiChain #Infrastructure, #BuildingonBitcoin, #InstitutionalAdoption

Nick Emmons, co-founder of Allora, discusses the evolution from Upshot's NFT pricing to building decentralized AI coordination networks. We explore how Allora transitions from model-centric to objective-centric AI, creating markets for intelligence that enable developers to access the best AI outputs without having to choose specific models. Nick shares his vision of hyperfinancialization, AI as public utility, and how decentralized networks can democratize access to cutting-edge machine learning. Plus: insights from traditional finance, the future of prediction markets, and why everything might become a market. Guest: Nick Emmons, CEO at Allora LabsHost: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at AnkrFind Allora: X @AlloraNetwork | Website: Allora.Network Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com#DecentralizedAI, #MachineLearningMarkets, #PredictionMarkets, #AIInfrastructure, #DeFiInnovation

In this episode of Chain Reaction, Feroz Lakhani interviews Chase Allred from Arbitrum/Offchain Labs about how Arbitrum is revolutionizing the Ethereum ecosystem through advanced Layer 2 scaling solutions. Chase explains Arbitrum's role as the first and largest optimistic rollup on Ethereum, providing faster and cheaper transactions while maintaining Ethereum's security guarantees. With 250 millisecond block times (8x faster than competitors) and fraud proofs live from day one, Arbitrum has established itself as a leader in the L2 space. The conversation explores Arbitrum's innovative features including: Stylus: Allowing developers to write smart contracts in Rust, C, and C++ alongside Solidity TimeBoost: A transaction ordering mechanism that redirects MEV value back to the Arbitrum DAO "Credibly neutral block space" and why major stablecoin providers like Circle (USDC) and Tether (USDT) have chosen Arbitrum Orbit chains: Customizable L2 solutions built on Arbitrum's tech stack Chase also shares his vision for Arbitrum's future as a "digital sovereign nation" with diversified revenue streams and expanding economic opportunities. Connect with Arbitrum: Twitter: @Arbitrum and @OffchainLabs Website: Arbitrum.io Follow Chase: @allred_chase Host: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at AnkrFind Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com#Arbitrum #Ethereum #Layer2 #Blockchain #Crypto #Scaling #DeFi #Web3 #OffchainLabs #StableCoin

In this episode, Feroz Lakhani interviews Andre S (Head of Product at Bitcoin L2 Labs) and Jonas Gerber (Hero Systems) about Stacks - a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution bringing smart contract capabilities and DeFi to Bitcoin. Discover how Stacks has grown into a genuinely decentralized ecosystem with over 30 independent entities working together to expand Bitcoin's functionality without compromising its core principles. Learn about SBTC, a decentralized Bitcoin-backed asset that enables programmable, faster, and cheaper Bitcoin transactions in DeFi applications, and how it compares to other Bitcoin assets like Coinbase's CBBTC or BitGo's Wrapped Bitcoin. The guests share insights on the evolution of Bitcoin-focused development, the growth of the "Make Bitcoin Fun Again" movement, and how Bitcoin ordinals and runes have helped revitalize interest in the Bitcoin ecosystem. They also discuss the future relationship between Bitcoin and stablecoins, suggesting they'll develop symbiotically rather than competitively. Discussion Points: -The decentralized structure of Stacks ecosystem -How Stacks enables Bitcoin-based programmability while maintaining security -The rise of BTC-Fi (Bitcoin DeFi) and its potential -SBTC: A decentralized Bitcoin-backed asset for DeFi -Balancing decentralization with mainstream adoption -Bitcoin's evolution beyond just a store of value Connect with Stacks: Twitter: @Stacks Website: Stacks.co Learn about Bitcoin DeFi: Bitcoinismore.org About the Guests: Andre S - Head of Product at Bitcoin L2 Labs, a Stacks core development company that built SBTC Jonas Gerber - Part of Hero Systems, one of the core entities of the Stacks ecosystem, focused on developer tooling Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share if you found this conversation valuable! #bitcoin #stacks #sbtc #BTC #DeFi #BTCFi #Crypto #Blockchain #BitcoinL2 #SmartContracts #Web3 #Cryptocurrency #OrderSats #StacksEcosystem #Programming #Ordinals #Runes

In this insightful episode of Chain Reaction, host Feroz Lakhani sits down with Andrea Muttoni, President of Story Foundation, to explore how blockchain technology is revolutionizing intellectual property rights. Andrea shares his journey from Amazon and Dapper Labs to now leading Story Foundation, where they're building a decentralized protocol that makes IP registration and licensing as easy as uploading an image to social media. The conversation dives into how Story transforms IP protection through programmable licenses, token-bound accounts, and attestation services that verify content originality. Andrea explains how Story is addressing the growing challenge of AI-generated content and fair compensation for creators, comparing today's content landscape to the "Napster moment" where making legal licensing as easy as copying is key to creator sustainability. Perfect for creators, developers, and anyone interested in protecting their digital work in an AI-dominated world. Learn how Story is working to ensure that the $60+ trillion IP market becomes accessible to everyone, not just corporations with expensive legal teams. Guest: Andrea Muttoni, President of Story Foundation Host: Feroz Lakhani, Brand Director at Ankr Find Story: X @StoryProtocol | Website: story.foundation Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com#IntellectualProperty #Blockchain #AICreators #Web3 #ContentProtection #NFTs

In this episode of Chain Reaction, host Feroz Lakhani speaks with Tyler Van Der Hoeven, a 10-year veteran of building on Stellar who currently works at the Stellar Development Foundation. Tyler shares insights on Stellar's longevity in the blockchain space, having recently celebrated its 11th birthday.They discuss how Stellar has maintained its core mission of facilitating value transfer and micro-transactions while the broader crypto ecosystem evolved in different directions. Tyler explains Stellar's approach to partnerships with financial institutions, highlighting how their stability and reliability have created a unique moat in an industry known for rapid changes.The conversation shifts to Stellar's smart contract capabilities and how they're balancing their established reputation for stability with the need to innovate. Tyler shares his passion for making blockchain technology more accessible and useful for real-world problems, especially for those in regions with financial instability.The discussion culminates with an exciting look at the future of development through AI tools, with both guests sharing their experiences using AI to accelerate coding and problem-solving. Tyler outlines his vision for programmable wallets and authentication systems that maintain security while dramatically improving user experience.Whether you're interested in Stellar's approach to blockchain development, the role of AI in coding, or the future of crypto wallets, this wide-ranging conversation offers valuable insights from someone who's been building in the space for a decade.#Stellar #Blockchain #Cryptocurrency #Programming #AI #SmartContracts #DeFi

In this episode of Chain Reaction, host Feroz Lakhani sits down with EJ Ayala, Head of Partnerships at Ex Populus and core contributor to XAI blockchain, to discuss the evolution of Web3 gaming. EJ shares insights on XAI's origin as a Layer 3 blockchain on Arbitrum created to solve actual gaming problems, and introduces Raijin.gg - their new platform that rewards Steam gamers with real-world prizes for achievements. The conversation explores how Web3 gaming is moving beyond unsustainable play-to-earn models to create genuine value for mainstream gamers. EJ explains their approach of meeting gamers where they are - focusing on gameplay first while gradually introducing blockchain benefits without the technical jargon that alienates traditional gaming audiences. Perfect for gamers interested in earning rewards for their achievements, developers looking to attract players to their games, and anyone curious about the future intersection of gaming and blockchain technology. Guest: EJ Ayala, Core Contributor at XAI (X: @XAI_Games)Host: Feroz Lakhani, Ankr (@ankr)Find XAI: X @XAI_Games | Website: xai.games Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com#Web3Gaming #Blockchain #XAIGames #GameFi #Gaming

In this thought-provoking panel from Asphere's "Blueprint: Mapping the Future of Web3 Infrastructure" event at ETH Denver, industry leaders from Zerebro and ElizaOS dive deep into the evolving landscape of AI agents. Watch as these pioneers discuss: -The current state of autonomous AI agents and their frameworks -Technical challenges in building truly autonomous systems -Business models and monetization strategies for AI agent platforms -The intersection of AI agents with Web3 infrastructure -Their visions for the future of human-agent collaboration. This candid conversation explores both the practical hurdles facing today's AI agent builders and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead as we move toward more sophisticated autonomous systems. Whether you're a developer, investor, or tech enthusiast, this panel offers valuable insights into how AI agents are reshaping our digital landscape and what to expect in the years ahead. #AIAgents #Web3 #ETHDenver #Zerebro #ElizaOS #Asphere #ArtificialIntelligence

Panel discussion from ETH Denver featuring infrastructure innovators from Facet, DIA, and Somnia discussing their unique approaches to blockchain architecture. Tom Lehman (Facet) advocates for truly decentralized rollups, Dillon Hanson (DIA) explains their transparent oracle systems, and Ignacio (Somnia) showcases their ultra-fast EVM implementation. The panel explores key tensions between decentralization, speed, and security, with each project challenging different Web3 assumptions. Discussion highlights include corporate adoption challenges, DeFi infrastructure needs, and visions for blockchain's role in finance over the next five years. Perfect for developers, infrastructure teams, and anyone interested in the technical foundations of next-gen blockchain applications. Speakers: Tom Lehman - https://x.com/dumbnamenumbers Facet - https://x.com/0xFacet Dillon Hanson - https://x.com/dillonhanson12 DIA - https://x.com/DIAdata_org Ignacio - https://x.com/numbernine_eth Somnia - https://x.com/Somnia_Network #ETHDenver #Web3Infrastructure #Blockchain #RollupTechnology #Decentralization #DIA #Facet #Somnia #EthereumScaling #Oracles #DeFi #GameFi #BlockchainArchitecture

Join our insightful panel discussion from ETH Denver featuring industry leaders exploring the cutting-edge innovations happening on Bitcoin. Moderated by Tyler Sloan, Product Manager at Ankr, this conversation brings together experts from TAC, Botanix, and BitFlow (representing Stacks) as they discuss the renaissance of development on the world's first cryptocurrency. Our panelists explore the latest advancements in Bitcoin infrastructure, the growing ecosystem of applications, and how new technologies are unlocking Bitcoin's potential beyond simple transactions. Discover how layer-2 solutions, smart contracts, and novel protocols are transforming Bitcoin's utility while maintaining its foundational security and decentralization principles. Whether you're a developer, investor, or blockchain enthusiast, this panel offers valuable insights into the future direction of Bitcoin innovation and its implications for the broader cryptocurrency landscape.

Join host Feroz Lakhani for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how Asphere is revolutionizing blockchain technology through AI integration. In this episode, Feroz sits down with CTO Stanley Wu and Infrastructure Lead Roman Fasakhov to explore the development of Moniqa, an innovative AI system enhancing blockchain infrastructure. Learn how this groundbreaking project began, the challenges the team overcame during development, and the surprising benefits they've discovered along the way. Stanley and Roman share insights on their collaboration with the ElizaOS team and reveal exciting plans for future developments. Discover how AI agents are transforming blockchain operations at Asphere and what this means for the future of decentralized systems. Whether you're a blockchain enthusiast, AI developer, or industry professional, this episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of these cutting-edge technologies.

Host Feroz Lakhani sits down with Kevin He, co-founder of Bitlayer, for a deep dive into the evolution of Bitcoin from a simple payment system to a programmable DeFi ecosystem.Kevin shares his journey from translating the Bitcoin whitepaper into other languages to building four EVM-compatible chains and now pioneering Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions. Discover how Bitlayer is achieving on-chain verification without requiring Bitcoin upgrades, using innovative BitVM technology to create the most secure Bitcoin bridge in the market.Key highlights include:The Bitcoin Scaling Dilemma: Balancing security vs programmability while preserving Bitcoin's core ethosOn-Chain vs Off-Chain Validation: Why trustless verification matters for Bitcoin DeFiOrdinals & Runes Explained: Kevin's brilliant analogy comparing Bitcoin assets to serial numbers on dollar billsBitVM Innovation: How to build fraud proofs and slashing mechanisms directly on Bitcoin L1Impressive Traction: 250,000 daily transactions, $600M TVL, and 1M+ community members on V1 aloneThe Future of Bitcoin: From payment rails to yield-bearing assets and fully programmable DeFiKevin outlines Bitlayer's ambitious roadmap from their current V1 sidechain to V2's Bitcoin L2 with minimized trust bridges, and V3's high-performance execution engine targeting 10,000 TPS for institutional trading.Whether you're a Bitcoin maximalist curious about Layer 2 scaling or a DeFi enthusiast exploring new frontiers, this episode offers unique insights into how Bitcoin is evolving while staying true to its foundational principles.Guest: Kevin He, Co-founder of Bitlayer (@bitlayerlabs) Host: Feroz Lakhani, Ankr (@ankr)Find Bitlayer: X @bitlayerlabs | Website: bitlayer.org Find Ankr: X @ankr | Website: ankr.com