On February 3, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin sat down with Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, at the ETHChiangmai Summit 2026 for a wide-ranging conversation on Web3, crypto, and new forms of social coordination. Vitalik reflected on Ethereum's original vision and shared his concerns about the current state of the crypto space, arguing that technological progress must ultimately serve broader social and political goals. Beyond technical breakthroughs, he questioned how crypto can respond to a growing global crisis of trust. Michel introduced the idea of "regenerative accelerationism," advocating for technology that actively supports sustainable social development, especially by connecting crypto with the real, productive economy. Together, they explored decentralized social models, the role of technology in enabling global collaboration and shared resources, and the challenges Web3 faces in moving beyond speculation toward deeper economic and social transformation. Timeline: 00:00 Vitalik reflects on early Ethereum ideals and why a return to core values matters 03:53 The TRUMP memecoin moment and a broader identity crisis for crypto 06:38 Regenerative accelerationism and accelerating alternatives during global breakdown 10:28 Examples of crypto aligned with regenerative practice 15:25 Why users resist unfamiliar crypto mechanisms and default to ERC20 and dollars 17:43 Funding models in Web3 and NGOs, and why real-world practices stay marginal 20:00 Ethereum's next five years and a return to the original Web3 vision 24:21 DAO design trade-offs and over-optimization for legal safety 26:00 Rethinking finance, collusion, and limits of interoperability 29:35 Michel on P2P as a human system and global self-organization 32:07 AI as "stigmergy without humans" and the edge of a new civilization 33:34 Future expectations for 4seas, hackers, and the Chiang Mai ecosystem 34:12 From extractive to generative economies and contribution-based value creation

This episode of WuBlockchain Podcast explores the long-term evolution of Vietnam’s crypto market through the perspective of Thanh Le, CEO of G98 and Founder of Ninety Eight. Drawing on his experience since entering the industry in 2017, Thanh discusses how Vietnam’s crypto ecosystem has matured from an early high-risk phase into a highly active market shaped by retail participation, developer talent, and emerging regulation. Ninety Eight builds practical Web3 products, including multi-chain wallets and DeFi tools, from Vietnam. Through G98, a joint venture with G-Group, these technologies are localized and deployed using domestic infrastructure to support digital-asset-related products and services in the Vietnamese market. Timeline: 00:00 Opening & Guest Background: A long-term, on-ground perspective since entering the crypto industry in 2017 01:15 Evolution of Vietnam's crypto market: From widespread scams to recognition as a new asset class 03:21 Market size and activity: Vietnam's user base characterized by high ownership and high trading activity 07:19 User entry paths: Generational shifts from Bitcoin to GameFi, DeFi, and memecoins 10:16 User profiles and risk appetite: From CEX-dominated trading to a growing understanding of on-chain activity and strategy allocation 13:26 Regulatory environment: A conservative yet supportive policy stance and expectations around a 2025 inflection point 16:41 Shifts in asset and narrative preferences: A return to BTC and major assets alongside interest in emerging narratives 19:04 Cooling of Vietnam-based projects: The impact of the bear market, talent outflows, and regulatory uncertainty 22:58 Developer ecosystem and city distribution: A technical talent pool spanning both Solana and EVM ecosystems 26:18 Changes in the fundraising environment: From pro-cyclical fundraising in 2021 to a broadly tighter capital market 29:11 Vietnam's long-term advantages: Strong learning willingness, community mobilization, and talent supply

In this keynote address, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou reviews the rapid development of the global crypto industry in 2025 and systematically outlines Bybit's strategic transition from a "crypto exchange" to a "comprehensive financial platform." He notes that clearer regulatory frameworks, increasing institutional participation, and the growth of stablecoins and real-world assets (RWA) are collectively driving crypto assets into a broader mainstream financial system. During the speech, Ben also reflects in detail on the market turmoil of October 10 (10.10), analyzing its impact on market liquidity and trading infrastructure. He revisits key issues exposed by the event, including liquidation mechanisms, mark price accuracy, auto-deleveraging (ADL), and overall system stability, and introduces a series of upgrades and improvements Bybit implemented afterward across risk management, market surveillance, and core infrastructure. Looking ahead to the coming year, Ben further outlines Bybit's product and strategic roadmap, including continued expansion of global compliance and licensing, enhancements to fiat on- and off-ramp and payment networks, the launch of retail banking accounts and more comprehensive wealth management offerings, the introduction of RWA-based yield solutions, and deeper integration of AI across trading, risk control, and user experience. Overall, Bybit aims to position itself as a long-term infrastructure builder, bridging traditional finance and crypto while improving global access to and efficiency of financial services. Below is the transcript of Bybit CEO Ben's keynote. The audio transcription was generated by GPT and may contain inaccuracies; minor edits have been made for readability. Timeline 00:00 Introduction and keynote opening 00:34 2025 crypto adoption trends and global market growth 01:57 Regulation, ETFs, stablecoins, and institutional adoption 03:40 Crypto as global financial infrastructure and inclusion tool 05:41 Bybit's vision: from exchange to financial platform 06:52 Compliance-first strategy and global licensing expansion 07:35 Building global fiat, card, and payment infrastructure 09:39 Bridging TradFi and crypto through RWA and custody solutions 12:51 Connecting crypto users with traditional markets (stocks, gold, forex) 14:00 Wealth management, Earn products, and private banking services 16:43 Launch of retail banking accounts ("MyBank by Bybit") 19:51 RWA strategy and tokenized asset outlook 20:41 Product simplification, user feedback, and app restructuring 24:51 AI-powered support, automation, and user experience upgrades 25:54 Advanced trading tools and execution infrastructure 30:11 Options market growth and institutional trading features 31:35 Market crash reflection and risk management improvements 34:19 2026 roadmap: payments, RWA, AI agents, and infrastructure 38:40 Corporate responsibility and global community initiatives 40:09 Tokenized stocks, DEXs, and future market structure 44:04 Closing remarks and long-term vision

In this episode, Tekin Salimi, founder of dao5, discusses his transition from traditional crypto venture capital to building dao5, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). He reflects on the challenges and opportunities in the crypto space, shares insights on DAOs, venture funding, and the intersection of blockchain technology with AI, and explores the evolving crypto ecosystem in the wake of 2024 market shifts. Tekin Salimi outlines his journey from Polychain Capital to founding dao5 in 2022, where he focused on creating a unique investment fund model with a strong emphasis on adaptability. His approach in dao5 differs from traditional venture capital by prioritizing people and community formation within the decentralized framework. He delves into the market dynamics of altcoins, token distribution, and venture capital's shift toward decentralization. Tekin also highlights dao5's future governance model, where decisions will be gradually decentralized, but with a strong leadership core initially. The discussion touches on current challenges in meme coins, institutional adoption, and how the DAO model can address issues like liquidity, incentives, and governance in crypto. He concludes with thoughts on the long-term potential of decentralized AI and crypto integration. Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and dao5 Overview 02:46 Key Differences Between dao5 and Traditional VC 04:29 dao5's Focus on People and Governance 06:33 Vertical Focus and Investment Strategy 08:54 Institutional Adoption vs. Crypto Native Innovation 10:45 Shifting Focus Toward Enterprise and Compliance 11:41 Performance of dao5's First Fund 13:47 Bittensor and dao5's Role as an Incubator 15:43 Blockchain and AI: Future Synergies 17:05 Shift in VC Return Expectations 18:50 The Meme Coin Dilemma for VCs 21:09 Transitioning to a DAO: Governance and Structure 23:53 Ensuring Balance Between Small and Large Stakeholders 26:30 Building Value-Aligned Community Participation 27:39 Handling Trust and Legal Risk with Pseudonymous Founders 28:55 The Future of Crypto VCs in a DAO-Driven World 30:40 Western vs. Eastern Crypto Ecosystems 32:18 Overcoming Gaps in Liquidity, Networks, and Regulation

In a January 31 AMA, CZ said Binance’s core strategy today is compliance, stability, and long-term survival, rather than rapid expansion or chasing every new trend. In the current regulatory and industry environment, he stressed that lasting longer matters more than growing bigger. Binance is prioritizing sustainability over short-term scale. Strong regulation, in his view, is a structural trend in crypto—not a temporary phase—and Binance’s approach is to adapt to regulation, not fight it, with different compliance strategies across jurisdictions. CZ also said the get-rich-quick era is over. Crypto is no longer a market driven by fast money or short-term speculation. Strategies that relied on cycle timing and quick gains are fading, and the industry’s focus is shifting toward long-term building—core infrastructure, real demand, and applications that can operate within compliant frameworks. On Binance Alpha, listings, and Meme Rush, CZ positioned Alpha as an ecosystem access layer, not an endorsement. He acknowledged execution issues with Meme Rush, while emphasizing that concerns from neutral users deserve serious attention. He reiterated that exchanges provide market access, not guaranteed returns, and that investment decisions remain the user’s responsibility. From a market perspective, CZ took a more cautious stance on a near-term Bitcoin supercycle, expecting continued volatility. Long term, he remains bullish on Bitcoin and views it as superior to gold, though global consensus will take time to form. He also reaffirmed Binance’s 100% reserves and proof-of-reserves framework, noting that past stress tests have demonstrated the platform’s liquidity and asset safety. CZ also addressed market criticism and community disputes around Binance, BNB, and BNB Chain. He denied claims that Binance or he personally manipulated the market or caused the October 11 sell-off, emphasizing that price movements were driven by macro factors and that no single entity can realistically control Bitcoin’s price. Views related to the 10/10 incident reflect CZ’s personal opinion only. For the official report and broader perspectives, please refer to: Link Timeline: 00:00:00 CZ's comment on Aster 00:00:46 Community raises concerns about FUD, listings, Alpha, and Meme Rush 00:04:32 Rebuttal of claims that Binance caused the October 10 market crash 00:04:32 Explanation of regulation, monitoring, and why manipulation claims are unrealistic 00:06:45 Response to accusations about personal wealth and asset dumping 00:18:20 System issues, compensation, and limits of technology during peak stress 00:13:17 Origins of FUD: competitors, paid “water army,” and emotional traders 00:18:34 Meme Rush rationale, implementation flaws, and listening to the silent majority 00:21:13 How FUD backfires by increasing Binance visibility and user loyalty 00:24:34 Personal responsibility as a core principle for traders 00:26:07 Outlook on Bitcoin super cycle becomes more cautious amid volatility 00:29:06 Bitcoin vs. gold: long-term superiority vs. short-term adoption reality 00:30:48 Role of AI in future trading, UX, research, and exchange operations 00:33:15 Proof of reserves, audits, and Binance’s handling of extreme withdrawals

At the 2026 Davos Forum's *New Era for Finance* roundtable, leading figures in the financial sector from various regions gathered to discuss how technological innovations are reshaping global finance, with a particular focus on the role of cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and artificial intelligence in payments and financial transactions. Below is an excerpt of Binance founder CZ's remarks. CZ believes that while the payments sector still faces challenges, the integration of traditional payment methods with cryptocurrency will drive significant growth in the future. He also expressed concerns about the risks associated with Bitcoin payments, Memecoins, and traditional banks, citing their high levels of speculation and uncertainty. When discussing the need for a unified global regulatory framework, CZ noted the difficulty in implementing such a framework due to varying regulations across countries. He proposed the idea of a "regulatory passport," where a license obtained in one country would be recognized by others, offering a more feasible solution than creating a global regulatory body. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Differences between cryptocurrency and traditional financial regulation 03:12 CZ introduces the innovation prospects of cryptocurrency and blockchain 06:40 The future of Bitcoin payments 07:18 Thoughts on Memecoins and the Metaverse 08:22 CZ: Traditional banks will significantly reduce in the next decade 09:51 In-depth reflection on bank liquidity issues 10:52 Different responses of cryptocurrency and banking systems 12:29 Challenges of global regulatory frameworks and regulatory differences between countries 14:35 CZ suggests "regulatory passports" as a global regulatory solution

In this episode of ETHPanda, Tomasz Stanczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, shares his journey from traditional finance to Ethereum core development. He explains how he founded Nethermind from scratch and became a driving force behind the Ethereum core protocol. Tomasz discusses the challenges he faced, including resource constraints and fundraising. He also provides insight into the future direction of the Ethereum protocol, particularly the integration of Agentic AI with ETH, and how standards like ERC-8004 are driving the adoption of AI agents on Ethereum. Additionally, he covers the interoperability of Layer 2 solutions and the Ethereum community's development strategy. Timeline: 00:00 Opening & Introduction 03:18 The path to Ethereum core development 05:18 The advantages and challenges of starting Nethermind without funding 09:23 The development of Nethermind 12:45 Key milestones for Nethermind 16:57 A piece of advice to my younger self 19:11 Ethereum Foundation's goals and challenges 22:22 Discussing Layer 2 interoperability 26:38 Ethereum's future community development strategy 33:29 The future of Ethereum and AI integration 39:27 Ethereum as an AI collaboration layer 42:34 How Agentic AI integrates with blockchain governance 50:09 How the Ethereum Foundation supports AI and ETH development 53:13 Contributions from China to Web3 and AI development

In this BNB Chain 2025 Year-End AMA, CZ reflects on a year that marked a turning point both for him personally and for the broader crypto industry. He talks about how life changed after receiving a pardon, and how his focus has shifted toward education, early-stage investing, ecosystem mentorship, and advising governments on crypto policy. The discussion spans key milestones across BNB Chain, Giggle Academy, YZi Labs, and Binance, highlighting renewed growth momentum on BNB Chain, continued adoption of stablecoins, and the emergence of prediction markets as an increasingly important on-chain use case. CZ also shares his perspectives on the evolution of stablecoins, the rise of AI agents, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and where crypto infrastructure may be headed in 2026 and beyond. Text summary: Link Timeline: Host Interview with CZ 00:00 Life after the pardon and personal reflections 01:20 Four core focus areas: Giggle Academy, YZi Labs, BNB Chain ecosystem mentorship, and government advisory work 05:02 Key 2025 milestones: education, BNB Chain growth, investment pace, and Binance user scale 08:32 Why prediction markets are gaining momentum and how CZ views multi-team competition 13:09 Stablecoins as a turning point in crypto infrastructure discussions 15:39 Stablecoin "1.0 vs 2.0," yield mechanisms, regulation, and opportunities on BNB Chain 17:42 What CZ looks for in founders and mission-driven teams Community Q&A 21:22 Advice for technical builders transitioning into business and leadership roles 23:58 Lessons from BNB Chain's early "undervalued" phase and a long-term mindset 27:51 Why stablecoin competition is not a zero-sum "horse race" 31:47 Crypto social platforms versus X and the value of native crypto communities 36:07 Early-stage prediction markets: execution over current features 39:38 BNB Chain's future goals and CZ's advisory role 41:50 Views on real-world asset tokenization, AI, robotics, and DePIN 45:34 AI trading agents, the limits of shared strategies, and future adoption paths

At Binance Blockchain Week 2025, held on December 3–4 in Dubai, Tom Lee-Co-founder of Fundstrat and Chairman of BitMine-delivered a keynote titled "The Crypto Supercycle Intact." In his speech, he systematically outlined his long-term bullish thesis on the crypto market. His core arguments included: why tokenization is the defining theme of 2025; why he believes Bitcoin and Ethereum have already bottomed; how the traditional four-year cycle is being disrupted; why Ethereum is positioned as foundational infrastructure for the future global financial system; and why Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies will play a critical role in the next phase of crypto financialization. Tom Lee argues that Bitcoin's cyclical logic is being reshaped by industrial and inflation cycles, rather than the familiar four-year halving pattern. On tokenization, he emphasizes that the true transformation goes far beyond simple "digitization of assets." In his view, the future of finance involves deep financial decomposition and reconstruction, where stocks, cash-flow streams, product lines, and even the implied economic value of a CEO can be fragmented, priced, and tokenized-enhancing transparency, predictive power, and hedging efficiency across capital markets. He also describes how BitMine, as a representative DAT, aims to serve as a bridge between Wall Street and the crypto ecosystem. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Context of the speech: Tom Lee's professional roles and why he addresses crypto amid a market pullback 01:36 Five themes overview: tokenization, market cycles, Ethereum, institutional opportunity, and digital asset treasury companies 02:53 Reviewing a decade of asset performance: why crypto remains the strongest asset class 03:55 Major positive developments in 2025: policy support and institutional adoption 05:39 Tokenization becomes the core narrative of 2025: Ethereum's "ChatGPT moment" 06:36 Long-term growth potential: adoption remains extremely low 07:46 Assessing the market bottom: mispricing, deleveraging, and structural changes 08:26 Discussion of Bitcoin's drawdown: is the four-year cycle still valid? 09:36 Fundstrat model adjustments: incorporating Tom DeMark's timing indicators 11:22 Dissecting the Bitcoin four-year cycle: why it may be breaking down 13:40 Price implications: if the cycle breaks, Bitcoin could set new highs in January 14:10 Why Ethereum is the future financial infrastructure 15:41 Continued Ethereum upgrades: reinforcing its ecosystem position 16:27 ETH/BTC valuation breakout: structural repricing ahead 17:39 The true value of tokenization: from digitization to financial decomposition 19:56 Prediction markets + tokenization: a new architecture for capital markets 21:18 Strategic role of DATs in bridging TradFi and DeFi

In this interview, Ben Fisch, the founder of Espresso, elaborates on the project's technological innovations aimed at solving the fragmentation problem in Web3 blockchain ecosystems. Espresso seeks to address these challenges by offering high-speed finality and supporting Layer 2 technologies, facilitating efficient communication between different blockchains. Ben details how the project leverages improvements in consensus mechanisms and innovative technologies, such as erasure coding and zero-knowledge proofs, to reduce cross-chain latency and improve interchain interaction. He also discusses Espresso's appeal to top developers and investors, as well as its future market positioning and tokenomics model. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Origins of Espresso and Its Initial Goals 03:07 The Impact of AI and Crypto Talent Competition 04:17 The Causes of Web3 Fragmentation 08:07 Why Digital Finance in Web3 is Still Fragmented 08:37 Espresso's Technological Innovations and How It Differs from Traditional Blockchains 09:00 The Advantages of Espresso in Supporting Layer 2 and Its Performance Features 10:16 How Espresso Solves Cross-Chain Interaction and Finality Issues 12:33 Espresso's Consensus Mechanism and Cross-Chain Communication 15:08 Espresso's Consensus Design and Achieving Fast Finality 18:21 How Espresso Uses Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Real-Time Cross-Chain Communication 20:55 How Espresso Supports Multi-Chain Ecosystems and Bridges to Other Chains 21:23 The Benefits of Espresso for Rollup Projects 23:32 Rollups' Demand for Espresso and Use Cases 24:46 The Value of Espresso's Token and Network Effects 26:28 Reasons for Introducing the Token and Future Value Drivers 29:43 Espresso's Future Vision and Market Positioning

At Binance Blockchain Week 2025, held in Dubai on December 3–4, Binance founder CZ participated in a group media interview. The Q&A covered topics such as crypto payments, digital asset treasuries, U.S. policy shifts, Giggle Academy, life perspectives, and more. CZ emphasized that payments remain crypto's biggest unresolved challenge, that successful Web3 founders must be product- and user-driven with long-term focus, and that while the DAT model is viable, its risk depends on management. He noted that renewed U.S. regulatory openness will unlock major opportunities, mainstream adoption requires regulatory clarity, infrastructure and enterprise integration, crypto is already improving financial access in developing countries, and education, philanthropy, and ecosystem development will be his personal priorities going forward. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Why Crypto Still Hasn't Solved Payments 02:44 Binance's Early Vision, Organizational Evolution, and Regulatory Dynamics 04:04 What Makes Founders Survive the Next Cycle: Product Focus & Long-Termism 05:18 CZ on Life, Uncertainty, and What Truly Matters 07:17 Sustainability and Risk Profile of the Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) Model 10:33 After the Trump Pardon: Will the US Become a Core Crypto Market? 12:53 How CZ Maintains Mental Health Amid Media Pressure 16:22 Keys to Mainstream Adoption: Regulatory Clarity & Financial Integration 19:51 How Crypto Brings Real Value to Emerging Markets 23:15 Giggle Academy: Education Mission, Content Expansion & Community Funding 26:52 CZ's Philanthropy Priorities and Social Impact Projects 30:50 When a Billion People Use Web3: Abstraction & the Future of UX 33:11 Binance's New Leadership Structure & CZ's Future Focus 37:28 Daily Habits Behind CZ's Success: Learning & Staying Healthy

At Binance Blockchain Week 2025, Binance founder CZ and Euro Pacific Asset Management CEO & Global Strategist Peter Schiff engage in a fiery debate over the value and future of Bitcoin versus tokenized gold. Peter argues that tokenized gold, backed by tangible reserves, offers superior stability and real-world utility. CZ counters that Bitcoin, as a decentralized and borderless digital asset, carries unique technological advantages and growing global demand despite volatility. The two clash on payment use cases, investment value, technical foundations, and long-term prospects, ultimately holding firm to their opposing views. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Peter explains the practical use and value backing of tokenized gold 04:16 Peter argues Bitcoin is like fiat money with no backing 05:34 CZ presents physical gold on stage and raises the issue of verifiability 09:03 CZ: Bitcoin, like the internet, is intangible yet still valuable 11:45 Peter emphasizes Bitcoin has "no real utility," therefore no intrinsic value 13:44 Peter explains why gold can serve as a central bank reserve asset 17:12 Debate on whether Bitcoin qualifies as "money" 22:29 CZ highlights Bitcoin's utility in payments and as a store of value 25:25 Peter claims Bitcoin resembles a Ponzi structure 27:01 Peter: Despite major tailwinds, Bitcoin's price has fallen over the past four years 31:05 Peter argues Bitcoin's wealth effect comes from wealth transfer 33:04 CZ shares a real example of how Bitcoin improved a user's life in Africa 36:31 Debate over whether crypto payment cards actually use crypto for payments 42:00 Dispute over whether Bitcoin can store value 45:55 Discussion on whether speculators dominate Bitcoin's price 49:25 Peter reiterates Bitcoin is purely speculative and lacks real value 54:00 Debate concludes: both sides firmly maintain their positions

In this episode of the WuBlockchain Podcast, Rand Hindi, CEO of Zama, explores the transformative potential of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) in blockchain. He highlights its critical role in ensuring privacy while maintaining scalability. Zama's protocol adds a confidentiality layer to existing blockchains like Ethereum and Solana, enabling secure transactions. Hindi explains how FHE stands out from other privacy technologies such as Zero-Knowledge (ZK) proofs and Multi-Party Computation (MPC), especially in enabling confidential token transfers and DeFi applications. He also discusses Zama's progress and its upcoming token auction. Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to Zama and CEO Rand Hindi's background 01:27 Why privacy is becoming a critical issue for AI and blockchain technologies 02:50 Explanation of FHE vs. other privacy technologies 05:46 How Zama uses FHE, MPC, and ZK together to enable confidentiality on existing blockchains 07:41 Integration of Zama's privacy layer with EVM-compatible blockchains 09:12 Developer ease in building encrypted smart contracts on Zama's protocol 10:35 Overcoming the historical challenges of FHE, including scalability and cost 12:08 Zama's progress in solving compute problems and scaling FHE to Ethereum-level speeds 12:47 The current technical bottleneck: hardware advancements needed for faster computation 13:51 Forecast on achieving real-time encrypted computation 14:28 Ensuring compliance and auditability in private computations using Zama 16:10 The impact of FHE on MEV and blockchain fairness 17:10 Expected use cases for FHE in crypto, such as confidential payments and token distribution 19:30 Example of confidential token distribution and its importance for privacy 20:40 Zama's approach to encrypted auctions for token sales 23:34 Unique decentralized applications made possible only by FHE 25:22 FHE's role in solving trust issues with AI agents in financial decisions 28:11 Zama's team and investors, including the company's research-heavy background and funding 30:34 Balancing research and execution in a decentralized, remote working environment 32:54 Upcoming events: Zama's mainnet launch and token auction

In this episode, Leonard, CEO of Aster, discusses his career journey from traditional finance to the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) and the role Aster plays in the evolving crypto ecosystem. He shares insights into the competitive landscape with projects like HyperLiquid, Aster's unique product features, and its community engagement approach. Leonard also talks about the development of privacy-focused blockchain infrastructure, Aster's roadmap, and his views on the broader market trends affecting Web3 and cryptocurrencies. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Transition from TradFi to DeFi: Leonard's Early Career 05:28 Collaborating with CZ: How Trust Was Built 10:16 Aster's Competitive Edge: Differentiation from HyperLiquid 13:02 Multi-Chain Integration and Decentralized Trading Experience 17:02 Privacy-Focused Blockchain: Aster's Vision for Privacy in Trading 18:03 Aster's Token Airdrop Program: Enhancing Community Engagement and Utility 19:18 The Roadmap: Infrastructure, Token Utility, and Privacy Solutions 27:50 Focus on AI for Improving User Experience in DeFi 33:11 DeFi Users' Concerns and Aster's Trust-Building Strategy 40:23 Market Outlook: The Importance of Survival and Positive Cash Flow

This episode features a fireside talk from the Finternet 2025 Asia Digital Finance Summit, themed "Asia's Crypto Frontier: Balancing Regulation and Compliant Growth". The session was moderated by Angelina Kwan, Managing Director of Stratford Finance, and featured speakers Wong Huei Ching, Executive Director of Digital Strategy and Innovation at the Securities Commission Malaysia; Uli Agustina, Director of Digital Financial Assets and Crypto Assets Supervision at Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Indonesia Financial Services Authority); and Harry Kim, Chief Business Officer at Kintsugi Technologies. The Finternet 2025 summit took place on 4 November in Hong Kong under the theme "Connecting Dreams × Building the Future,"supported by more than ten institutions including OSL Group, Invest HK, the Financial Services Development Council and Hong Kong Cyberport. Text summary: Link Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and framing: Asia's regulatory leadership in crypto 02:34 Korea pushes for ETPs, catching up with Hong Kong 05:02 Korea's phased legislation: exchanges, custodians, stablecoins 07:24 Malaysia pushes institutionalization and bank-crypto collaboration 10:27 Tokenization sandbox initiatives in Malaysia 13:36 Indonesia's clearinghouse and custodian setup 16:09 Real-world use cases: cattle tracking, property tokenization 18:52 Perpetuals and ETPs: regulated exchanges entering the space 23:21 Korea's tax and custodian regulations still evolving 24:49 Malaysia's custodian licensing regime and bank involvement 26:57 Indonesia's 2026 focus: derivatives regulation, innovation sandbox 30:36 Korea eyes more institutional participation with regulation