What is the future of Arbitrum now that L1 Ethereum is becoming scalable?

In this episode, Amanda Cassatt sits down with Offchain Labs and Arbitrum co-founder Steven Goldfeder. Arbitrum began as Ethereum’s scaling answer, borrowing its security to add more bandwidth, faster confirmations, and better UX. As Ethereum solves the scalability problem that was Arbitrum's original raison d’être, Steven explains Arbitrum's next frontier: customization and institutional onboarding onto Ethereum, by providing privacy and KYC that won't become available at L1 anytime soon.

The two discuss the specific ways and regions Robinhood is already - though invisibly to users - using Arbitrum, the precise path RWAs are taking to gain consumer adoption, and which traditional financial products are poised to come onchain. Steven clarifies where he aligns and departs from Vitalik's articulation of what Ethereum is for, and he tells us what he believes will happen when Ethereum grows beyond its original decentralization-first vision.

Times are evolving, and institutions aren’t guaranteed to take on the cypherpunk ideology, but so long as the core system is preserved, Goldfeder believes that there are a lot of benefits to mass onboarding.

Timestamps:

00:00 Scaling Ethereum: The Role of Arbitrum

09:29 Customization for Institutions: Arbitrum's Unique Offerings

12:43 Compliance and Privacy: Institutional Needs in DeFi

16:21 The Philosophy of Ethereum: Freedom vs. Compliance

22:39 The Future of Ethereum: KYC and Institutional Adoption

25:03 The Evolution of Use Cases on Arbitrum

31:44 Arbitrum's DAO: Governance and Decision-Making

43:50 Balancing Power: Democracy vs. Monarchy in DAOs

55:24 The Future of Arbitrum: Growth and User Experience

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Steven on X: https://x.com/sgoldfed

Offchain Labs on X: https://x.com/OffchainLabs

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

What happens when crypto stops optimizing purely for profit and starts optimizing for people, planet, and long-term coordination?

In this episode, Amanda Cassatt sits down with Gitcoin founder Kevin Owocki to discuss Ethereum’s public goods, swallowing the Green Pill, and what onchain coordination will look like in the future.

Owocki maps the cultural fault lines inside Ethereum: the libertarian and cypherpunk roots, the rise of hyper-financialized degen culture, and the parallel effort to build something different: a regenerative ecosystem that funds public goods, sustains open source, and solves coordination failures instead of reproducing them.

The two unpack what Green Pill really means and the choice it asks of builders, how Gitcoin funded $70 million in public goods and why grants and vibes aren’t enough anymore.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Regen and Degen

02:57 The Green Pill Movement

06:13 Public Goods in Ethereum

09:10 Funding Challenges in the Ethereum Ecosystem

12:07 Comparing Ethereum to Traditional Governments

15:00 The Evolution of Public Goods Funding

17:48 Incentive Alignment and the Tragedy of the Commons

21:04 Building Proofs for Public Goods

24:11 Ethereum's Unique Approach to Public Goods

26:48 Meditations on Moloch and Coordination Failures

29:39 Exploring Moloch and Ginsberg's Influence

30:04 Addressing Coordination Failures in Ethereum

34:48 The Future of Capitalism and Its Alternatives

39:40 Balancing Different Forms of Capital

45:03 Navigating Financial Nihilism Among Youth

47:41 Success Stories in Building Parallel Institutions

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Kevin on X: https://x.com/owocki

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

Crypto was supposed to be the escape hatch. So why does it increasingly feel like it’s being absorbed by the very systems it set out to challenge?

In this candid conversation, Amanda Cassatt sits down with cyberpunk crypto lawyer Gabriel Shapiro about the “fintech-ization” of crypto, where the industry stands in the post-Gary Gensler era and the fading relevance of the four-year cycle.

Is crypto a tool for resisting power, or just a more efficient version of traditional finance waiting to be regulated into submission?

Regulation isn’t a complete negative for the space; Gabriel believes that certain aspects, such as antitrust law, are beneficial. But while some laws age like a fine wine, others aren’t as relevant as technology evolves.

Amanda and Gabriel also discussed KYC and how it’s evolving, zero-knowledge proofs, and what Tornado Cash did wrong.

Timestamps:

00:00 Current State of Crypto and Market Cycles

02:53 The Debate on Decentralization vs. Centralization

05:47 The Role of Government and Regulation in Crypto

08:43 Crypto as an Alternative to Traditional Legal Systems

11:49 The Impact of Incumbent Protection on Innovation

15:03 The Future of Crypto in a Regulated Environment

17:51 The Importance of Privacy and Programmability in Crypto

26:18 The Imperative of Privacy in Crypto

34:52 Navigating Legal Compliance and Privacy

39:41 The Dilemma of Civil Disobedience

46:24 The Future of KYC in Crypto

48:40 Zero Knowledge Technology and Its Potential

Is crypto’s biggest rival artificial intelligence?

As AI absorbs talent and capital, it’s not clear yet if crypto and AI are competing or converging but crypto’s focus on human agency may matter more than ever in an automated world.

Amanda Cassatt is joined by Aaron Wright, crypto lawyer, former Wikia general counsel and CEO of Tribute Labs, to unpack the battle between crypto and AI and what the explosive growth of stablecoins actually means for the U.S. dollar as both institutions and corporations look to gain exposure to crypto.

Outside of the technological battle we’re seeing, Aaron believes we’re also undergoing a structural shift that’ll see the separation of the U.S. dollar from U.S. banks. He discusses the slow erosion of smaller national currencies, and the rise of open, permissionless financial infrastructure that anyone can access. What looks incremental today may ultimately reshape who controls money and how power flows in a dollar-dominated world.

The conversation spans across artificial intelligence, dollar hegemony, central bank authority, as well as the growing divide between institutional crypto and the onchain “trenches.”

Timestamps:

00:00 – Cold Open: Stablecoins and the End of Dollar Hegemony

05:00 – Splitting the Dollar from the Banks

10:00 – Do Stablecoins Weaken Central Banks?

15:00 – Should Local Currencies Even Exist?

20:00 – The Paradox of American Decline

25:00 – Regulation, Law, and Crypto’s Lost Years

30:00 – Institutional Crypto vs. the Trenches

35:00 – Is Crypto Still About Technology?

40:00 – AI vs. Crypto

45:00 – Open Systems, Wikipedia, and Internet Decay

50:00 – KYC, Surveillance, and Enshittification

55:00 – Identity, Reputation, and ZK Proofs

1:00:00 – Crypto’s Endgame: Human Agency

Resources:

Follow Aaron Wright @awrigh01 https://x.com/awrigh01

Learn more about Aaron's work: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2373233

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

What if the biggest forces shaping crypto today are hidden behind VPNs?

In this episode of Endgame, host Amanda Cassatt sits down with Mable Jiang, Trends co-founder, former Multicoin partner and founding member of the Solana Foundation Council,for a rare, unfiltered look at the Chinese and Asian crypto markets — the traders, the memes, the exchanges, and the invisible liquidity that moves the entire ecosystem.

From the rise of Bybit and Binance to the cultural phenomenon of Chinese tickers and global “trenchers,” Jiang dives into the real size of the Chinese crypto market and why so much of that activity is “concealed” and never shows up in Western reports.

Cassatt and Jiang explore Hong Kong’s resurgence and what’s led to it in comparison to the “Westworld effect” Singapore has. The two also touch on Solana’s “Lala” moment, creator-coin culture and what Western builders don’t understand about Asia.

The US may have claimed the crypto capital for now, but Asia, and China, may dominate crypto’s next chapter.

Timecodes:

00:00 The Evolution of Dance and Technology

05:01 The Chinese Crypto Market Landscape

11:18 Centralized Exchanges and Their Impact

17:06 Institutional Participation in Crypto

22:43 The Role of Education in Innovation

27:23 The Gaokao System and Its Implications

34:39 Stereotypes of Chinese Tech Culture

39:02 Government Perspectives on Crypto

43:09 Opportunities and Risks in Crypto Adoption

50:44 Navigating the Chinese Market for Crypto Projects

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

What happens when the country that taught the world inflation becomes the testing ground for the future of money?

In this episode of Endgame, Amanda sits down with Camila Russo, author of The Infinite Machine and founder of The Defiant, to trace how growing up in Latin America shaped her understanding of money, power, and why crypto matters long before the West noticed. Before becoming one of crypto’s most influential journalists, Camila was a Bloomberg reporter living in Buenos Aires during the peso’s collapse, covering Argentina’s economy as her own salary evaporated under currency controls.

Camila explains how living through Argentina’s currency controls made Bitcoin feel inevitable, why DeFi was the first time crypto felt real, and why stablecoins have become the economic backbone of everyday life across the region. She breaks down why LATAM became a proving ground for UX-driven financial apps, how its developers are quietly building one of crypto’s most important talent hubs, and why countries like Argentina and Brazil may define the next phase of mainstream adoption.

This is a look at crypto through the eyes of someone who’s lived the problem before meeting the technology.

Timestamps

0:00 – How We Met & Crypto Beginnings

1:37 – Working in Argentina & Bloomberg

5:07 – Living Through Hyperinflation

6:07 – Discovering Bitcoin

11:43 – Crypto in Argentina vs US

12:25 – Back to New York & Crypto Coverage

14:41 – Choosing Ethereum for a Book

16:37 – Early DeFi & Starting The Defiant

21:19 – Crypto Media Landscape

23:15 – Conflicts of Interest in Crypto Media

26:53 – Global Media Insights

31:54 – Broken Media Business Model

36:36 – Incentivizing Investigative Journalism

38:16 – Argentina Today & Crypto Use Case

44:48 – Innovation in LatAm Crypto

RESOURCES:

Follow Cami: https://x.com/CamiRusso

Follow The Defiant: https://x.com/DefiantNews

Check out The Defiant: https://thedefiant.io/

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

In this episode of Endgame, Ethereum Foundation Co-Executive Director Tomasz K. Stańczak joins Amanda to discuss how the organization behind Ethereum is changing.

Together they talk about why institutions on Wall Street are now asking for more decentralization, open source, and censorship resistance, and what it means for Ethereum to actively defend its values while staying credibly neutral. Tomasz also breaks down how the Foundation is preparing for AI, quantum, and agent-based finance, and the biggest risk he sees.

Tomasz argues that If Ethereum “wins,” the world will look like intermediaries quietly melting into the network, basic financial functions trending toward zero fees, and the systems that run money, institutions, and governments become open source by default.

They explore:

- How the Ethereum Foundation is shifting its approach to institutions and communication.

- Why decentralization works not just as technology, but as a framework for human innovation.

- The balance between Ethereum’s core values—censorship resistance, open source, privacy—and institutional adoption.

- How AI, quantum computing, and Layer 2 solutions will interact with Ethereum in the coming decade.

- The biggest risks and opportunities for Ethereum in 10 years, from governance to zero-fee global coordination.

Timestamps:

00:00 Ethereum Foundation’s Changing Direction

04:06 Reaching Institutions & Improving Communication

07:43 Decision-Making, Decentralization, and Innovation

12:32 Defending Core Ethereum Values

15:51 Technology vs. Culture: Can Ethereum Stay True to Its Vision?

18:36 Institutions Building Their Own Blockchains

20:10 Ethereum as a Global Consensus Layer

21:50 AI, Quantum, and the Future of Ethereum

23:22 Proof of Stake, Security, and Governance

24:35 Risks and Wins for Ethereum in 10 Years

26:19 The Path to Zero-Fees & Open Source Coordination

RESOURCES:

Follow Tomasz: https://x.com/tkstanczak

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast

Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ

In this episode of Endgame, Milk Road’s Co-Owner and Head of Research, Kyle Reidhead, joins Amanda Cassatt to share his take on how crypto works today, across markets, media, and the broader tech cycle. Kyle outlines why he thinks crypto cycles follow global liquidity rather than the Bitcoin halving, and why he believes the surge in AI infrastructure spending could stretch this bull market longer than most assume.

He also describes his perspective on how information moves through the industry, from the early signals on X to why he prefers creators and analysts who hold crypto over those who don’t. This episode dives deep into Kyle’s own mental model of markets, media, and where he thinks the next phase of adoption will come from.

Timestamps:

0:00 The Milk Road Origin Story

5:00 Building a Fun Crypto Newsletter

10:00 Crypto Transparency & Accountability

15:00 Prediction Markets & Market Accountability

20:00 Bull Markets, AI, and Liquidity Cycles

25:00 AI Buildout & the Future of Tech Infrastructure

30:00 AI Usage Explosion & Computing Demands

40:00 Speculation on Space & the Future Beyond Earth

RESOURCES:

Follow Milk Road: https://x.com/MilkRoad

Follow Kyle: https://x.com/KyleReidhead

Subscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt

Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin

Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd

Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440

Substack: https://substack.com/@amandacassatt?utm_source=about-page