In this episode, we’re joined by Charles Adkins, CEO of the HBAR Foundation, to explore how Hedera is evolving beyond its reputation as an enterprise blockchain—positioning itself for broader adoption across AI, DePin, RWAs, and more.

Charles shares his unique journey from Morgan Stanley to Polygon, Aptos, and ultimately Hedera, and gives us an inside look at the strategy and technology behind Hedera's growth. From Hedera’s decentralization roadmap to the advantages of fixed gas fees and fair ordering, Charles explains why Hedera is uniquely positioned to serve both builders and institutions at scale.

In this episode:

• 00:26 – Hedera’s evolution beyond enterprise
• 01:58 – Charles' Career journey: Finance → Consumer Brands → Web3
• 07:49 – Hedera’s shift towards retail users & builders
• 11:03 – Decentralization roadmap explained
• 15:39 – How Hedera’s DAG & aBFT consensus stand out
• 21:20 – Fixed gas fees: why predictability matters
• 26:43 – Hedera’s edge in AI, DePin, RWAs
• 34:46 – Long-term vision: Hedera as a public utility
• 37:44 – Charles’ bold predictions for Hedera’s future

As a reminder, none of this discussion should be taken as investment or financial advice. Please refer to our website for more information or contact Hivemind directly for our list of investments