Liquid Tokens Episodes

In this episode of LevelUp, David and Sean sit down with Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol and co-author of the Transformer model. Illia shares his journey from AI research at Google to building NEAR, a blockchain designed to integrate artificial intelligence with financial infrastructure. The conversation covers NEAR’s architecture, Intents, chain abstraction, and the role of AI agents in commerce. Illia also addresses security risks, token dynamics, and how NEAR is positioning itse...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean sit down with Xiao-Xiao J. Zhu, President of Jupiter, to discuss the evolution of Jupiter from a DEX aggregator into a full-scale DeFi super app on Solana. Xiao Xiao shares his background from KKR to crypto and outlines Jupiter’s product suite, including trading, lending, mobile, and more. The conversation covers growth metrics, token design, competition, and the long-term vision for on-chain finance, including omni-chain infrastructure and expanding r...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean speak with Paul Faecks, Founder of Plasma, a stablecoin-focused Layer 1 blockchain. Paul shares his background in early crypto/DeFi, why Plasma is optimized for stablecoin payments, and how Plasma One (a stablecoin neobank with cards and ramps) is intended to drive long-term value beyond blockchain fees. They also discuss token value accrual, validator decentralization, regulatory risks, and more. View the Full Level Up Podcast Disclaimer Here : https:...

In this episode of LevelUp, David and Sean sit down with Amir Haleem, co-founder of Helium and CEO of Nova Labs. Amir shares Helium's decade-long evolution from IoT infrastructure to a decentralized 5G network powering real-world wireless coverage. He breaks down the Helium Mobile business model, how token incentives drive hotspot deployment, and why carrier offload could transform the economics of telecom. The discussion covers network growth, tokenomics, governance, and the future of decentral...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean speak with Jansen Teng, Co-Founder of Virtuals Protocol. Jansen breaks down how Virtuals is pioneering the agent-to-agent economy by combining AI agents with blockchain infrastructure. The conversation explores agent tokenization, commerce protocols, and the vision for a fully autonomous digital and physical agent-driven marketplace. They also examine Virtuals' revenue models, current use cases, and future expansion plans. View the Full Level Up Podcas...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean are joined by Nick White, COO and founding team member of Celestia. Nick shares how Celestia is building a modular blockchain architecture that separates execution, settlement, and data availability to scale Web3 applications. The discussion explores Celestia’s growth strategy, competitive positioning, and the evolving data availability landscape – including insights on throughput, token economics, revenue, and adoption trends. View the Full Level Up P...

Recorded live at Medici SG 25 and released as a special episode, David and Sean sit down with Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum. Vitalik discusses the evolution of Ethereum’s ecosystem from experimental innovation to “low-risk DeFi”, and how commercialization is shaping its next phase. He also highlights projects like Uniswap, Polymarket, and decentralized social networks as milestones in Ethereum’s growth, and shares his perspective on Layer 2 rollups, institutional participation, and the...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean speak with Alex Cutler, Co-Founder of Aerodrome, and Austin Barack, Founder of Relayer Capital. They examine Aerodrome’s unique approach to decentralized exchange (DEX) design and token economics. They cover the Medex model, emissions, token locking mechanics, and Aerodrome’s role as a core infrastructure layer on Base. Austin also shares Relayer’s investment thesis and why Aerodrome stands out in a competitive landscape. View the Full Level Up Podcast...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean sit down with Sidney Powell, Co-Founder and CEO of Maple Finance, alongside Felipe Montealegre from Theia Research. Sidney shares Maple’s journey from tokenized bonds to becoming a major on-chain asset manager offering over-collateralized lending and Bitcoin yield products. Felipe adds an investor’s perspective on Maple’s positioning within decentralized credit markets and what sets it apart from traditional and DeFi lending platforms. Together they an...

In this episode of LevelUp, co-hosts David and Sean speak with TN Lee, CEO and co-founder of Pendle, and Louis Thomazeau, Investment Partner at L1D. TN shares how Pendle enables fixed yield and yield speculation through PT and YT token mechanics. Louis outlines L1D’s thesis around Pendle’s resilience, product-market fit, and unique token design. The discussion also explores Pendle’s future product roadmap, the upcoming launch of Boros, evolving stablecoin markets, and how Pendle positions itself...

In this episode of Level Up, David and Sean sits down with Lucas Bruder, Co-Founder and CEO of JITO Labs , and Tushar Jain, managing partner at Multicoin Capital. They dive deep into JITO’s innovative approach to MEV infrastructure, liquid staking, and restaking, explaining how these components work together to boost transaction efficiency and unlock value for validators and stakers. The conversation also covers token economics, governance, and the broader impact of JITO’s technology on network ...

In this episode of Level Up , presented by the Medici Network , co-hosts David and Sean dive into the rapidly evolving world of Web3 gaming with Robbie Ferguson, co-founder of Immutable , and Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch and Arrington Capital. They explore the investment thesis behind Immutable, the economics of blockchain-powered in-game assets, and why gaming might be the key driver of Web3 adoption. Robbie shares insights into Immutable’s strategic positioning, while Michael provi...

In this episode of Level Up , presented by the Medici Network , David and Sean explore the real-world impact of Web3 technology with Mike Horton, founder of GEODNET, and Seth Ginns, managing partner at CoinFund. GEODNET is a blockchain-enabled decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) that offers precision GPS services with growing adoption across industries. Mike shares his expertise in navigation and localization, explaining how GEODNET’s decentralized model is disrupting tradition...