Lightspeed – Details, episodes & analysis

Gm! In this episode, Jack and Mert discuss the state of SocialFi, the lack of bold bets in crypto, and what it means for crypto to succeed. They also dove into how Proof of Stake systems should work, and how sandwich attacks can be reduced onchain. Finally, they covered new DePIN projects coming to market. Enjoy! -- Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_ Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed -- DragonSwap is the DeFi Hub on Sei’s Layer 1, allowing users to swap, provide liquidity, and farm! Built on Sei’s sub-second execution environment, DragonSwap is transforming the DEX landscape by building an “onchain CEX” that leverages chain-abstracted AVSs, enabling users to buy any asset on any chain.  With tons of incentives already available, September will bring even more to Sei users with partners like Stargate and Frax! Start farming on Sei today by visiting https://dragonswap.app/ -- Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- (00:00) Introduction (04:08) Is SocialFi Dead? (17:20) The Lack of Bold Bets in Crypto (26:44) What Does It Mean For Crypto to Succeed? (32:27) Sei Ad (32:53) How Should A Proof of Stake System Work? (47:41) Reducing Sandwich Attacks (53:31) New DePIN Projects Coming to Market -- Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! In this episode, Dan Smith from Blockworks Research joined us to discuss L2 MEV extraction, Blockworks Research’s Solana Dashboard, and Total Economic Value on Solana! Additionally, we discussed how validators earn revenue from MEV, and supporting small validators. Finally, we unpacked Sanctum's recent LST partnerships, and speculated on whether or not NFTs will ever make a comeback. Enjoy! Resources Blockworks Research Solana Dashboard: https://solana.blockworksresearch.com/ Dan Checks the Chain Part 1: https://x.com/smyyguy/status/1831761080252539182 Dan Checks the Chain Part 2: https://x.com/smyyguy/status/1831803935549747563 -- Follow Dan: https://x.com/smyyguy Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed -- Access is the new way to support and consume content from your favorite creators. Over 140 subscriptions to select from, spanning from large crypto media to a long tail of talented independent researchers and artists. No paying for subscriptions. Simply stake, consume, and get rewarded. Claim your free subscription through this link. But be quick there is a limited number available! https://tiplink.io/f/2195-aOAlZYc4ARht#Lhr8-0rBdVrxL94ZjOHwVtwxI2OSal2xw6Sz51lYuzU – Step into MyPrize—the online multiplayer crypto casino that lets you battle your friends and play alongside creators. On MyPrize, you're invited to get rowdy and share every victory and defeat with your pals. Because we know the only thing more fun than beating the house is beating your friends. Get started now with a 150% deposit or purchase bonus: https://myprize.com/invite/Lightspeed -- Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- (00:00) Introduction (03:23) Is MEV Being Extracted on L2s? (15:57) Diving Into the Blockworks Solana Dashboard (24:34) Access Protocol Ad (25:16) MyPrize Ad (25:46) How Do Validators Earn Revenue From MEV? (28:57) Where Should TEV Be Going? (33:44) Supporting Small Validators (42:40) Are Stakers Entitled to a Large Share of TEV? (48:08) Sanctum's LST Partnerships (55:39) Are NFTs Coming Back? -- Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! In this episode, Jack and Mert discuss the recent Solana patch, and how security issues are handled. Additionally, they dive into the decentralization of Solana’s validator set, why client diversity matters, and separating market movements from underlying fundamentals. Finally, they discuss Ore v2 and Proof of Work on Solana, and provide their thoughts on how rumors develop. Enjoy! -- Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_ Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed -- Access is the new way to support and consume content from your favorite creators. Over 140 subscriptions to select from, spanning from large crypto media to a long tail of talented independent researchers and artists. No paying for subscriptions. Simply stake, consume, and get rewarded. Claim your free subscription through this link. But be quick there is a limited number available! https://tiplink.io/f/2798-btCKUaDKpByo#yhgOUz70HUz2u4D1NRmsvWTH8SK_xbRcH_HwNLqWKyc – Step into MyPrize—the online multiplayer crypto casino that lets you battle your friends and play alongside creators. On MyPrize, you're invited to get rowdy and share every victory and defeat with your pals. Because we know the only thing more fun than beating the house is beating your friends. Get started now with a 150% deposit or purchase bonus: https://myprize.com/invite/Lightspeed -- Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- [TIMESTAMPS -- (00:00) Introduction (01:37) Handling Security Issues & Decentralization Concerns (10:20) Access Protocol Ad (11:02) The Decentralization of Solana Validators (23:28) Price vs Fundamentals (35:11) My Prize Ad (35:41) A Builder's Mindset in Crypto (41:01) Ore & Proof of Work on Solana (49:01) Thoughts on Bad Faith Rumors Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Could Solana's payments narrative create the schelling point that drives new adoption? Welcome to Lightspeed's first "Roundup" episode, where Mert and Garrett discuss the top stories of the week and trends they are seeing in crypto. In this episode, we cover Visa's Solana announcement, Rune's proposal to fork the SVM, Solana DeFi 2.0, Lido's liquid staking trouble on Solana, how to bring new users to crypto and more! - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (00:18) Visa Announces USDC Settlement on Solana (12:35) Rune's Proposal to Fork the SVM (21:18) Integrated vs Modular & the Appchain Debate (34:30) Why Payments Are Uniquely Suited for Solana (43:31) Solana DeFi 2.0 (46:55) Solana Liquid Staking & Multi-Chain Deployments (51:38) How to Bring New Users to Crypto - - Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Rune's Post on Exploring Solana's Codebase for NewChain https://forum.makerdao.com/t/explore-a-fork-of-the-solana-codebase-for-newchain/21822 - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Tristan Frizza, Marius Ciubotariu and Ben Chow join us to debate if Solana has hit an inflection point that will usher in new users and use cases. We discuss the implications of Visa's Solana partnership, how Solana has changed since 2021, why people should care about Solana DeFi 2.0, go-to-market strategies, Rune's SVM fork proposal and more! Tristan, Marius and Ben are prolific Solana DeFi founders with unique insights you won't find anywhere else. - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:31) Solana’s Inflection Point  (04:13) Building in Solana: 2021 vs 2023 (21:57) What is Solana DeFi 2.0? (31:15) PERMISSIONLESS PLUG (32:15) G2M: What’s Your Strategy, Who’s Your Customer (50:01) DeFi’s Unique Value Proposition (55:37) Rune’s Proposal to Fork the SVM + Appchains (01:08:08) Rapid Fire - - Follow Marius: https://twitter.com/y2kappa Follow Tristan: https://twitter.com/Tristan0x Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/hellochow Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Zeta Markets https://twitter.com/ZetaMarkets https://docs.zeta.markets/mad-wars/intro-to-the-mad-wars Meteora https://twitter.com/MeteoraAG https://www.meteora.ag/ Hubble Protocol https://twitter.com/HubbleProtocol https://app.hubbleprotocol.io/ Jupiter Exchange https://twitter.com/JupiterExchange https://jup.ag/ - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Keone Hon and Kevin G join us to discuss how Monad is scaling the EVM. Every project in crypto right now is launching an L2 or marketing how their execution environment is better than the EVM. Monad has taken the opposite approach and is building an L1 that leverages the EVM with new optimizations like parallel execution. In this conversation, we discuss Monad's EVM optimizations, the blockchain trilemma, why Monad chose the EVM, how to launch a new L1, modular vs integrated and more! - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (00:32) Monad: A Parallelized L1 Leveraging the EVM (06:01) The Blockchain Trilemma (17:31) Monad’s Optimizations and Remaining Bottlenecks (26:14) Jito Mid Roll (27:18) Permissionless Plug  (28:18)Why Choose the EVM and Not Build an L2? (31:13) The Importance of Community (36:20) L1 Fees and Tokenomics (41:58) Could Ethereum Implement Monad’s Optimizations? (43:15) The Blockchain Design Landscape (46:49) Modular vs Integrated (49:10) Crypto’s Most Exciting Sectors (51:54) High Fidelity DeFi (55:21) Go-To-Market Strategy (59:57) Rapid Fire - - This episode is brought to you by Jito. Jito is the easiest way to earn MEV rewards on Solana with liquid staking. Stake your SOL with Jito to start earning high yield powered by MEV and access instant liquidity through Jito’s liquid staking token JitoSOL so that you can use your staked assets across Solana DeFi. Visit jito.network to get started today! - - Follow Keone: https://twitter.com/keoneHD Follow Kevin: https://twitter.com/zen_llama Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Jito jito.network Monad https://twitter.com/monad_xyz https://linktr.ee/monad_xyz - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Jeff Morris Jr. joins us to discuss how crypto can build products users love. Jeff is a venture capitalist and product genius who previously led Tinder's Revenue team as Tinder went from $20M to $1.2B in ARR and became the #1 grossing app in the App Store. In this conversation, we cover user acquisition and branding, the power of subscription business models, how to find crypto market fit, how to take advantage of platform shifts, learnings from NBA TopShot and more! - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:08) Venture Narrative Whiplash (08:20) Protocols as Open-Source Software (11:41) The Power of Subscription Business Models (15:24) Permissionless Plug (22:32) Using Tokens to Incentivize Users (23:32) Does Anything in Crypto Have Product Market Fit? (28:36) How to Make Crypto More Accessible (34:28) Decentralization vs User Experience (42:31) What Verticals Are Underrated in Crypto? (45:20) Learnings from NBA TopShot (47:39) The Difficulty of Building Consumer Products (52:49) A Founder’s “Earned Secret” (58:11) Platform Shifts (01:01:50) Launching on Multiple Chains & Distribution (01:09:19) Writing Tips & Final Takeaways - - Follow Jeff: https://twitter.com/jmj Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Chapter One https://chapterone.com/ Jeff's Substack https://jeffmorrisjr.substack.com/ - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Nic Carter joins us to discuss how digitized dollars are crypto's killer use case. We explore predictions for stablecoins, what people get wrong about Tether, US regulation, why L1 networks over-index on scarcity, crypto's most over/underrated sectors and more! Nic is a crypto OG, prolific writer and investor. You don't want to miss this one! - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (00:34) Stablecoins: Crypto Is All About Moving Dollars (08:58) Terra’s Failed Attempt to Leverage BTC (10:29) Delta-Neutral Stablecoins (14:59) Tether Haters Were Wrong (20:00) The State of US Stablecoin Regulation (27:33) Jito Mid-Roll (28:37) Permissionless Plug (20:00) The State of US Stablecoin Regulation (29:37) How Stables Impact the Value of L1 Tokens (34:42) Why Crypto Has Become a Religion (40:48) We’ve Overindexed on the Scarcity Features of L1 Networks (44:44) The Value of Composability (50:33) Crypto’s Most Overrated/Underrated Sectors (56:33) 4 Stablecoin Predictions (59:34) Rapid Fire - - This episode is brought to you by Jito. Jito is the easiest way to earn MEV rewards on Solana with liquid staking. Stake your SOL with Jito to start earning high yield powered by MEV and access instant liquidity through Jito’s liquid staking token JitoSOL so that you can use your staked assets across Solana DeFi. Visit jito.network to get started today! - - Follow Nic: https://twitter.com/nic__carter Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Jito jito.network Nic Carter's Website https://niccarter.info/ - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Today we are joined by the team from Magic Eden to discuss the state of NFTs. We cover what went wrong with the 10K PFP collections, royalty fees and creator monetization, horizontal vs vertical marketplaces, Magic Eden's multichain strategy, the advantages of different L1s and more!  - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:47) Is the 10K PFP Collection Dead? (05:26) Why Should People Care About NFTs? (08:52) Royalty Fees and Creator Monetization (20:47) Permissionless Plug (21:47) Compressed NFTs on Solana (28:49) Horizontal vs Vertical Marketplaces (33:52) Magic Eden’s Multichain Strategy (01:00:32) Yoot’s Migration to Polygon (01:07:40) Rapid Fire - - Follow Zedd: https://twitter.com/zhuoxunyin Follow Tiff: https://twitter.com/hausoftiffany Follow Rex: https://twitter.com/zhouzhuojie Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Magic Eden https://magiceden.io/ https://twitter.com/MagicEden - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Nick White (COO of Celestia) and Neel Somani (founder of Eclipse) join us to debate the tradeoffs of modular vs integrated blockchains. We cover the modular thesis, how Eclipse is bringing the SVM to Ethereum, the hidden costs of modularity, centralized sequencers and L2s, where value will accrue in a modular paradigm and more! - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:17) What are Modular Blockchains? (05:02) Data Availability Explained (08:43) Light Clients and End User Verification (19:13) Eclipse: the SVM Rollup Provider (20:18) Why do Rollups Need Settlement? (25:54) Jito Mid Roll (26:58) Permissionless Plug (27:58) Should Celestia Enshrine a Settlement Layer? (31:02) L2 Training Wheels (35:21) Kyle Samani’s "The Hidden Costs of Modular Systems” (42:30) Appchains vs Rollups (46:11) How Eclipse is Bringing the SVM to Ethereum (47:26) Are Centralized Sequencers Okay? (52:56) Will Crypto Apps Have a Power Law Outcome? (57:31) Network Effects and Value Accrual (01:07:43) Where Will Enterprises Launch Applications? (01:11:36) Rapid Fire - - This episode is brought to you by Jito. Jito is the easiest way to earn MEV rewards on Solana with liquid staking. Stake your SOL with Jito to start earning high yield powered by MEV and access instant liquidity through Jito’s liquid staking token JitoSOL so that you can use your staked assets across Solana DeFi. Visit jito.network to get started today! - - Follow Neel: https://twitter.com/neelsalami Follow Nick: https://twitter.com/nickwh8te Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_ Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_ Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Use code LIGHTSPEED30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023 - - Resources Jito jito.network Celestia https://twitter.com/CelestiaOrg https://celestia.org/ Eclipse https://twitter.com/EclipseFND https://www.eclipse.builders/ - -  Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.