2 Crypto Investors on Why They Believe DeFi Is Poised for a Bull Run - Ep. 719
DeFi tokens have faced significant challenges in recent years. However, are we now on the verge of a new bull market?
Arthur Cheong, founder and CIO of DeFiance Capital, and Jordi Alexander, founder of Selini Capital and chief alchemist at Mantle, join the show to discuss why they believe DeFi is poised for growth. They dive into how DeFi's security and user experience have improved, the impact of Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum, and whether Ethereum or Solana will drive the next bull run. Plus, they discuss whether interest in memecoins takes attention from DeFi, and why sustainable tokenomics matters when it comes to valuing coins.
Are DeFi tokens finally ready to shine again?
Show highlights:
Why they believe that DeFi is poised for a bull cycle
How DeFi's security and UX have improved
Whether DeFi activity can be sustained in the long term
Why Jordi thinks that Layer 2s are not parasitic to ETH but Arthur thinks they are
Whether the DeFi bull case is stronger on Ethereum, Solana or other chains
Whether the Ethereum Foundation and Vitalik Buterin should be more proactive in supporting DeFi
How memecoins reflect a broader societal problem
The importance of tokens that don’t have big unlocks
How the lack of solid frameworks for valuing tokens might be causing capital misallocation in crypto
Whether a liquid venture investing approach is better for crypto
Why Jordi says that there’s a lot of “potential to unlock” with the overlap of Bitcoin and DeFi
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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Polkadot
Mantle
Guests:
Arthur Cheong, founder and CIO of DeFiance Capital
Aave, the Core Pillar of Decentralized Finance and Onchain Economy
Liquid Venture Investing in Crypto
Jordi Alexander, Chief Alchemist at Mantle, Founder of Selini Capital
Links
Previous coverage of Unchained on this cycle & DeFi :Has Decentralized Finance Hit Bottom?
Kain Warwick’s tweet on Vitalik being anti-DeFi
Cointelegraph: Vitalik Buterin responds to criticism that Ethereum ‘doesn’t care’ about DeFi
The great return of DeFi, by @tradetheflow
Bitcoin DeFi
Bitcoin Layer 2s Aim to Attract Ethereum-Like Dapps. Will They Succeed?
Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab?
L2s and ETH:
ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?
Are L2s ‘Parasitic’? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees
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The Dark Side of Token Launches | Arthur Cheong & Sean Lippel
In today's episode Jason is joined by Arthur of DeFiance Capital and Sean of Fintech Collective. They kick off the episode by discussing the current state of token launches, highlighting the unsustainable model of low float and high fully diluted valuations that often leave retail investors at a disadvantage. They explore the challenges in accurately valuing crypto assets and the need for better alignment of incentives between teams, investors, and the broader market. The episode concludes with Arthur and Sean sharing their high-conviction bets for this market cycle. Thanks for tuning in!
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Get started at:
portal.arbitrum.io
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Bridge to SKALE at portal.skale.space and stay up to date with the gasless blockchain at @skalenetwork
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction
(01:52) Crypto VCs are Broken
(14:31) Best Token Launch Model
(22:11) Valuing Crypto Assets
(29:20) Arbitrum Ad
(30:08) Aura Ad
(30:56) Kinto Ad
(31:52) Skale Ad
(33:08) Evaluating LDO & ETHFI
(51:57) Active Investments
(57:51) Highest Conviction Bets
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire 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. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Impact Of The FTX Fallout | Arthur_0x
In this episode of Empire, Arthur_0x, the founder of Defiance Capital, joins us to discuss the fallout from FTX's collapse. Arthur is a DeFi OG with a unique perspective on market dynamics and ecosystem-wide liquidations. His fund was directly impacted by the 3AC meltdown, giving Arthur a front-row seat to the complexities of liquidations and contagion.
We discuss Alameda's outsized contagion risk, why this might be the most complex liquidation in history, the damage to the Solana ecosystem, private vs public markets and more!
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:02) The Unintended Consequences Of Authority
(05:37) Due Diligence In A Bull Market
(08:18) What Was Great About FTX?
(10:40) FTX Contagion Explained
(18:05) Did You See Red Flags?
(23:45) Did Sam Always Have Bad Intentions?
(28:04) Why Did CZ Wait Until Now?
(30:47) Circle Ad
(32:48) Damage To The Solana Ecosystem
(39:48) The Most Complex Liquidation Process In History
(44:38) Tokens vs Equity, Private vs Public Markets
(53:30) Arthur’s Biggest Takeaway
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Resources
Sequoia's FTX Memo
https://twitter.com/zebulgar/status/1590394857474109441
Solana FTX Documentation Page
https://solana.com/news/solana-facts-ftx-bankruptcy
Defiance Capital
https://defiance.capital/
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire 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. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
73 - Building a $500M DeFi Fund | Arthur0x
Arthur_0x is a massively successful investor in DeFi, and leads DeFiance Capital. His story is fascinating, as are his takes on the ecosystem and the crypto space from a global perspective.
GET THIS EPISODE'S EXCLUSIVE DEBRIEF: https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/exclusive-debrief-building-a-500m
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------ Topics Covered:
0:00 Intro 6:00 Arthur 0x 12:55 The Secret Ingredient? 19:30 Show Up and Do Something 26:00 An Investing Thesis 33:48 Fundamentals Win 38:05 Token Value Capture 46:40 How to Evaluate 50:18 Undervalued Projects 56:35 The AMM Competition 1:00:13 ETH Killers 1:05:43 Layer 2 Scaling 1:14:00 A Global Perspective 1:20:13 Culture and Language 1:24:05 China BTC Mining 1:29:30 What Arthur’s Excited About 1:33:58 Closing & Disclaimers
------ Resources:
Arthur on Twitter https://twitter.com/Arthur_0x?s=20 DeFiance Capital https://www.defiance.capital/
----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.
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