web3 with a16z crypto

Crypto's Killer App?with @zcabrams @psneville @rhackett In this episode, Robert Hackett sits down with Sean Neville, cofounder of Circle and co-creator of the USDC stablecoin, and Zach Abrams, founder of Bridge (now part of Stripe), for a deep dive into the real story behind stablecoins, finding product-market fit, and the future of payments infrastructure. They explore the earliest days of USDC — when stablecoins were far from obvious and regulatory frameworks didn’t exist. Sean shares how his conviction in “money running at internet speed” helped shape a multibillion-dollar asset. Zach recounts Bridge’s pivot from NFTs to stablecoin infrastructure — and how his business has changed since joining Stripe. Together, they break down: • Why stablecoins are having their moment now • What counts as product-market fit (and why founders rarely “feel” it) • The challenges of building crypto and AI products within heavily regulated environments • Why new base-layer chains like Arc, Tempo, and others may be needed • How decentralization, liquidity moats, and interoperability will define the next decade of blockchain adoption • What the future of programmable money and AI-driven financial workflows looks like Whether you’re a founder, a crypto-curious builder, or someone trying to understand where global payments are headed, this conversation — originally recorded live at our recent a16z crypto Founders Summit — offers insights from two operators at the center of an industry-defining transformation. Guests: • Sean Neville — Cofounder, Circle; CEO and cofounder, Catena • Zach Abrams — Founder and CEO, Bridge (acquired by Stripe) Highlights: 01:26 — Origins of USDC 02:44 — Why stablecoins are having their moment now 04:14 — Circle’s early product experiments 06:19— Surviving crypto cycles 07:35 — Bridge: From NFT payments to stablecoins 08:58 — What product-market fit actually feels like 20:02 — Inevitability and the founder vs. employer mindset 20:58 — Why Bridge joined Stripe 26:18 — How AI changes company building 29:38 — What students should study now 30:27 — Why new payment chains (Tempo & Arc)? 35:55 — Decentralization as imperative Follow a16z crypto on... • X: https://x.com/a16zcrypto • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/a16zcrypto/posts/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pMZvsNXEnb0CYcPiDQywE • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/web3-with-a16z-crypto/id1622312549 • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@a16zcrypto 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/ 🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/ *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37min

State of Crypto 2025: The Latest Data, Trends, and Themes Revealedwith @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin @rhhackett Each year, the State of Crypto report analyzes the data — cutting through the noise — to track crypto’s evolution across markets, technology, policy, culture, and more. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 State of Crypto report reveals how this once-fringe technology has hit recent all-time highs and gone mainstream — from stablecoins and tokenized assets to rapid adoption by major financial institutions. In this episode, we dig into the findings and themes from this year’s report with lead author Daren Matsuoka, a16z crypto’s head of data and fund strategy; and Eddy Lazzarin, a16z crypto’s chief technology officer. We talk about what’s changed since last year, why stablecoins are “suddenly” taking over, and how institutions — from fintechs to legacy banks — are embracing crypto technologies. We also look ahead at trends like: • AI and crypto (and where the jobs are moving); • why stablecoins have gone mainstream • institutional adoption — from Stripe and Visa to BlackRock and Robinhood • privacy on public blockchains • tokenization of real world assets • bitcoin’s resurgence and the rise of "digital gold" • where developer energy is going • what’s really happening with memecoins, perps, and prediction markets • the changing regulatory environment in the U.S. • and what the next phase of crypto’s “adulthood” might look like — what happens next year when crypto turns 18 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Overview of the 2025 State of Crypto Report 05:04 The Evolution and Mainstreaming of Crypto 08:27 Crypto’s Market Cycles and All-Time Highs 12:08 The Price-Innovation Cycle (and Its Dislocation) 15:40 Memecoins, Stablecoins, and Entrepreneurs 17:25 AI and Attracting Tech Talent 21:18 Crypto Adoption and User Metrics 26:58 Airdrops, Farming, and Changing Metas 31:24 Bitcoin’s Resurgence and Store of Value 42:09 Institutional Adoption and Market Dynamics 50:08 The Evolution of Stablecoins 54:20 The Growing Role of Stablecoins in the Global Economy 01:00:54 The Importance of Privacy in Crypto 01:08:46 Tokenization of ‘Real World Assets’ 01:20:46 Perpetual Futures and Prediction Markets 01:29:41 Outlook for the Future 📊 Download the full State of Crypto 2025 report and explore our interactive dashboard to track the industry’s key metrics. 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources.from a16z crypto: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/ 🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/ *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1H 37min

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