Podcast
Talking Tokens
Hosted by Talking Tokens with Jacquelyn Melinek · EN
Talking Tokens is StrataMedia's flagship podcast and newsletter, delivering two episodes per week to a rapidly growing global audience of crypto-native and traditional finance professionals. We’ve been nominated for multiple awards and have become one of the most-watched crypto podcasts in the market.
Hosted by Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated podcaster, founder & CEO of StrataMedia, and former senior crypto reporter at TechCrunch.
For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens
37episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A 117-Year-Old Asset Manager Goes “Fully Native,” Seeing Tokenization as OS upgrade | Theo Golden
5d ago00:52:26Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with Theo Golden, Head of Digital Assets at Baillie Gifford, to talk about BAGEY — the firm's newly launched tokenized bond fund on Solana and Ethereum that yields around 7% and settles in USDC. Theo breaks down why he sees tokenization as an operating system upgrade rather than a reinvention of finance, how pension funds and private banks are already showing real interest in its new tokenized fund, and why he thinks AI democratizing insight and tokenization democratizing access are two themes that will collide into something nobody has fully figured out yet.DISCLAIMER: Although our guest this week works at Baillie Gifford, nothing in this podcast should be considered an offer of its investment advisory services or should otherwise be confused for investment, tax, legal or other financial advice.This episode is a part of the Solana Sessions campaign that Token Relations and the Talking Tokens podcast are doing, diving into founders' journeys and startups building on Solana. Check out the accompanying newsletter on www.token-relations.com TIMESTAMPS:00:00 His Journey to Digital Assets03:33 From Journalism to Investment Theses06:05 Learning from Successes and Failures10:15 The Role of Independence in Baillie Gifford’s Innovation15:19 Gradual Growth in Tokenization20:57 Tokenization as an Operating System Upgrade23:57 Convincing Clients of Tokenization's Value24:50 Operational Leverage and Risk Management27:12 The Origin of Baillie Gifford’s BAGEY Tokenized Fund32:18 Initial Response and Market Interest34:43 Choosing Solana and Ethereum for the Fund Launch38:33 Solana and The Future of Internet Capital Markets43:09 Trust and Adoption Among Institutional Investors46:07 The Role of Traditional Institutions in Tokenization47:59 AI and Tokenization: A Future IntersectionYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Why Plasma Bet Everything on USDT When Nobody Believed in Stablecoin Chains | Zaheer Evtakar, Plasma
1w ago00:48:52Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with Zaheer Ebtikar, Chief Strategy Officer at Plasma, to talk about why the recent wave of DeFi exploits is forcing a necessary reset and Plasma’s decision behind building a stablecoin-optimized chain around USDT. Zaheer also dives into the recent OpenUSD launch and how it can fit into an institutional stablecoin infrastructure world,, and why he thinks the biggest unlock still ahead is making it invisible enough that billions of people just use it without knowing it's there.TIMESTAMPS:0:36 - Thoughts on DeFi Exploits & Reconsolidation 3:59 - Plasma's Stablecoin Strategy 5:48 - Investor Pushback & Conviction 9:07 - Lessons Since Launch 12:46 - USDT & OpenUSD 17:29 - The Stablecoin Landscape 21:31 - What Makes a Durable Team 24:55 - DeFi's Future 30:49 - Advice for Founders 40:57 - Plasma's Big Bets & Token Strategy 45:53 - Long-Term Vision for DeFiYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Tapping a Credit Card to Buy Coffee With Bitcoin Is…Kinda Wrong | Strata Research
2w ago00:15:51Tap to summarizeOn this edition of Strata Research, Jacquelyn sits down with institutional research analyst Alex Beaudry to dig into crypto cards, which many assumed were built for consumers but are actually seeing most traction from institutions. Alex breaks down why the developed market consumer card is basically a feature in search of a need, what Visa is building that could change the equation, and why onchain credit could be the piece of this stack that makes or breaks the whole argument. Check out the associated Strata Research report for more details: https://www.token-relations.com/p/the-real-story-behind-crypto-cardsTIMESTAMPS:01:21 - What a crypto card actually is and how it works under the hood 03:04 - Why the developed market consumer card hasn't taken off — and may never07:22 - Where the real value actually is: B2B and institutional usage 08:39 - The acquisition wave and why infrastructure is the real prize11:46 - Onchain credit: what works and what's still broken 14:01 - What to watch over the next 6–24 monthsYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Evernorth Has 473 Million XRP And An Argument to Why Idle Capital Should Not Exist | Asheesh Birla
2w ago00:45:55Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with Asheesh Birla, CEO of Evernorth, the Ripple-backed digital asset treasury firm holding roughly 473 million XRP tokens, to talk about why he thinks we've finally hit the inflection point that blockchain has been building toward for over a decade. Asheesh breaks down why most digital assets sit idle the same way cash sits in a bank account, how Evernorth is building a real-time agentic risk engine to change that, and why he believes the winners in this space will be the ones who develop the three pillars of tech, commercialization and liquidity.TIMESTAMPS:02:00 - The best use case for blockchains04:16 - The pace of blockchain adoption vs expectations08:15 - How Evernorth is creating liquidity for XRP and digital assets10:00 - Industry misconceptions: tech vs adoption focus11:33 - The Evernorth report findings for RLUSD and XRP 14:11 - The significance of stablecoins for institutional markets21:01 - The importance of asset optimization and real-time capital management25:28 - How stablecoins strengthen crypto ecosystems rather than compete30:33 - Idle capital as an overlooked signal and how to put assets to work33:00 - Building trust and institutional confidence in blockchain37:46 - The maturation of DeFi vaults and institutional-grade protocols40:11 - Preparing Evernorth for listing and success metrics46:42 - Long-term vision and advice for blockchain enthusiastsYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Why Aave V4 Is Built Like a Central Bank for DeFi | Stani Kulechov
2w ago00:26:35Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, we're sharing Jacquelyn’s Proof of Talk chat with Stani Kulechov, founder and CEO of Aave Labs, to break down why Aave V4 moved away from a single monolithic protocol toward a hub and spoke model that works more like a central bank. Stani gets into why a lot of centralized lenders didn't hold up through both the FTX collapse and last October's market unwind.Then Stani explains why he thinks the next real growth phase for DeFi comes from financing things like AI infrastructure, tokenized equity, and credit for businesses that have never had access to capital this efficient before.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction to Aave and Stani Kulechov03:09 Evolution from Aave V3 to Aave V406:03 Risk Management in DeFi08:45 Building Network Resilience11:58 Aave V4 and Corporate Treasury Management14:48 Tokenized Assets and Aave Horizon18:11 Institutional Interest in Tokenization20:52 Mainstream Adoption of DeFi24:02 Future Vision for AaveYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Why MoneyGram Built Its Own Stablecoin Instead of Using Someone Else's | Anthony Soohoo, MoneyGram
3w ago00:36:26Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with MoneyGram CEO Anthony Soohoo to talk about MGUSD, the company's new dollar-backed stablecoin built on Stellar with help from Bridge, Fireblocks, and M0.Anthony explores why launching MoneyGram decided to have its own stablecoin and breaks down how its 60 million active customers and nearly 500,000 retail locations across 200 countries play a role in it. Jacquelyn and Anthony also discuss why the real winners in this space might be the ones who make stablecoins disappear into the background entirely and how the asset can have a dual role in finance.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction to MGUSD and MoneyGram's Vision03:04 The Complexity of Cross-Border Payments06:31 Leveraging Existing Infrastructure for Adoption10:15 The Role of Cash in a Digital Future12:35 Stablecoins as a Preferred Payment Method14:09 Self-Custody and User Education18:22 The Future of Stablecoins and Consumer Adoption21:33 Navigating Regional Differences in Adoption24:07 Stablecoins vs. Traditional Banking25:52 Choosing the Right Partners for MGUSD28:40 The Dual Role of Stablecoins in Finance31:21 Lessons from the Crypto Industry34:51 Advice for Success in the Financial SpaceYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Why Every Institution Should Be Staking ETH | Kean Gilbert, Lido
3w ago00:34:48Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokenization, Jacquelyn sits down with Kean Gilbert, Head of Institutional Relations at the Lido Ecosystem Foundation, to talk about how liquid staking is finally breaking into traditional finance. From the WisdomTree staked ETH ETP in Europe to VanEck's recently filed S-1 for a Lido staked ETF in the US, Kean breaks down why institutions are asking sharper questions than ever before, how depth of liquidity is the single biggest driver behind Lido winning institutional mandates, and why he sees there's no good reason to hold unstaked ETH when you can get the same exposure with 3%.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction to Lido03:00 Growth of Ethereum Staking and Institutional Interest05:59 Understanding DAO Structures and Institutional Education09:05 Tokenization and Its Impact on the Industry11:58 The Role of Custodians in Institutional Crypto14:58 Risk Management in Staking and Smart Contracts17:56 The Role of Staking in Current Markets19:04 Integration of Staking with Traditional Finance20:04 Regional Perspectives on Staking Adoption21:55 Timeline for Global Adoption of Staking22:22 Market Outlook and Building in Bear Cycles24:43 ETF Interest and Market Dynamics25:54 The Importance of Retail in Staking27:17 Unlocking the Next Wave of Adoption28:56 Impact of Tokenization on Business Operations30:41 The Evolution of Institutional Conversations33:40 Long-Term Thinking in CryptoYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →From the Federal Reserve to Circle: What Most People Are Getting Wrong About Onchain Finance | Gordon Liao
4w ago00:44:19Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with Gordon Liao, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Circle, to talk about why traditional financial plumbing is still the biggest bottleneck in money movement globally. We discuss Arc, Circle's new institutional blockchain, which is being built from the ground up to handle everything from agentic nano payments to quantum-resistant encryption. Gordon believes that Arc being quantum-ready from day one isn't just a nice-to-have but a decision that could define whether the network and its users survives the next decade of security threats. Gordon also breaks down the three things he thinks the market is underestimating right now and how 99.5% of x402 payment protocol volume is already running through Circle’s USDC.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction to Gordon and His Background02:45 The Future of Onchain Finance05:56 USDC and Its Market Position08:54 Agentic Commerce and AI Integration11:57 The Launch of Arc and Its Vision15:00 Challenges in Blockchain Adoption17:55 Privacy and Security in Blockchain20:57 Quantum Computing and Its Implications24:10 Market Perspectives and Economic Insights30:02 Final Thoughts and AdviceYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →Taking Crypto Mainstream with Nostalgia & Creative Marketing | Dakota Campbell, Collector Crypt
4w ago00:44:25Tap to summarizeOn today's Talking Tokens, Jacquelyn sits down with Dakota Campbell, Head of Marketing at Collector Crypt, the platform that generated $165 million in volume in April alone by putting trading cards and physical collectibles onchain with Solana. Dakota explains the resurgence of physical collecting is what's actually pulling people toward digital ownership, and why Solana's low fees were the thing that finally made tokenizing a five-dollar card make sense after years of the idea being cost-prohibitive on Ethereum.He also dives into how he thinks about marketing to everyday collectors vs crypto audiences, what it took to scale the business over the past few years and expansion beyond trading card games.This episode is a part of the Solana Sessions campaign that Token Relations and the Talking Tokens podcast are doing, diving into founders' journeys and startups building on Solana. Check out the accompanying newsletter on www.token-relations.com TIMESTAMPS00:00 The Evolution of Collectibles02:55 Digital Collectibles and Nostalgia06:12 Collector Crypt's Success and Market Dynamics09:02 The Role of Solana in Collector Crypt12:02 User Experience: Crypto Native vs. Mainstream Collectors15:14 Marketplace Dynamics and Price Discoverability17:45 Attracting Non-Crypto Collectors21:01 Marketing Strategies for Diverse Audiences25:21 Understanding Audience Engagement28:41 Navigating Marketing in the Crypto Space33:34 Expanding Beyond Trading Card Games37:18 Rapid Fire Insights on CollectiblesYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
Transcribe →What the Last Decade of Fintech Got Wrong | A Look Into Crypto Neobanks
Jun 1200:07:27Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Strata Research, presented by Talking Tokens & Token Relations, Jacquelyn sits down with Institutional Research Analyst Alex Beaudry to dig into crypto neobanks. Apps are rebuilding what Chime and Revolut did a decade ago, but on stablecoin rails and Alex explains how founders can set themselves up for success. Alex’s insights cover why the float and yield model is both the most lucrative and the hardest to sustain through a bear market, and where the real opportunity sits for anyone watching this space over the next 12 to 24 months.Check out the associated newsletter for more details: https://www.token-relations.com/p/the-neobank-playbook TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction to Crypto Neobanks02:59 Revenue Models and Market Dynamics06:02 Challenges and Risks in Crypto Neobanking08:04 Future Trends and ConsiderationsYou can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review — it really helps. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens Follow us on X Jacquelyn: / jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: / _talkingtokens Follow us on Instagram / _talkingtokens Note: This podcast is for informational purposes only. Views shared are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have financial interests in discussed content.
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