BlockchainAsia Podcast

Many people still remember Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse affected a significant number of technology companies, including the stablecoin platform Circle, which had $3.3 billion in cash reserves deposited at SVB. In this episode, I sit down with Ken Wilcox to understand the root causes of Silicon Valley Bank’s downfall and some lingering questions, e.g. why all the lines of defense failed, and why regulators were not more forceful despite being aware of the warning signs. Ken Wilcox was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) from 2001 to 2011, then the CEO of SVB's joint venture with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB-SVB) in Shanghai until 2015, followed by four years as its Vice Chairman. He is the author of "Leading Through Culture: How Real Leaders Create Cultures That Motivate People to Achieve Great Things" and The China Business Conundrum (Wiley, 2024) Ken’s Substack Musing on the Middle Kingdom and More To stay informed, subscribe to BlockchainAsia Show notes -Introduction -Understanding loan-to-deposit ratio -Impact of COVID-19 on Silicon Valley Bank -Problem of excess Deposits -Long-term Treasury Bonds -Bank run and social media -Reflections on failures across all lines of defense -Importance of banking culture and risk control -Alternatives to Silicon Valley Bank and the joint venture in Shanghai -Conclusion and new book announcement

This special episode features Coco's observations and findings from her trip to Hong Kong and Mainland China. - Hong Kong's geographical advantages to becoming a Web3 hub; its unique role as a testing ground and development center of Mainland's ambition to be a key player in Web3 - Economy in Mainland China - 20% of Bitcoin's hash power in China - Central government's potential change of plans to legalize crypto assets and the catalysts driving the change Follow BlockchainAsia on Substack to stay informed. https://blockchainasia.substack.com/

The market is grinding, sentiment has turned bearish, and many are now asking: 'Is the bull market coming to an end?'" Join me in welcoming back Jupiter Zheng, HashKey Capital, for a timely session about Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and digital asset valuation based on the book “Digital Asset Valuation Framework” by HashKey Capital. We explore the methodologies used in valuing digital assets, debunk common skepticism, and discuss the intriguing predictions from industry leaders like Cathie Wood. Learn about the NVT, MVRV, and stock-to-flow models used to evaluate Bitcoin and discover valuation models for Ethereum and other Layer 1 public chains. We also look at the current market trends and what the future holds for crypto assets. --------- 00:00: Introduction, skepticism surrounding Bitcoin and crypto’s long-term value 02:33: “Digital Asset Valuation Framework” book overview Published April 2024 Fusion of existing crypto valuation methods with traditional beta models Categories of digital assets and corresponding valuation methods 04:56: Bitcoin valuation framework, key principles and metrics 08:48: Zoom in on the following methods NVT MVRV and its relevance to predicting the crypto market cycle Stock-to-flow Evolving valuation methods as Bitcoin is undergoing changes 15:16: How does Cathy Wood project $1M Bitcoin price by 2030 5% allocation of global investable assets Impact of BTC spot ETF Parallels of BTC ETF and price and Gold ETF and price Key milestones for Bitcoin to cement its status as “digital gold” 19:08: Ethereum and smart contract Layer 1 valuation DCF Quantify network security and incorporate it into valuation models Commonalities and differences between Ethereum and its competitors, e.g. Solana (Ethereum killers) to be considered when calculating DCF 24:06: Data’s reliability and availability for building valuation models Glassnode/Kaiko/Coin Metrics/Nansen/CryptoQuant 26:26: Warrant Buffett’s mental framework when evaluating stocks and assets His skepticism about gold’s value Different investors' perspectives on the value of cash-flow-generating and non-cash-flow-generating investment assets Bitcoin as an alternative financial system 30:27: Current cycle - where are we now and outlook What MVRV tells us Industry’s consensus about Bitcoin’s price in this cycle BTC spot ETF’s impact on this cycle Why ETH is underperforming, how about the altcoins Market sentiment and outlook 33:36: Closing Subscribe to my free newsletter for updates: https://blockchainasia.substack.com/ This discussion session is for educational and informational purposes only, not investment or financial advice, and the speakers' views are their own.

This is a special episode. I put together a trail of the past 10 episodes of BlockchainAsia Podcast. Revisiting these conversations, I have to say they remain very relevant and insightful. If you've missed any episodes, you can catch up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube Podcasts. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter: https://blockchainasia.substack.com/

In this episode, Vera Wu, COO of Numbers Protocol & Capture, founded in 2019, explains how Numbers leverages blockchain to verify the authenticity and origin of digital content, ensure content’s traceability, and empower content creators. She also shares their collaborations with Reuters and Stanford's Starling Lab in documenting important historical events on blockchain, and their technology was used in Taiwan 2024 election, as well as in the elections in Hong Kong, India and Indonesia to fight disinformation and misinformation. She introduces in detail the practical tools offered by Numbers. Numbers is backed by some notable investors including Protocol Labs and founders of YouTube and Twitch, as well as a Silicon Valley VC fund’s general partner.   ·       00:00 Introduction and Welcome ·       00:13 Vera's background and journey into blockchain ·       01:34 Overview of Numbers Protocol ·       02:59 Details of Numbers’ blockchain and its cross-chain standards ·       03:57 Numbers’ partnerships and use cases ·       05:59 Addressing trust issues in digital content ·       07:16 Tools and solutions for content verification ·       13:17 AI-Generated content and provenance ·       15:22 Target users and market expansion ·       23:46 Regulatory landscape in Taiwan and Ethical AI Alliance ·       27:04 Conclusion and contact information Numbers Protocol Website/Discord/TG group (English) Ethical AI Alliance Follow Vera Wu’s LinkedIn To stay informed, subscribe to my ⁠free newsletter⁠ Disclaimer: The content in Blockchain Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, represents personal views and opinions, and does not constitute investment advice or recommendations.

In this episode of BlockchainAsia Podcast, I have an engaging dialogue with Ioana. Our conversation explore a diverse array of topics, from the gradual adoption within large financial institutions to the merits and drawbacks of the EU's regulation-centric approach. We dive into what makes the Middle East an appealing destination for founders worldwide and compare the contrasting execution mentalities between Asian and European startups. She sheds light on Domin Network's unique offerings, illustrating how NFTs are evolving beyond speculative collectibles into practical tools for enhancing brands in a scalable manner, along with the company's growth plans. Ioana also provides insights into events such as Dubai Token2049, Paris Blockchain Week, and NFT:NYC. Ioana's professional journey, from the European Parliament to Citigroup, and now with Domin Network, is connected by a common theme: a quest for innovative frontiers, with blockchain and crypto emerging as the focal point. Follow Ioana on LinkedIn and X To stay informed, subscribe to my free newsletter Disclaimer: The content in Blockchain Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, represents personal views and opinions, and does not constitute investment advice or recommendations.

Hann Liew, Founder & CEO of Halogen Capital, Malaysia's First Licensed and Shariah-Compliant Digital Asset Fund Manager, joins this episode of BlockchainAsia Podcast and discusses: - Why he chose to launch a digital asset fund after exiting a Fintech company he founded and built for more than 10 years - The key regulatory event in Malaysia that has been beneficial to the country’s crypto market - How his Web2 Fintech expertise becomes an advantage for his new fund - What he learns about retail and institutional investors in Malaysia when distributing his new fund - What impact U.S. BTC spot ETF has had and Hong Kong’s ETFs will have on Malaysia’s crypto market - What is a Shariah-compliant fund and why it offers a unique value proposition - Things that people may not be aware of about Malaysia, e.g., one of the top 10 Bitcoin mining countries To learn more about Halogen Capital, visit its website, follow Hann Liew on X (@ooihann) To get more content in our inbox, subscribe to the free newsletter blockchainAsia.substack.com

In this episode, I sat down with DY, General Manager of Wanxiang Blockchain Labs, and Founder of Future3 Campus, a Web3 incubator, to discuss His background and joining Wanxiang as the first person to specialize in blockchainWanxiang Blockchain’s early research in blockchain and its instrumental support for the Ethereum Foundation in 2015Future3 Campus, the Web3 incubator, overview, its mission and areas of focusWhy Future3 Campus thinks it critical to attract more Web2 developers and entrepreneurs to Web3 and its approach to doing soTON Foundation’s effort to attract WeChat mini app developers to build on Telegram’s Web3 project Why he thinks DePin to Web3 will be similar to BTC ETF to BitcoinHow blockchain technology and Web3 bring more potential to AI developmentWhat criteria Future3 Campus is looking for in applicants for its cohortsHong Kong’s role as a hub for Web3 in Asia ->Follow DY on X (https://twitter.com/DUYU_ETH) ->To apply for Future3 Campus’ cohorts, visit their website (http://www.future3.io/#/home) or X (https://twitter.com/Future3Campus) For more content to your inbox, subscribe to my free newsletter: www.blockchainasia.substack.com

With the 4th Bitcoin halving approaching, I interview Leo Wang, Head of Capital Markets and Senior Director of Investor Relations at Canaan, a NASDAQ-listed company, that manufactures Bitcoin mining rigs. This engaging conversation delves into several intriguing questions: 1) What led an M&A lawyer to transition into a mining machine company? 2) How did a Ph.D. student in China come across Bitcoin, and become an "OG" and a pioneer of ASIC mining machines? What became of Butterfly Labs? 3) What are the predominant challenges facing leading mining machine manufacturers such as Canaan, Bitmain and MicroBT? How is Canaan competing with the dominant player Bitmain? 4) How does each Bitcoin halving impact Bitcoin price, market dynamics, and the operations of Bitcoin miners and mining rig manufacturers? 5) Which country/region is contributing the most hash rate after China lost its dominance? 6) With each halving event, is centralization an inevitable occurrence for the Bitcoin mining industry? To stay updated, please subscribe to my newsletters on Substack To contact my guest of this episode Leo Wang, his LinkedIn & Twitter Disclaimer: The content in Blockchain Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, represents personal views and opinions, and does not constitute investment advice or recommendations.

Coco talks with Jupiter Zheng, Partner, HashKey Capital Liquid Fund & Research, about HashKey Capital's newly launched liquid fund, crypto market's alpha and beta, risk management in altcoin investment, his perspectives of the market, Hong Kong, and more. To stay updated, subscribe to ⁠BlockchainAsia newsletter⁠ ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.

This episode is Asia Market Update. You will learn about why China is becoming increasingly relevant to crypto, investment deals, and regulatory developments in Asia. To stay updated, subscribe to BlockchainAsia newsletter ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.

In this Episode, Asia Reporter of TechCrunch Rita Liao shares her insights on China's evolving technology innovation landscape, explores reasons behind the decline of China's consumer tech sector and the simultaneous rise of new sectors such as EV, enterprise software, semiconductors and Biotech. We also discuss Hong Kong's changing stance towards cryptocurrency and what the implications for retail investors in Mainland China and Hong Kong. This episode was first published on BlockchainAsia@Substack To stay informed, subscribe to BlockchainAsia's newsletter on Substack. ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.

Sean and I sat down to talk about where Hong Kong and other Asian countries stand compared with the U.S. in crypto regulations, why he was not surprised by Hong Kong's decision to embrace crypto, and how U.S. companies could turn regulatory challenges into an opportunity to push for global diversification. To stay informed, subscribe to BlockchainAsia newsletter. ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.

In January 2023, I conducted an interviw with Jonathan Bier, the author of the Blocksize War: the Battle over who Controls Bitcoin's Protocol. Through the book, we have the opportunity to relive the time when Bitcoin was going through a critical moment. Jonathan requested to share our conversation only in text format. With his permission I published the interview in my newsletter BlockchanAsia@substack To stay informed, subscribe to BlockchainAsia newsletter. Now with the AI technology, I am converting the text into voice and create this episode of Podcast. ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.

Curt Shi, Founding Partner of ProDigital Future and an early supporter of STEPN, a Web3 move-to-earn app, shares his fascinating journey in entrepreneurship and investments. Originally from China, he transitioned from Web2 investments in the fitness sector to Web3 after settling in Australia, where he connected with the founder of STEPN, Jerry, also an immigrant from China. Curt's diverse background and global investment footprint make this interview a compelling exploration of his experiences and insights. In this candid conversation, we talked about: - How did he stumble upon STEPN and why did he write the founder a check after their first meeting? Looking back, what does he think STEPN could have done differently? - Why did he and his investment team turn down a Bitcoin mining investment opportunity? - What are some distinctive differences and commonalities between Web2 and Web3 investing? - What are the similarities and differences between China, the U.S., and Australia in terms of entrepreneurship and Web3? This interview was first conducted and posted on BlockchainAsia's newsletter in October, 2023, before BlockchainAsia Podcast was launched. Welcome to subscribe to the BlockchainAsia newsletter to stay updated. ++ The interview content in BlockchainAsia Podcast is for informational and educational purposes, represents personal views only, and does not constitute investment recommendations. The content is provided to you and owned by Kee Global Advisors.