A Decade on the Frontlines of Crypto Policy w/ Peter Van Valkenburgh
In this episode, Austin and Peter Van Valkenburgh Coin Center's mission and the critical role of educating policymakers. The discussion spans over Coin Center's inception, its efforts in shaping sound crypto regulations, and its battles against adverse policies. Peter sheds light on Coin Center's ongoing lawsuits, the implications of recent DOJ guidance, and the controversy surrounding meme coins in American politics. Peter also provides insights into future challenges and opportunities in crypto regulation, emphasizing the vital importance of nuanced policies that balance innovation with oversight. Whether you're a crypto enthusiast, policymaker, or just curious about the intersections of technology and regulation, this episode offers valuable perspectives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A Decade on the Frontlines of Crypto Policy w/ Peter Van Valkenburgh
More from Validated
MegaETH Mainnet and the Real-Time ZK Endgame w/ Lei Yang
In this episode, we sit down with the team behind MegaETH to discuss the launch of their mainnet and the vision for a new generation of high-performance Layer 2 blockchains. We explore how MegaETH is pushing block times into the millisecond range, what that means for onchain markets, and why ultra-low latency could fundamentally change blockspace auctions and transaction ordering. The conversation also covers token utility, sequencer incentives, fraud proof security, and why the long-term endgame for rollups is real-time ZK proving. We also dive into the practical challenges of building high-performance crypto infrastructure — from co-location and distributed RPC networks to designing an ecosystem that can actually take advantage of that speed. To learn more about MegaETH, check out: https://www.megaeth.com/ https://rabbithole.megaeth.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How Shelby Makes Decentralized Storage Faster and Cheaper w/ Pranav Raval
In this episode, Austin chats with Pranav Raval (Aptos Labs) about Shelby, a new decentralized storage protocol designed to address the performance and cost limitations of earlier decentralized storage systems. The conversation dives into Shelby’s architecture and market opportunities. Unlike previous systems that rely on unreliable “spare capacity” nodes, Shelby uses professionally operated data centers, erasure coding for reliability, and incentives for fast data retrieval. This design enables new use cases beyond simple file storage, including verifiable advertising analytics, IP-protected generative media, AI data marketplaces, and distributed AI inference at the network edge. Pranav explains how Shelby can position itself as infrastructure for data-intensive applications—especially those driven by AI—while offering an alternative to the expensive egress fees and regional data silos of traditional cloud providers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How Wyoming Built the First State-Issued Stablecoin w/ Anthony Apollo
In this episode, Austin talks with Anthony, Executive Director of Wyoming’s Stable Token Commission, about how Wyoming became the first U.S. state to issue its own government-backed stablecoin. They discuss the state’s decade-long push into crypto policy, why Wyoming chose to operate digital financial infrastructure instead of just regulating it, and how the Frontier Stable Token is designed to be fully backed, legally neutral, and usable for any lawful purpose. The conversation covers constitutional safeguards around privacy and due process, how reserves generate public revenue, and why a small, agile state may be uniquely positioned to experiment with on-chain money—offering a glimpse into what the future of state finance could look like. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.