Proof of Decentralization

Chris Blec

DeFi Watch's Chris Blec engages in honest conversations with DeFi teams about the transparency & decentralization of their decentralized finance applications & protocols. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/proof-of-decentralization/support

  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    Tellor - The Role of Oracles in DeFi

    Chris Blec is joined by Nick Fett of Tellor to discuss the critical role that oracles play in DeFi.

    Some of the topics covered:

    • what makes Tellor unique in the oracle space
    • the challenges of running a trustless & decentralized project without taking shortcuts
    • the perils of accepting VC money
    • Chainlink's centralization issues
    • and more!

    If you want to learn about oracles in DeFi and get a better understanding of how they work and what their risks are, then you'll find this conversation very useful.

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    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR!

    Tornado Cash Community - learn more at https://tornado.cash

    --

    Check out Tellor at https://tellor.io

    Follow Tellor on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WeAreTellor

    Join Tellor's Discord chat at https://discord.com/invite/tellor

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    14 June 2022, 9:38 pm
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    Arbitrum & Other L2 Security Risks w/ Bartek of L2Beat

    Chris Blec is joined by Bartek Kiepuszewski, Co-Founder of L2Beat to discuss the security risks & trust requirements that come along with popular Ethereum Layer 2s.

    Some of the topics covered:

    • How L2Beat got started as a MakerDAO research project
    • the risks of a whitelisted validator system
    • what it means to have a centralized sequencer
    • what kind of risk future regulation could pose to L2s
    • whether or not users can safely leave their funds on L2s
    • and more!

    If you are curious about Ethereum L2s and want to get a clear understanding of how they work and what their risks are, you definitely will want to listen in on this conversation.

    --

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

    Tornado Cash Community - learn more at https://tornado.cash

    Members of THORChain Community - learn more at https://thorchain.org

    --

    Check out L2Beat at https://l2beat.com

    Arbitrum's Security Considerations & Gotchas: https://developer.offchainlabs.com/docs/security_considerations

    Follow Bartek on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bkiepuszewski

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    24 May 2022, 9:30 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Rocket Pool - Ethereum Liquid Staking

    Chris Blec chats with Darren Langers, General Manager of Rocket Pool about the Ethereum staking scene.

    Some of the topics covered:

    How Rocket Pool tries to address ETH2 staking in a decentralized way; the dangers presented by Lido's more centralized staking solution; how Ethereum staking actually works; the difference between liquid staking (rETH) vs. running a validator via Rocket Pool; and much more!

    If you are curious about ETH staking, or are already using stETH or rETH, you definitely will want to listen in on this conversation.  

    --

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

    Tornado Cash Community - learn more at https://tornado.cash

    Members of THORChain Community - learn more at https://thorchain.org

    --

    Learn more about Rocket Pool at https://rocketpool.net

    Follow Darren Langers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/langerstwit

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    11 May 2022, 9:30 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Polygon - Can we really trust DeFi multisigs?

    Chris Blec engages in a high intensity chat about DeFi multisigs with Mudit Gupta, Chief Information Security Officer of Polygon. 

    Some of the topics covered:

    • Details on which aspects of Polygon are secured by multisigs
    • What users can and cannot know about how the multisigs are secured
    • Whether it's safe for users to trust Polygon's multisig security
    • Polygon's plans to change their security scheme in the near future
    • How Polygon would react to a request from regulator or state actor
    • Much more!

    --

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

    Tornado Cash Community - learn more at https://tornado.cash

    Members of THORChain Community - learn more at https://thorchain.org

    --

    Follow Mudit Gupta on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Mudit__Gupta

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    8 April 2022, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    Tally Ho! - Ethereum Wallet App alternative to MetaMask

    Carolyn Reckhow of Thesis, the developer of the new Tally Ho Ethereum wallet, joins Chris Blec for an honest chat about the new community-backed wallet project and how it can serve as an alternative to MetaMask.

    Some of the topics covered:

    • Carolyn's history with Ethereum including time spent at ConsenSys 
    • how the Tally Ho wallet project came to be
    • the pros and cons of MetaMask's stranglehold on the wallet space
    • the incentives, or lack thereof, for VCs to back DAO-run projects
    • the future of wallet apps with regard to regulation
    • much more!

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    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR, TORNADO CASH!

    Learn more at https://tornado.cash

    --

    Learn more about Tally Ho at https://tally.cash

    Study up on & participate in the upcoming Tally Ho DAO at https://gov.tally.cash/t/tally-ho-dao-structure-proposal/455

    Follow Tally Ho on Twitter at https://twitter.com/tallycash

    Follow Carolyn on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CReckhow

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    4 April 2022, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 52 minutes
    Aztec Network - Privacy on Ethereum

    Zac Williamson, CEO of Aztec Network, joins Chris Blec for a blunt chat about the challenges & benefits of building a privacy-focused Layer 2 on Ethereum.

    Some of the topics covered:

    • the background of the project
    • how Aztec Network works
    • the nature of privacy and why it's critical
    • whether or not building to regulator specs makes sense
    • the benefits & dangers of having a "decryption key" on privacy tech
    • much more!

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    Learn more about Aztec Network at https://aztec.network

    Try out Aztec's technology at https://zk.money

    Follow Zac on Twitter at https://twitter.com/zac_aztec

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    26 February 2022, 8:27 pm
  • 2 hours 43 minutes
    VC Influence in DeFi w/ Marc Boiron (dYdX, DeFi Education Fund)

    Marc Boiron, General Counsel for dYdX & Committee Member for DeFi Education Fund, joins Chris Blec for a refreshingly honest chat about the influence that venture capital and corporations may or may not have over DeFi regulation.

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    SUPPORT: chrisblec.eth

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    Follow Marc Boiron on Twitter at https://twitter.com/boironattorney

    --

    LINKS MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST:

    dYdX:  https://dydx.exchange

    Blockchain Association: https://theblockchainassociation.org/

    AOPP Group: https://aopp.group/

    Initial questions for DeFi Education Fund: https://defiwatch.net/inquiry-into-uniswaps-defi-defense-fund-proposal/

    DeFi Education Fund website: https://www.defieducationfund.org/

    Fight for the Future grant: https://medium.com/@defieducationfund/grant-fight-for-the-future-f9b8c22b205a

    Fight for the Future Director racist tweet examples: 1) https://twitter.com/evan_greer/status/1461765906552561672  2) https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec/status/1461865601622810634

    3 February 2022, 11:00 am
  • 2 hours 23 minutes
    Samourai Wallet

    SW, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, joins Chris Blec for an honest chat about running one of the most popular Bitcoin privacy wallets available. 

    Some of the topics covered:

    • benefits of developers staying anonymous in the Bitcoin space
    • importance of having strong principles as a Bitcoin/DeFi developer
    • the negative influence that venture capital can have
    • how Samourai Wallet was developed and grown
    • SW's thoughts on future regulation that may affect privacy
    • how Samourai Wallet would react to oppressive legislation
    • how Whirlpool and Ricochet work and how they remain non-custodial
    • whether Whirlpool users should be worried about getting mixed up with criminals
    • the recent AOPP controversy and Samourai Wallet's take on it
    • MUCH more

    --

    CHRIS BLEC HAS A PAYNYM!
    +billowingunion67B

    Learn more about Samourai Wallet & download at https://samouraiwallet.com

    Follow Samourai Wallet on Twitter at https://twitter.com/samouraiwallet

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    --

    LINKS MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST:

    https://medium.com/samourai-wallet/diving-head-first-into-whirlpool-anonymity-sets-4156a54b0bc7

    https://twitter.com/sethforprivacy

    https://twitter.com/techloreistaken

    30 January 2022, 5:40 pm
  • 2 hours 2 minutes
    Liquity

    On this episode, Chris Blec is joined by Kolten of Liquity to discuss the stablecoin project in detail and better understand how decentralized it really is.  The conversation dives deep into how Liquity works, how it's different from competitors like MakerDAO and USDC, how the use of oracles affects the project's decentralization, why Liquity chose not to have an official front-end, and much more. 

    A great way to support this podcast! Watch the video version of this podcast along with other member-exclusive DeFi videos at https://chrisblec.com

    Learn more about DXdao at https://liquity.org.

    Follow Liquity on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LiquityProtocol.

    Twitter links:

    Kolten - https://twitter.com/0xKolten

    Chris Blec - https://twitter.com/chrisblec

    21 December 2021, 12:46 am
  • 1 hour 48 minutes
    DAOs (feat. DXdao)

    On this episode, Chris Blec digs deep into the question "What is a DAO?" with John, Chris and Augusto of the DeFi-building DAO, DXdao. The conversation explores whether or not the term "DAO" should have a strict definition, what different forms a DAO can take, and explores the recent ConstitutionDAO phenomenon and whether it was good or bad for the decentralization movement.

    A great way to support this podcast! Watch the video version of this podcast along with other member-exclusive DeFi videos at https://chrisblec.com 

    Learn more about DXdao at https://dxdao.eth.link.

    Follow DXdao on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DXdao_.

    Twitter links:

    John Kelleher - https://twitter.com/jpkcambridge

    Chris Powers - https://twitter.com/powers_chris

    Augusto L - https://twitter.com/augustolemble

    Chris Blec - https://twitter.com/chrisblec

    19 November 2021, 6:26 pm
  • 1 hour 51 minutes
    Solana

    Anatoly Yakovenko, CEO & Founder of Solana Labs, joins Chris Blec for a frank chat about the level of decentralization of Solana as compared to mainstay blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the impact that Solana validators can have on the state of the network, how the Solana project was conceived, whether or not the SOL token truly has real value, the impact that VC investment has had on the project, and much more.

    Learn more about Solana at https://solana.com

    Follow Anatoly Yakovenko on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aeyakovenko

    Follow Chris Blec on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisBlec

    22 October 2021, 9:00 am
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