Finality Crypto Podcast

Is the Bull Market Over? State of The Trenches Episode 2 - with Max Windhagen

After a rocky start to November and a skipped Uptober, crypto markets have investors wondering if the cycle is running out of steam. In this episode, we dig into the data: staking ratios, ETF flows, price action, and the broader stock market, to separate signal from noise. No hopium, no fluff! Just what's really happening in the trenches. Follow Finality: https://x.com/finality_res  Follow Juri: https://x.com/jurimaibaum  Listen now on Finality: The Business Lens on Decentralized Networks. DISCLAIMER All information presented in this podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be treated as financial, legal, or tax advice. This podcast's content solely reflects the producer's opinion, who is not a financial advisor. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.

From Downtober to Bullish November? November Crypto Forescast, Solana's ETF Moment, DAT Hype & the Great Consolidation - State of the Trenches

Welcome to State of the Trenches, Episode 1: "November Forecast." We kick off this new weekly series with a deep dive into what's really moving crypto markets as we head into the final stretch of 2025. Is November shaping up to be a bullish rebound after "Downtober"? We break down Solana's historic leap onto Wall Street with Bitwise's record-setting Solana Staking ETF (BSOL), Grayscale's GSOL approval, and Western Union's move to build stablecoin payments on Solana. We also unpack the hype around NEAR's so-called Digital Asset Treasury (and why it's not the same as a true ETF), plus Blockworks' pivot from news to data, the broader wave of industry consolidation with M&A activities surging, and why Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana are the only assets truly leading this cycle. Expect real-talk market insights, skepticism where it's due, and an outlook ahead of Devconnect Buenos Aires. No hopium, no fluff: just what's happening in the trenches. Follow Finality: https://x.com/finality_res  Follow Juri: https://x.com/jurimaibaum  Listen now on Finality: The Business Lens on Decentralized Networks. DISCLAIMER All information presented in this podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be treated as financial, legal, or tax advice. This podcast's content solely reflects the producer's opinion, who is not a financial advisor. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.

Microchains, AI Agents & the Economics of Linera — with Mathieu Baudet

In this episode of Finality, we explore how Linera is rethinking blockchain scalability and network economics for the next era of decentralized systems. Host Juri Maibaum sits down with Mathieu Baudet, Founder & CEO of Linera and former researcher at Meta's Novi, to discuss how Linera's microchain architecture enables ultra-low-latency transactions and why it might be the ideal infrastructure for AI agents and machine-to-machine economies. Together, they unpack: The origin story of Linera and the vision behind microchains How Linera's shared validator model ensures scalability and security Why microchains matter in an AI-driven world The network economics of Linera, including validator incentives and network sustainability What's next on Linera's testnet and roadmap If you're interested in the intersection of blockchain scalability, economics, and the coming wave of autonomous systems, this episode is for you. Listen now on Finality: The Business Lens on Decentralized Networks. DISCLAIMER All information presented in this podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be treated as financial, legal, or tax advice. This podcast's content solely reflects the producer's opinion, who is not a financial advisor. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.

Can Modular Blockchains Be Profitable? - Celestia Revival Plan

Celestia, with its ticker $TIA, pioneered the modular blockchain thesis, separating consensus from execution and redefining how blockchains scale. Two years after its mainnet launch, how is the modular vision holding up, and can modular blockchains actually become profitable? What is a revival plan for $TIA?  In this first Finality interview, Viet, Head of Developer Relations at Celestia Labs, joins Juri Maibaum to discuss the economics, adoption, and challenges of building sustainable modular infrastructure. Together, they unpack: How Celestia has evolved since its 2023 launch The lessons from the airdrop era and early hype What it takes to attract real builders and users The economics of modular ecosystems and validator incentives How Celestia plans to scale, grow, and stay relevant in 2026 If you care about the economics of decentralized infrastructure, from modular rollups to validator profitability, this episode is for you. DISCLAIMER All information presented in this podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be treated as financial, legal, or tax advice. This podcast's content solely reflects the producer's opinion, who is not a financial advisor. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.

Frens Validator → Finality: How We Built a $70M Validator & Why We're Evolving

Frens Validator is now Finality. After building one of the leading retail validators and staking integrations in the space, we decided to pivot. Earlier this year, Frens Validator was acquired by Swyke, which is why we are taking on a new path. We continue to run our own nodes, but with a crisper focus on research and media to explore the business and economics of decentralized networks. Over nearly four years in the Cosmos trenches, we've seen it all! Networks launched and died, incentives evolved, and communities transformed. It became clear to us that for decentralization to remain a relevant aspect in this industry, it needs sound economic rethinking. This is the core of Finality!  Follow Finality: https://x.com/finality_res - - - - DISCLAIMER All information presented in this podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be treated as financial, legal, or tax advice. This podcast's content solely reflects the producer's opinion, who is not a financial advisor. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.