with @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we're taking you behind the scenes of our newly released, annual State of Crypto Report — a16z crypto's analysis of the latest data and trends that have defined the industry in 2024. This year's report features some brand new insights, from estimating the number of real crypto users globally, to understanding how much interest in crypto swing states may have ahead of the U.S. election. We also dig into infrastructure improvements to blockchains and key applications — including stablecoins, AI, and so-called DePIN. Be sure to visit a16zcrypto.com for all this and more including a new “Builder Energy” dashboard, which we’ll discuss on the show. Joining me to talk about the findings are lead data scientist and report author Daren Matsuoka and CTO Eddy Lazzarin. The first voice you'll hear after mine is Daren's, then Eddy's. a16z crypto resources: As always, none of the content should be taken as tax, business, legal or investment advice. See a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1729254465000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzkyZTUwNWZkLTA1NzUtNDhkMC1hN2RlLTY4NDg1YzUzM2MwOS8zMDAweDMwMDAvMTA4MHgxODAuanBnP2FpZD1yc3NfZmVlZA"},"231642146":{"id":231642146,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"AI Bots & Memecoins","duration":2282,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @pmarca @bhorowitz Today we’re running a special episode featuring a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talking about AI bots and crypto. They discuss what happens when you mix postmodern theories and internet memes in an LLM. They also get into the sudden rise of a strange memecoin, the state of crypto regulation in the U.S., and more. This episode is a crossover from the Ben & Marc Show, which you can follow on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. See the original episode: As always, none of the content should be taken as tax, business, legal or investment advice. See a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1729951164000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2Y1Mzg5MTE2LThlMTMtNGNhYS1hMmY4LTY1ZGYyMjU0ZWI2OS8zMDAweDMwMDAvc3F1YXJlLXRpdGxlLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"234030883":{"id":234030883,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Government... By Lottery?","duration":3444,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @baileyflan @ahall_research @rhhackett Today we’re dusting off an ancient practice that has become trendy once again: the old-but-new idea of “sortition,” or selecting representatives by lottery. Sortition was used in ancient Athenian democracy to elect public officials. It’s also been lately revived by tech companies like Meta and AI startups like OpenAI and Anthropic to tackle some of their thorniest policymaking challenges. Our guests today are experts on sortition, including Bailey Flanigan, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard who is joining MIT as an assistant professor next year, and who has helped develop selection algorithms for sortition that are in use today. Also joining is Andrew Hall, Stanford University poli sci professor, advisor to Meta, and consultant to a16z crypto research. In this episode, we discuss why not to rely exclusively on expert authority, how the process of deliberation changes people’s minds, and how sortition can apply everywhere from the governance of countries to the governance of crypto projects, and more. Related resources: As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1730540980000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2M0Y2E4ZGYyLWI4YzQtNGQwNi1iMDNhLTVlNTI1MDIzMDkyYi8zMDAweDMwMDAvc3F1YXJlLTIwLTEuanBnP2FpZD1yc3NfZmVlZA"},"240934946":{"id":240934946,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Prediction Markets and Beyond","duration":6485,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @atabarrok @skominers @smc90 We've heard a lot about the premise and the promise of prediction markets for a long time, but they finally hit the main stage with the most recent election. So what worked (and didn't) this time? Are they better than pollsters, journalists, domain experts, superforecasters? So in this conversation, we tease apart the hype from the reality of prediction markets, from the recent election to market foundations... going more deeply into the how, why, and where these markets work. We also discuss the design challenges and opportunities, including implications for builders throughout. And we also cover other information aggregation mechanisms -- from peer prediction to others -- given that prediction markets are part of a broader category of information-elicitation and information-aggregation mechanisms. Where do (and don't) blockchain and crypto technologies come in -- and what specific features (decentralization, transparency, real-time, open source, etc.) matter most, and in what contexts? Finally, we discuss applications for prediction and decision markets -- things we could do right away to in the near-to distant future -- touching on everything from corporate decisions and scientific replication to trends like AI, DeSci, futarchy/ governance, and more? Our special expert guests are Alex Tabarrok, professor of economics at George Mason University and Chair in Economics at the Mercatus Center; and Scott Duke Kominers, research partner at a16z crypto, and professor at Harvard Business School -- both in conversation with Sonal Chokshi. RESOURCES with @sambroner @meigga @darenmatsuoka @jneu_net @chrislyons and @rhhackett @smc90 Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 -- covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team, here.) This episode is part 1 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen to them in any particular order -- covering the trends and themes of: Covering each of these -- and coming from the investing, go-to-market, data science, research, and media teams are: Sam Broner, Maggie Hsu, Daren Matsuoka, Joachim Neu, and Chris Lyons; in conversation with hosts Sonal Chokshi and Robert Hackett. (Stay tuned until the end for some of our meta-commentary.) These are just 5 of the 14 trends we shared; you can check out the full list at a16zcrypto.com/bigideas. Also be sure to check out part 2, which covers all the trends at the intersection of crypto and AI. As a reminder, none of the content is investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1734701626000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvODk1NzEyNTAtOGNiOC00ODE1LWE3ZTEtNDM1ZTBlNDlhYjMzLzAwMDdjOTBhLWQzODUtNGFkMy1hMWE4LWY5MTJlMzBhMDFhOS8zMDAweDMwMDAvd2ViMy1wb2QtYXJ0LWZhLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"250433149":{"id":250433149,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Trends for 2025 (part 2): AI x Crypto - From Agents in Games & DePIN to Proof of Personhood and More","duration":2405,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @carrawu @eddylazzarin @0xkarmacoma and @smc90 @rhhackett Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 -- covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team, here.) This episode is part 2 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen to them in any particular order -- covering the intersection of crypto & AI: Covering each of these -- and coming from the investing, engineering, and other teams -- are: Carra Wu, Eddy Lazzarin, and Karma (aka Daniel Reynaud); in conversation with hosts Sonal Chokshi and Robert Hackett, who also share some commentary at the top. These are just a few of the 14 trends we shared; you can check out the full list at a16zcrypto.com/bigideas. Also be sure to check out part 1, which covers the trends of stablecoins, app stores, infrastructure, and user experience. As a reminder, none of the content is investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1734740671000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvODk1NzEyNTAtOGNiOC00ODE1LWE3ZTEtNDM1ZTBlNDlhYjMzLzAwMDdjOTBhLWQzODUtNGFkMy1hMWE4LWY5MTJlMzBhMDFhOS8zMDAweDMwMDAvd2ViMy1wb2QtYXJ0LWZhLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"253186088":{"id":253186088,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Designing Beloved Brands","duration":2206,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today's episode is all about design, creativity, and taste-making. Our special guest is Jason Mayden, the chief design officer of Jordan Brand at Nike — that's Jordan as in former NBA superstar Michael Jordan. In his role, Mayden is responsible for the look and feel of iconic products, like Air Jordan sneakers and related apparel. In this episode, Mayden speaks with Chris Lyons, a16z crypto's president of web3 media, about the interdisciplinary nature of industrial design, the role of humans in an AI world, what makes fashion and food alike, and how to build a brand, whether you’re in crypto, sportswear, or another field. This conversation originally took place at a16z crypto's Founders Summit in the fall of 2024. Be sure to subscribe to the a16z crypto Youtube channel where you can listen to more from that event, plus many more thought-provoking talks and other resources. As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1735563284000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzVlMWQ3MjI1LWRmNWQtNGZiMi1hZTU5LTAzNmNjMDQ5NmZjOC8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3RzcXVhcmUtMjB0aXRsZS5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"257362935":{"id":257362935,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Social Media Secrets: How to Build Your Presence","duration":2480,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @0xgaut @ishverduzco @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about how to make social media work for you, rather than overwhelming you. Whether you’re a startup founder, creator, avid doomscroller, or longtime lurker, this show has tips and tactics you can use to attract attention, build a following, and level up your online presence. In this episode, we cover what to do and what not to do, how much of your authentic self to bring to the table vs. merely playing to the algorithms, turning your interests and obsessions into viral hits, and what standup comedy has to do with the art of posting. Our guest today is Gauthier Le Meur, aka Gaut, a meme-maker with a cult following who also happens to be the cofounder and chief operating officer of Alongside, a DeFi project that creates investible crypto market indices. Joining him is the man behind our handles, a16z crypto Social Lead Ish Verduzco, as well as me, your host, Robert Hackett. Resources As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1736764640000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2M0N2RiZTA1LWYwMTktNDFiNi1iNzJkLWI3ZTg0ZGY0YWNjYi8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3RzcXVhcmUtMjB0aXRsZS5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"261074663":{"id":261074663,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"How This Foodie Founder Is Revamping Restaurants","duration":3603,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @benleventhal @AriannaSimpson Welcome to web3 with a16z. How many of you are regulars at a favorite cafe, bar, or dinner spot? Probably a lot of you — but if you’re not, well, our guest today aims to make you one. This episode features Ben Leventhal — the founder and CEO of BlackBird, and formerly the founder of Resy and Eater. In it, he shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur in conversation with a16z crypto General Partner Arianna Simpson. Ben shares hard-won lessons learned in company-building, including navigating in wartime; the difference between measuring vs feeling when it comes to defining success; and more. Today’s conversation originally took place in the fall at our CSX Crypto Startup Accelerator in New York. We're currently accepting applications for our next cohort in the spring in San Francisco. Visit a16zcrypto.com/csx for more information and to apply. As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1737739765000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2IzODM5ZDQwLTgyODctNGQ5NC1hMWY5LTA2NGU1YmY2OTdlNi8zMDAweDMwMDAvYXBwbGUtMjBndWVzdC5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"263348860":{"id":263348860,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Why blockchains need privacy","duration":2454,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @1HowardWu @SuccinctJT @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today’s show is all about privacy, why it matters, and how to achieve it technically onchain. It's fair to say that many blockchains today are quite… revealing. But that openness and transparency doesn’t work for everything — who would want anyone to have full-on X-Ray vision into your finances? That’s one reason why there’s been a growing appreciation for — and trend toward — more blockchain privacy. Our guest today argues that there are many other reasons you might want some secrecy too, including a whole host of onchain applications and uses that only become feasible when you have a notion of privacy. That guest is Provable Cofounder and CEO Howard Wu who helped invent the protocols behind and build Aleo, a privacy-focused blockchain network. Wu joins a16z crypto Research Partner Justin Thaler, who is also a computer scientist at Georgetown University (as well as the brains behind the cutting-edge, open source zkVM Jolt), plus me, your host, Robert Hackett. The first voice you’ll hear is mine, then Howard’s, then Justin’s. As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1738404000000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2Q4NjFhMWM3LWUzMmEtNDZkZi1iOTg3LWE3NDhmMmJkODA1ZC8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3RzcXVhcmUtMjBsb2dvLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"268740756":{"id":268740756,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Where AI x Crypto Converge","duration":2450,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" Welcome to web3 with a16z, today we’re running a special episode about the intersection of AI and crypto. Our guests are a16z crypto Founder and Managing Partner Chris Dixon & a16z Growth General Partner David George. They discuss the broken economics of the internet, new models for creative people, how to think through the first-, second- and third-order effects of big platform shifts, and more. Today’s episode is a crossover from a16z’s AI Revolution conversation series — and it’s especially timely as the paperback edition of Chris Dixon’s bestselling book Read Write Own goes to print. Check out the show notes for links to those and more. As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1740210928000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2E3OWE1OTNmLWViZjQtNGExYi05ODA5LTNiNzZmNzA1NGI4Mi8zMDAweDMwMDAvYXBwbGUtMjBndWVzdC5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"269383479":{"id":269383479,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Creativity Across Industries, with Uniswap & KidSuper","duration":2122,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @haydenzadams @kidsuper @smc90 ...in conversation with editor in chief Sonal Chokshi. The conversation originally took place at our Founder Summit (October 2024) but is more relevant than ever as the crypto industry focuses on mainstream applications and users. It covers: We also touch on some questions and issues around open source, including forking and copying -- good or bad? -- and whether a collective can actually do good design. The theme throughout is about innovating vs. stagnating -- learning from different industries and places; trying (unexpected) new things, even when there may not be a clear business case up front, and much more. with @mg_486662 and @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m Robert Hackett and today we’re talking about what is potentially the biggest heist of all time — a hack of the Dubai-based crypto exchange ByBit which took place last month for a total of $1.5 billion and which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has attributed to a North Korean state-sponsored hacking group. In this episode, we cover details of how the attack went down, the state of crypto security across different types of wallets and organizations, and what you can do to help protect yourself from similar attacks. We’re joined by Matt Gleason, a security expert at a16z crypto, whose excellent write-up of the incident you can find below. We’ve also included an FBI PSA about the hack and other useful links as well. Resources: As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1741420180000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzM3OWM4NzdkLTVlMjgtNDQ3Yy05NDY1LWQyYzYxNjgwZWZhNi8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3QtMjBsb2dvLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"270222207":{"id":270222207,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Blockchain Performance, Demystified","duration":1818,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @SashaSpiegelman @Tim_Roughgarden @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about the ins and outs of blockchain performance. How does the “speed” of one chain compare to another? What are the tricky ways that people talk about important metrics like throughput and latency? And how do design choices across things like consensus and execution result in performance tradeoffs? Our guest today is Aptos Labs’ Head of Research Sasha Spiegelman, who is helping build out and develop technologies he originally co-created at Meta. We’re also joined by a16z crypto Head of Research and Columbia University professor Tim Roughgarden, who specializes in the intersection of computer science and economics, which is fitting as we dig into technical details throughout. Timestamps: (0:00) introduction (2:48) understanding blockchain metrics (7:59) consensus protocols: PBFT and beyond (14:56) innovations from Meta’s Novi to Aptos (20:51) optimizing blockchain execution (with BlockSTM) (25:23) tech debate: dynamic vs. static parallelism (27:55) open source and the prisoner’s dilemma (29:15) conclusion *** As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as tax, business, legal, or investment advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1741962229000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzJjMmQwMzg4LWU0ZTAtNDYzZi05NWU3LTI3YTRjNjFjMTg1Ni8zMDAweDMwMDAvYXBwbGUtMjBndWVzdC5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"270964472":{"id":270964472,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"You Better Have a 30-Year Goal (with Eigen Labs)","duration":4509,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about a founder’s journey from academia to the tech startup world — and the many lessons he’s learned along the way. We dig into big ideas, like what people mean when they call blockchains \"truth machines.\" We also share practical advice and insights, like how to go about deciding on your life’s work; what you can do to keep increasing — and compounding — your leverage; plus, how a bungled interview question can change your life. Today’s episode features a conversation between Eigen Labs Founder Sreeram Kannan, formerly an associate professor at the University of Washington where he led its Blockchain Lab, and a16z crypto General Partner Ali Yahya. This conversation originally took place in the fall at our CSX crypto startup accelerator in New York. If you like what you hear, subscribe to the a16z crypto YouTube channel for this video and many others like it. Timestamps: (0:00) introduction (1:25) open innovation (4:08) evolution of blockchain technologies (12:34) journey from academia (16:00) one of the best life lessons (19:40) impact of network information theory (24:31) activation energy and moving earth (29:13) building a trust network (36:20) blockchains as commitment engines (45:17) Q&A (45:57) the power of narrative (52:19) restaking and the memetic sphere (56:01) two approaches to problem solving (59:53) startup focus and exponential games (1:04:56) professor coins (1:09:03) win-win or no deal (01:13:59) conclusion As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as tax, business, legal, or investment advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1742907826000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzVhMzJkNzIxLWQzYmQtNGJmYS1iNzc3LTVkZTM0MDdmNGY1NS8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3QtMjBsb2dvLTIwLTIuanBnP2FpZD1yc3NfZmVlZA"},"271286166":{"id":271286166,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Congestion Pricing? Economics, Theory, Reality","duration":3451,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @mostrovs @skominers @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m your host Robert Hackett, and today we’re talking about congestion pricing — an area of mechanism design that’s aimed at alleviating something everyone hates: traffic. Now you may have heard this term recently since New York adopted its own version of congestion pricing at the beginning of the year. This is the first program of its kind in the U.S. — and it’s got supporters and detractors. We’ll talk about that, and we’re also going to talk about much more. In the first part of today’s episode we’ll trace the history of the economic ideas that got us here. In the middle, we’ll dig deeper into the details of putting congestion pricing into practice, plus technological alternatives. And in the final part, we’ll explore parallels to — and implications for — crypto networks. Our guests are Michael Ostrovsky, a Stanford Economics Professor who specializes in this area and who has done research on congestion pricing in New York. We’re also joined by a16z crypto Research Partner Scott Kominers, who is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School where he teaches market design and entrepreneurship. Timestamps: (0:00) introduction (1:51) NYC proposal history (3:38) economic theory of congestion pricing (9:15) implementation: challenges and solutions (26:00) technological alternatives and drones (29:49) overnight delivery and other possibilities (35:20) carpooling and how to encourage it (39:34) congestion pricing and crypto (47:59) lessons for blockchains Resources: As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as tax, business, legal, or investment advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1743241348000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkLzZmMTk3NDYzLTgyMTUtNGY2Yy04MGI4LTllZGUwNTliOTNmZi8zMDAweDMwMDAvYXBwbGUtMjBndWVzdC5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"271956669":{"id":271956669,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"All About Airdrops","duration":3720,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @eddylazzarin @DarenMatsuoka @ahall_research @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m Robert Hackett. Today we’re talking about one of the most familiar — and most misunderstood — mechanics in crypto: the airdrop. We’ll explore the history of airdrops in and outside crypto, the challenges of incentive design, and learnings from airdrops to date. We’ll also answer questions like how do you avoid Sybil attacks and professional airdrop farming? Should your drop be big or small, one-time or ongoing? And what happens when AI agents enter the mix? To break it all down, we’re joined by: Whether you're planning a token launch, looking for token rewards, or just curious why airdrops have become such a powerful mechanism in crypto — this episode is for you. Timestamps: (0:00) introduction (1:42) what is an airdrop? (6:27) tokens vs traditional equity (8:49) incentive design challenges (15:18) origins from credit cards to crypto (17:14) Optimism airdrop case study (23:09) NFT market learnings (28:32) Sybil resistance and verifying humanity (33:04) Uniswap airdrop and beyond (36:35) AI agents and the future of airdrops (40:33) connection to performance reviews (45:30) token vesting and volatility (49:08) experimentation vs. best practices (59:20) Batesian mimicry Resources: As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1744048220000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2Q3NThkZjY3LTAzMjQtNDE4NS1iMmQ3LTdlZmQyYmM1NjMxOS8zMDAweDMwMDAvd2ViMy1wb2RjYXN0LWVwaXNvZGUtNjlzcXVhcmUtbG9uZy10aXRsZS1vbmx5LWNvcHktMi5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"272691845":{"id":272691845,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"AI and the End of Apps (with NEAR)","duration":3738,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @ilblackdragon @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m your host, Robert Hackett. In this episode, we're diving deep into one of the most intriguing intersections in tech today: AI and crypto. To help us unpack it, we're joined by Illia Polosukhin — co-founder of the crypto protocol NEAR and co-author of the groundbreaking 2017 \"transformers\" paper that kicked off the current AI boom. Ilia has been early to some of the biggest recent tech trends, and today he brings us a rare, panoramic view of the tech industry’s cutting edge. Together we explore what the phrase “user-owned AI” really means; why the so-called agentic internet — that is, a world where your AI assistant talks directly to services on your behalf — might replace the very notion of websites and apps as we know them; and much more. Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction Resources: As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.\n","startDate":1744798312000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMzQ3NGI2YTEtOTc2Yy00Yzc1LThlNjMtZTRhZDNhM2IzNTRkL2E5MTFhMjU5LWVmNTctNDdiYS04ZTE1LWI5N2U2ZmQ2NDRhYi8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3QtMjBsb2dvLmpwZz9haWQ9cnNzX2ZlZWQ"},"273359905":{"id":273359905,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Your Guide to Tokens: Types, Design, Uses, More","duration":6096,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":" with @eddylazzarin @skominers @milesjennings @rhhackett Today we're diving deep into *the* defining concept in crypto: tokens. We're moving beyond conventional categories — like “governance tokens” or “utility tokens” or even “memecoins” — to present a full taxonomy that details what tokens are, what they aren’t, and what they're capable of becoming. Questions we'll explore include: What is a token? Is it a form of money? A piece of data? Something else? How many types of tokens are there — and who is in control of each? And how should we think about their actual economic, legal, and technical characteristics? We'll also dig into different token designs and their uses; where tokens derive value from; how they jibe with securities laws; and much more. In this conversation, you’ll hear from several experts on the a16z crypto team who have developed a new 7-part framework for classifying tokens, which you can find linked below. Joining us are the coauthors: Chief Technology Officer Eddy Lazzarin, General Counsel and Head of Policy Miles Jennings, and Research Partner Scott Kominers, who is also a Professor at Harvard Business School where he teaches courses on market design and entrepreneurship. Check out the resources below for a flowchart that we’ll also be referencing throughout this episode and that will be helpful as we wend our way through the token idea maze. Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (3:28) The Evolution of Token Terminology (6:19) Classifying Tokens: Economic, Legal, and Technical Dimensions (8:37) Moving Beyond “Governance Tokens” (12:05) Inherent Value: The Memecoin Debate (15:35) Company-Controlled Tokens: Risks and Realities (31:33) Arcade Tokens: Stability and Utility (46:00) The Power of Blockchain Interoperability (49:34) Shared Rewards and Loyalty Programs (59:19) Asset-Backed Tokens and Their Mechanisms (1:08:23) Collectible Tokens and Their Uniqueness (1:14:31) Network Tokens: The Future of Decentralized Marketplaces (1:31:03) Regulatory Challenges and \"Lawyer Tokens\" (1:36:57) Final Thoughts and Future Prospects Resources referenced in this episode: "web3 with a16z" is a show about the next generation of the internet, and about how builders and users -- whether artists, coders, creators, developers, companies, organizations, or communities -- now have the ability to not just "read" (web1) + "write" (web2) but "own" (web3) pieces of the internet, unlocking a new wave of creativity and entrepreneurship. Brought to you by a16z crypto, this show is the definitive resource for understanding and going deeper on all things crypto and web3. From discussing the latest and leading trends to sharing research, data readouts, and insights from top scientists and makers in the space, this is a variety show with a variety of formats and topics listeners can pick and choose from. It is hosted by the longtime showrunner of (and original team behind) the popular a16z Podcast. Learn more at a16zcrypto.com. with @eddylazzarin @skominers @milesjennings @rhhackett Today we're diving deep into *the* defining concept in crypto: tokens. We're moving beyond conventional categories — like “governance tokens” or “utility tokens” or even “memecoins” — to present a full taxonomy that details what tokens are, what they aren’t, and what they're capable of becoming. Questions we'll explore include: What is a token? Is it a form of money? A piece of ... with @ilblackdragon @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m your host, Robert Hackett. In this episode, we're diving deep into one of the most intriguing intersections in tech today: AI and crypto. To help us unpack it, we're joined by Illia Polosukhin — co-founder of the crypto protocol NEAR and co-author of the groundbreaking 2017 "transformers" paper that kicked off the current AI boom. Ilia has been early to some of the biggest ... with @eddylazzarin @DarenMatsuoka @ahall_research @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m Robert Hackett. Today we’re talking about one of the most familiar — and most misunderstood — mechanics in crypto: the airdrop. We’ll explore the history of airdrops in and outside crypto, the challenges of incentive design, and learnings from airdrops to date. We’ll also answer questions like how do you avoid Sybil attacks and professional air... with @mostrovs @skominers @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m your host Robert Hackett, and today we’re talking about congestion pricing — an area of mechanism design that’s aimed at alleviating something everyone hates: traffic. Now you may have heard this term recently since New York adopted its own version of congestion pricing at the beginning of the year. This is the first program of its kind in the U.S. — and it’s got sup... Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about a founder’s journey from academia to the tech startup world — and the many lessons he’s learned along the way. We dig into big ideas, like what people mean when they call blockchains "truth machines." We also share practical advice and insights, like how to go about deciding on your life’s work; what you can do to keep increasing — and compounding — your leverage; plus, how a bun... with @SashaSpiegelman @Tim_Roughgarden @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about the ins and outs of blockchain performance. How does the “speed” of one chain compare to another? What are the tricky ways that people talk about important metrics like throughput and latency? And how do design choices across things like consensus and execution result in performance tradeoffs? Our guest today is Aptos Labs’ Head of... with @mg_486662 and @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m Robert Hackett and today we’re talking about what is potentially the biggest heist of all time — a hack of the Dubai-based crypto exchange ByBit which took place last month for a total of $1.5 billion and which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has attributed to a North Korean state-sponsored hacking group. In this episode, we cover details of how the attack went down, t... with @haydenzadams @kidsuper @smc90 Welcome to web3 with a16z, today we’re running a special episode about the intersection of AI and crypto. Our guests are a16z crypto Founder and Managing Partner Chris Dixon & a16z Growth General Partner David George. They discuss the broken economics of the internet, new models for creative people, how to think through the first-, second- and third-order effects of big platform shifts, and more. Today’s episode is a crossover from ... with @1HowardWu @SuccinctJT @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today’s show is all about privacy, why it matters, and how to achieve it technically onchain. It's fair to say that many blockchains today are quite… revealing. But that openness and transparency doesn’t work for everything — who would want anyone to have full-on X-Ray vision into your finances? That’s one reason why there’s been a growing appreciation for — and trend ... with @benleventhal @AriannaSimpson Welcome to web3 with a16z. How many of you are regulars at a favorite cafe, bar, or dinner spot? Probably a lot of you — but if you’re not, well, our guest today aims to make you one. This episode features Ben Leventhal — the founder and CEO of BlackBird, and formerly the founder of Resy and Eater. In it, he shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur in conversation with a16z crypto General Partne... with @0xgaut @ishverduzco @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we’re talking about how to make social media work for you, rather than overwhelming you. Whether you’re a startup founder, creator, avid doomscroller, or longtime lurker, this show has tips and tactics you can use to attract attention, build a following, and level up your online presence. In this episode, we cover what to do and what not to do, how much of your auth... Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today's episode is all about design, creativity, and taste-making. Our special guest is Jason Mayden, the chief design officer of Jordan Brand at Nike — that's Jordan as in former NBA superstar Michael Jordan. In his role, Mayden is responsible for the look and feel of iconic products, like Air Jordan sneakers and related apparel. In this episode, Mayden speaks with Chris Lyons, a16z crypto's president of... Trends for 2025 (part 2): AI x Crypto - From Agents in Games & DePIN to Proof of Personhood and More with @carrawu @eddylazzarin @0xkarmacoma and @smc90 @rhhackett Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 -- covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team, here.) This episode is part 2 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen to them in any partic... with @sambroner @meigga @darenmatsuoka @jneu_net @chrislyons and @rhhackett @smc90 Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 -- covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team, here.) This episode is part 1 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen t... with @atabarrok @skominers @smc90 We've heard a lot about the premise and the promise of prediction markets for a long time, but they finally hit the main stage with the most recent election. So what worked (and didn't) this time? Are they better than pollsters, journalists, domain experts, superforecasters? So in this conversation, we tease apart the hype from the reality of prediction markets, from the recent election to market fou... with @baileyflan @ahall_research @rhhackett Today we’re dusting off an ancient practice that has become trendy once again: the old-but-new idea of “sortition,” or selecting representatives by lottery. Sortition was used in ancient Athenian democracy to elect public officials. It’s also been lately revived by tech companies like Meta and AI startups like OpenAI and Anthropic to tackle some of their thorniest policymaking challenges. Ou... with @pmarca @bhorowitz Today we’re running a special episode featuring a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talking about AI bots and crypto. They discuss what happens when you mix postmodern theories and internet memes in an LLM. They also get into the sudden rise of a strange memecoin, the state of crypto regulation in the U.S., and more. This episode is a crossover from the Ben & Marc Show, which you can follow on You... with @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we're taking you behind the scenes of our newly released, annual State of Crypto Report — a16z crypto's analysis of the latest data and trends that have defined the industry in 2024. This year's report features some brand new insights, from estimating the number of real crypto users globally, to understanding how much interest in crypto swing states may hav... Welcome to web3 with a16z. Today we explore the messy secrets of blockchain bridges. These cross-chain connectors are the go-betweens in today's multichain world, but their short history has been a checkered one, with prominent projects succumbing to major hacks and other hijinks. So we've brought on one of the builders who knows this world best to help disentangle the messiness. That’s Bryan Pellegrino, cofounder and CEO of LayerZe... The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God! Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love.
Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations.
From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation! Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio. ALL THE SMOKE pairs two of the most outspoken and controversial players of their time. Known as fiery, intense competitors during their on-court careers, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson are now two of the most widely respected voices by today’s crop of NBA stars. Serving as mentors to numerous players throughout the league and with their hands firmly on the pulse of the game, they have first-hand insight into the minds, lives and pressing issues facing today’s players. Barnes and Jackson, who have played alongside two generations of All-Stars, will dish on the latest news and drama from on and off the court without boundaries.
(from links to research mentioned to more on the topics discussed)
This episode involves a special mix of guests:
As a reminder: None of the following should be taken as business, investment, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information.\n","startDate":1740797700000,"transcriptionAvailable":false,"imageUrl":"https://i.iheart.com/v3/url/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZS5zaW1wbGVjYXN0Y2RuLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvMWY2ZTY5NjAtNWQzMi00ZDhjLTlmYjctODIyYzkxNDc3ZDFhLzU0ZTc4YWNkLTZkMjQtNDQ5YS1iZGI5LTU1NDdiM2RmZmQ4Ni8zMDAweDMwMDAvZ3Vlc3RzcXVhcmUtMjB0aXRsZS5qcGc_YWlkPXJzc19mZWVk"},"269765489":{"id":269765489,"podcastId":96501686,"podcastSlug":"1168-web3-with-a16z-crypto","title":"Inside the Biggest Heist","duration":2652,"isExplicit":false,"isInteractive":false,"description":"
(3:40) Centralization and Challenges of AI
(6:17) \"User-Owned\" AI
(12:14) Confidential Computing and AI
(17:51) The Birth of Transformers
(22:33) NEAR AI and Crowdsourcing
(27:56) AI Agents and Future Applications
(31:04) The End of Websites and Applications
(34:08) Dead Internet Theory & Distinguishing Humans
(41:49) Open Source vs. Open Weight Models
(43:48) Geopolitical Implications of AI
(46:55) NEAR Protocol and Blockchain Scaling
(59:29) The Role of Humans in an AI Worldweb3 with a16z crypto
Episodes
This episode involves a special mix of guests:Popular Podcasts