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a16z crypto show

a16z crypto show

Hosted by a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

About

The a16z crypto show explores how decentralized networks are reshaping money, ownership, and the architecture of the internet. We go beyond the hype to look at what’s actually working, what isn’t, and what comes next as crypto continues to go mainstream and blockchains become core infrastructure. Each episode features conversations with founders, engineers, economists, policymakers, and researchers building at the frontier of finance, payments, AI, and distributed systems. We cover stablecoins and global payments, the tokenization of "real-world" assets, decentralized physical infrastructure, network design and governance, and the practical tradeoffs behind decentralization — along with lessons from past technology shifts. Produced and hosted by the a16z crypto team, the show combines reporting, analysis, and first-principles thinking to explain how crypto intersects with the economy and society — and why it matters now. Learn more at a16zcrypto.com. *** Posts should not be considered investment advice or an advertisement for investment services. Reposts of third-party content are not attributable to a16z; see disclosures for more information: https://a16z.com/disclosures/.

Host

a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

Host of a16z crypto show

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Over the past six to nine months on Solana, the markets and the activity have just gotten so good. There's a lot of smart engineers working on exchanges... it's actually much cheaper to buy Solana on Solana.

Lucas Bruder
#4
APR 3, 2026a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

Why Solana keeps getting faster — and what's next (ft. Jito Labs CEO Lucas Bruder)

SCALE SOLANAOPTIMIZE MEVBUILD INFRASTRUCTUREREFORM FINANCE
  • Jito’s custom validator client eliminated Solana’s spam-induced outages - by introducing a block engine and an out-of-protocol tip auction, Jito converted destructive network spam into a productive revenue stream for validators and stakers.

    We built a block engine and a specialized validator client to turn spam into a transparent auction, which stabilized the network for everyone.

    Lucas Bruder
  • Solana’s parallel execution is the key to scaling onchain finance - the network’s ability to process independent transactions simultaneously allows it to handle the massive state requirements of a global financial system that sequential chains cannot.

    Solana's architecture allows for parallel processing of transactions, which is the only way you can actually build a global-scale financial system on a blockchain.

    Lucas Bruder
  • Success in crypto infrastructure requires extreme ecosystem focus during downturns - rather than pivoting during the FTX collapse, Jito doubled down on Solana’s technical bottlenecks, resulting in their client being run by over 80% of the network.

    Staying focused on Solana during the bear market when people were writing it off allowed us to build the most critical infrastructure for the network's recovery.

    Lucas Bruder
#3
APR 3, 2026a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

Why Solana keeps getting faster — and what's next (ft. Jito Labs CEO Lucas Bruder)

SCALE SOLANATRADE ONCHAINREMOVE FRICTIONBUILD APPS
  • Jito serves as Solana’s infrastructure shield - by running a custom validator client on nearly 90% of the network, Jito filters transaction spam and manages block space similarly to how Cloudflare protects websites.

    We started Jito in 2021 and built out this ValidAir client and this whole system that basically tries to help Solana filter spam, like a Cloudflare.

    Lucas Bruder
  • On-chain markets are outperforming centralized exchanges - Solana’s efficiency has reached a tipping point where it is now often cheaper and more effective to trade assets directly on-chain than on major platforms like Binance or Coinbase.

    Over the past six to nine months on Solana, the markets and the activity have just gotten so good. There's a lot of smart engineers working on exchanges... it's actually much cheaper to buy Solana on Solana.

    Lucas Bruder
  • The long-term goal is a single global state machine - moving traditional finance and stocks on-chain eliminates the friction of manual KYC and restrictive purchase limits found in legacy apps like Robinhood.

    I think if it happens on Solana, you can download a wallet on your phone, press a few buttons, and then you have access to this whole financial system. I think it's a pretty promising future.

    Lucas Bruder
#2
MAR 25, 2026a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

Vitalik Buterin vs Beff Jezos: AI Acceleration Debate (E/acc vs D/acc)

OPEN SOURCE AIDECENTRALIZE COMPUTEACCELERATE SAFELYBUILD DEFENSIVE TECH
  • Effective accelerationism (e/acc) views rapid market-driven evolution as the ultimate safety mechanism - this philosophy argues that suppressing AI progress is more dangerous than accelerating it, as speed and competition prevent any single entity from gaining a catastrophic monopoly on power.

  • Defensive accelerationism (d/acc) seeks to intentionally steer technology toward decentralized and defensive ends - Vitalik advocates for prioritizing technologies like privacy-preserving cryptography and resilient infrastructure to ensure human agency remains intact as AI capabilities scale.

  • Open source and crypto are the primary tools to prevent AI-driven centralization - both perspectives highlight that decentralized protocols and transparent code act as a critical 'trust layer' to verify identity and coordinate agents in an AI-dominated landscape.

#1
MAR 17, 2026a16z crypto, Robert Hackett, Sonal Chokshi

AI Is Changing the Internet. What Does It Mean for Creators? (with Justin and Michael Blau)

STAKE STABLECOINSRETHINK COPYRIGHTBUILD COMMUNITYOWN DIGITAL-ASSETS
  • Staking over Subscriptions - Bond replaces the extractive monthly subscription model with a staking system that allows fans to support creators without permanently losing their capital.

  • Relationship-Driven Value - The next phase of the creator economy shifts focus from speculative NFT trading to provable digital ownership and direct, unmediated fan connections.

  • Scarcity in an AI World - As AI makes content creation cheap and abundant, the value of creative work will shift from the media itself to the verifiable identity and community of the creator.

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