The Build IllusionIn the early days of any blockchain, the instinct was to fund or build everything, invest in pre-revenue start-ups, issue grants, and spin up internal products to jump start the ecosystem. For a time, that model worked: it proved the technology, attracted developers, and created the first growth flywheel.But as the space matured and competition intensified, many teams including the one I was part of began to build internally just to maintain momentum.We launched everything f...

The Market Has Spoken: Risk Management Is the New AlphaThe recent Balancer exploit didn’t just rattle liquidity pools it reignited an uncomfortable question in boardrooms and fintech treasuries: how much counter party risk is hiding in smart contracts we don’t control?Every time an exploit hits the headlines, the narrative reflex is to blame code. The deeper truth is that we’re witnessing DeFi’s stress testing cycle one that naturally distinguishes between protocols built for experimentation ...

In the fast-moving crypto world, staying current is a constant challenge. Coinbase has long been the gold standard for onboarding retail users and institutions into the space. While their exchange pedigree has never been challenged, building credibility with degens and hardcore builders has been tougher. Now, their strategy is becoming clearer: they're leveling up to become a true powerhouse by leveraging their Layer 2 (L2) platform, Base, as the go-to hub for token launches and decentralized...