a16z Crypto General Partners Ali Yahya, Arianna Simpson, and Erik Torenberg break down what’s actually working in crypto today – starting with the rise of stablecoins as a real-world payments layer. They discuss how stablecoins are being adopted by companies like Stripe and SpaceX, why regulatory shifts are opening new doors for crypto startups, and how AI and crypto are beginning to intersect.
They also cover:
- The future of decentralized social networks
- Where Ethereum, Solana, and others stand today
- Misconceptions still holding the space back
A grounded conversation on what’s real, what’s hype, and where crypto’s finally finding traction.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction to Crypto and AI
00:16 The Rise of Stable Coins
00:40 Current State of Crypto
02:02 Deep Dive into Stable Coins
07:39 Institutional and Consumer Adoption
22:09 The Future of Crypto and AI
29:13 Misconceptions and Policy Changes
33:06 Smart Contract Platforms
36:14 Closing Thoughts
Resources:
Find Ali on X: https://x.com/alive_eth
Find Arianna on X:
Stay Updated:
Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z
Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z
Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/
Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures
-
a16z Podcast: For the Billions of Creatives Out There
with Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman), Marc Andreessen (@pmarca), and Sonal Chokshi (@smc90) The writer-showrunner is a relatively new phenomenon in TV, as opposed to film, which is still a director-driven enterprise. But what does it mean,…
-
a16z Podcast: Lessons Learned from Chinese Education Startups
When people talk about trends in education technology, they often focus on how to disrupt higher education in the U.S., whether it’s about breaking free of the ”signaling” factor of elite educations or how to…
-
a16z Podcast: What’s in the Water at the George Church Lab?
with George Church (@geochurch) and Jorge Conde (@JorgeCondeBio) Renowned scientist George Church is known for his groundbreaking work and methods used for the first genome sequence, and for his work in genome editing, writing &…
-
a16z Podcast: Capitalizing on an Autonomous Vehicle Future
with Peter Ludwig, Qasar Younis (@qasar), and Sonal Chokshi (@smc90) When people talk about autonomous vehicles, we hear everything from ”we’re much closer than you think” to ”we’re much further than you think”. So where…
-
a16z Podcast: Gaming Goes Mainstream
Bobby Kotick is the CEO of Activision Blizzard (a merger he engineered); it’s one of only two video gaming companies in the Fortune 500, and the largest game network in the world. The company is…
-
a16z Podcast: Who’s Down with CPG, DTC? (And Micro-Brands Too?)
with Ryan Caldbeck (@ryan_caldbeck), Jeff Jordan (@jeff_jordan), and Sonal Chokshi (@smc90) It’s clear that all kinds of commerce companies and consumer products have been disrupted — or enabled — by tech. Yet for certain categories,…
-
a16z Podcast: To All the Robots I’ve Loved Before
with Kate Darling (@grok_) and Hanne Tidnam (@omnivorousread) We already know that we have an innate tendency to anthropomorphize robots. But beyond just projecting human qualities onto them, as we begin to share more and…
-
a16z Podcast: Cryptonetworks as Emerging Economies (Done Right?)
with Chris Burniske (@cburniske), Joel Monegro (@jmonegro), Denis Nazarov (@Iiterature), and Jesse Walden (@jessewldn) When designing cryptonetworks — really, emerging economies — how do we avoid some of the monetary and fiscal policy failings of…
-
a16z Podcast: Voting, Security, and Governance in Blockchains and Cryptonetworks
with Phil Daian (@phildaian) and Ali Yahya (@ali01) Whether in corporations, boardrooms, or political elections, voting is something we see in all kinds of social systems… including blockchains. It’s the natural human tendency for how…
-
a16z Podcast: Product-Market SALES Fit (What Comes First?)
with Jyoti Bansal (@jyotibansalsf), Peter Levine, Satish Talluri (@satishtalluri), and Sonal Chokshi (@smc90) One of the toughest challenges for founders — and especially technical founders who are used to focusing so much on product features over…