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New Episode: How Will Stablecoins Replace Traditional Banking Zach Abrams, CEO Bridge, joins Friederike Ernst 🦉 to discuss why stablecoins are the first "economically rational" winner in payments over the last decade. He explores how Bridge (now acquired by Stripe) is building the bridge (no pun intended) to turn... show more

Epicenter Podcast

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11,733 views • 7 months ago •via X (Twitter)

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" Stablecoins are the next evolution of money... and just like cards, will enable a whole new set of capabilities. And we're starting to see that today." Zach Abrams of Bridge and Stripe on how cards changed commerce, and why the next wave of fintechs will be built on stablecoins.

" Stablecoins are the next evolution of money... and just like cards, will enable a whole new set of capabilities. And we're starting to see that today." Zach Abrams of Bridge and Stripe on how cards changed commerce, and why the next wave of fintechs will be built on stablecoins.

a16z crypto

28,766 views • 6 months ago

Bridge CEO Zach Abrams on how stablecoins will lower traditional card fees: "There will be the emergence of infrastructure that provides fraud and chargeback prevention and so on, but gets rid of all the bank fees because you no longer need a bank–you have a wallet." "You'll have a payment method that has all the benefits of a card, but is one-fifth to one-tenth the cost and enables instant settlement." In conversation with Robert Hackett a16z crypto

Bridge CEO Zach Abrams on how stablecoins will lower traditional card fees: "There will be the emergence of infrastructure that provides fraud and chargeback prevention and so on, but gets rid of all the bank fees because you no longer need a bank–you have a wallet." "You'll have a payment method that has all the benefits of a card, but is one-fifth to one-tenth the cost and enables instant settlement." In conversation with Robert Hackett a16z crypto

Bridge

14,523 views • 7 months ago

In this talk, Robert Hackett (Robert Hackett) sits down with Sean Neville (Sean Neville), cofounder of Circle and co-creator of the USDC stablecoin, and Zach Abrams (Zach Abrams), founder of Bridge (now part of Stripe), for a deep dive into the real story behind stablecoins, finding product-market fit, and the future of payments infrastructure. They explore the earliest days of USDC — when stablecoins were far from obvious and regulatory frameworks didn’t exist. Sean shares how his conviction in “money running at internet speed” helped shape a multibillion-dollar asset. Zach recounts Bridge’s pivot from NFTs to stablecoin infrastructure — and how his business has changed since joining Stripe. Together, they break down: - Why stablecoins are having their moment now - What counts as product-market fit (and why founders rarely “feel” it) - The challenges of building crypto and AI products within heavily regulated environments - Why new base-layer chains like Arc, Tempo, and others may be needed - How decentralization, liquidity moats, and interoperability will define the next decade of blockchain adoption - What the future of programmable money and AI-driven financial workflows looks like Whether you’re a founder, a crypto-curious builder, or someone trying to understand where global payments are headed, this conversation — originally recorded live at our recent a16z crypto Founders Summit — offers insights from two operators at the center of an industry-defining transformation. Here's a snippet from the conversation.

In this talk, Robert Hackett (Robert Hackett) sits down with Sean Neville (Sean Neville), cofounder of Circle and co-creator of the USDC stablecoin, and Zach Abrams (Zach Abrams), founder of Bridge (now part of Stripe), for a deep dive into the real story behind stablecoins, finding product-market fit, and the future of payments infrastructure. They explore the earliest days of USDC — when stablecoins were far from obvious and regulatory frameworks didn’t exist. Sean shares how his conviction in “money running at internet speed” helped shape a multibillion-dollar asset. Zach recounts Bridge’s pivot from NFTs to stablecoin infrastructure — and how his business has changed since joining Stripe. Together, they break down: - Why stablecoins are having their moment now - What counts as product-market fit (and why founders rarely “feel” it) - The challenges of building crypto and AI products within heavily regulated environments - Why new base-layer chains like Arc, Tempo, and others may be needed - How decentralization, liquidity moats, and interoperability will define the next decade of blockchain adoption - What the future of programmable money and AI-driven financial workflows looks like Whether you’re a founder, a crypto-curious builder, or someone trying to understand where global payments are headed, this conversation — originally recorded live at our recent a16z crypto Founders Summit — offers insights from two operators at the center of an industry-defining transformation. Here's a snippet from the conversation.

a16z crypto

36,638 views • 9 months ago

At Istanbul Blockchain Week, WilliamSaintLaurent discussed where stablecoins fit into the future of payments and financial infrastructure. For everyday spending, speed and convenience matter. For treasury management and institutional capital, reserve quality and transparency become equally important. Watch the clip to hear why William believes stablecoins and traditional banking will increasingly work side by side as digital finance continues to evolve.

At Istanbul Blockchain Week, WilliamSaintLaurent discussed where stablecoins fit into the future of payments and financial infrastructure. For everyday spending, speed and convenience matter. For treasury management and institutional capital, reserve quality and transparency become equally important. Watch the clip to hear why William believes stablecoins and traditional banking will increasingly work side by side as digital finance continues to evolve.

Gold Dollar

18,153 views • 2 months ago

Jamie Dimon, we’re coming for you. Kontigo is building the largest bank in the world. (A “full-stack” AI stablecoin bank). Most “stablecoin neobanks” are just Bridge wrappers with no real distribution. We’re building our own infrastructure to replace traditional banks. Our infra lets humans and agents transact on top of open networks (blockchains) and local stablecoins. “A startup building agents for law firms could just build the AI law firm.” We’re doing the same for banking. Disclaimer: Kontigo is not a bank. Banking services are provided by the freaking blockchain.

Jamie Dimon, we’re coming for you. Kontigo is building the largest bank in the world. (A “full-stack” AI stablecoin bank). Most “stablecoin neobanks” are just Bridge wrappers with no real distribution. We’re building our own infrastructure to replace traditional banks. Our infra lets humans and agents transact on top of open networks (blockchains) and local stablecoins. “A startup building agents for law firms could just build the AI law firm.” We’re doing the same for banking. Disclaimer: Kontigo is not a bank. Banking services are provided by the freaking blockchain.

Jesus A. Castillo F.

22,731 views • 8 months ago

🎙 Episode 1 Is Live: Visa x WeFi This is a major milestone for us. Our first official podcast with Visa is now live, and we’re opening with one of the most important conversations in modern finance: stablecoins and the convergence of traditional payments and crypto. The conversation features Alexandra Soroko, Growth Product & Partnerships at Visa, and Michael Batuev, Head of Global Payments at WeFi. 👉 This episode goes beyond surface level commentary. We explore how Visa views stablecoins not as a passing trend, but as infrastructure. While they still represent less than 1 percent of global money flows, their efficiency, speed, and programmability position them as a powerful new layer in how money moves globally. Visa has been observing and building in crypto since 2018. Innovation at that scale requires navigating regulation, technology, and multiple geographies. But when they integrate something new, it connects to a network of more than 150 million merchants worldwide. That scale turns innovation into real world access. A key theme in the discussion is convergence. Fintech companies like WeFi move fast, design around users, and ship quickly. Global payment networks bring distribution, resilience, and trust. The future is not about replacement. It is about combining strengths. Will stablecoins replace fiat? Unlikely. The strongest innovations coexist and enhance what already exists. Stablecoins can evolve into a powerful financial rail while remaining connected to established payment systems, making them usable in everyday life. At WeFi, we are at the forefront of this movement. By working within established infrastructure like Visa and building products designed around real user needs, we are helping bring stablecoins from theory into practical, global utility. Digital assets are no longer on the fringe. They are entering the core of global finance. Episode 1 is just the beginning. Watch now and be part of the conversation shaping the next chapter of payments 🌍

🎙 Episode 1 Is Live: Visa x WeFi This is a major milestone for us. Our first official podcast with Visa is now live, and we’re opening with one of the most important conversations in modern finance: stablecoins and the convergence of traditional payments and crypto. The conversation features Alexandra Soroko, Growth Product & Partnerships at Visa, and Michael Batuev, Head of Global Payments at WeFi. 👉 This episode goes beyond surface level commentary. We explore how Visa views stablecoins not as a passing trend, but as infrastructure. While they still represent less than 1 percent of global money flows, their efficiency, speed, and programmability position them as a powerful new layer in how money moves globally. Visa has been observing and building in crypto since 2018. Innovation at that scale requires navigating regulation, technology, and multiple geographies. But when they integrate something new, it connects to a network of more than 150 million merchants worldwide. That scale turns innovation into real world access. A key theme in the discussion is convergence. Fintech companies like WeFi move fast, design around users, and ship quickly. Global payment networks bring distribution, resilience, and trust. The future is not about replacement. It is about combining strengths. Will stablecoins replace fiat? Unlikely. The strongest innovations coexist and enhance what already exists. Stablecoins can evolve into a powerful financial rail while remaining connected to established payment systems, making them usable in everyday life. At WeFi, we are at the forefront of this movement. By working within established infrastructure like Visa and building products designed around real user needs, we are helping bring stablecoins from theory into practical, global utility. Digital assets are no longer on the fringe. They are entering the core of global finance. Episode 1 is just the beginning. Watch now and be part of the conversation shaping the next chapter of payments 🌍

WeFi

16,721 views • 6 months ago

There are already thousands of blockchains. So why are we still building new ones? On the latest Stable Pulse: What’s Next Beat, Dante Reminick asks Seismic CEO and Founder Lyron why existing chains still may not be enough for real-world stablecoin payments. Because scaling stablecoins takes more than speed. It takes compliance. Privacy. Fiat connectivity. Infrastructure institutions can actually use. A sharp conversation on where stablecoin infrastructure is actually heading, and why the next phase of financial infrastructure may look very different from the last cycle. Catch the full episode👇

There are already thousands of blockchains. So why are we still building new ones? On the latest Stable Pulse: What’s Next Beat, Dante Reminick asks Seismic CEO and Founder Lyron why existing chains still may not be enough for real-world stablecoin payments. Because scaling stablecoins takes more than speed. It takes compliance. Privacy. Fiat connectivity. Infrastructure institutions can actually use. A sharp conversation on where stablecoin infrastructure is actually heading, and why the next phase of financial infrastructure may look very different from the last cycle. Catch the full episode👇

stablecon

23,960 views • 4 months ago

Stablecoins are quietly transforming how money moves — faster, cheaper, and more globally than ever before. In this episode, we take a deep look at why stablecoins have emerged as one of the most promising applications in crypto today — and how they could reshape global payments. is joined by Chris Dixon, founder and managing partner of a16z crypto, and Sam Broner, a deal partner at a16z crypto who focuses on stablecoins. Together, they unpack the technical and regulatory foundations of stablecoins, explore the cracks in the current payments system, and look ahead to what becomes possible once digital dollars go mainstream. We also dig into the current state of regulation — and why the future of money might end up looking a lot more like email or the web than a bank. The full episode can also be found here:

Stablecoins are quietly transforming how money moves — faster, cheaper, and more globally than ever before. In this episode, we take a deep look at why stablecoins have emerged as one of the most promising applications in crypto today — and how they could reshape global payments. is joined by Chris Dixon, founder and managing partner of a16z crypto, and Sam Broner, a deal partner at a16z crypto who focuses on stablecoins. Together, they unpack the technical and regulatory foundations of stablecoins, explore the cracks in the current payments system, and look ahead to what becomes possible once digital dollars go mainstream. We also dig into the current state of regulation — and why the future of money might end up looking a lot more like email or the web than a bank. The full episode can also be found here:

a16z crypto

28,123 views • 1 year ago

🚨NEW: We sat down with Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi, to discuss how the company became the first nationally chartered bank in the U.S. to offer crypto trading and why it’s now launching a native stablecoin built on Ethereum. We cover SoFi’s long-term crypto strategy, efforts to lower borrowing costs, and how the bank is shaping the next phase of digital asset adoption through stablecoins and tokenized deposits. Anthony also shares insights on market structure in 2026, the intersection of AI and blockchain, and how SoFi is positioning itself for the future of crypto banking.

🚨NEW: We sat down with Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi, to discuss how the company became the first nationally chartered bank in the U.S. to offer crypto trading and why it’s now launching a native stablecoin built on Ethereum. We cover SoFi’s long-term crypto strategy, efforts to lower borrowing costs, and how the bank is shaping the next phase of digital asset adoption through stablecoins and tokenized deposits. Anthony also shares insights on market structure in 2026, the intersection of AI and blockchain, and how SoFi is positioning itself for the future of crypto banking.

Crypto In America

150,809 views • 9 months ago

I sat down with Reeve Collins, the co-founder of Tether and STBL, to understand why banks are trying to kill stablecoins and why they will fail. A new episode of New Era Finance Podcast is live: In my conversation with Reeve Collins, we go deep into: – why banks are lobbying to block yield-bearing stablecoins – "you'll never need a checking account again" – how Stablecoin 2.0 gives the yield back to users instead of issuers – why CBDCs give governments total control over your money – how AI agents will manage your wallet and execute transactions – the Terra Luna collapse and why algorithmic stablecoins failed Your bank account is on borrowed time. The co-founder of Tether just explained why. Thanks to our sponsor, OKX Dutch! Get up to 20% in cashback with the OKX Card until February 28th here:

I sat down with Reeve Collins, the co-founder of Tether and STBL, to understand why banks are trying to kill stablecoins and why they will fail. A new episode of New Era Finance Podcast is live: In my conversation with Reeve Collins, we go deep into: – why banks are lobbying to block yield-bearing stablecoins – "you'll never need a checking account again" – how Stablecoin 2.0 gives the yield back to users instead of issuers – why CBDCs give governments total control over your money – how AI agents will manage your wallet and execute transactions – the Terra Luna collapse and why algorithmic stablecoins failed Your bank account is on borrowed time. The co-founder of Tether just explained why. Thanks to our sponsor, OKX Dutch! Get up to 20% in cashback with the OKX Card until February 28th here:

Michaël van de Poppe

25,478 views • 6 months ago

🚨NEW: Some of the top companies in the Fortune 25 are gearing up to use stablecoins. This week, we sat down with Agora CEO and co-founder Nick van Eck, who tells us the stablecoin infrastructure provider is already working with some of the world’s largest corporations as they prepare to bring digital dollars into core parts of their operations. We also get into what the GENIUS Act could unlock, why he thinks stablecoins are “100x more valuable” outside the U.S., and why he doesn’t think the Clarity Act will have much impact on Agora’s business, whether it passes or not. Links below👇🏼

🚨NEW: Some of the top companies in the Fortune 25 are gearing up to use stablecoins. This week, we sat down with Agora CEO and co-founder Nick van Eck, who tells us the stablecoin infrastructure provider is already working with some of the world’s largest corporations as they prepare to bring digital dollars into core parts of their operations. We also get into what the GENIUS Act could unlock, why he thinks stablecoins are “100x more valuable” outside the U.S., and why he doesn’t think the Clarity Act will have much impact on Agora’s business, whether it passes or not. Links below👇🏼

Crypto In America

15,866 views • 1 month ago

POMPLIANO: AI WILL USE BITCOIN AND CRYPTO AS MONEY FOR PAYMENTS Anthony Pompliano highlights a massive shift: AI agents are now spinning up digital wallets instead of traditional bank accounts. These agents are opting for $BTC and stablecoins to power autonomous transactions, as seen with the launch of the first agentic financial firm. AI requires a permissionless, 24/7 financial layer that traditional banking simply can’t support. This moves #Bitcoin beyond a "store of value" and into its role as the essential operational currency for the machine-led economy. 🤖

POMPLIANO: AI WILL USE BITCOIN AND CRYPTO AS MONEY FOR PAYMENTS Anthony Pompliano highlights a massive shift: AI agents are now spinning up digital wallets instead of traditional bank accounts. These agents are opting for $BTC and stablecoins to power autonomous transactions, as seen with the launch of the first agentic financial firm. AI requires a permissionless, 24/7 financial layer that traditional banking simply can’t support. This moves #Bitcoin beyond a "store of value" and into its role as the essential operational currency for the machine-led economy. 🤖

CryptosRus

63,171 views • 7 months ago

Visa and WeFi Talk: The Future of Stablecoin Payment. Our first episode is coming next week, and we sat down with Visa to talk about where global payments go next. The conversation features Alexandra Soroko, Growth Product & Partnerships at Visa, and Michael Batuev, Head of Global Payments at WeFi. We discuss how global payment infrastructure evaluates stablecoin integration, what real operational deployment involves, and how financial systems at scale decide when new rails become part of core infrastructure. WeFi is not watching the future unfold. We are in the room helping shape it. This is the first of many conversations we will host with major players across the industry.

Visa and WeFi Talk: The Future of Stablecoin Payment. Our first episode is coming next week, and we sat down with Visa to talk about where global payments go next. The conversation features Alexandra Soroko, Growth Product & Partnerships at Visa, and Michael Batuev, Head of Global Payments at WeFi. We discuss how global payment infrastructure evaluates stablecoin integration, what real operational deployment involves, and how financial systems at scale decide when new rails become part of core infrastructure. WeFi is not watching the future unfold. We are in the room helping shape it. This is the first of many conversations we will host with major players across the industry.

WeFi

24,926 views • 6 months ago

The Economist says the stablecoin market is "fizzling." We asked Bridge co-founder Zach Abrams his response: "Our business grew 4x last year. Our business continues to grow enormously. We grew 20% over the last month alone. So, we certainly don't see stablecoins slowing down." "Stablecoin transaction volume is growing enormously. We see that the number of folks building with stablecoins is growing enormously." "We have folks from a bunch of banks who are leaning into stablecoins. Pretty much every fintech that you could think of that is meaningful is doing something with stablecoins (and probably doing it with us)." "Yesterday we announced with Meta that we're paying out folks in stablecoins." "So I do think that the hyperbole around stablecoins is dying down a little bit. And that creates the opportunity for some of this FUD." "For a long time people were pointing at every problem and being like, 'Crypto solves this.' And now they're no longer pointing at every problem and saying, 'Crypto solves this.' But very quietly, under the hood, it is solving a number of problems."

The Economist says the stablecoin market is "fizzling." We asked Bridge co-founder Zach Abrams his response: "Our business grew 4x last year. Our business continues to grow enormously. We grew 20% over the last month alone. So, we certainly don't see stablecoins slowing down." "Stablecoin transaction volume is growing enormously. We see that the number of folks building with stablecoins is growing enormously." "We have folks from a bunch of banks who are leaning into stablecoins. Pretty much every fintech that you could think of that is meaningful is doing something with stablecoins (and probably doing it with us)." "Yesterday we announced with Meta that we're paying out folks in stablecoins." "So I do think that the hyperbole around stablecoins is dying down a little bit. And that creates the opportunity for some of this FUD." "For a long time people were pointing at every problem and being like, 'Crypto solves this.' And now they're no longer pointing at every problem and saying, 'Crypto solves this.' But very quietly, under the hood, it is solving a number of problems."

TBPN

30,724 views • 4 months ago

My conversation with Rob Hadick ＞|＜. As General Partner at Dragonfly, Rob has one of the clearest views on how blockchain is evolving from speculative crypto into the actual infrastructure of global capital markets. In this episode we dig into why finance, payments, asset issuance, and markets are the only parts of crypto that are truly scaling and how the industry is quietly becoming TradFi’s onchain upgrade. We spend a lot of time mapping traditional capital markets primitives directly onto blockchain rails and examining where value is actually going to accrue as tokenization, stablecoins, and onchain trading mature. At the center of the conversation is the belief that blockchain is no longer building a parallel financial system it is becoming the settlement, issuance, and trading layer for the existing one, while crypto itself settles into a more mature “capital markets +” phase focused on real assets, institutional flows, and sustainable business models. We discuss: - The current state of crypto as capital markets infrastructure and the decline of pure speculative narratives - Why finance, payments, and tokenization are winning while most other crypto applications struggle - The architectural parallel between traditional capital markets and on-chain systems - Tokenized assets = Securities - Stablecoins = Cash / settlement - DEXs & on-chain venues = Exchanges - Prediction markets = Information markets - Why institutions are moving on-chain and what they actually want (control, privacy, segregated markets) - Token vs equity: where value accrues in a non-Clarity Act world - The mass extinction event in crypto VC and why Dragonfly is doubling down on financial infrastructure - Stablecoins, RWAs, and the real path to “tokenization of everything” - Prediction markets (and why Polymarket matters) as the next interface layer - Sustainable business models and where value will ultimately capture Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction & State of Crypto as Capital Markets 2:00 – Why Speculative Narratives Are Fading 7:00 – Finance, Payments & Tokenization as the Only Scaling Verticals 12:00 – Institutional Adoption & What Wall Street Actually Wants 18:00 – Token vs Equity Value Accrual 25:00 – Blockchain as the New Settlement & Issuance Layer 35:00 – Prediction Markets, Information & the Next Interface 45:00 – Crypto VC Consolidation & Dragonfly’s Thesis 55:00 – Real-World Assets, Stablecoins & On-Chain Markets 1:05:00 – Closing Thoughts: Where Value Accrues Next Enjoy!

My conversation with Rob Hadick ＞|＜. As General Partner at Dragonfly, Rob has one of the clearest views on how blockchain is evolving from speculative crypto into the actual infrastructure of global capital markets. In this episode we dig into why finance, payments, asset issuance, and markets are the only parts of crypto that are truly scaling and how the industry is quietly becoming TradFi’s onchain upgrade. We spend a lot of time mapping traditional capital markets primitives directly onto blockchain rails and examining where value is actually going to accrue as tokenization, stablecoins, and onchain trading mature. At the center of the conversation is the belief that blockchain is no longer building a parallel financial system it is becoming the settlement, issuance, and trading layer for the existing one, while crypto itself settles into a more mature “capital markets +” phase focused on real assets, institutional flows, and sustainable business models. We discuss: - The current state of crypto as capital markets infrastructure and the decline of pure speculative narratives - Why finance, payments, and tokenization are winning while most other crypto applications struggle - The architectural parallel between traditional capital markets and on-chain systems - Tokenized assets = Securities - Stablecoins = Cash / settlement - DEXs & on-chain venues = Exchanges - Prediction markets = Information markets - Why institutions are moving on-chain and what they actually want (control, privacy, segregated markets) - Token vs equity: where value accrues in a non-Clarity Act world - The mass extinction event in crypto VC and why Dragonfly is doubling down on financial infrastructure - Stablecoins, RWAs, and the real path to “tokenization of everything” - Prediction markets (and why Polymarket matters) as the next interface layer - Sustainable business models and where value will ultimately capture Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction & State of Crypto as Capital Markets 2:00 – Why Speculative Narratives Are Fading 7:00 – Finance, Payments & Tokenization as the Only Scaling Verticals 12:00 – Institutional Adoption & What Wall Street Actually Wants 18:00 – Token vs Equity Value Accrual 25:00 – Blockchain as the New Settlement & Issuance Layer 35:00 – Prediction Markets, Information & the Next Interface 45:00 – Crypto VC Consolidation & Dragonfly’s Thesis 55:00 – Real-World Assets, Stablecoins & On-Chain Markets 1:05:00 – Closing Thoughts: Where Value Accrues Next Enjoy!

Logan Jastremski

50,055 views • 29 days ago

Crypto’s path to adoption runs through utility. Stablecoins first gave traders a crypto-native way to move between positions and hold dollar-denominated value. They later became core infrastructure for DeFi - and are now expanding into cross-border payments, particularly in markets underserved by traditional finance. Alex on the industry’s shift from crypto-native use cases to real-world value.

Crypto’s path to adoption runs through utility. Stablecoins first gave traders a crypto-native way to move between positions and hold dollar-denominated value. They later became core infrastructure for DeFi - and are now expanding into cross-border payments, particularly in markets underserved by traditional finance. Alex on the industry’s shift from crypto-native use cases to real-world value.

YZi Labs

28,960 views • 1 month ago