What an incredible Day 3 at ETHDenver! The event is flying by at warp speed! ππWe hope you caught all the insightful talks and made the most of today’s energy. With the closing ceremony tomorrow, let’s soak in every moment and finish strong!
For a round-up of newsworthy takeaways from Day 3, scroll down, and donβt forget, you can catch live-stream talks here. βοΈ
β EVENT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE β
Moderated byΒ Lane RettigΒ fromΒ NEAR Foundation,Β David PhelpsΒ fromΒ JokeRace,Β Jill GunterΒ fromΒ Espresso Systems,Β andΒ Mark Beylin,Β fromΒ Boost VCΒ shared their perspectives on Ethereumβs marketing challenges. Mark Beylin noted, βThereβs no single leader in Ethereumβ itβs the community that comes together, creating a shared culture. But thereβs still a gap in how the Ethereum Foundation highlights projects that truly deserve attention.β David Phelps added, βThe real issue isnβt just liquidity fragmentationβ itβs attentional fragmentation. We’re overstimulated, making it hard to know where to focus. Blockchains are like app stores, and the real challenge is finding users. Very few prioritize distribution, but Solana is absolutely nailing it.β
Lane Rettig from NEAR Foundation, David Phelps from JokeRace, Jill Gunter from Espresso Systems, and Mark Beylin, from Boost VC.
During the fireside, Ethereum’s Inflection Point hosted byΒ BuidlGuidlΒ Founder,Β Austin Griffith,Β Danny RyanΒ Co-FounderΒ ofΒ Etherealize, andΒ former Ethereum Foundation ResearcherΒ discussed how to set Ethereum on the best path forward. Danny Ryan said, βMy thesis is that the world is actually ready to adopt blockchain systems. There is also a gap between meeting the world where it is and Ethereum as it is today, getting to where it needs to be.β How should this be done? βWe talk to institutions, we talk to the banks, we talk to governments.β
Austin Griffith, Founder of BuidlGuidl with Danny Ryan, Co-Founder of Etherealize, and former Ethereum Foundation Researcher.
In a panel moderated byΒ MargauxΒ NijkerkΒ fromΒ CoinDesk,Β Phil GirardΒ fromΒ Coinbase,Β Armani FerranteΒ fromΒ Backpack Exchange,Β 0xlothΒ fromΒ MorphoΒ andΒ Bryan PellegrinoΒ fromΒ LayerZero LabsΒ discussed the shift towards onchain exchanges. Bryan Pellegrino emphasized, βUsers shouldnβt have to worry about chains or gasβ what they need is abstraction. Frontends should handle connections seamlessly. Itβs like PayPal or Coinbaseβ creating a fully abstracted experience. We’re almost there.β
Margaux Nijkerk from CoinDesk, Phil Girard from Coinbase, Armani Ferrante from Backpack Exchange, 0xloth from Morpho and Bryan Pellegrino from LayerZero Labs.
During a fireside chat moderated byΒ Debra NitaΒ fromΒ YAP Global,Β Jonathan KingΒ fromΒ Coinbase VenturesΒ discussed the evolution of investment models. Jonathan King explained, βWeβre seeing a shift towards more hybrid investment models, where cap tables now include traditional venture investors, angel investors, and increasingly, echo and legion groups. This provides founders with more opportunities.β He added, βFor founders, itβs crucial to consider whatβs valuable to you and where you are in your journeyβ there are more resources than ever available to tap into. Weβll see a convergence of institutional capital with blockchain-specific investments moving forward.β
Debra Nita from YAP Global, Jonathan King from Coinbase Ventures.
Jing XiongΒ fromΒ Solv ProtocolΒ discussed Solvβs 2025 vision, βWe will drive institutional adoption of BTC by tokenizing Bitcoin ETFs and leveraging financial tools like convertible bonds through BRO to accelerate the flywheel. Additionally, we plan to create xSolvBTC, a unified LST that incorporates all types of BTC yield, including RWA. This is Solvβs vision for 2025.”
Jing Xiong from Solv Protocol
In a panel moderated byΒ Mason LynaughΒ fromΒ Stand With Crypto,Β Hannah Oreskovich LautΒ fromΒ ETHDenver,Β Tyler AdamsΒ fromΒ COZ,Β Taylor KendalΒ fromΒ Learning Economy FoundationΒ andΒ Dylan GrabowskiΒ fromΒ Neo News TodayΒ discussed the barriers to advancing pro-crypto regulation in the U.S. and how projects can bridge the gap between legislators and the crypto industry. Dylan Grabowski explained, βRather than just defining crypto, we showed legislators real-world valueβ like embedding an NFT chip in a backpack, if stolen, it proves ownership on-chain. Watching them tap and scan to verify it was a mind-blowing moment, shifting blockchain from speculation to practical use.β Taylor Kendal added, βMaking it real for people isnβt always about techβ sometimes itβs about investing in community and good people.β Hannah Oreskovich Laut emphasized the power of engagement, noting, βWe brought in staffers from various offices to tour ETHDenver. Watching them explore and realize blockchain is more than just markets was incredible.β
Mason Lynaugh from Stand With Crypto, Hannah Oreskovich Laut from ETHDenver, Tyler Adams from COZ, Taylor Kendal from Learning Economy Foundation and Dylan Grabowski from Neo News Today.
β OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS β
The Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX) by a16z
Designed for early-stage blockchain startups,Β CSXΒ offers access to capital, industry experts, and a network of leading Web3 teams. The program provides mentorship and resources to help startups refine their product-market fit and scale across industries. The Spring 2025 cohort will take place in San Francisco from April 1 to June 3. For more details and to apply, check it outΒ here.
Yappers
As Day 3 of ETHDenver comes to a close, letβs go out with a bang! π₯π
As always, don’t forget to subscribe to The Context newsletter from YAP Global. It’s the perfect way to stay plugged into all the latest evolutions in crypto, DeFi, and Web3.
See yβall tomorrow for the closing ceremony!
Your YAP Global team
P.S. A Friendly Final Reminder:
Cast your vote for three SporkDAO board members before tomorrow, March 2nd at 10 AM MT in your account.
β’ β‘ Reminder: You must have had $SPORK staked by 02/20 to be eligible for voting.
β’ π Winners will be announced live, tomorrow during Closing Ceremonies 12PM-3PM MT!