Web3 with Sam Kamani

Tobias built Altitude Finance after running into the classic DeFi lending trade-off: either borrow conservatively and unlock very little capital, or borrow aggressively and risk liquidation when markets move fast.In this episode, we break down how Altitude makes loans more capital-efficient while keeping users at a safer LTV, how their vault automation rebalances positions during volatility, and why their best users love the “self-repaying loan” experience.We also cover Tobias’ take on what changes in DeFi to watch in 2026—especially around token value being tied more tightly to protocol value, and why “stablecoins backed by risky strategies” could be the next blow-up.Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: Altitude traction, TVL, DeFi trends for 2026[00:01:00] Tobias’ journey: Ethereum → DeFi Summer → full-time crypto [00:02:00] The lending trade-off: capital efficiency vs liquidation stress [00:03:00] What Altitude does: low LTV + protocol adds leverage to ~60% [00:04:00] Differentiation: efficiency, peace of mind, simplified UX [00:06:00] 2025 recap: whitelisted → public vaults, surviving volatility [00:07:00] 2026 focus: simpler onboarding, wallets, on/off-ramps [00:08:00] Automation: rebalances as prices move, keeps vaults healthy [00:09:00] 2026 DeFi trend: tokens aligning more with “common stock” value [00:10:00] Stablecoin warning: risky strategies behind “stable” pegs [00:12:00] Adoption driver: the “self-repaying loan” dopamine [00:14:00] Real-world use cases: Tesla, land, iPhone, engagement ring [00:18:00] Founder advice: simplify, avoid overwhelming choice [00:22:00] AI in DeFi: useful for insights, not autonomous execution (yet) [00:26:00] GTM: reach long-term BTC/ETH holders across better channels [00:29:00] Roadmap: wallets + off-ramps + mainstream user journey [00:31:00] Ask: try the product, give feedback, help simplify onboardingConnecthttps://app.altitude.fi/https://www.altitude.fi/https://www.linkedin.com/company/altitude-labs-defi/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasvanamstel/https://x.com/AltitudeFi_https://x.com/tobiasvanamstel?lang=enDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

James Ashton is building Planet X, a new mobile-first extraction shooter that turns gameplay into a real-world treasure hunt—extract prizes, win physical rewards, and build community-driven competition.In this episode, we unpack how Gallaxia is structured as an on-chain gaming and entertainment studio co-owned by 50+ top creators (with a combined 200M audience), why “Web3 gaming” as a label misses the point, and how Planet X plans to scale through execution, brand partnerships, and influencer distribution—without paying creators upfront.Key timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: Planet X + 200M creator reach [00:01:00] James’ origin story: Web2 fundraising → Web3 via digital ownership [00:02:00] What Gallaxia is: on-chain studio co-owned by 50+ top creators [00:04:00] Why Web3: instant revenue distribution + co-ownership model [00:06:00] Planet X loop: extraction shooter + real-world treasure hunt [00:08:00] Why it’s different: skill-based prizes, not “incentives to mask boredom” [00:10:00] Creator distribution: co-owners, not paid influencers [00:13:00] What makes games win in 2025: clippable + viral + creator-native [00:17:00] Mobile-first thesis: the real mass market [00:19:00] Biggest challenges: rollout, optimization, scaling correctly[00:22:00] Monetization: microtransactions + brand advertising + prize economy [00:25:00] Roadmap: Jan showcases → open beta → launch window [00:28:00] Ask: community co-ownership + execute the launchConnecthttps://www.playplanetx.com/https://x.com/PlanetXhttps://x.com/MrGallaxiaDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

Ryan Kirkley has been building in crypto since 2013—across protocol development and regulatory compliance. In this episode, we go deep on why true asset ownership is still broken in today’s financial system, why stablecoins aren’t a long-term solution for global commerce, and how Global Settlement Network is approaching interoperability by upgrading existing infrastructure instead of trying to replace it.Key timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: Global Settlement Network + what we cover[00:01:00] Ryan’s journey: crypto since 2013 + compliance background[00:03:00] The thesis: interoperability + regulatory realities[00:04:00] What the financial system lacks: real asset ownership[00:05:00] Why stablecoins aren’t enough globally: autonomy + FX frictions [00:07:00] Primary customers: governments, banks, commodity groups [00:09:00] Why they win deals: regulatory fluency + “upgrade, not replace” [00:10:00] Privacy + compliance: sidechains + ZK rolldowns + vault model [00:12:00] What’s live: tokenization studio + volume metrics + testnet [00:14:00] 2025 trend: fragmentation; 2026 trend: interoperability + consolidation [00:16:00] Regions: HK/Singapore momentum; biggest adoption potential in Africa [00:18:00] USD outlook: slow multipolar shift, not overnight collapse [00:23:00] 12-month roadmap: public testnet, stablecoin studio, TGE window [00:28:00] Ask: partnerships + top engineering talentConnecthttps://globalsettlement.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalsettlement/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankirkley/DisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

In this episode, I’m joined by Konstantin from GrantiX, a platform connecting crypto donors with social entrepreneurs who need funding to scale real-world impact.We talk about what’s broken in traditional philanthropy (opacity, inefficiency), why Web3 tools can improve coordination, and what it takes to onboard projects that may have never used crypto before.Key timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: GrantiX + Web3 philanthropy [00:01:00] Konstantin’s background: TradFi + social entrepreneurship[00:02:00] What’s broken in philanthropy: transparency + efficiency gaps [00:05:00] Simple explanation: GrantiX as a bridge between donors + projects [00:07:00] Why now: market timing + growing real-world focus [00:09:00] Early categories: education + empowering women in developing markets [00:12:00] Biggest risk: onboarding + education for non-crypto projects [00:13:00] Monetization: platform + services layer [00:15:00] Why Web3: incentives + community-driven programs [00:17:00] Hardest users: low-tech regions; onboarding plan[00:20:00] Scaling vision: large philanthropy market opportunity [00:22:00] How to get involved: links shared in show notesConnecthttps://grantix.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/grantix/https://www.instagram.com/grantix_sofi/DisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/

In this episode, I’m joined by Howard Wu, co-founder of Aleo and CEO of Provable.We dive into programmable privacy, why transparent stablecoins break real-world finance, how Aleo enables private yet compliant smart contracts, and what it will take to bring institutions on-chain. We also explore AI agents, crypto payments, and where privacy actually matters in practice.Key Timestamps[00:00:00] Intro: Howard’s background and Aleo’s focus on programmable privacy [00:02:00] From Bitcoin mining to ZK research at Berkeley[00:03:00] Aleo’s core thesis: privacy + programmability[00:05:00] Why stablecoins need privacy and compliance[00:09:00] The broken UX of transparent wallets [00:11:00] How Aleo’s ZK smart contracts work[00:14:00] Provable’s role in the Aleo ecosystem [00:17:00] Institutional use cases: payments, payroll, trading[00:21:00] Privacy vs convenience in the real world [00:28:00] Roadmap: private stablecoins and integrations[00:35:00] AI agents, crypto, and the future of payments[00:40:00] Aleo’s ask: builders, partners, and collaboratorsConnecthttps://aleo.org/https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleohq/https://x.com/AleoHQhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/1howardwu/https://x.com/1HowardWuDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Get featuredBe a guest on the podcast or contact us – https://www.web3pod.xyz/