Web3 with Sam Kamani

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sit down with Berken, CMO of CoinTracking, the world's first crypto tax platform founded all the way back in 2012 when Bitcoin was under $100. We dig into how they bootstrapped their way to 2.2 million users, why authentic education beats paid placements every time, and how they're navigating AI in a space where a single wrong number could land you in trouble with the IRS. Berken shares what channels are actually moving the needle, why they turned down the idea of launching their own token, and what their upcoming MCP integration means for connecting your Claude or ChatGPT directly to your tax data. Whether you're a crypto trader trying to avoid overpaying taxes, a founder looking for growth lessons, or someone curious about how a SaaS company stays relevant in a fast-moving space, this episode is packed with practical insights. 
DISCLAIMER
Nothing 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. 
Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 CONNECT 
CoinTracking Website: https://cointracking.info/
CoinTracking Twitter/X:https://x.com/Coin_Tracking
Berken LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berken-menges
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:01] Sam introduces Berken, CMO of CoinTracking, and frames the episode around crypto taxes, AI, and startup growth
• [02:12] Berken shares his journey from personal crypto investor in 2019 to CMO, starting as an affiliate marketing manager
• [03:56] CoinTracking overview: 2.2 million users, 400+ exchange integrations, portfolio tracking and one-click tax reports
• [06:32] CoinTracking was the world's first crypto tax tool, founded in 2012 by Dario Kachel who built it for himself
• [08:00] The bootstrapped, organic growth story: users gave feedback, helped translate, and shaped the product over 13 years
• [10:20] Sam and Berken discuss how fragmented the crypto landscape is across DeFi wallets, CEXs, and blockchains
• [13:11] Why CoinTracking is a SaaS and not a crypto asset service provider, and how that makes compliance and partnerships simpler
• [14:58] How CoinTracking is approaching AI: an MCP integration coming soon to connect Claude or ChatGPT to your tax data
• [17:27] Why they are not allowing AI to edit tax data yet , reproducibility and accuracy are non-negotiable for tax filings
• [21:43] Berken's biggest CMO challenge: navigating daily shifts in regulation, exchange strategies, and market conditions
• [23:07] Business model breakdown: mostly B2C, but growing B2B with CPAs, funds, and a new white-label solution for exchanges
• [24:18] North star metrics: user growth and retention, with a focus on making CoinTracking a daily portfolio tool, not just a tax tool
• [26:08] The most common mistake people make: filing taxes with missing wallets or transactions, which can result in overpaying
• [29:08] What marketing channel works best: long-form YouTube content, authentic KOL partnerships, and connecting KOLs with CPAs
• [34:58] CoinTracking has been profitable since day one and is not looking for funding, but actively seeking exchange partnerships
• [36:09] Why they decided against launching their own token: sentiment risk, distraction, and wrong-type user acquisition
• [39:00] Sam draws a parallel to Xero's accountant-led growth strategy and how CoinTracking could follow a similar path

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Rick Thomas, co-CEO of OnRamper, to dig into a problem most crypto projects hit eventually: on-ramping is way more complicated than it looks. OnRamper aggregates over 30 on-ramping services into a single API and widget, giving wallets, exchanges, neo banks, and trading apps full global coverage without the headache of managing dozens of integrations. Rick breaks down why the on-ramp market is so fragmented, how their AI-powered routing algorithm maximises success rates across countries and payment methods, why KYC is still the biggest bottleneck in the space, and where the whole fiat-to-crypto journey is heading as TradFi and on-chain finance continue to merge. We also get into their identity layer product, the no-KYC card world and its risks, where we are in the current market cycle, and what OnRamper is building next.
DISCLAIMER
Nothing 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.
Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 CONNECT 
OnRamper Website: https://onramper.com/
OnRamper LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onramper/
Rick Thomas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-thomas/
OnRamper Twitter/X: https://x.com/getonramper?s=21&t=GgYr5F_q7Jm-R2MfE-A6xA
OnRamper Telegram: https://t.me/onramperstandard
Rick Thomas Twitter/X: https://x.com/RickTho16000125
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Introduction to Rick Thomas and OnRamper , aggregating 30+ on-ramps into one API and widget
• [01:33] How Rick got into crypto in 2015 via a Moscow office full of Bitcoin mining rigs strapped to the ceiling
• [04:19] The origin story of OnRamper , founder Thijs Maas was building a wallet, kept hitting on-ramp dead ends, and decided to build the aggregator instead
• [06:24] Why the on-ramp market is so fragmented , licensing, regional requirements, fraud engines, KYC layers, and low barriers to entry
• [08:09] OnRamper's B2B2C model , clients include TrustWallet, Exodus, Coinbase Wallet, Axiom, Pump.fun, gate.io, and more
• [09:18] The rise of neo banks and card programs, and why aggregating card issuers is OnRamper's next big move
• [13:44] KYC as the biggest unsolved bottleneck , and OnRamper's identity layer built in partnership with Sumsub
• [15:10] The biggest mistake projects make when adding on-ramps , assuming one or two providers will be enough
• [17:19] Customer success story: closing Solflare at a pizza-and-ping-pong side event at Breakpoint 2023
• [19:18] How OnRamper's dual AI routing algorithm works , real-time routing across payment methods, countries, pricing, and historical success rates
• [22:05] Why end-to-end success rates are the North Star metric , and how rates can plummet in markets like Indonesia without local payment methods
• [24:21] Where fiat on-ramps are heading , consolidation, bank crypto integrations, virtual accounts, stablecoin rails, and card programs
• [28:29] The no-KYC card world explained , how they work, the risks involved, and why compliance exposure falls entirely on the user
• [32:49] OnRamper is still breaking volume and revenue records despite a broader bear market
• [35:02] Biggest current challenge: an aggressive product roadmap and a need for more engineers
• [37:27] Key asks , engineers near or open to Amsterdam, and projects still running single on-ramp integrations looking to upgrade

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Bobby from TEXITcoin, a man who has been manufacturing gold and silver coins since 2008, created the original physical Bitcoin coin in 2012, and testified before US Congress on crypto before most people had ever heard of it. In this episode, Bobby shares why he believes Bitcoin lost its original mission as peer-to-peer digital cash and became digital gold instead, and what he is doing about it. We dig into how he crowdfunded a community mining operation in his Texas garage, how TEXITcoin became the tenth largest Litecoin and Doge miner on the planet through merge mining, and why he is now building NectarPay, a zero-fee payment terminal network to get crypto accepted at real businesses. We also get into the big picture: the US dollar at 40 trillion in debt, Keynesian versus Austrian economics, Bitcoin retail adoption at a nine-year low, and what a Texas state securities case means for the future of TEXITcoin. This is one of the most grounded, no-nonsense conversations I have had about where honest money stands today and what it will take to get it into everyday hands.
DISCLAIMER
Nothing 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.
Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 CONNECT 
TEXITcoin Website: https://texitcoin.org/
NectarPay: https://www.paymentsjournal.com/nectarpay-tests-demand-for-crypto-payments-among-texas-retailers/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/texitcoin
TEXITcoin news: https://www.fidelity.com/news/article/technology/202607291027PRIMZONEFULLFEED1001255026
Mining network statistics: https://pool.honest.money/
Legal case updates: https://texitcoin.org/legal
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces Bobby from TEXITcoin and the mission to build the next generation of Bitcoin
• [01:46] Bobby explains TEXITcoin as a Bitcoin redo, returning to Satoshi's original vision of fast, cheap, peer-to-peer digital cash
• [02:47] Why TEXITcoin chose proof-of-work and layer one: Bobby's background in gold and silver coins and the value of physical, tangible infrastructure
• [06:29] Bitcoin has become digital gold, not money , and that gap is exactly why TEXITcoin exists
• [08:15] The difference between scarcity and utility: why a coin only has value when people can trade it for things
• [11:04] Keynesian versus Austrian economics and the deflationary money debate: why saving can drive a healthy economy
• [15:40] How banks and institutions took over Bitcoin conferences by 2017 and what was lost along the way
• [19:25] The community-funded mining network in Texas: how Bobby went from a garage in McKinney to becoming the tenth largest Litecoin and Doge miner on the planet
• [24:22] What merge mining is and how TEXITcoin mines Doge and Litecoin simultaneously to pay its electric bill
• [29:49] NectarPay explained: a zero-fee crypto payment terminal targeting small businesses across Texas and beyond
• [33:39] Why physical terminals matter more than QR codes: profit incentive, merchant simplicity, and NFC wearable compatibility
• [36:35] The US dollar at 40 trillion in debt, where it is heading, and what history tells us about currency transitions
• [39:52] Bitcoin retail adoption is at a nine-year low and why that is the core reason TEXITcoin exists
• [42:47] The Texas State Securities Board case: why TEXITcoin is fighting back and what the outcome could mean for crypto regulation
• [40:26] Bobby's ask: support crypto-friendly businesses, grab TXC on the open market, and follow the court case outcome in September

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
In this episode, I sit down with Baron, a 20-year veteran of the oil and gas industry who started his career as a trader at Petronas and has spent decades working across crude oil, fuel oil, refined petroleum products, and derivatives. Baron is writing a book called The Litro Standard, and his thesis is fascinating: instead of anchoring money to gold or the US dollar, we should be anchoring digital finance to verified energy. We dig into how the current commodity settlement system is broken , why it takes 90 days to get paid for oil you sold today, why buyers never actually know the price they'll pay, and how tokenizing energy could compress that into an instant. We also get into the real-world oil market dynamics most people miss: why the Brent crude price hasn't exploded despite the Strait of Hormuz crisis, why China is the single biggest factor keeping oil below $100, and what would actually need to happen for oil to hit $130. This is one of those conversations where I genuinely felt like I was downloading years of insider knowledge in under an hour. 
DISCLAIMER
Nothing 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. 
Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 CONNECT 
Baron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baron-idriss-lamarre-00a390169/
Baron Twitter/X: https://x.com/Baron_Lamarre
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces Baron and the Litro Standard , the idea of pegging digital money to verified energy instead of gold or the dollar
• [02:00] Baron shares his background: 20 years in oil and gas, starting at Petronas in 2003 as an oil trader, covering crude, fuel oil, refined products, and derivatives
• [03:53] What is the Litro Standard? Linking digital money to verified, audited energy , crude oil, natural gas, electricity , as collateral for settlement and trade
• [05:17] Key benefits: energy-producing nations can anchor their currency to an asset they control, reducing dependence on the dollar
• [08:20] How tokenizing oil in the ground works , buyers get direct access to producers, cutting out intermediaries
• [10:13] The 90-day settlement problem: sell oil today, get paid in October , and the invoice price is not the price you agreed on
• [13:52] The Strait of Hormuz problem and how the Litro Standard's location swap mechanism could reroute cargo through pooled reserves
• [16:38] What is broken in today's financial system: trust is slow, costly, and politically fragile; Swift and correspondent banking have become geopolitical chokepoints
• [20:20] The historical lesson people miss , monetary systems follow infrastructure revolutions, not the other way around
• [25:35] Who really controls the oil price today: 80% is determined by financial markets and speculators, not producers
• [27:01] Common misconceptions about the oil market , it is not as opaque or elite as people think, and refineries sometimes run at a loss just to keep operating
• [30:43] Why Brent crude is still around $80 despite the Strait of Hormuz crisis , China's strategic reserve, alternative routes, and the $100 demand destruction threshold
• [33:04] China as the buyer of last resort and how ADNOC leaving OPEC and joining the Shanghai Energy Exchange is reshaping price benchmarks
• [38:33] Baron's boldest prediction: the next monetary revolution will not begin in central banks , it will begin in commodity markets, transaction by transaction
• [40:27] Baron's ask: read the book, question assumptions, and join the conversation about the convergence of energy, technology, and money

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
In this episode, I sit down with Joao Lobo, founder of Kute Wallet , a Bitcoin-only, non-custodial wallet built for the next generation of crypto users. Joao walks me through his journey from discovering Bitcoin on 4chan forums in 2013, to building a PIX-integrated wallet for Brazil, to now targeting the European market with a product designed to feel as simple as a banking app. We dig into what makes Kute different , from Lightning-powered Polymarket integration to upcoming Hyperliquid stock exposure and Morpho lending features , and why he believes the future of finance is a seamless blend of non-custodial crypto and traditional banking. We also get into the brutal reality of customer acquisition costs, why MetaMask and Phantom overwhelm new users, and the advice Joao has for any founder building in this space right now. 
DISCLAIMER
Nothing 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. 
Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 CONNECT 
Kute Wallet Website: https://kutewallet.com/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/kutewallet
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kutewallet?igsh=azVtbmc5NDQ5b3Zx&utm_source=qr
Joao Lobo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joao-pedro-miranda-0ba478a7/?locale=en
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces the episode and guest Joao Lobo, founder of Kute Wallet
• [01:36] Joao's origin story: first hearing about Bitcoin on 4chan in 2013, buying in 2019, and eventually committing his career to crypto
• [04:21] How Joao went from working at a gambling company to founding a Bitcoin wallet for Brazil (SAT Sales), then pivoting to Kute Wallet for Europe
• [05:11] Why Joao integrated Polymarket directly into Kute via Lightning rather than building a competing prediction market
• [08:06] What makes Kute Wallet different: Bitcoin-only, Lightning-powered, clean UI, and cross-chain swaps via Sideshift and Orchestra
• [11:24] Upcoming features: Hyperliquid integration for ETFs and stocks, Morpho for USDC yield and Bitcoin-backed loans, and an in-app AI assistant called Sal
• [13:40] The long-term vision: combining a non-custodial crypto wallet with a fiat bank account to close the full financial loop
• [14:11] Target demographic: 18 to 30 year olds open to new financial technology and risk
• [18:18] How Kute tackles complexity , using plain language instead of crypto jargon and an AI mascot to explain features in context
• [22:18] The biggest challenge: customer acquisition costs rising rapidly across all software, and how founder-led community building is the counter-strategy
• [26:18] The biggest misconception about crypto wallets: most people outside the space don't understand custodial versus non-custodial
• [29:27] How stablecoins and blockchain rails are already powering global trade and payments, especially in emerging markets
• [37:23] Technical architecture of Kute: BDK, Breeze for Lightning, Sideshift, Orchestra, and direct Polymarket and Hyperliquid integrations via private key
• [40:08] Current stage: Android live, iOS App Store approval imminent, part of Antidot Bitcoin incubator in London, seed round targeting September close
• [42:53] Joao's advice for founders: use AI tools aggressively now while they are subsidised, iterate fast, build a social presence, and make human connection your moat