Web3 with Sam Kamani

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
In this episode, I sit down with Evgeny from Disence, one of the leading KOL and Web3 marketing firms in the space. Evgeny has worked with over 500 campaigns and 1,200+ KOLs, and he pulls back the curtain on what projects are getting badly wrong when it comes to influencer marketing. We get into why impressions are a vanity metric, why macro KOLs are largely a waste of budget, how to actually vet a KOL in today's market, and why the best micro KOLs are paradoxically the hardest ones to reach. Evgeny also shares how his team helped one client close nearly $800,000 in B2B sales, and why building credibility before launching any campaign is non-negotiable. If you run a Web3 project or are thinking about KOL marketing, this one will save you a lot of money. 
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 
Disence Website: https://disence.com/
Disence Twitter/X: https://x.com/DisenceOfficial
Evgeny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evgenii-gorbunov/
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces Evgeny from Disence and the focus on KOL marketing and Web3 branding
• [01:36] Evgeny shares his background , from receiving ETH at $400 in 2017 to writing a published academic thesis on crypto perception
• [04:30] How a spreadsheet of 500 KOL performance metrics led to the founding of Disence
• [07:35] Overview of Disence and C-Leads: from B2C KOL campaigns to closing $800K in B2B sales in three months
• [10:26] The story of a KOL who publicly trashed a client's project , and what it reveals about relationships over incentives
• [13:13] Why commission-only KOL deals don't work and how referral mechanics should be used as leverage, not payment
• [14:45] The full campaign process: auditing a project's foundation, building credibility, selecting KOLs, writing briefs, and tracking results
• [18:38] Why impressions are the most misleading metric in crypto and why 95% of channels have botted engagement
• [20:25] Clipping and podcast distribution explained , why it's a conversion amplifier, not a user acquisition tool
• [22:02] How to vet a real audience from a botted one and why recent results (last two months) are the only data that matters
• [25:20] Why the crypto narrative shifts every six to eight months and what that means for KOL longevity
• [27:31] What campaigns are dominating right now , the battle for trading volume across CEXs and perp DEXes
• [31:49] Why AI has removed the technical moat and made marketing the real differentiator for Web3 projects
• [33:12] Contrarian take: why micro KOLs outperform macro ones but are paradoxically harder to reach and convert
• [40:51] Evgeny's ask , hiring across marketing, sales, and content, and a call for micro KOLs to reach out

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Reid, co-founder of Ground, to explore what it actually takes to bring on-chain finance to institutions. Ground is building a non-custodial API platform, think Stripe, but for DeFi, so that banks, neobanks, and financial companies can access yield, lending, liquid staking, and real-world assets without rebuilding their entire stack. Reid shares his journey from Square to Stripe to Chime to founding Superstate and ultimately Ground. We dig into why large institutions move slowly, why the "just build it with AI" objection misses the point, and what the future looks like when blockchains are quietly powering the back end of your Robin Hood or JPMorgan account. 
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 
Ground Website: https://www.groundtech.co/
Ground LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ground-global/
Ground Twitter/X: https://x.com/ground_onchain
Reid Twitter/X: https://x.com/rmcuming
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces Reid and Ground, a platform helping institutions access on-chain finance
• [01:20] Reid's nonlinear path from consulting to Silicon Valley to fintech at Square, Stripe, and Chime
• [02:00] How Reid joined Compound Labs, built Compound Treasury, then co-founded Superstate before incubating Ground
• [03:04] The core problem Ground solves: abstracting blockchain complexity into a Stripe-like API experience
• [04:26] What on-chain finance functions look like: stablecoins, lending protocols, LP pools, liquid staking, and RWAs
• [05:34] Why institutions are eager but slow, regulatory uncertainty, internal change management, and calcified tech stacks
• [08:08] How Reid navigates complex enterprise sales cycles versus faster-moving startup clients
• [10:40] Building during a market downturn: why Reid sees it as the best time to build with high signal
• [14:15] Ground as a non-custodial API: clients retain full control while Ground handles orchestration and security
• [17:26] Addressing the "we'll just build it ourselves with AI" objection, and why real clients never actually say this
• [21:30] Current institutional client conversations: time savings, security, compliance, and avoiding cannibalization of existing business
• [23:31] The Innovator's Dilemma in crypto: why incumbents like Stripe struggle to self-disrupt on fees
• [25:32] Key challenges bridging TradFi and DeFi: compliance, on/off ramps, RWA liquidity, and security insurance
• [27:33] The hardest role to hire for: go-to-market talent that bridges crypto-native and institutional worlds
• [30:54] What's next in crypto: tokenization plus DeFi becoming invisible infrastructure powering mainstream finance apps
• [33:26] Reid's advice for founders and investors: keep turning the crank, stay curious, never get complacent
• [34:56] Ground's asks: hiring engineers and a BD lead, onboarding corporate treasury clients, and building yield or investment products

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Ilies, CEO of Ouinex, a crypto exchange that launched earlier this year with one clear mission: stop retail traders from getting crushed by institutions on unfair playing fields. Ilies breaks down exactly how traditional crypto exchanges are structured in a way that lets market makers and financial institutions exploit everyday traders, and explains the specific model Ouinex uses to fix that. We also dig into why TradeFi instruments on most crypto exchanges cost retail traders five to seven times more than they should, how AI copilots could change the way traders manage positions, and where the market is headed as institutional money continues flowing into digital assets. If you have ever wondered why your trades seem to always go against you, this episode will open your eyes.
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 
Ouinex Website: https://ouinex.com/en
Twitter/X: https://x.com/Ouinex
Telegram: https://t.me/+g8twTjE3_wUxY2E0
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:54] Ilies shares his background, starting at FXCM 25 years ago and building his way into crypto and founding Ouinex in 2022
• [03:24] He explains the central limit order book problem: retail traders are competing in the same order book as well-funded institutions with co-location and full trading teams
• [07:26] Ouinex introduces the no-taker execution model, where market makers can only make markets, not take orders, and have no visibility into retail client orders
• [08:19] TradeFi instruments on Ouinex tap into decades-old bank liquidity from Goldman, Citi, and Deutsche, making Ouinex around 20x more liquid than competitors on those instruments
• [10:23] Ilies compares spreads: a normal TradeFi broker offers around one point on gold, while major crypto exchanges charge around seven points for the same product
• [15:37] He describes how thin crypto liquidity lets institutions move markets with small capital, keeping retail as what he calls exit liquidity
• [20:00] Ouinex is a multi-asset platform, so when crypto is flat, users can access oil, gold, Nasdaq, and equity markets all from one interface
• [21:28] On regulation, Ouinex is actively working with a local partner to obtain a MiCA-aligned license in Europe
• [26:24] Discussion on AI in trading: Ilies is skeptical of predictive AI signals but excited about an AI copilot feature that would call traders when their positions hit key levels
• [30:30] Ilies and Sam discuss the growing wave of institutional interest in digital assets, with family offices and hedge funds expanding into crypto
• [34:30] North Star metrics for Ouinex are trade volume and retention, and currently almost no users are leaving once they join
• [37:48] Ouinex is preparing for a seed or Series A round, targeting documentation ready by end of August, and is inviting traders to try the platform

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Wei Zhou, CEO of Coins.ph, to dig into how they're building stablecoin infrastructure that's genuinely changing lives in the Philippines and beyond. Wei walked me through his journey from Goldman Sachs to Binance CFO to buying Coins.ph from Gojek in 2022 and rebuilding it from scratch. We talked about why the Philippines has become a global leader in stablecoin adoption, how they slashed payment fees from 4-8% down to near-zero for Filipino freelancers, and why Wei believes every country needs its own blockchain currency , not just a blockchain dollar. We also got into the Genius Act, the Clarity Act, the upcoming wave of tokenized assets, and what it will take for stablecoins to go truly global. This one is packed with real-world insight from someone actually in the trenches of building payments infrastructure at the intersection of crypto and emerging markets. 
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 
Coins.ph Website: https://www.coins.ph/en-ph
Coins.ph Twitter/X: https://x.com/coinsph
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coins-ph/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coinsph_official
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:01] Introduction to Wei Zhou and Coins.ph, building stablecoin infrastructure for the Philippines
• [01:11] Wei's journey: Goldman Sachs, Binance CFO, buying Coins.ph from Gojek in 2022 and rebuilding it from scratch
• [04:49] Why the Philippines is a natural fit for stablecoin adoption , the gig economy, English fluency, and the unbanked
• [06:22] How Coins.ph cut payment fees from 4-8% (PayPal) to under 0.2% using USDC and USDT rails
• [09:36] New feature: users can now spend USDT and USDC directly without converting to pesos, protecting against FX losses
• [10:47] Financial literacy over crypto education , why Coins.ph focuses on helping people avoid scams first
• [15:44] The importance of being a licensed VASP and e-money issuer , stacking regulatory 'Lego blocks'
• [18:50] Institutional adoption in the US vs retail/payment adoption in emerging markets , why they differ
• [19:49] The Genius Act's impact on stablecoin growth and why the Clarity Act could unlock the next wave of token issuance
• [26:39] Why USD will remain dominant in stablecoins , mirroring the traditional FX market structure
• [33:47] Tokenization wave: NASDAQ, SWIFT, DTCC, and the SEC all moving toward blockchain-based assets
• [36:26] Coins.ph super app redesign , crypto payments via QR at local merchants with near-zero fees
• [36:58] PHP-C: a Philippine peso-backed stablecoin already in BSP sandbox, waiting for regulatory sign-off
• [38:03] Why every country needs 'blockchain pesos' to match blockchain dollars , currency sovereignty on-chain
• [39:56] Vision for Coins.ph: evolving into an all-in-one fintech with trading, payments, savings, investing, and lending
• [43:29] Expansion into Brazil and other regions, plus ongoing fundraising conversations

EPISODE DESCRIPTION 
I sat down with Kenny Wood, CEO of Sleepagotchi, to talk about one of the most underrated pillars of health , sleep. Kenny brings over 20 years of games industry experience, from building Barbie titles in Yorkshire to shipping serious simulations for the Dutch government, and now he's channelling all of that into a product that sits at the crossroads of gaming, AI agents, and wellness. We dig into how Sleepagotchi works, why sleep is the root of everything from longevity to job performance, how they have engaged over 2 million users, what is coming next with multiple AI agents covering sleep coaching, meal planning, and even a shopping agent, and why health data regulation is one of the trickiest challenges in the space. If you have ever bragged about running on four hours of sleep, this episode is for you. 
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 
Sleepagotchi Website:https://www.sleepagotchi.com/
Telegram: https://t.me/sleepagotchiLITE_bot
Web3 with Sam Kamani Website: https://www.web3pod.xyz
 KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS 
• [00:00] Sam introduces Sleepagotchi and Kenny Wood, highlighting 2 million users at the crossroads of wellness, AI, and gaming
• [01:11] Kenny shares his 20+ year journey in games , from Barbie titles and Transformers to serious simulations for the Dutch government
• [02:11] Kenny's role as CTO of Moonlander, building AI-generated scene generation sold to Alpha 3D, before joining Sleepagotchi as CEO
• [03:50] How Sleepagotchi works , pulling data from wearables via Apple Health Kit and Android Health Connect, processed by AI agents
• [05:25] The unique feature coming soon: asking the AI direct questions about your own sleep data
• [06:54] Why sleep-to-earn is different from step-to-earn , habit formation over token emissions
• [08:54] Why sleep is culturally undervalued and how fixing sleep improves everything from longevity to job performance
• [11:42] How habit and motivation are the key to long-term user retention beyond early incentives
• [13:02] The GDPR and health data regulation challenge , and why all Sleepagotchi data stays on-device and anonymous
• [15:24] The case for anonymous health data cohorts accelerating medical research at population scale
• [17:09] Sleepagotchi's numbers: 2 million Telegram lite app users and 200,000 iOS and Android users
• [21:23] What is next , four AI agents: sleep coach, wellness coach, meal planner, and a shopping agent with a health marketplace
• [23:18] The biggest challenge: delivering something genuinely useful and novel while navigating health and wellness regulations
• [25:30] The future of AI personal assistants and how the film Her might be a blueprint for where health AI is heading
• [27:28] Kenny's biggest ask , try the app and follow Sleepagotchi on their official channels