Web3 with Sam Kamani

EPISODE DESCRIPTION
I sat down with Amit Mahensaria, co-founder of Pred, to explore why the $500 billion sports betting industry is ripe for disruption. Amit isn't a typical Web3 founder , he came in as a degen, a 22-year sports trader who got tired of the house always winning. In this episode, we dig into how Pred is building a trustless, peer-to-peer sports prediction exchange on Base, why live sports demand a completely different architecture than general prediction markets like Polymarket, and what it really takes to build an on-chain order book that can keep up with a goal being scored in real time. We also get into the state of the prediction market industry, who's going to win the space, and why Amit believes the Hyperliquid of sports trading hasn't been built yet , until 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
Pred Website: https://www.pred.app/trade/fif-cdr-den-2026-06-03
Twitter/X - Pred: https://x.com/predofficial
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS
• [00:02] Sam introduces Amit Mahensaria, co-founder of Pred, a sports-native prediction exchange at the intersection of AI, crypto, and blockchain
• [01:11] Amit shares his background , not a typical Web3 founder, but a 22-year sports trader and DeFi degen since the 2020 DeFi Summer
• [02:32] His co-founder is a Web3 OG and former product and design head of Binance India
• [03:38] The origin story: Amit built a peer-to-peer sports trading community 7 years ago after getting frustrated with sportsbook middlemen always taking a cut
• [05:43] The core thesis , middlemen are being removed from every industry, and sports betting is one of the last frontiers where the house still always wins
• [07:16] Why general-purpose prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are not designed for sports UX or speed
• [10:27] The biggest technical challenges: building an off-chain order book with on-chain matching, achieving 10x lower latency than competitors, and managing correlated multi-outcome order books in real time
• [14:44] The Venn diagram problem , crypto users and frequent sports traders overlap by around 40%, poker bettors and crypto users by 60%
• [16:29] How Pred abstracts crypto complexity away for mainstream users, and partnerships with fund.xyz and swap.com for on-ramping
• [17:47] Key product learnings from 200-250 beta users over 8 weeks , sports UX must look nothing like a financial trading terminal
• [19:47] Why Pred chose to build on Base , speed via Flash Blocks, distribution, and a roadmap conversation with Jesse Pollak
• [21:55] The prediction market landscape has over 120 projects, but the space is still very early , the Hyperliquid of prediction markets hasn't emerged yet
• [25:54] Pred is coming out of invite-only beta and opening to the public by end of month, starting with soccer only
• [28:46] Advice for Web3 founders , do not launch a points program before you have PMF; GTM too early will kill you
• [32:22] Long-term vision: a trustless, globally accessible sports trading exchange where users own the platform and trust every trade
• [34:09] Liquidity management strategy , a transparent algo-driven vault similar to Hyperliquid's HLP, plus easy API onboarding for sports-focused market makers
• [38:20] Current asks: users who want to trade and give feedback, sports-focused market makers, and a larger fundraise planned post-public launch

EPISODE DESCRIPTION
I sat down with Harvey Liu, co-founder of LeveX Exchange, to dig into what it really takes to build a crypto trading platform from the ground up. Harvey's journey is fascinating , from studying computer science in China, to getting his MBA at INSEAD, to becoming an early Bitcoin investor when BTC was around $100, to backing the founders of Huobi and OKCoin as a VC, and now building his own exchange in Singapore. We talk about why he designed LeveX around social trading, how features like multi-trade and KOL-driven tournaments set them apart from Binance and OKX, and the honest truth about what works and what doesn't in crypto marketing. Harvey also shares what he looks for as a VC when evaluating Web3 startups in a bear market , and why founders with failure experience often outlast the ones who only know wins.
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
LeveX Exchange: https://www.levex.com
LeveX Twitter/X: https://x.com/levex
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz
KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS
• [00:01] Sam introduces Harvey Liu, co-founder of LeveX Exchange, and outlines the episode topics: building an exchange, growth, and VC lessons
• [01:25] Harvey shares his background , computer science in China, five years at a Canadian internet company, MBA at INSEAD, then back to China for VC
• [03:13] Harvey's first exposure to Bitcoin in 2013 as a VC, meeting the founders of Huobi and OKCoin, and buying BTC at around $100
• [04:38] Moving to Singapore during COVID, joining a Singapore VC firm, and spotting the gap in social features on major trading platforms
• [06:42] The founding idea behind LeveX: a platform built by traders, for traders, with a social layer that bigger exchanges lacked
• [08:38] Who LeveX was designed for , seasoned traders, KOLs, and retail , and how user feedback shaped the product
• [11:05] Gamification on the platform: quests, bonus milestones, KOL-run tournaments, and exclusive content areas for followers
• [13:39] Current stats: over 400,000 registered users, focus on improving UX before aggressive marketing, and plans for Token 2049 Singapore
• [15:35] User geography , mostly Europe and Asia, with Sam highlighting Southeast Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia) as a massive growth opportunity
• [18:35] Harvey's VC framework for evaluating Web3 startups in a bear market: team track record including failures, revenue traction, real utility, and exit strategy
• [22:49] The biggest challenge building LeveX: rebuilding trust post-FTX, and how proof of reserves, bug bounties, and penetration testing address that
• [26:06] Growth experiments , what worked (deep KOL partnerships) and what didn't (expensive Google and Meta paid ads with low conversion)
• [30:13] LeveX's standout feature: multi-trade, which lets traders open multiple simultaneous positions on the same trading pair at different prices, directions, and leverage levels
• [33:12] Vision for the next two to three years: reach top 20 global trading platform, expand into prediction markets and AI tools, and time the next bull run right
• [34:51] Harvey's ask: strategic marketing and branding partners to help with the next bull run, and an open invitation for listeners to try the platform

EPISODE DESCRIPTION
In this episode, I sit down with Vaibhav from Astranova, the AI-driven entertainment IP studio that has been quietly building one of the most ambitious ecosystems in Web3. Vaibhav walks me through everything from their half a million ecosystem users, their high-profile partnerships with brands like Shiba Inu, Simon's Cat, and Mansory, to how they have raised $48.6 million and what they are doing with it. We dig into the RVV token buybacks, the real utility being built across gaming, comics, and social platforms, and why Vaibhav believes the market is massively underestimating this project. He also drops a teaser about a major RVV utility announcement coming very soon, so you will want to tune in and follow their socials closely after this one.
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
Astranova Website:https://astranova.world/
Twitter/X - Astranova: https://twitter.com/AstranovalP
Telegram - : https://t.me/AstraNovaPortal
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS
• [00:00] Sam introduces Vaibhav from Astranova and outlines what the episode will cover
• [01:08] Vaibhav shares his background in crypto, including time at CoinStore, Unix Gaming, and two years building Astranova
• [02:35] Astranova explained: an AI-driven entertainment IP studio with comics, gaming, UGC, and community platforms
• [04:39] Adoption metrics revealed: close to half a million ecosystem users, over 250K on their social platform
• [06:21] The reasoning behind $6-7 million in on-chain RVV token buybacks and what it signals to the community
• [08:02] High-profile partnerships with Shiba Inu, Simon's Cat, Mansory, and Imaginary Ones and how they were built
• [10:40] Why Vaibhav believes the market is undervaluing Astranova by a huge margin
• [12:02] RVV utility today and where it is heading: hotels, flights, gift cards, staking, and more
• [13:45] Why the intersection of AI, entertainment, gaming, and community is such a powerful long-term position
• [15:04] $48.6 million raised and how it is being deployed across the ecosystem
• [16:14] What is coming in Phase 3: eSports with RVV prize pools, Creator Economy, NovaToonz IP expansion, and Blacklist Season 3
• [17:25] A teaser dropped: a major RVV utility and adoption announcement is coming soon
• [19:45] Future vision: RVV as the connective layer of the whole ecosystem, BNB integration, and massive growth ahead

EPISODE DESCRIPTION
I sat down with Chris Hewish from Xsolla , a company that has been powering the gaming industry for over 20 years , to dig into why Web3 games crashed and burned, what needs to change, and why Web2 games are the real gateway to bringing the next billion users on chain. Chris breaks down the allergy traditional gaming studios have to Web3 language, how Xsolla's web shop product disrupted the 30% Apple and Google tax, and why removing friction , not pushing wallets and blockchain jargon , is the only path to mass adoption. Whether you are a game developer, a Web3 founder, or just someone trying to understand where gaming and blockchain collide, this episode is packed with honest, experience-backed insight from someone who has been in the trenches for decades.
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 ---
Xsolla Website: https://xsolla.com
Web3 with Sam Kamani: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
Sam Kamani LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/samkamani
KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS
• [00:01] Sam introduces Chris Hewish from Xsolla and sets up the episode's core themes: Web3 gaming failures, Xsolla's 20-year journey, and bringing the next billion users on chain
• [01:24] Chris shares his origin story , starting in the mail room at Games Workshop and working his way into the business side of gaming before joining Xsolla six years ago
• [03:18] The founding problem Xsolla set out to solve: limited global payment options for game developers, which locked out players who simply could not pay
• [05:13] How Xsolla helps game studios at every stage , from pre-launch community building to post-launch marketing tech, loyalty programs, and live service tools
• [07:44] Why Web3 gaming failed: trying to build infrastructure and ecosystem simultaneously, unsustainable play-to-earn economies, speculation over gameplay, and rug pulls
• [09:50] The so-called Web3 community was never large or loyal enough to sustain a game ecosystem on its own
• [11:23] The allergic reaction traditional Web2 studios have to Web3 language , and how removing that language entirely changed partner conversations from rejection to sign-ups
• [13:13] A concrete example of on-chain value: paying players $5 in stablecoin to play during a game's launch weekend, cheaper than paid user acquisition
• [17:17] The web shop innovation , how Xsolla created a whole new sector by letting mobile games transact outside the App Store, cutting fees from 30% down to around 7%
• [20:04] The Epic vs Apple and Google battle over Fortnite and what it exposed about the duopoly controlling mobile gaming
• [21:49] The Nike analogy: why game companies need multiple distribution channels just like any other consumer brand
• [24:22] Advice for gaming startup founders: take go-to-market strategy seriously from day one, not just near launch
• [30:42] Why Web2 games , with 3.3 billion players already , are the ecosystem that will bring the first billion users on chain
• [31:31] The key to mass adoption: remove Web3 language, embed wallets invisibly into existing account systems, and let players receive value without knowing the infrastructure behind it
• [33:29] Xsolla is already live on testnet, self-funded, and will be sharing real data later in the year

--- EPISODE DESCRIPTION ---
I sat down with Will Reeves, CEO of Fold, and walked away genuinely excited about what they are building. Will breaks down how Fold is putting Bitcoin into the hands of everyday Americans — not by convincing them to buy it, but by letting them earn it as a reward on their normal spending. We talk about why airlines and banks can never truly compete with this model, how Fold customers have earned $70 million in Bitcoin rewards, and the wild insight that led to Bitcoin showing up on shelves at Kroger. Will also shares hard-won lessons on building a team, finding product-market fit, and why naivety combined with passion is actually a superpower for founders. This is a story about solving a real financial problem for real people — and the results are speaking for themselves. 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 ---
Fold Website: https://foldapp.com/
Twitter/X: Will Reeves: https://twitter.com/WillReeves
Twitter/X : Fold: https://twitter.com/Fold_app
Web3 with Sam Kamani : Website: https://www.web3pod.xyz/
Twitter/X : Sam Kamani: https://twitter.com/samkamani
--- KEY POINTS WITH TIMESTAMPS ---
• [00:01] Sam introduces Will Reeves from Fold and sets the scene from Bitcoin Vegas 2026
• [01:21] Will shares his origin story — growing up in California, graduating into the 2008 financial crisis, and falling in love with startups in the Bay Area
• [03:21] The core problem Will wanted to solve: restoring paths to financial stability using Bitcoin as the vehicle
• [06:10] How Fold's rewards model works — turning everyday spending into Bitcoin savings using the familiar cash-back habit
• [08:01] Why Bitcoin rewards beat cash back and airline miles over the long term due to appreciation versus inflation
• [09:20] Why traditional banks and credit card companies can't copy Fold — the innovator's dilemma explained
• [14:53] Fold has hundreds of thousands of users and has given away $70 million in Bitcoin rewards
• [16:02] Removing barriers to Bitcoin: physical gift cards at Kroger and employee bonuses at Steak and Shake powered by Fold
• [19:06] The pivot moment — from "spend Bitcoin at Starbucks" to "earn Bitcoin on your normal card" and the hockey stick that followed
• [23:29] Why airlines desperately need Bitcoin as a rewards off-ramp — and the COVID liability crisis that exposed the flaw
• [26:46] The hardest part of making Bitcoin mainstream: overcoming short-term thinking and fear of volatility
• [28:54] Best growth channel for Fold: word of mouth, not paid ads, plus strategic distribution deals like Kroger
• [31:04] Founder lessons — staying naive and passionate, hiring for grit over credentials, and not holding the reins too long
• [32:23] The hardest role to hire for: marketing and growth, and why hunger beats credentials every time
• [34:33] Long-term vision: Fold as a great American financial institution that sends value back to the customer
• [36:07] The ask — use Fold, get on the credit card waitlist, and reach out to Will on X at @WillReeves