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FCAT Crypto Brief™

Fidelity Center for Applied Technology

Join our hosts as they decode crypto news, dissect market trends, and explore the future of digital assets to prepare you for what’s next. Skip the surface-level chatter and join them for an in-depth analysis that goes beyond the headlines – where crypto knowledge meets sizzling commentary. Whether you're a seasoned investor, tech enthusiast, or diving deeper into crypto, the FCAT Crypto Brief is your passport to staying informed, entertained, and empowered on the industry's cutting edge. Don’t miss out on the future of finance! Subscribe to FCAT Crypto Brief™ for your weekly pulse on the crypto world.

Please remember: this podcast is solely for informational and educational purposes and is not investment, tax, legal or insurance advice. Digital assets are speculative and highly volatile and you should conduct thorough research before you invest.
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October 7 · 28 min
Renewed Interest: A Conversation with Stani Kulechov
As decentralized finance continues to mature, traditional and blockchain-based financial systems are becoming increasingly interconnected. On this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, Stani Kulechov, founder and CEO of Aave, joins our hosts to discuss the evolution of on-chain lending, the growing role of tokenized real-world assets, and how public blockchains are enabling new approaches to financial infrastructure. The conversation explores Aave's approach to lending markets, collateral, product d
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#129
October 1 · 27 min
Live at Boston DAO: Trends, DeFi, and Crypto Predictions Revisited
Recorded live at Boston DAO, join our hosts as they discuss key trends shaping crypto, the evolution of DeFi and decentralization, and how some of the industry's biggest past predictions compare to today's ecosystem. Episode Topics: [00:00] Welcome and introductions [02:07] Trends in tokenization [10:30] Privacy on-chain [14:04] DeFi vs. decentralized finance [18:25] Past trends and current applicability [25:04] Outro Stay connected with us beyond the podcast by following FCAT on, Instagram
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#128
September 24 · 35 min
Bringing Crypto Home: Exploring Trends in Tokenized Real Estate
Could blockchain unlock new ownership opportunities for renters? Groma's Seth Priebatsch and Chris Lehman join the FCAT Crypto Brief to discuss tokenized real estate, on-chain REITs, and how they're looking to help renters build something akin to equity as part of their existing lease. The conversation explores different approaches to real estate tokenization, perspectives on liquidity, and the economics driving these real-world assets. Episode Topics: [00:00] Welcome and introductions [00:51]
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#127
September 10 · 28 min
Building Bonds: A Conversation with Ian Cain
Could blockchain help connect local communities to the projects they fund? Ian Cain of QUBIC Labs joins the Brief to discuss the evolution of the blockchain ecosystem from early experimentation to real-world infrastructure. The conversation explores Boston's growing blockchain community, the role of digital infrastructure in future markets, and a pioneering municipal initiative designed to bring bonds on-chain. Episode Topics: [00:00] Intro [00:19] Ian’s Background and QUBIC Labs [01:32] Evolut
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September 1 · 34 min
On-chain Market Access: A Conversation with Ian De Bode
Tokenization continues to evolve, with builders bringing stocks, ETFs, and other financial instruments on-chain to expand access to capital markets and enable new forms of trading and collateralization. Ian De Bode of Ondo Finance joins our hosts to explore the rise of tokenized securities, their role across markets, the infrastructure required for always-on trading, and how regulation may influence the future of investing and market access. Episode Topics: [00:00] Intro [03:52] Emerging trends
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August 12 · 28 min
Rails of Change: The Race to Redefine Payments
The future of payments is being built in real time. From stablecoin infrastructure acquisitions to embedded wallets and programmable money, a new generation of payment rails is rapidly emerging. Join us as we unpack the trends driving this transformation and welcome new co-host Dom Breslin to the Brief. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [02:05] Coldcard hack, wallet security, and AI [11:43] Developments in payment infrastructure [25:31] Final thoughts and outro Stay connected with us beyond the
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July 29 · 28 min
Unlocking DeFi: A Look inside the Vault
On this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, the team explores onchain vaults and their growing role in decentralized finance. The discussion examines how vaults automate lending, borrowing, and yield strategies, along with the role of vault curators and the tradeoffs between convenience, risk, and control. The conversation also highlights key infrastructure, market, and risk considerations, exploring how vaults could shape the future of digital asset management as more assets and financial produc
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#123
July 15 · 32 min
Building Superteams: A Conversation with Alejandro Gutierrez
What does it take to build a thriving Web3 ecosystem from the ground up? In this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, our hosts sit down with Alejandro Gutierrez, founder of Superteam Ireland, to discuss the power of community in driving blockchain innovation. Alejandro shares his journey from tokenizing real-world assets to building one of Europe's fastest-growing Web3 communities and explains why grassroots collaboration remains one of crypto's greatest strengths. We’ll explore how the industry i
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July 1 · 26 min
Tokenization, Unpacked: The Rise of On-chain Collectibles
Join us for the Crypto Brief as our hosts unpack the rise of tokenized collectibles and what it could signal for the future of assets on-chain. We open with recent updates from the Ethereum Foundation, examining the impacts and implications of these shifts. Then, we explore how everything from trading cards to fine art is moving on-chain and is reshaping ownership, liquidity, and access in the process. From nostalgia-driven markets to billion-dollar asset classes, we break down what’s driving ad
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#121
June 17 · 31 min
The Intelligent Crypto Investor: A Conversation with John Hargrave
Join our hosts as they sit down with author and industry leader John Hargrave to discuss his book, The Intelligent Crypto Investor, and explore how traditional financial frameworks can be reimagined on-chain. Listen in as we explore key trends, emerging economic levers and how enduring investing principles can be applied to DeFi—alongside important considerations and practical approaches for navigating an evolving ecosystem. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [1:25] John’s story [5:24] Building a cry
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#120
June 3 · 25 min
Beyond Expiration: Perps, Transparency & The Future of Trading
Join our hosts as they explore the evolution of perpetual futures and how these “no-expiration” instruments are reshaping crypto market structure. From the mechanics of funding rates to the differences between traditional and perpetual futures, we break down why perps have become a dominant trading vehicle in digital assets. We'll cover the rapid rise of on-chain platforms like Hyperliquid, examining how permissionless market creation, expanded asset access, and real-time transparency are redefi
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May 20 · 27 min
Securing Crypto: Addressing New Threats on-Chain
Join us as our hosts break down recent crypto exploits to examine how malicious actors are leveraging emerging technologies alongside more traditional tactics to execute attacks. We unpack how these incidents unfolded, their broader implications for DeFi, and the growing role of AI in both offensive and defensive security. We’ll highlight key trends shaping the threat landscape and outline practical considerations for developers and investors alike, from evolving risk frameworks to essential sec
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May 6 · 31 min
Building Blocks: A Conversation with Natalie Brunell
This episode, we're joined by author and journalist Natalie Brunell to explore the foundations of financial re-education and how Bitcoin is expanding access in an increasingly digital, global economy. Drawing from her recent book Bitcoin is for Everyone, Natalie shares why understanding money as a technology matters today, how Bitcoin’s network can enable greater inclusion across borders, and what financial literacy looks like in practice. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [2:02] Bitcoin 2026 Retro
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#117
April 22 · 32 min
Countdown to Q-Day: What Quantum Could Mean for Crypto
Recent advances in quantum computing are bringing renewed attention to longstanding questions around cryptography. In this episode of the Crypto Brief, the team is joined by FCAT's VP of Quantum Technology Mike Dascal to unpack the underlying technologies and why quantum risk should be on everyone's radar. The episode explores practical threat models for digital assets—from legacy wallets to in-flight transactions—and reviews how different blockchain communities are beginning to respond. Join us
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#116
April 8 · 31 min
Pay it Forward: The Rise of Agentic Payments On-Chain
For much of the internet’s history, technology has supported human transactions. Increasingly, it’s executing them directly. On this episode of the Crypto Brief, our hosts examine agentic payments: transactions executed by autonomous AI systems. Based on pre-programmed directives, these agents discover services, access resources, and settle payments without hands-on human involvement. This discussion uncovers what becomes possible when technology participates in the economy as an actor, and wh
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#115
March 25 · 27 min
What’s Next for OPNEXT? A Conversation with Charlie Spears
In this episode of the FCAT CryptoBrief, Blockspace Media Co‑founder Charlie Spears joins the team to unpack how Bitcoin’s most influential debates are evolving as the ecosystem becomes increasingly sophisticated and operationally fragmented. Charting the rise of OPNEXT as a convergence point for developers, miners, investors, and researchers alike, Spears highlights why connecting disparate stakeholders is critical to understanding the network’s trajectory. The conversation also addresses quant
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#114
March 11 · 31 min
SOL of the Network: Speed, Scale & Validation on Solana
Listen in as Weston Jones, a Digital Asset Engineer from FCAT’s Blockchain Incubator, joins our hosts to break down recent developments on Solana and beyond. Together, they explore the forces driving infrastructure and innovation—from design philosophy and validator operations to community‑driven security, trade‑offs, and how Solana compares with other major networks as the broader ecosystem continues to evolve. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [1:28] News Rundown [6:57] Weston’s Story [10:03] Le
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#113
February 25 · 30 min
Linking Up: How Institutions Are Reshaping Blockchain
As crypto continues to evolve, institutions are entering the fold. In this episode of the FCAT Crypto Brief, the team breaks down why TradFi players—including banks, asset managers, and infrastructure providers—are moving into DeFi, as well as key considerations surrounding the adoption of real‑world assets, on-chain lending, and settlement at an institutional scale. Listen in as our hosts explore recent developments across DeFi and TradFi, unpacking the forces driving strategy and adoption acro
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#112
February 11 · 31 min
The Road Not Taken: An Ethereum Strategy Deep Dive
Join us as we take a look at recent conversations within the Ethereum ecosystem, including Vitalik Buterin’s updated perspective on the “roll‑up centric roadmap” and how the community is approaching L1 and L2 development. Our hosts walk through the broader context, covering stakeholder incentives, validator dynamics, the pace of L2 progress, and Ethereum’s evolving upgrade priorities. Episode Topics: [0:00] Intro [1:24] News Rundown [6:00] Reviewing the “Roll-up Centric Roadmap” [9:48] Ecos
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#111
January 30 · 33 min
Overdue Process: The Future of Finance with Amanda Wick
As crypto matures, what will the future of enforcement, compliance, and accountability look like? Listen in as Amanda Wick, a former federal prosecutor and longtime leader in financial crime prevention, joins the Brief to give her take and examine how innovation and integrity can evolve together. From sanctions to travel rule implementation, this episode offers a front‑row seat to see key shifts already reshaping the ecosystem. Want to learn more? Check out Amanda’s book The Catalysts. Episode
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