a16zcrypto

@a16zcrypto

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"Decentralization must be incentivized, not ignored. So I argue in this piece that we must start with a better definition of decentralization — one that moves us beyond the ambiguities that have caused unintended consequences, and that could simplify things for both policymakers and builders." – @milesjennings Full post: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/defining-decentralization-control/

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CSX - Week 1 🫡

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In this episode, we’re talking about congestion pricing — an area of mechanism design that’s aimed at alleviating something everyone hates: traffic. In the first part of today’s episode, we’ll trace the history of the economic ideas that got us here. In the middle, we’ll dig deeper into the details of putting congestion pricing into practice, plus technological alternatives. And in the final part, we’ll explore parallels to — and implications for — crypto networks. Our guest is Michael Ostrovsky, a Stanford Economics Professor who specializes in this area and who has done research on congestion pricing in New York. We’re also joined by a16z crypto Research Partner @skominers, who is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, where he teaches market design and entrepreneurship. With our host @hackr 🎙️ https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/congestion-pricing-economics-new-york/

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In case you missed it... Here's what's included in our latest newsletter: - Decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN): A guide - SEC request for information - Stages for zkVMs - Lessons from a computer scientist turned crypto founder - Updates from DC and beyond Check out the full newsletter here: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/why-depin-matters-newsletter/

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In this post @guy explains what DePIN is and why it matters. He also shares his framework for evaluating DePIN protocols and the questions to ask when building a DePIN protocol, focusing especially on the problem of verification. https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/listicles/why-depin-matters/

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Today’s episode of web3 with a16z features a conversation between Eigen Labs Founder @sreeramkannan , formerly an associate professor at the University of Washington, where he led its Blockchain Lab, and a16z crypto General Partner @alive . We dig into big ideas, like what people mean when they call blockchains "truth machines." We also share practical advice and insights, like how to go about deciding on your life’s work; what you can do to keep increasing — and compounding — your leverage; plus, how a bungled interview question can change your life. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXy7hC7wtZA

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What do people really mean when they talk about blockchain performance? Aptos Labs’ Head of Research Sasha Spiegelman joins a16z crypto Head of Research Tim Roughgarden and show host @hackr to discuss ways technologists are trying to maximize throughput and minimize latency for blockchains. Tune in: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/blockchain-performance-aptos/

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Today’s payment landscape is dominated by gatekeepers that charge high fees that cut into the profitability of every business they touch, and justify those fees in the name of ubiquity and convenience — while they stifle competition and limit the creativity of builders. In this post, @sambroner explains how stablecoins can do better: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/how-stablecoins-will-eat-payments/

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Go inside the world’s biggest heist — the $1.5 billion hack of Bybit — on the latest episode of web3 with a16z. w/ Matt Gleason & @hackr https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/bybit-hack-security/

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Justin Thaler just published a post outlining a structured roadmap for zkVM development. It separates “security stages” from “speed stages,” giving us a transparent way to track progress. Read it here: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/secure-efficient-zkvms-progress/

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With growing activity and innovation around token-based network models, builders are wondering how to distinguish different types of tokens — and which might be the best choice for their business. At the same time, both consumers and policymakers are trying to better understand the roles and risks of blockchain tokens in applications. To help organize the conversation, we present definitions, examples, and a framework for understanding the seven categories of tokens we see entrepreneurs building with most often: network tokens, security tokens, company-backed tokens, arcade tokens, collectible tokens, asset-backed tokens, and memecoins. We outline them in more detail here: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/defining-tokens/ @milesjennings @eddy @skominers

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Here's a useful way to categorize tokens -- from network tokens to memecoins, plus a handy flowchart to help figure things out. Token definitions: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/defining-tokens/ Company-backed vs. network tokens: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/network-tokens-vs-company-backed-tokens/ by @milesjennings, @skominers, & @eddy

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Can a blockchain stay secure even if almost all validators are compromised—way beyond the usual “51% attack” limit? Research Associate, Joachim Neu shares our new work on blockchain consensus under adversary majority, where we tackle this big question. → https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/beyond-51-attacks/

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Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs, sometimes referred to as “enclaves”) are processing environments that enable secure execution of code by isolating themselves from the host system’s operating system, kernel, and hypervisor. This isolation is often achieved through hardware separation, making it difficult (but not impossible) for external systems to tamper with or inspect enclave processes. This post from @aadi serves as a broad framework for how to think about and use this important primitive in the context of blockchains. 📝: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/trusted-execution-environments-tees-primer/

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There are plenty of resources out there for building a brand and for crafting a mission statement that reflects your team’s values. But putting these things together can be challenging. So In this post @maggiehsu & @pyrs focus on how to adapt and differentiate mission and benefits statements — as well as refine an elevator pitch — for partnerships, sales enablement, fundraising, and more. They also share what baseline artifacts founders need before taking their products (and product messaging) into the wild. Read here: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/how-to-write-missions-statements/

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Today we’re running a special podcast episode about the intersection of AI and crypto. Our guests are a16z crypto Founder and Managing Partner @cdixon.eth & a16z Growth General Partner David George . They discuss the broken economics of the internet, new models for creative people, how to think through the first-, second- and third-order effects of big platform shifts, and more. This episode is a crossover from a16z’s AI Revolution conversation series. Check it out here: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/ai-crypto-chris-dixon/

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In this talk, a16z crypto General Counsel @milesjennings breaks down the Entrepreneur, Profiteer, and Racketeer framework to help builders navigate legal uncertainty in web3. He explores how decentralization challenges traditional regulation, why taking shortcuts can undermine innovation, and what separates responsible projects from exploitative ones. Full talk: https://youtu.be/WPwQWAEqCBA?feature=shared

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Apply here: https://a16z.com/about/jobs/?gh_jid=6338163003

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Why composability matters. w/ @cdixon.eth

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