Last Friday I had the pleasure of speaking at @BlockchainatCU! We covered what we do at @StrataMedia_, what life as a crypto researcher actually looks like, the biggest trends shaping the space right now, and how institutions are dipping their toes into the space. Below are a few tidbits and takeaways from the event 😁! Right off the bat, I want to thank everyone who came out! It was 7pm on a Friday, in the middle of midterm season, and we still filled seats! Great to see the passion and commitment from students to attend, especially on a topic as niche and controversial as crypto. It takes a driven individual to prioritize an event like this over the million +1 other things they could be doing. Not only that, but, during the talk, every time I looked up I saw engagement, interest, curiosity and a stark lack of cell phones. Really gives me faith that the future of crypto is in good hands. Throughout the night, we touched upon a number of topics, with the main points of interest being: > How do you approach research and create a strong thesis? > What makes a good crypto project in 2026 (hint: does the token accrue value?)? > And how far do we have left to go before we see peak institutional adoption (and what does that look like?)? I was also hit with a number of questions, primarily: > How do you evaluate good data vs bad data when multiple sources are giving different values? > Why is privacy so important in crypto and what is the tech behind it? > What is more valuable: the businesses being built today or the companies providing the "picks and shovels" behind their products? After the talk, the conversation continued for another half hour as students approached me to ask more questions, hear how I got into crypto, and learn how they can do the same. If I didn't have to leave I could easily have seen myself staying for another hour at least. For us in the industry, it's so easy to get caught up in the day to day grind: racing to meet deadlines, trying to keep up with the market, going to conferences and building "strategic" connections. But I remember not to long ago being one of those students, attending guest speaker events at my school's blockchain club, and hoping to get close enough to ask a few questions. I was so appreciative of the speakers who would show up, not because it would progress their careers, but because we were all students at one point and remember what it's like. And for the students out there, be curious and don't be afraid to reach out. I'd like to speak for the rest of the crypto professionals out there in saying that we love to hear from you. If you want to talk crypto, run through ideas, learn what working in the industry is really like, or need an introduction, my dms are always open. Lastly, for those of you reading this who were at the event, thank you. I feel so honored to have sat in front of you, and truly appreciate the eagerness, curiosity, and passion that you brought with you. Don't lose it!

Got a chance to attend @evernorthxrp's Nasdaq listing earlier this week and here were my main takeaways: >> The Nasdaq is REALLY cool!! This was my first time being inside, and first impression: they know how to put on a show. @evernorthxrp branding everywhere, waiters walking around with small bites, champaign after the closing bell, great view of Times Square (why was Sydney Sweeney on all the big screens outside?) >> There is a lot more that goes a livestream and media event than talking in front of a camera. We spent most of the time wrangling guest speakers, taking notes, and making sure the production ran on schedule. Twas much more stressful than anticipated. Big shoutout to the production crew for setting up the audio, cameras, etc, and solving technical issues. I don't think they even took a bathroom break so props to them for standing up the show. >> Investment orgs like @evernorthxrp do a lot more for the community than boosting token demand. The conversation centered around how @evernorthxrp plans to integrate into DeFi, build out the XRPL ecosystem, introduce new products, and overall boost the utility of XRP as an asset. Having a treasury working with an ecosystem can be a major boon when done right. For full coverage on what was said during the event, and what @evernorthxrp plans to accomplish over the coming 6 months-2 years, read our full coverage report below.

Couldn't ask for a better team! @jacqmelinek @namsan329 are both sharks 🦈, proud to work with yall every day 🫡

We just published the October edition of the State of DeFi. Included in this month: >> @RobinhoodApp unveiled new products, including perpetual futures, 24/7 trading, and AI agents >> Deutsche Bank added institutional crypto custody >> @LidoFinance announced Lido Lend aimed at passive, long-term holders Read the full report below for more updates.