ETHGlobal · Jul 9, 2026

In this talk, Dan Ugolini, co-founder of Rysk, explains how his team is building the infrastructure for onchain volatility markets after years of learning why options historically do not work in DeFi. Having spent five or six years obsessed with building options, he came to agree with the common pushback that options do not work in DeFi, because each approach faces hard challenges. Order book exchanges like the perps model need a separate order book for every strike, expiry, and asset (hundreds of order books versus one for a perp), so only a few stay liquid and liquidity costs are high. Options vaults packaged systematic yield strategies but were too easy to front run and mostly died. OTC trading through option desks works but is opaque, gated, and manual, much like TradFi. Rysk's own beautiful but complex V1 targeted sophisticated options traders and failed with no users and no TVL. The key lesson was that focusing on the option itself was wrong: the option is not the product, the product is what you get out of it. Speculation is better served by perps or prediction markets, but the underappreciated use case is generating income from option strategies, which perps and prediction markets cannot do. So Rysk rebuilt from scratch as a primitive for income generation targeting anyone holding an asset rather than traders, using an RFQ system where option desks price a two-second auction for the best price, with on-chain settlement and fully collateralized positions (no liquidations, no rehypothecation, composable, collateral locked in the smart contract rather than sent to the counterparty). The redesigned UI lets a user simply choose what price they are willing to sell ETH at on a future date. He shares that TVL drops every Friday by design as positions settle and capital returns, yet the trend grows with a 90% retention rate, since users understand the single use case. Institutions are now using Rysk to run their own structured and ETF-like products, drawn by full transparency and no counterparty or credit risk while still trading with selected counterparties permissionlessly. He frames Rysk as evolving into infrastructure and a liquidity layer for volatility and structured products on any asset, just deployed on Ethereum mainnet (with gold collateral coming next week), chosen as the neutral, trusted, asset-rich home. He closes on the pillars of trust minimization, no intermediaries, no counterparty risk, and accessibility for anyone, not just sophisticated traders. 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Why Options Don't Work in DeFi 00:57 The Challenges of Building Options 01:16 Why Order Book Exchanges Struggle 01:43 Why Only a Few Order Books Stay Liquid 02:02 Why Options Vaults Died 02:26 The OTC Alternative and Its Problems 02:40 Rysk's V1 and Why It Failed 03:20 The Key Lesson: The Option Is Not the Product 03:36 Why Speculators Use Perps and Prediction Markets 03:53 The Overlooked Income Use Case 04:15 Targeting Asset Holders, Not Traders 04:35 Rebuilding as an Income Primitive 04:56 The RFQ System and On-Chain Collateral 05:14 Why Collateral Should Be Safe and Composable 05:32 Redesigning the UI for Simplicity 06:05 How the Covered Call Instrument Works 06:36 Why Collateral Is Locked in the Contract 06:57 Why TVL Drops Every Friday by Design 07:28 The 90% Retention Rate 07:51 Maximum Flexibility With Full Transparency 08:07 Why No Bridging Is Needed 08:28 Remembering the Crypto Ethos 08:56 Why Institutions Use Rysk for Transparency 09:16 Why Not to Take Shortcuts in DeFi 09:39 How Institutions Trade With Selected Counterparties 10:00 Building an Entire New Infrastructure 10:30 Institutions Running Structured Products 10:52 A Liquidity Layer for Volatility Products 11:30 Why It Is Built on Ethereum Mainnet 11:56 Why Ethereum Is the Natural Home 12:25 Enabling Volatility on Any Asset 12:44 Why Trust Minimization Matters 13:04 The Pillars of the Product 14:02 Why Accessibility Is the Whole Point 14:21 Closing _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ *ETHConf 2026* ETHConf is a 3 day event for founders, industry leaders, and builders who are excited about the possibilities of building on top of Ethereum. Connect with 2,000+ top innovators in crypto, finance, technology, and policy at our inaugural three-day event packed with showcases, demos, partnerships, and conversations shaping the future of the global economy. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ *Follow ETHConf* X: https://x.com/ethconf Website: https://ethconf.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🎟️ Get your early bird tickets for ETHConf 2027: https://ethconf.com/2027#tickets 🎤 View the full ETHConf 2026 Speaker Schedule: https://ethconf.com/schedule _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jan Gorzny

ETHGlobal · May 9, 2026

In this talk, Jan Gorzny from Zircuit presents Zircuit Finance, a new platform launched at Denver that brings institutional-grade investment yields on-chain in a fully permissionless way. He frames the two core problems blocking DeFi mass adoption: inaccessibility (accreditation requirements, high capital minimums, lockup periods) and risk (smart contract exploits, complex looping strategies, yield unpredictability). His thesis is that if Web3 truly wants to "bank the unbanked," it needs to offer all the good aspects of institutional finance — professional capital management, predictable yields, proven track records — without the gatekeeping. Zircuit Finance solves this by letting anyone deposit USDC or USDT with no KYC, no minimum deposit, and no lockup, then lending those funds to regulated asset managers like Monarch, Fortis, and Fidelity who run strategies like delta-neutral quant funds. The platform targets 8-11% APY with 0% management fees and a 20% performance fee, keeping the smart contract architecture deliberately simple to minimize security risk. It's live on Ethereum and Base as a LayerZero OApp with multi-chain expansion planned, and also integrates DeFi protocols like Aave and Morpho to augment yields and provide flexibility alongside the institutional strategies. 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Pragmatic DeFi: Sensible and Realistic 01:49 Two Problems with High-Yield DeFi: Risk and Inaccessibility 03:21 Banking the Unbanked Means Matching Bank-Level Features 04:10 Bringing Institutional Capital On-Chain 04:50 Why Institutional Yields Are Currently Inaccessible 05:59 Professional Strategies and Higher, Safer Yields 06:56 DeFi Risk: Exploits, Contagion, and Horror Stories 07:42 De-Risking Through Regulated Partners 08:43 Growing the Pie Together 09:02 Solution: Permissionless Access + Predictable Yields 09:51 Introducing Zircuit Finance 10:27 Target: 8-11% on USDC/USDT, Zero Management Fees 10:49 Multi-Chain via LayerZero 11:10 Partners: Monarch, Fortis, Fidelity, Aave, Morpho 11:48 How It Works: Deposit, Lend, Earn 12:10 Key Takeaway: Predictable DeFi Is Safer DeFi 13:13 Closing _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🇫🇷 *Pragma Cannes 2026* Pragma Cannes 2026 was held on April 2nd at the JW Marriott Hotel in Cannes, France and was an in-person summit for builders and leaders in the web3 ecosystem. Watch the full Pragma Cannes 2026 YouTube Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXzKMXK2aHh5OnsJ95gz7HoI1tLUj3kZr ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ Follow Jan Gorzny X: https://x.com/jgorzny ✅ Follow Zircuit X: https://x.com/Zircuit ✅ Follow Kartik Talwar X: https://x.com/TheRealKartik ✅ Follow ETHGlobal X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​ Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal Website: https://ethglobal.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfF9ZO8Ug4xk_AJd4aeT5HA _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Are you interested in Ethereum development and entrepreneurship? 👉 Sign up for the next ETHGlobal event: https://ethglobal.com/events 🎁 Get exclusive access and perks with ETHGlobal Plus! https://ethglobal.com/plus 📣 Want us to throw an event in your city? Tell us where! https://ethglobal.com/city

Kartik Talwar

ETHGlobal · Nov 9, 2025

Kartik Talwar, co-founder of ETHGlobal, welcomes over 600 attendees from 24 countries to Pragma New Delhi, an in-person, single-track summit focused on web3, blockchain, and Ethereum. The event precedes the ETHGlobal New Delhi hackathon and emphasizes accessibility for both technical and non-technical audiences. Pragma features 16 sessions, including presentations, interviews, and fireside chats on topics like smart contracts, DeFi, onchain privacy, tokenized economies, AI in smart contract security, and blockchain data indexing. Key partners include Aurora, Bybit, PayPal USD, Polygon, and Vara. Attendees benefit from innovative onchain experiences such as NFT-based event packs and NFC wristbands that double as Ethereum wallets for networking and event access. ETHGlobal Plus and event packs offer additional perks, including access to side events, travel credits, and developer resources. The schedule highlights talks from leading web3 projects, ETHGlobal hackathon alumni, and discussions on the future of decentralized technology, privacy, and identity. 00:00 Introduction 00:10 Welcome to Pragma New Delhi & ETHGlobal Overview 00:54 Event Principles & Audience Focus 01:19 Single-Track Format & Web3 Future Topics 01:36 Non-Technical Accessibility & Event Structure 02:20 Event Logistics & International Attendance 02:41 Partner Acknowledgements 02:59 NFT Event Packs & Onchain Experiences 03:50 ETHGlobal Plus & Global Access 05:08 NFC Wristbands & Networking 06:01 Schedule Overview & Session Previews 08:38 Closing & Schedule Reference _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🇮🇳 *Pragma New Delhi* Pragma New Delhi 2025 was held on September 25th at the JW Marriott Hotel in Aerocity New Delhi and was an in-person summit for builders and leaders in the web3 ecosystem. Watch the full Pragma New Delhi YouTube Playlist here: ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ Follow Kartik Talwar X: https://x.com/TheRealKartik ✅ Follow ETHGlobal X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​ Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal Website: https://ethglobal.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfF9ZO8Ug4xk_AJd4aeT5HA _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Are you interested in Ethereum development and entrepreneurship? 👉 Sign up for the next ETHGlobal event: https://ethglobal.com/events 🎁 Get exclusive access and perks with ETHGlobal Plus! https://ethglobal.com/plus 📣 Want us to throw an event in your city? Tell us where! https://ethglobal.com/city _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ETHGlobal · Oct 9, 2025

Explore how Web3 can achieve mainstream adoption through native mobile experiences with Denisse Halm, founder at Mobile Stack and Valora. Discover the critical gaps limiting Web3 growth, the vast potential of global smartphone usage, and the necessity for user-centric mobile applications. Learn how Mobile Stack simplifies creating engaging, secure, and accessible Web3 apps, facilitating adoption beyond current crypto users. Featuring insights into app development, UX considerations, and consumer-focused innovations. 00:00 Intro: Making Web3 Mobile for Everyone 00:51 About Denisse Halm, Valora & Mobile Stack 01:35 Global Smartphone Adoption Trends 02:13 Crypto Ownership vs Actual Web3 Usage 03:40 Web2 UX Expectations vs Web3 Reality 04:14 Complex Web3 User Journeys Explained 05:30 Importance of Seamless User Experience 06:55 Infrastructure Exists, but Who Uses It? 07:29 Major Web3 Projects Going Mobile 08:14 Gap Analysis: Mobile Web3 Experiences 08:52 Opportunities for Mass Crypto Adoption 09:37 Challenges of Building Mobile Web3 Apps 10:47 UX & Security Trade-offs in Mobile Apps 11:24 Key User Journeys in Web3 Products 12:05 Increasing Consumer Confidence in Web3 12:42 Introducing Mobile Stack Platform 13:21 Demo: Hypothetical Curve Mobile App 13:56 Customizable Branding & UX in Apps 14:33 Single-App Web3 User Experience Explained 15:10 Mobile Stack Features & Integrations 16:18 Key Plugins for Enhanced User Experience 17:22 Mobile-First Strategies for Global Users 18:03 Case Study: SheFi’s Web3 Education App 19:22 Conclusion & How to Connect _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🇺🇸 *Pragma San Francisco* Pragma San Francisco 2024 was a special gathering of founders and builders that took place October 16th and 17th at The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, CA. Pragma San Francisco 2024 was an opportunity discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. Watch the full Pragma San Francisco playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXzKMXK2aHh4LcwDpGf_itZrAu7XRNb07&si=3x3y9J3avgNTITUe ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ *Follow Denisse Halm* X: https://x.com/hola_denisse ✅ *Follow Valora* X: https://x.com/valora ✅ *Follow ETHGlobal* X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​ Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal Website: https://ethglobal.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ETHGlobal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Are you interested in Ethereum development and entrepreneurship?_ 👉 Sign up for the next ETHGlobal event: https://ethglobal.com/events 🎁 Get exclusive access and perks with ETHGlobal Plus! https://ethglobal.com/plus 📣 Want us to throw an event in your city? Tell us where! https://ethglobal.com/city _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kartik Talwar

ETHGlobal · Oct 9, 2025

Kartik Talwar, Co-founder of ETHGlobal, opens Pragma New York 2025, a one-day, single-track Web3 conference designed to be accessible to all skill levels, not just engineers. The event features 15 curated sessions—eight fireside interviews and seven talks—with founders and executives from leading blockchain, fintech, and DeFi organizations. Key topics include the future of Ethereum, interoperability, fintech and stablecoins, AI integration in Web3, scaling solutions, privacy, institutional adoption, yield strategies, and onchain DeFi evolution. Pragma emphasizes pragmatic, non-technical discussions, global participation (410 attendees from 43 countries), and innovative event features like city packs, ETHGlobal Plus, and NFC wristbands for networking. Major partners include Archology, Chainlink, Circle, and PayPal USD. The agenda includes speakers from the Ethereum Foundation, Privy, Offchain Labs, Flow, Chainlink, Plume, Etherealize, Uniswap, Flashbots, Aztec, Bankless, and Optimism. 00:00 Introduction 00:36 What is Pragma? Event Philosophy 01:17 Event Format and Speaker Lineup 01:39 Focus on the Future & Accessibility 02:10 Sessions Overview 02:26 Schedule & Global Participation 02:44 Acknowledgment of Partners 03:00 City Packs and Event Perks 03:28 ETHGlobal Plus & Community Access 04:21 NFC Wristbands & Networking 05:06 Agenda Overview: Ethereum Foundation & Privy 05:25 Interoperability, Fintech, AI, and Scaling 05:44 Consumer Crypto, Privacy, and Institutional Adoption 06:31 Yield, Institutional Ethereum, and Onchain DeFi 07:03 Break & Afternoon Sessions 07:16 Privacy, Bullish Ethereum, and Scaling with Optimism 07:40 Closing & Where to Find More Info _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🇺🇸 *Pragma New York* Pragma New York 2025 was held on August 14th at Vesper Events in Brooklyn, New York and was an in-person summit for builders and leaders in the web3 ecosystem. Watch the full Pragma New York YouTube Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXzKMXK2aHh5TRLdUXjnhUVfdbBtu6z2j ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ Follow Kartik Talwar X: https://x.com/TheRealKartik ✅ Follow ETHGlobal X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​ Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal Website: https://ethglobal.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfF9ZO8Ug4xk_AJd4aeT5HA _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Are you interested in Ethereum development and entrepreneurship? 👉 Sign up for the next ETHGlobal event: https://ethglobal.com/events 🎁 Get exclusive access and perks with ETHGlobal Plus! https://ethglobal.com/plus 📣 Want us to throw an event in your city? Tell us where! https://ethglobal.com/city _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fredrik Haga

ETHGlobal · Oct 9, 2024

Fredrik Haga, co-founder of Dune Analytics, discusses the evolution of blockchain data analytics at Pragma London 2024. Learn how Dune transformed from a small Telegram community to the leading on-chain analytics platform, the challenges of scaling data infrastructure across multiple chains, and their vision for an open data ecosystem. Discover how Dune is leveraging AI to simplify data queries and their approach to handling the exponential growth of L2s and app chains. Essential viewing for data analysts, blockchain developers, and anyone interested in the future of transparent, on-chain analytics. 00:00 - Introduction to Dune Analytics and Fredrik Haga 00:51 - The Early Days of Blockchain Data Challenges 01:26 - Founding Dune During Crypto Winter 2018 02:02 - Recognizing the Need for On-Chain Analytics 02:35 - The Epiphany: Public Blockchain Data as Opportunity 03:04 - Unique Aspects of Open Blockchain Data 03:36 - Building for Open Data vs Traditional Silos 04:07 - Has Querying On-Chain Data Gotten Easier? 04:36 - The Current State of Blockchain Data Tooling 05:05 - Progress and Remaining Challenges in Data Analytics 05:39 - The Dune Wizards Community Origin Story 06:09 - Serving the Early Crypto Data Enthusiasts 06:37 - Community Growth During DeFi Summer 2020 07:05 - Open Collaboration vs Data Silos 07:35 - The Inflection Point of DeFi Summer 08:08 - Engineering Challenges of Scaling Dune 08:40 - Handling Arbitrary User Queries at Scale 09:15 - Challenges with Ethereum Forks and High-Throughput Chains 09:42 - Supporting Solana and Other High-Volume Chains 10:20 - Scaling the Dune Team to 45 People 10:51 - Managing Through Crypto Market Cycles 11:27 - The Coming Wave of Thousands of L2s and App Chains 11:58 - Dune's Platform Approach to Chain Fragmentation 12:29 - Transitioning to an Open-Ended Data Platform 12:57 - Enabling Community Data Contributions 13:25 - Expanding Beyond Strictly On-Chain Data 13:57 - APIs and Data Sharing Features 14:27 - AI and Natural Language Query Innovations 14:56 - The Role of Human Curation in Analytics 15:29 - Combining Community Insights with AI 16:04 - Underutilized Potential of On-Chain Data 16:34 - Comparing Web2 vs Web3 Data Accessibility 17:03 - Accelerating Startup Feedback Loops 17:33 - The Power of Open Data for Builders 18:02 - Closing Thoughts on Open Data Ecosystems _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 🇬🇧 *Pragma London* Pragma London took place at Christchurch Spitalfields in London on March 14, 2024, and was an in-person summit for builders and leaders in the web3 ecosystem. Watch the full Pragma London playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXzKMXK2aHh7rvaHBM14peT1TwI3QX38p&si=MzGrEYwYjxSQFiFM ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. Ever since we first introduced our new event series Pragma in Tokyo of the spring of 2023, we have been fostering a curated, global community of individuals who deeply care about web3. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ✅ *Follow Dune* X: https://x.com/Dune ✅ *Follow ETHGlobal* X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​ Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal Website: https://ethglobal.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ETHGlobal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Are you interested in Ethereum development and entrepreneurship?_ 👉 Sign up for the next ETHGlobal event: https://ethglobal.com/events 🎁 Get exclusive access and perks with ETHGlobal Plus! https://ethglobal.com/plus 📣 Want us to throw an event in your city? Tell us where! https://ethglobal.com/city _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Luka Kropec

Conflux - Web3 UX Unconference · Nov 16, 2023

No description The video features Luca discussing the importance of translating Ethereum-related content to make it accessible to non-English speakers worldwide. He highlights that only a small percentage of the global population speaks English natively, and with Ethereum's impact growing in developing countries, removing language barriers is crucial. Machine translations are not sufficient due to the technical nature and constant evolution of blockchain technology. The literal translation of terms like "roll up" or "staking" can be misleading without proper context. Therefore, human translations are needed for clarity and accuracy. Luca mentions Ethereum.org's commitment to multilingual content, with the website now available in 62 languages and over 3,600 translated pages. This effort has led to a significant increase in non-English page views. The talk also introduces a new initiative to translate images and infographics using a plugin that integrates with Figma, aiding visual learners. He invites others who are interested in translating their content or improving their translation efforts to reach out for support or advice. Luca then addresses questions about the unique challenges of translating UX elements and whether certain technical terms should be translated or not. He suggests maintaining a glossary of terms for consistency across translations and mentions the possibility of creating standalone versions of websites for certain languages. In conclusion, Luca emphasizes the importance of making

Nader Dabit

Ethereum Denver · Oct 9, 2023

The Act of Building In this captivating talk, Nader Dabit, the Director of Devrel for AAVE companies and Lens Protocol protocol, as well as the founder of Developer Now, dives into the fascinating world of "The Active Building." Join us as we explore his inspiring career pivot and delve into his passion for working on groundbreaking projects. Throughout the video, Nader will shed light on the challenges faced when building in this space. From scalability to security, UX to accessibility, and civil resistance - these are just a few of the hurdles that developers encounter. Stay tuned as he unveils various protocols that have emerged in recent years to tackle these very challenges head-on. But that's not all! Brace yourself for an exciting live cutting demo where Nader showcases how to build a mobile app using one of their SDKs. Get ready to witness firsthand how innovation meets practicality. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion about "The Active Building" and gain valuable insights from an industry expert. #ActiveBuilding #DeveloperInsights @naderdabit Director of Developer Relations Aave Companies Nader is the Director of Developer Relations at Aave Companies, focused on Aave and Lens Protocols. He’s been working as a software engineer and developer advocate for over ten years in different capacities, including over three years at AWS and two years in the blockchain space. https://twitter.com/dabit3