Podcast
block by block
This season, we are trying out a new mini-series approach to how we’ll bring you conversations and stories about how people are changing their corners of the world block by block.
Season 4 Episode 8
Is Blockchain Privacy a Trade-off? Scaling Confidential Payments on Stellar
In this episode of block block, Denelle Dixon sits down with the Stellar Development Foundation’s Chief Product Officer, Tomer Weller, to unpack the team’s strategy for configurable privacy. They explore why privacy and openness don’t have to be a trade-off and dive into the cutting-edge technology making private institutional payments a reality in 2026.
Season 4 Episode 7
Beating G20 Targets: Analyzing 41 Million Real-World Blockchain Transactions
In this episode of block by block, Lisa Nestor, Director of Stanford’s Future of Digital Currency Initiative, reveals groundbreaking research into the real-world utility of stablecoins. After analyzing over 41 million USDC transactions spanning five years and 100 countries, the data shows that stablecoin payments are already exceeding global G20 targets for 2030.
Season 4 Episode 6
80 Years of Legacy, 18 Months of Reinvention - How MoneyGram is Leveraging Blockchain and AI
In this episode, Anthony breaks down the three pillars of MoneyGram 3.0, why he chose open interoperable rails over building proprietary ones, how his team brought regulators along across dozens of jurisdictions, and why he believes payments is about to hit its "iPhone moment" - where AI, embedded finance, and digital assets converge all at once. If you're at a legacy financial institution weighing whether to build on open infrastructure or keep your rails closed, this is the conversation to listen to.
Season 4 Episode 5
From $100M to $1: How Brale changed stablecoin issuance
In this episode of Block by Block, Denelle Dixon speaks with Ben Milne, founder and CEO of Brale, about why stablecoin issuance was historically so expensive - and how Brale approached the problem differently. Ben explains how existing regulation made another path possible, why licensing and compliance are central to trust, and how absorbing those fixed costs upfront reduces the marginal cost of issuing a stablecoin to nearly zero. The conversation covers the economics of stablecoin infrastructure, Brale’s decision to support third-party issuers, and what changes when access to regulated financial rails is no longer limited to the largest institutions.
Season 4 Episode 4
How blockchain changes money, settlement, and risk
In this episode of block by block with Denelle Dixon, Austin Campbell (Founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting, NYU Stern professor, former Paxos, JP Morgan, Citi) talks through the parts of the financial system most people never see — settlement, velocity, trapped capital, and the tradeoffs between openness, privacy, and control. Drawing from experience in traditional finance and crypto infrastructure, Austin explains why most tokenization efforts fail, what blockchains actually make possible, and why copying legacy systems onchain won’t lead to greater adoption.
Season 4 Episode 3
Cutting global payroll costs by 20–25% with AirTM
This Block by Block episode features AirTM CEO Ruben Galindo on the economics of global payroll. AirTM has processed more than $1B in stablecoin payments, paid 250,000 workers in 150+ countries, and reports 20–25% cost savings on cross-border payouts. Galindo explains how stablecoin payments are converted to local currency in minutes, why the “last mile” is the real challenge in international payroll, and what reliable settlement means for enterprises looking beyond traditional payment processors.
Season 4 Episode 2
How LayerZero solves the $700M bridge problem | LZ's Brian Pellegrino on omnichain assets
In this episode, Brian Pellegrino, CEO and Co-Founder of LayerZero Labs, explains how the blockchain world is moving beyond risky bridges and wrapped assets toward omnichain infrastructure. Traditional bridges have contributed to $600–700 million in exploits, but LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Tokens (OFTs) give issuers control over their rails with immutable, permissionless infrastructure. The results are striking: a single $800 million transaction cost under a dollar in fees, and USDT0 added nearly $10 billion in AUM in nine months. Brian also shares insights from his early days as a professional poker player, emphasizing patience and making the right bets to build foundational infrastructure for open finance.
Season 4 Episode 1
How Etherfuse aims to bring 100 sovereign currencies onchain with dave taylor
In this episode of block by block, host Danelle Dixon of the Stellar Development Foundation speaks with Dave Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Etherfuse, about the innovative approach to tokenizing local currency bonds. They discuss the substantial impact on local economies, addressing issues like dollarization, and how stablebonds can democratize access to savings and yield. Additionally, the conversation touches on the rapid growth of cryptocurrency transactions in Latin America, regulatory approaches in different countries, and the importance of building interoperable, open financial systems.
Season 3
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