E49: Policy with Purpose: Winning Web3 Advocacy State by State
Tom McCarthy, Director of Development at Satoshi Action Fund and board member of DC DAO, joins the ATX DAO Podcast to unpack the evolving world of Web3 policy and grassroots advocacy. With a background that bridges creativity and crypto, Tom shares his personal journey from discovering Bitcoin in college to lobbying Capitol Hill on behalf of digital asset innovation. He dives into the mission of Satoshi Action Fund, pushing pro-Bitcoin and pro-digital asset legislation across U.S. states, and explains why the battle for clear, fair definitions in law is more urgent than ever.
The conversation also explores Tom’s role with DC DAO and the Crypto Capitol Conference, a builder-first event creating space for real conversations between developers, founders, and policymakers in the nation’s capital. Tom offers behind-the-scenes stories from his work with lawmakers, reveals what it really takes to influence regulation, and shares how everyday constituents can help move the needle. Whether you’re a crypto founder, DAO member, or policy-curious listener, this episode is a must-hear for anyone interested in state-level wins, blockchain legislation, and building the future of decentralized tech in the U.S.
E48: Decentralized Validation at Scale with Obol
Toma Heremans, CEO of the Obol Association, joins the ATX DAO Podcast to explore how distributed validator technology is reshaping Ethereum staking. In this deep-dive episode, he breaks down the core challenges of proof-of-stake—like slashing risks, machine failure, and validator centralization—and explains how Obol’s middleware, enables decentralized validator clusters to deliver higher uptime, stronger security, and better rewards. From solo stakers to institutional operators, Obol is making staking more resilient and scalable.
The conversation spans technical infrastructure, Ethereum’s long-term roadmap, and the role Obol plays in supporting trustless staking across protocols like Lido, EtherFi, and Monad. Toma also shares Obol’s vision of creating a decentralized marketplace for operators to run not just validators, but any distributed app—from AI agents to decentralized storage. Whether you’re a validator, builder, or crypto-curious, this episode offers a clear look at the future of decentralized infrastructure.
E47: Building DeFi at Scale with Gauntlet and Morpho
Jonathan Libby from Gauntlet joins the ATX DAO Podcast to unpack his journey from DeFi founder to driving growth at one of the most influential firms in on-chain risk management. He shares how Gauntlet evolved from agent-based simulations and protocol consulting into a powerhouse that builds core infrastructure, including Morpho vaults and curated restaking strategies, while managing billions in TVL.
In this episode, Jonathan breaks down how DeFi protocols can scale safely, what makes a DAO partnership compelling, and why applied research is key to the next wave of financial innovation. It is a deep dive into smart risk, real-world DeFi applications, and the mindset it takes to build at scale.
E46: The Infra Bitcoin Needs, Built by Maestro
Marvin Bertin and Varderes Barsegyan, co-founders of Maestro, join the ATX DAO Podcast to unpack how their team is building the infrastructure powering the next generation of Bitcoin-based apps. From indexing UTXO chains to supporting wallets, DEXs, and Bitcoin L2s, Maestro is focused on providing developers with the tools they need to scale reliably. The founders also dive into their surprising journey from biotech to blockchain, the early days of Maestro, and why boring infrastructure is a competitive edge in Web3.
This episode also explores the growing demand for robust Bitcoin infra from institutions, financial apps, and layer 2 ecosystems. Marvin and Varderes explain how Maestro helps teams abstract away infrastructure complexity, stay up 24/7, and move fast without breaking things. Whether you’re building on Bitcoin or just curious about what makes a solid infra stack tick, this is a deep yet approachable look at one of crypto's most important — and overlooked — layers.
E45: How Indexing is Reshaping Web3 Data Access with Brock Haugen
In this episode of the ATX DAO Podcast, we sit down with Brock Haugen, co-founder of Indexing Co, to explore the critical role of indexing in blockchain infrastructure. Brock shares his journey from Coinbase to launching a company focused on real-time blockchain data, explaining why traditional APIs fall short and how Indexing Co provides a more scalable, cost-effective solution. Whether you’re a developer, data enthusiast, or Web3 founder, this conversation sheds light on how proper indexing can save companies time and money while unlocking new possibilities in DeFi, NFTs, and beyond.
We also dive into the challenges of working across multiple blockchains, the unexpected hurdles Brock faced as a founder, and why he believes the cost of data is headed toward zero. Plus, hear insights on the future of indexing, AI-driven data pipelines, and how real-time blockchain analytics could reshape everything from compliance to consumer apps. If you’re curious about the future of blockchain data, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!