Gm! We're back with a special episode to discuss how Solana performed over the weekend as Trump launched his meme coin. We deep dive into the record on chain activity that occurred, how Solana managed to perform, the impact of Jito, what happened with Coinbase & more. Enjoy!

--

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(02:27) Solana’s Chain Performance

(09:48) Ledger Ad

(10:36) Breaking On Chain Records & The Jito Impact

(18:54) Code Inefficiencies

(21:44) Landing Transactions

(26:54) Solana Outages

(28:12) Is The $TRUMP Launch Bad For Crypto?

(43:56) Coinbase

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! this week Matthew Sigel returns to discuss the current state of Solana in 2025. We deep dive into Van Eck's new ETF filing, the state of the market, crypto IPOs under a Trump administration, unlocks on Solana & more. Enjoy!

--

Follow Matthew: https://x.com/matthew_sigel

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

--

Use Code LIGHTSPEED10 for 10% off tickets to Digital Asset Summit 2025: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2025-new-york

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted by some of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(01:22) Van Eck’s Onchain Economy ETF

(05:15) The Rise Of XRP

(09:43) Renaud Partners Ad

(10:43) Finding Projects In Crypto

(14:50) Crypto IPOs

(18:57) State Of The Market

(20:58) Solana Unlocks

(27:06) MEV On Solana

(35:18) Value Accrual Of L2s

(39:32) Ethereum vs Solana Apps

(41:29) The Solana ETF

(45:12) Speculation vs Utility

(47:35) Alt L1s

(48:41) Data Availability

(50:45) The State Of Solana

(56:25) VanEck Ventures

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we're joined by Tushar Jain to discuss his most recent Solana improvement proposal to reduce Solana's inflation & switch to a market based inflation rate. We deep dive into Solana's current emission schedule, how this could be improved, Solana the asset vs the network & another SIMD proposal Tushar is preparing to announce. Enjoy!

Find out more about Tushar's inflaion proposal here: https://x.com/TusharJain_/status/1879942468726079773

--

Follow Tushar: https://x.com/TusharJain_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(01:39) Solana’s Inflation Problem

(07:42) Ledger Ad

(08:32) The Role Of Staking

(16:46) Solana: The Asset vs The Network

(20:24) Multicoin’s Solana Inflation Proposal

(33:17) The Role Of MEV

(37:37) Risks To Reducing Inflation

(47:21) Multicoin’s Staking Proposal

(54:53) Market Based Inflation

(57:16) MEV On Solana

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we're joined by Ryan Watkins to discuss the bull case for Solana in 2025. We deep dive into how Ryan's Solana thesis has developed over time, the rise of AI agents, the state of applications in crypto what to expect in 2025 & more. Enjoy!

--

Follow Ryan: https://x.com/RyanWatkins_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted by some of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(02:45) The Solana Thesis

(08:48) App Fees & Revenue

(12:22) Renaud Partners Ad

(13:23) Crypto Infra: Speculation vs Utility

(17:29) AI Agents

(25:20) The Syncracy Thesis

(28:58) L1 Competition

(36:29) Bitcoin & The Rise Of L2’s

(45:31) Hyperliquid

(51:56) Does Decentralization Matter?

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! In this episode, we’re joined by Dan Smith to discuss avoiding noise in crypto data, the issue with FDV, and stablecoin supply across chains. Finally, we end the podcast by diving into the concept of conditional liquidity, MEV, and Solana’s sandwich attack problem.

Enjoy!

Resources

Solana MEV Landscape From Helius Labs: https://x.com/__lostin__/status/1877444749298381156

Dan’s Post on the Wash Trading Bot: https://x.com/smyyguy/status/1873461466541486096

Top 10 Chains by Stablecoins: https://x.com/smyyguy/status/1875613474774249724

--

Follow Dan: https://x.com/smyyguy

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted by some of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(03:01) Analyzing a Wash Trading Bot

(09:15) Avoiding Noise in Crypto Data

(16:18) Ledger Ad

(17:18) Renaud Partners Ad

(18:06) The Issue with FDV

(30:43) Stablecoin Supply Across Chains

(42:29) Thoughts on Conditional Liquidity and MEV

(50:21) Solana's Sandwiching Problem

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we discuss Hyperliquid and decentralization, the potential for Solana and crypto ETFs, and Mert’s developer thesis. We also delve into whether AI agents are being overhyped, some of the biggest problems with crypto & more. Enjoy!

--

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Lightspeed Audience Survey: https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/forms/8c6edcb5-f0e8-4d08-957f-2bfc3a41686c

--

Chaos Labs, the leading onchain risk management firm, recently launched its new flagship oracle product, Edge, which delivers integrated, high precision risk and price data for any onchain application with a market.

Edge emerged from stealth after 2 months securing Jupiter, the top trading platform on Solana, already securing $30B in volume and more than 60% of all Solana perps volume. https://chaoslabs.xyz/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted by some of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(02:21) The Power Of Writing

(04:48) Hyperliquid & Decentralization

(16:47) Decentralization & L2s

(21:36) Renaud Partners Ad

(22:37) Ledger Ad

(23:25) Solana & Crypto ETFs

(30:33) AI Agents

(36:45) Crypto's Biggest Problem

(40:21) Developer Thesis For 2025

(51:44) Crypto Charity Fundraising

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we’re joined by Zooko, Sean Bowe, and Anatoly to discuss Zcash! We covered scaling Zcash, how it works and whether or not it can function as money, and how Zcash fits into your privacy stack.

Enjoy!

--

Follow Zooko: https://x.com/zooko

Follow Sean: https://x.com/ebfull

Follow Anatoly: https://x.com/aeyakovenko

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed

Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Lightspeed Audience Survey: https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/forms/8c6edcb5-f0e8-4d08-957f-2bfc3a41686c

--

Chaos Labs, the leading onchain risk management firm, recently launched its new flagship oracle product, Edge, which delivers integrated, high precision risk and price data for any onchain application with a market.

Edge emerged from stealth after 2 months securing Jupiter, the top trading platform on Solana, already securing $30B in volume and more than 60% of all Solana perps volume. https://chaoslabs.xyz/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted by some of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(01:58) What is Zcash?

(04:49) Scaling Zcash

(20:35) Chaos Labs Ad

(21:34) Renaud Partners Ad

(22:37) Ledger Ad

(23:23) Can Zcash Function as Money?

(27:16) How Does Zcash Work?

(42:50) Transitioning Away From Proof of Work

(52:55) Zcash as Part of Your Privacy Stack

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we're back with the final roundup of 2024. We reflect on 2024, by discussing what went well vs what can be improved for Solana. We deep dive into Solana's liveness issues, transactions problems, the rise of meme coins & their impact on the network before finally discussing what to expect in 2025. Enjoy!

--

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Lightspeed Audience Survey: https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/forms/8c6edcb5-f0e8-4d08-957f-2bfc3a41686c

--

Chaos Labs, the leading onchain risk management firm, recently launched its new flagship oracle product, Edge, which delivers integrated, high precision risk and price data for any onchain application with a market.

Edge emerged from stealth after 2 months securing Jupiter, the top trading platform on Solana, already securing $30B in volume and more than 60% of all Solana perps volume. https://chaoslabs.xyz/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted bysome of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(04:17) Solana Year In Review

(09:38) Chaos Labs Ad

(10:38) Renaud Partners Ad

(11:38) Ledger Ad

(12:26) Solana’s Liveness Issues In 2024

(19:19) Solana’s Transaction Problems

(28:28) Solana’s New All Time High

(33:50) Meme Coins

(43:25) Stablecoins

(51:53) What To Expect In 2025?

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we're joined by Jeffy Yu & Yash Agarwal to discuss the rise of AI agents. We deep dive into launching Solana's first AI hackathon, what can the rise of AI agents unlock, are agents here to stay & much more. Enjoy!

–

Follow Yash: https://x.com/yashhsm

Follow Jeffy: https://x.com/jyu_eth

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Lightspeed Audience Survey: https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/forms/8c6edcb5-f0e8-4d08-957f-2bfc3a41686c

--

Chaos Labs, the leading onchain risk management firm, recently launched its new flagship oracle product, Edge, which delivers integrated, high precision risk and price data for any onchain application with a market.

Edge emerged from stealth after 2 months securing Jupiter, the top trading platform on Solana, already securing $30B in volume and more than 60% of all Solana perps volume. https://chaoslabs.xyz/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted bysome of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(01:52) Launching Solana’s First AI Hackathon

(04:28) The Rise Of AI Agents

(06:59) AI Agent Saturation

(10:45) Chaos Labs Ad

(11:44) Renaud Partners Ad

(12:45) Ledger Ad

(13:33) Are AI Agents Here To Stay?

(19:56) AI Trading

(23:38) What Are Swarms?

(26:09) Agents On Telegram

(30:15) Crypto’s AI Moment

(39:39) Solana’s AI Ecosystem

(45:29) What Needs To Improve With AI Agents?

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week, we're joined by Max Resnick to discuss why he left the Ethereum ecosystem to focus on Solana. We deep dive into joining Anza, what Solana needs to fix to be successful, will Solana or Ethereum ever be considered money, the firedancer impact & more. Enjoy!

–

Follow Max: https://x.com/MaxResnick1

Follow Mert: https://x.com/0xMert_

Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed Utilize the Solana Dashboard by Blockworks Research: http://solana.blockworksresearch.com/

--

Lightspeed Audience Survey: https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/forms/8c6edcb5-f0e8-4d08-957f-2bfc3a41686c

--

Chaos Labs, the leading onchain risk management firm, recently launched its new flagship oracle product, Edge, which delivers integrated, high precision risk and price data for any onchain application with a market.

Edge emerged from stealth after 2 months securing Jupiter, the top trading platform on Solana, already securing $30B in volume and more than 60% of all Solana perps volume. https://chaoslabs.xyz/

--

Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors the Lightspeed podcast. As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your Solana assets. Buy a LEDGER device now and build confidently, knowing your SOL are safe.

Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00.

--

Renaud Partners has built the most elite network of native crypto marketers globally. They create custom, expert teams to support founders with transformative strategy work.

Trusted bysome of the best founders, VC firms, and ecosystem leaders in the business, helping their teams expedite their marketing success and catalyze their growth.

If you’re a founder or a VC looking for support for your teams, I highly recommend connecting with them at RenaudPartners.com

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

(00:00) Introduction

(02:08) Leaving Ethereum For Solana

(07:00) The L1 vs L2 Debate

(09:38) The End Game For Solana

(12:21) Chaos Labs Ad

(13:20) Renaud Partners Ad

(14:20) Ledger Ad

(15:14) Joining Anza

(17:11) Solana’s Issuance Schedule

(22:14) Will Ethereum & Solana Ever Be Money?

(24:28) MEV On Solana

(27:56) Solana Fee Markets

(32:33) Slashing On Solana

(34:41) Max’s Vision For Solana

(41:03) Firedancer

(44:27) Attracting Developers To Crypto

--

Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.