How Stablecoins Fix Cross-Border Payments - Chris Mason | ATC #615

How Stablecoins Fix Cross-Border Payments - Chris Mason | ATC #615

Host Stephen Sargeant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brent-sargeant-cams/] interviews Chris Mason [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mason-24957614/], founder and CEO of Orbital [https://www.getorbital.com/], about building stablecoin infrastructure and how it can improve cross-border payments compared with traditional correspondent banking and SWIFT. Mason explains Orbital’s background processing stablecoins for seven years, its focus on corporate clients, and why transaction controls, authorizations, segregation of client funds, and compliance (including travel rule and blockchain analytics tools) matter as much as speed. They discuss common use cases like pay-ins, payouts, auto-conversions for firms that want stablecoin speed without holding stablecoins on balance sheet, and growing demand for emerging-market on/off-ramps. The conversation covers licensing burdens, regulatory arbitrage, crypto’s potential for better financial crime detection due to on-chain visibility, stablecoins in crisis or sanctioned-region trade for non-sanctioned goods, and how industry M&A and AI may shape Orbital’s next phase. We are also available via: * Around The Coin — Official Website [https://www.aroundthecoin.com/] * Buzzsprout [https://aroundthecoin.buzzsprout.com/] * Apple Podcast [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/around-the-coin/id805021615] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/45k32XWYX3sR4zBVXxvDhf] * Player FM [https://player.fm/series/around-the-coin] * Quora [https://aroundthecoin.quora.com/] * Medium [https://medium.com/around-the-coin] * X [https://twitter.com/aroundthecoin]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aroundthecoin/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/around-the-coin/] * Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundthecoinpodcast] * Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/aroundthecoin]

Why Enterprises Need Their Own Blockchain - Kyle Jenke | ATC #614

Recorded live at EthCC in Cannes, Around The Coin with host Stephen Sargeant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brent-sargeant-cams/] sits down with Kyle Jenke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylejenke/], Chief Business Officer at Optimism [https://www.optimism.io/], about how Optimism’s OP Stack and OP Enterprise help large enterprises build and own their own blockchains for customization, revenue economics, and stronger compliance, privacy, and security. Jenke cites over 50 OP Stack chains and major brands building on Optimism, and highlights Bitpanda’s MiCA-compliant Vision Chain as a European example of regulated adoption. He discusses key customer verticals (fintechs, exchanges, payments, and large financial institutions), rising gas-fee costs and urgency to launch owned infrastructure, and how enterprises use blockchains for product differentiation amid converging financial services. The conversation also covers Security Overwatch SLAs, a menu of compliance/security vendors, AI use across Optimism, and compliance needs like OFAC screening amid geopolitics.   We are also available via: * Around The Coin — Official Website [https://www.aroundthecoin.com/] * Buzzsprout [https://aroundthecoin.buzzsprout.com/] * Apple Podcast [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/around-the-coin/id805021615] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/45k32XWYX3sR4zBVXxvDhf] * Player FM [https://player.fm/series/around-the-coin] * Quora [https://aroundthecoin.quora.com/] * Medium [https://medium.com/around-the-coin] * X [https://twitter.com/aroundthecoin]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aroundthecoin/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/around-the-coin/] * Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundthecoinpodcast] * Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/aroundthecoin]

Why Institutions Need Confidential Blockchain Transactions - Jeremy Jeremy | ATC #613

Live at EthCC [https://ethcc.io/] on the Around The Coin podcast, Stephen Sargeant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brent-sargeant-cams/] heads to the Zama Villa to speak with Zama [https://www.zama.org/] COO Jeremy Bradley [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycbradley/] about fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) and why financial institutions need a confidentiality layer to balance blockchain transparency with selective access for regulators and compliance. Jeremy explains “programmable confidentiality,” Europe’s GDPR-driven focus on data sovereignty, and how Zama enables end-to-end encrypted on-chain transactions while allowing authorized decryption when needed. He cites a partnership with T. Rowe Price/Apex Group, use cases like payroll, supplier payments, and influencer payments, and notes other projects (e.g., Inco, Phoenix) use Zama’s technology. They discuss lessons from Zama’s token launch, KYC/KYB support at scale, hiring in a niche FHE talent pool, internal AI for operations efficiency, and quantum computing risks, noting FHE’s quantum-resistant properties.   We are also available via: * Around The Coin — Official Website [https://www.aroundthecoin.com/] * Buzzsprout [https://aroundthecoin.buzzsprout.com/] * Apple Podcast [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/around-the-coin/id805021615] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/45k32XWYX3sR4zBVXxvDhf] * Player FM [https://player.fm/series/around-the-coin] * Quora [https://aroundthecoin.quora.com/] * Medium [https://medium.com/around-the-coin] * X [https://twitter.com/aroundthecoin]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aroundthecoin/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/around-the-coin/] * Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundthecoinpodcast] * Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/aroundthecoin]

Will AI Agents Dominate DeFi Trading? - Sergej Kunz | ATC #612

Join host Stephen Sargeant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brent-sargeant-cams/] reports live from ECC, where discussions center on wallets, tokenization, real-world assets, regulation, and compliance, and introduces a live Around The Coin episode featuring 1inch [https://1inch.com/] co-founder and CEO Sergej Kunz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deacix0/]. Kunz recounts 1inch’s start at the 2019 ETHGlobal New York hackathon after conversations with Vitalik Buterin, his early hackathon circuit, and how 1inch grew into a leading DEX aggregator. He explains aggregation, intent-based swaps, limit orders, and a cross-chain atomic swap protocol using hash time lock contracts with KYB/compliance-checked participants, positioning 1inch as infrastructure for institutions. They cover institutional adoption via rebranding, tokenized assets, business model (subscriptions, API, rev share), regulatory direction including wallet screening and potential KYC, and how AI agents and 1inch’s MCP tools may drive Web3 usage.   We are also available via: * Around The Coin — Official Website [https://www.aroundthecoin.com/] * Buzzsprout [https://aroundthecoin.buzzsprout.com/] * Apple Podcast [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/around-the-coin/id805021615] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/45k32XWYX3sR4zBVXxvDhf] * Player FM [https://player.fm/series/around-the-coin] * Quora [https://aroundthecoin.quora.com/] * Medium [https://medium.com/around-the-coin] * X [https://twitter.com/aroundthecoin]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aroundthecoin/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/around-the-coin/] * Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundthecoinpodcast] * Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/aroundthecoin]

How Crypto Companies Get Media Coverage? - Otto Jacobsson | ATC #611

Join host Stephen Sargeant [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-brent-sargeant-cams/] live from EthCC in Cannes for a special episode of the Around The Coin podcast featuring Otto Jacobson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ottojacobsson/], CEO of YAP Global [https://yapglobal.com/]. Otto shares his journey from investment banking and CFO to leading one of the top PR firms in crypto, blockchain, fintech, and AI. Together, they discuss the evolving media landscape in Web3, the rise of niche content creators, and how crypto companies can effectively communicate their stories in an increasingly crowded market. The conversation also explores major industry trends including stablecoins, tokenization, FX trading on-chain, institutional adoption, and why traditional finance giants are moving deeper into blockchain infrastructure. Recorded live at EthCC, this episode is packed with insights for founders, investors, marketers, and anyone interested in the future of crypto and fintech.   We are also available via: * Around The Coin — Official Website [https://www.aroundthecoin.com/] * Buzzsprout [https://aroundthecoin.buzzsprout.com/] * Apple Podcast [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/around-the-coin/id805021615] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/45k32XWYX3sR4zBVXxvDhf] * Player FM [https://player.fm/series/around-the-coin] * Quora [https://aroundthecoin.quora.com/] * Medium [https://medium.com/around-the-coin] * X [https://twitter.com/aroundthecoin]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aroundthecoin/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/around-the-coin/] * Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundthecoinpodcast] * Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/aroundthecoin]