#207 Shashank Sripada | Decentralizing AI with Gaia and the Agent Economy
AI got centralized. Crypto promised the opposite. What happens when you mash them together?On this episode of the Stonks Go Moon Podcast, Rocco Strydom speaks with Shashank, co-founder of Gaia, the decentralized AI network now running 700,000 active nodes and powering trillions of inferences. From ex–Chief Investment Officer to Web3 builder, Shashank bridges founder and fund.In this conversation:How Gaia works: open-source agent nodes, domain-node architecture, and staking mechanics.Why decentralization matters when AI models are locked up by a handful of companies.The story of how Gaia’s founders met on a boat in LA.Pilots with NASA, Qualcomm, LA Fashion Week, and 180+ Web3 projects including ConsenSys and MetaMask.The launch of a Samsung Galaxy AI phone at Korean Blockchain Week.Why agents may soon outnumber humans—and what that means for business, finance, and everyday life.“We think agents are the next big point of interaction for humanity, whether it’s commerce, social media, or education.” – Shashank
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SGM Solo | Rocco Strydom | The AI Co - Host Special
When your guest doesn’t show, what do you do? You call in AI.Streaming from South Africa to the world, Rocco Strydom is joined by Chatty aka ChatGPT, for a first-of-its-kind Stonks Go Moon episode.In this unfiltered conversation:The state of generative AI video: from VEO3 to challengers like Lumiere and Pika Labs.Why current AI video is more “showpiece” than “solution” and when it could actually disrupt industries.The impact on creators and platforms like Fiverr, and how freelancers can adapt by incorporating AI.A heavy topic: the lawsuit after a teenager misused an AI model, and what it means for AI guardrails and responsibility.Speculating like PolyMarket: what are the odds the courts rule against AI companies in cases of harm?
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#206 Gabriel Jimenez | How He Made Crypto Work, Even When the Government Said No
On this episode of the Stonks Go Moon Podcast, host Rocco Strydom sits down with Gabriel Jiménez, founder of Ugly Cash, to unpack how he built a stablecoin-based financial platform, first in Venezuela’s hostile regulatory climate, now reaching users across Latin America, Africa, and the U.S.In this conversation:Tackling 188% inflation and a collapsing bolívar by building crypto solutions where the state had said it was banned—until regulators invited him in via the central bank.How he turned political silence into legal entry by positioning crypto as a technical lifeline, not a partisan issue.The origin and philosophy behind the name Ugly Cash—a provocative alternative to traditional banking designed to provoke thinking and stand out.How Ugly Cash enables global financial access: stablecoin wallets, Visa cards, remittances, and high-yield APYs, all in a single app.A bold vision: reaching 100 million users to provide equal financial services worldwide—not just trading tools, but real opportunity.“Crypto is one of our tools—not the only one. I’m not dogmatic about crypto. I’m dogmatic about access to financial services.” – Gabriel Jiménez
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#205 Curt Hopkins | Why Banks Are Betting Big on Blockchain
On this episode of the Stonks Go Moon Podcast, host Rocco Strydom talks with Curt Hopkins, CEO of MCQ Markets, about how blockchain is moving from crypto-native hype into the heart of global finance.With over $100 billion invested by banks in blockchain infrastructure since 2020, and giants like Goldman Sachs and HSBC running tokenized trades, Hopkins explains why Wall Street is finally embracing blockchain, how regulation is shifting, and where tokenization is opening new markets.In this conversation:Why banks are becoming the biggest blockchain adoptersHow regulation and innovation are pulling crypto back to the USThe rise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and treasury marketsExotic cars, handbags, and the next wave of alternative asset tokenizationWhy EVs won’t stop classic car collecting — and how MCQ Markets is creating access for everyday investors“The most profitable business in the world on a per-employee basis is Tether. That drives banks crazy.” – Curt Hopkins
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#204 Preston Van Loon | 10 Years of Ethereum Uptime and the Road Ahead
On this episode of the Stonks Go Moon Podcast, host Rocco Strydom sits down with Preston Van Loon, co-founder of Prysmatic Labs and core Ethereum developer, to celebrate Ethereum’s 10-year milestone of 100% uptime and look ahead at the future of the network.Van Loon, who helped lead the Prysm client during Ethereum’s historic transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, explains what makes Ethereum’s architecture so resilient, the challenges of keeping nodes running, and why the next decade will be about scaling Ethereum for mass adoption.In this conversation:How Ethereum achieved 10 years of uninterrupted uptimeThe behind-the-scenes challenges of running nodes at scaleThe transition to proof-of-stake and the role of PrysmThe roadmap for scaling Ethereum with faster blocks and L2sWhy stablecoins and institutions continue to bet on EthereumWhat Ethereum needs to enable everyday use in the next decade“We want to go from novelty to commodity. I want to buy groceries with Ethereum like it’s cash.” – Preston Van Loon
South Africa