In a recent episode of the SlateCast, CryptoSlate’s Editor-in-Chief Liam “Akiba” Wright and CEO Nate Whitehill sat down with Leona Hioki, the Co-founder of INTMAX. The conversation delved into the transformative potential of stateless zero-knowledge rollups (ZK-rollups), which prioritize privacy, scalability, and decentralization. Hioki’s insights shed light on INTMAX’s unique approach to blockchain infrastructure, the influence of Japanese engineering culture, and the broader impact of privacy on the crypto landscape.A New Paradigm in Blockchain ScalabilityHioki introduced INTMAX as a “stateless ZK-rollup” with features like near-zero gas fees, privacy by default, and interoperability with other blockchains. Unlike traditional rollups that store transaction data on-chain, INTMAX’s stateless architecture allows data to be managed off-chain and verified using cryptographic proofs.“We’re aiming for extreme scalability by shifting data and computation to the client side,” Hioki explained.This allows for significantly reduced costs and improved privacy for users.INTMAX’s system offers a distinct trade-off compared to traditional ZK-rollups. By moving computation to users’ devices, the burden on blockchain nodes is minimized, resulting in a lightweight infrastructure.“We’ve achieved something unique in the blockchain space — extreme scalability and privacy without compromising decentralization,” Hioki noted.The Stateless Architecture AdvantageINTMAX’s stateless approach challenges the norm of blockchain rollups, which typically store transaction history on-chain. Hioki emphasized that INTMAX’s design is inspired by “Plasma Prime,” an early concept for off-chain scaling solutions. He highlighted that the key to INTMAX’s architecture is "parallelizing computation and storage,” which shifts most of the processing work to end-user devices, reducing reliance on the blockchain’s infrastructure.“If you’ve got 5 million users, that’s 5 million nodes working in parallel instead o

In a recent episode of the SlateCast, Nikolay Denisenko, Co-Founder and CTO of Brighty App, joined CryptoSlate's Senior Editor Liam "Akiba" Wright and CEO Nate Whitehill to discuss the evolving landscape of neobanks and their integration with cryptocurrency. Denisenko, a former lead backend engineer at Revolut, shared insights on Brighty App's mission to make crypto assets more accessible and usable in everyday life.Brighty App: A New Approach to Crypto BankingDenisenko explained the motivation behind creating Brighty App, stating:"In Revolut, crypto was just for trading, and I was thinking, okay, let me create something where we can use crypto, not just for trading, but as an asset utility."Brighty App aims to provide a comprehensive solution for crypto users, offering features such as:Sending and receiving cryptoSpending crypto with a cardLinking cards to crypto accountsImplementing DeFi strategies in a user-friendly interfaceThe platform focuses on creating a seamless user experience, drawing inspiration from Revolut's approach to UX design.Regulatory Landscape and Global ExpansionDiscussing the regulatory environment, Denisenko expressed cautious optimism about the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation:"What I'm feeling from this MiCA stuff is that crypto becomes more understandable by the central financial systems and central banks, and this gives more acceptability of crypto itself."He believes this increased acceptability could lead to better partnerships with traditional banks, potentially expanding the services Brighty can offer its customers.Denisenko also revealed plans for expansion into the UK market, stating:"We might launch Brighty in UK, and I do really want to do that because I have a lot of friends, ex-Revoluters, some friends who moved to UK, and they really would like to use Brighty."Addressing Misconceptions and Use CasesWhen asked about the biggest misconception regarding crypto among traditional banking customers, Denisenko highlight

In a recent episode of SlateCast IRL, CryptoSlate Senior Analyst James Van Straten sat down with Bill Miller IV, the Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager of Miller Value Partners. The discussion touched upon a variety of topics, from the principles of value investing to the burgeoning world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.The Legacy of Value InvestingBill Miller IV provided insights into the principles of value investing that his family has long championed. He explained:“We look for undervalued companies or ideas and try and buy them in an effort to outperform an index. We’ve been doing this as a family for a very, very long time.”Miller highlighted his father’s remarkable achievement of beating the market for 15 consecutive years, a record he aspires to emulate. This long-term approach focuses on identifying stocks trading at a discount to their intrinsic value, a philosophy that extends to Miller’s views on Bitcoin.Bitcoin’s Unique PositionWhen discussing Bitcoin, Miller highlighted several key aspects that distinguish Bitcoin from other cryptocurrencies:“I think when you just take a step back and think about the technology objectively within the landscape of crypto, the asset has several things that really set it apart from the rest of the crypto landscape.”He emphasized three key aspects that differentiate Bitcoin:Causal Ambiguity: The unknown creator adds to its mystique and wide acceptance.First Mover Advantage: Bitcoin’s early establishment has created a robust ecosystem around it.Proof of Work Mechanism: This secures Bitcoin uniquely compared to other assets.Investment Strategies and ETFsMiller Value Partners has been at the forefront of integrating Bitcoin into its investment strategies. Although they do not offer a Bitcoin-specific ETF, their broad mandate, ETF includes substantial investments in Bitcoin-related stocks. Miller elaborated:“One of the reasons we are doing as well as we are right now is because we have been investing in Bitcoin-relate

CryptoSlate chats with Ben Gagnon, the CEO of Bitfarms, a global vertically integrated Bitcoin mining and data center operation.Credits Thanks to Liam 'Akiba' Wright for hosting and producing the episodes.   Connect with CryptoSlate: - X - Substack - Google News - Telegram - Instagram