The Protocol

NEAR’s co-founder Illia Polosukhin shares the need to shift from corporate-owned AI to models that benefit individuals and communities. 

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk interview Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol. Polosukhin discusses the intersection of AI and blockchain technology, explaining how NEAR Protocol began as an AI project and evolved into a blockchain platform to address issues related to compensating collaborators.

Takeaways

• NEAR Protocol started as an AI project and transitioned into a blockchain platform to address the challenge of paying collaborators.
• User-owned AI is crucial to ensure that AI models and systems benefit individuals and communities, rather than just corporations.
• Data availability is a fundamental component of blockchain technology, ensuring that all transactions are accessible and can be used to reconstruct the state of the blockchain.
• Chain abstraction allows users to interact with multiple blockchain networks without needing to understand the underlying technology or worry about transaction fees.
• NEAR Protocol is focused on solving real problems and finding use cases that drive the adoption of blockchain and AI technology.

Chapters | 

00:00 Introduction and Background of Ilya Polosukhin

05:20 The Disruptive Potential of AI

08:35 User-Owned AI

22:17 Chain Abstraction

26:15 Solving Real Problems with NEAR Protocol

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EPISODE LINKS |  

NEAR 

Enter the Black Dragon: NEAR Co-Founder Joins the NEAR Foundation as CEO 

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adeniyi Abiodun envisions a long-term goal for Sui to develop a decentralized web stack, leading to a fully decentralized internet infrastructure.

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk interview Adeniyi Abiodun, co-founder of Mysten Labs and the Sui blockchain,.They discuss the vision and goals of Sui as a global coordination layer for intelligent assets. Adeniyi highlights the importance of creating a blockchain accessible to developers outside the Web3 native community, focusing on usability and ease of adoption. He explains the differences between Sui and other blockchains, such as its object-based system and unlimited throughput, emphasizing Sui's potential in various industries, including gaming and AI, and the importance of bringing Web3 to Web2 users.

Takeaways

• Sui aims to be a global coordination layer for intelligent assets, focusing on usability and accessibility for developers outside of the Web3 native community.
• The Sui blockchain differentiates itself with its object-based system and unlimited throughput, allowing for faster and more scalable transactions.
• Sui has applications in various industries, including gaming and AI, and aims to bring Web3 to Web2 users by providing seamless integration and improved user experiences.
• The upcoming release of Mysticeti, the new consensus engine, will further enhance the speed and efficiency of the Sui blockchain.
• The long-term vision of Sui is to build a decentralized web stack that encompasses various layers, including storage, bandwidth, and more, to create a fully decentralized internet infrastructure.

Chapters | 

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:20 Working at Facebook Meta

06:07 Comparison with Aptos and Move Language

09:21 SWE as the Blockchain for Developers

11:12 Differences between Move and Solidity

14:08 Bringing Web3 to Web2

20:07 Future Plans and Mississetti Consensus Engine

25:25 SWE's Vision: Coordination of Intelligent Assets

28:06 Asset Model and Non-Financial Applications

32:14 Importance of Mysticeti Consensus Engine

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EPISODE LINKS | 

Sui

Mysten Labs

Sui Concepts Overview 

Move Concepts | Sui Documentation 

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sergey Gorbunov on Axelar's Focus on Security and Programmability.

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk interview Sergey Gorbunov, CEO of Interop Labs and co-founder of Axelar Protocol, who discusses the partnership with Ripple and the exclusive bridge they are building for the XRP Ledger's new EVM side chain. He emphasizes simplifying user experiences and blending blockchain technology with traditional systems and believes that decentralization is a key factor in the success of interoperability protocols.

Chapters | 

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:34 The Importance of Interoperability

06:56 Axelar's Differentiators and Partnership with Ripple

13:04 Simplifying User Experiences and Blending Blockchain with Traditional Systems

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Interop Labs

Axelar 

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Schwartz and Robert Leshner share how the convergence of traditional financial markets and on-chain systems presents a major opportunity for driving adoption over the next 20 years.

Sponsored by BitGo. 

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This installment of "The Protocol," comes to you LIVE from Consensus 2024 in Austin Texas. Hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk chat with David Schwartz, CTO of Ripple, and Robert Leshner,  CEO & Co-Founder of Superstate, on the challenges and opportunities in bringing real-world assets on-chain and more.

Chapters | 

00:00 The Conference Experience and Developer Mix

02:12 The Convergence of Traditional Financial Markets and On-Chain Systems

04:25 Challenges and Opportunities in Bringing Real-World Assets On-Chain

05:49 The Impact of Restaking in Traditional Finance

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EPISODE LINKS |  

BitGo 

Superstate

 Ripple 

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The Protocol is produced by the CoinDesk team: production assistant Victor Chen, senior producer Michele Musso, executive producer Jared Schwartz, and Senior Booker, Melissa Montañez. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dan Reecer, COO of the Wormhole Foundation, explains that open-source code and decentralization are essential for transparency and trust in the blockchain industry.

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk interview Dan Reecer, the COO of Wormhole Foundation.  Wormhole is a messaging layer protocol that connects different blockchains, allowing for the transfer of assets and data. They discuss the Wormhole Interoperability Project and its recent token airdrop. Reecer, emphasizes the importance of open-source code and decentralization in the blockchain industry. 

Takeaways | 

• Wormhole is a messaging layer protocol that connects different blockchains, enabling the transfer of assets and data.
• Wormhole recently conducted a token airdrop, rewarding token holders and aligning with power users who have contributed to the network.
• Controversies surrounding airdrops highlight the importance of transparency, fairness, and thoughtful allocation of tokens.
• The future of blockchain interoperability will likely involve collaboration between different protocols, with two to three winners emerging in the long term.

Chapters | 

00:00 Introduction and Overview

02:10 The Wormhole Token and Governance

04:22 Multi-Gov and DAO Voting

07:22 Governance Interoperability and Bridge Protocols

11:39 Addressing Bridge Flaws with Technologies like Storage Proofs

19:55 Building Connections Between Blockchains

24:12 Competition and Multiple Interoperability Solutions

26:01 Comparing Wormhole to Layer Zero

30:30 Influence of Jump Trading and Transparency

34:55 Lessons from Recent Airdrops

39:13 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Wormhole

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Flashbots’ Hasu discusses the recent MEV Boost exploit, emphasizing the ongoing MEV challenges and the need for decentralized solutions.

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk interview Hasu, head of strategy at Flashbots and advisor to the Lido DAO. They discuss the recent exploit in the MEV Boost codebase, the Department of Justice's response, and the ongoing efforts to solve MEV. The conversation also covers restaking, Lido's role in the restaking ecosystem, censorship resistance, design differences between Eigenlayer and Symbiotic, and the future of Ethereum.

Takeaways | 

• The recent exploit in the MEV Boost code base highlights the ongoing battle to solve MEV and the need for more decentralized solutions.
• Restaking is a market to rent economic security and work from an open market, and there are different approaches to restaking, such as native restaking and non-native restaking.
• Lido aims to make staked ETH the dominant asset in Ethereum DeFi and stimulate demand for renting security with StakeETH.
• The design differences between Eigenlayer and Symbiotic in the restaking ecosystem offer different trade-offs in terms of capital efficiency and spillover effects.
• Censorship resistance in Ethereum can be addressed through inclusion lists, private memepools, and geographical/geopolitical diversity in the network.

Chapters

00:00 MEV Exploit and the Battle to Solve MEV

09:04 The Role of Lido in the Restaking Ecosystem

21:11 Swav: Fast, Private, and Decentralized Off-chain Computation

28:11 Restaking: Renting Economic Security

32:54 Design Differences: Eigenlayer vs. Symbiotic

39:02 StakeETH: Making Staked ETH the Dominant Asset

40:55 Addressing Censorship Resistance in Ethereum

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EPISODE LINKS |  

How MIT Brothers Allegedly Cheated a Noxious-But-Accepted Ethereum Practice for $25M

 Brothers Accused of $25M Ethereum Exploit as U.S. Reveals Fraud Charges 

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Node sales are becoming a popular fundraising method in the blockchain industry, where projects sell nodes instead of tokens or equity.

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk; who discuss node sales, address poisoning, and the concept of account abstraction on Ethereum. The hosts also touch on the challenges of mainstream adoption of blockchain technology and the lack of standards in token launches.

Takeaways | 

• Node sales are becoming a popular fundraising method in the blockchain industry, where projects sell nodes instead of tokens or equity.
• Address poisoning is a type of exploit where a victim is tricked into sending a legitimate transaction to the wrong wallet address.
• Account abstraction is a concept that aims to make crypto wallets on Ethereum easier to use and more versatile.
• The lack of standards in token launches and the challenges of mainstream adoption continue to be issues in the crypto industry. SoFund has a reward system where 20% of the total supply of their token, SOF, will be awarded as rewards to node buyers over the next three years.
• The distribution model for rewards and tokens can be a balancing act between satisfying investors and contributors to the ecosystem.
• Maximal extractable value (MEV) is a problem on the Ethereum blockchain where operators can front-run and extract profits from transactions, causing financial losses.
• Metamask has introduced smart transactions to combat MEV, offering lower fees, transaction transparency, and protection against front running.
• The development of different types of wallets and transaction systems is an ongoing effort to improve user experience and address complex technical challenges in the blockchain industry.

Chapters |

00:00 The Rise of Node Sales

07:12 Account Abstraction on Ethereum

25:27 Understanding the Reward System and Distribution Model of SoFund

27:21 The Challenge of Balancing Rewards for Investors and Contributors

32:21 Exploring Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) on the Ethereum Blockchain

35:23 Metamask Introduces Smart Transactions to Combat MEV

41:31 Competition and Innovation in the Wallet Landscape

45:24 The Search for Solutions and Improvements in the Blockchain Industry

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EPISODE LINKS | 

Ethereum Developers Target Ease of Crypto Wallets With 'EIP-3074' 

sophon 

Popular Crypto Wallet MetaMask Rolls Out 'Smart Transactions' to Combat Ethereum Front-Running 

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The battle for supremacy among layer two solutions in crypto has projects vying to showcase their tech. Despite criticism, airdrops and token launches by Ren and Eigenlayer have faced user disappointment.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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This installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk; they cover the story of Celo choosing Optimism as their layer two solutions, the vulnerabilities found on Optimism and the launch of tokens by Ren and Eigenlayer.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:43 Celo Chooses Optimism as Layer Two Solution

07:20 Vulnerabilities on Optimism and Layer Two Wars

16:31 Token Launches by Ren and Eigenlayer

28:14 Intersubjective Forking and Regulatory Uncertainties

34:46 The Crypto Industry as a Complex Game

37:04 Conclusion

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EPISODE LINKS | 

Celo Chooses Optimism, Concluding Bake-Off Among Layer 2s 

The Protocol: EigenLayer's 'Intersubjective Forking' Is Objectively Not Done

What Is Restaking? What Is Liquid Restaking? What Is EigenLayer?

EigenLayer, After Touching Off Restaking Frenzy, Plans Own EIGEN token

Avail Data Availability Integrated by Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, StarkWare, ZkSync

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Runes and Ordinals ‘Artist’ Creator, Casey Rodarmor has just invented two of the most dramatically impactful protocols in the blockchain industry's history and embraces cryptocurrency's speculative and gambling nature.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, 

are joined by Casey Rodarmor to discuss the launch of Runes, a protocol on the Bitcoin blockchain that allows users to create and trade meme coins. Casey expresses skepticism about the usability of layer two solutions and the potential for stablecoins on Bitcoin.

Takeaways |

• Casey Rotemar believes that many projects in the crypto space make false claims about utility and are ultimately worthless.
• Runes embraces the speculative and gambling nature of cryptocurrency, positioning itself as a degenerate casino.
• Casey discusses the potential regulatory concerns and the ability of Bitcoin to withstand a nation-state attack. Bugs were found before the launch of Runes and Ordinals, including a divide-by-zero bug and issues with high-fee transactions and the mint logic.
• Getting Bitcoin soft forks adopted can be challenging, but there are new BIP editors who are helping to merge proposals and improve the process.
• Casey is skeptical about the usability of layer two solutions and believes that developing on top of Bitcoin without modifying the base layer is often the best approach.
• There is potential for stablecoins on Bitcoin, but Casey is unsure if there is enough market demand for them.
• The names of some of the runes created by the community can be offensive, but there are also creative and funny names emerging.
• Casey is interested in developing a file-sharing protocol unrelated to blockchain or cryptocurrency, with a focus on improving the user experience.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:58 Runes: A Degenerate Casino on the Bitcoin Blockchain

13:58 Bitcoin's Strengths and Ethereum's Weaknesses

27:58 Bugs and Challenges Before the Launch

35:26 The Potential for Stablecoins on Bitcoin

41:59 Creative and Offensive Rune Names

49:57 Developing a User-Friendly File-Sharing Protocol

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rootstock Chief Scientist, Sergio Demian Lerner, regards the upcoming Bitcoin halving is a moment of celebration for the community and highlights the importance of transaction fees for the sustainability of the network.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, dive into 

are joined by Sergio Demian Lerner, Chief Scientist at Rootstock, to discuss his research on the Patoshi pattern and the early mining of Bitcoin. He explains how he identified that Satoshi Nakamoto had mined approximately 1.1 million Bitcoins and had never spent them, which built trust in the system. Sergio also shares his insights on the upcoming Bitcoin halving and the importance of transaction fees for the sustainability of the network. 

Takeaways

• Sergio Demian Lerner identified the Patoshi pattern, which revealed that Satoshi Nakamoto had mined approximately 1.1 million Bitcoins and had never spent them, building trust in the system.
• The upcoming Bitcoin halving is a moment of celebration for the community and highlights the importance of transaction fees for the sustainability of the network.
• Rootstock aims to bring the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to Bitcoin and focuses on financial inclusion and the use of Bitcoin collateralized stablecoins.
• The cultures of Ethereum and Bitcoin differ in terms of complexity, centralization, and fragmentation, with Ethereum being more open and welcoming to developers.
• The introduction of BitBM and the development of bridges on Bitcoin may lead to changes in the Bitcoin ecosystem, such as the addition of new opcodes for more efficient operations.

Chapters

00:00 Uncovering the Patoshi Pattern

13:51 Rootstock: Bringing the EVM to Bitcoin

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Polygon Acquires Ethereum Scaling Startup Mir for $400M 

Polygon Plans 'AggLayer,' in Bid to Synthesize Modular, Monolithic Blockchains 

Polygon Releases 'Type 1 Prover,' Claiming Milestone Set by Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin 

Polygon, StarkWare Tout New 'Circle STARKs' as Breakthrough for Zero-Knowledge Proofs  

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brendan Farmer, Co-Founder of Polygon, gives an overview of Polygon's Ecosystem and its adoption and benefits of the Ag Layer.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, dive into 

the strategy and vision behind the Ag layer, which aims to solve the problem of L2 fragmentation on Ethereum with Brendan Farmer Co-Founder of Polygon.

Polygon is focused on building a unified environment for value, liquidity, and state in the Ethereum ecosystem. The Ag layer connects different mini-ecosystems within Polygon and allows chains to plug into the liquidity and value that already exists.

Takeaways

• Polygon's strategy is to build a unified environment for value, liquidity, and state in the Ethereum ecosystem.
• The Ag layer connects different mini-ecosystems within Polygon and allows chains to plug into existing liquidity and value.
• The Ag layer includes a builder marketplace where builders can simultaneously build blocks across multiple chains, providing users with a seamless experience.
• The goal is to create a positive-sum outcome for all chains involved and avoid fragmentation in the ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:19 Polygon's Strategy and Tech Shift

06:50 Analogies for Understanding the Ag Layer

07:26 Adoption and Benefits of the Ag Layer

09:36 Overview of Polygon's Ecosystem

10:54 Polygon Today: POS Chain and ZKVM Chain

12:28 Polygon's Technological Innovations

14:35 POS Chain and the Future of Polygon

19:42 The Ag Layer as a Connector

22:02 Competition and Collaboration in the Industry

23:36 Avoiding Fragmentation and Rent-Seeking

25:23 The Challenge of Monetizing Users in Crypto

27:44 The Builder Marketplace and Block Building

28:16 MEV and the Ag Layer

32:16 Addressing Outages and Ensuring Stability

34:44 Precautions and Warnings for Users

38:27 The Eigen Layer and L2 Vision

40:17 The Den Koon Upgrade and the Blob Market

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EPISODE LINKS | 

Polygon Acquires Ethereum Scaling Startup Mir for $400M 

Polygon Plans 'AggLayer,' in Bid to Synthesize Modular, Monolithic Blockchains 

Polygon Releases 'Type 1 Prover,' Claiming Milestone Set by Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin 

Polygon, StarkWare Tout New 'Circle STARKs' as Breakthrough for Zero-Knowledge Proofs  

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sreeram Kannan, the founder of Eigenlayer, discusses the initial 'training wheels' phase for Eigen DA, a data availability service, and the implementation of slashing and market mechanisms.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, dive into the innovative world of Eigenlayer. They explore the decentralized trust network's vision and technology in a conversation with Sreeram Kannan, the founder of EigenLayer.

The roadmap for Eigenlayer includes the launch of Eigen DA, a data availability service, and the implementation of slashing and market mechanisms. The project is currently on track for a mainnet launch in early Q2.

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Takeaways | 

• Eigenlayer enables developers to build new infrastructure services without the need for separate decentralized trust networks.
• The system utilizes pooled security and attributable security to ensure the integrity and availability of services.
• The roadmap for Eigenlayer includes the launch of Eigen DA, slashing, and market mechanisms.
• Eigenlayer is on track for a mainnet launch in early Q2.

EPISODE LINKS |  

EigenLabs CEO on Jump in User Deposits | Video | CoinDesk 

About - EigenLayer 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Solana has seen remarkable growth and market capitalization, with its token soaring by 791% over the past year. Despite this surge, the factors driving the popularity and success of meme coins on the Solana network remain uncertain.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, discuss the rise of Solana and the recent craze around meme coins on its platform with guest Anatoly Yakovenko, CEO of Solana Labs.

Anatoly delves into his journey into crypto and evaluates the sustainability of meme coin growth, probing its impact on Solana's network. He also tackles the challenge of failed transactions on Solana and outlines upcoming upgrades aimed at addressing priority fees and expanding block size. Throughout the discussion, Anatoly Yakovenko provides insights into Solana's comparison with Ethereum, its competitive landscape and ecosystem, scalability initiatives, roadmap, outage management, security measures, and the business model behind the Solana Phone.

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Takeaways | 

• Solana has experienced significant growth and market cap, with its token up 791% over one year.
• Meme coins have gained popularity on Solana, but the reasons for their success are unclear.
• The meme coin craze has stressed Solana's network, leading to a high number of failed transactions.
• Solana is working on upgrades to address priority fees and improve transaction flow and scheduling. Solana is focused on execution and transmitting information quickly, while Ethereum is focused on settlement.
• The visions of Solana and Ethereum are different, but they compete because of overlapping use cases and features.
• Security in blockchain networks does not depend on the majority of the network, but rather on the cryptographic signatures and trust of entities like Circle.
• The Solana Phone aims to disrupt app stores by offering an app store with no fees, allowing developers to save revenue and provide a better user experience.

EPISODE LINKS | 

Solana 

Anatoly Yakovenko and Solana Bounce Back

Solana Meme Coin Slerf Clocks Higher Trading Volume Than All of Ethereum

SOL Crosses $200 as Meme Coin Frenzy Bumps Demand for Solana Network

Solana-Based Crypto Exchange Drift Plans Pre-Launch Market for New Tokens

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tim Beiko from the Ethereum Foundation, shares the Importance of the Dencun Upgrade, what are their concerns, and Ethereum's long-term scaling strategy.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, discuss the Ethereum Dencun upgrade, a significant upgrade for the Ethereum blockchain, with a special guest, Ethereum Foundation's Tim Beiko.

The upgrade introduces ephemeral data storage, known as blobs, which will reduce storage costs for layer twos and roll-ups. The Dencun upgrade is technology-neutral and does not favor any specific layer2 solution. However, there are concerns about the potential fragmentation of the Ethereum ecosystem and the shift towards less secure chains. Overall, the upgrade is an important step towards Ethereum's long-term scaling plans. 

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Takeaways | 

• The Ethereum Decun upgrade introduces ephemeral data storage, known as blobs, which will reduce storage costs for layer twos and roll-ups.
• The upgrade is technology-neutral and does not favor any specific layer two solution.
• There are concerns about the potential fragmentation of the Ethereum ecosystem and the shift towards less secure chains.
• The Dencun upgrade is an important step towards Ethereum's long-term scaling plans.

EPISODE LINKS | 

Ethereum Finalizes 'Dencun' Upgrade, in Landmark Move to Reduce Data Fees 

Ethereum.org 

5 Things to Know About Ethereum's Latest, Greatest Upgrade: Dencun

From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul Frambot discusses the future of DeFi and the potential for widespread adoption.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, dive into the evolving landscape of DeFi with guest Paul Frambot, the Co-founder and CEO of Morpho Labs, a research and development company responsible for building and growing the Morpho protocol. 

Dencun Coming Next Week - What Are We Expecting?

Leading figures behind layer-2 teams told CoinDesk how Ethereum's upcoming Dencun upgrade will affect their networks – and costs.

Gauntlet and DeFi Lending

According to Gauntlet, the move to Morpho offers the potential for more money with greater flexibility.

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TAKEAWAYS  | 

• ETH Denver showcased the presence of layer 2 solutions and infrastructure layer solutions in the blockchain space.
• The competition between different blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum and Solana, is driving innovation and pushing the Ethereum community to accelerate its development.
• The current model of risk management in DeFi, where protocols are managed by on-chain funds, has limitations and lacks transparency.
• Morpho Labs is building lending pools that aim to decentralize risk management and allow for a more flexible and efficient system.

EPISODE LINKS |  

Ethereum Fees Set to Drop for Arbitrum, Polygon, Starknet, Base. But How Much? 

Days After Ditching Aave, Risk Manager Gauntlet Moves to Rival Lender Morpho

Curve Crisis Shows Pitfalls of Decentralized Risk Management

Morpho 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Preview to ETH Denver, hosts delve into strategies aimed at democratizing Ethereum accessibility for all attendees, ensuring inclusivity across the community.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, welcome Jesse Pollak, the Creator of Base and Head of Protocols, as a guest host. Together, they delve into topics such as Decentralized Governance, Fraud Proofs, Security, and other relevant discussions leading up to ETH DENVER. 

Takeaways |

• Base has made significant progress in reducing fees and improving wallets and identity infrastructure.
• The rise and fall of FriendTech showcased the challenges of building consumer social products on-chain.
• The partnership with the Optimism Foundation has allowed Base to contribute to decentralized governance and receive OP tokens.
• The launch of smart wallets aims to simplify the user experience and make on-chain transactions more accessible.

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Base 

L2 BEAT- Base

The Protocol: Friend.tech Fades as Crypto Craze, but Ethereum Is Scaling

Fintech Provider Portal Raises $34M Seed Round for Bitcoin-Based Decentralized Exchange

Jesse Pollak Creator; Head of Protocols Base; Coinbase 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ether.fi CEO Mike Silagadze joins as a Guest Host to discuss the controversies and issues surrounding the Starknet airdrop, the phased rollout of Soroban smart contracts on the Stellar blockchain and the concept of liquid restaking incentives and rewards.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

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In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, explore the following stories:

Starknet Airdrop Coverage 

Starknet Token STRK begins trading at $5 after a mammoth airdrop. A Fully diluted value of STRK reached as high as $50 billion with an initial market cap of $3.64 billion.

Stellar Starts 'Soroban' Smart Contracts

The "Protocol 20" upgrade, which adds support for Ethereum-style smart contracts to the decade-old payments-focused blockchain, had been delayed by three weeks due to precautions after a bug was found.

Liquid Restaking Landscape

New liquid restaking platforms like Puffer and Ether.Fi have attracted billions of dollars in deposits, but they've birthed a speculative "points" frenzy that carries some risks.

PROTOCOL VILLAGE GUEST HOST | 

 Mike Silagadze, CEO and Founder at Ether.fi - the first ETH staking protocol that allows stakers to maintain full control of their keys throughout the entire staking process, making it the only truly decentralized liquid staking platform.

Takeaways | 

- Controversies and issues often arise with airdrops, including eligibility criteria and token unlocks.

-The introduction of smart contracts on established blockchains can rejuvenate the ecosystem and attract new users.

-Liquid restaking is a natural extension of proof-of-stake blockchains and allows users to stake their assets while maintaining liquidity.

-Points in liquid restaking protocols have sparked speculation and trading frenzy, but their future value is uncertain.

-The explosive growth in the liquid restaking market may experience a correction in the future. The money printer being turned on again has led to a speculative frenzy in various markets, including crypto.

-Restaking has become a focal point of speculation and value creation in the crypto space.

-EtherFi aims to become a trusted brand for holding ETH and accessing DeFi, with plans to roll out integrated products over time.

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Starknet Token STRK Begins Trading at $5 After Mammoth Airdrop

STRK Tokens Claimed Hit 420M in a Day as On-Chain Metrics Soar

Starknet’s STRK Drops 53% Amid Token Issuance Criticism

Stellar Starts Phased Rollout of 'Soroban' Smart Contracts

Liquid Restaking Tokens or 'LRTs' Revived Ethereum DeFi. Can the Hype Last?

Liquid Restaking Protocol Puffer Rakes in $1B in Deposits in Just 3 Weeks

As Crypto 'Points' Farming Grows, So Does Risk of Vague Promises

Etherfi 

Mike Silagadze - EtherFi | LinkedIn 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The hosts dissect three key topics: the inception of DN 404 tokens on Ethereum, the resurgence of the OP_CAT function in Bitcoin, and the ongoing airdrop season in the crypto sphere, delving into the implications and controversies surrounding these developments.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

Follow the show here for more.

In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk,  explore the following stories:

Developers on the Ethereum platform introduce 'DN-404' tokens.

The new token type claims to solve some of the drawbacks with ERC-404s, an experimental standard that launched last week – to such popularity that it's already driven up congestion on the Ethereum blockchain.

The 'OP_CAT' function from the Satoshi-era Bitcoin code is being revived amidst a surge in development enthusiasm.

Developers Ethan Heilman and Armin Sabouri view OP_CAT as a simple opcode that offers some of the general-purpose functionality currently missing in Bitcoin

The Eigenlayer TVL experiences a significant spike due to a suspected airdrop.

Capital locked on restaking protocols is now at $10 billion, in December it was just $350 million.

Takeaways | 

ERC-404 tokens on Ethereum allow for the fractionalization of NFTs, enabling greater liquidity and trading opportunities.

The revival of the Opcat function in Bitcoin's development could open up new possibilities for building on the network.

Airdrop season is in full swing, with various projects distributing tokens to reward users and incentivize participation in their ecosystems.

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Ethereum Developers Create 'DN-404' Tokens After ERC-404s Send Network Fees Surging

What Is ERC-404? The Experimental Standard Whose First Token Has Rocketed 12000% in One Week

Satoshi-Era Bitcoin Function 'OP_CAT' Dusted Off as Development Fervor Grows 

Starknet Blockchain Plans Much-Awaited Airdrop of New STRK Tokens Next Week

EigenLayer's Cap Lift Prompts $4B Inflow as ETH Restaking Heats Up 

Wormhole airdrop: Wormhole (W) Tokenomics 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Special Guest Host Nebojsa Urosevic, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Tenderly, joins us to share insights on Ethereum's development process and future.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

Follow the show here for more.

In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk,  explore the following stories:

The Solana Blockchain Freeze 

Solana, the low-latency blockchain that's seen an explosion in activity in recent months, experienced an approximately five-hour outage on Tuesday.

Eigenlayer Lifts Staking Cap, Soars Past $3B 

The temporary lift comes as restaking on Ethereum is booming despite warnings from developers that it might strain the network.

Taproot Wizards NFT Project Sells OUT

All 3,000 of the "Quantum Cats" digital images were claimed by the end of Monday's public mint, selling for a fixed price of 0.1 BTC ($4,265) each – despite severe technical issues that had delayed the process by a full week.

PROTOCOL VILLAGE INTERVIEW SEGMENT  

Final ‘Holesky’ Testnet

The test simulated “proto-danksharding,” a technical feature aimed at reducing the cost of transactions for rollups as well as making data availability cheaper.

Guest: Nebojsa Urosevic is Co-Founder and SVP of R&D at Tenderly -

A full-stack infrastructure solutions provider, powering Web3 developer teams with the essential tools and services throughout their development journeys. As a former software engineer for almost a decade, with experience in building, scaling and maintaining large-scale distribution cloud systems, Nebojsa is now responsible for the development and maintenance of a custom scalable Ethereum Virtual Machine that has the ability to reverse engineer transaction execution and perform various simulations in real-time.

Takeaways | 

• The recent Solana outage highlights the challenges of scaling blockchain networks and the need for continuous infrastructure improvement.
• The Eigen Layer restaking protocol offers a new way to earn rewards and secure other protocols, but there are still risks and uncertainties associated with it.
• The DenKun upgrade and Proto-Dang Sharding are important steps towards improving scalability and reducing costs on the Ethereum network.
• The development of layer 2 solutions and the competition among them will play a crucial role in the future of Ethereum and blockchain technology.

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Solana Back Up Following Major 5-Hour Outage 

EigenLayer Lifts Staking Cap, TVL Soars Past $3B 

Bitcoin NFT Project Taproot Wizards Sells Out First Collection, Raking in $13M 

Ethereum's Dencun Upgrade Reaches Final ‘Holesky’ Testnet, Starting Countdown to Data 'Blobs'

Tenderly 

From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joining us, Riad Wahby, Co-founder and CEO of Cubist, delves into the risks of restaking, potential contagion effects on blockchain security, and the essential questions that the blockchain ecosystem must address.

This episode is sponsored by the Stellar Community Fund

Follow the show here for more.

In this installment of "The Protocol," hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol Newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk,  explore the following stories:

TOPICS | 

Lido DAO Endorses Rivals 

LayerZero launched a Lido stETH bridge last October without asking for Lido DAO's permission. The community responded this week by endorsing a pair of its biggest competitors.

"Blockchain protocols frequently pride themselves on their "permissionlessness" – the idea that anyone, anywhere can build on top of a protocol without asking for explicit approval. But in practice, it is sometimes wiser to ask for permission."

Blockchains and Decentralization

The goal of these "protocol councils,” sometimes called “security councils,” is to nudge these nascent networks toward increasing decentralization, by gradually removing them from under the control of their original developers. How are they different from boards of directors?

PROTOCOL VILLAGE INTERVIEW SEGMENT  

Guest: Riad Wahby 

Riad Wahby is the co-founder and CEO of Cubist, a developer of hardware-backed, non-custodial key storage and signing infrastructure that enables companies to protect staking keys and secure withdrawals.

Takeaways | 

Keys are fundamental in blockchain interactions and require careful management to ensure security.

Restaking introduces risks and potential contagion effects that can impact the security of the underlying blockchain.

The restaking ecosystem offers opportunities for innovation and collaboration, but reputation and risk assessment are crucial for making informed decisions.

Building systems that can withstand non-compliant users and incentivize responsible behavior is essential for the long-term success of blockchain networks.

There is continued interest in blockchain and crypto among students, with a focus on computer security, cryptography, and the intersection of blockchain and AI.

Balancing entrepreneurship and academia requires efficient time management and leveraging the support of graduate students and teaching assistants.

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EPISODE LINKS |  

Lido DAO Rebukes LayerZero by Endorsing Rivals Wormhole, Axelar for Crypto Bridge

As Blockchains Push Toward Decentralization, These People Serve as Ultimate Guardians 

Riad S. Wahby 

Riad S. Wahby - Google Scholar 

Cubist 

Cubist Launches Bank-Grade Ethereum Key Management Service 

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From Our Sponsor: 

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is an open-application awards program that draws on community input to support developers and startups building on Stellar and Soroban. Accelerate your web3 project today.

Apply for Funding at communityfund.stellar.org

-

The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.