Vlad Martynov on Ethereum ecosystem and venture capital in crypto

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Why This Crypto Guy Thinks Ethereum is the Future (And You Should Too!)

So, Vlad Martynov, co-founder of BR Capital and blockchain entrepreneur, joins us for a special episode of the crypto.news show. In part 1, he talks about his role in the Ethereum ecosystem, the future of venture capital in crypto, and how the current tokenomics system is, let’s face it, a total mess. He also dives into his role in the decentralized Zuzalu “network state” community and the new regulatory climates from the US, Europe, Asia, and beyond. And in part 2, he has a one-on-one with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. Yeah, you heard that right. Turn on, tune in, Zuzalu out! 🎉

You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Deezer.

Dorian Batycka: Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to the Crypto.News show with me, your host, Dorian Batycki, and my co-host, Tony Noto. You know, the guy who’s always right, except when he’s wrong.

Vlad Martynov: Yeah, thanks a lot. Hello, everybody. I’m just here to drop some knowledge bombs.

Dorian: Welcome to the show. So, post-election, Ethereum, venture capital in crypto—let’s get into it. Give us a little intro about yourself, Vlad. Don’t be shy!

Vlad: Thank you. Well, I’m a high-tech entrepreneur. My first startup was back in the late 90s, selling the Kirpi system. Innovative, right? We sold it to Microsoft, and then we thought, “What’s next? Let’s dive into the cloud!”

We developed one of the first SaaS-based CRM systems for non-profits. You know, the kind of stuff that makes you feel good about yourself. And then I became best buds with Vitalik when he was just a kid. I mean, who knew he’d grow up to be the Ethereum overlord? 😅

So, Dmitry, my partner, was always the tech visionary. He told me about Bitcoin back in 2012. I thought, “What’s this? Magic internet money?” Then in 2014, he said, “Vitalik’s working on something big.” And I was like, “Okay, I’m in!”

When Vitalik launched Ethereum, I raised my hand and said, “Can I help educate the public?” Because, let’s be honest, someone had to do it. So, I’ve been doing that for a couple of years, and we even set up an online educational platform called BlockGeeks. Because why not? 😏

Then came the ICO craze. I was approached by hundreds of startups. I mean, it was like being the prom king of crypto. I picked a few that piqued my interest, like tokenizing real estate. But let’s be real, most of those projects were a disaster. Scammers everywhere! It was like a bad episode of a reality show.

Tony Noto: Vlad, do you think the market is still a mess? Too many scammers? It’s like a circus out there!

Vlad: Well, I’d argue the market has matured. It’s not the wild west anymore. Technology is better, transaction fees are lower, and we have stablecoins now. But sure, there are still some clowns in the tent. 🤡

Dorian: Can you talk about the ICO landscape versus DAOs? Are we going back to the DAO model?

Vlad: It’s going to be a hybrid model. Some projects will thrive on DAOs, while others will need good old-fashioned venture money. It’s like choosing between pizza and sushi. Both are great, but it depends on your mood!

Dorian: And what about token allocations? Are we seeing changes?

Vlad: Absolutely. In the past, there were no lockups. Now, we have longer lockups. It’s like a bad relationship—you can’t just rush into things! We need to see some stability in tokenomics.

Dorian: You’re basically a Vitalik whisperer. What insights have you gained from him?

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2025-03-07 00:27