Introducing Layer One: Poker Logic Meets Crypto Reality

Episode 1 of Layer One, hosted by The Block's Kelvin Sparks and Hypha Founder Steven Gates, was recorded with Dragonfly Managing Partner Haseeb Qureshi and Sean Lippel, General Partner at Fintech Collective.

Listen below, and subscribe to Layer One on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please send feedback and revision requests to podcast@theblock.co

The Block is proud to introduce our newest podcast: Layer One — created in collaboration with Avalanche.

Hosted by The Block's Kelvin Sparks and Hypha Founder Steven Gates, Layer One explores the people, ideas, and cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of crypto. In this inaugural episode, Kelvin and Steven are joined by Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly, and Sean Lippel, General Partner at Fintech Collective.

Together, our guests dive into their origins in the world of poker — and how the decision-making frameworks, risk management skills, and psychological insights they developed at the table carry over into crypto, trading, and investing.

OUTLINE
0:00 Introduction
1:07 Poker-to-Crypto Pipeline
5:36 Biggest Risks & Bad Beats
11:38 Poker Brains, VC Games
17:08 Reading the Market Regime
21:54 Betting on 2029
25:09 DeFi Growing Pains
31:44 Institutions Meet DeFi
37:17 Stablecoins, RWAs, Alts
46:13 DATs, Staking & Yield
54:47 The Avalanche Thesis
1:00:44 Vertically Integrated Moments
1:06:52 Pump.Fun & Sign-Off

GUEST/HOST LINKS
Haseeb Qureshi - https://x.com/hosseeb
Sean Lippel - https://x.com/seanlippel
Steven Gates - https://x.com/stvngts
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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