As Web3’s latest and most potent bull market takes form on trading charts and social media platforms across the digital universe, many long-timers in the Web3 space have expressed similar sentiments: this wave feels different. Unlike the ICO craze of 2017, the DeFi summer of 2020, and the NFT surge of 2021, 2024’s bull market is fueled by institutional money and a crop of professional voices, figures, and organizations. In this rendition of crypto mania, there is a certain order and grounded confidence that has emerged amongst industry players – largely as a direct result of the Bitcoin ETF approval in January. Downstream of institutional capital injections, so too have profound shifts taken form in Web3’s own media space, where the podcast scene has advanced significantly and taken on a more polished, professional form in its own right.
Web3 Media Meets Institutional Demand While memecoins continue to make headlines in 2024, one of Web3’s leading podcasts is “The Money Movement”. The podcast is headed by the likes of Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s most notable public figure who has already made waves on X for his posts promoting Circle’s regulated stablecoin, USDC. To complement his social media presence, Allaire is nearly 100 episodes deep into his regular Web3 podcast, which has picked up major traction across Web3 and traditional industry alike.
Every episode, Allaire shares the mic with other Web3 professionals that span across funds, institutions, government, regulation, and other areas. Guests include Messari CEO Ryan Selkis, Director of the National Economic Council Lawerance Summers, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation Sheila Warren, and others. Allaire has done an excellent job pushing Web3 technologies into the public limelight as powerful technologies deserving of attention from leaders in the private and public sectors alike.
One Fund Carrying the Torch
Alongside Allaire’s efforts to push Web3 media into the mainstream, other Web3-natives have taken the initiative to position and present the space in a more favorable light. One such podcast is “web3 with a16z crypto”, which has been leading the way on this prerogative with a great deal of success. Hosted by long-time crypto fund a16z, the podcast features notable public figures including a16z’s own Chris Dixon, who has become a well respected voice in the Web3 industry for his regular commentary on X. Like Allaire’s “The Money Movement”, “web3 with a16z crypto” has amassed a major following. However, unlike Allaire, a16z focuses on distilling key industry concepts and highlighting the benefits of Web3 technologies as a sort of educational program for a wide variety of audiences. As a fund investing in the space for many years, a16z’s efforts to evangelize decentralized technologies and spur further adoption have played an integral role in the development of the Web3 space.
A One-of-a-Kind, Best-of-All-Worlds Podcast While a number of powerful media producers have helped to push Web3 and its burgeoning communities into the public eye, none has covered all bases nor delivered thought-provoking content like QuickSwap’s Web3-native podcast “All Roads Lead to Polygon” (ARLTP). Kicking off in 2023, ARLTP was initially focused on bringing together the brightest minds and figures in the Polygon community, Web3’s leading Layer 2 scalability 2 tech stack. Delivering weekly episodes, the podcast has brought on project representatives, influencers, and thought leaders to connect, share perspective, and provide updates on what lies ahead in the future of Polygon.
With attendance numbers often surpassing the 100,000 mark, QuickSwap’s ARTLP has since expanded to cover broader topics and feature guests from across Web3 and beyond, including industry pundits, spokespersons, and public figures to address breaking news events, controversial topics, and open a public form for healthy debate. Now a full year into its plight, QuickSwap’s ARLTP has found its form with a best-of-all-worlds podcast or “Roman Bathhouse” whose weekly X Spaces combine rigorous professionalism, grassroots development, and everything in between from communities across the Cryptosphere. The podcast has ultimately become the most potent source of Web3 media that is intentionally breaking down community-centric echo chambers to launch not only the podcast into the mainstream realm but the entire cryptosphere while remaining true to its decentralized, community-governed roots.
If ever there is a time to get involved with Web3 media to get the full scoop on all things cryptocurrency and decentralization, it’s now. And there is no better way to start than by joining one of ARLTP’s weekly podcasts to start learning, laughing, and enjoying Web3 for all it has to offer.
