Millennials and GenZ discover new music primarily through social media these days

BRIDGR.io

AI/ML is a wildfire trend. It’s being integrated into just about every application you can think of. Compared to other technical innovations over the past years—like blockchain—infrastructure and tooling were being built (and still are) in parallel with discovering a meaningful application. AI/ML, on the other hand, has seemingly jumped straight to real-world application, leaving tooling and infrastructure largely lacking in comparison to adoption. We’ve built a lot of tools for developing and tuning models, but moving them into production is relatively new, and the few MLOps tools that do exist were built before AI/ML became all the rage. At some point, we have to stop and ask ourselves if we’re building long-term solutions or just bootstrapping our way to production. In my opinion, we’re standing at a crossroads—specifically, a crossroads of DevOps and MLOps. Like DevOps 10 years ago, MLOps is buzzy, and tech companies are racing to incorporate these practices into their workflows. However, the more I dig into it, the more I come to believe that MLOps is a momentary trend. I find it hard to believe that the future lies in further segmentation of XOps practices but in a return to a unified approach under the well-established (and adopted) practices of DevOps. The model handoff conundrum A major stumbling block in the current AI/ML workflow is the model handoff process. Moving a model from a development stage (typically in a Jupyter Notebook) to an ML tool, then onto a development server, and finally to a production environment like Kubernetes is…let’s say, challenging at best. Each of these transitions requires repackaging the model to suit the target environment. This is not just a pain for the team (usually DevOps) that owns everything to the right of training (see diagram below) but introduces significant risk and delay into the deployment cycle. If that’s not enough, the diversity of packaging mechanisms without a standardized procedure amplifies these issues, turning what we’ve come to enjoy as a straightforward process into a real “pain in the ops.” So we decided to do something about it. We had a crazy idea–Why not package models into a format that we’ve already standardized on? Back in 2013, a little company called Docker made it really easy to start using containers to package up applications. A big key to their success was the OCI ( ), an industry-wide initiative to have standards around how we package up our applications. Because of OCI standards, we have hundreds (maybe thousands?) of tools that can be combined to manage and deploy applications. So why aren’t we using this to package Notebooks and AI models as well? It would make deploying, sharing, and managing our models easier for everyone involved. you can learn about that here From Notebook to OCI-standard file type As I said earlier, we set out to do something about how we’re packaging up our models, and what we did was build Kit. Kit is that packages your model, datasets, code, and configuration so data scientists and developers can use their preferred tools while collaborating effortlessly. an open source MLOps project Our goal is to standardize the packaging, reproduction, deployment, and tracking of AI/ML models. We want models to be managed with the same agility as application code. Kit streamlines the deployment process and ensures models can be executed universally with minimal friction. E.g., when you hand a model to the DevOps team, it’s already good to go, meaning they can deploy it to prod! Your tools have been standardized, and best of all, you didn’t have to learn how to write a Docker or Kubernetes file. The Kit CLI packages up all of the assets/resources included in your Notebook and turns them into a ModelKit, to make handoffs between ML engineers using Jupyter Notebooks and application teams easy, letting both teams work with the tools they already use and love. . Checkout a video of the Kit CLI here KitOps' philosophy is centered around improving collaboration without requiring an overhaul of existing processes. By building on industry standards, we facilitate cross-team engagement beyond merely data scientists in the model development process. The compatibility of ModelKits and Kitfiles with current tools eliminates the need for significant modifications to established deployment pipelines or endpoints. Unmatched model traceability and reproducibility KitOps's approach to model traceability and reproducibility is different from the common practice of simply using a Docker file. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with using Docker files, however, including your hyperparameters and data sets in a container are not a practical approach. Kit provides a unified package for everything you need to reproduce, integrate with, or test the model throughout its lifecycle in a modular package that gives users the flexibility to extract specific components of a ModelKit, such as the dataset or the model itself, or to retrieve the entire package. Furthermore, the storage of ModelKits within an organization’s registry facilitates a detailed record of state changes, crucial for auditing purposes. And, since ModelKits are OCI-compliant, you can use the registries that you’ve already adopted (Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, Artifactory, Quay, etc). In addition, ModelKits are ideally suited for secure bill-of-materials (SBOM) initiatives, addressing the growing concerns regarding security and compliance in AI/ML model deployment. Something that is becoming increasingly important. The inevitability of DevOps integration We believe that KitOps signifies a critical moment for AI/MLOps and DevOps. By addressing the issues plaguing model deployment and collaboration, KitOps paves the way for an era where the delineation between MLOps and DevOps becomes increasingly indistinct. To be clear, I’m not saying that the existing MLOps practices are not valuable; rather, I’m advocating that the foundational practices and tools being implemented in our DevOps workflows are flexible enough to incorporate the requisites of AI/ML deployment. We're still early in the development process and are really interested in collecting community feedback. You can learn more about KitOps at https://kitops.ml And check out the source code here: https://github.com/jozu-ai/kitops Also published . here

KitOps: Bridging the Gap Between AI/ML and DevOps with Standardized Packaging

Ishan Pandey: Hi Kamen, I am delighted to welcome you to our "Behind the Startup" series. Can you tell us what inspired the concept behind Nolus? Hi Ishan, I am delighted for the opportunity to be here! Let me introduce you to Nolus. The design of Nolus was inspired by traditional lease products where one can obtain an asset by providing only a fraction of the cost upfront, use the asset throughout the lease period and receive full ownership once the loan is repaid back in full. Kamen Trendafilov: Applying a similar concept in the crypto space, Nolus created the DeFi Lease: a lending solution that unlocks the full potential of crypto money markets by reducing the industry's steep over-collateralization requirements. This results in significantly improved capital efficiency and more favorable lending options for borrowers. Ishan Pandey: Could you explain the significance of Nolus' emphasis on interoperability and its ability to connect to various liquidity sources across different chains? Kamen Trendafilov: Under the hood, Nolus utilizes a semi-permissioned PoS blockchain built using the Cosmos SDK and a CosmWasm smart contract platform. Nolus emphasizes interoperability, connecting to various liquidity sources across chains without fragmenting assets. The system can swiftly swap assets on any integrated DEX, streamlining lending by negating the need for multiple pools and ensuring liquidity providers handle only stable assets. Ishan Pandey: How does Nolus navigate the complexities of the DeFi space, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance and building trust among users? Kamen Trendafilov: Nolus is a non-custodial DeFi cross-chain money market. It ultimately defines a money market between lenders looking to earn real yield on deposited stablecoins and borrowers looking to amplify holdings with more assets than their current equity. And Nolus blockchain and smart contracts connect all participants in our ecosystem. Nolus is an open-sourced protocol with multiple audits and a high appetite for simplifying the complexity of DeFi and making it more accessible to a broader user base. Ishan Pandey: How do you approach risk management, especially in ensuring a lower liquidation rate compared to other money markets? Kamen Trendafilov: Nolus boasts lower liquidation terms compared to competitors courtesy of its unique design. In Nolus, the downpayment provided by the borrower and the loan in stables from liquidity providers both are used to purchase the desired digital asset. This represents three times more exposure compared to regular crypto lenders. Because both the down payment together with the loan are locked into a DeFi Lease position and act as collateral, borrower has larger exposure to the asset bu also lower margin call risk by 40% compared to other blockchain lenders. During the amplified position with lower risk, the borrowers can utilize the assets within their active lease position in yield strategies whitelisted by the Protocol, basically creating self-repaying loans. For example, liquid staking derivatives will earn 20% APY which will create a margin of profits on the amplified position once interest is covered. The DeFi Lease comes at a never-changing interest rate and has no other related costs. Also, the price of the leveraged asset is fixed at the lease creation, thus any upside of the asset is for the borrower to keep. In short, the borrower actually gets more exposure at lower risk in a fully decentralized manner, together with yield strategies and upside appreciation. Ishan Pandey: Nolus aims to simplify and enhance cross-chain DeFi experiences. Could you share the near-term plans? Kamen Trendafilov: Nolus aims at being inclusive for beginner DeFi users, as well as proficient and experienced ones. Ultimately, Nolus aims to simplify and enhance cross-chain DeFi experiences for everyone by becoming the one-stop-shop for your crypto transaction. In the pipeline we have DEX integrations (including EVM chains), asset listings, product expansion, tired staking system. We also aim at eliminating the user’s need to perform many transactions on different chains but rather use only Nolus to interact with different liquidity hubs and assets. Ishan Pandey: Nolus is actively involved in the Cosmos ecosystem. How do you navigate the competitive landscape within Cosmos and position Nolus as a standout platform in comparison to competitors? Kamen Trendafilov: We firmly believe that Nolus’ offerings are unique and Nolus is positioned to technologically and financially become a safe harbor during crypto market’s volatility. Nolus’ rapid growth is a testament to its unique selling propositions and user demand for safe and long-term investment opportunities. In the past 8 months after launch, a total of $50m of transactional volume have been processed with more than 50 thousand wallets interacting with the blockchain. DeFi leases exceed $25m in 25 different assets, while TVL currently stands at $5m. We are certain this is just the beginning of a long road for Nolus. Ishan Pandey: With a focus on education, what strategies does Nolus plan to employ to simplify technical aspects for new users and position itself as a go-to solution within the Cosmos ecosystem? Kamen Trendafilov: First of all, Nolus has carefully crafted a simple, easy-to-grasp UI that comes from best practices of traditional financial platforms. Everything on Nolus (including swaps, buys, lending, borrowing and staking) comes at a simple one-click step. We are also actively engaged in providing simplified and elaborate explanations of every single functionality of the protocol. The main goal here is to increase crypto adoption and usage though well-known web2 practices in the world of finance. Ishan Pandey: How do you perceive the current challenges associated with the present bull run, such as increased market volatility and potential risks of liquidation, affecting the lending and borrowing market? Kamen Trendafilov: As every cycle on the crypto and regular markets, the biggest inefficiency has always been the increased leverage we observe at the very top of the bull. Market volatility in the crypto market is set to decrease as we embrace more and more the technology and core capabilities of the network. Risk of liquidation, however, is always highest when we increase the leverage in the system. This is really where we position Nolus - our solution actually cuts down the DeFi sector's high over-collateralization standards, thus decreasing the levels of liquidations and protects borrowers from getting trimmed. Furthermore, Nolus has embedded a partial liquidation model (rather than full liquidation model), thus further protecting its borrowers. If a liquidation trigger is reached, a portion of the collateral will be sold to cover part of the debt and return the lease to a healthier level. But the beauty of it is that the position is still active and potentially can recover in time thus providing yet another safeguard to the borrower. Ishan Pandey: How do you see the adoption of blockchain and DeFi transforming the traditional financial sector, and what challenges and opportunities do you anticipate in this process? Kamen Trendafilov: Absolutely. It will be a long way to go, of course, but principles and methodologies in DeFi are already transforming different aspects of traditional finance operations. The blockchain technology connects people, wallets and institutions like nothing before and it will be more than widely used in many game-changing transformations we will encounter in the following years. The opportunity is obvious - large scale transactions, cross-border, cheap and simple; a one-click to reach any point of the world, for every service and product. The challenge lies in scaling securely and safely. Ishan Pandey: In light of the increasing regulatory scrutiny in the crypto space, how does Nolus navigate compliance challenges and work towards ensuring a secure and regulatory-friendly environment for its users? Kamen Trendafilov: Regulations and scrutiny are absolutely essential for mass adoption in the crypto space. As a governance appchain, Nolus is entirely committed to embracing all regulatory developments to follow. We actually welcome such because with regulations comes further growth and prosperity in the space. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR

Nolus: Bridging the Gap in DeFi with Interoperability Across Blockchain Chains

Ishan Pandey: Hi John, welcome to our "Behind the Startup" series. Could you share some insights into your transition from a traditional investment banking background to becoming a FinTech entrepreneur and how your experiences have influenced the vision and direction of MANTRA? I had been in crypto for. For a long time before I actually joined a bank. I bought my first bitcoin in 2013, which was when I was back in university. So I think I've been pretty crypto native in technology, technologically driven, since a very young age. Even when I was at the bank, I was researching fintech and blockchain and other types of financial technology applications. So it was more about the culture and the type of business I wanted to work in. John Patrick Mullin: I definitely like the convergence of both the tech and the finance part, but it was more about this. I think the reason that I ended up shifting out and going into entrepreneurship is the ability to build something from scratch, lead people, work with people on incredibly tough challenges every day, and I'm just a bit of a workaholic, so entrepreneurship suits me. Ishan Pandey: Could you elaborate on the specific products and features that MANTRA is planning to launch to facilitate DeFi participation for both institutional and retail investors? At MANTRA we are building our Module layer which has MANTRA Token Service Module, MANTRA Assets Module, Guard Layer, MANTRA Compliance Module that enable creation, management and trading of RWAs for institutions, businesses, retailers, developers and users at ease. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: How does MANTRA collaborate with regulatory authorities and industry partners to establish best practices and standards for tokenizing RWAs within the DeFi ecosystem? MANTRA is in the process of applying for requisite licensing for on chain exchange and brokerage, as well as asset investment management products in the UAE. We also work with regulated partners in other jurisdictions. One of the ways that we're able to cooperate and adhere to regulatory requirements is through our unique custom guard module on the MANTRA Chain, which allows us to create a compliant cocoon for many of the on chain applications that would require oversight, regulatory oversight and compliance. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: How do tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) contribute to MANTRA’s strategy and offer unique opportunities for investors? Can you provide examples of tokenized RWAs that  MANTRA Finance plans to offer? MANTRA plans to offers a variety of RWAs to offer unique and extensive opportunities that includes stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate, art work and varied illiquid Traditional Assets. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: What motivated the decision to debut yield-bearing DeFi products initially, followed by the launch of a Central Limit Order Book (CLOB) DEX and derivative products? Initially, we decided that it would make the most sense to launch with vault style products or yield bearing products, which obviously allow users to get exposure to not just RWAs, but other types of crypto yield bearing instruments. I think the two things in crypto that people are interested in is both the yield seeking part as well as the speculative part. So we want to cater to both parts of this user experience. We believe that naturally an exchange is really important to have within an ecosystem, whether that's a DEX, an order book exchange, etc. but we also believe in bringing finance onchain. So it made sense to launch an onchain sentiment order book that sits on top of an AMM, allowing for both. Simple swapping as well as more sophisticated trading structures. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: What role does MANTRA Chain play within the MANTRA ecosystem, and how does it generate revenue? John Patrick Mullin: MANTRA Chain is the underpinning of everything within the MANTRA ecosystem. The OM token is the center of all this, which is the native token of the MANTRA Chain. We believe in this idea of the app chain thesis. So the protocol that we're developing, which is MANTRA Chain, has created specifically purpose built technology and software that allows applications that build on top of it to comply with local regulations across the globe. It's really the protocol for the entirety of our ecosystem. Ishan Pandey: As MANTRA moves towards its initial equity financing round, what are the key priorities for the company in terms of investor relations and fundraising activities? We raised $11 million, led by Shorooq Partners, which is a leading fintech VC in the UAE. Some of the priorities for the company, now that we've raised this capital, is hiring, expanding the team, growing our licensing capabilities, etc. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: How does MANTRA ensure the integrity and authenticity of tokenized RWAs on its platform, especially considering the potential for fraud or misrepresentation in the tokenization process? MANTRA has its own Guard Module and Passportable DIDs that ensures a walled garden of KYC/KYB and Anti Money Laundering system. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: Could you elaborate on the potential challenges associated with cross-border compliance and regulatory differences when dealing with tokenized RWAs from various jurisdictions, and how MANTRA plans to address them? One of the things that is obviously incredibly important when it comes to dealing with RWAs and other types of products is the ability to adhere to local regulations. So because of that, we built this idea of the guard module, which allows for permissioning across the wallet, the product, the pool, the asset, etc. and we have this customizable ability to allow and permission usage from individuals from different jurisdictions and also block them from others. So we can actually stop people who are not able to touch and interact with products at the smart contract level via this guard module. John Patrick Mullin: Ishan Pandey: How does MANTRA plan to educate investors about the benefits and risks of investing in tokenized RWAs compared to traditional financial instruments? Education is a really important thing when you're creating a new market, and we're definitely beating the drum for RWAs and tokenized on chain financial products. We're doing interesting things with respect to various hackathons. Obviously a lot of in person engagement, educational content from our social media team and marketing team, and we'll also have some unique incubator style arrangements where we'll be actually supporting teams to build on this RWA focused ecosystem. John Patrick Mullin: Additionally, we're cooperating with major academic institutions, particularly their blockchain clubs, that will allow us to educate the next generation about onchain financial products. Ishan Pandey: How does MANTRA perceive the role of RWAs in the future of crypto? Additionally, how does MANTRA aim to bring RWAs into the mainstream investor's radar? John Patrick Mullin: I believe that RWAs are just an extension of the financial system bringing it on chain. RWAs is frankly a bad acronym, it was called STO not too long ago. So I think there's a better way to actually describe these type of products and it's mainly just geared around tokenization. So I believe almost everything can be tokenized. That doesn't mean everything should be tokenized, but most financial products and platforms in my opinion in the future will be on some degree of a blockchain, although you may not know that it's on a blockchain. So I think this is incredibly important for our strategy. We believe the financial ecosystem is moving onchain and we'll be at the forefront of that. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR

Bridging Traditional Finance and Crypto: The Rise of MANTRA's Tokenization Ecosystem

ঐতিহ্যগত অর্থ এবং ক্রিপ্টো ব্রিজিং: MANTRA এর টোকেনাইজেশন ইকোসিস্টেমের উত্থান

Brücke zwischen traditionellem Finanzwesen und Kryptowährungen: Der Aufstieg des Tokenisierungs-Ökosystems von MANTRA

Uniendo las finanzas tradicionales y las criptomonedas: el auge del ecosistema de tokenización de MANTRA

Faire le lien entre la finance traditionnelle et la cryptographie : l'essor de l'écosystème de tokenisation de MANTRA

पारंपरिक वित्त और क्रिप्टो को जोड़ना: MANTRA के टोकनाइजेशन इकोसिस्टम का उदय

従来の金融と仮想通貨の橋渡し: MANTRA のトークン化エコシステムの台頭

전통적인 금융과 암호화폐 연결: MANTRA 토큰화 생태계의 부상

Unindo finanças tradicionais e criptografia: a ascensão do ecossistema de tokenização do MANTRA

Соединение традиционных финансов и криптовалюты: развитие экосистемы токенизации MANTRA

Geleneksel Finans ve Kripto Arasında Köprü Kurmak: MANTRA'nın Tokenizasyon Ekosisteminin Yükselişi

Kết nối tài chính truyền thống và tiền điện tử: Sự trỗi dậy của hệ sinh thái mã thông báo của MANTRA

连接传统金融和加密货币：MANTRA 代币化生态系统的崛起

Navigating New RWA Horizons: Rick Schmitz on Bridging Blockchain and Traditional Finance

A Revolution is Underway in Finance Decentralized finance has experienced rapid growth at an amazing pace as compared to the adoption of teleview, laptops and other technology appliances, but challenges around data and transparency still loom large if it is to reach its full potential. Issues such as ensuring reliable access to information and navigating an evolving regulatory landscape don't have straightforward solutions. Building trust also remains difficult when centralized control leaves systems open to influence. A new partnership between financial powerhouse Nomura and upstart DeFi project Pyth signals that mindsets may finally be shifting. In a surprise alliance, Laser Digital - a Nomura subsidiary - has teamed up with the Pyth Network. This is awesome for the DeFi industry. Their goal is to address precisely the problems that have held the sector back: namely, concerns related to data reliability and transparency. By providing Pyth's platform institutional-grade market data via Laser Digital, while leveraging blockchain's inherent transparency, this collaboration aims to strengthen the very foundations of the burgeoning industry. It might even help accelerate DeFi's integration with traditional finance models. Is this indication that the tide is turning in decentralized finance's favor? Some believe that with major institutional players now paying attention, DeFi could be on the brink of fundamentally upending global finance in the years ahead. While uncertainty still abounds, one thing is clear - change is most definitely underway. This partnership suggests the revolution may at last be gaining real impetus. Only time will tell where the intertwining of Wall Street and decentralized technologies ultimately leads. But it seems the future of finance is growing increasingly difficult to predict. Nomura Steps into DeFi The alliance between the organizations signals that Nomura sees real potential in the decentralized finance space to disrupt and transform the traditional banking industry in APAC and America, the company is taking a long-term view on how TradiFi and DeFi will merge together, providing better financial opportunities to retail investors. By collaborating with innovative young companies in DeFi, Nomura is aiming to get on the ground floor of this tech-driven evolution in finance and be part of the future of finance, which democratizes financial opportunities for everyone. Ensuring Reliable Data for DeFi At the core of the partnership is Pyth Network's goal of providing decentralized apps (or dapps) with more dependable market data. Using blockchain tech, Pyth believes it can deliver information with greater efficiency and stability than traditional sources. I believe this is great for the industry! This is where Laser Digital comes in. By supplying Pyth with the types of institutional-grade financial data it's accustomed to, Laser Digital acknowledges how critical trustworthy information is for the budding DeFi ecosystem to flourish. Reliable stats underpin not just dapps themselves but also build confidence in users. Gaining Traction via Transparency One of Pyth's key selling points is its focus on transparency and decentralization. This fosters a secure, verifiable environment for DeFi platforms to gain wider acceptance. Transparency also helps address past concerns about data manipulation holding the industry back. Bridging Wall Street and DeFi Innovation The tie-up between Laser Digital and Pyth Network signifies efforts to blend traditional high finance with novel decentralized models. It underscores a growing openness within the industry to DeFi's potential to revolutionize banking as we know it. Over time, the lines between Wall Street and blockchain tech may continue to blur. Overcoming Hurdles on the Horizon While alliances like this open doors, challenges around regulation and compliance still loom large on DeFi's road ahead. As adoption expands, proactively navigating these issues will be paramount. If successful, partnerships could help DeFi deliver on its promise of accessible, transparent finance for all. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR ested Interest Disclosure:

Nomura and Pyth Pioneer a New Era in Finance: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Banking and DeFi 

নোমুরা এবং পাইথ ফিনান্সে একটি নতুন যুগের পথপ্রদর্শক: প্রথাগত ব্যাঙ্কিং এবং ডিফাইয়ের মধ্যে ব্যবধান কমানো

Nomura und Pyth läuten eine neue Ära im Finanzwesen ein: Überbrückung der Lücke zwischen traditionellem Bankwesen und DeFi

Nomura y Pyth son pioneros en una nueva era en las finanzas: cerrar la brecha entre la banca tradicional y DeFi

Nomura et Pyth ouvrent une nouvelle ère en matière de finance : combler le fossé entre la banque traditionnelle et la DeFi

नोमुरा और पाइथ ने वित्त में एक नए युग की शुरुआत की: पारंपरिक बैंकिंग और डेफी के बीच अंतर को पाटना

野村とパイスが金融の新時代を開拓：従来の銀行業務とDeFiの間のギャップを埋める

Nomura와 Pyth는 금융의 새로운 시대를 개척합니다: 기존 은행과 DeFi 간의 격차 해소

Nomura e Pyth são os pioneiros de uma nova era nas finanças: preenchendo a lacuna entre o sistema bancário tradicional e o DeFi

Nomura и Pyth открывают новую эру в финансах: преодоление разрыва между традиционным банкингом и DeFi

Nomura ve Pyth Finansta Yeni Bir Döneme Öncülük Ediyor: Geleneksel Bankacılık ile DeFi Arasındaki Boşluğu Kapatmak

Nomura và Pyth Tiên phong kỷ nguyên mới trong lĩnh vực tài chính: Thu hẹp khoảng cách giữa ngân hàng truyền thống và DeFi

野村证券和 Pyth 开创了金融新时代：弥合传统银行与 DeFi 之间的差距

For decades, traditional finance and decentralized protocols have operated in separate spheres. But a new development is poised to break down the barriers between them: the rise of real-world asset tokenization. By bringing tangible, "brick-and-mortar" assets onto blockchain networks, projects are literally bridging the gap between centralized and decentralized worlds. Real estate, commodities, loans, and more are now represented as cryptographic tokens thanks to innovative platforms disrupting the status quo. The implications could reshape the entire financial landscape. By unlocking trillions currently locked up in illiquid assets, a huge amount of new value is opening up for investors and economies worldwide. Tokenizing real estate, commodities, loans, and more allows these large assets to be divided into affordable fractional pieces. Now, everyday investors can directly participate in markets usually reserved for big players. Welcome to the new world of inclusive investing. Pioneers Blazing the Trail Outlets like MakerDAO, whose stablecoin DAI is collateralized by real estate deeds, are leading the charge. Creditcoin puts private loans on-chain, while Maple Finance connects institutional lenders and crypto borrowers using tokenized real assets. Centrifuge and Goldfinch similarly securitize and fund everything from invoices to equipment on decentralized networks. Their success points to massive untapped potential. As more asset classes become tokenized - think carbon credits, intellectual property, and beyond - an entirely new asset class is emerging where crypto and traditional holdings intersect. Investment opportunities and wealth creation possibilities are multiplying at an exponential rate. For now, let's first explore the benefits of RWA in DeF. In our work with DeFi projects, we mostly see: 1. Liquidity enhancement Tokenizing traditionally illiquid assets enables their conversion into divisible and tradable tokens, enhancing liquidity and facilitating more efficient transactions. This improved liquidity leads to more accurate price discovery and reduced transaction costs. 2. Fractional ownership By breaking down high-value assets into smaller, affordable units, tokenization opens up investment opportunities to a broader audience. This democratization of access allows retail investors to participate in markets previously reserved for institutional players. 3. Diversification Integrating RWAs into DeFi platforms enables users to diversify their investment portfolios by including real-world assets alongside cryptocurrencies. This diversification can help mitigate risk and optimize returns. But Bridging Worlds Is No Easy Feat For all its benefits, merging physical and digital finance comes with dilemmas to unravel. Chief among them is maintaining a clear, verifiable link between on- and off-chain assets - no easy task across disparate jurisdictions and compliance frameworks. Regulation, too, poses knotty issues, as decentralized networks interact with regulated, "real world" assets in novel ways. Navigating rules sensitively will be paramount, requiring cooperation between authorities, firms, and communities. Technology alone won't solve governance challenges. P.S. Check out some of my previous articles at HackerNoon: Google Introduces Gemma: Revolutionary Access to Pre-Trained AI Models Sora's AI Innovation Set to Disrupt Video Content Creation Breaking Down the Next Big Thing in NFTs: ERC-404 Spotlight Gemini 1.5 Unleashes Unprecedented Context for AI Applications The AI Revolution in Journalism: A New Era of Enhanced Reporting DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups

Bridging the Great Divide: How Real-World Assets Are Combining TradFi and DeFi

Welcome to our enlightening session of the "Behind the Startup" series. Today, we're thrilled to host Robby Greenfield IV, the visionary founder of Umoja, a trailblazing platform at the intersection of blockchain technology and financial innovation. With a rich background in financial engineering, product management, and a remarkable journey through giants like Goldman Sachs, Amazon, and ConsenSys, Robby brings a wealth of experience and insights. Umoja, born from a passion to democratize financial services, stands out as a beacon of innovation in the crypto world. Join us as Robby shares his inspiring journey, the genesis of Umoja, and how it's shaping the future of hedging in the cryptocurrency market. Revolutionizing Crypto Hedging: How Umoja Guarantees Market-Loss Insurance Without Liquidation Fears Ishan Pandey: Hi Robby, delighted to welcome you to our "Behind the Startup" series. Can you share insights into your background, and your involvement in prior ventures also what inspired you to found Umoja? Absolutely! Glad to be a part of the series. I’ve been a financial engineer & product manager for over a decade, and started my journey in crypto in 2011. I started my career at Goldman Sachs, and have since worked at Cisco Systems, Amazon, and ConsenSys. At ConsenSys, I was their Head of Social Impact, and deployed over a dozen dApps & blockchain initiatives across 17 emerging markets globally, having worked with the likes of the U.S. State Dept., the UNOPs, Oxfam International, Harvard, and the World Bank. Robby Greenfield IV: Umoja actually spun out of ConsenSys originally as ConsenSys Social Impact, focused on enabling digital humanitarian aid on-chain for the underbanked by offering digital wallets compatible with WhatsApp, NFC Cards, and feature phones. After disbursing over $3M to tens of thousands of beneficiaries across 6 countries, we pivoted into hedging after realizing many of our customers and competitors greatly struggled with FX hedging due to the international nature of their organizations. Given that we know fiat, and all RWAs will come on chain, and the fact that our team has decades of Web3 and TradFi experience,  it made sense to capture this opportunity and protocolize hedging. Ishan Pandey: How does Umoja address the unique challenges of the crypto market through its hedging solutions? Umoja enables anyone to hedge their crypto losses like a hedge fund without the fear of liquidation. To put it simply - it’s like a market-loss insurance plan to lock in your gains with zero technical knowledge. We do this by creating synthetic options replicated through the algorithmic trade of leveraged, perpetual futures. In this way, we don’t need LPs and can offer option-like exposure more flexibly and affordably than nearly every other options protocol and exchange in crypto - all while making it easy to use and understand by retail investors. Robby Greenfield IV: Ishan Pandey: How does Umoja's automated hedging solution stand out in the market, especially in comparison to other options exchanges? Robby Greenfield IV: We don’t require any LP liquidity, we’re up to 30x more affordable on up-front costs. We’re much more flexible to use (can opt out anytime from a hedge). We’re the simplest to use. We’re more customizable - able to create DeFi-niche hedges like that for Uniswap LP positions, or de-peg derivatives. This is particularly true for non ETH/BTC markets, where the options markets are very illiquid. What we’re creating is DeFi’s first risk primitive - enabling tokenized investment strategies with strong downside protection - rather than just something that generates yield on a declining asset. Ishan Pandey: Can you elaborate on how Umoja provides more flexibility in terms of the duration of hedges and strike options than any other options exchange? How does it enhance user experience? When you purchase a traditional option - whether in TradFi or in Crypto, you have to purchase it at a standardized strike rate and term (e.g., 5% at 1 Month). This is because crypto options markets are much more illiquid than TradFi options markets, and because options have attributes like strike rates and terms, liquidity has to be concentrated into separate, standardized bands. Too much flexibility will cause even more illiquidity - and thus it is not currently possible to hyper-customize your strike and terms with crypto options in the traditional market. Additionally, traditional crypto options face much higher counterparty risk, as there has to be someone who wants your exact option in order for you to get out of that position. Robby Greenfield IV: In contrast, since Umoja replicates the value of options through algo trading perpetual futures, our counterparty risk is much lower. No one needs to buy an option from Umoja hedgers, because they didn’t purchase one in the first place. The counterparty is the underlying asset’s future’s market. For example, BTC’s future’s market monthly trading volume for , whereas its monthly options trading volume for that same month was . That means Umoja’s synthetic options are nearly 30x more liquid. Additionally, we can hyper-customize strikes and terms because - again - it’s a synthetic option not bound by the standardized liquidity constraints of the traditional options market. January 2024 was $1.29T $43.34B Our UX is the best in crypto derivatives. Inspired by Uniswap, you can literally hedge your market losses in less than 20 seconds. By simplifying the options experience by making them more customizable and attaching them to a useful context - protecting one’s money & locking in your gains - it doesn’t make sense for any trader or retail investor to go anywhere else. Ishan Pandey: Can you walk us through the process of how users can select the right fund, pay a fee, provide collateral, and receive Hedge Tokens? How does this process make it easy for users to interact with the platform? Hedging on Umoja takes 5 simple steps: Robby Greenfield IV: Choose a token you want to protect. Choose how much of that token you want to protect. Choose the date up until you want to protect it. Choose a price at which your protection should start. Put down 10% collateral and pay a small fee to Umoja. That’s it. Hedgers are never liquidated and can opt-out the hedge at any time without suffering from high counterparty risk. Hedgers may, however, need to top-up their collateral from time to time depending on the length of their hedge and market volatility if they want to maintain their full coverage. If they decide not to, their coverage will gradually decay over time. Ishan Pandey: Can you discuss the significance of your partnership with the first Crypto Hedge Fund and Chainlink, and the pending partnerships with Avalanche, Gogopool, and Benqi? Though I don’t want to spill the beans too much - let’s say that there are some exciting developments coming to DeFi. ‘Zero-Loss’ staking via hedging-embedded, liquid-staking tokens, crypto hedge funds leveraging the protocol, and LP position hedging via price feeds are some of those developments. Robby Greenfield IV: Ishan Pandey: With your background in blockchain and social impact, how do you see Umoja contributing to financial inclusion? Retail traders lost $1.8T over the last bear market - mainly due to not being able to protect themselves and buying the downside of whales and hedge funds. According to Pew Research Center polls in 2021 and 2022, some 20% of Black, Hispanic and Asian U.S. adults have bought, traded or used cryptocurrency, compared with 13% of white adults. This means that bear markets disproportionately affect communities of color, and having a way for those communities, and quite frankly, everyone to protect themselves from losses in a way that’s easy to use is an essential public good. Robby Greenfield IV: Ishan Pandey: In your opinion, how can widespread hedging positively impact the crypto ecosystem? It will create a world where people can opt to take on downside risk of a native asset. You can choose to either holde hedged ETH (uETH) at a premium, or normal ETH (and take on losses). Simply put - this makes DeFi and crypto at large more financially responsible. No more betting the mortgage or the dichotomy between WAGMI and going broke. Robby Greenfield IV: Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

Robby Greenfield IV on Founding Umoja: Bridging Traditional Finance and Web3 with a Decade of Expert

উমোজা প্রতিষ্ঠায় রবি গ্রিনফিল্ড IV: এক দশকের বিশেষজ্ঞের সাথে ঐতিহ্যগত অর্থায়ন এবং ওয়েব3 ব্রিজিং

Robby Greenfield IV über die Gründung von Umoja: Mit einem Jahrzehnt Erfahrung verbindet er traditionelle Finanzen und Web3

Robby Greenfield IV sobre la fundación de Umoja: uniendo las finanzas tradicionales y la Web3 con una década de expertos

Robby Greenfield IV sur la création d'Umoja : relier la finance traditionnelle et le Web3 avec une décennie d'experts

उमोजा की स्थापना पर रॉबी ग्रीनफील्ड IV: एक दशक के विशेषज्ञ के साथ पारंपरिक वित्त और वेब3 को जोड़ना

Robby Greenfield IV が Umoja の設立について語る: 10 年にわたる専門家による従来の金融と Web3 の橋渡し

Umoja 설립에 관한 Robby Greenfield IV: 10년의 전문가와 전통적인 금융 및 Web3 연결

Robby Greenfield IV sobre a fundação do Umoja: unindo finanças tradicionais e Web3 com uma década de especialistas

Робби Гринфилд IV о создании «Умоджи»: соединение традиционных финансов и Web3 с десятилетним опытом экспертов

Robby Greenfield IV, Umoja'nın Kuruluşu: Geleneksel Finans ve Web3'ü On Yıllık Uzmanla Birleştirmek

Robby Greenfield IV về việc thành lập Umoja: Kết nối tài chính truyền thống và Web3 với một thập kỷ chuyên gia

罗比·格林菲尔德四世 (Robby Greenfield IV) 谈创立“团结”系统：通过十年的专家在传统金融和 Web3 之间架起桥梁

In an enlightening conversation for the "Behind the Startup" series, Louis Bellet, the dynamic force behind Yellow Network, shares the intriguing story of its inception and its ambitious mission to redefine the cryptocurrency trading landscape. Born from the strategic merger of Openware.com and Yellow Trading, Yellow Network emerges as a groundbreaking solution, tackling the industry's pressing challenges head-on. With a focus on security, efficiency, and decentralization, Bellet details the innovative mechanisms and future-forward technologies that make Yellow Network a beacon of progress in the digital asset ecosystem. Revolutionizing Crypto Trade: Louis Bellet Unveils Yellow Network's Vision Ishan Pandey: Hi Louis, great to have you here for our "Behind the Startup" series. Can you share the story behind the founding of Yellow Network and what inspired you to start this venture? Louis Bellet: Yellow Network was born as a result of a collaboration of two established players in the industry. My journey began with Openware.com, where we built over 150 trading platforms, gaining unique insights into the pains and gains of both institutional and retail crypto businesses. Meanwhile, my partner Alexis, one of the founders of GSR and Yellow Trading, brought an in-depth perspective from the trading side. Our combined understanding of the industry's challenges led us to create Yellow Network. It represents our collaborative effort to innovate and solve persistent issues in the digital asset ecosystem, aiming to revolutionize the way digital assets are traded. Ishan Pandey: Can you elaborate on how Yellow Network aims to make cryptocurrency trading leaner, more efficient, and more secure in the current blockchain landscape? Louis Bellet: One of the main issues of the crypto industry today is the absence of the proper trading infrastructure. Yellow Network solves this by introducing a decentralized clearing system. It is designed to minimize reliance on a single market player with no separation of responsibilities, thus greatly reducing counterparty risks and removing potential points of failure. This approach connects brokers and exchanges across blockchains, enabling efficient and secure cross-chain trading and clearing. Yellow Network optimizes capital management through position netting, and streamlined settlement processes that consolidate a batch of trades into a single transaction. Ishan Pandey: How does Yellow Network utilize a P2P network and state channels to connect brokers across various blockchains? Louis Bellet: The P2P approach enables brokers to instantly connect to other network participants to match orders and execute trades directly with each other in a decentralized manner, bypassing the traditional centralized framework. State channels facilitate private, secure off-chain transactions between parties, ensuring privacy, scalability and efficiency without compromising the blockchain's integrity. In this way, we can bring ultra-high-frequency trading and minimize transaction costs, while also being able to trade assets cross-chain. Ishan Pandey: Could you explain in more detail how Yellow Network's automated smart clearing protocol and its significance in the context of cryptocurrency trading? Louis Bellet: Our core component is called ClearSyncTM; it is a protocol that automates the post-trade process, including the clearing and settlement of trades, through smart contracts. It handles all activities from the moment a transaction commitment is made until it is settled, similar to traditional finance clearing processes​​. Key features of ClearSyncTM include the ability to open and close trading channels, deposit collateral in various cryptocurrencies, and send high-frequency margin-calls requests off-chain. In addition, it offers the flexibility to request settlements using different methods, including atomic cross chain swaps, or even third-party custodians. It also handles disputes on a portofolio state to unlock the collateral, enhancing the security and reliability of the trading process​​. Essentially, ClearSyncTM reduces counterparty risk and eliminates the need for intermediaries, leading to a more streamlined and less costly trading process. Ishan Pandey: What features make Yellow Network an all-in-one Web3 solution, and how is it tailored for the global retail market? Louis Bellet: Yellow Network offers a comprehensive suite of tools and services tailored to the needs and expectations of a global crypto market. Features such as cross-chain liquidity access, decentralized identity management, and integrated wallet services serve well for both beginners and experienced traders. Among other things, the platform also features: Decentralized trading, allowing participants to trade using their nearest node; Scalable infrastructure: with the use of state channels to enable swift, efficient off-chain trading and clearing suitable for high-frequency trading​​; Enhanced liquidity access as opposed to traditional silos, offering seamless liquidity exchange across platforms and chains​​; Minimized counterparty risks with the automated netting and operates collateral and safety deposits for secure settlements​​; Capital efficiency for consolidating trades and lowering margin requirements, optimizing capital usage​​; A broker-dealer model that aligns with regulatory preferences and streamlines broker operations​​. Ishan Pandey: Can you provide insights into the decision to merge Openware and Yellow Trading to form Yellow Network? How has this merger contributed to the company's overall strategy? Louis Bellet: The decision to merge was strategic in nature and aimed at uniting our expertise in blockchain development and financial markets. When we first started working together with Alexis, we quickly realized that we have an aligned vision of the future of crypto and a similar outlook on how the main problems of the industry can be tackled. We have leveraged Openware's technical expertise in building infrastructure for exchanges with Yellow Trading's market insights, which created Yellow Network as we know it now. Ishan Pandey: Can you elaborate on Yellow Trading's role as a market maker and startup incubator within the Yellow Network ecosystem? Louis Bellet: Yellow Trading plays a dual role within Yellow Network. As a market maker, it provides liquidity, ensuring efficient and stable market operations. This is crucial in creating a fruitful trading environment, especially in emerging or less liquid markets. As a startup incubator, Yellow Trading nurtures innovative blockchain projects, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and network support to succeed, further enriching and integrating them into the Yellow Network ecosystem. Ishan Pandey: How do you perceive the current state of blockchain adoption globally, and what role does Yellow Network play in driving adoption? Louis Bellet: The global adoption of blockchain is primarily focused on trading and speculation. However, most traders don't fully utilize the benefits of the blockchain; they simply can’t; due to the isolated nature of exchanges and scalability issues. Blockchains are not the complete solution for decentralizing trading, but rather a component of the infrastructure. Yellow Network bridges the gap between isolated trading platforms and chains, facilitating efficient, real-time cross-chain transactions. This innovative approach progresses blockchain usage beyond current limitations, positioning Yellow Network at the forefront of promoting broader blockchain adoption and transforming the cryptocurrency trading landscape. Ishan Pandey: Looking ahead, how do you anticipate the regulatory landscape for blockchain and cryptocurrency evolving, and what preparations is Yellow Network making for potential regulatory changes? Louis Bellet: The regulatory framework for blockchain and cryptocurrency is expected to evolve towards greater clarity and structure, much like in traditional finance. In traditional finance, separating responsibilities like custody, exchange, and clearing is standard practice for risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. We are anticipating and aligning with this trend by distributing these functions. Our broker-dealer model, part of the network's design, separates these roles, reducing the risk of having all operations centralized in one entity. Our goal is to remain adaptable and responsive to regulatory changes, ensuring the longevity and legitimacy of our platform. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

Bridging Gaps in Crypto Trading: The Strategic Vision of Yellow Network

BRIDGR.IO

bridgr.io

-- employees

Since n.d.

COMPANY RANKING

BRIDGR.IO

EVERGREEN INDEX #1631

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

BRIDGR.io WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!

BRIDGR.IO

bridgr.io

-- employees

Since n.d.

COMPANY RANKING

BRIDGR.IO

EVERGREEN INDEX #1631

RELATED COMPANIESRANK

STORIES ABOUT BRIDGR.IO

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

BRIDGR.io WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!