It’s hard to wake up everyday and not share what I’m working on.

I had a major shift in my worldview recently. The first topic I want to unpack: transparency vs. privacy. I’ve been in crypto 8 years, helped 2 privacy projects (@EspressoSys when it was a ZK L1, @fhenix back when it was an FHE L2 on ETH) and put on a number of privacy & encryption focused events. I supported privacy, but TBH, I only understood it in a “cute,” abstract, and intellectual way. I grew up middle class in the US (yes I'm a citizen). I’ve always operated under the assumption that most people in the world (US + abroad) are good / kind and just want to do right by their loved ones. As long as you don’t give anyone an incentive to harm you, most people will leave you alone (or even help you if they like your vibe). I’ve been to 22+ countries solo, hung out with everyone from fish farmers to billionaires to government officials — never once had a bad interaction with anyone. I was never harmed. Never saw or was exposed to any bad behavior. I naively thought the horror stories we hear about in the news were outliers & rare exceptions. No system is perfect. Bad actors do exist. And bad things do happen to good ppl. But even then, I still operated under the belief that most ppl in the world were good/ kind. I thought in bad situations, someone would step up and do the right thing when it really mattered. I was wrong. What I didn’t realize: - Transparent systems can be weaponized. - Bad actors can hijack even government compliance tools to monitor, threaten, and force obedience. - When every conversation and transaction is tracked, how do you fund defense or even ask for help? - When people in power are willing to risk everything to win, where do you go? I always thought: I’ve never broken the law, I have nothing to hide. Now I realize privacy isn’t just for people with “something to hide” — it’s for the vulnerable. It’s the only way for ppl who are in need to get help without being punished for it. And here’s the other hard truth: most people are “good,” but strong enough incentives will make them look the other way & even support bad actors. Very few will walk away from money or put themselves at risk for what’s right. That’s why bad actors win. Me? I have an abundance mindset. There are infinite ways to make money. Infinite ways to lead a good life. I’ll never compromise my values — why waste years of my life and reputation chasing something misaligned? There are opportunities everywhere. Takeaway: - Privacy matters because the world has far more vulnerable people — and far more abuses of power — than I ever realized. - Transparency still matters too. It keeps a spotlight on bad actors. - Compliance tools? Necessary at times, but too easily abused. No perfect solution, but the tension between privacy and transparency deserves way more attention. Shout-out to @charleslu1 @benafisch @benediktbuenz @jillgun @m_mosier_ @guyitz @GuyZys @clairekart @Zac_Aztec @zooko @jswihart @PrivacyEthereum @web3privacy @privacyguardia @VitalikButerin @ameensol @RAILGUN_Project for advancing encryption and driving the privacy space forward. I'm sure there are a gazillion other ppl to thank as well, but starting here. I don't know all of you personally, but just wanted to say thanks. I didn't understand privacy before, but I'm starting to.

I played WoW from launch day in 2004 until the end of 2007. I was a Druid, who functioned as a raid leader for a guild which had almost, if not all, server-first achievements and some firsts across all servers. I am always curious if some of my guild members or WoW friends are here on CT, or where they ended up. We spent an exorbitant amount of time together during those years. Looking back, they were some of the best years of my life. I’m certain that in the future, reflecting back on our time now, building the future of finance, will feel very similar. @VitalikButerin, which server and alliance?

Some of our best hires were totally unqualified on paper. They always had the same qualities: entrepreneurial, high agency, smart, mission aligned, and they got shit done. If you’re hiring, especially in early stages, seek out & bet on these people. Don’t over-index on resumes.