💰 Will Stablecoins Flip TradFi in 2025? Wyatt Lonergan on Tokenized Assets | Ep. #98

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Wyatt Lonergan, a visionary investor at VanEck Ventures, as he shares his incredible journey of becoming a key player in Web3 and blockchain innovation. Wyatt’s story is one of curiosity, resilience, and a passion for building the future of finance. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a crypto enthusiast, or simply curious about Web3, this episode is packed with insights on stablecoins, DeFi, tokenized assets, and venture capital.

What You’ll Learn:

💸 How Wyatt’s early travels to China shaped his entrepreneurial mindset

💸 The pivotal moment that sparked his fascination with blockchain and crypto

💸 Lessons learned from Circle Ventures and how they’re shaping VanEck Ventures

💸 Why stablecoins are the “gateway drug” to crypto and their role in tokenized cash

💸 VanEck’s investment thesis and what they look for in founders

💸 Exciting verticals like DePIN and AI in crypto, and why they’re undervalued

💸 Wyatt’s advice for first-time founders pitching to VCs The future of tokenized assets and the convergence of equity and tokens

💡 Why Watch? Wyatt’s journey is a testament to following curiosity and embracing adventure. From launching an e-commerce business in China to investing in groundbreaking Web3 projects like Legion and Czar, his story will inspire you to think big and stay resilient. If you’re curious about how blockchain is transforming finance or want to learn how to pitch to top VCs, this episode is for you!

What’s your biggest takeaway from Wyatt’s journey? Are you excited about stablecoins, DePIN, or AI in crypto? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! 👇

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell 🔔 for more inspiring Web3 and venture capital content.

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🔗 X: https://x.com/wyatt_lonergan

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✉️ For any business inquiries, email me here: [email protected] ************

Listen to the full podcast here! 🎧 https://anchor.fm/constantinkogan

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Subscribe to my channel:

🔗    / @constantinkogan  

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Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

01:25 – Early Years

01:54 – Kickstarting a Career in Tech and E-commerce

02:24 – Building Brands and Learning Product Development

02:53 – Discovering Crypto: Bitcoin’s Rise in China

03:49 – The Ethereum ICO and Internet Capital Formation

04:45 – Joining Seed Invest and Pioneering Regulations

05:44 – Thrust into Crypto: Circle’s Acquisition

06:41 – From Circle Ventures to VanEck Ventures

08:08 – VanEck’s For-Profit Fund and Strategic Superpowers

09:34 – Inside VanEck’s Entrepreneurial Culture

11:29 – VanEck’s Early Bet on Bitcoin ETFs

12:22 – Paving the Way for Crypto ETFs

12:51 – VanEck’s Investment Thesis

14:49 – The Future of Stablecoins

16:42 – Stablecoins as Acquisition Tools

18:09 – Why VanEck Backed This Capital Formation Platform

21:29 – Stablecoins and Tokenized Cash

24:16 – The Boom of Tokenized Assets and Payments

27:07 – Czar: Uber for Stablecoins in the Global South

30:19 – Stablecoins as a Tool for Value Preservation

31:18 – Undervalued Verticals: DePin and AI in Crypto

34:12 – Backing Compute Marketplaces and AI Talent

36:37 – Crunch: A Marketplace for Decentralized Intelligence

38:05 – VanEck’s Typical Investment Checks and Strategy

40:30 – Top 3 Red Flags for Founders Pitching VCs

43:21 – How Fast Can VanEck Move on a Deal?

44:41 – The Ideal Way to Approach VanEck Ventures

47:00 – Pitching Tips for First-Time Founders

51:22 – Blitz Round

58:31 – Final Thoughts