It’s not an exaggeration when we say the crypto industry never sleeps: it’s always evolving. We are joined by Ryan Watkins, co-founder of Syncracy Capital, a leading crypto-focused hedge fund, to discuss how Solana and Ethereum are positioned for the next cycle and why DeFi could be poised for a resurgence as regulation and investor protections improve.
In this episode of Off the Block, Ryan shares how institutions evaluate crypto, the onchain metrics that matter most, and key risks ranging from macro uncertainty to the long-term implications of quantum computing.
Here are our favorite interview questions from the 7th episode:
- 01:33 - “When did you realize that crypto was more than a cyclical trade?”
- 02:58 - “What’s one crypto narrative investors should finally let go of?”
- 05:04 - “Do you think Solana can surpass Ethereum in valuation over the next 5-10 years?”
- 08:35 - “What’s an important on-chain metric investors can use to gauge L1 performance?”
- 09:34 - “How can we compare L1s apples-to-apples using an on-chain metric (competitiveness)?”
- 14:54 - “What is the most misunderstood thing about institutional crypto adoption?”
- 18:22 - “Which narrative are you most bullish on for 2026?”
- 21:55 - “What do you see as the key enabler for DeFi going forward?”
- 24:55 - “What would be the biggest risk to your long-term bull case (DeFi + crypto overall)?”
- 28:41 - “What’s your take on quantum computers – are they an existential threat to crypto?”
- 31:27 - “How would you describe crypto in one word in 2026?”
Tune in to hear the full conversation with hosts Maximiliaan Michielsen and Darius Moukhtarzade, asking the questions on every investor’s mind toward the year-end.
▶️ Listen to the full episode of Off the Block with Ryan Watkins.
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