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Hersh and Dawufi spoke with Cain, founder of Synthetix and Infinex, about the future of DeFi, data ownership, and user experience. Cain discussed the limitations of over-collateralized lending and his push for privacy-preserving, uncollateralized solutions through Infinex. He emphasized the importance of verifiable data, the role of zero-knowledge proofs, and Infinex’s use of HTTPS-based proofs to improve access to financial services. The episode highlighted Cain’s vision for a more user-friendly, composable DeFi ecosystem that empowers individuals through control of their data.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - DeFi Breakthroughs and User-Centric Thinking
03:52 -  How ZKPs Make Trust Possible
08:54 - Privacy Gains with HTTPS and MPC
11:01 - What zkTLS Reveals About Encryption Limits
16:35 - The Case Against Collateral in Lending
23:00 - A New Approach to UX and Data Ownership
34:32 - What Crypto Can Learn from Web2
35:28 - Coinbase or DeFi: Which UX Wins?
36:16 - Where Ideals Meet Everyday Users
37:16 - Cypherpunk Roots Meet Modern Design
41:09 - Why Web3 Needs a UX Rethink
52:40 - Timing, Strategy, and the Builder’s Mindset

Disclaimer: The hosts and the firms they represent may hold stakes in the companies mentioned in this podcast. None of this is financial advice.