High Stakes Podcast

Web3. Institutions. Visionaries.

Insights from the leaders shaping the future of Web3, AI, and institutional finance.

Why listen?

Where Industry Leaders Convene

Each episode dives into the shifts, opportunities, and challenges shaping Web3—featuring leaders building the future of blockchain, AI, and institutional finance.

AI x Blockchain | Stablecoins | Real-World Adoption | Macro & Regulation | Staking & Restaking

About the host

Alex Nwaka

Alex Nwaka is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Validation Cloud. Prior to Validation Cloud, Alex spent seven years at Touchdown Ventures (TDV), where he was responsible for the firm's enterprise software investing. Before TDV, Alex helped Estee Lauder Companies transform its corporate development strategy, focusing on nimble, founder-led brands such as Le Labo. Alex also spent time at Virgin Management as part of the US investments team, supporting Virgin Pulse, Virgin Mega (Acquired by Nike), and Virgin Hotels; as well as evaluating direct VC investments. Alex holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Featured Episodes

Denelle Dixon

CEO, Stellar Development Foundation

Denelle Dixon, the CEO of Stellar Development Foundation, discusses her career journey, the mission of Stellar, and the future of blockchain technology. Denelle shares how she got her start as a trial lawyer and how that led her to leadership roles at Yahoo and Mozilla. Alex and Denelle explore Stellar’s role in building the internet for payments, the importance of partnerships like MoneyGram and UNHCR, and the potential of tokenized assets. Denelle also reflects on engaging with policymakers, the impact of the Meridian conference, and her predictions for the blockchain industry in 2025.

Arthur Hayes

CIO, Maelstrom

Arthur Hayes, Co-Founder of BitMEX and CIO of Maelstrom, sits down with Alex to talk about Arthur and Alex's time at Wharton together, Arthur's journey from Wall Street to crypto, the rise of BitMEX and Maelstrom, and how geopolitics, global monetary policy, and decentralization are shaping the future of crypto.

Dan Doney

Managing Director & CTO, DTCC Digital Assets

Alex Nwaka sits with Dan Doney, Managing Director and CTO at DTCC Digital Assets, for an in-depth conversation. With a career spanning the U.S. Navy, the Defense Intelligence Agency, founding the pioneering blockchain company Securrency, and now driving innovation at DTCC, Dan brings a uniquely far-reaching perspective to the future of digital finance. Alex and Dan dive into DTCC’s critical role in modern capital markets, why blockchain is both an opportunity and a necessity for institutional finance, and how global financial systems are converging towards tokenization and institutional DeFi. From commanding nuclear submarines to architecting the next era of market infrastructure, Dan is a one-of-a-kind expert in the blockchain space.