brett kim

the magic is in the work • applied ai @a16z

prev cs @harvard

[brett kim @brettkim]

@cdixon congrats @eddylazzarin!!

[brett kim @brettkim]

@jaegpark @sentra_app @speedrun @scaletogether @parable_vc @ekaurghar @PrecursorVC @inovia @BackwardsCapVC @AntigravitySF just the beginning 💯

[brett kim @brettkim]

@guywuolletjr @a16zcrypto @cdixon @alive_ @AriannaSimpson @eddylazzarin Congratulations Guy!!

[brett kim @brettkim]

@evanliin very cool, glad to see this come to fruition!

[brett kim @brettkim]

@jeremyzhang01 @a16zcrypto @DarenMatsuoka @eddylazzarin @a16z let's gooooo!!

[karma @0xkarmacoma]

halmos v0.3.0 release highlights!

(quick reminder: halmos is a symbolic testing tool for EVM bytecode which interfaces nicely with foundry projects and supports multiple SMT solvers)

1. we (finally) added support for stateful invariant testing

[brett kim @brettkim]

@ishverduzco @a16zcrypto @DarenMatsuoka 🐐

[a16z crypto @a16zcrypto]

5 charts that explain crypto right now 👀➡️ https://t.co/R1QIq0jlAE

by @DarenMatsuoka

[a16z crypto @a16zcrypto]

Today, we've got a midyear market update and news episode for you.

At the end of last year, our guest — and resident data weatherman — @DarenMatsuoka put out a post on "5 metrics to watch in 2025."

Most of the metrics that Daren picked measure how crypto's adoption: from mobile wallet usage and onchain transaction fees to volume across stablecoins, decentralized exchanges (or DEXs), and exchange traded-products.

Now that we're about midway through 2025, it's a great time for an update.

Timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction
(2:27) Chart 1: Monthly Mobile Wallet Users
(6:16) Chart 2: Adjusted Stablecoin Transaction Volume
(10:01) Chart 3: ETF Net Flows for Bitcoin and Ethereum
(13:30) Chart 4: Decentralized vs Centralized Exchange Volume
(15:50) Chart 5: Total Transaction Fees
(21:46) Emerging Metrics and Industry Insights
(25:07) Recent Industry News and Developments
(27:13) Conclusion

[brett kim @brettkim]

@VirtualElena @merit_systems dream team

[Daren Matsuoka @DarenMatsuoka]

Our CSX Investment in Oncade

The gaming industry is at an inflection point, with AI tools and vibe coding platforms democratizing game development. But when it comes to some of the critical pieces – like payments and distribution – the options are extremely limited and extractive.

@OncadeX offers a new approach. With community-led distribution and more efficient blockchain-based payment rails, the next generation of game makers can earn more money (and keep more of that money earned for themselves!).

Games are perhaps the product most obviously suited to stablecoin-based payment rails – driving billions of microtransactions annually – and as the industry finally begins to unbundle after a decade of consolidation, it’s the right time to redefine the stack.

@Stavroslee, @gregreisdorf, and @jaredtyeager are industry veterans with more than 50 years of combined experience in the gaming industry. They've shipped software at scale to billions of users, including Call of Duty multiplayer, and previously held roles at EA, Razer, Facebook, and Coinbase.

It’s not often we see a team of this caliber going after a huge opportunity at exactly the right time. That’s why we’re so excited to be supporting Oncade as part of the CSX program.

[Daren Matsuoka @DarenMatsuoka]

The People's Ticketmaster is coming.

@KYDNimale and @davbarrick, the founders of @KYDLabs, bring deep ticketing expertise and firsthand experience battling the unfair power dynamics that dominate the live events industry today.

The team has sat down with countless venues, promoters, and agents to discover the real pain points that need to be addressed. From these learnings, they built a ticketing platform with a set of integrated marketing tools that provide crystal clear ROI: After integrating KYD, venues now sell 30% more tickets.

In order to scale this offering, KYD will be introducing a decentralized factoring protocol (for accredited investors), backed by real cash flows from ticket sales. This will allow venues to unlock the capital they need to produce more shows, book bigger talent, and scale faster — creating a powerful flywheel for growth and financial independence across the live events ecosystem.

Ticketing is one of the most brutal, entrenched industries to disrupt — but if anyone can do it, it's Ahmed and David. They know every corner of this business and see every challenge as an opportunity. It’s no surprise KYD became the first crypto-native company in history to win an exclusive ticketing contract with a major U.S. music venue — and they did it in New York City, a cutthroat live events market.

We’re thrilled to have KYD Labs in the CSX SF cohort. I’ve been truly inspired by this team.

None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see https://t.co/vi1XQyc91h for more information.

[Eddy Lazzarin ☀️ @eddylazzarin]

It's true that "not all tokens" are created equal, but the right way to classify them is according to their technical, legal, and economic properties. How they work determines what they are — not just the vibe or name.

[a16z crypto @a16zcrypto]

In this episode, we talk about one of the most familiar — and most misunderstood — mechanics in crypto: the airdrop.

We explore the history of airdrops in and outside crypto, the challenges of incentive design, and learnings from airdrops to date.

We also answer questions like how do you avoid Sybil attacks and professional airdrop farming? Should your drop be big or small, one-time or ongoing? And what happens when AI agents enter the mix?

To break it all down, we’re joined by @eddylazzarin, @DarenMatsuoka, @ahall_research, & @rhackett

Whether you’re planning a token launch, looking for token rewards, or just curious why airdrops have become such a powerful mechanism in crypto — this episode is for you.

Timestamps:
0:00 - introduction
1:42 - what is an airdrop?
6:27 - tokens vs traditional equity
8:49 - incentive design challenges
15:18 - origins from credit cards to crypto
17:14 - Optimism airdrop case study
23:09 - NFT market learnings
28:32 - Sybil resistance and verifying humanity
33:04 - Uniswap airdrop and beyond
36:35 - AI agents and the future of airdrops
40:33 - connection to performance reviews
45:30 - token vesting and volatility
49:08 - experimentation vs. best practices
59:20 - Batesian mimicry

[brett kim @brettkim]

@EmilVLiu 축하해요!

[Daren Matsuoka @DarenMatsuoka]

Pumped that CSX is FINALLY coming to SF...it's going to be a fun couple of months! I can't wait to see all the energy that these incredible teams bring.

[Jason Rosenthal @jasonrosenthal]

I’m excited to announce the cohort for our fourth Crypto Startup Accelerator program (CSX 04), starting this week in San Francisco.

CSX helps early-stage startups building on blockchain technologies to accelerate development and product-market fit. It is an intensive program that provides the expertise, mentorship, and support that startups need to build ambitious products across industries.

Over the next two months, the founders of these companies will get firsthand guidance and support from a16z crypto’s investing and operating teams. We connect founders with capital, industry experts across the a16z network, and a cohort of leading web3 teams. a16z CSX also invests a minimum of $500,000 in each company that’s accepted.

The founders in CSX 04 are coming to San Francisco from countries around the world: Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and across the US.

Here are the companies participating in CSX 04:

Ambient: building a blockchain that integrates large language models for verifiable, censorship-resistant AI capabilities

@CambrianNetwork: provides verifiable data for AI agents engaging in DeFi

@inconetwork: enables confidential compute to existing blockchains

@KYDLabs: building a fully integrated commerce layer designed for live events

@launchercapital: building the next generation of AI agents through gamification and blockchain technology

@MahojinAI: a search-to-generate AI platform that provides exact images through a remixable library

@getoro_xyz: a decentralized intelligence platform unlocking private data for frontier AI

Toji: makes onchain popularity markets for videos

@zardotapp: building a decentralized cash-to-stablecoin platform for emerging markets

Some companies that have been accepted are currently in stealth, and will be named soon. We may also add more companies to the cohort.

Congratulations to each of our CSX 04 companies. I can’t wait to kick things off with them this week.

[brett kim @brettkim]

@SamBroner super creative. love it!!

[Daren Matsuoka @DarenMatsuoka]

2025 is going to be another exciting year for crypto.

Here are 5 metrics I'll be watching closely to track the industry's continued progress 👇

[Eddy Lazzarin ☀️ @eddylazzarin]

There has never been a better time to start a project in crypto: the tech is better, the need is clearer, and the regulatory environment has changed completely. This is it.

If you're starting a project in crypto, you should apply to our first CSX in SF. Please reach out to me directly with questions!