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EP. 16 Private by Design: Building Crypto’s Safer Future with Max From Arcane Finance
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In this episode of The SwapSpace Huddle, we explore one of crypto’s most nuanced frontiers: on-chain privacy and social trading — with Max, co-founder of Arcane Finance and the stealth-mode project Trend.Run.
From getting paid in Bitcoin back in 2014 (and selling at $200!) to building privacy-first trading protocols on Alio Network, Max shares what it means to live on-chain without giving up control — or your identity. We unpack the messy relationship between regulation and privacy, the UX hurdles slowing down DeFi, and why crypto’s next billion users might never need a bank.
We also get a sneak peek at Trend.Run, a protocol that rethinks copy trading by aligning incentives, verifying performance, and keeping reputations on-chain.
Whether you're a DeFi power user, a privacy advocate, or just curious about where crypto's going next — this episode offers a candid look at the tension between decentralization and adoption, and what happens when you try to have the best of both worlds.
⏱️ Episode Breakdown
🕐 00:22 — Welcome and disclaimer
🕐 00:33 — Meet Max: Arcane Finance and Trend.Run
🕐 01:50 — Crypto origin story: paid in BTC in 2014, sold at $200
🕐 04:36 — The vibe shift: from crypto anarchy to regulatory realism
🕐 06:30 — Can privacy and regulation co-exist?
🕐 07:29 — Why public blockchains limit real-world use cases
🕐 09:08 — Bitcoin as a true escape hatch (but not ideal for daily payments)
🕐 11:41 — Global regulation: UAE, Africa, Europe, and the future of MiCA
🕐 13:19 — Stablecoins as crypto’s Trojan horse for mainstream business
🕐 14:06 — The Tornado Cash chilling effect and a privacy resurgence
🕐 16:28 — UX is broken: the need for hybrid solutions
🕐 20:15 — Zcash vs. Monero: same tech, different PR
🕐 22:43 — Bitcoin ETFs and the TradFi invasion
🕐 26:49 — How developing economies are driving grassroots adoption
🕐 30:06 — The vision for Arcane: private DEXs with smart contract transparency
🕐 37:03 — The case for reusable, ZK-powered digital identity
🕐 48:10 — Arcane on Alio: private, programmable, and already live
🕐 52:46 — Centralized exchanges as unintended privacy tools
🕐 57:26 — Introducing Trend.Run: real social trading with on-chain rep
🕐 01:01:06 — Why public wallets without accountability don’t work
🕐 01:01:59 — Final thoughts: solving crypto’s biggest UX and trust issues
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