Is AI Killing Crypto VC Or Helping It?

<p>Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, joins Crypto In America to break down what it takes to fund the next generation of innovation. </p><p>Leaving a $50 billion hedge fund right as the 2022 crypto winter began, Rob shares how Dragonfly maintained its conviction through the bear market to close its fourth fund at $650 million earlier this year.</p><p>Rob takes us behind the scenes of Dragonfly&#39;s massive bets on teams like Polymarket, explaining how he sees prediction markets gearing up to disrupt institutional hedging. He also dives into the realities of VC returns, why AI is currently sucking the air out of the room, the comeback of US-based founders under new regulatory frameworks, and why perpetual futures (Perps) are the defining financial product of this cycle.</p><p><br></p><p>Timestamps</p><p>00:10 What does crypto in America mean to you?</p><p>01:15 Joining Dragonfly after the FTX collapse</p><p>05:12 Current market climate vs. the &quot;crypto winter&quot;</p><p>08:15 VC pressure: Capital, talent, and the AI boom</p><p>11:02 Crypto-native vs. expansion into AI</p><p>13:05 Consolidation in Venture Capital and solo GPs</p><p>18:41 Founder trends: Returning to the U.S.</p><p>21:05 The status of the Clarity Act</p><p>23:34 Expectations for the SEC and CFTC</p><p>26:55 Tokens vs. Equity and performance metrics</p><p>29:48 Disclosure requirements for tokens</p><p>35:25 What Dragonfly looks for in founders: Vibes vs. Data</p><p>39:26 Overvalued vs. undervalued sectors</p><p>42:42 Deep dive into Polymarket: Why invest?</p><p>44:03 Perpetual Futures (Perps): Why they are a key innovation</p><p>45:47 The AI debate: Open vs. Closed weights</p><p>50:30 Closing</p><p><br></p><p>Follow #CryptoInAmerica</p><p>https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_?lang=en</p><p>https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRj…</p><p>https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…</p><p><br></p><p>Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the content mentioned in this episode.</p><p><br></p><p>This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt </p><p><br></p><p> Follow Us </p><p>https://x.com/jacqmelinek</p><p>https://x.com/thatgerald</p><p>https://x.com/EleanorTerrett</p>