Houston Blockchain Alliance

I've finally had a chance to reflect on my first #Devcon last week. Bangkok was a truly fantastic choice of location for the event. It was my first time there, and I absolutely loved it! Here's a few of my takeaways: 1. The Ethereum community is strong - some 12.5k people from around the world showed up for Devcon. And this was a lot more "serious" conference, none of the crazy antics from other crypto conferences. 2. The technical capabilities in the ecosystem are off the charts - The quality & range of speakers & their talks was fantastic. 3. Still a lot of talk about the fragmentation of Ethereum via the L2s, and the various proposals on how to fix it. 4. Very little mention of Solana - Perhaps the Ethereum community is confident enough of where its at and doesn't consider Solana a serious threat. 5. The number of side events seems to keep increasing at each of these events. There's now a side event for every interest - rollups, DeFi, DeSci, DePIN, DeAI, DeWhatever... 6. As always, there's nothing like actually meeting friends, colleagues, partners. 30 mins irl > a day of zoom calls! 7. Listening to Vitalik talk is always fun, for various reasons! And a final ode to Bangkok. For those who haven't been, I'd highly recommend. I didn't know what to expect (other than the infamous!) But I found it to be a cosmopolitan, bustling, busy, crazy but beautiful city. I can see why so many expats call it home. Thanks to the Ethereum Foundation for bringing us there! I hope the next Devcon is at an equally inspired location. Houston Blockchain Alliance Lucrisma #Ethereum #Blockchain #Bangkok

Ready to explore how blockchain is transforming the future of homeownership? Join us for an evening featuring ManageLife's groundbreaking approach to bringing real estate on-chain. John Wang, President of Real Estate for ManageLife, will be speaking on "The Tokenization of RWAs: Bringing Real Estate On-Chain" ?? **What You'll Discover:** ? How blockchain technology is making homeownership more accessible ? The mechanics of tokenizing Real World Assets (RWAs) ? Real-world applications of blockchain in residential real estate ? Future opportunities in the tokenized real estate market ?? **Perfect For:** ? Real Estate Professionals ? Blockchain Enthusiasts ? Tech Innovators ? Investment Professionals ? Anyone curious about the future of property ownership ?? Thursday, November 7th, 2024 ? 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM CT ?? The Cannon Community WEST - Theatre Room 1334 Brittmoore Rd Houston, TX 77043 Join us for an evening of insights, networking, and engaging discussions about the intersection of blockchain and real estate. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the future of property ownership!

Let us know if you'd like to join us in Bangkok!

?? A common curiosity for a lot of folks in Web3 is how one fell "down the rabbit hole" of crypto. For me, it wasn't really Bitcoin or crypto, but Ethereum - the smart contract platform. It was the beginning of the Trump presidency back in 2017 (feels like a lifetime ago in more ways than one! ??) I had recently quit J.P. Morgan to pursue my dreams. I had started doing research on blockchain, and I decided that this technology is what was going to change the world, and Ethereum was the medium to do it. I even named my first endeavor Smartereum, in its honor! ?? The Ethereum community in Houston was small(er) back then. But there were a few passionate OGs that would go to every Devcon - THE Ethereum conference - and report the goings on back to us. But over all these years, the stars never aligned for me to go to one myself. ?? But that changes for Devcon 7. After never having been to Southeast Asia, I make it to the region twice in a quarter! I don't think #Bangkok has been on anybody's radar for Web3 (like Singapore has been). Kudos to the Ethereum Foundation & the community for bringing these events to parts of the world that aren't big on the Web3 stage. ?? ???? I'm excited about attending my first Devcon. If you're in Bangkok, hmu. ???? I'd love to catch up! ???????? Houston Blockchain Alliance Lucrisma #Ethereum #Devcon #Bangkok #Blockchain #Crypto

?? Zero-Knowledge Proofs - Privacy isn't just for the good guys Today, let's talk about ZKPs, the cryptographic equivalent of saying "I know something you don't know, but trust me, it's awesome" without actually revealing what that something is. ?Current Landscape: Right now, besides L2s in the Ethereum ecosystem, ZKPs are the other cool, new kid in town in the blockchain space. They're not just about making transactions private; they're about scaling, too. Think ZK rollups, where transactions get bundled off-chain and verified on-chain with a ZKP. Then there are blockchains built from the ground up with ZKPs, like Midnight and Mina. Midnight, from the Cardano Foundation ecosystem, emphasizes privacy while supporting compliance, making it attractive for enterprises balancing privacy with regulatory needs. While Mina is all about being lightweight. It uses recursive ZKPs to maintain the smallest blockchain size in the world, keeping things super-efficient. Both push privacy, but Midnight focuses more on real-world usability, whereas Mina prioritizes minimalism and decentralization. ?? But are there challenges? Well, of course! - Complexity: ZKPs are not for the faint of heart. Understanding SNARKs or STARKs can leave even veteran developers scratching their heads. ????♂? -?Scalability: While they can scale blockchains, generating proofs can still be a heavy lift, taxing hardware and slowing things down. ?? -?Adoption Hump: Getting enterprises on board is like teaching a cat to fetch – they’ll get there, but not without some resistance. ?? ?? But here’s why I’m bullish on the tech - Despite the challenges, ZKPs are set to redefine privacy and efficiency in blockchain. They’re the bridge between massive scalability and privacy, which, in the blockchain world, is like finding the Holy Grail. ??? Here's my Hot Take: In a decade, not using ZKPs for blockchain transactions might be seen as quaint as using dial-up internet. Sure, there are growing pains, but once we figure out how to make provers faster, the sky is the limit. ???Controversial Take: There is going to be regulatory push back to ZKPs, with some arguing that the tech could enable too much anonymity, potentially aiding shady activities. But if every transaction could be traced, how far are we from a nanny state? Privacy isn't just for the good guys, it's for everyone, and ZKPs could be the ultimate enabler. ?? So, are ZKPs the future of blockchain? My answer is - “Yes, but…”. There are some real challenges, technical & otherwise, that some incredibly smart people are working on resolving. Let's buckle up for this ride; it's going to be one heck of a cryptographic roller coaster! ???? Houston Blockchain Alliance Lucrisma #Blockchain #Crypto #Web3 #ZKP #Privacy Remember, folks, in the world of blockchain, today's challenge is tomorrow's case study in innovation. Keep learning, keep questioning, and maybe keep an eye on those GPU prices! ??

The October event of the Houston Blockchain Alliance was, again, unlike the ones from previous months. Our speaker, Clay Holliday from GridBeyond, spoke at length about Bitcoin mining & how it can help the grid, especially in the state of Texas. GridBeyond's technology enables miners to turn on & off their operations at the flick of a button. As Clay mentioned, the Texas grid manager ERCOT even considers bitcoin mining operations as pseudo-batteries, because both can be turned on & off that easily. It was a very interesting talk about a topic that is not front & center for me. But that's what's cool about these HBA events - it has something for everyone! So if you're in the area November 7, come stop by The Cannon West for the November edition of the HBA events. John Wang of ManageLife will talk about a completely different topic - tokenization of real world assets (RWA). Lucrisma CryptoEQ Event Horizon Capital The Cannon Community #Houston #Blockchain #Bitcoin #Texas #Electricity

Join us for the Houston Blockchain Alliance Monthly Meetup at?The Cannon, in partnership with?Lucrisma,?Event Horizon Capital, and?CryptoEQ. October's meetup will feature Clay Holliday of?GridBeyond. GridBeyond is a smart energy company that uses advanced technology to optimize energy asset management and support the transition to a zero-carbon future. Clay will speak on "Supporting Crypto Miners and the Grid." This in-person event is a great opportunity to connect with fellow blockchain enthusiasts in the Houston area. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, come and engage in lively discussions, share insights, and network with like-minded individuals. Discover the latest trends and advancements in blockchain technology while enjoying a friendly and casual atmosphere. Don't miss out on this exciting gathering of blockchain enthusiasts at?The Cannon! See y'all there! #Houston #Blockchain #Web3 #Crypto #Bitcoin #Mining

Just a few more days to TOKEN2049 Singapore! ?? If you haven't gotten it yet, HBA members can avail of discounted tickets to TOKEN2049. Use promo code HOUSTONBA15 to receive 15% off your registration. Hope to see y'all there! ?? Registration link in comments below???? #TOKEN2049 #Singapore #Crypto #Conference

I love ideas which are at face-value absolutely bonkers! But the 3 zoom calls I did today with folks from the around the planet used to be similarly bonkers - only seen in sci-fi movies till not too long ago! And that is why I'm excited for next week's Houston Blockchain Alliance event featuring Angelo Alessio, founder & protocol architect at build_cities. Technically, build_cities is a protocol for economic development around the world. But philosophically, it gets to a more basic question of what it means to be a city/state/country, and whether, in this online world, one has to be physically present in an area to be considered a part of that ecosystem. This will be an interesting conversation! Join us on September 5 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Cannon West. I look forward to seeing y'all there. Lucrisma CryptoEQ Event Horizon Capital Spencer Randall Brooks Vaughan Emily Messenger Rayven J. Moore, CPA The Cannon Community

As we continue to build & grow Lucrisma, I hit the road again next month. I will be in Singapore for TOKEN2049 - one of the largest crypto conferences in the world. And it's fitting that their flagship event happens there. ?? Over the years, Singapore has built a reputation of being one of the most crypto-friendly jurisdictions in the world. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has led the way in building a business-friendly environment for the Web3 industry with progressive regulations and their support for innovation in blockchain technology. ?? And while it isn’t necessarily easy to get, companies large & small like Coinbase & FOMO Pay have been granted licenses by the MAS to offer crypto services. ? I look forward to experiencing this first hand next month. If you are in the neighborhood, hit me up. I'd love to connect. ???????? If you're looking for a ticket, use HOUSTONBA15 for 15% off your ticket! And if you NEED a ticket, DM me! ?? Houston Blockchain Alliance #TOKEN2049 #Singapore #Crypto #Blockchain #Web3