Crypto Investors

Linda describes a blockchain as a decentralized public ledger, while Avichal breaks the space into ledgers, consensus, token incentives, and smart contracts. They group crypto applications into programmable money, distributed computing, and distributed apps. Linda says smart contracts can automate tasks that currently rely on intermediaries.

Linda points to decentralized exchanges and digital collectibles such as CryptoKitties as promising early uses, while Avichal also expects payment networks to develop. They say high fees and slow transactions limit adoption, citing Bitcoin fees that at times averaged about $30. They discuss state channels, Plasma, and Truebit as approaches to scaling or moving computation off-chain.

Avichal expects early crypto applications to resemble familiar products before developers find uses that are native to the technology. Linda sees stronger needs in places with limited banking access, unstable currencies, or censorship, while Avichal says underserved markets can inspire ideas even if companies scale from hubs such as Silicon Valley. They also discuss how regulation, taxes, and electricity costs can influence where projects and miners operate.

Linda says security tokens should follow applicable regulation and advises founders that most projects do not need an ICO. She recommends expert legal counsel, raising money in stages, and using vesting schedules to align teams and investors. Avichal emphasizes choosing investors who can help build the company, while both describe fraud, speculation, and excess token-sale proceeds as risks.

Linda and Avichal favor default privacy for transactions, with selective transparency through tools such as view keys when users need to share records. They discuss practical reasons for privacy, including protecting salaries, donations, and activity from unwanted surveillance. Linda sees decentralized oracles and prediction markets as possible inputs to policy decisions, while Avichal expects many people to use blockchain products without realizing crypto is underneath.