William Quigley: Building the World’s Most Traded Cryptocurrency - [Web3 Breakdowns, Replay]

William Quigley: Building the World’s Most Traded Cryptocurrency - [Web3 Breakdowns, Replay]

Author: Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts October 13, 2023 Duration: 1:09:35

This is Eric Golden. Today we're replaying my conversation with William Quigley. He co-founded one of the earliest consumer VC funds, wrote the first institutional check for PayPal, and helped build the first major stablecoin, Tether. This is a favorite episode of the year, as William combined his lessons from his decades in technology with a strong first-principle understanding of blockchains. I hope you enjoy my conversation with William Quigley.

We will be releasing new episodes along with an exciting update about the show within the next few weeks.


For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

-----

Web3 Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Web3 Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.


Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.


Follow us on Twitter: @Web3Breakdowns | @ericgoldenx | @patrick_oshag 



Show Notes

(00:01:57) - (First question) - His career in VC and gaming prepared him for the world of crypto

(00:11:25) - Exploring the potential of blockchain and crypto

(00:16:04) - Blockchain's ideal applications

(00:22:43) - Tether's origin story and its role in enabling arbitrage trading

(00:30:28) - Building trust, tokenization, and Tether's reserves in stablecoin development

(00:38:09) - Tether's redeemability, trust, and market dynamics in cryptocurrency

(00:43:44) - Trust, convenience, global risks, and regulatory considerations in stablecoins

(00:48:30) - US banking dominance, Tether's struggle with banking relationships in regulation

(00:53:25) - Tether's growth reflects demand for freedom and challenges with banking

(00:57:00) - WAX's purpose-built blockchain facilitated NFT growth and trust in collectibles

(01:06:34) - What he is most excited to build over the next six months and six years

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Eric Golden hosts Making Markets, a podcast that digs into the often unseen mechanics and human behaviors driving how value is assigned and traded. Rather than just analyzing charts or headlines, conversations focus on the underlying architecture-the rules, relationships, and psychology-that defines how any marketplace functions. This approach means that one episode might dissect the familiar terrain of bonds or equities, while the next ventures into the specialized worlds of fine art, cryptocurrency, or even vineyard acquisitions. The common thread is a curiosity about the actual transactions and the people who facilitate them, providing a tangible sense of what occurs when assets change hands. By speaking with practitioners and experts each week, the show demystifies the complex systems that form the backbone of global commerce, offering listeners a clearer picture of economic forces at work. As part of the Colossus network of investing and business podcasts, Making Markets builds a comprehensive library of knowledge, turning abstract concepts into accessible narratives. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered about the real-world machinery operating behind the curtain of daily financial news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Making Markets
Podcast Episodes
Chris Boettcher: Health Without Hacks - [Making Markets, EP.69] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:23
My guest today is Chris Boettcher, co-founder of Boettcher Health. Chris has a rule: if a health plan isn’t sustainable, it’s not worth doing. Today, he breaks down how to build a health system that actually lasts. We ta…
Paul Bloch: Powering the AI Revolution - [Making Markets, EP.68] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:45
My guest today is Paul Bloch, co-founder and CEO of DDN. Once bootstrapped for decades, DDN is now a multi-billion dollar company partnering with Nvidia, Google, and Blackstone, helping customers train the largest models…
Quarterly Market Recap: Q3 2025 - [Making Markets, EP.67] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:49
Eric and Matt break down a strong third quarter that saw the S&P 500 climb 10%, leaving Liberation Day's tariff chaos behind. They explore the growing divide between wealthy asset owners feeling great and everyone else s…
Entrepreneurship, Markets, and the Fed - [Making Markets, REPLAY] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:58
In this replay, I’m on the other side of the mic, as I’m interviewed by Joe Magyer, the founder of Seaplane Ventures. This is a wide-ranging conversation where we talk about the Fed rate cut, cover different asset classe…
Darren Fisk: Navigating Real Estate Cycles  - [Making Markets, EP.65] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:57
My guest today is Darren Fisk, founder and CEO of Forum Investment Group. Darren’s journey runs from a late-night $100 bet in a frat house that propelled him into Division 1 football to building a national real estate pl…
Charlie Shrem: The Journey of Bitcoin - [Making Markets, REPLAY] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:29
Today, we are replaying my conversation with Charlie Shrem. Charlie was a founding member of the Bitcoin Foundation and BitInstant - one of the earliest Bitcoin exchanges. In this episode, he takes us through his incredi…
Zac Townsend: Insurance for the Crypto Era - [Making Markets, EP.64] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:41
My guest today is Zac Townsend, co-founder and CEO of Meanwhile. Insurance is a product nearly everyone touches, but few understand, and even fewer try to reinvent. Meanwhile is doing just that, building a fully licensed…
Quarterly Market Recap: Q2 2025 - [Making Markets, EP.63] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
Eric and Matt dive into the fascinating dynamics of the market from the past quarter. Despite a 10% rise in the S&P 500, the quarter was marked by significant early volatility due to unexpected tariff announcements. The…