Why Every Company Will Have a Stablecoin — and Why One L2 Isn’t Enough - Ep. 912

Laura Shin hosts a doubleheader episode of Unchained, featuring interviews with two guests. First, Zach Abrams, CEO of Bridge, discusses Open Issuance, a new platform enabling businesses to launch their own stablecoins, and its implications for payments, AI, and the stablecoin ecosystem. He addresses concerns about fragmentation and systemic risk, and explains how Bridge's interoperability network and security measures address these issues. Later, Kenny Li, co-founder of Manta Network, shares insights on Manta's strategic pivot from being solely an L2 to focusing on application development, arguing that the real opportunity lies in building apps that attract new users rather than competing in the crowded L2 space. He also discusses the future of L2s and the choices made by other entities like Robinhood, Stripe, and Circle in launching their own chains.