The Future of WalletConnect, Ethereum, and Decentralized Finance

Building Web3

Welcome to the Building Web3 podcast! In this in-depth episode, your host Jax engages in a captivating conversation with Pedro Gomes, the pioneering founder of WalletConnect, a groundbreaking open-source protocol that has become essential in the world of Web3. Pedro shares his remarkable journey from a career in e-commerce and finance to becoming a leading figure in the Ethereum ecosystem, where his work on WalletConnect has transformed the way decentralized applications (dApps) interact with mobile wallets.
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:04 Creating WalletConnect
04:08 Evolution and Growth of WalletConnect
06:25 Grant Funding and VC Funding
08:41 User Experience with WalletConnect
10:53 Fees and Funding Model
13:35 Integration with Different Blockchains
15:37 Developer Experience with WalletConnect
17:41 Technical and Marketing Challenges
19:51 AppKit and WalletKit
21:20 Target Market and Branding
22:54 Future of Web3 and Identity
26:15 Advice for Web3 Founders
28:34 Upcoming Milestones and Developments
30:43 Connect with WalletConnect
What You’ll Learn:
Pedro Gomes’ Background and Path to Web3: Discover how Pedro’s early work in e-commerce and fascination with finance led him to explore Web3 technologies. Learn about his "come to crypto" moment when he realized the potential of Ethereum and programmable money to revolutionize the world of finance and beyond.
The Birth and Evolution of WalletConnect: Pedro provides a deep dive into the creation of WalletConnect, an open-source protocol that has become the backbone of secure connections between mobile wallets and dApps across multiple blockchains. Learn how WalletConnect enables decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to securely authenticate and interact with users, setting a new standard for secure, scalable, and decentralized web interactions.
Ethereum and Programmable Money: Understand how Ethereum and the concept of programmable money inspired the development of WalletConnect. Pedro discusses the pivotal role Ethereum plays in Web3, enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications that drive the decentralized web forward.
Mobile Wallets and the Future of the Decentralized Web: Explore the importance of mobile wallets in the Web3 ecosystem. Pedro explains how WalletConnect makes it possible for users to securely connect their wallets to dApps on the go, transforming the user experience and paving the way for mass adoption of decentralized finance and blockchain technologies.
Challenges in Building an Open-Source Protocol: Pedro sheds light on the technical and marketing challenges faced during the development of WalletConnect. He discusses how his team overcame obstacles to create a truly interoperable and decentralized protocol that is now supported by 99% of wallets in the Web3 space.
The Role of Open-Source Protocols in Web3: Delve into the significance of open-source protocols like WalletConnect in the decentralized web. Pedro explains how open-source development fosters innovation, security, and collaboration across the blockchain ecosystem, ensuring that the technology remains accessible and beneficial to all users and developers.
The Future of WalletConnect and Smart Accounts: Pedro offers an exclusive preview of upcoming developments in the WalletConnect ecosystem, including the introduction of smart accounts. These accounts will bring new levels of programmability and security to user wallets, enabling features like multi-device authentication, customizable security rules, and more flexible transaction options.
How to Get Started with WalletConnect: For developers, Pedro outlines the process of integrating WalletConnect into your decentralized applications using the WalletConnect