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Sam Kessler

Sam Kessler

Sam is CoinDesk's deputy managing editor for tech and protocols. His reporting is focused on decentralized technology, infrastructure and governance. Sam holds a computer science degree from Harvard University, where he led the Harvard Political Review. He has a background in the technology industry and owns some ETH and BTC. Sam was part of the team that won a 2023 Gerald Loeb Award for CoinDesk's coverage of Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX collapse.

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Worldcoin's iris-scanning technology is being questioned by regulators (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
Technology
Worldcoin
Worldcoin, Sam Altman's Crypto Project, Is Building a Layer-2 Chain
The human-focused blockchain network will be based on the OP Stack, a framework for building Ethereum-based layer-2 chains.
Worldcoin's iris-scanning technology is being questioned by regulators (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
By Sam Kessler
Apr 17, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. UTC
Apr 17, 2024
worldcoinEthereumOptimismOP cryptorolluplayer 2RollupsAISam Altman
(CoinDesk Indices)
Markets
Bitcoin
Bitcoin Falls 8%, Drops Below $62K Before Rebound
Other major cryptocurrencies saw similar declines.
(CoinDesk Indices)
By Nikhilesh DeSam Kessler
Apr 13, 2024 at 10:49 p.m. UTC
Apr 13, 2024
BitcoinPrice
The Protocol Wide
The Protocol
The protocol
Rootstock | Bringing the Ethereum Virtual Machine to Bitcoin
Rootstock Chief Scientist, Sergio Demian Lerner, regards the upcoming Bitcoin halving is a moment of celebration for the community and highlights the importance of transaction...
The Protocol Wide
By Bradley KeounMargaux NijkerkSam Kessler
Apr 12, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. UTC
Apr 12, 2024
The ProtocolTechDevelopersCryptoEthereum
EigenLayer founder Sreeram Kannan at ETHDenver 2024 (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
Technology
Features
EigenLayer, Crypto's Biggest Project Launch This Year, Is Still Missing Crucial Functionality
The "restaking" protocol with $15 billion in deposits won't pay rewards to depositors and is missing its mission-critical "slashing" feature.
EigenLayer founder Sreeram Kannan at ETHDenver 2024 (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
By Sam Kessler
Apr 10, 2024 at 5:59 p.m. UTC
Apr 10, 2024
FeaturesEigenLayerRestakingEthereumLiquid stakingDecentralized Finance
EigenLayer CEO Sreeram Kannan (University of Michigan, modified by CoinDesk)
Technology
EigenLayer and EigenDA Launch on Ethereum Mainnet
The launch comes after $12 billion has already been deposited into the protocol.
EigenLayer CEO Sreeram Kannan (University of Michigan, modified by CoinDesk)
By Sam Kessler
Apr 9, 2024 at 6:10 p.m. UTC
Apr 9, 2024
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, California (Haotian Zheng/Unsplash)
Technology
A16z
Venture Firm A16z Releases Jolt, a 'Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine'
The release is the product of a16z's first foray into deep tech research.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, California (Haotian Zheng/Unsplash)
By Sam Kessler
Apr 9, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. UTC
Apr 9, 2024
A16zA16z cryptoZero knowledgeZero-Knowledge ProofsRollupsZkevm
The Protocol Wide
The Protocol
The protocol
Polygon | Building a Unified Environment for Value and Liquidity
Brendan Farmer, Co-Founder of Polygon, gives an overview of Polygon's Ecosystem and its adoption and benefits of the Ag Layer.
The Protocol Wide
By Bradley KeounMargaux NijkerkSam Kessler
Apr 5, 2024 at 9:31 p.m. UTC
Apr 5, 2024
The ProtocolTechDevelopersCryptoEthereum
Ripple Labs CTO David Schwartz (Ripple, modified by Coindesk)
Technology
Ripple
Ripple, Developer Behind XRP Ledger, Enters Stablecoin Fray vs. Tether, USDC
The token will be "100% backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. government Treasuries and other cash equivalents," according to the company.
Ripple Labs CTO David Schwartz (Ripple, modified by Coindesk)
By Sam Kessler
Apr 4, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. UTC
Apr 4, 2024
RippleStablecoinXRPDavid Schwartz
The Protocol Wide
The Protocol
The protocol
Eigenlayer's Blueprint for a Decentralized Trust Network
Sreeram Kannan, the founder of Eigenlayer, discusses the initial 'training wheels' phase for Eigen DA, a data availability service, and the implementation of slashing and mark...
The Protocol Wide
By Bradley KeounMargaux NijkerkSam Kessler
Mar 30, 2024 at 4:01 a.m. UTC
Mar 30, 2024
The ProtocolTechDevelopersCryptoEthereum
Sam Bankman-Fried, middle, walks into court on Aug. 11, 2023. (Victor Chen/CoinDesk)
Policy
Sam bankman-fried
Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
The former FTX CEO was convicted of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy in November, a year after the once-giant cryptocurrency exchange collapsed.
Sam Bankman-Fried, middle, walks into court on Aug. 11, 2023. (Victor Chen/CoinDesk)
By Nikhilesh DeSam KesslerCheyenne Ligon
Mar 28, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. UTC
Mar 28, 2024
Sam Bankman-FriedSBF TrialFTX Collapsetop news