Circle Builders Series

Hackathons to Unicorns: Why the Next Big Thing Can Run on USDC | DoraHacks (Steve Ngok) | Builder Series

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:24:38 -0500

Hackathons have always been fertile ground for innovation, and in this episode, Steve Ngok shares how DoraHacks is partnering with Circle to unlock new opportunities for builders. From bounties powered by USDC to the future of stablecoins in mainstream adoption, Steve offers unique insights into why this moment is the golden time to build.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

02:44 The role of hackathons in driving collaboration and new ideas.

03:43 AI is transforming hackathon infrastructure and efficiency.

04:58 Enterprises gain significant value from hackathon ecosystems.

08:12 Circle developer bounties create new opportunities for builders.

11:23 Stablecoin-powered payments unlock consumer applications.

12:34 USDC is trusted as a compliant and secure stablecoin.

13:01 USDC’s expansion across multiple chains strengthens ecosystems.

13:56 This is the golden time to build with Circle and USDC.

Resources Mentioned:

DoraHacks | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dorahacks/

DoraHacks | Website

https://dorahacks.io/

Circle Developer Bounties

https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/circle-developer-bounties-1/detail

Thanks for listening to the Circle Builders Series. To learn more about Circle, please visit www.circle.com/build. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.

Get $100 in Circle developer credits! Sign up at circle.com/build to access this exclusive offer.

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

AI Agents, USDC, and the Programmable Economy | thirdweb (Furqan Rydhan) | Builder Series

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:14:31 -0400

Furqan Rydhan, Founder of thirdweb, shares how USDC is shaping the future of onchain AI and developer ecosystems. From dynamic agents to scalable infrastructure, Furqan reveals how USDC is designed to maintain not just stable value but foundational programmability for next-gen apps and agent economies.

Furqan explains why Circle's tools, including CCTP, help to unlock seamless USDC movement across chains, powering thousands of thirdweb apps without developers needing to manage complexity.

Key Takeaways:

(01:01) Programmable value is essential for enabling real-world use cases.

(11:08) Intelligent agents require infrastructure that can reason and transact autonomously.

(15:10) Dynamic contract creation can support complex, customized interactions.

(16:37) USDC simplifies how value moves across agents, apps, and services.

(17:59) Developers benefit from abstracted tools that handle wallets and permissions.

(19:18) Circle’s infrastructure is critical for enabling trusted, crosschain activity.

(29:08) Onchain economies are forming through tools that reduce friction and risk.

(32:34) USDC supports new income models and participation in digital-first jobs.

Resources Mentioned:

Circle’s CCTP

https://www.circle.com/cross-chain-transfer-protocol

Circle Discord

https://discord.com/invite/buildoncircle

Nebula

https://nebula.thirdweb.com/login

Thirdweb | Website

https://thirdweb.com/

USDC

https://www.circle.com/usdc

Thanks for listening to the Circle Builder Series. To learn more about Circle, please visit www.circle.com/developer. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.

Get $100 in Circle developer credits! Sign up at circle.com/build to access this exclusive offer.

Powering Solar With USDC: Glow Protocol

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 10:33:25 -0400

In this episode, David Vorick shares how Glow’s incentive mechanism, a recursive and performance-based funding model, channels electricity revenue from newly verified solar farms into building more solar projects. Using USDC and smart contracts, Glow helps provide funding to some of the most cost-effective and verifiably constructed solar farms.

Key Takeaways:

(01:56) Building on reliable infrastructure supports growth.

(03:20) Incentive models can drive real-world change.

(07:17) Technology and nature can advance together.

(09:12) Smarter funding models improve climate impact.

(14:10) Glow operates as a virtual factory, using incentives to drive real-world outcomes.

(16:37) Circle’s USDC powers all electricity revenue flows within the ecosystem.

(21:24) Climate solutions require phased strategies.

(22:56) Growing energy demand presents new opportunities.

(26:06) Blockchain technology can enable sustainability.

Resources Mentioned:

David Vorick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-vorick-6758a66a/

Glow International | Website

https://glow.org/

Glow Audit Hub

https://hub.glow.org/

Thanks for listening to the Circle Builder Series. To learn more about Circle, please visit circle.com/developer. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.

Get $100 in Circle developer credits! Sign up at circle.com/build to access this exclusive offer.

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

Unlocking USDC for LATAM's Underbanked

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Tue, 13 May 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Nelson Peña, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Amero Exchange, shares his mission to make digital finance accessible across Latin America by simplifying remittances, enabling bank-free living, and redefining financial trust.

In this conversation with Sam Sealey, Nelson shares personal stories and talks about Amero’s early hurdles and the transformative power of USDC in real-life emergencies. This episode dives into what it means to create an inclusive financial ecosystem from the ground up.

Key Takeaways:

(01:27) The importance of building solutions rooted in personal and community needs.

(02:56) The widespread impact of limited banking access across underserved regions.

(04:33) How high transaction fees can deepen financial exclusion.

(09:38) Why enabling easy access to digital dollars is crucial for adoption.

(13:10) How aligned missions can drive product and ecosystem growth.

(14:35) Making blockchain tools accessible by focusing on user familiarity.

(17:38) Building resilient infrastructure by connecting multiple technologies.

(19:52) Simplifying crypto so users can benefit without needing to understand the tech.

Resources Mentioned:

Nelson Peña

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelsonp1/

Amero Exchange | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameroexchange/

Amero Exchange | Website

https://amero.exchange

USDC

https://www.circle.com/usdc

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

Unlocking Financial Independence With USDC

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:32:19 -0400

Access to stable money shouldn’t be a privilege — it should be a right. In this episode of the Builder Series, we sit down with Rubén Galindo Steckel, CEO and Co-Founder of Airtm*, to discuss how his company is transforming financial access across the LATAM.

Rubén shares how Airtm, with Circle’s USDC, is helping individuals and businesses securely move money, earn income in a stable currency, and access global opportunities.

But Airtm’s impact goes beyond payments. When COVID-19 hit, doctors and nurses in Venezuela were left unpaid, unable to access their wages due to financial restrictions. That’s when Airtm and Circle stepped in with a groundbreaking USDC-powered solution. What happened next? You won’t want to miss it!

*Circle Ventures, an affiliate of Circle Internet Financial, LLC, has invested in Airtm

Key Takeaways:

(01:57) Rubén’s fintech journey begins with an internship at a crypto exchange, revealing the need for better financial solutions.

(03:46) Motivated by a sense of justice and respect for freedom, Airtm was founded to help bring access to stable currencies.

(05:33) In 2015, Airtm launched one of the first stablecoin wallets, enabling unrestricted access to stable currency.

(13:22) Users in the Global South are willing to pay up to 30% in fees just to access funds quickly, exposing banking inefficiencies.

(24:37) Airtm partners with Circle to transfer US Dollars via USDC to Venezuelan healthcare workers.

(36:05) Airtm shifts focus from financial freedom to financial independence, helping users earn in USDC.

(47:58) AI-driven platforms and blockchain payments create new freelance opportunities in developing countries.

(52:42) Traditional cross-border payments are becoming commoditized, leading to the unbundling of services.

Resources Mentioned:

Rubén Galindo Steckel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rub%C3%A9n-galindo-steckel-0860176a/?originalSubdomain=mx

Airtm LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/airtm/

Airtm Website

https://www.airtm.com/

Circle

https://www.circle.com/

Thanks for listening to the Circle Builder Series. To learn more about Circle, please visit www.circle.com/build. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.

Get $100 in Circle developer credits! Sign up at circle.com/build to access this exclusive offer.

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

Driving Efficiency in Global Payment Systems With USDC Content Sheet

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 07:49:00 -0500

Jasper Fu, Co-Founder and CEO, explains how Coinsub’s platform is enabling seamless and secure USDC subscriptions. Using blockchain technology, their goal is to minimize the time and clicks required to pay and get paid while providing the infrastructure for fintech companies to easily incorporate subscriptions and recurring payments through stablecoins.

Jasper breaks down the technical challenges they’ve overcome, emphasizes the strength of USDC, and discusses real-world use cases across industries, including SaaS-based companies, international payroll, global subscriptions, and high-ticket transactions.

Key Takeaways:

(00:56) The missing piece in crypto payments: recurring transactions.

(02:27) Why blockchain isn’t built for subscriptions — and how Coinsub fixes that.

(05:01) Coinsub makes stablecoin payments as intuitive as traditional checkouts.

(08:09) How gas abstraction removes friction for users.

(11:58) Stablecoins are critical for markets with unreliable banking infrastructure.

(13:44) How Coinsub reduces fraud risks for high-ticket purchases.

(19:03) The goal is to minimize the time and clicks needed for people to pay and get paid through blockchain.

(27:03) The future of blockchain payments: seamless multi-chain compatibility.

Resources Mentioned:

Jasper Fu -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasper-fu/

Coinsub | LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinsub/

Coinsub | Website -

https://coinsub.io

Coinsub for developers -

https://docs.coinsub.io/coinsub-ecosystem/for-developers

Get $100 in Circle developer credits! Sign up at circle.com/build to access this exclusive offer.

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

Empowering the Next Generation of Commerce with USDC

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 06:40:01 -0500

In this episode, we sit down with Circle Developer Grant recipient Ali Sammour, Co-Founder of droplinked, a platform revolutionizing onchain commerce. Ali explains how droplinked empowers merchants with no-code tools that seamlessly integrate Circle’s @circle’s USDC, EURC, CCTP, Programmable Wallets & Smart Contracts to make onchain commerce more accessible. He breaks down the game-changing benefits of onchain commerce, from eliminating third-party fees to integrating digital product passports for supply chain transparency.

Key Takeaways:

(01:54) Facilitating payments and eliminating third-party intermediaries with escrow solutions since 2017.

(03:00) droplinked provides no-code and low-code tools for shopfronts, product tiles for embeddables, and token payment gateways to accept digital and credit card payments, all with onchain inventory management.

(05:16) Onchain commerce allows SMBs to take full ownership of their inventory and customer relationships.

(08:39) Merchants can set up a fully functional onchain store in minutes using no-code tools.

(12:35) Stablecoins unlock global remittances and improve payment efficiency.

(17:53) droplinked wallets enable merchants to accept multi-stablecoin payments and earn 5% interest.

(19:56) How to use the droplinked management panel and customizable tools.

(24:14) droplinked helps merchants save up to 12% by removing third-party transaction fees.

Resources Mentioned:

Ali Sammour -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisammour/

droplinked LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/droplinked/

droplinked Website -

https://droplinked.com

Circle Programmable Wallets -

https://www.circle.com/es-la/programmable-wallets

USDC -

https://www.circle.com/es-la/usdc

CCTP (Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol) -

https://www.circle.com/es-la/cross-chain-transfer-protocol#:~:text=What%20is%20Cross%2DChain%20Transfer,from%20one%20blockchain%20to%20another.

Thanks for listening to the Circle Builders Series. To learn more about Circle, please visit www.circle.com/developers. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

How Rosen Revolutionizes Cross-Border Payments With USDC

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 06:32:00 -0500

In this episode, we’re joined by Circle Developer Grant recipient Sida (Stella) Zheng, Co-Founder of Rosen Bridge, an AI and blockchain-powered social app designed to connect people worldwide, regardless of language, and facilitate secure Bitcoin and USDC transfers. Sida explains how Circle’s tools and infrastructure like Circle’s Programmable Wallets have helped Rosen Bridge develop a secure, user-friendly app that functions like popular social media platforms while enabling seamless USDC transfers. She also shares their strategy for tailoring the app’s user interface to appeal to women and how this approach supports their expansion goals.

Key Takeaways:

(02:09) The company’s name is inspired by the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, symbolizing seamless transitions from Web2 to Web3.

(03:08) People in Latin America love stablecoins because they allow them to diversify when they can’t hold US assets.

(04:09) Educating non-crypto users remains a challenge, but Rosen Bridge tackles this by lowering barriers to blockchain adoption and simplifying processes for first-time users.

(06:37) The app’s geo-localized design allows users to navigate a world map and connect with people nearby or across the globe.

(07:07) Rosen Bridge removes language barriers with AI-powered chat translation for real-time global conversations.

(07:23) Users can securely trade Bitcoin and USDC directly within a chat, simplifying cross-border transactions.

(09:40) Circle’s Programmable Wallets simplify blockchain interactions, allowing login with email or Google credentials.

(13:00) Rosen Bridge’s UI focuses on simplicity, cuteness, and approachability, attracting female users who interact more and help make the platform viral.

(13:07) The app’s design hides blockchain complexities, allowing non-crypto users to log in and use the platform with ease, similar to Web2 apps like Google or Venmo.

Resources Mentioned:

Sida (Stella) Zheng -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sida-stella-zheng/

Circle Programmable Wallets -

https://www.circle.com/es-la/programmable-wallets

Rosen Bridge | LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gorosen/

Rosen Bridge | Website -

https://www.gorosen.xyz/

Polygon Blockchain -

https://polygon.technology/

#DigitalCurrency #BlockchainTechnology #Web3

Bringing Real Estate On-Chain with Darren Carvalho of Metawealth

circle.officialpodcast@gmail.com (CIRCLE) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 12:46:00 -0500

In this episode, we sit down with Darren Carvalho, Co-Founder of MetaWealth, a Web3 investment platform offering fractional ownership of institutional-grade real estate. Darren walks us through how MetaWealth tokenizes real estate assets, making real estate investment more accessible and efficient through blockchain technology.

Key Takeaways:

(01:07) Fractional ownership of institutional-grade real estate assets through tokenization and blockchain.

(03:19) The challenges of traditional real estate investing led to the founding of MetaWealth.

(04:10) MetaWealth tokenizes real estate, allowing users to become landlords through their app.

(05:41) MetaWealth migrated from Ethereum to Solana to reduce transaction costs and improve efficiency.

(06:55) USDC was chosen as MetaWealth’s stablecoin for its security, and transparency.

(11:14) User-friendly approach to Metawelt’s digital wallets and tokenized real estate.

(11:40) MetaWealth’s app provides users with due diligence materials like valuation reports and market overviews for each real estate asset.

(13:49) MetaWealth aims to expand beyond tokenized real estate into other tokenized assets.

Resources Mentioned:

Darren Carvalho -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrencarvalho/

MetaWealth -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/metawealthapp/

USDC -

https://www.circle.com/es-mx/usdc

Solana Blockchain -

https://solana.com/

Wealthsimple -

https://www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca

Transak -

https://transak.com/

Circle Mint -

https://www.circle.com/es-mx/circle-mint

Colliers International -

https://www.colliers.com/

#RealEstate #Blockchain #Investment #Tokenization #USDC #DigitalAssets

Circle Builders Series

Hackathons to Unicorns: Why the Next Big Thing Can Run on USDC | DoraHacks (Steve Ngok) | Builder Series

Key Takeaways:

AI Agents, USDC, and the Programmable Economy | thirdweb (Furqan Rydhan) | Builder Series

Powering Solar With USDC: Glow Protocol

Key Takeaways:

David Vorick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-vorick-6758a66a/

Unlocking USDC for LATAM's Underbanked

Key Takeaways:

Resources Mentioned:

Amero Exchange | Website

Unlocking Financial Independence With USDC

Key Takeaways:

﻿Resources Mentioned:

Rubén Galindo Steckel

Airtm Website

Driving Efficiency in Global Payment Systems With USDC Content Sheet

Key Takeaways:

﻿﻿Resources Mentioned:

Empowering the Next Generation of Commerce with USDC

Key Takeaways:

Resources Mentioned:

How Rosen Revolutionizes Cross-Border Payments With USDC

Key Takeaways:

Resources Mentioned:

Bringing Real Estate On-Chain with Darren Carvalho of Metawealth

Key Takeaways:

Resources Mentioned:

Resources Mentioned:

Resources Mentioned: