What’s stopping DeFi from going mainstream—and how can better UX, infrastructure, and automation unlock its full potential? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya talks with Vikram Arun, Co-founder of Superform, about building the future of on-chain wealth management. After managing a $100B DeFi book at BlockTower, Vikram saw a clear problem: if even institutional investors struggled with yield strategies, how could everyday users stand a chance?

That insight led to Superform, a cross-chain platform now offering over 1,000 yield opportunities across 60 protocols and 12 chains. Vikram explains why many experienced users now prefer to delegate yield decisions—SuperVaults alone make up 60–70% of SuperForm’s TVL—and how simplifying this process opens DeFi to a wider audience. He also shares the story behind “Piggy,” their AI Telegram assistant that started as a meme and evolved into a real tool for portfolio monitoring and personalized yield recommendations.

The conversation dives into the tech stack behind Superform’s growth, including how Ethereum standards like ERC4626 enabled composability, and what it would take to expand to ecosystems like Solana. Vikram also shares his take on the regulatory landscape, especially the momentum around stablecoin clarity and what that could mean for developers building in the space.

Looking ahead, Vikram previews Superform V2—featuring smart accounts with email logins and passkeys, one-click DeFi actions, upgraded SuperVaults, and new "super assets" like SuperUSD and SuperBTC that automatically optimize yield across chains.

If you're building in DeFi, thinking about composability, or looking for real-world insights on scaling cross-chain infra, this episode is for you.

🌐 Explore Superform: superform.xyz
🐦 Follow Superform on X: https://x.com/superformxyz
📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@theindexpodcast

Show Links

The Index
X Channel
YouTube

How do you build a DePIN network with 2.7M+ devices, zero CAC, and data streams optimized for AI—without draining batteries or compromising user trust?

In this episode of The Index, Alex Kehaya sits down with Jesse Adams, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Uprock, to unpack how they’re building the world’s first mobile-first DePIN for AI.

Jesse’s journey spans building an adult app store, launching an encrypted browser (Tenta, acquired), and now scaling Uprock—a decentralized physical infrastructure network designed to deliver real-time, geo-distributed data for AI/ML. Instead of relying on always-on proxies, Uprock’s task-based architecture wakes mobile devices only when needed, performs lightweight actions (like scraping or uptime checks), and puts them back to sleep—keeping performance high and energy use low.

We explore:

• Why location-specific data is critical for LLMs and autonomous agents
• How Uprock scaled to 2.7M devices with zero paid acquisition
• Their crypto micropayment model for rewarding bandwidth contribution
• AI-driven dev workflows for code review, QA, and marketing at speed

If you're building in DePIN, Web3 infra, or AI tooling—this convo is packed with ideas from the frontier.

🔗 Open beta: uprock.com
🐦 Follow Jesse: @jesseshappyhour

Show Links

The Index
X Channel
YouTube

Ever wondered what happens to those domain names gathering digital dust in your GoDaddy account? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Michael Ho, Co-founder of D3, to explore how blockchain technology is transforming the overlooked world of domain trading and ownership.

The domain industry hasn’t changed much since the ’90s. Selling a valuable name still involves clunky escrow services, manual transfers, and broker fees that can eat up 25% or more of your sale. D3 is changing that—by tokenizing domains as programmable digital assets on-chain.

What makes D3’s approach unique is its seamless integration. Instead of building a new siloed system, they’re bringing Web3 functionality directly to where domain owners already are—through familiar registrar interfaces. Soon, you’ll be able to tokenize, trade, lease, or fractionalize your domains with just a few clicks.

At the heart of it all is Doma, the first DNS-compliant blockchain network. D3’s DomainFi platform runs on Doma, bridging traditional Web2 domains with Web3 ecosystems. The result? New sources of liquidity, distribution, and innovation—unlocking value in what’s currently a $350B+ real-world asset class.

The biggest surprise? Half of all domains aren’t even being used—just sitting idle. D3’s technology brings those names to life, enabling domain holders to tap into new financial use cases, from collateral to leasing and beyond. And with the recent launch of .sol as an official top-level domain on Solana, the bridge between Web2 and Web3 is getting stronger by the day.

Whether you’re a domain investor, builder, or simply curious about the next wave of internet infrastructure, this conversation reveals what’s possible when the world’s original digital assets go decentralized.

🌐 Learn more at: https://d3.inc/
🐦 Follow D3 on X: https://x.com/d3inc

🎧 Subscribe to The Index for more founder-led conversations at the frontier of Web3, AI, and open internet innovation.

Show Links

The Index
X Channel
YouTube