Pushing Crypto to the Edge: Redefining Communication and Security with Ian Leviness and Pascal Gauthier

The Charlie Shrem Show

In this episode, I sit down with two major players who are shaping the future of crypto communications and security. First up is Ian Leviness from Push Protocol, and we dive into how Push is creating a decentralized communication hub for everything from notifications to messaging and more. Ian talks about the platform's explosive growth since its beginnings in 2020 and what’s next, including their ambitious vision of Push Chain—an infrastructure for decentralized communication that’s going to power everything from DAOs to DeFi protocols. We get into how they’re helping creators, artists, and even power traders by delivering notifications and building custom messaging solutions. Plus, we touch on some exciting applications for AI and how Push Protocol is already working to integrate AI into decentralized communications.

Next, I talk with Pascal Gauthier, the CEO of Ledger, the company that has probably touched every crypto user at some point with its world-famous hardware wallets. Pascal and I explore Ledger’s latest products—Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex—and how they’re pushing the boundaries of secure crypto storage. We also discuss the long game Ledger is playing in becoming the Apple of crypto hardware, with cutting-edge innovation in both security and user experience. Pascal shares some great stories about working with industry giants like Foxconn and Tony Fadell (the inventor of the iPod), and how they’re shaping Ledger’s vision of seamless, secure crypto transactions. We even dive into the future of proof of identity and why cryptography might be the key to countering the rise of AI.

This episode is packed with insights on where crypto is heading—whether you’re into the technical side or just curious about the big picture, you won’t want to miss this conversation with two leaders who are truly pushing the space forward.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro: The evolution of podcasting and the role of DAOs
• 03:15 – Ian Leviness on how Push Protocol is becoming the hub for decentralized communication
• 10:00 – Why Push Protocol is crucial for DAOs, creators, and power traders
• 17:45 – How Push is integrating AI and creating tokenized chat for creators
• 25:20 – Pascal Gauthier on Ledger’s growth and new products: Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex
• 32:15 – How Ledger is becoming the “Apple of crypto hardware” through partnerships with Foxconn and Tony Fadell
• 40:30 – The future of NFC-enabled transactions and the next frontier for hardware wallets
• 48:00 – Pascal on the importance of proof of identity and the coming AI challenges in the crypto world
• 55:00 – Final thoughts: How Ledger’s security is evolving to meet new threats