[PODCAST] Karel Kubat from Union Labs on Building a Composable, Trust-Minimized Modular Ethereum

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Summary

Karel Kubat, CEO of Union, lays out a bold vision for a decentralized coordination layer that can unlock true interoperability in crypto. He breaks down why bridging is still broken, why ZK is more than hype, and why Bitcoin needs to be more than digital gold. From security risks to UX gaps to regulatory pressure, this conversation covers the hard problems and how Union is solving them.

Takeaways

– Union is building a decentralized coordination layer to connect ecosystems without sacrificing sovereignty

– Interoperability is not a feature, it’s the future, especially for assets like Bitcoin

– ZK tech offers powerful efficiency and trust guarantees for cross-chain operations

– Union’s mainnet beta is focused on bootstrapping use cases in the Bitcoin ecosystem

– Bitcoin in DeFi isn’t optional, it’s the next unlock for serious liquidity

– Real-world asset (RWA) integration is a priority for Union’s long-term roadmap

– Bridge security remains a major attack surface and demands a new approach

– UX in cross-chain bridging is still painful, Union wants to fix that

– Go-to-market strategy targets underserved, long-tail assets and app developers

– Regulatory shifts will shape product and protocol design going forward

Timeline

– (00:00) Introduction to Union and Its Vision

– (02:43) The Importance of Interoperability in Blockchain

– (05:30) Union’s Unique Approach to ZK Technology

– (08:15) Building Bridges: Union’s Role in the Bitcoin Ecosystem

– (10:58) Unlocking Bitcoin’s Potential in DeFi

– (13:40) Real-World Asset Integration and Future Plans

– (16:33) Security and Trust in Blockchain Bridges

– (19:24) User Experience and the Future of Bridging

– (22:07) Union’s Go-to-Market Strategy and Community Engagement

– (24:42) The Role of Regulation in Union’s Future

– (27:27) Conclusion and Future Outlook

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See other Episodes Here. And thank you to all our crypto and blockchain guests.

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1. Introduction to Union and Its Vision (00:00:00)

2. The Importance of Interoperability in Blockchain (00:02:43)

3. Union’s Unique Approach to ZK Technology (00:05:30)

4. Building Bridges: Union’s Role in the Bitcoin Ecosystem (00:08:15)

5. Unlocking Bitcoin’s Potential in DeFi (00:10:58)

6. Real-World Asset Integration and Future Plans (00:13:40)

7. Security and Trust in Blockchain Bridges (00:16:33)

8. User Experience and the Future of Bridging (00:19:54)

9. Union’s Go-to-Market Strategy and Community Engagement (00:22:07)

10. The Role of Regulation in Union’s Future (00:24:42)

11. Conclusion and Future Outlook (00:27:27)