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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Protocol Village is CoinDesk's living column chronicling blockchain tech project updates (CoinDesk)

Technology

The protocol

Protocol Village: ZK Proofs Arrive on Bitcoin, Former Dark Web Drug Kingpin Launches Crypto Startup

The latest in blockchain tech upgrades, funding announcements and deals. For the period of July 25-31.

By Sam Kessler Bradley Keoun

Jul 25, 2024 at 3:18 p.m. UTC

Jul 25, 2024

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Rolled up paper (Unsplash modified by CoinDesk)

Technology

Rollup

Rollup-in-a-Box Startup Caldera Raises $15M From Peter Thiel's Venture Fund

As Ethereum's Layer-2 ecosystem booms, Caldera's "Metalayer" aims to help developers quickly launch applications across multiple networks.

By Sam Kessler

Jul 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. UTC

Jul 24, 2024

rollupFundraisePeter ThielFounders FunddragonflyEthereum

Richard Kim pitched Zero Edge as a crypto casino that would level the playing field between gamblers and the house (Carl Raw/Unsplash)

Technology

Galaxy digital

Crypto Casino Founder Apologizes for Gambling Away Investor Funds

Galaxy says it has reported a former general partner, Richard Kim, to the authorities for misappropriating at least $3.67 million of company funds belonging to Zero Edge, Kim'...

By Sam Kessler

Jul 15, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. UTC

Jul 15, 2024

Galaxy DigitalGalaxyJPMorgancasinosBitcoinExclusive

Technology

Exponential

Exponential.fi Wants to Make It Easier to Invest in DeFi

The platform aims to make it easy to identify opportunities, bridge fiat, assess risk, and invest in crypto all-in-one.

By Sam Kessler

Jul 11, 2024 at 12:45 p.m. UTC

Jul 11, 2024

ExponentialParadigmDeFi

Technology

Solana

Top Crypto VC Says Ex-General Partner Made Undisclosed Side Deal With Portfolio Company

Polychain says Niraj Pant broke the fund's policies by secretly accepting "adviser" tokens from Eclipse.

By Sam Kessler

Jul 9, 2024 at 4:34 p.m. UTC

Jul 9, 2024

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The Protocol

The protocol

The Significance of User-Owned AI and NEAR Protocol's Emphasis on Practical Applications

NEAR’s co-founder Illia Polosukhin shares the need to shift from corporate-owned AI to models that benefit individuals and communities.

By Bradley Keoun Margaux Nijkerk Sam Kessler

Jul 8, 2024 at 7:23 p.m. UTC

Jul 8, 2024

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Technology

Distributed validator technology

Obol Labs Forms Industry Group to Push for Decentralized Validator Technology

As blockchain projects push to further decentralize, the developer Obol Labs has formed a group of companies working in the Ethereum ecosystem to concentrate on the growing fi...

By Sam Kessler

Jul 3, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. UTC

Jul 3, 2024

distributed validator technologyEthereumConsensusValidators

Technology

Bitcoin Could Get Ethereum-Style Restaking as Startup Lombard Raises $16M

Lombard is partnering with staking startup Babylon to let users earn interest for "restaking" with Bitcoin – using the asset to secure other crypto networks.

By Sam Kessler

Jul 2, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. UTC

Jul 2, 2024