AI, the Punch You Don't See Coming
A practitioner's warning to friends who aren't paying attention to AI. The transformation is already here, and most people won't see the punch until it lands.
Hi! I'm the Founder of Meteor Dreams, a technology consulting company in Boston, MA. I write about building products and companies in stablecoins, AI/ML, blockchain, fintech, and more →
How Onchain FX Actually Works: Atomic Settlement Explained
Atomic settlement eliminates the timing gaps that have defined FX for 50 years. Here's how institutional shared ledgers, tokenized deposits, and programmable settlement are reshaping global currency movement.
The Coming Collision: Stablecoins, Tokenized Deposits, and the Fight for the Settlement Layer
Stablecoins hit $46T in annual volume and banks are responding by putting their own money onchain. The real battle isn't between public and private rails. It's about who controls the bridges between them.
Building in Winter
The last crypto winter felt like building in a pit while the world pretended blockchain didn't exist. This winter feels different. Stablecoins are processing over $1.3 trillion monthly. The energy is quieter, but more honest. Builders are solving problems that matter: payments, trust, liquidity, stability.
AI Everywhere, Rockets on Donkeys
Companies are racing to add AI everywhere. But most are strapping rockets to donkeys and calling it innovation. Real transformation requires rebuilding systems, not just adding layers on top.
A Mother in Lagos Sends $10. JPMorgan Sends $10M. Guess Who Pays More in Fees?
In the global payment system, small senders pay the highest percentage in fees. A mother in Lagos loses 8% sending $10 for school lunch, while a bank wiring $10 million pays less than 0.1%. Stablecoins may finally level the playing field.
The Stablecoin Sandwich and Why Remittances Stay Expensive
Stablecoin payments look simple, but the reality is a three-layer sandwich where banks, issuers, and exchangers each take a bite. Add FX spreads, and users lose billions each year. The fix is direct tokenized deposits and onchain FX markets that compress costs from dollars to cents.
Fintech's Real Lab Isn't Wall Street
Fintech's future isn't being shaped in the U.S. or Europe. It's emerging in Lagos, Ho Chi Minh City, and Buenos Aires, where stablecoins and digital rails solve survival challenges.
JPMorgan Now Runs the Tech That Was Supposed to Kill JPMorgan
In 2017, blockchain was supposed to destroy banks. By 2025, JPMorgan runs $1B daily onchain, BlackRock tokenizes treasuries, and Circle IPOs at $20B. The irony is sharp, but the lesson is clearer: the revolution didn't fail, we just misunderstood what people actually needed.
Safe Yield Doesn’t Exist for Stablecoins, and Savers Are Paying the Price
Stablecoins promised safety, but without compliant yield, savers in inflation-hit markets lose value. CTO lessons on why DeFi lending survived, CeFi failed, and where safe yield might emerge.