Building financial infrastructure for programmable credit
Joined March 2020
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Compilation of topics that I have tried to cover in the past and will keep updating it as and when a new topic happens
Feel free to share across!
🧵 👇🏻
Vivek Kumar retweeted
My take on a16z crypto moving into frontier tech.
First, I'll always be grateful to a16z for helping validate the space back in 2013 when Chris Dixon led their investment into Coinbase, which got me even more excited about crypto.
But the final nail in the coffin for my previous career, and what ultimately pushed me to pivot my entire career into Bitcoin, was Marc Andreessen's 2014 NYT oped, Why Bitcoin Matters. If you haven't read it, suggest reading it. It's still important to this day.
A lot of people have probably forgotten, but in those days we were all just looking for external validation. Very few institutions or funds were willing to publicly endorse crypto, and two of the funds that took a real brand risk were a16z and USV.
Since then, we've seen some of the most incredible talent enter the space and fundamentally reshaped what crypto is today.
You can actually argue that a lot of the AI infrastructure development we're seeing today wouldn't be where it is without Bitcoin mining infrastructure and the talent that flowed from crypto into AI. There is a real connection between the two industries that I don't think gets enough credit.
Now, moving from crypto into frontier tech, whether that's robotics, bio, AI, energy, compute etc just means to me that the talent and muscle we developed building crypto over the past decade can now be used to build across all of frontier tech.
We spent years building something that was nascent, misunderstood, and in many cases hated by the world. We developed thick skin, continued investing and building, and had to constantly show the world why this tech mattered. Even during thanksgiving dinners.
And I think that makes us uniquely suited to build frontier tech.
An example is data centers. Today, people and governments are increasingly pushing back against them. Well, people and governments hated crypto too, but we continued to invest and build, and now almost all of trad finance is embracing crypto in some capacity.
I believe frontier tech represents the next generation of pirates in technology. People willing to build things that are nascent, misunderstood, and sometimes hated by the world.
We're going to be hated and loved along the way, but we're going to keep building cool shit that the world hasn't recognized the importance of yet.
And crypto taught me that the world usually doesn't recognize the importance of new tech until years later which is why I stay close to talent
Vivek Kumar retweeted
🚨 Millions of web servers could be vulnerable to hackers, forcing governments to take websites offline as a precaution!
The threat comes from two critical security flaws in PHP, a programming language used by millions of websites.
So, what happened?
🧵
Vivek Kumar retweeted
Stao is now open for integrations.
Apply here: tinyurl.com/u6wyfryh
Stao provides full-stack infrastructure for fintechs, wallets, dApps, and consumer apps to offer unsecured stablecoin credit to their users through APIs and widgets.
ALT Stao integrations live.
Vivek Kumar retweeted
👉 UPI Continues to Remain Free for Peer to Peer Transactions and 96% of Merchant Transactions
👉 The new UPI framework introduced has no impact on any person to person transactions
👉 UPI will continue to remain completely free for all person-to-person transactions, irrespective of the amount transferred
👉 Payments to merchants up to ₹2,000, along with transactions covered under the zero-MDR framework for small merchants, will also remain free
👉 Consequently, approximately 96% of all P2M transactions will remain unaffected. MDR will apply only to specified merchant transactions above ₹2,000
👉 It is clarified that MDR is neither a tax nor a charge collected by the Government or @NPCI_NPCI. It is distributed among payment ecosystem participants, including banks and payment application providers, to support the operation and continued expansion of the UPI ecosystem
👉 Introduced under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, following detailed deliberations by the UPI Steering Committee, the framework seeks to ensure the long-term sustainability of UPI while protecting individuals and small merchants from additional charges
Read here for full details ➡️ pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.…
Vivek Kumar retweeted
We are honoured to welcome Ms. Ira Singhal, AIR 1-IAS 2015, and Deputy Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India, as a speaker at TEDxIIMShillong.
A trailblazer in the Indian civil services, Ms. Singhal made history as the first differently-abled woman to secure All India Rank 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Her journey reflects resilience, conviction and the courage to challenge limitations, offering perspectives that go beyond conventional definitions of success.
As we explore our theme, Beyond Boundaries, join us as Ms. Singhal brings her story and perspective to the TEDxIIMShillong stage, encouraging us to rethink the limits we place on possibility.
Date: 16 September 2026
#TEDxIIMShillong #TEDx #IIMS #BeyondBoundaries #IdeasWorthSpreading
Vivek Kumar retweeted
Onchain credit is moving beyond collateral.
Bion's unsecured stablecoin credit is now live, powered by @staoio
Try now: bionapp.com
A meaningful step toward making onchain financial access more inclusive.
🚀 Unsecured stablecoin credit is now live on Bionapp.com.
🔍 Wallet analysis across 8 EVM networks
💳 Credit up to $300
📅 Repayment tenure up to 30 days
⚡ Online journey from eligibility to repayment
Apply: bionapp.com
Powered by @staoio
Vivek Kumar retweeted
🚀 Unsecured stablecoin credit is now live on Bionapp.com.
🔍 Wallet analysis across 8 EVM networks
💳 Credit up to $300
📅 Repayment tenure up to 30 days
⚡ Online journey from eligibility to repayment
Apply: bionapp.com
Powered by @staoio
Vivek Kumar retweeted
i'm planning to host a meetup in #Mumbai next weekend followed by #Bangalore and #Kolkata, can anyone suggest a good venue that can accommodate atleast 40-50 people?
ps if you're a dev/tech evangelist from Mumbai, Bangalore or Kolkata then drop a hi let's connect 👋
Vivek Kumar retweeted
Network School is back.
We’re up and running in the beautiful country of Kazakhstan, which combines high tech, low cost, brilliant people, a competent state, and plenty of space to build.
So: if you want to build a techno-optimist society with us, apply to Network School.
Vivek Kumar retweeted
आज मैंने 13 वर्षों की अविस्मरणीय यात्रा को अपनी इच्छा से विराम देते हुए IAS से त्यागपत्र दे दिया है।
साधारण परिवेश में पलते हुए मैंने एक अच्छे, सफल जीवन का सपना देखा था। दिन-रात एक कर IIT दिल्ली और IIM बैंगलोर से पढ़ने के बाद, लंदन में नौकरी लग गयी। पर 'सब कुछ' पा लेने पर भी कुछ अधूरा था। अपने देश में न होना खलता था। मेरी पढ़ाई, आत्मविश्वास, दुनिया में कहीं भी सिर उठाकर चलने की ताक़त, सब इस मिट्टी का कर्ज़ था मुझ पर। वो कर्ज़ चुकाना था। चाहती थी जिस भारत का सपना देखा था, उसे बनाने वाली ईंटों पर मेरे भी हाथों के निशान हों। सो लौट आई, और IAS अधिकारी बनने का सौभाग्य मिला।
बहुत कुछ करने का मौका मिला और बहुत सीखा। देवरिया ने सिखाया कि सही के साथ खड़ा होना विकल्प नहीं, कर्तव्य है। मीरजापुर ने सिखाया कि 'असंभव' कोई तथ्य नहीं, बस एक राय है। और माँ विंध्यवासिनी के चरणों में बैठकर सीखा कि शक्ति किसी पद से नहीं, उनकी कृपा और लोगों के विश्वास से आती है। सबसे बड़ी सीख यह थी कि अपने लिए देखे सपने तो पूरे हो चुके थे, अब अपने लोगों के लिए देखे सपनों को जीना था। इस जीवन का असली सुकून उन आँखों में दिखा, जिस परिवार को पहली बार ज़मीन का हक़ मिला, जिस दिव्यांग को सम्मान से जीने का अवसर मिला, और जिस किसान के खेत को पानी मिला। उनके संघर्षों में साथ चलते हुए मैंने सीखा कि हर सरकारी फ़ाइल के पीछे एक व्यक्ति है, और उसकी गरिमा बनाये रखना ही न्याय है।
मूर्ख थी जो सोचा था कि कुछ देने आयी हूँ। सच यह है कि सबसे ज़्यादा मैंने ही पाया, और वो कर्ज़ और भी बढ़ता गया। लोग मेरी ख़ुशी में मुझसे ज़्यादा ख़ुश हुए। उन्होंने मुझे तब भी उसी विश्वास से देखा, जब मैं खुद ही थकी या टूटी थी। और इसी ने आगे बढ़ते रहने की हिम्मत दी। इतना प्यार, इतना सम्मान, इतना अपनापन मिला, कि मेरी झोली पूरी भर गयी। और इसमें उन साथियों, अधिकारियों और कर्मचारियों का भी बहुत बड़ा श्रेय है जिन्होंने मेरे कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर काम किया और साथ डटे रहे।
आज आभार से आँखें नम हैं। बस एक दृश्य इनमें बसा है। लहुरिया दह की पहाड़ी की वो वृद्ध माँ, जो अपने गाँव में पहली बार पानी पहुँचता देख कुछ नहीं बोली, बस काँपते हाथों से मेरा सिर छूकर आशीर्वाद दे गई। पद तो आज छूट गया, पर वह स्पर्श जीवन भर नहीं छूटेगा। और वह सपना भी नहीं छूटेगा, जो देश की इस मिट्टी ने मुझे दिया है।
आपकी अपनी,
दिव्या मित्तल
Vivek Kumar retweeted
Delighted to empower @bion_app
Explore Bion Credit today and receive instant credit. 🔥
Blockchain users, you will love this!
1/ Introducing Bion Credit.
A new way to request credit onchain.
We are inviting everyone to try it.
- Up to $300 in stablecoin credit
- Repayment: 3 to 30 days
We take your onchain data, analyze 50+ wallet parameters, and offer instant credit…
Vivek Kumar retweeted
1/ Introducing Bion Credit.
A new way to request credit onchain.
We are inviting everyone to try it.
- Up to $300 in stablecoin credit
- Repayment: 3 to 30 days
We take your onchain data, analyze 50+ wallet parameters, and offer instant credit…
Vivek Kumar retweeted
I've been in crypto for 8+ years.
For the first time ever — substance has gotten ahead of price.
It's happening. Crypto is going to update the system.
Not done, but can't be stopped now.
Bravo to the relentless teams in this space. Keep going.
Vivek Kumar retweeted
Total expenditure incurred on PM Modi's foreign visits this year
From Parliamentary papers:
Vivek Kumar retweeted
After a comprehensive review, Aave is deprecating 50 low adoption asset reserves across multiple deployments.
In addition, Aave is orderly winding down deployments on Sonic, Scroll, zkSync, Metis, Soneium, and Aptos, covering another 25 asset reserves.
As part of this process, 21 matured Pendle PTs are also being deprecated in favour of new maturities.
In total, the changes affect $98.1M in supply and $15.6M in debt.
These measures reduce Aave's economic and technical risk surface as part of the new Aave Risk Framework and Technical Asset Listing Framework.
Aave will continue applying continuous risk assessment for all assets across all deployments.
