Lucas Manuel is the co-founder and head of Smart Contracts at Phoenix Labs.
In our conversation, we dive into Spark Protocol's role as the Sky Ecosystem's first "subDAO". Spark manages $4.5 billion in capital, generating $270 million in annualized revenue, deploying funds for optimal DeFi returns with unprecedented on-chain transparency. Lucas highlights smart contract efficiency and the "Lindy effect," proving protocol unhackability through longevity. He also showcases DeFi's future via the Coinbase integration, where Spark's liquidity layer invisibly stabilizes borrow rates, distinguishing transparent DeFi from opaque centralized entities.
00:00 Introduction to Lucas, Phoenix Labs, and the Spark Protocol
00:46 The Spark Protocol's Evolution and Role as a SubDAO
02:40 Spark Protocol's Financial Scale and Operations
04:36 Unprecedented Transparency in DeFi
05:39 Efficiency of Smart Contracts: The Maple Finance Case Study
11:27 Lucas' Journey into Blockchain and Early DeFi
15:30 Canada's Opportunity to Embrace DeFi and Stablecoins
18:50 The Unique Nature and Permanence of Smart Contract Engineering
23:28 Understanding the Lindy Effect in Smart Contract Security
27:26 DeFi's Invisible Integration: The Coinbase-Spark Liquidity Layer Example
34:25 Distinguishing Transparent DeFi from Centralized Crypto and Traditional Finance
Share this post