Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter (now X) changed the media as we know it. The Twitter Files exposed a vast conspiracy to censor what was supposed to be a free speech platform. As this information was published, the American people - whose confidence in the legacy media’s integrity and reliability was already at an all-time low - began to snap. More and more turned to X as the global town square and citizen journalism began to overtake traditional media.
Following President-Elect Donald Trump’s landslide victory in America’s 2024 presidential election, legacy media outlets faltered, while X usage soared to new all-time highs. This prompted Musk to tweet, informing the people of X that they are the media now. And just as we got to know the media personalities of yore, we should now be focused on familiarizing ourselves with citizen journalists who represent the future.
For cryptocurrency aficionados, this means getting to know more than just the big personalities who sometimes dominate our timelines. It also means getting to know those who attempt to provide objective coverage of the issues that affect us all. Knowing who they are, what matters to them, and their incentives can help us avoid the mistakes many have made in trusting traditional media.
Spaces are today's newscasts, and QuickSwap's "The Aggregated" is one of crypto's most popular programs. Streaming live each Friday at 4pm UTC, "The Aggregated" attracts between 50,000 and 100,000 listeners per episode. It has carved out a niche within Web3 and cryptocurrency communities, particularly after rebranding from "All Roads Lead to Polygon" to encompass a broader spectrum and speak to the larger crypto community. Its hosts - Roc Zacharias and Ronald Amaya (aka Aztec) - bring in dynamic personalities to contribute to an engaging, ongoing discussion about various aspects of Web3 - from meme coins to regulations and gaming adoption. But who are the men behind this media monster in the making?
Bitcoin's invention deeply impacted Roc. Shortly after discovering it in 2015, he decided to radically change his career. For Roc, this meant abandoning his medical textbooks and microscopes in favor of whitepapers and blockchain programming languages. In 2017, Roc co-founded Lunar Digital Assets - the marketing and incubation firm he is now the CEO of.
In 2019, Roc met Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal at a hackathon. After learning about Polygon's vision for scaling Ethereum and revolutionizing the internet, Roc realized its immense potential and became a fervent supporter. Lunar Digital Assets went on to incubate Polygon and played a critical role in its early development. In 2020, Roc co-founded QuickSwap, Polygon's first major DEX.
Guided by an ethos of interoperability, Roc has played a significant role in developing several protocols outside the Polygon ecosystem. Beyond his technical skills and business acumen, Roc possesses a talent for leadership and community building. He sits on the board of BitAngels, where he makes key decisions about investing in projects that will shape the future of Web3.
While cryptocurrency is never far from Roc's mind, he recently told CryptoBit, "I do have other interests… They just often lead back to crypto," he said, laughing. "I'm passionate about politics, particularly libertarianism, which fuels my philosophical approach to blockchain and decentralization… Web3 is more than just an industry—it's a political and social movement aimed at empowering individuals and reducing the influence of centralized authorities."
Roc's love of political discourse and debate is often evident during his conversations on "The Aggregated," where he doesn't shy away from diving into controversial or thought-provoking topics that blend Web3 and politics.
Like Roc, Ronald Amaya started his career in the medical field as a respiratory therapist. In 2016, blockchain technology captivated Aztec's attention. Like many others, he began by dabbling in DeFi. He then developed an eye for spotting emerging projects; chief among them was MATIC - now Polygon.
Aztec's appreciation for blockchain's tremendous potential led him to kickstart his crypto content creator journey with a YouTube channel, where he continues to share his insights about the market today. One of the original "Matic Mitras", Aztec was heavily involved in Polygon's incubation. Early on, he caught Lunar Digital Assets' attention and was hired as a marketing specialist. Over time, Aztec's influence and ability to advise projects grew, and he became the company's Chief Strategy Officer.
Aztec told CryptoBit, "One accomplishment I'm most proud of is my contribution to the initial research for Polygon's rebrand." Aztec remains steadfastly devoted to supporting Polygon's DeFi protocols and NFT projects. He champions community outreach and its organic formation.
As the co-host of "The Aggregated", Aztec offers a unique perspective, bringing his deep knowledge and experience to every conversation. He's also been widely complimented for his ability to take control of and calm the most heated arguments. Many attribute this to his stoic attitude paired with a low baritone and calming voice, earning him the nickname "smooth jazz" among the show's staff, guests, and fans.
As humanity embarks on an expedition into an unknown future, crypto is light years ahead of the pack. Having adopted the mantra of "don't trust; verify," crypto's pioneers are not new to the due diligence process. It's time we started applying our research skills to more than just the projects we are considering investing in and their founders, but also to the people who provide information to the public. In a decentralized media economy that includes podcast hosts and key opinion leaders.
Tune in to "The Aggregated" each Friday at 4pm UTC, and decide for yourself.
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