Robbie from The Rollup recently shared his excitement on X about moderating a panel at the (Re)fundamentals event, a side gathering during Token2049 week in Singapore. In his tweet, he highlighted how the discussion dove into rollups, verifiability, and DeFi finally turning into solid infrastructure. If you're into meme tokens, this stuff matters because better chains mean faster, cheaper trades and wilder community experiments.

What Went Down at (Re)fundamentals

Held on September 30, 2025, at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel in Singapore, this event was all about going back to basics – or "refundamentals" – in blockchain tech. Organized with input from AltLayer, it featured a packed agenda of talks, firesides, and panels. The goal? To unpack how rollups (think scalable layer-2 solutions on Ethereum), verifiability (proving stuff without revealing everything, often via zero-knowledge proofs), and DeFi (decentralized finance protocols) are merging to build something reliable and powerful.

The event kicked off with a welcome from YQ of AltLayer and ran through a

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- The event is a side event during Token2049 week, held on September 30, 2025.
series of 15-minute slots with heavy hitters like Sreeram Kannan from EigenLayer (pioneers in restaking), Charles Lu from Espresso (focusing on rollup interoperability), and Stani Kulechov from Aave (a top lending protocol). There were deep dives into topics like optimizing layer-2s, AI-integrated chains, and even a special address on AltLayer's tools for launching rollups quickly.

The DeFi Panel: Where Robbie Shined

Robbie's panel, simply titled "DeFi," brought together Jako from Mitosis (a liquid restaking protocol), Mike Shingadze from Ether.fi (another restaking player), Benjamin Song from Cap (likely focused on capital efficiency), and Ron (Ben) from Synthetix (known for synthetic assets). They broke down how these technologies are no longer just hype – they're becoming the backbone for real-world apps.

For the uninitiated, rollups bundle transactions off the main Ethereum chain to make things faster and cheaper while inheriting its security. Verifiability ensures that computations are honest without needing to re-run them, which is huge for trust in DeFi. And restaking? That's where you reuse staked assets (like ETH) to secure multiple networks, boosting yields but also risks – something meme coin degens love for those high-APY farms.

The crew discussed real infrastructure wins: how rollups like Optimism and Arbitrum are enabling meme tokens to thrive with low fees, verifiability powering secure cross-chain bridges (goodbye, hacks?), and DeFi evolving into modular pieces that anyone can plug into. Imagine launching a meme token on a custom rollup with built-in verifiability for fair launches – that's the future they painted.

Why This Matters for Meme Tokens

At Meme Insider, we're all about those viral coins that capture culture and community. But memes don't live in a vacuum – they need solid tech to pump. Events like this show how rollups are making bases like Base (from Coinbase) meme-friendly with sub-cent tx fees. Verifiability could mean provably fair pumps or airdrops, cutting out rugs. And with DeFi giants like Aave and Synthetix involved, expect more ways to leverage memes in perps, lending, or even synthetic versions of your favorite dog coin.

One standout from the agenda was the "PMF" panel (Product-Market Fit), featuring folks from Consensys and DataHaven, talking verifiable storage for AI and data. Tie that to memes: AI-generated meme art with provenance could be the next big thing, ensuring creators get credit in a decentralized way.

Key Takeaways and What's Next

• Rollups are maturing: No more waiting for Ethereum's slow speeds; layer-2s are ready for meme mania.
• Verifiability is key: ZK tech makes everything auditable, reducing trust issues in DeFi plays.
• DeFi as infrastructure: Protocols like EigenLayer's restaking are unlocking capital efficiency, potentially fueling bigger meme ecosystems.

If you missed it, check out related side events from Token2049, like those from Brevis (ZK + AI) or Numbers Protocol (provenance for digital media). For more on how this ties into meme tokens, stay tuned to Meme Insider – we're building that knowledge base to help you level up in blockchain.

Got thoughts on how rollups could supercharge your next meme launch? Drop a comment or hit up the original thread on X.