Highlights from the Staking Summit Speaker Reveal

Hey crypto enthusiasts, if you're into staking and earning yields on-chain, you've got to check out the latest buzz from the Staking Summit. This premier conference, put on by Staking Rewards, just unveiled their first wave of speakers for the upcoming event in Buenos Aires, Argentina, happening November 15-16, 2025. It's shaping up to be a must-attend for anyone in the blockchain space, from protocol builders to validators and investors.

In their announcement tweet, the organizers spotlighted a stellar group of industry heavyweights. These folks are at the forefront of staking tech, restaking solutions, and decentralized finance (DeFi). For those new to the term, staking is basically locking up your crypto assets to help secure a blockchain network and earn rewards in return—think of it as a way to put your tokens to work without selling them.

Let's break down some of the key speakers and what they bring to the table:

• Gavin Wood, CEO and Co-Founder of Polkadot: A pioneer in blockchain tech, Gavin co-founded Ethereum before launching Polkadot, a multi-chain platform that's all about interoperability and scalable staking.

• Sandeep Nailwal, Founder and CEO of Polygon Foundation: Sandeep has been instrumental in making Ethereum more accessible and affordable through Polygon's layer-2 solutions, which often incorporate staking mechanisms for network security.

• Austin Federa, Co-Founder of DoubleZero: Known for his work in the Solana ecosystem, Austin brings insights into high-performance blockchains and innovative yield strategies.

• Colin Myers, CEO and Founder of Obol Network: Obol focuses on distributed validator technology, helping make staking more decentralized and resilient.

• Misha Putiatin, Co-Founder of Symbiotic: Symbiotic is pushing the boundaries of restaking, allowing staked assets to secure multiple networks at once for extra yields.

• Mike Silagadze, CEO of Ether.fi: Ether.fi is a leading liquid staking protocol on Ethereum, letting users stake ETH while keeping liquidity through tokenized versions.

• Benjamin Sarquis Pellard, CEO and Co-Founder of Cap Money: Cap Money is innovating in stablecoin protocols with staking integrations for credible yields.

• Mara Schmiedt, CEO and Co-Founder of Alluvial Finance: Alluvial is behind institutional-grade liquid staking solutions, bridging traditional finance with crypto yields.

• Shiv Shankar, CEO of Boundless: Boundless is exploring zero-knowledge tech and staking for privacy-focused applications.

• Luca Prosperi, CEO and Co-Founder of MO: MO is a platform for application-specific stablecoins, often tied to staking and yield generation.

• Melody He, Co-Founder and Partner at Spartan Group: As a venture firm, Spartan invests in top staking and DeFi projects, offering a capital allocator's perspective.

• Gytis Trilikauskis, General Partner and COO at MEV Capital: MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) strategies often intersect with staking for optimized returns.

• Mateo Ward, Co-Founder of DoubleZero and Malbec Labs: Bringing expertise in yield farming and lab-based innovations in the crypto space.

And that's just the start—more speakers are on the way, so expect even bigger announcements soon.

Why This Matters for Blockchain Practitioners

Events like the Staking Summit are goldmines for learning about the latest in on-chain tech. With over 1,000 attendees expected, including protocols and capital allocators, it's a prime spot to network and dive into topics like restaking (reusing staked assets for multiple purposes) and sustainable yield strategies. If you're building or investing in meme tokens or any blockchain project, understanding staking can supercharge your tokenomics—many meme projects incorporate staking pools to boost community engagement and token value.

The vibe in Buenos Aires is sure to be electric, blending South American energy with global crypto insights. If you're planning to attend, grab your tickets now via the official Staking Summit website. Stay tuned for more updates, and let's keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in crypto!