How Uber’s Playbook Shaped Blockchain.com’s Growth Strategy With Lane Kasselman

Most people think disruption is about technology.
In reality, it’s about winning inside chaos, regulation, and imperfect systems — before the rules catch up.

In this episode of Ventures from the Valley, I sit down with Lane Kasselman, President of Blockchain.com and one of the earliest executives at Uber, to unpack what it truly takes to scale category-defining companies in the most regulated environments on earth.

We talk candidly about how Uber forced regulation to follow adoption, how that mindset carried into Blockchain.com, and why the next crypto cycle will look fundamentally different from the last.

This is not a conversation about hype.
It’s a masterclass on building real companies that survive cycles, scrutiny, and scale.

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In this episode, we cover:
• Why Uber’s “win or lose” culture still defines category winners
• How Blockchain.com scaled from 100 to 600 employees in under a year
• What founders misunderstand about regulation in tech and crypto
• Why emerging markets are driving real crypto adoption — not speculation
• How stablecoins are already replacing fiat in parts of the global economy
• Why the next crypto downturn won’t look like 2022
• How AI agents will quietly make crypto the backbone of global payments
• The leadership shifts required to scale from startup to global platform
• Why hiring true operators — not just insiders — changes everything
• The single most important mistake founders make in regulated industries

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❓ If regulation is inevitable, should founders fight it — or design their strategy around it from day one?
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Timestamps:
00:00 – From Law to Tech Leadership
01:08 – Why Uber Attracted Non-Engineers
03:05 – Convincing Governments
04:53 – Why Corporate America Pushes Builders Out
05:54 – Joining Uber Before It Was Uber
07:35 – The “Win Or Lose” Culture
09:16 – Forcing Regulation to Catch Up
10:25 – From Uber’s Chaos to Blockchain.com
12:04 – Entering Crypto
14:20 – What Finally Made Crypto Click
16:11 – Emerging Markets
18:33 – Stablecoins Replacing Fiat
21:04 – Scaling Blockchain.com
23:41 – Hiring Operators vs Promoting Insiders
25:53 – From 100 to 600 Employees
27:35 – Giving the CEO Leverage
29:19 – Mentorship at the Executive Level
30:42 – Leadership Principles
33:57 – Why Every Executive Needs a Coach
35:09 – The Regulatory Shift in Crypto
37:44 – Why Crypto Is Now Here to Stay
39:41 – Speculation vs Infrastructure
41:30 – AI Agents
44:09 – Why Crypto Will Power AI Transactions
46:26 – Why Smart Contracts Lag Adoption
49:27 – Tokenization vs ICOs
52:23 – Wall Street Is Finally Paying Attention
55:24 – Bitcoin Cycles
58:00 – Why the Next Crash Will Be Smaller
1:00:22 – Advice for Founders
1:04:02 – Final Thoughts

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R136 Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based multi-stage VC firm with a focus on scaling mid and late-stage B2B and fintech startups.

Our mission is to propel creative entrepreneurs to a faster growth trajectory. We help founders scale their mid-to-late stage startups, bringing with us a distinctive fusion of expertise and past experiences that are key in unlocking their true potential.

With many of our team having previously held CEO, CTO and other c-level positions, we understand the challenges and opportunities of both startups and major corporations. Our contribution doesn't just stop at vision and strategy; we actively shape your execution and help in talent acquisition.

With a legacy of managing assets exceeding $400 million and having financially backed more than 30 innovative companies, our record speaks for itself.

🌐 Learn more: https://www.r136.vc/

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