Can Frontends Act as a Moat? | Josh Litchman & Tolks

In this episode, we’re joined by the one and only Josh Litchman to discuss the power of front-end moats, building effective feedback loops, and the evolving landscape of crypto gaming. The conversation dives into how opinionated front ends shape user behavior, why order flow is the ultimate asset, and how games like Pixels leverage behavioral economics. We also explore the shift from traditional front ends to trading bots, the challenges of designing sustainable in-game economies, and the growing role of liquid funds in crypto markets. Thanks for tuning in! As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice. -- Special thanks to our sponsor, dYdX! Stay up-to-date with DeFi’s Pro Trading Platform by following dYdX on X: https://x.com/dYdX -- Join us at DAS NYC 2025!  Use code 0x10 for a 10% discount: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2025-new-york -- 0xResearch needs your help!  We’re conducting an audience survey to help us get a better picture of who our listeners are, and what you want to see from the show. What do you like about the show? What can we improve on? To contribute, follow this link: https://blockworks-research.beehiiv.com/forms/a97db4d7-5ff3-4a02-9089-d521bc64babd -- Follow Josh: https://x.com/joshlitchman Follow Tolks: https://x.com/_tolks Follow Boccaccio: https://x.com/salveboccaccio Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3foDS38 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3SNhUEt Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3NlP1hA Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ Join the 0xResearch Telegram group: https://t.me/+z0H6y2bS-dllODVh -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (2:39) Sui's World Liberty Finance Announcement (7:24) Defensive vs Growth Tokens (16:32) Can Front Ends be a Moat? (28:13) The Shift to Trading Bots (42:53) dYdX Snippet (45:29) Crypto Gaming Today (55:13) How Can Onchain Games Capture Users? -- Check out Blockworks Research today! Research, data, governance, tokenomics, and models – now, all in one place Blockworks Research: https://www.blockworksresearch.com/ Free Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 0xResearch is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Boccaccio, Danny, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.