We’re asking builders in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry what they think of the industry … and we’re throwing a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

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This week our 6 questions go to Olga Kupchevskaya, Vice President of Research and Development for MyEtherWallet.

Olga is Vice President of Research and Development for MyEtherWallet. She has a strong passion for learning, which led her to blockchain technology and led her to complete a master’s degree in computer science, with a focus on researching blockchain scalability solutions. In her role at MyEtherWallet, she oversees the research, development and production of software products ranging from Ethereum Blockchain (EthVM) data tools to portfolio management.

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1 – What kind of consolidation do you expect to see in the crypto industry in 2021?

Regarding the price, Ether (ETH) will go to the moon, of course. We have already seen that staking increased interest in the chain and took the price higher than it was in 2017. If the Ethereum Foundation fulfills its promise to merge with the Mainnet and Beacon chains from here by the end of 2021, the value of ETH will be even greater. secured.

In addition, we will see increased consolidation of decentralized financial cross-chain functionalities and gateways. After the previous years of the DeFi boom, more and more users are interested in participating in different DeFi projects. This is the next step for projects to create maximum value for their users and gain even higher market share.

2 – What are the top five Crypto Twitter feeds that you can’t live without, and why?

I have a Twitter account. However, I do not have a friendly relationship with Crypto Twitter. I will usually spend several minutes a week just to see if there is anything worth it. Most of the time, I just check partners in our company or other large DeFi projects for interesting news or educational content. Often times, I am overwhelmed by the amount of speculation and misinformation circulating in other channels and by the amount of manipulation that occurs in the feeds.

We’ve all seen recent examples of activity on Twitter where a large investor tweets speculation or threats about their investments. Then, right after, we see people start to buy or sell vigorously. As a result, we get significant price changes. Besides the fact that market manipulation is illegal in other industries – and that it is absurd that a tweet could significantly influence the crypto market and cause chaos in the community – it puts the standards in perspective. ethics of the Crypto Twitter community.

Instead, I get most of my news from some crypto dedicated media platforms like Cointelegraph, CoinDesk, etc.

3 – Which is dumber: $ 500,000 Bitcoin or $ 0 Bitcoin? Why?

I have the impression that a Bitcoin (BTC) the $ 0 price is much dumber than $ 500,000. Ultimately, Bitcoin’s primary goal is the transfer of value; even though it is decentralized, it still has points in common with centralized digital systems. Traditionally in financial systems, you have an intermediary who will help you store, manage and secure your assets, like a bank. And like any business, the middleman has expenses, so you end up paying them a fee when you want to use your assets.

With blockchain technology, you can do all of this yourself; however, there are always physical costs. Like any blockchain, Bitcoin is mined by nodes connected through a network. Bitcoin nodes do computational work to verify transactions and make chain history accessible to other peer nodes. Each peer must still be encouraged to perform the proof of work to cover equipment costs, electricity costs, etc. Even though Bitcoin has started to implement proof of participation Like Ethereum, there are still costs that must be covered, such as the ongoing maintenance of nodes.

4 – Which two superpowers you would most like to have, and how would you combine them for good … or bad?

My first ability would certainly be to clone myself while keeping the memory of the clone once we get together. I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I want or even need. For example, there are so many innovations happening all around us in the industry, and I just don’t have enough time to educate myself in depth on all the new concepts. Instead, I only have to choose certain things.

The second would be to fly – being able to get somewhere without any constraints is very appealing. By combining these powers, I would have the unique ability to offer free multi-route air taxi services to those in need as an alternative to regional airlines and their outrageous baggage fees. I would have to look into the details to be able to show films in flight, but hey, the idea is there!

5 – What talent are you missing and would you like to have? How would you use it if you had it?

I definitely lack good oral communication skills. English is not my first language, and like most people I tend to get very nervous. When I had to make frequent presentations in college, sometimes I would lose my train of thought in the middle of the sentence, and I would forget a few words halfway while saying them out loud. Even though it has been a long time since I have experienced extreme nervousness, I still feel that I lack the qualities to deliver a speech in front of a large crowd that I have just met.

I’m lucky because I’m now working with some great team members who respect and motivate each other. However, I have experienced my share of sexism and discrimination, and I know other people in the crypto and STEM industries are experiencing this right now. If I were a great speaker, I would like to influence and motivate people to talk about what they are going through, speak out against gender biases and take action. The addition to the existing dialogue will help create greater awareness and empower more women and control cultures to enter and stay in the industry.

6 – List your favorite sports teams and choose the most memorable moment while watching them.

I grew up in Russia, and of course we always watched hockey there. My friends were big fans of SKA St. Petersburg, and we went to games frequently because hockey tickets are much cheaper there. One of the most memorable moments was seeing them take part in the KHL conference final for the first time and play their last game against HC Dynamo Moscow. I remember the last 30 seconds and how intense it was.

The SKA was losing and had to score twice to win. They took the goalie off the ice to gain an additional skater, focusing the rest of the game around the Dynamo net. The SKA skaters continued to attack the net over and over again with all the skills they had to offer. Still, the Dynamo keeper continued to produce incredible saves, and in between you could feel the tension between the players and the stadium. SKA lost – the Dynamo goalie proved unbeatable – but it was a great hockey game.

A wish to the blockchain community:

Above all, don’t be afraid to be a little crazy. Even though your idea may seem too widespread, there’s always a good chance it isn’t; you can be the first to bring it to life! Educate yourself, contact people in the industry, and you can find someone who will share your passion and help you execute.