Nico Del Pino is the co-founder of Liquid Meta, a tech platform that is building a bridge between traditional finance (TradFi) capital and the decentralized finance (DeFi) world. Besides that, he is also the CEO and co-founder of Ola Guild Games, the largest Web3 gaming community in the Hispanic markets.
💼 What were you doing before Web3?
Before Web3 I’ve been involved in FinTech and emerging markets. Particularly working on cross border and local payments solutions. Crypto became a huge solution for some of the pain points payments have in emerging markets like Latin America and SEA.
🤔 How did you get into Web3?
I got my first BTC in 2013. Back then it felt like a crazy experiment with some chance of succeeding. Looking back I can’t believe how far we have got and how early we still are.
🚀 What was your first crypto or NFT project?
My first crypto is BTC. And my first NFT is Axie Infinity.
🧠 How would you explain what you do to someone outside of Web3?
I run a community of gamers that are very curios about new technologies and alternative sources of income. We spend our days hosting events and connecting gaming partners with the community. I work with the most interesting people, it’s a lot of fun.
💡 Which creator or thought leader do you enjoy learning from?
Gabby Dizon from YGG, who is not only my partner but I also see him as a personal mentor and thought leader in the Web3 gaming space
🥳 What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?
Starting Ola GG and the impact Web3 has in our local communities. We decided to film a short documentary to show how lives are being transformed.
📈 What tech or crypto trend are you watching this year?
Digital identity. Soulbound tokens. New governance protocols. Royalty NFTs.
🤝 What advice would you give someone starting out in Web3?
The first step is the hardest. Get out there and get started. Join a community, share your ideas and passion. Stay curios and keep learning, but more importantly, take immediate action.
🎤 If you could do a TEDtalk on any topic, what would it be?
I would probably speak about Web3 as a new digital economy. New skills are needed, as new jobs are created, new products and services are traded. This is the blue ocean where so much talent is needed.
🚨 What is the one thing you would bring if you were stuck on a deserted Island?
My kindle and a solar charger.
POW stands for “Proof of Work.” It is a new feature article series in The Mega Maxi to highlight the savviest builders in the Web3 space.
