coinIX at EthCC9: Interview with Wonderland-Foundational engineering for frontier tech

Wonderland is a Web3 core development and engineering group that works with blockchain protocols and infrastructure projects. Instead of being a typical crypto startup with a single token or app, they function more like a high-end blockchain R&D and engineering partner for major crypto ecosystems.

Valeria Sofía Salazar, the CGO of Wonderland, has been interviewed by Mahsa Doorfard, sales and marketing manager of coinIX. Wonderland was one of the sponsors of EthCC9 in Cannes.

Mahsa: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What’s your story, and how did you end up in the blockchain industry?

Valeria: It actually started in 2019 when I was on a plane and the man sitting next to me started talking to me about blockchain. Once he realized I spoke several languages, he said, “You should really look into this industry — and if you decide to get involved, I’ll give you a job.” The next day, I started researching blockchain, and after growing up in South America and seeing many of the challenges people in the Global South face firsthand, the technology immediately resonated with me. I saw the potential for real impact, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. So here I am, several years later, and I’m still completely hooked.

Mahsa: Can you tell us more about Wonderland? What exactly is the project, and what are you building?

Valeria: At Wonderland, we focus on foundational engineering for frontier technologies. What that really means is that we partner with teams we strongly believe in and help them build things that haven’t been built before — whether that’s infrastructure, application development, architecture, or interoperability solutions. We go very deep technically and strategically to identify the best standards and frameworks for the future of the industry.

Mahsa: Is there anyone else in the market currently doing exactly what your team is doing?

Valeria: Not really. There are a few companies with similar approaches or different iterations of it, but we’re the only team doing it in the way that we do.

Mahsa: Can you share some recent updates, partnerships, or milestones related to Wonderland that you’d like our audience to know about?

Valeria: Right now, we’re partnered with the Ethereum Foundation, where we’re working on Kohaku and interoperability standards. We’re also partnered with Optimism, Aztec, Aerodrome, ELA, Geo Privacy Pools, and Jolt from A16Z. Our partnership ecosystem is looking really strong and healthy right now. One particularly exciting collaboration is ELA, which is a new AI agentic DeFi project. We’ll actually be doing a live demo at the booth in a few minutes. They launched just last week, so we’re incredibly excited about that. Overall, things are moving in a really positive direction for us.

Mahsa: Bearish or bullish in 2026?

Valeria: Bullish. Not simply because of short-term market movements, but because we’re seeing significant institutional adoption. If you look around EthCC, there are more institutional participants and events than ever before. I think the world is finally starting to pay serious attention to what’s happening in the blockchain industry. The projects that are real, sustainable, and operated like actual businesses are the ones that will survive and thrive long term.

Mahsa: Which sector within crypto do you think is going to be the next big thing?

Valeria: I believe privacy will continue to grow significantly, and I also think agentic finance is going to expand rapidly. Both of these sectors will make crypto much more accessible for everyday users and help people take greater control over their money and digital lives.

Mahsa: Over the past few years, many people have lost hope in crypto and left the industry altogether. What motivates you personally to stay?

Valeria: For me, it always comes back to the original mission and the broader circumstances around why this technology matters. My motivation has always been mission-driven. At the end of the day, I truly believe decentralized systems are the future. They create censorship-resistant and resilient infrastructure while empowering individuals at the same time. Anything that allows people to take control of their own lives, information, finances, and data is something I see as fundamentally positive — and worth building for.

Watch the interview on coinIX YouTube channel:

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About coinIX Capital GmbH

Since 2017, coinIX Capital GmbH, headquartered in Hamburg, has been at the forefront of analyzing blockchain projects and cryptocurrencies, facilitating investments in this dynamic sector. Comprising specialists with extensive experience in asset management, venture capital, and cutting-edge technology analysis, the coinIX team manages a portfolio boasting over 20 investments in blockchain startups alongside crypto assets. Shares of coinIX GmbH & Co. KGaA are listed on the free market of the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange and are also traded on the Berlin and Munich stock exchanges.

About coinIX COINVEST SCI1

Launched in June 2022, coinIX COINVEST SCI1 is an open domestic special AIF under the KAGB. As a sub-portfolio of coinIX COINVEST Investment Stock Corporation with variable capital, its assets are managed by coinIX Capital GmbH, acting as a registered capital management company. Available for subscription by professional or semi-professional investors, the fund has the flexibility to invest up to 100% of its capital in crypto assets, aiming for a diversified portfolio of digital assets actively managed through ongoing selection processes. Additional income streams are generated through staking and other blockchain-native mechanisms. With the ISIN DE000A408Q55, subscriptions to the fund are only available directly through the investment company, with private investor acquisition prohibited.

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