Avsnitt

  • With a friendlier regulatory environment in sight, will crypto finally get its moment?
    Jeff Park, head of alpha strategies at Bitwise, joins Unchained to break down what a pro-crypto approach in Washington could mean for the industry, why DeFi tokens such as UNI are thriving, and whether Bitcoin has a place as a strategic national asset. 
    Plus, Park shares insights into how China will respond to Trump’s economic measures and explains what he means by the “radical portfolio” thesis. 
    Tune in to find out how this new political era could set the stage for crypto’s long-awaited breakout.
    Show highlights:

    Jeff’s main takeaways from the intersection of crypto and politics this cycle

    Whether crypto has become a partisan issue

    Why Jeff highlights the usefulness of Polymarket to track the chances of each candidate

    Why Uniswap’s token UNI outperformed the broader market

    What sectors of the industry could boom with more regulatory clarity

    Whether the idea of using bitcoin as a strategic reserve is feasible 

    How China will respond to Trump’s economic measures

    What is the “radical portfolio” thesis and what’s bitcoin’s role in it

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest


    Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise

    The Radical Portfolio Theory

    Links
    Unchained: 

    Ether Breaks Past $2,800 to 3-Month High Following Trump’s Victory

    DeFi Tokens Jump on Hopes That Trump Will Provide Crypto Regulatory Clarity

    Bitcoin Just Gained $100 Billion in Market Cap Overnight. Is it Time to Take Profits?

    Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High of $75,000

    What Gary Gensler Could Still Do Against Crypto in His Remaining Days as SEC Chair


    Haralabos Voulgaris’s tweets on gambling:

    Expressing concern about gambling addiction


    Contrasting gambling now vs. when he started


    His opposition to how much gambling is promoted



    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:13 Key takeaways on crypto’s role in politics

    02:38 Has crypto become a partisan issue?

    06:47 Why Polymarket is crucial for tracking election odds

    09:29 Why UNI is outperforming the market

    11:56 Which sectors could thrive with regulatory clarity?

    15:07 Could Bitcoin become a national strategic reserve?

    18:32 How might China respond to Trump’s economic policies?

    20:17 What is the “radical portfolio” thesis?

    29:57 Crypto News Recap


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Donald Trump is headed back to the White House, and the crypto markets are surging in response. 
    This episode of Bits + Bips dives into what the election means for crypto, the potential crypto IPOs coming soon, why DeFi tokens are outperforming, and what changes in U.S. regulation could mean for investors. Ram Ahluwalia and Noelle Acheson join to explore this unprecedented moment in crypto and how inflation and policy changes may boost Bitcoin and the broader ecosystem.
    Show highlights:

    Everyone’s initial reactions to Trump’s win

    How some crypto companies could have their IPO soon

    Whether it’s time to take profits after the substantial run

    Why DeFi tokens have been the biggest winners 

    What the next crypto spot ETF will be and whether we’ll see staking rewards for ETH

    Why mainstream media didn’t see the Trump win coming

    Why Ram and Alex believe that Kamala Harris was not the right candidate

    How Trump won the appeal of the lower class in the U.S.

    Whether immigration was key to sustaining the GDP and avoiding a “hard landing”

    Crypto’s massive win in Congress

    How much impact Elon Musk had in the outcome of the elections

    How Polymarket has become a “new source of truth,” according to Ram

    Why the Fed doesn’t have a need to accelerate rate cuts

    Whether Trump’s policies will be inflationary and whether he’ll go forward with tariffs

    Whether the 10-year bond will reach new highs


    Thanks to Gemini for sponsoring this episode of Bits + Bips.

    Hosts:


    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence


    Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard

    Guests:


    Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida


    Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter 

    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:57 Reactions to Trump’s election win

    03:13 Which crypto companies might IPO soon?

    09:28 Is it time to take profits in crypto?

    17:30 Why are DeFi tokens surging?

    20:31 What’s next for crypto ETFs and ETH staking rewards?

    28:00 Why mainstream media missed Trump’s victory

    33:44 Ram’s thoughts on Kamala Harris’s candidacy

    43:52 How Trump gained appeal with lower-income voters

    45:41 Did immigration help sustain GDP?

    53:11 Crypto’s big win in Congress

    56:53 Elon Musk’s influence on the election outcome

    1:04:10 Is Polymarket becoming a “new source of truth”?

    1:10:30 Why the Fed may not need faster rate cuts

    1:13:26 Will Trump’s policies drive inflation?

    1:17:08 Will the 10-year bond hit new highs?


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saknas det avsnitt?

    Klicka här för att uppdatera flödet manuellt.

  • Crypto networks are meant to be decentralized, community owned systems. But they’re turned out to be dominated by whales and to have more mercenaries who are just interested in getting free tokens to dump them, rather than having long-term believers who want to build the ecosystem. How can tokens be launched in a way that gets token holders aligned with long-term success? 
    Today’s guests, Mike Dudas, founding partner of 6th Man Ventures, and Matt O’Connor, co-founder of Legion, believe there’s room for improvement. In this episode, they share how Legion aims to reshape the process, focusing on fair distribution, incentivizing organic user growth, and building loyal communities. They explore Legion’s approach to token sales, its compatibility with regulatory frameworks, and why it might be the key to bringing new people into crypto.
    Show highlights:

    How Legion was born and what its main goal is

    The problems with how token launches currently work 

    Why projects don’t want to return to the ICO model

    Whether the criteria to earn a better reputation on Legion is gameable 

    How Legion actually works and what the role of KYC is

    What type of regulatory framework Legion is leveraging

    How MiCA’s rules for token offerings allowed for this type of project to emerge

    Whether the U.S. should follow Europe in establishing a crypto framework like MiCA

    What the business model of Legion is

    What the difference is between Legion and other similar platforms such as Cobie’s Echo

    Whether token sales is a better distribution mechanism than airdrops

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Robinhood & Arbitrum

    Guests:


    Mike Dudas, Founding partner of 6th Man Ventures


    Matt O’Connor, Co-Founder of Legion

    Matt’s open source publication: Tokenomics for Builders


    Links

    Unchained: Legion Launches New Tool to Identify Best Contributors in Crypto Fundraises


    Legion Whitepaper


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:49 How Legion was born and its main goal

    05:33 What’s wrong with current token launches?

    11:13 Why projects avoid the ICO model

    13:37 Can Legion’s reputation system be gamed?

    26:18 How Legion works and the role of KYC

    35:23 The regulatory framework behind Legion

    39:06 How MiCA enabled this type of project

    44:09 Should the U.S. adopt a framework like MiCA?

    46:32 What is Legion’s business model?

    50:28 How Legion differs from Cobie’s Echo

    53:18 Are token sales better than airdrops for distribution?


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. This week, Robert Leshner welcomes two special guests: Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy, and Shaun Maguire, general partner at Sequoia Capital, for a one-of-a-kind debate on how the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election could shape the future of crypto. With the stakes higher than ever, they explore what a Harris or Trump presidency could mean for crypto regulation, market infrastructure, and the populist undercurrents driving the industry forward. From blockchain voting possibilities to the macroeconomic forces impacting Bitcoin and stablecoins, the conversation pushes beyond policy to the heart of crypto's role in tomorrow's world. This episode delivers crucial insights on the political forces that could redefine crypto’s trajectory in the U.S. and beyond.
    Show highlights
    🔹 Crypto in the Election Crosshairs: Mike Novogratz and Shaun Maguire debate how a Trump or Harris presidency could reshape the U.S. crypto landscape.
    🔹 Deregulation vs. Innovation: Trump’s pro-deregulation stance meets Harris’s pro-innovation campaign promises. Which path is better for crypto growth?
    🔹 Crypto's Populist Appeal: How Trump’s base connects with crypto’s populist movement and why that resonates with “the people at the bottom” of the income bracket.
    🔹 Deep State and Political Jaywalking: Shaun Maguire dives into the concept of “political jaywalking” and its impact on trust in U.S. elections.
    🔹 The Future of Blockchain Voting: Could blockchain-based voting bring transparency to elections? The crew weighs in on the feasibility and timing of decentralized voting.
    🔹 Bitcoin's Role in Macro Trends: With U.S. debt surging, Mike and Shaun share their thoughts on Bitcoin as a hedge, whether Trump or Harris takes office.
    🔹 The Crypto Political Machine: A look at how crypto insiders engage with political campaigns and the industry’s impact on down-ballot races.
    🔹 Wildcard Assets: How a national Bitcoin reserve might impact U.S. fiscal policy – could it ever happen under Harris?
    Hosts
    ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate
    Guests
    ⭐️Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy
    ⭐️Shaun Maguire, general partner at Sequoia Capital

    Disclosures
    Timestamps 

    00:00 Introduction

    02:03 Shaun’s Argument for Trump

    05:10 Mike's Argument for Harris

    11:10 Political Bias and Prediction Markets

    18:25 Flynn & Political Jaywalking

    24:26 Macroeconomic Implications for Crypto

    30:29 Bitcoin Price Predictions Post-Election

    32:38 Gold & Central Bank Dynamics

    34:41 Nation States & Bitcoin Reserves

    37:35 Military Technology & Future Dominance

    39:10 Presidential Campaign Issues & AI

    47:44 Election Integrity & Blockchain Voting

    53:17 Crypto's Influence in Politics

    56:42 $WLFI Endeavors

    01:00:17 Closing Thoughts


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • As the 2024 U.S. election draws near, the crypto market is buzzing with speculation on what’s next. Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, joins Unchained to discuss how Bitcoin and altcoins might react depending on who wins. Hayes shares his insights on election trade strategies, from the importance of sticking to the majors to his preference for Solana over Ethereum in the short term.
    He also dives into whether Trump will fulfill his promises to the crypto community and drops a banger explanation on what could be the next Federal Reserve move. (Hint: it’s not about interest rates.) 
    Plus, Unchained reporter Veronica Irwin joins the show to discuss her latest scoops on Stand With Crypto’s scoring system and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s stance on whether she would want to become Chair of the agency in replacement of Gary Gensler.
    Show highlights:

       01:39 How the market could react based on the election outcome

       03:53 Has a Trump win been priced in? What if there’s no clear winner?

       06:30 Arthur’s short-term trade strategy for the elections

       13:00 Will Bitcoin surge, and is an altcoin rotation coming?

       16:52 Why Arthur favors SOL over ETH right now

       21:28 Whether Layer 2s are parasitic to Ethereum

       24:19 Could crypto regulation reform come after the election?

       26:12 Whether Trump would deliver on his promises to the crypto community

       29:45 The election outlook for memecoins

       30:52 Why traders should focus on high-cap AI memecoins

       36:41 Why Arthur believes the Fed need to restart quantitative easing

       47:55 How much money China will print to tackle its property crisis

       52:21 Arthur’s take on Japan’s political shift and economic impact

       54:44 Whether Stand With Crypto has been honest with the crypto community

       56:20 A potential conflict of interest of one of the top executives

       56:58 Stand With Crypto’s affiliation with PAC Fairshake

       1:04:19 Whether Hester Peirce will become SEC Chair if Trump wins

       1:08:27 Crypto News Recap


    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest


    Arthur Hayes, Co-Founder of BitMEX and CIO at Maelstrom

    Previous appearances on Unchained: 

    Arthur Hayes and Will Clemente on How This Bitcoin Halving Is Different

    Arthur Hayes on Why Bitcoin Is Money and ETH Is a Shitcoin He Loves

    Arthur Hayes, Former Ethereum Skeptic, on Why the Merge Makes Him Bullish on ETH 

    Arthur Hayes of Bitmex on Why Countries Will Turn to Digital

    The Chopping Block: Arthur Hayes on Why Crypto Needs to Ditch the Banks

    How Crypto and Blockchain Technology Could Change Financial Services

    Links

    Unchained: 

    Why You Might Have to Wait a Little Longer for a Crypto Bull Market

    What Needs to Happen for Altcoins to Finally Pump: Report

    Arthur’s latest blog post



    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. This week, the crew tackles everything from AI-powered memecoins and the explosive rise of GOAT token to the ongoing rivalry between Ethereum and Solana. They break down the appeal of AI-driven assets, analyze Trump’s World Liberty Finance flop, and debate whether Ethereum’s current fragmentation is hurting its narrative. With Halloween thrills and market chills, this episode delivers insider insights on the trends pushing crypto forward.
    Show highlights
    🔹 GOAT Token Madness: The latest in AI memecoin hype and how GOAT token captured the attention of investors and Twitter alike.
    🔹 Memecoin Stagecraft: Are AI-driven coins here to stay, or is it all clever stagecraft? Our thoughts on the future of AI-based assets. 
    🔹 AI Meets Memecoins: Is character-driven AI the secret sauce in building compelling memecoins? Exploring the potential of charismatic, interactive assets. 
    🔹 World Liberty Finance Flop: Trump's crypto token sale misses the mark—are accredited investor rules and lack of memes to blame? 
    🔹 Trump’s Role in Crypto: How Trump’s “hands-off” approach may have impacted World Liberty’s slow start. 
    🔹 Ethereum vs Solana: Ethereum’s current challenges and Vitalik’s roadmap defense—can Ethereum reclaim its narrative from Solana’s simpler, single-layer approach? 
    🔹 Fragmentation in Ethereum’s Ecosystem: How Ethereum’s L2 rollup competition might be confusing new users and hurting its narrative.

    Hosts
    ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly
    ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate
    ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    Disclosures

    Timestamps

    00:00 Intro

    02:12 The Rise of GOAT Token

    11:41 The Future of AI Coins & Meme-Based Value

    21:50 The Importance of Attention in Crypto

    23:53 Trump's World Liberty Finance Token Sale

    31:24 Ethereum's Struggles and Vitalik's Response


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Subscribe to Unchained’s new regulatory newsletter Unregulated.
    With the presidential race in the spotlight, it’s easy to overlook the powerful role that Congress could play in shaping crypto policy in the coming years. From committee chairs to legislative allies, crypto advocates are keenly focused on the outcome of key Congressional races. Kristin Smith of the Blockchain Association and Alex Grieve of Paradigm join us today to break down which races and committees are critical for crypto, why the industry is more visible in Washington than ever, and what the chances are for lame duck legislation this year. 
    Read more: How Congressional Committee Leadership Could Shake Out for Crypto This Election
    Show highlights:

    Why this election is “incredibly important” for crypto 

    How the presence of Fairshake is increasingly noticed by Washington

    Why some committees are more important than others for the industry

    Why the Senate Banking Committee is key

    Whether Alex and Kristin are concerned about Sen. Warren becoming chair of the Senate Banking Committee

    What could happen to the House Financial Services Committee

    Who is likely to take on both of the Agricultural Committees, which is in charge of the CFTC

    How the Senate Commerce affects the crypto industry

    How the members of the House Energy Committee don’t have a strong stance on crypto

    What the stance of the Finance Committee on crypto is

    Why there is an opportunity in the House Ways and Means Committee

    Whether crypto tax legislation is in the works

    Who could be the SEC Chair under a Trump or Harris presidency

    Who could be the next Chair of the CFTC

    Whether Yellen will be replaced on Treasury, with many pro-crypto options on tap

    Why the Federal Reserve matters much more if they get to regulate stablecoins

    What the odds are for crypto legislation being passed this year

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Robinhood & Arbitrum

    Guests:


    Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association

    Kristin’s Op-ed on Unchained: In the Ongoing SAB 121 Fight, Here’s How Crypto Can Move Forward With Bipartisan Support


    Previous appearances on Unchained:

    Kristin Smith on Why Crypto Legislation Could Be Passed by Year's End 

    Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky

    What the Crypto Industry Could See Under a Biden Administration


    Alexander Grieve, VP of Government Affairs at Paradigm

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on the elections:

    With Rate Cuts and Upcoming Elections, What’s the Best Play in Crypto?

    Why Congressman Ro Khanna Is Hopeful the Democratic Party Will Embrace Crypto

    Why Gary Gensler Will Likely Be Out as SEC Chair No Matter Who Wins the Election

    Congressman French Hill on Crypto and His Top Pick for the Next SEC Chair


    Timestamps: 

    00:00 Intro

    01:55 Why this election is pivotal for crypto

    04:50 How Fairshake’s presence is catching Washington’s eye

    16:39 Which committees matter most for crypto?

    22:49 Why the Senate Banking Committee is crucial

    28:54 Concerns about Sen. Warren as potential chair?

    38:15 Possible shifts in the House Financial Services Committee

    41:47 Who could control the Agricultural Committees and CFTC oversight?

    47:35 How the Senate Commerce Committee impacts crypto

    51:04 House Energy Committee’s stance on crypto

    53:21 Finance Committee’s crypto perspective

    55:03 Opportunities in the House Ways and Means Committee

    57:28 Is crypto tax legislation in the works?

    1:01:23 Potential SEC Chairs under Trump or Harris

    1:03:57 Who could be the next CFTC Chair?

    1:05:46 Will Yellen be replaced with a pro-crypto Treasury option?

    1:08:06 Why the Fed’s role could be pivotal for stablecoin regulation

    1:10:46 Odds of crypto legislation passing this year


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Subscribe to our new regulatory newsletter Unregulated: https://unchainedcrypto.substack.com/s/unregulated
    The two-week-old GOAT memecoin, which hit a market cap of almost $880 million on Thursday, is captivating everyone in crypto. Not because this is memecoin szn, but because its rise was fueled by an AI called Truth Terminal, which is itself a baby of two other AI models. 
    Teng Yan, founder of Chain of Thought, joins Unchained to break down how this unexpected AI creation has turned into a phenomenon, why it has captured the attention of the crypto world, and what the future holds for AI-driven tokens. 
    At the end, Laura also discusses with Unchained’s regulatory reporter Veronica Irwin two interesting and important news stories: who Kamala Harris is vetting for SEC chair and how one Senate race could inadvertently give Senator Elizabeth Warren more power over crypto. 
    Show highlights:

    How an AI experiment unexpectedly led to the creation of GOAT and sparked interest in AI-generated subcultures

    How "Terminal of Truth" evolved its own personality, gained attention from Marc Andreessen, and began posting about a new "Goat Sea gospel" religion

    How the spelling mistake sparked skepticism about the AI model

    What happened with the $50,000 in BTC that Marc Andreessen gave to Truth Terminal

    Whether an AI can have its own wallet and what the implications are 

    Whether AI memecoins could start surging on other chains

    What we can expect in terms of the proliferation of AI memecoins

    What the future looks like for the intersection of crypto and AI

    Who Kamala Harris is considering for SEC Chair if she wins the U.S. election

    Why one Senate race could give Elizabeth Warren more power over crypto

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest


    Teng Yan, Founder of Chain of Thought

    Teng’s article: GOAT: The Gospel of Goatse 

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on GOAT:

    GOAT Hits a Record $879 Million Market Cap After Brian Armstrong Offers to Help Truth Terminal

    GOAT: How AI Agents Talking Turned Into a $268 Million Memecoin 'Religion'

    Infinite backrooms

    Andy : https://x.com/AndyAyrey


    Andy Ayrey's (creator of Truth Terminal) research paper on LLMtheism: 

    Truth Terminal's X account 

    Kaito: GOAT’s mindshare



    Timestamps: 

    00:00 Intro

    01:28 How an AI experiment led to the creation of GOAT

    06:16 The rise of “Terminal of Truth” and its unexpected evolution

    11:57 How a simple spelling mistake raised skepticism

    20:09 What happened to the $50,000 in BTC from Marc Andreessen?

    21:06 Whether AI models can have their own wallets

    24:17 Whether AI memecoins will surge on other chains

    26:19 What’s next for the rise of AI memecoins

    28:35 The future of AI and crypto’s intersection

    31:39 Who Kamala Harris may consider for SEC Chair

    34:12 How one Senate race could boost Elizabeth Warren’s power over crypto

    40:33 News Recap


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. In this episode, the crew is joined by special guest Anatoly Yakovenko, the mastermind behind Solana, for a deep dive into the network’s evolution and future. The conversation kicks off with a look at Solana's rapid rise from its rocky early days to its current status as a blockchain powerhouse. They debate the role of memecoins in Solana’s ecosystem and whether they’re here to stay or just a passing craze. Next, Anatoly opens up about Fire Dancer’s impact on the network’s scaling and performance, sparking a broader discussion about vertical vs. horizontal scaling. Finally, they explore Solana’s ambitious push into the mobile space with the Seeker phone and its implications for the broader crypto industry. Packed with expert insights, bold predictions, and a few surprises, this episode is a must-listen for anyone following the future of blockchain.
    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Pandora, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
    Show highlights
    🔹 Solana’s Rise: Solana’s journey from early turbulence to becoming a blockchain powerhouse.
    🔹 Memecoin Frenzy: The explosive growth of memecoins on Solana and their impact on the ecosystem.
    🔹 Fire Dancer Impact: How Fire Dancer could revolutionize Solana’s scalability and performance.
    🔹 Vertical vs Horizontal Scaling: Is Solana’s vertical scaling approach stronger than Ethereum’s rollups?
    🔹 Seeker Phone: Solana’s ambitious push into mobile with the Seeker phone and its potential disruption of the app store landscape.
    🔹 ETHOS Phone: How does Ethereum’s new phone compare to Solana’s mobile vision?
    🔹 Network Extensions: The introduction of network extensions and whether they align with Solana’s long-term vision.
    🔹 App Chains: Could the rise of app-specific chains lead to fragmentation or strengthen Solana’s ecosystem?
    🔹 Developer Experience: The challenges of Solana’s development environment and their impact on innovation.
    🔹 Ethereum Rivalry: With both networks advancing, how is the competition between Solana and Ethereum shaping up?

    Hosts
    ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    Special Guest
    ⭐️Anatoly Yakovenko, Co-Founder & CEO Solana Labs
    Disclosures

    Timestamps 

    00:00 Intro

    02:56 TCB’s Criticisms

    05:12 Evolution of Solana's Ecosystem

    17:36 Solana's Competition

    22:05 What Is Solana's Moat?

    28:31 The Role of Atomicity and Composability

    34:11 Network Extensions

    44:20 First Mover vs. Second Cohort

    48:44 Future of Asset Types and Content

    52:49 Developer Experience and Token Implementations

    1:00:38 Solana Phone vs. EthOS

    1:09:16 Thoughts and Criticism


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann are joined by Jeff Park of Bitwise to discuss some of the latest developments in the crypto world. They share their thoughts on a controversial ECB paper about Bitcoin, breaking down why they believe the authors missed the mark. They also dive into the rising institutional interest in spot Bitcoin ETFs and how Trump’s momentum in the polls could impact the market, especially for altcoins. Plus, the conversation explores the significance of Bitcoin ETF options and why they could have a larger impact than many expect.
    Show highlights:

    Why the guys believe that the ECB paper on Bitcoin is a joke

    How the Minneapolis Fed report said that prohibiting Bitcoin would allow the government to operate at permanent deficits 

    The institutional demand for spot bitcoin ETFs

    How Trump has been rising in the polls and what the Trump trade looks like at the moment

    Whether polls and Poylmarket bets on the U.S. elections are manipulated

    How the Fed is putting more focus on jobs than inflation

    When the bitcoin ETF options might launch and which issuers will get it first

    How memecoins succeed and the rise of AI memecoins like GOAT, fueled by the AI bot truth_terminal

    What the $1.1 billion acquisition by Stripe of stablecoin company Bridge means 

    Why Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial token sale was a flop

    Sponsors:

    Gemini


    Stellar 

    Hosts:


    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence


    Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard


    Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric

    Guest:

    Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise
    Links

    ECB paper on bitcoin: Bitcoin Appreciation Could Be ‘Fuelling The Division Of Society’


    Omid Malekan’s rebuttal to the paper by Bindseil & Schaaf (of the ECB)


    Minneapolis Fed report: Unique Implementation of Permanent Primary Deficits? | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis


    Alex Kruger’s tweet on memecoins 

    Alex Thorn’s tweet on bitcoin adjusted by inflation


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    03:08 Why the ECB’s Bitcoin paper missed the mark

    10:17 Political motivations behind the Minneapolis Fed report on Bitcoin

    14:18 Rising institutional demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs

    21:38 How Trump’s poll momentum could impact crypto

    32:14 Are election polls and Polymarket bets manipulated?

    43:36 Why the Fed is prioritizing jobs over inflation

    52:37 When will Bitcoin ETF options launch?

    1:01:08 What makes memecoins, including AI memecoins like GOAT, succeed?

    1:13:00 The significance of Stripe’s $1.1 billion crypto deal

    1:18:02 Why the WLFI token sale was a “flop”


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Africa is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic regions for crypto adoption, but the story unfolding there is very different from what many in the West might imagine. 
    Chris Maurice, co-founder and CEO of Yellow Card, joins the show to share how stablecoins are already transforming businesses across the continent, solving real-world problems, and taking on SWIFT. Plus, he explains why USDT is the stablecoin of choice there. 
    He also dives into the long-term economic impact of crypto adoption and explains why anyone serious about business should be paying close attention to Africa. 
    Show highlights:

    What Yellow Card is and the focus on U.S. Dollar stablecoins

    The complexities of doing business in Africa

    Which African countries have the highest rate of adoption

    Chris’s background and his fun story of how he got into working in Africa

    How operating a company in Africa is different from other places

    Why Yellow Card is currently operating with three stablecoins, and the dominance of USDT

    Why Yellow Card only offers centralized stablecoins

    Why everyone should pay more attention to the continent, according to Chris


    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Robinhood & Arbitrum

    Guest:

    Chris Maurice, cofounder and CEO of Yellow Card

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on stablecoins and emerging markets: 

    Anita Posch on Why ‘Bitcoin Is a Tool for Freedom’ – Especially in Africa

    6 Stablecoins That Are Driving the Sector’s Two-Year High in Market Capitalization

    Castle Island Ventures’ report: Stablecoins: The Emerging Market Story



    Timestamps: 

    00:00 Intro

    02:03 What Yellow Card is and why it focuses on U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoins

    04:31 The complexities of doing business in Africa

    10:42 Which African countries have the highest crypto adoption

    19:17 How Chris got into working in Africa

    25:11 How operating in Africa differs from other regions

    32:42 Why USDT dominates Yellow Card’s stablecoin business

    38:31 Why Yellow Card only uses centralized stablecoins

    39:22 Does Africa deserve more attention?


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • How do you determine the value of decentralized networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana? It’s not as straightforward as traditional investments.
    Jon Charbonneau, general partner at crypto investment firm DBA, joins Unchained after writing a paper that dives deep into the complexities of valuing blockchain networks. He explains why applying traditional equity models to networks such as Bitcoin falls short, how tax inefficiencies in staking rewards impact valuations, and whether Layer 2 solutions like Optimism and Arbitrum are helping or hurting the long-term value of Layer 1 blockchains.
    Also, he looks at the big question—are these networks sustainable in the long run?
    Show highlights:

    What motivated Jon to write the paper

    What the main points of the paper are

    Why tax inefficiencies in staking rewards are a critical factor in valuing decentralized networks and how they differ from traditional corporate taxes

    What makes valuing networks tricky, as Jon explains how proof-of-work vs. proof-of-stake systems differ from traditional equity models

    How he thinks about valuing Layer 2s and whether they are parasitic to the L1

    Whether blockchains are sustainable in the long term


    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest


    Jon Charbonneau, co-founder and General Partner at DBA

    L1 & L2 Token Value Capture

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on this topic:

    How to Figure Out Whether a Crypto Token Is Worth Its Trading Price

    ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?

    Are Layer 2s Parasitic to Ethereum and ETH as an Asset?

    Are L2s ‘Parasitic’? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees

    Ether-Bitcoin Ratio Is at Multi-Year Lows, But It’s Just ‘Temporary’ and an ‘Opportunity’


    Timestamps: 

    00:00 Intro

    01:25 What sparked Jon's interest in this topic?

    03:35 Key takeaways from the paper

    08:30 How staking taxes could change the game

    13:46 Why traditional models fail for blockchain

    20:10 Are Layer 2s helping or hurting Layer 1s?

    26:51 Can blockchains survive long term?

    29:20 News Recap


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives headfirst into the “Memecoin Supercycle,” sparking a debate on whether these wild, meme-powered coins are just a fleeting obsession or a genuine revolution. They then dissect Uniswap’s bold leap to launch its own chain on the Optimism Superchain, asking if this move could steal the spotlight from Ethereum and forever reshape the DeFi landscape. And just when you think it’s all about tech, they dive into Kamala Harris’ latest crypto play, with an eyebrow-raising appeal to memecoin investors. From soaring hype to DeFi drama and political power moves, this episode is packed with hot takes, spicy predictions, and a glimpse at what might lie ahead in the world of crypto.
    Show highlights
    🔹 “Memecoin Supercycle” and whether memecoins are on track to overtake traditional altcoins as they fuel a new wave of financial speculation.
    🔹 Unichain: Uniswap’s bold move to launch its own chain on the Optimism Superchain, questioning whether this could pull DeFi liquidity away from Ethereum and reshape the crypto ecosystem.
    🔹 Kamala Harris’ unexpected crypto appeal in her new “opportunity agenda for Black men,” which includes a vague promise for regulatory protection for digital assets.
    🔹 Memecoins vs. VC Coins: Murad’s thesis on memecoins outshining VC-backed tokens sparks a heated debate on whether financial nihilism is driving this trend and what it means for the future of crypto investing.
    🔹With the new Unichain possibly diverting DeFi liquidity, the crew ponders whether Ethereum is at risk of losing its dominance as the “home of DeFi.”

    Hosts
    ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly
    ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate
    ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    Disclosures

    Timestamps 

    00:00 Intro

    2:10 The Memecoin Supercycle

    9:13 VC Coins vs. Memecoins

    25:30 Unichain: A New Era for Uniswap

    31:51 Token Issuance on Ethereum vs. L2s

    35:59 Uniswap's Future and Asset Creation

    38:30 Predictions for Unichain's Impact

    44:11 Retail Flow and MEV Extraction

    53:31 Kamala Harris' Crypto Policy

    56:05 Trump vs. Harris


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • DeFi tokens have faced significant challenges in recent years. However, are we now on the verge of a new bull market?
    Arthur Cheong, founder and CIO of DeFiance Capital, and Jordi Alexander, founder of Selini Capital and chief alchemist at Mantle, join the show to discuss why they believe DeFi is poised for growth. They dive into how DeFi's security and user experience have improved, the impact of Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum, and whether Ethereum or Solana will drive the next bull run. Plus, they discuss whether interest in memecoins takes attention from DeFi, and why sustainable tokenomics matters when it comes to valuing coins. 
    Are DeFi tokens finally ready to shine again?
    Show highlights:

    Why they believe that DeFi is poised for a bull cycle 

    How DeFi's security and UX have improved

    Whether DeFi activity can be sustained in the long term

    Why Jordi thinks that Layer 2s are not parasitic to ETH but Arthur thinks they are

    Whether the DeFi bull case is stronger on Ethereum, Solana or other chains

    Whether the Ethereum Foundation and Vitalik Buterin should be more proactive in supporting DeFi

    How memecoins reflect a broader societal problem 

    The importance of tokens that don’t have big unlocks

    How the lack of solid frameworks for valuing tokens might be causing capital misallocation in crypto

    Whether a liquid venture investing approach is better for crypto

    Why Jordi says that there’s a lot of “potential to unlock” with the overlap of Bitcoin and DeFi

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Guests:


    Arthur Cheong, founder and CIO of DeFiance Capital

    Aave, the Core Pillar of Decentralized Finance and Onchain Economy

    Liquid Venture Investing in Crypto


    Jordi Alexander, Chief Alchemist at Mantle, Founder of Selini Capital

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on this cycle & DeFi :Has Decentralized Finance Hit Bottom?


    Kain Warwick’s tweet on Vitalik being anti-DeFi

    Cointelegraph: Vitalik Buterin responds to criticism that Ethereum ‘doesn’t care’ about DeFi



    The great return of DeFi, by @tradetheflow

    Bitcoin DeFi

    Bitcoin Layer 2s Aim to Attract Ethereum-Like Dapps. Will They Succeed?

    Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab?

    L2s and ETH:

    ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?

    Are L2s ‘Parasitic’? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Ryan Salame, the former CEO of FTX Digital Markets, is headed to prison, but not before sharing his side of the story. Ryan talks candidly about the decisions he made at FTX, why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets in the days leading up to its bankruptcy, and the backstory behind the Thai prostitute trading scheme to unfreeze Alameda’s funds in China. He also disputes the claims about his campaign finance violations, while explaining why he thinks Caroline Ellison is “at least as guilty as SBF” and that Nishad Singh lied.
    Show highlights:

    Ryan’s life pre-FTX and how he got into crypto

    His three attempts to quit working at FTX

    How Ryan committed campaign finance violations

    Why Ryan disputes claims that FTX misled banks and misused customer funds

    How Ryan was involved in setting up trading accounts with the identities of Thai prostitutes to unfreeze Alameda’s funds

    Whether Ryan was involved in bribing a Chinese official

    Why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets from his FTX accounts right before its bankruptcy

    Why Ryan claims he was cooperative with prosecutors, despite common belief

    How he refuses to comment on his wife Michelle Bond's case, but denies wrongdoing

    Why Ryan pleaded the Fifth Amendment

    His allegations that prosecutors lied to his lawyers about whether they would pursue charges against Michelle

    Why he thinks that SBF could have never coerced Caroline Ellison and whether Ellison is “equally guilty” as SBF

    Why Ryan believes Nishad Singh lied to save himself and his take on Gary Wang

    How, if he didn’t know about the fraud, he could be so certain that Caroline or Nishad lied

    Whether the legal advice from FTX’s and Alameda’s lawyers should have been considered in Bankman-Fried's trial

    Whether testimony from more employees could have created reasonable doubt in SBF's trial

    Why Ryan is going to law school

    His plans post-prison

    What Ryan learned from the FTX debacle

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Guest:

    Ryan Salame, former CEO of FTX Digital Markets

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and special guest Stani Kulechov chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives into the latest speculation about Satoshi Nakamoto, spurred by the just-released HBO documentary. They also discuss Ethereum’s big debate over block times and blob storage expansion, exploring whether these changes can keep Ethereum competitive. The conversation gets heated with talk of a Trump whale on PolyMarket, Operation Chokepoint 2.0, and TikTok’s role in onboarding memecoin buyers. Don’t miss this episode packed with crypto conspiracies, performance debates, and insider gossip!

    Show highlights
    🔹 Who is Satoshi? Speculation about the HBO documentary “Money Electric” possibly revealing Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity.
    🔹 Trump Betting Whale on PolyMarket: Discussion about a large whale accumulating Trump shares in Polymarket and addresses conspiracy theories.
    🔹 MEV Reduction Through Shorter Block Times: Reducing Ethereum’s block times from 12 seconds to 8 seconds could decrease MEV by making arbitrage harder, with potential UX and cost improvements for Ethereum.
    🔹 Blob Space Expansion: Increasing Ethereum’s blob storage for rollups might prevent alternative data availability layers like Celestia from gaining ground, raising whether more blob space is necessary.
    🔹 Operation Chokepoint 2.0: New revelations suggest that regulators, possibly spurred by Elizabeth Warren, pressured banks to unbank crypto firms without formal rulemaking, with Tom calling it “shocking” how accurate initial speculations were.
    🔹 Ethereum’s Future Performance Debate: Stani suggests Ethereum should continue to innovate and improve Layer 1 performance, advocating for faster block times and more radical changes to maintain its competitive edge.
    🔹 DeFi Market Dynamics: The panel dives into how competitive decentralized finance platforms like Aave and Compound maintain resilience in an ever-evolving landscape, with Stani commending Robert’s contributions to the space.
    Hosts
    ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures
    Guest: 
    ⭐️ Stani Kulechov, Founder & CEO Avara
    Disclosures
    Timestamps

    00:00 Intro

    01:09 Mainnet Conference Recap

    05:39 HBO & Satoshi Nakamoto

    12:55 Election Betting

    21:24 World Liberty Financial

    31:54 Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Exposed

    39:44 Challenges in Crypto Disclosures

    50:18 Ethereum's Potential Upgrades

    1:03:59 Future of Avara


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • As the PBOC and Fed shift their stances on rates and liquidity flows, the macro landscape is evolving rapidly. In this episode of Bits + Bips, we unpack how these policy changes could spark a massive surge across all asset classes—from equities and bonds to Bitcoin and crude oil. 
    The hosts, joined by Nikos Kargadouris, a seasoned trader, discuss why liquidity is about to flood the markets, why fears of a U.S. recession may be overblown, and how even memecoins could benefit. 
    Plus, are central banks close to buying bitcoin ETFs?
    Show highlights:

    How the PBOC's shift in policies impacted the markets and when we’ll see a “bazooka”

    How market complacency and short positions on oil amid geopolitical tensions could lead to mispricing and unexpected volatility

    How rising crude oil prices could slow the U.S. economy, despite the country being a net oil exporter

    How strong payrolls data reduced market expectations of U.S. rate cuts

    Why predictions of a U.S. recession might be off

    Whether it matters for crypto who wins the elections 

    The chances of central banks adopting Bitcoin

    What the outlook for memecoins looks like in the next months

    Whether the HBO documentary about the identify of Satoshi Nakamoto will be a disappointment 

    Sponsors:

    Gemini

    Stellar

    Hosts:


    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence


    Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard


    Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric

    Guest:

    Nikos Kargadouris, Chief Investment Officer of a private investment office specializing in cross-asset thematic macro and digital asset strategies.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    02:09 Impact of the PBOC’s policy shift and timing of the “bazooka”

    15:01 Oil mispricing and volatility due to geopolitical tensions

    27:30 Rising oil prices and potential U.S. economic slowdown

    35:51 Strong payrolls reducing expectations for U.S. rate cuts

    44:11 Why U.S. recession predictions might be wrong

    50:10 Can prediction markets reflect U.S. election outcomes?

    56:05 Does the election winner matter for crypto?

    1:04:43 Memecoin outlook for the next months

    1:15:34 Will the HBO documentary disappoint?


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • The crypto community is facing a new kind of threat—North Korean devs are infiltrating crypto companies to steal millions and funnel funds back to the regime in order to bypass sanctions. 
    In this episode, Sam Kessler, CoinDesk’s deputy managing editor for tech and protocols, and Taylor Monahan, security at MetaMask, explain how North Korea has embedded its operatives into the crypto space, the red flags companies should watch for, and what these hackers are doing once inside crypto firms.
    Plus, they share their most interesting stories about how these hackers have gotten hired at crypto companies and the red flags the industry should know about. 
    Show highlights:

    What Sam found in his investigation about North Koreans infiltrating the industry

    How Taylor has found that this is a recurring issue

    Why Sam and Taylor refer to these infiltrated workers as ‘IT’ workers

    The most interesting stories that Sam and Taylor have discovered

    The trends in the hiring process that lead to North Koreans being hired and also what the big red flags are

    How “easy it is to de-anonymize” addresses and transactions in blockchains

    What assets and networks these workers often use to get paid

    How, after infiltrating a company, those projects get hacked

    How to deal with a situation in which you’ve already hired North Koreans

    How to protect a protocol from another type of North Korean hack: by hacking groups

    Whether the industry is getting better at security

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle

    Guests:


    Sam Kessler, CoinDesk's deputy managing editor for tech and protocols

    CoinDesk: How North Korea Infiltrated the Crypto Industry



    Taylor Monahan, Co-Founder of MyEtherWallet

    Previous appearances on Unchained:

    The QuadrigaCX Case: Taylor Monahan on What We Know From the Blockchain

    MyCrypto's Taylor Monahan on Why She's Not a Fan of ICOs

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on North Korea:

    Why North Korea Is Interested in Cryptocurrency

    Yeonmi Park on Why Doing Business With North Korea Is Like Buying a Ticket to a Concentration Camp

    Others:

    DL News: North Korean hackers are infiltrating crypto job boards in a ‘quiet war’ that rakes in $600m



    FBI PSA: North Korea Aggressively Targeting Crypto Industry with Well-Disguised Social Engineering Attacks

    Chainalysis: 

    2024 Crypto Crime Mid-year Update Part 1: Cybercrime Climbs as Exchange Thieves and Ransomware Attackers Grow Bolder

    Funds Stolen from Crypto Platforms Fall More Than 50% in 2023, but Hacking Remains a Significant Threat as Number of Incidents Rises

    Russian and North Korean Cyberattack Infrastructure Converge: New Hacking Data Raises National Security Concerns

    ZachXBT: How Lazarus Group laundered $200M from 25+ crypto hacks to fiat from 2020–2023



    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:59 Sam's findings on North Korean workers infiltrating crypto projects

    04:04 Taylor on the recurring nature of the issue

    09:05 Why they’re referred to as ‘IT’ workers

    16:17 Most interesting infiltration stories

    34:16 Hiring trends and red flags for North Korean operatives

    44:02 How easy it is to de-anonymize blockchain transactions

    51:05  Assets and networks used for payment

    54:06  How infiltrated companies end up getting hacked

    58:36 What to do if you've already hired North Korean operatives

    1:00:21 How to protect a protocol from being hacked

    1:06:22 Is the industry improving in security?


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives into Ethereum’s homestaking crisis and its growing competition from high-throughput chains like Solana. They tackle the explosive drama between EigenLayer and Celestia, including the controversial $82 million token sale by VCs. The discussion also covers Ethereum's future, staking rewards, and how restaking could boost its long-term value. Tune in for a deep dive into the challenges and ethical debates shaping the blockchain space right now!
    Show highlights
    🔹 Total Fees in DA: Data availability (DA) layers generate relatively low fees compared to other blockchain networks.
    🔹 EigenLayer Token Launch: EigenLayer launched at a $6 billion valuation, sparking drama with Celestia over DA performance.
    🔹 VC Staking Practices: Polychain sold $82 million in Celestia staking rewards, raising ethical concerns about token vesting practices.
    🔹 Ethereum Homestaking Debate: Ethereum’s focus on homestaking is being questioned as it faces competition from faster, high-throughput chains.
    🔹 Ethereum vs. Solana: Ethereum is urged to take growing competition from Solana seriously to maintain its market dominance.
    🔹 Restaking for Monetary Premium: Restaking in EigenLayer could significantly boost Ethereum’s value and long-term sustainability.
    🔹 Staking Rewards and Inflation: Staking rewards protect investors but can lead to ethical issues with inflation mechanics.
    🔹 Scaling Ethereum: Critics suggest Ethereum should increase bandwidth and capital requirements to enhance scalability and performance.

    Hosts
    ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 
    ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly
    ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate
    ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    Disclosures
    Links
    Disclosures Related to Employee and Investor Staking by EigenLayer https://docs.eigenlayer.xyz/eigenlayer/information-and-transparency/disclosures 
    “Polychain invested around $20mil in the Series A&B round of Celestia and have already sold over $82 million worth of $TIA just from staking rewards” by @gtx360ti
    https://x.com/gtx360ti/status/1839553081773560045 
    “I think there's a sane version of this where we recognize that 32 ETH is much more of a barrier than bandwidth reqs” by @VitalikButerin
    https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1841756178692358587 
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October started with hopes for “Uptober”—a positive price trajectory in October—in the Bitcoin community, since, historically, Bitcoin has performed well this month. But things took a turn when geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalated, raising concerns about how that could affect Bitcoin’s price this month. 
    In this episode, André Dragosch, European Head of Research at Bitwise, talks about how Bitcoin typically responds to geopolitical shocks, whether this could present a buying opportunity, and how major events like the U.S. elections might shape Bitcoin’s future.
    Show highlights:

    How Bitcoin’s reacted to the geopolitical escalations

    Why André believes this is a buying opportunity

    How there was a macro capitulation after the beginning of the unwind of the Japan carry trade in August

    Whether Bitcoin can truly act as a safe haven asset

    How the clientele of ETFs have changed the market structure for Bitcoin

    Whether ‘Uptober’ is canceled

    How Andre expects Bitcoin will perform depending on the winner of the U.S. elections

    Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
    Thank you to our sponsors!

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest

    André Dragosch, European Head of Research at Bitwise

    Bitcoin as a Safe-Haven: Hedging Against Geopolitical Risks

    Links

    Previous coverage of Unchained on the recent market movements::

    Investors Ditch Bitcoin, Scoop Up Gold, as Iran-Israel Tensions Escalate

    $500 Million Liquidated From Crypto Markets Cools ‘Uptober’ Enthusiasm

    Unchained: 

    Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan’s thread on how bitcoin & gold have performed


    BlackRock’s bitcoin report 


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:14 How Bitcoin's price reacts to geopolitical tensions

    03:17 Whether this could be a buying opportunity

    08:54 Macro capitulation after the start of the Japan carry trade unwind

    11:02Can Bitcoin act as a safe haven asset?

    16:12 How ETFs have changed Bitcoin's market structure

    20:28 Is ‘Uptober’ canceled?

    24:17 Bitcoin’s future based on U.S. election outcomes

    28:45 News Recap


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices