Episodes

  • As tensions flare between Iran and Israel, investors are watching oil, gold, and, of course, crypto. In this episode of Bits + Bips, the panel digs into the market response to war risk, the chances the Fed will actually cut rates, and how Circle’s IPO is being treated more like a meme stock than a fintech play.

    Plus:



    Why Scaramucci says we’re all living in a surveillance state 




    Whether stablecoins are being kneecapped by U.S. regulation 




    When altcoin ETFs are coming




    And what BlackRock’s Larry Fink secretly told Scaramucci about Bitcoin in 2021 ๐Ÿ‘€




    Sponsor:



    Bitwise






    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence




    Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard




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






    Anthony Scaramucci, Founder of SkyBridge




    US-Iran-Israel war



    Unchained: Bitcoin Dips Below $100K as U.S.–Iran Tensions Trigger $627M in Liquidations






    Polymarket: Will Iran close the Strait of Hormuz before July?




    WSJ: What Israel’s Soaring Markets Are Saying About the Iran War




    Macro



    WSJ: Fed’s Bowman Says She Could Support a July Interest-Rate Cut




    CNBC: Fed Governor Waller says central bank could cut rates as early as July




    FT: Jay Powell to push back on calls for Federal Reserve rate cuts as soon as July




    Stablecoins



    WSJ: Stablecoin World Opens Up to Main Street Banks




    The Block: Circle's post-IPO stock surge pushes market cap near Coinbase and USDC




    ETFs



    James upped the odds on a bunch of altcoin spot ETFs






    Timestamps:



    ๐ŸŽฌ 0:00 Intro




    ๐ŸŒ 2:51 Are there lessons in how the markets shrugged off the Iran-Israel conflict?




    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 9:37 What flashpoints in the Middle East could ignite next




    ๐Ÿ›ข๏ธ 14:40 Will oil supplies remain safe?




    ๐Ÿ’ธ 22:13 Are cracks finally forming in the Fed’s resistance to rate cuts?




    ๐Ÿ“‰ 28:08 Why Anthony believes that Fed Chair Powell is playing politics with rates




    ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ 33:55 Whether TACO Trump or tough Trump will show up on tariff day




    ๐ŸŽฏ 36:26 What Anthony says that people get wrong about Trump’s economic strategy




    ๐Ÿฆ 43:52 Why Circle’s IPO feels more meme than fintech and what Larry Fink once secretly told Anthony about bitcoin ๐Ÿ‘€




    ๐Ÿšซ 50:27 One thing that Anthony HATES about the GENIUS Act




    ๐Ÿ“Š 56:17 Why James is upping his odds on a wave of altcoin ETFs, but doesn’t expect many to be successful products




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  • Cross-border payments. Mobile money. Stablecoins. Crypto.

    Elizabeth Rossiello has lived through every cycle, not from a trading desk, but the front lines of African markets.

    Now, the founder of AZA Finance is selling her company to global fintech giant dLocal, a signal that the line between crypto and traditional finance is blurring fast.

    In this episode, she talks about:



    How stablecoins are powering 24/7 commerce in emerging markets




    Why new entrants keep failing to gain traction




    And how liquidity, not tech, will determine who wins this new game




    All that, plus the inside story of AZA’s journey from a Nairobi-based Bitcoin exchange to one of the most important fintech players in Africa.

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



    Bitwise




    Human Rights Foundation




    Xapo Bank






    Elizabeth Rossiello, CEO and Founder of AZA Finance





    Previous appearance on Unchained: BitPesa's Elizabeth Rossiello on Necker Island






    dLocal announces intention to acquire AZA Finance to strengthen



    AZA Finance: dLocal announces intention to acquire AZA Finance to strengthen presence in Africa and expand capabilities





    Bloomberg: Uruguay’s DLocal to Buy AZA Finance in Africa Push




    American Banker: What experienced payment execs can pass to a new generation




    The Startup Leap: Building A Remittance App for Africa’s $1tr Market | Elizabeth Rossiello | Aza Finance



    Jack Zhang of Airwallex tweet saying he doesn’t see “a single use case” for crypto





    Timestamps:



    ๐ŸŽฌ0:00 Intro




    ๐ŸŒ 3:30 What Africa’s early payments scene looked like and how Elizabeth launched the first Bitcoin exchange there




    ๐Ÿ“ฒ 10:54 How the continent’s payment rails evolved




    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 16:15 How Western Union dropped its pricing after her company launched




    ๐Ÿ’ธ 20:42 Why stablecoins became a game-changer for cross-border payments




    ๐Ÿ“Š 25:24 What the real volume drivers are




    ๐ŸŒ 28:53 How crypto adoption in Africa shifted post-COVID




    ๐Ÿค 37:00 Why AZA decided to acquire two companies




    โš ๏ธ 38:46 How the FTX partnership hurt AZA




    ๐Ÿ’ผ 41:37 How the dLocal deal came together behind the scenes




    ๐Ÿ”„ 45:08 Why crypto and fintech are on a fast path to convergence




    ๐Ÿ 50:58 Which players Elizabeth thinks will win in the new payments race




    ๐Ÿ“ต 53:47 Why “mobile money” is still tough competition for crypto




    ๐Ÿ’ฅ 56:48 How USDT has an edge in emerging markets




    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ 58:50 How China’s deep ties to Africa have shaped the game




    ๐Ÿš€ 1:01:37 What it’s been like to build AZA as a young woman founder in crypto




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  • On Tuesday, JPMorgan announced that its blockchain unit is launching JPMD, a USD deposit token for institutional clients, on Base. That’s right: the world’s biggest bank by assets and the 12th largest company by market cap is putting real dollars onchain.

    JPMD isn’t quite a stablecoin, but it’s close. It represents actual dollar deposits at JPMorgan and will be used by institutional clients for blockchain-based transactions. The bank plans to run a pilot over the coming months and eventually expand it to other user groups and currencies, pending regulatory approval.

    To understand what this means for the broader crypto ecosystem (and why JPMorgan chose Base), we brought on Jesse Pollak, head of Base and Coinbase Wallet. In this episode, Jesse explains:



    Why JPMorgan (and Shopify) chose Base




    What deposit tokens are, and how they differ from stablecoins




    Why infrastructure is finally “ready” for institutions




    How Base scaled from 2.5 million to 35 million gas/sec




    What’s next for Coinbase users who’ll have one-tap access to onchain assets




    And Jesse’s response to the critics who said that Coinbase doesn’t give enough credit to Ethereum




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



    Ledn




    FalconX






    Jesse Pollak, Head of Base and Coinbase Wallet






    Unchained: 





    JPMorgan to Pilot ‘JPMD’ Token on Base




    Coinbase and Amex Team Up on Bitcoin Card as Exchange Reveals Broad Expansion Plans





    Comments on Bloomberg by Naveen Mallela, global co-head of the bank's blockchain division Kinexys by JPMorgan






    Timestamps:

    ๐ŸŽฌ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿฆ 1:49 What JPMD actually is

    ๐Ÿ”ง 4:26 Why Jesse believes infrastructure is finally ready for institutional adoption

    ๐Ÿ“Š 7:03 Whether Base can handle global scale

    ๐Ÿ’ต 9:24 How JPMorgan plans to use deposit tokens in real-world blockchain transactions

    โš–๏ธ 11:22 Whether deposit tokens are a better model than stablecoins

    ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ 16:59 Why JPMorgan chose to launch on Base instead of other chains

    ๐Ÿ“‰ 19:00 How recent events served as a wake-up call for fintech and commerce

    ๐Ÿ“ฒ 22:22 Why Jesse is hyped about seamless access to onchain assets inside Coinbase

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 25:47 How Coinbase plans to manage the chaos of token pumps and dumps

    ๐ŸŒ 27:54 Jesse’s take on the criticism that Coinbase doesn’t show Ethereum enough love
    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. This week, we’re joined by Hyperliquid founder Jeff Yan, the quiet powerhouse behind DeFi’s fastest-growing exchange. With 75% of onchain perp volume, no VC money, and a $1B airdrop, Hyperliquid is rewriting what crypto protocols can be. We dive into Jeff’s minimalist strategy, the cancel wars with toxic flow, and the JellyJelly controversy that sparked a feud with CZ. Plus: HIP-3 and the future of permissionless perps, SPAC-style hype vehicles taking over Wall Street, and why stablecoin regulation just triggered a 40% rally in Circle stock. Is crypto evolving—or just getting financialized to death?

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

    Show highlights

    ๐Ÿ”น Jeff’s $1B Airdrop Playbook – How Hyperliquid bootstrapped dominance with no VC, no marketing, and the most beloved founder in crypto

    ๐Ÿ”น 75% of Onchain Perps? – Hyperliquid now controls 3/4 of all perp volume across chains—Jeff explains how they did it

    ๐Ÿ”น Cancel Wars & Toxic Flow – The inside logic behind prioritizing cancels over taker orders—and why HFTs are mad about it

    ๐Ÿ”น CZ vs. Jeff – JellyJelly drama, transparency debates, and a subtle protocol war with Binance

    ๐Ÿ”น HIP-3 and the Future of Markets – Perps on anything? Jeff breaks down why HIP-3 is the biggest unlock yet for Hyperliquid

    ๐Ÿ”น “We Don’t Track KPIs” – Jeff’s radical philosophy on metrics, token price, and building products without back-propping for growth

    ๐Ÿ”น Real Users vs. Predators – Who Jeff thinks actually matters onchain—and why some flow shouldn’t be welcome

    ๐Ÿ”น Crypto SPAC Mania Begins – Tron, Tether, and Trump-adjacent vehicles bring public market chaos to token land

    ๐Ÿ”น Genius Act Passes, Stocks Explode – Coinbase +20%, Circle +40%—but crypto tokens barely move: Why is Wall Street frothier than DeFi?

    ๐Ÿ”น Are Perps the New Casino? – The crew debates why people love zero-DTE options, and if perps can replicate the lottery thrill

    โญ๏ธHaseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly โญ๏ธTarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Venturesโญ๏ธTom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly 

    Guest

    โญ๏ธ Jeff Yan, CEO and co-founder of Hyperliquid

    Timestamps

    00:00 Intro

    02:51 Hyperliquid's Market Dominance

    05:14 The Philosophy Behind Hyperliquid's Success

    07:44 Challenges with Decentralized Exchanges

    09:34 Metrics and Success in Hyperliquid

    12:59 Addressing Market Dynamics and User Types

    22:50 Competitive Pressures and System Resilience

    25:28 Exploring Hyperliquid's Future and HIP 3

    36:08 Complexity in Zero-Day Options

    38:40 Perpetual Contracts vs. Options

    41:24 The Role of User Interfaces in Trading

    45:08 Crypto SPACs and Market Trends

    57:21 The Genius Act and Market Reactions

    HostsDisclosures
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  • In this week’s episode of Bits + Bips, the panel digs into why Tron’s rumored IPO is more than a headline, what Wall Street’s quiet shift into stablecoins signals, and how exchanges are racing to control token flow, even as regulation hangs in the balance.

    They also explore:



    What the Israel–Iran conflict means for global markets, oil prices, and crypto positioning




    Whether banks can adopt stablecoins without threatening their own deposits




    If regulatory clarity will come fast enough to shape the next crypto phase




    How to tell if ETH’s revival has staying power




    Sponsors:



    Bitwise



    Hosts:






    Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida






    Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained




    Guests:



    Christopher Perkins, President of CoinFund








    Vishal Gupta, Cofounder and CEO of True Markets.




    Links




    Tron and Justin Sun



    FT: Crypto group Tron to go public after US pauses probe into billionaire founder




    Unchained: Eric Trump Claims No Public Involvement in Tron’s Nasdaq Entity




    The Guardian: Crypto entrepreneur eats banana art he bought for $6.2m




    Israel - Iran



    WSJ: 





    Israel Takes Control of Iran’s Skies—a Feat That Still Eludes Russia in Ukraine




    How Israel’s Mossad Smuggled Drone Parts to Attack Iran From Within





    Stablecoins and TradFi



    Unchained: 





    JPMorgan Files ‘JPMD’ Trademark, Hints at Bigger Crypto Offering




    Coinbase and Amex Team Up on Bitcoin Card as Exchange Reveals Broad Expansion Plans





    Bloomberg: Bessent Says $2 Trillion Reasonable for Dollar Stablecoin Market.




    WSJ: Walmart and Amazon are considering launching U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins 




    Reuters: French Societe Generale became the first major bank to launch a dollar-pegged stablecoin




    The Information: Financial markets giant DTCC is exploring a stablecoin, according to The Information




    Regulation



    Unchained: White House Rejects Ban on Conflicts of Interest in Crypto’s CLARITY Act






    Timestamps:

    ๐ŸŽฌ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿ“ฐ 4:18 Why Tron’s potential IPO creates a dilemma for investors, and how Justin Sun’s Trump ties play into it

    ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ 15:58 Should exchanges like Coinbase let investors trade whatever they want?

    ๐Ÿฆ 20:47 The reason why crypto treasury companies even exist

    ๐Ÿ“Š 25:59 What is driving the fierce competition among exchanges

    ๐Ÿ’ต 34:18 Can JPMorgan, Bank of America, and other TradFi giants succeed with stablecoins?

    ๐Ÿค” 37:58 Will stablecoins cannibalize banks’ own deposit bases?

    ๐ŸŒ 45:51 How the Iran–Israel conflict could shake macro markets and crypto sentiment

    ๐Ÿš€ 55:37 Why Ram and Chris are calling for an ETH breakout

    ๐Ÿ“œ 57:47 What are the risks if crypto regulation fails?


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  • Hyperliquid is one of the most talked-about platforms in crypto right now.

    It’s an onchain perpetuals exchange that sidestepped VCs, built a deeply loyal user base, and launched with transparency most rivals avoid. But it’s also staring down some massive challenges—from incoming competitors like Coinbase and Robinhood, to the technical hurdles of decentralizing its core exchange engine.

    Arthur Hayes, CIO of Maelstrom and one of crypto’s most iconic traders, and Hanson Birringer of Flowdesk discuss:



    What actually drove Hyperliquid’s success




    How a user-first approach is outpacing venture-backed models




    Whether the James Wynn saga was legit




    Why the HIP-3 proposal could be the “holy grail” for DEXes




    And whether Hyperliquid can survive its next big test: the entrance of giants




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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Xapo Bank




    Bitwise



    Guests:






    Arthur Hayes, CIO of Maelstrom




    Hanson Birringer, Head of US Sales at Flowdesk




    Links



    Stats:



    CoinGlass: Total BTC Futures Open Interest




    Hyperliquid Stats




    James Wynn



    Unchained: Hyperliquid Trader Makes $87M in 70 Days, Loses It In Five




    James Wynn’s address 




    Transparency



    Hyperliquid’s founder’s post on X saying that he felt like transparency results in better execution for whales compared to on private venues.




    Hyperliquid vs Binance:



    Unchained: Hyperliquid Saved Itself a $15 Million Loss, but Sparked Criticism




    Arthur Hayes’ tweet on whether $HYPE perp volumes will flip Binance’s this cycle.




    CZ’s tweet on dark pool DEXs




    Cointelegraph: Binance co-founder CZ proposes dark pool DEXs to tackle manipulation




    Tokenomics:



    DL News: Hyperliquid’s token buyback machine just hit $1b — is it sustainable?




    HIP-3:



    Hyperliquid Docs: HIP-3: Builder-Deployed Perpetuals






    Timestamps:

    ๐ŸŽฌ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 3:25 Why Arthur says the future of perps is onchain—and what that changes

    ๐Ÿš€ 6:58 How Hyperliquid managed to climb the ranks without VCs

    ๐Ÿงฑ 9:45 Whether being its own L1 gives Hyperliquid an edge

    ๐Ÿ” 12:44 How Hanson adapts market making in a fully transparent environment

    ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธ‍โ™‚๏ธ 16:40 Why Arthur doesn’t buy the James Wynn story

    ๐Ÿ’ธ 20:56 Whether the types of traders on Hyperliquid are different than on other venues

    โš”๏ธ 22:14 How Hyperliquid could defend itself when Coinbase and Robinhood enter the arena

    ๐Ÿ” 26:18 What Arthur and Hanson think about Jeff Yan’s post saying transparency benefits users

    ๐Ÿ™ 32:59 Did Binance and OKX try to sabotage Hyperliquid during the $JELLY event?

    ๐Ÿ“Š 38:24 Arthur answers his own question of whether Hyperliquid takes on Binance’s trading volume

    ๐ŸŒ˜ 42:20 Whether dark pool DEXes can fix transparency without killing decentralization

    ๐Ÿ”ง 47:15 Why Hanson thinks the security FUD around Hyperliquid is overblown

    ๐ŸŒ 50:20 Whether Asia’s crypto communities care less about decentralization

    ๐Ÿง  52:34 How Hyperliquid’s ecosystem play with HyperEVM could reshape its future

    ๐Ÿ† 55:52 Why Arthur calls HIP-3 the “holy grail” for DEXes

    ๐Ÿช™ 1:00:01 Whether the HYPE buyback program is a good idea

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 1:02:49 What Hyperliquid must get right as Coinbase and Robinhood show up


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  • Stablecoins are having a moment.

    From Stripe’s acquisition of crypto wallet startup Privy, to Shopify integrating USDC, to Plasma raising $500 million for its stablecoin-optimized sidechain, stablecoins are having a moment. And at the center of it all is Circle, which had one of the most successful IPOs in decades.

    But what’s really happening under the surface? And who’s best positioned as stablecoins go mainstream?

    Vicky Fu, co-founder at Yala and former engineering director at Circle, joins Unchained to explain:



    How she saw Circle as deeply undervalued before the IPO buzz




    What Stripe’s crypto moves signal for the broader market




    Why retail payments could become stablecoins’ breakout use case




    How network effects give Circle a serious edge, even as banks circle the space




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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Ledn




    FalconX




    Human Rights Foundation



    Guest






    Vicky Fu, co-founder at Yala 

    Links






    Unchained: GENIUS Stablecoin Bill Advances in U.S. Senate




    Bloomberg: Bessent Says $2 Trillion Reasonable for Dollar Stablecoin

    The Block: Payment giant Stripe to buy crypto wallet firm PrivyMarket




    Payment giant Stripe to buy crypto wallet firm Privy




    CoinDesk: Crypto startup Plasma’s XPL Token Sale Hits $500M as Investors Chase Stablecoin Plays




    The Block: Plasma doubles its deposit cap, clarifies it is eyeing $50M public sale at $500M FDV




    Reuters: Societe Generale becomes first major bank to launch dollar-pegged stablecoin




    The Information: Financial Markets Giant DTCC Explores a Stablecoin 






    Timestamps:

    ๐ŸŽฌ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿ” 2:40 Why Vicky believed Circle was deeply mispriced BEFORE the IPO hype

    ๐Ÿ—๏ธ 11:336 How Circle’s quiet infrastructure play is more powerful than it looks

    ๐Ÿ›’ 17:40 Why the Shopify–USDC integration could be a turning point

    ๐Ÿ’ผ 19:14 What Stripe’s acquisition of Privy signals

    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 23:42 What the Plasma ICO reveals about surging interest in the sector

    ๐Ÿฆ 29:50 Whether crypto-native issuers can really compete with banks entering the stablecoin race

    ๐Ÿ“ฐ 34:10 Weekly 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 chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, we’re joined by a special guest: Laura Shin, host of Unchained! The crew unpacks Circle’s explosive IPO, Tether’s threat to exit the U.S., and the meme-stock logic powering the rise of “crypto treasury companies.” From Coinbase’s grip on USDC to Wall Street’s sudden enthusiasm for stablecoins, we explore how public markets are reshaping crypto’s power centers. Is Circle overvalued—or the last compliant winner left? And are ICOs really back? We debate whether crypto’s just maturing—or if it’s being hijacked by the suits.

    Show highlights

    ๐Ÿ”น Circle’s IPO Shocks Wall Street – One of the biggest two-day pops in IPO history: Did bankers misprice, or did crypto just break TradFi?

    ๐Ÿ”น Stablecoin Season or Meme Stock Mania? – Circle hits 160x earnings, 15x revenue—Tarun calls it “CoreWeave for finance”

    ๐Ÿ”น Tether Threatens U.S. Exit – New regulation looms: Will Circle rule America while Tether dominates abroad?

    ๐Ÿ”น The Coinbase Cut – Why Coinbase might be the real winner behind USDC—and the hidden economics of stablecoin margins

    ๐Ÿ”น Banking Consortium Incoming? – JPMorgan and Wells reportedly plotting their own stablecoin play. Is Circle racing against the banks?

    ๐Ÿ”น The Rise of Treasury Tokens – From MicroStrategy to Solana clones: Are “crypto holding companies” the new ETF?

    ๐Ÿ”น Copycats or Cult Leaders? – Why everyone wants to be Saylor—and why most won’t survive

    ๐Ÿ”น Are These Companies Just Meme Stocks? – Laura and Tarun debate whether tradable crypto firms have real value—or just vibes

    ๐Ÿ”น The Return of the ICO – Plasma raises $500M on Sonar, sparking a new wave of pre-token speculation

    ๐Ÿ”น Is This Financial Innovation or Regulatory Theater? – Haseeb asks: Are we maturing—or just dressing TradFi in crypto clothes?

    โญ๏ธHaseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

    โญ๏ธRobert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

    โญ๏ธTarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    โญ๏ธLaura Shin, Journalist, Author of ‘The Cryptopians,’ Founder and CEO of Unchained



    Timestamps

    00:00 Intro

    01:25 Circle's IPO: A Historic Event

    03:16 Market Reactions & Implications

    06:49 Stablecoin Legislation & Tether's Response

    08:56 Circle's Market Position & Future

    23:12 Crypto Treasury Companies: The New Trend

    32:09 Understanding Convertible Arbitrage in Crypto

    37:02 Potential Risks and Market Dynamics

    41:36 The Influence of Michael Saylor

    43:57 The Need for Charismatic Leaders in Crypto

    50:07 The Rise of ICOs and Market Trends

    55:04 Concluding Thoughts on ICOs

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

  • This week on Bits + Bips, the panel tackles the biggest themes driving crypto: Circle’s triumphant IPO, ETH’s institutional tailwinds, and the fast-shrinking Bitcoin supply on exchanges. Plus, what Gemini’s IPO ambitions tell us about the state of exchanges, and whether Ram’s call for a BTC breakout is about to hit.

    Also on the docket:



    Is Circle really worth its sky-high valuation?




    Why exchange fees are stuck in the 1970s




    ETH: the quiet trade that might be heating up




    Oh, and yes, they talk about the Trump–Elon feud too ๐Ÿ˜…

    Sponsors:



    Bitwise






    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence




    Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida




    Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained




    Guest:



    Sal Ternullo, Managing Partner at A100x Ventures




    The Conversation: The blow-up between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been entertaining, but how did things go so bad, so fast?




    Unchained:





    Stablecoin Giant Circle Raises $1.1 Billion in Its IPO




    Early Circle Backer Slams IPO in Expletive-Filled Letter 




    BlackRock’s IBIT Becomes Fastest-Ever ETF to Top $70B 





    Blockworks: Gemini files confidential S-1 with SEC in road to IPO




    The Block: 





    Trump’s Truth Social files S-1 with SEC for Bitcoin ETF




    15-day streak brings Ethereum ETFs to record high cumulative inflow value




    Metaplanet unveils $5.4B equity raise plan to accelerate bitcoin accumulation





    Cointelegraph: Bitcoin supply shock? Percentage of BTC on exchanges nears 2018 levels




    CoinDesk: 





    MSTR Boosts Stack Again




    Strategy to Raise Nearly $1B With STRD Preferred Stock Offering to Accumulate BTC





    Bloomberg: Metaplanet’s shares surged 22% after unveiling a record-setting $5.4 billion stock rights program aimed at growing its bitcoin holdings.






    Timestamps:



    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro




    ๐Ÿง  1:28 Why the market is ignoring the Trump-Elon “break up” 




    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 16:47 Is there a reason for Circle’s eye-watering valuation? (And what it means for  crypto VC)




    ๐Ÿฆ 30:25 Why Circle may struggle to compete with traditional banks




    ๐Ÿš€ 38:34 Why exchanges should rush to go public




    ๐ŸŒ 46:40 Why Ram thinks that the market is immune from more bad news




    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 57:16 The secret signs of a coming bitcoin supply shock




    ๐Ÿงพ 1:03:58 What’s behind the bitcoin and ether ETFs’ recent momentum and if it will last





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

  • In part 2 of Jeff Park’s interview with Unchained, he describes ways that both everyday investors and the U.S. government can use various crypto assets to come out on top as old models and strategies become outdated. 

    He reveals the three personal stories that led him to develop his radical portfolio theory, puts himself in the shoes of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and explains why Japan is the linchpin in the transition to this new world order.

    In this episode, we explore:



    Why Jeff believes the future belongs to wholecoiners




    The social mission behind owning bitcoin




    How the U.S. could leverage stablecoins to maintain global dominance




    Why the new American dream might not involve a house at all




    And why, in Jeff’s words, we may already be “living in a Bitcoin-only world.”

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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Xapo Bank




    Bitwise

    Guest:






    Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise





    Part 1 of Jeff on Unchained: Jeff Park Says the 60/40 Portfolio May Be Dead. Here’s His Radical Fix 







    Timestamps:



    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro




    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3:14 The 3 life events that shaped Jeff’s radical portfolio vision




    ๐ŸŒ 7:58 Why crypto’s value is clearer outside privileged financial systems




    ๐Ÿš€ 15:18 Why Jeff is so bullish on STRK and what it represents




    ๐ŸŒ 20:56 What it means to be “living in a Bitcoin-only world”




    ๐Ÿ’ฅ 27:42 Why the U.S. is vulnerable and what’s the new American Dream




    ๐Ÿค 32:36 What Jeff would do if he were in Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s position 




    ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต 39:16 Why Jeff sees Japan as a critical piece of the global financial order




    ๐Ÿ’ต 48:36 Why stablecoins could be the U.S.’s most powerful financial weapon




    ๐Ÿค” 54:50 Why Jeff is skeptical about a U.S. bitcoin reserve




    ๐Ÿ›๏ธ 59:14 Whether Bitcoin treasury companies are here to stay




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  • On Tuesday, a pseudonymous X account claimed that Pump.fun, Solana’s breakout memecoin launchpad, would raise $1 billion via an ICO at a $4 billion valuation. The potential deal? Multiple CEX listings, a 10% community airdrop, and maybe even a launch by the end of the month.

    The community reaction? Not great.

    In this episode, Syncracy Capital’s Ryan Watkins joins to break down the backlash, whether the raise makes sense, and what this kind of fundraising says about the current state of crypto.

    He discusses:



    Whether Pump needs $1 billion and what they’d even do with it




    Why some people are furious, even as Pump prints revenue




    If this is bullish or bearish for Solana




    Why an airdrop was not pursued




    Whether the $4 billion valuation makes sense




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



    Ledn




    FalconX




    Human Rights Foundation






    Ryan Watkins, Co-founder of Syncracy Capital






    Unchained: Pump.fun Mulls $1B Token Sale




    Nextfckingthing’s tweet breaking the news 




    Ansem’s tweet on “pump fun raising $1B at $4B after Trumpcoin launch is like the second plane hitting the towers”




    Ansem’s poll




    Ryan’s tweet on “Pump anger” 




    Solojay tweet on Pump’s top 25 wallets




    Mosi’s tweet on why “Pump's ICO seems like an asymmetric bet (skewed to the downside)”






    Timestamps:

    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿค” 4:03 Why skepticism around Pump.fun’s $1B raise is valid

    ๐Ÿ’ฐ 7:06 What Pump would even do with $1 billion

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 21:17 Whether a $4B valuation actually holds up

    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 24:08 Will this ICO hurt SOL?

    ๐ŸŽ 27:05 Why Pump chose not to do a big airdrop

    ๐Ÿ“ฑ 28:56 Whether Pump.fun can hold its ground as SocialFi competition heats up
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Welcome to The Chopping Block โ€“ 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 tackles a triple-header of cryptoโ€™s growing pains: the bizarre saga of James Wynnโ€”a memecoin gambler whose billion-dollar positions on Hyperliquid ended in public ruin; the Ethereum Foundationโ€™s surprise rebrand into โ€œProtocolโ€ and its sudden embrace of hierarchy; and a bold manifesto from Miles Jennings calling for the end of crypto foundations as we know them. Is radical transparency a feature or a trap? Is Ethereum finally prioritizing execution over vibes? And are foundations just offshore theaterโ€”or necessary guardians of decentralization? The gang debates all this and more in a conversation that asks: whoโ€™s really in control of cryptoโ€”and should they be?Show highlights๐Ÿ”น James Wynn: From $1B to $16 โ€“ The infamous Hyperliquid trader wipes out, then begs for donationsโ€ฆ and opens new positions days later๐Ÿ”น Liquidation Theater โ€“ Was Wynnโ€™s downfall market manipulation, a psyop, or just crypto doing what it always does?๐Ÿ”น Hyperliquid Transparency Debate โ€“ CZ, Jump, and Hyperliquid clash over whether radical openness helps or harms๐Ÿ”น Stop-Hunting Season โ€“ Tarun explains why onchain liquidation is more deterministicโ€”but not necessarily more malicious๐Ÿ”น Ethereum Foundation Rebrands โ€“ Meet โ€œProtocolโ€: a new structure, a new strategy, and maybeโ€ฆ a new hierarchy๐Ÿ”น The End of Purge & Surge โ€“ Is Ethereum finally abandoning the meme roadmap and focusing on shipping?๐Ÿ”น Tim Beikoโ€™s New Role โ€“ A surprising centralization of coordinationโ€”and why the ETH community seems to like it๐Ÿ”น DUCS vs. DUNA โ€“ The crew proposes a new Ethereum acronymโ€”and debates Miles Jenningsโ€™ push to end the foundation model๐Ÿ”น Are Foundations Just Offshore Theater? โ€“ Haseeb argues itโ€™s time to kill the Cayman entity and rethink DAO legal structures๐Ÿ”น The Legal Marketing Wars โ€“ Tarun and Tom debate whether cryptoโ€™s governance evolution is genuineโ€”or just โ€œintellectual shillingโ€โญ๏ธHaseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly โญ๏ธRobert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstateโญ๏ธTarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Venturesโญ๏ธTom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly The end of the foundation era in crypto by Miles Jenningshttps://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/end-foundation-era-crypto/Announcing Protocol by Barnabรฉ Monnot, Tim Beiko, Alex Stokeshttps://blog.ethereum.org/2025/06/02/announcing-protocolTimestamps00:00 Intro02:12 The Saga of James Wynn06:20 Market Manipulation vs. Transparency17:37 57, Tarunโ€™s Favorite Number20:12 EF's โ€œProtocolโ€33:45 DUCS! Decentralization, UX, Censorship Resistance, and Scaling36:55 The End of the Foundation Era45:04 The Role of Legal Structures in Crypto52:49 Final Thoughts and Wrap-UpLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • The Bitcoin Conference in Vegas is getting more political. Crypto treasury companies are exploding across the globe. And macro markets are flashing mixed signals, with geopolitics entering the chat.

    In this episode of Bits + Bips, the panel dives into:



    Key takeaways from Bitcoin 2025




    The possible bubble forming around Bitcoin treasuries




    How the SEC is fighting back against staking in ETFs




    Whether Ethereum is finally catching up




    How Ukraine just redefined trade risks




    Why ETFs have seen so much inflows since the market bottom




    How AI will impact growth and the job market




    And … why James hates Las Vegas ๐Ÿ˜€




    Thank you to our sponsor!



    Bitwise






    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence




    Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric




    Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida




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






    WSJ: Bitcoin Goes All In on MAGA, Shedding Its Antigovernment Slant




    Unchained: 





    Pakistan Sets up Strategic Bitcoin Reserve




    Crypto Treasury Companies Are All the Rage. Could They Cause an Industry Collapse?





    Decrypt: Another Bitcoin Buyer? Nasdaq-Listed Reitar Logtech Plans $1.5 Billion BTC Purchase




    The Defiant: Trump Media Closes Roughly $2.4 Billion Financing to Establish Corporate Bitcoin Treasury




    Bloomberg: SEC Flags Concerns on Crypto ETFs Offering Staking Rewards




    The Guardian: Ukraine launches major drone attack on Russian bombers, security official says




     

    Timestamps:



    0:00 ๐Ÿ‘‹ Intro

    2:02 ๐ŸŽฐ - Why James hates Vegas, but was impressed with Bitcoin 2025

    4:48 ๐Ÿ˜ - Has bitcoin moved too far right politically?

    10:02 ๐Ÿ“ˆ๐Ÿ“‰ - If bitcoin treasuries are all the rage, why isn’t the price moving?

    13:26 ๐ŸŒ - One big reason why the treasury bubble differs from SPACs

    18:26 ๐Ÿ“‰ - Are these companies destined to implode?

    22:55 ๐Ÿค” - One big (but hidden) opportunity to profit from this market

    34:23 ๐Ÿฆ - How some ETF issuers tried (and failed) to pull one over on the SEC

    43:19 ๐Ÿค - Why James sees one quiet, but bullish, trend in ETF flows

    47:48 ๐ŸŒŽ - Why Noelle thinks that numbers don’t matter - it's all about geopolitics

    58:10 ๐Ÿ‚ - Ram sees a secretly bullish setup. Here’s how he says to play it

    1:07:33 ๐Ÿ’ป - How AI is going to eat the world, and turn markets upside down
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Jeff Park thinks the most popular investing strategy of the last decades — the 60/40 portfolio — is dead.

    Jeff has spent his early career inside the traditional system. But now, after two years in finance, he’s calling for a full rethink of the modern portfolio: from what counts as “safe” to how inflation actually works to why Bitcoin may be the real anchor asset in a world that’s spinning off its axis.

    In this episode, the first in a two-part series, he and Laura dig into:



    Why the 60/40 portfolio is quietly failing




    What the rise of “resistance” assets says about trust in institutions




    Why STRK and BTC are the distillation of Jeff’s radical portfolio




    How traditional finance may be more correlated to crypto than you think




    Why “time is liquid energy” and bitcoin is so valuable




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



    Xapo Bank




    Bitwise






    Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise






    The Radical Portfolio Theory by Jeff Park




    Unchained: DeFi Leverage on Apollo’s $1.3 Billion Credit Fund






    Timestamps:

    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿง  2:19 How entering the workforce in 2008 pushed Jeff to question everything, even the dollar

    ๐Ÿ›๏ธ 14:31 Jeff’s role as head of alpha strategies at Bitwise

    ๐Ÿ“‰ 17:27 Why the classic 60/40 portfolio may be dead

    ๐ŸŒ 34:10 How crypto fits into the new financial world

    โšก 40:58 Why “time is liquid energy” and bitcoin captures it best

    ๐Ÿ“Š 41:52 The core of Jeff’s radical portfolio theory

    ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ 54:44 What goes into the “resistance” asset bucket

    ๐ŸŽฏ 59:00 Why prediction markets could diversify your income

    ๐Ÿ’Ž 1:09:52 Why Jeff is betting big on Strategy’s STRK and BTC

    ๐Ÿ‘‘ 1:14:31 The rise of crypto treasury companies and whether they pose systemic risk




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

  • Public crypto treasury companies are in the news right now.

    Just this week, Sharplink Gaming announced a $425 million raise to create an Ethereum treasury vehicle, backed by Consensys. Meanwhile, Trump Media said it will buy $2.5 billion worth of bitcoin. And in a headline grab, GameStop revealed a $500 million Bitcoin purchase. There’s even a newly launched XRP treasury company backed by Saudi royal capital.

    But why are these vehicles suddenly the structure of choice for accessing crypto exposure? What kinds of assets are best suited for them? And are they safe or a ticking time bomb?

    Pantera Capital’s Cosmo Jiang joins Unchained to unpack:



    The structures and strategies behind these companies




    Why Solana is appearing more than Ethereum (and what that says)




    How XRP’s brand power could matter more than its adoption




    The risks these vehicles pose to investors and to markets




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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Bitkey: Use code UNCHAINED for 20% off




    Focal by FalconX

    Guest






    Cosmo Jiang, General Partner and Portfolio Manager for Liquid Strategies at Pantera Capital

    Links






    Previous coverage of Unchained on bitcoin treasury companies:






    Why Twenty One Capital Is More About Volatility Than Bitcoin




    Twenty One Aims to Buy as Much Bitcoin as Possible. Can It Succeed?






    Unchained: 





    Trump Media Confirms $2.5B Capital Raise to Buy Bitcoin




    Consensys Leads $425M Raise for SharpLink Gaming’s ETH Treasury Plans





    The Block: GameStop buys 4,710 bitcoin for corporate treasury: filing




    CoinDesk: VivoPower Raises $121M to Launch XRP Treasury Strategy With Saudi Royal Backing




    Bloomberg: 





    Cantor’s $2 Billion Bitcoin-Backed Lending Arm Makes First Deals




    The Stock Market Loves Bitcoin





    Timestamps:







    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro




    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 1:57 Why crypto treasury companies are suddenly everywhere




    ๐Ÿ—๏ธ 5:03 How these vehicles are structured to raise and deploy capital




    ๐ŸŽฒ 8:36 Which strategies carry more risk for investors




    ๐Ÿ” 9:57 Pure-play crypto vs. operational businesses: what works better




    ๐Ÿ’ฐ 12:40 Why these companies often trade at a premium to their crypto




    ๐Ÿ”ฅ 16:56 Why there’s more buzz around SOL than ETH in these structures




    ๐Ÿ“ฃ 19:44 How XRP treasury plays are unique … but tied to marketing, not tech




    ๐Ÿ™‹‍โ™‚๏ธ 21:31 Why some investors prefer these stocks over holding actual tokens




    โš ๏ธ 24:12 Could these companies pose systemic risks to crypto markets?




    ๐Ÿ“Š 27:58 The key metrics to watch when valuing crypto treasury companies








    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 gang reunites to confront a troubling pattern: we’re making the same mistakes all over again. From the $223 million Sui hack and validator-led censorship to Coinbase’s insider data breach and the Trump token dinner spectacle, this week feels like a remix of the industry’s most painful lessons. The crew reflects on how decentralization is being quietly redefined, why newer chains ignore crypto’s origin story, and what it means when memecoins are the new access pass to political influence. Also: James Wynn’s billion-dollar trades, fading cypherpunk values, and a creeping sense that the crypto future looks a lot like its past.

    Show highlights

    ๐Ÿ”น Sui’s Ethereum Classic Moment – Why freezing a hacker’s funds reopened an old decentralization wound

    ๐Ÿ”น The Same Mistake Again – Tarun and Robert reflect on the crypto industry’s short memory and long consequences

    ๐Ÿ”น Coinbase’s KYC Breach – How bribed support agents exposed a broken identity system

    ๐Ÿ”น The Trump Token Dinner – Steak, disappointment, and the illusion of access in crypto’s weirdest political stunt

    ๐Ÿ”น The Death of Cypherpunk Values – Haseeb asks: are decentralization and censorship-resistance just legacy slogans now?

    ๐Ÿ”น Validator Power Creep – The panel debates whether emerging L1s are becoming de facto states

    ๐Ÿ”น James Wynn’s Trading Circus – A $1.25B long, 40x leverage, and the thin line between marketing and madness

    ๐Ÿ”น Hyperliquid Stress Test – Robert wonders: is Wynn just a trader, or a protocol’s canary in the coal mine?

    ๐Ÿ”น The KYC Iceberg – Why crypto keeps leaking private data—and why nobody’s fixing it

    ๐Ÿ”น Chopping Boomers Mode – When no one gets your Ethereum Classic jokes, maybe the revolution’s over

    Hosts

    โญ๏ธHaseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

    โญ๏ธRobert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

    โญ๏ธTarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

    โญ๏ธTom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly 

    Timestamps

    00:00 Intro 

    01:15 Cetus x Sui Hack

    07:56 Ethereum Classic & Crypto History

    21:37 Trump Token Dinner Controversy

    29:56 Coinbase Ransom Hack

    33:49 KYC Data Vulnerabilities

    43:02 James Wynn's High-Stakes Trading

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

  • A debate has been heating up on crypto Twitter about Real Economic Value (REV) — a metric meant to measure the value blockchains accrue from user activity. REV includes transaction fees and MEV tips, but excludes issuance — the inflationary rewards paid to validators. Some say it’s the clearest window into genuine usage. Others argue it’s a flawed and misleading proxy.

    So we brought the argument to Unchained. Tom Dunleavy, Head of Venture at Varys Capital, says fees are headed to zero, and blockchains shouldn’t be valued like companies. Meanwhile, Austin Federa, Co-founder of DoubleZero, believes REV offers a real lens on activity, maturity, and demand.

    The conversation covers:



    Whether REV is a meaningful metric (and how to game it)




    Whether L2 tokens are fundamentally broken




    What happens to security when fees (and MEV) go to zero




    If high REV signals product-market fit or just economic noise




    How to value blockchains, if not with REV




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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Bitwise

    Guests:






    Tom Dunleavy, Head of Venture at Varys Capital




    Austin Federa, Co-founder of DoubleZero






    Timestamps:

    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿ“Š 2:50 What REV actually measures and why it’s sparking so much debate

    ๐Ÿ’ธ 4:33 Why fees that don’t go to the protocol are included in this metric

    ๐Ÿช™ 14:43 Whether L2 tokens are fundamentally worthless

    ๐Ÿงฎ 15:53 How to factor Ethereum L2s into the REV equation

    ๐Ÿ“‰ 18:15 Why Tom thinks all fees are going to zero and what that means for value accrual

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 34:06 Austin defends REV and explains why it reflects real user demand

    โš ๏ธ 37:07 MEV debate: is it a feature or a flaw?

    ๐Ÿ”€ 42:59 Why Solana might not follow Ethereum’s REV path

    ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ 44:18 Who secures the network when MEV goes to zero

    ๐Ÿค” 53:46 Whether high REV means success

    ๐Ÿšซ 59:46 Why Austin calls out Jesse Pollak’s “no sandwiching” claim on Base

    ๐ŸŒ„ 1:02:30 Whether Solana’s Alpenglow proposal could reshape MEV

    ๐Ÿ”„ 1:03:43 How REV might rise even as MEV declines

    ๐Ÿ‘‘ 1:07:11 Why Bitcoin lives in its own reality when it comes to metrics

    ๐ŸŽฎ 1:09:57 How protocols can game the REV metric

    ๐Ÿ“ 1:15:19 What other metrics matter when valuing blockchains
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Yield-bearing stablecoins have had decent growth, now topping $6 billion in supply and paying out nearly $600 million to users, according to data from Stablewatch. But just as these products go mainstream, the U.S. Senate is moving forward with a stablecoin bill that could ban them outright in America.

    In this episode, NYU professor and Zero Knowledge Consulting founder Austin Campbell joins Laura to break down:



    Why yield-bearing stablecoins are under fire in Washington




    Why Dems are pushing for the ban and who stands to benefit




    How this bill could give foreign issuers an edge over U.S. ones




    Whether yield-bearing stablecoins are securities under U.S. law




    And what the future holds for projects like Ethena, Sky, and others




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

    Thank you to our sponsors!



    Bitkey: Use code UNCHAINED for 20% off




    Focal by FalconX






    Austin Campbell, NYU Stern professor and founder and managing partner of Zero Knowledge Consulting






    Unchained: 





    How the Senate Stablecoin Bill Enriches Corporations at the Expense of Consumers




    Stablecoin Bill Passes Key Hurdle: Dems Join GOP to Deliver a Crypto Win




    Tether in the Clear? Yes, Under This New Republican-Led Senate Stablecoin Bill




    Stablecoin Bill Stalls in Senate as GOP Cries Foul Over Dem Resistance







    Timestamps:

    0:00 Introduction

    ๐Ÿ’ฃ 1:29 Why the new stablecoin bill takes direct aim at yield-bearing stablecoins

    ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ 3:36 How Democrats are driving the push for a ban and what their motivations might be

    ๐Ÿฆ 6:28 Why calling stablecoins “banks” leads to major policy confusion

    ๐ŸŒ 13:49 How the bill could hand an advantage to offshore stablecoin issuers

    ๐ŸŽ’ 19:31 Whether Tether is warning about risk or just protecting its own interests

    โš–๏ธ 21:09 Are yield-bearing stablecoins actually securities under U.S. law?

    ๐Ÿ’ฐ 23:40 What real benefits yield-bearing stablecoins offer to users

    ๐Ÿšซ 29:54 Why Austin opposes the proposed 10% interest cap

    ๐Ÿ“š 32:04 Why Ethena would likely be regulated under market structure rules instead

    ๐Ÿ“ฐ 35:04 Weekly News Recap
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  • U.S. credit got downgraded. Fed policy expectations are flipping. And Coinbase hit the S&P 500 (while also being extorted).

    But what does all of this mean for crypto?

    On this week’s Bits + Bips, James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, Ram Ahluwalia, and Noelle Acheson break down:



    Why the Moody’s downgrade doesn’t mean much for markets




    Whether Fed rate cuts are now further off than expected




    Why Alex says Coinbase is a “horrible product” despite S&P inclusion




    How stablecoins tie into U.S. geopolitical strategy




    Whether Circle should sell to Coinbase




    And what the altcoin ETF delay really tells us




    Plus: unemployment, yield curve control, the “Consensus vibes,” and Ram’s wild anecdote about workers gaming unemployment benefits.



    Bitwise






    James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence




    Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard




    Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida




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




    Macro



    Reuters: Moody's downgrade intensifies investor worry about US fiscal path




    USNews: Trump Tells Walmart to 'Eat the Tariffs' Instead of Raising Prices




    Coinbase



    Unchained: How the Attack on Coinbase Shows the Dangers of Centralized Exchanges




    Fortune: Circle pursues IPO—but talks with Coinbase and Ripple could mean a sale, sources say




    CNBC: Coinbase joining S&P 500, replacing Discover Financial




    Stablecoin bill



    Unchained: Stablecoin Bill Passes Key Hurdle: Dems Join GOP to Deliver a Crypto Win






    Timestamps:

    ๐Ÿ‘‹ 0:00 Intro

    ๐Ÿ’ณ 2:18 A big reason why the U.S. credit downgrade matters for investors

    ๐Ÿ“‰ 7:49 Contrarian take: why souring U.S. debt could also hurt crypto

    ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ 15:30 Do tariffs work against the U.S. military and national security? 

    ๐Ÿ” 20:14 Why the crew flipped on Fed rate cut expectations

    ๐Ÿ“Š 28:35 Is the U.S. about to introduce yield curve control?

    ๐Ÿงพ 35:04 Are the Mag7 stocks the new safe havens in a recession?

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 38:54 What if the “Goldilocks” scenario is priced in, and it's wrong?

    ๐Ÿ’ผ 44:26 Why hedge funds are secretly in a vulnerable position

    ๐Ÿซฑ 49:15 What the “vibes” at Consensus 2025 revealed

    ๐Ÿ’ต๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ 50:44 A secret threat that the stablecoin bill poses to China?

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 57:43 What Coinbase’s S&P 500 inclusion means and why Robinhood is its biggest threat

    ๐ŸŒ€ 1:07:17 Should Coinbase acquire Circle? Here’s what the panel thinks

    โณ 1:13:38 Why altcoin ETF approvals are delayed and wen staking in ETFs?
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Legacy social media platforms lock you in, control your audience, and exploit your data.

    Farcaster aims to fix those problems. But how can it attract developers and users in an already saturated media environment? 

    Developer Ecosystem Lead Linda Xie joined the show to explain:



    How Farcaster addresses social media’s structural flaws




    How Farcaster’s mini-app ecosystem is helping to grow the user base




    The most popular apps taking off on the platform




    How the whole crypto community could benefit from gathering on Farcaster




    Why she believes crypto communities belong on open, portable networks




    And why her family’s history helped her grasp the significance of Bitcoin in 2011




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



    Bitwise






    Linda Xie, Developer Ecosystem Lead at Farcaster






    Previous coverage of Unchained on Farcaster and social media:





    Farcaster Wants to Win Over Crypto. Here’s How It’s Different From ‘Crypto Twitter’




    Ethereum Accounts to Post on Social Media More After Criticism




    How Decentralized Social Network Farcaster Hopes to Eventually Get to One Billion Users







    What is Warpcast Wallet?




    Farcaster’s Snapchain




    Farcaster’s mini-apps




    Understanding Farcaster: A Sufficiently Decentralized Social Graph Protocol




    Timestamps:



    ๐Ÿค 0:00 Introduction

    ๐Ÿคฏ 3:55 How an unusual situation in her family got Linda crypto-pilled

    โš–๏ธ 7:57 How building legitimacy at Coinbase was crucial for the industry

    ๐Ÿชœ 10:20 Xie’s journey from VC to founder

    ๐ŸŒ 13:04 How crypto’s adoption has evolved around the world

    ๐Ÿ” 16:44 Why Linda decided to build and focus on Farcaster

    ๐Ÿ”ง 23:31 How Farcaster addresses social media’s structural flaws

    ๐Ÿ‘€ 31:14 How mini-apps build Farcaster’s user base

    ๐Ÿ’ฒ 37:32 Why Warpcast Wallet is a “game changer,” according to Linda

    โ“ 40:19 How Snapchain is used for storing data

    ๐Ÿ‘ท 44:29 What types of developers the Farcaster ecosystem attracts

    ๐Ÿ’ก 45:20 How Linda aims to make Farcaster easy to understand

    โœจ 49:50 Linda’s favorite Farcaster mini-apps

    ๐Ÿ˜€ 55:10 Attracting the whole crypto community to Farcaster

    Thank you to our sponsors!Guest:Links
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