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  • 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


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  • 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!

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    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



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  • 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


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  • 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!

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    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


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  • 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


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  • 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


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  • 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”


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  • 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!

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    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?


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  • 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


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  • 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


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  • 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!

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    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


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  • 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

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  • 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


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  • 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?


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  • 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?


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  • 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 
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  • 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


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  • AI and crypto are two of the hottest topics of the decade, but are there any projects truly making waves at the intersection of both? Bittensor, an open-source, decentralized AI network, is positioning itself as a leader in this space, with its TAO token seeing explosive growth and its model challenging traditional centralized AI companies.
    In this episode, we’re joined by Joseph Jacks, aka JJ, founder of OSS Capital, and Sami Kassab, partner at OSS Capital, to explore why they’ve gone all-in on Bittensor. They discuss how Bittensor works, what makes it different from centralized AI models, and why they believe this project could be transformative for both crypto and AI.
    Show highlights:

    OSS Capital’s background and how they got to invest in Bittensor

    Why Sami and JJ are bullish on TAO

    What the three roles in the Bittensor ecosystem are

    How new subnets incentivize miners to develop AI models

    Why it’s so expensive to launch a subnet

    Why Bittensor was built on the Polkadot SDK

    The pros and cons of rolling out EVM compatibility 

    What Allora and Commune AI are focused on within the ecosystem

    How Bittensor can compete with the big AI companies 

    The dangers AI poses to humanity and whether Bittensor can mitigate them

    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:


    Joseph Jacks, Founder and General Partner of OSS Capital


    Sami Kassab, Partner at OSS Capital

    Links
    Previous coverage of Unchained on Crypto/AI: 

    Erik Voorhees' New Venture: Why AI Desperately Needs Privacy and Uncensorability

    When AI and Blockchain Meet, How Can Each Technology Benefit?

    The Chopping Block: Why AI Will Change the Course of History in Crypto

    Learn more:

    A Beginner's Guide to AI Tokens

    5 Use Cases of AI in Blockchain

    Bittensor:

    Bittensor’s website


    The game theory of TAO

    Nous Research leaving Bittensor 

    Seth Bloomberg’s tweet on “Bittensor’s Network Effects”


    Cost of building a subnet

    Commune.ai

    Allora Network


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    02:39 Background of OSS Capital and investing in Bittensor

    19:06 Why Sami and JJ are bullish on TAO

    24:51 The three roles in the Bittensor ecosystem

    35:00 How subnets incentivize AI model development

    47:50 Why launching a subnet is expensive

    50:12 Bittensor’s foundation on the Polkadot SDK

    53:00 Pros and cons of EVM compatibility

    1:03:03 Focus areas for Allora and Communi

    1:06:48 How Bittensor competes with big AI companies

    1:09:19 JJ’s take on AI dangers and Bittensor’s role


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  • With Bitcoin ETF options on the horizon, the crypto market is bracing for significant changes. In this episode, Joshua Lim, co-founder and CEO of Arbelos Markets, joins us to explain what the launch of Bitcoin ETF options means for the broader market. Could they unlock vast amounts of capital and set off a new altcoin boom? Josh also dives into the potential effects on Bitcoin volatility, DeFi lending, and even the onchain options markets. Plus, what could the 2024 U.S. presidential election mean for Bitcoin?
    Show highlights:

    What are options and why they are significant for bitcoin ETFs

    How they will affect the price of BTC

    When options will actually launch and what needs to be done

    How the launch of IBIT options could lower Bitcoin volatility and compress spreads

    Whether dominant players in derivatives will suffer from this launch

    How the launch of options could lead to an “altcoin boom”

    Why Josh thinks the SEC delayed its decision on ether ETF options

    How rising Bitcoin options interest could trigger volatility during major options expiries

    What Josh thinks the impact of the US presidential election will be on the 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!

    Coinbase

    iTrustCapital

    Polkadot

    Mantle’s FBTC

    Guest:
    Joshua Lim, Co-founder and CEO of Arbelos Markets
    Links


    Approval for BlackRock’s IBIT

    The Block: Bitcoin ETFs set to attract liquidity and speculation as IBIT options trading gains approval


    CoinDesk: BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Options to Set Stage for GameStop-Like 'Gamma Squeeze' Rally, Bitwise Predicts


    Decrypt: SEC Hits Pause on Ethereum ETF Options Following Bitcoin Nod -
    Timestamps: 

    00:00 Intro

    01:48 What Bitcoin ETF options are and why they’re significant

    05:41 Impact on BTC price

    08:17 When Bitcoin ETF options will launch

    10:03 How IBIT options could reduce volatility

    15:53 Will dominant players in derivatives be affected?

    20:40 How options could trigger an altcoin boom

    24:12 Thoughts on potential ether ETF options approval

    24:47 Rising Bitcoin options interest and volatility risks

    28:22 Impact of the 2024 US election on crypto markets

    31:48 News Recap


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  • Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
    In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann are joined by Sam Callahan of The NewsBlock to explore how macroeconomic factors and liquidity conditions are driving Bitcoin’s price. They dive into the Federal Reserve's recent rate cuts, the impact of Solana's token unlocks, and why many investors are concerned about a potential liquidity crunch. Plus, the panel discusses whether Bitcoin’s price is increasingly dependent on global M2 money supply, and how BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF options could impact the market. 
    Is Bitcoin simply a leveraged macro bet? And could Solana’s unlocks cause a price squeeze? 

    Show highlights:

    Alex and Joe’s takeaways from Token 2049 and Solana Breakpoint

    Why there’s so little attention on Bitcoin at these conferences

    The SOL vs. ETH trade debate

    Why Sam thinks that the Fed cut rates to help the Treasury

    Whether they think inflation will persist 

    How China's rate cuts aim to boost its economy amidst export challenges

    How Bitcoin's correlation with global liquidity can break down during speculative bull runs, despite its typical sensitivity to liquidity conditions

    The pros and cons of the approval of Bitcoin ETF options

    Why fears about BlackRock and Coinbase's bitcoin holdings are unfounded, according to James


    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:


    Sam Callahan, Current Free Agent Analyst & Scribe of the NewsBlock

    Sam’s research post with Lyn Alden


    Links
    Coverage of Unchained on Token 2049 and Solana Breakpoint:

    Should the Solana Foundation Be Dissolved? Yes... and No...

    $1.3 Billion Market Cap BONK Caught Asymmetric Financial's Eye at $28 Million, Founder Tells Solana Breakpoint Event

    Bring Back ICOs, Says Multicoin Capital’s Tushar Jain, Winning Agreement From Debate Adversary Qiao Wang of AllianceDAO

    PYTH Stakers Get Carrots and Sticks as Douro Labs Rejigs Staking Mechanism

    DeFi Protocol Sky, Formerly MakerDAO, to Launch on Solana Blockchain

    Firedancer Efforts Bring Solana a Step Closer to Leap in Processing Power, Says Jump Trading’s Science Chief 

    Stoner-Originated Proof-of-Liquidity Network Berachain Scores a Hit at Token2049 


    SOL vs. ETH


    Unchained: SOL on Course to Flip ETH, Says Multicoin Capital’s Kyle Samani


    Alex’s tweet: “Ironically $SOLETH is barely up in 2024”

    Rate cuts and macro:
    Fed Cuts Rates for First Time Since 2020
    China:
    Reuters: China's central bank unveils most aggressive stimulus since pandemic | 

    ETF options:

    CoinDesk: BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Options to Set Stage for GameStop-Like 'Gamma Squeeze' Rally


    Decrypt: SEC Hits Pause on Ethereum ETF Options Following Bitcoin Nod - 


    Kamala Harris:

    Unchained: 

    Kamala Harris Makes Her First Comments on Crypto

    Harris Commits to Prioritizing Emerging Industries Like Blockchain in Speech


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    02:55 Takeaways from Token 2049 and Solana Breakpoint

    07:14 Little Bitcoin interest me at conferences

    12:23 The SOL vs. ETH trade debate

    17:32 Sam’s view on the Fed’s rate cuts

    28:55 Will inflation persist?

    41:14 China’s rate cuts and economic boost

    49:44 Bitcoin’s correlation with global liquidity

    1:02:43 Pros and cons of Bitcoin ETF options

    1:13:23 BlackRock and Coinbase Bitcoin holdings fears


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