The Crypto Beat

Charlie Lee on Litecoin, crypto cycles, and what still matters

The Block — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:06:44 -0100

Episode 71 of The Crypto Beat features Tim and Kelvin in conversation with Charlie Lee, creator of Litecoin, to reflect on crypto’s evolution from its early cypherpunk roots to today’s institution-driven market. He explains why Litecoin has remained focused on fast, reliable payments, the importance of privacy and fungibility, and how new trends like AI intersect with crypto.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - Early Crypto Growth
02:20 - Competing in Crypto
03:58 - Smart Contracts on Litecoin
05:26 - Privacy and Fungibility
09:58 - AI and Engineering
14:07 - AI Agents and Money
15:42 - Why Decentralization Matters
18:27 - Institutions Enter Crypto
24:40 - Market Cycle Outlook

Guest links:
Charlie Lee - https://x.com/SatoshiLite
Litecoin - https://x.com/litecoin

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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How Superstate tokenized Galaxy's stock and what's coming next

The Block — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:58:15 -0100

Episode 70 of The Crypto Beat features Tim and Kelvin in conversation with Thomas Cowan, Head of Tokenization at Galaxy Digital, and Jim Hiltner, Co-Founder of Superstate. The conversation explores how Superstate tokenized Galaxy’s equity onchain, the regulatory and infrastructure challenges involved, and why institutions are increasingly exploring tokenization.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
00:57 - Galaxy Stock Onchain
02:39 - When Equities Move Onchain
05:16 - Trading Volume Today
07:25 - IPOs on Blockchain
09:17 - Market Adoption Curve
12:25 - TradFi Interest Rising
16:14 - Regulatory Capital Clarity
19:37 - DeFi and TradFi Converge
23:01 - CLO Example
30:45 - Ownership Models Explained
38:04 - DeFi Collateral Markets
43:06 - What Assets Come Next

Guest links:
Thomas Cowan - https://x.com/ThomasCowan93
Jim Hiltner - https://x.com/HiltnerJim
Galaxy HQ - https://x.com/galaxyhq
Superstate - https://x.com/SuperstateInc

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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How Aviva Investors plan to tokenize its funds on XRP Ledger, with RippleX SVP

The Block — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:58:40 -0100

Episode 69 of The Crypto Beat features Tim and Kelvin in conversation with Markus Infanger, SVP at RippleX | Ripple. The conversation explores why firms like Aviva Investors are experimenting with tokenized funds, how blockchain infrastructure could modernize financial market plumbing, and where institutional DeFi is gaining traction.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:19 - Aviva Tokenization Announcement
02:31 - Why Tokenize Funds
05:42 - Compliance and Permissioned Access
07:42 - TradFi Interest Changing
10:14 - RWA Growth Opportunities
16:57 - XRP Utility Explained
19:57 - Agents and Blockchain
25:36 - Automated Finance Future
31:18 - RippleX 2026 Roadmap
39:40 - From Banking to Crypto

Guest links:
Markus Infanger - https://x.com/markusinfanger
RippleX - https://x.com/RippleXDev
Ripple - https://x.com/Ripple

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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BitGo CEO on its $2 billion IPO, OCC national bank charter and Morgan Stanley competition

The Block — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:26:38 -0100

In episode 68 of The Crypto Beat features Tim and Kelvin in conversation with BitGo CEO Mike Belshe. The discussion covers BitGo’s pursuit of a national bank charter, the expanding role of traditional finance in the crypto ecosystem, and why market structure, custody infrastructure, and clear regulation will be essential to long-term industry adoption.

OUTLINE
00:00 – Introduction
01:11 – BitGo’s Institutional Growth
02:38 – IPO and Market Shift
04:31 – Building Crypto Infrastructure
06:32 – Market Structure Debate
08:23 – National Bank Charter
10:07 – Wall Street Entering Crypto
15:43 – Future Crypto Innovations
24:00 – From Google to Bitcoin
29:14 – AI and Crypto Custody
37:51 – Crypto and Global Events
42:27 – Stablecoin Depeg Discussion

Guest links:
Mike Belshe - https://x.com/mikebelshe
BitGo - https://x.com/BitGo

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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Can Ethos solve the bot problem? With founder Trevor Thompson

The Block — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:38:12 -0100

In episode 67 of The Crypto Beat, Tim and Kelvin were joined by Ethos Network CEO Trevor Thompson to discuss the escalating bot crisis on X and how AI tools like OpenClaw have made it trivially easy to spin up fake accounts at scale. He argues that biometric solutions like WorldCoin aren't cypherpunk enough, and instead pitches Ethos's social consensus model — where humans vouch for each other's authenticity with skin in the game — as a privacy-preserving alternative to KYC.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:54 - The Bot Problem on X
03:59 - AI and the Slop Super Cycle
05:19 - Credibility in the Age of AI
11:40 - The Chess Engine Analogy
12:55 - Why Serpentax Built Ethos
15:11 - Ethos Human Verification Explained
20:06 - Sybil Attacks and Proving You're Human
28:18 - Social Capital and Alt Accounts
36:56 - Community Erosion in Crypto

Guest links:
Trevor Thompson/Serpin Taxt - https://x.com/serpinxbt
Ethos - https://x.com/ethos_network

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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The surge of RWAs, AI and tokenized equities, with Galaxy and Ondo

The Block — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:30:57 -0100

In episode 66 of The Crypto Beat, Tim and Kelvin were joined by Galaxy's Michael Marcantonio and Ondo's Matt Blumberg to discuss the ways in which AI agents will operate in the economy, and how crypto and DeFi and primed to play a key facilitating role. They also make the case that despite bearish price action, every fundamental indicator is screaming bullish.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
02:40 - AI Meets the Money Legos
07:05 - Galaxy's AI & Crypto Thesis
09:17 - AI Trading Agents in Practice
14:48 - Ondo Perps & Capital Efficiency
21:50 - Perps Architecture Deep Dive
28:00 - Yield Capture as the New Meta
32:40 - Most Bullish Bear Market Ever
39:00 - BTC Price Predictions
45:00 - The Store of Value Debate
50:00 - AI Agents as DeFi's UX Fix

Guest links:
Matthew Blumberg - https://x.com/matt_blumberg
Ondo - https://x.com/OndoFinance
Michael Marcantonio - https://x.com/marcryptonio
Galaxy Digital - https://x.com/GalaxyHQ

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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Viral tap trading money games on MegaETH, with Euphoria and Bread

The Block — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:55:16 -0100

In episode 65 of The Crypto Beat, Tim and Kelvin were joined by Casey Craig, co-founder of Euphoria, and Bread, head of ecosystem at MegaETH. Together they discuss how Euphoria turns complex on-chain options into a one-tap mobile trading game built on MegaETH's 10ms block times. They discuss the "consumer DeFi" thesis, the morality of gamified finance and MegaETH's KPI-locked token launch strategy.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:05 - What Is Euphoria
02:24 - UX-First Design Philosophy
04:53 - How the Tap Mechanics Work
10:19 - Trading vs. Gambling Debate
14:22 - Why MegaETH
22:05 - MegaETH Ecosystem Overview
33:02 - Consumer DeFi Thesis
44:10 - MegaETH 2026 Roadmap & TGE
49:37 - KPI-Locked Token Unlocks

Guest links:
Bread - https://x.com/bread_
MegaETH - https://x.com/megaeth
Casey Craig - https://x.com/caseycraig
Euphoria - https://x.com/euphoria_fi

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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Aave’s $50 million funding controversy with ACI Founder Marc Zeller

The Block — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:36:44 -0100

In episode 64 of The Crypto Beat, Aave-Chan Initiative Founder Marc Zeller discusses the ongoing governance dispute between the Aave DAO and Aave Labs, arguing it's not simply drama but governance working as intended.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:22 - The Aave DAO vs Labs Dispute
06:00 - Fox Guarding the Henhouse
09:38 - Return on Investment Framework
12:02 - The CowSwap Fee Redirect
14:02 - Aligning Token Holders & Service Providers
17:01 - The $5M Payback Question
22:18 - V3 vs V4 Revenue Reality
25:04 - Buybacks vs Dividends
31:03 - Treasury Allocation & Future Outlook

Guest links:
Marc Zeller - https://x.com/Marczeller
Aave-Chan Intitiate - https://x.com/Aavechan

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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The optimistic case for crypto in 2026, with Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan

The Block — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:06:04 -0100

In episode 63 of The Crypto Beat, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues crypto is in a self-fulfilling four-year cycle bear market, where retail investors sold in anticipation of the downturn and made it real, but says this period feels far less existential than 2018 or 2022. He sees BlackRock's aggressive push into tokenization and DeFi as a landmark signal that on-chain finance is inevitable, though full adoption is a 10 to 15 year story. His 2026 outlook: a grindy bottom with fundamentals outpacing price, setting up 2027 as the breakout year.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
00:20 - Crypto Winter Check-In
04:03 - When Did the Bear Actually Start?
07:57 - Is This Time Different?
11:44 - BlackRock Goes On-Chain
17:10 - The 10-Year DeFi Adoption Arc
21:17 - Prediction Markets Boom
24:08 - Has Crypto Grown Up?
27:08 - The Strategy Question
29:14 - 2026 Outlook & What Comes Next

Guest links:
Matt Hougan - twitter.com/Matt_Hougan
Bitwise - twitter.com/BitwiseInvest

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠

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BlackRock's UNI purchase and other DeFi developments, with Lido and Chaos Labs

The Block — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:00:24 -0100

In episode 62 of The Crypto Beat, Lido's Head of Node Operators Will Shannon and Chaos Labs' Head of Vaults Craig Le Riche join the show to unpack what BlackRock buying UNI tokens means for DeFi, the CFTC's new crypto innovation panel, and Aave's proposal to return 100% of protocol revenue to its DAO. The bulk of the conversation dives into vault infrastructure, and why chasing unsustainable yields remains DeFi's biggest trap.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
03:19 - BlackRock Buys UNI
05:07 - CFTC Innovation Panel
06:10 - Aave Revenue to DAO
07:12 - SafeMoon CEO Sentenced
08:36 - Vault Infrastructure 101
13:01 - Chaos x Kraken Earn Vaults
21:47 - Lido V3 & Institutional Staking
28:07 - Yield Danger Zone
39:42 - AI Agents & DeFi's Future

Guest links:
Craig Le Riche - https://x.com/craigleriche
Chaos Labs - https://x.com/chaoslabs
Will Shannon - https://x.com/KimonSh
Lido - https://x.com/LidoFinance

Hosts:
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks -⁠⁠ https://x.com/imyoungsparks⁠⁠

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From Coinbase Superbowl ad to upcoming earnings report, with crypto M&A expert Christian Lopez

The Block — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:47:19 -0100

In episode 61 of The Crypto Beat, Kelvin and Tim were joined by Christian Lopez of Cohen & Company Capital Markets to discuss why mid-scale crypto companies face a "consolidate or die" moment as big banks prepare to enter the space post-regulation. He explains how stablecoin yields could disrupt traditional banking's cost-of-capital advantage, and makes the case that Bitcoin is this generation's store of value — the way gold was for grandparents and homes were for parents.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:57 - Coinbase Super Bowl Ad
04:00 - Crypto's Perception Gap
07:00 - Buy vs. Build for TradFi
12:28 - Consolidation & IPO Pipeline
17:26 - Private Market Exits
19:46 - Tokenized Equities
24:32 - Stablecoin Regulation Battle
30:23 - Bitcoin Bear Market Drivers
35:50 - Generational Wealth & Bitcoin

Guest links:
Christian Lopez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianjlopez/
Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kelvin Sparks -⁠⁠ https://x.com/imyoungsparks⁠⁠

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EF researcher explains Ethereum's plan to tackle the quantum threat

The Block — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:36:00 -0100

In episode 60 of The Crypto Beat, Kelvin and Tim were joined by Thomas Coratger, post-quantum team lead at the Ethereum Foundation, to break down how Ethereum is preparing for quantum computing with a 2030 target for shipping post-quantum resistant consensus. He explains how AI is accelerating both defense and offense in this race, and warns that bridges and DeFi oracles are particularly vulnerable weak points that could cascade failures across the entire crypto ecosystem.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Intro
02:47 - The Grind
07:36 - Lean Ethereum
10:29 - Quantum Threat
17:00 - 2030 Roadmap
20:15 - Quantum Winter
25:05 - Bridge Risks
35:25 - User Migration
42:20 - AI Workflow
48:19 - Rapid Fire

Guest links:

Thomas Coratger - https://x.com/tcoratger

Ethereum Foundation - https://x.com/ethereumfndn

Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kelvin Sparks -⁠⁠ https://x.com/imyoungsparks⁠⁠

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Is crypto still cypherpunk? With Miden co-founder Azeem Khan

The Block — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:01:00 -0100

In episode 59 of The Crypto Beat, Miden Co-Founder Azeem Khan discusses how most crypto users don't realize how exposed their on-chain activity really is, drawing parallels to the 1990s encryption wars. He makes the case for "compliant privacy" as the path to institutional adoption, explains why the cypherpunk ethos needs a pragmatic update, and shares what he's learned from pitching privacy tech to JP Morgan, the SEC, and central banks from Abu Dhabi to Uzbekistan.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 02:30 - The Illusion of Anonymity 06:25 - The Privacy Rorschach Test 09:01 - Scaling Privacy UX 11:01 - The Regulatory Bottleneck 15:45 - Cypherpunk Ethos in 2026 18:44 - Institutional Adoption Playbook 24:04 - Where Privacy Captures Value 27:49 - The Privacy Token Pump 32:41 - Three Lessons on Privacy

Guest links:

Azeem Khan - https://x.com/azeemk

Miden - https://x.com/0xMiden

Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠⁠

Kelvin Sparks -⁠ https://x.com/imyoungsparks⁠

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Prediction markets and permissionless perps on Hyperliquid: Exploring HIP-3 and HIP-4

The Block — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:20:00 -0100

In episode 58 of The Crypto Beat Wintermute's Head of OTC Trading Jake Ostrovskis and Kaiko Senior Researcher Adam McCarthy join Kelvin and Tim to discuss why crypto feels like a bear market — compressed basis, dead retail, and Bitcoin stuck between risk asset and digital gold narratives. The conversation pivots to Hyperliquid's HIP3 and HIP4 as rare bright spots, the challenges of pricing RWAs and prediction markets on-chain, and what the Clarity Act and regulatory momentum could mean for a 2026 recovery.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 03:11 - Market Malaise 09:38 - The 10/10 Flash Crash 14:41 - Bodies & Leverage 19:24 - HIP3 & RWA Perps 29:03 - HIP4 & Prediction Markets 36:20 - Valuing Hyperliquid 39:17 - 2026 Crystal Ball 44:57 - What Is Bitcoin? 47:19 - Treasury Companies

Guest links:

Adam McCarthy - https://x.com/AdMcMarkets

Jake Ostrovskis - https://x.com/JO_wintermute

Tim Copeland - ⁠⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠⁠

Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks

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Is crypto dead, or is there hope for 2026? With Jordi Alexander and Zaheer Ebtikar

The Block — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:19:00 -0100

Jordi Alexander and Zaheer Ebtikar join Tim Copeland break down why crypto sentiment seems to be at its worst in years despite supportive macro tailwinds, arguing the market is suffering from a sort of regime change: ancient whale distribution, exhausted infrastructure narratives, and a duration mismatch between builder timelines and speculator expectations. They discuss the shift toward real product-building (stablecoins, on-chain trading of traditional assets, Dreamcash/HIP3), the commodities volatility pulling attention from crypto, and why the current mindshare-to-market-cap ratio signals a strong eventual rebound.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

02:15 - How Bad Is It?

04:30 - October 10th & Cascading Liquidations

07:00 - Infinite Tokens & Regime Change

11:30 - The Year of Productization

16:00 - Layer 1s & The Builder Problem

20:30 - Sports Betting & Financial Nihilism

25:00 - Dreamcash & HIP3 Explained

28:30 - Macro Shifts & The Gold Trade

33:00 - What's Exciting for 2026

Guest links:

Jordi Alexander - ⁠https://x.com/gametheorizing

Zaheer Ebtikar - https://x.com/SplitCapital

Tim Copeland - ⁠https://x.com/timccopeland⁠

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Pomp: Forget Inflation—Deflation and Dedollarization Explain Bitcoin's Price Action

The Block — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:48:00 -0100

Anthony Pompliano and Jeff Park argue that deflation, not inflation, may be Bitcoin’s biggest headwind, challenging the narrative that fueled institutional adoption in 2020. They suggest institutions aren’t trying to exit fiat, but are instead integrating Bitcoin into the legacy system to attract new clients and revenue.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - The Independent Investor

05:45 - Institutions & Bitcoin

08:20 - Bitcoin vs Altcoins

12:00 - Biggest Risks to Bitcoin

17:30 - The Weak Dollar Play

22:00 - AI & Occupy AI

28:15 - Favorite Investments

33:00 - Long-Term Outlook

Guest links:

Anthony Pompliano - https://x.com/APompliano
Jeff Park - https://x.com/dgt10011
Kelvin Sparks - https://x.com/imyoungsparks
Tim Copeland - https://x.com/timccopeland

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Accelerating Retail Payments on Solana with BonkX and Solstice

The Block — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:05:00 -0100

The Block's Kelvin Sparks was joined by Solstice Founder Ben Nadareski and BonkX founder Jovan Tisma, who argue stablecoins will become the standard settlement layer within 10 years, compressing bank margins but unlocking DeFi access for retail. They stress the importance preserving permissionless principles while institutionalizing, and believe lifestyle-focused payments—not speculation—will drive mainstream adoption.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

03:00 - Why Crypto Payments

10:00 - The 10-Year Horizon

12:00 - Building on Solana

17:00 - Breaking Into Payments

23:00 - Banks vs Stablecoins

30:00 - Onboarding Retail

34:00 - Lifestyle Banking

38:00 - Where Value Accrues

45:45 - The USX Incident

Guest links:

Solstice - ⁠https://twitter.com/solsticefi

Ben Nadareski - https://twitter.com/ben_solstice

BonkX - ⁠https://twitter.com/BonkX_SOL

Jovan Tisma - ⁠https://twitter.com/tishmica

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How oracles are bringing RWAs to crypto, with Pyth and Chronicle

The Block — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:43:00 -0100

Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks were joined by Mike Cahill from Pyth and Niklas Kunkel from Chronicle discuss how oracles are transforming from simple price feeds into critical infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets. They explore the explosive growth in tokenized money market funds and CLOs, the shift toward B2B adoption by DeFi protocols rather than retail, and new business models—Pyth's data subscription hit $1M ARR in weeks while Chronicle scaled to $6B in tokenized funds in under a year.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 02:06 - Pyth's RWA Origins 05:25 - Going Cross-Chain 07:51 - Oracle Competition Metrics 12:04 - Chronicle's DeFi Journey 17:17 - Retail vs Institutional 23:21 - Corporate Chains 34:27 - Pyth Reserve & Buybacks 41:24 - Building Without a Token 45:47 - 2026 Predictions

Guest links:

Pyth - https://x.com/PythNetwork

Mike Cahill - https://x.com/mdomcahill

Chronicle - https://x.com/ChronicleLabs

Niklas Kunkel - https://x.com/nomos_paradox

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The state of digital asset treasury companies with The Ether Machine and OranjeBTC

The Block — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:16:00 -0100

Tim Copeland was joined by Andrew Keys, Co-Founder of The Ether Machine, and Guilherme Gomes, Founder and CEO of OranjeBTC todiscuss the rapid rise of digital asset treasury companies. The conversation explored how these firms aim to outperform crypto ETFs through active management, including staking, DeFi, leverage, and capital markets strategies, while highlighting the risks around execution, premiums to NAV, and long-term sustainability.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

01:25 - Current State of Digital Asset Treasury Companies

04:28 - DeFi Strategies and Risk Management

09:13 - Why Investors Choose DATs Over ETFs

14:04 - Market Access and Regulatory Considerations

20:52 - Hong Kong Regulator Concerns About Premiums

26:36 - Share Buybacks and Finding Equilibrium

30:47 - Bitcoin vs Ethereum: Different Asset Profiles

34:42 - Market Cap Decline: From $176B to $100B

40:26 - MicroStrategy's Average Buy Price Risk

47:11 - The Flywheel Effect and Selling Scenarios

51:13 - US Insider Trading Probe

52:24 - Niche Token Treasuries and Liquidity Concerns

55:06 - Closing Remarks

Guest links:

Andrew Keys - https://x.com/AK_EtherMachine

The Ether Machine - https://x.com/TheEtherMachine Guilherme Gomes - https://x.com/GuiAmadoGomes

OranjeBTC - https://x.com/oranjebtc

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Bybit CEO Ben Zhou on perps, RWAs, and what's next for 2026

The Block — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:32:00 -0100

In episode 52 of the Crypto Beat, Kelvin Sparks and Tim Copeland were joined by Bybit CEO Ben Zhou to discuss how he bootstrapped a derivatives-focused exchange and grew Bybit into a one-stop crypto platform. Ben also reflects on managing a $1B hack with radical transparency, surviving brutal bear markets, and why he thinks RWAs and on-chain capital markets will be a defining theme going into 2026.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 02:05 - Derivatives-First Bybit 05:09 - Cards & User Acquisition 08:21 - Prediction Markets & Competition 11:33 - CEX vs On-Chain Perps 13:44 - Mantle, BitDAO & L2 Strategy 18:28 - Market Outlook & Liquidity 21:40 - Hiring, Culture & Layoffs 28:14 - Bootstrapping & Product Focus 30:41 - $1B Hack & Hard Lessons 36:46 - RWAs, Tokenized Stocks & 2026

Guest links:

Ben Zhou - https://x.com/benbybit

Bybit - https://x.com/Bybit_Official

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Investigating DeFi hacks with ‘Code is Law’ director and Wildcat Finance co-founder Laurence Day

The Block — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:46:00 -0100

In episode 51 of the Crypto Beat, Kelvin Sparks was joined by "Code is Law" co-director James Craig and Wildcat Finance co-founder Lawrence Day discuss the real human, technical, and legal fallout of major DeFi hacks, and the origins and making of the documentary.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introductions

03:00 – The Hack That Sparked the Film

07:00 – Idealists vs. Pragmatists in Early Crypto

10:00 – Emotion, Trauma, and Recalling Major Hacks

13:00 – Two Lines of Code and the Fragility of Money

18:30 – The Psychological Toll of Exploits

20:50 – Rise of White Hats

23:00 – Law Enforcement’s Blind Spots

24:30 – Internet Culture: Schadenfreude and Chaos

28:00 – The Ogle Interview Story

32:00 – Why Builders Keep Building After Being Hacked

38:00 – Code vs. Law: The New Legal Battleground

Guest links:

James Craig - https://x.com/jamescraig1111

Code is Law - https://x.com/CodeIsLawFilm

Laurence Day - https://x.com/functi0nZer0

Wildcat - https://x.com/wildcatfi

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Unpacking the Clarity Act - The Crypto Beat Policy Special

The Block — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:27:00 -0100

In episode 50 of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks were joined by The Block's policy reporter Sarah Wynn and Moto Legal founding partner Chris Elias to break down how the Genius and Clarity Acts aim to pull crypto talent and businesses back to the U.S. by finally clarifying SEC/CFTC rules.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

02:34 - Impact of the Genius Act on Stablecoins

05:10 - The Clarity Act Explained

10:41 - How the Bill Evolved Over Time

16:47 - The Exodus & Return of Crypto Projects

19:13 - How Projects Seek Legal Guidance

23:28 - Political Parties' Impact on the Bill

28:21 - Government Shutdown Impact on Legislation

34:08 - Will the US Become the Crypto Capital?

37:24 - Closing Remarks

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Chris Elias - https://x.com/itschriselias

Moto Legal - https://www.motolegal.io/

Sarah Wynn - https://x.com/ForTheWynn_

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From crypto rewards cards to neobanks with EtherFi, Gnosis and Ready

The Block — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:07:00 -0100

In episode 49 of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland was joined by Gnosis Co-Founder Stefan George, EtherFi CEO Mike Silagadze, and Ready Co-Founder Itamar Lesuisse to break down how cheap L2s, new fiat rails and self-custody are turning high-reward “crypto cards” into full-blown global neobanks that can realistically challenge Revolut, Amex and traditional banks.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 02:37 - Bridging DeFi to daily spend 03:58 - Why demand is surging 08:17 - Neobank revenue model 13:04 - Cost of issuing cards 15:04 - Regional issuance hurdles 19:00 - New user segments 22:27 - What is a crypto neobank 26:28 - Fixing crypto UX 32:27 - Cost and global scale edge 37:40 - Power of composability

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Stefan George - https://x.com/StefanDGeorge

Gnosis - https://x.com/gnosis_

Mike Silagadze - https://x.com/MikeSilagadze

EtherFi - https://x.com/ether_fi

Itamar Lesuisse - https://x.com/itamarl

Ready - https://x.com/ready_co

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Joe Lubin and SharpLink discuss Linea token launch and Ethereum treasury companies

The Block — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:09:00 -0100

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim and Kelvin were joined by SharpLink Co-CEO Joseph Chalom and Consensys Founder and CEO Joseph Lubin to discuss the rise of Ethereum-focused treasury companies, how Sharplink is accumulating ETH, and why they see Ethereum entering a multi-decade growth phase.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

02:29 - Building Ethereum

04:36 - Why Sharplink

08:10 - Buying ETH

11:19 - NAV & Buybacks

14:34 - Treasury Companies

18:43 - ETH Accumulation Limits

20:10 - Ethereum-First Strategy

20:47 - Next for Treasuries

25:02 - TradFi → DeFi

26:30 - Linea Launch

33:48 - Community Models

36:05 - MetaMask Token?

40:56 - Ethereum’s Future

#TCB48

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Joseph Chalom - https://x.com/joechalom

Sharplink - https://x.com/SharpLink Joe Lubin - https://x.com/ethereumJoseph

Consensys - https://x.com/Consensys

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Protecting against DeFi hacks and exploits using AI, with Chaos Labs CEO Omer Goldberg

The Block — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:01:00 -0100

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks were joined by Chaos Labs Founder and CEO Omer Goldberg to discuss how data-driven risk modeling, on-chain oracles, and AI can harden DeFi, from smoothing thin markets to stress-testing stablecoins.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:57 - Omer’s path to crypto

07:36 - What “risk” means in DeFi

11:48 - Oracles to mitigate thin-market volatility

15:02 - Do smart contracts end counterparty risk?

19:24 - Institutions, Ethereum dominance, and security maturity

21:19 - Why stablecoins are surging (and likely to persist)

22:47 - Oracles as the biggest hidden risk

25:34 - Making on-chain data usable

31:56 - DeFi agents and the need for guardrails

35:52 - Today’s stablecoin risks vs algos

39:56 - Wrap-up & sign-off

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Omer Goldberg - https://x.com/omeragoldberg

Chaos Labs - https://x.com/chaoslabs

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The DogeCast: A chat with the team at DogeOS

The Block — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:32:00 -0100

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Kelvin Sparks tuned in from Tokyo to meet with MyDoge Inc. CEO Jordan Jefferson and Size Chad to discuss DogeOS – the app layer for Dogecoin. The trio unpack Dogecoin’s evolution from joke to mainstream phenomenon, and outline DogeOS’s mission: unlocking real utility and DeFi for idle DOGE while preserving the community’s irreverent spirit.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 02:59 - Why build on Dogecoin: the wallet origin story 06:34 - The eras of Dogecoin (phases 1–3, SNL peak) 09:21 - Inflation, utility, and keeping the joke ethos 13:03 - Balancing culture with ecosystem design 15:30 - Doge culture as the secret sauce 18:18 - Beyond CT: Doge’s mainstream reach 21:27 - Memes, communication, and societal impact 24:04 - Lindy effect: why Doge endures 28:55 - ZK proofs on Dogecoin: scaling & L2s 32:00 - Why Bitcoin devs might build on Doge 34:27 - Challenges building DogeOS

40:06 - Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Jordan Jefferson - https://x.com/MyDogeCEOSize

Chad - https://x.com/SizeChad

DogeOS - https://x.com/DogeOS

MyDoge - https://x.com/MyDoge

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The future of DeFi and onchain money markets with Theo Network & Felix Protocol

The Block — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:44:00 -0100

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Theo co-founder TK Kwon and Felix co-founder Charlie to discuss the rapid evolution of DeFi through real-world assets, cross-chain liquidity, and the growing role of institutional capital in on-chain finance.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 04:44 - Product-First vs. Ecosystem-First Chains 06:43 - Challenges and Merits of Product-Led Development 08:06 - Evolving DeFi Metrics: TVL to Utilization 13:22 - Who Uses RWAs and Why They Matter 15:05 - Tokenized Equities and On-Chain Assets 19:02 - Permissioned and Permissionless Systems 22:29 - Onboarding Challenges for RWAs 23:41 - Liquidity and Market Making as the Next Unlock 27:08 - Forecasts for Institutional Growth 28:13 - Regulatory Catalysts 31:14 - Retail-Friendly Chains and Mass Adoption 32:50 - Stablecoin Chains: Innovation or Hype? 34:47 - Closing Remarks

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Charlie - https://x.com/0xBroze

Felix - https://x.com/felixprotocol

TK - https://x.com/kt_nowk

Theo Network - https://x.com/Theo_Network

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Pantera Capital investor on Hyperliquid's USDH, Paradigm's Tempo, and the massive potential of stablecoins

The Block — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:18:00 -0100

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Mason Nystrom, Junior Partner at Pantera, to discuss how stablecoins could be the tech that transforms fintech fails to be more internet blockchain native, what the Hyperliquid USDH bidding war signals for capturing payment flow, and the tokenization of real-world assets including collectibles like Pokemon cards.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

01:44 - Mason’s origin in crypto

03:35 - Research vs. VC investing

04:46 - The $1T stablecoin thesis

06:31 - Tempo: Stripe/Paradigm’s payments L1

08:55 - Retail upside & neutrality questions

14:18 - Why Stripe self-disrupts

20:12 - Hyperliquid’s USDH bidding war

23:43 - RWAs: tokenized collectibles

28:48 - Launchpads & DeFi platformization

33:08 - SocFi: Pump.fun vs. FriendTech

43:59 - Prediction markets & regulation

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Mason Nystrom - https://x.com/masonnystrom

Pantera - https://x.com/PanteraCapital

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Exploring TON Strategy’s $558 million treasury company with Exec. Chairman Manuel Stotz

The Block — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 21:18:00 +0000

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Tonstrat Executive Chairman Manuel Stotz to discuss why Telegram’s scale gives TON a unique edge.

The chat hits mini-apps UX, stablecoins/remittances and gaming, U.S. access, and how to manage 80% drawdowns.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 01:25 - Background 05:24 - Kingsway to Crypto focus 07:31 - Portfolio mix 12:08 - Telegram edge & TON thesis 18:15 - Super-app in the West 20:10 - Regulatory past & decentralization 27:10 - Mini apps vs dApps UX 29:15 - Stablecoins/payments/games 43:55 - Ton Strategy treasury model 49:41 - Risk management & staking yield 59:45 - Premiums, cycles & outlook

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Manuel Stotz - https://x.com/manuelstotz

Ton Strategy Co - https://x.com/tonstrat

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Flight3 founders talk Zebu Live, London's revival, and the crypto market downturn

The Block — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:26:00 +0000

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Flight3 founders Joylon and Harry Horsfall to discuss London's crypto scene, Zebu Live and the recent crypto market downturn.

Harry and Joylon explained what goes into making a conference successful, London’s evolving crypto scene, and what to expect from this year’s Zebu Live conference.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:50 - Market Crash Reactions & Risk Lessons

02:50 - DeFi Stress Test: Protocols Held Up

04:16 - IQ Quiz, Humility, FOMO & Recovery Outlook

08:26 - What Actually Happened During The Crash

11:21 - Monad Airdrop and the Airdrop Playbook

14:35 - London Crypto Scene's Revival

16:09 - UK’s Regulatory Status

20:03 - Proposed UK Stablecoin Cap

22:52 - The Future of UK Crypto

25:10 - Zebu Live 2025: Program & Why Attend

27:05 - Curation, Conference Vibes

32:49 - Standout Moments & Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Harry Harsfall - ⁠https://x.com/HarryHorsfall_

Joylon Horsfall - https://x.com/0x_styx

Zebu Live - ⁠https://x.com/Zebu_live

Flight3 - https://x.com/Flight3official

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ZKsync co-founder Alex Gluchowski unveils the Atlas upgrade

The Block — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:31:00 +0000

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Kelvin Sparks chats with Alex Gluchowski, co-founder and CEO of Matter Labs to discuss the Atlas upgrade, which promises to revolutionize performance and privacy.

They explore zero-knowledge proofs and their role in scaling Ethereum. They also discuss the cypherpunk ethos, technological challenges, and Matter Labs' vision for the future.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:31 – Privacy: The New Meta

02:45 – Cypherpunk Roots

04:29 – User Experience of Scaled Privacy

07:24 – Trust Assumptions in Privacy

09:25 – Incorruptible Financial Systems

14:15 – Innovation in Cryptography

19:13 – Rewarding Experiences at Matter Labs

22:01 – Navigating Challenges

24:17 – Introducing the Atlas Upgrade

30:53 – Benefits of Instant Settlement

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Alex Gluchowski - https://x.com/gluk64

Matter Labs - https://x.com/the_matter_labs

ZKsync - https://x.com/zksync

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Unlocking Bitcoin’s full potential with ZK rollups — presented by Goat Network

The Block — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:36:00 +0000

The Crypto Beat's Co-Host Kelvin Sparks, was joined by GOAT Network Co-Founder and CEO Kevin Liu in Seoul, South Korea on the sidelines of Korea Blockchain Week in this episode sponsored by GOAT Network.

Kevin explains how his team is scaling Bitcoin through a ZK rollup Layer 2 that maintains Bitcoin’s core security while unlocking new use cases.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - Bitcoin ideology and early influences 01:27 - Goat Network’s vision for Bitcoin Layer 2 02:29 - Unlocking Bitcoin’s potential through scalability 03:40 - Evolution from BitVM to GoatBitVM 06:37 - Preserving Bitcoin security in Layer 2 design 09:40 - Trade-offs in building ZK rollups for Bitcoin 11:00 - Lessons learned from Ethereum rollups 13:16 - Yield generation on Bitcoin with Goat Network 16:55 - Balancing sustainability and slashing risk 18:57 - Running a node and sequencer competition 20:09 - Differentiating yield strategies from corporates 22:46 - Opcodes and technical trade-offs 24:02 - Building the Goat Network community 28:31 - Token launch and future of Bitcoin Layer 2

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Kevin Liu - https://x.com/kevinliub

GOAT Network - https://x.com/GOATRollup

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Jito execs explore the impact of the SEC’s liquid staking decision

The Block — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:50:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland was joined by Jito Co-Founder & CEO Lucas Bruder and Jito Foundation Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Uhm.

In this episode, Tim, Thomas and Lucas discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking, and how innovations like BAM and JitoSOL could unlock institutional adoption, tighter markets, and broader yield opportunities.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

01:18 – What is Liquid Staking?

04:00 – SEC's Stance on Liquid Staking

07:23 – Impact on Solana and Ecosystems

12:05 – Institutional Adoption

16:21 – ETFs and Liquid Staking

18:37 – Layer One Announcements

24:11 – Introducing BAM

27:52 – Solana Ecosystem Sentiment

30:21 – Solana vs. Ethereum

33:53 – Future of Blockchains

39:15 – Future Priorities for Jito

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Thomas Uhm - https://x.com/ThomasUhm

Lucas Bruder - https://x.com/buffalu__

Jito - https://x.com/jito_sol

Jito Foundation - https://x.com/JitoFDN

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CoinFund investor breaks down Trump’s crypto executive order and SEC’s Project Crypto

The Block — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:19:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks were joined by CoinFund’s Kavan Canekeratne.

In this episode, Tim, Kelvin and Kavan discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking. He explains the rise of perpetuals, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and the competitive dynamics of exchanges, while highlighting risks around leverage, meme coins, and treasury companies. The discussion closes with Ethereum vs. Solana, Bitcoin DeFi, and the growing overlap between crypto and gambling.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Crypto in 401Ks and U.S. regulatory shifts

03:42 - Roman Storm trial

04:47 - Explosion of perpetuals trading

06:18 - Exchange competition

07:38 - Tokenized stocks and global adoption

11:12 - Risks of leverage and stablecoin clarity

16:30 - Tokenized RWAs

17:32 - Ethereum’s resurgence vs. Solana’s momentum

22:37 - Rollups, UX improvements, and scaling Ethereum

24:48 - Meme coins, NFTs, and evolving adoption cycles

30:32 - Bitcoin DeFi & treasury companies

40:08 - Closing remarks

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Kavan Canekeratne - ⁠https://x.com/kavancane

Coinfund -⁠ https://x.com/coinfund_io

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Securitize’s Michael Sonnenshein dives into tokenized equites and Elixir proposal

The Block — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:10:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks was joined by Securitize President Michael Sonnenshein.

In this episode, Sonnenshein explores the evolving market for tokenized securities, and explains the advantages of bringing traditional assets like equities, treasuries, and private credit onto public blockchains in a fully regulated, investor-protective way.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:37 – Promotion to President

01:28 – White House Digital Asset Report

03:44 – Regulatory Interest in Security Tokens

05:40 – Vision for Tokenized Equities

09:07 – Demand for Tokenized Treasuries

10:38 – Path to One Trillion in Tokenized Securities

12:38 – Robinhood and Tokenized Equities

15:24 – Benefits of Tokenized Equities

19:43 – Hamilton Lane Integration with Elixir

22:05 – Grayscale Bitcoin ETF Reflections

23:30 – SEC and In-kind Redemption

26:08 – Future of ETFs

26:17 – Systemic Risk of Bitcoin Treasury Companies

28:26 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Michael Sonnenshein - https://x.com/Sonnenshein

Securitize -⁠ https://x.com/Securitize

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21Shares’ Federico Brokate unpacks Bitcoin ETF growth and institutional crypto interest

The Block — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 11:16:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Federico Brokate, head of U.S. Business at 21Shares.

In this episode, Tim and Federico discuss the remarkable success of Bitcoin ETFs. Brokate delves into institutional adoption trends, future crypto ETF developments, and potential shifts in market dynamics. The conversation also touches on burgeoning institutional interest in new crypto assets.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:25 – Bitcoin ETFs' Success

04:43 – Hedge Funds and Basis Trade

06:11 – Options on ETFs

09:35 – From BlackRock to 21Shares

11:49 – International vs US Demand

14:49 – Selecting Assets

18:18 – Next Major Developments in Crypto ETFS

22:24 – Tokenized Equities

23:45 – Composable ETFs and DeFi

24:57 – Regulatory Environment Shifts

26:43 – Bitcoin Treasury Concerns

29:05 – Systemic Risk in Crypto Markets

29:53 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Federico - ⁠⁠https://x.com/Fede_Brokate

21Shares - https://x.com/21Shares

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Building crypto vaults with Veda co-founder Sun Raghupathi

The Block — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:58:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Veda co-founder and CEO Sun Raghupathi.

Tim and Sun discussed how DeFi vaults are simplifying complex finance systems and looking to drive mainstream and institutional adoption. Sun explained on Veda's Vault architecture, the importance of security, and the evolving competitive landscape in the DeFi space.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:25 – What is Veda?

03:31 – Potential Contagion Risks

04:30 – GMX Hack

05:39 – DeFi Hacks

08:16 – Challenges of Building Vaults

09:48 – DeFi's Evolution

15:23 – Institutional Involvement

16:58 – Vault Uses in TradFi

17:47 – Tokenized Stocks

20:44 – Vaults vs. Staking

22:48 – Types of Vault Strategies

24:39 – AI in Vault Management

25:47 – Veda’s Future Plans

26:37 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Sun - ⁠https://x.com/sunandr_

Veda - ⁠⁠https://x.com/veda_labs

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The intersection of crypto and AI, presented by OpenLedger

The Block — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:47:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by OpenLedger Core Contributor Ram Kumar in this episodes sponsored by OpenLedger.

Tim and Ram discussed the emerging intersection of decentralized AI and blockchain technology. Ram explains how OpenLedger is building infrastructure to let users contribute proprietary data to train AI models, with on-chain attribution and rewards for data contributors. The conversation covers OpenLedger’s upcoming mainnet launch, tokenomics, and the broader promise of creating a transparent, community-driven AI economy.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

01:02 – What is Openledger?

02:27 – Data Contribution Model

08:47 – Access to Agents

15:16 – Ensuring Quality Data

19:09 – Incentive Structures

23:18 – The Role of Tokens

24:56 – The Convergence of AI and Crypto

27:53 – Competing with Centralized Systems

30:23 – Openledger's Future and Success

33:32 – Data Economy Insights

36:17 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Ram -⁠ https://x.com/Ramkumartweet⁠

OpenLedger - ⁠https://x.com/OpenledgerHQ⁠

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Murad explores his memecoin thesis and support for SPX6900

The Block — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:37:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Co-Host Kelvin Sparks and memecoin aficionado Murad.

In this episode, Murad argues that the future of crypto lies in belief-driven, community-powered assets rather than short-term speculation or utility tokens. He explains why meme coins like SPX6900 are not just speculative plays but cultural and spiritual movements that offer their holders meaning, identity, and potential financial upside.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:47 – Memecoin Landscape

04:58 – Rise of Bonk.Fun

07:10 – The next six months

09:15 – SPX6900 as a Schelling Point

18:33 – Responsibilities with Memecoins

23:45 – Flipping the Stock Market

29:23 – Memecoin mullet

34:13 – Memecoin strategy

38:55 – Bitcoin Treasury Trade

45:47 – Crypto's Future

48:17 – Murad's Motivation in Crypto

52:56 – Creating or Moving Value

54:56 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Murad - https://x.com/MustStopMurad

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Wormhole Foundation co-founder on how RWAs and stablecoins can live in a multichain world

The Block — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:29:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Wormhole Co-Founder Robinson Burkey.

In this episode, Copeland and Burkey discuss the growing adoption of multi-chain frameworks and increasing institutional interest in blockchain technology. The conversation also touches on tokenized assets and the growing emphasis on revenue in the crypto space.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

01:22 – Wormhole’s growth

04:07 – Which chains are seeing growth

06:47 – RWAs

08:57 – Tokenized Credit

11:47 – Wormhole's Role in RWA

14:14 – Institutional adoption

17:45 – Institution’s opening up to crypto

20:23 – Future Crypto Expansion

23:05 – IPOs and On-Chain Opportunities

25:54 – Wormhole’s Governance Model

32:06 – Effects of Shifting US regulations

36:00 – Potential For Revenue Sharing

37:51 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Robinson Burkey -⁠ https://x.com/RobinsonBurkey

Wormhole Foundation - https://x.com/wormholefdn

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Bringing dark pools to Hyperliquid with Silhouette Founder Chandler De Kock

The Block — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:57:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Silhouette Founder Chandler De Kock.

In this episode, Copeland and De Kock discuss Silhouette and dark pools, the integration of privacy features into DeFi, and the implications for market transparency. The conversation also touches on the role of market makers and recent industry trends on token launches.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:36 – Dark Pools Explained

03:34 – Ensuring Private Transactions

07:39 – Maintaining Standards

12:57 – Hyperliquid.

15:44 – James Wynn and Public Positions

19:48 – Challenges and Opportunities

21:38 – Market Maker Engagement

23:33 – Next Steps to Launch

28:55 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Chandler De Kock -⁠ https://x.com/chandlerdkk

Silhouette - https://x.com/silhouette_exhttps://x.com/silhouette_ex

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Inside the institutional ETH staking world with Alluvial CEO Mara Schmiedt

The Block — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 18:24:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Alluvial CEO Mara Schmiedt.

In this episode of The Crypto Beat, Copeland and Schmiedt discuss Alluvial's role in shaping institutional Ethereum staking. Schmiedt also discusses a new partnership between Liquid Collective and Galaxy, and shares insights on market trends, compliance, and the future of crypto regulations.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

00:34 – Alluvial's Mission

02:29 – Compliance and KYC

05:12 – ETH Withdrawals

06:05 – Partnership with Galaxy

08:02 – Institutional Staking Demand

10:06 – Adding ETH to balance sheets

12:38 – Convergence of Crypto and TradFi

14:24 – Institutional Adoption and Compliance

15:27 – SEC Staking Guidance

18:33 – Growth of Liquid Staking Tokens

20:06 – US Staking Lawsuits

21:21 – ETFs and Staking

25:50 – Future of Staking

26:57 – Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Mara Schmiedt - https://x.com/MaraSchmiedt

Alluvial - ⁠https://x.com/alluvialfinance

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Upexi CEO & CSO break down their Solana treasury strategy

The Block — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 15:18:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Upexi CEO Allan Marshall and CEO Brian Rudick.

In this episode, Marshall and Rudick explain why their company is going all-in on Solana as the core of a digital asset treasury strategy. They discuss the upside potential of Solana, staking yields, and how disciplined leverage and capital markets dynamics could mirror or improve on MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin playbook.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Intro

00:55 - Why Upexi chose Solana over Bitcoin

02:45 - Staking Solana and revenue benefits

04:41 - Regulatory clarity and the bull case

07:23 - Wen Solana ETF

10:39 - Explaining the premium

15:12 - Risk management

19:18 - Locked SOL supply and market impact

21:39 - GameStop & SharpLink

23:53 - Concerns about treasury strategies

26:32 - Navigating downturns in crypto

31:45 - Looking ahead

33:24 - Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Allan Marhsall -⁠ ⁠⁠https://x.com/marshall_a22015

Brian Rudick - https://x.com/thetinyant

Upexi - https://www.upexi.com/

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How Across Protocol is looking to fix crypto's cross-chain headaches

The Block — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:21:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Across Protocol Co-Founder Hart Lambur.

In this episode, Copeland and Lambur discuss how Across Protocol is looking to revolutionize cross-chain interoperability by using an intent-based system that enables near-instant, secure asset transfers between blockchains. They also touched on Lambur's history as a bond trader at Goldman Sachs, chain abstraction, and crypto treasury companies.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Intro  

00:33 – What is Across Protocol? 

03:42 – How Intent-Based Bridging Works 

05:05 – Solver Mechanics Explained 

06:34 – Fee Structure & Value Prop 

09:07 – Lambur’s history with Goldman Sachs 

11:13 – Across and Intents 

14:57 – The Future of Seamless UX 

19:06 – Onboarding new users 

22:14 – Other Projects Lambur Likes 

26:55 – Market Outlook & Bitcoin Macro 

28:15 – MicroStrategy Copycats Risk? 

31:18 – Closing Remarks

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Hart Lambur - ⁠⁠https://x.com/hal2001

Across Protocol - ⁠https://x.com/AcrossProtocol⁠

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It’s time for a ‘flight to quality’ - Thrive founder Daniel Jacobs

The Block — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:33:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Thrive Founder Daniel Jacobs.

In this episode, Jacobs shares how Thrive uses a mix of expert and AI agent reviewers to validate contributions, making grant funding faster, fairer, and ensure they are supporting the creation of value. Jacobs also critiques the value-extraction mindset in crypto and advocates for a shift toward long-term value creation and ecosystem sustainability.

OUTLINE

00:00 – Introduction

01:03 – The Origin of Thrive

04:23 – Reviewer Incentives

05:35 – AI Agent Adoption

08:52 – Confirming AI Accuracy

12:36 – Comparisons to Kaito

13:58 – Growth Metrics

16:26 – Challenges in Crypto Grant Funding

20:50 – Extracting vs. Creating Value

25:07 – Are VCs good for the space?

28:37 – Moving into “Fundamental Season”

30:07 – Interesting projects

31:17 – Daniel’s Predictions for 2025

31:42 – Closing Thoughts

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Daniel Jacobs - ⁠https://x.com/thrivegiraffe

Thrive Protocol - https://x.com/thriveprotocol

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MetaMask co-founder Dan Finlay unpacks vision for reaching a 'much bigger audience'

The Block — Tue, 27 May 2025 18:47:00 +0000

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Metamask Co-Founder Dan Finlay.

In this episode, Copeland and Finlay discuss the evolution of the crypto industry, the intersection of blockchain and AI, and MetaMask's goal to build a wallet for a much broader audience outside of crypto natives.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Crypto’s evolution

02:57 - MetaMask's strategy

04:39 - Mainstream Use Cases

07:20 - MetaMask’s Grants Program

10:57 - Challenges in Building MetaMask

15:17 - Improving Multi-Chain UX

17:16 - The Pectra Upgrade

23:06 - MetaMask’s revenue streams

25:33 - From Memes to Fundamentals

27:58 - Experimenting with AI

32:19 - The Solana Meme Coin

37:04 - Native Support for Solana

40:09 - The Changing U.S. Regulatory Landscape

41:20 - The Elusive MetaMask Token

42:17 - Hopes for the Future

43:01 - Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠

Guest links:

Dan Finlay - https://x.com/danfinlay

MetaMask - ⁠⁠https://x.com/MetaMask

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Backed Finance Co-Founder Adam Levi on the rise of tokenized equities

The Block — Thu, 22 May 2025 17:24:00 +0000

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Backed Finance Co-Founder Adam Levi.

In this episode, Copeland and Levi discuss the rise and future of tokenized equities, and how it could prove to be bigger than stablecoins.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:46 - Observations From Token2049

02:14 - Adam’s Experience in the Space

03:51 - Understanding the Business Model

08:28 - Another Crypto Collapse?

11:56 - Why Tokenized Equities Are Gaining Steam

15:58 - Regulatory Concerns and Global Access

18:46 - Adoption Barriers

20:10 - Unlocking DeFi With Real-World Assets

23:06 - Yield-Bearing Stablecoins

25:21 - Coming Next in Tokenized Equities

26:01 - Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠

Guest links:

Adam Levi - https://x.com/leviadam1

Backed Finance - ⁠https://x.com/BackedFi

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PayPal SVP Jose Fernandez da Ponte outlines the payment giant's crypto strategy

The Block — Mon, 19 May 2025 16:16:00 +0000

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by PayPal's SVP of Blockchain, Crypto and Digital Currencies, Jose Fernandez da Ponte.

In this episode, Copeland and da Ponte discuss PayPal’s vision and progress in crypto, including its stablecoin PYUSD, payment use cases, and how PayPal is looking to position itself as a major player in blockchain-based finance.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

03:03 - PayPal’s journey into crypto

06:31 - Top requested features: tokens and yield

11:21 - Navigating regulation

15:09 - The Popularity of crypto on PayPal

18:49 - Circle’s new cross-border payments network

19:56 - Measuring success with PYUSD

23:09 - Supporting other stablecoins

24:05 - Can PYUSD rival Tether or USDC?

27:35 - BlackRock and TradFi entering crypto

29:51 - Using stablecoins in real business payments

30:42 - How crypto will change financial services

34:16 - PayPal’s long-term crypto ambitions

37:12 - Closing thoughts

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠

Guest links:

Jose Fernandez da Ponte - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-fernandez-da-ponte-a46ba81/

PayPal - https://x.com/PayPal

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Chatting Optimism with OP Labs Co-founder Mark Tyneway

The Block — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:13:00 +0000

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by OP Labs Co-Founder and Systems Engineer Mark Tyneway.

In this episode, Copeland and Tyneway discuss the progress and current state of Optimism. Tyneway unpacked OP Labs' focus on user experience and interoperability, and how crypto's future could become more app-focused.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

00:48 - Optimism’s Growth and Ecosystem Highlights

05:04 - Crypto’s App-Focused Future

06:57 - Native Interoperability and Cross-Chain Messaging

16:10 - Adoption Through Apps

20:18 - Staying Focused on the Vision

25:23 - Crypto’s Growing Relevancy

27:51 - Value Accrual to ETH vs Layer 2s

33:12 - The Super Token

36:00 - ZK Proofs

39:24 - Biggest Challenges for Layer 2 Growth

40:43 - Optimism’s 2025 Vision

41:36 - Outro and Final Thanks

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Mark Tyneway - https://x.com/tyneslol

OP Labs - https://x.com/OPLabsPBC

Optimism - https://x.com/Optimism

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How Aave's stablecoin GHO is core to its plan to 10X its revenue

The Block — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:32:00 +0000

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Aave-Chan Initiative Founder Marc Zeller.

In this episode, Copeland and Zeller discussed Aave's decentralization, the Horizon Initiative, and the ACI's "most important proposal" of a six-month, $1 million dollar per week buyback program.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

05:15 - The most Important Proposal

07:32 - DeFi Isn't Dead — It's Maturing

10:43 - Buybacks

17:16 - Liquidity Incentives and Yield Optimization

25:23 - The Horizon Plan

32:49 - GHO and Stablecoin adoption

38:42 - Embracing Competition to Grow GHO

40:14 - Bitcoin-Backed Loans

43:09 - Bullish Outlook on Ethereum

48:12 - Building on Mainnet vs. L2

51:31 - Fixing Ethereum

54:10 - Outro and Final Thoughts

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Marc Zeller - https://x.com/lemiscate

Aave-Chan Initiative - https://x.com/Aavechan

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Crypto lending with Morpho CEO Paul Frambot

The Block — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:46:00 +0000

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Morpho Co-Founder & CEO Paul Frambot.

In this episode, Copeland and Frambot discussed Morpho, a permissionless lending and borrowing infrastructure that allows builders and platforms to create their own products. The discussion also covers Morpho's integration with Coinbase, the evolution of crypto lending, the and the potential future of layer-2 solutions and app-specific chains.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:24 Sponsor break

01:14 What Is Morpho?

05:03 Shifting From End To End Products

07:35 Morpho Token

11:12 Protocol Fees and Monetization

13:13 Surge in TVL

17:27 Evolution of DeFi Lending

21:44 Coinbase Integration

26:37 The Future of Crypto Lending

33:18 The Success of Stablecoins

36:30 App Chains and Layer 2s

40:20 What’s Next For Morpho & Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Paul Frambot - https://x.com/PaulFrambot

Morpho - https://x.com/MorphoLabs

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Streaming crypto every second with Superfluid

The Block — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:23:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Superfluid Co-Founder & CEO Fran Renzi.

In this episode, Copeland and Renzi discussed Superfluid, a protocol that allows for continuous, second-by-second streaming of cryptocurrency payments. Renzi explains how the protocol works by using a different accounting method than traditional token transfers, allowing for more efficient and scalable recurring payments, with potential applications in areas like employee compensation, subscription services, and gaming.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Sponsor break

01:14 Diving Into Superfluid

04:27 How Superfluid Works

08:49 The Accountant’s Nightmare

11:05 Scaling

17:10 Going Cross-Chain

21:32 Garnering Participation

24:02 Hacker House Results

29:24 Meme Coins vs Utility Season

32:49 Reasons For Money Streaming

39:57 Smart Contracts and Smarter Payroll

43:18 Banks, Blockchains, and Bottlenecks

49:17 Streaming For Games

50:55 Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Fran Renzi - https://x.com/francescorenzia

Superfluid - https://x.com/superfluid_HQ

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All things Arbitrum with Offchain Labs CEO Steven Goldfeder

The Block — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:07:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Offchain Labs Co-Founder & CEO Steven Goldfeder.

In this episode, Copeland and Goldfeder discussed Arbitrum’s latest developments, including the BoLD protocol, which enhances security and decentralization for optimistic rollups. They discuss the broader Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem and challenges in governance. The conversation also touches on Ethereum’s long-term strategy, competition with Solana, and what a U.S. strategic crypto reserve should consist of.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:48 Arbitrum’s BoLD move

05:43 How decentralized is Arbitrum today?

11:07 DAO ETH deployment debate

15:25 Layer 2s and Ethereum’s value proposition

18:55 Activity shifting to Solana and Hyperliquid

23:33 Are Layer 2s ready for Appchains?

26:26 The Layer 2 business development battle

29:12 Will Arbitrum share sequencer revenue?

33:23 Lobbying and bribing in Arbitrum governance

37:31 Crypto politics & the U.S. reserve

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Steven Goldfeder - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgoldfed/

Steven Goldfeder on X - https://x.com/sgoldfed

Offchain Labs - https://www.offchainlabs.com/

Offchain Labs on X - https://x.com/OffchainLabs

Crypto reputation scores and onchain trust mechanisms with Ethos CEO Trevor Thompson

The Block — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:41:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Ethos CEO Trevor Thompson.

In this episode, Copeland and Thompson discuss reputation scores in crypto and how Ethos aims to bring accountability through on-chain trust mechanisms. The discussion also covers the potential impact of reputation markets, comparisons to Friend Tech, and how transparency influences trust in the crypto space.

OUTLINE

00:00 - Introduction

01:17 - Ethos explained

03:44 - Ethos’s vouching system

06:15 - Reputation growth

07:50 - Points and potential token launch

11:28 - Lessons from Friend.tech

13:58 - Transparency and accountability

18:37 - Building a strong community

23:53 - Preventing scams with reputation scores

29:33 - Weighing reputation scores

33:32 - Ethos markets

40:29 - Potential long cons

42:24 - KOL tokenization and reputation

45:27 - The future of Ethos

48:45 - Closing thoughts

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Trevor Thompson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-thompson-atx/

Trevor Thompson on X - https://x.com/0x5f_eth

Ethos - https://www.ethos.network/

Ethos on X - https://x.com/ethos_network

Unpacking based rollups with Taiko and Fabric

The Block — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 21:45:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Taiko COO Joaquin Mendes Izard and Commit-Boost/Fabric Shepherd Drew Van Der Werff.

In this episode, Copeland, Mendes Izard and Van Der Werff explored based rollups on Ethereum, discussing their benefits, challenges, and how they differ from other Layer 2 solutions. They also address challenges like speed and cost inefficiencies, the potential for pre-confirmations to improve user experience, and the broader implications for Ethereum’s scaling roadmap.

OUTLINE

00:00 Intro

00:28 Sponsor break

01:18 What is a based rollup?

02:22 The benefits of based rollups

04:16 How based rollups work

05:42 Do validators opt into this system?

13:05 Revenue streams

17:43 Support for based rollups

25:04 Main challenges for based rollups

29:59 Native rollups

31:07 Layer 2s and interoperability

36:41 Ethereum value capture

41:57 Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Drew Van Der Werff - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-van-der-werff-cfa-58422348/

Drew Van Der Werff on X - https://x.com/DrewVdW

Joaquin Mendes Izard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaquin-mendes-izard/

Joaquin Mendes Izard on X - https://x.com/Joaquin_Mendes1

Taiko - https://taiko.xyz/

Commit-Boost - https://x.com/Commit_Boost

Fabric - https://x.com/Fabric_ethereum

Bio Protocol on DeSci and the future of DAOs

The Block — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 19:03:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Bio Protocol Co-Founder and CEO Paul Kohlhaas.

In this episode, Copeland and Kohlhaas discussed the concept of decentralized science (DeSci) and how Bio Protocol is using blockchain technology to decentralize scientific research and funding.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction and understanding DeSci

05:39 The typical DeSci participant

10:42 Regulatory concerns

13:29 How Bio works

18:22 Value accrual for Bio

24:25 The role of tokens

32:13 DeSci as the next meta?

43:15 Binance and CZ

47:01 Responsibility in DeSci

50:26 Paul’s entry into the space

56:04 Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Paul Kohlhaas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kohlhaas/

Paul Kohlhaas on X - https://x.com/paulkhls/

Bio Protocol - https://www.bio.xyz/

Bio Protocol on X - https://x.com/bioprotocol

Talking ZKsync and Layer 2s with Matter Labs CEO Alex Gluchowski

The Block — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:05:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief Tim Copeland was joined by Matter Labs Co-Founder and CEO Alex Gluchowski to discuss the growth of Layer 2 networks and the increasing institutional adoption of blockchain technology. Gluchowski explains how Ethereum is becoming the platform of choice for enterprises and institutions due to its credible neutrality, security, and ability to support private and public chains through technologies like zk-rollups.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

03:07 Ethereum's transformation and growth

06:06 Institutional adoption of blockchain

09:10 Ethereum vs. competing platforms

13:40 Interoperability

17:07 Applications

24:43 Value accrual in the ethereum ecosystem

28:17 Native L2 networks

32:50 Application-specific rollups

35:01 Governance tokens

37:48 Future of crypto and regulation

43:11 Decentralization

46:29 Growth and privacy

48:12 Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Alex Gluchowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gluchowski/

Alex Gluchowski on X - https://x.com/gluk64

Matter Labs - https://matter-labs.io/

Matter Labs on X - https://x.com/the_matter_labs

Solving crypto's UX issues with Reveel CEO Adrian Stern

The Block — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:56:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief Tim Copeland was joined by Reveel CEO Adrien Stern to discuss ongoing UX issues facing the crypto space and how to find comprehensive solutions.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction and Trump memecoin

02:44 Crypto payment problems

05:48 Diving deeper into Reveel

13:09 Crypto x AI

16:27 Working towards decentralization

21:36 Ethereum Foundation

28:03 Crypto’s dream UX environment

31:24 Are all stablecoins created equal?

35:04 Shifting regulatory landscape

37:04 Conclusion

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Guest links:

Adrien Stern - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienstern

Adrien Stern on X - https://x.com/AdrienStern

Reveel - https://r3vl.xyz/

Reveel on X - https://x.com/r3vl_xyz

Mysten Labs President Kevin Boon on how crypto policy will evolve in 2025

The Block — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 15:13:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief Tim Copeland was joined by The Block's Policy Reporter Sarah Wynn and Mysten Labs President Kevin Boon to discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory landscape for the crypto industry, particularly following U.S. President Donald Trump's electoral victory.

Note: Kevin Boon was Chief Legal Officer at Mysten Labs at time of recording.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

03:24 Policy Changes Post-Trump Election

12:30 Regulation by Enforcement and SEC's Culture Shift

18:45 Gary Gensler's Legacy and Industry Impact

24:10 Crypto Regulation

30:04 Wells Notices and SEC Enforcement Actions

34:51 Ripple's Win Over the SEC

39:00 EU's MiCA Regulation and Global Crypto Adoption

42:51 Future of U.S. Crypto Legislation

44:06 Closing Remarks

The Block Community

The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Kevin Boon and Mysten Labs can be found at the following links:

Kevin Boon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinboon/

Kevin Boon on X - https://x.com/kevinboon_ml

Mysten Labs - https://www.mystenlabs.com/

Mysten Labs on X - https://x.com/Mysten_Labs

Bitstamp CEO on Robinhood acquisition, crypto regulation and the recent market surge

The Block — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:02:00 -0100

The Block's Editor-in-Chief Tim Copeland was joined by Bitstamp CEO Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux to discuss Robinhood's move to acquire Bitstamp, the recent market surge and the current crypto regulatory landscape.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:44 Robinhood acquisition

04:15 Robinhood embraces crypto

06:15 European crypto regulations

10:15 Euro vs Dollar stablecoins

13:41 Institutional expansion

15:46 Mt. Gox distributions

17:13 ETFs

21:24 Microstrategy

23:09 US election’s impact

27:23 Strategic Bitcoin reserve

28:33 Closing thoughts

The Block Community

The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux and Bitstamp can be found at the following links:

Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux on X - https://x.com/jb_bitstamp

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jb0001/

Bitstamp on X - https://x.com/bitstamp

Bitstamp Website - https://www.bitstamp.net/

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Arthur Hayes on memecoins, monetary policy, and the US Election

The Block — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:30:00 -0100

Arthur Hayes is the CIO of Maelstrom.

In this episode, Hayes and Copeland discuss the US election, the role of quantitative easing in driving crypto adoption, the launch of Bitcoin ETFs, and the rise of meme coins.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

02:10 US election predictions

04:58 Quantitative easing

06:47 Fiat endgame

09:35 Next 3 months

13:34 Trump's DeFi project

14:05 JPY carry trade

19:38 Bitcoin ETFs

21:16 Future altcoin ETFs

22:19 Memecoin supercycle

23:07 Truth Terminal

24:05 Airheads NFT project

26:51 Making it all back

28:05 AI's impact on trading

30:09 Exchange listing fees

38:38 Memecoins vs. utility coins

40:50 Closing thoughts

The Block Community

The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Arthur Hayes and Maelstrom can be found at the following links:

X - https://twitter.com/CryptoHayes

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/arthur__hayes

Newsletter - https://cryptohayes.substack.com

Website - https://maelstrom.fund

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Bitkey.

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Bringing DeFi to Bitcoin with BitcoinOS and Outlier Ventures

The Block — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:15:00 -0100

Edan Yago is the Co-Founder and CEO of BitcoinOS, and Francesca Conti is the Web 3 Accelerator Leader at Outlier Ventures.

In this episode, Yago and Conti discuss the current state and future potential of the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem.

OUTLINE

00:00 INTRO

00:41 What is Bitcoin DeFi?

04:03 How does it work?

10:59 Developments in the space

14:29 Investment opportunities

20:11 Value flow back to Bitcoin

29:28 Does DeFi matter?

34:08 Bitcoin DeFi challenges

36:32 What’s next for Bitcoin DeFi

41:14 Conclusion

The Block Community

The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

GUEST LINKS

Francesca Conti - https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescajconti/

Outlier Ventures - https://outlierventures.io/

Edan Yago - https://x.com/edanyago

BitcoinOS - https://www.bitcoinos.build/

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Bitkey.

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Nick Johnson sheds light on ENS Labs’ new L2-agnostic rollup ‘Namechain’

The Block — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:03:00 -0100

Nick Johnson is the Founder and Lead Developer of ENS.

In this episode, Johnson and Copeland discussed Namechain, ENS Labs' new "L2-agnostic" rollup, and the ongoing development of the decentralized naming service protocol.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

01:27 Namechain

05:59 Backwards compatibility

08:00 ENS name trading

13:12 The necessity of name chain

15:04 Beyond Ethereal

16:58 Venmo & Paypal

18:08 The Ethereum Foundation

19:57 Challenges of the Ethereum Blockchain

22:25 Evolution and growth of ENS

24:33 Ethereum ETF

25:00 Conclusion

The Block Community

The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity

The Block Newsletters

The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Nick Johnson

X - https://x.com/nicksdjohnson

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicksdjohnson/?originalSubdomain=nz

ENS

X - https://x.com/ensdomains

Website - https://ens.domains/

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Bitkey.

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Kain Warwick on Infinex and the future of crypto trading

The Block — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:30:00 -0100

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

02:28 U.S. election

04:22 David Hoffman fight

10:05 Web2/Web3

14:59 Infinex

23:07 Taking on MetaMask and Binance

30:40 NFT

35:34 Infinex's impact on Synthenix

39:49 World Liberty Financial

43:07 ICOs and shifted Metas

50:35 Trump in 2017

55:36 Next Infinex integrations

1:03:58 Concluding thoughts

Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles makes his comeback

The Block — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:42:00 +0000

Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles joined Tim Copeland to discuss his return to the crypto space with the launch of a new exchange: EllipX.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

04:37 - Another exchange?

6:20 - Trust issues

12:44 - Why Europe?

15:15 - Security features

17:55 - FTX collapse opens the market

25:09 - Post-FTX collapse

31:54 - Ungox

36:47 - Mt Gox repayments

40:38 - Closing thoughts

Is crypto quiet quitting? With Ikigai CIO Travis Kling

The Block — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:31:00 +0000

Ikigai CIO Travis Kling joined Tim Copeland to discuss how crypto's lack of real-world adoption is causing market veterans to question the industry's future.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:38 Is crypto “quiet quitting”?

08:24 Burnout

13:27 Where’s the meta?

20:30 Greed over tech

25:55 Main character avoidant syndrome

26:40 Trump to the rescue

37:40 Debate/election thoughts

42:01 World Liberty Financial

45:53 Crypto contributions to Kamala’s PAC

47:14 Closing thoughts

DePIN players Hivemapper, Helium, and Helio chart real-life crypto path on Solana

The Block — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 07:47:00 +0000

Tim Copeland and RT Watson were joined by the co-founders of Hivemapper, Helium and Helio to discuss projects on the Solana blockchain and bringing crypto to real life.

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:41 Is adoption close?

4:57 Challenges to adoption

07:20 Sustainable incentive models

14:48 Balancing supply & demand

20:44 Helio on stablecoin adoption

26:59 Onboarding non-crypto companies

31:08 Network coverage

37:06 Solana volatility and its effects

44:02 Breakpoint vibes

45:45 What’s next for DePIN?

Inside the launch of Euler Finance v2 with Euler Labs co-founder and CEO Michael Bentley

The Block — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:25:00 +0000

Tim Copeland is joined by Euler Labs co-founder and CEO Michael Bentley to discuss the launch of Euler v2, and how the Euler team recovered from a $240M hack.

Why 'chain abstraction' could be the key to mass adoption

The Block — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Time Copeland is joined by Ethan Francis and Burnt Banksy to discuss chain abstraction and its importance in simplifying crypto UX.

Telegram gaming with Hamster Kombat, GAMEE, and Ton Ventures

The Block — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 16:33:00 +0000

Timccopeland is joined by team members from Hamster Kombat, GAMEE, and TON_Ventures to discuss the emerging TON gaming ecosystem.

Market Meltdown with GSR, FalconX, Fisher8 Capital and Split Capital

The Block — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:02:00 +0000

The Block’s Editor-In-Chief Tim Copeland was joined by four leading experts to discuss the recent sell-off in both crypto and traditional markets while on the inaugural episode of the Block’s new podcast, “The Crypto Beat.”

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

00:48 The Impact of Uncertainties on the Crypto Market

04:00 The Potential of ETFs and the Mt. Gox Situation

07:50 The Idea of the US Government Buying Bitcoin

12:36 Short-Term Uncertainty, Long-Term Optimism