The Starting Block

Bond yields hitting highs & European backlash on stablecoin reward bans

The Block — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:52:36 -0400

Episode 45 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Coinbase Head of Policy for Europe Katie Harries.

Coinbase Head of Policy for Europe Katie Harries joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the stalling of the US Clarity Act, the Stand With Crypto movement's growth in the UK and EU, and the campaign to unlock stablecoin rewards under MiCA.

The Block Briefing opened with news that Lloyds and Visa completed a seven-day live pilot settling $750,000 in USDC in under an hour, including over weekends, marking what Lloyds called the first stablecoin settlement trial between Visa and a major UK banking group. Standard Chartered initiated coverage on Ethena with a $2 price target on its ENA token by end of 2028, implying over 600% upside from current levels around 26 cents, premised on USDE stablecoin supply growing from under $5 billion to roughly $40 billion. The briefing also covered the White House reviewing two CFTC proposed rules that would expand the definition of a swap to include event contracts, affecting platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi, and the FCA opening its authorization gateway for UK crypto firms ahead of a new regime taking effect in October 2027, with a February application deadline. Coinbase's Base network went live with its Cobalt upgrade, introducing validity transactions that only execute when preset conditions are met before a given block.

In the Market Pulse segment, André Dragosch of Bitwise Europe framed the surge in global bond yields as a collision between easy fiscal policy and tightening monetary policy. He noted the MOVE index — the implied volatility gauge for Treasury bonds — hit its highest level since the 2025 tariff tantrum, and that most S&P 500 constituents are already in bear-market territory below their 200-day moving averages. His base case is that a Fed pause or pivot is weeks, not months, away, and that once both fiscal and monetary policy ease simultaneously, Bitcoin enters full bull-market mode. He flagged Bitcoin's correlation with the S&P 500 at its lowest since 2015, called out $92K as the next major resistance level, but said he expects a consolidation back toward the true-market-mean around $75K before the rally resumes.

In the Hot Seat, Katie Harries said the Clarity Act advanced further than anyone expected — passing the House with roughly 78 Democrats joining Republicans — but ultimately failed to reach the 60 Senate votes needed for cloture, blocked in her view by legacy financial institutions. She said Coinbase expects regulatory clarity to come through SEC and CFTC rulemaking regardless, pointing to the SEC's recent innovation exemption enabling tokenized equities in DeFi environments. On Stand With Crypto, she noted the movement now has over 3 million US advocates and 4 million globally, with 300,000 in the UK alone — more than any UK political party's membership. A current UK campaign targets bank blocks preventing customers from moving funds to FCA-registered crypto exchanges. On the EU, Harries said Stand With Crypto EU's 50,000 respondents to the MiCA 2 Commission consultation are primarily pushing to unlock stablecoin rewards, which she argued is the key lever for driving euro-denominated stablecoin adoption and keeping the EU competitive against US dollar-backed stablecoins.

About the guest
Katie Harries is Head of Policy for Europe at Coinbase, the publicly listed US cryptocurrency exchange, where she leads regulatory and policy engagement across the UK, EU, and broader international markets.

Key topics
• US Clarity Act stalled in Senate despite broad bipartisan House support.
• Stand With Crypto has over 4 million global advocates across six countries.
• UK banks blocking transfers to FCA-registered crypto exchanges, new campaign launched.
• EU MiCA review is a chance to unlock stablecoin rewards and boost euro adoption.
• André Dragosch sees Fed pause weeks away, Bitcoin target at $92K next resistance.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - The Block Briefing
05:49 - Market Pulse: Bond Yields & Bitcoin
10:44 - Q4 Outlook
16:01 - The Hot Seat: US Clarity Act
22:10 - Stand With Crypto UK & Bank Blocks
30:22 - MiCA Review & Stablecoin Rewards

Guest links:
Katie Harries - https://x.com/KatieFHarries
Coinbase - https://x.com/coinbase
André Dragosch - https://x.com/Andre_Dragosch
Bitwise Europe - https://x.com/Bitwise_Europe

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:27) - The Block Briefing
(05:49) - Market Pulse: Bond Yields & Bitcoin
(10:44) - Q4 Outlook
(16:01) - The Hot Seat: US Clarity Act
(22:10) - Stand With Crypto UK & Bank Blocks
(30:22) - MiCA Review & Stablecoin Rewards

Unpacking Telegram’s evolving crypto ecosystem

The Block — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:53:34 -0400

Episode 44 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Walt CCO Alex Kruglov.

Walt (formerly Wallet in Telegram) CCO Alex Kruglov joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the company's rebrand, the platform's expansion into trading, tokenized assets and agentic trading, and how Telegram's billion-user network gives Walt a distribution edge over their rivals.

Kruglov opened by retracing his career: roughly 15 years in social media, including a decade at Russian social network VK where he served as deputy CEO before the platform became, in his words, more corporate. He and Andrew Ogosev, who had been VK's CEO after Pavel Durov departed, left to build startups inside the TON and Telegram ecosystem, eventually founding the company now called Top.com. Kruglov explained how that background of understanding how messaging platforms integrate mini-apps, bots and blockchain tech, gave the team an edge he compared to experience found mainly inside Asian super-apps like WeChat. Wallet in Telegram began as a simple text bot for purchasing and holding Toncoin at a time the token was not listed on exchanges, and over the years grew into a platform supporting approximately 300 assets, including tokenized gold and tokenized stocks.

The rebrand to Walt was driven by the product outgrowing the original wallet concept, coinciding with Telegram stepping back into an active role in the TON ecosystem by launching its own self-custodial Gram wallet. Kruglov explained the split: Telegram's Gram wallet will handle basic ecosystem functions — usernames, tokenized gifts, Stars — for the full billion-user base, while Walt targets users who want trading, yield products, investment access and, soon, crypto cards and agentic trading. On the name itself, Kruglov said it preserves continuity with the prior brand, carries the sound of "vault" for a sense of security, and carries a human quality as a person's name. Walt announced agentic trading one day before Robinhood made a similar announcement, which Kruglov flagged as validation that the industry is moving in that direction.

On user behavior, Kruglov said the majority of existing users still trade Bitcoin, Gram and other crypto assets, but 40 percent of new users begin their journey on Walt with a real-world asset — either tokenized gold or tokenized stocks. He attributed this to a broader blurring of the lines between crypto and traditional markets, predicting that within one to two years there will be little meaningful distinction between tokenized real-world assets and what he called traditional crypto. He pointed to a Kazakhstan conference where a locally developed Grain Token for the agriculture industry drew significant attention as an example of where tokenization is heading by 2027. Kruglov argued that mass adoption requires a trusted distribution partner willing to go all-in on putting crypto in front of regular people, and that Telegram — which grew to a billion users without traditional marketing — is exactly that partner.

About the guest
Alex Kruglov is the CCO at Walt (formerly Wallet in Telegram) and a co-founder of Top.com, the company behind the platform, and builds consumer-oriented blockchain infrastructure products for the Telegram and TON ecosystem. He previously worked for the major Russian social network VK, before leaving to focus on blockchain and crypto projects.

Key topics
• Wallet in Telegram rebrands as Walt, supporting 300-plus assets.
• Walt to launch agentic trading and crypto cards for emerging markets.
• Telegram's new Gram wallet acts as entry point; Walt handles advanced trading.
• 40% of new Walt users start their journey with tokenized RWA, not crypto.
• Robinhood launches crypto perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage on Bitcoin.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:20 - The Block Briefing
06:47 - Alex Kruglov Background
09:22 - Telegram Ecosystem Explained
13:38 - The Walt Rebrand
18:36 - Competition & Distribution Edge
22:25 - RWA & User Trends

Guest links:
Alex Kruglov - https://x.com/avk767
Walt - https://x.com/walt_io

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Bitcoin market update /w Bitfinex, Moca Network goes live

The Block — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:09:11 -0400

Episode 43 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Moca Network CEO Kenneth Shek and the Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, Jesse Knutson.

Moca Network CEO Kenneth Shek joined Gareth Jenkinson on episode 43 of The Starting Block, to announce Moca Network's mainnet going live. Shek discussed the various use cases for Moca Network, seeing it as digital identity blockchain that aims to assist in AI agent credentialing that seeks enterprise partnerships.

For the Market Pulse, Gareth was joined by the Head of Operations at Bitfiniex Securities, Jesse Knutson. Knutson explained how his platform serves as the capital raise and secondary market trading arm within the Tether and Bitfinex ecosystem. Knutson made the case that tokenization may simply be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, that is, the next logical step in capital market infrastructure, and added that anyone accustomed to 24/7 Bitcoin trading finds legacy settlement timeframes to feel outdated by comparison. He added that emerging and frontier markets, including Bitfinex Securities' licensed jurisdictions of El Salvador and the AIFC in Astana, Kazakhstan, are uniquely positioned to leapfrog established financial centers by building on current technology from scratch. Knutson also previewed the Future of Capital Markets Summit in Lugano on October 22, co-hosted with Blockstream Capital Partners and featuring speakers including Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino and Adam Back.

In the Hot Seat, Kenneth Shek described Moca Network as a purpose-built layer-one blockchain focused exclusively on digital identity — not a general-purpose chain — designed to enable decentralized, privacy-preserving data storage and sharing for enterprises, humans, and AI agents. Shek cited the rollout of government e-ID schemes globally, tightening GDPR-style regulations, and the removal of third-party cookies by Apple and Google as the conditions that make now the right moment for launch. Enterprise partners already live on the network include companies in telecom, loyalty, airlines, ticketing, and entertainment, as well as Delivery Hero, owner of Foodpanda, which uses Moca to verify in-game spending data for gamers.

Shek outlined three data-verification methods available on Moca Network: zero-knowledge proof, selective disclosure, and full disclosure — with the user holding the private key and retaining control at all times. He framed the AI agent use case as the network's clearest near-term growth driver: as agents begin booking travel, completing purchases, and handling KYC on behalf of users, Moca allows a human to cryptographically delegate a scoped, revocable key to an agent rather than handing all personal data to a centralized platform. Shek described the company's adoption curve as moving from a stage where enterprises shut the door, to one where they welcome Moca in, with the third stage — enterprises knocking on Moca's door — expected as the network compounds.

About the guest
Kenneth Shek is the CEO and founder of Moca Network, a digital identity infrastructure project built out of Animoca Brands, where he also serves as Managing Director.

Key topics
• Moca Chain Mainnet goes live as a purpose-built digital identity layer-one blockchain.
• AI agents need verifiable, delegated credentials to act safely on users' behalf.
• Bitfinex Securities has $500M in listed assets across 12 tokenized products.
• Tokenization seen as evolutionary step enabling 24/7, on-chain capital markets.
• Emerging markets like El Salvador and Kazakhstan poised to leapfrog TradFi incumbents.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:04 - The Block Briefings
04:37 - The Market Pulse with Jesse Knutson
06:24 - Tokenized Markets & 24/7 Trading
09:52 - TradFi Disintermediation
13:33 - Lugano Capital Markets Summit
19:35 - The Hot Seat: Moca Chain Mainnet Launch
21:57 - Digital Identity Use Cases
25:21 - AI Agents & Verifiable Identity
29:53 - Enterprise Traction & Growth
34:08 - Gaming & Novel Asset Use Cases
36:12 - Data Security & Cryptography

Guest links:
Kenneth Shek - https://x.com/tylerdurden88
Moca Network - https://x.com/Moca_Network
Jesse Knutson - https://x.com/KnutsonJesse
Bitfinex Securities - https://x.com/BFXSecurities

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:04) - The Block Briefings
(04:37) - The Market Pulse with Jesse Knutson
(06:24) - Tokenized Markets & 24/7 Trading
(09:52) - TradFi Disintermediation
(13:33) - Lugano Capital Markets Summit
(19:35) - The Hot Seat: Moca Chain Mainnet Launch
(21:57) - Digital Identity Use Cases
(25:21) - AI Agents & Verifiable Identity
(29:53) - Enterprise Traction & Growth
(34:08) - Gaming & Novel Asset Use Cases
(36:12) - Data Security & Cryptography

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen Breaks Down $388M Hack

The Block — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:02:30 -0400

Episode 42 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Bitget CEO Gracy Chen.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the $388 million hack of Bitget's hot and warm wallets, how attackers exploited a third-party zero-day vulnerability to bypass risk controls, and how the exchange is using its protection fund to cover all user losses.

The attack began at 6:31 PM UTC on September 24, 2026, with two small test transactions of 0.84 ETH and 93 TRX that fell below alert thresholds. About 30 minutes later, the attacker initiated 17 large transfers across Ethereum, XRP, ZEC, BSC, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Avalanche, draining approximately 361 million USDT equivalent before Bitget's reconciliation system detected the discrepancy at 7:05 PM and automatically blocked user-initiated withdrawals. The attack unfolded in three steps: exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in a third-party security product to obtain high-level internal credentials; using those credentials to insert fraudulent withdrawal commands directly into the wallet backend, bypassing risk controls entirely; and then deleting all traces of those commands to slow forensic investigation. Private keys were not compromised and cold wallets were unaffected. Mandiant and SlowMist have been engaged as independent investigators, and Bitget published attacker wallet addresses and on-chain tracing data on day one. Chen said a formal incident report will address the attacker's identity, and declined to name a suspect before it is published, though she said her earlier suspicion has not changed.

Chen addressed her public appeal to ThorChain to block the stolen funds, saying the protocol responded that, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, it could not intervene. She expressed frustration with that answer while acknowledging her respect for decentralization, and called out ThorChain as a repeated route for laundering stolen funds, including in Bybit's case. She gave shoutouts to Tether and Circle for quickly freezing a portion of the stolen assets, to Mandiant and SlowMist for their investigative work, to volunteer white-hat group SEAL 911 for alerting her team within 90 minutes of the attack, and to peer exchanges including Binance and OKX for public and private support.

On the financial side, Chen confirmed that all user balances are fully protected and will be covered by Bitget's user protection fund, established in 2022 and valued at approximately 465 million USDT equivalent on the day of the incident. The fund will be replenished to at least 300 million within a week using corporate reserves, which a Bitget audit as of August 31 showed totalling more than 1.4 billion. Chen said the 388 million loss falls entirely within that buffer and does not threaten day-to-day operations. In the immediate term, the team is focused on processing withdrawals chain by chain, with Bitcoin withdrawals opening smoothly on Monday and Ethereum withdrawals scheduled for Tuesday, and on working with law enforcement, financial intelligence units across multiple jurisdictions, and blockchain foundations to trace and, where possible, recover stolen assets.

About the guest
Gracy Chen is the CEO of Bitget, a major cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company that ranks among the top platforms for derivatives trading by volume. A passionate advocate for diversity in the Web3 space, Chen is a delegate at the UN Women CSW conference. Under her leadership, Bitget launched the Blockchain4Her initiative, committing $10 million to promote gender diversity and inclusivity in the blockchain industry. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Key topics
- Attacker exploited a third-party zero-day to steal $388M from hot and warm wallets.
- All user balances fully protected by Bitget's $465M user protection fund.
- Protection fund to be replenished above $300M within one week.
- Attacker's identity to be addressed in a formal incident report.
- ThorChain declined to block stolen funds, citing permissionless design.

Notable quotes
"Serious doesn't mean existential. We do have the reserve, we do have the team and the capability to go through this." – Gracy Chen

OUTLINE
00:00 - Introduction
01:07 - Withdrawals Resume
02:31 - The Hack: Full Recap
05:57 - Attack Timeline & Steps
11:12 - North Korea Link?
13:07 - ThorChain & Laundering
17:00 - Industry Support & Shoutouts
21:25 - Law Enforcement & Regulators
24:47 - Protection Fund & Replenishment
28:11 - Solvency & Operations
29:11 - The Road Ahead

Guest links:
Gracy Chen - https://x.com/GracyBitget
Bitget - https://x.com/bitget

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:08) - Introduction
(00:38) - Welcoming Gracy Chen
(01:07) - Withdrawals Resume
(02:31) - The Hack: Full Recap
(05:57) - Attack Timeline & Steps
(11:12) - North Korea Link?
(13:07) - ThorChain & Laundering
(17:00) - Industry Support & Shoutouts
(21:25) - Law Enforcement & Regulators
(24:47) - Protection Fund & Replenishment
(28:11) - Solvency & Operations
(29:11) - The Road Ahead

Unpacking Bitget’s $350M hack, DoubleZero ships real-time Hyperliquid data service

The Block — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:49:10 -0400

Episode 41 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with DoubleZero Co-Founder Austin Federa.

Key topics
• DoubleZero launches real-time full order book data feed for Hyperliquid
• Multicast technology allows uncapped, rate-limit-free data delivery to traders
• AI agents can now subscribe to DoubleZero feeds to build automated trading strategies
• Trading venue consolidation coming; Hyperliquid seen as a near-certain survivor
• Federa bullish on Q4 2026, dismissing year-long crypto Twitter doomerism

Summary

DoubleZero Co-Founder Austin Federa joins Gareth Jenkinson on episode 41 of The Starting Block to discuss the launch of real-time Hyperliquid data on DoubleZero Edge and his bullish outlook on markets heading into Q4 2026.

Federa explained that DoubleZero is a blockchain protocol running a global permissioned fiber network designed to bring high-speed market data infrastructure to new finance systems — the kind of private dedicated network that large companies like Facebook already operate but that has never existed for Web3. The new Hyperliquid product streams a protocol-native binary feed with full order book depth across every native HyperCore and HIP-3 market, uncapped and without rate limits. Federa explained that this is possible because DoubleZero uses multicast technology — which replicates data in hardware at the edge rather than sending individual copies to each subscriber — meaning the company has no marginal bandwidth cost per customer. Most major traders on Hyperliquid are co-located in Tokyo where the network's 27-validator set runs, and DoubleZero works with validator partners Kinetic and Mayven to source that data for distribution, before transporting it over its global fiber network to wherever a trader wants to consume it — Chicago, Columbus, London, Virginia, or the Solana blockchain.

Federa also addressed the broader trading venue landscape, drawing a parallel between today's proliferation of perp DEXes and prediction markets and the L1 season of 2020–2021. He argued that a similar consolidation is inevitable — a race to zero on fees, compression when capital costs rise, and ultimately only a handful of survivors. He expressed high confidence that Hyperliquid will be among those that make it through the next bear market, citing its first-mover advantage and cryptographic asset assurance as genuine differentiators over centralized exchanges. He noted Solana's Alpenglow consensus upgrade had just hit testnet and said he was watching its rollout closely.

On markets, Federa pushed back on what he described as pervasive and unwarranted doomerism across crypto Twitter throughout 2026, arguing that fundamentals and macro conditions have actually been strong. He said he sees a very strong Q4 ahead and that he has been counter-trading the bearish consensus all year with positive results. He added a contrarian view on AI: that Anthropic and OpenAI are unlikely to remain the frontier AI companies within two to three years, and that Microsoft and the broader Elon Musk conglomerate — spanning SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla — are better positioned to monetize the AI wave long-term.

About the guest
Austin Federa is the Co-Founder of DoubleZero, a protocol that runs a global high-performance fiber network designed to deliver institutional-grade market data infrastructure to blockchain and new finance systems. Before co-founding DoubleZero, he served as Head of Strategy at the Solana Foundation, where he shaped strategic direction for one of the industries largest blockchain networks.

Notable quotes
“It's weird to say, like we're democratizing access to high-frequency trading, but that really is what AI has enabled.” – Austin Federa

“Smart people get things wrong, but if you know what the future is, it's very hard to be wrong.” – Austin Federa

“90% of these things will fail. But in that process, it'll create a lot of innovation. It'll create much better experience for retail, much better pricing for retail. Competition is just a net good for everybody.” – Austin Federa

OUTLINE
00:07 - Show Intro & Housekeeping
02:27 - The Block Briefing
08:05 - The Hot Seat: DoubleZero's Hyperliquid Launch
12:29 - Geolocation & Data Speed
21:58 - Trading Venue Landscape
29:09 - Market Outlook: Q4 Bull Case

Guest links:
Austin Federa - https://x.com/Austin_Federa
DoubleZero - https://x.com/doublezero

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:07) - Show Intro & Housekeeping
(02:27) - The Block Briefing
(08:05) - The Hot Seat: DoubleZero's Hyperliquid Launch
(12:29) - Geolocation & Data Speed
(21:58) - Trading Venue Landscape
(29:09) - Market Outlook: Q4 Bull Case

AI agents will score $4T in fees by 2035 - Sharplink

The Block — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:47:42 -0400

Episode 40 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom.

Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss how AI agents will rewire traditional finance, the case for Ethereum as the settlement layer of the future economy, and SharpLink's conviction on ETH as a treasury asset.

Chalom laid out his thesis that four elements are colliding for the first time in financial history: programmable money in the form of stablecoins, tokenized assets, DeFi and on-chain settlement, and AI agents as the automation layer. He argued that this convergence could save consumers $1.4 trillion a year by 2035, pointing to $15 trillion in idle low-interest cash in the US alone that agents will redirect to yield-bearing instruments, and predicting that cross-border remittance fees of roughly six percent and FX transaction costs of three to four percent will fall to near zero, mirroring how stock brokerage commissions collapsed in prior decades.

On the question of incumbent resistance, Chalom said banks will fight hard to protect their moats while also trying to co-opt agent capabilities, but argued that crypto-native super apps from the likes of Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, Circle, Tether, and Robinhood have a structural advantage because they run all financial functions on unified rails. He warned that history shows every technology revolution produces two or three centralized winners who end up monetizing users, and said decentralized, credibly neutral chains like Ethereum are the best tool available to avoid that outcome repeating. He added that the generation set to inherit an $80 to $100 trillion wealth transfer from baby boomers trusts code and their phones more than institutions.

Turning to markets, Chalom said the bear market is over, noting ETH is up 70 percent since the end of June and that the failure of the Clarity Act to advance caused a stock market sell-off rather than a crypto sell-off, which he read as crypto maturing into its own asset class. He flagged the SEC's innovation exemption for tokenized stock trading as a major catalyst, noted that only $30 billion of assets are currently tokenized and called the runway enormous, and confirmed SharpLink remains the second-largest public holder of ETH in the world with Fidelity and BlackRock as its largest shareholders. He said the stock was up roughly 90 percent in the two months since June's lows and that conviction in ETH has only grown as the agentic finance narrative reinforces the Ethereum settlement-layer thesis.

About the guest
Joseph Chalom is the CEO of Sharplink, one of the largest Ethereum treasury companies in the world. Before joining Sharplink, Chalom spent 20 years at BlackRock leading its digital assets and blockchain strategy, including the launch of the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) and the tokenized money market fund BUIDL.

Key topics
• With AI agents, stablecoins tokenization and defi we are seeing them all play a role in global finance.
• By 2035 consumers will save approximately $1.4T from agentic commerce through reduced fees
• Chalom believes super apps built on crypto rails will outperform traditional banking systems.
• ETH is up 70% from its June low, with Chalom saying he believes we're are out of the bear market.
• Sharplink is now the second largest public company holding ETH, and their stock has risen around 90% in the last 2 months.

Notable quotes
“Universes start with big bangs when elements collide. And the four that are converging for the first time in history are stable coins, essentially programmable money, tokenized assets, the exposure layer, DeFi and on-chain activity, where a lot of the atomic trading, swapping and settlements gonna happen. But now we have a fourth element, which are AI agents who are gonna be the automation layer of this. And it is gonna rewire finance.” – Joseph Chalom

“We believe very strongly we can't have gatekeepers again who keep your agents in or out, who don't allow them to move freely, who don't allow them persist identity, who override the user and make recommendations. I think we're gonna be done with the banks having sponsored results and sponsored recommendations and users being tricked by Super Bowl ads. Your agent doesn't care about that attention economy, it can focus on what's in your best interest.” – Joseph Chalom

“Agents will create agency and autonomy and prosperity like we've never seen. We just need to learn from history and not wait two, three years until the gatekeepers have put up their walls.” – Joseph Chalom

OUTLINE
00:07 - Introduction
02:37 - The Block Briefing
07:50 - Hot Seat: Joseph Chalom
09:06 - The Agentic Finance Thesis
11:03 - $1.4T in Savings by 2035
13:53 - Will Banks Fight or Fold?
19:00 - Consumer Trust & Adoption Curve
23:53 - Bitcoin & ETH Market Outlook
25:00 - Regulation & Tokenization Boom
27:18 - SharpLink ETH Treasury Update
29:57 - Robinhood Chain & RWA Momentum
31:43 - Conclusion

Guest links:
Joseph Chalom: https://x.com/joechalom
Sharplink: https://x.com/Sharplink

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Bitcoin to $100k? Feat. CoinMarketCap’s Research Lead Alice Liu

The Block — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:55:22 -0400

Episode 39 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Coinmarketcap Head of Research Alice Liu.

CoinMarketCap Head of Research Alice Liu joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the Bitcoin short squeeze that drove BTC to $87,000, whether we're in an altcoin season or not, and her macro outlook for Bitcoin through the end of 2026.

Liu attributed Bitcoin's spike to $87,000 to derivatives positioning rather than fresh spot inflows, citing CoinMarketCap liquidation data showing roughly $558 million in forced short liquidations on Monday against only $57 million in long liquidations. She described the move as a classic short squeeze that cleared bearish positioning and reset the market to a new price level, with cheap funding rates potentially allowing leveraged accumulation to resume. The broader macro backdrop — including the Nasdaq 100 printing an all-time high above 30,000 points — also lifted risk assets across the board. The CMC Fear and Greed Index stood at 75, an 11-point gain from the prior week.

On altcoins, Liu confirmed that the CMC Altcoin Season Index had reached 52, putting the market officially in altcoin season. She pointed to Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap as standout 24-hour performers, both up roughly 15–20%, driven in part by CME's announcement of upcoming futures listings for those assets. She also previewed findings from an upcoming CoinMarketCap research report on tokenized stocks, noting approximately $3 billion in on-chain TVL across platforms including Ondo (37% market share), Xtalks (30%), and Bstocks (26%), with Bstocks leading on trading volume. She highlighted that the SEC's five-year waiver on equity tokenization has added confidence to that sector, and that the Robinhood chain's volume growth has been partly driven by memecoin packages tied to tokenized stocks — a trend she described as a creative play that has also created controversy among users.

Looking at the rest of 2026 and into early 2027, Liu noted that Bitcoin's three consecutive months of gains — 7.2% in July, 24.9% in August, and 8.8% so far in September — mirror a pattern last seen in 2012, when October subsequently saw a dip rather than a continuation. She said the next Federal Reserve interest-rate decision on October 28 carries roughly a 55% chance of another 25-basis-point hike. Despite those uncertainties, Liu argued that Bitcoin looks more attractive than gold on a relative performance basis since the October 2025 high, and that continued ETF inflows and asset-manager allocations should support BTC as gold and oil prices ease.

About the guest
Alice Liu is the Head of Research at CoinMarketCap, a crypto data and price-aggregation platform, where she joined in 2022 to build the research division and publishes monthly reports covering on-chain analytics, DeFi, RWA tokenization, and broader market trends. Before CoinMarketCap, she held roles in digital-asset research at WisdomTree and as a Senior Investment Associate at Coutts, with earlier experience at J.P. Morgan.

Key topics
• Was Bitcoin's spike to $87K spike a short squeeze?
• CMC Altcoin Season Index hit 52, in their view confirming official altcoin season.
• Tokenized stocks market holds ~$3B TVL; Bstocks leads on volume.
• Bitcoin outperforms gold on relative basis; ETF flows seen as tailwind.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Intro
02:29 - The Block Briefing
07:57 - The Hot Seat: Alice Liu
09:00 - Bitcoin's $87K Squeeze
11:30 - Altcoin Season Confirmed
14:10 - RWA Tokenized Stocks Deep Dive
18:38 - Memecoins Meet Tokenized Stocks
22:09 - BTC Price Outlook for 2026
25:50 - Bitcoin vs. Gold
27:17 - Wrap-Up & Tomorrow's Show

Guest links:
Alice Liu - https://x.com/AliceCrypto3
CoinMarketCap - https://x.com/CoinMarketCap

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:07) - Intro
(02:29) - The Block Briefing
(07:57) - The Hot Seat: Alice Liu
(09:00) - Bitcoin's $87K Squeeze
(11:30) - Altcoin Season Confirmed
(14:10) - RWA Tokenized Stocks Deep Dive
(18:38) - Memecoins Meet Tokenized Stocks
(22:09) - BTC Price Outlook for 2026
(25:50) - Bitcoin vs. Gold
(27:17) - Wrap-Up & Tomorrow's Show

The Block launches standalone AI website The Latent

The Block — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:11:39 -0400

Episode 38 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with The Block's Publisher, Adam James, and Bitwise's Head of Research Europe, André Dragosch.

About the guest
Adam James is the Publisher at The Block, the leading global information services brand covering cryptocurrency and blockchain, where he previously served as editor-in-chief and managing editor for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Before joining The Block, he was a managing editor and podcast host at OKX Insights, the research arm of crypto exchange OKX, and also served as editor-in-chief at Bitcoinist.com.

Key topics
• The Block launches The Latent, a standalone AI news and data website.
• The Latent uses Pangram scores to show readers how much of each article is AI-written.
• The Latent Score benchmarks AI models by performance and cost-per-task.
• Bitcoin ETFs recorded $999 million in single-day inflows, an 11-month record.
• André Dragosch declares the bear market over, targets $100K–$150K for Bitcoin.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Introduction
01:19 - The Block Briefing
04:47 - Market Pulse: Bitcoin Above $85K
12:27 - Hot Seat: The Latent Launch
18:36 - AI Transparency
21:23 - AI Model Benchmarks
24:56 - Data Dashboards & Wrap-Up

Guest links:
Adam James - https://x.com/XBT002
The Block - https://x.com/theblockco
André Dragosch - https://x.com/Andre_Dragosch

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:07) - Introduction
(01:19) - The Block Briefing
(04:47) - Market Pulse: Bitcoin Above $85K
(12:27) - Hot Seat: The Latent Launch
(18:36) - AI Transparency
(21:23) - AI Model Benchmarks
(24:56) - Data Dashboards & Wrap-Up

Will the SEC & CFTC steady crypto industry after the Clarity Act impasse?

The Block — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:29:04 -0400

Episode 37 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Injective Labs Head of Public Policy John Medel.

Injective Labs Head of Public Policy John Medel joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the Clarity Act's Senate impasse, how the SEC and CFTC are stepping up with aggressive rulemaking in Congress's absence, and why Injective remains bullish on building in the United States despite the political setback.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Introduction
01:47 - The Block Briefing
07:19 - The Hot Seat: Clarity Act Impasse
10:10 - SEC's Innovation Exemption
11:46 - Politics vs. Progress
14:59 - Injective's DC Education Push
17:14 - Post-Midterms Road Ahead

Guest links:
Injective Labs - https://x.com/InjectiveLabs

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

(00:06) - Introduction
(01:47) - The Block Briefing
(07:19) - The Hot Seat: Clarity Act Impasse
(10:10) - SEC's Innovation Exemption
(11:46) - Politics vs. Progress
(14:59) - Injective's DC Education Push
(17:14) - Post-Midterms Road Ahead

Hunter Biden $LAPTOP launch looms feat. Ran Neuner

The Block — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:38:44 -0400

Episode 36 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Crypto Banter Founder & CEO Ran Neuner.

Crypto Banter Founder & CEO Ran Neuner joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss his bull market thesis using Bollinger Bandwidth and the 50-week EMA, why altcoins are poised to outperform Bitcoin 6-7x this cycle driven by RWA tokenization, AI agent settlement on blockchain rails, and the imminent launch of the Hunter Biden $LAPTOP meme coin.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Show Return & Headlines
01:29 - Visa Stablecoin Milestone
02:05 - Bitcoin Liquid Network Heist
02:46 - DBS & Citi Weekend Settlement
03:21 - Ethereum Quantum Roadmap
04:01 - Bitcoin & Macro Markets
05:52 - Ran's Bull Market Thesis
11:13 - Altcoins vs. Bitcoin Outlook
15:59 - RWA, AI Agents & Social Trading
24:46 - Meme Coins & Fee Switches
30:00 - Hunter Biden $LAPTOP Launch
34:37 - Closing Outlook

Guest links:
Ran Neuner - https://x.com/cryptomanran
Crypto Banter - https://x.com/crypto_banter

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Breaking Down AI’s Threat to Cryptography /w Kostas Chalkias

The Block — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:15:05 -0400

Episode 35 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Mysten Labs Co-Founder Kostas Chalkias.

Mysten Labs Co-Founder Kostas Chalkias joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss AI as a growing threat to cryptographic security, the case for continuous automated auditing of blockchain code, and how Walrus Memory enables decentralized AI data portability across LLMs.

OUTLINE
00:11 - Show Open & Markets
02:43 - The Block Briefing
08:00 - Hot Seat: AI vs. Cryptography
12:54 - Cold Card & Continuous Auditing
17:24 - Hardware Wallets & Multi-Sig
24:37 - Sam Blackshear & Anthropic
29:29 - Walrus Memory & LLM Portability
37:57 - Decentralized AI: Can It Scale?

Guest links:
Kostas Chalkias - https://x.com/kostascrypto
Mysten Labs - https://x.com/Mysten_Labs

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

1-on-1 with Aptos co-founder Avery Ching

The Block — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:36:07 -0400

Episode 34 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Aptos Co-Founder & CEO Avery Ching.

Aptos Co-Founder & CEO Avery Ching joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the intersection of AI and blockchain technology, Aptos's Decibel DEX and how it compares to Hyperliquid, the Open USD stablecoin consortium, and overall quantum readiness in the crypto industry.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Intro
01:57 - The Block Briefing: Markets Rally
07:09 - Avery Ching Hot Seat Begins
08:53 - AI & Blockchain Convergence
12:25 - Aptos's $50M AI Investment
16:53 - Decibel vs. Hyperliquid
20:16 - OUSD & Stablecoin Competition
25:15 - AI-Powered Security at Aptos
28:58 - Quantum Readiness & Privacy

Guest links:
Avery Ching - https://x.com/AveryChing
Aptos - https://x.com/AptosLabs

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Exploring the origins of DeFi protocols with Andre Cronje

The Block — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:45:30 -0400

Episode 33 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Flying Tulip Founder Andre Cronje.

Flying Tulip Founder Andre Cronje joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the origins of his DeFi career in crypto code reviews, the capital efficiency innovations behind Flying Tulip and its total return swap differentiator, and how AI coding tools have transformed his development process.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Show Intro & Wyoming
01:23 - Block Briefing Headlines
05:14 - Meet Andre Cronje
06:48 - Cronje's Crypto Origin Story
11:09 - From Yearn to Velodrome
14:40 - Flying Tulip Explained
21:19 - Total Return Swaps & Liquidations
26:35 - DeFi's Future Outlook
30:36 - FTUSD & Regulatory Clarity
35:14 - Why Build in the US
41:03 - Growing Slowly & Safely
46:48 - AI Tools in Development

Guest links:
Andre Cronje - https://x.com/AndreCronjeTech
Flying Tulip - https://x.com/flyingtulip_

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Inside OranjeBTC’s New Bitcoin Equity ETF

The Block — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:36:43 -0400

Sam Callahan, OranjeBTC's Director of Bitcoin Strategy & Research, joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block where the duo discussed the launch of Digi11 – Brazil's first Bitcoin preferred equity ETF Digi11. They also touched on Strategy's STRC capital structure and Bitcoin accumulation goals, and the investor appetite for Bitcoin-backed income products in Brazil.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Show Open & Recap
01:31 - Block Briefing Headlines
02:06 - Bitmine's ETH Treasury
03:08 - Iren & Microsoft AI Deal
03:47 - Harmony Network Rollback
04:25 - Genius Act Rulemaking
05:36 - Ripple Expands in Asia
06:31 - Introducing Sam Callahan
06:49 - Digi11 ETF Explained
09:51 - Building the Index
11:56 - Strategy's STRC & MSTR
17:21 - Brazilian Market Appetite

Guest links:
Sam Callahan - https://x.com/samcallah
OranjeBTC - https://x.com/ORANJEBTC

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Will CLARITY Act pass in September? Ft. GSR

The Block — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:34:27 -0400

GSR's Chief Legal and Strategy Officer Joshua Riezman joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the Clarity Act being pushed to September, the political hurdles blocking its passage, and what crypto market volatility and TradFi convergence signal for the industry's future.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:47 - Block Briefing: Top Headlines
04:00 - Hive Digital's AI Pivot
04:47 - Strategy's Bitcoin Update
05:52 - Clarity Act: September Window
08:31 - Political Hurdles to Passage
13:55 - Ethics Compromise Debate
16:50 - Is Clarity Act Good for Crypto?
19:52 - Token Design & Bear Market
22:53 - Market Outlook & Price Action
28:28 - TradFi Meets Crypto
31:09 - Prediction Markets Legal Battle

Guest links:
Joshua Riezman - https://x.com/JoshR_GSR
GSR - https://x.com/GSR_io

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

DoubleZero infra to supercharge Kalshi - Ft. Austin Federa

The Block — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:58:24 -0400

DoubleZero Co-Founder Austin Federa joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the DoubleZero recently announced integration with Kalshi and how multicast fiber networks are supercharging prediction market data feeds.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Show Open & Headlines
01:33 - Tether's KPMG Audit
02:52 - Gemini Q2 Earnings
03:53 - Bullish Exchange Results
04:41 - Kalshi Regulatory Battles
06:05 - Crypto Phishing Warning
07:03 - Hot Seat: Austin Federa
07:44 - DoubleZero x Kalshi Deal
10:07 - Prediction Markets Maturing
14:50 - What Is DoubleZero?
17:43 - DoubleZero vs. Oracles
19:33 - AI Agents & Trading Edge

Guest links:
Austin Federa - https://x.com/Austin_Federa
DoubleZero - https://x.com/doublezero

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Why Bitcoin BIP-110 failed - ft Giacomo Zucco

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:44:02 -0400

Plan B Forum Director Giacomo Zucco joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the BIP 110 activation and chain stall over the weekend, the Cold Card firmware exploit and Bitcoin security vulnerabilities, and the future relevance of Bitcoin Core as a reference implementation.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Show Introduction
01:47 - Harmony Exploit
02:49 - SEC Crypto Regime Proposal
03:11 - 21 Capital Q2 Losses
04:06 - Robinhood Chain Numbers
04:44 - Cold Card Firmware Bug
07:46 - Giacomo Zucco Hot Seat
08:00 - BIP 110 Weekend Drama
13:22 - Bitcoin Governance Debates
19:45 - The Fork Attempt
25:16 - Luke Removed as BIP Editor
29:48 - Bitcoin Core's Future Role

Guest links:
Giacomo Zucco - https://x.com/giacomozucco
Plan B Network - https://x.com/planb_network

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Bitcoin Uptober Loading? Live w/ Benjamin Cowen

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:42:40 -0400

ITC Founder & CEO Benjamin Cowen joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss why Bitcoin's current cycle mirrors 2018, the likelihood of an October cycle bottom, and why institutional narratives like ETFs and strategic reserves have acted as headwinds rather than tailwinds for crypto.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:06 - Block Briefing Headlines
05:18 - Benjamin Cowen's Background
08:16 - Bitcoin's State Right Now
09:29 - Cycle Timing & October Bottom
15:50 - Institutional Impact on Bitcoin
19:18 - When Does Retail Return?
31:05 - AI Trade vs. Crypto
35:57 - Meme Coins & Industry Damage
40:11 - Bitcoin & Politics
43:32 - Outlook & AI Pivot
45:26 - Wrap-Up & CZ Teaser

Guest links:
Benjamin Cowen - https://x.com/benjamincowen

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

OKX's Lennix Lai: Retail Traders Are Already Executing Through AI Agents

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:38:45 -0400

OKX General Manager Lennix Lai joined Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the impact of institutional ETF flows on crypto markets, the rise of RWA tokenization and tokenized equities on OKX, AI-driven trading agents and compliance tools, and the outlook for retail trading through the end of 2026.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Welcome & BIP 110 Recap
02:10 - World Liberty Financial Scrutiny
03:09 - Robinhood Enters UK Crypto
03:47 - North Korea's AI Hacking Threat
05:01 - Brazil's Withdrawal Delay Rule
05:40 - BIP 110 Fork: Post-Mortem
07:42 - Market Pulse: Lennix Lai
09:29 - Institutional ETF Impact
11:14 - RWA Tokenization Demand
14:02 - AI Agents & Compliance at OKX
16:01 - Prediction Markets: OKX's Approach
27:42 - Outro

Guest links:
Lennix Lai - https://x.com/LennixOKX
OKX - https://x.com/OKX

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

AI-armed attackers deepen crypto's 2026 hacking crisis

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:27:27 -0400

Blockaid Co-Founder & CEO Ido Ben-Natan joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the record-breaking surge in crypto hack incidents in 2026, how AI is supercharging attackers and shifting the primary vector from smart contract exploits to operational security breaches, and the lessons that can be gleaned from the Coldcard exploit.

OUTLINE
00:04 - Week in Review
01:22 - Block Briefing: Clarity Act Delay
02:09 - Coinbase Prediction Markets Ruling
02:49 - Wintermute Broker-Dealer Move
03:33 - Miners' Tough Quarter
04:17 - Trump Crypto Divestiture Twist
05:39 - Ido Ben-Natan Hot Seat
06:07 - H1 2026 Hack Report
07:58 - DPRK Hackers Dominate
10:30 - AI as Attack Vector
16:56 - Coldcard Exploit Fallout
22:17 - Crypto vs. TradFi Targeting

Guest links:
Ido Ben-Natan - https://x.com/idobn
Blockaid - https://x.com/blockaid_

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Jesse Pollak reveals plans for Base as exchange competition heats up

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:24:40 -0400

Coinbase Head of Base Jesse Pollak joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss handing the Base app to Jordan Fish, widely known as Cobie, while refocusing on Base the chain, the rise of agentic finance and tokenized inference, and why prediction markets and DeFi growth matter more than social right now.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:34 - Russia's Crypto Law
02:19 - Clarity Act Stalls
03:00 - Coinbase UK Stock Trading
03:42 - Wrench Attack Surge
04:46 - Block's Bitcoin Results
05:18 - Jesse Joins: Base App Handover
09:52 - Robinhood Chain Competition
12:38 - Meme Coins & Creator Coins
14:47 - Agentic Finance & Tokenized Inference
19:52 - Prediction Markets on Base
29:45 - Coldcard Exploit & Self-Custody

Guest links:
Jesse Pollak - https://x.com/jessepollak
Coinbase - https://x.com/base

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Alpaca’s $435M raise driven by Wall Street’s tokenization push

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:22:20 -0400

Alpaca Co-Founder & CEO Yoshi Yokokawa joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss building the "AWS of financial infrastructure" for tokenized US equities, the explosive growth of AI agents on Alpaca's platform, and navigating the global regulatory landscape amid Wall Street's tokenization push. Bitwise Europe Senior Research Associate Luke Deans also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse to discuss Bitcoin's volatility expectations, key on-chain price levels to watch, and why digital assets may be well-positioned when the AI trade eventually unwinds.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Show Open & Headlines Preview
02:31 - Trump Meme Coin Scrutiny
03:07 - Cloudflare's Agentic Wallets
03:50 - BlackRock ETH ETF Reverse Split
04:25 - BitGo Moves WBTC to Chainlink
05:12 - ColdCard Exploit Fallout
07:46 - Market Pulse: Bitcoin Volatility
16:57 - AI Trade & Capital Rotation
23:12 - Alpaca's Origin & Infrastructure
33:19 - AI Agents & Agentic Trading
37:11 - Everything App & Bundling Trends
40:46 - Regulation & Growth Outlook

Guest links:
Yoshi Yokokawa - https://x.com/iyoshyoshi
Alpaca - https://x.com/AlpacaHQ
Bitwise Europe - https://x.com/Bitwise_Europe

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Breaking down the Coldcard exploit & ramifications for self-custody

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:20:04 -0400

Casa CTO Jameson Lopp joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss how the Coldcard entropy exploit unfolded, why multi-vendor multisig is the gold standard for self-custody, and why Bitcoin self-custody is still worth pursuing despite the risks. Foundation CTO Zach Herbert also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed the role of AI in discovering the Coldcard bug and what the industry needs to do to rebuild trust in self-custody.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:47 - Block Briefing: Strategy Sells BTC
03:17 - Trump Media, SEC/CFTC Turf War & More
09:35 - Zach Herbert: Coldcard Exploit Explained
15:17 - AI's Role in Finding the Bug
20:23 - Open Source vs. Closed Source Debate
23:15 - Self-Custody Trust & Don't Trust Verify
27:13 - Hardware Wallet UX & Market Options
34:28 - Jameson Lopp: First Reports of the Hack
40:51 - AI, LLMs & the Changing Attack Landscape
46:23 - Self-Custody: Who It's Really For
55:57 - Casa's Multi-Vendor Multisig Case

Guest links:
Jameson Lopp - https://x.com/lopp
Casa - https://x.com/CasaHODL
Zach Herbert - https://x.com/zherbert
Foundation - https://x.com/FoundationHQ

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Bitcoin rocked by Coldcard exploit w. Freddie New

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:16:04 -0400

B HODL CEO Freddie New joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the Coldcard hardware wallet exploit that drained roughly 594 Bitcoin from affected devices, the importance of entropy in seed phrase generation, and best practices for securing Bitcoin in self-custody.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Show Intro & Lineup
01:01 - Strategy's $8.2B Loss
01:50 - Coinbase Q2 Earnings
02:44 - Kalshi Legal Battle
03:19 - Circle Trust Charter
03:53 - Coldcard Exploit Headline
04:43 - Market Structure Bill
05:59 - Freddie New Joins
07:05 - Exploit Explained
14:02 - Self-Custody Best Practices
19:00 - Hardware Wallet Industry Impact
26:02 - Phishing Warning & Wrap-Up

Guest links:
Freddie New - https://x.com/freddienew
B HODL - https://x.com/bitcoinhodlco

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Fed holds interest rates – what does it mean for Bitcoin?

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:14:00 -0400

Bitwise Europe Head of Research Andre Dragosch joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block, where he discussed the Fed's split decision to hold rates and its implications for Bitcoin, Bitcoin's relative outperformance versus tech stocks and semiconductors, the US debt ceiling debate and long-term macro tailwinds for Bitcoin, BIP 110 replay risks and the low probability of it reaching majority, and Michael Saylor's Strategy stabilizing its dividend coverage to avert forced Bitcoin liquidation.

OUTLINE
05:02 - Show Introduction
06:41 - Fed Holds Rates
07:30 - Tether USAT on Celo
08:07 - Binance US Prediction Markets
08:44 - Ostium $24M Hack
09:22 - Aave Spring Cleaning
10:50 - ARK Trims Crypto Bets
11:43 - Market Pulse: Fed Impact
17:47 - Bitcoin Bottom Outlook
19:43 - Debt Ceiling & Macro
24:27 - BIP 110 Risk
26:29 - Strategy / Saylor Update

Guest links:

Andre Dragosch - https://x.com/Andre_Dragosch
Bitwise Europe - https://x.com/Bitwise_Europe

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

1inch Aqua unlocks shared liquidity with CEO Sergej Kunz

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:09:48 -0400

1inch Co-Founder Sergej Kunz joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to announce the launch of 1inch Aqua, a unified shared liquidity protocol for DeFi, and to discuss how it addresses idle AMM liquidity, the role of AI in development and protocol security, and the future of RWA tokenization on Ethereum L2s.

OUTLINE
00:05 - Show Intro & Previews
02:06 - Morgan Stanley ETF Launch
03:05 - Durov & Telegram Charges
04:26 - DeFi Hacks Record
05:09 - CFTC Prediction Markets Battle
05:55 - Core Scientific & Galaxy AI Pivots
07:22 - Ethereum L2 TVL Decline
08:24 - 1inch Aqua Explained
11:57 - Aqua Security & Audits
19:38 - AI in Development
25:33 - RWA & Robinhood Chain
29:09 - Building on Ethereum & Future Plans

Guest links:

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Open source AI the new crypto? ft. Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:08:24 -0400

Nansen Co-Founder & CEO Alex Svanevik joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the evolution of Nansen from on-chain analytics to agentic trading, why open source AI is the new crypto, and how on-chain transparency has helped expose bad actors like FTX and Bitcub.

OUTLINE
00:06 - Welcome & Block Briefing
01:11 - Circle's Patent Power Play
02:28 - Kraken Acquires Magic Labs
03:05 - Lido's Post-PECTRA Upgrade
03:46 - NFL vs. Prediction Markets
05:01 - Minnesota Ban Blocked
06:01 - Nansen's Evolution
10:29 - Hyperliquid Integration
15:23 - Open Source AI = New Crypto
29:09 - Nansen's Staking Business
33:50 - On-Chain Transparency & Fraud
43:14 - RWAs & Trading Everything On-Chain

Guest links:
Alex Svanevik - https://x.com/ASvanevik
Nansen - https://x.com/nansen_ai

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

The Staking Race: Ethereum's Queue, Solana's Yield, and Where Institutional Money Is Going

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:06:44 -0400

Bitwise Head of Onchain Research Kam Benbrik joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss Bitwise's inaugural quarterly staking report, the divergence between on-chain fundamentals and market sentiment, record ETH staking highs, and institutional staking trends across Ethereum, Solana, Hyperliquid, and Avalanche.

OUTLINE
00:08 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:12 - BitMart Shutdown
02:17 - TripleA Hack Update
03:02 - KB Kookmin Goes Onchain
03:43 - Storj Bankruptcy Filing
04:22 - Bitcoin ETF Volume Drops
04:58 - Robinhood & Crypto.com Talks
05:42 - Strategy's $525M USD Reserve
06:46 - Bitwise Staking Report
10:16 - ETH vs. Solana Staking
20:16 - Upcoming Protocol Upgrades
26:35 - Week Ahead Preview

Guest links:
Kam Benbrik - https://x.com/KamBenbrik
Bitwise - https://x.com/Bitwise

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Charles Hoskinson on Cardano’s Future, the state of crypto & AI

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:54:50 -0400

Input Output Global Founder Charles Hoskinson joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss Cardano's decentralized governance and on-chain treasury and Midnight's privacy-first vision for a fourth-generation blockchain.

OUTLINE
00:03 - Welcome & Introduction
01:00 - Leaving X Behind
04:53 - Managing Social Media
07:00 - Cardano's Governance Model
10:33 - Decentralizing Development
18:58 - Bitcoin DeFi & Pogan
24:16 - Bitcoin's Limitations
32:29 - Quantum Threat to Bitcoin
37:53 - Midnight & Privacy Tech
49:33 - Hoskinson's Daily Focus
52:54 - Bullet Ant Ceremony
01:00:00 - Blackhawk & Simplifying Life

Guest links:
Charles Hoskinson - https://x.com/IOHK_Charles

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Is the Bitcoin bear market over? Ft. Cory Klippsten

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:40:41 -0400

Swan Bitcoin Founder & CEO Cory Klippsten joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the current state of the Bitcoin treasury company landscape, his essay 'The Battle for Monetary Independence,' and the long-term path to Bitcoin becoming a global medium of exchange.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Show Intro & Preview
02:07 - BitMEX Closing Down
03:04 - Crypto Clarity Act Update
03:49 - Bridge Hacks & Security
04:26 - Circle Expands in Korea
05:45 - Coinbase-SEC Settlement
07:00 - Polymarket Fights France
14:35 - Cory Klippsten's Bitcoin Origin
22:39 - Jack Mallers & 21 Bitcoin Co.
25:47 - Bitcoin Treasury Companies Landscape
39:09 - Battle for Monetary Independence
50:10 - Bitcoin as Future Money

Guest links:
Cory Klippsten - https://x.com/CorySwan
Swan Bitcoin - https://x.com/Swan

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Can JTX dominate Solana trading? Ft. Lucas Bruder

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:38:29 -0400

Jito Labs Founder Lucas Bruder joins Gareth Jenkinson on episode 15 of The Starting Block to discuss the launch of JTX, Jito's new on-chain trading platform on Solana. Bruder also spoke of his ambitions to compete with centralized exchanges and equities platforms like Robinhood, and why he is more bullish on crypto markets than ever before.

1inch Co-Founder Anton Bukov also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed his legacy as co-founder of 1inch, the philosophy behind his new DeFi venture, Second Tier, and his vision for building new architectural categories in decentralized finance.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Show Intro & Agenda
01:36 - Block Briefing: Today's Headlines
01:38 - Trump Crypto Ethics Ban
02:23 - Russia's Crypto Regulation
03:01 - BIS Stablecoin Warning
04:39 - Telegram's Wallet Rollout
08:19 - Market Pulse: Anton Bukov
15:00 - Second Tier Manifesto
25:16 - Hot Seat: JTX Launch
27:42 - Competing with CEXs & Robinhood
32:23 - Tokenized Equities on Solana
39:19 - Market Outlook & Solana's Vision

Guest links:
Lucas Bruder - https://x.com/buffalu__
Jito Labs - https://x.com/jito_labs
Anton Bukov - https://x.com/k06a
Second Tier - https://x.com/tier_xyz

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Crypto exchanges will take over Wall Street - ft. Bitget’s Gracy Chen

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:32:37 -0400

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the "universal exchange" thesis and Bitget's push into tokenized stocks, how crypto exchanges are competing with traditional finance, as well as Bitget's plans to enter the US market.

OUTLINE
00:07 - Jack Mallers Steps Down
05:26 - Reaction & Block Briefing
06:39 - Top News Headlines
11:17 - Gracy Chen Hot Seat
11:44 - DAT Companies & Outlook
14:11 - Universal Exchange Vision
19:04 - Tokenized Stocks & RWA
26:16 - Market Trends & User Behavior
31:13 - October 10 & Deleveraging
35:51 - Own Chain vs. Partnership
42:48 - AI Trading Tools
51:51 - US Market Expansion

Guest links:
Gracy Chen - https://x.com/GracyBitget
Bitget - https://x.com/bitget

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

The Privacy Renaissance ft. NEAR’s Illia Polosukhin

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:27:44 -0400

NEAR Protocol Co-Founder Illia Poloshukhin joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the mainnet launch of quantum resistance and dynamic resharding on NEAR, the case for confidential transactions and privacy as a mass-adoption enabler, and why decentralized AI infrastructure is critical as centralized models face government overreach and agentic security threats.

OUTLINE
01:47 - Show Intro & Headlines
02:58 - Strategy & Saylor News
04:38 - Allbridge Hack & Upbit Probe
05:53 - Polymarket Ban & Robinhood Bull Case
07:10 - Vitalik's Privacy Demo
08:28 - NEAR's Origin & Vision
17:57 - Quantum Resistance Launch
20:50 - Confidential Intents & Privacy
25:29 - X402 & Agent Payments
30:07 - Decentralized AI & Governance
37:28 - IronClaw & Agentic Security
48:20 - DeFi Exploits & Formal Verification

Guest links:
Illia Poloshukhin - https://x.com/ilblackdragon
NEAR Protocol - https://x.com/NEARProtocol

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Debunking ZachXBT’s “garbage” hardware wallet post w/ Trezor

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:54:15 -0400

Trezor CCO Danny Sanders joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss and debunk ZachXBT's viral claim that hardware wallets are "absolute garbage," the real-world use cases where that critique has merit, and make the case for why hardware wallets remain the best self-custody solution for retail users despite their limitations.

OUTLINE
00:05 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:24 - Citadel's $400M Crypto.com Deal
02:10 - Visa's Stablecoin Platform
02:49 - CLARITY Act Senate Update
03:27 - T. Rowe Price Multi-Token ETF
04:15 - JP Morgan's Bitcoin Outlook
05:14 - SBI & Ondo Tokenization Deal
06:01 - Polygon Layoffs & SBF Pardon Denied
07:33 - ZachXBT's Hardware Wallet Take
17:07 - Old iPhone vs. Hardware Wallet
23:48 - Trezor's Design Philosophy
28:08 - Is ZachXBT's Take Damaging?

Guest links:
Danny Sanders - https://x.com/Dantoshi
Trezor - https://x.com/Trezor

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Confidential DeFi? Why institutions need privacy to go all in on crypto

The Block — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:23:58 -0400

Zama Co-Founder & CEO Rand Hindi joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss how confidential DeFi works, the launch of a confidential USDC vault with Morpho and Stakehouse, and why privacy is essential for institutions to go all in on crypto. Bitwise Europe Senior Research Associate Luke Deans also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed Bitcoin's on-chain cost basis levels, the Fed's expected rate hold amid geopolitical inflation risks, and why the institutional bid remains absent until risk-on conditions return.

OUTLINE
00:02 - Show Introduction
01:20 - Stripe-PayPal Mega Deal
02:00 - Crypto Market Structure Bill
02:53 - DTCC Tokenized Securities
03:35 - BlackRock's On-Chain Vision
04:13 - Base Leadership Shakeup
05:49 - Ostium Hack & Stablecoin Wars
09:23 - Market Pulse: Bitcoin Outlook
16:57 - Fed Rates & Macro Risks
16:58 - ETF Flows & Institutional Bid
23:55 - Zama & Confidential DeFi
47:21 - Europe's Privacy & Regulation Risks

Guest links:
Rand Hindi - https://x.com/randhindi
Zama - https://x.com/zama
Luke Deans

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

EU DAC8 Regulation - Are Crypto Holders At Risk?

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:32:21 -0400

Bull Bitcoin Founder Francis Pouliout joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss Bull Bitcoin's landmark legal challenge against the EU DAC8 regulation in France, the privacy risks of mass crypto user data collection, and the broader global push for crypto asset reporting frameworks. Hype CEO Danny Gazit also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed the market reaction to CPI data, the state of crypto marketing spend during the bear market, and his bullish outlook for Q4.

OUTLINE
00:05 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:38 - Japan Classifies Crypto
02:21 - US Sanctions Iran Wallets
03:04 - Ethereum Foundation Spinout
04:05 - CFTC vs. Michigan on Kalshi
04:54 - US-UK Stablecoin Cooperation
05:36 - CPI Drop Lifts Bitcoin
06:24 - Digital Euro Pilot
12:21 - Market Pulse: Danny Gazit
18:35 - Hot Seat: Francis Pouliout
21:19 - DAC8 Explained
29:41 - The Legal Strategy

Guest links:
Francis Pouliout - https://x.com/francispouliot_
Bull Bitcoin - https://x.com/BULLBITCOIN_
Danny Gazit - https://x.com/0xDannyHype
Hype - https://x.com/hypepartners

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Wall Street Surrenders To Crypto & AI, feat. David Pakman

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:51:44 -0400

Coinfund Managing Partner and Head of Venture Investments David Pakman joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss Wall Street's surrender to crypto and on-chain finance, the stablecoin yield threat to deposit banking, and the intersection of AI agents with blockchain infrastructure.

OUTLINE
00:09 - Welcome & Show Intro
01:26 - Clarity Act & Senate Push
02:04 - Banks vs. Stablecoins
02:43 - UK Tokenization Roadmap
03:28 - Progmat Moves to Avalanche
04:11 - Bitmine ETH Treasury & Strategy
05:48 - On-Chain Equities & HyperLiquid
07:36 - David Pakman Hot Seat
13:01 - Stablecoins vs. Deposit Banks
25:48 - Prediction Markets & Gen Z
29:29 - AI, Agents & Crypto Investing
34:07 - Decentralized AI & Token Economics

Guest links:
David Pakman - https://x.com/pakman
Coinfund - https://x.com/coinfund

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Ethereum Merge Cut Electricity Use by 99% - Cambridge Report

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:08:33 -0400

Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance Research Lead Alexander Neumüller joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the recent Cambridge report finding that Ethereum's Merge cut electricity consumption by 99%, the geographical centralization risks in Ethereum's node distribution, and the fundamental security differences between proof-of-work and proof-of-stake networks. Senior Country Director for Coinbase UK Keith Grose also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed Coinbase UK's new MiFID licence to offer derivatives and equities trading, retail crypto appetite in the UK market, and the legacy of departing Coinbase CLO Paul Grewal.

OUTLINE
03:15 - Show Intro & Overview
04:56 - Coinbase CLO Departure
06:19 - Polymarket Eyes Leverage
07:03 - MARA's Texas Campus
07:47 - CFTC Standoff & Crypto Bills
08:28 - Gauntlet's $125M Raise
09:08 - Revolut X & AI Agents
13:04 - Coinbase UK Derivatives Licence
17:00 - UK Crypto Market Landscape
25:37 - Ethereum's 99% Energy Drop
30:46 - Node Centralisation Risks
40:44 - PoW vs PoS Security

Guest links:
Alexander Neumüller - https://x.com/alexneumueller
Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance - https://x.com/CambridgeAltFin
Keith Grose - https://x.com/kmgrose
Coinbase UK - https://x.com/coinbase

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

EXCLUSIVE: AAVE Launches Stable Vaults w/ Stani Kulechov

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:10:07 -0400

AAVE Founder & CEO Stani Kulechov joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to announce the launch of Aave Stable Vaults, a new vault architecture enabling fintechs and institutions to integrate DeFi yield with predictable rates, multi-chain support, and multi-asset deposits.

OUTLINE
03:06 - Welcome & Show Preview
04:23 - Swift Goes On-Chain
05:21 - Sony Bank Stablecoin Plans
06:00 - Paradigm's $1.2B Fund
06:44 - AscendX Shuts Down
07:22 - Interpol Fraud Crackdown
08:11 - Block Inc. Settlement
08:51 - MiCA Expansion Talks
09:30 - Blockchain Developer Safe Harbor
10:35 - Stable Vaults Launch Explained
18:11 - Aave V4 Update
21:10 - DeFi Security & Ethereum's Future

Guest links:
Stani Kulechov - https://x.com/StaniKulechov
AAVE - https://x.com/Aave

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

BitGo CEO Mike Belshe on Saylor, Stablecoins & the Crypto Wars

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:45:36 -0400

BitGo CEO Mike Belshe joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss Michael Saylor's Bitcoin sales and concentration risk, the prospects of the Clarity Act and institutional adoption, and the dangers of government overreach in AI export controls and digital privacy.

OUTLINE
02:11 - Block Briefing
02:46 - Farage Crypto Probe
03:23 - SEC 2026 Agenda
04:02 - Coinbase UK Expansion
04:44 - Vanguard Enters Crypto
05:26 - Super App Race
06:41 - Bitmine ETH Stacking
07:24 - Strike Bitcoin Loans
11:39 - Saylor & Concentration Risk
20:13 - Clarity Act Outlook
34:35 - MiCA & Binance in Europe
39:33 - AI, Encryption & Civil Liberties

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

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Saylor’s Big Bitcoin Sale, Investigating $ANSEM

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:18:42 -0400

Smarter Web UK's Head of Bitcoin Strategy Jesse Myers joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss why Strategy's $260 million Bitcoin sale is a strategic move to build STRK's creditworthiness, the mechanics of preferred equity Bitcoin treasury instruments, and Smarter Web UK's plans to replicate the MicroStrategy playbook on the London Stock Exchange. Bubblemaps Head of Investigations Deebs DeFi also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed the origins of the $ANSEM meme coin, on-chain holder distribution data, and the risks of centralized supply in community tokens.

OUTLINE
02:09 - Show Introduction
02:29 - Block Briefing: Headlines
03:50 - Galaxy's AI Data Center Pivot
04:19 - Strategy Sells Bitcoin
05:16 - Trump Reserve Legal Snags
08:01 - Market Pulse: $ANSEM Origins
10:34 - Bubblemaps On-Chain Findings
20:17 - Hot Seat: Jesse Myers Intro
25:09 - Why Saylor Sold Bitcoin
34:21 - Smarter Web UK's Strategy
40:45 - Preferred Equity Mechanics
44:58 - Daily Dividends Debate

Guest links:
Jesse Myers - https://x.com/Croesus_BTC
Smarter Web UK - https://x.com/smarterwebuk
Deebs DeFi - https://x.com/Deebs_DeFi
Bubblemaps - https://x.com/bubblemaps

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Saylor Sells $216M Of Bitcoin, Joe Chalom Unpacks New Ethereum Orgs

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:43:16 -0400

Sharplink CEO Joe Chalom sits down with Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to talk about ETH Labs and Ethereum Institutional launches, SharpLink's bear market strategy and Vitalik Buterin's Lean Ethereum rebuild plan. MEXC CEO Vugar Usi stopped by Gareth's desk today for Market Pulse. They discussed Strategy's $216M Bitcoin sale, ETF outflows affecting retail sentiment, the Ansem meme coin resurrection and MiCA's impact on European crypto liquidity.

OUTLINE
02:39 - Show Introduction
03:47 - Saylor Sells $216M Bitcoin
05:07 - Farage Crypto Funding Scandal
05:58 - Vitalik's Lean Ethereum Plan
06:44 - Bitcoin ETF Outflow Record
07:37 - Trump Meme Coin Losses
08:16 - Aave Explodes On Monad
09:37 - Ripple Clears MiCA Hurdle
12:20 - Market Pulse: Vugar Usi
24:15 - Hot Seat: Joe Chalom
29:51 - ETH Labs & ETH Institutional
38:18 - SharpLink's MNAV Strategy

Guest links:
Joe Chalom - https://x.com/joechalom
Sharplink - https://x.com/Sharplink
Vugar Usi - https://x.com/usithetalk
MEXC - https://x.com/MEXC

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Yat Siu Predicts 100B AI Agents

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:20:18 -0400

Animoca Brands Chairman Yat Siu joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to discuss the 100 billion AI agent prediction, digital asset treasury companies and the evolution of DATs, and the future of blockchain as the backbone of an agentic economy. MN Fund & MN Capital Found & CIO Michaël van de Poppe also joined Gareth for the day's Market Pulse, where he discussed record Bitcoin whale accumulation near $59K, the altcoin outlook ahead of the Clarity Act, and MiCA's impact on exchanges in Europe.

OUTLINE
03:18 - Show Intro & Headlines
03:36 - Bitcoin ETF Inflows Return
06:29 - JP Morgan on Strategy Risk
07:21 - Robinhood & RWA Push
08:05 - Ondo Tokenizes BlackRock ETF
08:57 - Humanity Protocol Hack Update
10:05 - Irish Bitcoin Seizure
10:56 - Digital Ruble Rollout
15:51 - Market Pulse: Whale Accumulation
21:26 - Altcoin Outlook & MiCA
28:42 - Hot Seat: Humanity Protocol Fallout
51:26 - 100 Billion AI Agents Thesis

Guest links:
Yat Siu - https://x.com/ysiu
Animoca Brands - https://x.com/animocabrands
Michaël van de Poppe - https://x.com/CryptoMichNL
MN Fund & MN Capital - https://x.com/MNFund_

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

Breaking Down The Humanity Protocol Exploit with Founder Terence Kwok

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:02:50 -0400

Episode 2 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live with Humanity Protocol Founder Terence Kwok.

Humanity Protocol Founder Terence Kwok joins Gareth Jenkinson on The Starting Block to talk about the $36 million exploit from a hacked developer laptop, getting roasted online / accused of being an inside-job from the team, and plans for the token migration and recovery moving forward. Andre Dragosch, Bitwise Europe European Head of Research, joins Gareth for today's Market Pulse. They discuss Bitcoin's volatility and accumulation clues around cycle lows, altcoins continuing to underperform as risk-off trade, and why Fed monetary policy continues to be the catalyst we're watching for the next upward move.

OUTLINE
04:29 - Show Introduction & Format
06:21 - Securitize NYSE Debut
07:10 - MetaPlanet Q2 Bitcoin Buy
08:07 - Kash Patel Strategy Disclosure
09:15 - American Bitcoin Reverse Split
10:03 - Prediction Markets Volume Surge
10:53 - Venice AI Series A Raise
11:44 - June Crypto Hacks Roundup
15:34 - Market Pulse: Bitcoin & Macro
22:30 - Altcoin Underperformance & Fed
30:51 - The Exploit: What Happened
41:56 - Recovery Plan & Pivot Ahead

Guest links:
Terence Kwok - https://x.com/terencekwok
Humanity Protocol - https://x.com/Humanityprot
Andre Dragosch - https://x.com/Andre_Dragosch

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 https://www.theblock.co/newsletters

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 https://theblock.co/campus

CZ: $500M in Elon's X, 4 Months in Prison & What's Coming Next

The Block — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:55:25 -0400

Episode 1 of The Starting Block, hosted by The Block's Gareth Jenkinson, was broadcasted live from Abu Dhabi with Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ).

For the first episode of The Starting Block, Head of Multimedia at The Block Gareth Jenkinson is joined by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, in Abu Dhabi for a wide-ranging conversation: his $500M bet on Elon Musk's X, the uncertainty of prison and why he's now funding prison reform, the real "secret sauce" behind Binance's rise, the fight over Binance's licence in Europe, which AI tools he actually uses, his honest take on Michael Saylor and Strategy, Hyperliquid vs. Aster, and why he's still extremely bullish on Bitcoin — plus the one thing he wants to be remembered for.

OUTLINE
0:00 – Welcome & launching The Starting Block
1:33 – The $500M X bet (and never meeting Elon)
6:59 – Legacy, philanthropy & life after Binance
10:57 – How Binance actually won
13:52 – Moving fast, regrets & the U.S. case
16:39 – Inside prison
20:51 – Prison reform & giving back
25:27 – The OKX feud
27:50 – Europe, MiCA & why Binance (and Tether) walked
35:54 – Binance US, explained
37:35 – Which AI CZ actually uses — and the centralization problem
46:23 – Michael Saylor & the Strategy question
52:25 – Hyperliquid, Aster & prediction markets
1:03:41 – Bitcoin: the outlook & the $1M call

Guest links:
CZ (Changpeng Zhao)
X: https://x.com/cz_binance

Host links:
Gareth Jenkinson - https://x.com/gazza_jenks
The Block - https://x.com/TheBlockCo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to The Block's Newsletters!

🚨 Breaking News
👨‍🔬 Expert Analysis
📈 Market Insights

Subscribe now 👉 ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠

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

Hiring in crypto?

🧠 Find top talent fast with Campus, powered by The Block!
✅ Challenge candidates with our Crypto Assessment Test
⚡ Hire faster, build stronger teams

Start your free trial today 👉 ⁠⁠⁠https://theblock.co/campus

(00:00) - – Welcome & launching The Starting Block
(01:33) - – The $500M X bet (and never meeting Elon)
(06:59) - – Legacy, philanthropy & life after Binance
(10:57) - – How Binance actually won
(13:52) - – Moving fast, regrets & the U.S. case
(16:39) - – Inside prison
(20:51) - – Prison reform & giving back
(25:27) - – The OKX feud
(27:50) - – Europe, MiCA & why Binance (and Tether) walked
(35:54) - – Binance US, explained
(37:35) - – Which AI CZ actually uses — and the centralization problem
(46:23) - – Michael Saylor & the Strategy question
(52:25) - – Hyperliquid, Aster & prediction markets
(01:03:41) - – Bitcoin: the outlook & the $1M call