
Empire
666 episodes — Page 8 of 14

Why Monad is Superscaling the EVM with Parallel Execution | Keone Hon & Jon Charbonneau
On today's episode Santi and Jason are joined by Keone Hon, co-founder of Monad, and Jon Charbonneau co-founder of dba, to discuss building performant blockchains and the tradeoffs between modular versus integrated architectures. They cover Monad's design decisions including choosing the EVM for developer portability, implementing optimistic parallel execution for efficiency, and developing the MonadDB state database for fast data access. They also unpack the hardware requirements for validators, alt L1 ecosystem competition, and how to build lasting communities around protocols. Stay tuned for all this and much more! - - Follow Jon: https://twitter.com/jon_charb Follow Keone: https://twitter.com/keoneHD Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Why Build Monad? (06:58) Why the EVM (13:17) L2 vs L1 App Chain Decision (15:21) Parallelized Systems & Scalability (32:40) Monad Transaction Overview (41:11) Arbitrum Ad (41:59) Harpie Ad (43:14) Validator Hardware Requirements (56:27) Monad Vision & Competitive Position (01:01:14) Attracting Users and Developer (01:07:00) What Actually Goes Onchain? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Ethena: Crypto's Next Bank Run or a Tokenized Hedge Fund? | Roundup
In this week's roundup Jason and Santi are joined by Blockworks research analyst Matt Fiebach to unpack USDe, crypto's latest high yield synthetic dollar. They dig into Ethena lab's latest token aiming to offer high yields from basis trading strategies. The conversation then delves into the implications of Gauntlet's departure from Aave, highlighting the challenges of DAO governance and the dynamics of service providers. The discussion closes out on the return of NFTs and if apps will outperforn base layer tokens in bullish ecosystems. Stay tuned for all this and more! - - Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/MattFiebach Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire6-2229 - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:52) Ethena USDe Product Controversy (16:54) Biggest Risk of USDe (26:19) USDe Usecase (29:02) Seeking High Yields (35:26) Gauntlet Leaves Aave (48:58) Wormhole Ad (50:24) Paypal Ad (51:22) What are you bullish on? (57:33) Are NFTs Investments? (01:05:57) Infrastructure vs App Tokens (01:10:57) Yuga Labs Acquires Moonbirds (01:14:31) Crypto Companies Understanding Users (01:21:46) Dopamine Economy - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Bitcoin Mining in 2024 | Fred Thiel, CEO at Marathon
On today's episode Jason is joined by Fred Thiel, Chairman and CEO at Marathon Digital Holdings. Together they explore the world of Bitcoin mining, They dig into the current state of Bitcoin mining, including the competitive landscape, access to capital and equipment, and energy costs. They discuss how miners provide grid stabilization services to utilities by controlling electricity demand and the dynamics around Bitcoin's 4-year cycles, and how the industry will likely consolidate given tightening profit margins. Hear all of this and much more! - - Follow Fred: https://twitter.com/fgthiel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) State of Bitcoin Mining (16:00) The Business of Mining (25:24) Geopolitical and Macro Risks on Power Rates (27:42) Importance of Self Power Generation (33:18) Arbitrum Ad (34:05) Harpie Ad (35:20) How do you Navigate the Complexities of Utilities (41:19) Corporations Acquiring Bitcoin (47:38) State of Bitcoin Hashrate (51:49) Prevalance of Leverage in Mining (59:02) Growth of Bitcoin Mining - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Policy Series: How to Combat Illicit Finance Without Killing DeFi | Rebecca Rettig & Miller Whitehouse-Levine
In today's episode, Santi is joined by Rebecca Rettig and Miller Whitehouse to update us on the latest policy concerns impacting crypto. They cover the origins of the DeFi Education Fund and the realities of educating regulators on the novelty of DeFi. They then shift gears and discuss onchain illicit activity that exists, how to find a compromise between permissionless systems and state control, the role stablecoins like USDC play, and reactions to the SEC’s proposed dealer rule that threatens DeFi participation. Rebecca breaks down her recently published paper “Genuine DeFi as Critical Infrastructure” offering a conceptual framework for regulation that leverages DeFi’s transparency while allowing permissionless systems to thrive. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Miller: https://twitter.com/millercwl Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire - - Timestamps (0:00) Origin of DeFi Education Fund (6:10) DeFi Regulatory Framework Paper (12:35) Educating Regulators (17:45) Onchain Illicit Activity (28:59) Chainalysis Ad (30:04) Compromise for States (41:52) How Important is US Policy (51:17) Role of Coinbase & Circle (1:00:42) SEC Proposed Rule - - Resources Paper https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4607332 DeFi Education Fund https://www.defieducationfund.org/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Revisiting ICO's and Unpacking Why Restaking isn't Leverage | Roundup
In this week's roundup Jason and Santi discuss the recent bitcoin price surge, the importance of bitcoin ETF inflows compared to gold, and whether we are entering the next phase of a bull market. They also discuss the Starkware airdrop controversy, dive into how crypto fundraising works today compared to the ICO era, debate whether if they should make a return. Shifting gears they discuss whether if restaking constitutes leverage and Santi shares his thoughts on Farcaster after a week of casting. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire5-3349 - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (0:00) Top News this Week (4:10) Market Thoughts (10:00) Importance of ETF Inflows (21:12) Starkware Airdrop Controversy (27:06) The ICO Era & Current Venture (42:25) Wormhole Ad (43:51) Paypal ad (44:50) Is Restaking Leverage? (55:00) Thoughts on Farcaster - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

We're Back! Why We Are Bullish | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3I1ZVr5 Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/42DgP8Z Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- We're back! On today's episode of 1000x, Jonah and Avi discuss recent market price action as Bitcoin rips above $50,000 & ETF flows continue. -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Referenced In The Show: Bitcoin ETF Flow: https://farside.co.uk/?p=997 -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:30) Why We Are Bullish (9:07) Don't Fight The Flows (14:16) Trading Bitcoin's $50,000 Breakout (24:37) Crypto Is Underowned (33:31) The Bull Case In 2024 -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Can a KYC'ed L2 Chain Unlock the Next Wave of Crypto Adoption? | Ramon Recuero, Kinto Co-Founder
On today's episode Jason and Santi are joined by Ramon, co-founder and CEO of Memori Labs. The trio dive into Kinto - a secure layer 2 built on Arbitrum Nitro that provides KYC at the chain level to enable institutions and users to access DeFi more safely. They discuss the pain points that led Ramon to build Kinto, the importance of compliance and security for mainstream adoption, how Kinto manages user data privacy, and Ramon's vision for how KYC may evolve in a Web3 future. Stay tuned to dig into all of this and much more! - - Follow Ramon: https://twitter.com/ramonrecuero Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Kinto Overview (15:00) KYC Requirements & Security (19:13) The Ideal Kinto Customer (26:02) Regulatory Pressure Protection (28:10) Arbitrum Ad (28:58) Harpie Ad (30:12) Kinto Product Today (36:48) Costs & Value of KYC (43:41) RWA Products (48:40) Kinto Adoption - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

The Convo: Unpacking the Solana Outage, Crypto & AI, and Blast Vision
In today's episode of the convo, Ryan, Tommy, and Santi debate the biggest topics and narratives across crypto. They dig into the the recent Solana outage, Ethereum's scalability roadmap, the intersection of AI and crypto, and their defining crypto theses for 2024. They unpack the implications of the Solana outage and whether it impacts institutional adoption. Transitioning topics, they debate Ethereum's scalability roadmap, including rollups, modular architectures, and Ethereum's ability to maintain composability long-term. To close out the trio explore the intersection of AI and Crypto, analyzing whether crypto can successfully compete with big tech for AI development or risk being too decentralized to keep pace. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Tommy: https://twitter.com/Shaughnessy119 Follow Ryan: https://twitter.com/kukulabanze Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (0:00) The Solana Outage (15:40) Value flows of Ethereum & DA Layers (26:56) DAS London Ad (27:52) Ethereum Scalability Roadmap (37:31) Intersection of AI and Crypto (58:33) Sustainability of Token Incentives (1:11:14) Santi's Blast Thesis (1:21:29) 2024 Thesis - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Are Farcaster and Airdrops Worth the Hype? | Roundup
In this week's roundup Jason and Santi discuss Farcaster's recent surge in adoption, analyzing features like channels and programmable posts, and how it could transform distribution and customer acquisition. The conversation then turns to a deep dive into airdrops questioning the efficiency and high costs of current models while discussing Dymension's recent airdrop struggles. Stick around for all of this and much more! - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire4-6823 - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Frostbite & Santi's Status (04:33) Thoughts on Farcaster & Decentralized Social (25:40) Wormhole Ad (27:06) Paypal Ad (28:04) Dymension Airdrop & Overview (39:05) NFT Communities & Rewarding Holders (44:36) Debating Airdrops (50:26) Staking & ETF Synergy (56:35) Mass Adoption Cycle? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

The Rise of Frames, Farcaster, and Headless Marketplaces | Jesse Walden & Antonio Martínez
In today's episode we dive into the emergence of decentralized social networks and how they enable new forms of distribution and business models. Farcaster, a decentralized social network built on Ethereum, has seen 400% increase in daily active users. This episode's discussion unpacks the concept of headless marketplaces, powered by global onchain identity and money, and how they bring markets to users wherever they already are. We explore the the permissionless composability unlocked by onchain protocols and how frames allow embedded experiences inside applications, enabling seamless transactions and viral growth. Stick around for all of this and much more! - Follow Jesse: https://twitter.com/jessewldn Follow Antonio: https://twitter.com/antoniogm Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (01:51) Headless Marketplaces (13:50) Embedded Experiences in Applications (18:58) Permissionless Composability of App Experiences (28:26) Frames & Farcaster Overview (37:05) Arbitrum Ad (37:52) Harpie Ad (39:07) Company Adoption (52:52) Importance of Brand (58:55) Ownership Economy Thesis - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Chain Abstraction is NEAR | Illia Polosukhin, Co-Founder
On today's episode we dive into Near Protocol with Co-founder and Near Foundation CEO Illia Polosukhin. Illia details key innovations, like account aggregation, sharding, and chain abstraction, that are aimed at bringing blockchain to a mass consumer base. We also discuss Near's strategic partnerships, challenges in onboarding Web 2.0 companies, and their impressive vision of a decade with over a hundred million monthly users. We then shift focus to AI as we explore user-owned AI, software generation replacing traditional SaaS companies, and the intriguing concept of an 'AI president' in forward-thinking governance. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Illia: https://twitter.com/ilblackdragon Follow Spencer: https://twitter.com/0xpibblez Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire3-6877 - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (01:58) Illia's Return to CEO & NEAR's Recap (05:55) Focus on Chain Abstraction (09:41) Evolution of NEAR Sharding (18:57) Account Aggregation Thesis (30:11) Modular vs Monolothic Approach (35:04) DA Landscape (39:41) Record Consumer Usage (43:06) Wormhole Ad (44:32) Paypal Ad (45:31) Owning Your Data & AI Usecase (49:43) Onboarding Web2 Companies (51:58) The Account Aggregation Flow (57:51) NEAR BD Strategy (01:04:45) Why does AI matter? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Debating non-EVM Chains | Haseeb (Dragonfly) vs. Avichal (Electric)
On today's episode of Empire Haseeb and Avichal return to Empire to discuss crypto in 2024. They debate whether we're entering a bull market and analyze key indicators like retail engagement, institutional flows, and blockchain development activity. The majority of the conversation focuses on a debate of the EVM versus alternative chains like Solana, Monad, or other virtual machines. They also touch on the sustainability of meme coins, and whether major consumer apps will emerge this cycle. They close out by discussing crypto's scalability trilemma, the prospect of regional fragmentation, and whether financialization detracts from user experience in areas like gaming. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Haseeb: https://twitter.com/hosseeb Follow Avichal: https://twitter.com/avichal Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (01:48) Where are we in the cycle (07:28) Allocation Decisions and Mindset (11:30) Sentiment Outstripping Fundamentals (20:23) Developer Report & Performant Chains Exposure (29:49) Market Structure of Virtual Machine Adoption (42:21) EVM Landscape Prediction (56:26) Arbitrum Ad (57:13) Harpie Ad (58:28) Can Solana Overtake Ethereum? (01:09:00) The Big Consumer App (01:25:28) Speculation vs Social Experiences (01:31:15) Meme Coin Perspective - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How Parallelized State Execution Unlocks Transactional Throughput at Scale | Logan Jastremski
In today's episode Jason and Santi are joined by Logan Jastremski, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Frictionless Capital. He shares his thesis on why high-throughput blockchains are essential for crypto to reach mainstream adoption. We dive deep into the technical limitations of existing chains, and how innovations like parallelization and higher bandwidth unlock entirely new applications and business models not possible before. Stay tuned for a deep dive into deterministic and optimistic parallelization, performant validator nodes, and much more! - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire2-9988 - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Follow Logan: https://twitter.com/loganjastremski Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Timestamps: (01:35) The Logan Jastremski Thesis (08:47) Parallelization Adoption & Usecases (15:53) Blockchains at Scale (30:24) Limitations of Data Propagation (37:38) Edge Cases of Performant Blockchain Thesis (42:26) Wormole Ad (43:52) Paypal Ad (44:51) Frictionless Portfolio Decisions (48:36) Solana Criticisms (59:07) Biggest Problem Solana Faces Today (01:04:10) Applications Unlocked by High Performance (01:13:36) Investing in Private Teams vs L1 Tokens (01:16:55) Thesis Invalidation - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Debating the DePIN Flywheel: Token Incentives, Business Models, and Mainstream Adoption | Kyle Samani & Dmitriy Berenzon
In today's episode Jason is joined by Kyle Samani of Multicoin Capital and Dmitriy Berenzon of Archetype for an in-depth debate on the emerging decentralized physical infrastructure industry. They analyze the complex economic flywheel effects that drive growth, including how token incentives align infrastructure providers and fuel liquidity and value. The discussion covers considerations around hardware needs, revenue models, and mainstream adoption challenges. They also assess the differences between B2B and B2C models, approaches to token issuance, and evaluating timing for mainstream adoption. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Kyle: https://twitter.com/KyleSamani Follow Dimitriy: https://twitter.com/dberenzon Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (01:24) What is DePIN? (09:33) Barriers to DePIN (21:40) DePIN Flywheel (24:22) B2C vs B2B DePIN Designs (33:41) Arbitrum Ad (34:28) Harpie Ad (35:43) CapEx & OpEx Costs (45:00) Filecoin Thesis (49:28) Best Token Issuance Models for DePIN (55:56) Open Sourcing Hardware (57:48) Active vs Passive DePIN - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How the ETF Impacts Bitcoin's Price | Matt Hougan & Eric Balchunas
In today's episode Jason is joined by ETF celebrities Eric Balchunas, a senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, and Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer for Bitwise Asset Management. They start off by discussing the criticisms around underwhelming trading volumes and put the declines in GBTC into context. Discussion then leads to an inside scoop on how authorized participants source liquidity for the ETF and the real costs involved in running these funds. They also dive into how advisors are rethinking portfolio construction given crypto’s changing risk profile and the potential impacts on Bitcoin price. To close out they discuss the potential timing of an Ethereum ETF approval. Enjoy! - - Wormhole is a decentralized interoperability platform powering multi-chain applications and bridges. It provides developers with access to liquidity and users on over 30 leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases in DeFi, data queries, and governance. The platform is trusted by teams like Uniswap and Circle and, to date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 35 billion dollars through over 850 million cross-chain messages. Claim your unique Wormhole NFT at https://wormhole.com/empire1/ - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/Matt_Hougan Follow Eric: https://twitter.com/EricBalchunas Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Timestamps: (01:46) The ETF Guys & Free Milkshakes (04:05) BTC ETF Underwhelming? (12:13) The ETF Launch Process (18:49) Costs of an ETF Service (22:10) What does Buying an ETF Mean? (30:31) Wormhole Ad (31:57) Paypal Ad (32:55) Impact of ETF Flows on Bitcoin Price (36:56) Role of Bitcoin in Portfolios (47:15) Eth ETF Predictions - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

The Bitcoin ETF: What Everyone Missed | Michael Sonnenshein, Grayscale CEO
In today's episode Jason is joined by Michael Sonnenshein, CEO of Grayscale Investments, to discuss the long-awaited approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF and its implications. They analyze the behind-the-scenes challenges for approval and the ensuing fee war between ETF issuers. They dig into Grayscales place in the spot ETF market and competitive angle. They also discuss trading volume and flows, the potential pathway for an Ethereum ETF, and the broader significance of crypto assets becoming embedded in mainstream finance. Hear all of this and much more! - - Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Sonnenshein Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: 01:43 Behind the Scenes of ETF Victory 06:06 The Fee Battles 11:07 Implications of the ETF 15:59 Arbitrum Ad 16:44 Harpie Ad 18:00 Outflows & Trading Volume 24:02 Grayscale Roadmap - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Unpacking the Bitcoin ETF and What's Next | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason are joined by Blockworks Senior Reporters Casey Wagner and Ben Strack to analyze the historic first approvals of Bitcoin spot ETFs. They discuss the early winners among top asset managers, with BlackRock, Fidelity, and Grayscale seeing significant early trading volumes. We also unpack the unfolding fee war between issuers as they slash prices to as low as 0.15% to stay competitive. We also dive into Coinbase's role as custodian for 9 of the 11 approved ETFs and discuss why their stock price surprisingly dropped. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Casey: https://twitter.com/caseywagnerr Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/strack_ben Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Send your crypto to your PayPal account, swap it for PYUSD, and use it to checkout at millions of stores. Pay how you want by getting started at: https://blckwrks.co/PYUSD - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Resources Bitwise Survey https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.bitwiseinvestments.com/Research/The-Bitwise-VettaFi-2023-Benchmark-Survey.pdf - - Timestamps: (01:24) ETF Approval History (10:04) The Fee Battles & ETF Customers (15:10) Grayscale Pivoting GBTC (19:18) Flow and AUM Predictions (24:09) DAS 2024 (25:24) PayPal Ad (26:22) ETH ETF Outlook (29:08) Coinbase Stock Pullback (31:24) SEC Prosecution Impact (36:59) Circle IPO - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Winning In 2024 With CMS Holdings | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3tFGmBv Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/48JRV9i Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- We're back with the first episode of 2024! This week, Dan Matuszewski of CMS Holdings joins the show for a discussion on trading crypto's next bull market. We deep dive into CMS's trading strategy, surviving previous bear markets, narrative trading in crypto & what to expect in 2024 post Bitcoin ETF approval. -- Follow CMS: https://twitter.com/cmsholdings Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:44) Trading Crypto Cycles (09:48) CMS's Trading Strategy (11:12) Surviving The 2022 Bear Market (20:09) The BTC/Alt Rotation (24:54) Trading The 2024 Cycle (28:44) GBTC (31:40) Narratives In Crypto (39:05) Getting Rugged (41:56) Crypto's 2017 Mania -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Solana 2024: Fee Markets, SVM Economics, and Saga Phone | Anatoly Yakovenko & Ben Sparango
In today's episode Jason and Santi are joined by Solana Labs founder and CEO Anatoly Yakovenko and Ben Sparango, the Head of Strategic Business Development. The duo has returned to discuss Solana's progress beyond the FTX fallout. They dive into Solana's priorities around scaling, fees, and alignment incentives between builders and validators. Anatoly elaborates on the network effects of open-sourcing core technology like the SVM, while Ben highlights mobile adoption and NFTs as driving new crypto demand. They debate the trajectory for permissionless finance to run mainstream markets on Solana, and whether the Saga phone can make a dent in Apple and Google's distribution monopolies. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Anatoly: https://twitter.com/aeyakovenko Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (02:00) The Solana Recovery Post SBF (10:30) Priorities for Solana Development (22:14) The Next Gen L1 Case for Builders (24:56) Economics of the SVM (34:17) State of Solana Fee Market (48:18) Inflation & Staking Dynamics (51:17) DAS 2024 (52:32) Arbitrum Ad (53:18) Harpie Ad (54:32) Open Source & Security Approach (01:02:02) Governance & Alignment (01:12:25) The Value of Permisionless Systems (01:19:04) Saga Mobile Strategy & Potential (01:25:14) Remaining Moonshot Ideas - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Managing Leverage in Crypto, Risk of Restaking, and ETF Updates | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason dive into recent crypto market volatility triggered by an analyst report forecasting SEC rejection of a spot Bitcoin ETF. They discuss the risks of overleveraging during bull runs, debate the usefulness of "economic security," and managing greed in seek of high yields. The conversation then turns to an in-depth analysis of the emerging trend of "restaking" protocols and discuss concerns about adding fragility and centralization risks. To close out they discuss the pending SEC decisions around several Bitcoin ETF filings . Thanks for tuning in! - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Resources Andrew Kang Post https://x.com/Rewkang/status/1742011188609712263 Marginal Revolution: Automatic Tax Filing? https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2022/05/automatic-tax-filing.html - - Timestamps (00:00) Buying Nike Sneakers & Meeting Fashion (02:51) The Market Nuke (10:51) Using Leverage vs Holding Spot (27:32) ETF Updates (34:07) Crypto Tax Reporting Obligations (42:12) Restaking: A Risk? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Our 2024 Predictions
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason reveal their 2024 crypto predictions across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and more. They debate whether Solana can flip Ethereum, if restaking products and NFTs will explode, if Coinbase becomes a bank, and if prediction markets finally go mainstream. They also discuss macro trends, regulatory risks, social fi, and end with price targets. Don't miss their unfiltered predictions for 2024. - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Resources https://www.helius.dev/blog/what-is-firedancer - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:20) 2024: The Risk On Year (03:39) Solana Closes in on MC of Eth (10:00) Growth of NFTs (13:13) Unicorns made in Solana (15:55) Bitcoin Wakes Up (18:58) A Restaking Bug & Hottest Narrative (22:19) AI Peak Mania (25:19) Does OG DeFi Comeback? (33:00) DAS 2024 (34:17) Harpie Ad (35:32) L2 Predictions (40:32) Coinbase Becomes a Bank (48:13) Biggest Catalyst in Crypto (57:49) NFA Price Predictions - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
AI and Crypto: Countering Centralization | Casey Caruso & Daniel Shorr
In this episode, host Santi dives into AI and it's intersection with Crypto. Joined by Casey and Daniel, they investigate AI's key innovations, centralizing tendency, and the importance of zero-knowledge proofs in merging AI and crypto. They address the potential challenges and opportunities presented by decentralized networks and GPUs. The chat extends to AI regulation, non-deterministic AI's issues in production, and AI model insurance. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Casey: https://twitter.com/caseykcaruso Follow Daniel: https://twitter.com/realDanielShorr Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (00:02) Evolution and State of AI (18:03) Model Specialization (30:37) Productization of AI (34:46) Crypto & AI Intersection (49:34) DAS 2024 (50:51) How Real is AI & Crypto (01:00:08) Performant Blockchains vs Ethereum (01:09:32) Decentralized Compute & Equitable GPU Access (01:17:18) First Crypto & AI Unlocks (01:32:18) AI & Crypto Debate - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Recapping 2023
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason reflect on crypto's 2023 landscape and beyond. They revisit their 2023 predictions and the best products, founders, stars, and companies from the year. They also share their perspectives on their best and worst investments of the year. The episode further delves into sectors to watch and concludes with a debate on the most overhyped sectors of 2024 offering a critical look at market expectations versus reality. We hope you have a happy holidays! - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (00:51) Beards & Ending 2023 (04:39) 2023 Predictions Reviewed (08:38) Best Product (12:00) Best Founder (15:00) Breakout Stars (18:18) Break out Companies (25:00) Best Investment (28:51) DAS 2024 (30:08) Worst Investment (35:29) Sectors to Watch in Crypto (40:37) Most Overhyped Sector of 2024 - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How to Make an NFT Market for Traders | Richard Wu & Ilja Moisejevs
In today's episode of Empire Santi is joined by Ilya and Richard, the Founders of Solana's leading NFT Marketplace Tensor. They detail Tensor's origin story, from meeting online during COVID to building Solana's leading NFT marketplace amidst the FTX fallout. They discuss critical issues like enhancing Solana's developer experience, decentralizing their protocol in 2024, evolving user behavior and adoption trends on Solana, and their grand vision for NFTs as the fundamental building blocks underpinning blockchain's adoption. Thanks for tuning in! - - Follow Ilja: https://twitter.com/_ilmoi Follow Richard: https://twitter.com/0xrwu Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Origin Story of Tensor (07:10) The NFT Marketplace for Traders (18:12) The Grand Vision of Tensor (27:09) Tensor Usecase (32:45) DAS 2024 (34:02) Challenges of Initial Prodict Features (39:38) Rethinking Standards (45:47) Evolving Solana User Chains (53:16) How does Solana Grow from here? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How Much Money Do You Need To Retire? | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3NiKjm6 Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3TcDNks Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- On today's episode of 1000x, Jonah and Avi discuss recent market price action as Bitcoin hovers just below $45,000. Ahead of expected Bitcoin ETF approvals in January 2024, we deep dive into the meme coin mania, crypto's most hated trade & defining success as a trader. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Referenced In The Show: How Much Crypto Should You Own?: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-much-crypto-should-you-own-1000x/id1554930038?i=1000637803024 -- Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (3:29) Crypto Feels Frothy (7:19) Meme Coins (13:26) The Bitcoin ETF (18:25) Ethereum (23:43) Layer-1s: Ethereum, Solana & Avalanche (30:00) How To Trade 2024's Crypto Cycle (36:19) What Is Success In Trading? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Avalanche: What are Subnets and What's Wrong With Appchains | Kevin Sekniqi & Patrick O'Grady
In today's episode of Empire, Kevin Sekniqi, Co-Founder of Avalanche, and Patrick O'Grady, VP of Engineering at Avalanche, join the show to discuss the past, present, and future of Avalanche. They start by explaining the core thesis behind Avalanche - that the future will consist of thousands of highly optimized, specialized blockchains rather than one chain to rule them all. Kevin and Patrick provide an overview of Avalanche's architecture, clarifying common misconceptions around P-Chain, C-Chain, and subnets. They then do a deep dive into the rationale and economics behind subnets, contrasting them to solutions like rollups and how Warp and Hyper SDK fit in the overall strategy. For all of this and much more stay tuned! - - Follow Kevin: https://twitter.com/kevinsekniqi Follow Patrick: https://twitter.com/_patrickogrady Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:59) Why does Avalanche exist? (09:38) Creating Optimized Chains (16:30) Economics of Subnets (25:56) Endgame Vision of Subnets (34:05) DAS 2024 (35:10) Toku Ad (36:40) Next Gen L1s (40:20) Warp: Cross Subnet Messages (48:02) HyperSDK: Launch your own Blockchain (51:37) Dev Adoption & dApp Layer Innovation (01:03:06) Future of Value Accrual to AVAX (01:12:57) Decentralization & Performance for Blockchains - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How FASB Ruling Paves The Way for Bitcoin Corporate Treasuries | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Jason and Santi dive into the latest crypto news, including the FASB fair value ruling for Bitcoin, the Ledger exploit, and the controversy around Rainbow's new points system. They debate the pros and cons of new yield generating protocols like Manta and BLAST, make 2024 predictions about the proliferation of L2 platforms with native yield, and discuss whether investing in early DeFi protocols still makes sense. Tune in for all this and much more! - - Northstake simplifies the way institutional investors own a stake in Web3 by offering regulatory-compliant staking products. By ensuring institutional investors can participate in the burgeoning crypto market while adhering to the necessary legal and regulatory requirements. To learn how Northstake is bridging the gap between crypto and institutions go to: https://www.northstake.dk/tokenized-eth-staking - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (00:02) Introduction (06:26) FASB Confirms 'Fair Value' Approach (14:37) Ledger Connect Kit Exploit (31:27) Point System Hate (41:38) Layer0 Launch Video (45:26) 2024 Predictions (55:06) Are OG DeFi Protocols Investments? - - Resources Layer0 Research Report & Video https://app.blockworksresearch.com/research/layer-zero-v2-the-decoupling-of-security-and-execution https://x.com/LayerZero_Labs/status/1735317463032893946 Ledger Exploit https://blockworks.co/news/ledger-statement-on-phishing-hack - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Solving Crypto's Oracle Problem | Mike Cahill
In this episode Jason and Santi are joined by Mike Cahill, CEO of Douro Labs and contributor at Pyth Network, an oracle that publishes financial market data to multiple blockchains. The conversation delves into how Pyth Network addresses failings in both the current Oracle system in crypto and the traditional capital markets. Cahill discusses how the network has evolved, its present accomplishments, the benefits of their governance token, and their approach to rewards. To close out Mike outlines potential future developments and the network's greater aim of inviting widespread participation in its open-source projects. - - Follow Mike Cahill: https://twitter.com/mdomcahill Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: 00:00 The Market Data Monopoly 09:13 The Oracle Problem 21:19 Origins of Pyth 30:40 The Business Model & Revenue 40:21 DAS 2024 41:36 Toku Ad 41:56 The Role of PYTH Token 55:21 Reward Mechanism for Pyth Network - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Is Crypto Really Back? | Roundup
From across the globe, today's episode of Empire brings Santi and Jason together to discuss Societe Generale's first-ever Euro stablecoin launch, Santi's reaction to feedback, and whether we truly are back. They also explore the implications of meme coin culture and if it damages the perception of the industry as whole. They also discuss Coinbase's recent easy crypto payments feature launch and the striking convenience it offers. They close out by deliberating on the future of gaming in the crypto space and upcoming content. Enjoy! - - Northstake simplifies the way institutional investors own a stake in Web3 by offering regulatory-compliant staking products. By ensuring institutional investors can participate in the burgeoning crypto market while adhering to the necessary legal and regulatory requirements. To learn how Northstake is bridging the gap between crypto and institutions go to: https://www.northstake.dk/tokenized-eth-staking - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open_roles - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (00:13) The London DeFi and Crypto Scene (10:24) Santi's Reaction to the Reaction (17:06) Is the Bull Market here? (24:53) Why does crypto exist if it's meme coin meta? (31:24) DAS 2024 (32:39) Chronicle Ad (33:54) Northstake Ad (34:54) Where are we in this cycle? (38:16) Euro-pegged Stablecoin (50:13) Coinbase Wallet Payments (54:27) Upcoming Content - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How Much Crypto Should You Own? | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3sJOsIJ Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/47MEsxe Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- In today's episode of 1000x Jonah and Avi discuss the recent bullish price action in crypto markets. As Bitcoin broke out above $44,000, we dive into the best way to play the BTC/Alt rotation trade, crypto's cycle top & the most hated trade in crypto right now... Ethereum. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Referenced In The Show: Solana's End Game with Anatoly Yakovenko: https://apple.co/3QuF7NZ -- Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (1:19) Allocating To Crypto (5:30) The BTC/Alt Rotation (11:19) Ethereum (15:10) Solana NFT's (19:01) Crypto's Cycle Top (27:46) Crypto's Biggest Mover's (31:17) Why Own Crypto? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How to Build Crypto’s First Breakout Game | Robbie Ferguson
In this episode, host Santi dives into the world of Web3 gaming with Robbie Ferguson, co-founder of Immutable - an Ethereum gaming protocol enabling true digital asset ownership for gamers. Robbie explains how Immutable allows game developers to build Web3 mechanics into their titles. They also explore the intersection of blockchains and games, Ethereum's role, and the need for scalable solutions as adoption grows. To close out Robbie discusses the challenges and future landscape of Web3 gaming, including excitement around new collaborations and partnerships primed to redefine the space. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Robbie: https://twitter.com/0xferg Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:59) Immutable Origin Story (17:07) Selecting the Base Layer (25:18) State of Crypto Gaming (32:02) Crypto Gaming Outlook (36:42) Scalability of Web3 Games (42:22) The Bear Case of Crypto Gaming (44:44) GTM & What's Next for Immutable (50:22) Challenges of Web2 Gaming - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
What's Next for the Cosmos Appchain Thesis? | Ethan Buchman and Sam Hart
In today's episode of Empire, Jason and Santi are revisiting the Cosmos appchain thesis and are joined by Ethan Buchman, Cosmos co-founder, and Sam Hart, head of product & strategy at Skip Protocol. They revisit the App Chain thesis and how it is playing out both within Cosmos and L2-Ethereum based rollups. The ideal protocol for launching an App Chain is unpacked, addressing functionality needs, integration requirements, governance models and more. Sam and Ethan dive into IBC enabling multi-chain flows, shared security models and key learnings from governance processes in Cosmos. Thanks for tuning in! - - Follow Ethan: https://twitter.com/buchmanster Follow Sam: https://twitter.com/hxrts Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) The App Chain Thesis Was Right (05:49) Ideal Protocol for an App Chain (12:31) Cosmos Tech vs BD Strategy (19:32) Why Select Cosmos for an App Chain (29:48) DAS 2024 (31:00) Toku Ad (32:23) Bootstrapping Validator Sets (45:53) How do Appchains Unlock Killer Apps (51:28) Cosmos Governance Learnings - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Why Solana Could Flip Ethereum | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason unpack the biggest debates in crypto including integrated vs. modular blockchains and whether Solana can flip Ethereum. The conversation also explores the dynamics of hardware requirements, blockchain execution environments, parallel execution, network consensus, and how these factors shape the development and adoption of networks. To lighten the mood the duo chat about Spotify Wrapped, NFT collecting mindset, and their personal favorite songs. Thanks for tuning in! - - Northstake simplifies the way institutional investors own a stake in Web3 by offering regulatory-compliant staking products. By ensuring institutional investors can participate in the burgeoning crypto market while adhering to the necessary legal and regulatory requirements. To learn how Northstake is bridging the gap between crypto and institutions go to: https://www.northstake.dk/tokenized-eth-staking - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open_roles - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: 01:29 Spotify Wrapped and Blockworks Merch 07:56 Modular vs Monolithic Debate 18:13 Protocol Layering vs Integrated Designs 34:57 DAS 2024 36:12 Chronicle Ad 37:27 Northstake Ad 38:28 Will Solana Flip Eth? 56:12 The Solana NFT Craze & NFT Investing Mindset 01:03:10 Drop your Spotify Wrap in the Comments - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Building Modular Move Networks on Ethereum | Nick White, Rushi Manche & Avery Ching
In today's episode of Empire we explore the current state and future of modular blockchains. With special guests Avery Ching, Rushi Mache, and Nick White, the discussion revolves around the pros and cons of Modular and Monolithic Blockchain Architecture, aptness of execution environments, the importance of scalability, and the standardization and consolidation in the blockchain space. The conversation further dives into the performance and potential of Move Virtual Machine, the struggles of the Ethereum Virtual Machine, and the promise of innovative solutions like Celestia to offer more cost-effective and efficient data availability. We hope you Enjoy! -- Follow Avery: https://twitter.com/AveryChing Follow Nick: https://twitter.com/nickwh8te Follow Rushi: https://twitter.com/rushimanche?lang=en Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:00 The Modular Blockchain Thesis 04:26 MOVE-Based Blockchains 17:33 Is Monolothic Dated? 32:21 DAS London 33:38 Measuring Blockchain Performance & Scalability 43:31 The Future of DEV Activity 52:29 The Killer App 57:07 Will there be a Final Optimal Stack? 01:03:46 DAS London - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Why Polychain Capital Founder Never Sells His Crypto | Olaf Carlson-Wee
In today's episode of Empire, Olaf Carlson, the founder of Polychain and first Coinbase employee, shares why he believes crypto is going to be the greatest wealth redistribution of the modern era. The conversation covers the impact of the leverage cycle, the viability of restaking, and the importance of privacy. They also touch on the L2 and Appchain thesis, embedding financial markets into social platforms, and the potential of wearables. Olaf breaks down why crypto is a one-way street and why it will outlive fiat currency. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Olaf: https://twitter.com/zxocw Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (00:00) Crypto Sentiment Check (06:38) The L2 Wave (14:52) App-chain Thesis (24:20) Impact of the Leverage Driven Cycle (33:35) DAS 2023 (34:51) Toku Ad (36:03) Crypto in 10 years (43:44) Privacy Solutions, Shared Security, and Wearables (53:24) Why Olaf Doesn't Sell - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
CZ Steps Down from Binance and a Blast L2 Debate | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason discuss the bombshell news of Binance pleading guilty and paying over $4 billion in fines related to money laundering violations. They analyze the implications for Coinbase, DeFi, and institutional adoption. They then shift gears to the controversial launch of L2 platform Blast and its native yield offerings. This takes the duo into a deep discussion of why should more L2s exist and what are vital heuristics for valuing these scaling solutions. We hope you enjoy! - - Northstake simplifies the way institutional investors own a stake in Web3 by offering regulatory-compliant staking products. By ensuring institutional investors can participate in the burgeoning crypto market while adhering to the necessary legal and regulatory requirements. To learn how Northstake is bridging the gap between crypto and institutions go to: https://www.northstake.dk/tokenized-eth-staking - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open_roles - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Crypto’s premier institutional conference returns to London in March 2024 and we’ve got a killer deal for Black Friday...or as we call it BlackRock Friday. For a limited time we’re running a 20% promo on our 4 pack of DAS tickets. For just 399 GBP per ticket you can share the room with the world's top executives and hear from some of the largest institutions in crypto. Grab 3 friends or 3 colleagues and use code BLACKROCK for 20% off on 4 pack tickets. Only valid until Nov 27th. Use code "BLACKROCKEMPIRE" at: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (01:38) In-Laws, Working in Crypto, and Good Mood Santi (04:00) Binance CZ Steps Down (28:46) Blast L2 Controversial Launch (38:08) DAS 2024 (39:23) Chronicle Ad (40:38) Northstale Ad (41:38) Bearish Takes on Blast L2 (01:04:33 )Why Does Paradigm Experiment? (01:09:34) Coindesk Acquired by Bullish - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Trading Crypto Cycles With Ansem | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/45htDli Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Kz0Bpw Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- Happy thanksgiving! On today's episode of 1000x, Ansem joins the show for a discussion on trading crypto cycles. We deep dive into Ansem's introduction to crypto, the Solana thesis & where we are in the cycle right now. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Ansem: https://twitter.com/blknoiz06 Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (1:19) Binance Agrees to Settle $4.3B Fine (2:59) Ansem's Introduction To Crypto (6:01) Have Alt's Topped? (8:47) The Solana Thesis (13:47) Cycle Bags (20:39) The Crypto Thesis (26:33) Trading Crypto Cycles (31:26) Sentiment In Crypto (40:41) Only Possible On Solana (46:30) NFTs & Meme Coins (54:30) The Next Crypto Market Top (1:04:45) Crypto Twitter -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
The Evolution of Synthetix and Onchain Perps | Kain Warwick
In today's episode of Empire, Kane Warwick returns to unpack Synthetix V3, the design thinking behind Infinex, and the challenges of decentralized governance. We explore funding rates, arbitrage opportunities, and what it will take to bring the DeFi trading experience to parity with centralized exchanges. Kane also provides his philosophical views on building in public, the societal benefits of open source crypto, and the pressures of "decentralization theater." We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Kain: https://twitter.com/kaiynne Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (01:20) The Infinex & Synthetix Experiment (03:23) Synthetix Post Luna & FTX (13:23) Matching the CEX Experience Onchain (24:19) Perps Mechanism Explained (34:46) DAS 2024 (36:00) Chronicle Ad (37:21) Fragmentation of Users on L2s (46:08) Revenue Model & DAO Governance (54:25) The Case for Decentralized Governance (01:06:22) Improving DAO Efficiency (01:13:56) Benefits of Building in Public - - Resources: Synthetix: A fork in the road. https://mirror.xyz/kain.eth/lVhI3TWwpzPHSsFwUvcRFTz_8IBhdrOYC0ojtkvLbNY - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How We're Positioning for The Next Crypto Cycle | Roundup
In today's episode of Empire Santi and Jason discuss the current crypto market conditions, reflecting on whether the recent rally signals the start of a new bull market or just a temporary surge. The duo reveals the indicators they pay attention to like Bitcoin stability, altcoin movement, and stablecoin inflows to assess the health of the market. Sharing personal experiences, Santi shares his portfolio strategy, stressing probabilistic thinking and controlling emotions like FOMO. To close out they discuss relative value investing, the private market, trading vs investing, and how to manage risk as prices increase. Thanks for tuning in! - - Northstake simplifies the way institutional investors own a stake in Web3 by offering regulatory-compliant staking products. By ensuring institutional investors can participate in the burgeoning crypto market while adhering to the necessary legal and regulatory requirements, Northstake is bridging the gap between traditional finance and crypto. https://www.northstake.dk/tokenized-eth-staking - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open_roles - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) DOXing, Marathons, and Influenza (06:13) Timing the Crypto Market (12:27) Buying Solana on a Break Out (16:45) Trading vs Holding (22:34) Santi Portfolio Construction (30:31) Catalysts vs Fundamentals (36:37) Allocation of Portfolios (42:56) DAS 2024 (44:12) Northstake Ad (45:10) Chronicle Ad (46:26) Identifying Price Targets (52:56) Evaluating Application Layer (01:00:43) Managing Investing Anxiety (01:07:24) Is the Bull Market Here? (01:12:57) Companies Not Considering the Future (01:15:54) The Coinbase Thesis — Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How to Trade This Solana Rally | Joe McCann
In this episode of Empire, Joe McCann, founder of Asymmetric, shares why he believes Solana offers unique technical architecture that enables new types of web3 applications not possible on Ethereum. He explains why he thinks Solana's scalability offers a better developer experience compared to building on Ethereum L2s. McCann dives into macro trends, analyzing market flows to evaluate if the recent market move has legs. To close out he evaluates risks to his Solana thesis. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Joe: https://twitter.com/joemccann Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) Intellectual Convexity (10:16) Identifying Institutions & Jurisdictions of Interest (15:53) Bull Environment is Here? (20:46) The Solana Thesis (30:39) Bonk VS Solana Thesis (33:07) DAS 2024 (34:22) TOKU ad (35:35) Managing Risks & Taking Profit (46:46) Solana Investment (51:03) Factoring in Macro (56:41) Event vs Fundamental Driven Trades (01:03:51) Why L2s Won't Work (01:15:49) What Could Derail Solana? (01:22:06) Exciting Solana Applications - - Resources Asymmetric https://asymmetric.financial/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Institutionalizing Crypto & The Return of the Bull Market | Roundup
In this week's roundup, the Michael power duo from the Bell Curve podcast team dive into the recent market rally and explore its implications in crypto including debt proceedings and VC appetite. They explore the Ethereum ETF approval potentially becoming a reality and the controversy surrounding Wintermute’s CEO Evgeny Gaevoy and the Near Foundation. To close out they discuss the future developments to look out for in the crypto, including the potential rise of alternative L1s and newer narratives. Thanks for watching! - - Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Follow Michael A: https://twitter.com/im_manderson Subscribe to Bell Curve on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe to Bell Curve on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe to Bell Curve on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use BELL20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (2:01) Are We Back? (8:28) Token Prices Impacting Bankruptcy Proceedings (10:31) An FTX Restart? (20:11) Cycle Change Indicators? (24:42) Institutionalizing Crypto (35:23) DAS London Ad (36:32) Bitcoin Hashrate Lag (42:30) Near Foundation & Aurora Accusations (48:44) End Game of Blockchain Stacks - - Resources Wintermute CEO Accuses Near https://blockworks.co/news/wintermute-ceo-accused-near-foundation-of-failing-to-redeem-stablecoins BlackRock ETF Proposal https://blockworks.co/news/blackrock-ishares-ether-etf - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Jason, Michael, Vance and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.tt and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Return Of The Bull Market | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/45htDli Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Kz0Bpw Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- In today's episode of 1000x Jonah and Avi discuss the return of the crypto bull market as positive sentiment about a Bitcoin ETF spurs a massive rally in Solana. We also debrief on the episode with Anatoly, walk through how to find the best opportunities as a trader & how to navigate technical trades vs a fundamental investment thesis. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Referenced In The Show: Solana's End Game with Anatoly Yakovenko: apple.co/3QuF7NZ Fake bitcoin ETF report triggers price jump to $30k, $100M wave of liquidations: https://blockworks.co/news/bitcoin-etf-report-price-jump -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:06) The Solana Debrief (8:32) Applications In Crypto (12:51) Bitcoin's Move To $35,000, Catalyst For A Crypto Rally (20:04) The Setup For A Bitcoin Bull Market (25:57) Technical vs Fundamental Trading (32:16) Opportunities In Crypto -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Why Resy Founder is Building in Crypto | Ben Leventhal & Li Jin
In this episode of Empire, Li Jin from Variant Fund and Ben Leventhal from Blackbird and co-founder of Resy, cover the intersection of the consumer market and crypto. They delve into the history of consumer startups, the limitations of traditional businesses in the dining industry, and the potential of crypto to transform ownership. Ben discusses Blackbird and how it addresses issues in the restaurant industry by establishing better connection and understanding between restaurants and customers. To close out Li touches on her vision for consumer crypto leading into 2024. Thanks for tuning in! - - Follow Li: https://twitter.com/ljin18 Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benleventhal Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) End of Times for Consumer Apps (05:58) Consumer Crypto's Advantage (17:22) Identity Rails for Restaurants (21:23) Balancing Blockchain & Consumer Rights (27:45) Complexity of Building On Web3 (30:00) Toku ad (31:16) Variant Fund Approach to Consumer Crypto (36:23) Why Use Crypto? (41:54) FLY Token & Progressive Ownership (46:44) Mitigating Attack Vectors (50:21) Consumer Crypto in 2024 - - Resources Blackbird Docs https://www.blackbird.xyz/flypaper Li Jin Barrier to Mainstream Adoption https://variant.fund/articles/barrier-to-mainstream-crypto-adoption-is-product-market-fit/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Why DCG is Crypto's Enron Moment | Ram Ahluwalia
In today's episode of Empire, we take an in-depth look at the controversies surrounding DCG (Digital Currency Group) with our special guest, Ram Ahluwalia. Ram sheds light on the complex DCG saga involving Barry Silbert, 3 Arrows Capital, and the 'Widow Maker' trade that entangled several entities, including Gemini and Grayscale. The team discusses the case and the roles played by various figures and corporations, challenging decisions made along the way, and contemplating what could have been done differently. To close out they speculate on the fate of Grayscale and the broader implications for the crypto and venture markets. - - Follow Ram: https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open - - Timestamps: (00:00) DCG, Genesis, Gemini Case Overview (04:17) The Widow Maker Trade (12:45) Was this all avoidable? (18:02) $1.1B Promissory Note (23:21) Worse than Enron (28:06) Systemic Risk & Recouping Creditors (35:09) Chronicle Ad (36:27) Is Gemini Responsible? (43:46) Contagions and Second Order Effects (50:23) Barry's Empire (57:19) Does a New Genesis Happen? - - Resources Ram DCG Threads https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia/status/1594153586157670403 https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia/status/1716218498341597430 - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Empire Debates: The Solana Comeback and BlackRock ETF Playbook
In this episode of Empire Debates Santi, Tommy, and Ryan kick off with the anticipated approval of a Bitcoin ETF and its potential to usher institutional money into crypto. They then pivot to Ethereum's ascension as an asset and Solana's ability to attract developers and discuss if Solana will be the ultimate ETH killer. The conversation further explores the ramifications of institutional players entering the crypto space and examines the unique distribution strategy underpinning Telegram and Tron. Thanks for tuning in! Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Tommy, and Zach may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. - - Follow Tommy: https://twitter.com/Shaughnessy119 Follow Ryan: https://twitter.com/kukulabanze Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:07) BlackRock ETF Approved? (10:12) ETF Impact on Portfolio Decisions (21:10) How Financial Systems Influence Decisions (29:31) The Solana Thesis (45:42) Aversion to Building on Ethereum (52:50) Telegram and Tron Wallets - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Tommy, and Zach may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Why a $76B Asset Manager is Unlocking Onchain Yield to Institutions | Jan van Eck & Martin Leinweber
In today's episode of Empire Jason is joined by Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck, a firm overseeing $76.4 billion in assets, and Martin Leinweber, a digital asset strategist at Market Vector Indexes. They dive into conversation ranging from the macroeconomic climate to the prospects of a Bitcoin ETF approval. They dissect how MarketVector aims to capture crypto native value through Ethereum staking rewards and other on-chain metrics, the demand for these products from institutions, and how MarketVector creates investible crypto products for institutions to get exposure. - - Follow Jan van Eck: https://twitter.com/JanvanEck3 Follow Martin Leinweber: https://twitter.com/mleinweber2 Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) Macro Sentiment Check (07:51) Budget Deficit Concern: Overblown? (14:15) The van Eck Origin Story (18:31) The 60-40 Portfolio (22:23) Bitcoin ETF Likelihood in 2023 vs 2024 (28:11) Toku Ad (29:25) MarketVector Changing Data and Indices (40:46) Demand for Onchain Yield (45:19) Corporate Strategy Focus on Crypto (48:48) Identifying Tokens with Economic Traction (53:15) Central Banks Buying BTC - - Resources - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Policy Series: Crypto Terrorism, FinCEN vs Mixers, and IRS Tax Updates | Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky
In the latest episode of the Empire Policy Series, Santi hosts Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to delve into recent allegations of Hamas leveraging cryptocurrency for terrorism funding, FinCEN's upcoming rules concerning crypto mixers, and the IRS's evolving crypto tax regulations. The trio also dissect the the forthcoming 3-6 months of crypto regulation and discuss recent bipartisan legislative triumphs in the stablecoin domain. To close out both Rebecca and Jake highlight the need for industry-wide collaboration to ensure regulations both foster innovation and effectively mitigate inherent risks. - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:31) Is Crypto Financing Terrorism? (11:37) Policy Maker Responses to Crypto Terrorism (18:34) Chainalysis Ad (19:38) Mixer Rule by Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (31:49) Defining the Mixer Use Case (45:22) Tax Provision for Crypto (51:59) Regulatory Outlook - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources Submit a comment on regulation https://www.protectdefi.org/ DeFi Education Fund https://www.defieducationfund.org/ The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
How to Position for a New Crypto Bull Market | Ben Forman and Jason Kam
In today's episode of Empire Santi is joined by Jason Kam, Founder of Folius Ventures,and Ben Forman, Mananging Partner of ParaFi Capital, to find out if the bear market really is over. They dive into the recent crypto price action and whether an Ethereum ETF could be a catalyst for DeFi. They then look to the future and discuss how gaming and prediction markets could drive adoption, the opportunities in tokenizing real world assets, and why this environment rhymes with late 2019 when fundamentals were emerging but prices were low. Ben and Jason also discuss their outlook on the macro landscape, remaining opportunities in liquid and illiquid markets, and why they believe we may be in the early innings of a new bull market driven by growing institutional interest and real use cases. - - Follow Jason Kam: https://twitter.com/MapleLeafCap Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#ope... - - MetaMask Portfolio is your one-stop shop for all things web3. Instead of connecting to multiple exchanges, dapps, and tools, you just need to connect to one simple dapp to track and manage all your assets across different networks and accounts. MetaMask Portfolio provides a secure and convenient way to perform common tasks such as Buy, Sell, Swap, Bridge, and Stake. Try MetaMask Portfolio at https://blckwrks.co/MetaMaskEmpire - - Timestamps: (00:00) Sentiment Check-in with Private Investors (08:48) Portfolio Positioning (18:08) Investing Outside of the Majors (24:00) Investing in Crypto Layers (30:44) Deciding Thesis Invalidation (35:40) DeFi Catalysts (45:13) Chronicle Ad (46:30) Metamask Ad (47:15) Unique Use Cases Outside of RWAs (54:12) Timing Investments & Managing Risk (59:41) Value in Gaming and Blockchain (01:12:39) How Financialization Complicates Social Behaviors (01:18:48) Why is Scaling Usage Hard? (01:35:26) Are We in a New Cycle? - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Solana's End Game with Anatoly Yakovenko | 1000x
Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/45htDli Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Kz0Bpw Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- In today's episode of 1000x Jonah and Avi welcome Anatoly Yakovenko to the show for a discussion on Solana's end game. After a tweet from Jonah questioning the future of Solana, we thought why not invite Anatoly himself to the show to explain Solana's ultimate vision. We deep dive into finding crypto's perfect use case, disrupting legacy financial rails, the challenges of building through a bear market & crypto's killer use case. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Anatoly: https://twitter.com/aeyakovenko Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (3:23) Solana's Ultimate Vision (7:57) Value Within A PoS Chain (10:25) Running A Solana Validator (13:03) Firedancer: Boosting Solana's Scalability (17:21) TVL & Volume On Solana (21:56) Crypto's Perfect Use Case (25:10) Stablecoins (31:05) The Future Of Solana (38:01) The Waves Of Adoption In Crypto (43:54) Building Community In Solana (48:06) Solana's Perfect Product Market Fit (54:47) What Solana Has Learnt From Ethereum -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
The Bull Case for Crypto ETFs | Matt Hougan & Hunter Horsley
In today's episode of Empire Jason and Santi are joined by Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley and CIO Matt Hougan to dive into the world of ETFs. They discuss the early skepticism and misconceptions around ETFs, why a Bitcoin ETF approval could be transformative for crypto adoption and maturity, the layers of security and regulation with ETFs, and the potential timeline and sequence for crypto ETF products. They close out by exploring how an ETF could boost crypto's credibility and accessibility for traditional investors and revisiting the bull case for Coinbase. - - Follow Hunter: https://twitter.com/HHorsley Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/Matt_Hougan Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) False ETF News (02:30) What is an ETF? (09:03) Market Manipulation in Crypto (14:52) Investment Reality in Crypto (21:47) Who Wins if ETFs are Approved? (29:52) Regulatory Concerns for ETFs (35:15) Toku Ad (36:30) Voting and Delegate Structure of ETFs (40:26) Safety and Reporting of Crypto ETFs (46:43) Timeline and Sequence of ETF Types for Crypto (53:52) Can Crypto Change ETFs? (56:35) Coinbase Thesis -- Resources Bitwise ETFs https://blockworks.co/news/0xresearch-bitwise-spot-bitcoin-etf - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.