Navigating the Stablecoin Landscape

Gm! This week we're joined by Edward Woodford to discuss the economics of stablecoins. We deep dive into Circle's S-1 filing, who will benefit the most from the stablecoin business model, how does Circle remain competitive, the end game for stablecoin issuers & more. Enjoy!

--

Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross.

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Edward: https://x.com/e_woodford

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Petra Earn was designed to make DeFi more accessible for everyone—from seasoned pros to DeFi beginners. Manage your balance, claim rewards and deposit directly from the app.

By supplying USDT to Aries lending pools, users have the potential to earn a higher yield compared to some traditional methods.

Not financial advice. Participating in Defi carries risks. To learn more visit https://petra.app/earn

--

Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.

The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC will be live in April 2025.

--

Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.

Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto. Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.

🔹 Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens

🔹 Summarize market-moving news instantly

🔹 Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The Tie

Get started today: https://askfocal.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

Token.com is a social-first crypto platform transforming how people discover and trade through crypto content. The revolutionary in-feed trading turns complex crypto into intuitive investments, while content creators earn from every trade and projects amplify their stories through native tokens - creating a new era of social media-powered crypto discovery. Just scroll to watch and tap to invest. Download the app!

--

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(01:17) The ZeroHash Origin Story

(04:48) Circle's S-1 Filing

(10:20) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(11:40) How Does Circle Remain Competitive?

(14:57) The Stablecoin Business Model

(20:23) Should Circle Launch Its Own Chain?

(21:34) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(22:54) Will The Banks Win?

(27:06) The End Game For Stablecoins

(30:43) Meta's Stablecoin Strategy

(34:12) Ads (Falcon x, WalletConnect, Token.com)

(36:25) Tether

(39:30) Tether vs Circle: Who Will Win?

(41:57) Will Coinbase Acquire Circle?

(44:33) The Thesis For Stables

(48:46) Tokenization

(51:42) Stablecoin Regulation

(55:43) The Stablecoin Hype 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.