Why Are Payments Firms Buying Crypto Exchanges (South Korea Deal)?

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Final Settlement is a weekly podcast covering the underlying mechanics of the bitcoin protocol, its ongoing development and funding, and real-world applications of the technology.

00:00 - Market Sentiment and Predictions

02:32 - Tether's Valuation and Market Impact

11:00 - AI and Stablecoin Innovations

25:11 - Capital Discipline in AI Investments

27:32 - The Impact of AI on Capital and Energy

30:49 - Universal Basic Income and AI Tokens

33:01 - AI's Influence on Stock Market Dynamics

34:35 - The Future of Energy and Economic Growth

38:40 - Bitcoin as a Hedge Against Capital Destruction

41:41 - TradFi's Shift Towards Digital Assets

45:45 - Mainstream Adoption of Digital Assets

51:37 - The Future of Bitcoin Companies and Market Dynamics

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Links discussed:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/23/tether-reportedly-seeks-lofty-500-billion-valuation-in-capital-raise-.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/09/29/google-ai-stablecoin-payments-a-first-protocol-for-autonomous-agents/
https://decrypt.co/340910/morgan-stanley-bitcoin-ethereum-solana-trading-etrade
https://www.theblock.co/post/372531/vanguard-crypto-etf-access
https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1972615445950701672
https://x.com/ReneSellmann/status/1972243094063231458
https://x.com/business/status/1971354036524716082
https://x.com/JimPethokoukis/status/1970846329791234193
https://x.com/GSR_io/status/1971640456871399899
https://www.theblock.co/post/372706/swift-blockchain-ledger-consensys
https://www.theblock.co/post/372627/kraken-mulls-potential-investor-at-20-billion-valuation-ahead-of-planned-ipo-bloomberg
https://www.theblock.co/post/372230/upbit-merge-under-naver
https://cointelegraph.com/news/circle-examines-reversible-stablecoin-transactions
https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/accenture-layoffs-cross-11000-ceo-julie-sweet-warns-of-further-exits-81670.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdne9xaRLUc

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