The Crypto Beat

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland was joined by Jito Co-Founder & CEO Lucas Bruder and Jito Foundation Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Uhm. In this episode, Tim, Thomas and Lucas discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking, and how innovations like BAM and JitoSOL could unlock institutional adoption, tighter markets, and broader yield opportunities. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:18 – What is Liquid Staking? 04:00 – SEC's Stance on Liquid Staking 07:23 – Impact on Solana and Ecosystems 12:05 – Institutional Adoption 16:21 – ETFs and Liquid Staking 18:37 – Layer One Announcements 24:11 – Introducing BAM 27:52 – Solana Ecosystem Sentiment 30:21 – Solana vs. Ethereum 33:53 – Future of Blockchains 39:15 – Future Priorities for Jito The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Thomas Uhm - https://x.com/ThomasUhm Lucas Bruder - https://x.com/buffalu__ Jito - https://x.com/jito_sol Jito Foundation - https://x.com/JitoFDN Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks were joined by CoinFund’s Kavan Canekeratne. In this episode, Tim, Kelvin and Kavan discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking. He explains the rise of perpetuals, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and the competitive dynamics of exchanges, while highlighting risks around leverage, meme coins, and treasury companies. The discussion closes with Ethereum vs. Solana, Bitcoin DeFi, and the growing overlap between crypto and gambling. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Crypto in 401Ks and U.S. regulatory shifts 03:42 - Roman Storm trial  04:47 - Explosion of perpetuals trading 06:18 - Exchange competition 07:38 - Tokenized stocks and global adoption 11:12 - Risks of leverage and stablecoin clarity 16:30 - Tokenized RWAs  17:32 - Ethereum’s resurgence vs. Solana’s momentum 22:37 - Rollups, UX improvements, and scaling Ethereum 24:48 - Meme coins, NFTs, and evolving adoption cycles 30:32 - Bitcoin DeFi & treasury companies 40:08 - Closing remarks The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Kavan Canekeratne - ⁠https://x.com/kavancane Coinfund -⁠ https://x.com/coinfund_io Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks was joined by Securitize President Michael Sonnenshein. In this episode, Sonnenshein explores the evolving market for tokenized securities, and explains the advantages of bringing traditional assets like equities, treasuries, and private credit onto public blockchains in a fully regulated, investor-protective way. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – Promotion to President 01:28 – White House Digital Asset Report 03:44 – Regulatory Interest in Security Tokens 05:40 – Vision for Tokenized Equities 09:07 – Demand for Tokenized Treasuries 10:38 – Path to One Trillion in Tokenized Securities 12:38 – Robinhood and Tokenized Equities 15:24 – Benefits of Tokenized Equities 19:43 – Hamilton Lane Integration with Elixir 22:05 – Grayscale Bitcoin ETF Reflections 23:30 – SEC and In-kind Redemption 26:08 – Future of ETFs 26:17 – Systemic Risk of Bitcoin Treasury Companies 28:26 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Michael Sonnenshein - https://x.com/Sonnenshein Securitize -⁠ https://x.com/Securitize Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Federico Brokate, head of U.S. Business at 21Shares. In this episode, Tim and Federico discuss the remarkable success of Bitcoin ETFs. Brokate delves into institutional adoption trends, future crypto ETF developments, and potential shifts in market dynamics. The conversation also touches on burgeoning institutional interest in new crypto assets. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:25 – Bitcoin ETFs' Success 04:43 – Hedge Funds and Basis Trade 06:11 – Options on ETFs 09:35 – From BlackRock to 21Shares 11:49 – International vs US Demand 14:49 – Selecting Assets 18:18 – Next Major Developments in Crypto ETFS 22:24 – Tokenized Equities 23:45 – Composable ETFs and DeFi 24:57 – Regulatory Environment Shifts 26:43 – Bitcoin Treasury Concerns 29:05 – Systemic Risk in Crypto Markets 29:53 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Federico - ⁠⁠https://x.com/Fede_Brokate 21Shares - https://x.com/21Shares Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Veda co-founder and CEO Sun Raghupathi. Tim and Sun discussed how DeFi vaults are simplifying complex finance systems and looking to drive mainstream and institutional adoption. Sun explained on Veda's Vault architecture, the importance of security, and the evolving competitive landscape in the DeFi space. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:25 – What is Veda? 03:31 – Potential Contagion Risks 04:30 – GMX Hack 05:39 – DeFi Hacks  08:16 – Challenges of Building Vaults 09:48 – DeFi's Evolution 15:23 – Institutional Involvement 16:58 – Vault Uses in TradFi 17:47 – Tokenized Stocks 20:44 – Vaults vs. Staking 22:48 – Types of Vault Strategies 24:39 – AI in Vault Management 25:47 – Veda’s Future Plans 26:37 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Sun - ⁠https://x.com/sunandr_ Veda - ⁠⁠https://x.com/veda_labs Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by OpenLedger Core Contributor Ram Kumar in this episodes sponsored by OpenLedger. Tim and Ram discussed the emerging intersection of decentralized AI and blockchain technology. Ram explains how OpenLedger is building infrastructure to let users contribute proprietary data to train AI models, with on-chain attribution and rewards for data contributors. The conversation covers OpenLedger’s upcoming mainnet launch, tokenomics, and the broader promise of creating a transparent, community-driven AI economy. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:02 – What is Openledger? 02:27 – Data Contribution Model 08:47 – Access to Agents 15:16 – Ensuring Quality Data 19:09 – Incentive Structures 23:18 – The Role of Tokens 24:56 – The Convergence of AI and Crypto 27:53 – Competing with Centralized Systems 30:23 – Openledger's Future and Success 33:32 – Data Economy Insights 36:17 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Ram -⁠ https://x.com/Ramkumartweet⁠ OpenLedger - ⁠https://x.com/OpenledgerHQ⁠ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Co-Host Kelvin Sparks and memecoin aficionado Murad. In this episode, Murad argues that the future of crypto lies in belief-driven, community-powered assets rather than short-term speculation or utility tokens. He explains why meme coins like SPX6900 are not just speculative plays but cultural and spiritual movements that offer their holders meaning, identity, and potential financial upside. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:47 – Memecoin Landscape 04:58 – Rise of Bonk.Fun 07:10 – The next six months 09:15 – SPX6900 as a Schelling Point 18:33 – Responsibilities with Memecoins 23:45 – Flipping the Stock Market  29:23 – Memecoin mullet 34:13 – Memecoin strategy 38:55 – Bitcoin Treasury Trade 45:47 – Crypto's Future 48:17 – Murad's Motivation in Crypto 52:56 – Creating or Moving Value 54:56 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Murad - https://x.com/MustStopMurad Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Wormhole Co-Founder Robinson Burkey. In this episode, Copeland and Burkey discuss the growing adoption of multi-chain frameworks and increasing institutional interest in blockchain technology. The conversation also touches on tokenized assets and the growing emphasis on revenue in the crypto space. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:22 – Wormhole’s growth 04:07 – Which chains are seeing growth 06:47 – RWAs 08:57 – Tokenized Credit 11:47 – Wormhole's Role in RWA 14:14 – Institutional adoption 17:45 – Institution’s opening up to crypto 20:23 – Future Crypto Expansion 23:05 – IPOs and On-Chain Opportunities 25:54 – Wormhole’s Governance Model 32:06 – Effects of Shifting US regulations  36:00 – Potential For Revenue Sharing 37:51 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Robinson Burkey -⁠ https://x.com/RobinsonBurkey Wormhole Foundation - https://x.com/wormholefdn Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Silhouette Founder Chandler De Kock. In this episode, Copeland and De Kock discuss Silhouette and dark pools, the integration of privacy features into DeFi, and the implications for market transparency. The conversation also touches on the role of market makers and recent industry trends on token launches. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:36 – Dark Pools Explained 03:34 – Ensuring Private Transactions 07:39 – Maintaining Standards 12:57 – Hyperliquid. 15:44 – James Wynn and Public Positions 19:48 – Challenges and Opportunities 21:38 – Market Maker Engagement 23:33 – Next Steps to Launch 28:55 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Chandler De Kock -⁠ https://x.com/chandlerdkk Silhouette - https://x.com/silhouette_exhttps://x.com/silhouette_ex Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Alluvial CEO Mara Schmiedt. In this episode of The Crypto Beat, Copeland and Schmiedt discuss Alluvial's role in shaping institutional Ethereum staking. Schmiedt also discusses a new partnership between Liquid Collective and Galaxy, and shares insights on market trends, compliance, and the future of crypto regulations. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:34 – Alluvial's Mission 02:29 – Compliance and KYC 05:12 – ETH Withdrawals 06:05 – Partnership with Galaxy 08:02 – Institutional Staking Demand 10:06 – Adding ETH to balance sheets 12:38 – Convergence of Crypto and TradFi 14:24 – Institutional Adoption and Compliance 15:27 – SEC Staking Guidance 18:33 – Growth of Liquid Staking Tokens 20:06 – US Staking Lawsuits 21:21 – ETFs and Staking 25:50 – Future of Staking 26:57 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Mara Schmiedt - https://x.com/MaraSchmiedt Alluvial - ⁠https://x.com/alluvialfinance Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus