
The Scoop
Welcome to The Scoop, The Block's flagship podcast covering finance and technology industries through unmatched interviews with top thought leaders, cultural icons and industry veterans. The Block’s Frank Chaparro hosts new guests every week, diving into breaking news and topics ranging from NFTs, to the impact of DeFi on Wall Street, to Bitcoin's role in the economy and beyond.
Latest episodes

Dec 13, 2024 • 24min
Breaking down crypto's shifting lending landscape with Arch co-founder Himanshu Sahay
Himanshu Sahay, Co-founder and CTO of Arch, shares insights into the evolving world of crypto lending. He discusses how the sector has shifted post-2022 market upheaval, focusing on new collateral standards and the surge of institutional interest. Sahay highlights Arch's international expansion plans and the importance of regulatory compliance. He contrasts past lending failures with current practices, emphasizing transparency and customer support as crucial for stability in a complex landscape. Tune in for an engaging mix of finance and humor!

Dec 12, 2024 • 31min
Samantha Bohbot explains what distinguishes top fund managers from the rest
Samantha Bohbot is the Chief Growth Officer & Partner of RockawayX, a blockchain-focused venture capital fund.In this episode recorded live at Emergence in Prague, Bohbot and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss discuss challenges facing European firms compared to their American counterparts, and RockawayX's credit fund and developing opportunities in DeFi.OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:36 RockawayX03:38 Tech and investment in Europe07:11 Post-election investment09:19 DeFi rally11:58 Crypto credit17:56 Standing out to investors 21:24 Value-add investor25:32 The race to the bottom27:52 ConclusionGUEST LINKSSamantha Bohbot - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-bohbot-7622b933/Samantha Bohbot on X - https://x.com/samantha_bohbotRockawayX - https://www.linkedin.com/company/rockawayx/RockawayX on X - https://rockawayx.com/This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: PolkadotPolkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

5 snips
Dec 11, 2024 • 17min
Crypto’s markets have matured but there’s still inefficiencies to profit from, says crypto veteran David Wells
David Wells, a crypto expert and CEO of Enclave Markets, shares insights on the evolving landscape of digital asset trading. He discusses the importance of security in crypto, especially post-FTX collapse, and the demand for regulated exchanges. Wells highlights innovative trading strategies, emphasizing systematic approaches for small institutions and individual traders. The conversation also delves into the challenges of fragmented markets and the potential for new products to enhance liquidity, showcasing his vision for a more structured trading environment.

Dec 10, 2024 • 28min
Abra CEO Bill Barhydt discusses what it takes to build a successful business in an exponentially growing industry
Bill Barhydt, founder and CEO of Abra, dives into the complexities of navigating the crypto business landscape. He shares insights on overcoming legal challenges in an evolving regulatory environment, especially in light of potential changes under future administrations. Barhydt also reflects on strategies that helped Abra thrive post-FTX and emphasizes the critical shift towards secure investment models for high-net-worth clients. Additionally, he discusses the integration of decentralized finance with traditional banking, hinting at a revolutionary future for both sectors.

Dec 2, 2024 • 31min
Interoperability may be 'turning a corner' with Hyperlane co-founder Jon Kol
Jon Kol, co-founder of Hyperlane, dives into the evolving landscape of blockchain interoperability. He discusses how the industry is overcoming key challenges, including the notorious oracle problem. Kol emphasizes the importance of balancing speed and security to foster seamless communication among networks. He also sheds light on enhancing the developer experience, providing insights into how Hyperlane simplifies the development process. The future looks promising for an interconnected blockchain ecosystem!

Nov 29, 2024 • 38min
Josh Lim on how Trump’s election is opening the door for institutional crypto adoption
Joshua Lim is the co-founder of Arbelos Markets.In this episode, Lim and Chaparro discuss the crypto market surge sparked by Donald Trump's election as U.S. President. Lim sheds light on how the Trump administration's regulatory stance could pave the way for institutional investors to dive deeper ino the crypto space, potentially driving higher trading volumes and boosting liquidity across the ecosystem.OUTLINE00:00 Introduction 01:01 Macro Tailwinds 03:17 Flows & Volume 08:14 Market Opportunities 12:29 ETF Flows' Impact on Crypto 21:30 Crypto Credit Market 24:52 MicroStrategy's Strategy 27:37 Market Predictions 33:08 Banks & Crypto AdoptionThis episode is brought to you by our sponsors, Polkadot & Bitkey.The Block CommunityThe Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunityThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newslettersGUEST LINKSJoshua Lim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-lim-1b27098/Joshua Lim on X - https://x.com/joshua_j_limArbelos Markets - https://arbelos.xyz/Arbelos Markets on X - https://x.com/arbelosxyz

Nov 25, 2024 • 28min
Anthony Scaramucci explains how the Democrats flopped on crypto
Anthony Scaramucci, founder of Skybridge and a vocal commentator on finance and politics, discusses the fallout of the recent U.S. Presidential election and its implications for the crypto world. He highlights how the Democrats missed a critical opportunity by failing to engage with the crypto community, which could have influenced voter sentiments. Scaramucci also delves into the potential impact of a Trump administration on the cryptocurrency landscape, particularly regarding regulatory changes and market responses.

Nov 21, 2024 • 29min
dYdX is launching a new liquidity feature that’ll make it easier to spring up new tokens
dYdX founder Antonio Juliano discusses the evolution of dYdX and the broader DeFi landscape, highlighting the need for DeFi to move beyond copying tradfi products and build truly innovative applications made possible by decentralization.OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 01:33 DeFi's Development 04:24 dYdX Mega Vault AMM 05:32 dYdX Prediction Markets 08:47 High-Performance Blockchain Development 10:35 Appchain Drawbacks 12:47 dYdX vs. Hyperliquid 14:36 New dYdX Markets 17:11 Onchain RWA Derivatives 18:39 DEX Adoption Hurdles 21:24 Crypto Market Makers 22:22 dYdX Development Roadmap 23:47 Appchain Advantages GUEST LINKSAntonio Juliano on X - https://x.com/AntonioMJulianoAntonio Juliano - https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniojuliano/dYdX - https://dydx.exchange/dYdX on X - https://x.com/dYdXThis episode is brought to you by our sponsor PolkadotPolkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.networkThe Block CommunityThe Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunityThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Nov 15, 2024 • 46min
Ryan Watkins unpacks the bull case for Solana and what’s driving crypto markets
Syncracy Capital co-founder Ryan Watkins sheds light on Ethereum, Solana and finding the next "generational winners" in the crypto market.OUTLINE00:00 Intro 01:47 Watkins' Crypto Journey 05:22 Syncracy's Liquid Strategy 06:51 Crypto Market Analysis 08:52 Ethereum's Underperformance 13:14 Long-Only 15:34 Picking Winners 20:38 SOL Trade 28:27 Bitcoin vs. Crypto 34:16 Market Cycle Analysis This episode is brought to you by our sponsor PolkadotPolkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.networkThe Block CommunityThe Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunityThe Block NewslettersThe Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Nov 13, 2024 • 42min
Here’s why RWAs are hitting an inflection point with Axelar and Ripple
Jasmine Cooper, Director of Product at Ripple, and Sergey Gorbunov, Co-founder of Axelar, dive into groundbreaking advancements in Real World Assets (RWAs) and their tokenization. They discuss the importance of regulatory clarity for institutional adoption and how the XRP Ledger is paving the way for easier asset issuance. The duo highlights the need for interoperability among blockchain networks and the exciting potential of simplifying Web3 development. Expect insights into the evolving landscape of decentralized finance and its impact on asset management!