

The Breakdown
Blockworks
A daily analysis of macroeconomics, bitcoin, geopolitics and big picture power shifts, hosted by Nathaniel Whittemore @nlw. The Breakdown is part of Blockworks.Subscribe to The Breakdown newsletter: https://the-breakdown.carrd.co/
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 30, 2021 • 16min
Networks vs. Governments: Could Crypto-Powered Digital Communities Challenge the Power of Cities and States?
What exists between a Facebook group and a formal organization? Right now, not much. But in the future, Balaji Srinivasan argues, blockchain-powered communities will be able to exert the power to help them develop the polities of the future. On this “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads Balaji’s “A Network Union.” -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 29, 2021 • 12min
Is the ‘Bitcoin Supercycle’ Theory Dead?
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at what this cycle has taught us in terms of: Who is investing and how it’s influencing markets How market structure and narrative interact to shape price action Why stablecoins could be a dark horse for reducing the duration of future market downturns -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 28, 2021 • 36min
Cathie Wood on Cathie Wood on Why Central Banks Will Add Bitcoin to their Balance Sheets
Today’s special edition of “The Breakdown'' is a replay of NLW’s fireside chat with ARK’s Cathie Wood that premiered yesterday as a closing keynote at Consensus 2021. In this conversation, they discuss: How macro going risk-off has impacted bitcoin What was driving Elon’s about-face China and “green” mining Investing in technology innovation Why ARK is investing in Ethereum What role bitcoin plays in a world characterized by deflation rather than inflation -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 28, 2021 • 15min
‘Crypto Is Here to Stay’: Activist Investor Carl Icahn Looks Toward a Crypto Position in the Billions
Today on the Brief: PayPal to allow crypto withdrawals Regulatory rumblings from the SEC and FinCEN Bitcoin moving off exchanges again In our main discussion, NLW looks at the macro conversation around inflation, including: How concerns around inflation and the Federal Reserve withdrawing support have caused markets to go risk-off Where bitcoin fits in a risk-on/risk-off context Why billionaire Carl Icahn is eyeing a $1B-$1.5B crypto bet -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 27, 2021 • 14min
What's Really Behind China's Bitcoin Mining Ban?
Today on The Breakdown, NLW covers: More information about the Bitcoin Mining Council, and why its members say they’re strictly focused on energy transparency A new, temporary crypto mining ban in Iran The latest on the China mining ban, including new proposed rules from Inner Mongolia, more on-chain data about miner activity, and a very different interpretation of the CCP’s motivations for the current action -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 26, 2021 • 20min
Bitcoin Mining Council: A “Green” Advance for BTC or a Trojan Horse for Centralization?
Yesterday, Michael Saylor and Elon Musk surprised the Bitcoin community when they announced a new “green” mining initiative that would see many of North America’s leading mining operators come together to develop common energy reporting standards as well as advocate for greener mining worldwide. In this episode, NLW breaks down the community’s response, which ranged from enthusiastic to downright aghast. He discusses why there are such big differences in how people are interpreting the initiative and what their reasons for supporting or questioning it say about Bitcoin as a network. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 25, 2021 • 16min
Hedge Fund Billionaire Ray Dalio Has Officially Bought Bitcoin
Today’s episode of “The Breakdown” is split into two parts. In part one, NLW recaps the latest out of China, including: Interpretations of Friday’s surprise targeting in a speech by the Vice Premier A weekend market crash, the second of the week Miner selling and the motivations behind it What to watch for in the coming days In part two, he puts in context the news that Bridgewater’s Ray Dalio owns bitcoin, looking at the larger institutional pattern that has driven the bitcoin bull and Dalio’s specific concerns about currency devaluation. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 23, 2021 • 16min
The Unexplored Risks of a US Digital Dollar
For this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads: “What If Somebody Hacks the Money Pipeline Next?” By David Z. Morris “A Central Bank Digital Currency Would Be Bad for the US” by Dante Disparte -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 22, 2021 • 12min
Why the Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein Says Governments Can't Stop Crypto
On this week’s “Breakdown Weekly Recap,” NLW explores U.S. regulatory FUD. He specifically looks at recent statements from the SEC’s Gary Gensler, as well as new Treasury Dept. policy that wants businesses to report crypto transactions of over $10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. He argues that this is a “bureaucrat's bull market” that will be focused on compliance, not banning. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

May 22, 2021 • 11min
Why Bitcoiners Are Rooting for This Latest China Mining Ban to Finally, Actually Be Real
This week has been China story after China story in the world of crypto. Increasingly, NLW argues, bitcoiners are getting sick of the baggage that Chinese mining and Chinese state involvement place on bitcoin and crypto as a whole. In this episode, he looks at the latest news from China and points to interpretations from a number of voices that show why what appears to be FUD could actually be a welcomed development. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com


