

Empire
Blockworks
Empire features interviews with top crypto founders to get the real stories that aren’t shared elsewhere. Empire is your look behind the curtain of the crypto industry. We release two episodes per week: guest interviews on Monday and a weekly roundup on Friday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 19, 2024 • 1h 5min
The Reality of Bitcoin's Election Correlation | The Giver
In this discussion, The Giver shares his unique perspectives on crypto markets, bolstered by his deep insights on Twitter. He provides a contrarian take on Bitcoin's recent rally, arguing that it’s unsustainable while revealing his strategy of shorting altcoins. The conversation also highlights the intriguing correlations between political events and Bitcoin trading. Additionally, they delve into the role of meme coins in investment portfolios, exploring their speculative nature and potential for uncorrelated returns in an unpredictable market.

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h 13min
Behind Crypto Conferences, Taking More Risks, and Crypto's Private Equity Frontier | Roundup
Explore the evolving world of crypto conferences and their successes and challenges. Discover ambitious plans for a crypto-focused private equity fund aimed at transforming traditional businesses. Dive into the growing significance of advisory services in navigating the crypto landscape. Learn about the balance of risk-taking in entrepreneurship and its implications in the cryptocurrency sector. Lastly, uncover how AI is reshaping investment strategies and gaming dynamics in the blockchain realm.

Oct 14, 2024 • 46min
How Unichain and Geopolitics Are Redefining Crypto's Value | Avichal Garg & Michael Anderson
Michael Anderson, a partner at Framework Ventures specializing in crypto investments, joins Avichal Garg from Electric Capital, known for his expertise in DeFi. They explore Uniswap's Unichain and its potential effects on Ethereum and the DeFi ecosystem. The duo discusses investment strategies in an evolving market, addressing the competition between applications and infrastructure. They also analyze how U.S. politics and upcoming elections could alter crypto regulation, revealing the unexpected impact of stablecoins on national security.

Oct 12, 2024 • 58min
Hivemind: What UniChain Means, Return of Memecoins, and Crypto’s AAA Gaming Moment
The discussion kicks off with Uniswap's UniChain, revealing its potential to reshape decentralized finance and L2 ecosystems. The hosts debate meme coins versus utility tokens, pondering their impact on user engagement. Exciting developments in Crypto AI are highlighted, alongside the launch of a groundbreaking AAA crypto game that aims to attract mainstream gamers. They also delve into innovative battle royale mechanics, emphasizing how these gaming advancements integrate on-chain tech for strategic depth.

4 snips
Oct 11, 2024 • 40min
How To Make It This Cycle | 1000x Live
This live discussion delves into the dynamic intersection of upcoming elections and cryptocurrency markets. The hosts explore the ongoing rivalry between Bitcoin, altcoins, and meme coins, highlighting the speculative nature of these investments. They also examine the rising synergy between AI and crypto, discussing how emerging technologies are reshaping investment strategies. Additionally, insights on credit dynamics in crypto reveal crucial lessons for managing risk during market fluctuations. Tune in for strategies on thriving in this cycle!

Oct 8, 2024 • 1h 20min
Why Bandwidth is Still Undervalued in Crypto | Logan Jastremski
Logan Jastremski, founder of Frictionless Capital, dives into the intricacies of high-throughput blockchains and their crucial role in crypto. He highlights the superiority of integrated solutions like Solana over Ethereum, addressing scalability challenges and the potential of emerging chains such as Sui and Aptos. Logan emphasizes the necessity of bandwidth and compute power for future developments and stresses the importance of building user-friendly products to drive mass adoption in the evolving crypto landscape.

Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 20min
A Founder’s Mindset, DePIN’s Breakthrough, and Stablecoin Models | Roundup
Santi and Jason dive into their journeys as founders and investors, emphasizing adaptability in business. They discuss the rapid growth of DePIN and payment solutions on Solana, alongside innovative approaches in the crypto landscape. The conversation shifts to the intriguing dynamics of prediction markets and political betting. Plus, they analyze BitGo's unique stablecoin model and its potential market impact. With humor, they reflect on personal experiences in tech and conclude with a teaser for the upcoming Permissionless event, highlighting the intersection of politics and blockchain.

Oct 1, 2024 • 1h 16min
Why Crypto's Capital Allocation is Broken | Jordi Alexander
Jordi Alexander, a crypto expert, dives deep into the flaws of capital allocation in the cryptocurrency realm. He reveals how misaligned incentives and short-term thinking hinder progress. Jordi critiques the superficial branding that drives poor investment decisions and highlights the essential shift needed for projects like Mantle to thrive. He also discusses the benefits of strategic, long-term vesting periods and the importance of community knowledge for navigating the intricate crypto landscape. Prepare for an insightful look into the future of cryptocurrency!

Sep 28, 2024 • 1h 22min
Hivemind: Conference Circuit, VC Coin Comebacks, and Crypto's Next Narrative
The team dives into insights from major crypto conferences, highlighting innovations in Solana's ecosystem and the dynamic world of gaming. They discuss the surprising comeback of VC coins and their performance against memecoins. The conversation shifts to Bitcoin's potential new heights and how the upcoming U.S. election might influence regulatory changes in crypto. Overall, the podcast captures the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, offering a blend of market trends, gaming innovations, and investment strategies.

5 snips
Sep 27, 2024 • 1h 3min
Why We're Uncomfortably Bullish on Crypto | Roundup
Santi and Jason share their surprising bullish outlook on cryptocurrency despite market fluctuations. They discuss Kamala Harris's recent pro-crypto statements and their potential impact. Insights from major blockchain events reveal a gap between online sentiment and real-world development. The conversation highlights the Helium network's impressive metrics and the future of business integration with blockchain technology. Listeners gain a perspective on transforming traditional industries and long-term investment strategies in the evolving crypto landscape.


