CoinDesk Podcast Network

SharpLink CEO, Joseph Chalom joins CoinDesk to explain why Ethereum is poised for 10x TVL growth in 2026, driven by RWA tokenization, sovereign wealth migration, and SharpLink’s role as the world’s second-largest public ETH holder. SharpLink CEO and former BlackRock head of digital assets strategy, Joseph Chalom, joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie on Markets Outlook. He  explains why he believes Ethereum’s Total Value Locked (TVL) is poised for 10X growth in 2026. Chalom breaks down how stablecoins, RWA tokenization, and sovereign wealth funds are migrating to decentralized rails, effectively turning Ethereum into the "toll road" of global finance. They also dive into the rise of AI agents in DeFi and how SharpLink is pioneering a new institutional treasury model as the world’s second-largest public ETH holder. -Timecodes0:55 - Bitcoin and Ethereum Price Analysis2:41 - Gold, Silver, and Meme Commodities5:30 - Ethereum vs. Solana: The Battle for Wall Street7:24 - The Future of Tokenized Fund Complexes9:05 - Why the Lack of Crypto Legislation Won't Stop Institutional Builders10:29 - Quantum Computing and AI in Crypto17:11 - Sharp Link’s 2026 Strategy19:57 - How SharpLink Plans to Outlast Traditional Crypto Funds22:13 - Chalom's View for ETH in 2026 - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.

Discussion about how Bitcoin might respond if the Federal Reserve pauses interest rate moves. Traders watch Powell’s comments amid political pressure and legal scrutiny. Coverage of gold’s rally and risks from unallocated ETFs. A proposal for on-chain, allocated gold ownership is explained. Weather-driven drops in Bitcoin hash rate highlight mining concentration risks.

Tristan Thompson, NBA champion and entrepreneur behind Basketball.fun, explains his gamified platform that turns live NBA highlights into tradable player shares. He outlines how packs, player-vs-player matchups, and a secondary marketplace work. Conversations cover prediction markets, fan engagement, and building social followings from on-court performance.

TuongVy Le, general counsel at Veda Labs and former SEC senior attorney, brings sharp crypto regulatory expertise. She breaks down the fight over stablecoin yield and why it signals a bigger shift in consumer finance. Conversations cover on-chain settlement at the NYSE, privacy and zero-knowledge tech, jurisdiction battles between regulators, and the legal future of prediction markets.

A technical deep dive into how Bitcoin could survive quantum computers. Short explorations of hash-based, lattice-based and STARK aggregation approaches. Discussion of proposals like BIP 360, OP_CAT and BIP 347 and their trade offs. A look at the huge signature sizes, block space impact and the massive logistics of migrating millions of addresses before Q-Day.

Kevin O’Leary, Shark Tank investor and venture chair, outlines why he cut 27 crypto positions to concentrate on Bitcoin and Ethereum and a $70B energy infrastructure play. He discusses a 19% crypto allocation, the pivot into data centers, turbines and private debt, and why land, permits and power are the new moat for digital assets.

A new lending product lets users borrow up to $1 million using staked ETH as collateral. Discussion covers liquidity unlocked for U.S. investors and the ongoing risks of liquidation. The show also reports on Caroline Ellison’s move to a halfway house and BitGo’s IPO valuation headlines.

Big market moves and infrastructure bets take center stage. A major crypto custody firm prices a multibillion IPO and tokenized trading on exchanges gets a spotlight. AI data center costs and grid upgrades spark debate. A Bitcoin gaming payments startup raises $40 million. A long-running Ethereum social app sees its founding team step away.

Kara Calvert, Coinbase Vice President of U.S. Policy who leads the company’s regulatory work, explains why Coinbase withdrew support for Market Structure. She points to rushed drafting and provisions that could threaten stablecoin rewards and the SEC’s exemptive authority. The conversation covers risks to consumer rewards, tokenized equities, and what fixes are needed for legislation to move forward.

At Davos, Brian Armstrong clashed with the Bank of France governor over Bitcoin's independence, advocating for a 'Bitcoin Standard.' Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate postponed discussions on crypto regulations after Coinbase withdrew support. In a twist, discussions emerged about using crypto as the currency for AI agents. BlackRock's growing interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum's potential in tokenization was also spotlighted, framing tokenization as essential infrastructure for the future of finance.