Unchained

Evgeny Gaevoy, Founder and CEO of Wintermute, dives into the complex world of crypto market making, exposing the dark side of a recent $38M token dump. He discusses the blurred lines between providing liquidity and manipulative profit-sharing, revealing why VCs turned a blind eye. With insights on the necessity for transparency and the challenges of navigating market integrity, Evgeny also highlights the urgent need for better disclosure standards in the crypto space, raising critical questions about investor trust and the future of regulation.

Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, and Amanda Tuminelli, executive director of the DeFi Education Fund, dive into the political drama surrounding the stalled GENIUS Act—the pivotal federal stablecoin bill. They discuss the shifting allegiances among lawmakers, especially Democrats who have changed their stance on crypto. The impact of Trump's crypto connections on the legislative process is analyzed, alongside the ongoing fight for a deal this year, highlighting the complexities of bipartisan support and market implications.

Owen Lau, Executive Director and Senior Analyst at Oppenheimer, shares insights on Coinbase’s groundbreaking $2.9 billion purchase of Deribit, the largest deal in crypto history. He discusses the strategic significance of Deribit’s position in the derivatives market and its implications for Coinbase’s dominance. Lau highlights how the derivatives market is outpacing spot trading and predicts industry consolidation. He also explains Coinbase's decision to primarily use stock in the acquisition and what this means for future revenue and competition among smaller exchanges.

In this discussion, Alex Kruger, an economist and crypto trader; Ram Ahluwalia, a digital asset risk management expert; and Katalin Tischhauser, head of research at Sygnum Bank, unpack why traditional investors like Warren Buffett may struggle in crypto's attention-driven market. They explore Ethereum's deeper sentiment issues, recent stablecoin legislation battles, and the significant implications of Apple's NFT ventures. Their insights challenge long-held beliefs about investing while highlighting the shifting landscape in finance and technology.

Tarun Chitra, CEO of Gauntlet, and Max Resnick, Lead economist at Anza, dive deep into Ethereum's struggles and its attempts to pivot. They discuss whether the recent gas limit increase could be a game changer and analyze what went wrong with Ethereum's economics. Max outlines the single most crucial change Ethereum must make, while debating its chances against Layer 2 solutions. The conversation raises concerns about whether these changes come too late in the game, and what they would prioritize if in charge of Ethereum.

Sam Kessler, Deputy Managing Editor at CoinDesk, uncovers the shocking scandal behind the MOVE token collapse. He discusses how questionable contracts and market manipulation appear to be part of a pump-and-dump scheme, raising serious ethical concerns. Key players' conflicts of interest and dubious dealings come to light, revealing a chaotic environment within Movement Labs. Kessler questions the reliability of their self-investigation and sheds light on the need for regulatory clarity in token launches, ultimately urging for greater market integrity.

In this discussion, Charles Edwards, founder of Capriole Investments and expert on Bitcoin strategies, joins the conversation. They debate whether now is the time to embrace bullish sentiments on Bitcoin and other crypto assets. The risks surrounding Bitcoin treasury companies like Twenty One Capital come under scrutiny, while skepticism over the potential success of Solana ETFs is voiced. They also analyze how political events, including Trump's influence, are shaping market dynamics, leaving listeners intrigued about the future of cryptocurrency investments.

The race for Bitcoin supremacy just got more complicated. Twenty One Capital, backed by Tether, SoftBank, and Cantor Fitzgerald, plans to stack as much BTC as it possibly can.  But is this new venture really about Bitcoin … or about creating a hyper-volatile stock to play market cycles? This week on Unchained, Jeff Park of Bitwise and Mark Palmer of Benchmark join to discuss: Why SoftBank and Tether are a “perfect match”—and why they turned to Bitcoin How volatility, not bitcoin itself, might be the real asset investors are buying What Cantor’s involvement says about Wall Street’s readiness for crypto Why the launch timing matters Whether Twenty One could repeat MicroStrategy’s mistakes Whether these new Bitcoin vehicles are better bets than spot bitcoin or ETFs Plus, is SoftBank getting into crypto a top signal? 👀 Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Bitwise Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise Mark Palmer, Senior Analyst at Benchmark Recent coverage of Unchained on Twenty One: Twenty One Aims to Buy as Much Bitcoin as Possible. Can It Succeed? Press Release: Tether, SoftBank Group, and Jack Mallers Launch Twenty One, a Bitcoin-native Company, Through a Business Combination With Cantor Equity Partners Jeff Park’s post on X Timestamps: 📰 0:00 Introduction 🚀 2:07 Why Jeff sees the Twenty One Capital launch as a huge development 🧠 6:09 How Twenty One might learn from MicroStrategy’s playbook 🏦 11:59 Risks of turning into the next Celsius, Voyager or Genesis 💸 18:52 Why Bitcoin needs income-generating activities to evolve 📊 21:17 How metrics like bitcoin per share bridge crypto and TradFi  🤝 30:16 Whether Tether’s participation makes sense 💍 34:18 Why Jeff thinks SoftBank and Tether are “a perfect match” 🚩 42:29 Is SoftBank entering crypto a top signal? 🏛️ 46:32 Why Cantor’s involvement shows Wall Street is serious 📈 50:24 Why bitcoin vehicle stocks trade at a premium 🗓️ 55:48 Why timing matters compared to MicroStrategy’s 2020 debut 🧮 1:00:06 How to decide between investing in vehicles, spot bitcoin, or ETFs 🌊 1:08:52 Whether SOL investment vehicles will have the same success as bitcoin ones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and special guest David Hoffman break down the biggest stories in crypto. This week: MicroStrategy clones are popping up, with Bitcoin-backed SPACs trying to replay Saylor’s playbook. Meanwhile, Trump launches a memecoin for dinner invites, Zora kicks off a new era of “content coins,” and Ethereum faces an existential pivot. David Hoffman joins the crew to debate whether crypto’s future is real innovation—or just financial theater. Show highlights 🔹 Bitcoin vs Ethereum: Who Wins the Future? – Breaking down why Bitcoin could outgrow Ethereum… or why Ethereum might still be crypto’s last hope. 🔹 Can Content Coins Save Crypto? – Zora’s pivot and the rise of “content coins” spark a full-blown identity crisis for the industry. 🔹 Are We Just Rebranding Memecoins? – The crew debates whether “content coins” are innovation… or just the same casino with better UX. 🔹 The Culture Clash – Why crypto’s new apps feel like they’re built for millennials — and why Gen Z might just not care. 🔹 SoftBank, SPACs, and the Top Signal – 21Capital’s Bitcoin MicroStrategy clone is here. Are we seeing the beginning of the end… again? 🔹 Vitalik’s Existential Pivot – Ethereum is trying to save itself. But can it change fast enough to stay relevant? 🔹 Bitcoin’s Macro Moment – In a world of tariffs, inflation, and chaos, Bitcoin might accidentally become the next Federal Reserve. 🔹 Crypto’s Morality Crisis – Vitalik’s attack on “bad apps” raises a deeper question: what should crypto even be building anymore? ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️ David Hoffman, Co-owner at Bankless   HostsDisclosures Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:55 MicroStrategy Clones and Market Impact 13:40 Trump Coin and Its Controversies 20:35 Zora’s Content Coin vs. Jesse's Coining Controversy 26:56 Zora’s Market Position 32:29 Generational Divide in Crypto 39:32 Ethereum's Strategic Pivot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, examines the ambitious Bitcoin acquisition strategy of Twenty One, backed by Tether and SoftBank. He discusses the implications of their plan to start with 42,000 BTC and the risks if their stock dips below NAV. Sigel also proposes innovative 'BIT Bonds' linked to Bitcoin for U.S. Treasury, sparking intrigue. Furthermore, regulatory reporter Veronica Irwin reveals potential upcoming legislation that could reshape the crypto market structure, making for a compelling conversation.