Unchained

Peter Van Valkenburgh, a leading crypto policy expert and Executive Director at Coin Center, joins the crew to dissect the chaotic drama surrounding the Crypto Clarity Act. They explore Coinbase's abrupt withdrawal of support, casting doubts on the bill’s future. Peter dives into developer liability issues, the controversial definition of 'common control,' and the implications for tokenized securities. The conversation heats up over the banks' fierce opposition to stablecoin yields and political stakes in the ongoing regulatory battles.

Join Alex Zozos, General Counsel at Superstate and former SEC attorney, as he discusses the groundbreaking move of the NYSE into tokenized equities. He unpacks the potential of 24/7 trading and how tokenization could lead to the extinction of traditional financial intermediaries. Zozos shares insights on different tokenization models, the impact on existing regulatory frameworks, and whether legacy systems can adapt. This conversation dives deep into the future of market infrastructure and the evolving landscape of finance.

Alex Svanevik, Co-founder and CEO of Nansen, dives into the exciting launch of an AI trading agent designed to streamline the trading process. He discusses the potential for this technology to empower individual investors with hedge-fund-like tools and the evolution toward more autonomous trading agents. Alex also explores the benefits of voice-driven execution, the challenges of security, and how on-chain trading could greatly shift by 2026. Tune in for insights on the future of trading with AI!

David Duong, Global Head of Research at Coinbase, shares insights on the fading 'digital gold' narrative of Bitcoin amid rising geopolitical tensions. He discusses how cryptocurrencies are being underpriced in the face of regulatory clarity and what recent legislation means for market structure. The conversation shifts to why international stocks are currently outperforming U.S. markets and explores the implications of on-chain trading and 24/7 markets. Duong emphasizes the transformative potential of internet capital markets for underserved businesses and emerging trends.

Zach Pandl, Head of Research at Grayscale Investments, dives into the intricacies of the crypto market landscape, highlighting the significant impact of stalled U.S. regulation and rising geopolitical tensions. He discusses how macroeconomic factors, such as inflation and demand for ETFs, are driving Bitcoin's resilience and potential new all-time highs by 2026. Additionally, Zach sheds light on the evolving role of banks in crypto, the competitive smart contract platform landscape, and the implications of stablecoin adoption in regions like Venezuela.

In this insightful discussion, Alex Pruden, CEO and co-founder of Project Eleven, sheds light on the looming quantum threat to Bitcoin and other blockchains. He explains Shor's algorithm and its potential impact, pinpointing around 35-40% of Bitcoin addresses at risk. Alex discusses the massive effort needed for protocol migration and highlights Project Eleven's innovative tools for post-quantum security. He warns that if precautions aren't taken, a Bitcoin chain split could be inevitable, prompting an urgent call for industry-wide preparedness.

Privacy coins are back in the spotlight as Monero rallies, positioning itself against increased AI surveillance. The hosts dive into the aftermath of Eric Adams' NYC token debacle and why celebrity-backed tokens often fall flat. Vitalik Buterin's 'walkaway test' sparks a debate about Ethereum's future stability. Plus, they discuss the impact of X's algorithm on the crypto community and speculate on how cashtags could ignite a new alt-season. Tune in for insights and a wild story about a $250K coding adventure gone wrong!

Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon Labs, leads the discussion on Polygon's exciting transition to a regulated U.S. payments platform following key acquisitions like Coinme and Sequence. He dives into the strategic focus on payments over app chains, the importance of cash on-ramps as gateways to new user bases, and how this pivot can benefit the POL token through increased transaction volume. Marc also addresses the challenges of competing in the crowded stablecoin market while ensuring a decentralized architecture supports growth.

Vinny Lingham, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Xash, and Eric Fine, a portfolio manager at VanEck, dive into the intriguing dynamics between gold and Bitcoin. Vinny discusses gold's liquidity and central-bank adoption, arguing it remains superior as a reserve asset, while introducing his innovative gold-backed stablecoin, USDX. Eric reveals bold projections for gold prices if it were to back the money supply, emphasizing geopolitical factors and market fragility. Their conversation paints a complex picture of today's financial landscape.

Daniel Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush, shares his insights on the intersection of AI and macroeconomics. The discussion dives into whether AI will spark inflation or deflation and identifies energy constraints as a critical factor for tech growth. Ives emphasizes that rising productivity could challenge the Fed's policy-making and explores the fragility of trust in fiat currencies, leading to increased interest in Bitcoin. The panel also touches on the energy landscape, AI's impact on industries, and the evolving dynamics of stablecoins and community banks.