Unchained

Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, and Sam MacPherson, Co-founder and CEO of Phoenix Labs, bring their insights into the competitive landscape of stablecoins. They delve into Ethena's market cap drop and the challenges of liquidity and regulatory hurdles. The duo discusses emerging trends like stablecoin-as-a-service and the race involving traditional financial giants like Visa. Additionally, they explore the implications of Tether's new USAT launch and how strategic partnerships could influence stability and adoption in the space.

Willem Buiter, former Global Chief Economist at Citigroup, dives into the future of money. He argues that gold's long-standing bubble is about to burst and advocates for central banks to rethink bullion holdings. Buiter decries Bitcoin's reliability as a store of value while promoting fully backed stablecoins and CBDCs as pivotal for the next monetary era. He discusses the implications of tokenized deposits, the influence of political pressure on the Fed, and forecasts a future filled with diverse stablecoins.

Joseph Chalom, Co-CEO of SharpLink Gaming and former BlackRock strategist, shares insights on the shifts in the financial landscape. He discusses the potential easing of Fed rates amidst a stable economy and how stablecoins could redefine foreign exchange. Chalom predicts that asset tokenization will predominantly thrive on Ethereum, potentially boosting its demand significantly. The conversation also touches on Japan's first yen-backed stablecoin and the new generation's habit of using crypto wallets as their main financial interface.

Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Kraken, discusses the exchange's strategic pivot from trading venue to multi-asset platform. He dives into Kraken's plans for tokenized equities with xStocks, revealing the new, regulation-friendly approach to tokenization. He also explains the purpose of the Ink layer-2 chain, designed to integrate regulated finance with DeFi. In light of the recent market crash, Sethi highlights Kraken’s commitment to customer trust and the vital role of their acquisitions, NinjaTrader and Small Exchange, in reshaping U.S. derivatives.

Arthur Hayes, the co-founder of BitMEX and CIO at Maelstrom, teams up with Adam Schlegel, the head of private equity at Maelstrom, to discuss a $250M fund targeting profitable yet overlooked crypto companies. They delve into why private equity is the next big wave in crypto, emphasizing cash buying opportunities for founders looking to exit. The duo also highlights the ignored potential of Asian crypto companies and provides insights into their approach for thorough due diligence and the dynamic landscape of crypto investing.

Lawrence Lepard, an investment manager and author, shares compelling insights on why the fiat system is unsustainable and details how Bitcoin could revolutionize finance and even defund war. He passionately discusses Bitcoin's superiority over gold and his predictions for cryptocurrency's future. Meanwhile, filmmaker James Craig delves into his documentary, 'Code Is Law,' exploring the ethics behind smart contract exploits. He uncovers the stories of infamous hacks, examining whether exploiting code is theft or a legal gray area.

Mike Silagadze, founder of EtherFi and Top Hat, and Itamar Lesuisse, co-founder of Ready (formerly Argent), delve into the revolutionary world of crypto neobanks. They discuss how these self-custodial platforms redefine asset control, combining savings, spending, and investing. The guests explain the role of layer 2 networks in making crypto cards viable, the innovative approach to credit without credit scores, and the potential of on-chain FX markets, particularly in Africa, as a breakthrough for the crypto banking landscape.

Mert, Co-founder & CEO of Helius, returns to discuss the massive Zcash rally and the philosophical tension it stirs among Bitcoin supporters. He dives into the implications of a recent $500M Tempo fundraise and the exodus from Ethereum, touching on the cultural challenges within the Ethereum Foundation. Mert introduces his idea of a Solana-native stablecoin, USD-Manlet, while critiquing DeFi's current user experience. The conversation wraps up with an analysis of the recent AWS outage and its consequences for crypto services.

The hosts dive into whether Bitcoin is undervalued compared to gold, exploring macroeconomic drivers. They discuss Binance's controversial listing fees and the implications of Tempo's recent $500 million fundraising amidst a stablecoin race. Insights on DeFi's struggles during recent market turmoil and predictions about future stablecoin dominance by 2040 keep the conversation lively. Plus, debates on Digital Asset Treasuries raise critical questions about their sustainability and the evolving landscape of institutional crypto.

Avery Ching, CEO and co-founder of Aptos, dives into the future of blockchain infrastructure. He discusses how a lack of transparency harmed traders during recent market events and how Decibel aims to change that with a fully on-chain perpetual exchange. Ching highlights partnerships, including one with World Liberty Financial, and the potential of Jiocoin to onboard 500 million users in India. He emphasizes the need for accountability in crypto trading and explains how Aptos can reduce systemic risks through enhanced visibility.