Unchained

Brady Dale, a seasoned writer and reporter at Axios, dives deep into the FTX scandal in his new book, revealing the pivotal role Sam Bankman-Fried played in the company's downfall. He discusses the rapid timeline of his book's completion and shares insights on the responsibilities behind FTX's collapse. Brady explores whether SBF will plead guilty and reflects on crypto's drifting from its original cypherpunk ideals. With his unique perspective, he also critiques the potential for crypto's 'dot-com bust' and the industry's uncertain future.

Ram Ahluwalia, CEO and founder of Lumida Wealth, dives into the looming crisis facing Digital Currency Group with a massive $630 million payment due soon. He analyzes the potential fallout for Genesis creditors and Gemini Earn users if DCG fails to meet its obligations. The discussion uncovers the implications of FTX's $3.9 billion claim and how asymmetric information complicates the bankruptcy process. Ram also considers the impact of the Grayscale lawsuit against the SEC on DCG's cash flow, providing critical insights into this financial turmoil.

Sreeram Kannan, founder of EigenLayer, and Konstantin Lomashuk, cofounder of Lido Finance, dive into the evolving Ethereum staking landscape post-Shanghai upgrade. They discuss EigenLayer's innovative approach to security, the risks of restaking, and how Lido aims to maintain decentralization. The duo explores the intriguing concept of superfluid staking and its potential in DeFi. Listeners will also learn about the challenges of balancing staking rewards with Ethereum's core values and what this means for the future of decentralized finance.

Dive into the world of Layer 1 blockchains as insiders discuss their vibrant experiences from a major conference. Explore why Korea is emerging as a crypto hotspot and the urgent need for benchmarking blockchain performance. Catch the rivalry between Aptos and Sui, and the implications of Sui's unconventional token distribution choices. Delve into the scrutiny surrounding the audit firm Certik amid a major hack. Finally, hear about the exciting intersection of AI and blockchain, shaping the future of smart contracts and Web3.

J.W. Verret, Associate Professor of Law at George Mason Law School and a crypto regulation expert, discusses the legal showdown between Coinbase and the SEC. He explains Coinbase's strategy likening it to a chess game, and how this case might reshape the Howey test. Verret delves into the implications of 'West Virginia vs. EPA' for crypto, critiques the SEC's tactics with Kraken, and speculates on the Ripple case’s future. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone curious about the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency regulation.

In this insightful discussion, Josh Klayman, head of digital assets at Linklaters, and Marc Boiron, chief legal officer at Polygon Labs, analyze the SEC’s aggressive stance towards cryptocurrency. They dive into Gary Gensler's congressional testimony and debate whether recent actions stemmed from the FTX collapse. The duo discusses the potential existential threat posed by the SEC's proposed exchange definition changes to DeFi, the complexities of regulatory compliance for platforms like Coinbase, and the nuances of Ether's security classification in the current legal landscape.

The hosts dive into the rapidly expanding world of Ethereum Layer 2s, tackling their cost implications and user experience. They debate whether these solutions ultimately siphon value from Ethereum and explore the growing security threats within crypto. Discussions also cover the fate of centralized lending and the appeal of stablecoins yielding less than Treasury bills. The potential of tokenizing real-world assets takes center stage, challenging the notion of Layer 1 dominance as they analyze the competitive landscape between various blockchain technologies.

Join Jason Gottlieb, a partner at Morrison Cohen and chair of the Digital Assets Department, as he dives into the heated debate on whether Ethereum should be deemed a security. He analyzes the potential fallout if the SEC makes such a declaration and questions the agency's impact on investors. Gottlieb also discusses ongoing litigations against exchanges like Bittrex and Beaxy, and the SEC's efforts to broaden the definition of exchanges, raising concerns about the future of DeFi in the U.S. Don't miss this insightful legal perspective on crypto regulation!

In this enlightening discussion, Justin Drake, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, and Uri Klarman, CEO of bloXroute Labs, dive into the complexities of maximal extractable value (MEV) in the Ethereum ecosystem. They explore how MEV has evolved and its controversial nature. Highlights include debates on the MEV Blocker, the balance between back-running and front-running, insights on proposer-builder separation, and the potential benefits of MEV burn. Their differing perspectives spark a thought-provoking conversation about the future of fairness in blockchain.

Laura Shin, author and CEO of Unchained, joins crypto insiders to dissect pressing industry issues. They debate the potential revival of the collapsed FTX exchange, with mixed opinions on whether it could regain trust. The conversation dives into the U.S. Treasury's misconceptions about decentralized finance and the debate on whether VCs compromise crypto's founding principles. They also explore the balance of democratizing finance versus fundraising, touching on the complexities of investor behavior in today’s volatile market.