Unchained

Hester Peirce, known as "CryptoMom," is an SEC Commissioner and a champion of a freedom-first regulatory approach. In this engaging discussion, she reflects on the SEC's shift in vibe under the current leadership and advocates for trust-building with crypto founders. Peirce also tackles the complexities of meme coins, suggesting they may just be collectibles. She critiques the outdated Howey Test, emphasizes self-regulation through proof-of-reserves, and ponders what real regulatory clarity might look like in the crypto landscape.

Kain Warwick, founder of Infinex App and Synthetix, dives into the murky waters of crypto market making. He unpacks how some market makers have strayed into unethical practices, highlighting a recent incident involving Binance. Kain details the intricacies of token evaluations and the centralization crisis exemplified by the $JELLY attack on Hyperliquid. He also addresses the strategic dilemmas in balancing security and user experience in DeFi, shedding light on the innovative solutions Infinex is developing to navigate these challenges.

The hosts dissect the Hyperliquid controversy, revealing the murky waters of decentralization and liquidity manipulation. They dive into Say Foundation's audacious plan to put 23andMe's genetic data on the blockchain, raising alarm about privacy and ethics. The conversation shifts to the competitive landscape of stablecoin regulations, contrasting the Stable Act with the Genius Act, and examining the impact on financial institutions. Expect witty banter, a dose of market analysis, and a friendly wager on crypto outcomes!

Doug Colkitt, Founder and CEO of Ambient Finance, sheds light on the recent whale attack that nearly cost Hyperliquid $15 million. He discusses how a memecoin was leveraged for this high-stakes manipulation. Colkitt navigates the complexities of perpetual swaps, while diving into the controversial decisions made by Hyperliquid that raised eyebrows in the DeFi community. He also tackles the criticism surrounding these actions, potential preventative measures for future attacks, and the implications for decentralized trading practices.

Investors are feeling a mix of optimism and anxiety as Trump’s tariffs loom. There's a surprising rebound in tech stocks and confidence is slowly returning, driven by the latest FOMC meeting insights. BlackRock's bullish stance on Bitcoin during bear markets raises eyebrows, especially as ether seems poised for a comeback. The dynamic interplay between cryptocurrencies and traditional equities is highlighted, revealing fresh trading strategies amid the evolving market landscape. Expect volatility, but also new opportunities for savvy traders.

Join Ethereum Foundation Research co-leads Alex Stokes and Barnabé Monnot as they dive into Ethereum's Pectra and Fusaka upgrades. They discuss how these enhancements aim to bolster Ethereum's performance against competitors like Solana. While addressing the recent challenges faced during testnet launches, they explore the critical balance of decentralization and the implications for Ethereum's status in the smart contract arena. Tune in for insights on how Ethereum plans to navigate its evolving landscape and the changing leadership dynamics within the foundation.

Ryan Watkins, Co-founder at Syncracy Capital and expert in the crypto economy, shares groundbreaking insights on the new trend of "Fat Apps" out-earning traditional blockchains. He discusses why applications like Ethena are thriving in revenue generation, and what this means for major platforms like Ethereum and Solana. Watkins explains Ethena's bold move to launch its own blockchain, the changing dynamics of value capture, and how future blockchain architectures will evolve to stay competitive in this fast-paced market.

The hosts dive into Ethereum's existential crisis and question if its rollup-centric roadmap might be a misstep. They explore how AI is transforming not just software engineering but also how crypto is transacted and secured. The intriguing fallout from Solana's controversial political ad is discussed, revealing its unintended consequences. There's skepticism about whether Ethereum risks stagnation like IBM, along with reflections on leadership changes within the Ethereum Foundation amidst growing concerns about innovation and community trust.

The podcast dives into the turmoil of the financial markets, questioning whether the current economic instability signals a true shift or just noise. Discussions cover the challenges of inflation and tariffs, the potential for stagflation, and the implications for the Fed's relevancy. Bitcoin's underwhelming performance against gold is analyzed, alongside the promise of stablecoin legislation. The hosts also highlight the road ahead for crypto ETFs and speculate on factors that could reignite the next crypto boom.

The memecoin trade might be over. And Joe McCann says that’s just the beginning.The founder of Asymmetric has been at the intersection of crypto, macro, and tech for years. He called the $BONK trade early, made moves before most saw the opportunity, and now? He’s shifting his focus.Meanwhile, the crypto markets are a bloodbath, with bitcoin, ether, and solana down 10%, 41%, and 35%, respectively, year-to-date.In this episode, Joe joins Unchained to discuss: Why memecoins won’t work the way they used to How institutions are approaching crypto in this cycle Why prices are down so much Why Bitcoin might be so hard to outperform Whether Solana is still the fastest horse Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.comThank you to our sponsors! FalconX Bitwise Guest: Joe McCann, founder of AsymmetricLinksUnchained:  Solana Rejected Inflation Reduction—Here’s Why Are Memecoins Collapsing? These 8 Charts May Be Signaling Yes Bitcoin Has Declined 20%. How Soon Could the BTC Price Revive? Timestamps:👋 0:00 Intro🚀 2:19 How Joe’s background shaped his crypto investing approach🐶 10:25 Spotting the $BONK opportunity before the crowd📉 17:38 Why the memecoin trade might be over💰 21:51 Why Joe believes Pump.fun is NOT extractive📊 33:11 Why crypto prices have struggled despite a pro-crypto shift in Washington🎯 42:34 The moment Joe “finally” gives credit to Arthur Hayes⏳ 45:15 Could having no catalyst actually BE the catalyst?🔥 49:22 Why Joe wasn’t convinced by the SOL inflation proposal⚡ 56:45 Wait—no altcoin season?⚙️ 1:01:34 What still excites Joe about Solana🏦 1:04:57 Why Asymmetric is betting on Bitcoin DeFi🤖 1:07:29 How AI is helping Joe’s team optimize its strategy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices