Unchained

Antonio Juliano, founder of dYdX, and Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder of StarkWare, dive into the scaling of dYdX on Ethereum layer 2. They discuss the innovative cross-margin perpetual trading and the distinction between ZK-rollups and optimistic rollups. The duo reveals StarkWare can handle an impressive 300,000 transactions per second! They also explore why scalability trumps composability and the importance of Chainlink as oracle provider. Lastly, they touch on the exciting developments ahead for both companies and the future of decentralized finance.

Gil Luria, Director of Research at D.A. Davidson, is a pioneering Wall Street analyst who first covered Bitcoin in 2013. He discusses Coinbase's direct listing, emphasizing its potential as a turning point for the crypto industry. Luria believes Coinbase is the 'gold standard' in crypto, assessing its competitors and outlining his optimistic $195 price target. He shares insights on its diverse revenue streams and the expected surge in institutional adoption. Get ready for a compelling look at how Coinbase could reshape crypto investing!

Caitlin Long, Founder and CEO of Avanti Financial Group, is a Wall Street veteran and a pioneer in the crypto space. She discusses the integration of traditional finance with crypto, sharing insights on Wall Street's adoption of Bitcoin and the issues with fractional reserves that violate property rights. Caitlin highlights Avanti's unique non-lending bank model and its role in bridging the gap between crypto and conventional banking. She also tackles regulatory challenges and the innovative potential of stablecoins, especially for corporate treasurers.

Jeff Roberts, the executive editor at Decrypt and author of "King of Crypto," dives into the implications of Coinbase's S-1 filing for the crypto landscape. He shares insights on why institutional investors are drawn to Coinbase and how the company's 96% transaction fee revenue model presents vulnerabilities. Jeff also discusses the competitive threat posed by decentralized exchanges like Uniswap and projections for Coinbase’s stock performance post-listing. His analysis reveals the evolving dynamics within the crypto industry as traditional finance adapts.

Charles Cascarilla, CEO and co-founder of Paxos, dives into how the 2008 financial crisis ignited his passion for blockchain technology. He discusses the lessons learned from the GameStop and Robinhood incident, stressing the vital role of financial infrastructure. Cascarilla shares insights on why Paxos targets institutional clients over retail, and how partnerships with companies like PayPal can reshape crypto accessibility. He also addresses the future of stablecoin regulation and the transformative potential of tokenized assets in the financial landscape.

Lea Thompson, known as Girl Gone Crypto, is the creative mind behind the engaging vlog, "The Crypto Minute." She shares the behind-the-scenes magic of producing her entertaining videos, from her quirky costume choices to her intriguing approach on social media. Lea explains how she transitioned from a day job to full-time crypto content creation, discusses her viral hits, and emphasizes her mission to make crypto education accessible and fun. Expect laughter, zany stories, and insight into the wild world of cryptocurrency!

Stani Kulechov, founder and CEO of Aave, discusses his journey from law to fintech, emphasizing how it shaped Aave's innovative lending protocol. He explains the transition from ETHLend to Aave and sheds light on user-friendly features in Aave v2, including reduced gas costs and credit delegation. Stani also delves into Aave's path to decentralization, touching on the role of ‘protocol politicians’ and community governance. He wraps up with insights on Aave's future plans, including a UK EMI license and navigating the complexities of flash loans.

Lyn Alden, CEO of Lyn Alden Investment Strategies, shares her insights on Ethereum, expressing skepticism about its investability due to circular use cases. In contrast, Raoul Pal, CEO of Real Vision Group, remains bullish, likening Ethereum's potential to Bitcoin's, and emphasizes the importance of network effects. They discuss the impact of transaction fees on decentralized applications and question regulatory challenges in the crypto landscape. Both offer unique predictions for Ethereum's price and insights into the evolving financial system, spurred by innovations like DeFi.

Shehan Chandrasekara, Head of Strategy at CoinTracker and a CPA focused on cryptocurrency taxation, teams up with Dan Hannum, COO of ZenLedger and a crypto tax compliance expert. They dissect the ins and outs of crypto taxes, detailing IRS inquiries and the essentials of reporting yield farming income. Discover the nuances of taxable events, the reporting implications for mining and peer-to-peer transactions, and the complexities of NFTs. Plus, learn valuable tips for tax loss harvesting and the benefits of using crypto tax software for seamless compliance.

Michael Saylor, the visionary CEO of MicroStrategy, shares insights on why his company committed substantial funds to Bitcoin. He discusses how the pandemic influenced this decision and reflects on past challenges with his company's stock. Saylor addresses the corporate response to the Bitcoin investment, potential risks during market fluctuations, and the evolving landscape of company treasury strategies. He also highlights the growing interest from other businesses in cryptocurrency and the long-term vision for Bitcoin as a foundational asset in the digital economy.