Unchained

Olaf Carlson-Wee, founder and CEO of Polychain Capital and former Coinbase employee, shares his insights on the rapidly changing crypto landscape. He discusses the nuances of yield farming, liquidity mining, and decentralized finance's impact on traditional corporations. Olaf critiques projects like YFI, delves into the governance structures of Uniswap versus SushiSwap, and examines the scalability of Ethereum. He also highlights the significance of security in DeFi and envisions how new models can redefine finance.

Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly Capital, and Dan Robinson, research partner at Paradigm, dive into the explosive growth of decentralized exchanges. They explore why trading on automated market makers has skyrocketed from $1 billion to $10 billion in just months. The duo discusses the advantages of DEXs over centralized exchanges, the mechanics behind incentivized liquidity pools, and the unpredictable market dynamics. With insights into the future of DeFi, they liken current trends to the financial landscape of the 1970s, signaling a game-changing era for trading.

Saifedean Ammous, an economist and author of "The Bitcoin Standard," shares his keen insights into Bitcoin and Austrian economics. He explains how Bitcoin aligns with the principles of sound money and its historical value compared to inflationary currencies. Ammous delves into the intriguing stock-to-flow model and highlights Bitcoin's unique difficulty adjustment as a vital feature. He also discusses time preference, the evolution of money, and raises interesting predictions about Bitcoin's future, making a case for why it’s the best store of value humanity has ever invented.

Join David Chaum, the visionary behind eCash, and Adam Back, creator of Hashcash, as they dive into their roles in the digital currency landscape long before Bitcoin emerged. They reflect on the riveting 'crypto wars' of the 90s and the fight for cryptographic freedom. The duo shares insights on eCash's innovative blind signatures and Hashcash's proof-of-work model, addressing their initial thoughts on Bitcoin and its future. Together, they explore how these early innovations shaped the cryptocurrency world we know today.

Aaron van Wirdum, technical editor at Bitcoin Magazine, joins Finn Brunton, author of "Digital Cash," to explore the fascinating history of digital currencies. They discuss the early motivations behind digital currencies and the influence of Extropian philosophy. The podcast delves into the challenges faced in development, like double-spending, and the significance of public key protocols. Key figures like Hal Finney are highlighted for their critical contributions, alongside a look at how earlier systems like e-cash paved the way for Bitcoin and what sets it apart.

Join Dave Jevans, CEO of CipherTrace, an expert in cryptocurrency safety, and Siân Jones of XReg Consulting, a regulatory authority, as they unpack the Financial Action Task Force’s travel rule. They dive into its impact on crypto compliance, the complexities of data sharing between entities, and the implications for privacy coins. Hear about the challenges without a unified approach, the potential effects on central bank digital currencies, and the future of regulation in this fast-evolving landscape. An eye-opening look at crypto’s regulatory horizon!

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, reflects on the platform’s five-year journey. He discusses the high gas fees and the complexities of ETH 2.0, raising concerns about security and monetary policy. Buterin highlights the democratic potential of proof of stake and examines risks in decentralized finance (DeFi). He delves into the Ethical challenges facing the Ethereum Foundation, including an indictment involving a staff member. Lastly, he emphasizes the need for diversity to drive long-term success and shares his vision for Ethereum's future.

In this engaging discussion with Camila Russo, founder of The Defiant and author of "The Infinite Machine," she reveals how Argentina's currency crisis sparked her passion for cryptocurrency. Camila shares pivotal moments in Ethereum's journey, its competition with other protocols, and her insights on Ethereum 2.0's potential risks. She discusses launching 'CAMI' tokens while emphasizing the importance of ERC-20 tokens in the market. With predictions on DeFi trends, this conversation is a must-listen for crypto enthusiasts.

Michael Casey, Chief Content Officer at CoinDesk, and Niall Ferguson, a Senior Fellow at Stanford, dive into the evolution of money and Bitcoin's role in it. They share personal journeys into crypto amid financial turmoil, emphasizing trust in new monetary systems. The duo discusses Bitcoin's potential as digital gold and its volatility, while examining the power struggle between the US dollar and emerging digital currencies from China. They also ponder how blockchain could reshape finance and empower individuals in a shifting economic landscape.

Dan Elitzer, an investor at IDEO CoLab Ventures, and Will Price, a data scientist at Flipside Crypto, dive into the thrilling yet risky world of yield farming. They discuss how liquidity mining affects user incentives and the precarious nature of protocol interactions. The potential valuation of DeFi tokens, particularly Compound's impact on the ecosystem, is critically examined. They also explore security challenges in yield farming and speculate on the future of Ethereum and Bitcoin integration in decentralized finance.