Unchained

Yeonmi Park, a North Korean defector and renowned human rights activist, shares her gripping journey from oppression to freedom. She reveals her childhood indoctrination in North Korea and how watching 'Titanic' sparked her understanding of love. Her escape to China was fraught with danger, pushing her to confront the brutal realities of both regimes. Park emphasizes the importance of sharing external information with North Koreans and critiques tourism that fuels the oppressive government. Her insights shed light on the complexities of freedom and resistance.

Kain Warwick, founder of Synthetix, dives into the fascinating world of synthetic assets on Ethereum. He explains why people might choose synthetic Bitcoin over the real deal and how the SNX token plays a pivotal role in the ecosystem. Warwick recounts a dramatic incident where a trading bot nearly caused insolvency and how they negotiated to keep the platform afloat. Topics also include governance aspirations toward a DAO, upcoming changes like decentralized futures, and the challenges DeFi faces against centralized finance.

Carylyne Chan, Chief Strategy Officer at CoinMarketCap, and Gerald Chee, Head of Research, dive into the evolution of CoinMarketCap and its new liquidity metric aimed at tackling fake trading volumes. They reveal how the ICO frenzy reshaped definitions of circulating supply and why analyzing user behavior is crucial. The guests discuss the site's correlation with Bitcoin prices and innovative strategies to enhance transparency and market efficiency. Additionally, they explore the significance of the Data Accountability and Transparency Alliance in addressing cryptocurrency volume inflation.

Martin Chorzempa, a research fellow at the Peterson Institute, and Dovey Wan, a founding partner at Primitive Ventures, dive into China's digital currency, the DCEP. They discuss the intersection of blockchain technology and the U.S.-China trade dynamics, emphasizing how DCEP could challenge shadow banking and reshape global finance. The conversation explores the concept of 'controlled anonymity' in transactions and its potential benefits over existing payment systems. They also speculate on the impact of DCEP on interest in Bitcoin among the Chinese populace.

Christopher Giancarlo, former chairman of the CFTC and dubbed 'Crypto Dad', dives into his timely insights on regulation and innovation. He reflects on the financial crisis that sparked his interest in blockchain and advocates for modernizing outdated regulations. Giancarlo discusses the implications of Bitcoin futures, the unique challenges of classifying digital assets, and the potential impact of Libra and the Chinese digital yuan. He hints at his vision for a digital dollar with a blend of existing innovations while emphasizing the need for thoughtful oversight.

Christian Catalini, co-creator of Libra and chief economist at Calibra, dives into the intricate design choices behind Libra and how Facebook addressed substantial regulatory backlash. He discusses the implications of losing initial payment partners and explores the balance between robust KYC processes and including the unbanked. Catalini also unveils Calibra's monetization strategies, transparency about privacy, and Facebook's positioning against China's digital yuan, painting a complex picture of the future of financial inclusion in a digitized world.

Hunter Horsley, cofounder and CEO of Bitwise Asset Management, and Matt Hougan, Global Head of Research at Bitwise, provide insights into their plans for a Bitcoin ETF. They discuss the SEC's recent disapproval of their application and what their next steps will be. The duo shares their vision for making cryptocurrency accessible to mainstream investors, the rigorous strategies for managing airdrops and forks, and their stance on the evolving regulatory landscape in the crypto space. Plus, they explore the future of funds indexed to the top 100 assets.

Congressman Patrick McHenry, known as 'Mr. Fintech,' is a key advocate for crypto-friendly regulations. He discusses his reintroduction of the Financial Services Innovation Act, promoting a regulatory sandbox for financial innovation. McHenry addresses the challenges of ICO fundraising and the implications for exchanges lacking BitLicenses. He also shares insights on the competition posed by China's digital yuan and emphasizes the need for the U.S. to explore a digital dollar, urging a proactive stance in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

Mariano Conti, head of smart contracts at MakerDAO and creator of SelloutDAO, joins Peter Pan, summoner of Metacartel DAO, to dive deep into the world of DAOs. They share the origin story of Metacartel and how it was born out of rejection. The conversation reveals how DAOs rely more on trust than automation, why funding structures matter, and the ongoing governance issues at MakerDAO. They also tackle the challenges of rage quitting and the necessity of robust community engagement in decentralized systems.

David Andolfatto, Senior VP at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, shares his insights on cryptocurrency and central banking. He discusses the regulatory challenges facing Facebook's Libra and why he believes Bitcoin could sidestep those hurdles. Andolfatto provocatively claims that the loss of the USD's global reserve status isn’t as crucial as some think, citing other successful currencies. He also explores the design of central bank digital currencies and the implications for commercial banks and fractional reserve banking.