Unchained

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra explore the latest trends in crypto. This episode explores the buzz around LeBron James' potential memecoin, the recent approval of Ether ETFs, and Biden's shifting stance on crypto policy. We dissect the implications of Trump's pro-crypto promises and the FIT21 legislation. Tune in for a lively debate on celebrity coins, the market's reaction to regulatory changes, and the evolving landscape of political influence in the crypto space. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Pandora, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights 🔹 Celebrity Coins: In-depth discussion on the rise of celebrity-endorsed cryptocurrencies, focusing on LeBron James' potential memecoin and its market implications. 🔹 Ether ETF Approval: Examination of the recent Ether ETF approval, the political motivations behind it, and how it might impact the broader crypto market. 🔹 Biden's Crypto Policy: Analysis of Biden's evolving crypto stance, including recent outreach to the crypto industry and the potential effects on the upcoming elections. 🔹 Trump's Crypto Strategy: Debate on Trump's newfound pro-crypto stance, his promises to the crypto community, and the potential impact on his voter base. 🔹 FIT21 Legislation: Overview of the Financial Innovation and Technology in the 21st Century Act, its key provisions, and the potential for bipartisan support. 🔹 Political Influence in Crypto: Discussion on the increasing influence of politics in the crypto space, including the roles of key figures and the impact of regulatory developments. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Disclosures Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 02:45 - ETF Approval 07:00 - How deep is this policy shift? 09:00 - FIT21 15:45 - Trump's Pro-Crypto Stance 24:40 - Caitlyn Jenner's Memecoin Launch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. After some big wins for the crypto industry (and big losses for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen, delves into how the upcoming US elections could reshape the SEC’s crypto agenda, the political pressures influencing SEC decisions, and the potential impact that a new SEC chair could have. Gottlieb provides insights into ongoing court battles involving major crypto firms like Coinbase and explores the broader political implications of the Democrats' recent outreach to the crypto industry. Show highlights: How the sea change in Congress, the White House, and the Biden campaign affects the SEC’s stance on crypto Whether the SEC's agenda on crypto has changed, following the sudden reversal on ETH ETFs Whether the SEC is being pressured politically about crypto and how that could affect its actions between now and the election How the ongoing legal crypto cases are affected by the SEC’s change of tune What the implications of a possible new SEC chair would be How the SEC’s credibility was damaged by the Debt Box case Why Jason thinks Democrats are in an “uncomfortable position” but also believes there’s a lot of common ground with the Republicans with regard to crypto Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot VaultCraft Guest Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen Previous appearances on Unchained: The Department of Justice Goes After Its First NFT Insider Trading Case ‘Is ETH a Security?’ Why Gary Gensler Couldn’t Give Congress a Straight Answer Links Previous coverage on Unchained of the recent shift in the US political landscape: Why Many Democrats, Including the White House, Have Come Around on Crypto Senator Cynthia Lummis on Why Crypto Now Has Bipartisan Support in Congress Bits + Bips: Is US Politics Driving the ETH ETF Approval? Why Spot Ether ETFs Are Now Likely to Be Approved on Thursday Political turn and ongoing cases: The Block: Biden campaign ramps up crypto industry outreach in surprising tone 'shift' Unchained: Ethereum ETFs Likely Protect Ether From the SEC. But What About Staked ETH? Why the SEC May Not Be Done in Its Legal Battles Over Ethereum SAB 121 Bloomberg: As Bitcoin Rallies, Banks Are Pushing US Regulators to Change Crypto Guidance FIT21 Unchained: FIT21 Bill Heads to The Senate: Should We Really Be Excited? Spot Ether ETFs Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction 02:55 The outlook for the SEC’s efforts after the seeming sea change from the Democrats 06:09 Whether the SEC's agenda has changed, after the sudden reversal on ETH ETFs 09:58 Whether the SEC is being pressured politically and whether that will influence its actions between now and the presidential election 15:30 How the ongoing legal crypto cases are affected by the SEC’s change of tune 19:51 What the implications of a new SEC chair would be on court cases winding slowly through the courts 23:52 How the SEC’s credibility was damaged by the Debt Box case 27:59 Why Jason thinks Democrats are in an “uncomfortable position” but also believes there’s a lot of common ground with the Republicans with regard to crypto 34:14 Weekly recap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, joins Unchained to explore the dramatic shift by Democrats in the last few weeks on crypto. She explains why she believes the overturning of SAB 121 and the House vote for the FIT21 bill were both instrumental to the White House's changing view on crypto and may have played a role in the SEC’s surprising approval of spot ETH ETFs. Having worked for years on passing crypto legislation and as a lifelong Democrat, Sheila describes what kinds of arguments were persuasive to Democratic members of Congress, addresses some criticisms of the FIT21 bill, and gives her perspective on the debate about single-issue voters. Show highlights: The overall attitude toward crypto in Washington going into the House vote on SAB 121 on May 8 The bipartisan votes in the House and Senate to overturn SAB 121 Why, by the time of the Senate vote on FIT21, the White House had had a change of heart about crypto Why, after the Senate vote to repeal SAB 121, the SEC approved the spot ETH ETFs Why Sheila is so proud of the passage in the House of the FIT21 bill How Sheila and CCI approached their discussions with Democrats and what arguments they found effective Whether the industry has survived the negative image of SBF and FTX The sea change in the White House between the SAB 121 vote and the FIT21 vote A high-level description of the FIT21 bill What kind of authority the bill would give the CFTC over crypto What the implications of the bill are for launching tokens FIT21’s approach to regulating DeFi and how the FIT21 bill is "kicking the can" on this topic The overall political and legislation landscape and the next likely steps for crypto Whether the ETF approval changes anything about the SEC’s investigation into Ethereum What Sheila thinks about the 'crypto single-issue voter’ debate Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot VaultCraft Guest: Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation Previous appearance on Unchained: Did FTX Ruin Crypto’s Image on Capitol Hill? Two DC Insiders Discuss Links Previous coverage on Unchained of the recent shift in the US political landscape: Senator Cynthia Lummis on Why Crypto Now Has Bipartisan Support in Congress Bits + Bips: Is US Politics Driving the ETH ETF Approval? Why Spot Ether ETFs Are Now Likely to Be Approved on Thursday SAB 121 Bloomberg: As Bitcoin Rallies, Banks Are Pushing US Regulators to Change Crypto Guidance FIT21 CCI: FIT21 Coalition Support Letter Unchained: FIT21 Bill Heads to The Senate: Should We Really Be Excited? Sheila’s op-ed on Fortune: The clock is ticking for Democrats on crypto Spot Ether ETFs Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security Ethereum Foundation investigation Fortune Crypto: SEC probing crypto companies in Ethereum investigation as hopes for ETF dim Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. With crypto becoming more politicized than ever, US Senator from Wyoming Cynthia Lummis came on Unchained to talk about the recent regulatory action in Washington DC. With crypto becoming more politicized than ever, U.S. Senator from Wyoming Cynthia Lummis came on Unchained to talk about the recent regulatory action in Washington, D.C. She delves into what led to bipartisan support to repeal SAB 121, and how the strength of the vote there in both the House and Senate may have affected the about-face decision to approve spot ether ETFs. Sen. Lummis also explains why she disagrees with how Gary Gensler’s SEC is handling the industry, how to avoid the next TerraUSD, why she feels Wyoming-chartered Custodia Bank is not being treated fairly, the ban on a Chinese-owned, Wyoming-based Bitcoin mining firm, and what advice she would give to the crypto industry during this election year. Show highlights: Why the SAB 121 approval was bipartisan Whether President Biden will veto the resolution How it's a "mystery" to Sen. Lummis why the SEC had a change of heart about Ether ETFs How the SEC's approach to regulating the industry "is not the American way" Whether there is a bipartisan majority in favor of crypto in Congress How bitcoin has come a long way in terms of adoption Sen. Lummis' thoughts on how to regulate the stablecoin industry and avoid a Terra Luna situation The differences between the Lummis-Gillibrand bill and FIT21 How Sen. Lummis feels about the denial of a master account for Custodia Bank Whether there's a move against Bitcoin mining companies in the US, given the recent ban of an operation in Wyoming What Sen. Lummis would advise for the industry to accomplish its goals Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot VaultCraft Guest Senator Cynthia Lummis on Why Crypto Now Has Bipartisan Support in Congress - Ep. 651, U.S. Senator from Wyoming Links Ether ETFs Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security Bits + Bips: Is US Politics Driving the ETH ETF Approval? Why Spot Ether ETFs Are Now Likely to Be Approved on Thursday SAB 121 Bloomberg: As Bitcoin Rallies, Banks Are Pushing US Regulators to Change Crypto Guidance FIT21: Unchained: FIT21 Bill Heads to The Senate: Should We Really Be Excited? Open cases: Fortune: SEC sued over Ethereum, crypto firm asks court to state token is not a security Unchained: Gary Gensler’s Case Against Uniswap: Does the SEC Even Stand a Chance? SEC Puts DeFi in Its Sights With Potential Uniswap Suit Unchained: SEC Investigating Ethereum Foundation Regarding Proof-of-Stake Transition: Report The Real Reason Why the SEC Might Be Going After Ethereum Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:53) Why the SAB 121 approval was bipartisan (04:52) Whether President Biden will veto the resolution (08:40) How it's a "mystery" to Sen. Lummis why the SEC had a change of heart about Ether ETFs (13:23) Why Senator Lummis believes there is a bipartisan majority in favor of crypto in Congress (20:19) Sen. Lummis' thoughts on how to regulate the stablecoin industry and avoid a Terra Luna situation (23:55) The differences between the Lummis-Gillibrand bill and FIT21 (28:59) How Sen. Lummis feels about the denial of a master account for Wyoming-special purpose depository institution Custodia Bank (30:20) What she thinks about the Biden administration’s ban against a Wyoming-based, Chinese-owned Bitcoin mining company near a nuclear site (33:44) What Sen. Lummis would advise for the industry to accomplish its goals (35:04) Weekly Recap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra explore the latest trends in crypto. This episode covers the anticipated Ether ETF Approval and its market impact, Biden's evolving crypto policy, and the bipartisan repeal of SAB-121. We debate the controversy around High FDV Low Float Tokens and discuss the DOJ indictment for a $25 million MEV exploit. Tune in for insights on memecoin performance, the role of prediction markets in politics, and the increasing participation of retail investors in the crypto market. Show highlights 🔹 Crypto Regulation: In-depth discussion on SEC Crypto Guidance, focusing on SAB-121 and its implications for the crypto and banking sectors. 🔹 Ethereum ETF News: Examination of the anticipated Ether ETF Approval, the political motivations behind it, and potential market implications. 🔹 Biden Administration Crypto Stance: Analysis of Biden's evolving crypto policy, bipartisan repeal of SAB-121, and how these shifts might affect the upcoming elections. 🔹 High FDV Low Float Tokens: Debate on the controversy surrounding high FDV low float tokens, recent market downturns, and potential market structure issues. 🔹 MEV Exploit DOJ: Overview of the DOJ indictment of two brothers for a $25 million MEV exploit, exploring the legal and ethical implications. 🔹 Memecoin Performance: Insights into current market trends, including the performance of memecoins versus VC-backed tokens, and predictions on future regulatory impacts. 🔹 Prediction Markets in Politics: Exploration of how prediction markets are influencing political stances, particularly Trump's pro-crypto stance and its effects on voter behavior. 🔹 Impact of Regulation on Crypto: Discussion on the increased participation of retail investors in the crypto market and its broader implications. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Disclosures Links Haseeb’s “Why are all these low float / high FDV coins down bad?” https://x.com/hosseeb/status/1792257063399403669 Two Brothers Arrested for Attacking Ethereum Blockchain and Stealing $25M in Cryptocurrency: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-brothers-arrested-attacking-ethereum-blockchain-and-stealing-25m-cryptocurrency Tarun’s Towards a Theory of Maximal Extractable Value I: Constant Function Market Makers: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2207.11835 Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (2:20) - Congressional Response to SAB-121 (12:05) - Are memecoiners activists? (16:09) - Crypto is a new wedge issue (19:03) - ETH ETF & Regulation softening (22:23) - Prediction markets steering politics (30:22) - Being anti-crypto is stupid (35:38) - "High FDV, Low Float" tokens (40:16) - Market structure problems (49:14) - Market price is not sustainable (55:38) - DOJ vs. MEV Bot Exploit (1:01:45) - Crypto-on-crypto crime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With ETH spot ETFs now more likely than ever, Bits + Bips hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann delve into the reasons behind this shift, surmising that the reversal may have come from powers above the SEC—perhaps in the Biden administration. The three hosts surmise that ETH will likely reach all-time highs, discuss how this changes their election trading strategy and ponder where there is enough institutional demand for ether ETFs. They also look at whether the potential approval could sway the US elections. Plus, they share insights into stablecoins and how they strengthen the US’s political power globally, dive into the debate on low float/high FDV coins, and also take a peek at what they think could be the potential next crypto spot ETF. Show highlights: Why the chances of an ETH ETF suddenly reversed What the "Coinbase premium" is and how Joe uses it for trading Why Alex believes that ETH is heading to all-time highs Whether there's institutional demand for spot ether ETFs The political pressure that led to this change Whether the ETH ETF will change the course of the US elections The broader macroeconomics conditions and how Alex thinks to trade the US elections How US dollar-pegged stablecoins promote USD hegemony The debate about high FDV, low float coins, and whether there is a solution Whether new crypto spot ETFs will be approved Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric Links Ether ETF approval: Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security CoinDesk: Ether ETFs Filing Process Sees Abrupt Progress, Though Approval Not Guaranteed: Sources The Block: Fidelity files amended S-1 registration statement, removing staking rewards from prospective Ethereum ETF Unchained Podcast: Why Spot Ether ETFs Are Now Likely to Be Approved on Thursday High FDV, low float coins: Unchained: Who’s to Blame for the Underperformance of Low Float, High FDV Tokens? Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:40) Why the chances of an ETH ETF suddenly reversed (09:13) Why Alex believes that ETH is heading to all time highs (11:22) Whether there's institutional demand for ether (16:46) The political pressure that led to this change (28:46) The broader macroeconomics conditions and how Alex thinks he’ll trade the US elections (35:51) How US dollar-pegged stablecoins promote USD hegemony and mirror the Eurodollars market (40:01) The debate about high FDV, low float coins, and whether there is a solution (49:52) Whether there are going to be new crypto spot ETFs being approved Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just when everyone thought that spot Ether ETFs were going to be denied on Thursday, news broke Monday that they are now likely to be approved, with Bloomberg analysts tripling their odds to a 75% chance of approval. Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, and Matt Hougan, CIO at Bitwise Asset Management, say this reversal definitely has to do with politics, citing the fight of Staff Accounting Bulletin 121, a rule that was unfriendly to financial institutions wanting to engage with crypto. Plus, they delve into the reasons why Michael Sonnenshein stepped down as CEO of Grayscale after 10 years (hint: it has to do with GBTC), what the 13F filings revealed about who’s been buying the spot bitcoin ETFs since the beginning of the year, and what Vanguard’s incoming CEO, Salim Ramji, who was instrumental to getting BlackRock to launch its Bitcoin ETF, could mean for crypto’s future at the asset management firm. Show highlights: Why Eric believes the ether ETFs will be approved Why Matt thinks the Bitcoin ETFs set off a "complete sea change in Washington around crypto" Whether the spot Ether ETFs will be approved with or without staking Who the authorized participants and other behind-the-scenes players in the ether ETFs will be When the ETH ETFs could start trading and why Eric believes they won't be as successful as Bitcoin ETFs What the 13F filings revealed about the spot Bitcoin ETFs buyers and why their identities are "stunning" Why Michael Sonnenshein stepped down as CEO of Grayscale Grayscale’s new mini ETF, BTC Whether Vanguard's new CEO appointment could mean a change in attitude by the asset management firm towards crypto What a buffered ETF is and why they could be significant Matt's prediction for the BTC price Their outlook on the future of ETFs and developments in the space Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot VaultCraft Guests: Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management Previous appearances on Unchained: How Small Bitcoin ETF Issuers Will Compete With the Likes of BlackRock Why a Spot Bitcoin ETF Will Probably Launch No Later Than January 10 Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Previous appearances on Unchained: How, in 7 Weeks, Bitcoin ETFs Reached Inflows That Took Gold ETFs 3 Years Why Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Likely to Finally Start Trading on Thursday Will a Spot Bitcoin ETF Finally Get Approved? Links Ether ETFs Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security CoinDesk: Ether ETFs Filing Process Sees Abrupt Progress, Though Approval Not Guaranteed: Sources The Block: Fidelity files amended S-1 registration statement, removing staking rewards from prospective Ethereum ETF SAB 121 Bloomberg: As Bitcoin Rallies, Banks Are Pushing US Regulators to Change Crypto Guidance Unchained: Senate Votes to Kill SAB 121 Custody Bill: How Crypto Became So Political 13F Filings Unchained: Large Institutions Betting Big on Bitcoin ETFs Revealed in SEC Filings Leadership changes CoinDesk: Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein Steps Down, to Be Replaced by TradFi Veteran WSJ: Meet Salim Ramji, Who Is Going to Oversee the Retirement Assets of Tens of Millions of Americans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Evan Zinaman, founder and principal at Trailbreak, delves into the first-of-its-kind case of the Bueno brothers, who face Department of Justice charges for exploiting Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) in a cryptocurrency scheme. Accused of manipulating transaction ordering to create an arbitrage opportunity, the brothers are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as well as wire fraud itself. Zinaman explores the broader implications of MEV exploitation, addresses critics who say that the MEV exploiters just got a taste of their own medicine, and the need for block building participants to consider their legal and compliance responsibilities. Show highlights: What the charges against the Bueno brothers are about How block building works on Ethereum and how the relay was manipulated by the Bueno brothers The different types of MEV and which ones are acceptable Why these charges could be seen as a "vanilla fraud," according to Evan Whether the benefits of MEV outweigh the cons of it The lack of terms of service in the MEV space How the regulators' attention to the space has changed over time Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com First Bits + Bips episode: Bits + Bips: Does Macroeconomics Point to a Potential Crypto Supercycle? Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot VaultCraft Guest Evan Zinaman, Founder & Principal at Trailbreak Where the Rubber Meets the Road: A MEV-Aware, Functionalist Review of OFAC Risk "on the Base Layer" Links Previous coverage on Unchained of MEV: Why MEV Will Always Be Controversial The Chopping Block: Why the Once-Taboo MEV Is Now a Core Part of Ethereum The Mango Markets Attacker on Whether His 'Trade' Was Ethical or Not The Chopping Block: ‘Code Is Law’ Is ‘Obviously Not How Anything Works Ever’ The Case: Unchained: DOJ Alleges Two Brothers Stole $25 Million From MEV Bots Last Year Research: Blockchain Transaction Ordering as Market Manipulation by Mikolaj et al Learn more: What Are Sandwich Attacks in Crypto? A Beginner's Guide What Is MEV in Crypto? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and special guest Laura Shin explore the latest trends in the crypto world. In this episode, we touch on how Donald Trump's pro-crypto statements influence voter behavior in the upcoming U.S. elections. We ask ourselves, is voting based solely on crypto policy a legitimate strategy? What are the implications of the Biden administration's stance on crypto regulations for future electoral outcomes? Following the political discussion, we unpack the recent GameStop and AMC pump and dissect the viability of their business models. We bring to light the broader implications for memestocks and whether the increased capital really saves these companies. Tune in for a detailed exploration of these critical questions affecting the interplay of politics, finance, and cryptocurrency. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Pandora, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights 🔹 Crypto's Role in U.S. Politics: Trump's pro-crypto stance at a recent gala and its potential implications for voter behavior are examined. 🔹 Single Issue Voting on Crypto: The legitimacy of voting based solely on crypto policy is debated, with insights into how this could impact the political landscape. 🔹 Opinions on Financial Regulations: The various aspects of financial regulation, including the Biden's administration's stance on crypto, and predictions on how this might influence future electoral outcomes. 🔹 Roaring Kitty’s resurgence and its impact on GameStop's stock prices are discussed, analyzing the ongoing influence of meme stocks in the market. 🔹 Retail's Impact on Financial Markets and the broader implications of retail investment behaviors. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Laura Shin, journalist, author of ‘The Cryptopians,’ founder and CEO of Unchained Disclosures Links Blockworks article: https://blockworks.co/news/only-a-fool-would-vote-on-crypto-alone Trump’s 2019 Tweet: https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1149472282584072192 SAB121: https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409250 Roaring Kitty Tweet: https://x.com/TheRoaringKitty/status/1789807772542067105 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Voorhees, a crypto OG, has launched Venice, a private, uncensorable, open-source competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, powered by a decentralized crypto network. In the episode, Erik and Venice’s COO Teana Baker-Taylor delve into the problems with censorship and data in current AI agents, including how they create honeypots of information about users’ search history for hackers, or that they can be absurdly politically correct, such as refusing to create images of Caucasian people. As they point out, there’s also the risk that the companies managing them could be censoring the models to please the Chinese government, in order to access the market in that country. They talk about their plan for Venice to gain market share, considering that DuckDuckGo, a privacy-preserving competitor to Google, has a much smaller market share. And they explain why they intend for Venice to eventually use the compute of Morpheus, or other decentralized crypto-powered compute networks. They also critique the SEC’s current regulatory approach to crypto, calling it “a joke.” Additionally, they explore the concept of AI agents using cryptocurrencies as their primary currency. Show highlights: Why Erik decided to move into artificial intelligence and merge it with crypto What problems decentralized AI would solve and why it's hard to solve sexist and racist views in LLMs The differences between ChatGPT and other similar products and Venice AI Why privacy is so important for users, according to Erik, and how Venice doesn't store the users' information How central governments could manipulate information to their own benefit and how to avoid it Whether people will shift from using search engines to LLMs What Morpheus is and its goal to provide decentralized computation for AI How Erik and Teana believe crypto and AI will continue to work together Erik's and Teana's thoughts on some of the recent government actions against founders of crypto privacy services such as Samourai Wallet andTornado Cash Why Erik believes that the SEC has become a joke Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com First Bits + Bips episode: Bits + Bips: Does Macroeconomics Point to a Potential Crypto Supercycle? Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot VaultCraft Guests: Erik Voorhees, Founder and CEO of Venice AI Previous appearances on Unchained: Erik Voorhees and Cobie on Why FTX Loaned Out Customers’ Assets Why ShapeShift’s Erik Voorhees Thinks Toxic Bitcoin Maximalism Is Bullshit Shapeshift’s Erik Voorhees on How Crypto Will Separate Money and State Teana Baker-Taylor, COO at Venice AI Links Previous coverage on Unchained of crypto/AI: When AI and Blockchain Meet, How Can Each Technology Benefit? The Chopping Block: Why AI Will Change the Course of History in Crypto 5 Use Cases of AI in Blockchain A Beginner's Guide to AI Tokens Venice AI: Erik’s thread announcing Venice The Separation of Mind and State Architecture: About Morpheus.Network Messari: What is Akash Network? LLMs: MIT Technology Review: LLMs become more covertly racist with human intervention China Talk: Censorship’s Impact on China’s Chatbots - by Nicholas Welch Recent cases on privacy: CoinDesk: Samourai Wallet Founders Arrested and Charged With Money Laundering Cointelegraph: DOJ’s Tornado Cash arguments show ‘obvious disdain for privacy’ — Lawyer CNBC: North Korea crypto hacking activity soars to record high in 2023, new report shows Reuters: Exclusive: UN experts investigate 58 cyberattacks worth $3 bln by North Korea Erik’s post on the right to have privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and special guest Avichal Garg from Electric Capital dissect the latest trends in the crypto world. This episode dives deep into the buzz around EigenLayer’s airdrop: What sparked the controversy and how did EigenLayer respond to community backlash? We then explore LayerZero’s unique self-reporting strategy to combat Sybil farmers and analyze Friend.Tech’s bold, no-VC token launch. The discussion heats up with a look at ConsenSys’ proactive lawsuit against the SEC, setting the stage for a showdown over regulatory clarity. We also delve into Robinhood’s decision to challenge the SEC’s Wells Notice amidst soaring earnings, and tackle the ongoing debate between VC-backed tokens and memecoins: Which is captivating the market? Finally, we predict the future of SocialFi and its potential to revolutionize the crypto landscape. Join us for an insightful exploration of these pivotal topics shaping the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Show highlights 🔹 Breaking down the EigenLayer airdrop controversy and its impact on the community. 🔹 Exploring LayerZero's self-reporting mechanism to combat Sybil attacks. 🔹 Assessing Fantasy Top's growth and its significance in the NFT trading landscape. 🔹 Predicting the trajectory of SocialFi and its potential to reshape the crypto landscape. 🔹 Detailing Consensys’ proactive lawsuit against the SEC over regulatory clarity. 🔹 Robinhood's SEC Challenge and analyzing Robinhood's decision to fight the SEC’s Wells Notice amid record earnings. 🔹 VC Coins vs. Memecoins: Exploring the ongoing debate about the dominance and appeal of VC-backed tokens versus memecoins. 🔹 The Future of SocialFi: Predicting the trajectory of SocialFi and its potential to reshape the crypto landscape. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Guest ⭐️ Avichal Garg, Co-Founder and General Partner at Electric Capital. Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Thomas Braziel, managing partner at 117 Partners, dives into the draft FTX bankruptcy plan, which was praised for paying out at more than 100% in dollar terms, but has a number of intricacies that are drawing criticisms from creditors—including a group that is urging creditors to vote not. The episode delves into the nuances of the proposed payout, explaining how the estate was able to pay back more than 100% than the dollar value of the claims, why some creditors are being pitted against each other, and why it might get approved even “over the kicking and screaming” of some creditors. Braziel gives his insights into the the rapid formation of this plan, the controversial role of Sullivan and Cromwell, and the logistical challenges posed by what may end up being paper check payouts. Show highlights: Why the plan that was filed this week is such big news How it was never even possible for creditors to be made whole in crypto asset terms How the majority of depositors actually had stablecoins on the FTX platform Why there are “inter-creditor” disputes What a "cramdown" is and why it's significant in this case Criticisms of the plan, and why larger investors, especially with crypto holdings, are having their gains socialized Whether the FTX estate made mistakes by selling some of its positions before they 10x’ed Why FTX didn't reboot its platform What conflicts of interest might arise from law firm Sullivan and Cromwell The tax implications for creditors who are non-US taxpayers How the claims are going to be distributed Whether the creditors will favor the proposal and the next steps Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot VaultCraft Guest Thomas Braziel, Managing Partner at 117 Partners Previous appearances on Unchained: Why FTX Might Try to Claw Back Funds From Retail Customers Will FTX Reboot? Here’s John Ray’s Internal Deadline for Making a Decision Will FTX Customers Ever Recover Their Assets? Two Insolvency Experts Weigh In Will Celsius Survive the Bankruptcy Process? How Crypto Bankruptcy Claims Buyers Will Profit From the Collapse of FTX Links Previous coverage on Unchained of the FTX bankruptcy: Jesse Powell and Kevin Zhou on How FTX and Alameda Lost $10 Billion Did the Bahamian Government Direct SBF and Gary Wang to Hack FTX? The Chopping Block: Why Lenders Didn’t Liquidate Alameda When It Was Underwater Erik Voorhees and Cobie on Why FTX Loaned Out Customers’ Assets The Chopping Block: FTX: The Biggest Collapse in the History of Crypto? Creditors plan: Unchained: 98% of FTX Creditors to Receive 118% Claims Payout Thomas’ summary of the plan Dollarization: Unchained: Is it Fair That Crypto Bankruptcies Are Denominated in Dollars? Here’s a Solution to Dollarization Criticism of the plan: Nicholas Hall’s thread Sunil Kavuri’s opinion on X Zach Guzman on the sale of Anthropic Taxes: Thomas’ thread on the taxes for creditors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann explain why the macroeconomics could point to the markets actually being in a crypto supercycle. They discuss the recent Federal Reserve meeting and its impact on the markets, as well as the irony that leveraged Ethereum futures ETFs will likely be approved while spot Ethereum ETFs will likely not. James also reveals his pet theory on where the SEC is going with its investigation into ETH. They cover why the bottoming of emerging market currencies in Asia is good for Bitcoin, dismiss the recent Wells notice issued to Robinhood, and speculate that Tether may be the most profitable company per employee in the world. Agreeing that the current market cycle is different, Seyffart and McCann suggest that there is still a long way to go, and assert that the market may be underweighting the possibility that crypto goes to a $10 trillion market cap in the next few years. Show highlights: The Fed's recent decisions and how they lower the chances of more rate hikes The importance of global liquidity in the performance of risk assets like Bitcoin and crypto assets Why a bottoming in the value of the yen, yuan and other emerging markets currencies is good for Bitcoin and crypto, according to Joe The irony that leveraged Ethereum futures ETFs are likely to be approved but spot ETFs are not James’s pet theory about how the SEC will rule on whether ETH is a security Whether trading in Hong Kong's crypto ETFs shows how little interest there would be in an ETH ETF compared to spot BTC ETFs Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF Whether people are underweight on a “crazy bonkers rise” in crypto Why Robinhood's Wells Notice is a "minor story," according to Alex Whether Tether is the most profitable business per employee in the world Why James believes that it's not a good idea for the US Congress to be against stablecoins CZ's sentence and whether it's a "good ending for the story" Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Unchained, memecoin traders Ansem and Kelxyz unpack everything about memecoins, discussing what makes them valuable and how they evaluate their investment potential. They also address the criticisms and controversies surrounding them, including racism and sexism. (They have a surprising reaction to the latter.) Ansem and Kel argue that memecoins have substance and value, largely due to their popularity and the attention they receive on the internet. They also discuss the importance of distribution and virality in the success of a memecoin, how the chain any coin is on affects its value, and give their opinions on Runes vs. BRC-20s vs. Solana and Ethereum. Plus, they talk about their wildest memecoin stories (think: Dogwifhat) and provide their insights on what they think memecoins will become in the future. Show highlights: Ansem’s and Kel’s investment theses around memecoins How Ansem and Kel got into trading memecoins and how they evaluate their potential Why the coin distribution matters and whether tokenomics is important with memecoins How to discern between memecoins with genuine vs. fake interest How memecoins differ across blockchains such as Solana, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Ansem and Kel’s responses to the criticisms of memecoins Whether and how memecoins could become safer for users Kel and Ansem’s surprising reaction to racist and sexist memecoins Ansem's story on WIF and how a female friend of his fueled its popularity Whether Bitcoin is “the original memecoin" and how they define memecoin The future of memecoins and how they believe all memes will become coins Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot VaultCraft Guests: Ansem Kelxyz Links Culture: What else could memecoins be? by Vitalik Buterin How bad policy favors memes over matter by Chris Dixon Cointelegraph: Meme coins: Betrayal of crypto’s ideals… or its true purpose? CoinDesk: The Memecoin Grift and How It Threatens Ethereum Culture Investment: CoinGecko: Top Crypto Narratives Gained 39% to 1313% in Q1 2024 Messari: Navigating Memecoin Mania Kelxyz investment strategy Decrypt: Crypto Influencer Ansem Explains His Meme Coin Thesis and Why He’s Bullish on Bitcoin Runes Unchained: What Is Dogwifhat (WIF) and Why Is It Up so Much? Safer memecoins Unchained: Half of Solana Presale Tokens Rolled Out Between November and February Were Malicious: Blockaid Study Cointelegraph: 1 in 6 new Base meme coins are scams, 91% have vulnerabilities Andre Conje’s proposal Racist memecoins Unchained: Offensive Memecoins Proliferate on Solana, Sparking Debate Crypto.news: Ethereum's Buterin slams Solana's racist meme coins, urges better projects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. EigenLayer has been in the news this week after it announced its ‘stakedrop,’ where it will distribute EIGEN tokens to early users of the restaking platform. Sreeram Kannan, founder and CEO of EigenLayer, and Robert Drost, CEO and executive director of the Eigen Foundation, discuss the launch of the token, a “universal intersubjective work token” and how it allows for slashing, or penalizing, for externally observable faults, such as data unavailability. The Eigen Foundation, a non-profit entity based in the Cayman Islands, was also recently established to grow the protocol and assist in creating a decentralized community. They also address criticisms of the token's launch, including geoblocking and the initial non-transferability of stakedrops for the community and explain why they decided to allocate an additional 100 EIGEN tokens for all participants in the stakedrop. Plus, they reveal a target date by when a decision about the token unlock date should be made. Show highlights: The buzz around the universal intersubjective work token and what it was created for What constitutes the digital commons and its two primary characteristics How the EIGEN token is designed to prevent the necessity of forking an entire blockchain Whether dapps should evolve into AVSes and EigenLayer’s complementary role to Ethereum, not replacing it Why the Eigen Foundation was established and how it differs from Eigen Labs Robert's response to the criticism regarding the exclusion of certain countries Why EIGEN will be distributed linearly, despite it potentially favoring whales EigenLayer's announcement of an updated stakedrop, after listening to community feedback The critique of the vesting schedule and Robert's explanation of when the lock period actually starts Why Sreeram believes that transfer restrictions are beneficial and empowering for users What the next steps are for EigenLayer Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot VaultCraft Guests Sreeram Kannan, founder of EigenLayer Previous appearance on Unchained: Why EigenLayer May Be the Most Innovative New Ecosystem Since Ethereum Do You Need to Think Twice Before Restaking Your Assets? Robert Drost, CEO and executive director of the Eigen Foundation Links Airdrop: Introducing the Eigen Foundation, EIGEN token and Season 1 Stakedrop Robert Drost’s thread on the Eigen Foundation Viktor Bunin’s thread on the token Unchained: Eigen Foundation to Allocate an Additional $1,000 in EIGEN Tokens to Over 280,000 Users Should You Sell ETH Before the Just-Announced EigenLayer Airdrop? Reaction CoinDesk: Why Eigenlayer’s Airdrop Is Controversial Unchained: 5 Reasons E-Beggars Are Not Happy With EigenLayer’s Airdrop Learn more: Unchained: What Is EigenLayer? A Guide to the Decentralized ETH Restaking Protocol What Is Ethereum Restaking? A Beginner’s Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive deep into the controversy surrounding the EigenLayer airdrop, discussing the community’s backlash and its broader implications for token distributions in crypto. We also explore the ongoing debate over the efficacy and future of cryptocurrency points programs. The episode also delves into Martin Shkreli’s impactful campaign against Io.Net, highlighting how his public criticisms shed light on project valuations and investor trust. Additionally, we discuss CZ’s recent four-month sentencing, reflecting on the crypto community’s supportive response and considering the Department of Justice's approach to crypto leadership. Tune in to gain expert perspectives on the complex interplay between market movements, regulatory actions, and community reactions in the evolving world of crypto! Show Highlights 🔹 EigenLayer Airdrop Controversy: Delve into the community's disappointment over the EigenLayer airdrop and explore its implications for future token distributions. 🔹 Debate on Crypto Points Programs: Analyze the effectiveness and future prospects of cryptocurrency points programs. 🔹 Impact of VCs on Market Dynamics: Consider the role of venture capitalists and how investor sentiment is shaped by their actions in the market. 🔹 Martin Shkreli's Campaign Against Io.Net: Discuss how Martin Shkreli significantly impacted Io.Net by publicly criticizing the project's overvaluation. 🔹 CZ's Four-Month Sentencing: Reflect on the crypto community's support for CZ following his four-month sentencing. 🔹 DOJ Sentencing and Prospects for Crypto Leaders: Examine the Department of Justice's approach to sentencing and what it means for future leadership in the cryptocurrency sector. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, Founder of Compound ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Giga-Brain & Grand Poobah at Gauntlet Disclosures Links AI x Web3: Pioneering Decentralized Intelligence - TOKEN2049 Dubai 2024 https://youtu.be/zt_uEHcFiA4 EigenLayer Whitepapter https://github.com/Layr-Labs/whitepaper/blob/master/EIGEN_Token_Whitepaper.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Unchained, host Laura interviews Alexei Zamyatin, co-founder of Build on Bitcoin, Willem Schroé, founder of Botanix Labs, and Orkun Kılıç, co-founder of Chainway Labs. They discuss their respective projects, all of which are focused on developing Layer 2 solutions for Bitcoin. Zamyatin's Build on Bitcoin is a hybrid Layer 2 that connects to both Bitcoin and Ethereum, aiming to bring innovation back to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Schroé's Botanix Labs is developing a decentralized Layer 2 solution using the ‘Spiderchain,’ which uses a series of multi-signature wallets to secure the chain. Kılıç's Chainway Labs is building Citrea, a zk-rollup on Bitcoin that aims to create a Bitcoin-backed economy. All three projects are in various stages of development and testing, with BOB’s mainnet launch expected shortly. Show highlights: Introduction to Build on Bitcoin (BOB), Botanix, and Citrea: How they aim to innovate and expand Bitcoin's capabilities, including their architectural designs that integrate Ethereum users and work toward decentralization and trustlessness Security Aspects and Integration Strategies: What the security risks associated with BOB, Botanix, and Citrea are, and strategies to enhance decentralization over time How these Layer 2s influence Bitcoin fees, and how Botanix's integration can leverage the Bitcoin ecosystem, with insights on the potential of Layer 3s and zk-rollups to transform Bitcoin's utility and fee dynamics How these projects aim to attract Ethereum users and developers, and the reasons why this may be an attractive opportunity for them How Runes, Ordinals, and BRC-20s operate on Citrea, Botanix, and BOB How Bitcoin is always a derivative when it’s not in its Layer 1 and the pros and cons of different bridging solutions The concept of forward secrecy and how it can help improve security in blockchains Why Willem believes that Layer 3s are possible and bullish for Bitcoin How "merged mining” resembles Ethereum’s restaking and why it’s positive for Bitcoin Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Guests: Willem Schroé, founder of Botanix Labs Orkun Kılıç, cofounder of Chainway Labs Alexei Zamyatin, cofounder of Build on Bitcoin Links Recent coverage on Unchained of Bitcoin L2s: Stacks’ Muneeb Ali On Why Bitcoin Is Exciting Once Again Build on Bitcoin BOB learning documents Announcement of mainnet on May 1st. Unchained: Bitcoin DeFi App Sovryn to Deploy on Hybrid Layer 2 Network Build on Bitcoin Alexei’s tweet on BitVM/rollups Alexei went on a retreat with the inventor of BitVM Citrea Unchained: Here's What You Should Know About Citrea, Bitcoin's First ZK Rollup Whitepaper Orkun Mahir Kılıç’s interview on Unchained Premium Citrea learning documents Clementine -Citrea's BitVM Based Trust-Minimized Two-Way Peg Program Botanix CoinDesk: Willem Schroé: Building Botanix, a Bitcoin Layer 2 That Brings the EVM to Bitcoin Botanix and the Future of Bitcoin Bitcoin Magazine: Spiderchains: A Proof Of Stake Second Layer For Bitcoin Willem Schroé’s interview on Unchained Premium Learn More: Unchained: What Is the OP_CAT Bitcoin Improvement Proposal? What Are Opcodes in Bitcoin? A Beginner's Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, Consensys sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a Texas federal court, seeking to prevent an impending SEC action against its MetaMask wallet and to clarify that ether is not a security. The complaint calls out the agency for what Consensys describes as “regulatory overreach,” challenges its notion that ETH is a security, and says the SEC has violated the Constitutional requirement of fair notice under the due process clause. It notes that for years, the SEC and its sister agency, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, took the position that ETH is not a security. The lawsuit also challenges the SEC’s recent focus on Ethereum's switch to proof of stake in 2022 as a basis for increased scrutiny, a stance Consensys CEO Joseph Lubin deemed "preposterous." Laura Brookover, Senior Counsel & Head of Litigation and Investigations at ConsenSys, joined Unchained to unpack the lawsuit and what it means for the future of Ethereum and overall crypto in the US. Show highlights: Why Consensys sued the SEC and why Brookover feels like the SEC has gone too far How they are looking for a Judge to declare that the ETH is not a security Whether the switch to proof of stake turned ETH into a security Why the SEC issued Consensys a Wells Notice, with one potential allegation being that it is operating an unregistered securities broker through its MetaMask wallet How the major questions doctrine applies to what the SEC is doing in the industry, according to Brookover Why Hinman’s speech is still relevant today, even after 6 years Whether the moves by the SEC are related to a motivation to deny ether spot ETFs How the several cases against the SEC show that the industry “has had enough” Whether Texas is a jurisdiction favorable to crypto, given that many lawsuits are being filed there The implications of a Consensys victory for the industry and what the next steps in the case are Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot Guest Laura Brookover, Senior Counsel & Head of Litigation and Investigations at Consensys Links The lawsuit: Fortune: SEC sued over Ethereum, crypto firm asks court to state token is not a security ConsenSys’s complaint Bill Hughes’ thread on why Consensys sued the SEC Consensys is suing the SEC to defend the Ethereum ecosystem Hinman speech CryptoLaw: The Hinman Speech Documents Major questions doctrine Unchained: Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress Reuters: SEC argues Coinbase crypto case not barred by ‘major questions’ doctrine Other SEC cases: Coinbase Unchained: Why the SEC’s Case Against Coinbase Is So Significant for Crypto Court Rejects Coinbase’s Bid to Dismiss SEC Charges Against It Uniswap Unchained: Gary Gensler’s Case Against Uniswap: Does the SEC Even Stand a Chance? SEC Puts DeFi in Its Sights With Potential Uniswap Suit Uniswap Blog Post on the Wells notice Marvin Ammori Thread on Wells notice Ethereum Foundation Unchained: SEC Investigating Ethereum Foundation Regarding Proof-of-Stake Transition: Report The Real Reason Why the SEC Might Be Going After Ethereum Debt Box Unchained: SEC Sanctioned for ‘Abuse of Power’ in Debt Box Lawsuit Beba DeFi Education Fund and Beba sue SEC over airdrop policies Lejilex Lawsuit document Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block, where Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner dissect the crypto world’s topics of the day. In this episode, we delve into the SEC's recent scrutiny of Uniswap, exploring the potential legal and regulatory impacts on the DeFi landscape. We also discuss the unprecedented flooding in Dubai and its effects on the recent crypto conference, highlighting the resilience of the crypto community in the face of natural disasters. Shifting our focus to Bitcoin, we analyze the implications of the latest halvening event and what it means for Bitcoin’s inflation rate and market dynamics. Through these discussions, we unpack the intricate relationships between regulatory actions, environmental challenges, and technological advancements in cryptocurrency. Join us as we navigate through these complex topics, offering deep insights and expert analysis on the events that are shaping the future of blockchain and digital currencies. Tune in to understand how these pivotal moments are influencing the strategic direction and ethical considerations within the crypto space. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Pandora, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show Highlights 🔹The devastating floods in Dubai and their impact on the Token 2049 conference 🔹 Analysis of Bitcoin's halvening event, exploring whether it's a bullish signal or just market noise. 🔹 Examine the evolution and market impact of new Bitcoin protocols like ordinals and runes, assessing their effectiveness and reception within the community. 🔹 Explore the dynamics of the Asian market's influence on Bitcoin's secondary layers, discussing the integration of substantial Bitcoin deposits and yield strategies. 🔹 Dive into the SEC's Wells Notice to Uniswap and its broader implications for decentralized finance (DeFi). Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, Founder of Compound ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Founder and CEO of Gauntlet Disclosures Links Fighting for DeFi by Uniswap: https://blog.uniswap.org/fighting-for-defi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Jake Chervinsky, chief legal officer of Variant, discusses the current state of crypto regulation, touching on several ongoing legal and regulatory issues in the crypto space, including Uniswap’s Wells notice, the Coinbase case, the Tornado Cash case, the Ethereum Foundation investigation and more. Chervinsky argues that the government's approach to these cases is often misguided, particularly in instances where they hold software developers liable for how third parties use their software. He also discusses the potential implications of the government's case against Tornado Cash, suggesting that it could have far-reaching consequences for all open-source software developers. Chervinsky also delves into the SEC's ongoing investigations into the Ethereum Foundation, as well as the recent IRS draft form that lists unhosted wallets as a type of broker. He expressed concern about the potential impact of these investigations on the crypto industry, but remained optimistic about the future of DeFi in the US. Show highlights: How the Tornado Cash case could set a critical precedent for open-source software How the government’s Tornado indictment reveals a fear of unsurveilled financial systems, according to Jake What the implications of the Tornado Cash case could be for the broader DeFi space What lessons can be learned from the $62 million hack of Munchables on Blast How to address the challenge of malicious actors like North Korea using a permissionless system Whether Coinbase's staking services are considered a securities offering Whether Judge Failla’s ruling on Coinbase acting as a broker could be overturned Why Jake thinks the SEC will face significant challenges in its potential case against Uniswap Labs How the Debt Box case order impacts the SEC’s reputation, according to Jake How the industry is pushing back against the SEC’s regulation by enforcement with its own lawsuits for Lejilex and Beba The future of DeFi in the U.S. and its potential for success, according to Jake Why Jake believes the SEC will deny Ether ETFs and why he disagrees with the latest stablecoin regulation bill by Lummis and Gillibrand How the U.S. Presidential election could impact the future of the crypto industry Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Guest: Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Previous appearances on Unchained: Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Links Tornado Cash Jake’s amicus brief with Amanda Tuminelli Unchained: Given the Sanctions on Tornado Cash, Is Ethereum Censorship Resistant? Unchained: Is This the End of DeFi? Why the US Government Is Going After Tornado Cash Munchables exploit Unchained: Blast-Based NFT Game Munchables Recovers $62.5 Million Lost in Exploit SEC cases: Coinbase Unchained: Why the SEC’s Case Against Coinbase Is So Significant for Crypto Court Rejects Coinbase’s Bid to Dismiss SEC Charges Against It Uniswap Unchained: Gary Gensler’s Case Against Uniswap: Does the SEC Even Stand a Chance? SEC Puts DeFi in Its Sights With Potential Uniswap Suit Uniswap Blog Post on the Wells notice Marvin Ammori Thread on Wells notice Ethereum Foundation Unchained: SEC Investigating Ethereum Foundation Regarding Proof-of-Stake Transition: Report The Real Reason Why the SEC Might Be Going After Ethereum Debt Box Unchained: SEC Sanctioned for ‘Abuse of Power’ in Debt Box Lawsuit Beba DeFi Education Fund and Beba sue SEC over airdrop policies Lejilex Lawsuit document Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices