Empire

Gm! This week we're joined by Samara Cohen to discuss BlackRock's crypto strategy in 2025. We deep dive into the success of the Bitcoin ETP launches, investor demand for crypto, why Samara is bullish on tokenization, how to bridge traditional assets onchain & much more. Enjoy!

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Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Petra Earn was designed to make DeFi more accessible for everyone—from seasoned pros to DeFi beginners. Manage your balance, claim rewards and deposit directly from the app. By supplying USDT to Aries lending pools, users have the potential to earn a higher yield compared to some traditional methods.Not financial advice. Participating in Defi carries risks. To learn more visit https://petra.app/earn

--

Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.

The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC will be live in April 2025.

--

Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto. Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.

🔹 Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens

🔹 Summarize market-moving news instantly

🔹 Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The Tie

Get started today: https://askfocal.com

--

Token.com is a social-first crypto platform transforming how people discover and trade through crypto content. The revolutionary in-feed trading turns complex crypto into intuitive investments, while content creators earn from every trade and projects amplify their stories through native tokens - creating a new era of social media-powered crypto discovery. Just scroll to watch and tap to invest. Download the app!

--

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(07:48) What Are ETFs vs ETPs?

(12:00) A New Regime For Markets

(14:31) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(15:51) Active vs Passive Investing

(18:44) BlackRock's Bitcoin ETP Launch

(24:53) Why Was The IBIT Launch So Successful?

(29:00) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(30:20) Investor Demand For Bitcoin

(33:34) How Does Bitcoin Trade During A Market Sell Off?

(37:37) Who Is Actually Buying The Bitcoin ETP?

(39:04) Was The Ethereum ETP Launch Successful?

(41:19) Investor Demand For Crypto

(46:27) Ads (Falcon x, Token.com)

(47:54) Why BlackRock Is Bullish On Tokenization

(53:46) How To Bridge Assets Onchain

(01:00:34) BlackRock's 10 Year Vision For Crypto

(01:07:24) Does Speculation Drive Adoption?

(01:09:16) Final Thoughts

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this episode, Santi joins the Bell Curve podcast to discuss current crypto market sentiment, crypto valuation frameworks, and the evolving challenges of utilizing onchain data. Enjoy!

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Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel

Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Resources

Chopping Block - Is Bitcoin a Safe Haven?: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6n8HWZQ36S5rOoBMi9r6RO?si=viOVZTlGT2uYtBUU8fS-ew

Storm’s Data: https://x.com/notnotstorm/status/1915439259630317995

Vance’s Critique on Crypto Data: https://x.com/pythianism/status/1915435394663162231

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SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees.

SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork

--

Marinade Labs develops staking technologies that strengthen Solana.

In 2021, our protocol was the first to bring liquid staking to the network; today, our sophisticated, high-performance staking delegation platform brings billions in liquidity and security to the SOL market. We have solutions for both DeFi and TradFi, including liquid and native staking, as well as direct enterprise integrations.

Our best-in-market features include user downside protection (through protected staking rewards) and optimized delegation (via our automated auction marketplace). Cryptoasset investors worldwide, from individual traders to global institutions, use Marinade to earn rewards on their SOL treasuries and holdings. We are headquartered in New York, with offices in the European Union, including Prague. To learn more about Marinade, visit marinade.finance.

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Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today.

Buy now at www.Ledger.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

AO Mainnet is LIVE! Experience the future of decentralized computing: infinite parallel processing, secure TEE-powered computations, and LLMs in smart contracts. Built on Arweave, AO's modular design shatters scalability limits. 100% of tokens are distributed to Arweave holders and bridge depositors, with a fixed supply and halving. Explore AO today: https://ao.arweave.dev

--

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(04:21) How Do You Value Crypto Assets?

(15:30) Ads (Skale, Marinade) 

(16:51) Issues With Crypto's Data Analytics

(25:53) Ads (Skale, Marinade)

(27:14) Stages of Growth For Companies

(35:31) Zora's Token Launch & Business Model

(49:53) Ads (Ledger, WalletConnect, Arweave)

(52:10) Can Crypto Disrupt Traditional Media Platforms?

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week we're joined by Edward Woodford to discuss the economics of stablecoins. We deep dive into Circle's S-1 filing, who will benefit the most from the stablecoin business model, how does Circle remain competitive, the end game for stablecoin issuers & more. Enjoy!

--

Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross.

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Edward: https://x.com/e_woodford

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

--

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Petra Earn was designed to make DeFi more accessible for everyone—from seasoned pros to DeFi beginners. Manage your balance, claim rewards and deposit directly from the app.

By supplying USDT to Aries lending pools, users have the potential to earn a higher yield compared to some traditional methods.

Not financial advice. Participating in Defi carries risks. To learn more visit https://petra.app/earn

--

Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.

The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC will be live in April 2025.

--

Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.

Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto. Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.

🔹 Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens

🔹 Summarize market-moving news instantly

🔹 Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The Tie

Get started today: https://askfocal.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

Token.com is a social-first crypto platform transforming how people discover and trade through crypto content. The revolutionary in-feed trading turns complex crypto into intuitive investments, while content creators earn from every trade and projects amplify their stories through native tokens - creating a new era of social media-powered crypto discovery. Just scroll to watch and tap to invest. Download the app!

--

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(01:17) The ZeroHash Origin Story

(04:48) Circle's S-1 Filing

(10:20) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(11:40) How Does Circle Remain Competitive?

(14:57) The Stablecoin Business Model

(20:23) Should Circle Launch Its Own Chain?

(21:34) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(22:54) Will The Banks Win?

(27:06) The End Game For Stablecoins

(30:43) Meta's Stablecoin Strategy

(34:12) Ads (Falcon x, WalletConnect, Token.com)

(36:25) Tether

(39:30) Tether vs Circle: Who Will Win?

(41:57) Will Coinbase Acquire Circle?

(44:33) The Thesis For Stables

(48:46) Tokenization

(51:42) Stablecoin Regulation

(55:43) The Stablecoin Hype Cycle

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this episode, Santi joins the Bell Curve podcast to discuss how to solve crypto's core issues. We deep dive into market conditions, stablecoins, how long-term allocators are accumulating Bitcoin & more. Enjoy!

--

Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel

Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_

Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/im_manderson

Follow Vance: https://twitter.com/pythianism

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Resources

Solana Dashboard: https://app.blockworksresearch.com/analytics/solana?dashboard=sol-overview

App Revenue by Chain: https://x.com/_ryanrconnor/status/1912944523459846580

Life on K2-18b? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c39jj9vkr34o

--

SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees.

SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork

--

Marinade Labs develops staking technologies that strengthen Solana.

In 2021, our protocol was the first to bring liquid staking to the network; today, our sophisticated, high-performance staking delegation platform brings billions in liquidity and security to the SOL market. We have solutions for both DeFi and TradFi, including liquid and native staking, as well as direct enterprise integrations.

Cryptoasset investors worldwide, from individual traders to global institutions, use Marinade to earn rewards on their SOL treasuries and holdings. To learn more about Marinade, visit marinade.finance.

--

Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today.

Buy now at www.Ledger.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

AO Mainnet is LIVE! Experience the future of decentralized computing: infinite parallel processing, secure TEE-powered computations, and LLMs in smart contracts. Built on Arweave, AO's modular design shatters scalability limits. 100% of tokens are distributed to Arweave holders and bridge depositors, with a fixed supply and halving. Explore AO today: https://ao.arweave.dev

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(05:56) How Can Crypto Founders Weather the Storm?

(15:54) Ads (Skale, Marinade)

(17:26) Will A Potential Private Market Bubble Impact Tokenization?

(21:32) Long Term Bitcoin Holders Are Accumulating

(25:00) Getting Exposure to Stablecoin Growth

(34:58) Ads (Skale, Marinade)

(36:30) How Sticky is Stablecoin Issuance For L1s?

(42:09) Why Are L1s Valued the Way They Are?

(47:40) Ads (Ledger, WalletConnect, Arweave)

(49:57) Crypto's Data and Transparency Problem

(1:03:49) Life on K2-18b?

--

Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, the Hivemind team discuss Bitcoin decoupling from traditional markets, how tariffs and deficits play into the bid for US assets, and Worldcoin tackling the AI-identity issue. We also dig into the best launchpad for crypto onboarding, stablecoin adoption, Bitcoin & gold in DeFi, and more. Enjoy!.

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Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis.

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire

Follow Ceteris: https://x.com/ceterispar1bus

Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo

Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman

Follow Duncan: https://x.com/FloodCapital

Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx

Subscribe on Apple: https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3

Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH

Join us at Permissionless IV June 24th - 26th. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% OFF! https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv 

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(1:40) Bitcoin Decoupling from Traditional Markets

(6:07) Reserve Currency Debate

(8:47) Bitcoin Decoupling Pt. 2

(11:53) Trade Deficits, Tariffs & Bid for US Assets

(18:33) Global Bitcoin Adoption

(19:53) Neutral and Synthetic Dollars

(23:21) Radium vs Pump.Fun

(30:22) Worldcoin & Identity on Social Networks

(37:35) Stablecoin Adoption

(41:01) Bitcoin and Gold in DeFi

(44:49) OM, OKX & ETH Sentiment

(50:04) Final Thoughts

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week we're joined by Felix Jauvin & Quinn Thompson from the Forward Guidance podcast to discuss where markets go next from here. After the market sold off in reaction to the Trump tariffs, we deep dive into the bull vs bear case in 2025, Trump's end game, building the perfect portfolio, Coinbase vs Robinhood, is Bitcoin really a safe haven asset & more. Enjoy!

--

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Quinn: https://x.com/qthomp

Follow Felix: https://x.com/fejau_inc

Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

--

Follow the Forward Guidance Podcast: https://x.com/ForwardGuidance

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Petra Earn was designed to make DeFi more accessible for everyone—from seasoned pros to DeFi beginners. Manage your balance, claim rewards and deposit directly from the app.

By supplying USDT to Aries lending pools, users have the potential to earn a higher yield compared to some traditional methods.

Not financial advice. Participating in Defi carries risks. To learn more visit https://petra.app/earn

--

Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.

The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC will be live in April 2025.

--

Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.

Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto. Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.

🔹 Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens

🔹 Summarize market-moving news instantly

🔹 Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The Tie

Get started today: https://askfocal.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

Token.com is a social-first crypto platform transforming how people discover and trade through crypto content. The revolutionary in-feed trading turns complex crypto into intuitive investments, while content creators earn from every trade and projects amplify their stories through native tokens - creating a new era of social media-powered crypto discovery. Just scroll to watch and tap to invest. Download the app!

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:52) Turning Bearish In 2025

(11:38) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(12:58) How Trump Spooked Markets

(16:44) The Trump & Bessent Playbook

(20:12) The Bull vs Bear Case In 2025

(28:56) Ads (Aptos, Zenrock)

(30:15) How To Position Under Trump 2.0

(33:54) Will The Fed Step In?

(37:55) What We Learnt From SVB’s Collapse

(40:52) Ads (Falcon X, WalletConnect, Token.com)

(43:05) What’s Trump’s End Game

(47:53) Is Bitcoin A Safe Haven?

(50:45) Building A Crypto Portfolio

(01:04:23) Long vs Short Vol

(01:07:26) Coinbase & Crypto Equities

--

Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week we're back with another weekly roundup where we discuss how to position during a market crash. We deep dive into the Trump tariff dump, are altcoins cooked, the state of crypto venture, why Ripple's $1.25b acquisition is more important than you think & more. Enjoy!

--

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

Referenced In The Show:

Invest Like The Best With Michael Ovitz: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vtKb0ZNt8xv9CaOPATSIX?si=d65f8b3bd413419d

The Essays Of Warren Buffett: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NYR5b0RktTaxWi68kT1io?si=74358acb99604fd4

--

SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees.

SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork

--

Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.

The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC will be live in April 2025.

--

Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today.

Buy now at www.Ledger.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

AO Mainnet is LIVE! Experience the future of decentralized computing: infinite parallel processing, secure TEE-powered computations, and LLMs in smart contracts. Built on Arweave, AO's modular design shatters scalability limits. 100% of tokens are distributed to Arweave holders and bridge depositors, with a fixed supply and halving. Explore AO today: https://ao.arweave.dev

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:46) Santi's Trip To New York

(08:25) Ads (Skale, Zenrock)

(09:44) The Trump Tariff Dump

(20:11) Ads (Skale, Zenrock)

(21:30) Do Crypto Cycles Still Exist?

(24:21) How To Position During A Market Crash

(27:44) Are Altcoins Cooked?

(36:24) Buy The Dip Or Sell The Rip?

(41:13) Ads (Ledger, WalletConnect, Arweave)

(43:28) How To Build A Portfolio

(48:03) The State Of Crypto Venture

(54:38) Ripple's Hidden Road Acquisition Is Bigger Than You Think

(1:04:29) Crypto M&A In 2025

--

Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Gm! This week we're joined by Gavin Wood to discuss has the promise of crypto failed? We deep dive into hype vs fundamentals, why crypto needs more utility, why haven't we seen mass adoption, how to fix crypto's product problem & more. Enjoy!

--

Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross.

Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts

Follow Gavin: https://x.com/gavofyork

Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

--

Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv

--

ZKsync is the pioneering zero-knowledge technology powering the next generation of builders with limitless scale. Secured by math and designed for native interoperability, ZKsync enables an elastic, ever-expanding network of customizable chains.

Deeply rooted in its mission to advance personal freedom for all, the ZKsync technology makes digital self-ownership universally available.

To learn more about ZKsync, visit http://www.zksync.io

--

Crypto never sleeps. So we built an Al analyst that never blinks.

Meet Focal by FalconX: a GenAI insights engine built for institutional crypto. Already used by 80+ funds managing $10B+ in AUM.

🔹 Screen, chart, and analyze 1300+ tokens

🔹 Summarize market-moving news instantly

🔹 Integrates data from CoinGecko, Kaito, Token Terminal, Tokenomist, The Tie

Get started today: askfocal.com

--

WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network

--

Token.com is a social-first crypto platform transforming how people discover and trade through crypto content. The revolutionary in-feed trading turns complex crypto into intuitive investments, while content creators earn from every trade and projects amplify their stories through native tokens - creating a new era of social media-powered crypto discovery. Just scroll to watch and tap to invest. Download the app!

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:16) Has Crypto Failed?

(03:20) Hype vs Fundamentals In Crypto

(09:21) Ads (ZKSync)

(10:26) Does Crypto Need More Utility?

(13:37) Why Still Work In Crypto?

(18:18) Crypto’s Product Problem

(22:16) Ads (ZKSync)

(23:21) Why Haven't We Seen More Adoption?

(26:37) Polkadot Successes & Failures

(29:48) Crypto's Multichain Future

(35:05) Ads (Falcon x, WalletConnect, Token.com)

(37:18) What Is JAM?

(40:19) Does Crypto Have A Marketing Problem?

(46:35) Crypto’s Next Chapter

(51:27) Crypto vs AI

(01:00:25) What’s The Most Important Thing To Work On?

--

Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we discuss the shock Trump Tariffs that spooked markets. We deep dive into will tariffs lead to a recession, what's next for markets, should you buy the dip or look for shorts & more. Enjoy!

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Go follow the new 1000x feed to keep up to date with all new episodes!

Spotify: https://blckwrks.co/3WADHnL

Apple: https://blckwrks.co/4aEt5u0

--

Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman

Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz

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SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees.

SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork

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Marinade Labs develops staking technologies that strengthen Solana.

In 2021, our protocol was the first to bring liquid staking to the network; today, our sophisticated, high-performance staking delegation platform brings billions in liquidity and security to the SOL market. We have solutions for both DeFi and TradFi, including liquid and native staking, as well as direct enterprise integrations.

Our best-in-market features include user downside protection (through protected staking rewards) and optimized delegation (via our automated auction marketplace). Cryptoasset investors worldwide, from individual traders to global institutions, use Marinade to earn rewards on their SOL treasuries and holdings. We are headquartered in New York, with offices in the European Union, including Prague. To learn more about Marinade, visit marinade.finance.

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Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today.

Buy now at www.Ledger.com

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Mantle is evolving into the premier on-chain financial hub, supercharging the ecosystem that bridges blockchain with banking. The 2025 roadmap introduces three transformative products:

- Enhanced Index Fund (launching Q1) offering optimized crypto exposure to BTC, ETH, SOL and USD with built-in yield optimization - targeting $1B AUM

- Mantle Banking for seamless financial services

- MantleX for AI-powered innovation

Backed by a $4.5B treasury, Mantle is building the future of on-chain finance – accessible for everyone.

Learn more: https://x.com/Mantle_Official/status/1882017058680086805

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AO Mainnet is LIVE! Experience the future of decentralized computing: infinite parallel processing, secure TEE-powered computations, and LLMs in smart contracts. Built on Arweave, AO's modular design shatters scalability limits. 100% of tokens are distributed to Arweave holders and bridge depositors, with a fixed supply and halving. Explore AO today: https://ao.arweave.dev

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:19) Happy Liquidation Day

(10:10) Ad Skale & Marinade

(11:41) Will Tariffs Cause A Recession?

(22:27) Is ETH Heading Lower?

(26:06) Ad Skale & Marinade

(27:38) What's Next For Markets?

(35:18) Ads (Ledger, Mantle, Areweave)

(37:44) When Do You Buy The Dip

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed

This week, the Hivemind team discuss Trump’s tariffs and Liberation Day, the shifting global power dynamics, and whether the outlook for crypto has changed. We also dig into the right time for projects to launch tokens, Circle preparing to IPO, and more. Enjoy!.

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Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis.

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jose's Haircut

(2:10) Tariffs & Liberation Day

(9:33) US Manufacturing and Shifting Global Power

(19:05) Tariff & DOGE Game Theory

(22:42) Outlook for Crypto

(26:01) Investment in Robotics and AI

(27:42) Crypto Market Overview & Opportunities

(32:19) Creatine and Health Discussions

(34:33) Token Launch Timing Debate

(41:30) Price Action & Market Volatility

(47:08) Circle IPO and Coinbase

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.