Welcome to Chain Reaction, where we unpack and explain the latest in crypto news, drama and trends, breaking things down block by block for the crypto curious.

For our Tuesday episode where we interview a guest in the web3 space, we sat down with Jesse Powell, founder and CEO of Kraken, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world. Powell announced last month that he is stepping down from the top spot at the company he built 11 years ago and transitioning to the chairman role. We heard from Powell about the reasons behind why he is ceding the CEO title.

We also discussed:

• The notorious manifesto Powell released outlining Kraken’s “crypto-first,” libertarian values
• Recent headlines in the New York Times revealing Powell’s controversial Slack messages to employees
• The path ahead for the crypto exchange under its new CEO, Dave Ripley

ICYMI, you can use the promo code REACT for 15% off tickets to TechCrunch Disrupt next week (excluding online and expo) where we’ll be chatting with industry experts such as a16z’s Chris Dixon and Solana Labs’ Anatoly Yakovenko.

We’ll also be hosting our first dedicated crypto event in Miami for just one day on November 17th — you can use the same promo code, REACT, for 15% off a General Admission ticket.

And even if you can’t join us in person, you can use the promo code REACT to get 25% off an annual subscription to TechCrunch+.

Chain Reaction comes out every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 p.m. PT, so be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to keep up with the action.

Chain Reaction comes out every Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to keep up with the action.