In today's episode of Empire Jason and Santi are joined by Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley and CIO Matt Hougan to dive into the world of ETFs. They discuss the early skepticism and misconceptions around ETFs, why a Bitcoin ETF approval could be transformative for crypto adoption and maturity, the layers of security and regulation with ETFs, and the potential timeline and sequence for crypto ETF products. They close out by exploring how an ETF could boost crypto's credibility and accessibility for traditional investors and revisiting the bull case for Coinbase.

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Follow Hunter: https://twitter.com/HHorsley
Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/Matt_Hougan
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
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Make it simple today, at
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Timestamps:
(00:00) False ETF News
(02:30) What is an ETF?
(09:03) Market Manipulation in Crypto
(14:52) Investment Reality in Crypto
(21:47) Who Wins if ETFs are Approved?
(29:52) Regulatory Concerns for ETFs
(35:15) Toku Ad
(36:30) Voting and Delegate Structure of ETFs
(40:26) Safety and Reporting of Crypto ETFs
(46:43) Timeline and Sequence of ETF Types for Crypto
(53:52) Can Crypto Change ETFs?
(56:35) Coinbase Thesis

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Resources

Bitwise ETFs
https://blockworks.co/news/0xresearch-bitwise-spot-bitcoin-etf
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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.

The Bull Case for Crypto ETFs | Matt Hougan & Hunter Horsley

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Gm! Just as everyone was max bearish ETH... BOOM! ETF approval. In this episode we discuss the ETH comeback trade, our previous $ETHE position, picking winners vs losers in this cycle, finding the next great trade & more. Enjoy!
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Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman
Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz
Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod
Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/
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Perennial is an on-chain derivatives protocol built from first principles to be a DeFi primitive. The core protocol is minimalist, flexible, and efficient, allowing Perennial to mold to the needs of many different users & use cases.
Perennial has a super efficient core protocol that lets LPs use native maker leverage — allowing $1mn in TVL to back to $5-10mn in Open interest.
Trade and LP at: https://perennial.finance/1000x
Social: https://twitter.com/perenniallabs
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction
(1:34) The ETH Trade
(4:05) The Tides Are Turning In DC
(7:25) Why Isn't Crypto Ripping?
(13:48) Perennial Ad
(15:20) Finding The Next Trade
(23:49) There's No Winning In Alt's
(35:27) Picking Winners vs Losers
(41:08) Elon, Trump & Doge
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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.

Finding Crypto's Next Big Trade | 1000x

In this episode, Jason and Santi analyze the surprising political shifts in the US. From Trump's vocal support of Bitcoin to Biden's increasing crypto industry outreach, they break down the regulatory changes making the US friendly to crypto again. They also unpack the latest celebrity memecoin craze and get a sneak peek of Permissionless 2024. Thanks for tuning in!

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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 Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ 
- -
Sei Labs believes the EVM is here to stay.

By providing the fastest time to finality of any chain, thousands of transactions per second and full backwards compatibility with the EVM, Ethereum developers can try out a brand new design space for their applications.

Try out sei v2 devnet - visit the new sei.io to find out more.
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This episode is brought to you by Aura, the AI-powered digital security protection app that keeps your personal information, passwords, online activity, and tech safe from digital threats. It’s all-in-one protection from identity theft, financial fraud, malware, scams, and more. 

For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14-day FREE trial plus up to 55% off an Aura subscription. 

Visit aura.com/blockworks to sign up for your free trial.
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Mantle Network is an Ethereum Layer 2 that aims to bring super-scalability to Ethereum by taking a modular approach that offers low fees and high security. 

Mantle recently launched their airdrop program "Rewards Station" to holders of its native token, $MNT. The Rewards Station program distributes pre-sale token allocations or listed token to $MNT holders who stake their $MNT.
Check out the rewards station: https://www.mantle.xyz/rewards-station
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Kinto is the Safety-first L2 designed to accelerate the transition to an on-chain financial system.

If you believe in this on-chain financial system, join Kinto's launch program (Engen) and become a founding member at engen.kinto.xyz
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Timestamps:
00:00 Monaco Grand Prix & Mean Comments
07:44 Punks Hybrid 3D Sculptures
19:11 Importance of Last Week in Crypto
30:45 Crypto in the US  
37:42 Sei Ad
38:41 Aura Ad
39:30 Kinto Ad
40:25 Skale Ad
41:42 Cycle Phase?
44:32 Celebrity Memecoins
59:49 Types of Hardwork
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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.

How the US is Bringing Crypto Back | Round Up

In this episode, we sit down with Jay, co-founder of Sei Labs, to discuss the future of parallelized EVMs and Sei's approach to building a supercharged EVM. Jay shares his insights on the tradeoffs between decentralization and efficiency, the importance of shipping products quickly versus pursuing research, and how Sei is tackling these challenges with their upcoming V2 launch. He also dives into his experience at Robinhood, thoughts on the Gamestop saga, and tips for building strong teams. Thanks for tuning in Seilors! 

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Follow Jay: https://x.com/jayendra_jog
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

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?utm_source=podcasts

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ 
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Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all. 

Get started at:
portal.arbitrum.io 
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This episode is brought to you by Aura, the AI-powered digital security protection app that keeps your personal information, passwords, online activity, and tech safe from digital threats. It’s all-in-one protection from identity theft, financial fraud, malware, scams, and more. 

For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14-day FREE trial plus up to 55% off an Aura subscription. 

Visit aura.com/blockworks to sign up for your free trial.
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SKALE is a modular, AppChain network that offers zero gas fee transactions and instant finality. Tailored for ease of development and onboarding, SKALE's configurable EVM chains enable next-gen use cases in gaming, AI, DePin, and others. With over 20,000,000 users having saved over $6 Billion on gas fees, SKALE is the blockchain for mass adoption.

Bridge to SKALE at portal.skale.space and stay up to date with the gasless blockchain at @skalenetwork
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Kinto is the Safety-first L2 designed to accelerate the transition to an on-chain financial system.

If you believe in this on-chain financial system, join Kinto's launch program (Engen) and become a founding member at engen.kinto.xyz
- -
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:20) Jay's Robinhood Experience
(05:25) SEI's L1 Thesis
(14:53) Importance of Parallelism
(16:21) SEI vs Solana 
(23:04) Aura Ad
(23:55) Kinto Ad
(24:51) Skale Ad
(26:07) Developer Communities
(33:25) Sei V2
(37:58) Why Decentralization is Bad
(44:31) Shipping Products vs Research
(47:48) Team Building
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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.

Inside Sei's Supercharged EVM Strategy | Jayendra Jog

In this episode, Jason is joined by Quinn Thompson dive deep into the game-changing news of a potential Ethereum ETF approval. They discuss the implications for macro and crypto markets, ETH/BTC dynamics, and major players like Coinbase. The conversation also explores the fascinating shift in US politics around crypto, driven by electoral considerations, and what a Trump vs. Biden race could mean for the industry. Looking ahead, they consider potential ripple effects on altcoins, NFTs, stablecoins and more. Thanks for tuning in!
- -
Follow Quinn: https://x.com/qthomp
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

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?utm_source=podcasts

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ 
- -
Sei Labs believes the EVM is here to stay.

By providing the fastest time to finality of any chain, thousands of transactions per second and full backwards compatibility with the EVM, Ethereum developers can try out a brand new design space for their applications.

Try out sei v2 devnet - visit the new sei.io to find out more.
- -
This episode is brought to you by Aura, the AI-powered digital security protection app that keeps your personal information, passwords, online activity, and tech safe from digital threats. It’s all-in-one protection from identity theft, financial fraud, malware, scams, and more. 

For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14-day FREE trial plus up to 55% off an Aura subscription. 

Visit aura.com/blockworks to sign up for your free trial.
- -
Mantle Network is an Ethereum Layer 2 that aims to bring super-scalability to Ethereum by taking a modular approach that offers low fees and high security. 

Mantle recently launched their airdrop program "Rewards Station" to holders of its native token, $MNT. The Rewards Station program distributes pre-sale token allocations or listed token to $MNT holders who stake their $MNT.
Check out the rewards station: https://www.mantle.xyz/rewards-station
- -
Kinto is the Safety-first L2 designed to accelerate the transition to an on-chain financial system.

If you believe in this on-chain financial system, join Kinto's launch program (Engen) and become a founding member at engen.kinto.xyz
- -
Resources
https://x.com/drjasper_eth/status/1793473109447651812
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction
(5:03) ETF Approval Odds
(18:41) Sei Ad
(19:38) Aura Ad
(20:27) Kinto Ad
(21:23) Mantle Ad
(22:19) ETF Market Impact
(34:21) Impact on Alts, NFTs, & Memes
(44:16) Dems Adopt Crypto
(52:43) Impact of US Election
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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.

Second Order Impact of ETH ETFs | Roundup

In this episode, Kain Warwick, the founder of Infinex, shares his lessons learned from building in crypto. He delves into the founder's dilemma of balancing innovation with simplicity, discussing the pitfalls of overcomplicating projects and the importance of iterative development. Kain also shares his experiences with token launches, incentive design, and regulatory challenges. To close out, Kain emphasizes the crucial role of empirical evidence in guiding decision-making and the need for founders to adapt to the ever-evolving crypto landscape. Thanks for tuning in!
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Follow Kain: https://x.com/kaiynne
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

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

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ 
- -
Timestamps 
(00:00) Introduction
(00:36) Kain's OG Background
(11:23) Founding in Crypto
(22:04) Building in Crosschain DeFi
(31:09) Managing Sybil Attacks
(49:09) Private vs Liquid Tokens
(01:01:17) Points Programs
(01:05:14) Lessons Learned from Synthetix
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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.

The Bull Case for Crypto ETFs | Matt Hougan & Hunter Horsley

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