Unchained

By Laura ShinNews Business News Tech News

Unchained episodes

January 03, 2025With AI Agents Now Trading Crypto, What Does Their Future Look Like? - Ep. 758
In this episode, Shaw Walters, founder of Eliza Labs, takes us through his journey of launching ai16z, a decentralized AI-driven investment DAO, and the explosive growth of the Eliza open-source framework.
Shaw explains how AI agents are evolving beyond "reply bots" to serve as powerful tools for financial autonomy, community investment, and user empowerment. He shares the challenges of building trust between humans and AI, the possibilities of agents trading across multiple blockchains, and his vision of a world where financial freedom drives human progress.
Show highlights:
Why Shaw decided to launch ai16z
What he believes AI agents are useful for
What the Eliza framework is and the role it plays being an open-source project
Whether AI agents can be good at trading
Why the Eliza framework works on every chain, even though there’s a focus on Solana
How and why the AI version of Marc Andreessen was launched
Whether ai16z will launch its own layer 1 and the details on the future launchpad
How agents on social media could be really useful instead of being “reply bots”
What Shaw thinks overall of the AI space and how it’ll impact human society
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
Kelp DAO
Guest
Shaw Walters, Founder of Eliza LabsLinks
Unchained:
The Backstory of How 3 AI Agents Led to the Rise of the Hottest Memecoin, GOAT
AI Meme Tokens Like FARTCOIN Dominate Crypto Markets, Suggesting Powerful 2025 Trend
The Block: AI agent platform ai16z considers tokenomics overhaul and launching Layer 1 blockchain
Chain of Thought: Ai16z: The Bazaar of Agents
Cygaar: How the Eliza Framework works
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:01 Shaw’s inspiration for launching ai16z
08:45 How AI agents are evolving beyond simple tasks
10:28 The Eliza framework and its open-source impact
13:22 Can AI agents excel at trading?
21:19 Why Eliza works seamlessly across multiple blockchains
24:08 The story behind launching Marc Andreessen as an AI character
35:18 Plans for ai16z’s layer 1 and its future launchpad
40:23 Transforming AI agents into more than just “reply bots”
43:26 Shaw’s vision for AI’s role in shaping human society
49:26 Crypto News Recap

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1 hr
December 31, 20242024 Was Full of Fascinating Crypto News. Here Are Its Top Moments - Ep. 757
2024 was nothing short of transformative for the crypto world. From bitcoin’s relentless climb amidst macroeconomic shifts to Solana’s continued rise amidst meme coin mania, this year saw narratives unfold that no one could have predicted.
In this special episode that has become a tradition at Unchained, Laura revisits the biggest moments of the year, featuring insightful clips from the standout guests who joined Unchained and Bits + Bips in 2024.
Whether it was further institutional adoption, debates over decentralization, the victory over Gary Genser’s regulation by enforcement strategy, or the taking off of AI agents, this year marked a turning point for crypto. Tune in for a reflective journey through the year that was—and a glimpse of what lies ahead in 2025.
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
Robinhood & Arbitrum
Highlights and Timestamps:
03:15 | Matt Hougan on the significance of spot bitcoin ETFs
04:31 | Jesse Pollak explains the impact of Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade
05:43 | Eric Balchunas on the rapid adoption of bitcoin ETFs
07:53 | Kyle Davies reflects on 3AC’s collapse
10:11 | Carlos Domingo discusses BlackRock’s BUIDL fund
11:13 | Sam Enzer on the reasoning behind SBF’s sentencing
13:04 | Arthur Hayes debates the potential of a bitcoin supercycle
15:44 | Ansem breaks down the memecoin craze
16:42 | Eric Balchunas and Matt Hougan on ether ETF approval
18:18 | James Seyffart on SEC politics and ETF decisions
19:51 | Laura Brookover on the end of the Ethereum 2.0 probe
21:08 | Bryan Pellegrino on tackling Sybil attacks with LayerZero
23:42 | Iggy Azalea on her fascination with memecoins
24:31 | Joe McCann on how the assassination attempt influenced Trump’s win
25:47 | Ro Khanna on the democratic party’s stance on crypto
26:44 | George Selgin critiques a U.S. bitcoin reserve proposal
28:35 | Nick Tomaino on the truth-finding power of prediction markets
29:50 | Jack Booth on TON’s viral growth strategies
31:58 | Jeff Dorman on why the ETH sell-off was a buying opportunity
32:29 | Caitlin Long and Michelle Kallen on their lawsuit against the Fed
33:52 | Justin Bons on why layer 2s might be parasitic to Ethereum
35:13 | Taylor Monahan on how North Koreans infiltrated crypto companies
36:42 | Taylor Monahan recounts a failed North Korean job interview
39:13 | Teng Yan on how truth terminal redefined AI and crypto
40:36 | Ryan Salame on DOJ dealings and his guilty plea
42:40 | Alex Kruger on Trump’s election and its crypto impact
43:44 | Jeff Park on Uniswap and Solana’s post-election gains
44:57 | Faryar Shirzad on the success of the FairShake PAC
46:15 | Eric Balchunas on the importance of bitcoin ETF options
47:26 | Cody Carbone on Paul Atkins’ nomination as SEC chair
48:19 | Mike Selig on David Sacks as crypto and AI czar
49:27 | French Hill on token standards under FIT21
50:33 | Maria Shen on Solana’s rise in new developer activity

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53 min
December 27, 2024RERUN: How to Figure Out Whether a Crypto Token Is Worth Its Trading Price - Ep. 756
Low float and high fully diluted valuation (FDV) coins have been a hot topic in crypto this year. Yet, understanding these coins' unrealized gains is critical for truly grasping their pricing.
In this episode, Jose Macedo of Delphi Digital and Ari Paul of BlockTower Capital dive deep into metrics that help assess a coin’s true value. They discuss why upcoming token unlocks may put downward pressure on the market, how token unlocks could be better structured for long-term success, and whether VCs are extracting more value than they contribute.
Show highlights:
Why upcoming token unlock events are creating anxiety in the crypto market
The role unrealized gains play in token price volatility
How certain projects manipulate circulating supply metrics to influence perceptions
Tips for everyday investors to uncover accurate token information
The impact of secondary market trading on anticipated token unlock events
Why short-term token strategies often prevail over those focused on sustained success
Jose’s insights into why simple, time-based unlock models may outperform complex systems
Ari’s thoughts on the SEC’s investigations into VCs and their parallels to pump-and-dump schemes
Why many crypto projects face a bearish outlook due to pending token unlocks
How the intersection of memecoins and VC involvement could shape the next market cycle
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
Guests:
Jose Macedo, founder at Delphi Labs
Ari Paul, CIO of BlockTower Capital
Previous appearances on Unchained:
Ari Paul on Why Bitcoin Is a Good Value Buy
Ari Paul of BlockTower Capital on the Crypto Downturn and Why It Could Change Direction
Links
High FDV and unlocks:
Unchained:
How ‘Fully Diluted Valuation’ Can Be a Very Dangerous Metric for Crypto Markets to Rely On
Who’s to Blame for the Underperformance of Low Float, High FDV Tokens?
80% of Tokens on Binance Are Down Since Listing Date: SwissBorg Researcher
Cobie newsletter: New launches (part 1) - private capture, phantom pricing
Rocknblock: Token vesting explainer
CoinDesk: 'Liquid Vesting' Is Oxymoronic Blockchain Feature That Lets Early Investors Sell Without Waiting
Jose’s thread that inspired the episode
Ari’s post responding to Jose’s thread
Token.unlocks.app: Token vesting tracker
Solutions:
Hack VC: Potential Solutions to Crypto's Unlock Problem
Colony Lab: Early-Stage Program & Liquid Vesting
Imran Khan’s tweet on Blast https://x.com/lmrankhan/status/1806040646433522149
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:46 Token unlocks creating market concerns
11:06 Unrealized gains to market cap ratio impact
13:06 Token supply manipulation tactics
21:11 How investors can verify token projects
24:21 Secondary market trading and unlock impacts
35:36 Current token launch strategy persistence
41:46 Short-term vs long-term project decisions
47:21 Time-based vs metric-based token unlocks
53:51 SEC investigations into VC practices
59:56 Bearish outlook for upcoming token unlocks
1:06:36 Investor risks in current cycle
1:13:11 Future of VCs in crypto and memecoins

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1 hr 25 min
December 24, 20242024 Was Solana's Best Year Yet. Can It Sustain the Momentum in 2025? - Ep. 755
2024 has been a transformative year for Solana. With a surge in developer activity, bold innovations in DePIN, and its ambitions to become a “decentralized Nasdaq,” the ecosystem is making waves. But are these changes enough to differentiate it from competitors like Ethereum and L2 solutions such as Base?
In this episode, Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation, and Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius, join Unchained to discuss how Solana is carving out its niche. They debate whether Base is a serious contender, why they’re not concerned about the 2025 token unlocks, and how Solana’s unique approach to MEV could shape its future. Plus, they tackle the ecosystem’s broader challenges and why they believe Solana’s vision will endure.
Show highlights:
Why Mert feels paranoid but also vindicated
Why Lily started working on Solana after being known as a hardcore bitcoiner
How Mert’s background in Coinbase led him to found Helius and become the voice of Solana online
Whether Solana can become a place where unique innovations are built, rather than copying Ethereum
Whether Solana can achieve its vision of a “decentralized Nasdaq”
Why the ecosystem has attracted so many developers in 2024
Why Lily believes that Base is no competitor to Solana
What network extensions actually mean, according to Mert
How Mert responds to the criticisms around Solana’s MEV
Why Mert and Lily are not worried about the token unlocks of 2025
How the Solana mobile phone will compete with the giants
Why DePIN showcases the real value of blockchain technology
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
Thank you to our sponsors!
Kelp DAO
Robinhood & Arbitrum
Polkadot
Guests:
Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation
Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius
Links
Unchained:
Pudgy Penguins See NFT Floor Price Drop Almost 50% After PENGU Launch -
Pump.fun Becomes First Solana DApp to Top $100M in Monthly Revenue
How Solana Beat Out Ethereum to Nab New Crypto Developers in 2024
Are Solana's 'Network Extensions' Just Like Ethereum's Layer 2s But by a Different Name?
What Are DePINs in Crypto? A Beginner’s Guide
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:34 Mert’s mix of paranoia and vindication about Solana
07:08 Why Lily shifted from Bitcoin to working on Solana
09:43 Mert’s journey from Coinbase to becoming Solana’s online advocate
14:47 Can Solana foster unique innovations rather than mimic Ethereum?
19:47 Solana’s vision of a “decentralized Nasdaq” vs. center of memecoin mania
27:54 What’s driving Solana’s surge in developer activity
30:26 Why Lily sees Base as no real competitor
33:04 The meaning and implications of network extensions
37:07 Mert’s take on criticisms of Solana’s MEV approach
42:11 Why they aren’t worried about the 2025 token unlocks
44:26 Competing with tech giants through the Solana mobile phone
50:48 How DePIN highlights blockchain’s true potential

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58 min
December 20, 2024Why Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev Is Betting Big on Crypto, Stablecoins, and Prediction Markets - Ep. 754
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
In this episode of Unchained, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev offers a rare glimpse into the company’s strategy. How did memes like Dogecoin become one of Robinhood’s biggest assets, onboarding millions of users? What drove its decision to embrace stablecoins, staking, and a dedicated crypto wallet—and what risks do these moves carry?
As Europe’s MiCA regulations set the stage for a global crypto framework, Vlad discusses how Robinhood is positioning itself for growth, the role of prediction markets, and why blockchain could dramatically lower costs for investors. He also shares personal insights from his own experiences with hyperinflation, revealing how stablecoins might safeguard wealth for millions around the world.
With crypto ETFs, regulatory shifts, and a new administration looming, here’s what he thinks is next for Robinhood—and the crypto industry.
Show highlights:
How Robinhood has been experiencing growth in the crypto retail market
The effect of election night and Robinhood’s event contracts on trading volumes
What Robinhood saw happened with the launch of spot ETFs in the U.S.
How the exchange was able to attract crypto investors
The role of MiCA in Robinhood allowing users to stake ETH and SOL
How the company aims to enhance the user experience with the Robinhood wallet
Why Robinhood decided to invest in Global Dollar Network, which has stablecoin USDG
What’s on Vlad’s crypto regulation wish list under the new administration and Congress
Whether the criteria to list crypto assets on Robinhood will change under a crypto-friendly Trump administration
Why Vlad is so excited about prediction markets
Why he sees blockchain technology as a tool that will ultimately help users
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
Kelp DAO
Guest
Vlad Tenev, CEO of RobinhoodLinks
Unchained: Why Robinhood, a TradFi Hub, Is Growing Its Crypto Business Globally
Reuters: Robinhood's top attorney Gallagher rules out SEC chair role
Robinhood Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results
Robinhood to Acquire Bitstamp
Spot Bitcoin ETF Options: Why You 'Can't Overstate' Their Importance
The Legend Awakens: Introducing Robinhood Legend, Futures Trading, and Index Options
Finimize: Robinhood, Kraken, And Partners Launch New Stablecoin USDG -
Decrypt: Robinhood Launches US Presidential Election Prediction Market—For Americans Only
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
02:43 Robinhood’s growth in the crypto retail market
05:05 Election night’s surprising impact on trading volumes
07:11 What Robinhood observed after U.S. spot ETF launches
11:56 How the platform attracted millions of crypto investors
16:49 MiCA’s role in enabling ETH and SOL staking on Robinhood
19:09 Enhancing user experience with the Robinhood wallet
21:32 Why Robinhood is betting on stablecoins
25:37 Vlad’s crypto regulation wish list from the new administration
30:05 Will Robinhood change its crypto listing criteria?
32:18 Vlad’s excitement about prediction markets
36:12 How blockchain could lower costs and empower users
41:21 News Recap

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55 min
December 19, 2024 The Chopping Block: 2025 Predictions, AI's Crypto Play, and U.S. Legislation - Ep. 753
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. In this special end-of-year episode, they recap 2024's key moments and forecast what's ahead in 2025. The team debates Bitcoin's potential to hit $180K, the impact of AI on crypto security, and upcoming U.S. crypto legislation. They also predict the rise of viral blockchain games. Join the crew as they unpack these predictions and more, offering unique insights into what the new year might bring for crypto enthusiasts.
Show highlights
🔹 Bitcoin Hits New Highs: The crew debates Bitcoin's potential to reach $180K, with predictions of a significant rally and subsequent corrections.
🔹 AI Turns Crypto Scammer: A bold prediction that an AI system will become a crypto scammer makes waves, highlighting the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain security concerns.
🔹 Crypto Legislation Breakthroughs: Anticipation grows for groundbreaking crypto-specific legislation in 2025, reflecting a major shift in regulatory landscapes.
🔹 Consolidation in Crypto's Infrastructure: Predictions surface about mergers among AppChains and Layer 2 solutions due to economic pressures, signaling a major consolidation trend.
🔹 Viral Blockchain Games: The panel foresees blockchain-based games going viral, capturing mainstream attention and potentially becoming a cultural phenomenon.
🔹 DeFi's Continued Evolution: Discussions center around DeFi's comeback, its impact on the crypto market, and the evolving challenges it faces as it grows in popularity and complexity.
🔹 Surprising Crypto Predictions for 2025: The episode wraps up with each host sharing their most surprising predictions for the coming year, setting the stage for a dynamic and unpredictable future in crypto.

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
03:00 Biggest Winner
8:30 Biggest Loser
14:04 Biggest Surprise
20:50 Best New Mechanism
27:03 Best Meme
31:02 Best/Worst Pivot
38:57 Biggest Flop
44:08 Comeback Story of 2024
48:42 Favorite TCB Guest
51:18 Predictions for 2025

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1 hr 6 min
December 18, 2024Bits + Bips: Bitcoin Keeps Smashing All-Time Highs, and MSTR Joins the Big Leagues - Ep. 752
Bitcoin’s 2024 rally has been explosive, but is the next phase just beginning? In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Noelle Acheson, Ram Ahluwalia, and Alex Kruger are joined by Ledn’s Mauricio di Bartolomeo to unpack the forces shaping the crypto market as the year comes to a close.
Mauricio explains how Ledn has grown amidst regulatory and economic shifts, and shares insights on why the “Trump put” is creating a new trading setup for crypto. The panel dissects the undercurrents behind Bitcoin’s surge, explores how MicroStrategy’s presence on the NASDAQ creates unique market dynamics, and debates how much higher BTC could climb. But they warn not to expect “buy” ratings on MSTR.
Plus, they dive into why Solana underperformed in recent weeks, how Bitcoin enables capital flight (and how they may be happening from China), and what 2025 could hold for crypto. Packed with data, opinions, and a few book recommendations (well, except from Alex), this episode offers sharp analysis as 2024, a pivotal year for crypto, wraps up.
Show highlights:
Mauricio’s background and how Venezuela’s regime led him to crypto
How Ledn works and how it’s seen substantial growth since the elections
What’s driving this wave of growth in the price of bitcoin
How much higher BTC will go and what the effects of the end-of-year portfolio rebalancing will be
What the risks are for the U.S. economy
How BTC is the easiest way to trade the Trump bump
Whether the Chinese macro matters for crypto
How MicroStrategy has become a Trojan horse
Why Alex likes XRP and ENA and why SOL has been underperforming recently
2024 wrap-up: what everyone was most surprised about
Book recommendations from everyone, except Alex, who’s only focused on shitcoins
Hosts:
Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter
Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard
Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida
Guest:
Mauricio di Bartolomeo, cofounder & CSO of LednLinks
Unchained:
Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High
MicroStrategy Joins Nasdaq-100, Expanding Bitcoin Exposure to Billions
Trump’s Crypto Project Spent Nearly $45M Onchain in 2 Weeks
FTX Distributions to Start in Under 2 Weeks
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:38 Mauricio’s journey from Venezuela to crypto
07:37 How Ledn thrived post-elections and saw major growth
15:16 Key drivers behind Bitcoin’s explosive rally
20:30 How high could BTC climb – and might year-end rebalancing affect the price?
25:22 Risks facing the U.S. economy heading into 2025
32:47 BTC as the go-to trade for the Trump bump
36:13 The significance of Chinese macro trends for crypto
47:32 MicroStrategy’s role as a Trojan horse for Bitcoin adoption
53:20 Why Alex likes XRP and ENA, but SOL is lagging
1:02:35 Biggest surprises from 2024’s crypto market
1:06:33 Book picks from everyone—except Alex, who’s all about shitcoins

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1 hr 10 min
December 17, 2024After an Incredible 2024 for USDe, Ethena Plans to Supercharge Growth - Ep. 751
USDe shattered expectations in 2024, emerging as the largest decentralized stablecoin in circulation and a game changer for DeFi. Ethena’s founder, Guy Young, joins the show to reveal how the protocol surpassed long-established giants, generating billions in fees and setting new benchmarks for yield generation.
Guy also breaks down the mechanics behind Ethena’s innovative strategies, including “Aavethena,” a yield-boosting approach that’s changing how users interact with synthetic dollars. Plus, he addresses the risks: what happens when leverage goes too far, and how Ethena mitigates volatility at its core.
Will Ethena bridge DeFi and TradFi, leveraging the disconnect between crypto and traditional interest rates to tap into a $100 trillion fixed-income market?
Show highlights:
Why Guy was surprised to see the rapid rise of USDe
Why Guy is spending 80% of his time on bringing Ethena to TradFi
The launch of Ethena’s UStb
How regulation comes into play and the challenges in different jurisdictions
Whether USDe could launch in the U.S. with a friendlier administration
Why Ethena hasn’t needed to utilize the reserve fund
Why Guy believes Ethena has been able, at times, to surpass OG protocols like Ethereum and Uniswap in fees
How USDe is being used across the board in DeFi applications
What the “Aavethena” strategy is and how it generates yield for users
Whether USDe has brought considerable risks of liquidations
How allowing Pendle’s PT tokens on Aave could supercharge growth
How Ethena counters the centralization risks around exchanges
Why Guy thinks that Ethena’s cross-chain strategy has been “pretty poor”
How ENA has performed well despite airdrops not doing well in 2024
Why Guy believes this bull cycle is different
Why he’s expecting USDe to reach at least $15 billion in 2025
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
Robinhood & Arbitrum
Guest:
Guy Young, Founder of Ethena Labs
Previous appearances on Unchained:
Ethena’s USDe Grew to $2 Billion in 7 Weeks. Is It Safe?
How Ethena’s USDe Challenges Traditional Stablecoin Models
Links
Unchained: Ethena’s USDe Becomes Third-Largest Stablecoin
UStB announcement
How BlackRock, the World's Largest Asset Manager, Took Crypto Mainstream
Blockworks Research thread on how USDe is used
Aavethena tweet by Guy Young
“androlloyd’s” tweet on the level of exposure USDe has
Unchained: Circuit Breakers: Is ERC-7265 the Solution dApps Were Waiting For?
Seraphim’s tweet on the Ethena endgame
Timestmaps:
00:00 Intro
01:52 The rapid rise of USDe and what surprised Guy about its ascent
05:11 Ethena’s growth plans for 2025
07:36 Ethena’s role in launching UStb
11:52 Regulatory challenges across different regions
16:24 Could a U.S. launch for USDe happen with a friendlier administration?
20:56 Why Ethena’s reserve fund hasn’t been tapped yet
22:22 How Ethena surpassed OG protocols, including Ethereum, Uniswap, etc., in fees
25:14 USDe’s growing role in DeFi applications
27:17 The “Aavethena” strategy and how it generates yield
30:38 Risks of liquidations tied to USDe
33:48 Supercharging growth with Pendle’s PT tokens on Aave
36:15 How Ethena mitigates centralization risks with exchanges
40:39 Guy’s thoughts on Ethena’s cross-chain strategy struggles
43:19 Why ENA has performed well despite airdrop fatigue
48:42 Why this bull cycle feels different
52:44 Guy’s target for 2025

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56 min
December 15, 2024The Chopping Block: Google’s Willow Chip, ICO Resurgence, and Crypto Dev Trends - Ep. 750
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, the crew explores the resurgence of ICOs through Echo sales, diving into MegaEth’s record-breaking sale and the shifting meta of token launches. They also discuss Google’s quantum computing breakthrough with the Willow chip and its potential implications for cryptographic security in crypto. Tarun doubles down on his critique of Decentralized Science (DeSci), sparking a lively debate on its viability and accountability. Finally, the team unpacks Electric Capital’s developer report, highlighting Solana’s dominance in India and the global trends shaping crypto development.
Show highlights
🔹 ICOs and Echo Sales Resurgence:The crew debates the return of ICOs, now rebranded as Echo sales, and their impact on token launches. Is the shift from airdrops to pre-sales a sustainable new meta for crypto?
🔹 MegaEth’s Record-Breaking Sale on Echo: A detailed analysis of MegaEth's $4.2M Echo sale that sold out in seconds. With a $200M FDV, the sale sparked discussions about community involvement and valuation dynamics.
🔹 Airdrops vs. Echo Sales: The panel dissects the shift in sentiment around airdrops, questioning their fairness and efficiency compared to community presales. Are Echo sales the new paradigm for engaging retail investors?
🔹 Quantum Computing and Crypto’s Future: Google’s breakthrough with the Willow chip sparks a discussion on quantum computing’s implications for cryptocurrencies. Is public key cryptography under threat, or do we have time to adapt?
🔹 The Satoshi Dilemma: Speculations about Satoshi Nakamoto’s coins and what would happen if they were ever moved. Could quantum computing make those coins vulnerable?
🔹 Decentralized Science (DeSci) Debate: Tarun doubles down on his criticism of DeSci projects, arguing they lack accountability and meaningful use cases. The team explores whether DeSci can evolve into something impactful.
🔹 Electric Capital’s Developer Report: Reactions to Electric Capital’s 2024 developer report, highlighting Asia overtaking North America in crypto developer activity, Solana’s dominance in India, and the growing trend of multi-chain developers.
🔹 Developer Efficiency in Crypto: Despite the plateauing number of developers, crypto projects demonstrate incredible efficiency. Fewer hacks, more battle-hardened code, and a shift toward higher-quality deployment signal a maturing space.

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
01:52 The Return of ICOs
07:29 Airdrops vs. Community Sales
19:27 Quantum Computing and Crypto
28:18 Bitcoin Addresses & Quantum Computing
32:24 DeSci Debate
42:56 Electric Capital Developer Report
51:35 Developer Efficiency in Crypto

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57 min
December 13, 2024How Solana Beat Out Ethereum to Nab New Crypto Developers in 2024 - Ep. 749
The 2024 Developer Report from Electric Capital reveals many shifting dynamics. For starters, for the first time in eight years, Ethereum was not the top chain for new developers—Solana was. Meanwhile, Asia has emerged as the leading hub for crypto development, taking the top spot from North America, which dropped to third.
In this episode, General Partner Maria Shen explores how Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions are bolstering its position despite fierce competition, why the Bitcoin developer ecosystem remains steadfast, and how emerging projects like EigenLayer are capturing builders’ attention.
She also delves into the top crypto technologies that are fascinating devs, and how their usage and development activity differ across the globe.
Show highlights:
Maria’s top takeaways from the report
Whether the developer migration from the U.S. will stop under a friendlier regulatory environment
How Ethereum has maintained its dominance despite its high fees and the rise of Solana
What the steadiness of the Bitcoin developer ecosystem shows
Which other smaller ecosystems are growing the most
How ZK contract usage has been increasing over time
Why, despite what one could think, NFT minting activity is higher than ever
How stablecoin usage differs from token to token and also across countries
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
Guest
Maria Shen, General Partner at Electric Capital
Previous appearance on Unchained: Why Crypto Developer Activity Continues to Grow Despite the Bear Market
Links
Unchained: A Big 2024 Crypto Trend: Solana Attracts More New Developers Than Ethereum
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:02 Key findings from Electric Capital’s Developer Report
08:28 Could a friendlier U.S. regulatory environment reverse the developer migration?
12:54 How Ethereum could stay dominant amid rising competition from Solana
17:48 Insights from the Bitcoin developer ecosystem
21:33 Emerging smaller ecosystems gaining traction
23:41 The steady growth in ZK contract usage
27:39 Why NFT minting activity is at an all-time high
32:31 How stablecoin usage varies across tokens, chains and countries
36:22 News Recap

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49 min

About Unchained

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Crypto assets and blockchain technology are about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity to the Internet of Things. In this podcast, host Laura…

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