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As the 2024 U.S. election draws near, the crypto market is buzzing with speculation on what’s next. Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, joins Unchained to discuss how Bitcoin and altcoins might react depending on who wins. Hayes shares his insights on election trade strategies, from the importance of sticking to the majors to his preference for Solana over Ethereum in the short term.
He also dives into whether Trump will fulfill his promises to the crypto community and drops a banger explanation on what could be the next Federal Reserve move. (Hint: it’s not about interest rates.)
Plus, Unchained reporter Veronica Irwin joins the show to discuss her latest scoops on Stand With Crypto’s scoring system and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s stance on whether she would want to become Chair of the agency in replacement of Gary Gensler.
Show highlights:
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. This week, the crew tackles everything from AI-powered memecoins and the explosive rise of GOAT token to the ongoing rivalry between Ethereum and Solana. They break down the appeal of AI-driven assets, analyze Trump’s World Liberty Finance flop, and debate whether Ethereum’s current fragmentation is hurting its narrative. With Halloween thrills and market chills, this episode delivers insider insights on the trends pushing crypto forward.
Show highlights
🔹 GOAT Token Madness: The latest in AI memecoin hype and how GOAT token captured the attention of investors and Twitter alike.
🔹 Memecoin Stagecraft: Are AI-driven coins here to stay, or is it all clever stagecraft? Our thoughts on the future of AI-based assets.
🔹 AI Meets Memecoins: Is character-driven AI the secret sauce in building compelling memecoins? Exploring the potential of charismatic, interactive assets.
🔹 World Liberty Finance Flop: Trump's crypto token sale misses the mark—are accredited investor rules and lack of memes to blame?
🔹 Trump’s Role in Crypto: How Trump’s “hands-off” approach may have impacted World Liberty’s slow start.
🔹 Ethereum vs Solana: Ethereum’s current challenges and Vitalik’s roadmap defense—can Ethereum reclaim its narrative from Solana’s simpler, single-layer approach?
🔹 Fragmentation in Ethereum’s Ecosystem: How Ethereum’s L2 rollup competition might be confusing new users and hurting its narrative.
⭐️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
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With the presidential race in the spotlight, it’s easy to overlook the powerful role that Congress could play in shaping crypto policy in the coming years. From committee chairs to legislative allies, crypto advocates are keenly focused on the outcome of key Congressional races. Kristin Smith of the Blockchain Association and Alex Grieve of Paradigm join us today to break down which races and committees are critical for crypto, why the industry is more visible in Washington than ever, and what the chances are for lame duck legislation this year.
Read more: How Congressional Committee Leadership Could Shake Out for Crypto This Election
Show highlights:Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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The two-week-old GOAT memecoin, which hit a market cap of almost $880 million on Thursday, is captivating everyone in crypto. Not because this is memecoin szn, but because its rise was fueled by an AI called Truth Terminal, which is itself a baby of two other AI models.
Teng Yan, founder of Chain of Thought, joins Unchained to break down how this unexpected AI creation has turned into a phenomenon, why it has captured the attention of the crypto world, and what the future holds for AI-driven tokens.
At the end, Laura also discusses with Unchained’s regulatory reporter Veronica Irwin two interesting and important news stories: who Kamala Harris is vetting for SEC chair and how one Senate race could inadvertently give Senator Elizabeth Warren more power over crypto.
Show highlights:
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. In this episode, the crew is joined by special guest Anatoly Yakovenko, the mastermind behind Solana, for a deep dive into the network’s evolution and future. The conversation kicks off with a look at Solana's rapid rise from its rocky early days to its current status as a blockchain powerhouse. They debate the role of memecoins in Solana’s ecosystem and whether they’re here to stay or just a passing craze. Next, Anatoly opens up about Fire Dancer’s impact on the network’s scaling and performance, sparking a broader discussion about vertical vs. horizontal scaling. Finally, they explore Solana’s ambitious push into the mobile space with the Seeker phone and its implications for the broader crypto industry. Packed with expert insights, bold predictions, and a few surprises, this episode is a must-listen for anyone following the future of blockchain.
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
🔹 Solana’s Rise: Solana’s journey from early turbulence to becoming a blockchain powerhouse.
🔹 Memecoin Frenzy: The explosive growth of memecoins on Solana and their impact on the ecosystem.
🔹 Fire Dancer Impact: How Fire Dancer could revolutionize Solana’s scalability and performance.
🔹 Vertical vs Horizontal Scaling: Is Solana’s vertical scaling approach stronger than Ethereum’s rollups?
🔹 Seeker Phone: Solana’s ambitious push into mobile with the Seeker phone and its potential disruption of the app store landscape.
🔹 ETHOS Phone: How does Ethereum’s new phone compare to Solana’s mobile vision?
🔹 Network Extensions: The introduction of network extensions and whether they align with Solana’s long-term vision.
🔹 App Chains: Could the rise of app-specific chains lead to fragmentation or strengthen Solana’s ecosystem?
🔹 Developer Experience: The challenges of Solana’s development environment and their impact on innovation.
🔹 Ethereum Rivalry: With both networks advancing, how is the competition between Solana and Ethereum shaping up?
⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly
⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly
⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures
Special Guest
⭐️Anatoly Yakovenko, Co-Founder & CEO Solana Labs
DisclosuresTimestamps
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In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann are joined by Jeff Park of Bitwise to discuss some of the latest developments in the crypto world. They share their thoughts on a controversial ECB paper about Bitcoin, breaking down why they believe the authors missed the mark. They also dive into the rising institutional interest in spot Bitcoin ETFs and how Trump’s momentum in the polls could impact the market, especially for altcoins. Plus, the conversation explores the significance of Bitcoin ETF options and why they could have a larger impact than many expect.
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Africa is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic regions for crypto adoption, but the story unfolding there is very different from what many in the West might imagine.
Chris Maurice, co-founder and CEO of Yellow Card, joins the show to share how stablecoins are already transforming businesses across the continent, solving real-world problems, and taking on SWIFT. Plus, he explains why USDT is the stablecoin of choice there.
He also dives into the long-term economic impact of crypto adoption and explains why anyone serious about business should be paying close attention to Africa.
Show highlights:Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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How do you determine the value of decentralized networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana? It’s not as straightforward as traditional investments.
Jon Charbonneau, general partner at crypto investment firm DBA, joins Unchained after writing a paper that dives deep into the complexities of valuing blockchain networks. He explains why applying traditional equity models to networks such as Bitcoin falls short, how tax inefficiencies in staking rewards impact valuations, and whether Layer 2 solutions like Optimism and Arbitrum are helping or hurting the long-term value of Layer 1 blockchains.
Also, he looks at the big question—are these networks sustainable in the long run?
Show highlights:
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. In this episode, the crew dives headfirst into the “Memecoin Supercycle,” sparking a debate on whether these wild, meme-powered coins are just a fleeting obsession or a genuine revolution. They then dissect Uniswap’s bold leap to launch its own chain on the Optimism Superchain, asking if this move could steal the spotlight from Ethereum and forever reshape the DeFi landscape. And just when you think it’s all about tech, they dive into Kamala Harris’ latest crypto play, with an eyebrow-raising appeal to memecoin investors. From soaring hype to DeFi drama and political power moves, this episode is packed with hot takes, spicy predictions, and a glimpse at what might lie ahead in the world of crypto.
Show highlights
🔹 “Memecoin Supercycle” and whether memecoins are on track to overtake traditional altcoins as they fuel a new wave of financial speculation.
🔹 Unichain: Uniswap’s bold move to launch its own chain on the Optimism Superchain, questioning whether this could pull DeFi liquidity away from Ethereum and reshape the crypto ecosystem.
🔹 Kamala Harris’ unexpected crypto appeal in her new “opportunity agenda for Black men,” which includes a vague promise for regulatory protection for digital assets.
🔹 Memecoins vs. VC Coins: Murad’s thesis on memecoins outshining VC-backed tokens sparks a heated debate on whether financial nihilism is driving this trend and what it means for the future of crypto investing.
🔹With the new Unichain possibly diverting DeFi liquidity, the crew ponders whether Ethereum is at risk of losing its dominance as the “home of DeFi.”
⭐️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
Timestamps
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DeFi tokens have faced significant challenges in recent years. However, are we now on the verge of a new bull market?
Arthur Cheong, founder and CIO of DeFiance Capital, and Jordi Alexander, founder of Selini Capital and chief alchemist at Mantle, join the show to discuss why they believe DeFi is poised for growth. They dive into how DeFi's security and user experience have improved, the impact of Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum, and whether Ethereum or Solana will drive the next bull run. Plus, they discuss whether interest in memecoins takes attention from DeFi, and why sustainable tokenomics matters when it comes to valuing coins.
Are DeFi tokens finally ready to shine again?
Show highlights:Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
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