RECENT EPISODES
Mon 26 OctTHORChain Refused to Block the $387M Bitget Hacker. Here’s Why | Chad BarrafordChad Barraford explains why THORChain did not block swaps linked to Bitget’s $387.5 million hack: the appeal came via tweet, and validators saw their role as securing the network, not policing outside activity. Selective blocking requires slow consensus, while a protocol-level security threat can justify a trading halt, as in the 39-day pause after a vulnerability drained about $10.7 million.Thu 22 OctMark Karpelès Opened the Ledgers. The Spy Chips Are Mass-Produced.Mark Karpelès says implanted Ledger Nano Xs can intercept screen signals, including seed phrases, and transmit them over LTE; he has collected three generations, with the latest design appearing easier to install at scale. More than $90 million was drained from roughly 320 wallets, but the implant’s reach and maker remain unknown. Ledger says its chip and software were not compromised, while Karpelès argues its genuine-device check cannot detect this hardware.Mon 19 OctHe Lost $14M to FTX. Now He’s Putting Real Stocks on Solana | Armani Ferrante (Backpack)After FTX’s collapse left 88% to nearly 90% of Backpack’s capital there, founder Armani Ferrante says the experience shaped a long-term, compliance-first approach. He explains how Backpack’s Solana-listed tokenized stocks represent redeemable entitlements to real shares that can move between brokerage accounts and self-custodial wallets for on-chain trading, borrowing, or collateral. The conversation also explores Backpack’s effort to connect crypto and traditional markets through regulated services across multiple jurisdictions.Fri 16 OctSTRK’s L1 Bet: Eli Ben-Sasson on Starknet’s Exit PlanEli Ben-Sasson explains why Starknet is studying a move from Ethereum Layer 2 to a quantum-resistant Layer 1: a quantum break of Ethereum’s cryptography could undermine the security Starknet inherits. A non-binding poll showed about 99% support for researching the option, but no exit decision has been made. The research will weigh proof of stake against proof of work and the chain’s purpose, as Ben-Sasson says AI is accelerating quantum-computing research.Thu 15 OctLedger Was Hacked — Who Do You Trust With Your Keys Now?Early estimates put losses from the Ledger incident above $90 million across roughly 300 wallets. Pablo Sabatella described a supply-chain compromise: a hidden chip in devices from an authorized Southeast Asian reseller captured screen contents, including seed phrases, while leaving firmware checks intact; the new owners’ involvement remains unconfirmed. He recommends buying directly from Ledger, using layered security such as multisig across hardware-wallet brands, and avoiding rushed transfers during incidents.Fri 25 SeptTokenized Stocks Get an SEC Sandbox. Who's Left Out?The SEC’s five-year, volume-capped exemption lets qualifying automated market makers test trading certain tokenized shares, but it is a temporary data-gathering sandbox, not a lasting rule. Ondo Global Markets is excluded because its offshore-issued products are equity-linked notes, not the underlying shares. Guests debate whether tokenized markets should require issuer consent and permissioned venues, or enable broader access and reduce intermediaries.Thu 17 SeptSolana's Historic Governance Vote — While Robinhood Invades Its Meme Coin TurfIn this episode, we explore Solana's recent governance vote, which introduced a more open model and sparked debates over key proposals, including the controversial inflation plan that ultimately failed. As Robinhood encroaches on Solana's meme coin territory, the network faces challenges with declining validator numbers and revenue. Despite these hurdles, Solana is adapting by increasing block sizes and prioritizing organic growth, aiming to attract diverse applications and partnerships while navigating the evolving crypto landscape.Sun 13 SeptCan RobinHood Chain Take This Boom? w/ ARB's Steven GoldfederIn this episode, Steven Goldfeder explores the impressive rise of the Robinhood Chain, which has quickly surpassed Base in user engagement and is generating substantial revenue, with daily fees reaching around four and a half million dollars. He discusses the chain's remarkable trading volume in meme coins and its rapid transaction processing capabilities, while also addressing concerns about decentralization and the implications of Arbitrum's licensing model.Tue 11 AugThe EIP That Wants to Cap ETH Staking at 50%EIP-8363 proposes capping Ethereum staking at 50% of total ETH supply by tapering issuance to near zero as that threshold approaches, with a decision on its inclusion in the 2027 Hegota upgrade expected in October.Mon 3 AugThe $114 Trillion Question: How DTCC Is Tokenizing the Entire U.S. MarketOn July 15th, DTCC executed the first real production tokenization trades in U.S. markets, converting actual shares into digital form on the Bezu and Canton blockchains before converting them back to traditional securities, enabled by an SEC no-action letter received in December 2025.Thu 30 JulMemecoins Eat Everything: Robinhood's Accidental Casino & Base's Identity CrisisBrian Armstrong's decision to change his profile picture to a memecoin called Brian in July 2025 drove 10,000 new wallets onto Base and pushed the coin above a 30 million dollar market cap before he reverted to a CryptoPunk image within 24 hours, collapsing the coin and prompting Base to declare its creator coin strategy a failed experiment.Wed 29 JulNow or Never: Inside the Fight to Pass the CLARITY ActThe combined Senate draft of the CLARITY Act dropped this week for the first time, merging the banking and agriculture committee halves and adding a Title IX law enforcement section along with a contested ethics provision. The bill classifies all tokens as commodities, then sorts them into ancillary assets carrying securities-like disclosure obligations and network tokens that shed those obligations once a two-part decentralization test is met.Tue 7 JulSaylor Selling BTC: Strategy Lifeline or Betrayal?Strategy, which holds over 550,000 Bitcoin and faces roughly 10 to 12 billion dollars in convertible debt maturities and dividend obligations over the next few years, authorized up to 1.25 billion dollars in Bitcoin sales to rebuild its dollar reserves, with a first disclosed sale of just 32 BTC sending shares to record lows.Wed 1 JulInside the Ethereum Foundation Overhaul: is a Multi-Node Structure Bullish?The Ethereum Foundation recently cut 20 percent of its staff and 40 percent of its budget while narrowing its mandate, prompting warnings of a funding crisis within three to nine months and acknowledgment that poor communication caused real damage. Into that gap stepped ETH Labs, a not-for-profit backed by Sharp Link, Joe Lubin, and Tom Lee among 50 institutions, aiming to privately fund the roughly 30 million dollars per year core Ethereum development costs.Fri 19 Jun"Bazooka in Every Hand" Do We Really Want Unstoppable AI? w/ Jake Brukhman, Haseeb Qureshi, Jesus RodriguezJake Brukhman, Haseeb Qureshi, and Jesus Rodriguez debate the U.S. government's quiet restriction of Anthropic's Claude Opus 4, in which Andy Jassy reportedly flagged a jailbreak to the White House and triggered a global cutoff affecting millions of users with no public process or appeal.Mon 8 JunDeFi's Near-Death Moment | Mike Silagadze on Ether.fi, Security, and What Comes NextMike Silagadze, founder of Ether.fi, walks through the Kelp exploit in which attackers attributed to North Korea exploited a LayerZero bridge configuration to steal roughly 220 million dollars, with systemic exposure potentially reaching 30 billion dollars across DeFi had Kelp declared bankruptcy and frozen Aave markets.Mon 1 JunDeFi Hacks Happening Every Day; Institutions Are Still ComingDeFi lost 630 million dollars in April alone, one of the worst months on record, yet institutional interest is accelerating rather than retreating. Speakers traced recent exploits to key management failures and misconfigured permissioned roles rather than smart contract flaws, with Uniswap cited as proof that well-audited contracts can hold billions without incident.Mon 25 MayTop Talent Is Leaving the EF. What Happens to ETH Now?The Ethereum Foundation is shrinking by design, but the departures of protocol leads Tim Beiko, Barnabe Monnot, and Alex Stokes, alongside researchers like Dankrad Feist, raise serious questions about whether the reduction is strategic or symptomatic of deeper dysfunction. Tomasz Stronciuk's eleven-month tenure as co-executive director represented a brief window of competitive, execution-focused leadership before the EF reverted toward a cypherpunk-aligned direction tied to Vitalik's preferences.Thu 14 MayDeFi Yields Are Too Damn Low! Here's WhyDeFi yields are structurally mispriced relative to the risks they impose on depositors, and that gap is the central argument of this episode. USDT on Aave currently yields 3.92 percent against the Federal Reserve's 3.6 percent risk-free rate, meaning depositors accept just 30 basis points of additional yield despite bearing smart contract, governance, and total-loss risk.Thu 30 AprThe $300M DeFi Bailout: Heroic or Unsustainable?The podcast discusses a $300 million bailout in the DeFi space following a major hack, highlighting the unsustainable reliance on community donations versus structured loans for future support. It emphasizes the need for enhanced risk management infrastructure and transparency to build trust within the ecosystem, as well as the essential role decentralization plays in mitigating vulnerabilities. Finally, the potential for Layer 2 solutions in improving security and fostering mainstream adoption of DeFi is noted as crucial for the industry's future.Thu 30 AprDid DeFi just betray its own principles?The podcast discusses a significant incident involving a North Korean hacker exploiting a layer zero bridge, resulting in 116,000 unbacked RSEs and prompting a $300 million response from the DeFi community. It raises concerns about DeFi's reliance on wealthy individuals for crisis management, questioning its adherence to foundational principles like "don't trust, verify." Additionally, there are calls for improved accountability, risk infrastructure, and transparency to support decentralized finance's sustainable growth and mainstream adoption.Thu 23 AprShould Arbitrum Have Frozen North Korea's Funds? Griff Green vs. Gabe ShapiroThe podcast critically examines Arbitrum's decision to freeze $290 million stolen by North Korea, with Griff Green advocating for intervention due to unique circumstances. Concerns arise regarding the transparency and authority of Arbitrum's Security Council versus decentralized governance, highlighted by Gabe Shapiro's emphasis on accountability and due process. The discussion underscores the ethical implications of centralized decision-making in blockchain systems, advocating for clear rules to balance security and decentralized principles in the crypto space.Fri 10 AprQuantum Could Break Bitcoin Sooner Than We Thought | Alex PrudenAlex Pruden discusses the imminent threat quantum computing poses to blockchain technologies like Bitcoin, particularly through its ability to undermine public key cryptography. The urgency for transitioning to post-quantum cryptography is highlighted, as vulnerabilities in wallet management and smart contracts could lead to unauthorized access to funds. Privacy-preserving blockchains may offer some mitigation, but effective adoption of security protocols remains critical. The conversation emphasizes collective action within the community to secure decentralized financial systems against these emerging risks.Mon 30 MarOmer Goldberg: The DeFi Exploit That Exposed a Bigger ProblemOmer Goldberg discusses the dual nature of composability in DeFi, emphasizing the risks exposed by a recent exploit on Resolve, where a hacker minted 80 million USR stablecoins. This incident underlines vulnerabilities in lending protocols, highlighting the significance of dynamic oracles for accurate pricing to prevent unnecessary liquidations. The conversation stresses improved risk management, transparency, and user trust in the evolving landscape of DeFi, suggesting comprehensive audits and oversight akin to traditional finance.Fri 20 MarHow the DTCC is Tokenizing $100 Trillions in Assets | Tom SullivanThe discussion centers on the DTCC’s initiative to tokenize $100 trillion in assets, focusing on enhancing liquidity and 24/7 trading capabilities. Tom Sullivan emphasizes the importance of regulatory clarity, as recent SEC actions enable the tokenization of various traditional assets with full legal rights. Additionally, the integration of blockchain technology is seen as crucial for improving market efficiency and trust, while also addressing interoperability challenges and facilitating collateral mobility.Fri 13 MarWill Aave’s New Plan Change DeFi Forever? | Stani Kulechov ExplainsThe episode highlights Aave's new proposal to redirect all protocol revenue to the Aave DAO, aiming to strengthen community governance amid concerns about Aave Labs' influence. Stani Kulechov outlines the transition to Aave V4, designed for broader use cases and modular innovation in DeFi, including a potential shift towards a token-centric model for clearer value capture. AI integration is anticipated to further enhance Aave's development processes, supporting its goals to innovate and expand in the DeFi landscape.Fri 6 MarOptimism Is Done With “Ethereum Alignment” — Users Come FirstJing Wang from Optimism discusses the company’s focus on enhancing blockchain transaction efficiency while prioritizing user needs over Ethereum alignment. The launch of OP Enterprise signifies a critical merging of crypto with traditional finance, highlighting deep customizations for major corporations. Additionally, Wang emphasizes the importance of revenue generation in the altcoin market and the necessity for legitimate projects, reflecting a broader shift in the ecosystem amidst ongoing challenges in decentralization, privacy, and compliance.Fri 27 FebDid L2 Fragment Ethereum? - With Yuval Rooz, CEO of Digital Asset, Co-Founder of CantonThe discussion highlights the transformative potential of digital asset representations in improving trading and settlement efficiency, as emphasized by Yuval Rooz of Digital Asset and Canton. It critiques Ethereum Layer 2 solutions for potentially undermining the main network's value by diverting economic activity. Additionally, the conversation explores how Canton facilitates decentralized finance through its scalable "network of networks" model while addressing privacy concerns related to zero-knowledge protocols and emphasizes the importance of transparency in collateral management.Fri 27 FebDid L2 Fragment Ethereum? - With Yuval Rooz, Co-founder & CEO of Canton NetworkThe discussion centers around the implications of Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum's value, with Yuval Rooz arguing that they may fragment activity away from the main network. He emphasizes the potential of Cincinnati's Canton Network to facilitate private, decentralized transactions without high mainnet fees. Additionally, the importance of zero-knowledge technology is highlighted as a means to enhance efficiency and privacy in on-chain financial operations, ensuring compliance while managing decentralized assets effectively.Thu 26 FebThe Bitcoin Renaissance Legacy : Beyond Digital Gold Ep. 2In 2023, Bitcoin experienced a renaissance driven by innovations like Ordinals and BRC20 tokens, reshaping its perception from solely a payment system to a data storage layer. Despite internal community tensions over rising fees and congestion, these advancements attracted returning developers, spurring discussions on Layer 2 solutions and broader capabilities. The ongoing evolution challenges traditional views of Bitcoin, suggesting a lasting transformation in its role within the cryptocurrency landscape.Fri 20 FebWhy DAO Governance Always Turns PoliticalThe discussion highlights the political dynamics inherent in DAO governance, where individual interests can overshadow collective goals, exemplified by Sky's governance concerns. It also covers Sky's evolution and strategy in the crypto space, focusing on the unique yield-generating stablecoin USDS and its risk management framework. Lastly, the potential for AI integration is noted, enhancing asset management and supporting Sky's goal of creating a resilient decentralized financial ecosystem.Wed 11 FebRobinhood’s Crypto Head Johann Kerbrat on Why Public Blockchains Will WinJohann Kerbrat, head of crypto at Robinhood, outlines the company's Ethereum Layer 2 launch on Arbitrum, focusing on enhancing financial services through decentralized products and tokenization. Key initiatives include expanding tokenized asset offerings and fostering developer engagement via a public testnet. He emphasizes the benefits of public blockchains for compliance and transparency, while also showcasing plans to integrate AI for user engagement and streamline the transition to on-chain financial systems.Fri 6 FebRebuilding Global Payments with Stablecoins | Circle & USDC with Nikhil ChandhokThe discussion highlights the transformative role of stablecoins like USDC in enhancing global payments, with Nikhil Chandhok noting their growing adoption and the infrastructure supporting them across multiple chains. Circle's transparent and regulated approach contrasts with competitors, aiming to innovate payment systems through programmability and integration with fintech. Additionally, the episode explores the potential of AI in facilitating capital movement, positioning reliable stablecoins as essential for economic inclusion and productivity.Wed 4 FebCrypto’s Point of No Return: Institutions are Finally Here, with Brett TejpaulThe current moment in cryptocurrency is pivotal, marked by significant institutional interest and partnerships, particularly from major brands and banks like PNC and JP Morgan. Coinbase Institutional plays a central role, representing 25% of its operations and facilitating Bitcoin yield products for clients, including pensions. The landscape is evolving with regulatory advancements and developments in stablecoins and payment solutions, indicating a strong momentum for institutional adoption that appears irreversible amid growing optimism for future growth.Fri 30 JanWhy OG DeFi Failed | Kain Warwick, Founder of SynthetixKain Warwick discusses the lessons from the evolution of Synthetix into Infinex, emphasizing the importance of user-friendly design over strict decentralization to compete with Web2. He critiques earlier DeFi misconceptions about user education and notes the risks exposed by FTX’s collapse. Warwick highlights the necessity of integrating AI for efficiency and the need for non-custodial, engaging products to drive cryptocurrency adoption amidst regulatory challenges and investor skepticism.Thu 29 JanEthereum is for Institutions: Danny Ryan Says Tokenization Isn't EnoughThe discussion highlights the crucial need for institutional capital to enhance Ethereum's adoption, emphasizing the shift in institutional attitudes from avoidance to engagement with cryptocurrencies. Dani Ryan advocates for promoting Ethereum's use among institutions, stressing education and advocacy. Moreover, the potential for tokenization to transform capital market operations is examined, alongside the challenges posed by regulatory landscapes, all underscoring Ethereum's longevity and relevance in the evolving financial ecosystem.Fri 9 JanHow Stablecoins Are Rewiring Global Payments | Borderless CPO Alex GarnAlex Garn discussed the transformative role of stablecoins in global payments, particularly for cross-border transactions through Borderless, which facilitates fiat conversions. He highlighted the early-stage but growing adoption of stablecoins in regions like Latin America and Southeast Asia, driven by inflation concerns. Additionally, Garn emphasized the potential for regulatory clarity to enhance stability and the need for interoperability in the fragmented stablecoin market, while comparing the efficiency of stablecoins to traditional finance methods like SWIFT.Mon 5 JanThe Rise of the Fan Economy | Consumer Crypto | Avalanche Ecosystems Ep. 4The notes discuss the rise of the fan economy through Fantech, which leverages blockchain technology to enhance connections between brands, creators, and users. Key insights highlight the use of Avalanche for tokenizing loyalty points and managing ticket sales securely, addressing inefficiencies in existing systems. Additionally, the importance of reliable payment infrastructure for seamless crypto transactions is emphasized, positioning consumer crypto as vital in facilitating these innovations while maintaining user engagement without overwhelming complexities.Mon, 22 Dec 2025Uniswap is about to “turn on the switch.” with Hayden AdamsThe discussion centers on Uniswap's transformative FeeSwitch proposal, signaling a decentralized finance (DeFi) shift towards unified economic models amidst evolving regulatory landscapes. As Uniswap integrates innovative mechanisms like Continuous Clearing Auctions (CCA) for liquidity enhancement and emphasizes seamless protocol collaboration, it aims to facilitate the entry of real-world assets into DeFi. Additionally, the potential for all values to be tokenized on blockchain is highlighted, underscoring Uniswap's role as a key player in shaping efficient market structures and fostering inclusivity in crypto.Fri, 19 Dec 2025Ethereum’s “HTTP Moment” with Marissa Posner & Yoav WeissThe discussion centers on Ethereum's pivotal moment, akin to an "HTTP Moment," emphasizing user experience and scalability through enhanced trustless infrastructures in Layer 2 (L2) solutions. Key topics include the Ethereum Interoperability Layer (EIL), which aims to simplify cross-chain transactions while maintaining user control and privacy, and the Trusses Manifesto promoting decentralization and user education on trust assumptions. Concerns regarding centralized services and RPCs highlight the necessity for resilient, transparent protocols in the evolving blockchain ecosystem.