RECENT EPISODES
Thu 5 Nov"Democratic Congress win forces crypto to rethink Washington strategy Nov 05, 2026After Democrats won both chambers, crypto companies are reassessing a Washington strategy that involved roughly $200 million in election spending. The Clarity Act’s current version expires with this Congress, and any replacement would need Republican support, leaving comprehensive market-structure legislation uncertain. The episode also examines Arkansas’s lawsuit against Kalshi, which raises unresolved questions over whether its sports contracts fall under state gambling laws or federal derivatives oversight.Thu 29 Oct"RLUSD goes live on Coinbase" Oct 29, 2026RLUSD is now available on Coinbase’s retail app, Exchange, and Prime, with dollar conversions at par and transfers supported on the XRP Ledger, Ethereum, and Base; broader exchange support and collateral use are expected later. The episode also covers Moody’s A2 and P1 ratings for RLUSD, Ripple’s reported $2.6 billion market cap, and Utah’s criminal case against Kalshi amid a jurisdictional clash with the CFTC.Wed 28 Oct"CFTC sues Utah over prediction market oversight" Oct 28, 2026The CFTC’s lawsuit against Utah and Attorney General Derek Brown intensifies the fight over whether federal regulators or states oversee prediction markets. The episode also covers a Reuters-reported CFTC investigation into whether Polymarket kept US users off its overseas platform as required by a 2022 agreement, and Moody’s investment-grade ratings for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin.Tue 27 Oct"Ripple to launch national trust bank" Oct 27, 2026Ripple won final OCC approval to launch a national trust bank to support RLUSD, provide enterprise custody and manage segregated reserves, while issuance remains with New York-regulated Standard Custody and the charter permits neither deposits nor lending. The episode also examines proposed MSCI rules that could affect Strategy’s Bitcoin fundraising and Hyperliquid’s plan for CFTC-regulated deployers to offer markets, pending regulatory approval.Mon 26 Oct"South Korea may delay its crypto gains tax again" Oct 26, 2026South Korea is considering delaying its planned 22% crypto gains tax from 2027 to 2029, potentially marking a fourth postponement, with a decision expected by early December. The episode also examines Aviva Investors and Ripple’s tokenized sterling fund shares on the XRP Ledger, and CoinDCX’s disclosure that an attack on old deposit wallets cost it about $16 million in Tether.Thu 22 Oct"South Korea's crypto rulebook nears completion"Oct 22, 2026South Korea’s digital asset basic act is nearing completion, Lee Yeong-Wi-Yoon told a parliamentary hearing, with proposed rules covering exchange licensing, stablecoin issuance and legal definitions for digital assets. Taxation remains the main point of contention, as the crypto tax is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, after prior delays.Wed 21 Oct"JPMorgan forecasts 10% yearly Bitcoin returns" Oct 21, 2026JPMorgan Asset Management forecasts 10% annualized Bitcoin returns over the next decade, versus 5.5% for gold, but estimates Bitcoin volatility at 55% and keeps it in a separate, smaller model portfolio. The episode also covers the OCC’s finalized Genius Act stablecoin rule, effective January 18, 2027, and FINMA’s approval of Switzerland’s first spot Bitcoin ETF for retail investors, alongside its warning of substantial investment risk.Tue 20 Oct"Mesh partners with Visa" Oct 20, 2026Mesh and Visa are partnering to let users spend crypto and stablecoin balances from participating wallet apps through a Visa credential, with Mesh handling funding and conversion; launch timing, devices and participating platforms remain unannounced. The episode also covers strong U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF inflows alongside continued Ethereum ETF outflows, and the Blockchain Association’s requests for clearer Treasury rules under the Genius Act.Fri 16 Oct"MSCI finalizes index rules" Oct 16, 2026MSCI’s November index rules replace interim digital-asset limits with operating-asset and five-ratio tests; existing constituents face removal only after failing in both of their two latest annual filings. MSCI will publish affected companies on November 11, with Strategy, MetaPlanet, Yellow Cake and SharpLink possible candidates, not a confirmed removal list. Visa Direct also moved USDC pre-funding into production for near-real-time cross-border payouts, while Google Quantum AI reported a 40-fold error reduction on Willow, noting larger demonstrations remain necessary.Thu 15 Oct"The White House loses top crypto adviser"Oct 15, 2026Patrick Witt has left his role as the White House’s top crypto adviser after his temporary detail expired, leaving the Clarity Act without its reported lead advocate inside the administration and no named replacement. The episode also examines the European Banking Authority’s planned direct supervision of USDC’s reserves starting November 12, and BNY’s tokenized Treasury repo transaction, which settled within minutes.Wed 14 Oct"Ledger cuts ties with partner over exposed seed phrases."Oct 14, 2026Ledger found a hardware implant in devices sold by Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBellas that captures 24-word recovery phrases during setup and sends them over cellular; the company says its systems were not compromised. Researchers estimate losses exceed $86 million, but Ledger says that figure is unverified. MediaMarkt Saturn removed the devices, while Trezor and Wonky ended their relationships with the reseller. Coinbase separately urged Bitcoin developers to begin preparing for post-quantum security.Tue 13 Oct"Binance shutting down mining pool" Oct 13, 2026Binance will close Binance Pool, Pool Savings, cloud mining and its transaction accelerator on November 10, 2026, advising miners to switch pools and redeem savings before the deadline. The episode also tracks market stress, including $771 million in crypto liquidations and $681 million in U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF outflows last week, and a UK ruling that Chinese law will govern claims to more than 61,000 seized Bitcoin without deciding ownership.Mon 5 Oct"Strategy reaches record record 848,000 BTC" Oct 05, 2026Strategy bought 334 BTC for about $28 million from September 28 to October 4, bringing its holdings to a record 848,000 BTC, worth roughly $73 billion against about $64 billion in cumulative spending. It funded the purchase with MSTR share sales and cash, while retaining $18 billion of share-issuance capacity. MetaPlanet ended the quarter with 44,000 BTC after selling and rebuying Bitcoin, becoming the second-largest public Bitcoin treasury company.Thu 1 Oct"Lloyds and Visa complete USDC pilot" Oct 01, 2026Lloyds and Visa completed a seven-day pilot settling $750,000 in USDC, with cross-border transfers taking less than an hour, including over the weekend; Lloyds called it the first such trial between Visa and a major UK banking group. The test also settled across Lloyds’ Canton node and a separate, unnamed public blockchain. Base’s Cobalt mainnet upgrade introduced time-bound or conditional validity transactions and new B20 token features, while Standard Chartered forecast tokenized assets could reach $4 trillion by end-2028.Wed 30 Sept"Stand With Crypto launches salvo of Senate endorsements" Sep 30, 2026Stand With Crypto, the Coinbase-backed group with more than 3 million advocates, has issued its first Senate endorsements after the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act stalled on September 15, making pro-crypto lawmakers a priority. The episode also examines political concerns over President Trump’s crypto interests, a Senate investigation alleging USDT’s role in Iranian shadow banking and terrorist financing, and reported CFTC scrutiny of trades linked to more than $5 billion in ether perpetual-futures volume.Wed 9 Sept"Block applies to establish national trust bank" Sep 09, 2026Jack Dorsey's Block has applied to establish Builders Bank and Trust, an uninsured National Trust Bank aimed at providing custody services for assets like Bitcoin and stablecoins under federal supervision. This move reflects a broader trend among fintech and crypto firms seeking national bank charters, with 23 of the 40 recent applications focused on digital assets. Additionally, regulatory challenges persist, as India's financial intelligence unit has issued non-compliance notices to several cryptocurrency platforms.Tue 8 Sept"Visa's stablecoin settlement volume surpasses $20 billion ARR." Sep 08, 2026Visa's stablecoin settlement volume has surpassed a $20 billion annualized run rate, reflecting a remarkable year-over-year growth of over 15 times. This surge is driven by nearly tripling the number of active stablecoin-linked card programs globally. However, Visa faces working capital challenges for issuers that could affect its expansion. In response, CreditCoup has introduced a stablecoin-denominated revolving credit facility, significantly lowering borrowing costs and demonstrating the increasing integration of stablecoins in traditional finance.Thu 3 Sept"Worldcoin open-sources ProveKit" Sep 03, 2026Worldcoin has made a significant move by open-sourcing ProveKit, a zero-knowledge identity toolkit that enhances privacy in verifying personal claims like age and nationality. This toolkit operates locally on devices, ensuring that sensitive data remains inaccessible to third parties. ProveKit is designed for compatibility with the Aztecs noir programming language and boasts 128-bit post-quantum security, positioning it as a robust alternative to traditional identity verification methods.Wed 2 Sept"G20 Finance Ministers agreed to pursue clearer rules for digital assets" Sep 02, 2026In this episode, G20 finance ministers and central bank governors discuss their agreement to pursue clearer regulations for digital assets, emphasizing the balance between fostering innovation and ensuring financial stability. The group is awaiting findings from the Financial Stability Board on global stablecoins, which will inform future regulatory frameworks. Additionally, the G20 reaffirms its commitment to enhancing cross-border payments, aiming to streamline international transactions and improve efficiency in the global financial system.Tue 1 Sept"Payward partnering with London Stock Exchange " Sep 01, 2026Payward, the parent company of Crackin, is partnering with the London Stock Exchange to tokenize the 100 largest companies listed on the exchange, marking a significant advancement in stock trading by integrating blockchain technology. The initial tokenized products will be available on Crackin and other platforms within the X stocks alliance, although UK investors will face restrictions until regulatory approval is obtained.Mon 31 Aug"Saylor says 'We're back' with BTC buys" Aug 31, 2026Strategy resumed Bitcoin accumulation, buying 4,600 BTC for $369 million and bringing its holdings above 845,000 BTC, just over 4% of Bitcoin’s supply cap. Russia’s crypto law takes effect September 1, allowing limited retail purchases while permitting crypto in cross-border trade. Chainalysis is suing ICE over its $94 million sole-source blockchain analytics contract with rival TRM Labs, alleging the procurement favored TRM.Fri 28 Aug"Charles Schwab to add Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink" Aug 28, 2026Charles Schwab is expanding its cryptocurrency offerings by adding Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink to its platform, catering to client demand for diverse investment options. This strategic move aims to enhance trading activity and attract more investors to the platform, which already manages over $12 trillion in assets. In contrast, Public Citizen reports significant losses for investors in crypto ventures linked to former President Trump, totaling at least $4.7 billion, highlighting the risks in the volatile crypto market.Tue 25 Aug"Grayscale launches ZCSH" Aug 25, 2026Grayscale has launched ZCSH, the first US ETF providing direct exposure to Zcash, debuting on NYSE Arca with a 2.5% fee aimed at supporting the Zcash ecosystem. This initiative reflects Grayscale's strategy to convert crypto trusts into ETFs, enhancing investor accessibility. The Head of Index at Grayscale noted that the rise of AI-driven financial surveillance may increase demand for privacy-focused assets like Zcash, underscoring the growing importance of privacy in finance.Mon 24 Aug"Strategy forms new USD Cash reserve" Aug 24, 2026In this episode, Strategy reveals its recent decision to sell 18 million shares of MSTR for approximately $2 billion, using part of the proceeds to boost its USD cash reserve to $5 billion. The company now controls about 4% of Bitcoin's maximum supply, with its holdings valued at $66 billion, reflecting significant unrealized gains.Fri 14 Aug"Tether says 'clean' audit rating comes back from KPMG." Aug 14, 2026Tether International received an unqualified audit opinion from KPMG US covering its full 2025 financial statements, marking the first completed independent financial audit in the company's history. The engagement followed AICPA standards, covered reserves, USDT liabilities, income, equity, and cash flows, and included a physical count of every gold bar held by Tether. Audited statements showed reserves exceeding liabilities by 6.8 billion dollars at year-end.Fri 7 Aug"Trump reviewing bipartisan ethics language in Clarity Act" Aug 07, 2026The Senate faces a closing window before a month-long recess to pass the Clarity Act, with Trump reviewing bipartisan ethics language that would require him to divest crypto-related business holdings while allowing him to defer federal taxes on those gains potentially indefinitely, a provision central to winning Democratic votes for the first comprehensive federal crypto regulatory framework.Fri 31 Jul"Chuck Schumer introduces Anti-Corruption Bureau targeting digital assets" Jul 31, 2026Chuck Schumer introduced legislation to establish an independent seven-member anti-corruption bureau with subpoena and asset recovery powers, targeting profiteering by the president, senior officials, and major contractors, with the bill structured to insulate the agency from presidential budget control.Thu 30 Jul"Visa CEO says the firm will be multi-coin, multi-chain" Jul 30, 2026Visa CEO Ryan McInerney declared the company will remain multi-coin and multi-chain, positioning Visa as a neutral connector to whichever stablecoins and networks achieve adoption rather than backing any single winner. Visa is also among more than 140 companies supporting the planned OUSD launch, which would allow fee-free minting and redemption while sharing most reserve income with distribution partners, a structure analysts see as potentially more competitive than USDC or USDT.Thu 23 Jul"BitMEX to shutter after 11 yrs" Jul 23, 2026BitMEX will permanently shut down on September 23rd 2026 after 11 years, following a failed sale process that began in February 2025, with new registrations already halted and all remaining positions to be force-closed at closure. Users who leave funds on the platform after shutdown face monthly fees equal to the greater of 50 dollars or 1 percent annually.Mon 20 Jul"Strategy sells more shares for cash reserves" Jul 20, 2026Strategy sold 2.7 million MSTR shares between July 13 and July 19, raising $225 million and bringing its total cash reserve to $3.2 billion, with no Bitcoin purchases made during that period, signaling a deliberate pivot toward rebuilding liquidity over accumulation. The company holds just over 843,000 BTC valued at more than $54 billion but carries roughly $9 billion in paper losses, and despite endorsements from JP Morgan and CryptoQuant, MSTR stock fell 4 percent last week.Fri 17 Jul"US Crypto market-structure bill faces test" Jul 17, 2026The US crypto market structure bill known as the Clarity Act is nearing a critical Senate vote, with Majority Leader John Thune pressing for floor action before the August 7th recess and Trump set to meet with Senators Moreno and Lummis to resolve disputes over ethics language restricting officials from profiting on crypto while in office.Thu 16 Jul"Senate announces resolution against pardon for SBF" Jul 16, 2026The US Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution, sponsored by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ruben Gallego, declaring that Sam Bankman-Fried should not receive a presidential pardon or commutation following his clemency request filed in June 2026. Bankman-Fried was convicted in November 2023 on seven fraud charges tied to the FTX collapse and sentenced to 25 years. The episode also covers Ledger launching AgentStack, an open-source toolkit letting AI agents propose blockchain transactions while requiring physical hardware approval for every execution.Tue 14 Jul"HMRC will introduce “no gain, no loss” treatment for some crypto lending" Jul 14, 2026HMRC will introduce no gain, no loss treatment for qualifying crypto lending and liquidity pool transactions from April 6, 2027, reversing its 2022 guidance that had treated DeFi activity as taxable disposals even without an economic cash-out. The reform affects around 700,000 people, deferring capital gains tax until an actual disposal occurs, though differences between deposited and received amounts will still trigger a gain or loss.Mon 13 Jul"SBI Group trials new lending product "Jul 13, 2026SBI VC Trade opens applications on July 16th for a 12-week lending product denominated in JPYSC, Japan's first trust-bank-backed yen stablecoin, offering depositors a 3% annual yield with the stablecoin pegged one-to-one to the yen and backed by 100% reserves. JPYSC runs across Avalanche, Ethereum, Polygon, and Kaia, and Lawson convenience stores will begin testing JPYSC payments at a Tokyo location in early August alongside KDDI and Hashport, giving the stablecoin an early retail use case within weeks of launch.Thu 9 Jul"Swift launches blockchain-based pilot" Jul 09, 2026Swift launched a blockchain-based shared ledger pilot involving 17 major banks across six continents, allowing institutions to move bank-issued tokenized deposits around the clock before final settlement clears through existing payment rails. Built in nine months, the system is designed as an orchestration layer that could support programmable money and agentic commerce, though its path to full production depends on how well it integrates with legacy infrastructure.Wed 8 Jul"BNB chain building new L1 for agentic trading" Jul 08, 2026BNB Chain is developing a new Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for agentic trading, targeting sub-50-millisecond pre-confirmation and sub-1-second finality to match centralized exchange speed while preserving self-custody. A testnet is planned for late 2026 and mainnet for early 2027, with the chain sitting alongside BNB Smart Chain as a settlement hub rather than replacing it.Wed 1 Jul"New Trump disclosure shows hundreds of millions in crypto-related income" Jul 01, 2026Trump's 927-page financial disclosure reveals hundreds of millions in crypto-related income, including more than $65 million from selling equity in WLF HoldCo, $236 million in token sale proceeds distributed by World Liberty Financial, and roughly $2 million in Ether staking rewards. Democrats are citing the disclosure to push ethics restrictions on federal officials holding digital assets into pending crypto legislation.Tue 30 Jun"UK's FCA finalizes major crypto rulebook " Jun 30, 2026The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has finalized a sweeping crypto regulatory framework covering exchanges, custodians, stablecoin issuers, staking firms, lending platforms, and certain DeFi firms, with formal authorization set to begin October 25th, 2027. The rulebook introduces prudential capital requirements, market abuse controls, consumer protections, and stablecoin standards, with no blanket exception for fungible tokens.Mon 29 Jun"Saylor hints at more buys" Jun 29, 2026Michael Saylor's latest post on X teased another Bitcoin purchase for Strategy, which already holds 847,363 BTC at an average cost of roughly $75,646 per coin against a current price near $60,000, leaving the treasury about $13 billion underwater. Critics including Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and on-chain firm CryptoQuant have called the accumulation model flawed.Mon 29 JunDraft Episode for Jun 29, 2026Bitcoin opened June 29th at $59,872, with Strategy holding 847,363 BTC at an average cost near $75,646, leaving its treasury roughly $13 billion underwater as Michael Saylor signaled another purchase and MSTR shares hit their lowest point since February 2024. India's USDT premium surged above 9 percent after Enforcement Directorate raids on five crypto payment firms accused of facilitating $265 million in unauthorized cross-border transfers, tightening domestic liquidity ahead of a July 2nd parliamentary meeting on crypto regulation.