Bitcoin.com News Weekly Update

Latest Episodes:

Could Bitcoin Freeze Old Wallets? The BIP 361 Debate Explained Apr 21, 2026

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In this episode of The Weekly, Graham and Alex break down one of the biggest new debates in Bitcoin: should old wallets be frozen to protect the network from a future quantum threat?They unpack BIP 361, the case for and against freezing legacy addresses, what it could mean for Satoshi’s coins, and why this debate goes far beyond technology. At the core is a much bigger question: if Bitcoin can change its rules to protect itself, does it stop being the immutable, neutral monetary asset people thought it was?The episode also covers:Bitcoin miner capitulationwhether mining centralization is a real long-term threatthe KelpDAO exploitwhy DeFi increasingly feels broken for everyday usersWatch for sharp analysis on Bitcoin, crypto markets, and the narratives shaping the space.00:41 - Welcome and Introductions01:24 - Paris Blockchain Week Insights02:43 - Market Overview and Bitcoin's Position04:51 - Discussion on BIP361 and Quantum Threat08:41 - Debate on Bitcoin's Rule Changes11:16 - Opposition to Quantum Resistance Proposals13:12 - Philosophical Debate on Bitcoin's Future17:38 - Bitcoin Miners and Market Challenges22:30 - KelpDAO Hack and DeFi Crisis30:32 - Conclusion and Upcoming Topics

Trump Threatened Iran, Bitcoin Pumped — Here's What Actually Happened | The Weekly April 6 2026 Apr 07, 2026

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On Easter Sunday, Donald Trump posted a profanity-laced threat on Truth Social demanding Iran open the Strait of Hormuz or face military strikes — and Bitcoin responded by pumping nearly 3% while oil spiked and equity futures dropped. This week, David Sencil and Graham Stone break down what that signal means for crypto, cover a massive $286M DeFi hack on Solana's Drift protocol linked to North Korea's Lazarus Group, unpack the Kalshi and Polymarket prediction market regulatory battles, and debate whether Google's new quantum computing research paper is real Bitcoin FUD or just Y2K 2.0.In this episode:- Trump's Easter Iran threat rattles oil and equities — Bitcoin pumps ~3% instead- Japan declares an energy emergency as Strait of Hormuz closure ripples into East Asia- Doomburg and Rory Johnson on short-term oil price spike vs. long-term collapse below $60- Polymarket faces backlash over "death market" tied to downed US airman — removes it within hours- Nevada court rules Kalshi prediction markets are indistinguishable from illegal gambling- CFTC and DOJ sue Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois to reassert federal jurisdiction over prediction markets- $286M stolen from Drift Protocol in 12 minutes — a 6-month North Korean social engineering operation- Lazarus Group agents met Drift team in person at conferences over months before executing the hack- David's take: all DeFi protocols should implement time-locks on large withdrawals- Google research paper claims breaking Bitcoin's elliptic curve cryptography needs 20x fewer qubits than previously thought- David vs Graham: Is quantum a genuine threat or just Y2K-level FUD?The Weekly | Bitcoin.com NewsChapters:00:21 - Weekly Episode Introduction00:41 - Trump's Profanity-Laced Message01:09 - Market Reactions to Trump's Message02:00 - Oil Market Reactions03:05 - Discussion on Trump's Statements04:15 - Japan's Energy Emergency05:30 - East Asia's Market Reactions06:32 - Oil Price Predictions09:07 - Prediction Markets Controversy13:08 - Legal Challenges for Prediction Markets17:54 - Solana Ecosystem DeFi Hack28:37 - Quantum Computing Threat to Bitcoin

The Weekly March 30 2026 | War, Bitcoin, David Sachs & Coinbase Home Loans Mar 30, 2026

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The Middle East conflict is reshaping how we think about money and portability. This week, David Sencil and Graham Stone discuss what the war means for Bitcoin and crypto.In this episode:• The "gruesome, macabre pattern" of weekend war escalation and Monday market manipulation• Why Bitcoin beats gold when you need to leave fast• David Sachs ends his term as Crypto Czar — was he a success or failure?• Coinbase launches Bitcoin-backed home loans with Better Home and FinanceThe Weekly | Bitcoin.com News#Bitcoin #Crypto #Geopolitics #BitcoinNews #TheWeekly00:24 - Welcome to The Weekly00:37 - War in the Middle East01:05 - Trump's Ultimatum01:18 - Varying Reports on Ultimatum01:35 - Social Media and Truth01:50 - Sources of Truth02:18 - Ceasefire Proposal and Reactions02:47 - US and Israeli Forces Movements03:13 - Iran's Demands and Oil Pipeline03:42 - Information Flow and Market Reactions04:10 - Reports of US Troops Deployment05:05 - Polymarket Predictions05:26 - Bitcoin and Geopolitical Implications06:08 - Global Oil Prices and Market Bifurcation06:44 - Economic Implications and Iran's Leverage08:01 - Rising Interest Rates and Gold Prices08:49 - Geopolitical and Economic Perspectives09:15 - Military and Economic Leverage10:17 - US Interest Payments and Defense Spending10:52 - US Empire Phase and Historical Comparisons11:15 - Entering a New Era12:15 - Bitcoin and Crypto in a New Regime13:14 - Stablecoins and Bitcoin's Role13:43 - Cypherpunk Values and Bitcoin Insurance14:17 - Increased Risk and Bitcoin's Importance15:17 - David Sachs and Crypto Czar Role15:46 - Success and Criticism of David Sachs16:35 - Crypto's Political Challenges17:25 - Privacy Founders and Legal Challenges18:15 - Genius Act and Regulatory Shifts19:19 - Political Perception and Crypto's Future20:25 - Trump's Crypto Revolution Speech21:25 - Global Progress in Crypto Regulation22:32 - Crypto Community's Frustrations22:52 - Bitcoin and Stablecoin Backed Loans23:19 - Loan Details and Collateral Requirements24:16 - Bitcoin as Collateral in TradFi25:04 - Crypto Price Volatility and Loans

Trump's 48-Hour Iran Ultimatum, $170 Oil, Gold -20% | The Weekly Mar 23 2026 Mar 23, 2026

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Trump gives Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — or face obliteration of power plants. Iran responds with a published list of 12 civilian infrastructure targets across 6 countries. The clock is ticking.David Sencil and Graham Stone break down the full escalation timeline, the market shock rippling across every asset class, and what happens next.In this episode:• Iran's retaliatory strikes on Qatar's Ras Laffan — 2-5 years of LNG repair damage• Trump's ultimatum and Iran's civilian target list response• Asian cash Dubai crude hits $170 — all-time high• Nikkei gaps down 4-5%, preview of US market open• Rory Johnston: "It's bigger than anything in history. They are all terrified."• Airlines canceling 1,000+ flights each — jet fuel as canary in the coal mine• Laos cuts schools to 3 days/week due to oil shortages• 10-year Treasury yields up 45bps — Bob Elliott says 5% is the buy level• Gold off 20% from $5,500 peak, silver between $60-70• Bitcoin below $68K — risk off or buying opportunity?• Petro Yuan narrative debunked — David's takedown• BitTensor shilled on All In Podcast — exit liquidity fears• Visa CLI for AI agent payments• SEC greenlights NASDAQ tokenized stocks📍 The Weekly | Bitcoin.com News✅ Subscribe for more weekly market coverage#Bitcoin #Iran #OilCrisis #TheWeekly #CryptoNews00:00 - Introduction and Market Impact01:11 - Iran's Retaliatory Strikes03:17 - Market Reactions and Equity Markets05:07 - Oil Market Analysis07:17 - Iran's Threats and Infrastructure Targets09:13 - Asian Market Reactions10:49 - US Market Predictions14:10 - Impact on Airlines and Jet Fuel15:29 - Treasury Bond Yields and US Debt18:16 - Bitcoin and Gold Market Movements21:19 - Petro Yuan vs. Petro Dollar26:13 - AI and Crypto Developments31:48 - Visa's AI Payment Integration34:52 - Tokenized Securities on NASDAQ36:10 - Real World Assets and Tokenization37:45 - Closing Remarks and Trump's Ultimatum

Iran Shuts Down Oil Markets — What It Means For Your Crypto Bags | The Weekly March 16 2026 Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

The Iran-Israel conflict has escalated into a full-blown global energy security crisis — markets are only beginning to feel the real shock. Graham Stone and David Sencil break down the Strait of Hormuz standoff, what a potential 8% global oil shortfall means for your portfolio, and why Bitcoin held while equities, bonds, and real estate collapsed.

The Weekly is Bitcoin.com News' flagship weekly podcast hosted by Graham Stone and David Sencil — sharp market analysis and institutional insight every Monday.

Bitcoin.com News — https://news.bitcoin.com

00:00 - Introduction and Economic Impact

00:52 - Episode Overview

01:34 - Conflict Developments

03:27 - Global Market Reactions

06:37 - Iran's Strategic Moves

08:05 - US Economic Indicators

10:02 - Military Escalation

11:55 - Energy Security Crisis

14:42 - Internet Blackout in Iran

17:26 - Oil Supply Concerns

19:03 - Market Reactions and Predictions

22:02 - Bitcoin and Crypto Discussion

24:41 - Risk Management Advice

25:08 - Bitcoin Milestone

30:09 - Quantum Computing Threat

33:39 - Boris Johnson's Bitcoin Critique

35:43 - Stablecoin Developments

41:15 - MetaPlanet's Strategic Investment

43:34 - Conclusion and Wrap-Up

Oil, AI Misinfo & the Crypto Agent Rush | The Weekly Mar 9 2026 Mar 09, 2026

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💡 Oil surged past $117 a barrel as the Middle East conflict rattled global markets — and this time, crypto traders on Hyperliquid reacted before Wall Street even opened. Bloomberg cited a decentralized exchange in its official market analysis for what may be the first time ever.

In this episode, David Sencil and Graham Stone break down the cascading macro effects: spiking oil, delayed rate cuts, a rallying dollar, and what it all means for Bitcoin.

In this episode:• Oil at $117 — why crypto traders reacted first on Hyperliquid• Bloomberg citing a decentralized exchange for macro analysis• WTI vs. Brent spread flip — Strait of Hormuz disruptions• Arthur Hayes bull case vs. the bearish macro reality• Dollar rallying, rate cuts delayed to September• Gold vs. Bitcoin: Dubai expats can't sell their gold• AI-generated war footage and X's 90-day suspension policy (Nikita Bier)• Crypto's AI agent integration rush — blockchain-washing 2.0?• MasterCard & Google's "verifiable intent" framework

#Bitcoin #Oil #Inflation #Hyperliquid #AIAgents #MasterCard #Crypto #TheWeekly #BitcoinNews #ArthurHayes #NikitaBier

00:00 Market Sentiment and Geopolitical Tensions02:51 The Impact of Oil Prices on Bitcoin06:05 The Role of Digital Assets in Market Volatility08:54 Geopolitical Conflicts and Economic Implications11:55 Misinformation in Times of Crisis17:55 AI Integration in the Crypto Space22:50 The Future of AI Agents in Trading29:58 MasterCard's Move Towards AI and Payments

Bitcoin Holds Steady As Middle East Erupts | The Weekly March 2 2026 Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Operation Epic Fury. A coordinated US-Israel strike on Iran's leadership. Ballistic missiles across the Gulf. And Bitcoin barely moved. David Sencil and Graham Stone break down why BTC's muted reaction could signal its first true decoupling from risk assets, how TradFi traders are using Hyperliquid to price gold and oil ahead of Monday's open, what a Strait of Hormuz shutdown means for inflation and the Fed, and whether Arthur Hayes's wartime money-printing thesis ultimately makes Bitcoin the trade of the conflict. Plus: Iran mines up to 5% of global Bitcoin hash rate — what happens if that supply disappears? From The Weekly by Bitcoin.com News.00:00 - Introduction to Bitcoin's Market Behavior00:30 - Episode Introduction 01:10 - Middle East Conflict Overview 02:59 - Bitcoin's Market Reaction 04:11 - 24/7 Crypto Markets Impact 05:59 - Hyper Liquid and Price Discovery 07:17 - Strait of Hormuz and Oil Prices 09:25 - Bitcoin as a Market Indicator 11:18 - Market Predictions for Monday 13:03 - Historical Market Reactions 14:30 - Inflation and Oil Prices 15:58 - Iran's Bitcoin Connection 17:35 - Crypto Market Stability 19:13 - Conclusion and Monitoring

Crypto Was Never Designed for Humans | $230M Liquidations, Clarity Act & AI Agents Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Bitcoin dropped hard — $230 million in leverage longs were liquidated in just one hour.

In this episode of The Weekly, David and Graham break down:

The latest Bitcoin price action and why the correlation to SaaS stocks matters
Tariff uncertainty, inflation prints, and macro pressure
The Clarity Act drama between Coinbase, banks, and the White House
Bitcoin miners pivoting to AI
Why AI agents might become crypto’s biggest users

Is the next wave of crypto adoption coming from machines, not humans?

00:00 - Introduction and Crypto's Design Flaws

00:30 - Bitcoin's Price Drop and Market Analysis

02:23 - Reasons for Bitcoin's Downtrend

06:11 - Nakamoto Inc.'s Restructuring

12:44 - Bitdeer's Bitcoin Sale and AI Pivot

16:21 - LORRE Limited's Bitcoin Acquisition

19:21 - Clarity Act and US Legislation Update

30:07 - AIX Crypto Developments

34:14 - Future of Crypto with AI

Prediction Markets Just Replaced Sportsbooks? $6B Super Bowl Surge Explained Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Prediction markets exploded during the Super Bowl — with billions in volume across Kalshi and Polymarket.Are they overtaking traditional sportsbooks?In this episode of The Weekly, Graham Stone and David Sencil break down:- The $6B Super Bowl prediction market surge• AI agents using Bitcoin over Lightning• Brazil’s $68B Bitcoin reserve proposal• Binance’s $1B BTC buy• Crime, regulation, and more00:00 - Cal-She's Super Bowl Trading Record00:22 - Welcome Back to The Weekly01:01 - Bitcoin's Elusive Price Point01:18 - News of the Week02:16 - Deutsche Bank's Bitcoin Stance04:07 - Bitcoin Adoption in Brazil06:18 - Brazil's Stablecoin Tax Proposal08:11 - US Dollar Dominance and Stablecoins09:55 - Binance's Bitcoin Purchase12:53 - AI and Bitcoin16:33 - Bitcoin Crime Stories23:36 - Prediction Markets and the Super Bowl29:19 - Coinbase vs. Nevada33:36 - Vitalik Buterin on Prediction Markets39:32 - The Fascination with Prediction Markets

Why Bitcoin Crashed to $62K — ETFs, Macro Chaos & Market Structure Explained Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

Bitcoin fell from $70K to $62K in one of its sharpest drops ever — but the reasons go far beyond price action.

In this episode of The Weekly, David Sencil and Graham Stone break down:

Why Bitcoin crashed despite strong ETF inflows
The role of macro instability and Fed expectations
Whether Bitcoin’s financialization is creating hidden risk
Institutional cost bases, sentiment shifts, and cycle psychology
Ethereum’s roadmap reset and Vitalik’s latest admissions
Polymarket token rumors and its bizarre “free groceries” marketing stunt

A deep dive into what actually happened — and what matters next.

00:00 Bitcoin's Recent Crash: Causes and Theories11:00 MicroStrategy's Bitcoin Holdings and Market Sentiment17:05 Nouriel Roubini's Critique of Bitcoin22:09 Ethereum's Roadmap and Vitalik's Insights29:08 Polymarket's Marketing Stunt and Future Token Speculation

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