Coinbase: Around The Block

Latest Episodes:

Helium’s Amir Haleem on the Difficulty of Building a Sovereign Blockchain Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Earlier this month, developers behind Helium proposed to migrate the network off of its own blockchain onto Solana. In this episode of Around the Block, Founder and CEO of Helium, Amir Haleem, shares the vision behind Helium, the key moments and decisions that shaped the network, and why the move to Solana could be the project’s best bet.

Today's conversation was recorded on September 7th. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. Actual results may vary materially from any forward-looking statements made and are subject to risks and uncertainties.Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

Tornado Cash and Crypto Implications with Faryar Shirzad, Sheila Warren, and Jake Chervinsky Sep 06, 2022

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The U.S. government’s action against Tornado Cash sent shock waves through the crypto community and left most of us with more questions than answers. In this episode of Around the Block, Host Viktor Bunin, Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation Sheila Warren and Head of Policy for the Blockchain Association, Jake Chervinsky, discuss Tornado Cash: what happened, who it impacts, and how we can think about working with policymakers as they try to learn and understand this new technology.

Today's conversation was recorded on August 30th. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. Actual results may vary materially from any forward-looking statements made and are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

Brian Armstrong & Vitalik Buterin Discuss Decentralization, Privacy, and More Aug 30, 2022

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The Merge is rapidly approaching and will transition Ethereum from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake after 7 years of research and development. In this episode of Around the Block, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong discuss Coinbase’s responsibility as an infrastructure operator, maintaining a credibly neutral Ethereum network, and why Ethereum leaves privacy up to the builders. This episode is hosted by Senior Protocol Specialist Viktor Bunin.

Today's conversation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. Actual results may vary materially from any forward-looking statements made and are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block:

https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

What Makes Bitcoin Special with River CEO Alexander Leishman Jul 20, 2022

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Much of the excitement over this last cycle surrounded Ethereum and smart contract based applications. However there are still many who are sticking to building on Bitcoin. River CEO Alex Leishman is one of them, building a Bitcoin only bank. In this conversation, we talk to Alex about what makes Bitcoin special and what keeps him dedicated to it.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

The Future of Stablecoins & CBDCs with Visa’s Head of CBDC Catherine Gu Jul 13, 2022

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According to the BIS, 9 out of 10 Central Banks will be conducting experiments around CBDCs, or Central Bank Digital Currencies, in 2022. So what’s the intrigue, and how long before we see CBDCs make the leap from theoretical possibility to an everyday reality? Will they be built on permissioned or public blockchains? In this conversation with Visa Head of CBDC, Catherine Gu, we explore what the future of stablecoins and CBDCs may look like.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

The Merge with the Ethereum Foundation's Justin Drake Jun 29, 2022

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After years in the making, the Ethereum Merge is fast approaching. In this conversation with Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, we break down how the merge will help make Ethereum a more eco-friendly, economically efficient, and secure network. Note: Merge timing predictions have shifted since the episode was recorded, with Vitalik Buterin noting that it may be pushed back to September or October should developers need more time.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

Bitcoin ETFs & the SEC with Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein Jun 22, 2022

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Grayscale is the world’s largest digital asset manager, offering a wide range of secure, regulated and future-forward digital asset investment products. In this conversation with Grayscale CEO, Michael Sonnenshein, we discuss the state of regulated crypto investment products. More specifically, GBTC, and what’s taking the SEC so long to finally approve a spot Bitcoin ETF.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

Breaking Down the Bitcoin Energy Debate w/ Nic Carter (Castle Island) Jun 15, 2022

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In this episode of Around the Block with Castle Island VC’s Nic Carter, we get to the heart of what is driving the Bitcoin mining debate. Carter gives a breakdown of what people are concerned about when it comes to mining activities, and offers his own take on the issue. We also get the chance to dispel common misconceptions surrounding Bitcoin mining and the current state of mining using renewable energies.

Around the Block with Coinbase

Around the Block is lifting the hood on the crypto economy—one conversation at a time. Hosted by Justin Mart on the Coinbase Ventures team. New episodes weekly.

Never miss a beat— Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block.

Website: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn7cmPJn_LI&list=PL0zEUTVaoPOyNcYavOkwIXsVHtU6839jC

Cryptocurrency & the Changing World Order with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Jun 08, 2022

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A frank discussion with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong about the state of the economy, crypto, and Coinbase as a whole. We discuss the market downturn, Coinbase’s market positioning, and end with Brian’s thoughts on Ray Dalio’s, “Changing World Order,” and crypto’s place within it.

The Ownership Economy with Variant Fund’s Li Jin Jun 01, 2022

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Web3 has been commonly defined by three words: read, write, own. In this conversation with Variant Fund's Li Jin, we discuss how Web3 can enable ownership to be distributed across the internet as seamlessly as the internet distributes communications. We learn how the “ownership economy” will enable all kinds of new user experiences and how the next big internet applications will be ones that turn users into owners.

Check our homepage for more episodes and exclusive content from Around the Block: https://coinbase.com/aroundtheblock