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BREAKDOWN: How Much Debt Can a Country Handle? Dec 13, 2020

Show notes

As conventional wisdom grows that central banks can go more deeply into debt than previously thought, one economist asks, how much is too much?

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

This week’s edition of Long Reads Sunday is a reading of “How Much Debt Is Too Much?” by Raghuram Rajan on Project Syndicate.

In it, the author explores the shifting conventional wisdom on national debt and worries that countries may reach their limit far earlier than they think.

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BREAKDOWN: The Bitcoin Banking Battle Heats Up Dec 12, 2020

Show notes

Banks are moving into crypto and crypto companies are trying to become banks, so how does it all play out?

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

On this edition of the weekly recap, NLW looks at the brewing battle to be the bitcoin and crypto bank of the future. He looks at three stories reporting banks getting into crypto (BBVA, Standard Chartered and DBS) as well as crypto companies applying to become banks. Finally, he examines why this is happening right now, and what are the true stakes of the game.

This week on The Breakdown:

Monday | China’s Latest Digital Currency Trial Is Its Most Important Yet

Tuesday | A De Facto Bitcoin ETF? MicroStrategy Is Raising $400M to Buy More BTC

Wednesday | The Most Important Trends and People Shaping Crypto 2020, With Ryan Selkis

Thursday | SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce on a Bitcoin ETF, Custody Rules and What’s Next for the SEC

Friday | Why a Massive 169-Year-Old Insurance Company Just Bought $100M in Bitcoin

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BREAKDOWN: Why a Massive 169-Year-Old Insurance Company Just Bought $100M in Bitcoin Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

MassMutual becomes the latest announced institutional buyer of bitcoin, and this one could be even more significant in terms of precedent.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

Today on the Brief:

FDA panel recommends Pfizer vaccine approval as initial jobless claims soar
Antitrust lawsuit calls for Facebook breakup
Crypto-friendly CFTC chairman to resign at the beginning of the year

Our main discussion: Why MassMutual bought $100 million in bitcoin and why it matters.

In this episode, NLW looks at recent news that MassMutual had purchased $100 million in bitcoin for its general account, as well as made a $5 million minority investment in $2.3 billion asset manager NYDIG, which helped facilitate the bitcoin purchase. He discusses why insurance company purchases are different than other institutional buyers like MicroStrategy, and why this might be the beginning of a more significant industry trend.

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BREAKDOWN: SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce on a Bitcoin ETF, Custody Rules and What's Next for the SEC Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

The SEC commissioner explains why the SEC’s approach has been “too slow and too ambiguous” and why she’s optimistic for 2021.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

Hester Peirce is a commissioner at the Securities Exchange Commission, sworn in for her second term in August.

Sometimes referred to as “Crypto Mom,” Peirce has been a fierce advocate for the industry in a regulatory context that hasn’t always been on her side.

In this conversation, she and NLW discuss:

Why the SEC’s approach on crypto has been too slow and too ambiguous
Why it matters that FinHub is becoming a standalone office
The prospect for a regulatory “safe harbor” for crypto
What the SEC thinks of the OCC’s crypto custody guidance
The prospect for a bitcoin exchange-traded fund

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BREAKDOWN: The Most Important Trends and People Shaping Crypto 2020, With Ryan Selkis Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

The Messari CEO goes over the highlights of his just-released annual “Crypto Theses” report.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

What were the most important trends? Who were the most important people? Was it the year of Bitcoin Macro, the year of DeFi or both?

Ryan Selkis is the founder and CEO of Messari. Each year he puts together a massive “Crypto Theses” report that looks at the year that was and the year to come.

On this episode, he and NLW discuss the highlights of Selkis’ 2020 report, including:

The top 10 people in crypto 2020
The bifurcation of bitcoin and ethereum
How DeFi was and wasn’t like ICOs in 2017
Why regulatory battles loom

Find our guest online:

Twitter: @twobitidiot

Website: messari.io

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BREAKDOWN: A De Facto Bitcoin ETF? MicroStrategy Is Raising Another $400M to Buy BTC Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Michael Saylor announced plans to offer convertible bonds with the express intent to buy BTC. The community reacts.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

Today on the Brief:

BBVA set to offer crypto trading and custody
Wells Fargo discusses bitcoin in recent investor memo
Square launches Bitcoin Clean Energy Initiative with $10 million

Our main discussion: Michael Saylor is back at it.

The CEO of MicroStrategy and Giga Chad himself announced MicroStrategy would be offering $400 million in convertible bonds with the intent to purchase more bitcoin.

On this episode, NLW looks at the community’s reaction, including the comparison of MSTR stock to a BTC exchange-traded fund. He also discusses Saylor’s recent comments about censorship resistance as a reminder of the (potentially) divergent values of bitcoin retail HODLers and institutional investors.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKDOWN: China's Latest Digital Currency Trial Is Its Most Important Yet Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

More money, more participants, more participating banks and merchants – a look inside the latest DC/EP trial in Suzhou.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week’s special product launch LVL.co.

Today on the Brief:

COVID-19 vs. Stimulus
Small hedge funds outperform large brethren
Equities now worth 115% of global GDP

Our main discussion: Why the newest trial of China’s central bank digital currency is its most important trial yet.

In this episode, NLW discusses:

The significance of the “Double 12” shopping festival
How the participant merchants have changed
Comparison of the size of the lottery
Changes in public interest
Why it matters to the crypto industry

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKDOWN: Niall Ferguson on Why Bitcoin and China Are Winning the Monetary Revolution Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

The well-known economic historian connects the dots between bitcoin and CBDCs in the COVID-19 money era.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week's special product launch, Allnodes.

On today’s Long Reads Sunday, NLW reads Niall Ferguson’s latest Op-Ed for Bloomberg: “Bitcoin Is Winning the COVID-19 Monetary Revolution”

In it, Ferguson argues that bitcoin’s sovereignty and “built-in scarcity in a virtual world characterized by boundless abundance” are driving its adoption.

He also argues that rather than adopt a China-style central bank digital currency, incoming President Joe Biden should look to integrate bitcoin into the U.S. economic system.

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BREAKDOWN: $50K BTC in 2021? Bloomberg Analysts Join the 'Traditional Onslaught' Driving Bitcoin's Rally Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

A new crypto outlook from Bloomberg suggests BTC could reach $50,000 in 2021, topping off a month of major institutional momentum for the asset.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week's special product launch, Allnodes.

On this edition of the weekly recap, NLW looks at the consolidating narrative of a bitcoin rally that is:

Being driven by institutional investors
Shifting the center of the industry from East Asia to North America
Winning converts from major research houses and institutions
Driving the price of bitcoin to new all-time highs

This week on The Breakdown:

Monday | Bitcoin Hits a New All-Time High: What Happens Next?

Tuesday | Why a $631B Asset Manager Just Changed Its Mind on Bitcoin

Wednesday | Josh Brown on Bitcoin’s ‘Respectability Rally’ and Why We’ll See Dow 100,000 in Our Lifetime

Thursday | Why Stablecoins Are the First Battleground of the Coming Crypto Regulation Wars

Friday | A ‘Santa Claus Rally’ for the Stock Market?

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BREAKDOWN: A ‘Santa Claus Rally’ for the Stock Market? Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Since 1969, 34 out of 45 years have seen a late December rally. Here are 5 reasons why that might not happen this year.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and this week's special product launch, Allnodes.

Today on the Brief:

Payrolls report underperforms expectations
Spotify looking for crypto director
Lame-duck crypto legislation on the way?

Our main discussion: Will we see a “Santa Claus rally” this year?

This kind of rally refers to the fact that in about two-thirds of years since 1969, late December has seen a stock market rally, averaging a 1.4% gain.

This year, vaccine optimism combined with new stimulus seems poised to once again jingle Wall Street’s bells. A piece in Bloomberg, however, provides five charts and reasons why this market rally is already overbought and overblown, so this year might be more coal than eggnog.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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