Empire

Latest Episodes:

How Avalanche Will Outscale L2s | Emin Gün Sirer, John Wu Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of Empire, Emin Gün Sirer and John Wu explain why Avalanche is the most scalable, decentralized L1. We start with why developers choose Avalanche, then quickly transition into the L2 debate. Emin explains why Subnets are superior and how the L2 vision and L2 reality are miles apart. We also talk about Avalanche's consensus engine, business development, the multichain future and more!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:01) Avalanche’s Core Thesis

(04:17) Why Build on Avalanche?

(14:19) The Problem with L2s

(19:08) Avalanche's Tradeoffs

(23:41) The Consensus Engine

(30:00) Learnings From Other Networks

(33:29) Solana vs Avalanche

(40:59) Avalanche’s Security Guarantees

(45:00) Business Development Strategy

(55:09) Warp: Communication Between Subnets

(1:00:01) On-Chain Governance

(1:01:41) Avalanche’s Community

(1:08:29) A Multichain Future?

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Follow Emin: https://twitter.com/el33th4xor

Follow John: https://twitter.com/John1wu

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Avalanche

https://www.avax.network/

Ava Labs

https://www.avalabs.org/

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Is Lido's Monopoly a Threat to Ethereum? | Roundup Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

In today’s episode of Empire, we discuss the upcoming Shanghai upgrade and Lido's liquid staking monopoly. What will happen to stake rates once withdrawals are enabled? Will LSD providers steal market share from Lido?

We also discuss Genesis' terrible GBTC trade, why we're feeling optimistic, FTX recovering $5B, Japan's most popular blockchain and how people still underestimate the power of BD in crypto (e.g. the Avalanche AWS partnership)!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:21) Crypto Conferences & the January Effect

(09:30) Genesis’ Terrible Risk/Reward Trade

(20:08) FTX Finds $5B of Assets

(24:38) SBF’s Substack Post

(28:56) Why We're Still Feeling Optimistic

(37:21) How the Shanghai Upgrade will Impact ETH staking rates

(44:16) When to Sell (a Crypto Funds Perspective)

(48:16) Has Lido Won the LSD Battle?

(52:53) Avalanche Partners With AWS

(1:01:07) Japan’s Most Popular Blockchain

(1:03:39) Coinbase and Blockchain.com Layoffs

(1:05:00) On-Chain US Treasuries (Ondo Finance)

(1:07:25) Book Recommendations

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Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Thinking in Probabilities (Byron newsletter)

https://blockworks.co/newsletter/issue/30211866

SBF's Substack

https://sambf.substack.com/

Ryan Watkins tweet

https://twitter.com/RyanWatkins_/status/1612872737134870528

Astar

https://astar.network/starmap/

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10 Investment Themes from Brevan Howard | Colleen Sullivan, Peter Johnson Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of Empire, Colleen Sullivan and Peter Johnson join us to discuss their predictions for 2023. We cover the future of NFTs, gaming, trading infrastructure, stablecoins, regulation, AppChains and more! This episode is packed with insights from two top VCs in crypto - you won't want to miss it.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:04) Why Choose Optimism

(04:22) Stablecoin Volumes Will Surpass Visa Volumes

(11:59) Brands, NFTs and Polygon's Lead

(25:31) Gaming Studios Will Integrate NFTs

(29:48) The Financialization of NFTs

(38:08) Gaming Interoperability

(42:42) The Unbundling of NFT Marketplaces

(49:38) Changes to Market Trading Infrastructure

(51:35) DeFi Regulation, Macro and Bitcoin’s Narrative

(1:10:42) The Separation of Brokerage, Custody and Settlement

(1:14:40) 2023’s Prevailing Narrative

(1:19:17) The AppChain Thesis & IRL Yields in Crypto

(1:22:47) Steady Adoption & Strong Beliefs

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Follow Colleen: https://twitter.com/colleenklein

Follow Peter: https://twitter.com/TheChicagoVC

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

What to Expect for NFTs and Digital Goods in 2023

https://blockworks.co/news/digital-goods-nfts-2023

What to Expect From Web3 Gaming in 2023

https://blockworks.co/news/web3-gaming-2023

What to Expect for Ethereum and Blockchain Infrastructure in 2023

https://blockworks.co/news/ethereum-blockchain-infrastructure-2023

Tokengated Commerce

https://www.notboring.co/p/tokengated-commerce

Financial Times (Alan Howard)

https://www.ft.com/content/e89061dd-634e-4024-b74a-5a102d4eb552

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The Annual Empire Awards: Winners, Losers and Favorites Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

In today’s episode of Empire, Santi and Jason go full Michael Scott by hosting the Annual Empire Awards. We discuss our favorite projects of 2022, our wildest predictions, the most overhyped section of crypto, the best unsexy ideas and so much more! We then get personal by discussing our worst investment in 2022, our best/worst new habits, our favorite app and our personal goals for 2023. Don't miss this one - it's one of my favorites yet.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:08) Biggest Mental Reframe

(17:06) Favorite Project or Business

(20:48) Crypto Person of the Year

(23:08) Top Breakout Company

(29:23) Best Unsexy Idea

(35:40) Wildest Prediction for 2023

(43:40) Most Overlooked Vertical in Crypto

(47:02) Most Overhyped Vertical in Crypto

(50:33) Business You Want to See Built in 2023

(51:56) Your Best & Worst Investment in 2022

(59:37) Best Business Decision of 2022

(1:01:55) Most Helpful Thing You Started in 2022

(1:03:49) Worst & Best Habit

(1:08:17) Favorite Content of 2022

(1:13:48) Besides Crypto, What Would You Work On?

(1:22:11) Favorite New App or Product

(1:24:33) Dream Podcast Guest

(1:27:13) 2023 Business & Personal Goals

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Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

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Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

The Diff

https://www.thediff.co/

I Pledge Allegiance

https://bit.ly/3QgW2BK

A Media Operator

https://www.amediaoperator.com/

Graham Duncan

https://grahamduncan.blog/about/

John Collison with Stanley Druckenmiller

https://bit.ly/3QxSRpL

Clay

https://clay.earth/

The Summit (by Santi)

https://bit.ly/3Cu4cBk

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Crypto in 2023: Predictions Episode Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

In today’s episode of Empire, we bring on Mike and Mark from On The Margin to discuss our 2023 crypto thesis. We debate predictions on the Wallet Wars, ETH vs Bitcoin, the rise of insurance, app-specific vertical integration, the adoption of CBDCs, Coinbase vs DEXs, MEV as a business model and more!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:14) Crypto’s 2022 Wrapped

(11:52) The Bottom is in for Crypto, not for Equities

(19:35) Kings of Spot & NFT Trading Will Lose Market Share

(22:44) Stablecoins, DeFi’s Resurgence and Permissioned Protocols

(28:02) Regulators are Coming, and the CBDC debate

(33:23) MEV will be the Business Model for DeFi & Exchanges

(42:05) No Industry Takes Off Without Insurance

(48:48) A Market Bottom & the Value of Memes

(52:36) ETH vs Bitcoin (spicy)

(1:03:34) Miner Capitulation, Wallet Wars & Gaming

(1:11:31) Vertical Integration, Privacy and Payments

(1:17:51) The Rise of Professional Guilds

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Follow Mark: https://twitter.com/MarkYusko

Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_

Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Empire links

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

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On The Margin links

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3YGtdml

Subscribe on Apple: https://bit.ly/3BUZXhK

Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3hHY1m4

Follow OTM: https://twitter.com/OnTheMarginPod

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Why 2023 Will be a Blood Bath for Crypto Startups | Roundup Dec 23, 2022

Show notes

In today’s episode of Empire, we explore the state of the crypto market. We discuss where we are in the market cycle, the investment landscape, why 2023 could be a blood bath for crypto startups and why there's reason to be optimistic. You don’t want to miss this section.

We then talk through Visa’s new payments deployment on Starknet, the power of account abstraction, Yuga Labs’ big hire, DCG’s outlook, the evolving media landscape and more!

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Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7

Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Barry Silbert's WSJ tweet

https://twitter.com/BarrySilbert/status/1604837519224639488

Catherine's Visa announcement tweet

https://twitter.com/catgu_/status/1604896035616264205

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DeFi's Interest Rate Opportunity | Simon Jones Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of Empire, Simon Jones joins us to discuss DeFi's interest rate opportunity. A year ago, DeFi's meme was, "Why earn .01% in your bank account when you can earn 20%+ in DeFi". Fast forward to today, and TradFi offers higher yields than DeFi. Did we get rugged, or what's the new opportunity?

Tune in as we explore the correlation between TradFi and DeFi rates, DeFi's low cost-of-capital opportunity, the efficiency of market-driven protocols, importing TradFi yields on-chain and more!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:15) The Divergence of TradFi & DeFi Rates

(11:00) DeFi Responded 10x Faster Than the Fed

(17:42) Leveraging DeFi as a Cheap Source of Funding

(20:59) Importing TradFi Yields On-Chain

(27:35) Why Institutions Will Use On-Chain Products

(32:11) Replacing Regulation With Smart Contracts & Incentives

(36:46) Voltz and the Importance of Fixed Rates

(41:16) Will TradFi & DeFi Rates Eventually Converge?

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Follow Simon: https://twitter.com/0xSimonJones

Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

Circle’s USDC has quickly become one of the most trusted and widely used stablecoins because of its composability, stability and reserve transparency. As a seamless, trusted digital currency, USDC is a zero-to-one opportunity for the global financial system. Check out their Transparency Hub at http://empirepodcast.link/circle that outlines everything from links to USDC weekly reserve reports, monthly attestations, and blog posts written by their executive team highlighting how and why USDC was built the way it is.

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Resources

Voltz

https://www.voltz.xyz/

Voltz research paper on DeFi vs TradFi rates

https://www.voltz.xyz/tradfi-vs-defi-rates

Bell Curve episode with Simon

https://bit.ly/3PC7lEj

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Smart Money Finds Opportunity Post Catastrophe | Avi Felman, Jonah Van Bourg Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of Empire, Jason is joined by Avi Felman and Jonah Van Bourg to discuss their new podcast 1000x and the state of crypto markets. Avi and Jonah explain their trading mindset, how to evaluate the buyers/sellers in the market, crypto's investment cycle, how catastrophe creates opportunity and more!

A new 1000x episode will drop on Empire's RSS feed and the 1000x YouTube channel every two weeks. Links below!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:07) 1000x Podcast Launch

(04:33) Market Outlook

(07:48) Who’s Buying, Who’s Selling?

(18:10) Crypto’s Investment Cycle

(21:10) How Are People Positioned Right Now?

(23:23) Leverage In The System

(25:05) Trading Around Governance Events

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Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz

Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7

Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

1000x YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEAwYFRFUuekaEmKz4oiB_A

The Prize

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169354.The_Prize

Sushi's protocol fee proposal

https://bit.ly/3FWvOkA

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The Crypto Trader's Mindset | 1000x Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Blockworks just released a new podcast called 1000x! We're dropping the first episode here as we think you might want to add this podcast to the lineup. 1000x is a crypto markets podcast hosted by professional traders Avi Felman and Jonah Van Bourg that dives deep into the macro and micro factors that represent the lifeblood of digital money and web3.

In this episode, Avi and Jonah discuss how to think like a crypto trader. They explore how today's market compares to the 2018 bear, where to look for opportunities, the investment landscape post-FTX and our top investing frameworks.

A new 1000x episode will drop on Empire's RSS feed and the 1000x YouTube channel every two weeks.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:28) Why We Started 1000x

(06:18) Today’s Market Compared To 2018

(16:17) How To Think About Trading Markets

(23:25) Market Structure Post-FTX

(28:05) Managing Risks

(36:30) Investing Frameworks

(48:12) Crypto Is Here To Stay

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Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman

Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz

Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Fw083Z

Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7

Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Golden Tree

https://www.goldentree.com/

Cumberland

https://cumberland.io/

Avi's psychology of a market tweet

https://twitter.com/AviFelman/status/1595176484766883843

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How To Prevent The Next Crypto Hack | Rob Behnke, Steve Walbroehl Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of Empire, Rob Behnke and Steve Walbroehl join us to discuss the state of Web3 security. When code equals money, security is everything. Rob and Steve explain the concept of blockchain cybersecurity, transactional-level audits, bridge hacks, crypto-native insurance and more. With over $2B in crypto hacks this year, this episode is worth everyone's time!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:30) Halborn, Cybersecurity For Web3

(12:17) The State Of Web3 Security

(17:45) Are Smart Contract Audits A Sustainable Solution?

(21:30) Reactive Security Measures

(23:33) Seraph, A Tool That Enables Transactional Level Audits

(26:25) Crypto-Native Insurance Solutions

(29:53) Why Are There So Many Bridge Hacks?

(42:20) Creating Security Standards

(48:43) Solidity vs Other Programming Languages

(53:56) The Best Way To Scale Blockchains

(1:00:29) Why Rob & Steve Are Bitcoin “Maxis”

(1:06:26) The Downsides Of Liquid Staking

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Follow Rob: https://twitter.com/robbehnke

Follow Steve: https://twitter.com/HalbornSteve

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz

Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel

Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j

Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7

Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Seraph

https://www.seraph.co/

Halborn

https://halborn.com/

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