The Breakdown

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Here for the Bitcoin Revolution or Just the Sick Macro Gains? Oct 10, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On this edition of “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads “Revolution, Macro and Micro: Three Ways to Look at a Bitcoin Investment.” Blumberg argues that as bitcoin and digital assets get more mainstream, the industry would do well to better understand the different philosophies that pull in people.

NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.

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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: Vasil Dimitrov/E+/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

Supply Chain Says No Christmas Presents or Trees This Year Oct 09, 2021

Show notes

On this edition of “The Breakdown Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at supply chain disruptions, including:

Natural gas shortages across Europe and the U.K. that could impact electricity prices and even the global food supply
Numerous dislocations that are increasing the price of Christmas trees and reducing the availability of presents
Shipping port issues outside of Los Angeles

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk.

Second-Largest US Bank Says Crypto Is Too Big to Ignore Oct 09, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW covers some of the topics he’s missed throughout the week, including:

A new report from Bank of America that calls digital assets “too big to ignore”
US Bank custodying crypto via NYDIG
An underperforming jobs report
Bitcoin futures ETF speculation hits fever pitch
Chainalysis report on global adoption
BitGo sees growing corporate interest
The Federal Reserve says it's going to start researching a CBDC

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

Something Big Is Brewing With Bitcoin Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW looks at the growing excitement around bitcoin, including:

Its decoupling from the stock market
What it means that U.S. institutional-focused CME futures are outpacing Deribit retail-focused international futures
How bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund (ETF) speculation is driving excitement
How growing macro insecurity is driving the BTC narrative

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Leafedge/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

Gensler's SEC Has No Plans to Ban Crypto Oct 07, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

Today on “The Breakdown,” another major regulatory figure has confirmed he has no intention of bannning crypto. During testimony before Congress this week, Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) asked Gensler if he planned to follow China in banning crypto (the same question Budd asked Powell last week). Gensler’s answer, if not any sort of endorsement of crypto, did make clear that banning crypto wasn’t the SEC’s intention (or remit). On this episode, NLW looks at a number of other questions Gensler faced, along with a set of bills that have been introduced to change the way the U.S. deals with tokens.

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

Stablecoins in the Hot Seat as SEC Investigates Circle Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW homes in on recent reports surrounding the Biden administration's plans for stablecoins. A new report from the Wall Street Journal says there is a debate between using the Financial Stability Oversight Committee to add new rules for stablecoins and to regulate stablecoin issuers like banks. The crypto industry’s big question seems to be: Will crypto institutions be allowed to play, or will big banks shove them out?

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: kentoh/iStock/Getty Images Plus, modified by CoinDesk.

What the ‘Pandora Papers’ Mean for Bitcoin Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW breaks down the latest in a string of embarrassing leaks about how the world’s elite and wealthy use offshore accounts to obfuscate ownership and hide their wealth. He looks at:

How the Pandora Papers compare to the 2016 Panama Papers and the 2017 Paradise Papers
Examples of surprising revelations
How South Dakota has become a wealth haven
What the leaks mean for future crypto crackdowns

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Hiroshi Watanabe/DigitalVision/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

What’s the Real Point of ‘Crypto’ Anyway? Oct 03, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On this week’s edition of “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads four Twitter threads:

Alex Gladstein on whether the crypto experiment has failed https://twitter.com/gladstein/status/1442518707926831105
Russian political opposition figure Alexey Navalny on big tech complicity https://twitter.com/navalny/status/1441065558267633666
Adam Cochran on the debt ceiling chicken game https://twitter.com/adamscochran/status/1443392843456864265
Jason Yanowitz on why CryptoPunks will be worth $10m

https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz/status/1442896400119832577

This Overlooked Crypto Tax Provision Would Be a Disaster Oct 02, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at:

Hidden crypto tax provision 6050I
Chilling language from British lawmakers around using CBDCs to control citizens’ spending
The Compound political gaffe

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Overearth/iStock/Getty Images Plus, modified by CoinDesk.

Powell Says No Crypto Ban as ‘Uptober’ Kicks Off Oct 02, 2021

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW discusses the market mood shift as September becomes October, and looks at:

Jerome Powell’s comments on crypto bans before Congress
El Salvador’s volcano bitcoin mining
Mayor Suarez’s MiamiCoin
A Helium initiative to fix the digital divide

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