The Breakdown

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Business
**The Breakdown**

The Breakdown dives into the deepest topics in crypto, blockchain, and the macro forces shaping markets and power structures. Each episode breaks down complex ideas into clear, grounded analysis — separating signal from noise across crypto, finance, and geopolitics.

Hosted by David Canellis, The Breakdown features explainers, interviews, and conversations with the people building, regulating, and challenging the financial system.

A Blockworks podcast.

Subscribe to The Breakdown newsletter: https://the-breakdown.carrd.co/

Latest Episodes:

The Unexplored Risks of a US Digital Dollar May 23, 2021

Show notes

For this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads:

“What If Somebody Hacks the Money Pipeline Next?” By David Z. Morris

“A Central Bank Digital Currency Would Be Bad for the US” by Dante Disparte

-- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1438693620?at=1000lSDb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/538vuul1PuorUDwgkC8JWF?si=ddSvD-HST2e_E7wgxcjtfQ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ubHdjcnlwdG8ubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M= Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW The Breakdown is produced and distributed by CoinDesk.com

Why the Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein Says Governments Can't Stop Crypto May 22, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s “Breakdown Weekly Recap,” NLW explores U.S. regulatory FUD. He specifically looks at recent statements from the SEC’s Gary Gensler, as well as new Treasury Dept. policy that wants businesses to report crypto transactions of over $10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. He argues that this is a “bureaucrat's bull market” that will be focused on compliance, not banning.

Why Bitcoiners Are Rooting for This Latest China Mining Ban to Finally, Actually Be Real May 22, 2021

Show notes

This week has been China story after China story in the world of crypto. Increasingly, NLW argues, bitcoiners are getting sick of the baggage that Chinese mining and Chinese state involvement place on bitcoin and crypto as a whole. In this episode, he looks at the latest news from China and points to interpretations from a number of voices that show why what appears to be FUD could actually be a welcomed development.

The Real Story of the Crypto Crash Isn't about Elon or China May 21, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at the market structure dimension of the crypto crash, leveraging insights from Alameda Research, Willy Woo and many more. He explores:

Why the recent bull run was driven by derivatives more than by spot trading
How crypto moving onto exchanges signaled the big move down
How cascading liquidations made the down moves even more extreme
What the industry thinks about 100x leverage
Insider reports on how institutional investors responded

CoinStack newsletter referenced in the show: https://coinstack.substack.com/

The Bloodbath-ening: Is This the End of the Crypto Bull Market? May 20, 2021

Show notes

In one of the bloodiest days in recent crypto history, NLW looks at the reasons behind the wild market crash and explores whether it means an end to the bull market. As part of this, he explores five different categories of fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD):

Elon energy FUD
Resurgent tether FUD
China ban FUD
Used for crime FUD
Regulatory FUD

No, China Didn’t Just Ban Crypto May 19, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, NLW provides an extended brief style episode, covering:

Crypto’s allies on Capitol Hill
Is “long bitcoin” the most crowded trade in the world?
How much of the dip was just Tax Day?
No, China didn’t just ban crypto
Pomp launches Bitcoin Pizza

Bitcoin Is the ‘No Heroes’ Asset May 18, 2021

Show notes

If you thought last week’s Elon intrigue was over, think again. This weekend saw an absolute showdown at the bitcoin corral, with Musk seriously losing his cool. In this episode, NLW explores the tussle from a number of dimensions:

What it says about the efficacy of Bitcoin Maximalism
What is says about Elon Musk specifically
What it says about power in a social media-powered world

Bitcoin Is Much More Than a Speculative Asset May 16, 2021

Show notes

This week’s “Long Reads Sunday” is a reading of Alex Gladstein’s latest piece, “Check Your Financial Privilege.” It follows the stories of people in three African nations who paint a very different picture from the rampant speculation you hear about in the news.

Vitalik vs. Dog Money: Recapping a Crazy Week in Crypto History May 15, 2021

Show notes

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

Why the Elon Musk issue is really one of power and audience
What the Colonial Pipeline attack reveals about our critical infrastructure
The debate around Vitalik Buterin and the Shiba coins

Why the DOJ, IRS Investigation Into Binance Could Be Good for Bitcoin May 15, 2021

Show notes

Today on the Brief:

More chaos from Elon Musk
Hedge funds moving into DeFi?
Tether reserve attestations

Our main discussion looks at recent revelations of investigations by the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service around Binance. NLW breaks down:

What we know about who is involved
Why the sound bite seems worse than the real story
Why each possible outcome leads the Bitcoin industry to a better place

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected