The Breakdown

Latest Episodes:

The Great BTC-Alt Divergence / Epic Rap Battles Of Adoption / Derivative Games Sep 05, 2019

Show notes

BTC dominance is over 70%, and the gap between its performance and everything else may be accounting for the strange dissonance between 3x BTC price growth in 2019 and the serious gloomy pallor on display on crypto Twitter. We look at that divergence in the context of Fred Wilson's state of crypto post yesterday, as well as the continued growth of bitcoin-focused derivative products and comments from Twitter/Square CEO Jack Dorsey and the Apple Pay head on BTC and crypto. And don't miss the epic rap battle of history between Hamilton and Satoshi.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Special Edition: Summer Recap & Fall Predictions from 15 of Crypto's Top VCs, Entrepreneurs & minds Sep 04, 2019

Show notes

To celebrate the official end of summer and beginning of fall, I asked 15 top crypto VCs, entrepreneurs and content creators including Jill Carlson, Ari Paul, Kyle Samani, Marty Bent and more 4 questions:

What did we learn this Summer?
What are your predictions for the Fall?
What is one thing we're not talking about?
What is the price of BTC at the end of the year? (Up/Down/Sideways)

These are their responses, and together they tell the story of an interesting moment in crypto.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Narrative Watch: The Game of Coins & The Battle Over The Global Reserve Currency Aug 26, 2019

Show notes

In the game of coins, you [replace the USD as the world's reserve currency or at least shore up your sovereign currency's position in the new global mix] or you die.

Over the last few months, we've seen China accelerate work on its digital currency; Binance launch Venus, a regional alternative to Libra; Tether (reportedly) working on a China yuan pegged stablecoin; and now, one of the world's best known central bankers has proposed a "synthetic hegemonic currency" to replace the USD as the world's global reserve currency. What does it all mean?

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Stablecoin battles / Trade Wars & Safe Havens / Berlin Blockchain Recap Aug 23, 2019

Show notes

Libra Association on the verge of losing members? That's the report from FT as members get spooked by EU antitrust proceedings. Over in the trade war, Trump ratchets up the rhetoric against China, and we explore both how it might drive Chinese innovation and what it means for the BTC safe haven narrative. Finally, we do a quick recap of Berlin Blockchain Week so far, including the anti-surveillance forces and furries alike.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Terrorism, Sanctions & Global Opioid Rings: The Return of the Crypto Crime FUD Narrative Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

What do Palestinian bitcoin brokers, bitcoin rewards via hangover deliveries and a Russian spy scandal have to do with one another? It's all on today's 3@3. First, we look at the return of the crypto crime FUD narrative, with the specter of terrorism and US OFAC action against Chinese opioid kingpins. Then, we look at whether reports of legitimate use by Palestinians, legitimate use by US consumers, or chain analysis tools for law enforcement can counteract that narrative. Finally, we look at Patrick Byrne's resignation from Overstock and its blockchain initiatives after his embroilment in a Russian spy scandal.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

EU antitrust action on Libra / SEC dings ICO rating sites / CEOs vs. China on Hong Kong Aug 21, 2019

Show notes

Well that didn't take long. The European Union has already started looking into antitrust action on Facebook around Libra. In other regulatory news, US Sec of State Mike Pompeo says crypto should be regulated like SWIFT, India central bank fights for crypto ban, and the SEC announced a settlement with an ICO rating site that was paid by projects. It's all about the incentives, ultimately. Finally, we close with a look the way the Hong Kong protests are creating tension between independent private businesses and the Chinese government. Featuring commentary from longtime bitcoiner and HK resident Leo Weese.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Dovey Wan on Binance's Venus / Snowden on surveillance at Web3 / INX $130m IPO / Bitcoin Miniscript Aug 20, 2019

Show notes

Binance is pursuing a strategy that is a bottoms-up "belt and road" alternative to Facebook's top down global cryptocurrency Libra. VC Dovey Wan explores that strategy, and why their Chinese announcement was more aggressive than their English. We also look at the anti-surveillance sentiment at Web3 Summit (best expressed by keynote Edward Snowden); the $130m regulated token IPO from new exchange INX; and the new Bitcoin scripting language Miniscript.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Narrative Watch: Binance, Venus and the coming battle of CBDCs & non-sovereign fiat Aug 19, 2019

Show notes

Binance blew open the doors on the global battle for stablecoin supremacy today when they announced Venus - a project that seems to combine some aspects of permissioned corporate chains with central bank digital currencies (aka convenient surveillance money). What does it mean for consumers? What does it mean for governments? What does it mean for Libra? Would you chose CZ or Zuck to make your digital currency? Dig in with this #NarrativeWatch.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

The 11 Archetypes Of People You Need To Follow On Bitcoin/Crypto Twitter Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

Bitcoin and Crypto Twitter are wild, weird places. On this special "sorry I'm traveling, can't give you the news" edition of 3@3, I provide a guide to 11 key types of people that you should be following for your well-rounded Twitter experience.

The evangelist
The skeptic
The maximalist
The builder
The buyer
The creator
The curator
The outsider
The philosopher
The researcher
The independent

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

Ponzi scam selling, Hong Kong protest bank runs & buying creators with internet money Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

Why number go down? That's all anyone was asking as BTC plunged below $10k, a line that, according to Hodlonaut, we'd never cross again. Was it Ponzi scam selling in China or something less sinister? Either way, there was a bit of snark about a safe haven narrative so quickly extinguished. Additionally, we discuss a new move from Ripple to pay creators to come to their content ecosystem and the state of indie media, as well as look at calls from Hong Kong protest leadership for an imminent bank run.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto

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