The Crypto Conversation

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Memecoins, ETFs, & Metaverses - A Crypto Market Update Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

Memecoins are dominating the crypto markets while Bitcoin takes a breather. U.S. politicians from all sides are warming up to Bitcoin, with some even taking part of their salaries in BTC. It's the weekly Crypto market update.

Why you should listen:

First, there was DOGE. Then SHIBA. Then SQUID. Memecoins are dominating the frothy end of the market as the meme narrative attracts new retail investors. Bitcoin is cooling off after the surge following the approval of the ProShares Bitcoin ETF. Pressure is mounting for the U.S. to next approve a spot-based ETF but it's not likely in the short term.

Supporting links:

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

There is no top - Bitcoin on-chain analysis with Glassnode Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

Checkmate is the lead on-chain analyst at Glassnode, an on-chain data and intelligence platform for the crypto markets. Checkmate joins Andy to discuss the edge that on-chain data can provide and why he is bullish for Q4 and beyond.

Why you should listen:

With a background in data and engineering, when Checkmate discovered blockchain he was immediately drawn to the data-driven insights that on-chain analytics can provide.

Checkmate says that the dip in mid-2021 can be viewed as a mini bitcoin bear market. We are now at the beginning stages of a new Bitcoin bull market. Due to the inefficiencies in the fiat system, one way of viewing Bitcoin in the long term is that there is no top.

Supporting links:

Glassnode

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Bitcoin ETFs - What happens next? Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

After the approval of a long-awaited Bitcoin ETF U.S. investors finally have an easy means to invest in Bitcoin. What is the likelihood that a Bitcoin spot-based ETF will be approved next? Andy speaks to Brave New Coin analyst Aditya Das to assess the evolving Bitcoin ETF landscape in the U.S.

Why you should listen:

The launch of the first-ever Bitcoin ETF by ProShares in the United States was the trigger that pushed the price of Bitcoin to new all-time highs in October. On October 18th, the day of the ETF launch, 'Bitcoin ETF' was the sixth trending Google Search term in the United States just below searches for 'Kanye West'.

Demand for the ETF has already exceeded expectations. Upon opening for trading, it broke the record for the largest day-1 ETF launch ever by natural volume. BITO assets under management (AUM) hit US$1.1 billion after its 2nd day of trading, making it the fastest ETF to get to $1b, breaking an 18-year-old record previously set by gold.

Supporting links:

The Bitcoin ETF Story

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Battle Drones - The NFT project taking crypto games to console Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Battle Drones is a collection of 10,000 programmatically generated collectible artworks, hovering on the Solana blockchain. Each Battle Drone provides access to the Battle Drones ecosystem and play-to-earn game. A console Battle Drones game is coming in 2022. The artwork is inspired by the founders' PhD studies in the field of human drone interaction at the University of Auckland.

Why you should listen:

Battle Drones was inspired by the background of the founders. They are PhD students and engineers who have studied drone flight and human drone tactile interaction. Battle Drones 2D artwork will be developed into a Metaverse character when the PC and Console game is launched in 2022. To engage the community in the lead up to that point, Battle Drones will launch community challenges, including browser-based minigames. Once the 3D avatar is airdropped users can lend them to other people around the world for a fee to play within the Battle Drones metaverse. By doing this the community members will make their NFTs more valuable as they progress within the rankings.

Supporting links:

Battle Drones

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Ride the Wave - Building the first NFT Fund Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Les Borsai is the Chief Strategy Officer at Wave Financial Group. Les began his career as a rave promoter in the Southern California underground scene of the late 1980s. Earlier this year Wave launched the world's first-ever traditional NFT fund.

Why you should listen:

Les held positions at Avalon Attractions (now Live Nation Entertainment|Live Nation), MCA Records, and Bill Silva Entertainment before starting the musician management company Modern Artist Management. His client list includes country singer Wynonna Judd. After being an early investor in cryptocurrency platform Ethereum, he served as an advisor to blockchain companies and in 2018 co-founded Wave Financial, a digital asset management firm.

Wave Financial offers early-stage VC investment, asset management, treasury management, and strategic consulting in the blockchain ecosystem. It has a number of funds including Index funds, a Whisky fund, and an NFT fund. The NFT fund takes an analytical approach including analysis based on the rarity of traits, focusing on unique content and scarcity in properties as value drivers.

Supporting links:

Wave Financial Group

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Intergalactic - Star Atlas is a Metaverse for the Crypto Generation Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Michael Wagner is the CEO and co-founder of Star Atlas, a next-gen gaming metaverse emerging from the confluence of state-of-the-art blockchain, real-time graphics, multiplayer video game, and decentralized financial technologies.

Why you should listen:

Star Atlas - Star Atlas is a space-themed video game metaverse of grand strategy, open world exploration, territorial conquest, and political domination. Underlying technology consists of the latest in hi-fidelity game development, Unreal Engine, stunning visuals, and a blockchain baselayer utilizing Solana. The metaverse represents an alternative world of economic and political strategy, with player ability to generate real-world wealth transcending video game assets. Non-fungible tokens obtained and traded within Star Atlas creates an economy that replicates the tangibility of real-world assets and ownership.

Supporting links:

Star Atlas

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

The Witchz - It's a Spooky Halloween episode! Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

ArrowHaven and OpalAbyss from the Witchz NFT project join Andy for a Crypto Conversation Halloween special. The 6666 Witchz pay homage to the Witches of North America and Europe and take inspiration from films, Wicca, mother nature, and the four elements of the universe.

Why you should listen:

6666 unique digital art Witchz are conjuring at 00:00 UTC 24/10/21 for 77 Matic on Polygon. Witchz are airdropping 10% of the mint back to the Witchz Coven. Anyone holding a Witchz NFT and matching Elementz NFT will be eligible for the airdrop.

The Witchz art was created by AmethystMoon. She began her artistic journey on the page with watercolour, pencil, and acrylics. The Witchz are generated from a vast array of detailed traits. 27,563 brushstrokes went into creating this collection.

Supporting links:

Witchz

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Titan Tiki - Māori culture enters the Metaverse Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

Luke Ryan is the founder of the Titan Tiki Tribe - an NFT collection taking Māori culture to the metaverse. The Titan Tiki team has an indigenous Māori background, deep respect for the protocols of Māori, and is proud to show the wairua (energy) of the Titan Tiki Tribe. Bill Takarei is a respected Kaumatua (Māori elder) and spiritual guide to the Titan Tiki, ensuring Māori culture is represented according to custom.

Why you should listen:

The Titan Tiki Tribe is a unique NFT collection of 1000 Tiki. The collection includes rarity traits such as Pounamu Mere and Taiaha Weapons, traditional Korowai cloaks, Paua eyes, and Pukana forked tongues. Tiki come as Green Navigators, Blue Priests, Gold Chiefs, or Brown Gatherers. The Titan Tiki mission is to preserve and protect Māori culture while expressing it to the world via the new digital medium of the Metaverse.

Supporting links:

Tiki Quest

Titan Tiki on OpenSea

If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

Bitcoin ETFs go live - Bullish for Bitcoin? Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

Andy Pickering is here with a weekly crypto market update where we look through the volatile world of Crypto Twitter to tease out the most important narratives and data points.

Bitcoin is poised for further upside as the first two futures-based Bitcoin ETFs prepare to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange. On Tuesday the ProShares ETF goes live with the Valkyrie ETF due to begin trading later this week. Will Bitcoin hit a new all-time high? Or is this a sell-the-news event? Either way, this is set to be a historic week for Bitcoin.

Supporting links: