Unchained

Latest Episodes:

Bits + Bips: Iggy Azalea, $MOTHER, and Celeb Coins: Is This the Top of the Crypto Cycle? - Ep. 662 Jun 19, 2024

Show notes

A few weeks after its launch, Iggy Azalea's MOTHER memecoin is still in the spotlight. Host Joe McCann, who recently had dinner with her in New York, gives the inside scoop on how Iggy’s $MOTHER came to be, plus her plans.

Also, Joe says Iggy is so bullish on Solana because it’s fast and cheap… but James Seyffart counters… nothing can be fast, cheap, and good. Except ETFs.

Guests Phil Bonello and Kelly Greer delve into the role of venture capital in crypto, and more particularly into dynamics between liquid hedge funds and massive token generation events. And James tells a mind-blowing story about how one ETF and obscure SEC rules could cause whiplash to the prices of Apple and Nvidia stock over the next few months.

Plus, after SEC head enforcer David Hirsch resigned from the SEC this week, everyone gave their takes on why. Is Hirsch going to BlackRock, or was he scared about a potential lawsuit?

Show highlights:

00:51 The real story behind Iggy Azalea's MOTHER memecoin and the controversy between Joe and Haseeb Qureshi
07:26 Why Iggy is bullish on Solana, and whether MOTHER is a hopeful case for crypto, reflecting the evolving relationship between entertainment and Web3
12:35 Whether the market has already topped, given the involvement of celebrities in the industry
15:32 Whether VCs are extractive to the overall space, and how liquid funds and token unlocks impact the performance of assets
21:17 Why venture funds and hedge funds have different approaches to liquid crypto investments, and how memecoins are changing the game for allocators
33:18 Why there’s a 0% chance that SOL gets an ETF this year
34:19 What the recent macro trends point to, whether inflation going down is sustainable, and whether rate cuts are coming
43:32 Why Nvidia's rapid growth is about to trigger a multi-billion dollar rebalance in tech ETFs, and how both $NVDA’s and $AAPL’s stock prices might soon seesaw
54:35 The theories about why the SEC’s chief crypto enforcer David Hirsch resigned from the agency (hint: it might have to do with the election)
59:52 Why James believes Ethereum ETFs will launch on July 2 and what amount of inflows the ETH ETFs might garner, esp. considering potential ETHE outflows

Hosts:

James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric

Guests:

Kelly Greer, Vice President of Trading at Galaxy
Philip Bonello, Founding Partner at Plaintext Capital

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Anthony Scaramucci on Why He Supports Biden and Thinks He, Not Trump, Is Best for Crypto - Ep. 661 Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

The political landscape in the US is heating up with the November elections, and the crypto industry is watching closely.

In this episode, Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge, doesn’t mince words and explains why he believes Joe Biden is the best choice—even for the crypto voter—in the upcoming election, the significance of the Ethereum ETF approval, and how the industry has overcome significant regulatory hurdles.

Scaramucci also shares his insights on the future of Bitcoin ETFs, the role of younger generations in driving crypto policy, and why Solana might be the next big thing.

Show highlights:

02:05 Why Anthony believes there’s only one choice in this election: Joe Biden
07:03 Why he thinks the crypto industry “has already won”
16:27 Whether the crypto industry should trust Trump with his pro-crypto comments
17:20 Why Anthony is convinced that the Biden administration has stopped its anti-crypto stance, even with the veto of the SAB 121 repeal
21:26 Why Anthony believes crypto is becoming a bipartisan issue, and how younger generations are driving this change in Washington
28:05 What three key elements would ideally be included in crypto legislation to ensure clarity and industry involvement in regulation
30:49 What happened to SkyBridge after selling a stake to FTX, and how they are riding the industry's “upswing”
38:00 What developments in Bitcoin ETFs could signal its recognition as an asset class and drive institutional adoption
40:00 What led SkyBridge to abandon its Bitcoin ETF application
43:23 What Anthony thinks is the best pitch for a spot Ether ETF to TradFi, and how expected inflows compare to Bitcoin ETFs
49:11 Anthony’s praise of Laura’s book
51:55 Why Anthony believes a Solana ETF might be the next big thing in crypto, despite SEC scrutiny and the need for a futures market first
55:20 Why SkyBridge is actively seeking new acquisitions and partnering with Parcl, a Solana-based decentralized real estate trading app
59:44 What Anthony's bullish predictions for Bitcoin and Ethereum are in the current cycle

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

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Guest:

Anthony Scaramucci, Founder and Managing Partner at SkyBridge

Links

Recent coverage of Unchained on the political scenario in the US:
How the U.S. Government Can Protect the Dollar Through Stablecoins
Why Many Democrats, Including the White House, Have Come Around on Crypto
Senator Cynthia Lummis on Why Crypto Now Has Bipartisan Support in Congress

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The Chopping Block: Iggy Azalea, Hamster Kombat, & Airdrop Insights - Ep. 660 Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra explore the latest trends in the crypto world. In this episode, we dive into the impact of celebrity-endorsed memecoins, featuring Iggy Azalea's new coin 'Mother' and Andrew Tate's 'Daddy.' We discuss how these phenomena influence the broader crypto market, recent trends in airdrops, and the challenge of Sybil resistance. Additionally, we explore the permissionless nature of crypto and the trade-offs involved in fun and chaotic projects, including the explosive rise of 'Hamster Kombat.' Tune in for an in-depth look at how pop culture intersects with the core principles of cryptocurrency, shaping current market sentiment.

Show highlights

🔹 Crypto Market Sentiment: Discussion on the latest market trends and how inflation numbers are impacting the community.

🔹 Memecoins & Celebrities: Analysis of Iggy Azalea's $Mother and the phenomenon of celebrity-launched memecoins.

🔹 Emerging Memecoins: Insights into new memecoins, including issues with fake and hacked accounts.

🔹 Tap-to-Earn Games: Overview of the rapid growth of simple click-based games like Hamster Kombat.

🔹 Airdrop Controversies: Exploration of recent controversies, particularly involving zkSync and LayerZero, and challenges of Sybil attacks.

🔹 Future Airdrop Strategies: Discussion on the evolution and need for clear, ungameable metrics.

Hosts

⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly

⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

Disclosures

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Are Memecoins the Next Evolution of Wall Street Bets? - Ep. 659 Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

Nathaniel Popper just published his latest book, "The Trolls of Wall Street," covering the Wall Street Bets phenomenon. Funnily enough, his book comes at a time when there are striking similarities with the current memecoin mania in crypto.

In this episode, Popper explores the rise of online investing communities like Wall Street Bets and their reflection of broader societal changes, particularly among young men.

He also touches on the parallels between the trolling culture of these communities and the rise of figures like Donald Trump, and delves into the hidden dangers and psychological influences of memes in modern investing.

Show highlights:

01:21 The rise of online money communities and the shift towards investing based on ideas rather than traditional financial fundamentals
04:06 How the changing roles of young men in society have influenced the growth of crypto and online financial communities
13:36 How Robinhood's design choices changed retail investing, sparking FOMO and controversy by making trading as easy as a swipe
18:04 The hidden dangers of memes in modern investing, and how they balance fostering community with driving speculation
22:56 Why Trump's ties to the crypto community highlight the mix of serious intent and trolling
30:07 Crypto News Recap

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

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Guest

Nathaniel Popper, author of The Trolls of Wall Street

Links

Previous coverage of Unchained on memecoins:

The book:

Meme culture

WSJ:
Meme Stocks Are Back, but Fund Investors Moved On
Meet the ‘Degen’ Traders Fueling the Latest Meme-Stock Mania
CoinDesk: In Defense of Meme Coins
What else could memecoins be? By Vitalik Buterin

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Why Robinhood, a TradFi Hub, Is Growing Its Crypto Business Globally - Ep. 658 Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

Robinhood has been in the spotlight for its $200 million acquisition of European crypto exchange Bitstamp. The TradFi app’s venture into crypto is paying off: its recent earnings showed that revenue is growing substantially, and the Bitstamp acquisition is just one way the company will grow the pie.

Johann Kerbrat, general manager of Robinhood Crypto, came on the show to discuss the acquisition, Robinhood's plans for expanding its crypto business internationally and into the institutional market, the company's approach to listing crypto assets, how regulation has affected its business decisions, and its efforts to bridge traditional finance and decentralized finance.

Show highlights:

02:14 How the acquisition of Bitstamp will reshape Robinhood
08:51 Whether Robinhood could list more coins and whether it’s considering more acquisitions
11:54 Whether the U.S.’s unclear crypto regulation influenced the decision to acquire Bitstamp and which other jurisdictions, besides the EU, Robinhood Crypto is eyeing
17:46 Why Johann was disappointed by the Wells notice Robinhood received from the SEC
20:47 Johann’s U.S. crypto regulation wish list and why Robinhood supports the FIT21 bill
24:09 Why Robinhood delisted ADA, MATIC, and SOL, and the process for listing or delisting a coin on the platform
29:49 Johann’s background in crypto and trajectory at Robinhood Crypto
31:35 How Robinhood is uniquely poised to help bring real-world assets and securities on-chain, and how it will handle offerings for institutional investors
37:48 The impact and importance of the introduction of spot bitcoin ETFs
44:26 Why Robinhood decided to offer staking, but only for Solana, not Ethereum
46:11 Whether there’s demand for crypto-native features in the Robinhood platform
48:26 Robinhood’s collaboration with Arbitrum and whether the company might build their own Layer 2
54:29 Johann’s take on the memecoin mania and whether Robinhood could list them
59:26 What Johann thinks about the political fight around crypto in the U.S.

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

Thank you to our sponsors!

Polkadot

Guest:

Johann Kerbrat, general manager of Robinhood Crypto

Links

Acquisition of Bitstamp:

Robinhood’s crypto business:

Regulatory actions:

Memecoin mania

Ether ETFs:

Unchained:
Ethereum ETFs Likely Protect Ether From the SEC. But What About Staked ETH?
Why the SEC May Not Be Done in Its Legal Battles Over Ethereum
Kerbrat’s statement on ETFs

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How Coinbase Might Bring 1 Billion People Onchain Using Its Smart Wallet - Ep. 657 Jun 07, 2024

Show notes

Coinbase’s “onchain summer” has kicked off with the launch of its new smart wallet. This interview with Luke Youngblood, founding contributor to Moonwell, gives a peek at how it’s sweetening the pot for developers and users alike.

In this episode, Youngblood describes how smart wallets are different from traditional wallets, how they do away with past security issues, and the more minor potential risks that still do exist with smart wallets. He also gives details on the ways that Coinbase is trying to use its smart wallet to get users onchain: making it much easier to transact onchain directly from their Coinbase accounts, subsidizing gas costs for certain dapps, and making sure everything is web-accessible.

Plus, he explains why Moonwell chose Base, how it is branching out to non-crypto native DeFi users, such as populations that only have mobile phones and not desktop computers in geographies like Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and how the DeFi lending protocol differentiates itself from bigger ones that have established a beachhead on Base.

Show highlights:

(00:00) Intro
(01:40) How smart wallets differ from traditional wallets and embedded wallets
(04:06) Why Luke is excited to be working with Coinbase smart wallet
(06:33) What happens if the user loses the device linked to their smart wallet
(08:12) How hard it would be for a hacker to try to get access to the assets in this smart wallet
(09:36) How Coinbase is initially paying for user gas fees on dapps like Moonwell and other launch partners
(12:02) How Coinbase’s Magic Stand feature enables users to transact onchain straight from their Coinbase accounts
(14:24) How Coinbase might keep paying gas fees for some dapps even after the initial launch period
(16:38) Why the smart wallet is also accessible via the web, and not just through an app
(19:50) Why Moonwell has focused on lending and borrowing
(18:03) Why Moonwell chose to build on Base as opposed to, say, Solana
(21:24) Moonwell’s plans to grow
(23:00) How having access to Coinbase’s user base changes Moonwell’s strategy for attracting users
(26:14) Crypto News Recap

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

Thank you to our sponsors!

Guest

Luke Youngblood

Links

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Bits + Bips: Is This the Real Reason the SEC Approved the Ethereum ETFs? - Ep. 656 Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and Joe McCann, along with guest Hal Press, founder of North Rock Digital, dive into the intricate challenges of pitching the ETH spot ETF to traditional finance and the Federal Reserve’s anticipated next steps. They discuss why Biden vetoed the repeal of SAB 121, and why that veto lends credence to an alternative theory as to why the SEC approved Ethereum ETFs.

Also, they talk about why the spot ETH ETFs are already turning out to be different from the Bitcoin ETFs, Hong Kong's (and perhaps China’s?) crypto ambitions, recent U.S. macroeconomic indicators, and whether or not Roaring Kitty’s recent antics with GME stock are illegal—and how he’s impacting memecoins.

Show highlights:

Why Biden vetoed the repeal of SAB 121 and whether it was priced in
The recent political change around crypto and the surprise Gen Z celebrity who could swing the U.S. presidential election
The impact of the Trump conviction on the crypto industry
Why ETF issuers were caught off guard with the spot ETH ETF approvals
Whether Bitcoin ETF buyers will rotate to Ethereum, and when the products will launch
How the ETH ETF will be pitched to TradFi
Why Alex thinks ETH/BTC will go up
How Hong Kong is trying to become the Wall Street of crypto, according to Joe
The recent macroeconomic indicators in the U.S. and their implications for crypto
The massive glitches in the NYSE that showed Berkshire Hathaway going down 99%
Whether what Roaring Kitty is doing with the GME stock is illegal

Hosts:

James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard
Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric

Guest:

Hal Press, Founder of North Rock Digital

Links

Politics:

Unchained: President Biden Vetoes SAB121 Repeal
Unchained: FIT21 Bill Heads to The Senate: Should We Really Be Excited?
POLITICO: Crypto super PACs get $25M boost
Fortune: Coinbase donates $25 million to super PAC Fairshake days after Biden vetoes crypto custody bill

Ether ETFs:

Hong Kong

Bloomberg: Hong Kong Says 11 Crypto Exchanges Are Closer to Getting Permits

Other recent events:

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro
01:59 Why Biden vetoed the repeal of SAB 121 and whether it was priced in
08:43 The recent political change around crypto and whether this particular Gen Z celeb could swing the U.S. presidential election
12:07 What the impact of the Trump conviction had in the crypto industry
15:38 Whether Bitcoin ETF buyers will rotate to Ethereum, and when the ETH ETFs will launch
25:53 How the ETH ETF will or should be pitched to TradFi
31:02 Why Alex thinks ETH/BTC will go up
32:48How Hong Kong is trying to become the Wall Street of crypto, according to Joe
36:27 The recent macroeconomic indicators in the U.S. and their implications for crypto
45:15 The massive glitches in the NYSE that showed Berkshire Hathaway going down 99%
49:26 Whether what Roaring Kitty is doing with the GME stock is illegal

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How the U.S. Government Can Protect the Dollar Through Stablecoins - Ep. 655 Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Laura Shin speaks with former CFTC chairman Chris Giancarlo and former CFTC chief innovation officer Daniel Gorfine on the pressing need for the U.S. to safeguard the dollar. They explain why they believe the future of regulation is the government operating nodes on blockchains rather than regulating intermediaries, why even private USD stablecoins will want a USD central bank digital currency, and how China might export the technology behind the digital yuan—and its surveillance capabilities—to other countries. They also touch on how the upcoming U.S. elections could influence crypto policy, why stablecoins are more than just trading instruments, and what the U.S. must do to maintain its financial leadership.

Show highlights:

How governments should embrace blockchain technology to become better at its job, according to Chris
How the financial system needs to change for the younger generations
Whether the U.S. is losing ground in terms of innovation
Why Daniel thinks stablecoins are much more than a trading instrument for crypto
Why Daniel believes that the U.S. is making the regulation of stablecoins “far more complicated than it needs to be”
How Singapore is already giving licenses to USD stablecoin issuers
Whether the dollar should be trademarked to protect it
How Tether has become one of the most profitable companies per employee in history without being under U.S. jurisdiction
Who should be the next chair of the SEC and the need to regulate DeFi in order for it to become mainstream
Why Daniel thinks that some of the criticism of the FIT21 bill “doesn’t hold water”
Why Chris believes that China is lying about not intending to export the technology behind the digital yuan
Whether algorithmic stablecoins should be banned, as proposed in the Lummis-Gillibrand bill

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

First Bits + Bips episode: Bits + Bips: Does Macroeconomics Point to a Potential Crypto Supercycle?

Thank you to our sponsors!

Guests:

Chris Giancarlo, Former Chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, author of CryptoDad
Forbes: ‘Elizabeth Warren’s Anti-Crypto Wing Is A Shrinking Iceberg’, Says Former Top Regulator
FoxBusiness Interview: Elizabeth Warren and others have declared war on cryptocurrency: Chris Giancarlo
Op-ed in the FT Banking Risk & Regulation: Can CBDCs be made safe for democracy?
Daniel Gorfine, Founder & CEO of boutique advisory firm Gattaca Horizons, former Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. CFTC, and adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center
Opinion: Stablecoin and other digital assets are falsely framed as a choice between personal privacy and national security. We can have both. - MarketWatch
Building digital infrastructure for the future of finance

Links

Stablecoins:

Stablecoins Are Defense Tech by Morgan Beller
Unchained:
Opinion: Regulated Dollar Stablecoins Created by a Proposed New Senate Bill Would be Crypto’s Ultimate Trojan Horse
Tether's Record $4.5 Billion Q1 Profit Highlights Its Dominance of the Stablecoin Industry

SAB 121

Unchained: President Biden Vetoes SAB121 Repeal

FIT21

Unchained: FIT21 Bill Heads to The Senate: Should We Really Be Excited?

Spot Ether ETFs

Unchained: Analysts Up Odds of Spot Ether ETF to 75% as Prometheum Launches Product That Treats ETH as a Security

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The Chopping Block: Crypto Populism: From Celebrity Coins to Politics -Ep. 654 Jun 01, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra explore the latest trends in crypto. This episode explores the buzz around LeBron James' potential memecoin, the recent approval of Ether ETFs, and Biden's shifting stance on crypto policy. We dissect the implications of Trump's pro-crypto promises and the FIT21 legislation. Tune in for a lively debate on celebrity coins, the market's reaction to regulatory changes, and the evolving landscape of political influence in the crypto space.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Pandora, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Show highlights

🔹 Celebrity Coins: In-depth discussion on the rise of celebrity-endorsed cryptocurrencies, focusing on LeBron James' potential memecoin and its market implications.

🔹 Ether ETF Approval: Examination of the recent Ether ETF approval, the political motivations behind it, and how it might impact the broader crypto market.

🔹 Biden's Crypto Policy: Analysis of Biden's evolving crypto stance, including recent outreach to the crypto industry and the potential effects on the upcoming elections.

🔹 Trump's Crypto Strategy: Debate on Trump's newfound pro-crypto stance, his promises to the crypto community, and the potential impact on his voter base.

🔹 FIT21 Legislation: Overview of the Financial Innovation and Technology in the 21st Century Act, its key provisions, and the potential for bipartisan support.

🔹 Political Influence in Crypto: Discussion on the increasing influence of politics in the crypto space, including the roles of key figures and the impact of regulatory developments.

Hosts

⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly

⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

Disclosures

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
02:45 - ETF Approval
07:00 - How deep is this policy shift?
09:00 - FIT21
15:45 - Trump's Pro-Crypto Stance
24:40 - Caitlyn Jenner's Memecoin Launch

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With Ether ETFs in the Works, How Else Might the SEC Pivot on Crypto? - Ep. 653 May 31, 2024

Show notes

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

After some big wins for the crypto industry (and big losses for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen, delves into how the upcoming US elections could reshape the SEC’s crypto agenda, the political pressures influencing SEC decisions, and the potential impact that a new SEC chair could have.

Gottlieb provides insights into ongoing court battles involving major crypto firms like Coinbase and explores the broader political implications of the Democrats' recent outreach to the crypto industry.

Show highlights:

How the sea change in Congress, the White House, and the Biden campaign affects the SEC’s stance on crypto
Whether the SEC's agenda on crypto has changed, following the sudden reversal on ETH ETFs
Whether the SEC is being pressured politically about crypto and how that could affect its actions between now and the election
How the ongoing legal crypto cases are affected by the SEC’s change of tune
What the implications of a possible new SEC chair would be
How the SEC’s credibility was damaged by the Debt Box case
Why Jason thinks Democrats are in an “uncomfortable position” but also believes there’s a lot of common ground with the Republicans with regard to crypto

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

Thank you to our sponsors!

Guest

Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen
Previous appearances on Unchained:
The Department of Justice Goes After Its First NFT Insider Trading Case
‘Is ETH a Security?’ Why Gary Gensler Couldn’t Give Congress a Straight Answer

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