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  • The Chopping Block: SVM vs. EVM, VC Investment in Solana and Memecoins’ Future - Ep. 706

    The Chopping Block: SVM vs. EVM, VC Investment in Solana and Memecoins’ Future - Ep. 706
    2024/09/19
    Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, the squad is joined by special guest Mert Mumtaz, co-founder of Helius. In this episode, the crew dives into the growing rivalry between SVM and EVM, the surge of VC investments in the Solana ecosystem, and the fierce debate over rollups. They also explore the rise and fall of memecoins, Solana’s infrastructure evolution, and the future for high-performance blockchains. Tune in for a high-energy discussion on the cutting edge of crypto! 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 🔹 SVM vs. EVM Showdown: The team breaks down the growing battle between Solana's SVM and Ethereum's EVM, examining what’s at stake for both ecosystems. 🔹 VC Investments in Solana: As VC interest in Solana surges, the crew discusses how this new wave of funding could reshape the future of blockchain development. 🔹 Memecoin Chaos: The rapid rise and fall of memecoins comes under fire, with a debate on whether they are a net positive or simply speculative noise in the market. 🔹 Solana’s Infrastructure Evolution: Solana's ongoing efforts to improve scalability and performance are highlighted, especially with innovations like Fire Dancer and ZK compression. 🔹 Network Extensions Controversy: A heated discussion on Solana’s push to rebrand rollups as “network extensions,” sparking backlash from Ethereum proponents. 🔹 VC vs. Market Sentiment: The role of venture capital in the crypto space is examined, with insights into whether VCs are driving innovation or creating unsustainable hype. 🔹 Solana Breakpoint Preview: Excitement builds around Solana’s flagship event, with predictions on what key announcements could impact the blockchain’s future. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Guest ⭐️ Mert, Co-founder & CEO at Helius Disclosures Timestamps 0:00 Intro 02:02 Impressions of Singapore 07:55 Mert's Journey & Solana Advocacy 15:41 Challenges & Growth in Solana Ecosystem 21:01 EBOLA [EVM Bags Over Logic Affliction] 31:13 Solana's Resilience 34:38 The Rise of SVM and Developer Perspectives 41:41 Network Extensions vs. Rollups 51:08 Future of High-Performance Blockchains 59:47 AI's Impact on Developer Ecosystems 01:06:19 Memecoins and Market Dynamics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 14 分
  • Trump’s Crypto Project May Attract Hackers. That's Why This Security Expert Joined - Ep. 705

    Trump’s Crypto Project May Attract Hackers. That's Why This Security Expert Joined - Ep. 705
    2024/09/17
    World Liberty Financial (WLF), the Trump-backed DeFi project, launched this Monday. In this episode, crypto security expert Ogle discusses his role as an advisor to WLF. He dives into why he joined the project, what makes it unique, and how Trump’s involvement could bridge the gap for many who are new to the space. Plus, Ogle shares his thoughts on the security challenges WLF might face and the project's potential to rival major players in the market. He also touches on his new L1 blockchain Glue, and why he thinks it will provide a better user experience than what is out in crypto today. Show highlights: 2:05 Ogle’s background and how he came up with a standard for dealing with crypto hacks 10:28 Where crypto hackers are usually from 13:21 Why he does security work for free 16:57 Why Ogle is advising the Trump family’s DeFi project, World Liberty Financial 22:30 Why some in the crypto community are skeptical of WLF 26:39 His thoughts on how to prevent a crypto hack of a high-profile project 32:52 Why Ogle is not worried about WLF having been forked from the hacked app Dough Finance 33:54 How the Trump family is involved in WLF 41:00 How Donald Trump is excited about the project and actually gets it, according to Ogle 43:49 Why Ogle believes WLF will attract as much traction as the entire market cap of Shiba Inu 47:04 How Ogle's new layer 1 blockchain, Glue, aims to be crypto’s AOL 56:33 Why Glue’s L2s will be specific to certain areas of the industry 1:02:41 When Ogle expects Glue to launch and whether it’ll have a token 1:04:19 How North Korean hackers are now “just so clever, socially” 1:13:56 Ogle’s tips for crypto users 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 Mantle Stellar Gemini Guest: Ogle, crypto security expert, founder of Glue, and advisor to World Liberty Financial. Previous appearance on The Chopping Block: How This DeFi Hack Negotiator Gets Hackers to Return Stolen Money Links World Liberty Financial (WLFI) Unchained: Trump’s New DeFi Project Could Be a Magnet for Hackers CoinDesk: In Trump-Backed Crypto Project World Liberty Financial (WLFI), Insiders Are Poised for Unusually Big Token Payouts IBTimes: Donald Trump Announces DeFi Project's Launch Date – What To Know About World Liberty Financial Latin Times: Who Is Ogle? The Crypto Sleuth Recruited As An Advisor For Trump's DeFi Project Glue: Glue, The Web3 Network Built for Regular Users How Glue Will Keep User Assets Safe Scams and North Korea: FBI Fraud report North Kora Aggressively Targeting Crypto Industry with Well-Disguised Social Engineering Attacks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 19 分
  • The Chopping Block: VC vs. Liquid Funds, Friend.Tech’s Decline, Crypto Startup Exits - Ep. 704

    The Chopping Block: VC vs. Liquid Funds, Friend.Tech’s Decline, Crypto Startup Exits - Ep. 704
    2024/09/13
    Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news in crypto. This week the squad is joined by special guest Jason Choi, co-founder of Tangent. In this episode the crew tackles the overvaluation of crypto projects by VCs, Friend.Tech’s 96% token crash, and the ethics of early token launches They also explore how airdrop farming skews user metrics, the volatility of memecoins, and whether VCs are extracting more value from crypto than they contribute. Tune in for insights into the ever-evolving crypto landscape! 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 🔹 Friend.Tech Token Crash: Friend.Tech’s token dropped 96%, highlighting the risks of launching tokens without sustainable product planning and user retention strategies. 🔹 Project Exits and Ethics: Early token launches raise concerns about ethical obligations when teams abandon projects, with accusations of rug-pulling increasing. 🔹 Airdrop Farming’s Impact: Airdrop farming distorts true user engagement, leading to inflated metrics that misrepresent product-market fit and real user growth. 🔹 Venture Capital in Crypto: Low barriers for VCs have led to inflated project valuations, often resulting in overhyped, underdelivered crypto ventures. 🔹 Challenges of Early Token Launches: Early token releases often harm long-term project potential by confusing market signals and damaging user retention. 🔹 VC vs. Liquid Funds: Debate over whether venture capital is extracting value from crypto or whether liquid funds can improve market efficiency. 🔹 Hedge Funds and Market Efficiency: Hedge funds may improve market liquidity, but their impact on long-term crypto growth remains under scrutiny. 🔹 Speculative Markets and Long-Term Value: The crypto market continues to grapple with balancing short-term speculative plays and the creation of sustainable, long-term value. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Guest ⭐️Jason Choi, Co-Founder of Tangent Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 7 分
  • Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab? - Ep. 703

    Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab? - Ep. 703
    2024/09/13
    On Thursday, Coinbase unveiled cbBTC, a tokenized version of Bitcoin on its Base layer 2 and Ethereum. This launch follows the recent BitGo controversy about the custody arrangement for Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) now involving Justin Sun, sparking concerns within the crypto community. In this episode, Will Robinson, Coinbase’s VP of engineering, discusses the strategic importance of cbBTC, how it differs from other wrapped Bitcoin products, and what this means for the future of Bitcoin within DeFi ecosystems. Will Coinbase’s reputation as a "trusted custodian" be enough to make cbBTC the go-to choice for Bitcoin in DeFi, or will the industry remain skeptical? 01:54 Why Coinbase launched cbBTC and how it aims to bring Bitcoin into the world of DeFi 04:05 What happens behind the scenes when users mint cbBTC 05:21 What sets cbBTC apart from other wrapped Bitcoin options, according to Will 06:32 Whether Coinbase will expand cbBTC to other layer 2s and where users can already use it on major DeFi platforms 08:45 Will’s response to criticisms about the centralization of cbBTC 12:28 Why Coinbase's cbBTC launch was part of long-term plans, unrelated to the recent controversy around WBTC and Justin Sun 13:31 How Coinbase plans to make money from cbBTC, considering that WBTC has not been a big moneymaker for BitGo 15:38 Why Coinbase has the ability to freeze and blacklist cbBTC addresses 19:34 How Coinbase ensures that Bitcoin backing cbBTC remains the property of token holders and won’t be used as collateral or rehypothecated 20:58 Why Coinbase, a centralized entity, is launching cbBTC, a product for the decentralized, onchain world 23:57 Why Will doesn't want to predict how much demand there'll be for cbBTC Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot Mantle’s FBTC Gemini Stellar Guest Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase Links cbBTC Unchained: Coinbase’s Wrapped Bitcoin Product cbBTC Launches on Base and Ethereum BitGo changing custody and its implications: Unchained: Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) Redemptions Vastly Outpaced Minting Since BitGo’s Custodial Changes Announcement Lending Protocol Aave to Propose Onboarding TBTC in Response to Concerns About Latest WBTC Custodial Changes Could dlcBTC Resolve the Issues With Wrapped Bitcoin? BitGo Abruptly Pivots on Holders of WBTC Multi-Sig Keys Following Community Outcry MakerDAO Considers Offboarding WBTC as BitGo Plans Custody Changes Aave DAO’s Chaos Labs Says ‘Risk-Off’ Recommendation for WBTC ‘Premature’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 分
  • Bits + Bips: Why Hasn't This Macro Cycle Boosted the Crypto Markets? - Ep. 702

    Bits + Bips: Why Hasn't This Macro Cycle Boosted the Crypto Markets? - Ep. 702
    2024/09/11
    As crypto markets continue to struggle, experts weigh in on whether the capitulation phase is finally over and what lies ahead. In this episode, hosts James Seyffart and Joe McCann, along with guest Noelle Acheson, delve into the recent market downturn, the potential for a recession in 2025, and why Bitcoin's divergence from gold is puzzling analysts. They also explore the impacts of upcoming rate cuts, the lingering effects of fiscal dominance, and whether Ethereum ETFs are living up to the hype. Show highlights: Why crypto has been down so bad recently despite the macro cycle The three factors weighing on the bitcoin price for the moment, according to Noelle The chances of a recession in the U.S. in 2025 and how much the Fed might cut rates Why the current rate-cutting cycle is unusual, with markets expecting far more cuts than usual, and how a potential spike in inflation could complicate the Fed's response Why the K-shaped economy endures, driven by the U.S. government's reliance on capital gains taxes Why fiscal dominance is a growing concern and why bitcoin's recent divergence from gold is puzzling, as they typically move together during crises Whether retail has been a buyer of the spot Bitcoin ETFs or it’s just onchain traders who are now buying them Why James says the Ethereum ETFs “have been an absolute flop" Sponsors: Gemini Stellar Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric Guest: Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:35 Why crypto is struggling recently 09:16 Three key factors weighing on Bitcoin's price 15:12 Chances of a 2025 U.S. recession and potential Fed rate cuts 25:55 Unusual rate-cutting cycle and inflation risks 32:06 Enduring K-shaped economy and capital gains tax impact 34:37 Concerns about fiscal dominance and Bitcoin’s divergence from gold 54:57 Retail vs. onchain traders in spot Bitcoin ETFs 1:01:43 Whether Ethereum ETFs have been a "flop" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 12 分
  • ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum? - Ep. 701

    ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum? - Ep. 701
    2024/09/10
    Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions are booming, but are they inadvertently holding back the value of ETH itself? In this episode, Justin Bons and Ryan Berckmans engage in a heated debate over whether L2s are enhancing Ethereum's ecosystem or siphoning off its potential. They discuss the impact of L2s on decentralization, network effects, and whether Ethereum L1 can scale on its own or if the base layer and the rollups now have different incentives. Has Ethereum scaled appropriately for future usage, or was scaling via L2s the wrong roadmap for Ethereum? Show highlights: 02:43 How Ethereum's rollup-centric roadmap consists of a decentralized Layer 1 (L1) for security with Layer 2 (L2) providing more transaction throughput 04:53 Why Justin is so critical about how L2s centralize Ethereum 14:53 Why, according to Ryan, Layer 2 solutions aren't parasitic to Ethereum but instead enhance its network effects, decentralization, and long-term value 25:35 Why Justin criticizes Ryan’s reliance on "trust me, bro" arguments, questioning the tribalism and authority in claiming the superiority of Ethereum researchers over those from other blockchains 28:15 How Justin thinks the Ethereum L1 could scale and what the tradeoffs are 39:58 Justin’s argument that Ethereum is stuck in the past and his claim that the blockchain trilemma doesn't exist anymore 46:30 Ryan’s take on Ethereum's L1 scaling focuses on solving bandwidth limitations and addressing whether L2s are going to fully decentralize 51:01 Whether SNARKS is the way that Ethereum scales the L1 59:24 Whether L2s will start accepting other tokens to pay for gas 1:05:23 Why Ryan predicts Ethereum's L2 adoption will surge, driving up L1 fees and boosting Ether's value as the leading digital money 1:05:39 Whether based rollups are a good solution for Ethereum to scale without losing all the fees 1:13:21 Why L2s would even try to decentralize and why Justin says that Solana has a better roadmap than Ethereum 1:17:54 Concluding thoughts from Ryan and Justin 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 Mantle Stellar Coinbase Guests: Justin Bons, Founder & CIO of Cyber Capital Previous appearances on Unchained: Is Bitcoin Doomed to Fail? Eric Wall and Justin Bons Face Off Ryan Berckmans, Ethereum community member and investor Links Previous coverage on Unchained of ETH and L2s: Are L2s 'Parasitic'? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees Are Solana's 'Network Extensions' Just Like Ethereum's Layer 2s But by a Different Name? Ethereum Has Had a Banner Year in Most Areas. Except Price. Should Ethereum Layer 2s Urgently Decentralize Their Sequencers? Others Justin’s thread on whether L2s are parasitic Tweet by Zach Rynes, aka ChainLinkGod Adam Cochran’s tweet on based rollups Ethereum Foundation September AMA Vitalkin on L2s How do layer 2s really differ from execution sharding? Layers 2s as cultural extensions of Ethereum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 23 分
  • Are All Crypto Funds Basically Engaging in Illegal Activity Now? - Ep. 700

    Are All Crypto Funds Basically Engaging in Illegal Activity Now? - Ep. 700
    2024/09/06
    The SEC and CFTC’s recent actions against Uniswap and Galois Capital could mark a turning point in crypto regulation. With both firms settling on relatively low fines, are we witnessing regulators establish precedent for a broader crackdown on the industry? In this episode, Larry Florio, general counsel at 1kx, delves into the implications of these settlements, the frustrations asset managers face with regulatory compliance, and whether the SEC’s approach could push the crypto industry into a corner. Will these actions set a precedent for more aggressive enforcement ahead? Show highlights: Why the SEC's action against Galois Capital highlights a shift in language, focusing on tokens "offered and sold as securities" What a qualified custodian is and why the SEC's action against Galois punishes them for using FTX, which could have fit one definition of a qualified custodian if it hadn’t been perpetrating a fraud How the SEC demands crypto fund managers comply with regulations on qualified custodians while also limiting qualified custodians in crypto Whether the SEC is effectively banning crypto funds by requiring compliance with impossible rules How the SEC penalized Galois for giving affiliates better liquidity terms than outside investors How SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda’s call for clarity on "crypto asset securities" reflects the industry’s frustration with the lack of clear guidelines from the SEC Why the CFTC's fine against Uniswap for alleged leveraged transactions may set a precedent for future enforcement actions How Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger's dissent highlights the unfairness of punishing Uniswap despite their proactive compliance, according to Larry Whether the New York Attorney General’s subpoenas to VCs about Uniswap signal a renewed adversarial approach to regulating DeFi The timing of these actions, along with the SEC’s Wells notice to OpenSea Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! iTrustCapital Polkadot Mantle Gemini Stellar Guest Larry Florio, general counsel at 1kx Timestamps: ➡️ 01:51 - The SEC using different language to describe tokens as securities ➡️ 04:53 - Qualified custodians & Galois Capital's use of FTX ➡️ 09:04 - Compliance frustrations for crypto asset managers ➡️ 11:58 - The SEC effectively banning crypto funds? ➡️ 18:22 - Penalty for giving some investors undisclosed preferential treatment ➡️ 18:25 - SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda’s call for clarity on crypto assets ➡️ 19:35 - CFTC's fine against Uniswap: A troubling precedent? ➡️ 23:09 -Uniswap's compliance efforts & two CFTC Commissioners’ dissents ➡️ 24:56 - NY Attorney General’s subpoenas ➡️ 27:04 - OpenSea’s Wells notice: NFTs as securities? ➡️ 30:34 - Crypto News Recap Links Galois Capital: The Block: SEC charges and settles with crypto-focused Galois Capital over custody issues Larry Florio’s thread Uniswap: CoinDesk: Uniswap Labs Settles CFTC Charges Over 'Illegal' Margin Products Blockworks: CFTC Commissioners dissent on Uniswap settlement Comments from Uniswap counsel Axios: The SEC has questions for VCs about Uniswap NY Attorney General’s Subpoenas CoinDesk: VC Giants a16z, Union Square Ventures Get Subpoenaed by New York About Uniswap: Sources OpenSea’s Wells notice: Unchained: If the SEC Sues OpenSea, Here's Why the NFT Platform Could Win Easily Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 分
  • The Chopping Block: Trump’s World Liberty Financial Unveiled, Memecoin Market Trends, and DeFi Developments - Ep. 699

    The Chopping Block: Trump’s World Liberty Financial Unveiled, Memecoin Market Trends, and DeFi Developments - Ep. 699
    2024/09/05
    Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, the boys tackle the buzz around World Liberty Financial, a controversial DeFi project linked to Donald Trump, and its ties to a previously hacked protocol. They explore the motivations behind the Trump family's involvement in crypto, questioning the legitimacy and future of the project. The conversation pivots to memecoins, with debates around the sustainability of the memecoin market and the growing influence of platforms like Pump.fun. We explore the thought-provoking discussion on the evolution of financial games in crypto, where both strategies and the game's rules can change dynamically. The squad also reflects on broader crypto market trends, touching on AI-driven markets, decentralized finance, and the shifting regulatory landscape. 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 🔹 World Liberty Financial, a DeFi project allegedly linked to Donald Trump, sparks controversy with its origins in a hacked protocol. 🔹 Debate on the motivations behind Trump family involvement in crypto, questioning the legitimacy of World Liberty Financial. 🔹 Discussion around memecoins and their market cycles, with concerns about the sustainability and long-term viability of these tokens. 🔹 The concept of dynamically adjusting financial rules in crypto systems, contrasting it with traditional finance. 🔹 Pump.fun reaches $100M in revenue, marking it as a dominant memecoin platform, but also raising questions about the health of the memecoin ecosystem. 🔹 The innovation in memecoins, suggesting that dynamic mechanics could extend the life cycle of these tokens. 🔹 Broader reflections on the future of memecoins, potential market corrections, and how the crypto ecosystem will adapt. 🔹 Speculation on the continued rise of AI-driven markets and the evolving role of decentralized finance in a digital-first world. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures Disclosures Links Coindesk article: “Inside the Trump Crypto Project Linked to a $2M DeFi Hack and Former Pick-Up Artist” https://www.coindesk.com/business/2024/09/04/in-trump-backed-crypto-project-insiders-are-poised-for-unusually-big-paydays Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 2 分