Unlocking Modular Solana: The End of L2 Tradeoffs? | Anil Kumar

This week's roundup covers Ross Ulbricht's pardon, Trump's executive order on digital assets, and the mounting pressure on the Ethereum Foundation. The conversation shifts to institutional adoption challenges, DeFi's user growth problems, and finishes with insights on crypto replacing traditional finance rails. To close out Jason and Santi analyze the surge in memecoin launches following Trump's memecoin token launch, debating whether it signals market euphoria. Thanks for tuning in! - - Help us shape the future of Empire. Fill out our audience survey and give us your thoughts: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - GEODNET’s native token, GEOD, can be easily mined with a GEODNET Satellite Miner, presenting a unique opportunity to generate passive income. By setting up a GEODNET base station, you can join this groundbreaking Web3 ecosystem that is powering the future of AI and robotics. Join the revolution today and learn more at https://geodnet.com. - - Unichain is a fast, decentralized L2 that’s built to be the home for DeFi and liquidity across chains. To stay updated on news including the upcoming launch of Unichain, visit www.Unichain.org or follow @Unichain on X. - - Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at www.Ledger.com - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:38)  Top News this Week (05:29)  Ross Ulbricht is Free (08:34) SBR vs Stockpile (17:24) Why Isn't Market Reacting (22:41) Coinbase's Heat (26:42) Geodnet Ad (27:41) Uniswap Ad (28:28) Ledger Ad (29:11) What Happens to DeFi (33:26) Onboarding Users (38:58) Ethereum's BD & Marketing (49:25) Eth vs Sol Valuation (53:21) Vine's Token Launch - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

24 Tammi 20251h 6min

In this episode of Empire we dissect the surprise launch of Trump's memecoin, which rocketed to a $70 billion market cap in just 24 hours. We also discuss the implications for crypto adoption, US regulatory landscape, and the future of American based DeFi. We also analyze Solana's performance during the surge, examine the subsequent Melania token launch, and debate the broader impact on crypto's market cycle. To close out we discuss the potential shifts in institutional perception and what this means for the future of token launches by public figures and organizations. Thanks for tuning in! - - Help us shape the future of Empire. Fill out our audience survey and give us your thoughts: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Mike: https://x.com/MikeIppolito_ Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (00:41) Trump's Surprise Token Launch (08:22) What Does Mean for Crypto? (14:12) Implications for Tokens (17:28) Top Signal? (25:18) Lack of Communication (29:48) Should Presidents Launch Tokens? (36:04) American DeFi Resurgence (45:57) Value of Ethereum & Solana (58:40) Crypto's Takeaway - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

22 Tammi 20251h 6min

This week, we discuss the fallout over the weekend as Trump launched his meme coin. We deep dive into what this means for markets into 2025, what will benefit the most, how to pick winners coming out of this & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Join the 1000x Telegram: https://t.me/+fz-2f0cwC6o0MWNh -- Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at Ledger.com -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (10:17) Trump's Meme Coin Launch (21:28) Ledger Ad (22:09) Picking Winners Post Trump (34:32) What's Next For Crypto? (38:38) State Of The Market -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed

21 Tammi 202542min

In today's episode Optimism co-founder Ben Jones and growth lead Ryan Wyatt discuss the Superchain vision. They explore how the OP Stack and Superchain are transforming Ethereum scaling through unprecedented collaboration between major players like Base, Coinbase, and Kraken. The conversation covers the strategic importance of interoperability, the role of open source development, and Optimism's innovative approach to building sustainable tokenomics and governance. Featuring candid insights about enterprise adoption, the future of data analytics in crypto, and how AI could change DAO governance. Thanks for tuning in! devcon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tds-Bik7zM - - Help us shape the future of Empire. Fill out our audience survey and give us your thoughts: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Ben: https://x.com/ben_chain Follow Ryan: https://x.com/Fwiz Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - GEODNET’s native token, GEOD, can be easily mined with a GEODNET Satellite Miner, presenting a unique opportunity to generate passive income. By setting up a GEODNET base station, you can join this groundbreaking Web3 ecosystem that is powering the future of AI and robotics. Join the revolution today and learn more at https://geodnet.com. - - Unichain is a fast, decentralized L2 that’s built to be the home for DeFi and liquidity across chains. To stay updated on news including the upcoming launch of Unichain, visit www.Unichain.org or follow @Unichain on X. - - Petra Earn was designed to make DeFi more accessible for everyone—from seasoned pros to DeFi beginners. Manage your balance, claim rewards and deposit directly from the app. By supplying USDT to Aries lending pools, users have the potential to earn a higher yield compared to some traditional methods. Not financial advice. Participating in Defi carries risks. To learn more visit petra.app/earn - - Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:55) What is Optimism Today (14:55)  Retaining L2s & Open Source (20:12)  Kraken vs Coinbase Interop (26:10)  Optimism's Stack in 5 Years (30:23) Interop as a Service (34:56)  Customizability on the SuperChain (40:19) Geodnet Ad (41:17) Uniswap Ad (42:05) Aptos Ad (42:49)  Leaving the SuperChain (46:27)  Ecosystem Model (51:00) OP Mainnet's Place (55:38) Andreessen Horowitz's Impact (01:00:09) Enterprise Crypto (01:05:10) Open Data Investment (01:10:44) Optimism's 2025 - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

20 Tammi 20251h 16min

In today's episode James Zhang joins the show to discuss the breakout year Jambo had after selling around 750,000 phones. We discuss why crypto needs to focus on go to market strategies, the killer use case for stablecoins, why mobile is so important & what to expect in 2025. Enjoy! - - Help us shape the future of Empire. Fill out our audience survey and give us your thoughts: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Jambo: https://x.com/JamboTechnology Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:00) The Jambo Origin Story (08:21) The Jambo Phone (12:17) Launching A Satellite (16:29) Using The Jambo Phone (21:18) Launching On Solana (28:10) Scaling To 100 Million+ Users (33:38) The Play To Earn Model (38:26) Mobile Virtual Network Operator's (45:34) Stablecoins (51:19) The Tencent Business Model (56:06) What's Next For Jambo? (01:01:19) Crypto's Go To Market Problem (01:09:35) AI Agents (01:15:07) Final Thoughts -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

18 Tammi 20251h 21min

In today's episode Dan Smith, Head of Data at Blockworks, joins Empire to break down why traditional crypto metrics are flawed. The episode begins with analysis of recent crypto payment acquisitions and Trump's proposed US Token Reserve, before diving deep into blockchain metrics and why REV matters more than active addresses or TVL. Dan explains Solana's outperformance of Ethereum through the lens of network revenue, examines Base's dominance in the L2 landscape, and closes with insights on Multicoin's new Solana inflation proposal. - - Help us shape the future of Empire. Fill out our audience survey and give us your thoughts: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Dan: https://x.com/smyyguy Follow Blockworks Res: https://x.com/blockworksres Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - GEODNET’s native token, GEOD, can be easily mined with a GEODNET Satellite Miner, presenting a unique opportunity to generate passive income. By setting up a GEODNET base station, you can join this groundbreaking Web3 ecosystem that is powering the future of AI and robotics. Join the revolution today and learn more at https://geodnet.com. - - Unichain is a fast, decentralized L2 that’s built to be the home for DeFi and liquidity across chains. To stay updated on news including the upcoming launch of Unichain, visit www.Unichain.org or follow @Unichain on X. - - Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at www.Ledger.com - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:30) Crypto's Payment Acquisitions (08:23)  Trump US Token Reserve (11:37) Bitcoin Backed Loans (17:41) What is Broken in Crypto Data (23:32) Unpacking REV (31:48) Geodnet Ad (32:46) Uniswap Ad (33:33) Ledger Ad (34:16)  Most Important Metrics (47:53) Active Addresses (55:16) MultiCoin Inflation Proposal - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

17 Tammi 20251h 1min

"The Delphi Digital Crew is back to dive into the current state of the crypto markets, exploring Bitcoin's recent price action and the potential impact of Trump's return to office. They then examine the evolving AI framework narrative in crypto, discussing why this sector could become a major bubble in 2025. The conversation shifts to an analysis of Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions and their potential, particularly with OPCAT on the horizon. Finally, the team discusess the changing dynamics of market sectors, from the decline of OG memecoins to the return of fundamental value-driven projects. - - We want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us create content better tailored to you and your interests: https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/forms/01a0ba12-61d0-4a12-a6c6-8bbcdb3b0060 Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Ceteris: https://twitter.com/ceterispar1bus Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo Follow Duncan: https://x.com/FloodCapital Follow Jason: https://x.com/3xliquidated Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (2:09) Market Thoughts (8:53) Crypto's AI Bubble (17:27) Agent Token Moats (24:08) Death of OG Memes? (30:54) Return of Fundamentals (43:19) Next Gen L2s & L3s (46:35) BTC Dominance Top? (54:24) Bitcoin L2 Viability - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed."

16 Tammi 20251h 3min

This week, we discuss the current state of the market as macro uncertainty leaves everyone worried about what's next for crypto. We deep dive into SUI & the L1 trade, Hyperliquid, what will perform in the next leg of the bull market, crypto's KOL problem & where to find opportunity during a correction. Enjoy! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Join the 1000x Telegram: https://t.me/+fz-2f0cwC6o0MWNh -- Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at Ledger.com -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:20) SUI & The L1 Trade (12:49) Hyperliquid (17:49) Ledger Ad (18:30) What Will Perform In The Next Leg Of This Bull Market? (21:08) The AI Crypto Trade (29:44) The Rise Of AI Agents (36:53) Crypto's Angel/KOL Flywheel Problem (44:05) Macro & Bitcoin -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed

14 Tammi 202549min