Empire

In this episode of Empire, Joe McCann, founder of Asymmetric, shares why he believes Solana offers unique technical architecture that enables new types of web3 applications not possible on Ethereum. He explains why he thinks Solana's scalability offers a better developer experience compared to building on Ethereum L2s. McCann dives into macro trends, analyzing market flows to evaluate if the recent market move has legs. To close out he evaluates risks to his Solana thesis. We hope you enjoy! - - Follow Joe: https://twitter.com/joemccann 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/  - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there!  Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) Intellectual Convexity (10:16) Identifying Institutions & Jurisdictions of Interest (15:53) Bull Environment is Here? (20:46) The Solana Thesis (30:39) Bonk VS Solana Thesis (33:07) DAS 2024 (34:22) TOKU ad (35:35) Managing Risks & Taking Profit (46:46) Solana Investment (51:03) Factoring in Macro (56:41) Event vs Fundamental Driven Trades (01:03:51) Why L2s Won't Work (01:15:49) What Could Derail Solana? (01:22:06) Exciting Solana Applications - - Resources Asymmetric  https://asymmetric.financial/ - - 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.

15 Nov 20231h 26min

In this week's roundup, the Michael power duo from the Bell Curve podcast team dive into the recent market rally and explore its implications in crypto including debt proceedings and VC appetite. They explore the Ethereum ETF approval potentially becoming a reality and the controversy surrounding Wintermute’s CEO Evgeny Gaevoy and the Near Foundation. To close out they discuss the future developments to look out for in the crypto, including the potential rise of alternative L1s and newer narratives. Thanks for watching! - - Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Follow Michael A: https://twitter.com/im_manderson Subscribe to Bell Curve on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe to Bell Curve on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe to Bell Curve on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use BELL20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (2:01) Are We Back? (8:28) Token Prices Impacting Bankruptcy Proceedings (10:31) An FTX Restart? (20:11) Cycle Change Indicators? (24:42) Institutionalizing Crypto (35:23) DAS London Ad (36:32) Bitcoin Hashrate Lag (42:30) Near Foundation & Aurora Accusations (48:44) End Game of Blockchain Stacks - - Resources Wintermute CEO Accuses Near  https://blockworks.co/news/wintermute-ceo-accused-near-foundation-of-failing-to-redeem-stablecoins BlackRock ETF Proposal  https://blockworks.co/news/blackrock-ishares-ether-etf - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve 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. Mike, Jason, Michael, Vance and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.tt and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

10 Nov 202359min

Follow 1000x On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/45htDli Follow 1000x On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Kz0Bpw Follow 1000x On YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DNc5C6 -- In today's episode of 1000x Jonah and Avi discuss the return of the crypto bull market as positive sentiment about a Bitcoin ETF spurs a massive rally in Solana. We also debrief on the episode with Anatoly, walk through how to find the best opportunities as a trader & how to navigate technical trades vs a fundamental investment thesis. To hear all this & more, you'll have to tune in! -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Referenced In The Show: Solana's End Game with Anatoly Yakovenko: apple.co/3QuF7NZ Fake bitcoin ETF report triggers price jump to $30k, $100M wave of liquidations: https://blockworks.co/news/bitcoin-etf-report-price-jump -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:06) The Solana Debrief (8:32) Applications In Crypto (12:51) Bitcoin's Move To $35,000, Catalyst For A Crypto Rally (20:04) The Setup For A Bitcoin Bull Market (25:57) Technical vs Fundamental Trading (32:16) Opportunities In Crypto -- 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.

9 Nov 202341min

In this episode of Empire, Li Jin from Variant Fund and Ben Leventhal from Blackbird and co-founder of Resy, cover the intersection of the consumer market and crypto. They delve into the history of consumer startups, the limitations of traditional businesses in the dining industry, and the potential of crypto to transform ownership. Ben discusses Blackbird and how it addresses issues in the restaurant industry by establishing better connection and understanding between restaurants and customers. To close out Li touches on her vision for consumer crypto leading into 2024. Thanks for tuning in!  - - Follow Li: https://twitter.com/ljin18 Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benleventhal 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/  - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) End of Times for Consumer Apps (05:58) Consumer Crypto's Advantage (17:22) Identity Rails for Restaurants (21:23) Balancing Blockchain & Consumer Rights (27:45) Complexity of Building On Web3 (30:00) Toku ad (31:16) Variant Fund Approach to Consumer Crypto (36:23) Why Use Crypto? (41:54) FLY Token & Progressive Ownership (46:44) Mitigating Attack Vectors (50:21) Consumer Crypto in 2024 - - Resources Blackbird Docs https://www.blackbird.xyz/flypaper Li Jin Barrier to Mainstream Adoption https://variant.fund/articles/barrier-to-mainstream-crypto-adoption-is-product-market-fit/ - - 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.

7 Nov 202356min

In today's episode of Empire, we take an in-depth look at the controversies surrounding DCG (Digital Currency Group) with our special guest, Ram Ahluwalia. Ram sheds light on the complex DCG saga involving Barry Silbert, 3 Arrows Capital, and the 'Widow Maker' trade that entangled several entities, including Gemini and Grayscale. The team discusses the case and the roles played by various figures and corporations, challenging decisions made along the way, and contemplating what could have been done differently. To close out they speculate on the fate of Grayscale and the broader implications for the crypto and venture markets.  - - Follow Ram: https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia 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/  - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility.   Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open - - Timestamps: (00:00) DCG, Genesis, Gemini Case Overview (04:17) The Widow Maker Trade (12:45) Was this all avoidable? (18:02) $1.1B Promissory Note (23:21) Worse than Enron (28:06) Systemic Risk & Recouping Creditors (35:09) Chronicle Ad (36:27) Is Gemini Responsible? (43:46) Contagions and Second Order Effects (50:23) Barry's Empire (57:19) Does a New Genesis Happen? - - Resources Ram DCG Threads https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia/status/1594153586157670403 https://twitter.com/ramahluwalia/status/1716218498341597430 - - 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.

3 Nov 20231h 1min

In this episode of Empire Debates Santi, Tommy, and Ryan kick off with the anticipated approval of a Bitcoin ETF and its potential to usher institutional money into crypto. They then pivot to Ethereum's ascension as an asset and Solana's ability to attract developers and discuss if Solana will be the ultimate ETH killer. The conversation further explores the ramifications of institutional players entering the crypto space and examines the unique distribution strategy underpinning Telegram and Tron. Thanks for tuning in! 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, Tommy, and Zach may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. - - Follow Tommy: https://twitter.com/Shaughnessy119 Follow Ryan: https://twitter.com/kukulabanze Follow Santiago: https://twitter.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: (0:00) Introduction (1:07) BlackRock ETF Approved? (10:12) ETF Impact on Portfolio Decisions (21:10) How Financial Systems Influence Decisions (29:31) The Solana Thesis (45:42) Aversion to Building on Ethereum (52:50) Telegram and Tron Wallets - - 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, Tommy, and Zach may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

2 Nov 20231h

In today's episode of Empire Jason is joined by Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck, a firm overseeing $76.4 billion in assets, and Martin Leinweber, a digital asset strategist at Market Vector Indexes. They dive into conversation ranging from the macroeconomic climate to the prospects of a Bitcoin ETF approval. They dissect how MarketVector aims to capture crypto native value through Ethereum staking rewards and other on-chain metrics, the demand for these products from institutions, and how MarketVector creates investible crypto products for institutions to get exposure.  - - Follow Jan van Eck: https://twitter.com/JanvanEck3 Follow Martin Leinweber: https://twitter.com/mleinweber2 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/  - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) Macro Sentiment Check (07:51) Budget Deficit Concern: Overblown? (14:15) The van Eck Origin Story (18:31) The 60-40 Portfolio (22:23) Bitcoin ETF Likelihood in 2023 vs 2024 (28:11) Toku Ad (29:25) MarketVector Changing Data and Indices (40:46) Demand for Onchain Yield (45:19) Corporate Strategy Focus on Crypto (48:48) Identifying Tokens with Economic Traction (53:15) Central Banks Buying BTC - - Resources - - 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.

31 Okt 202358min

In the latest episode of the Empire Policy Series, Santi hosts Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to delve into recent allegations of Hamas leveraging cryptocurrency for terrorism funding, FinCEN's upcoming rules concerning crypto mixers, and the IRS's evolving crypto tax regulations. The trio also dissect the the forthcoming 3-6 months of crypto regulation and discuss recent bipartisan legislative triumphs in the stablecoin domain. To close out both Rebecca and Jake highlight the need for industry-wide collaboration to ensure regulations both foster innovation and effectively mitigate inherent risks. - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:31) Is Crypto Financing Terrorism? (11:37) Policy Maker Responses to Crypto Terrorism (18:34) Chainalysis Ad (19:38) Mixer Rule by Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (31:49) Defining the Mixer Use Case (45:22) Tax Provision for Crypto (51:59) Regulatory Outlook - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: 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/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources Submit a comment on regulation https://www.protectdefi.org/ DeFi Education Fund https://www.defieducationfund.org/ The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn - - 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.

30 Okt 202358min