
The Chopping Block: Google’s Willow Chip, ICO Resurgence, and Crypto Dev Trends - Ep. 750
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 crew explores the resurgence of ICOs through Echo sales, diving into MegaEth’s record-breaking sale and the shifting meta of token launches. They also discuss Google’s quantum computing breakthrough with the Willow chip and its potential implications for cryptographic security in crypto. Tarun doubles down on his critique of Decentralized Science (DeSci), sparking a lively debate on its viability and accountability. Finally, the team unpacks Electric Capital’s developer report, highlighting Solana’s dominance in India and the global trends shaping crypto development. Show highlights 🔹 ICOs and Echo Sales Resurgence:The crew debates the return of ICOs, now rebranded as Echo sales, and their impact on token launches. Is the shift from airdrops to pre-sales a sustainable new meta for crypto? 🔹 MegaEth’s Record-Breaking Sale on Echo: A detailed analysis of MegaEth's $4.2M Echo sale that sold out in seconds. With a $200M FDV, the sale sparked discussions about community involvement and valuation dynamics. 🔹 Airdrops vs. Echo Sales: The panel dissects the shift in sentiment around airdrops, questioning their fairness and efficiency compared to community presales. Are Echo sales the new paradigm for engaging retail investors? 🔹 Quantum Computing and Crypto’s Future: Google’s breakthrough with the Willow chip sparks a discussion on quantum computing’s implications for cryptocurrencies. Is public key cryptography under threat, or do we have time to adapt? 🔹 The Satoshi Dilemma: Speculations about Satoshi Nakamoto’s coins and what would happen if they were ever moved. Could quantum computing make those coins vulnerable? 🔹 Decentralized Science (DeSci) Debate: Tarun doubles down on his criticism of DeSci projects, arguing they lack accountability and meaningful use cases. The team explores whether DeSci can evolve into something impactful. 🔹 Electric Capital’s Developer Report: Reactions to Electric Capital’s 2024 developer report, highlighting Asia overtaking North America in crypto developer activity, Solana’s dominance in India, and the growing trend of multi-chain developers. 🔹 Developer Efficiency in Crypto: Despite the plateauing number of developers, crypto projects demonstrate incredible efficiency. Fewer hacks, more battle-hardened code, and a shift toward higher-quality deployment signal a maturing space. 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 01:52 The Return of ICOs 07:29 Airdrops vs. Community Sales 19:27 Quantum Computing and Crypto 28:18 Bitcoin Addresses & Quantum Computing 32:24 DeSci Debate 42:56 Electric Capital Developer Report 51:35 Developer Efficiency in Crypto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Dec 202456min

How Solana Beat Out Ethereum to Nab New Crypto Developers in 2024 - Ep. 749
The 2024 Developer Report from Electric Capital reveals many shifting dynamics. For starters, for the first time in eight years, Ethereum was not the top chain for new developers—Solana was. Meanwhile, Asia has emerged as the leading hub for crypto development, taking the top spot from North America, which dropped to third. In this episode, General Partner Maria Shen explores how Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions are bolstering its position despite fierce competition, why the Bitcoin developer ecosystem remains steadfast, and how emerging projects like EigenLayer are capturing builders’ attention. She also delves into the top crypto technologies that are fascinating devs, and how their usage and development activity differ across the globe. Show highlights: Maria’s top takeaways from the report Whether the developer migration from the U.S. will stop under a friendlier regulatory environment How Ethereum has maintained its dominance despite its high fees and the rise of Solana What the steadiness of the Bitcoin developer ecosystem shows Which other smaller ecosystems are growing the most How ZK contract usage has been increasing over time Why, despite what one could think, NFT minting activity is higher than ever How stablecoin usage differs from token to token and also across countries 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 Maria Shen, General Partner at Electric Capital Previous appearance on Unchained: Why Crypto Developer Activity Continues to Grow Despite the Bear Market Links Unchained: A Big 2024 Crypto Trend: Solana Attracts More New Developers Than Ethereum Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:02 Key findings from Electric Capital’s Developer Report 08:28 Could a friendlier U.S. regulatory environment reverse the developer migration? 12:54 How Ethereum could stay dominant amid rising competition from Solana 17:48 Insights from the Bitcoin developer ecosystem 21:33 Emerging smaller ecosystems gaining traction 23:41 The steady growth in ZK contract usage 27:39 Why NFT minting activity is at an all-time high 32:31 How stablecoin usage varies across tokens, chains and countries 36:22 News Recap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13 Dec 202448min

Bits + Bips: Bitcoin in Geopolitics, ETH’s Momentum, SOL ETFs & China’s Crypto Pivots? - Ep. 748
In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Ram Ahluwalia, and Noelle Acheson are joined by Jamie Coutts to analyze Ethereum’s breakout and its improving fundamentals, how China’s “moderately loose” policy stance is changing the global liquidity landscape, and the pro-market implications of Paul Atkins leading the SEC. They also explore Jerome Powell’s and Putin’s takes on Bitcoin, the controversial CBOE withdrawal of the Solana ETF filing, and the role of Bitcoin in geopolitics. Show highlights: How the employment data showed some mixed reactions in regard to next steps for the Fed Whether China will start a new era of augmented liquidity Why the U.S. dollar getting stronger is bad for crypto prices How bitcoin is not a competitor to the U.S. dollar The significance of David Sacks as Crypto & AI Czar Why everyone believes that Atkins in the SEC is very positive for markets Whether China will pivot and adopt friendlier crypto regulation Putin’s remarks on the role of bitcoin Why CBOE withdrew its SOL ETF filing Jamie’s analysis on how liquidity affects prices and where we’ll see a top Why Ram thinks that MSTR has peaked Why Jamie believes that ETH will continue its momentum and perform better than the broader market Why Microsoft and Amazon might adopt bitcoin on their balance sheet Whether the breakthrough in quantum computing will disrupt Bitcoin How Solana’s daily fees have grown to a significant percentage of the L1 landscape Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter Guest: Jamie Coutts, Chief Crypto Analyst at Real Vision Links China Rally: China Politburo policy shift spurs surge in stocks, bonds | Reuters China Eases Overall Monetary Policy Stance for First Time in 14 Years Fed and Powell: Decrypt: Fed Chair Jerome Powell Likens Bitcoin to Gold, Says It’s Not Dollar Rival Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:42 Mixed signals from employment data and the Fed’s next steps 07:33 China’s “moderately loose” policy and its liquidity impact 13:32 Why a stronger U.S. dollar spells trouble for crypto 23:49 Bitcoin’s role alongside the U.S. dollar, not against it 27:49 David Sacks as Crypto & AI Czar: What it means for the industry 29:40 Why Paul Atkins at the SEC is a win for markets 34:00 Whether China could adopt a pro-crypto stance 37:53 Putin’s surprising take on Bitcoin’s geopolitical role 41:39 What’s behind the SOL ETF filings 43:25 Jamie’s take on crypto’s potential upside 46:49 Why Ram believes MSTR may have peaked 49:59 Jamie’s bullish outlook on ETH outperforming the market 56:26 Could Microsoft and Amazon add Bitcoin to their balance sheets? 59:05 The quantum computing breakthrough 1:01:05 Solana’s fees climb significantly—what does it mean? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11 Dec 20241h 4min

Under the First Crypto President, What Will Regulation of the Industry Look Like? - Ep. 747
With Paul Atkins as the incoming SEC Chair, David Sacks as the AI & Crypto Czar, and potential CFTC leadership changes, the Trump administration is signaling a major shift for crypto, AI, and financial regulation. Guests Mike Selig and Jake Chervinsky break down what this means for token launches, enforcement actions, inter-agency collaboration, and the fate of Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Could this mark the end of the U.S.’s regulatory hostility toward innovation? Show highlights: 02:18-What changes to expect under an Atkins-led SEC 08:58-Who could lead the SEC in the period between Gensler resigning and Atkins assuming 11:54-Whether the Democrats will nominate SEC Commissioner Crenshaw again 15:50-Elizabeth Warren's influence on the non-Republican SEC commissioner picks 23:39-Whether Atkins’ leadership at the SEC might shift crypto regulation away from aggressive enforcement 28:26-Whether Gensler’s recent promotion of people in enforcement roles will further his SEC’s regulation-by-enforcement strategy 38:52-Whether the SEC and Coinbase will reach a settlement 41:47-Why Mike and Jake think it’s not likely that the SEC will pursue litigation in the Ripple case 46:03-How the SEC might clarify securities laws around token sales, airdrops, and exemptions 55:14-Whether Atkins’ leadership could fast-track Hester Peirce’s Safe Harbor 59:53-How the CFTC's potential lead on crypto regulation might redefine how it splits duties with the SEC 1:03:03-Whether it even makes sense to have two financial regulatory agencies 1:11:00-Who might lead the CFTC 1:13:59-Why Jake and Mike believe combining AI and crypto under one ‘czar’ makes sense 1:20:31-How the appointment of Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary will affect the crypto industry 1:25:47-How the likely end to Operation Chokepoint 2.0 will create a “sea change” 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 Robinhood & Arbitrum Kelp DAO Guests: Mike Selig, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher Previous appearance on Unchained: Is Gary Gensler on a Mission to Put Crypto Down for Good? Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Previous appearances on Unchained: The US vs. Crypto: Jake Chervinsky on Crypto's Legal and Regulatory Status Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Links Trump’s Office Picks: Unchained: Why Trump’s SEC Chair Pick, Paul Atkins, Is So Positive for Crypto David Sacks as A.I. & Crypto Czar? Why the Industry Was Surprised Trump Taps Paul Atkins for Next SEC Chair, Making Good on His Crypto Promises Democratic SEC Commissioner Is Stepping Down, but That Doesn’t Mean Trump Will Get 2 Outright Picks Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary A Degen Administration? Why the Crypto Czar May Be Allowed to Own Tokens Tracking Trump’s Cabinet and Staff Nominations Congressional Results John Reed Stark’s tweet:“current SEC Chair Gary Gensler is quietly working behind the scenes to lead the SEC from the grave” Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Forbes: How ‘Debanking’ Tech And Crypto Companies Could Kill Businesses Marc Andreessen and the CFPB: Debunking the Debanking Debunkers by Nic Carter Unchained: Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law? Unchained: Killed By Politics, Ex-Diem Boss Says of Meta’s Stablecoin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Dec 20241h 31min

The Chopping Block: XRP’s DeFi Comeback, Trump’s Crypto Picks, and Bitcoin at $100K - Ep. 746
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner get together and give the industry insider's perspective on crypto. This week, Laura Shin joins the crew to tackle a whirlwind of major market trends and policy shifts.They dive into Bitcoin’s historic leap to $100K, the unexpected "dino coin renaissance" with legacy tokens like XRP and ADA soaring, and the NFT market’s surprising revival. Ripple’s DeFi ecosystem and its place in the broader crypto landscape spark a spirited debate on "chain biases" and decentralization. On the policy front, the team unpacks Trump’s pro-crypto administration, featuring bold regulatory appointments that could redefine the industry. Plus, a look at the dynamics of memecoins, token launch strategies, and the future of ICOs versus airdrops. Show highlights 🔹 Bitcoin Hits $100K: The crew celebrates Bitcoin crossing into six-figure territory, discussing market reactions and the volatility surrounding this milestone. 🔹 Dino Coin Renaissance: Legacy tokens like XRP, ADA, and HBAR are skyrocketing, signaling retail’s return and sparking debate about the sustainability of these "boomer coin" rallies. 🔹 Memecoin Mania: Memecoins as "crypto gaming 2.0" are dissected, with insights on their role in market dynamics and their surprising impact on Layer 1 ecosystems. 🔹 Ripple's DeFi Evolution: Robert shares his deep dive into Ripple’s AMM features and emerging DeFi capabilities, addressing "chain biases" and decentralization concerns. 🔹 Trump’s Crypto Revolution: The panel analyzes the implications of Trump’s pro-crypto administration, featuring key appointments like SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Crypto Czar David Sacks. 🔹 NFT Revival: A surprising rebound in NFT markets sees CryptoPunks, Bored Apes, and Pudgy Penguins soaring, with speculation on what's driving the renewed interest. 🔹 Regulatory Shifts Ahead: Predictions on how new SEC leadership might redefine crypto policy and the industry's hopes for a safer, more transparent regulatory environment. 🔹 ICOs vs. Airdrops: Exploring token launch strategies, the conversation evaluates the potential for a new wave of innovative fundraising models. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Laura Shin, journalist, author of ‘The Cryptopians,’ founder and CEO of Unchained Disclosures Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:06 100K Bitcoin & Dino Coin Renaissance 04:11 Unit Bias and Retail Investors 12:05 XRP, Ripple & DeFi 24:53 Trump's Pro-Crypto Administration Picks 37:53 Does Laura Own Crypto? 41:18 Regulatory Surprises and Nominations 45:05 NFT Market Revival 51:41 Memecoins and Market Dynamics 56:48 Future of ICOs and Airdrops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Dec 20241h 4min

Why Trump’s SEC Chair Pick, Paul Atkins, Is So Positive for Crypto - Ep. 745
With the nomination of the pro-crypto Paul Atkins to be the next SEC chair, the crypto industry is potentially facing a 180 from the agency. As co-chair of The Digital Chamber’s Token Alliance initiative and a board member of Securitize, Atkins is not only pro-crypto, but also against the type of “regulation by enforcement” strategy of current Chair Gary Gensler. In this episode, Cody Carbone, president at The Digital Chamber, explains why Atkins is likely to start reassessment of the agency’s lawsuits against crypto firms, why Trump might break with protocol to fill one of the commissioner seats that would typically be filled by a Democrat, and who he thinks might make for a good “crypto czar.” Show highlights: Why Cody that Atkins leading the SEC would be a massive transformational shift What can be expected from Atkins given his prior experience What crypto cases might be dropped under his leadership Whether Atkins could provide rulemaking before Congress passes legislation Cody’s hard criticism of Gary Gensler’s modus operandi Why Cody thinks Trump could surprise people when it comes to replacing Democratic Cmr. Jaime Lizárraga How long it could take for Congress to confirm Atkins Why Cody believes that Atkins will support Hester Peirce’s Safe Harbor proposal Whether the CFTC will be the primary regulator of the crypto industry in a Trump administration Whether the U.S. will have a crypto czar and who it could be What crypto legislation Cody thinks is likely to be passed in 2025 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 iYield Guest Cody Carbone, President at The Digital Chamber Links Trump’s Office Picks: Unchained: Trump Taps Paul Atkins for Next SEC Chair, Making Good on His Crypto Promises Democratic SEC Commissioner Is Stepping Down, but That Doesn’t Mean Trump Will Get 2 Outright Picks Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary Trump’s Plans for a ‘Crypto Czar’ and a Crypto Advisory Council: Here’s What We Know A Degen Administration? Why the Crypto Czar May Be Allowed to Own Tokens Tracking Trump’s Cabinet and Staff Nominations Congressional Results John Reed Stark’s tweet:“current SEC Chair Gary Gensler is quietly working behind the scenes to lead the SEC from the grave” Buckley LLP Infobytes Blog: SEC commissioner proposes cryptocurrency safe harbor Fox Business: Perianne Boring among contenders to lead agency involved with crypto in Trump admin Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:19 Why Cody believes Atkins would be a transformational SEC chair 03:13 Insights from Atkins’ past experience and what it means for crypto 07:19 SEC/crypto cases likely to be dropped under Atkins’ leadership 14:31 Potential for SEC rulemaking before Congress passes legislation 18:19 Cody’s critique of Gary Gensler’s regulatory approach 21:13 Why Trump might break with protocol to replace Democratic commissioner Jaime Lizárraga 23:27 Expected timeline for Congress to confirm Atkins 26:52 Support for Cmr. Hester Peirce’s Safe Harbor proposal 28:18 An expanded role for the CFTC in crypto regulation? 31:37 Speculation on the potential for a U.S. crypto czar 35:03 Key crypto legislation to watch for in 2025 38:24 Crypto News Recap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 Dec 202450min

Bits + Bips: Why XRP Might Have Been The ‘Most Hated’ Rally Ever - Ep. 744
In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Noelle Acheson, and Ram Ahluwalia are joined by Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, to discuss the surprising mainstream buzz around XRP’s latest rally, dubbed the “most hated rally in crypto.” They also analyze the new Treasury Secretary’s ambitious economic plan and what it could mean for inflation, fiscal discipline, and market stability. Meanwhile, Ethereum struggles to reclaim its narrative as the go-to blockchain, even as its ETH/BTC ratio shows signs of life. And in a moment that captures the personal side of crypto’s rise, the team reflects on Thanksgiving table conversations, where bitcoin and digital assets became unexpected stars. Show highlights: Why the newly appointed Treasury Secretary might be the right person for the job Whether the December rates cut is unnecessary How Marc Andreessen brought Operation Chokepoint 2.0 to the spotlight How Facebook’s project Libra would have benefited the US Dollar hegemony Whether the U.S. Congress will pass stablecoin legislation in 2025 Why Ram believes Ryan Selkis would be a good Crypto Czar How people have been asking more about bitcoin during Thanksgiving Whether the XRP rally is a negative indicator What James thinks about the filings for news ETFs, such as WisdomTree’s XRP Why Alex thinks that ETH could continue its recent rally The impact of MicroStrategy being added to the Nasdaq-100, aka the QQQ ETF Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter Guest: Alex Thorn, Head of Firmwide Research at Galaxy Digital Links Politics Unchained: Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary The Trump-Connected Brad Bondi Is A New SEC Chair Contender and Pro-Crypto Investing: How Scott Bessent Plans to Reshape the US Economy with His 3-3-3 Rule Macro Investing: US manufacturing improves in November as orders rebound, input price gains slow Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Forbes: How ‘Debanking’ Tech And Crypto Companies Could Kill Businesses Marc Andreessen and the CFPB: Debunking the Debanking Debunkers by Nic Carter Unchained: Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law? Unchained: Killed By Politics, Ex-Diem Boss Says of Meta’s Stablecoin XRP Unchained: XRP Becomes the Top Traded Token on Binance and Coinbase, Hits Almost 7-Year High XRP Rallies 70% in a Week to Top Solana, Tether Market Cap The Block: WisdomTree files with SEC for spot XRP ETF Ethereum Unchained: Ether Gains 19% Against Bitcoin in a Week After Months of Underperformance Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:15 Why the new Treasury Secretary could reshape the economy 06:28 Is a December rate cut unnecessary? 15:18 How Marc Andreessen spotlighted Operation Chokepoint 2.0 19:54 The missed opportunity of Facebook’s Libra for USD dominance 26:48 Will stablecoin legislation finally pass in 2025? 31:28 Why Ram thinks Ryan Selkis should be the “Crypto Czar” 34:45 Bitcoin conversations taking over Thanksgiving dinner 39:48 Is the XRP rally a red flag for the market? 48:15 James’s take on new ETF filings like WisdomTree’s XRP 55:48 Why Alex believes ETH could extend its recent gains 1:01:37 What MicroStrategy’s NASDAQ addition means for crypto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Dec 20241h 5min

How the Tornado Cash Lawsuit Was Won and Why It Matters - Ep. 743
Last week, the crypto world celebrated a major legal victory when a federal appeals court struck down OFAC’s sanctions on Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts in a Coinbase-funded lawsuit. While this decision is a significant win for crypto, its implications go far beyond the industry—it challenges the very limits of U.S. sanctions authority on open-source code. In this episode, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal and VP of Legal Leah Bressack discuss the case, the reasoning behind the court’s decision, and its broader implications, especially given that other cases are still in court. They address whether they think the government will appeal, how this ruling impacts other privacy tools and the other lawsuits, and why the case is a critical precedent for the intersection of code, law, and innovation. Plus, what does this mean for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm? Show highlights: Why the decision was so significant, according to Paul What reasons the judge used in the ruling The basics of Tornado Cash and why OFAC sanctioned it in 2022 Why Coinbase decided to get involved in the case Why a District Court had previously agreed with OFAC Whether the government will appeal and what the implications of the case are outside of crypto When users could start using the protocol Whether users will be safe to use relayers, which add privacy Why Paul believes that the 11th Circuit, where the Coin Center Tornado Cash lawsuit was filed, will not ignore this ruling from the 5th Circuit Whether the judges were encouraging Congress to update IEEPA to make it possible for OFAC to sanction smart contracts Whether there’s a risk that under new legislation OFAC could sanction smart contracts How the case of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm could be impacted by this decision Paul’s and Leah’s take on Balaji’s proposal to build privacy-preserving zero knowledge smart contracts on ZEthereum Whether the judges’ opinion will have an impact on existing privacy projects What types of sanctions and regulations the government can impose to prevent money laundering 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 Robinhood & Arbitrum Guests: Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer Previous appearances on Unchained: Coinbase’s Top Lawyer Calls SEC Wells Notice a ‘Massive Overreach’ - Unchained Just a Coincidence? Coinbase and Polygon Lawyers See Bad Omens in SEC Crackdown Leah Bressack, VP of legal at Coinbase Links Previous coverage of Unchained on Tornado Cash: Did OFAC Overstep by Sanctioning Tornado Cash? Tornado Cash Sanctioned. Did the Government Overstep Its Bounds? Unchained: Treasury Overstepped With Tornado Cash Sanctions, Rules U.S. Appeals Court Balaji’s tweet on Zatoshi and Zethereum Bankless: Roman Storm Speaks - Tornado Cash Developer on What’s at Stake Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:39 Why this ruling is a major milestone for crypto 02:50 The judge’s key reasoning in striking down the sanctions 04:00 Why Tornado Cash was sanctioned in 2022 06:43 How Coinbase became involved in this landmark case 13:05 Why the District Court initially sided with OFAC 15:55 Whether the government will appeal, and what’s at stake beyond crypto 21:22 When Tornado Cash could be used again 25:07 Are users safe to use relayers for added privacy? 33:53 Why the 11th Circuit might uphold this ruling 38:28 Whether Congress is being nudged to rewrite sanctions laws 40:52 Could new legislation let OFAC target smart contracts again? 44:46 What this means for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm 48:34 Thoughts on Balaji’s idea for ZEthereum 50:53 How the ruling could influence other privacy projects 54:08 What sanctions might look like in the fight against money laundering Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3 Dec 20241h