Coinbase Buys Deribit, Stripe’s Stablecoin Launch, and Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade | Weekly Roundup

Gm! This week we're back with another weekly roundup. We discuss Coinbase's $3B acquisition of Deribit, Stripe's stablecoin launch, Ethereum's big pivot, will Meta launch a stablecoin & more. Enjoy! -- Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts -- Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/jasonyanowitz Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh -- Grab your tickets to Permissionless IV. Use code EMPIRE10 for 10% off: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv -- SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees. SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork -- Marinade Labs develops staking technologies that strengthen Solana. In 2021, our protocol was the first to bring liquid staking to the network; today, our sophisticated, high-performance staking delegation platform brings billions in liquidity and security to the SOL market. We have solutions for both DeFi and TradFi, including liquid and native staking, as well as direct enterprise integrations. Our best-in-market features include user downside protection (through protected staking rewards) and optimized delegation (via our automated auction marketplace). Cryptoasset investors worldwide, from individual traders to global institutions, use Marinade to earn rewards on their SOL treasuries and holdings. We are headquartered in New York, with offices in the European Union, including Prague. To learn more about Marinade, visit marinade.finance. -- 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 -- WalletConnect is the onchain connectivity network . If you’ve connected to a Web3 app, you’ve seen WalletConnect. It’s everywhere—an icon of trust in crypto, as recognizable as Visa at checkout. The numbers speak for themselves: Over 220 million connections and 35 million users worldwide use WalletConnect to power their Web3 experience. @WalletConnect on X and Telegram or visit https://WalletConnect.Network -- Get up to speed on the biggest stories in crypto each week. In five minutes. Get the Bitwise Weekly CIO Memo delivered directly to your inbox at bitwiseinvestments.com/ciomemo/empire -- Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:58) Bitcoin Breaks $100k (05:25) Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade (10:14) Ethereum's Big Pivot (12:41) Ads (Skale, Marinade) (14:13) Is Robinhood Launching A Chain? (15:31) Coinbase Acquires Deribit For $2.9 Billion (21:54) Stripe Sessions: The Stablecoin Playbook (32:02) Ads (Skale, Marinade) (33:35) Tokenization (real) (37:51) Is The IPO Window Open? (44:20) Ads (Ledger, WalletConnect, Bitwise) (46:38) The GENIUS Act (49:35) Will Meta Launch A Stablecoin? (52:08) Coinbase Earnings (53:31) Is Microstrategy A Threat To Bitcoin? (58:47) 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.