In this episode, Santi is joined by Neil, head of ecosystem at Aptos, and Rushi, founder of Movement Labs, to discuss the Aptos ecosystem and the Move programming language. They dive into the unique features and benefits of Move, the importance of security in blockchain development, and the collaborative efforts to grow the Move ecosystem. Neil and Rushi also share insights on the impressive growth and adoption of Aptos, as well as their focus on empowering builders and democratizing access...

This week we discuss is it time to buy the dip? After calling the local top at $70k, is the setup more bullish now for a continued bull market post halving? We deep dive into the bull case for ETH, finding the next big trade, structuring a trade & finding alpha. Enjoy! -- 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...

In this episode, Santi & Jason talk with Avi and Ro about the current state of the crypto market cycle in both private and liquid markets. They discuss Avi's "bearish" outlook driven by diminishing ETF inflows and stablecoin market caps, Ro's perspective on crywpto venture investing, and how this cycle compares to the last one. The conversation dives into the Solana IOUs auction, the upcoming Ethereum ETF catalyst, and the (un)productive nature of assets like Eigen Layer's restaking...

In this episode of Empire, Jason and Santi are joined by special guest Kyle Samani to dive deep into valuing L1 and L2 crypto assets. The conversation covers the importance of MEV as the primary value accrual mechanism rather than transaction fees, the challenges in standardizing valuations across different blockchain architectures, and the evolving fee market designs. They also discuss the true costs and benefits of token airdrops for bootstrapping ecosystems. Thanks for tuning in! Sign up...

In this deep dive episode, Brandon Curtis (Rio), Myles O'Neil (Reverie), and Ryan West (Blockworks Research) unpack the emerging world of restaking on Ethereum. The conversation starts with a detailed look at the restaking supply chain, from ETH deposits in LRTs to securing AVSs. The group discusses the key differences between LRTs and LSTs, yield strategies, and fragmented user preferences. They also explore the dynamics between LRTs and AVSs, including the leverage AVSs currently have and...

In this episode, Jason sits down with Jake Brukhman and Seth Ginns, co-founders and managing partners at CoinFund. They dive deep into CoinFund's origin story, investment philosophy, and how the firm navigates the complex landscape of liquid and venture investing in the crypto space. Jake and Seth share their insights on the current crypto market cycle, drawing comparisons to previous cycles and discussing potential scenarios for how this one may unfold differently. They explore the...

This week we discuss the current state of crypto after the weekend flash crash. As Bitcoin struggles to break $70,000 with conviction, will the 2024 halving be a strong catalyst for more bullish price action going forward? We also walk through some of crypto's most promising use cases: Ondo, Hyperliquid & Ethena. Enjoy! -- 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 this episode, Steven Goldfeder, co-founder of Offchain Labs, dives deep into the world of Layer 3 blockchains and their potential to revolutionize Ethereum scaling. The discussion covers the benefits of building on Arbitrum's customizable L3 stack, including reduced onboarding costs and improved data availability. Steven also explores the importance of fraud proofs in ensuring the security of L2 and L3 chains, as well as Arbitrum's community-sourced approach to blockchain development. The...

In this roundup, Santi and Jason dive into the implications of Uniswap receiving a Wells notice from the SEC and the departure drama at MarginFi. The conversation then shifts to the upcoming Bitcoin halving, and the potential price implications. They also discuss the launch of Karak, a new universal restaking protocol, and compare its approach to Eigen Layer. Finally, they break down the significance of BlackRock tokenizing treasuries on Ethereum through a partnership with Circle. Thanks for...

In this episode, Matt and Amine, co-founders of Arch, discuss how the Taproot upgrade and Ordinals have enabled programmability and DeFi on the Bitcoin base layer. They explain Arch's novel approach to bringing smart contract functionality to Bitcoin without compromising on security by using a UTXO model, a ZKVM for parallel transaction execution, and a Proof-of-Stake verifier network. Stay tuned for all of this and much more! - - Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/proofofmud Follow Amine:...

Subscribe to the Empire Newsletter! https://empire-31ed59.beehiiv.com/subscribe In this week's roundup Jason and Santi dive into the latest developments in the crypto space, including the Wormhole and Ethena airdrop, the resurgence of meme coins, and the debate around L3s. They discuss the risks and centralization issues with current L2s, the overlooked opportunities in crypto public markets, and the potential for prediction markets. To close out the duo discuss the launch of new crypto...

This week we discuss the question everyone has been asking themselves in 2024... Ethereum or Solana? As Solana rose from the ashes in late 2023, and meme coin season captured the zeitgeist in early 2024, is the bull case for SOL clearer than ever before? We discuss the bull & bear case for both assets & Avi drops some spicy takes! But to hear that, you'll have to tune in. -- Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x:...

In today's episode Kyle Samani from Multicoin Capital joins Michael and Hart to discuss the complex dynamics of network effects in the blockchain ecosystem. The conversation dives deep into the different types of network effects at play, the phenomenon of anti-network effects caused by high gas fees, and the potential for blockchain technology to revolutionize global finance. Kyle shares his insights on the end state of L1 blockchains, the role of interoperability, and where value may...

In today's interview, Cathie Wood from ARK Invest and Ophelia Snyder from 21 Shares join Jason to discuss the journey from monetary shock to an innovation-led economic boom. They dive into the importance of wirehouses for crypto adoption, the demand outlook for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, and the likelihood of seeing ETFs for alt coins in the near future. Kathy shares her views on the misallocation of capital post the 2008 financial crisis and why volatility is part of the price paid for...

In this episode, Jason and Santiago recap their experience at the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) in London. They discuss the evolution of DAS over the years, noting the increased institutional presence and sophistication. The conversation touches on major themes from the event, including the financialization of meme coins, the growing importance of staking and restaking, and the potential impact of ETFs. Jason and Santi also reflect on the rewarding experience of connecting with Empire podcast...

In this episode, Jason is joined by geebz, TylerD, and DeeZe to discuss the current state of NFTs and memecoins. They dive into how meme coins have taken attention away from NFTs recently, similar to the 2021 NFT bull cycle. The guests share their thoughts on the future of the NFT market, including the potential for gaming NFTs, ordinals on Bitcoin, and the experimentation happening with NFT utility. They also discuss the intense competition among NFT marketplaces like Magic Eden, Blur, and...

Gm! We gathered at DAS London to record the first ever live episode of 1000x. We discuss where are we in the cycle, the ETF impact, Bitcoin's path to $100,000, is the alt L1 trade dead & of course meme coins. Study the Felman. Lessons in there. Enjoy! -- Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ 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....

In this episode, Santi interviews Smokey, the co-founder of Berachain, a new layer 1 blockchain built on the concept of "proof of liquidity". They dive deep into Berachain's origin story, starting from its conception as a series of NFTs to its current state of development. Smokey explains the core ideas behind proof of liquidity, how it aligns incentives between network security and liquidity, and how it compares to other blockchain consensus mechanisms. They also discuss Berachain's roadmap,...

In today's episode, Jason talks with Zach Rynes, formerly known as crypto anon "ChainLinkGod". They discuss Zach's journey in the crypto space, the pros and cons of being an anon, and the strong community of "Link Marines" that has formed around Chainlink. Zach explains how Chainlink has evolved from a simple oracle service to a platform for data, compute and cross-chain functionality, and why he believes it will be a critical piece of infrastructure as crypto matures and gains adoption from...

In today's episode of Empire, Konstantin Lomashuk, co-founder of Lido & Cyber Fund, discusses his journey. He shares his views on the importance of decentralization in staking, the potential risks and rewards of restaking protocols like Eigenlayer, and his long-term vision for a "cybernetic economy" powered by blockchain and AI. Konstantin also reflects on Ethereum's development roadmap, the surprises he's encountered in his crypto career, and the challenges of building in an open,...

This week, Alex Kruger aka Krugermacro joins the show for a discussion on where we are in the current crypto cycle. With Bitcoin ripping above all-time highs, ETF flows strong & meme coins up only are thing getting a little too frothy too quick, or does this rally have much further to run?  -- Follow Alex: https://twitter.com/krugermacro Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelman Follow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyz Follow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPod Get top market insights...

In today's episode we are joined by Arthur Hayes and Guy Young dive deep into the world of stablecoins and synthetic dollars. They discuss the counterparty risks associated with Ethena, a new synthetic dollar product, and how it aims to provide a decentralized alternative to traditional stablecoins like Tether and USDC. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by algorithmic stablecoins, the potential impact of institutional investors entering the crypto space, and the exciting...

Today's episode of Empire Santi opens up about the biggest investing mistakes he's made throughout his crypto journey, from getting carried away with trading in Bitcoin's early days, to not re-underwriting his Ethereum thesis as the price soared, to chasing dependent projects during the ICO boom. He unpacks the importance of differentiating between errors of process vs. errors of outcome, shares hard-earned lessons on portfolio management and tax implications, and discusses how to handle the...

In today's episode Jason is joined by Bitcoin early adopters, Pete Rizzo and Charlie Shrem. They dive into the early days of Bitcoin from 2011-2014, covering topics like the origins of BitInstant, Charlie's experience being arrested, the Mt. Gox hack, and the start of the block size wars. Charlie and Pete share insider stories and insights from their unique vantage points, having been involved in Bitcoin from its very early stages. They touch on the cultural divide between the Bitcoin and...