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Bankless

The Ultimate Guide to Crypto Finance. DeFi, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Level up. Go bankless.

Episodes

Are L2s Extensions of Ethereum? | Kyle Samani & Max Resnick vs. David Hoffman & Jill Gunter

Bankless Nation, we’ve got the hottest debate in crypto right now: Are L2s extensions of Ethereum? On one side, we’ve got Kyle Samani and Max Resnick proposing that the current Ethereum Rollup-Centric Roadmap is off-track. On the other side we’ve got David Hoffman and Jill Gunter defending L2s as successful extensions of Ethereum. ------ 📣 GET YOUR ALL ACCESS PASS TO THE PODCAST https://bankless.cc/podshownotes ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz...

Oct 28, 202448 min

ROLLUP: Stripe's Billion Dollar Stablecoin Bet | Noteworthy Investor Longs BTC | Kraken's New L2 | Self Custody Is For Losers??

This week, a record-breaking billion-dollar crypto acquisition has caught mainstream attention, highlighting its significance for the stablecoin market’s future. Kraken joined the Layer 2 race, while Worldcoin launched its own L2, WorldChain, and Scroll’s airdrop received mixed reactions from recipients. Meanwhile, Paul Tudor Jones is bullish on crypto as a hedge, while Michael Saylor stirred controversy by criticizing self-custody, calling it a move for “losers.” ------ 📣 0x v2 | NEXT GEN PRIC...

Oct 25, 20241 hr

Kraken's 'Ink' - the Newest L2 in the Optimism Superchain | Ben Jones & Andrew Koller

Optimism’s Ben Jones and Kraken’s Andrew Koller join us today to talk about Kraken’s latest release. Kraken is launching Ink, a blockchain built on the OP Stack, joining the Superchain to scale Ethereum. Ink offers 1-second block times and connects users to top DeFi applications while contributing to a unified ecosystem. Kraken will share revenue with the Optimism Collective and participate in OP Governance, alongside major players like Coinbase and Uniswap. Ink’s mainnet is set to launch in ear...

Oct 24, 202454 min

The Ethereum Roadmap Wars | Will Ethereum Win?

In this episode of Bankless Takes we dive into the growing sentiment that Ethereum is losing its edge, with its roadmap straying and competitors catching up. We’ve spent a long time evaluating these arguments, and today, we give our take on the Ethereum Roadmap Wars. This is our best take on how the debate unfolds and why, in the end, we’re still bullish on Ethereum’s future. ------ 🎮B3 | THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN GAMING https://bankless.cc/b3 ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED ...

Oct 23, 20241 hr 2 min

ETH vs. SOL: A Professor's Take | Omid Malekan

Omid Malekan, an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and author of multiple books on crypto joins us. Omid shares his insights on the evolution of blockchain, the concept of digital scarcity, and the future of decentralized finance. Drawing from his experiences in both traditional finance, his teachings, and the crypto industry. Omid also discusses how blockchain offers a fundamentally new way to build trust and redefine property rights in the digital world and his best arguments for w...

Oct 21, 20242 hr 41 min

ROLLUP: $2B Polymarket Bet | Election Pump? | Ethereum Optimism | Trump 'WLFI' Launch

With 17 days to the election, Trump launched WLFI token sales, while Kamala’s positive crypto comments sparked reactions. Polymarket shows Trump at 62%—can that be real? In Ethereum, despite price drops, Fuel launched a high-performance L2, and Paradigm introduced its own with Reth at the core. Meanwhile, Saylor plans a Bitcoin Bank, and Kraken is rolling out wrapped Bitcoin. ------ 🎮B3 | THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN GAMING https://bankless.cc/b3 ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED ...

Oct 18, 20241 hr 7 min

The Bankless Summit

Announcing: The Bankless Summit The Saturday after Devcon (Nov 16th) Bankless is hosting a single day of the most interesting talks and conversations in Ethereum! Sit back and enjoy as Bankless curates the most interesting speakers in Ethereum while we let them speak! Get tickets here: https://lu.ma/0bpju5ic BANKLESS CITIZEN PERK: 70% OFF THE TICKETS! https://www.bankless.com/join...

Oct 17, 20243 min

A16z 2024 State of Crypto Report | Eddy Lazzarin & Daren Matsuoka

A16z’s 2024 State of Crypto Report is out! Bankless reviews these reports every year so we can get caught up on everything happening in Crypto. That's why we’re bringing a16z Crypto CTO Eddy Lazzarin and Data Scientist Daren Matsuoka. Expect to learn how 2024 contrasts to 2023, crypto adoption signals, innovations in every sector from policy to scaling and stablecoins to zk cryptography. And most importantly, why the price innovation cycle is here to stay. Enjoy! ------ 🎮 B3 | THE FUTURE OF ONC...

Oct 16, 20241 hr 21 min

The End Of Centralized Exchanges | Kain Warwick's Infinex

Joining us today is Kain Warwick. Not to fight, but to talk about his exciting new project called Infinex. Infinex aims to replace crypto's centralized exchange experience and bring it all onchian. It's ambitious, but if it works, could change the way we think about DeFi and navigate across chains forever. ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEED | USE CODE: SPOTIFY24 https://bankless.cc/spotify-premium ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2...

Oct 14, 202458 min

ROLLUP: Satoshi Exposed | Unichain | FBI Token | Permissionless III | Hoffman vs. Warwick

This Weekly Rollup was recorded IRL at Permissionless III. We discuss HBO revealing the identity of Bitcoin’s creator, Uniswap’s Unichain announcement, the new FBI token and David Hoffman vs. Kain Warwick upcoming fight. ------ 🎮 B3 | THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN GAMING https://bankless.cc/b3 ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2 ⁠ 🦄UNISWAP | BROWSER EXTENSION https://bankless.cc/uniswap ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM ⁠https://bankless.cc...

Oct 11, 20241 hr 9 min

Announcing Unichain | DeFi's Next Frontier?

Unichain Is Here! Joining us today is Hayden Adams of Uniswap and Karl Floersch of Optimism to explain the exciting new release and vision for the future of Ethereum and appchains. ------ 🎬 DEBRIEF | Ryan & David unpacking the episode: https://www.bankless.com/debrief-announcing-uni ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2 ⁠ 🦄UNISWAP | BROWSER EXTENSION https://bankless.cc/uniswap ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM ⁠https://bankless.cc/Ar...

Oct 10, 20241 hr 7 min

Is DeFi Illegal Now? Tornado Cash Case Update | Jake Chervinsky

Today Jake Chervinsky is back on the podcast to discuss Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm's court case and its implications on DeFi and the crypto industry. Could DeFi be made illegal in the United States? Are DeFi developers going to be prosecuted if criminals use their code? Is it just DeFi? What other sectors could be at risk? The answers to these and many other questions are discussed in today’s episode. ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/ba...

Oct 08, 20241 hr 28 min

The Very Serious Impact of Misinformation | Nico Perrino

In this episode, we sit down with Nico Perrino, a leading advocate for free speech and individual rights, currently serving at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nico shares his views on the increasing government control over digital speech, the role of social media, and how misinformation and disinformation are shaping our society. We dive deep into the debate around censorship, the dangers of having a "Ministry of Truth," and the future implications of AI on free speec...

Oct 07, 20241 hr 23 min

ROLLUP: World War Threat | North Korean Hackers | Vitalik Roadmap Updates | Visa Platform On Ethereum

In this episode, we discuss escalating global tensions and their impact on crypto markets, questioning whether Bitcoin is a risk-on or risk-off asset in times of instability. We cover legal developments around Tornado Cash, the potential for an XRP ETF amid SEC scrutiny, and Visa’s new fiat tokenization platform on Ethereum. Plus, don’t miss details on the upcoming Kain vs. David fight at Permissionless! ------ 📣 0x v2 | NEXT GEN PRICING ENGINE https://bankless.cc/0x ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOO...

Oct 04, 202459 min

CFTC vs. Uniswap, Prediction Markets, & Crypto | Commissioner Summer Mersinger

In this episode, we speak with CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger about the rapidly changing world of cryptocurrency regulation. Commissioner Mersinger provides a detailed look at the differences between the CFTC and SEC, their roles in overseeing digital assets, and how the regulatory landscape is evolving with DeFi and crypto markets. She discusses the CFTC’s recent dissent in the Uniswap case, the challenges of classifying assets as commodities or securities, and the implications of U.S. regu...

Oct 03, 20241 hr 22 min

Where is Ethereum Headed? | Mike Ippolito & Mike Neuder

The exploration of the Ethereum Roadmap continues. Today on the show we’re bringing back Mike Neuder who was just on the show to give his defense of the Ethereum Roadmap and we’re also joined by Blockworks Mike Ippolito who brings a wealth of knowledge from around the crypto industry to add his thoughts to the conversation. We cover the essence of Ethereum, the current state of rollups, value accrual and much more. We end the podcast with just overall bullish vibes and reflecting on what will ta...

Oct 01, 20241 hr 18 min

Defending Crypto to the Middle-Class American | Austin Campbell

Do you remember the 2008 crisis? It left a mark on many of us, fueling a distrust of bankers and politicians, and leading us to crypto as an alternative to the broken system. Today’s guest, Austin Campbell, a professor and former Chief Risk Officer at Paxos, explains how crypto, especially stablecoins, can protect everyday Americans from the risks of traditional banks. He’s here to show why the middle class should care about the future of finance. ------ 🎬 DEBRIEF | Ryan & David unpacking the e...

Sep 30, 20242 hr 35 min

ROLLUP: China's $500B Stimulus | Kamala's Pro-Crypto Pivot? | Gary Gets Grilled | EIGEN Unlock Incoming

This week we break down China’s massive new economic stimulus package, its biggest move since the pandemic and what it could mean for the global markets. Gary Gensler faced intense bipartisan grilling in Congress, and Nic Carter dropped shocking new insights on ChokePoint 2.0’s legal implications. Plus, Eigenlayer’s token unlock is finally here after months of non-transferability. We’ll also dive into the key moments from Solana’s Breakpoint Conference. Buckle up. ------ 📈 INDEX COOP | LEVERAGE...

Sep 27, 20241 hr 9 min

Crypto & The Democrats | Rep. Ro Khanna

Representative Ro Khanna, a Congressman from California and a key advocate for crypto within the Democratic party joins us on today’s episode. We discuss his efforts to bring crypto into the mainstream, including recent meetings he's helped broker between the White House, the Kamala Harris campaign, and key figures from the crypto industry. We explore the challenges and opportunities for the Democrats to embrace pro-crypto policies, the potential future of crypto regulation, and how this could s...

Sep 25, 202443 min

In Defense of The Ethereum Roadmap | Mike Neuder

Is the Ethereum’s Rollup centric roadmap a Queen Sacrifice blunder? That’s the core question the industry is asking and Bankless has aired some of these dissents. Today’s episode voices a counter to the doubters. Mike Neuder is an Ethereum developer and previous Bankless guest. He thinks the Ethereum roadmap is pretty great as is, it’s right on track, in fact, his message is to stay the course, play the long game, and watch ETH grow in value as a monetary asset as the Ethereum economy grows acro...

Sep 23, 20241 hr 20 min

ROLLUP: Rate Cuts Price Savior? | Trump’s DeFi Project | Vitalik’s Documentary

The Fed just cut rates by 50 basis points for the first time since the pandemic, how is the market reacting, should we be excited? Trump revealed new details about World Liberty Financial. We’ll break down why they’re building it, who’s involved, and what’s going on with the token. We also have a Tale of Two Chains: Bitcoiners watching Trump buy a burger with Bitcoin in NYC, while Ethereans premiere an Ethereum documentary down the street. ------ 📈 INDEX COOP | LEVERAGE TOKENS https://bankless....

Sep 20, 20241 hr 2 min

Fed Rate Cut: Is It Too Late? | Macro Alf

Jerome Powell and the Federal Reset is about to cut rates, but the question on everyone’s mind is… What happens next? Alfonso Peccatiello, known as "Macro Alf," is a macroeconomic analyst and investment strategist and he’s joining the pod to help us figure this out. - Are these rate cuts just in time or too little too late? - Is the Fed cutting by 25bps or 50bps? - Will we get a recession or the soft landing the FED is hoping for? - What will happen to crypto assets? We discuss all this and more...

Sep 18, 20241 hr 15 min

Refuting L2 Fud & State of Arbitrum | Steven Goldfeder

Steven Goldfeder is back on the podcast today to discuss Arbitrum’s and all Ethereum L2 FUD. Is a win for Arbitrum also a win for Ethereum, or is Arbitrum competing for users and liquidity? Steven addresses governance concerns and discusses the decentralization of Arbitrum’s Sequencer. In the second half of the show, we get into the latest developments in the Arbitrum ecosystem, including Stylus, Bold, Orbit, and Timeboost. ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEED | USE CODE: SPOTIFY24 https://bankless...

Sep 17, 20241 hr 9 min

What Are BlackRock’s Crypto Plans? | Robbie Mitchnick Head Digital Assets at Blackrock

That’s right, Bankless Nation, BlackRock on the podcast today. BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager, a company that manages over $10 trillion dollars in assets around the world, to put it in perspective, that’s 5 times the crypto market cap. Let’s just say what they do has ripple effects in global markets. But here at Bankless we wanted to figure out what they’re doing in crypto. That’s why we brought Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock’s Head of Digital Assets. We explore Crypto narratives in...

Sep 16, 202456 min

ROLLUP: The Debate | 1st DeFi Congress Hearing | ENS joins PayPal/Venmo | Coinbase’s cbBTC

This week in crypto, the Trump vs. Harris debate sparked chatter, but did the markets react? DeFi had its first U.S. congressional hearing—how’d it go? Friend.tech burned its keys—abandoning? ENS integrated with PayPal and Venmo, while Coinbase launched their cbBTC, and Sony might release a stablecoin. Plus, did we see “war mode” Vitalik this week? ------ 🔥The Bankless Summit | 70% of for Citizens | 20% code WRU20 https://x.com/BanklessHQ/status/1832085867483083211 https://www.bankless.com/join...

Sep 13, 202459 min

Will AI Kill Democracy? | Yuval Noah Harari

Today on a special in-person recording of Bankless we welcome special guest and best selling author, Yuval Noah Harari. Yuval is best known for his book Sapiens, and today, he is introducing ideas from his next book Nexus. We go deep down the history rabbit hole and explore the question, if human beings are so wise, why are we so self destructive? ------ 🎬 DEBRIEF | Ryan & David Unpacking the Episode: https://www.bankless.com/debrief-the-yuval-noah-harari-interview ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS ...

Sep 12, 20242 hr 32 min

Where’s the ETH Bottom? | Ben Cowen

When is this all going to reverse? That’s the question we asked Benjamin Cowen, YouTuber, Founder of Into The CryptoVerse and famous chart maximalist who does some fantastic technical analysis. The main goal of this pod is to understand if we're currently going through Ethereum’s bottom but we also cover: - Are crypto 4 year cycles dead? - What’s next for ETH/BTC? - How’s Ben positioning his portfolio for what’s coming? Except to learn that and much more. ------ 🌊 KELP | DEPOSIT ETH WITH GAIN T...

Sep 10, 20242 hr 34 min

Why Peter Schiff Hates Bitcoin & The Bull Case for Gold

Why does Bitcoin sucks and is inferior to Gold? Peter Schiff is a financial commentator and economist that is relentlessly bullish on gold and a famous skeptic of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. He covers a ton of ground in this podcast, from what money really is, why gold can't be disrupted as the ultimate store of value, why we should abolish the Federal Reserve and principles to grow your wealth. ------ 🎬 DEBRIEF | Ryan & David Unpacking the Episode: https://www.bankless.com/debrief-the-peter-...

Sep 09, 20242 hr 33 min

ROLLUP: Trump’s DeFi Project | CFTC vs. Uniswap | Brazil Bans Twitter | Coinbase AI | Polymarket & Bloomberg

This week in crypto, Trump’s new DeFi project sparked debate—is it legit or a grift? After the SEC, the CFTC targeted Uniswap—what’s going on with regulators? Brazil’s Twitter ban also made waves—what does it mean for free speech and crypto’s role in resisting censorship? Markets are asking if the 4-year cycle is dead, and Ryan has three takes on the lackluster crypto prices and what it could mean moving forward. On the bright side, Polymarket is now on the Bloomberg terminal, and Coinbase is lo...

Sep 06, 20241 hr

Is the Ethereum Roadmap Off Track? | Max Resnick

Is the Ethereum roadmap… off track? Have we lost the plot? Are L2s running interference, intercepting all the users, transactions, and value from reaching the L1? And if all of this is real, and not just FUD, what should we do about it? We have Max Resnick on the show today, he's an Ethereum researcher working at Special Mechanism Group and he’s got some opinions that are contrary to what is typically found out of the Ethereum Rollup Centric Roadmap. Max explains why Ethereum is breaking down on...

Sep 04, 20241 hr 27 min