First up, this week's big news that Circle (backed by none other than Goldman-Sachs) have acquired crypto exchange Poloniex. Is this Wallstreet's 'in' to Crypto? Moving on to some regulatory news, NYC lawmakers claim that they are 'open' to revisiting the BitLicense regulation. What kind of impact would a reform have on the market and on blockchain innovation? From Lawmakers to Lawbreakers, Craig Wright, who's infamously claimed to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, is being sued for a whoppin...
Mar 01, 2018•56 min
First up on today's show from CNBC, the US government is nowhere near regulating Bitcoin. Rob Joyce emphasised the need to better understand the cryptocurrencies and our team discuss how this has been greeted positively by the trader community especially. Next, Ellen Degeneres compares Bitcoin to a Goat (I know) to her rather large audience. Even though the price hasn't been as exciting for speculators recently, Bitcoin is still mainstream and won't go away! Back to regulation, Switzerland's FIN...
Feb 22, 2018•54 min
Simon and Sara (no Colin this week) tackle the week's news stories Kicking off with the biggest story: France and Germany's crackdown on crypto. France and Germany have put it to the G20 that the time has come to regulate IPOs and bitcoin. In a join statement they say they are aiming to: Build a common understanding on the nature of tokens Monitor the implications on market stability Find better protections for non professional investors Adopt a common approach on anti money laundering Simon and...
Feb 15, 2018•1 hr 7 min
In this episode, Simon, Colin and guest Sara Feenan dissect the week's news and we have a fantastic interview from Jameson Lopp! Kicking off with the biggest story of the... year? The market be down: prices have tumbled 50% from all time highs, is this a disaster or must what goes up, always come back down? Lloyds have banned customers buying bitcoin on credit cards. Is this sensible or over-protecting of customers, and also protecting themselves? Colin and Sara say you should never buy crypto o...
Feb 08, 2018•1 hr 25 min
After the market beatdown, Simon and Colin dissect the sustainability of current prices and how much longer regulators will stand idly by whilst pump and dumps continue to happen. Our first story comes from Coindesk, talking about the price action where Bitcoin 'defended' the $11,000 mark. Conversely, the Evening Standard came out with a story claiming investors were swapping their bitcoin for physical gold- are people actually swapping digital gold for it's physical counterpart? Staying with Bi...
Jan 25, 2018•1 hr 4 min
On today's show, we just had to start with crypto price bloodbath January has brought. Simon and Colin dissect rumours of centralised exchanges being banned in China & South Korea, as winter comes for crypto markets. Next, Mike Novagratz makes a '$400m bet' attempting to form a giant crypto merchant bank. Novagratz (who went big on both Bitcoin & Ethereum early) had plans for a crypto hedge fund which were cancelled in the past, so it remains to be seen what happens with this project. Vi...
Jan 18, 2018•1 hr 5 min
We begin this week's news by discussing Mark Zuckerberg's interest in decentralisation, as he made it his 'challenge of the year' to study how it could 'fix' Facebook. Speaking of Zuck, XRP (Ripple's crypto-currency) had an incredible run up peaking at over $3.80, making Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen actually wealthier than Mark Zuckerberg for a short period of time. This massive run saw Ripple monetarily become the second largest crypto asset in terms of market cap, so, as you can imagine Simo...
Jan 11, 2018•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to the very first show of 2018! We kick off the year with a bang, including some of the biggest stories from the holiday season, our predictions for 2018 and an interview with Peter Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk. First up on the first show of 2018 we take a look at Blockchain and crypto predictions for the year to come. Why will this be the year that institutional investors really get involved? Will 2018 be the year that web 3.0 takes off? How will ICOs evolve through 2018, and will pump and...
Jan 04, 2018•57 min
As it's the Christmas break we are not here this week! But instead of the usual news overview we're giving you an interview-only special show, featuring Tim Swanson and Somil Goyal from new smart contracts start up Adjoint. Tim and Colin look back at the last year in blockchain and cryptoassets and give their predictions for 2018. Somil tells Colin all about Adjoint and what their first year in industry has looked like and what their plans for growth are in 2018 and the years to come. Happy holi...
Dec 28, 2017•59 min
G-Sass is back in France this week but that won't stop him joining Simon for this week's installment of the news show. First up this week, the guys explore the implications of competition in the crypto futures space, as the CME launches its contract to compete with CBOE. Bringing the cryto debate firmly into the mainstream, we discuss the French finance minister's intervention, urging a debate at the G20. Plus, why has Keanu Reeves spoken out over Bitcoin and what does it mean for the future of ...
Dec 21, 2017•1 hr 3 min
G Sass is back in London for a second week in a row to join Simon for this week's recap of the top Blockchain news - and what a week of news it was. Bitcoin futures are now available for trading through CBOE. So what's a future, what's the significance of having a bitcoin future, and what was the impact when these futures launched? Next, why your grandmother should not be buying bitcoin, despite how easily some platforms are making it. The guys discuss the importance of investors' understanding ...
Dec 14, 2017•1 hr 1 min
Colin has returned to the UK from his Australian adventure to join Simon back at our home in WeWork, Aldgate Tower. Once more, Bitcoin has hit a record high. But could the cryptocurrency's price be losing momentum? Bitcoin exchange Coinbase now has more users than stock brokerage Schwab, so what are the implications for its price? And, following its lawsuit defeat, Coinbase was forced to report some users to the IRS. Plus, as Bitcoin futures trading gets nearer, we ask why the price is still ris...
Dec 07, 2017•1 hr 11 min
This week, normal service is resumed as we returned, inexorably, to ANOTHER new Bitcoin high - this time, over $9,000 and, according to many, fast approaching $10,000. So is it just the result of more buyers than sellers in the market, or could there be other reasons? Plus, why maths might mean Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by 2021. Bonds on Ether! Nivaura has issued the UK's first regulated Ether bond. But what will be the impact on CSDs? Following a spate of rogue ICOs, we discuss the possibili...
Nov 30, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Welcome to an unusual show for us in recent weeks, as a new bitcoin high doesn't feature as our lead story! Getting us off the mark, the guys explore the new Bitcoin futures option from LedgerX priced at $10,000. Why did someone buy it, and could we be buying too? Next up, SegWit2x is back in the news, but having been called off last week, how has it caused some nodes to stumble? And our story of the week - the CME Group has announced that it'll launch Bitcoin futures. So does this represent Wal...
Nov 23, 2017•44 min
The death of SegWit2x - what happened, why and what does it mean for bitcoin? How did $160m Eth get locked up in Parity wallets, and why might a fork be the only way to get it out? One of the greatest comebacks in (DLT) history - how could the former bitcoin king Mt. Gox be back in the money? Plus, a new blockchain-based international payments system from R3 and 22 of the world's biggest banks; Bjork accepting cryptocurrency for new album; a token to cryogenically freeze yourself; and, Grayscale...
Nov 16, 2017•1 hr 9 min
First up this week - and what a week - we can confirm that SegWit2x is not going ahead! For more on this story, tune in to next week's episode. In this episode, we focus on the run up to what was nearly the biggest fork of the year. We return to the continuing astronomical rise in bitcoin - up as high as $7,600? So is it a bubble, and does the market need more infrastructure to entice large institutions? In related news, CME Group - the world's largest exchange - have announced that they're goin...
Nov 09, 2017•57 min
First up on today's show, Simon and Colin tackle "tulip mania" and other common misconceptions about crypto assets. Bitcoin has hit yet another all time high - but is the price the key figure or should we be focusing on the growth in use and user numbers instead? We also talk boomer biases - send us your favourites. Next up, Iran has announced it is preparing to adopt Bitcoin for use in the country. Will we see a geopolitical shift, and how might it influence Bitcoin's reputation? Why are startu...
Nov 02, 2017•1 hr 2 min
First up on this week’s show, Bitcoin keeps marching on, and it seems institutional money is behind its buoyancy. BlackRock, LedgerX, Wall Street - why it’s good news that everyone’s got an opinion on Bitcoin right now. The guys also dissect the Tezos story and ask: is it possible to raise too much money? With speculation that Tezos attracted nearly $300 million under a foundation model in Switzerland, the guys discuss how the situation will unfold. Meanwhile, with news that the Commodities Futu...
Oct 26, 2017•54 min
This week Bitcoin has gone the the moon! So what's the story behind its new all time high price? And how might the long courtship between Wall Street and Bitcoin have played a part in the story? The guys take a look at the JP Morgan messaging on Bitcoin, including Jamie Dimon's views. We cover news from both Swell and Sibos, the pseudonymous nature of Bitcoin and how SWIFT intend to respond to the changing payments landscape. PLus, how is IBM using cryptocurrency in cross-border payments? Colin ...
Oct 19, 2017•1 hr 5 min
This week Simon and Colin crunch through all the week's top news. Why's everyone talking about SegWit2x, when will it happen and what does it mean for the future of bitcoin? Switzerland looks set to remain 'crypto valley' with talk of a code of conduct for ICOs. The guys talk security in bitcoin exchanges and why "those regulators gonna regulate". And with news that HMRC has built a blockchain proof of concept for the UK border, we discuss whether this is an efficiency no-brainer, or the precurs...
Oct 12, 2017•1 hr 5 min
In this episode: Simon, Colin and special guest Frank Schuil CEO and co-founder of Safello break down the last week's headlines including: The latest on the traditional finance vs crypto-currencies saga, with Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF speaking out about Bitcoin, We look at what South Korea, Singapore, Australia & the SEC have to say about ICOs, not to mention DJ Khaled! We also bring you 2 fantastic interviews from Yazan Barghuthi of Jibrel Network, and Jennifer Peve of the DTCC...
Oct 05, 2017•1 hr 8 min
In this episode: We bring you the second part of our series of Interviews from Blockchain Live, including Sam Chadwick from Thomson Reuters, Gemma Milne, journalist and podcast host of Science: Disrupt; and Kaspar Korjus from the Estonian Republic. Simon and Colin break down the latest news from the last week including: Jamie Dimon has more to say about Bitcoin, but is he a HODLer? Study finds that most Ethereum transactions are just trying to hide Ether Tim Swanson bears witness to all the sins...
Sep 28, 2017•54 min
In this episode: Simon takes us through the week's top stories including BTCC ceasing trading in China; John McAffee's challenge on Jamie Dimon; and Vitalik Buterin's claim we're in an ICO bubble. Also: we ain't saying he a gold digger - but Jamie Foxx promotes a currency exchange ICO. We also have some fantastic interviews recorded at Blockchain Live in London, including Brendan Blumer and Dan Larimer from Block One, all about their EOS platform. Simon also speaks to Eva Kaili, MEP, about her r...
Sep 21, 2017•34 min
Simon and Colin take you through the madness that is this week's news including: China bans bitcoin, again! Tax Exemptions for bitcoin exchanges - does taxing them make them more real? As Japan launches major bitcoin mining centre, we ask if Japan is not bitcoin's untold story of the year, and Simon shares his views on JP Morgan chief exec Jamie Dimon stating that bitcoin is all fraud. We also speak to Matt Spoke fro the Aion Network following their latest release. All this and more on this week...
Sep 14, 2017•46 min
In this episode: Simon and Colin and special guest, Fintech Insider and 11:FS' Jason Bates, break down the top news stories of the week including: -The PBOC declares ICOs illegal Crypto markets tumble 20% as a result Messenger app Kik raises funds to launch an ICO for its own currency, the kin. And… Paris Hilton launches an ICO They also debate why it is that bitcoin is currently considered a no-go zone by big banks? Then Simon catches up with ICO lawyer and token expert Patrick Murck for his th...
Sep 06, 2017•1 hr 6 min
In this episode: Simon, Colin and guests Kadhim Shubber and break down the top news stories of the last week including: Bitcoin Segwit upgrade goes live While Ethereum’s upgrade could still be a long wait More regulators opine on tokens -And Burger King launches its own cryptocurrency We also have some fantastic interviews including: Andrew Chapin of Benja, talking about the BenjaCoin and proactively working with regulators; and Taylor Monahan of MyEtherWallet about the industry trends, and scam...
Aug 31, 2017•1 hr 14 min
In this episode: Simon, Colin and guests Steve Webb and Hadi Kabalan break down the top news stories of the last week including: Bitcoin Cash hits $1000, then quickly returns to $600! The first bond on blockchain IOTA the Internet of Things “Blockchain” announces flash channels And we have some top class interviews including: lawyer Stephen Palley about whether or not ICOs are legal, and what you should bear in mind if you're considering setting one up; then we speak to Blocksure's Ranvir Saggu ...
Aug 24, 2017•1 hr 8 min
As Bitcoin makes new highs, surpassing $4000 over the week, we look into the stories behind cryptocurrencies, tokens and DLTs. In this week's show we cover: Filecoin overtakes Tezos for the largest crowdfunding ever, topping $250m in just one hour Not to be outdone, Tezos announces a series of updates including its upcoming $50m VC fund Microsoft goes all in on Ethereum, launching the Coco framework, while Vitalik Buterin and Joseph Poon release details of the Plasma scalability project. Top cry...
Aug 17, 2017•1 hr 17 min
In this episode: Simon and Colin break down: high profile bankers leaving for cryptocurrency startups, The Chicago Board of Exchange announces that it will launch Bitcoin Futures, and ICO funding tops half a billion dollars in the month of July and 1.6Bn this year. Zeth Couceiro, expert recruiter in the blockchain space, makes his debut on the show giving his top tips on how to get a job in blockchain. They also look back at the first week of Bitcoin Cash since the bitcoin fork and discuss the i...
Aug 10, 2017•59 min
In another packed episode Simon and Colin discuss the latest news in the industry including the arrest of Alexander Vinnik and seizure of Bitcoin exchange BTC-e; Ethereum miners chartering jumbo jets and of course the Bitcoin split - and we have a comment from crypto expert Chris Burniske to get his take on what just happened and what the impact of the split will be. We also have two fantastic interviews, starting with Dr Gideon Greenspan who’s behind Multichain and Coinsciences and Reto Trinkle...
Aug 03, 2017•1 hr
