Thank you to our sponsor, MultiChain Advisors ! Privacy is back on the radar as Monero gets compared to silver. Meanwhile, Vitalik wants Ethereum to ossify, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ NYC token rugs and X's algorithm has crypto Twitter up in arms. In this episode of Uneasy Money, hosts Kain Warwick, Luca Netz and Taylor Monahan unpack: Monero's sudden surge, Vitalik's “walkaway test,” why blatant scams like Adams’ NYC token continue to succeed and whether X has been suppressing crypt...
Jan 18, 2026•54 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Figure ! Ethereum scaling network Polygon is charting a new course. Polygon on Jan. 13 announced that it was becoming a “regulated U.S. payments platform” following the acquisition of Web3 services companies Coinme and Sequence. In this Unchained episode, Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron reveals the motivations behind the pivot and what it means for the network and its native token POL. He says that despite the pivot, Polygon is not becoming an application chain. Can Polygo...
Jan 17, 2026•32 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Figure ! As tensions between the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve rise, gold and silver have surged to record highs. Bitcoin, meanwhile, has struggled to keep pace, raising uncomfortable questions about its “digital gold” narrative. In this back-to-back Unchained episode , Vinny Lingham , cofounder of Xash, and Eric Fine , portfolio manager at VanEck , offer two distinct but complementary perspectives on what’s happening beneath the surface of global markets...
Jan 17, 2026•52 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Uniswap ! If trust in central banks erodes, what replaces it? This week’s Bits + Bips connects AI, energy, inflation, and Bitcoin. In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins are joined by Daniel Ives, one of Wall Street’s most closely followed technology analysts, to break down how AI is colliding with macroeconomics. They debate whether AI will ultimately be inflationary or deflationary, why energy may become the binding con...
Jan 15, 2026•54 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle ! After months of anticipation, U.S. Senators have unveiled draft crypto market structure legislation. In this episode of DEX in the City, hosts Jessi Brooks, Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos and Vy Le are joined by Blockchain Association CEO and former CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger to unpack all the provisions that stand out. These include the bill's attempt to draw a line between centralized and decentralized platforms, the amended stance on stablecoin yield and ...
Jan 15, 2026•52 min
The Chopping Block breaks down the Kontigo Venezuela sanctions scandal, poly market insider trading drama around Maduro's capture, and the explosive Zcash governance crisis that has the entire Electric Coin Company team quitting to launch CashZ amid foundation versus for-profit wallet debate. 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 dives deep into Venezuela's une...
Jan 14, 2026•50 min
Thank you to our sponsors, Uniswap and Figure Markets ! Amid several years of economic challenges, Venezuela boasts a long and intriguing relationship with crypto. Following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. government, these crypto ties have again been brought into focus. In this Unchained podcast episode, Ledn cofounder Mauricio Di Bartolomeo and Economic Inclusion Group President Jorge Jraissati join Laura Shin to unpack this history, including the plausibility of the Latin ...
Jan 13, 2026•59 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle ! Canton's in bed with Nasdaq, a Google DeepMind's paper talks up the role of blockchain in an agentic economy and an alleged insider cashes in on Maduro's capture. In this DEX in the City episode, hosts Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, Jessi Brooks and Vy Le dive into the implications of Canton's Nasdaq deal, why DeepMind's study matters for crypto and the legality of insider trading on prediction markets. Vy highlights what Canton's Nasdaq deal signals about the prio...
Jan 12, 2026•44 min
Thank you to our sponsors, Multichain Advisors and Mantle ! Aave DAO on Christmas Day lost the vote to take control of Aave brand assets, but the fight is likely not over. In this Uneasy Money episode Aave Chan Initiative (ACI) founder Marc Zeller takes hosts Kain Warwick and Taylor Monahan inside the fight over one of DeFi's biggest names, teasing a “phase two” of the fight. Plus, why is Infinex's ICO getting so much flak and are claims of insider trading on Polymarket misguided? Hosts: Kain Wa...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 26 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle ! In this Unchained podcast episode, guests Alex Thorn and Ryan Graham share their 2026 outlook for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, exploring why the year looks unusually uncertain. The conversation also digs into questions around Ethereum’s long-term value, whether killer apps are enough to drive adoption, prediction markets’ push into sports betting, and why the privacy meta could continue in 2026. Hosts: Laura Shin Guests: Ryan Graham , Research Analyst...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 11 min
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. It's a new year, and that means the crew is back with their annual year-end awards and predictions episode. First up: the 2025 winners and losers. From Trump's meme-coin windfall to Gary Gensler's legacy getting torched, from prediction markets going mainstream to Web3 getting its official eulogy — no one is safe. The team debates the biggest ...
Jan 08, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 998
Thank you to our sponsor, Uniswap ! In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins are joined by macro strategist Peter Tchir to unpack one of the most consequential geopolitical events in years: the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The conversation explores why Bitcoin surged past $94,000, what the operation signals about U.S. power and strategy, and how investors should think about energy, supply chains, and national security in a sh...
Jan 07, 2026•1 hr 1 min
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle. Sign up for their hackathon here ! Crypto markets this year failed to live up to expectations, raising questions about the trajectory for next year. The situation is further complicated by speculation that Bitcoin is about to kick off a multiyear decline in line with the so-called four year cycle. In this Unchained podcast episode, Delphi Digital analysts Jason Pagoulatos and Jordan Yeakley break down the market and applications outlook for next year. They look ...
Jan 03, 2026•1 hr 21 min
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 episode opens with the Aave DAO civil war: a CoWSwap integration that allegedly routed swap fees to Aave Labs/Avara instead of the DAO, igniting “stealth privatization” claims, a “poison pill” push to seize Aave IP/brand, and a bigger fight over who really owns Aave.com and the protocol’s front door. Next, the crew unpacks the Flow hack (...
Jan 01, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 993
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle ! Mantle is launching the Global Hackathon 2025 to accelerate the future of Real-World Assets. With a $150k prize pool, backing from a $4B treasury, and direct access to Bybit’s 7M+ users, this is the ultimate ecosystem for builders. Sign up here ! In this year-end Bits + Bips roundtable, hosts Austin Campbell and Chris Perkins are joined by John D’Agostino, Head of Strategy at Coinbase Institutional, for a wide-ranging and often contentious look at what 2026 may...
Dec 31, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Thank you to our sponsors! Uniswap Mantle 2025 was a year of mixed outcomes for crypto. The industry got landmark stablecoin regulations in the U.S. but with a major limitation. Bitcoin soared to new all-time highs but failed to surge to heights many expected and is set to end the year flat. In this final installment of Unchained's year in review show, Ambient Finance founder Doug Colkitt and Gwart take a look back at the passing of the GENIUS Act, Bitcoin's all-time high run and the “10/10” cra...
Dec 30, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 991
Crypto natives entered 2025 with many expectations, but bingo cards likely did not include world leaders launching memecoins. In this first installment of a two part Unchained Special, Ambient Finance founder Doug Colkitt and “Gwart” join to offer a whimsical take on some of the years major happenings as it pertains to crypto. How did an erstwhile dropshipper get in bed with world leaders and convince them to launch memecoins? And did Tom Lee's “good hair” save ETH? Thank you to our sponsor, Wal...
Dec 26, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 990
In this Christmas Eve episode of DEX in the City, hosts Jessi Brooks, Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, and Vy Le break down a pivotal moment for crypto: the industry is no longer operating as a self-contained, oppositional ecosystem. It’s converging with traditional finance. And the cool thing? Washington is responding. The trio unpacks the latest on the crypto market structure bill, what it means that TradFi players are actively supporting legislation, how compliance tools like KYC became unavoidable...
Dec 24, 2025•50 min•Ep. 989
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Security remains work in progress for crypto — and that may be putting it mildly. This year Bybit was hacked for $1.5 billion, the largest exploit ever, crypto or otherwise. In this Unchained episode, Security Alliance members explain how crypto exploits have evolved, why smart contracts are no longer the primary vulnerability and why a security plan alone may not be enough. ...
Dec 24, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 987
Thank you to our sponsor, Mantle. Sign up for their hackathon here ! After a “weird” year in the markets, hosts Ram Ahluwalia and Christopher Perkins are joined by Ava Labs’ President John Wu for a candid debate about where crypto really is in the cycle—and what needs to happen next. The panel wrestles with a question many investors are quietly asking: has the market washed out enough to set up the next move, or is something still missing? They explore why momentum has faded, what signs would su...
Dec 23, 2025•56 min•Ep. 988
In this double-header episode of Bits + Bips, Steven Ehrlich first speaks with Figure CEO Mike Cagney about why most tokenization projects fail, how Figure built an onchain mortgage replacement, and why he believes big banks may now be leading blockchain innovation. Then, Jason Brett joins the show to explain how an upcoming crypto market structure bill could expose President Trump’s World Liberty Financial as centralized, and why that matters for DeFi, regulation, and the industry’s credibility...
Dec 20, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 986
In this combined episode of Unchained, Steven Ehrlich first breaks down why crypto treasury stocks (DATs) have swung from massive premiums to deep discounts, why comparisons to GBTC can be misleading, and why buying these stocks isn’t a clean arbitrage trade but a long-term, high-conviction bet. You can read Steve’s full report here and you can subscribe for 95% OFF before the end of year! 😱 Then, Figment Capital’s Dougie DeLuca zooms out to the broader shift underway. As fintechs and instituti...
Dec 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 985
Thank you to our sponsor, Multichain Advisors !What rights do token holders have? Is everyone getting rugged? In this episode of Uneasy Money, Ethena founder Guy Young joins hosts Kain Warwick, Luca Netz and Taylor Monahan to interrogate the lack of clarity around token expectations and rights as Aave DAO goes against Aave Labs and Circle acquires the Axelar team. Do centralized exchanges hold the solution? Plus, does MOVE's Rushi Manche deserve a second chance? And how can you stay safe from th...
Dec 19, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 943
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Figure Uniswap Robinhood is moving toward offering a full suite of crypto services and overhauling the infrastructure underpinning its stock trading services with blockchain technology. In this episode of Unchained, Robinhood Crypto Senior Vice President and General Manager Johann Kerbrat discusses the company's “super app ambitions” and potential c...
Dec 18, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 983
The SEC this week held a roundtable on financial surveillance and privacy in another sign of the major shift in the regulator's approach to crypto. In this DEX in the City episode, Espresso co-founder Jill Gunter joins hosts Jessi Brooks and Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos to unpack the major talking points and takeaways from the roundtable. And more importantly, what it signals about the SEC’s approach to crypto and privacy. With legacy financial institutions coming onchain, like JPMorgan and DTTC, t...
Dec 18, 2025•54 min•Ep. 982
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 episode features special guest Vladimir Novakovski, Founder of Lighter, joining the crew to unpack the fallout from October 10’s historic perpetuals liquidation event and the ADL research that sparked a public clash with Hyperliquid. The panel digs into how auto-deleveraging really works, why these failures were long hidden inside central...
Dec 17, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 981
Thank you to our sponsors, Mantle ! On this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Ram Ahluwalia, Austin Campbell, and Chris Perkins are joined by Elisabeth Kirby, Head of Market Structure at Tradeweb, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of crypto markets — and who will control them. They unpack why US market structure legislation stalled, how the SEC’s enforcement-first approach shaped the last cycle, and what it signals that JPMorgan, BlackRock, and others are moving forward with tokenizat...
Dec 16, 2025•59 min•Ep. 980
Subscribe to Bits + Bips: https://bitsandbips.beehiiv.com/subscribe On this bundled episode of Bits + Bips, Unchained executive editor Steve Ehrlich digs into the less obvious risks shaping crypto returns, from DeFi yield to tax reporting. First, Sebastien Derivaux, co-founder of Steakhouse Financial, explains why chasing high yield can be dangerous, how institutional risk curation works onchain, and why the future of stablecoins won’t be limited to the US dollar. Then, Shehan Chandrasekera, CPA...
Dec 13, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 978
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsor! Walrus The prediction market meta is piping hot and everyone wants a piece of the pie. In this episode of Unchained, 10x Research founder Markus breaks down what the competition boils down to. Plus, will other platforms follow Polymarket's lead and launch a token? He also walks through a “near certain” trade nestled in Polymarket and shares 10 strate...
Dec 13, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 979
Thank you to our sponsor, MultiChain Advisors ! The beef between Solana dapps Jupiter and Kamino has taken a new dimension as Kamino has accused Jupiter of lying about contagion risks. In this episode of Uneasy Money, hosts Kain Warwick, Luca Netz and Taylor Monahan dive into whether Jupiter misled users and raise questions about Kamino's response. Plus, after Tarun Chitra’s paper on Hyperliquid’s ADL, they dig deep into the exchange’s design: did they cause unnecessary liquidations on Oct. 10? ...
Dec 12, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 976
