Empire

Is CLARITY the breakthrough crypto needs or just the beginning? This week, Jason and Multicoin's Greg Xethalis unpack how the bill could reshape crypto's regulatory future. They explore CFTC oversight, token classification, DeFi protections, disclosure requirements, and the fight threatening its passage. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:20 How CLARITY Came To Be 07:08 Who Built The CLARITY Act? 11:05 What CLARITY Actually Does 15:13 The New Token Taxonomy 18:13 Ads (Peaq) 18:58 When Is A Blockchain Mature? 23:01 Protecting DeFi And Developers 33:51 The Future Of Token Disclosures 40:14 What CLARITY Could Unlock 44:30 Closing Thoughts Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz FOLLOW GREG › X/Twitter – https://x.com/xethalis › Multicoin – https://x.com/multicoin FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Crypto's window for regulatory clarity is about to close while Robinhood raises questions about who actually captures the value created onchain. This week, we unpack Clarity's narrowing path through Congress and what failure could mean for crypto markets and institutional adoption. We also debate Ethereum's economics, Coinbase's Base reset, the Ostium hack vs instant settlement, and Stripe's reported PayPal bid. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Clarity Act's Closing Window 08:40 Trump's Crypto Ethics Roadblock 14:07 What Clarity Means For Markets 18:13 Robinhood Exposes Ethereum's Value Problem 28:14 Coinbase Resets Base's Strategy 39:28 Ostium Hack Challenges Instant Settlement 50:50 Stripe's Bid To Reinvent PayPal 01:04:57 AI Trades And Biohacking 01:10:20 Content Of The Week FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel › Rob – https://x.com/HadickM › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

What happens when crypto finally builds a trading experience for everyone, not just crypto natives? This week, Jason sits down with fomo co-founders Paul and Se to discuss why consumer crypto has struggled, how fomo is approaching onchain trading differently, and why they believe social finance is the next major platform. They explore building for mainstream users, the future of tokenized assets, product design tradeoffs, creator-driven distribution, and why transparent onchain data could redefine how investors discover ideas. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 03:35 Why Consumer Crypto Keeps Failing 09:32 Selling The Social Finance Vision 15:57 From Niche App To Breakout 22:22 How Fomo Acquires Users 27:57 Building The Social Trading Layer 34:44 Fees, Perps, And Onchain Competition 43:37 Expanding Beyond Trading Fees 49:12 Funding Growth Through Market Cycles 53:14 Robinhood, X, And Copy Trading 58:00 Media And Frictionless Onboarding 01:04:03 The Everything Trading App 01:09:00 Crypto, Tokens, And Going Public FOLLOW GUESTS › Se – https://x.com/seyong › Paul – https://x.com/paulerlanger › fomo – https://x.com/fomo FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Telegram –https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

AI and distribution moats are forcing investors to separate real business transformation from crypto's unresolved value-capture problem. This week, Jason and Santi discuss what months of researching crypto adoption taught Inversion, why the firm's investment strategy is evolving, and what it reveals about where value is actually being created today. They also explore Robinhood's onchain strategy, whether AI is delivering stronger returns than crypto in traditional businesses, the debate over token versus equity value capture, and how the next generation of consumer finance is taking shape. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 03:15 Inversion's Crypto Thesis Reset 06:17 Where Crypto ROI Breaks 11:58 The Distribution Quality Trap 17:12 Inversion Broadens Its Mandate 22:02 Crypto's Value Capture Problem 28:00 AI Rewrites Company Workflows 31:45 Ads (Peaq) 33:01 AI Pricing Hits The Limit 39:09 Robinhood Chain Takes Off 48:07 Regulatory Arbitrage Goes Onchain 52:35 Finance For The Next Generation 57:02 The Token Equity Debate FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the announcement of OUSD and what it means for the future of Circle. We then deep dive into Robinhood's recent product launches, Venice's $65M raise, crypto's continued discussion around tokens vs. equity, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:52) Did Saylor End Strategy's Sell Off? (10:15) The Launch of OpenUSD (17:49) Should Everyone Launch A Stablecoin? (32:42) peaq Ad (33:28) Cloudflare's Monetization Gateway (38:35) Robinhood Launches A Chain (56:00) Venice Raises $65M & Crypto's Token vs Equity Problem (01:16:14) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Vishal Garg joins the show to discuss how crypto and AI are reshaping the mortgage market. We deep dive into Better's business model, why the mortgage market is so inefficient today, how to leverage tokenization and AI, partnering with Coinbase and OpenAI, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Vishal: https://x.com/vishal_better Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) What's Wrong With The Mortgage Market Today (03:10) The Better Business Model (20:35) peaq Ad (21:21) Launching Crypto Backed Mortgages (30:04) Partnering With Sky (35:10) The Opportunity For Tokenization & AI (44:21) Running a Public Company -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets as worries around Strategy drag crypto lower. We then deep dive into the competition in prediction markets, the state of crypto venture, Kraken's pursuit of a stake in Aave, Fomo's $75M raise, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:33) State of The Market (07:01) State of Crypto Venture (21:57) peaq Ad (22:43) The Prediction Market Wars (38:07) Kraken Pursuing 15% Stake in Aave (48:18) Fomo Raises $75M at $550M Valuation (50:35) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Ben Jones and Karl Floersch join the show to discuss what happened to the L2s. We take a deep dive into Optimism's new strategy for 2026, the current state of Ethereum, why companies need to launch a chain, having a token, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Karl: https://x.com/karl_dot_tech Follow Ben: https://x.com/ben_chain Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:43) What L2s Got Right vs Wrong (12:46) peaq Ad (13:42) Optimism's Strategy in 2026 (32:36) What's Optimism's Moat? (40:02) Who Needs To Build a Chain? (51:20) The Current State of Ethereum (59:39) Launching a Token (01:03:10) What Defines Success in Crypto? -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss why the US government placed export controls on Anthropic's Fable model. We then deep dive into open vs close sourced models, will Microstratgey blow up, structuring a portfolio in 2026, Coinbase's new product announcement and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jordi: https://x.com/gametheorizing Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (07:16) Anthropic's Fable Banned by US Government (20:10) peaq Ad (20:57) Open vs Closed Source Models (26:42) Structuring A Portfolio Post 10/10 (40:07) Will Microstrategy Blow Up? (59:12) Coinbase's Product Announcement (1:05:40) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Ryan Watkins join the show to discuss the current state of crypto and where he sees the most opportunity in 2026. We deep dive into running a crypto fund in 2026, do four year cycles still exist, the Hyperliquid thesis, token unlocks and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ryan: https://x.com/RyanWatkins_ Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:02) Running A Crypto Fund In 2026 (09:55) Do Four Year Cycles Exist? (16:36) peaq Ad (17:22) How To Find A Trade (25:52) The Hyperliquid Thesis (49:44) Is The Hyperliquid Trade Overcrowded? (53:28) Opportunities In Crypto, Token Unlocks & The L1 Trade (01:02:16) Zcash & Privacy -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this special episode, Blockworks announces its acquisition of Messari and unpacks what it means for crypto's next phase. Michael and Jason explore why Messari's breadth of data, APIs, and research complement Blockworks' deep on-chain analytics, investor relations, and disclosure products. They also address crypto's trust problem, the need for standardized data and disclosures, and how Blockworks aims to become the trusted data layer connecting issuers, investors, exchanges, regulators, and AI agents in on-chain markets. Learn more: https://blockworks.com/insights/blockworks-acquires-messari Follow Blockworks on X: https://x.com/Blockworks Follow Messari on X: https://x.com/MessariCrypto Follow Michael on X: https://x.com/MikeIppolito_ Follow Jason on X: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz

This week, CFTC Chair Michael Selig joins the show to discuss the CFTC's recent policy announcement on perps in the U.S. We deep dive into how to regulate crypto in the U.S, prediction markets, 24/7 markets, working with the SEC and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Michael: https://x.com/MichaelSelig Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:20) Working With The SEC (08:40) Bringing Perps To The U.S (19:03) peaq Ad (19:49) How To Regulate DeFi? (26:08) Becoming The Crypto Capital of The World (29:10) Prediction Markets (45:28) 24/7 Capital Markets (56:39) The Clarity Act (01:00:14) 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the upcoming SpaceX IPO with early investor Ryan Zurrer. We deep dive into how to value SpaceX, why this crypto bear market feels worse than others, opportunities in DeFi today, Strategy selling Bitcoin and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ryan: https://x.com/kukulabanze Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:52) Takeaways From Money 2020 & All-In Summit (07:50) The Bull vs Bear Case For SpaceX (19:02) peaq Ad (19:48) Why This Bear Market Feels Worse Than Others (30:17) The Aftermath of SpaceX's IPO (36:20) DeFi Opportunities In 2026 (48:50) Strategy Sells Bitcoin, Will BTC Hit $40k? (01:10:40) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Avichal Garg joins the show to discuss how he is currently allocating to crypto in 2026. We deep dive into the opportunity in crypto and AI venture, how to build a breakout app, the future path for Ethereum, why Avichal is still bullish on SOL & ETH, why tokens trade at a discount and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Avichal: https://x.com/avichal Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (13:58) How To Build A Breakout App (21:46) Where Electric Sees the Most Opportunity (33:35) Why Do Tokens Trade At A Discount? (39:42) Why Avichal Is Still Bullish On SOL & ETH (42:46) Who Wins The Crypto Exchange Wars? (48:10) The Ethereum Roadmap (54:16) How To Make DeFi Safe Again (57:50) 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss why everyone in crypto feels so bearish. We then dive deep into whether stablecoins significantly improve payment rails, Robinhood's AI agent announcement, Rob's takeaways from a trip to D.C., MicroStrategy and RoboStrategy NAV premiums, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:50) Why's The Timeline So Bearish? (22:12) Robinhood Launches AI Agents (32:23) Morpho Midnight (44:27) Is DeFi Uninvestable? (49:15) Takeaways From D.C. (54:14) MicroStrategy & RoboStrategy NAV Premiums (58:22) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss why Hyperliquid is having its breakout moment by capitalizing on the trillion dollar IPO wave. We then deep dive into whether we're entering a new bull market, if Ethereum is overvalued, SpaceX's IPO, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:20) Hyperliquid's Breakout Moment (23:38) SpaceX's IPO (29:15) Are We Entering A New Bull Market? (36:15) Why Ethereum Is Overvalued (53:28) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Mike Cagney joins the show to discuss Figure and how it became the leading non-bank HELOC lender in the U.S. We deep dive into how Figure leverages blockchain rails to scale the next evolution of capital markets before Mike shares his thoughts on tokenization, being a public vs private company, how to fix tokens and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Mike: https://x.com/mcagney Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:20) How Do Blockchains Disrupt Capital Markets? (09:28) Why Did Mike Build Figure? (27:00) Will Figure Launch a Wallet? (38:05) SoFi's Superbowl Ads (45:42) Tokenizing Equities (55:08) The Provenance Blockchain (01:01:46) Being a Public vs Private Company (01:07:18) How To Fix Tokens (01:12:27) What's Next For Crypto In 5 Years? -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current AI mania and how it feels similar to crypto in 2017. We then deep dive into Circle's $222M raise, expectations for the Clarity Act, Anthropic's crackdown on SPVs and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:44) AI Today Feels Like Crypto In 2017 (27:12) Circle Raises $222M (46:15) The Clarity Act (59:03) Anthropic Cracks Down On SPV's (01:10:30) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Stani Kulechov & Mike Silagadze join the show to discuss the aftermath of the KelpDAO exploit. We deep dive into why this hack could have potentially killed DeFi, launching the DeFi United fund, how to mitigate against future hacks, why DeFi tokens are uninvestable and more .Enjoy! -- Follow Stani: https://x.com/StaniKulechov Follow Mike: https://x.com/MikeSilagadze Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:08) How The KelpDAO Exploit Could Have Killed DeFi (14:13) Fidelity Crypto Ad (14:48) Launching DeFi United (30:12) Fidelity Crypto Ad (30:52) The Future of Aave & EtherFi (39:00) DeFi's Speculative Premium (43:00) How To Prevent DeFi Hacks? (53:00) Why DeFi Tokens Are Uninvestable -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets during earnings season. As equities push to new all time highs on stronger than expected results, we take a closer look at Robinhood's numbers, the DeFi United recovery fund, Pump.fun's token burn announcement and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:00) Takeaways From Earnings (20:10) Fidelity Crypto Ad (20:45) Stablecoin Chains (24:28) State of The Market (30:12) The DeFi United Recovery Fund (42:04) Fidelity Crypto Ad (42:45) Pump Fun's Token Burn (55:58) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Alex Pruden & Philip Martin join the show to discuss Bitcoin's rising quantum threat. We deep dive into what is the risk from quantum, what to do with Satoshi's coins, will we see a Bitcoin fork, how does DeFi mitigate hacks, how to protect your privacy and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Alex: https://x.com/apruden08 Follow Philip: https://x.com/SecurityGuyPhil Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:02) The Quantum Computing Risk (08:50) Bitcoin's Quantum Risk (12:20) Fidelity Crypto Ad (12:55) What To Do With Satoshi's Coins? (35:12) Fidelity Crypto Ad (35:52) The Biggest Threat to Bitcoin (38:35) How Does DeFi Mitigate Hacks? (46:27) Are Stablecoins At Risk To Quantum? (50:15) ZKsync Ad (50:49) How To Secure Your Privacy (54:57) What's The Timeline For Quantum? -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the latest DeFi exploit of KelpDAO which saw $290M in funds exploited. We deep dive into how to resolve the recent exploits in DeFi, the rivalry between Kalshi and Polymarket, will the Clarity Act pass and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:25) The Fallout From KelpDAOs Exploit (18:08) Fidelity Crypto Ad (18:43) Crypto Is At An Inflection Point (39:10) Fidelity Crypto Ad (39:51) Kalshi & Polymarket Push To Launch Perps (01:00:58) ZKsync Ad (01:01:33) Will The Clarity Act Pass? (01:04:53) What Is USDai? (01:09:52) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Jason and Mippo sat down to discuss the Blockworks rebrand! They examine the trust problem in crypto, onchain capital markets, disclosure frameworks, industry consolidation, and Blockworks' evolution over the years.  Enjoy! – Follow Blockworks: https://x.com/blockworks Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:10) The Current State of Crypto (07:08) Crypto's Trust Problem (09:12) Blockworks' Solution (12:02) The Data Behind Tokens (17:11) Blockworks' Evolution (25:00) Issues With Tokens (35:25) The Blockworks Rebrand (39:45) Crypto Sentiment (43:51) Closing Comments 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Logan Jastremski joins the show to discuss his current crypto thesis in 2026. We deep dive into who wins the competition for onchain trading volume between Solana and Hyperliquid, are L1s overvalued, Logan's highest conviction bets in 2026 and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Logan: https://x.com/LoganJastremski Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:02) Logan's Crypto Thesis in 2026 (05:30) Are L1s Overvalued? (16:02) Solana vs Hyperliquid (29:40) ZKsync Ad (30:15) Why Was Hyperliquid So Successful? (43:35) Opportunities In 2026 (50:35) The Tesla Thesis (56:54) Can Twitter Scale To A Finance Platform (01:02:20) Which Would You Own: BTC vs NVDA (01:05:28) 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets as the S&P hits a new all time high. We then deep dive into Tether's $150M recovery plan for Drift, Kraken's $200M raise, the impact on Microstrategy's $STRC, why have L2s underperformed and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:11) State of The Market (12:40) The Hyperliquid Thesis (25:18) ZKsync Ad (25:52) Tether's $150M Drift Recovery Plan (28:17) The SEC's New DeFi Guidance (32:05) Microstrategy's $STRC (34:50) Kraken Raises $200M From Deutsche Börse (40:53) Why Have L2s Underperformed (53:19) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Adrian Cachinero Vasiljevic & Luca Prosperi join the show to discuss what's next for DeFi in 2026. We deep dive into why are rates so low in DeFi today, how to mitigate risk, the growth of stablecoins, the fallout from Drift's exploit, the opportunity for prediction markets and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Adrian: https://x.com/adcv_ Follow Luca: https://x.com/LucaProsperi Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Referenced in the show: https://kitchen.steakhouse.financial/ # 68 | The Physics of On-Chain Lending (I): https://dirtroads.substack.com/p/68-the-physics-of-on-chain-lending?triedRedirect=true -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:42) Why Are Rates in DeFi So Low? (16:32) The Physics of Onchain Lending (24:33) ZKsync Ad (25:16) The Biggest Risk In DeFi Today (52:58) What's Next For DeFi In 2026 & Beyond? (01:02:18) How To Mitigate Risk In DeFi (01:09:43) Fallout From Drift's $280M Exploit (01:15:15) Prediction Markets (01:19:52) What's Exciting In Crypto Today? -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the biggest problem within DeFi today. We then deep dive into Anthropic's announcement of Mythos, the state of crypto fundraising, the biggest winners in crypto today, are we buying the dip and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:32) Why Is DeFi Unattractive? (26:45) ZKsync, Blockworks IR (28:16) Anthropic Announces Mythos (49:46) What's Happening In Crypto Fundraising? (57:34) The Biggest Winners in Crypto Today (01:04:45) Are We Buying The Dip? (01:13:35) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, the Hivemind team breaks down the ceasefire in Iran and how it could impact markets going forward. We then deep dive into the 2026 IPO window, is AI a bubble, the fallout of Drift's $280M exploit, Polymarkets recent announcement and more. Enjoy! -- To stay up to date with future Hivemind episodes: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Delphi_Digital Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AE858NXDnaIlXP6sWfLj6?si=2019bc45ec914220 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hivemind/id1704667885 -- Follow Ceteris: ⁠https://x.com/ceterispar1bus⁠ Follow Jason: ⁠https://x.com/3xliquidated⁠ Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo Follow Kevin: https://x.com/Kevin_Kelly_II Follow Empire: ⁠https://x.com/theempirepod⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx⁠ Subscribe on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3⁠ Subscribe on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH⁠ -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: ⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/⁠ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:50) State of The Market (09:53) Finding Opportunities In Crypto (15:15) Is AI In a Bubble? (26:35) The Return of Active Investing (37:42) Prediction Markets (51:40) The Drift Exploit Fallout -- 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, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Charles Cascarilla joins the show to discuss the current state of crypto and the future of Paxos. We deep dive into Paxos' origin story and business model, the growth of stablecoin payments, whether Paxos may look to IPO in 2027, Charles' advice for founders and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Charles: https://x.com/chadcascarilla Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:03) The State of Crypto Today (22:24) How To Fix The U.S Debt Problem (32:24) ZKsync Ad, Blockworks IR (33:56) Behind The Paxos Business Model (43:32) Why Binance's $BUSD Would Have Been The Largest Stablecoin (50:12) The GENIUS Act & The Global Dollar Network (59:46) Agentic Payments (01:05:32) Will Paxos IPO? (01:17:06) Advice For Founders -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Making Tokenization a Reality: Bringing Assets Onchain Speakers: Samara Cohen, Jason Yanowitz This is a panel from DAS New York 2026. To explore more Blockworks events, visit blockworks.co/events

Inside Western Union's Stablecoin Fueled Future Speakers: Jason Yanowitz, Devin McGranahan This is a panel from DAS New York 2026. To explore more Blockworks events, visit blockworks.co/events

This week, we're back with another roundup covering whether it's time to buy the dip, crypto's VC mass extinction event, the state of secondary markets, Drift's $280M exploit, Bitcoin's quantum threat and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:34) Time To Buy The Dip? (10:42) Crypto's VC Mass Extinction Event (23:55) Crypto's Token Reset (39:25) ZKsync Ad (40:07) Blockworks Investor Relations (40:58) Drift Exploited For $280M (59:28) Bitcoin's Quantum Threat (01:10:18) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Dmitry Tokarev joins the show to discuss how he built one of crypto's largest institutional custody platforms. We deep dive into the Copper origin story, what's broken with crypto custody today, Dmitry's new venture (Bron) and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Dmitry: https://x.com/tokarev_d Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:14) The Copper Origin Story (14:55) How To Scale a Company (19:07) ZKsync Ad (19:50) Blockworks Investor Relations (20:40) Building Bron: How To Fix Crypto Custody (34:18) Why Bron Is Launching a Token (43:10) Lessons Learned From Fundraising (48:35) What To Own in 2026? -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup live at DAS to discuss our takeaways from the conference. We deep dive into the institutional bull market, the state of angel and venture investing in crypto, Western Union's stablecoin pivot and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:48) Takeaways From DAS (07:16) Is Crypto in a Bull or Bear Market? (13:55) Angel Investing and Crypto Venture Capital (24:48) ZKsync Ad (24:24) Blockworks Investor Relations (26:13) Western Union's Stablecoin Flywheel (33:17) The Bear Case For Stablecoins (38:30) Final Takeaways From DAS (43:25) Sports Betting On Prediction Markets (48:15) Audience Questions (52:10) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, the Hivemind team breaks down the current market reaction as conflcit in Iran continues. We then deep dive into Delphi's recent trip to China, the end game for Michael Saylor, where to invest in Chinese AI and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ceteris: ⁠https://x.com/ceterispar1bus⁠ Follow Jason: ⁠https://x.com/3xliquidated⁠ Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo Follow Rawson: https://x.com/PonderingDurian Follow Empire: ⁠https://x.com/theempirepod⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx⁠ Subscribe on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3⁠ Subscribe on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH⁠ -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: ⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/⁠ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:16) State of The Market (17:30) What's Saylor's End Game? (24:55) AI Growth in China (49:37) Takeaways From Visiting China -- 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, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this special episode, we introduce Blockworks' new investor relations platform for onchain businesses. As institutional capital continues to enter crypto markets, expectations around transparency, standardization, and professionalism are rising. But instead of replicating legacy systems, Blockworks IR takes a different approach, leveraging real-time, onchain data to create a more transparent, data-driven, and low-friction investor relations model. The platform combines curated analytics, branded investor portals, and white-glove advisory support into a single solution, helping teams tell a clearer, more credible story while giving investors a more efficient way to evaluate opportunities. Launched at the Digital Asset Summit in New York, Blockworks IR aims to fill a critical gap in the industry. Listen to learn more about the vision behind the product and what it means for the future of investor relations in crypto.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets as conflict in Iran continues. We then deep dive into Hyperliquid's announcement with S&P, how to value Hyperliquid, Tempo's mainnet launch, Kraken's reported IPO delay & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:08) State of The Market (09:38) ZKsync Ad (10:20) DAS Plug (10:46) S&P Licenses S&P 500 Perps on Hyperliquid (24:45) Tempo & Agentic Payments (47:02) Kraken's IPO Delay (50:45) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup on the equity vs. token debate in crypto. We dive deep into Across Protocol's proposal to convert its token into equity before covering Kraken's Fedwire approval, Ripple's $50B valuation, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (08:36) Across To Convert Their Token to Equity (23:47) Crypto's Token vs Equity Problem (36:52) ZKsync Ad (37:34) DAS Plug (38:00) Mastercard's Crypto Partner Program (47:05) Ripple's $50B Valuation (54:35) Kraken's Gets Approved to Fedwire (01:00:57) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Jake Chervinsky & MC Lader join the show to discuss the growth of Hyperliquid in 2026 and beyond. We deep dive into Hyperliquid's 24/7 markets thesis, how Native Markets won the USDH proposal, founding the Hyperliquid Policy Center, regulation in 2026 and more. Enjoy! -- Follow MC: https://x.com/Mclader Follow Jake: https://x.com/jchervinsky Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:45) The Hyperliquid 24/7 Markets Thesis (06:02) Founding The Hyperliquid Policy Center (15:45) The State of DeFi Regulation (18:59) ZKsync Ad (19:34) The Hyperliquid USDH Proposal (29:59) Stablecoin Regulation In The US (38:05) The Hyperliquid 24/7 Markets Thesis (44:40) The Future of Stablecoins (57:53) Crypto Regulation In 2026 & Beyond -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup where we discuss the current state of markets as Bitcoin holds steady around $70k. We then deep dive into how to unlock 24/7 markets, insider trading on prediction markets, recent VC fundraises & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire:https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:20) State of The Market (08:05) How To Unlock 24/7 Markets (18:54) DAS Plug (19:20) Insider Trading On Prediction Markets (52:58) OKX Raises At a $25B Valuation (55:34) a16z & Paradigm Raising $3.5B (01:09:33) Will Crypto Prices Recover? (01:13:16) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, the Hivemind team breaks down the current market sentiment as crypto tries to put in a bottom. We deep dive into reasons to be optimistic, the convergence of crypto and AI, Citrini's AI piece & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ceteris: ⁠https://x.com/ceterispar1bus⁠ Follow Jason: ⁠https://x.com/3xliquidated⁠ Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo Follow Empire: ⁠https://x.com/theempirepod⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx⁠ Subscribe on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3⁠ Subscribe on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH⁠ -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: ⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/⁠ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:41) State of The Market (09:27) Venice AI & Crypto's AI Moment (26:52) Positioning For The AI Trade (52:30) Citrini's AI Piece -- 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, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this first episode of Inflection Point, we explore the accelerating convergence between traditional finance and crypto as institutional adoption begins reshaping the foundations of global financial infrastructure. The conversation examines ETFs, DeFi innovation, market structure shifts, institutional flows, and how evolving investor behavior is changing Bitcoin and digital asset markets. Along the way, we discuss regulation, credit markets, technology limitations, and the broader implications of finance moving onchain. Enjoy! — Inflection Point: Apple

This week, Tushar Jain & Pranav Kanade join the show to discuss the current state of markets. We deep dive into where are we in the cycle, where to allocate in 2026, how to value tokens, stablecoin chains & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Tushar: https://x.com/tushar_jain Follow Pranav: https://x.com/vaneckpk Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:20) Where Are We In The Market Cycle? (06:35) Allocating In Crypto (16:12) Coinbase Ad (16:57) DAS Plug (17:22) How To Value Crypto Tokens (32:28) Investing In Apps vs L1s (38:10) Crypto Social & Stablecoin Chains (53:00) Investing In AI (59:40) Positioning In 2026 -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup where we discuss the recent lawsuit filed by Terraform Labs against Jane Street. We then deep dive into Circle's earnings, Tether's investment in Whop, Robinhood's Venture fund & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire:https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:40) Terraform Labs Sues Jane Street (28:40) Coinbase Ad (29:24) DAS Plug (29:51) Circle Beats Earnings (39:32) Would You Rather Own Stripe or Circle? (46:10) Robinhood's Venture Fund  (56:04) Tether Invests $200M In Whop (01:19:37) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Bryan Pellegrino and Raz Zarick from LayerZero join the show to discuss Zero, the 100x breakthrough in blockchain architecture. We deep dive into the Zero origin story, the roadmap for 2026, LayerZero's ultimate vision, how to build a moat in crypto, hiring top talent and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Bryan: https://x.com/PrimordialAA Follow Raz: https://x.com/ryanzarick Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:53) The Zero Origin Story (13:55) Zero's 100x Breakthrough (22:10) Achieving 2 Million TPS (32:29) Coinbase Ad (33:14) DAS Plug (33:40) How To Build A Moat In Crypto? (48:05) LayerZero's Ultimate Vision (57:37) The Impact of AI (01:06:25) Zero's Roadmap In 2026 -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup where Rob walks us through Dragonfly's most recent $650M raise. We deep dive into the state of crypto VC, what allocators look for when deploying into crypto, whether tokens are investable in 2026, if Base will launch a token, and more. Enjoy. -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire:https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:47) Inside Dragonfly's $650m Raise (10:57) The State of Crypto VC (30:19) Coinbase Ad (31:03) DAS Plug (31:28) Are Tokens Investable? (40:54) Will Base Launch A Token? (45:23) Hyperliquid's Policy Center (48:55) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, the Hivemind team breaks down the current market chop as equities trade sideways and crypto tries to hold on after a huge downturn. We deep dive into whether we've finally bottomed, reasons to be optimistic, AI's impact on markets, Aave's value accrual, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ceteris: ⁠https://x.com/ceterispar1bus⁠ Follow Jason: ⁠https://x.com/3xliquidated⁠ Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Flip: https://x.com/trevor_flipper Follow Empire: ⁠https://x.com/theempirepod⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx⁠ Subscribe on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3⁠ Subscribe on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH⁠ -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: ⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/⁠ -- (00:00) Introduction (01:24) Market Outlook (18:54) AI's Impact on Markets (27:18) Reasons To Be Optimistic In 2026 (36:20) Aave's Value Accrual (45:28) Base, Zora & Pair Trades -- 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, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In the Quadrillions finale, we map the power shift from crypto building parallel markets to institutions integrating onchain rails into traditional finance. With Ribbit Capital's Nick Shalek, and Goldman's Mathew McDermott, we break down why the last wave of adoption stalled, why distribution beats ideology, and how networks like Canton are building from the inside out. This is the blueprint for “The New Wall Street.” -- Follow Canton: https://x.com/CantonNetwork Follow Nick: https://x.com/nshalek Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod -- Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:37) Ribbit Capital's Tokenization Letter (4:22) FinTech Companies Moving Onchain & Institutional Adoption (15:01) Crypto at Goldman Sachs Today (17:53) What Held Crypto Back? (20:33) What Canton Brings to the Market (29:25) Crypto's Institutional Pitch (33:14) Permissioned and Permissionless Chains Are Symbiotic (39:23) Closing Comments -- Disclaimer: “Quadrillions” is a mini-series produced by Blockworks, and is sponsored by Canton Network. Nothing on this show is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. It's for informational purposes only, and the views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice or necessarily the views of Blockworks. Our hosts, guests, and the Blockworks team may hold positions in companies, funds, or projects discussed, including those related to Canton Network.

This week, Brett DiNovi and Lei Yang join the show to discuss the path forward for L2s. We deep dive into why we need L2s, MegaETH's 2026 roadmap, how to build a successful ecosystem, lessons learned from building MegaETH, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Brett: https://x.com/bread_ Follow Lei: https://x.com/yangl1996 Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:57) Vitalik's Post On L2s (05:30) Do We Need L2s? (11:52) What's MegaETHs Moat? (29:00) Ethereum's Security Value (33:53) Coinbase Ad (34:38) DAS plug (35:03) Value Accrual & What's Next For MegaETH? (51:49) How To Build An Ecosystem? (1:09:14) Lessons Learned From Building MegaETH -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Rebecca Rettig joins the show to discuss the latest happening in Washington and what it means for crypto. We deep dive into the Clarity act, how to regulate prediction markets, who's crypto's enemy now, the state of crypto VC, LayerZero's Zero announcement and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rebecca: https://x.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Referenced In The Show: https://open.spotify.com/episode/67w8irQ06j6ZH38FsXSShf?si=5633bb7bb6a248b9&nd=1&dlsi=d7d519562e884e70 -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Timestsamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:57) The State of Crypto Policy In DC (27:24) Coinbase Ad (28:08) Das Plug (28:34) Prediction Markets (36:50) Who's Crypto's Enemy Now? (52:35) The State of Crypto VC (01:01:15) LayerZero's Zero Announcement (01:13:01) Content of The Week -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Charles Yoo-Naut joins the show to unpack Rain's explosive growth and what's next for crypto payments. We deep dive into the Rain origin story, their recent $250M fundraise, partnering with Visa, who wins the crypto card race, how Rain grew to a $2B company, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Charles: https://x.com/cnaut Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- "Mantle Global Hackathon 2025 is live! Running from Oct 22 to Dec 31, Mantle invites builders to design the future of Real-World Assets (RWAs) on its modular L2 stack. Key Highlights: - $150,000 Prize Pool + Grants & Incubation opportunities - Access to Bybit's 7M+ verified users - Judges from Bybit Ventures, Spartan, Animoca Brands - 6 Tracks: RWA/RealFi, DeFi, AI, ZK, Infra, GameFi Join the Hackathon: https://www.hackquest.io/vi/hackathons/Mantle-Global-Hackathon-2025" -- This Empire episode is brought to you by VanEck. Learn more about the VanEck Onchain Economy ETF (NODE): http://vaneck.com/EmpireNODE An investment in the Fund involves a substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. It is possible to lose your entire principal investment. The Fund may invest nearly all of its net assets in either Digital Transformation Companies and/or Digital Asset Instruments. The Fund does not invest in digital assets or commodities directly. Digital asset instruments may be subject to risks associated with investing in digital asset exchange-traded products (“ETPs”), which include the historical extreme volatility of the digital asset and cryptocurrency market, as well as less regulation and thus fewer investor protections, as these ETPs are not investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) or commodity pools for the purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. Visit vaneck.com to read and consider the prospectus, containing the investment objective, risks, and fees of the fund, carefully before investing. © Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation. -- Uniswap's Trading API offers plug-and-play access to deep onchain and off-chain liquidity, delivering enterprise-grade crypto trading without the complexity - from one of the most trusted teams in DeFi. Click to get started with seamless, scalable access to Uniswap's powerful onchain trading infrastructure. https://hub.uniswap.org/?utm_source=blockworks&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ww_web_bw_awa_trading-api_20251117_podcast_clicks -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:52) The Rain Origin Story (15:23) Partnering With Visa (30:05) The Opportunity In Emerging Markets (36:48) Ads (Coinbase, Mantle, VanEck, Uniswap) (40:16) The Crypto Card Race, Agentic Payments & Onchain Credit (48:00) What Chains Does Rain Work With? (53:28) Rain's Journey To Raising $250m (01:03:00) How Rain Grew To A $2B Company -- 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, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.