The Scoop

David Bailey is the CEO of Bitcoin Inc. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined live by David Bailey to discuss the growing adoption of Bitcoin by nation-states and institutions, with Bitcoin heading towards becoming a reserve asset and political force. They also discuss Michael Saylor's Microstrategy, and Bitcoin's separation from the broader crypto market. OUTLINE 00:00 - President Trump prelude 04:00 - Sponsor break 05:01 - Bitcoin losing its identity? 10:26 - International adoption 15:17 - Bitcoin as a matter of national security 18:39 - Market trends 21:33 - Risks of Microstrategy 26:28 - Microstrategy's appeal 30:47 - Bitcoin's maturity and seeking yield 31:51 - Crypto market troubles 34:25 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS David Bailey on X: ⁠https://x.com/DavidFBailey BTC Inc: https://b.tc/ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to ⁠⁠⁠crypto.FidelityCareers.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.

Barry Silbert is the Founder and CEO of Digital Currency Group and Yuma. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined live by Barry Silbert to discuss his journey through the evolution of the crypto market, how his experience with the 2008 financial crisis shaped his approach to investing, and why he thinks Bittensor may be the next Bitcoin. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction   01:00 - Sponsor Break 02:00 - Barry Silbert's Crypto Journey   06:43 - Bitcoin's Evolving Narrative 09:25 - Crypto's Credit Crisis 15:24 - Bitcoin's Dampening Volatility 18:56 - How Bittensor Mirrors Bitcoin's Early Days   20:56 - Yuma's Vision and Playbook 26:10 - Barry's Priorities at Yuma 30:14 - What's Overrated in Crypto & Memes 33:50 - Final Thoughts GUEST LINKS Barry Silbert on X: https://x.com/barrysilbert Yuma Group on X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/YumaGroup⁠ Digital Currency Group on X: ⁠https://x.com/DCGco⁠ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠theblock.co/campus⁠⁠ This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to ⁠⁠crypto.FidelityCareers.com⁠⁠ to learn more.

Sebastian Bea is the President of Coinbase Asset Management. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Bea to discuss how Bitcoin's recent market behavior is driving increased institutional interest and portfolio integration, signaling a potential shift in Bitcoin's role from a high-volatility tech proxy to a store of value like gold. Bea and Chaparro also touched on a potential move by the US government to revalue gold vs the US Dollar, and its potential impact on Bitcoin. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction  01:00 - Big Changes for Bitcoin 06:45 - Frameworks for Institutional Portfolios 09:48 - Bitcoins as Digital Gold 13:54 - Getting On Board With Bitcoin 22:04 - Regulatory Designation's Market Impact  25:20 - Bitcoin's Shift From NASDAQ to Gold 27:30 - US Government's Revaluation of Gold? 34:22 - Leaving Bitcoin Dominance Behind 36:33 - Bitcoin Graduating As An Asset Class 38:59 - Capitalizing on Bitcoin's momentum 41:49 - Bitcoin as a Savings Instrument  44:31 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS Sebastian Bea on X: https://x.com/sebastianbea Coinbase Asset Management on X: ⁠https://x.com/CoinbaseAM Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠theblock.co/campus⁠ This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to ⁠crypto.FidelityCareers.com⁠ to learn more.

Austin Federa is a co-founder of DoubleZero. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Federa to discuss how the current public internet infrastructure bottlenecks blockchain performance, and how DoubleZero looks to address this by leveraging underutilized fiber optic cables to create a dedicated global network to support higher performance. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 01:02 - Sponsor break 02:03 - DoubleZero's core thesis 05:42 - The problem with the public internet infrastructure 10:13 - Understanding the current infrastructure 16:36 - DoubleZero's impact 19:59 - Speed is the name of the game 24:18 - Timeframes for rebuilding infrastructure 31:11 - How DoubleZero finds and utilizes infrastructure 35:35 - Tokenization 36:55 - Technical difficulties 37:20 - This isn't your grandfather's internet 39:20 - Hiring talent and being a founder 40:21 - Hiring Talent for a New Layer of the Internet 44:37 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS Austin Federa on X: https://x.com/Austin_Federa DoubleZero on X: https://x.com/doublezero Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more.

John Wu is the President of Ava Labs. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Wu to discuss Avalanche's growing institutional appeal, the rise of blockchain gaming, and how his background in traditional finance shaped his approach to building in crypto. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Sponsor break 02:11 - John Wu's tradfi background 06:36 - Taking crypto seriously 09:27 - Ava Labs' focus 11:11 - The gaming landscape 18:38 - Ava Labs x financial markets 24:30 - Challenges in building in Tradfi 26:11 - How enterprises select blockchains 29:03 - Project Guardian 31:52 - Looking ahead GUEST LINKS John Wu on X: https://x.com/John1wu Ava Labs on X: https://x.com/AvaLabs Ava Labs: https://www.avalabs.org/ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more.

Guilhem Chaumont is the Co-Founder and CEO of Flowdesk. The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, joined Chaumont at the Flowdesk office in Paris to discuss market volatility driven by tariffs, crypto's convergence with traditional finance, and the evolving role of digital assets in institutional portfolios. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:43 – Sponsor break 01:43 – Flowdesk 03:14 – Tariffs and Market Turbulence 04:58 – Market Uncertainty and Institutional Hesitation 08:20 – Volatility and Weekend Selloffs 12:02 – Amplified Declines in Altcoins 16:28 – Why This Crash Is Different from FTX 21:12 – Bridging Traditional Finance and Tokenization 26:07 – The Effect of AI 30:05 – Looking ahead and Conclusion GUEST LINKS Guilhem Chaumont: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guilhem-chaumont-215091a5/ Flowdesk on X: https://x.com/flowdesk_co Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more.

Nick Matthew is an investor with Standard Crypto. In this episode, Matthew joins The Scoop to discuss the current state of the crypto market, noting that investment opportunities still exist despite macro downturns. Matthew also contrasts the rise of stablecoins with memecoins, and the potential for crypto to consolidate and shift its evolution towards building 'Fintech 2.0' rather than web3. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:12 – Sponsor break 03:04 – Coping with market downturnsl 03:25 – The Fundraising Freeze 05:02 – Macro in the driver seat 09:36 – Memecoin extinction or ressurection 15:59 – Who's making money in crypto 17:45 – Fintech 2.0 or Web3 22:04 – Investing in stablecoins 25:26 – Investing in teams 28:30 – The next billion users 31:40 – Looking ahead and conclusion GUEST LINKS Nick Matthew on X: https://x.com/nickjmatt Standard Crypto on X: https://x.com/standardcrypto Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more. Uranium.io Investing in uranium is now widely accessible. Visit uranium.io to learn more.

Arthur Breitman is the Co-Founder of Tezos. In this episode, Breitman joins The Scoop to discuss the launch of uranium.io, a new marketplace for trading uranium powered by blockchain technology that looks to make investing in uranium more accessible to retail investors. The conversation also touched on geopolitical and technological tailwinds that could drive greater demand for nuclear energy. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:49 Sponsor break 02:41 How uranium markets work today 05:36 The limitations of uranium ETFs and futures 07:10 Tokenization and RWA evolution 15:56 Why start with uranium 18:33 Why uranium is red hot right now 23:30 Lessons from entering the uranium market 28:01 Beyond commodities 31:13 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Arthur Breitman on X: https://x.com/ArthurB Uranium.io on X: https://x.com/uranium_io Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more. Uranium.io Investing in uranium is now widely accessible. Visit uranium.io to learn more.

Kyle Samani is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Multicoin Capital. In this episode, Samani discusses the current state of the crypto market and venture capital funding in the industry. Samani highlights areas which he believes are key investment opportunities, and lays out why he sees a brighter future for Solana in on-chain finance over Ethereum. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Sponsor Break 02:24 VC Funding Downtrend 08:04 Clarifying Crypto's Usecases 13:46 New Era of Crypto Regulation 17:06 Regulatory Clarity = Increased Investment? 22:49 Samani's Revised Solana Thesis 25:28 Solana vs. Ethereum 32:17 Closing Thoughts & Predictions GUEST LINKS Kyle Samani on X: https://x.com/KyleSamani Multicoin capital on X: https://x.com/multicoincap Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more. Uranium.io Investing in uranium is now widely accessible. Visit uranium.io to learn more.

Michael Rihani is the director of products at Coinbase and one of the chief architects behind Coinbase's new bitcoin-backed loan product for everyday consumers. In this episode, Rihani explains how Coinbase's new loan product is designed to make DeFi feel 'magical,' and how this fits into Coinbase's broader strategy of bringing the power of blockchain technology to a global audience. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:57 Sponsor Shoutouts 03:11 Coinbase's New Loan Product 07:50 The "DeFi Mullet" 09:21 Morpho Integration 11:52 CeFi+DeFi Synergy 17:00 Coinbase's Product Roadmap 21:00 Making DeFi "Magical" 23:12 DeFi Adoption Roadblocks 25:54 The Future of DeFi Lending GUEST LINKS Michael Rihani on X: https://www.x.com/MichaelRihani Coinbase's crypto-backed loans: https://www.coinbase.com/loans Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: theblock.co/campus This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more. Uranium.io Investing in uranium is now widely accessible. Visit uranium.io to learn more.

In this episode, host Frank Chaparro is joined by M13 General Partner Latif Peracha and M13 Principal Mark Grace. The conversation explores the risks and opportunities presented by crypto's volatile liquid tokens, as well as the need for crypto founders to balance short-term liquidity with long-term potential when it comes to bootstrapping. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:17 Sponsor Shoutouts 03:40 Overview of M13 08:07 Generalist Crypto VCs 10:35 IPOs vs. ICOs 12:42 Token Volatility 18:32 Taking Profit 22:30 Opportunities in CeFi vs. DeFi 28:20 Regulatory Clarity & Innovation 31:17 Predictions & Closing Thoughts GUEST LINKS M13 - https://www.m13.co/ M13 on X - https://x.com/M13Company Latif Peracha on X: https://x.com/latifperacha Mark Grace on X: https://x.com/markwgrace This episode is brought to your by our sponsors: Fidelity - Explore Fidelity crypto careers today. Go to crypto.FidelityCareers.com to learn more. Uranium.io - Investing in uranium is now widely accessible. Visit uranium.io to learn more.

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by The Digital Chamber President Cody Carbone. In this episode, Chaparro and Carbone discussed the current U.S. policy landscape for the crypto industry under the new Trump administration. With growing bipartisan support and regulatory clarity, the conversation highlights how crypto is becoming a mainstream political issue with significant economic and electoral implications. OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 01:12 Sponsor break 03:05 The tone has shifted 05:37 IRS DeFi rule nullified 09:25 Stablecoin legislation 12:35 Fine-tuning crypto policy 15:31 Crypto's growing political influence 18:01 How Trump changed the crypto debate 24:14 The next six months 28:56 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Cody Carbone - https://www.linkedin.com/in/codycarbone/ Cody Carbone on X - https://x.com/CodyCarboneDC The Digital Chamber - https://digitalchamber.org/ The Digital Chamber on X - https://x.com/DigitalChamber

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Paris Blockchain Week Chairman Michael Amar. In this episode, Chaparro and Amar discussed the origin and development of Paris Blockchain Week. Amar shared anecdotes of the various challenges and milestones reached over the years, and gave tips on curating a top-tier crypto conference. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:56 - Sponsor break 02:49 - Michael Amar's journey into crypto 06:55 - The development of Paris Blockchain Week 08:57 - Capturing the Zeitgeist each year 11:11 - Crypto conference oversaturation 13:40 - The Biggest Challenges in Running a Crypto Event 18:28 - The European crypto landscape 20:35 - Expectations for 2025 22:20 - Emerging sectors and trends 25:33 - Advice for founders entering the crypto space 30:38 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS Michael Amar - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarmic/ Michael Amar on X - https://x.com/amarmic Paris Blockchain Week - https://www.parisblockchainweek.com/ Paris Blockchain Week on X - https://x.com/Parisblockweek

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Yellow Card Financial CTO and Co-Founder Justin Poiroux. In this episode, Chaparro and Poiroux discussed the rapid adoption of stablecoins in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. They explore how stablecoins are solving cross-border payment issues, and how Yellow Card is looking to bridging the gap between the developing world and the global financial system. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:58 - Sponsor break 03:44 - Understanding Yellow Card 05:56 - Challenges of building in Africa 08:04 - How Yellow Card addresses cross-border payments 15:53 - Yellow Card's origins 20:02 - Early challenges 25:03 - Educating users & building trust in emerging markets 28:26 - Looking ahead 34:40 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS Justin Poiroux - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinpoiroux/ Yellow Card Financial - https://yellowcard.io/ Yellow Card Financial on X - https://x.com/yellowcard_app

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Ryze Labs Founder and Managing Partner Matthew Graham. In this episode, Chaparro and Graham discussed the intersection of the crypto market, AI, and robotics, with Graham highlighting several key technological advancements that could have a profound impact on how the markets function and alter humanity's role in them. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction and market overview 1:30 AI x Crypto: current trends 08:16 The Turing test  12:19 The future of AI companions 18:33 The human edge in an AI world 19:54 The AI economy 24:46 Robotics 30:33 Investigating and investing in hardware 39:36 Looking ahead and conclusion GUEST LINKS Matthew Graham - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattysino/ Matthew Graham on X - https://x.com/mattyryze Ryze Labs - https://x.com/RyzeLabs Ryze Labs on X - https://www.ryzelabs.io/en/home

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Arca CIO Jeff Dorman. In this episode, Chaparro and Dorman discussed the disconnect between market sentiment and the developments in the crypto space. Dorman goes over the actual use cases of the crypto ecosystem and how they are being drowned out by memecoins and scandals, highlighting that big outside players are beginning to get on board. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Sponsor break 02:04 Memes taking the spotlight 06:40 Crypto's adolescent stage 11:29 Common misconceptions about crypto 18:50 Assessing value in the crypto space 23:00 Are we still early? 29:37 The future of crypto 34:50 Where are the liquid funds? 41:30 Tradfi will eventually come 45:04 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Jeff Dorman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-dorman-cfa-61063129 Jeff Dorman on X - https://x.com/jdorman81 Arca - https://x.com/arca Arca on X - https://www.ar.ca/

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by August Co-Founder and CEO Aya Kantorovich. In this episode, Chaparro and Kantorovich went over the state of crypto capital markets, the resilience of DeFi during market downturns, and how banks are looking to get started in DeFi. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction  01:08 From banking to crypto  02:30 Why institutions avoid DeFi  05:33 How institutions impact volatility  10:50 Crypto as the weekend market  17:00 Bitcoin as a reserve asset  20:01 Cambrian explosion of memecoins  26:28 Coinbase earnings  31:42 The resiliency of deFi  37:49 AI Agents  42:00 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Aya Kantorovich - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayakantorovich/ Aya Kantorovich on X - https://x.com/aya_kantor August - https://www.augustdigital.io/ August on X - https://x.com/august_digital

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Lightspark Co-Founder and CEO David Marcus. In this episode, Chaparro and Marcus discuss the vision and technology behind scaling Bitcoin as a global payment network. Marcus explained how new developments, including stablecoins on Bitcoin, could transform worldwide financial systems and directly lead to an increase of GDP. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:52 Lightspark's mission and Bitcoin's Role 04:39 Challenges in scaling Bitcoin 09:44 Lightspark's evolution 16:10 Stablecoins x Bitcoin 21:27 Stablecoin improvements over traditional payments 27:20 Past regulatory challenges 30:23 Changing regulatory climate 35:19 Future outlook 41:37 Conclusion GUEST LINKS David Marcus - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmarcus/ David Marcus on X - https://x.com/davidmarcus Lightspark - https://www.lightspark.com/ Lightspark on X - https://x.com/Lightspark

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by SonarX Founder Patrick Kim, SonarX Global Head of BD Jesse Bornstein, and Senior Web 3 Specialist at AWS, Everton Fraga. In this episode, Chaparro, Bornstein, Fraga and Kim discussed the challenges of managing and consuming the exponential growth of blockchain data across multiple chains. Patrick, Jesse, and Everton explained how the proliferation of blockchains has led to a big data problem with petabytes of data that is difficult for enterprises to fully utilize, and what solutions there are to these issues. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:02 The Challenge of Blockchain Data Management 08:47 Multi-Chain Data Complexity and Solutions 14:13 Standardizing and Simplifying Blockchain Data 19:57 Institutional Challenges 23:13 Stablecoins, RWAs, and Data Demands 28:25 Public Blockchain Data and Practical Use Cases 32:23 Supporting Multiple Blockchains 35:11 AI's Role in Blockchain Data Integration 38:16 Advice for Developers and Businesses 43:23 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Jesse Bornstein - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-bornstein-10a774a/ Everton Fraga - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evertonfraga/ Patrick Kim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickkim/ SonarX - https://www.sonarx.com/ SonarX on X - https://x.com/SonarX_HQ AWS - https://aws.amazon.com/

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Congressman and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. In this episode, Chaparro and Emmer discussed President Trump's first weeks in office, the Democrat's missteps with voters in general and on crypto, and alleged waste and fraud in government spending. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction and Super Bowl Recap 02:13 Crypto Policy and Political Dynamics 07:11 Identity Politics and Crypto Perception 10:18 Democrats' Missteps and Voter Alienation 12:40 Speed of Policy Changes and Potential Risks 15:27 Fraud in Government Agencies 17:19 Congressional Oversight and Budget Issues 20:32 Ensuring Long-Term Crypto Regulation 22:33 Promises to the Crypto Industry 25:46 Malice in Crypto Regulation? 28:11 Stablecoin Legislation 30:29 Closing Remarks and Farewells GUEST LINKS Rep. Tom Emmer - https://emmer.house.gov/ Rep. Tom Emmer on X - https://x.com/tomemmer GOP Majority Whip on X - https://x.com/GOPMajorityWhip

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by VP of Product at QuickNode, Josh Neuroth. In this episode, Chaparro and Neuroth explored the rapid growth and increased adoption of blockchain by traditional financial institutions. They also unpacked QuickNode's role in providing high-performance infrastructure to support both emerging blockchain projects and enterprise adoption. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction and Quick Node's Journey 03:14 Trends in Blockchain and Enterprise Adoption 07:38 Financial Institutions and Blockchain Scaling 12:54 Developer Activity Surge on Solana and Base 18:11 Emerging Ecosystems and Quick Node's Focus 21:30 Future Plans and Tokenization of Real-World Assets 25:38 Conclusion and Farewells GUEST LINKS Josh Neuroth - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshneuroth/ Josh Neuroth on X - https://x.com/EastofETH QuickNode - https://www.quicknode.com/ QuickNode on X - https://x.com/QuickNode

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Custodia Bank Founder and CEO Caitlin Long. In this episode, Chaparro and Long discussed the state of crypto banking, the potential restructuring of regulations under the Trump administration, and the Federal Reserve's stance on crypto. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 1:39 Powell's crypto remarks 3:02 Custodia and the Fed 7:19 Trump's crypto executive order 8:34 Banks' path to crypto custody 12:12 12 month forecast 17:51 State of crypto banking 24:34 The Crypto Vote 30:15 Trump's meme coin 32:50 Privatising fed wire 38:40 Crypto in Wyoming 41:25 Closing thoughts GUEST LINKS Caitlin Long - https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-long-/ Caitlin Long on X - https://x.com/CaitlinLong_ Custodia Bank - https://custodiabank.com/ Custodia Bank on X - https://x.com/CustodiaBank This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Cambrian Asset Management President Tony Fenner-Leitão. In this episode, Chaparro and Fenner-Leitão discussed his firm's approach to the crypto market, which involves using machine learning and data-driven models. They also touched on the impact of increased institutional participation and regulatory changes in the crypto space and how these developments have affected the overall market dynamics. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:29 Lack of liquid participants 08:25 Cambrian's perspective on the Trump meme coin 13:31 Shifting market dynamics 17:18 Regulatory changes 22:56 Cambrian's requirements for entering a market 29:16 Active management vs VC allocation 35:39 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Tony Fenner-Leitão - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyfennerleitao/ Cambrian Asset Management - https://www.cambrianasset.com/ Cambrian Asset Management on X - https://x.com/CambrianAsset This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

The Scoop's host, Frank Chaparro, was joined by Story Protocol Co-Founder Jason Zhao. In this episode, Chaparro and Zhao discussed the inefficiencies and challenges in the current IP landscape, and how Story aims to address these by allowing creators to monetize and license their IP in a more open and efficient manner, especially in the context of the rise of AI. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 05:29 Philosophy meets Crypto 09:08 The world of intellectual property 12:49 The financialization of IP 16:55 AI and ownership of IP 20:20 Getting started with AI and IP 24:40 Standing out in a sea of Picassos 27:45 Gen AI platforms 31:49 Story Protocol looking ahead 34:03 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Jason Zhao - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjinzhao/ Jason Zhao on X - https://x.com/jasonjzhao Story Protocol - https://www.story.foundation/ Story Protocol on X - https://x.com/StoryProtocol This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

The Scoop's host Frank Chaparro was joined by LMAX Group CEO David Mercer. In this episode, Chaparro and Mercer discussed the accelerating institutional adoption of crypto, with major banks entering the market and driving stability, maturity, and significant capital inflows. They also explored how improved interoperability between tradfi and crypto could increase adoption by enabling more seamless asset movement between the two ecosystems. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 02:43 Bullish vs Bearish narratives 06:23 Improving regulatory environment 09:24 This ain't mania 14:54 Competent credit offering   18:55 The necessary infrastructure  24:04 Capitalising on future growth 33:35 Good tech solutions will win 35:19 Conclusion GUEST LINKS David Mercer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercerdavid/ David Mercer on X - https://x.com/mercerdavid LMAX Group - https://www.lmax.com/ LMAX Group on X - https://x.com/LMAX This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network  

The Scoop's host Frank Chaparro was joined by Dragonfly Partner Tom Schmidt. In this episode, Chaparro and Schmidt discussed the cryptocurrency market acting as an institutional asset class moving into 2025, and how this cycle has been different for venture captial operating within the space. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:39 Crypto as an institutional asset 11:47 Crypto market idiosyncrasies 18:20 Opportunities in 2025 22:28 Application in 2025 25:59 Anti-VC backlash 30:37 Customer acquisition 35:36 Closing thoughts GUEST LINKS Tom Schmidt - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomhschmidt/ Tom Schmidt on X - https://x.com/tomhschmidt Dragonfly - https://www.dragonfly.xyz/ Dragonfly on X - https://x.com/dragonfly_xyz This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network  

The Scoop's host Frank Chaparro was joined by The Block's CEO Larry Cermak, Editor-in-Chief Tim Copeland, and Foresight Centures Co-Founder Forest Bai for a year-end special. In this episode, Chaparro, Copeland, Bai and Cermak covered a myriad of pertinent topics  in the crypto market, including the factors that lead to a successful ecosystem, underexposure to bitcoin relative to memecoins, AI, and what they both expect and hope to see in the year ahead. OUTLINE 00:00 End-of-Year drawdown 5:56 Memes vs fundamentals 08:25 Importance of community 11:47 Shifting investment landscapes 14:34 AI x Blockchain 18:54 Newsroom expectations for 2025 23:48 Telegram games and improving UX 26:37 Standing out in the market 34:19 2025 expectations 41:50 Microstrategy's Bitcoin bet 47:30 AGI & Quantum attacks on encryption 48:29 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Forest Bai - https://x.com/ForestBai1 Larry Cermak - https://x.com/lawmaster Tim Copeland - https://x.com/Timccopeland This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network  

Jeff Garzik is the CEO of Hemi Labs, a modular Layer 2 protocol that integrates Bitcoin and Ethereum. In this episode, Garzik and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss Hemi and its "proof-of-proof" security model, and Garzik shares his views on the future of multi-chain interoperability and the evolution of decentralized governance models. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction and Hemi overview 03:17  - The endangered Bitcoin maximalist 05:33 - Proof of proof  10:01 - Lessons from testnet 13:32 - ETH vs. Bitcoin in the multi-chain future  19:05 - Envisioning the multi-chain future 24:14 - Darwinian trial by fire 33:34 - Main net plans and closing remarks GUEST LINKS Jeff Garzik - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgarzik/ Jeff Garzik on X - https://x.com/jgarzik Hemi Labs - https://x.com/hemi_xyz Hemi Labs on X - https://hemi.xyz/ This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Edan Yago is the co-founder and CEO of BitcoinOS, a Layer 2 platform and "operating system" for Bitcoin. In this episode, Yago and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss BitcoinOS and how Bitcoin can evolve from being just “digital gold” into a fully programmable, global ledger for ownership and financial innovation. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction
 02:17 – Bitcoin and digital property rights
 04:40 – Bitcoin's spirit of innovation
 08:17– Bitcoin smart contracts vs. rival chains 
 15:29 – Bitcoin DeFi's value add
 20:44 – Solving scalability
 25:12 – Bitcoin, AI, and the next Trillion in assets
 28:28 – The next five years
 35:07 – Short term shifts 37:42 - Conclusion GUEST LINKS Edan Yago - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edanyago/ Edan Yago on X - https://x.com/edanyago BitcoinOS - https://www.bitcoinos.build/ BitcoinOS on X - https://x.com/BTC_OS This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Zachary Townsend is the co-founder and CEO of Meanwhile, a life insurance company for the crypto economy. In this episode, Townsend and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss Meanwhile's model of Bitcoin-denominated life insurance and the advantages of this approach vs. traditional dollar-denominated insurance policies, such as protection against inflation and the ability to borrow against the policy's value tax-free. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:48 How Meanwhile works 10:33 Role of insurance in the Bitcoin economy 14:09 Charting new territory 16:38 Bitcoin vs dollar-denominated insurance 20:32 Approaching new customers 24:10 Zac's background 26:23 Looking forward 30:04 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Zac Townsend - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zactownsend/ Zac Townsend on X - https://x.com/ztownsend Meanwhile - https://meanwhile.bm/ Meanwhile on X - https://x.com/meanwhilelife This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Himanshu Sahay is the Co-Founder and CTO of Arch. In this episode recorded live at Emergence in Prague, Sahay and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss the evolution of crypto lending after the 2022 market turmoil and Arch's approach to expansion and collateral. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:16 Intro to Arch  03:15 Shifting collateral standards  07:33 The state of crypto credit 12:48 New administration, new regulation 14:35 Debanking and Barron Trump 17:41 Arch's global expansion 19:29 Encounters with Voyager and Celsius 20:47 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Himanshu Sahay - https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshusahay/ Himanshu Sahay on X - https://x.com/hhsahay Arch - https://archlending.com/ Arch on X - https://x.com/ArchLending This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Samantha Bohbot is the Chief Growth Officer & Partner of RockawayX, a blockchain-focused venture capital fund. In this episode recorded live at Emergence in Prague, Bohbot and The Block's Frank Chaparro discuss discuss challenges facing European firms compared to their American counterparts, and RockawayX's credit fund and developing opportunities in DeFi. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:36 RockawayX 03:38 Tech and investment in Europe 07:11 Post-election investment 09:19 DeFi rally 11:58 Crypto credit 17:56 Standing out to investors 21:24 Value-add investor 25:32 The race to the bottom 27:52 Conclusion GUEST LINKS Samantha Bohbot - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-bohbot-7622b933/ Samantha Bohbot on X - https://x.com/samantha_bohbot RockawayX - https://www.linkedin.com/company/rockawayx/ RockawayX on X - https://rockawayx.com/ This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

David Wells is the founder and CEO of Enclave Markets, an institutional-grade digital asset trading platform that bills itself as the first Fully Encrypted Exchange (FEX). In this episode recorded live at Emergence in Prague, Wells and Chaparro discuss Enclave's model, the maturing crypto market and the potential for more sophisticated trading strategies and liquidity. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:21 Enclave Markets 04:12 The Enclave experience 05:53 Crypto capital markets 06:57 The maturing crypto market 08:54 Inefficient markets 10:01 New products and strategies 12:42 Concluding thoughts GUEST LINKS David Wells - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-wells-12792413/ David Wells on X - https://x.com/wellsda2 Enclave Markets - https://www.enclave.market/ Enclave Markets on X - https://x.com/enclavemarkets This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Bill Barhydt is the founder and CEO of Abra, a global platform for digital asset prime services and wealth management. In this episode recorded live at Emergence, Barhydt and Chaparro discuss how building a successful crypto businesses requires careful navigation of complex legal and regulatory hurdles, and how this process might change under the upcoming Trump administration. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:57 Building in Crypto 05:38 Abra's Pivots 09:48 Surviving FTX 14:18 Abra's Future Strategy 16:26 Regulation & Innovation 20:32 Closing Thoughts GUEST LINKS Bill Barhydt - https://www.linkedin.com/in/billbar/ Bill Barhydt on X - https://x.com/billbarX Abra - https://www.abra.com/ Abra on X - https://x.com/abraglobal This episode is brought to you by our sponsor: Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network

Jon Kol is the co-founder of Hyperlane, an interoperability protocol. In this episode, Kol and Chaparro discuss the challenges and progress of blockchain interoperability, and how the industry may now be turning a corner. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:24 A year away 08:50 Interchange singularity 10:30 Bridge opportunities 13:32 Balancing speed and security 18:35 Poor UX, Poor DevX 20:11 Who's the buyer? 26:52 Conclusion This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Bitkey Bitkey is the safe, easy way to own and manage bitcoin. Learn more at Bitkey.world The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters GUEST LINKS Jon Kol - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-kol-4bb37a9b/ Jon Kol on X - https://x.com/thePalenimbus Hyperlane - https://hyperlane.xyz/ Hyperlane on X - https://x.com/hyperlane

Joshua Lim is the co-founder of Arbelos Markets. In this episode, Lim and Chaparro discuss the crypto market surge sparked by Donald Trump's election as U.S. President. Lim sheds light on how the Trump administration's regulatory stance could pave the way for institutional investors to dive deeper ino the crypto space, potentially driving higher trading volumes and boosting liquidity across the ecosystem. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Macro Tailwinds 03:17 Flows & Volume 08:14 Market Opportunities 12:29 ETF Flows' Impact on Crypto 21:30 Crypto Credit Market 24:52 MicroStrategy's Strategy 27:37 Market Predictions 33:08 Banks & Crypto Adoption This episode is brought to you by our sponsors, Polkadot & Bitkey. The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters GUEST LINKS Joshua Lim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-lim-1b27098/ Joshua Lim on X - https://x.com/joshua_j_lim Arbelos Markets - https://arbelos.xyz/ Arbelos Markets on X - https://x.com/arbelosxyz

Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and Managing Partner of Skybridge. In this episode, Scaramucci and Chaparro discuss the recent U.S. Presidential election and its implications for the crypto industry. Scaramucci analyzes the factors that led to Kamala Harris's loss, naming crypto as a key factor. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:36 2024 Presidential Election Retrospective 04:16 Trump's Cabinet 07:37 The Future of the Democrats 11:29 Market's Response to Trump Victory 14:23 New SEC Chair 19:17 D.O.G.E 22:54 Closing Thoughts  This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Bitkey Bitkey is the safe, easy way to own and manage bitcoin. Learn more at Bitkey.world The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters GUEST LINKS Anthony Scaramucci on X - https://x.com/scaramucci Anthony Scaramucci - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anscaramucci/ Skybrdige on X - https://x.com/skybridge Skybridge - https://www.skybridge.com/  

dYdX founder Antonio Juliano discusses the evolution of dYdX and the broader DeFi landscape, highlighting the need for DeFi to move beyond copying tradfi products and build truly innovative applications made possible by decentralization. OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 01:33 DeFi's Development 04:24 dYdX Mega Vault AMM 05:32 dYdX Prediction Markets 08:47 High-Performance Blockchain Development 10:35 Appchain Drawbacks 12:47 dYdX vs. Hyperliquid 14:36 New dYdX Markets 17:11 Onchain RWA Derivatives 18:39 DEX Adoption Hurdles 21:24 Crypto Market Makers 22:22 dYdX Development Roadmap 23:47 Appchain Advantages This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Syncracy Capital co-founder Ryan Watkins sheds light on Ethereum, Solana and finding the next "generational winners" in the crypto market. OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 01:47 Watkins' Crypto Journey 05:22 Syncracy's Liquid Strategy 06:51 Crypto Market Analysis 08:52 Ethereum's Underperformance 13:14 Long-Only 15:34 Picking Winners 20:38 SOL Trade 28:27 Bitcoin vs. Crypto 34:16 Market Cycle Analysis This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Ripple Director of Product Jasmine Cooper and Axelar Co-Founder Sergey Gorbunov discuss advancements in Real World Assets (RWAs), tokenization, and interoperability. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:12 Interoperable RWAs 04:18 Regulatory Clarity 08:09 RWA Tech Stack 11:37 White Labeling RWAs 13:05 Choosing a Chain 14:43 XRP Ledger RWA Experience 20:35 Asset Issuance 101 22:49 Global Accessibility of RWAs 26:05 Corporate Admin Crypto Adoption 27:26 Advancements in Interoperability 30:26 Axelar's Development Roadmaps 31:39 Institutional RWA FAQs 34:25 Closing Thoughts 35:55 Axelar Wrap-Up This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Axelar. Axelar is scaling interoperability to connect hundreds of new blockchains anticipated in the Ethereum L2 ecosystem. Find out more at axelar.network/layer2 The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Justin Slaughter is the vice president of regulatory affairs at Paradigm. In this episode, Slaughter and Chaparro discuss the Democratic Party's performance leading up to and during the recent election, particularly in relation to the crypto industry. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:19 2024 Election Recap 04:47 Harris Campaign 07:50 Single-Issue Crypto Voters 11:13 Democratic Party Policy 22:48 Policy Flip-Flopping 26:49 Split Ticket Voters 36:37 New SEC Regime 43:01 Pro-Crypto Democrats 45:06 Predictions & Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Alex Gluchowski is the Co-Founder CEO of Matter Labs, a company focused on scaling Ethereum using zero-knowledge proofs, and Matthias Broner is their Head of Growth for Latin America. In this episode, Gluchowski and Broner discuss the QuarkID project in Buenos Aires, which uses zero-knowledge proofs to give citizens control over their digital identity and serve as a model for decentralized digital identity systems. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:25 Blockchain Scaling 07:19 Buenos Ares ZK-Powered 12:01 Government Innovation 16:40 DID Tech Stack 18:25 ZK 101 19:57 Impact on Argentinian 21:39 DID Expansion 25:59 Crypto's Utility 31:33 Development Roadmap 32:42 Public Services Onchain 34:50 DID Security 36:24 ZKsync Roadmap This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Robert Leshner is the CEO of Superstate, an asset management firm that tokenizes traditional financial assets like U.S. Treasuries and brings them onchain. In this episode, Leshner explains the advantages of tokenized assets, such as the ability to operate 24/7 and the increased composability with DeFi protocols. He also discusses the regulatory and macroeconomic tailwinds that have made this an opportune time to launch tokenized products. OUTLINE 00:00 Health & Routines 07:03 Superstate Overview 12:26 Growing DeFi with RWAs 15:22 RWA Revolution 24:24 Benefits of Tokenization 27:18 Onchain vs. Offchain Crypto Exposure 29:18 Real-time NAV Updates 38:16 Real-Time Settlement 41:01 Crypto's Role in TradFi 46:13 The Future of Finance 49:07 Crypto's Regulatory Climate 53:58 Superstate's Asset Roadmap 58:47 Personal Prioritization 62:27 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Erik Voorhees and Teana Baker-Taylor are co-founders of Venice, an open-source and uncensored AI chatbot and content generation platform. In this episode, the Venice co-founders discuss the vision and approach of their product in contrast to more restrictive and centralized AI models like ChatGPT. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:43 Origin of Venice AI 02:37 'AI is like Bitcoin but scarier' 07:29 Proprietary AI Models 09:12 Regulatory Inefficiencies 11:16 Global AI Regulatory Regimes 16:46 AI Censorship 20:11 Moderation on Venice 25:01 Freedom vs Privacy 34:11 Venice Pricing Model 36:35 AI Agents 39:44 AI 'Rights' 50:37 Venice Roadmap 54:10 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Michael Shaulov is the Co-Founder & CEO of Fireblocks. In this episode, Shaulov discusses how Fireblocks' core business has evolved over the past few years, particularly in the area of stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:56 Business at Fireblocks 06:15 Fireblocks & Stablecoins 09:59 RWA TVL Growth 15:36 Institutional Stablecoin Adoption 25:22 TradFi's Adoption of Crypto Infrastructure 29:27 Onchain Identity Systems 38:10 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Sam Hallene and Aryan Sheikhalia are analysts at CMT Digital, a subsidiary of the CMT Group. In this episode, Hallene and Sheikhalia unpack the key trends they are observing in crypto's VC market, including the intersection of blockchain and AI and its implication for improving user data ownership, verified inference, and the use of blockchain to govern non-deterministic models. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 05:31 Current VC Landscape 07:02 VC Market Decoupling 12:11 PMF in Crypto 15:58 Non-Financial Use Cases 22:00 DeFi's Future 23:17 Tokenization Trends 29:13 Crypto Venture Market Forecast 35:56 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Sandy Peng is the co-founder of Scroll. In this episode, Peng discusses scaling Ethereum and particularly emphasizes the importance of business insight and experience outside of crypto in driving application-level innovation. OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 01:07 Peng's Journey to Scroll 04:27 Peng's Regulatory Background 07:52 Industry Headwinds 10:31 Ethereum Scaling Competition 15:00 Consumer Crypto Apps 16:49 Improving Crypto UX 23:06 Stepn's Success 26:11 ZK Advantages 29:45 Scroll's Roadmap 34:14 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

This episode of The Scoop features Bitget Wallet COO Alvin Kan, and two builders from the TON ecosystem — Catizen co-founder Ricky Wong and Miles, a core team member of Tomarket. The conversation explores how Telegram's large user base is enabling rapid adoption and growth of Telegram 'Mini Apps' on top of the TON blockchain. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:29 TON Overview 03:06 TON's Advantages 06:21 TON's Future 08:29 Catizen's Hyper Adoption 10:30 Tomarket Overview 12:34 Ton Ecosystem Collaboration 15:54 Building on TON 17:14 TON's Consumer Focus 20:56 TON User Behavior 24:45 User Retention 27:59 TON Roadmap 31:47 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Vishal Gupta is the co-founder and CEO of TrueX — a new stablecoin-native trading platform. In this episode, Gupta unpacks how TrueX aims to provide a "stablecoin-native" trading experience with segregated custody, primarily targeted at institutional clients in the United States. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:50 TrueX Overview 11:13 Exchange Innovation 14:42 Institutional Client Trading Needs 17:52 Stablecoin Collateral 19:21 TrueX Matching Engine 23:11 Segregated Service Offerings 25:52 TrueX Funding 27:41 Broker Adoption 31:06 Crypto's Credit Market 33:51 True Markets Roadmap 35:50 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Steve Kurz is the Global Digital Head of Asset Management at Galaxy Digital. In this episode, Kurz and Chaparro discuss the current state and future of crypto asset management, including the challenges and opportunities in the industry. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:53 Refining Market Structure 03:36 Galaxy Strategy 06:31 TradFi Capital Allocators 09:17 Future Products 13:26 Galaxy PMF 15:05 Crypto Lending 17:11 Regulatory Climate 19:40 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

David Ripley is the CEO of Kraken. In this episode, Ripley discusses Kraken's strategic expansion into institutional services, including custody and lending. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:57 Institutional Crypto Services 07:22 FTX Fallout 11:02 Institutional Adoption 15:25 Crypto Credit Crisis 17:10 Crypto Banking 19:14 Regulatory Environment 22:39 Closing Thoughts This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network The Block Community The Block is launching a new community experience for fans of The Scoop! Follow us on Lens to stay in the loop: hey.xyz/u/theblockcommunity The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters