Exploring how to use NFTs, DAOs, Crypto and The Metaverse to create thriving communities and transform traditional business models. Web3 Academy is a community of creators, entrepreneurs & marketers on the forefront of Web3 innovation Join our discord to learn, share, ask, and network: https://w3academy.io Read our Web3 Report to learn how blockchain, NFTs, tokens and the Metaverse are revolutionizing marketing and business: https://report.w3academy.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/web3academy_ Kyle's Twitter: https://twitter.com/KyleReidhead Jay's Twitter: https://twitter.com/hammyjay

In this episode, Karl explains why Optimism is betting on a future with potentially millions of chains, where financial institutions, exchanges, fintech companies, and major businesses operate their own customized Layer 2 networks. We break down why companies like Coinbase and Kraken are using the OP Stack, how institutional crypto adoption could accelerate, and what this new model could mean for Ethereum.~~~~~

Ethereum may already be becoming the settlement layer for tokenized finance. But before it can truly power global financial markets, one major problem still needs to be solved: speed. In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, we sit down with the team from ETH Labs to break down the push for a faster Ethereum, including Quick Slots, faster finality, L1-to-L2 interoperability, account abstraction, and what these upgrades could mean for ETH.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Ashley Ebersole to break down what the setback means for crypto investors, builders, tokenization, and the future of digital asset regulation in the United States. Ashley explains why the failure of the CLARITY Act may be more of a speed bump than an endpoint, how the SEC and CFTC could move forward without new legislation, and why regulatory rulemaking still matters even if it lacks the permanence of a law passed by Congress.~~~~~

Raoul Pal joins Milk Road Crypto to explain why he believes crypto investors are being handed a rare opportunity: the chance to own the infrastructure that could power the emerging AI and machine economy. In this episode, Raoul breaks down his latest macro and crypto outlook, including why global liquidity, not individual Fed decisions, remains the key force driving Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and the broader crypto market. He explains why AI investment is currently absorbing enormous amounts of capital, what needs to change for crypto liquidity to accelerate, and why a weaker dollar could become an important catalyst for risk assets.~~~~~

Dan Tapiero, founder and CEO of 50T Funds, joins the show to explain why he believes the crypto market has already bottomed, and why the next phase of the digital asset bull market could be much bigger than investors expect. Dan breaks down the macro signals he believes marked the bottom for Bitcoin and Ethereum, including changes in the U.S. dollar, Treasury markets, gold, liquidity, and interest rates. He also explains why crypto prices can be in a bear market while the broader digital asset ecosystem, including stablecoins, real-world assets, prediction markets, decentralized exchanges, and perpetual futures, continues to grow.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Wyatt Khosrowshahi, investor at Castle Island Ventures, to break down the next phase of decentralized finance, tokenization, real-world assets, stablecoins, and the changing crypto investment landscape. Wyatt explains why DeFi may no longer have an infrastructure problem; it has an asset-quality problem. As more high-quality assets move onchain, from tokenized Treasuries and private credit to real estate and other yield-bearing products, DeFi could begin attracting a much stickier and more institutional pool of capital.~~~~~

Tokenization could become one of the biggest investment themes in crypto, and Bitwise believes the opportunity is only beginning. In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, Bitwise Head of Research Ryan Rasmussen and Research Analyst Ish Asad break down why tokenized assets, DeFi, stablecoins, and onchain finance could drive the next major phase of crypto adoption. We discuss why Bitwise believes Bitcoin may have already bottomed, why $100K BTC by year-end could be conservative, and why improving fundamentals could finally be catching up with crypto prices.~~~~~

Jordi Visser joins Milk Road Crypto to explain why his conviction in crypto has surged, and why he believes the setup for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and tokenized assets could be one of the strongest in years. Jordi breaks down the technical signal that changed his outlook on Bitcoin, why he believes crypto could grow into a $50–100 trillion asset class within five years, and how hundreds of trillions of dollars in traditional assets could eventually move onchain through tokenization.~~~~~

Tokenization is moving from a crypto experiment to a potentially multi-trillion-dollar transformation of global financial markets. In this episode, Securitize co-founder and CEO Carlos Domingo joins us to explain what comes next for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), why the industry could grow from tens of billions to trillions of dollars, and how stocks, Treasuries, private credit, and other traditional assets are moving onto public blockchains.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Katie Talati, Head of Research at Arca, to break down the biggest rotations happening across the crypto market, from the explosion of activity on Robinhood Chain to the battle between Uniswap and Aerodrome, Zcash's massive privacy-driven rally, and the growing wave of token buybacks across DeFi.~~~~~

Bitcoin is breaking higher, crypto sentiment has rapidly flipped from fear to greed, altcoins are waking up, and capital is flowing back into DeFi. In this episode, we break down the signals suggesting the crypto market may have already turned, and why waiting for perfect confirmation could mean missing some of the biggest moves.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Neil Steinhardt, COO of Nexo US, to break down why crypto-backed lending is growing again, how Nexo survived the brutal 2022 crypto downturn, and why regulatory clarity could unlock a new wave of institutional capital. Neil explains why more crypto investors are choosing to borrow against their Bitcoin and digital assets instead of selling them, how Nexo manages risk during periods of extreme market volatility, and why the company is evolving beyond crypto lending into a broader digital asset wealth management platform.~~~~~

What brings the next major wave of capital into crypto? After ICOs, stablecoins, and Bitcoin ETFs opened the door to institutional adoption, OKX Global Chief Commercial Officer Lennix Lai believes tokenization and AI agents could help drive the next evolution of the crypto market. In this episode, Lennix breaks down how tokenized stocks, real-world assets, and traditional finance are beginning to merge with DeFi, and why putting assets onchain could unlock entirely new financial products rather than simply recreate Wall Street on blockchain rails.~~~~~

Bitcoin has rallied back to $79,000, but is the bear market actually over, or is one final Bitcoin crash still coming? In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Michael Terpin to break down where Bitcoin sits in its market cycle and what could happen next. Michael now sees an 80% chance that Bitcoin's June/July low marked the bottom. But that doesn't mean BTC is heading straight to $100K. He explains why Bitcoin could retrace toward $70K, or even the $60Ks, before the next major phase of the bull market begins.~~~~~

Tokenized stocks are officially arriving onchain, and Aerodrome wants to become the liquidity layer powering the next generation of financial markets. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Cutler, CEO and co-founder of Dromos Labs, the team behind Aerodrome, to break down Coinbase's launch of tokenized stocks on Base and why he believes this could mark the beginning of a much bigger shift toward bringing global financial markets onchain.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Jess Houlgrave, CEO of WalletConnect, to unpack what the data reveals about the massive shift happening onchain. WalletConnect connects roughly 700 wallets with around 80,000 applications and processed more than $207 billion in volume during the first half of 2026 alone. The biggest growth story? Institutions.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, Fundstrat's Tom Lee breaks down why he believes Ethereum is still “vastly, vastly undervalued”, and why the next five years of crypto could be defined by ETH, tokenization, AI agents, and Wall Street moving financial assets onchain. After Ethereum's explosive rally and massive crypto short squeeze, Tom explains why he believes this could be the start of a much larger move rather than another temporary bounce. He also reveals why Bitmine has accumulated more than $14 billion worth of ETH, why it is targeting 5% of Ethereum's total supply, and why he believes even Ethereum's previous all-time highs could significantly undervalue the network's long-term opportunity.~~~~~

Bitwise just launched Automated Token Portfolios (ATPs), a new way to access professionally designed investment strategies directly from a crypto wallet. Could this be the next evolution of asset management after ETFs? Ryan Rasmussen, Head of Research at Bitwise, joins Milk Road Crypto to break down the launch of ATPs, created in partnership with Coinbase and Glider. Ryan explains how these portfolios combine Bitwise's investment strategies, Coinbase's tokenized stocks infrastructure, and Glider's onchain automation to give investors exposure to thematic portfolios including AI, robotics, and the Magnificent Seven plus SpaceX.~~~~~

Bitcoin just experienced the biggest short squeeze in crypto history, wiping out billions in short positions and sending BTC sharply higher. But is this the start of the next Bitcoin bull run, or does the market still need one major catalyst before it can break to new all-time highs? In this episode of the Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Charles Edwards, founder of Capriole Investments, to break down Bitcoin's latest rally, the return of institutional buying, ETF demand, critical BTC price levels, and what needs to happen for Bitcoin to enter a new phase of price discovery.~~~~~

Bitcoin surged toward $80K as billions in short positions were liquidated, spot demand returned, and the market began questioning whether the crypto bottom is already behind us. But while Bitcoin is grabbing the headlines, Ethereum may be setting up for an even more important shift. In today's episode, LG and John explore why ETH could be positioned to outperform Bitcoin, what the breakout from Ethereum's decade-long trend against BTC could signal, and why tokenization, stablecoins, institutional adoption, and AI agents could become major long-term drivers of the Ethereum ecosystem.~~~~~

Bitcoin is finally showing signs of life after months of sideways price action. BTC has broken above $72,000, Ethereum is surging, and billions of dollars in short positions have been squeezed. But is this the beginning of a new crypto bull market or just another rally that will fade? In this episode of the Milk Road Show, John Gillen sits down with former Coinbase Head of Institutional Research David Duong to break down the Bitcoin breakout, the macro setup for Q4, and why he believes the Bitcoin bottom may already be in.~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, Lucas joins John Gillen to break down the recent Bitcoin and crypto rally, whether the bear market is finally ending, and why his outlook on Ethereum has changed dramatically. Lucas explains why Ethereum today reminds him of Solana after the FTX collapse: sentiment is washed out, investors have capitulated, but the fundamentals underneath the network are improving. With Wall Street accelerating its move onchain, tokenized assets growing, and Ethereum refocusing its roadmap around L1 scaling, privacy, and long-term resilience, could ETH be significantly under-owned?~~~~~

In this episode of Milk Road Crypto, John Gillen sits down with Rob from Digital Asset News to break down the latest Bitcoin rally, whether BTC has already found its cycle bottom, and why Rob believes there could still be more pain ahead before the next major crypto bull market. Rob explains why Bitcoin's 200-week moving average has historically been an important accumulation zone, how he adjusts his Bitcoin DCA strategy as prices fall, and why the four-year Bitcoin cycle still plays a major role in his investment strategy. He also discusses what a potential BTC bottom could look like, including a scenario where Bitcoin falls significantly lower before recovering.~~~~~

Bitcoin has been stuck around $64K for weeks, volatility has collapsed to historically low levels, and investors are still waiting for the next major move. But what if the Bitcoin bottom is already behind us? In this episode of the Milk Road Show, John Gillen sits down with Bitcoin onchain analyst Matt Crosby to break down what the latest Bitcoin data is actually telling us. Matt explains why several onchain indicators are flashing levels of capitulation and investor pain associated with previous Bitcoin bear market bottoms, and why waiting for BTC to fall to $50K or for an October bottom could be a mistake.~~~~~

Crypto prices may still feel stuck, but behind the scenes, Wall Street's commitment to digital assets is only getting stronger. In today's episode of the Milk Road Show, LG Doucet and John Gillen break down why major financial institutions are continuing to deploy capital, resources, and attention into crypto despite the bear market, and why the disconnect between weak price action and improving fundamentals could be setting up a major opportunity.~~~~~

Figure Markets just delivered a massive Q2 earnings report, and the numbers suggest Wall Street may still be misunderstanding the company. In this episode of The Milk Road Show, John Gillen sits down with Milk Road analyst Martin to break down the bull case for Figure Markets, why its revenue and profits are growing so quickly, and how Figure is evolving from a specialty lender into a scalable financial marketplace built on blockchain infrastructure.~~~~~

Is the Bitcoin bottom already in, or does crypto have another leg lower before the next bull run? In this episode of the Milk Road Show, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan joins John Gillen to explain why Bitcoin's unusually quiet price action could actually be a bullish signal, and why institutional crypto adoption continues to accelerate despite the bear market. Matt breaks down why “bear markets die in apathy,” what Bitcoin's resistance to bad news could be telling investors, and whether waiting for a widely anticipated October bottom could be a mistake. He also explains how he thinks about buying Bitcoin today versus DCAing into a position. But the bigger story may be what's happening behind the scenes on Wall Street.~~~~~

Solana network activity is surging, onchain trading continues to grow, and major infrastructure players are building for the next generation of crypto markets. So why hasn't the price of SOL reflected that growth? In this episode of The Milk Road Show, John Gillen sits down with Rebecca Rettig, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Jito Labs, to break down what's really happening across the Solana ecosystem, why network fundamentals and SOL price action may be disconnected, and how Jito is positioning itself for the future of onchain finance.~~~~~

In this episode of The Milk Road Show, we sit down with Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, to break down why Bitcoin miners are increasingly becoming AI infrastructure and data center plays. Matthew explains why AI compute can generate significantly more value from electricity than Bitcoin mining, how VanEck values these companies, and why the recent selloff pushed him to double down on some of his highest-conviction positions.~~~~~

Is Bitcoin quietly building the foundation for its next bull market? In today's episode of the Milk Road Show, we break down where Bitcoin sits in the current market cycle, why price action has been unusually quiet, and what could trigger the next major move. Is this just another bear market rally, or is Bitcoin forming a long-term bottom while most investors remain on the sidelines?~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Lincoln Murr, AI Product Lead at Coinbase, to explore why the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain could become the next major catalyst for the crypto industry. We dive into Coinbase's vision for agentic finance, where AI agents can trade, manage portfolios, make payments, and interact with onchain applications autonomously. ~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with the co-founders of Ethereum Institutional to discuss why Ethereum is making one of its biggest strategic shifts yet. Instead of waiting for institutions to come to crypto, Ethereum is building a dedicated organization to bring Wall Street onchain.~~~~~

Is the Bitcoin bottom finally in? If so, which altcoins have the best chance of leading the next crypto bull market? In this episode, John Gillen sits down with Austin Arnold (Altcoin Daily) to break down exactly how he's positioning his portfolio for the next cycle. They discuss Bitcoin's bottoming process, the biggest crypto narratives to watch, and why only a handful of altcoins are likely to outperform.~~~~~

In this episode of The Milk Road Show, we sit down with Nick Forster, Co-Founder & CEO of Derive, to explore why onchain options could become one of the biggest opportunities in crypto. We discuss why options are finally seeing mainstream adoption, how they compare to perpetual futures, and why tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and AI could dramatically expand the market over the coming years.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with DJ Ha Trang, to break down why she believes Solana is entering its “third leap”, a new phase that could push SOL to fresh all-time highs. Unlike previous cycles driven by NFTs or memecoins, this time the story is about real adoption. We dive into the data behind Solana's growing dominance in onchain trading, exploding stablecoin activity, tokenized stocks, RWAs, prediction markets, and why institutions are increasingly paying attention.~~~~~

In this episode of The Milk Road Show, we sit down with Mike Silagadze, CEO of EtherFi, to explore why the future of crypto may have less to do with speculation and more to do with banking. EtherFi started as one of Ethereum's largest liquid staking protocols, but it's now evolving into a full crypto neobank, offering staking, spending, borrowing, and yield products built entirely onchain.~~~~~

While much of the market is focused on memecoins, ETFs, and the next altcoin rally, Algorand has been building around two of the biggest long-term trends in technology: AI agents and quantum computing. In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Mark Vanlerberghe, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at the Algorand Foundation and former Google executive who helped scale Android, to discuss why Algorand believes it's building the blockchain infrastructure institutions and AI systems will need over the next decade.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, John Gillen sits down with Kam Benbrik, Head of Research at Bitwise Staking, to break down Bitwise's latest Staking Report and explain why the biggest bullish signal in crypto right now may have nothing to do with price. We discuss why staking demand keeps climbing, why blockchain fees are getting cheaper while usage explodes, how institutions are using staking to generate yield, and why the market may be underestimating what's happening across Ethereum, Solana, Hyperliquid, Avalanche, and other leading crypto ecosystems.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Josh Riezman, Chief Legal & Strategy Officer at GSR, one of the world's largest crypto market makers, to break down everything you need to know about the Clarity Act, crypto regulation, tokenization, and why Wall Street is preparing for an onchain future. We explain how the Clarity Act could provide long-awaited regulatory clarity for the crypto industry, why institutions have been waiting on the sidelines, and how this legislation could unlock the next wave of adoption from banks, asset managers, and traditional finance.~~~~~

In today's episode of the Milk Road Show, John and LG break down the biggest catalysts that could determine where Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the broader crypto market head next. From this week's FOMC meeting and the latest developments around the Clarity Act to Robinhood's aggressive crypto strategy and growing institutional adoption, they discuss why the market may be on the verge of its next major move.~~~~~

In today's episode, we break down why Bitcoin's recent price action may be a counter-trend rally rather than a full market cycle reversal, how ETF flow rates of change are signaling key inflection points, and why the DeFi sector is emerging as a sneaky outperformer. Jamie Coutts explains how protocols are finally addressing the token supply-side problem through improved tokenomics, why Bitcoin is fighting a two-front war for capital against gold and AI tech stocks, and how the rise of the agentic AI economy will become crypto's biggest structural tailwind in the years ahead.~~~~~

In today's episode, we break down the launch of Ethlabs and its ambitious mission to position Ethereum and ETH as the root of the global economy. Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabe Monnot, and Julian Ma explain how Ethlabs operates alongside the Ethereum Foundation as a new nonprofit R&D hub, why upcoming protocol improvements like fast confirmation rules and shorter slot times will dramatically boost network speed and UX, and how new Layer 2s - like Robinhood Chain - help drive massive user distribution and long-term value back to the ETH asset. ~~~~~

In today's episode, we sit down with CryptoQuant Head of Research Julio Moreno to analyze whether Ethereum has finally bottomed against Bitcoin - or if it is simply cheap. Julio breaks down five key metrics to determine where the market stands in its valuation cycle. He explains why speculative interest in ETH has been fully washed out, what improving ETF demand signals for an upcoming shift in relative strength, and why current Bitcoin price action reflects a seasonal bear market rally before late-stage capitulation settles.~~~~~

In today's episode, we break down why institutional DeFi is hitting record adoption despite weak retail market sentiment, how fintech giants like Robinhood are integrating DeFi rails behind the scenes, and why the future of capital markets is moving entirely on-chain through tokenization and automated yield vaults.Sid Powell explains how Maple Finance reached nearly $2 billion in active loans during a bear market, why Maple's unique single-token structure aligns protocol revenues directly with SYRUP buybacks, and how neobanks and traditional asset managers will drive the next wave of global adoption.~~~~~

Avichal Garg explains the critical difference between "missionary" and "mercenary" founders, why major networks like Ethereum, Solana, and Near still hold massive long-term value despite bear market conditions, and how bringing real-world assets on-chain creates unprecedented operational efficiencies and yield opportunities for global investors, unlocking trillions of dollars in market value.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Colin McCune, Head of Government Affairs at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), to break down the latest developments in Washington, why the Clarity Act matters for Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, and crypto startups, and how U.S. regulation could shape the next phase of the bull market.~~~~~

Has Bitcoin already found its bottom? Former Coinbase Head of Institutional Research David Duong joins the Milk Road Show to explain why the macro outlook for Bitcoin is becoming increasingly bullish. We break down why cooling inflation, the Federal Reserve's next moves, improving ETF flows, and shifting market sentiment could create a strong setup for Bitcoin in the months ahead. David also shares his thoughts on the AI trade, Robinhood's new blockchain, the Clarity Act, institutional adoption, and why he believes investors are focusing on the wrong headlines.~~~~~

In this episode of The Milk Road Show, we sit down with William Quigley, co-founder of Tether and an early investor in Coinbase, Kraken, and dozens of other crypto projects, to discuss the biggest shifts happening in crypto today. We break down why Tether chose to leave Europe under MiCA, what the U.S. Clarity Act could mean for digital assets, why Big Tech companies like Apple, Amazon, and Meta may eventually launch their own digital currencies, and whether regulation is strengthening or weakening the crypto ecosystem.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Matt Crosby, Director of Research & Analytics at Bitcoin Magazine Pro, to break down the latest Bitcoin onchain data, macro trends, ETF flows, and market cycles. Matt explains why a rare confluence of indicators, including MVRV, Realized Price, long-term holder cost basis, mining production costs, and global liquidity, suggests Bitcoin may be entering one of its most attractive buying opportunities since the 2022 bear market.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Nick Roberts-Huntley, CEO of Blueprint Finance, to unpack why Wall Street is quietly building the infrastructure that could power crypto's next major growth cycle. We discuss why Ethereum and Solana aren't necessarily competitors, how institutions are thinking about blockchain adoption, and why the biggest opportunity in crypto may be happening behind the scenes.~~~~~

In this episode of the Milk Road Show, we sit down with Nick Roberts-Huntley, CEO of Blueprint Finance, to unpack why Wall Street is quietly building the infrastructure that could power crypto's next major growth cycle. We discuss why Ethereum and Solana aren't necessarily competitors, how institutions are thinking about blockchain adoption, and why the biggest opportunity in crypto may be happening behind the scenes.~~~~~