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Our 230th episode with a summary and discussion of last week's big AI news!Recorded on 01/02/2026Hosted by Andrey Kurenkov and Jeremie HarrisFeel free to email us your questions and feedback at contact@lastweekinai.com and/or hello@gladstone.aiRead out our text newsletter and comment on the podcast at https://lastweekin.ai/In this episode:Nvidia's acquisition of AI chip startup Groq for $20 billion highlights a strategic move for enhanced inference technology in GPUs.New York's RAISE Act legislation aims to regulate AI safety, marking the second major AI safety bill in the US.The launch of GLM 4.7 by Zhipu AI marks a significant advancement in open-source AI models for coding.Evaluation of long-horizon AI agents raises concerns about the rising costs and efficiency of AI in performing extended tasks.Timestamps:(00:00:10) Intro / Banter(00:01:58) 2025 RetrospectiveTools & Apps(00:24:39) OpenAI bets big on audio as Silicon Valley declares war on screens | TechCrunchApplications & Business(00:26:39) Nvidia buying AI chip startup Groq for about $20 billion, biggest deal(00:34:28) Exclusive | Meta Buys AI Startup Manus, Adding Millions of Paying Users - WSJ(00:38:05) Cursor continues acquisition spree with Graphite deal | TechCrunch(00:39:15) Micron Hikes CapEx to $20B with 2026 HBM Supply Fully Booked; HBM4 Ramps 2Q26(00:42:06) Chinese fabs are reportedly upgrading older ASML DUV lithography chipmaking machines — secondary channels and independent engineers used to soup up Twinscan NXT seriesProjects & Open Source(00:47:52) Z.AI launches GLM-4.7, new SOTA open-source model for coding(00:50:11) Evaluating AI's ability to perform scientific research tasksResearch & Advancements(00:54:32) Large Causal Models from Large Language Models(00:57:33) Universally Converging Representations of Matter Across Scientific Foundation Models(01:02:11) META-RL INDUCES EXPLORATION IN LANGUAGE AGENTS(01:07:16) Are the Costs of AI Agents Also Rising Exponentially?(01:11:17) METR eval for Opus 4.5(01:16:19) How to game the METR plotPolicy & Safety(01:17:24) New York governor Kathy Hochul signs RAISE Act to regulate AI safety | TechCrunch(01:20:40) Activation Oracles: Training and Evaluating LLMs as General-Purpose Activation Explainers(01:26:46) Monitoring Monitorability(01:32:07) Sam Altman is hiring someone to worry about the dangers of AI | The Verge(01:33:38) X users asking Grok to put this girl in bikini, Grok is happy obliging - India TodaySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode, Lex speaks with Gracy Chen - Bitget's CEO, who transitioned from a fintech entrepreneur to leading one of the top five global crypto exchanges. Bitget processes $10–20 billion in daily trading volume and serves 120 million users across centralized and decentralized platforms. Its geographic base is mostly in Asia, but it's expanding into Europe through regulatory compliance and new products like tokenized US stocks, which have already surpassed $20 billion in trading volume.Bitget differentiates through security features, including a $600 million protection fund, and user acquisition via both brand campaigns (e.g. Messi sponsorship) and local affiliate (KOL) marketing. Looking ahead, Bitget aims to move beyond crypto-native assets toward mass adoption, focusing on product-market fit and offering tokenized real-world assets and enterprise services.NOTABLE DISCUSSION POINTS:Bitget Is Transitioning Toward Regulatory Compliance and Tokenized AssetsBitget, historically an offshore crypto exchange, is shifting to a compliance-first strategy in key markets like Europe (e.g., under MiCA). It's also diversifying its product offering beyond altcoins, including tokenized US stocks and forex, which have already generated $20B in trading volume. This reflects a broader industry trend where crypto platforms aim to integrate with traditional finance and support real-world assets (RWAs).Bitget's User Acquisition Combines Web2 Financial Discipline with Web3 Community TacticsBitget uses a hybrid marketing approach: brand partnerships like the Leo Messi campaign and grassroots affiliate marketing via KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) who earn volume-based rebates. Additionally, local teams are given budget control and tailor acquisition strategies per market. This decentralized yet data-informed model mimics Web2 CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) analysis while leveraging crypto-native community dynamics.Exchanges Are Struggling with Unsustainable Token Launch ModelsGracy Chen criticizes the crypto industry's overreliance on speculative “narrative-driven” token launches, noting that even well-funded tokens often fail without real product-market fit. Bitget is responding by requiring more tangible utility and sustainability from listed projects and aims to balance value across users, exchanges, and project teams through mechanisms like airdrop campaigns and launch pools with
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on December 27, 2025. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Floor796Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46401612&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:55): Nvidia's $20B antitrust loopholeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46403559&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:21): Apple releases open-source model that instantly turns 2D photos into 3D viewsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46401539&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:47): Show HN: Ez FFmpeg – Video editing in plain EnglishOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46400251&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:13): How we lost communication to entertainmentOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46404848&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:39): Gpg.failOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46403200&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:05): Publishing your work increases your luckOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46397991&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:31): QNX Self-Hosted Developer DesktopOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46398201&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:56): Janet Jackson had the power to crash laptop computers (2022)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46403291&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:22): Replacing JavaScript with Just HTMLOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46407337&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
Nvidia strikes a $20B deal with Groq. China imposes sanctions on 20 U.S. defense-related companies. Plus, as holiday shopping wraps up, returns are just beginning. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Market update for Friday December 26, 2025Follow us on Instagram (@TheRundownDaily) for bonus content and instant reactions.In today's episode: Nvidia makes $20B deal with AI chip company GroqSilver & gold prices continue historic rallyMemory chip stocks jump on AI-driven price hikesBiohaven shares nosedive on depression drug trial failureCoca-Cola responsible for modern day Santa Claus
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on December 24, 2025. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Tell HN: Merry ChristmasOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46380168&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:51): Unifi Travel RouterOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46371135&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:12): Nvidia buying AI chip startup Groq for about $20B in cashOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46379183&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:34): Phoenix: A modern X server written from scratch in ZigOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46380075&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(05:55): Show HN: Minimalist editor that lives in browser, stores everything in the URLOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46378554&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:17): Show HN: Vibium – Browser automation for AI and humans, by Selenium's creatorOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46377597&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(08:38): Fabrice Bellard: Biography (2009) [pdf]Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46377862&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:59): When Compilers Surprise YouOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46375384&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:21): Don't Become the MachineOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46372153&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:42): Nabokov's guide to foreigners learning RussianOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46371423&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
Ho Ho Ho, Alex here! (a real human writing these words, this needs to be said in 2025) Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate) and welcome to the very special yearly ThursdAI recap! This was an intense year in the world of AI, and after 51 weekly episodes (this is episode 52!) we have the ultimate record of all the major and most important AI releases of this year! So instead of bringing you a weekly update (it's been a slow week so far, most AI labs are taking a well deserved break, the Cchinese AI labs haven't yet surprised anyone), I'm dropping a comprehensive yearly AI review! Quarter by quarter, month by month, both in written form and as a pod/video! Why do this? Who even needs this? Isn't most of it obsolete? I have asked myself this exact question while prepping for the show (it was quite a lot of prep, even with Opus's help). I eventually landed on, hey, if nothing else, this will serve as a record of the insane week of AI progress we all witnessed. Can you imagine that the term Vibe Coding is less than 1 year old? That Claude Code was released at the start of THIS year? We get hedonicly adapt to new AI goodies so quick, and I figured this will serve as a point in time check, we can get back to and feel the acceleration! With that, let's dive in - P.S. the content below is mostly authored by my co-author for this, Opus 4.5 high, which at the end of 2025 I find the best creative writer with the best long context coherence that can imitate my voice and tone (hey, I'm also on a break!
Real-world assets exploded from $5B to $20B in 2025, and 2026 could hit $400B.In this episode of Money Moves Fast, we sit down with Chris Yin and Teddy Pornprinya of Plume Network to review 2025's explosive RWA growth and predict what's coming in 2026. Chris and Teddy break down the duration vs liquidity trade-off, private credit's $22B onchain opportunity, and why fed rate cuts are setting up the coming RWA explosion.We discuss:- Why CLOs Are The New T-Bills- How Plume Captured 50% of All RWA Users- The Duration vs. Liquidity Trade-Off- Private Credit's $22B Onchain Opportunity- Permissionless Access to Institutional Products- Fed Rate Cuts & The Coming RWA Explosion- Best Ways to Capture the 5-10x UpsideTimestamps:00:00 Intro00:47 Polygon Ad01:05 2025 Year in Review02:51 Understanding CLOs & Triple-A Ratings05:48 Janus Henderson's $500M Deployment07:17 Rate Cuts & Yield Hunting10:28 Plume's Permissionless Strategy13:11 Network Dominance: Ethereum vs. The Rest16:04 Duration Risk Explained18:06 Active Address Leadership22:46 Who Are Plume's Users?25:23 RWA Looping Strategies26:55 Halliday Ad, Trezor Ad, Hibachi Ad28:02 Covering Duration Risk30:13 User Base: KYC vs. Permissionless34:22 Fed Rate Cuts & 2026 Outlook36:19 infiniFi Ad, YEET Ad, Kalshi Ad37:21 The Coming Nuclear Growth Phase39:04 How to Get Exposure to RWA Growth40:55 Top Infrastructure Plays42:14 Closing ThoughtsWebsite: https://therollup.co/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd...Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcastFollow us on X: https://www.x.com/therollupcoFollow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollupFollow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandyJoin our TG group: https://t.me/+TsM1CRpWFgk1NGZhThe Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl
Sanjit Biswas is one of the rare founders who has scaled AI in the physical world – first with Meraki, and now with Samsara, a $20B+ public company with sensors deployed across millions of vehicles and job sites. Capturing 90 billion miles of driving data each year, Samsara operates at a scale matched only by a small handful of companies. Sanjit discusses why physical AI is fundamentally different from cloud-based AI, from running inference on two- to ten-watt edge devices to managing the messy diversity of real-world data—weather, road conditions, and the long tail of human behavior. He also shares how advances in foundation models unlock new capabilities like video reasoning, why distributed compute at the edge still beats centralized data centers for many autonomy workloads, and how AI is beginning to coach frontline workers—not just detect risk, but recognize good driving and improve fuel efficiency. Sanjit also explains why connectivity, sensors, and compute were the original “why now” for Samsara, and how those compounding curves will reshape logistics, field service, construction, and every asset-heavy industry. Hosted by Sonya Huang and Pat Grady, Sequoia Capital
In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, welcomes Jonathan Weiss, former CEO of Corporate and Investment Bank at Wells Fargo, and former MD of JPMorgan Chase, to reflect on leadership, trust, and ethics across a 45-year career in finance. From his unlikely start as a romance languages major to leading a $20B business, Weiss shares lessons on building ethical cultures, leading through influence, and navigating shifting political and market dynamics. He offers candid insights on rebuilding institutional trust, fostering transparency, and prioritizing customers' best interests, not just avoiding harm. Listeners will learn how humility, emotional intelligence, and consistent values shape resilient leadership and sustainable success. Whether you're early in your career or leading teams at scale, this conversation offers deep insights into balancing performance with integrity in today's financial world.Meet Jonathan Weiss:Jonathan Weiss is the former CEO of Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking, where he led a $20 billion revenue business before retiring in June 2025 after two decades with the firm. Over his 45-year career, he also headed Wells Fargo's Wealth & Investment Management and Wells Fargo Securities divisions, following 25 years at J.P. Morgan and its predecessors. A Princeton graduate in Romance Languages, Weiss is recognised for his ethical leadership and service on boards including Youth I.N.C., the Lawrenceville School, and the National Humanities Center.
In this episode of the Capital Raiser Show, Richard C. Wilson interviews Kevin Harrington—original Shark from Shark Tank, creator of the modern "As Seen On TV" model, and early investor in Celsius. Kevin walks through how he turned unused cable downtime in the 1980s into a billion-dollar infomercial engine, took his company public, and then scaled a global distribution business by syndicating only the proven winners worldwide. He explains why he exited TV at the right time, how he spotted Celsius at $0.10 per share before it became a $20B brand, and why influencer and digital marketing now beat traditional media for consumer products. Kevin also breaks down his philosophy of becoming a Key Person of Influence (KPI)—building your personal brand, writing books, doing 100+ podcasts, and assembling a "dream team" so the best deals and JV opportunities come to you first. He shares lessons from mentoring with Richard Branson, running high-discipline studios, reviewing 1,000+ pitches, and what he looks for in early-stage consumer deals personally and through Cypress Ascendant. If you want to attract better deal flow, build authority in your niche, and operate at true high velocity, this episode is a blueprint. To meet investors in person and plug into our ecosystem, visit https://familyoffices.com/. Our investor club offers 30 nationwide events a year, 10,000 registered investors, and 40 proprietary AI tools to help you raise capital and grow your platform.
Welcome back to another episode of Upside at the EUVC Podcast, where Dan Bowyer, Mads Jensen of SuperSeed, Lomax Ward of Outsized Ventures, and this week's special guest Robin Haak break down the real stories behind the headlines shaping European tech and venture.Robin joins us as the founder of Robin Capital, an early employee at SmartRecruiters, angel in 100+ companies, including eight unicorns, and one of the most active emerging GPs in Europe. He brings deep operator insight, especially into the German ecosystem, politics, and economy, which this episode leans heavily into.We cover everything from UK policy signals to German recession warnings, AI dominance to Europe's bureaucratic drag, the rise of solo GPs, and why the next decade of tech will be won or lost on energy availability more than anything else.What's covered:04:00 EU wants to restrict social media for minorsThe team debates the proposals to ban or limit social media for children under 16, the mental health case, and the tension between safety and overreach.06:00 Surveillance creep & messaging regulationRobin explains concerning drafts that would've allowed governments to read private messages. The group breaks down the slippery slope of “protect the children” legislation.10:00 UK Budget: surprisingly startup-friendlyDan and Lomax unpack EMI reforms, EIS/VCT clarity, and why the market reacted calmly. Signals of a more innovation-forward UK emerge.12:45 Lovable.ai's VAT scandal & Europe's compliance mazeA Swedish engineer's viral post on LinkedIn sparks a discussion on Europe's inconsistent VAT rules, compliance complexity, and whether hypergrowth and European regulation can co-exist.17:00 N26's long struggle with German regulatorsRobin, an early angel, offers an insider's view on the fintech's challenges—BaFin restrictions, governance issues, and the counterfactual: “Would N26 be worth €20B if it were French?”20:00 Germany's big macro problem: stagnation + overloadA brutally honest breakdown of the German economy: energy scarcity, migration overload, rising welfare costs, labor shortages, and political paralysis.28:00 Education, welfare, pensions & the cost structure crisisRobin explains why Germany's systems are buckling: the collapse of PISA scores, overloaded municipalities, and an economic model no longer supported by productivity.33:00 Nuclear shutdowns & Europe's AI energy deficitWhy Germany shut down its safest reactors, how it backfired, and why France and the Nordics will become the new AI infrastructure hubs.40:00 Startup ecosystem: the good, the bad, the bureaucraticFrom Munich's deep tech boom to notary nightmares, ESOP fixes, GmbH limitations, and how founders are learning to hack the system.55:00 The rise of Solo GPsThe team discusses the American roots, European trajectory, operator funds, fund-of-funds appetite, and why founders increasingly prefer solo GPs.01:00:00 AI CornerOpenAI's trillion-dollar capex future, Google's TPU resurgence, Anthropic momentum, Michael Burry shorting AI (and why it's misguided), and the geopolitics of compute.
This blog is the best explanation of AI intelligence increase I've seen: https://metr.org/blog/2025-03-19-measuring-ai-ability-to-complete-long-tasks/ ### Defining Market Bubbles - Traditional definition: 20%+ share price decline with economic slowdown/recession - Alternative perspective: hype/story not matching reality over time (dot-com example) - Duncan's view: share prices ahead of future expectations - Share prices predict future revenue/profit - Decline when reality falls short of predictions ### Historical Bubble Context - Recent cycles analyzed: - COVID (2020) - pandemic-led, quickly reversed with government intervention - GFC (2008) - housing bubble, financial crisis, deeper impact - Tech bubble (1999) - NASDAQ fell 80%, expectations vs reality mismatch - S&L crisis (1992) - mini financial crisis - Volcker era (1980s) - interest rates raised to break inflation ### Current AI Market Dynamics - OpenAI: fastest growing startup ever, $20B revenue run rate in 2 years - Anthropic: grew from $1B to $9B revenue run rate this year - Big tech revenue acceleration through AI-improved ad platform ROI - Key concern: if growth rates plateau, valuations become unsustainable ### Nvidia as Market Bellwether - Central position providing GPUs for data center buildout - Recent earnings beat analyst expectations but share price fell - Market expectations vs analyst expectations are different metrics - 80% of market money judged on 12-month performance vs long-term value creation ### AI Technology Scaling Laws - Intelligence capability doubling every 7 months for 6 years - Progress from 2-second tasks to 90-minute complex programming tasks - Cost per token declining 100x annually on frontier models - Current trajectory: potential for year-long human-equivalent tasks by 2028 ### Investment Scale and Infrastructure - $3 trillion committed to data center construction this year - Power becoming primary bottleneck (not chip supply) - 500-acre solar farms being built around data centers - 7-year backlog on gas turbines, solar+battery fastest deployment option ### Bubble vs Boom Scenarios - Bear case: scaling laws plateau, power constraints limit growth - Short-term revenue slowdown despite long-term potential - Circular investment dependencies create domino effect - Bull case: scaling laws continue, GDP growth accelerates to 5%+ - Current 100% GPU utilization indicates strong demand - Structural productivity gains justify investment levels ### Market Structure Risks - Foundation model layer: 4 roughly equal competitors (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, XAI) - No clear “winner takes all” dynamic emerging - Private company valuations hard to access for retail investors - Application layer: less concentrated, easier to build sustainable businesses - Chip layer: Nvidia dominance but Google TPUs showing competitive performance
Welcome back to the Crypto Curious podcast!
Week of 11/24/25: Mike and Laureen break down the recent high-profile Oval Office meeting between NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Trump, focusing not just on what was discussed, but what was left unsaid. The episode features a compelling clip from political commentator Ken LaCorte, who explains why Palestinians continue their struggle despite overwhelming losses. The hosts discuss a conversation between CBS' Major Garrett and the Free Press' Tanner Nau and analyze Nick Fuentes' efforts to influence the Republican Party by mobilizing young right-wing voters through a new nonprofit organization with openly antisemitic and racist aims. The week's headlines included the PLO's "pay to slay" incentivized terrorism program; a report from the Institute for Standing Against Global Antisemitism on Qatar's $20B influence campaign in U.S. universities; and President Trump's designation of certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as global terrorist organizations. In closing, Mike and Laureen condemn a disturbing incident at the University of South Florida, where Muslim students praying on a parking garage rooftop were harassed, leading to three arrests. Thank you for listening, sharing and subscribing to the Third Opinion Podcast!
How do grace, resilience, and purpose shape the kind of leader you become? In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Laurette Rondenet sits down once again with Michael Byron—author of The Grace Effect: From Brooklyn to Boise—to explore how faith, humility, and heart can transform both business and life. From his humble beginnings in Brooklyn to his trailblazing corporate leadership roles at Albertsons and Walmart, Michael's story is a testament to what's possible when you lead with authenticity and grace.
The Chopping Block unpacks crypto's DATpocalypse — NAVs collapsing, volumes drying up, and consolidation on the horizon. Plus: Vitalik sparks a wave of quantum panic, what Q-Day really means for Bitcoin and smart-contract chains, and why “qubits per share” might become the next great crypto meme. Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This episode opens with the DATpocalypse: almost every DAT is now below NAV, volumes have collapsed outside Bitmine and MicroStrategy, and the market is finally confronting what happens when issuances outrun demand. We get into consolidation talk, preferred-share experiments, capital-structure pivots, and whether any DAT should actually be selling crypto to buy back shares at a discount. Then we shift into quantum mania. Vitalik's “2028” comment lit up Q-Day fears, and we separate genuine hardware progress from pure panic. We discuss why post-quantum upgrades are simple for Bitcoin but brutal for stateful chains, and how hype alone could trigger a wave of “quantum-resistant” speculation. And yes — the running gag: DATs using quantum machines to steal Satoshi's coins. Tough markets, weird narratives, and institutions quietly holding the line. Let's get into it. Show highlights
Watch us on YouTube!Ed and Paul dive deep into OpenAI's massive long-term compute commitments and what it means for the company's economics, competitive positioning, and the broader AI arms race. They break down the tension between explosive revenue growth and unprecedented spending, the venture-logic behind “land-grab” behavior, and the risks these commitments pose to both vendors and competitors. In the second half, the conversation turns to Microsoft Teams, the EU's antitrust ruling, and the messy realities of bundling, competition, and predatory pricing — all served with classic Results Junkies candor, startup-operator logic, and more than a few cheeseburger metaphors. Topics & Timestamps 00:05 – Opening banter & travel logistics Ed and Paul compare time zones, Vegas scenery, and the eternal quest for a cheeseburger. 01:04 – Housekeeping Where to find Ed and Paul online; quick reminders for Results Junkies listeners. 01:20 – OpenAI's staggering compute spend Discussing the article outlining OpenAI's commitment to tens of billions in annual compute spending — and why the math seems wild compared to current revenue. 03:20 – Revenue vs. spend: does the model scale? How OpenAI reportedly moved from $1.7B to $12B annualized revenue in ~18 months — and whether that trajectory justifies a $60B/year commitment. 04:40 – Venture-style land-grab logic Why this looks like a classic “spend now, dominate later” strategy — just at an unprecedented scale. 06:00 – What happens if OpenAI misses the commitment? Exploring the vendor-risk problem: what does a partner do when they're left $10–20B short? 07:27 – Founders vs. investors: who's really risking what? Why downside risk isn't shared equally — especially when founders have little capital invested. 08:04 – Barriers to competition increase dramatically The larger these commitments get, the harder it becomes for smaller AI startups to realistically compete. 08:35 – Capacity lock-up strategies Why monopolizing vendor resources may be a conscious competitive tactic. 09:17 – Transition to Microsoft Teams & Slack's EU complaint Ed outlines the EU's ruling requiring Microsoft to unbundle Teams and adjust pricing. 10:58 – Is this really a European-only issue? A look at how bundling plays out in the US market as well. 11:36 – The role of precedent Can EU regulatory pressure spill into US practice? 12:22 – Government-mandated pricing: tricky territory Paul reacts to the idea of regulators dictating price gaps — and why it feels risky through a startup-operator lens. 14:01 – Is Teams effectively a “free burger”? Ed argues that bundling Teams at near-zero cost resembles predatory pricing designed to box out Slack. 15:49 – Revisiting antitrust basics Where's the line between aggressive competition and anti-competitive behavior? 17:33 – Airline analogy: when incumbents crush challengers Ed recounts how United Airlines once priced a regional competitor out of existence — and why the dynamic resembles the Microsoft–Slack situation. 18:59 – Could giants always “out-capacity” challengers? Why big players can add supply and out-discount smaller competitors indefinitely. 20:01 – Independence Air and the Dulles example A real-world case study in predatory pricing and market power. 22:12 – The free-market debate A nuanced discussion on where regulators should intervene. 23:01 – US vs. Microsoft (2000s) Why the landmark browser-bundling case still matters today. 25:17 – How defaults create de-facto monopolies Browsers then; team-collaboration suites now. 27:01 – Why Teams frustrates so many users Ed's legendary rant: stability issues, UX complaints, and cross-platform challenges. 28:29 – The cheeseburger episode idea A running joke about turning Results Junkies into a Bourdain-style food-and-business hybrid. 28:48 – More Vegas talk & logistics Travel schedule, long hotel stays, and construction-trip life. 30:07 – How Vegas won over Dana Why today's Vegas is more dining and convenience than chaos. 30:30 – Cheeseburger Day, store openings & invites Future events, potential travel, and family logistics. We'd love it if you'd leave us a rating. It takes less than a minute and really helps us out. Just click here!If you've got a comment or question for the show, you can e-mail us at show@resultsjunkies.com. You can find Paul and Ed online @paulsingh and @pizzainmotion.
Bitcoin mining stock prices were aflame on Thursday, while Bitdeer was putting out fires of its own. Subscribe to the Blockspace newsletter for market-making news as it hits the wire! Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Will, Colin, and Matt don their butchers' aprons to dissect Thursday's market carnage, with some bitcoin miners down double digits on the day. We cover Bitdeer's electrical fire at a facility in Ohio, discuss Lava's controversial custody model changes, Stone Ridge/Nydig's oil and gas expansion, and for this week's cry corner, Jim Cramer yells at CoreWeave's CEO. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com **Notes:** • Mining stocks down 5-10% across the board today • Bitdeer down 46% on five-day chart • $20B wiped from mining market cap since October • Riot peaked at $70, started Liberation Day at $2 • Bitdeer fire destroyed two mining units in Ohio • 650B annual revenue by 2029 needed for 10% AI return Timestamps: 00:00 Start 04:19 Market crashing 08:35 Difficulty Report by Luxor 13:11 Bitdeer mining farm in Ohio burning 23:02 Lava goes centralized 31:26 Auradine's new unit announced 38:59 What's NYDIG up to? 42:23 Cry Corner: CORZ delay
Subscribe to the Blockspace newsletter for market-making news as it hits the wire! Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Will, Colin, and Matt don their butchers' aprons to dissect Thursday's market carnage, with some bitcoin miners down double digits on the day. We cover Bitdeer's electrical fire at a facility in Ohio, discuss Lava's controversial custody model changes, Stone Ridge/Nydig's oil and gas expansion, and for this week's cry corner, Jim Cramer yells at CoreWeave's CEO. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com **Notes:** • Mining stocks down 5-10% across the board today • Bitdeer down 46% on five-day chart • $20B wiped from mining market cap since October • Riot peaked at $70, started Liberation Day at $2 • Bitdeer fire destroyed two mining units in Ohio • 650B annual revenue by 2029 needed for 10% AI return Timestamps: 00:00 Start 04:19 Market crashing 08:35 Difficulty Report by Luxor 13:11 Bitdeer mining farm in Ohio burning 23:02 Lava goes centralized 31:26 Auradine's new unit announced 38:59 What's NYDIG up to? 42:23 Cry Corner: CORZ delay
In this week's episode of "Maximize Business Value," Part two of Dave Casey and Terry Chevalier's discussion is continued! Terry Chevalier is a certified Mastery Partner and the Founder and managing director of Sunstone Associates. To learn more about Terry, visit his LinkedIn and check out the MasteryPartners.com website. Tune in weekly to hear more from Mastery Partners and to receive relevant key content on your journey to maximizing your business value! #maximizebusinessvalue #masterypartners #exitplanning #businesssuccess #terrychevalier GET THE BOOKS: Start with Maximizing Business Value by Tom Bronson. Learn More about Dave CaseyDave Casey is a seasoned business owner with deep expertise in all aspects of organizational behavior and a passion for helping entrepreneurs reap the full rewards of building their companies. He understands that a truly valuable business isn't just profitable—it's secure, scalable, and transferable. In addition to his work with Mastery Partners, Dave actively gives back to the entrepreneurial community through leadership roles with organizations like Business Navigators, Biz Owners Ed, and Liberty Ministry. Whether advising on strategic growth or mentoring the next generation of business leaders, Dave brings clarity, integrity, and decades of real-world experience to every interaction. His mission goes beyond exit planning—he's committed to helping owners build lasting legacies.Learn More about Terry ChevalierTerry Chevalier, owner and Managing Director of Sunstone Associates, offers over 25 years of executive experience, guiding companies through vast opportunities and challenges. Previously, he played pivotal roles at both mid-market and Fortune 50 firms, including $20B in asset acquisitions. Additionally, Terry boasts a management consulting background with Bain & Company, a decade in the U.S. Intelligence Community, and holds degrees from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and Duke University. Mastery Partners Elevating Businesses to Achieve The Business Owner's Dream Exit The unfortunate reality is that for every business that comes on the market (for whatever reason), only 17% of them achieve a successful exit. You read that right. 83% of attempted business transitions never reach the closing table. Mastery Partners is on a mission to change that. We ELEVATE businesses to achieve maximum value and reach that dream exit. Our objectives are simple - understand where the business is today, identify opportunities for dramatic improvement, and offer solutions to enhance the business, making it more marketable and valuable. And that all starts with understanding the business owner's definition of his or her dream exit. Mastery has developed a 4-Step Process to help business owners achieve their dreams. STEP 1: Transition Readiness Assessment STEP 2: Roadmap for Value Acceleration STEP 3: Relentless Execution STEP 4: Decision: Now that desired results are achieved, the business is ready for the next step in the journey! CONNECT WITH MASTERY PARTNERS TO LEARN MORELinkedInWebsite© 2025 Mastery Partners, LLC.
Web3 Academy: Exploring Utility In NFTs, DAOs, Crypto & The Metaverse
Bitcoin's next major rally might not come from retail FOMO, ETFs, or even the halving, but from Wall Street credit markets built directly on top of Bitcoin. In today's episode, Strategy CEO Phong Le breaks down how his company raised $20B+ in 2025, invented an entirely new class of Bitcoin‑backed securities, and why products like Stretch, Stride, and Strike could become the hidden engine behind Bitcoin's next explosive move.~~~~~
** Want to take a deeper dive into this podcast? Join us on Tuesday evenings for Macro ‘n Chill, where we listen to the most recent episode together. Ask questions, share your insights, or just hang with us. 8pm ET/5pm PT. Find the registration link at realprogressives.org. And while you're there, sign up for book club. It's not too late – there are still two more sessions in our current series. ** Trump's “$20B for Argentina” wasn't aid – it was a heist. Economist Daniel Kostzer joins Steve to explain. Basically it's just same ole same ole. Milei's government crashed the value of Argentina's currency and jacked up interest rates, drawing in big investors looking for fast profits. Then, under pressure from the IMF and the US, Argentina opened up its financial system, letting those hedge funds cash out in US dollars and leave the country, taking the money and leaving ordinary Argentines to deal with inflation, frozen pensions, and gutted public services. The media story about soybeans and China? Simply a cover for another bailout of the rich. Daniel describes Argentina's inflation as a symptom of class struggle. He connects the dots between today's crisis and a long history of U.S. financial “help” that only props up Wall Street. The conversation exposes how the global elites use debt, currency crises, and friendly politicians to extract wealth while selling it as economic stability. The episode is a deep dive into modern imperialism, media manipulation, and class politics. It's also a reminder, as Gramsci said, to keep the pessimism of the intellect but the optimism of the will. Daniel Kostzer is Chief Economist at ITUC-CSI (International Trade Union Confederation-Confederacion Sindical Internacional). Much of his research is in labor economics, poverty reduction, and income distribution. Follow him: @dkostzer on X; https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-kostzer-884318165/
In this week's episode of "Maximize Business Value," Dave Casey meets with Terry Chevalier to discuss strategic planning for your exit. Terry Chevalier is a certified Mastery Partner and the Founder and managing director of Sunstone Associates. To learn more about Terry, visit his LinkedIn and check out the MasteryPartners.com website. Tune in weekly to hear more from Mastery Partners and to receive relevant key content on your journey to maximizing your business value! #maximizebusinessvalue #masterypartners #exitplanning #businesssuccess #terrychevalier GET THE BOOKS: Start with Maximizing Business Value by Tom BronsonLearn More about Dave CaseyDave Casey is a seasoned business owner with deep expertise in all aspects of organizational behavior and a passion for helping entrepreneurs reap the full rewards of building their companies. He understands that a truly valuable business isn't just profitable—it's secure, scalable, and transferable. In addition to his work with Mastery Partners, Dave actively gives back to the entrepreneurial community through leadership roles with organizations like Business Navigators, Biz Owners Ed, and Liberty Ministry. Whether advising on strategic growth or mentoring the next generation of business leaders, Dave brings clarity, integrity, and decades of real-world experience to every interaction. His mission goes beyond exit planning—he's committed to helping owners build lasting legacies.Learn More about Terry ChevalierTerry Chevalier, owner and Managing Director of Sunstone Associates, offers over 25 years of executive experience, guiding companies through vast opportunities and challenges. Previously, he played pivotal roles at both mid-market and Fortune 50 firms, including $20B in asset acquisitions. Additionally, Terry boasts a management consulting background with Bain & Company, a decade in the U.S. Intelligence Community, and holds degrees from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and Duke University. Mastery Partners Elevating Businesses to Achieve The Business Owner's Dream Exit The unfortunate reality is that for every business that comes on the market (for whatever reason), only 17% of them achieve a successful exit. You read that right. 83% of attempted business transitions never reach the closing table. Mastery Partners is on a mission to change that. We ELEVATE businesses to achieve maximum value and reach that dream exit. Our objectives are simple - understand where the business is today, identify opportunities for dramatic improvement, and offer solutions to enhance the business, making it more marketable and valuable. And that all starts with understanding the business owner's definition of his or her dream exit. Mastery has developed a 4-Step Process to help business owners achieve their dreams. STEP 1: Transition Readiness Assessment STEP 2: Roadmap for Value Acceleration STEP 3: Relentless Execution STEP 4: Decision: Now that desired results are achieved, the business is ready for the next step in the journey! CONNECT WITH MASTERY PARTNERS TO LEARN MORELinkedInWebsite© 2025 Mastery Partners, LLC.
Dheeraj built Nutanix into a $20B public company—then walked away to start DevRev. He just raised a $100M Series A.This episode breaks down why most founders "sell and run" (chase new logos instead of delivering value), why that strategy fails, and how Dheeraj thinks about building platforms with use cases instead of just features. He explains why the biggest opportunities come from bundling and why you need to hit 130%+ NRR to scale in B2B.Dheeraj also shares the two near-death experiences at Nutanix in the first 5 years, how they survived, and what he's building differently at DevRev in the AI-native world.If you're wondering whether you have real PMF, how to think about platforms vs features, or why your existing customers matter more than new ones—this is mandatory listening from someone who's done it twice at massive scale.Why You Should Listen:Learn why PMF at $1M doesn't mean PMF at $10M—and why you have to find it again at every milestoneWhy "sell and run" kills startups—the real work starts after you close the dealSee how platform thinking (not feature thinking) took Nutanix to $1B ARRUnderstand why 30-40% of revenue from existing customers is real PMF Keywords:startup podcast, startup podcast for founders, product market fit, platform thinking, Nutanix founder, enterprise SaaS, net dollar retention, PMF milestones, fastest to $1B, second-time founder00:00:00 Intro00:01:58 Starting Nutanix00:14:24 Why he left a $20B company00:18:53 The DevRev thesis00:27:39 Pre-AI vs post-AI product strategy and the agent shift00:40:57 Platform vs features00:46:25 PMF is not a destination00:48:10 #1 AdviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!
Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE.DAMIONAmazon to announce largest layoffs in company history, in AI push. WHO DO YOU BLAME?Former CEO Jeff BezosAICovid (This wave of layoffs results from overhiring during the pandemic)Executive Chair and largest shareholder Jeff BezosF5 Expects Revenue Hit From Cyber Attack. F5, a $20B billion technology company with impressive gross profit margins of 81%, experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain company systems by a sophisticated nation-state threat actor. WHO DO YOU BLAME?The Risk committee: Dreyer, Klein, Montoya, Budnik*Chair Marianne Budnik is deemed to have Cybersecurity experience because she serves as a Chief Marketing Officer in the cybersecurity industryPeter Klein was the CFO at Microsoft for less than 4 years, then was the CFO for WME for 6 months and then has only been a director since 2014.Risk committee member Michael Montoya specifically. F5 revealed that the director mysteriously resigned in the same filing it disclosed the cyberattack, despite having served for only 4 years. According to the proxy, had “extensive experience as an information security executive.” Following his resignation from the Board, Mr. Montoya continued his service with the Company and has been appointed as F5's Chief Technology Operations Officer.The entire board, for doing dumb modern day board things: announced that CEO François Locoh-Donou, would assume the additional role of Chair of the Board following the Company's next Annual Meeting of Shareholders 12 days after they announced the cyberattack.Investors. 98% YES average this year: 7 over 99.2%, including Risk Committee Chair Marriane Budnik with 99.6%. Nobody feels like they have to work hard to impress anyoneF5! It's a god damn cybersecurity company!How climate change is fueling Hurricane Melissa's ferocity. WHO DO YOU BLAME?Exxon CEO Darren Woods because he sued his own shareholders last year: Arjuna Capital, LLC and Follow ThisExxon CEO Darren Woods because just yesterday: Exxon sues California over new laws requiring corporate climate disclosuresExxon CEO Darren Woods because gas and oilClimate ChangeOpenAI says U.S. needs more power to stay ahead of China in AI: ‘Electrons are the new oil' WHO DO YOU BLAME?The fear-and-spending geniuses behind the original Cold War: Truman, Stalin, ChurchillPeople who historically ignored Eisenhower and his statements on the U.S. military-industrial complex when he explicitly warned that defense contractors and the military could exert undue influence on government policy. Sound familiar?Anyone who empowered the board to not be empowered when they tried to fire Sam Altman for such reasons as:Conflicts over OpenAI's rapid growth and direction, especially the tension between aggressive AI deployment vs. safety oversight.Power dynamics between Altman, key researchers, and board members — some may have felt he had too much unilateral control.The college that let Sam Altman drop outSammy Altman Citi's Jane Fraser consolidates power with board chair vote — and a $25 million-plus bonus to boot. WHO DO YOU BLAME?The entire Compensation, Performance Management and Culture CommitteeThese two long-tenured Compensation, Performance Management and Culture Committee membersDiana L. Taylor* 10 other directorships: Brookfield Corporation, Accion (Chair), Columbia Business School (Board of Overseers),Friends of Hudson River Park (Chair), Mailman School of Public Health (Board of Overseers), The Economic Club of New York (Member), Council on Foreign Relations (Member), Hot Bread Kitchen (Board Chair), Cold Spring Harbor Lab (Member), and New York City Ballet (Board Chair)Peter B. Henry*8 other directorships: Nike, Inc., Analog Devices, Inc., National Bureau of Economic Research (Board), The Economic Club of New York (Board), Protiviti (Advisory Board), Biospring Partners (Advisory Board), Makena Capital (Advisory Board), and Two Bridges Football Club (Board)The lowest common denominator effect of bank compensation committees:Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf: ~$30M special equity grant tied to becoming Chair as well as CEO (3 months after meeting)Goldman Sachs: CEO David Solomon & COO John Waldron ~$80M each (retention RSUs vesting in ~5 yrs)KeyCorp: CEO Chris Gorman & four other senior execs: ~$8M for Gorman; ~$17M combined for the five NEOsThe passive ownership (re: management-friendly) of BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard (combined 22%): without their votes at Goldman then Say on Pay was nearly tied, which might have dissuaded the year of one-off bonuses for banking CEOs??The world is about $4.5 trillion short of securing a sustainable food supply for the future, global food and ag business CEO [Sunny Verghese, CEO of food and ag company Olam Group] says. WHO DO YOU BLAME?The world's top 28 richest people (those worth ~$160 B each) together would equal $4.5 trillionThe world's greatest sycophant Tesla chair RobynDenholm: “On the pay package specifically: “It's not about the money for him. If there had been a way of delivering voting rights that didn't necessarily deliver dollars, that would have been an interesting proposition.”Any two of these basically redundant techbro companies' market caps would sufficeNvidia ~$4.2 trillion Microsoft ~$3.8 trillion Apple ~$3.1 trillion Amazon ~$2.4 trillion Alphabet ~$2.2 trillion Meta Platforms ~$1.8 trillion Broadcom ~$1.3 trillion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company ~$1.2 trillionBill Ackman. Because he's a douche.MATTTarget is eliminating 1,800 roles as new CEO Michael Fiddelke gets set to take over the struggling retailer - WHO DO YOU BLAME?Current CEO Brian Cornell, who's “stepping down” to the role of Executive Chair - which is basically still CEO, just on the board and doesn't have to talk to employees anymore, so he can eliminate 1800 jobs and then fade away into a multimillion dollar unaccountable board roleFuture CEO Michael Fiddelke, who starts February 1, 2026, but is current COO and was forced to send the memo to employees telling them 8% of the workforce will be cutMonica Lozano, chair of the compensation and human capital management committee of the board, who's also on the BofA and Apple boards and is the most connected board member at a highly connected board - does the chair of the human capital committee have to weigh in on firing?OpenAI - the memo makes zero mention of the fact that part of Target's problem is that it shit on gays and blacks because of a feckless internet toad named Robby Starbuck, but feels very written by AI which would account for phrases like:“Adjusting our structure is one part of the work ahead of us. It will also require new behaviors and sharper priorities that strengthen our retail leadership in style and design and enable faster execution so we can: Lead with merchandising authority; Elevate the guest experience with every interaction; and Accelerate technology to enable our team and delight our guests.”Does anyone know what that word salad actually means? Doesn't it just mean “you're fired because we basically sucked at our jobs”?Hormel recalls 4.9M pounds of chicken possibly 'contaminated with pieces of metal' - WHO DO YOU BLAME?The audit committee, the closest committee responsible for enterprise risk (ie, metal in chicken) - Stephen M. Lacy, William A. Newlands (also lead director), Debbra L. Schoneman, Sally J. Smith (chair), Steven A. White, Michael P. ZechmeisterThe governance committee - James Snee, the now retired CEO who retired somehow in January but the company still hasn't found a permanent replacement 9 months later - so they're being run by Jeff Ettinger, interim CEO? Chair Gary C. Bhojwani, Elsa A. Murano, Ph.D., William A. Newlands (also lead director), Debbra L. Schoneman, Steven A. WhiteThe one black guy on the board - Steve White - who works at Comcast, is somehow qualified to be on Hormel board, and is on BOTH the audit committee AND governance committeeThe conveyor belt that spit pieces of metal as large as 17mm long into “fire braised chicken” sent to hotels and restaurantsCervoMed appoints McKinsey veteran David Quigley to board of directors - WHO DO YOU BLAME? Board is 2 VCs, a longtime biotech CFO, and five MD/PhDs. And among those 8, there are just two woman - the co-founder/wife of the CEO and a VC. And when they did their search, they could only find a longtime professional opinion haver - a consultant from the big three?Nominating committee for lack of imaginationEx or current McKinsey, Bain, and BCG employed directors - the opinion industrial complex - make up a whopping 4% of ALL US DIRECTORSAmong boards with MULTIPLE ex opinion directors: Kohl's is 25% consultantStarbucks is 27% consultantDisney is 30% consultantsWilliams-Sonoma is 38% consultantCBRE is 40% consultant!Nominating committee chair Jane Hollingsworth, for not looking around the room and saying, “hey dudes, can we add, like, maybe, ONE other lady?”Co founders Sylvie Gregoire and John Alam (also CEO) who own 17.3% of voting power - add in Josh Boger, board chair and 12.3% voter, and you basically have the CEO daddy and his buddy Josh with 29.6% of voting controlSylvie and John's bios, which neglect to mention they're married to one anotherWe are all terrified of the future - which headline is worse for your terror? WHO DO YOU BLAME?The world is about $4.5 trillion short of securing a sustainable food supply for the future, global food and ag business CEO saysBill Gates Says Climate Change ‘Will Not Lead to Humanity's Demise' - ostensibly because billionaires in bunkers will, in fact, survive on cans of metal-filled Hormel chili.Sorry, Yoda. Mentors are going out of styleMan Alarmed to Discover His Smart Vacuum Was Broadcasting a Secret Map of His HouseJennifer Garner's baby food company is going public on the NYSE — should investors be putting their eggs in this basket?Woman Repeatedly Warned by Canadian Exchange Not to Transfer Crypto, Gets Scammed AnywayOpenAI completes restructure, solidifying Microsoft as a major shareholder - MSFT owns 27%, the non profit which controlled the company “for the benefit of humanity” now will only control it for 26% of humanity?Tesla risks losing CEO Musk if $1 trillion pay package isn't approved, board chair says - IF MUSK LEAVES, WHO DO YOU BLAME?Robyn Denholm, board chair, whose job it is to manage Musk, but does it like an overwhelmed permissive mother who parents with chocolate and Teletubbies when the kid has a tantrumKimbal Musk - I was told by a bunch of directors and institutional investors at a conference, no joke, that Kimbal was still on the board (ie, not voted out) to control his brother's ketamine intake and crazy episodes. So if he throws a tantrum and leaves, isn't it bro's fault? This is a binary trade - Musk gets extra pay/control, stock goes up and isn't de-meme'd. Musk doesn't, he leaves and the stock is de-meme'd and drops arguably by 66% or more to be more like a car company with some tech. So do we blame investors, no matter what they do? They meme'd the stock in the first place, he couldn't get a trillion extra dollars if they hadn't pumped up the stock - and now they could vote with humanity (no pay) or meme capitalism (pay)!Techbro middle school conservatism - is this Ben Shapiro and Joe Rogan's fault? A Yale economist paper suggests that Musk's politics cost between 1 and 1.26 million Tesla car sales… Would we even be worried if Musk stayed out of politics? Wouldn't the market have just paid him whatever?Pop quiz: which directors stay on the board if Musk leaves in a tantrum?Jeffrey StraubelKimbal MuskRobyn DenholmJames MurdochKathleen Wilson-ThompsonIra EhrenpreisJack HartungJoe Gebbia
TeraWulf is gunning to raise a $3.2 billion secured loan, right as bitcoin miner debt tops $20 billion. Welcome back to The Mining Pod! This week, we dive into TeraWulf's $3.2B secured note for AI infrastructure—the largest ever for a public miner – and Bitfarms' $588M convertible note at a time when total industry debt crosses $20B.Plus, why data center companies are salvaging jet turbines to power data centers, CleanSpark's SVP of AI Data Centers hire, and for this week's cry corner, pour one out for the Kadena blockchain… Notes: • TeraWulf raised $3.2B secured note at 7.75% • Bitfarms raised $588M convertible note • Total Bitcoin miner debt exceeds $20 billion • Hash price currently at $47/PH/day • Next difficulty adjustment projected +4.7% Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:01 Difficulty Report by Luxor 05:00 Terawulf debt 08:40 Bitfarms raises $588M 10:55 Jet engine generators? 15:55 Cleanspark hiring 18:50 Miner debt record
Welcome back to The Mining Pod! This week, we dive into TeraWulf's $3.2B secured note for AI infrastructure—the largest ever for a public miner – and Bitfarms' $588M convertible note at a time when total industry debt crosses $20B.Plus, why data center companies are salvaging jet turbines to power data centers, CleanSpark's SVP of AI Data Centers hire, and for this week's cry corner, pour one out for the Kadena blockchain… Notes: • TeraWulf raised $3.2B secured note at 7.75% • Bitfarms raised $588M convertible note • Total Bitcoin miner debt exceeds $20 billion • Hash price currently at $47/PH/day • Next difficulty adjustment projected +4.7% Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:01 Difficulty Report by Luxor 05:00 Terawulf debt 08:40 Bitfarms raises $588M 10:55 Jet engine generators? 15:55 Cleanspark hiring 18:50 Miner debt record
On this episode, 'Laolu, Furo, and Nosa are joined by Benjamin Dada of Condia! We break down the CBN's new Agent Banking Guidelines — exploring tighter fraud controls, new cash limits, and exclusivity rules. We also discuss the ATM exposure draft, unpack media reporting standards in fintech, the $20B remittance market boom, and how startups like Lemfi are evolving with credit-based and stablecoin models._We love hearing your thoughts! Find us on X (@TheOAPod) and Instagram (@openafricapod) and tag us in your conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What do Stalin, Trump, and Viktor Orbán have in common? They're all fragile men terrified of truth, artists, and of anyone with a moral compass. In this week's Gaslit Nation, we talk with 91-year-old Peter Hidas, who as a young student helped ignite the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, a movement born of courage and faith in a better world. Peter's story is a testament to what ordinary people can do when they refuse to bow to tyranny. The revolts that shook the Iron Curtain in 1956 laid the groundwork for the movements that would one day bring down the Soviet empire, to the unforgettable soundtrack of Swan Lake played on repeat on Soviet TV by a collapsing regime. Today, a new generation of brave Russians has reclaimed that symbol: the “Swan Lake Collective” is being played by artists on the streets of Russia, creating a rallying cry “Let the swans dance!” for peace, freedom, and the end of Putin's Fox News–style dictatorship. Gaslit Nation is here to remind you that Putin's days are numbered. This week's show also celebrates the heroes of the No Kings protests, the Gen Z meme pirates toppling corruption crime sprees pretending to be governments, how Trump and Putin might try to save Orban's doomed April 2026 election, and more. So keep marching. Keep creating.That's how we win. The song featured in this week's episode is “Election Day” by The Spiders. Check out their music at thespidersband.com If you have a song to share on Gaslit Nation, submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628 Join the Gaslit Nation + Sister District Halloween Phonebank this Wednesday at 6pm ET – every phone call to Virginia plants seeds of hope! RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/ Andrea's graphic novel In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones won the Ringo Award! Get your signed copy by subscribing to the show at the Producer-level or higher on Patreon.com/Gaslit, starting this week. All active donors at the Producer-level and higher, who help make Gaslit Nation possible, will receive a special thank you gift in early 2026: a signed copy of Andrea's soon-to-be-released graphic novel Mrs. Orwell. Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes: How to Overthrow a Dictator (Featuring the history of Andrea's father-in-law Mihai Sedaru Barbul) https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/how-to-overthrow-a-dictator From Epstein's Chief Accuser, a Memoir Both Sad and Devastating: Virginia Roberts Giuffre's posthumous “Nobody's Girl” doesn't break political news, but might break your heart. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/books/review/virginia-roberts-giuffre-nobodys-girl-memoir.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk8.Fe6u.LwC3e8hbHgjq&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare Videos Show Russian Youths Chant Anti-War Song in St. Petersburg https://www.newsweek.com/videos-russian-youths-chant-anti-war-song-st-petersburg-10883035 Trump says he did not want 'wasted meeting' after plan for Putin talks shelved https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjp73gp41o Hungary PM Orbán's advisor in hot water for saying resisting Russia is irresponsible https://www.euronews.com/2024/09/26/hungary-pm-orbans-advisor-in-hot-water-for-saying-resisting-russia-is-irresponsible What to know about the Trump administration's $20B bailout for Argentina https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administrations-20b-bailout-argentina/story?id=126513232 The Rise of the Inflatable Chicken Resistance https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/opinion/no-kings-protest-chicago-tactical-frivolity.html Smearing Virginia Giuffre: What New Allegations Against Prince Andrew Reveal About Power and Silence https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/opinion/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-smear-campaign-sex-abuse-survivor-social-security-met-police The Tech Right Gets Its Own Phyllis Schlafly: Katherine Boyle, an influential venture capitalist who is a friend of the vice president, thinks the country's path forward involves cultural conservatism and more weapons production. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/business/katherine-boyle-andreesen-horowitz-american-dynamism.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vE8.7WA9.glWQrABz11-S&smid=url-share The Contagious Gen Z Uprisings: It's a good time to start paying attention to the youth-led protests that are spreading around the world and that have toppled governments. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/world/gen-z-revolutions-protests-louvre-heist-gaza.html?unlocked_article_code=1.u08.Yg4j.Swx4JtTHBLbC&smid=url-share Yekaterinburg Street Musician Detained After Performing in Support of Arrested Band https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/21/yekaterinburg-street-musician-detained-after-performing-in-support-of-arrested-band-a90887 Democratic win in Iowa special election breaks GOP supermajority https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/democratic-win-in-iowa-special-election-breaks-gop-supermajority Trump and Putin's planned summit in Hungary boosts an authoritarian ally https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna238138 Europe Is Answering Putin's Challenge: Members of the NATO alliance are showing real grit—and, for now, the U.S. is with them. https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/10/nato-putin-trump-europe-ukraine/684592/ CLIP 1: https://bsky.app/profile/courtwing.bsky.social/post/3m3ij7nu23c2f CLIP 2: https://bsky.app/profile/us-political-news.bsky.social/post/3m3i5tuagec2l CLIP 3: Springtime for Hitler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovCf9VRLnDY CLIP 4: https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1978242426461368656
The President is reportedly trying to get the DOJ to pay him millions for past investigations, Big U.S. banks are struggling to secure collateral to back a $20B bailout to Argentina, and Election Day quickly approaches as races in Virginia and New Jersey heat up with an unexpectedly tight race in New Jersey for Democrats. Jeff Mason, Sam Stein, David Jolly, David Gura, Bill Cohan, Marc Racicot and Ryan Holiday join The 11th Hour this Thursday night. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Wes and Eneasz are joined by Jimmy to keep the rationalist community informed about what's going on outside of the rationalist communitySupport us on Substack!News links:Trump issued layoff notices for >4,000 employeesA federal judge has blocked some of themTrump commuted George Santos' sentenceAt least one Venezuelan boat is maybe a fishing boatNow he's authorized some kind of CIA covert opRubio is on record that his strategy is to force Maduro outUS admiral in charge of the region retiring suddenlyUS Senate votes down restricting president's war powers against drug cartelsSouth America NewsNoble peace prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader, but winner leaked to PolyMarket 12 hours beforehandWinner dedicates peace prize to TrumpWaPo: Trump made a deal with Bukele to deport several FBI informantsArgentina continues to make huge strides under MileiUS bails out Argentina, buying $20B of pesos with dollarsTrade war with ChinaTrump said he's doing 100% tariffsUS & Australia made a deal to supply some rare EarthsPress hand over badges and leave Pentagon after refusing to sign new press requirementsTrump reportedly trying to extort $230 million from the Justice DepartmentBig “No Kings” protests happened on SaturdayCalifornia passed SB 53. Zvi summarySam Altman announced ChatGPT erotica is coming soonThat Mad OlympiadThe Future Will Be Hyper-LocalClaude can tell when it's being evaluated and scores much higher when this is the case.Louvre heist! Smash-and-grab in 7 minutes in broad daylight, men make off with $100M in Napoleonic jewels!Happy News!Waymos in London next year!Niger eliminates “river disease” after 4 decades of Ivermectin treatmentGot something to say? Come chat with us on the Bayesian Conspiracy Discord or email us at themindkillerpodcast@gmail.com. Say something smart and we'll mention you on the next show!Follow us!RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/themindkillerGoogle: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iqs7r7t6cdxw465zdulvwikhekmPocket Casts: https://pca.st/vvcmifu6Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-mind-killerApple: Intro/outro music: On Sale by Golden Duck Orchestra This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindkiller.substack.com/subscribe
Pairing their need for a complex substitute for wine, for both pregnancy and professional network, Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger and friend Constance Jablonski enlisted Maggie's husband, Champagne and Cognac winemaker Rodolphe to found French Bloom. With four years of R&D prior to launch and constant refinement since, French Bloom aims to redefine the alcohol free premium sparkling wine space. Maggie & Rodolphe delve into the creation of French Bloom, exploring its core markets, target customers, and the factors that have drawn them in. Detailed Show Notes: French Bloom overview500k bottles (2024)Created a premium NA sparkling categoryFocused on sparkling to create complexity, can play with layersLVMH minority investor4 years of R&D to get the desired qualityDe-alc process loses 60% aroma (was 90% in 2021), removes the backbone of the wineBuilt NA wine like Cognac, needs an undrinkable base wineFocused on the South of France (warmer, higher alcohol and body) for stronger wines, more body, Languedoc (more organic 40% vs 3-4% in Champagne)Limoux is the best place for NA sparkling, 300m high, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, a temple of natural wineBase wine is a bit oxidative, very acidified (used to add lemon juice, now naturally from wine), oaky (new oak, foudre), no sulfites, more tanninCreate blends of different reserve winesExtra Brut (0% abv, 0 sugar) has a base of 30% reserve wine from 2 years, aged in new oak barrels to give more structureBetter to make adjustments before de-alc vs afterUse voile to protect wine from oxidation (like Jura)Flash pasteurization is used b/c no abv, sulfites to protect the wineNA marketWine, beer, spirits - $10B (2020), $20B (2025), believes $30B (2030)Premium NA sparkling - $0.5B (2025), could double next 5 yearsHoly grail is quality NA still wine, not there yetBest distributors are wine / Champagne distributors, Thailand/Belgium have NA-focused distributorsFrench Bloom customersBiggest markets are Champagne markets (France, US #2, UK, Japan, Australia, Belgium, Germany)Younger (25-45), skew female, appreciates both alc and NA sparkling wineSells 20% DTC globally2024 NielsenIQ study on NA purchase behavior - #1 driver - for conscious hosting (aligns w/ French Bloom's ethos of not excluding anybody); #2 health & wellness; #3 drivingMarketing is digital first, leveraging Constance as a tastemaker and key opinion leaderMore partnerships - Coachella, French Open, just signed F1 (10-year partnership, 1st ever official NA sparkling wine, Moet Chandon on podium; F1 new fans are 75% female, 50% Gen Z from Netflix series)Most effective marketing has been the founding story and authentic storytelling (i.e., Maggie's pregnancy, Constance's need for moderation while networking)Marketing through top-tier restaurants, hotels, and shops (e.g., Michelin-starred; became the #1 wine sold at Erewhon in 1 week)Michelin-starred restaurants have 50% non-drinkers at lunch, 20% at dinnerNo sugar, no additives, organic messaging plays well in California, less on the East CoastUses the term “alcohol free” vs. “non-alcoholic”NA trends around NA wine & food pairing, including “moderate pairing” (wine & NA wine/drinks as part of pairing); mirrored cocktails (3 versions ofthe same cocktail - NA, low, full) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eric Criscuolo, Market Strategist at the NYSE, recaps a week of record-breaking gains across stocks and gold, driven by strong momentum and AI-fueled optimism. AMD led the charge after announcing a major partnership with OpenAI, while xAI's reported $20B raise kept Nvidia in focus. Utilities and Tech outperformed, with Real Estate and Materials trailing amid rising yields and geopolitical pressure. Strong AI demand and investor enthusiasm continued to lift markets.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0KJoin Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect for a deep dive into EA's historic $55 billion buyout by Saudi PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Analytic Dreamz unpacks the largest private equity LBO ever, with $20B debt and $210/share premium. Explore EA's $7.5B revenue, franchises like EA Sports FC, and risks of layoffs, microtransaction focus, and creative stagnation. Analytic Dreamz breaks down analyst views, gamer backlash, ethical concerns, and AI-driven shifts, offering a data-rich look at gaming's biggest deal and its impact on the $500B industry. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
US equities finished mostly higher in Wednesday trading, with the Dow Jones closing flat, while the S&P500 and Nasdaq closed up 58bps and 112bps respectively, the latter two notching fresh records, and today's upside largely tabbed to a rebound in the AI optimism trade. Nothing meaningful out of the release of September's FOMC minutes. Treasury's auction of $39B in 10-year notes tailed by 0.3 bp, with a notable dropoff in bid-to-cover and foreign demand vs last month. Nvidia will reportedly invest $2B of equity in xAI as part of a ~$20B fund raise.
Our 221st episode with a summary and discussion of last week's big AI news!Recorded on 09/19/2025Note: we transitioned to a new RSS feed and it seems this did not make it to there, so this may be posted about 2 weeks past the release date.Hosted by Andrey Kurenkov and co-hosted by Michelle LeeFeel free to email us your questions and feedback at contact@lastweekinai.com and/or hello@gladstone.aiRead out our text newsletter and comment on the podcast at https://lastweekin.ai/In this episode:OpenAI releases a new version of Codex integrated with GPT-5, enhancing coding capabilities and aiming to compete with other AI coding tools like Cloud Code.Significant updates in the robotics sector include new ventures in humanoid robots from companies like Figure AI and China's Unitree, as well as expansions in robotaxi services from Tesla and Amazon's Zoox.New open-source models and research advancements were discussed, including Google's DeepMind's self-improving foundation model for robotics and a physics foundation model aimed at generalizing across various physical systems.Legal battles continue to surface in the AI landscape with Warner Bros. suing MidJourney for copyright violations and Rolling Stone suing Google over AI-generated content summaries, highlighting challenges in AI governance and ethics.Timestamps:(00:00:10) Intro / BanterTools & Apps(00:02:33) OpenAI upgrades Codex with a new version of GPT-5(00:04:02) Google Injects Gemini Into Chrome as AI Browsers Go Mainstream | WIRED(00:06:14) Anthropic's Claude can now make you a spreadsheet or slide deck. | The Verge(00:07:12) Luma AI's New Ray3 Video Generator Can 'Think' Before Creating - CNETApplications & Business(00:08:32) OpenAI secures Microsoft's blessing to transition its for-profit arm | TechCrunch(00:10:31) Microsoft to lessen reliance on OpenAI by buying AI from rival Anthropic | TechCrunch(00:12:00) Figure AI passes $1B with Series C funding toward humanoid robot development - The Robot Report(00:13:52) China's Unitree plans $7 billion IPO valuation as humanoid robot race heats up(00:15:45) Tesla's robotaxi plans for Nevada move forward with testing permit | TechCrunch(00:17:48) Amazon's Zoox jumps into U.S. robotaxi race with Las Vegas launch(00:19:27) Replit hits $3B valuation on $150M annualized revenue | TechCrunch(00:21:14) Perplexity reportedly raised $200M at $20B valuation | TechCrunchProjects & Open Source(00:22:08) [2509.07604] K2-Think: A Parameter-Efficient Reasoning System(00:24:31) [2509.09614] LoCoBench: A Benchmark for Long-Context Large Language Models in Complex Software EngineeringResearch & Advancements(00:28:17) [2509.15155] Self-Improving Embodied Foundation Models(00:31:47) [2509.13805] Towards a Physics Foundation Model(00:34:26) [2509.12129] Embodied Navigation Foundation ModelPolicy & Safety(00:37:49) Anthropic endorses California's AI safety bill, SB 53 | TechCrunch(00:40:12) Warner Bros. Sues Midjourney, Joins Studios' AI Copyright Battle(00:42:02) Rolling Stone Publisher Sues Google Over AI Overview SummariesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On today's Breakdown, NLW kicks off the first Friday Five of October with Bitcoin's soaring price action. From October's uncanny seasonality and ETF inflow momentum to government shutdown delays and Citi and JPMorgan's bold predictions, the conversation explores why markets seem determined to shrug off risk. NLW also covers the potential regulatory fallout of a prolonged shutdown, new SEC-CFTC collaboration, Kraken's $20B raise, and Stripe's stablecoin play. Plus, the week's strangest culture clash story—Netflix cancellations over Elon Musk tweets. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBreakdownBW Subscribe to the newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/thebreakdown Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownBW
Bitcoin is surging toward ATH's as ETF inflows accelerate, fueling optimism for fresh all-time highs. But the rally comes as uncertainty looms over ETF approvals, with the government shutdown threatening SEC deadlines. Meanwhile, Citi has raised its price targets for Bitcoin and Ethereum, adding to bullish momentum, and Kraken is seeking fresh funding at a $20B valuation just months after its last raise. On the regulatory front, SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins is calling for closer collaboration with the CFTC, while the shutdown also complicates crypto oversight. Outside of crypto, Goldman Sachs sees more upside for gold on private demand, and Stripe has launched Open Issuance via Bridge to expand digital finance tools. In this livestream, we'll break down Bitcoin's run, the regulatory battles ahead, and the fintech moves shaping the future of markets.
In the second hour, we're discussing the shutdown and its affects on farmers, as well as the proposed bailout for farmers (and the $20B for Argentina), which is due to the Trump imposed tariffs. And we have an "elegant solution" for getting something done for regular folks here in America. For today's Audio Sorbet, we want to know which home chore you're afraid to do. And ff you're new here, welcome! And buckle up for This Shouldn't Be A Thing - As The Worms Turns Edition. As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs weekday mornings from 9-11 across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice. It goes a long way!
Trump's $20B bailout helps Argentina & China while U.S. farmers suffer. Moms fight MAGA extremism, doctors save lives in rural deserts, and America risks decline under right-wing forces.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE
Trump's $20B bailout helps Argentina & China while U.S. farmers suffer. Moms fight MAGA extremism, doctors save lives in rural deserts, and America risks decline under right-wing forces.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE
In this week's episode of the Coin Stories News Block powered exclusively by Ledn, we cover these major headlines related to Bitcoin, macroeconomics, and global finance: Bitcoin's Recent Price Volatility Explained - Is Another "Uptober" Ahead? Markets React as Government Shutdown Fears Rise Bloomberg: Tether Raising Up to $20B on $500B Valuation Will Stablecoins Help Run U.S. Deficits? U.K. Approves Mandatory Digital IDs for Workers OranjeBTC Launches Largest Bitcoin Treasury in Latin America Vanguard To Finally Approve Bitcoin ETFs? ---- The News Block is powered exclusively by Ledn – the global leader in Bitcoin-backed loans, issuing over $9 billion in loans since 2018, and they were the first to offer proof of reserves. With Ledn, you get custody loans, no credit checks, no monthly payments, and more. My followers get .25% off their first loan. Learn more at www.ledn.io/natalie ---- Read every story in the News Block with visuals and charts! Join our mailing list and subscribe to our free Bitcoin newsletter: https://thenewsblock.substack.com ---- References mentioned in the episode: Bitcoin's 90-day Volatility Hits 8-Year Low $300B in Long Positions Liquidated in Price Crash Who'll Lose When the Government Shuts Down? Fidelity Research on Bitcoin's Volatility Trump to Meet With Democrats to Avoid Shutdown CRFB Article on Government Shutdown President Trump's Post on Powell Getting Fired Tether's USAT Promotional Video Tether In talks to Raise at $500B Valuation Bessent Aims to Reduce Bank Capital Requirements Britain to Approve Mandatory Digital IDs for Workers Bessent Says Stablecoins Could Increase Treasury Demand Michael Shellenberger's Article on Digital IDs Vanguard Eyes Crypto ETFs on Platform Kamala Harris Calls out Ross Ulbricht Ross Ulbricht Responds to Kamala Harris OranjeBTC Launches as Largest BTC Holder in LATAM Michael Saylor's Speech on Treasury Companies ---- Upcoming Events: Bitcoin 2026 will be here before you know it. Get 10% off Early Bird passes using the code HODL: https://tickets.b.tc/event/bitcoin-2026?promoCodeTask=apply&promoCodeInput= Your Bitcoin oasis awaits at Camp Nakamoto: A retreat for Bitcoiners, by Bitcoiners. Code HODL for discounted passes: https://massadoptionbtc.ticketspice.com/camp-nakamoto ---- This podcast is for educational purposes and should not be construed as official investment advice. ---- VALUE FOR VALUE — SUPPORT NATALIE'S SHOWS Strike ID https://strike.me/coinstoriesnat/ Cash App $CoinStories #money #Bitcoin #investing
Today's Headlines: Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted yesterday on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a proceeding, stemming from his 2020 testimony about the Russia probe (it always goes back to Russia). Meanwhile, Trump's new enemy: an escalator at the UN that stopped moving under his feet, which he called “triple sabotage” and demanded arrests over. He also slapped tariffs of up to 50% on furniture and cabinets, claiming a national security threat from foreign vanities. In other news, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered nearly 1,000 generals to convene at Quantico in the largest gathering of top brass since Vietnam, though no one will say why. Disney investors are suing over Kimmel's suspension, alleging political motives, while Democrats are furious that the State Department accidentally leaked unredacted military records of Rep. Mikie Sherrill, including her Social Security number, ahead of her gubernatorial run. In tech news, TikTok is being sold to a billionaire bloc led by Oracle and Rupert Murdoch (what could go wrong?), Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle an FTC case over Prime tricks, and the government is begging hundreds of employees fired in Elon's MAGA-GSA purge to come back. Microsoft, for its part, just cut off an Israeli military unit using its AI for Palestinian surveillance. And finally, Trump promised Israel won't annex the West Bank, U.S. jets intercepted Russian bombers near Alaska, and Argentina will be getting a $20B bailout after President Milei and his buddy Elon basically “DOGE'd” the economy into the ground. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Former FBI Director James Comey indicted NBC News: Trump demands investigation into escalator 'triple sabotage' despite U.N. explanation Axios: Trump imposes 30% to 50% tariffs on some furniture, cabinetry WaPo: Hegseth orders rare, urgent meeting of hundreds of generals, admirals Axios: Disney investors argue Kimmel's suspension hurt profits, demand investigation Politico: House Democrats call for investigation into release of Mikie Sherrill's military records CNBC: Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement with FTC over 'deceptive' Prime program CNBC: Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement with FTC over 'deceptive' Prime program AP News: Trump administration rehires hundreds of federal employees laid off by DOGE AP News: Microsoft reduces Israel's access to cloud and AI products over reports of mass surveillance in Gaza AP News: Trump says he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank CBS News: U.S. fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian warplanes near Alaska CNN: The Argentina bailout is all about propping up a Trump ally Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, we're joined by Farooq Malik, co-founder and CEO of Rain, as two parallel wars erupt across crypto: the Perp DEX war between Hyperliquid and the CZ-backed Aster, and the deepening battle for stablecoin dominance. As Aster rockets to $30B in daily volume, we debate whether it's real adoption or points-fueled froth — and what it means for Hyperliquid's lead. Then we dive into Tether's shocking $500B valuation play, Circle's shrinking moat, and how Rain is building real-world rails for stablecoin payments. If crypto has two new battlegrounds — trading venues and money itself — this is where the future is getting drawn. Show highlights
This week we're back to discuss the top stories of the week. We deep dive into the state of markets, Tether looking to raise $20B at a $500B valuation, Aster vs Hyperliquid, crypto IPOs in 2025-26 & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod -- Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts -- Ansem's outlook on markets: https://x.com/blknoiz06/status/1970107553079079341 -- Crypto's premiere institutional conference returns to London in October 2025. Use code EMPIRE100 for £100 off at checkout: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2025-london -- Crypto-native institutions and developers demand institutional-grade infrastructure with regulatory clarity and full asset control. Blockdaemon's Earn Stack is a non-custodial platform combining high-performance staking rewards and seamless DeFi integration with no intermediate smart contract or vaults. Programmatically access leading Ethereum & Solana staking rewards, plus DeFi opportunities across lending protocols, DEXs, and AMMs. Book a Demo! -- peaq, the Machine Economy Computer, proudly sponsors the Empire podcast. peaq is home to 60+ apps across 20+ industries and millions of devices, machines, and onchain robots. It powers the world's first tokenized robo-farm, launching soon in Hong Kong, and has launched the Machine Economy Free Zone in Dubai as a Web3 x Robotics x AI innovation hub. For more about peaq, check out www.peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:32) Are Markets A Little Too Frothy? (06:43) The Stablecoin Thesis (10:43) Takeaways From The Origin Summit (13:53) Ansem's Outlook On Markets (22:49) Tether Raising $20B at $500B Valuation (26:26) Ads (Blockdaemon, Peaq) (27:26) Aster vs Hyperliquid (39:23) BitGo Files Their S-1 (50:28) Ads (Blockdaemon, Peaq) (51:36) Crypto IPOs In 2026 (55:02) Cloudflare Issuing A Stablecoin (59:06) Zerohash Raises $100M At $1B Valuation (01:01:48) 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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Tether is reportedly looking to raise up to $20B. Can they hit $500B valuation? Tether is looking to raise between $15 billion and $20 billion for about a 3% stake in the company through a private placement, according to a report from Bloomberg. The raise would bring its valuation to around $500 billion, putting it in the same league as OpenAI and SpaceX. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie hosts “CoinDesk Daily.” - Break the cycle of exploitation. Break down the barriers to truth. Break into the next generation of privacy. Break Free. Free to scroll without being monetized. Free from censorship. Freedom without fear. We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design. Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.
(0:00) Introducing Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (0:59) Uber's self-driving business: partnerships, market size, LiDAR vs computer vision, safety, distribution (8:14) How self-driving impacts Uber's business model over time (13:30) Other forms of transportation Uber could provide (16:09) $20B stock buyback plan vs. investing in R&D and acquisitions, future of food (21:03) Dara's pitch to Elon for bringing Tesla Robotaxis into Uber's network (22:31) How Uber thinks about driver job displacement from self-driving Thanks to our partners for making this happen! Solana - Solana is the high performance network powering internet capital markets, payments, and crypto applications. Connect with investors, crypto founders, and entrepreneurs at Solana's global flagship event during Abu Dhabi Finance Week & F1: https://solana.com/breakpoint OKX - The new way to build your crypto portfolio and use it in daily life. We call it the new money app. https://www.okx.com/ Google Cloud - The next generation of unicorns is building on Google Cloud's industry-leading, fully integrated AI stack: infrastructure, platform, models, agents, and data. https://cloud.google.com/ IREN - IREN AI Cloud, powered by NVIDIA GPUs, provides the scale, performance, and reliability to accelerate your AI journey. https://iren.com/ Oracle - Step into the future of enterprise productivity at Oracle AI Experience Live. https://www.oracle.com/artificial-intelligence/data-ai-events/ Circle - The America-based company behind USDC — a fully-reserved, enterprise-grade stablecoin at the core of the emerging internet financial system. https://www.circle.com/ BVNK - Building stablecoin-powered financial infrastructure that helps businesses send, store, and spend value instantly, anywhere in the world. https://www.bvnk.com/ Polymarket: https://www.polymarket.com/ Follow Dara: https://x.com/dkhos Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg
LET'S GET POLITICAL!Companies from Delta to Office Depot are disciplining and/or firing employees for their public comments on Charlie Kirk's death Trump wants to end a half-century-old mandate on how companies report earningsCompanies should instead only be required to post earnings every six months, pending the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's approval. This change would break a quarterly reporting mandate that's been in place since 1970.“This will save money, and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies.” Appeals court allows Trump administration to end the ‘climate bank' where $20B was set aside to fund climate change projects Donald Trump tilts balance of power from investors to CEOsA BUNCH OF ESG CRAP!Exxon Reportedly Rolls Out Auto-Voting System To Boost Retail Investor Participation, Curb Activist InfluenceOpt-in proxy system would automate retail investor votes to support board positionsElon Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Proposal: Redefining CEO Compensation in the 21st CenturyFirst Elon Musk, now Larry Ellison: The world's richest men are buying huge media companies--because they canLachlan Murdoch Secures Control of Fox and News Corp, Ending Succession FightGoogle tops $3 trillion for the first time, joining select market-cap club with only 3 other membersApple, Microsoft, NvidiaOnly 7 countries have GDPs greater than $3TToxic Fumes Are Leaking Into Airplanes, Sickening Crews and PassengersDoctors compare brain effects to concussions in NFL players.A Wall Street Journal investigation shows the problem is getting worse and not much is being done about it. The Journal's reporting shows that aircraft manufacturers and their airline customers have played down health risks, successfully lobbied against safety measures, and made cost-saving changes that increased the risks to crew and passengers.The gender pay gap is getting wider, reversing progress US shareholders fail to pass any green proposals for first time in 6 years CLIMATE CHANGE/AI SPEED ROUNDCarbon emissions from oil giants directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for first timeBrace for impact: Climate change is set to intensify flight turbulence, warn scientistsWhy climate change is making dengue fever a global threat Climate change will make 1-in-100-year crop failures more commonClimate Change Drives Surge in Deadly Supercell Storms Across EuropeClimate change is pushing venomous snakes into new regionsClimate Change Drives Surge in Deadly Flesh-Eating Bacteria on US CoastsOne out of every 4 homes is at ‘severe or extreme' climate risk, study saysOpenAI foresees millions of AI agents 'somewhere in the cloud' in just a few years--with human supervision Experts Concerned AI Is Going to Start a Nuclear WarPsychologist Says AI Is Causing Never-Before-Seen Types of Mental DisorderSam Altman says people are starting to talk like AI, making some human interactions ‘feel very fake' Sen. Cruz introduces bill to reduce regulatory burden facing AI companies