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What is financial censorship? Rainey Reitman joins the show to discuss what happens when people are denied access to financial services because of their lawful speech and conduct. Reitman is the author of Transaction Denied: Big Finance's Power to Punish Speech, which examines the role financial companies like Visa, Chase, and PayPal play in policing speech and silencing speakers. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:29 Ben Reitman: Rainey's great-grandfather and free speech activist 05:42 How Rainey joined the fight for internet freedom 08:19 Chelsea Manning, whistleblowers, and the WikiLeaks banking blockade 16:11 The National Committee for Religious Freedom's fight with Chase Bank 19:10 NRA v. Vullo: The Supreme Court case on indirect government censorship 21:24 The Wolfsberg Group and global banking institutions 23:51 What is a "politically exposed person"? 25:52 Reputational risk management 27:40 Trump's 2025 executive order on debanking 29:45 Sanctions, terrorism screening, and the impact on Muslim communities 33:04 Why banks are so afraid of sanctions violations 34:10 Can you fight back after being debanked? 35:32 Can the private sector censor? 37:50 Operation Choke Point, cannabis, and crypto 47:25 Why are banks policing porn and adult content? 54:11 Solutions to debanking: incentives, crypto, and cash 59:15 Outro Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more. If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at fire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email sotospeak@fire.org.
Blue Alpine Cast - Kryptowährung, News und Analysen (Bitcoin, Ethereum und co)
Jetzt bei Kraken anmelden und 30 EUR Bonus erhalten: https://bit.ly/kraken-bonusCBDC und der digitale Euro spalten Europas Zentralbanker. EZB-Chefin Lagarde warnt vor Stablecoins wie USDC und Tether, Themen & Timestamps:00:00 Stablecoin-Regulierung in Europa und den USA00:32 USDC, Bankenrisiken und zentrale Reserven01:09 Operation Choke Point 2.002:47 MiCA verändert Europas Stablecoin-Markt04:08 Tokenklassen und MiCA-Reservepflichten06:02 Warum USDT in Europa verdrängt wird07:01 USA, Grossbritannien und der Stablecoin-Streit09:06 Lagardes drei Hauptsorgen
Alex Thorn talks with Scott Shay, co-founder of Signature Bank and N3XT (a new Wyoming bank), about what happened in 2023, how the banking system actually works, and what the future of banking looks like. Alex also talks with Beimnet Abebe (Galaxy Trading) about the Strait of Hormuz, risk markets, and a bearish case for bitcoin. Participants, along with Galaxy Digital, hold a financial interest in Bitcoin (BTC). Galaxy regularly engages in buying and selling BTC, including hedging transactions, for its own proprietary accounts and on behalf of its counterparties. Galaxy also provides services to vehicles that invest in BTC. If the value of such assets increases, those vehicles may benefit, and Galaxy's service fees may increase accordingly. The valuation in this communication is based on technical, fundamental, and market analysis and not on any formal valuation method. For more information, please refer to Galaxy's public filings and statements. Cryptocurrencies, including BTC, are inherently volatile and risky and ultimate market movements may not align with this statement. For additional risks related to digital assets, please refer to the risk factors contained in filings Galaxy Digital Inc. makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, available at www.sec.gov. This episode was recorded on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. ++ Follow us on Twitter, @glxyresearch, and read our research at www.galaxy.com/research/ to learn more! This podcast, and the information contained herein, has been provided to you by Galaxy Digital Holdings LP and its affiliates (“Galaxy Digital”) solely for informational purposes. View the full disclaimer at www.galaxy.com/disclaimer-galaxy-brains-podcast/
Tijd voor een nieuwe marktpodcast! De laatste marktaflevering dateerde van 2 december 2024, precies op het moment dat de bearmarkt uitbrak. Destijds kwamen onderwerpen voorbij als de technische schade die Bitcoin had opgelopen, zorgen rond stablecoin Tether, de zogenoemde Operation Chokepoint 3.0, het fenomeen van treasury companies als koerskatalysator, de silent IPO en de vraag of we een milde of juist een smerige bearmarkt tegemoet gingen. Eind januari 2025 viel Bitcoin écht van de klif: de koers daalde van 97.000 dollar naar de 60.000 dollar. Meerdere factoren speelden een rol. In oktober 2025 was er een flash crash die de markten opschudde. Er groeide vrees voor de doorbraak van quantumcomputers, technologie die de cryptografische beveiliging van Bitcoin theoretisch zou kunnen ondermijnen. De Clarity Act, de Amerikaanse wetgeving die digitale activa een formeel kader moet geven, zorgde voor politieke onzekerheid. En dan was er "de handrem": de tariefaankondigingen van president Trump die een wereldwijde handelsoorlog inluidden en risicovolle activa wereldwijd onder druk zetten. Intussen boekten goud en AI-aandelen stevige winsten in zogenoemde "hated rallies", markten die aanvankelijk weinig institutioneel vertrouwen genoten. Begin 2026 voegde het Citrinirapport van Citrini Research een nieuwe onzekerheidsfactor toe. Het rapport schetste een scenario van een door AI gedreven "doomloop": hogere productiviteit maar zonder brede welvaart, met massale werkloosheid onder witteboordwerkers en een instortende consumenteneconomie als gevolg. De markten reageerden hevig. SaaS-bedrijven beleefden een brede uitverkoop, aangeduid als de SaaSpocalypse. Bitcoin bewoog mee naar beneden. De verklaring: voor institutionele beleggers is Bitcoin een risicovolle asset, en wie zijn risicoblootstelling verlaagt, verkoopt zowel softwareaandelen als crypto. Toch is er ook een ander verhaal. Nadat de handelsoorlog in het voorjaar van 2025 echt losbrak, presteerde Bitcoin relatief goed ten opzichte van traditionele aandelenmarkten. Of dat de status van Bitcoin als digitale veilige haven bevestigt, staat ter discussie. Goud deed het beduidend beter, maar Bitcoin onderscheidt zich als een grensoverschrijdend en overheidsresistent bezit. Welk regime er momenteel eigenlijk heerst op de bredere financiële markt, blijft onduidelijk. Bert en Peter Slagter, analisten bij kennisplatform Bitcoin Alpha, maken vandaag de balans op. Is de bearmarkt daadwerkelijk voorbij, of wijzen de signalen op een aanhoudend regime van zwakte met een bodem rond de 60.000 dollar? En hoe keren de "animal spirits" van de kleine belegger terug? Want zonder retail, zo luidt de analyse, blijft een echte bullmarkt uit. De institutionele basis is gelegd. Nu wacht Bitcoin, en eigenlijk de hele cryptomarkt, op zijn volgende verhaal. Over de podcast Cryptocurrency are here to stay. In deze wekelijkse podcast gidst Daniel Mol je door het belangrijkste cryptonieuws, langs hypes en trends, voor- en tegenstanders en winst en verlies. In het A-deel bespreken we het laatste nieuws en in het B-deel gaan we in gesprek met een gast. Van cypherpunkpioneers tot grootbanken die aan de haal gaan met stablecoins, van Bitcoin tot Ethereum tot CBDC's. Alles passeert de revue. Reageren? Stuur dan een mail naar cryptocast@bnr.nl Gasten Bert Slagter is analist bij kennisplatform Bitcoin Alpha. Peter Slagter is analist bij kennisplatform Bitcoin Alpha. Links Bitcoin Alpha, het kennisplatform van Bert en Peter Slagter Citrini Research rapport joeg markten schrik aan met een dystopisch AI-scenario SaaSpocalypse en de gevolgen voor de cryptomarkt Bitcoin als veilige haven tijdens de handelsoorlog Host Daniel Mol is presentator en redacteur van de Cryptocast. Hij is sinds 2017 met Bitcoin bezig en kwam in 2021 bij het team van de Cryptocast. Redactie Daniel Mol Matthijs Damsteeg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this eye-opening interview on Stacey on the Right, Christian Briggs delivers a stark warning about what he calls the next phase of financial control in America: the rise of “surveillance coin.” Framing it as a critical issue that most Americans don't fully understand yet, Briggs argues that the country is rapidly moving toward a fully digital monetary system—with major implications for personal freedom.He begins by explaining how digital transactions have already become dominant, with the vast majority of Americans using electronic payment systems. But the next step, he says, goes far beyond convenience. Through legislation like the Genius Act, the U.S. is moving toward a fully digital dollar system, where all transactions are tracked, monitored, and controlled within a centralized framework. The key concern isn't just digitization—it's control. Briggs warns that under a centralized system, individuals may no longer truly “own” their money. Instead, they would have access to funds held under third-party custody, meaning accounts could be frozen, restricted, or shut down entirely without traditional due process. He compares this to past incidents of “debanking,” where individuals and organizations were cut off from financial systems due to political or ideological differences.The conversation draws parallels to examples like Operation Choke Point, January 6-related financial actions, and even international cases where governments froze accounts to enforce compliance. Briggs argues that these were early warning signs of what a fully digital system could enable on a much larger scale.He also raises concerns about the role of the Federal Reserve, describing past efforts to develop centralized digital currency systems as part of a long-running initiative. According to Briggs, these systems could consolidate financial power into a single network, increasing efficiency but at the cost of privacy and individual control.Despite the alarm, Briggs emphasizes that the situation is not irreversible. He outlines potential fixes, including restoring self-custody rights, ensuring due process protections, and limiting the power of centralized entities to control access to funds. He also calls for public awareness and political pressure, urging Americans to engage with lawmakers to shape how these systems are implemented.Throughout the discussion, the central tension is clear: efficiency versus freedom. While digital systems offer speed and convenience, Briggs argues they also introduce risks that could fundamentally change the relationship between individuals and their money.The interview ultimately presents a high-stakes question: as financial systems evolve, will Americans gain innovation—or lose control?
Gabriel Custodiet speaks with Lauren Rodriguez about how her political prisoner husband Keonne Rodriguez is doing in prison, some updates on Samourai Wallet, and some reflections on the injustice surrounding this event and similar events. GUEST AND SUPPORT SAMOURAI WALLET → https://billandkeonne.org/ (Sign the petition and donate to the families) → https://x.com/leamuirleyn (Lauren Rodriguez Twitter) → https://x.com/keonne (Keonne Rodriguez Twitter) → https://www.therage.co/tag/samourai-wallet/ (Keonne's "Notes from the Inside") WATCHMAN TORCH PREMIUM NEWSLETTER → https://watchmanstorch.com → Latest updates from Watchman Privacy MY PRIVACY TUTORIALS → https://escapethetechnocracy.com/ (including consulting) → https://watchmanprivacy.com (Gabriel's personal site) → https://twitter.com/watchmanprivacy SUPPORT INDEPENDENT TECHNO-ADVENTURE JOURNALISM → No sponsors. No ads. Just truth. → https://watchmanprivacy.com/donate.html TIMELINE 00:00 – Introduction 4:00 – How is Keonne doing in prison? 9:35 – Lauren's perspective of the April 2024 FBI raid 13:05 – Has Lauren's life been complicated by connection to Keonne? 14:00 – Keonne threatened with solitary confinement for writing from prison 17:05 – What is Keonne looking for from listeners? (sending letters and books) 20:15 – Taylor Swift? 22:25 – Who is The Skinwalker? 23:50 – The backwardness of prison 26:30 – Lauren's life and current mission 29:35 – Lauren's perspective of the Legal Industrial Complex 35:50 – The Rodriguez's financially crushed by the legal system 39:50 – Victim of Operation Chokepoint 2.0 43:20 – SamouraiWallet.com owned by scammers? 45:40 – Final thoughts Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
What are the risks of allowing financial institutions to cut off access to the economy for lawful but controversial activity?Rainey Reitman is a civil liberties advocate and the author of Transaction Denied, a comprehensive investigation into debanking, financial censorship, and the growing role of financial institutions in regulating speech. She previously worked at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founded the Freedom of the Press Foundation.Timestamps: ➡️ 1:20 — Why cash functions as a civil liberty (privacy + censorship resistance)➡️ 3:21 — What inspired Transaction Denied and early experiences with debanking➡️ 5:20 — The Chelsea Manning Support Network PayPal freeze➡️ 8:27 — Operation Chokepoint and the rise of financial censorship➡️ 11:25 — “Banking while Muslim” and over-compliance with sanctions➡️ 15:08 — The Patriot Act and incentives for financial surveillance➡️ 17:12 — Financial intermediaries and the power to block transactions➡️ 17:48 — Bitcoin, custodians, and whether crypto solves debanking➡️ 19:33 — Why financial censorship affects everyone—not just targeted groups➡️ 21:58 — NRA v. Vullo and the limits of government pressure on banksSponsor: Day One Law, a boutique corporate law firm founded by Nick Pullman. Nick and his team at Day One provide strategic legal counsel to startups, crypto projects, and Web3 innovators. You can get in contact with them via this link: https://www.dayonelaw.xyz/#contactResources:
What were the most important legal and regulatory developments in crypto this month? In this episode, we review developments from stablecoin rulemaking and DeFi liability cases to the ongoing fight over prediction markets. Jonathan Schmalfeld is Director of Policy at The Digital Chamber, where he focuses on crypto policy, digital asset legislation, and regulatory developments in Washington.Timestamps➡️ 1:07 — SEC guidance allowing broker-dealers to apply a 2% capital haircut to payment stablecoins➡️ 4:37 — OCC's GENIUS Act implementation proposal and the debate over stablecoin yield restrictions➡️ 11:14 — The Promoting Innovation and Blockchain Development Act and developer liability protections➡️ 17:27 — Federal court dismissal of claims against Uniswap and what it means for DeFi developers➡️ 22:55 — How Kalshi enforced insider trading rules in its CFTC-regulated prediction markets➡️ 27:37 — Kalshi's preliminary injunction against Tennessee regulators and the federal preemption fight➡️ 31:15 — Why prediction market litigation could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court➡️ 36:25 — Institutional adoption: Morgan Stanley custody plans, Kraken's Fed master account, and crypto banking licenses➡️ 40:24 — Operation Chokepoint 2.0 and proposed rules eliminating “reputational risk” in bank supervision➡️ 43:23 — Why competition between crypto and traditional finance is acceleratingSponsor: Day One Law, a boutique corporate law firm founded by Nick Pullman. Nick and his team at Day One provide strategic legal counsel to startups, crypto projects, and Web3 innovators. You can get in contact with them via this link: https://www.dayonelaw.xyz/#contactResources:
Episode 278-Don’t Let Them Memory Hole Us Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript SUMMARY KEYWORDS Mass shooting, Canada, gun laws, mental health, firearm license, self-defense, transgender, mandatory buyback, gun control, observational awareness, situational awareness, gun rights, New Jersey, firearm industry, de-banking. SPEAKERS Teddy Nappen, Speaker 2 Teddy Nappen 00:17 I’m Teddy Nappen, and welcome to Gun Lawyer. I wanted to kind of address this to the audience, as this has been kind of brushed over. There’s been multiple mass shootings, but there was one that caught my eye. They are trying to effectively bury in the stories. Like, I don’t even see it that much coming the news. The mass shooting in Canada! Every single one of the Left’s arguments on how to stop a mass shooting, everything that they push for, demonstrated in Canada failed. The Left always argues that stricter gun laws will prevent a mass shooting. If it saves one life. Even though 2.7 million lives are saved with self-defense uses of a firearm. If it saves one life. They always argue the accessibility of firearms – that’s what leads to mass shootings. Teddy Nappen 01:15 So, I want to kind of lean into this story where nine people were shot and killed, 27 were injured in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. (https://www.junonews.com/p/exclusive-family-confirms-identity) It was a man identifying as a woman, which, you know, that’s one of the other reasons why they’re burying the story. It doesn’t fit the narrative of the straight, white, right wing conservative as the shooter. So, obviously we can’t talk about it. You hear from the North District Commander Ken Floyd of the gun person. Yeah, person. Always good to not misgender the school shooter. He murdered his mother, but also shot his step brother as well. Don’t bring up that fact. Also, a troubled house life, and the school that he shot up, of course, he was thrown out of the school. Police had been called to the home multiple times. They had multiple instances with this individual who had reported mental health problems. Huh, interesting. Teddy Nappen 02:21 Oh, and it gets better. So, the suspect had a firearm license, which, by the way, in Canada, you cannot possess a firearm for self-defense – only hunting. Keep that in mind. Supposedly, the guns recovered were a long gun and a “modified handgun”. They don’t go into details as to what was modified. So, the suspect, the shooter, the man identifying as a woman, I’m going to repeat that, the suspect had dropped out of the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago and was not a student at the time. So, police had attended the suspect’s residence multiple times in the past several years, dealing with mental health occurrences. Hmm, wonder why? When he started identifying as a woman? You know, that usually leads to that 42% suicide rate. The only group that is close to that rate is paranoid schizophrenics. But you know, facts are transphobic and homophobic, apparently. This included one of the attendants where, two years ago, the firearms were seized under criminal code. He was Red Flagged! Oh, he had multiple mental health instances. So, obviously we’ve got to seize his guns. The very argument by the Left to stop mass shootings. But, of course, because the man identified as a woman, then of course, well, we can’t, we don’t want to be transphobic. Let’s give him, oh, sorry, her back his firearms. Teddy Nappen 03:53 And, of course, suspect was born a biological male and then started transitioning six years ago. So, six years ago, he started transitioning and identified as a woman. Two years ago, the firearms are seized, so then he can say, oh, sorry, I think I’m a woman, so give me back my firearms, even though the police have come multiple times for multiple mental health incidents. Other than that, though, let’s give him back his guns. So, right there we have a clear demonstration of the fact that his firearms were seized and then he got, you know, Red Flagged. They actually have it. I pulled the law under their Public Safety website emergency prohibition order. (https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/frrms/rd-flg-lws-en.aspx) A judge issues the order if they believe the individual poses a risk to themselves or others. When the order was issued, firearms, and firearm license and other documents and other weapons may be removed up to 30 days, and you have a hearing date. He goes to the hearing date and says, I want my guns back. And here they are given back and then does the shooting. The level. It’s just so disgusting. The system works every time. He got the guns back, and then boom, goes right into a mass shooting. Teddy Nappen 05:12 By the way, Canada is one of the most strictest places you could find for a firearm. You cannot get firearms for self-defense uses. They ban every form of semi-auto possible. Their laws are extremely, extremely difficult in order to get firearms. Also, Trudeau did a freeze on the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns, stopping all handgun purchases. It’s still in effect. So, you can’t get a handgun to defend yourself. You have no means of purchase except for hunting, and every single one of the anti-gun, the gun rights oppressors, the Left’s whole argument about trying to stop mass shootings. We need all of these things. Well, Canada had all these things. A ban on extended mags. All the bans that you could have on every semi-auto possible, and it still wasn’t enough. And still led to a mass shooting. Every protocol failed. Teddy Nappen 06:13 And by the way, this isn’t the first. Quite frankly, Canada is the inventor of the mass shooter. On December 6, 1989, at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique 14 women were killed as a student went through shooting up the place. (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/polytechnique-tragedy) And that was their justification for all their anti-gun agendas. This is what they said, oh, we’ve got to go after firearms. He just walked through the school and just started shooting the people. They had no means of defense. Then in 2006 a gunman killed one woman and injured 19 others at Montreal college being (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/sep/15/topstories3.internationaleducationnews) He was shot dead by the police saying he wanted to die like Romeo and Juliet. Okay. The man must have been an acting major, a fan of Shakespeare. Teddy Nappen 07:00 And then cut to, I love this one. In 2020, Canada’s deadliest mass shooting. The shooter was Gabriel Wortman. His wife, Lisa Banfield, goes into details in her book, “The First Survivor: Life With Canada’s Deadliest Mass Shooter.” Wortman walks through and kills 22 people in the span of 13 hours, dressed up as a Mountie. He went across a 200 kilometer stretch. Shooting people for 13 hours, 13 hours. Going up and down, shooting and killing people. And no one was there to defend themselves. No one has any guns. This is in 2020. But the Left doesn’t want you to know that. Teddy Nappen 07:44 Just like they don’t want you to know that every time when they hailed Venezuela as the great socialist experiment, when you have Bernie Sanders, who was honeymooning in the Soviet Union and arguing that Cuba has the best healthcare. They always move the goal post or they’ll memory hole it. Trying to make the argument. Oh, this doesn’t fit the narrative. So, we can’t talk about this. That’s how disgusting these people are. And by the way, they even have their mandatory buyback program in Canada. By the way, it’s a complete failure, too. They got like 200 guns. No one’s complying. And that was the thing that The Trace even argued. They said that the hardest part about running a mandatory gun buyback is compliance. Because unless you’re going to go door to door at the barrel of a gun and stealing people’s property, gun buybacks, mandatory gun buyback programs fail every time. So, this ends the debate. This factually ends the debate that every single means of gun control that they argue to stop a mass shooting will not stop a mass shooting. Teddy Nappen 08:52 Not to mention that it is part of our culture where guns are. It’s, yeah, I’m trying to remember the numbers, and it was like 350 million. I can but it’s the we already have a mass number of firearms in the United States. So, the Nirvana fallacy, logical fallacy of trying to argue, if we just get rid of all the guns, there’ll be no mass shootings. No. Because the Left need to understand that there is evil in this world. There is evil. Yeah, they always say. They always try to justify it. Like, oh, I’m poor, I’m impoverished, I’m an illegal who came to this country. They always argue that, trying to justify evil and just accepting the fact. They try to mislabel evil. There is evil in this world, and you have to accept that there will always be terrible people wanting to commit terrible acts. Cut to, you know, taking a car and just running into a crowd of people at a Christmas parade. Cut to the U.K. with random stabbings and their mass pile of rapes that they don’t want to talk about. There will always be evil in this world, and they have to accept it. That is what needs to be brought. So, going on that cheery note, let’s talk about our good friends at WeShoot. Teddy Nappen 10:19 Well, WeShoot is a range in Lakewood. It’s an indoor range where both myself and my father go to shoot. We love to go there. WeShoot is conveniently located right off the Parkway. They have some cool specials that I want to tell you about. The Smith M&P 9M 2.0 Compact is ready to roll. They have that. They’re also offering an M&P 9M 2.0 in metal. So, you can have your choice in metal or polymer. There is the Vortex Triumph, which is in all new optics. Pretty cool. The Vortex makes some good stuff. My father has some Vortex on his guns. They also have the Ross Martin RM1C, which is a striker fire, compact pistol that is really taking the gun world by storm. You should check out the Ross Martin. It’s a really good gun. And, of course, you want to check out the WeShoot girls. They’re featuring a number of folk, including Kristen Fernicola. Go to their website, www.weshootusa.com. You can see all these wonderful guns and models posing with wonderful guns. You will be glad you went to look at all that, I’m sure. And make sure you check out the range at WeShoot. Go to the range. You can go some fantastic training, too. Great pro shop right there in Lakewood, New Jersey. weshootusa.com. Teddy Nappen 11:44 I also want to mention our good friends at The Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. (ANJRPC.org) They’re quite busy fighting in the courts and with the legislation in Trenton. Murphy’s gone, but we did get some new laws. Of course, it’s a very tough environment, but we all get some changes that are critical. I’m glad to see modifications, although completely stopping when the folk have all the power is tough. The Association has made a big difference. We’re thankful, too. Because without The Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs, we would have no unified voice of an umbrella organizations, of our clubs and organizations. You need to be a member of The Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. Go to anjrpc.org and join today. You’ll get a newsletter. The best newsletter in the state on guns. You’ll see email alerts, and you’ll know that what’s going on when it comes to our gun rights in New Jersey. That’s anjrpc.org. Teddy Nappen 12:39 I would also like to shamelessly plug my father’s book, which is New Jersey Gun Law. The Bible in New Jersey gun law. It’s over 500 pages with 120 topics, all questions and answers. It’s your guidebook to not becoming a GOFU in New Jersey. And man, let me tell you some of the times people call up and ask, and it’s after the fact. I’m like, did you read the book? Did you read the book? We’ll still fight and defend you, but it would have been a lot easier if you never had the problem in the first place. And most of the clients would agree with that, I’m afraid. So, get your copy of the book today. Go to EvanNappen.com, EvanNappen.com. Get your copy of New Jersey Gun Law. Teddy Nappen 13:23 So, let’s get to Press Checks. As you know, Press Checks are always free. This is something I find very important, because I think people are forgetting, when the Left had their unfettered power. That’s why you’re seeing a lot of the Left moving to the trying to pivot to the center. Saying, like, oh yeah, we know, mass migration is bad. Yeah, yeah. And trying to, like, epically fail when asked how many genders there are. They can’t define what a woman is. But we have to remember that it’s not just the Left, but it’s the insidious institutions that they abuse. The fact that this is a term that I’m pushing for because it’s a fact. It’s gun deserts. The Left realize now that they can’t win in the public square of debate. Because with gun control, we can easily, we can easily defend and fight against it. And we can push back on every one of their points, because every one of their points are nonsensical. They’ve lost the media where we have alternative tech. There’s Rumble, and you have all the voices. X has become slightly more free. And because a lot of the big tech companies want to use AI, they’re allowing, okay, yeah, we’ll let the conservatives have their points and speak. Teddy Nappen 14:57 So, this is the one bid. It’s the financial institutions. If you all remember the heavy issue of de-banking. I caught this article, and I was like, oh yeah, I remember that issue. (https://www.nraila.org/articles/20260209/jp-morgan-in-growing-trend-backtracks-on-anti-gun-policies) I love how JP Morgan says they’re going to roll back the de-banking that they were committing against gun shops and firearm companies. So, to give a little history lesson, this comes right from the NRA-ILA’s article of JP Morgan’s backtracking. I mean, this goes back to Obama Biden, like the 2010s, where firearm-related businesses were having trouble with Bank of America. Even though they said they didn’t have any corporate policy, we know they’re lying, of course. And then the allegations were getting worse, and Bank of America said, no, no, we don’t have any policy. Then finally, in 2014 they admitted under Operation Choke Point where they threatened to throttle any institution that exercises Second Amendment rights by pressuring banks to drop business, to drop businesses in the firearm industry. So, thankfully, President. Trump got in and stopped that operation. But it proved the point. We were right. The banks were weaponized against the firearm industry. They were trying to go after any form of gun shops or any firearm industries. You know, they can’t get a loan. Then my favorite one was when they were trying to do the credit card scheme. They were trying to track firearm purchases on credit cards. Teddy Nappen 16:34 Also, I love this one where they would pressure firearm industry groups to not sell certain semi-automatic firearms, and also cutting back on standard capacity mags. They like to say high capacity, but it’s just standard capacity. Prohibiting the sale of magazines. Then, of course, the Left would tote saying, look at the firearm industry. They support our anti-gun movement. Well, you’re trying to de-bank me and lose my business. So, I have to agree with you. You know, if you point a gun at someone and demand them to say things, they’ll say things. It’s so disingenuous. At the point where there was a 2019 hearing where the institutions were hauled in. Coming to answer questions that they delved in when it came to banks working with firearm industry and forcing them to push the anti-gun policies. It’s the level of disgusting nature that comes into play. We need to remember that. We need to remember these institutions. Because when the pendulum swings, which it will, at some point, they will get back to business as usual. Attacking our rights. And even President Trump, right back in office, 2024. He comes back in and says to Davos. He gives a huge speech and points to the CEO. JP Morgan and everybody else, I hope you start opening your banks to conservatives. What you’re doing is wrong. Pointing it right out. Not saying, oh, the firearm industry. No, conservatives. Because that’s what it is. It’s conservatives that they are de-banking. It’s conservatives they are attacking and weaponizing. Teddy Nappen 18:21 And even going back to the, I think it was the National Shooting Sports Foundation that even addressed this exact issue. In 2021, they testified in a Congress hearing stating that JP Morgan’s Chase would not lend to manufacturers of modern sporting rifles. There’s your proof, right there. So, remember this. Do not trust the big tech companies. Do not trust the banks. Because right now, the culture has shifted, but they are fully willing to get back. If you look at the donors to Kamala Harris, they all donated to Kamala. They all donated. They all heavily donate to Democrats. Only now, because we’re in power, they’re like, oh yeah, we’re for you guys. Yeah, okay. Enjoy chasing that AI trend while you guys won’t de platform us. But we need to remember that. So, we need to embrace and look to other means, because this is the games they play. We need to find ways around that. Teddy Nappen 19:25 It’s time to finish off with the GOFU, everyone’s favorite. We need to. Also, this is a kind of a lesson in observational awareness. Jeff Cooper preached that idea of observational awareness. He even made a little game of X’s and O’s. Where, if you go into any room or place, you make sure you see everyone and make an O. And as you’re walking through, if you miss somebody who saw you first, give that one an X. Play that game in your head as a scoring method. Yeah, because observational awareness is key. I’m going to highlight that with an actual article from USACarry.com. (https://www.usacarry.com/man-fatally-shoots-attacker-while-playing-pokemon-go-in-anderson-indiana/) A man was attacked while playing Pokémon Go in the woods. He was walking through the woods and was playing Pokémon Go. A 51-year old businessman was playing Pokémon Go, a scavenger hunt, on his phone, and he was ambushed by a homeless man who punched him in the back of the head and stole his phone. At which time, he, you know, drew his firearm and fatally shot the man. It was ruled fully justified, because, first of all, you’re getting punched in the back of the head. People have died from that. And look, there may be more to the story of why it was justified, but the police and the prosecutor found that it presented and seemed like a strong case of self-defense. The fact that he was ranting and raving. But this is the point. This is a clear demonstration. He could have avoided that whole encounter, and it could have gone very bad very quickly. Because all it took is one Left wing prosecutor to say he shot an unarmed man, and his life would have been ruined. Observational awareness, situational awareness. Keep your head on a swivel. That is the GOFU. Don’t be a GOFU. Teddy Nappen 21:19 This is Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws do not protect honest citizens from criminals. They protect criminals from honest citizens. Speaker 2 21:30 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S5 E278_Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America. Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL. Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits. Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";
The 2026 D.C. roadmap with House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill. House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill was named one of CoinDesk's 50 Most Influential People of 2025. In this interview with CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie, he reflects on a landmark year for the U.S. digital asset industry following the historic signing of the GENIUS Act. He also argues that stablecoins cannot succeed without the broader market structure of the Clarity Act, and dives into the committee's investigation into "Operation Chokepoint 2.0." - For more, check out CoinDesk's 50 Most Influential article on Congressman French Hill: https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/12/08/most-influential-rep-french-hill. To see the full list, visit: https://www.coindesk.com/most-influential-2025. - Timecodes: 01:22 - 2025: A Year of Legislative Accomplishments 02:51 - Passing the GENIUS Act and Reversing SEC Policies 04:18 - The Future of Stablecoins in the U.S. Banking System 06:41 - The Importance of the Clarity Act 09:34 - Will Market Structure Pass Before Midterms? 11:35 - Managing Potential Conflicts of Trump's Family Crypto Businesses 13:46 - Why the CFTC Needs a Bipartisan Bench to Succeed 14:45 - How Congress Built the Case for Crypto Laws 17:06 - Operation Choke Point 2.0: Ending the De-Banking of Crypto - 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.
In this episode, Jacob Robinson and Jonathan Schmalfeld break down the biggest U.S. crypto law and policy developments of the month, from the SEC's moves toward bringing public markets on-chain to major CFTC moves on derivatives, prediction markets, and collateral. The conversation also covers crypto tax proposals, DeFi governance disputes, banking access, privacy, quantum risk, and why regulators increasingly view crypto not as an exception, but as core financial infrastructure.Jonathan Schmalfeld is the Policy Director at The Digital Chamber and the author of the Off the Blockchain+ newsletter, where he analyzes crypto regulation, market structure, and emerging policy trends.Timestamps:➡️ 1:03 — SEC market structure reforms and DTC no-action relief➡️ 7:54 — CFTC allows crypto and tokenized treasuries as collateral➡️ 8:45 — Prediction markets and state gambling laws➡️ 13:23 — Crypto tax proposals: wash sales, staking, and airdrops➡️ 16:03 — Aave, DAO governance, and token vs. equity conflicts➡️ 21:48 — GENIUS Act implementation and stablecoin interest debates➡️ 27:33 — The end of Operation Choke Point 2.0 and legislative fixes➡️ 31:02 — DeFi liquidations, market manipulation, and public debate➡️ 34:20 — Quantum computing risk and Bitcoin's long-term resilience➡️ 38:46 — Michael Selig confirmed as CFTC ChairSponsor: This episode is brought to you by the Decentralization Research Center (DRC), a nonprofit think tank advocating for decentralization in emerging technologies. Learn more at thedrcenter.org.Resources:
The Blockspace Boys count down the best and favorite Bitcoin stories of 2025, from ICE raids in Texas and Operation Chokepoint 2.0 to the explosive pivot to AI and the mystery of the $8B OG whale wallet. Blockspace Boys — Charlie, Colin, and Will — join us to count down the most impactful and wildest stories of the year. They dive deep into the ICE raid on a Texas Bitcoin mine, the end of Operation Chokepoint 2.0, and the industry-wide pivot to AI and HPC. We also discuss Trump's tariffs causing miner panic, the "Treasury Narrative" bust, and the legendary $8 billion whale sale. Plus, don't miss the saga of the Bitcoin Puppet race car. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: * ICE raided Texas mine; seized guns/workers * Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Conspiracy * Miners paying $2-3.5M for chartered jets * OG Whale sold $8B Bitcoin via Galaxy Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:11 Ice Raids Bitcoin Facility 10:21 Mining co-loction deals 16:13 Operation Chokepoint 2.0 25:05 ASIC imports 33:48 The Rush to Avoid Tariffs 39:22 80k Bitcoin on the Move 46:22 Bitcoin Treasury Narrative -
David Bailey is the chairman of Bitcoin Magazine, the organizer of the most successful series of Bitcoin conferences, and the mastermind behind the Nakamoto BTC treasury company. In this episode, we talk about his latest business dealings and the current state of the Bitcoin bull market. Time stamps: 00:01:47 Bitcoin Magazine's Bitcoin-Only Pivot 00:02:17 Surviving 2018 and the COVID Pivot 00:04:09 Scaling Up: Conferences and Global Expansion 00:05:11 Bringing Politicians to Bitcoin 00:07:35 Trump's Embrace of Bitcoin and Global Perception 00:09:48 Bitcoin Price Expectations and Political Impact 00:10:56 Presidential Pardons and the Lack of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve 00:14:10 Trump Meme Coins and Industry Signals 00:17:07 Privacy, Regulation, and Privacy Acceleration Thanks to Zcash 00:20:53 Nakamoto Stock Price and Public Company Challenges 00:23:00 Bitcoin Treasury Companies: Purpose and Model 00:24:40 Evolution of Bitcoin Financialization (Banks, ETFs, Strategic Reserves, Reserve Companies) 00:35:42 David Bailey Addresses Accusations of Mismanagement 00:44:00 Bitcoin Price, Narratives, and Community Factions 00:45:05 Bullish Narratives and Breaking the Four-Year Cycle 00:46:21 Core vs. Knots: Development and Forks 00:49:35 Bitcoin Improvement Proposals and Development Stagnation 00:50:28 Jeremy Rubin in the Epstein Files, Bitcoin's Public Perception 00:54:01 Trump, Epstein, and Political Distractions 00:55:00 Bitcoin.com's Shift and Roger Ver Reflections 01:01:48 BCH Fork, Losses, and Historical Lessons 01:02:41 Conspiracy Theories: Censorship and Satoshi's Coins Post-Quantum 01:05:00 Quantum Risk and Bitcoin's Long-Term Security 01:10:24 Altcoins: Legitimacy and Usefulness 01:18:11 Ethereum, Solana, and Bitcoin's Competitive Edge 01:22:27 Bitcoin's Youth and Historical Significance 01:22:58 Operation Choke Point 3.0 and Wall Street Resistance 01:30:20 Would David Bailey Become Crypto Czar? 01:34:04 Why Invest in Nakamoto? 01:37:28 Comparing Treasury Companies 01:40:28 If You Could Change One Thing in Bitcoin: Drivechains 01:42:03 Security Budget, Scaling, and Miner Incentives 01:46:50 Bitcoin Price Predictions and the Four-Year Cycle 01:55:02 Social Media, Narratives, and Bitcoin Culture 01:58:24 Bitcoin as Money and Regulatory Setbacks 02:03:13 Closing Thoughts and Pardons
Contrast between today's macro backdrop and the 2021 Bitcoin peak, with tighter liquidity, higher rates, and far stronger structural support for BitcoinCory's base case: no classic 80% “crypto winter” drawdowns anymore and a strong chance of new all-time highs in 2026John's “yearly lows” chart framing: rising annual Bitcoin floors as proof of real accumulation and diminishing panic sellingLarry Fink, Harvard, sovereign wealth funds, and major banks (BofA, Vanguard, Schwab, Citi) as long-term Bitcoin buyers, not momentum touristsDiscussion of CFTC-approved spot Bitcoin trading on designated contract markets as another on-ramp for pensions and endowmentsBig critique of prediction markets and “scambling” (scam + gambling) as an extractive, nihilistic, fiat-era attempt to financialize everythingCory and John argue that crypto casinos, meme coins, and prediction markets are a giant gambling funnel that ultimately pushes people toward Bitcoin's seriousnessBitcoin and energy: riffing on Elon Musk and Jensen Huang's comments about Bitcoin turning stranded or excess energy into a universal monetary batteryMicroStrategy's new USD reserve is framed as a cosmetics move to soothe institutions and make their Stretch preferreds more attractive, not a change in core strategyCory pushes back on “Operation Chokepoint 2.0” de-banking narratives, distinguishing between true systemic exclusion and individual risky accounts being dropped Swan Private helps HNWI, companies, trusts, and other entities go beyond legacy finance with BItcoin. Learn more at swan.com/private. Put Bitcoin into your IRA and own your future. Check out swan.com/ira.Swan Vault makes advanced Bitcoin security simple. Learn more at swan.com/vault.
Today's episode looks at how the traditional financial and policy apparatus around Bitcoin and crypto is shifting from quiet hostility to reluctant accommodation, and what that means for market psychology at this stage of the drawdown. From MicroStrategy building a $1.44B cash buffer to avoid selling BTC, to Kalshi's move toward on-chain tokenization, to Congress' blistering report on Operation Chokepoint 2.0 and the about-face from Vanguard and Bank of America on Bitcoin access, the signs of a changing tide are everywhere. 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
A new House report confirms the Biden Administration's coordinated, extralegal "Operation Chokepoint 2.0" to debank the crypto industry. We review the timeline & confirmed shadow debanking conspiracies We discuss the bombshell report from the House Committee on Financial Services that confirms the existence of **Operation Chokepoint 2.0**—a coordinated, extralegal effort by the Biden Administration to push the crypto industry out of the US banking system. Review Nic Carter's original exposes, how the "conspiracy" became formal documentation, and the shift from an existential threat to a clearer path for conducting business in the United States. We also discuss the political "reckoning" ahead for the industry's single-issue campaign spending. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com **Notes:** * House report confirms debanking conspiracy. * Extralegal effort to cut crypto banking. * Nick Carter published OCP 2.0 exposes. * Existential risk to US crypto is not near-term. * Crypto actively supported Trump's campaign. * "Single issue PAC" raised biggest money ever. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:25 Chokepoint 1.0 04:08 Regulation as maze 07:14 FDIC letter 11:06 Charlie gets de-banked 13:12 Fed letter SR226 -
De discussie over Tether laait opnieuw op. Het stablecoinbedrijf ligt periodiek onder een vergrootglas en deze week is dat niet anders. De zorgen gaan zoals vaker over de samenstelling van de reserves, het ontbreken van een volledige audit en de vraag hoe robuust het bedrijf werkelijk is bij een forse daling van de markt. Tegelijkertijd verdient Tether meer dan ooit. De rente-inkomsten op de Amerikaanse staatsobligaties die het bedrijf aanhoudt zorgen voor recordwinsten, wat het bedrijf gebruikt om een groeiende positie in bitcoin en ook goud op te bouwen. Toch blijven de vragen terugkeren. De reserves bestaan grotendeels uit kortlopende staatsobligaties, maar er zitten ook meer risicovolle onderdelen in, zoals de eerdergenoemde goud- en bitcoinposities en bepaalde leningen. Critici wijzen op dat laatste als zwak punt. Arthur Hayes, voormalig CEO van BitMex, stelde dat Tether bij een stevige drawdown “theoretisch insolvent” zou kunnen zijn. De vraag is dan hoe groot dat risico werkelijk is en wat het betekent voor gewone gebruikers. Want zelfs als zo’n scenario optreedt, is het nog maar de vraag in hoeverre die gevolgen direct bij het brede publiek terechtkomen. Daarmee hangt de grootste onbekende nog altijd boven de markt: het ontbreken van een volwaardige, onafhankelijke audit van de balans. Al jaren belooft Tether meer transparantie, maar zover is het nog niet. Dat blijft een factor in het systeemrisico van USDT, zeker omdat de munt zo’n grote rol speelt in de wereldwijde cryptomarkt. Ondertussen groeit het bedrijf door en worden de bitcoinreserves steeds verder uitgebreid. De vraag is hoe dit zich ontwikkelt als Tether zijn eigen macht vergroot en wat dat betekent voor de markt waarin het opereert. Op de markt zelf was het ook onrustig. De koers liep de hele week rustig op, maar zakte zondagavond plotseling hard weg tot onder de 84.000 dollar. Ook komt de vraag voorbij of MicroStrategy, het bedrijf van Michael Saylor, een risico begint te vormen nu het aandeel slecht presteert terwijl het miljarden aan bitcoin bezit. En er is de grotere vraag of we het inmiddels bearmarkt mogen noemen, of dat die conclusie nog te vroeg is. Tot slot speelt er opnieuw een discussie over banken en cryptodiensten. De term ‘Operation Choke Point 3.0’ duikt steeds vaker op, verwijzend naar eerdere periodes waarin bedrijven de toegang tot betalingsdiensten verloren. Recente incidenten, zoals het debanken van Strike of het stopzetten van de Dolphin Card van Samson Mow, doen de vraag rijzen of hier sprake is van een patroon. Sommige analyses wijzen niet op complotten, maar op banken die vooral concurrentie willen afremmen. Wat dat betekent voor gebruikers en voor de bredere machtsstrijd in het financiële systeem komt uitgebreid aan bod. Co-hosts zijn Bert en Peter Slagter. Gasten Bert Slagter Peter Slagter Links Host Daniël Mol Redactie Daniël Mol Matthijs DamsteegSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Crypto News: Multiple XRP ETFs go live, VeChain & Rekord Partner for Tokenization, Ondo turns to Figure's stablecoin with $25M investment to back tokenized fund. JPMorgan continues Operation Chokepoint 2.0 debanking Strike's Jack Mallers.Brought to you by
[00:22:29] – Ghost Guns & State TyrannyKnight spotlights the case of Brooklyn engineer Dexter Taylor, sentenced to ten years for 3D-printing guns he never used or sold. He calls it proof that New York punishes defiance, not danger, and argues the state's real crime is independence from its control. [00:30:04] – NRA vs. New York's Financial CensorshipKnight covers the NRA's First Amendment lawsuit against New York regulators who pressured banks to cut ties with gun groups. He says the case proves the state now weaponizes finance to silence dissent—“Operation Choke Point reborn.” [00:39:56] – SNAP Cuts, Entitlement, & Marxist LootingKnight reviews viral videos of people vowing to steal from stores after food-stamp cuts. He links the mindset to Marxist indoctrination, saying “1619 Project logic” now justifies theft and dependency as moral rebellion against capitalism. [01:11:26] – When the Government Censored Frankenstein & DraculaKnight ends with a historical exposé on Hollywood censorship—how films like Dracula and Frankenstein were once banned for being “too disturbing.” He uses it to illustrate the cycle of censorship, warning that today's “fact-checking” regime is just the modern Inquisition. [01:57:25] – Trump Orders Nuclear TestingKnight exposes Trump's unilateral order to resume nuclear weapons testing—overturning a 1992 moratorium without congressional approval. He calls it an ego-driven stunt that violates the Constitution and risks triggering global escalation. [02:00:51] – SNAP Shutdown & Civil UnrestKnight predicts riots as 41 million Americans lose food stamps during Trump's shutdown. He argues that engineered dependency and welfare chaos are deliberate tools of state control under “America's Great Reset.” [02:25:41] – Epstein Fallout & The Royal FamilyKnight contrasts the British monarchy's expulsion of Prince Andrew with Trump's ongoing defense of Epstein-linked elites. He predicts Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, calling it proof of bipartisan complicity in sex-trafficking cover-ups. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.
[00:22:29] – Ghost Guns & State TyrannyKnight spotlights the case of Brooklyn engineer Dexter Taylor, sentenced to ten years for 3D-printing guns he never used or sold. He calls it proof that New York punishes defiance, not danger, and argues the state's real crime is independence from its control. [00:30:04] – NRA vs. New York's Financial CensorshipKnight covers the NRA's First Amendment lawsuit against New York regulators who pressured banks to cut ties with gun groups. He says the case proves the state now weaponizes finance to silence dissent—“Operation Choke Point reborn.” [00:39:56] – SNAP Cuts, Entitlement, & Marxist LootingKnight reviews viral videos of people vowing to steal from stores after food-stamp cuts. He links the mindset to Marxist indoctrination, saying “1619 Project logic” now justifies theft and dependency as moral rebellion against capitalism. [01:11:26] – When the Government Censored Frankenstein & DraculaKnight ends with a historical exposé on Hollywood censorship—how films like Dracula and Frankenstein were once banned for being “too disturbing.” He uses it to illustrate the cycle of censorship, warning that today's “fact-checking” regime is just the modern Inquisition. [01:57:25] – Trump Orders Nuclear TestingKnight exposes Trump's unilateral order to resume nuclear weapons testing—overturning a 1992 moratorium without congressional approval. He calls it an ego-driven stunt that violates the Constitution and risks triggering global escalation. [02:00:51] – SNAP Shutdown & Civil UnrestKnight predicts riots as 41 million Americans lose food stamps during Trump's shutdown. He argues that engineered dependency and welfare chaos are deliberate tools of state control under “America's Great Reset.” [02:25:41] – Epstein Fallout & The Royal FamilyKnight contrasts the British monarchy's expulsion of Prince Andrew with Trump's ongoing defense of Epstein-linked elites. He predicts Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, calling it proof of bipartisan complicity in sex-trafficking cover-ups. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.
In this episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast, Chris Willis is joined by Lori Sommerfield and James Stevens to delve into the implications of President Trump's Executive Order 14331, "Guaranteeing Fair Banking for All Americans." This order aims to eliminate politicized or unlawful de-banking practices by prohibiting financial institutions from denying access to banking services based on political, religious, or ideological beliefs. The trio discusses the historical context of de-banking, tracing its roots back to the Obama-era Operation Choke Point, and explores the current regulatory landscape shaped by the executive order. They analyze the directives issued to federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the potential risks and challenges facing financial institutions. Tune in to understand how this regulatory push will likely impact the banking industry and what steps institutions can take now to mitigate risks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Custodia Bank CEO Caitlin Long joins to break down how Wall Street's new Bitcoin treasury strategies crushed volatility, changed the game for hodlers, and signaled the next phase of Bitcoin's evolution. We discuss why early holders are selling, how tokenization and stablecoins could reshape global finance, and why the real fight is now between banks and blockchains. Caitlin also opens up on Operation Chokepoint 2.0, the ongoing battle with the Fed, and her bold vision for tokenized bank deposits that could finally link TradFi and DeFi at scale.
In this episode of The P.A.S. Report, Professor Nick Giordano exposes how America's financial system has been weaponized to punish political opponents and reshape society. From the 2008 bailouts to the Biden administration's aggressive expansion of Operation Chokepoint, Professor Giordano breaks down how banks, regulators, and politicians have quietly turned your access to money into a political tool. With President Trump's new Executive Order banning politicized debanking and Senator Tim Scott's FIRM Act aiming to make those protections permanent, he explains what's at stake, why your financial freedom hangs in the balance, and how Congress must act before it's too late. Episode Highlights How the 2008 financial crisis created “too big to fail” banks and paved the way for politicized banking. The Biden administration's push to flag “Trump” and “MAGA” transactions, target lawful industries, and revive Operation Chokepoint. Why Trump's Executive Order is a major win, but why the FIRM Act is critical to making protections against political debanking permanent.
In this week's TWIA episode, John Byrne and Joe McNamara cover critical developments in financial crimes prevention across multiple jurisdictions. Cultural Racketeering Crisis Insights from a recent Atlantic Council program reveal Russia's systematic assault on Ukraine's cultural heritage: 200 million books destroyed, 35,000 artifacts stolen, and 2 million artifacts lost. Russian museum officials are personally complicit, prompting President Zelenskyy to issue sanctions against museum directors. Experts highlight AI's growing role in tracking stolen cultural property. Regulatory Updates FinCEN delays the investment advisor AML rule until 2028, citing deregulatory priorities despite acknowledging ongoing illicit finance risks. The President's working group releases digital asset market recommendations, while FinCEN warns about crypto kiosks being used for scams targeting older adults. International Developments The IMF's Canada financial stability assessment raises concerns about banking oversight gaps. New UK guidance addresses Russian sanctions evasion, while a British solicitor faces fines for AML failures in an Azerbaijan-linked property deal, highlighting ongoing gatekeeper compliance debates. The De-Banking Controversy Analysis of the proposed executive order targeting banks for alleged political discrimination. John Byrne challenges "Operation Choke Point 2.0" claims, emphasizing that banks make legitimate risk-based decisions considering credit worthiness and regulatory requirements. Discussion includes potential implications for suspicious activity reporting. Additional Coverage John Oliver's examination of deferred prosecution agreements in corporate crime cases provides context on this controversial prosecutorial tool's AML applications.
President Trump is preparing an executive order targeting financial institutions over politically motivated debanking, but critics argue it's missing the real culprits—federal regulators. NLW dives into the legacy of Operation Chokepoint, what this new order aims to change, and whether it will prevent future abuses. Then, in a big move for crypto, the SEC clarifies that most liquid staking protocols don't constitute securities offerings—unlocking DeFi potential. We also look at new stablecoin accounting guidance and the growing calls for serious banking reform from leaders across the political spectrum. Brought to you by: Grayscale offers more than 20 different crypto investment products. Explore the full suite at grayscale.com. Invest in your share of the future. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. To learn more, visit Grayscale.com -- https://www.grayscale.com//?utm_source=blockworks&utm_medium=paid-other&utm_campaign=brand&utm_id=&utm_term=&utm_content=audio-thebreakdown) 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
with @MinarikLaw @EMinSF @rhhackettImagine waking up one day to find your bank account frozen. No warning. No explanation. No recourse.This is not a thought experiment. It's a real situation. And it's happened not just to crypto companies and their founders, but to ordinary people who are just trying to live their lives. That includes our guest today, who learned firsthand what it means to be “debanked.”In this episode, we talk about the unseen algorithms that monitor people's accounts, the ramifications of the Bank Secrecy Act, and how crypto and decentralized finance may offer a much-needed check — and safety net — against the opaque systems of traditional finance.Joining us are:Uniswap Labs's Chief Legal Officer Katherine Minarik, who shares her personal story of being debanked and what it taught her.a16z crypto Finance and Operations Partner Em Westerhold, who helps founders navigate these issues, and who has tracked dozens of instances of debanking across our own portfolio.A big thank you to Katherine for trusting us to share her story, which you can read a first-hand account of in an op-ed she contributed to a16zcrypto.com earlier this year. Find that and more below.Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction(2:03) The Problem of Debanking(5:58) Debanking: A Personal Story(7:33) Understanding the Bank Secrecy Act(11:53) The Information Vacuum(16:55) The Impact on Crypto Companies(20:07) Addressing Skeptics(22:07) Banks: Good vs. Bad(27:35) The Scariest Moment(36:17) "Operation Chokepoint 2.0"(38:08) History of the Bank Secrecy Act(44:04) Security Theater(45:31) What Would You Change?(48:45) The Impact of Financial Consolidation(49:30) Crypto as Banking Solution(53:02) Is Debanking Still Happening?(58:35) Unresolved Mysteries(1:01:47) One More Debanking Story(1:08:07) Conspiracy or Coincidence?(1:09:39) It Shouldn't Be This Hard(1:11:18) Out From Under the SEC's Cloud(1:14:23) The Urgent Need for Legislation(1:17:26) Possible Tech Futures(1:19:33) Advice for Founders(1:22:04) Final ThoughtsResources:Anyone can get debanked. DeFi is a critical safety net by Katherine Minarik (a16z crypto, February 2025)This op-ed is part of a bigger package of crypto policy views found here: “U.S. as the crypto capital: What it would take”Debanking: What you need to know (a16z crypto, December 2024)End the era of mass financial surveillance by Grant Rabenn (a16z crypto, February 2025)As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.
This is a two-part episode that focuses on very different topics with similar names. The original Operation Choke Point was launched by Obama as a way to shakedown industries that he thought he could manipulate. Biden revised the program in order to focus specifically on cryptocurrency-related businesses, exchanges, and banks working with industry leaders. The second part of the show features the maritime choke points worldwide that play a major role in the creeping spectre of World War 3. We focus on the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hurmuz, the Panama Canal, and the Strait of Malacca in southeast Asia. Conflict in the Middle East will cause multiple choke points to shut down, forcing the price of a barrel of oil to astronomical levels in a matter of weeks, not years. The Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMm Hypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwms Website: www.Macroaggressions.io Activist Post: www.activistpost.com Sponsors: Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com Promo Code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com Promo Code: MACRO ECI Development: https://info.ecidevelopment.com/-get-to-know-us/macro-aggressions Christian Yordanov's Health Program: www.livelongerformula.com/macro Privacy Academy: https://privacyacademy.com/step/privacy-action-plan-checkout-2/?ref=5620 Brain Supreme: www.BrainSupreme.co Promo Code: MACRO Above Phone: abovephone.com/macro Promo Code: MACRO Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO Promo Code: MACRO My Patriot Supply: www.PrepareWithMacroaggressions.com Activist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast
In this episode, Jacob Robinson is joined by Justin Wales (@bitcoin_wales), Head of Legal (Americas) at Crypto.com and author of The Crypto Legal Handbook. Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Day One Law — a boutique law firm helping crypto startups navigate complex legal challenges. Visit https://www.dayonelaw.xyz/ to get in touch.With the release of the book's second edition, Justin shares what's new: from stablecoin legislation and state-level licensing regimes to AI's intersection with crypto and the shifting regulatory tone under a new administration. We also discuss how legal frameworks are evolving, the risks of regulatory whiplash, and why meme coins, AI agents, and decentralized settlement are at the center of today's legal debates.Timestamps:➡️ 00:00 Intro➡️ 00:46 Sponsor: Day One Law➡️ 02:00 Second Edition Highlights & Historical Context➡️ 04:00 State-Level Developments & Money Transmission Rules➡️ 06:00 Outlook on Stablecoin and Market Structure Legislation➡️ 08:00 How to Read the New Edition➡️ 10:00 Operation Chokepoint, Debanking & Tax Updates➡️ 11:30 The Rise of Meme Coins & Industry Disincentives➡️ 14:30 SEC Enforcement, Risk Appetite & Innovation➡️ 17:00 AI x Crypto: Communication, Trust & Open Protocols➡️ 20:00 Crypto's Place in Financial Infrastructure➡️ 22:30 Jurisdictional Competition & Market Pressure➡️ 25:00 The Cost of Fitting Crypto Into Legacy Systems➡️ 27:00 Global Posture Shift & Optimism for the Future➡️ 29:00 Final ThoughtsThe Crypto Legal Handbook: You can find it online for $30, here: https://thecryptolegalhandbook.com/Disclaimer: Jacob Robinson and his guests are not your lawyer. Nothing herein or mentioned on the Law of Code podcast should be construed as legal advice. The material published is intended for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Please seek the advice of counsel, and do not apply any of the generalized material to your individual facts or circumstances without speaking to an attorney.
In this exclusive interview, Bo Hines, Executive Director for the President's Council on Digital Assets, shares the White House's bold plan to make America the Bitcoin superpower. Hines discusses dismantling Operation Choke Point 2.0, launching the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and advancing pro-Bitcoin legislation.Hear how the administration is setting a global precedent for financial innovation, freedom, and Bitcoin accumulation while reshaping U.S. policy at the highest levels.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction and Guests00:18 – Major Bitcoin and Digital Asset Victories01:47 – Day in the Life at the White House03:52 – Bo Hines' Bitcoin Origin Story05:36 – Bitcoin as Digital Gold and National Strategy08:08 – Update on Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) Audit09:42 – Creative Strategies for Bitcoin Accumulation10:42 – Balancing Financial Privacy and Security11:54 – Legislative Goals and Roadmap Ahead13:23 – Closing ThoughtsSponsored by iTrustCapital - itrustcapital.com
Hoolie Tejwani, the head of Coinbase Ventures joins the show. In this episode we discuss: The history and rationale behind the launch of Coinbase Ventures. The evolution of the crypto venture category. Areas of focus for Coinbase Ventures. Stablecoins, Crypto/AI and consumer startup category. The regulatory landscape in the United States. Operation Chokepoint 2.0 and the impact on startups. The rise of the Coinbase Mafia. To learn more visit coinbase.com/ventures
Paolo Ardoino, the CEO of Tether, rejoins the show for a timely discussion. In this episode: How is Paolo feeling about political trends in the US today? Tether is the 7th-largest buyer of USTs at the sovereign level Paolo's decision to spend more time in the US What does Paolo make of the stablecoin bills in Congress? Does Tether want to eventually come onshore to the US? Tether is pursuing a Big 4 Audit The effect of Operation Choke Point 2.0 on Tether Tether is moving their HQ to El Salvador Paolo's thoughts on stablecoins in MiCA How does Tether get to the figure of 400m global users of the stablecoin? Tether's efforts to better understand their userbase and usage modes Tether's methodology around balance sheet investing Is Paolo concerned about crypto-dollarization? Tether's relationship with Cantor now that Lutnick is Commerce Secretary Is Paolo concerned about the emergence of interest-bearing stablecoins? See also: On The Brink ep.87: Paolo Ardoino (Bitfinex/Tether) – Managing the growth of Tether (June 2020)
Time Stamps:4:50 - Ukraine/Russia Trade Massive Drone Attacks15:00 - Do Nukes Even Exist?16:42 - Secret Israeli Nuclear Weapons Program27:37 - Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion45:20 - Ideological Subversion54:48 - IDF Expands Ground Offensive in Gaza57:35 - Trump 'Fully Supports' Israel's Gaza Slaughter58:50 - The Iran War Plan1:05:40 - TrumpED 20251:40:40 - Operation Chokepoint1:54:36 - Shawn Ryan/Sarah Adams Push Regime Change in Syria2:08:11 - The Delta ProjectWelcome to The Morning Dump, where we dive headfirst into the deep end of the pool of current events, conspiracy, and everything in between. Join us for a no-holds-barred look at the week's hottest topics, where we flush away the fluff and get straight to the substance.Please consider supporting our work-Austin's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheUnderclassPodcastAustin's Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-underclass-podcast--6511540Austin's Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/TheUnderclassPodcastAustin's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheUnderclassPodcastCheck out nadeaushaveco.com today & use code Jose for 10% off your entire order!!!Jose's Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/nowayjose2020 Only costs $2/month and will get you access to episodes earlier than the public Check out TopLobsta's kickass threads- toplobsta.com Use JOSE at checkout for 10% off Get No Way, Jose! merch- https://www.toplobsta.com/pages/no-way-joseNo Way, Jose! Rumble Channel- https://rumble.com/c/c-3379274No Way, Jose! Odysee Channel- https://odysee.com/@NoWayJose:7?r=JChxx9RMmW9PuL49z3PvTq4sxE2GjJrpNo Way, Jose! YouTube Channel- https://youtube.com/channel/UCzyrpy3eo37eiRTq0cXff0gJose's Podcast Host- https://redcircle.com/shows/no-way-joseApple podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-way-jose/id1546040443Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/0xUIH4pZ0tM1UxARxPe6ThStitcher- https://www.stitcher.com/show/no-way-jose-2Amazon Music- https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/41237e28-c365-491c-9a31-2c6ef874d89d/No-Way-JoseGoogle Podcasts- https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5yZWRjaXJjbGUuY29tL2ZkM2JkYTE3LTg2OTEtNDc5Ny05Mzc2LTc1M2ExZTE4NGQ5Yw%3D%3DRadioPublic- https://radiopublic.com/no-way-jose-6p1BAOVurbl- https://vurbl.com/station/4qHi6pyWP9B/#UkraineRussiaCeasefire #MassiveDroneAttacks #DoNukesExist #SecretIsraeliNukes #ProtocolsEldersZion #IdeologicalSubversion #IDFGazaOffensive #TrumpSupportsIsrael #IranWarPlan #TrumpED2025 #DeptOfEducationDismantled #OperationChokepoint #ShawnRyan #SarahAdams #RegimeChange #DeltaProject #RussiaUkraineDroneWar #NuclearConspiracy #IsraelGazaConflict #SubversionAgenda #TrumpIsraelPolicyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-underclass-podcast--6511540/support.
Greg Kidd, Cofounder of Hard Yaka & CEO of USBC, joined me to discuss his Bank's vision for the USBC stablecoin and expanding it to a Deposit Token.Topics: - Acquisition of Vast Bank - USBC Stablecoin - Will Banks use Stablecoins or Deposit Tokens- SAB121 Repeal and Banks entering into crypto - Operation Chokepoint 2.0 - Outlook for Crypto in 2025 - Stablecoin & Crypto Regulation Show Sponsor -
The Wolf Of All Streets is back with an explosive conversation with Caitlin Long, CEO of Custodia Bank, diving deep into the shocking truths behind Operation Chokepoint 2.0. We expose how the crypto industry was systematically debanked, the political power plays happening behind the scenes, and what's next for Bitcoin-friendly policies under the new administration. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion on what it means for crypto, stablecoins, and the future of financial freedom! Caitlin Long: https://x.com/caitlinlong_ ►► JOIN THE FREE WOLF DEN NEWSLETTER, DELIVERED EVERY WEEKDAY!
Jason Brett is a Former U.S. Regulator at the FDIC & Current Managing Director at Key Bridge Advisors. He joined me to discuss the Fed and FDIC's approach to crypto post Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Topics: - Jason's background at the FDIC and the 2008 Financial Crisis - Would Blockchain help prevent another 2008 type financial crisis? - Operation Chokepoint 2.0 - SAB121 repeal and Banks embracing Crypto- Pro Crypto Government and Crypto's outlook in the UShttps://www.keybridgeadvisors.com/ Show Sponsor -
The crypto industry has been targeted for years – is Operation Chokepoint 2.0 finally at an end?You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.comIt's now openly acknowledged that the crypto industry has been targeted for years by the previous administration's Operation Chokepoint 2.0 scheme. Charlie & Colin discuss how last week's hearing saw Senators Warren & Scott addressed the matter before the House Financial Services Committee. We explain how we got here and where we might go as an industry.Notes:• History of regulatory scrutiny• FTX Fallout• Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Hearing• Elizabeth Warren changes tuneCheck out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more.Chapters:03:23 – Operation Choke Point 2.0: Background & FTX Fallout07:20 – Nick Carter's Revelations & Chokepoint Analysis09:23 – Silvergate's Story & the 15% Deposit Cap18:09 – House Financial Services Committee Hearing Recap25:05 – Elizabeth Warren's Pivot & Broader Political Implications42:41 – Future Outlook: Could There Be a Choke Point 3.0?-
Nathan McCauley, the co-founder and CEO of Anchorage joins the show. In this episode we discuss: The history of Anchorage and the evolution of the company from a product and regulatory perspective. Operation Chokepoint 2.0 and the debanking of digital asset startups. How banks are approaching the digital asset custody ecosystem and the sub-custody market. The evolution of stablecoins, the prospects of a stablecoin bill and the Global Dollar Network stablecoin consortium. Anchorage's Porto Wallet and Atlas products and the role they are playing with institutional customers. To learn more about Anchorage visit www.anchorage.com
Sign up for our free regulatory newsletter! Silvergate Bank was once crypto's most important banking partner, handling billions in deposits from the biggest players in the industry. Then, FTX collapsed—and everything changed. In this episode of Unchained, Mike Lempres, former chairman of Silvergate, talks about how Silvergate grew into a banking giant for crypto, why Washington suddenly turned against them—even after they survived the FTX crisis, and whether Operation Choke Point 2.0 was real. Plus, did short sellers and politicians work together to tank Silvergate's stock? And what does the future look like for banks that want to serve crypto? This is part of the inside story of one of the biggest banking collapses in crypto history. Show highlights: 2:08 How Mike's background in banking led him to work in crypto 4:10 Why banking has always been a challenge for crypto companies 5:14 How Silvergate Bank got involved so much with the industry and how it achieved “tremendous growth” 8:10 The “magic” of the Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN) 14:19 Why Mike believes Silvergate's problem was not banking regulators, but D.C. politics 17:49 How everything changed after the FTX collapse 24:45 Whether SEN is a valuable asset for a bank to have 28:39 Why Mike believes that Operation Choke Point 2.0 is real 30:48 Whether short sellers worked with politicians to tank Silvergate 34:21 How Mike thinks that banks could service the crypto industry Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! RockWallet Somnia Network Quai Network Mantle Guest Mike Lempres, Former Chairman of Silvergate Bank Links Unchained: Why the new FDIC Leadership Isn't Convinced Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Exists Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law? Rep. French Hill Says He'd Investigate Operation Choke Point 2.0 as Financial Services Chair Are Regulatory Failures to Blame for Crypto Banking Issues? Caitlin Long on Why Operation Choke Point 2.0 Has Bankers Nervous Ahead of Debanking Hearings, Industry Is Divided on Political Strategy Caitlin Long on Why the Fed's Rejections of Custodia Bank Seem Politically Motivated How Will the FTX Collapse Affect Silvergate? A Bear and a Bull Debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With a set of recent actions, the FDIC has completely reversed its aggressive anti-crypto campaign, nearly two years to the day after Nic Carter first termed it "Operation Chokepoint 2.0." In this episode, a recently voice losing NLW turns to OpenAI's Deep Research and Google's NotebookLM to do a history of the campaign against crypto. Read the original research paper: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F_zV0uyI5MRa5TNN3fh8X7EQPKDoD_zOT6JUZi1ryQY/edit?usp=sharing Sponsored by: Ledger Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world's crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today.Buy now on Ledger.com. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Former Chairman of Silvergate Bank Mike Lempres joins us for a discussion of Silvergate, the crypto-focused bank that was forced into liquidation in early 2023 following a bank run. This are the first on the record comments from any Silvergate executive following the voluntary liquidation announced in March 2023. In this episode: Mike's background at the DoJ, at Coinbase, and how he came to be chairman of the board at Silvergate How Silvergate grew to become the premier crypto-focused bank with $14b in deposits Why the Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN) was so useful to the crypto space How Silvergate suffered a bank run and ultimate liquidation following the FTX collapse How Silvergate survived a 70% bank run Regulatory shifts in 2023 What led the decision to voluntarily liquidate What has happened at Silvergate since the announcement of the liquidation? The effect of Elizabeth Warren's letters and short seller behavior on the collapse Could Silvergate have survived and thrived? Should bank regulators be allowed to ringfence entire industries? Silvergate's relationship with Alameda/FTX - and could they have detected the fraud? Was Silvergate a victim of FTX How the Signature case adds to the suspicion - were regulators sending a message? What was the issue with SEN monitoring? Silvergate's settlements with the Fed, the SEC, and the CA DFP How Silvergate was rugpulled by the government with regards to Diem The Fed's recent evolution on the topic of banks serving crypto Mike's outlook on crypto banking and the domestic crypto industry Why Signature and Silvergate executives are limited in what they can say publicly The problem with “confidential supervisory information” Why we may not get a “smoking gun memo” from the regulators on Choke Point 2.0 What changes would Mike make to bank regulation in the US? Lingering misconceptions about Silvergate Do Silvergate shareholders have a legal case against the government? Further reading: Nic Carter in Piratewires, Operation Choke Point 2.0 Is Underway, And Crypto Is In Its Crosshairs Nic Carter in Piratewires, Did The Government Start A Global Financial Crisis In An Attempt To Destroy Crypto? Nic Carter in Piratewires, Inside the Biden Admin's Plot to Destroy Silvergate and Debank Crypto for Good
Guest: Emilie Choi, president & COO of CoinbaseAfter the collapse of FTX in 2022, “the whole industry was tarnished,” recalls Coinbase COO Emilie Choi. “Politicians came out criticizing crypto, saying it was a fraud.”But unlike FTX, Coinbase was a public company in the U.S. So when the SEC served it a Wells notice, announcing its intent to charge the company with violating securities laws, the executive team took an unusual step: They went on the offensive, publicly calling BS on the agency.“Well-regarded CEOs from TradFi, they were like, ‘You don't do that,'” Emilie says. “'You don't antagonize your regulator.' ... It was a combination of chutzpah and maybe desperation that we were like, ‘We have to go tell our story, because if we don't, nobody else will.'”Chapters: (01:14) - Working with founder CEOs (04:12) - Mission first (07:16) - Reviewing candidates (09:48) - Unusual hiring (11:22) - Crypto after FTX (16:29) - Operation Choke Point 2.0 (19:19) - Grin and bear it (21:24) - Channeling negativity (24:21) - Going to war with the SEC (26:20) - Donald Trump and Gary Gensler (28:38) - Was it worth it? (31:19) - Shipping challenges (34:03) - OKRs and personal goals (36:41) - Brian Armstrong and structure (40:56) - The COO guidebook (43:30) - Removing bureaucracy (46:50) - Investing in crypto (49:41) - After Coinbase (53:03) - Constantly on (54:53) - Favorite interview questions (56:28) - Who Coinbase is hiring (58:28) - Standing for something Mentioned in this episode: Google Chat, executive coaches, Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, speed reading, Warner Bros., Elizabeth Warren, Sam Bankman-Fried, Wells notices, Paul Grewal, Chris Lehane, Airbnb, OpenAI, FOIA requests, Balaji Srinivasan, Dan Romero, Kevin Scott, Microsoft, Patrick McHenry, Ritchie Torres, Fairshake PAC, A16z, Ripple, Stand With Crypto, Dogecoin, Robinhood, Charles Schwab, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Paul Ryan, Faryar Shirzad, Kara Calvert, Elon Musk, Earn.com, Ben Horowitz, Bain Capital Ventures, Claire Hughes Johnson and Scaling People, Directly Responsible Individuals, Fidelity, BlackRock, Yahoo!, Stewart Butterfield, Brad Garlinghouse, Alibaba, Flickr, cognitive tests, and Loom.Links:Connect with EmilieTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Ryan and David return for another Weekly Rollup, tackling the question everyone's asking in 2025: is the crypto bull market already over, or do we still have more to go? Fresh FDIC emails prove Choke Point 2.0 was no conspiracy, with yet another key antagonist stepping down. Meanwhile, AI agents dominate headlines and reimagine DeFi UX, and Meta's abrupt pivot to free speech has everyone buzzing. Finally, the U.S. greenlights a $6.5B Silk Road Bitcoin sale—can Trump step in to save America's strategic BTC stash? Buckle up; 2025 isn't slowing down. You ready anon? ------
Some disturbing allegations about the FDIC coverup about its role in Operation Chokepoint 2.0 are gripping cryptotwitter. But how much credibility is there behind the claims? Sponsored by: Ledn Need liquidity without selling your Bitcoin? For 6+ years, Ledn has been the trusted choice for Bitcoin-backed lending. With transparency, security, and trust at our core, we help you access your BTC's wealth while HODLing. Discover what your Bitcoin can do at ledn.io/borrowing. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Paul Grewal is an American attorney working as Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase. In this conversation we talk about it all, why regulations have been so abrasive toward the crypto industry, what is going on with de-banking, Operation Chokepoint 2.0, what happened with Tornado Cash, why Trump administration is so bullish for crypto regulation, and what milestones Paul looks forward to in 2025. ======================= This episode is brought to you by Bitdeer (NASDAQ: BTDR), a global leader in Bitcoin mining and high-performance computing for AI. Led by a seasoned management team, Bitdeer is driving innovation with its proprietary SEALMINER ASICs for Bitcoin mining and has a massive 2.5 GW power portfolio across three continents. Learn more about Bitdeer at www.bitdeer.com ======================= Meanwhile is the world's first licensed and regulated life insurance company built for the Bitcoin economy. Protect your loved ones with sound money built to manage life's uncertainty and a broken financial system. Their BTC-denominated Whole Life Insurance policies allow HODLers to pass more BTC on to their loved ones and a tax-advantaged way to access BTC for liquidity during their lifetime. Visit their website at https://meanwhile.bm/ to join the waitlist for a policy and to learn more. ======================= Pomp writes a daily letter to over 265,000+ investors about business, technology, and finance. He breaks down complex topics into easy-to-understand language while sharing opinions on various aspects of each industry. You can subscribe at https://pomp.substack.com/ ======================= View 10k+ open startup jobs: https://dreamstartupjob.com/ Enroll in my Crypto Academy: https://www.thecryptoacademy.io/
Updated compliance with a Coinbase FOIA request shows not only how extensive the FDIC's campaign against crypto business was, but also shows how many novel digital asset products from banks were strangled in the crib. Sponsored by: Ledn Need liquidity without selling your Bitcoin? For 6+ years, Ledn has been the trusted choice for Bitcoin-backed lending. With transparency, security, and trust at our core, we help you access your BTC's wealth while HODLing. Discover what your Bitcoin can do at ledn.io/borrowing. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
With Paul Atkins as the incoming SEC Chair, David Sacks as the AI & Crypto Czar, and potential CFTC leadership changes, the Trump administration is signaling a major shift for crypto, AI, and financial regulation. Guests Mike Selig and Jake Chervinsky break down what this means for token launches, enforcement actions, inter-agency collaboration, and the fate of Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Could this mark the end of the U.S.'s regulatory hostility toward innovation? Show highlights: 02:18-What changes to expect under an Atkins-led SEC 08:58-Who could lead the SEC in the period between Gensler resigning and Atkins assuming 11:54-Whether the Democrats will nominate SEC Commissioner Crenshaw again 15:50-Elizabeth Warren's influence on the non-Republican SEC commissioner picks 23:39-Whether Atkins' leadership at the SEC might shift crypto regulation away from aggressive enforcement 28:26-Whether Gensler's recent promotion of people in enforcement roles will further his SEC's regulation-by-enforcement strategy 38:52-Whether the SEC and Coinbase will reach a settlement 41:47-Why Mike and Jake think it's not likely that the SEC will pursue litigation in the Ripple case 46:03-How the SEC might clarify securities laws around token sales, airdrops, and exemptions 55:14-Whether Atkins' leadership could fast-track Hester Peirce's Safe Harbor 59:53-How the CFTC's potential lead on crypto regulation might redefine how it splits duties with the SEC 1:03:03-Whether it even makes sense to have two financial regulatory agencies 1:11:00-Who might lead the CFTC 1:13:59-Why Jake and Mike believe combining AI and crypto under one ‘czar' makes sense 1:20:31-How the appointment of Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary will affect the crypto industry 1:25:47-How the likely end to Operation Chokepoint 2.0 will create a “sea change” Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Robinhood & Arbitrum Kelp DAO Guests: Mike Selig, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher Previous appearance on Unchained: Is Gary Gensler on a Mission to Put Crypto Down for Good? Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Previous appearances on Unchained: The US vs. Crypto: Jake Chervinsky on Crypto's Legal and Regulatory Status Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Links Trump's Office Picks: Unchained: Why Trump's SEC Chair Pick, Paul Atkins, Is So Positive for Crypto David Sacks as A.I. & Crypto Czar? Why the Industry Was Surprised Trump Taps Paul Atkins for Next SEC Chair, Making Good on His Crypto Promises Democratic SEC Commissioner Is Stepping Down, but That Doesn't Mean Trump Will Get 2 Outright Picks Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary A Degen Administration? Why the Crypto Czar May Be Allowed to Own Tokens Tracking Trump's Cabinet and Staff Nominations Congressional Results John Reed Stark's tweet:“current SEC Chair Gary Gensler is quietly working behind the scenes to lead the SEC from the grave” Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Forbes: How ‘Debanking' Tech And Crypto Companies Could Kill Businesses Marc Andreessen and the CFPB: Debunking the Debanking Debunkers by Nic Carter Unchained: Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law? Unchained: Killed By Politics, Ex-Diem Boss Says of Meta's Stablecoin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
NLW covers the first Bitcoin weekly close over $100,000, plus looks at Coinbase's FOIA requests that show the pressure put on banks by regulators. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts James Seyffart, Noelle Acheson, and Ram Ahluwalia are joined by Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, to discuss the surprising mainstream buzz around XRP's latest rally, dubbed the “most hated rally in crypto.” They also analyze the new Treasury Secretary's ambitious economic plan and what it could mean for inflation, fiscal discipline, and market stability. Meanwhile, Ethereum struggles to reclaim its narrative as the go-to blockchain, even as its ETH/BTC ratio shows signs of life. And in a moment that captures the personal side of crypto's rise, the team reflects on Thanksgiving table conversations, where bitcoin and digital assets became unexpected stars. Show highlights: Why the newly appointed Treasury Secretary might be the right person for the job Whether the December rates cut is unnecessary How Marc Andreessen brought Operation Chokepoint 2.0 to the spotlight How Facebook's project Libra would have benefited the US Dollar hegemony Whether the U.S. Congress will pass stablecoin legislation in 2025 Why Ram believes Ryan Selkis would be a good Crypto Czar How people have been asking more about bitcoin during Thanksgiving Whether the XRP rally is a negative indicator What James thinks about the filings for news ETFs, such as WisdomTree's XRP Why Alex thinks that ETH could continue its recent rally The impact of MicroStrategy being added to the Nasdaq-100, aka the QQQ ETF Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter Guest: Alex Thorn, Head of Firmwide Research at Galaxy Digital Links Politics Unchained: Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary The Trump-Connected Brad Bondi Is A New SEC Chair Contender and Pro-Crypto Investing: How Scott Bessent Plans to Reshape the US Economy with His 3-3-3 Rule Macro Investing: US manufacturing improves in November as orders rebound, input price gains slow Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Forbes: How ‘Debanking' Tech And Crypto Companies Could Kill Businesses Marc Andreessen and the CFPB: Debunking the Debanking Debunkers by Nic Carter Unchained: Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law? Unchained: Killed By Politics, Ex-Diem Boss Says of Meta's Stablecoin XRP Unchained: XRP Becomes the Top Traded Token on Binance and Coinbase, Hits Almost 7-Year High XRP Rallies 70% in a Week to Top Solana, Tether Market Cap The Block: WisdomTree files with SEC for spot XRP ETF Ethereum Unchained: Ether Gains 19% Against Bitcoin in a Week After Months of Underperformance Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:15 Why the new Treasury Secretary could reshape the economy 06:28 Is a December rate cut unnecessary? 15:18 How Marc Andreessen spotlighted Operation Chokepoint 2.0 19:54 The missed opportunity of Facebook's Libra for USD dominance 26:48 Will stablecoin legislation finally pass in 2025? 31:28 Why Ram thinks Ryan Selkis should be the “Crypto Czar” 34:45 Bitcoin conversations taking over Thanksgiving dinner 39:48 Is the XRP rally a red flag for the market? 48:15 James's take on new ETF filings like WisdomTree's XRP 55:48 Why Alex believes ETH could extend its recent gains 1:01:37 What MicroStrategy's NASDAQ addition means for crypto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” talks about Joe Biden breaking his promise to not pardon his son Hunter Biden and Elon Musk's perfect response to X's community notes concerning Biden's lie; Kash Patel, Trump's controversial pick for FBI director, telling Glenn Beck why Jeffrey Epstein's list has been protected by the FBI and what he plans to do to dismantle the deep state; Kevin O'Leary of "Shark Tank” telling shocked CNN hosts why Trump's tariff plan could bring China to its knees; Marc Andreessen explaining to Joe Rogan the shocking truth of how various tech entrepreneurs have been targeted and debanked under Operation Choke Point for being “politically exposed persons” and having the wrong political beliefs as well as why so many wealthy people supported Kamala Harris; Coleman Hughes shutting down CNN's Ameshia Cross for accusing Joe Rogan of being a grifter who changed his political beliefs; and much more. WATCH the MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE segment of the show here: https://rubinreport.locals.com/ Check out the NEW RUBIN REPORT MERCH here: https://daverubin.store/ ---------- Today's Sponsors: Lumen.Me - Lumen is the world's first handheld metabolic coach that measures your metabolism through your breath. It lets you know if you're burning fat or carbs, and gives you tailored guidance to improve your nutrition, workouts, and sleep. Go to: https://lumen.me/rubin to get 15% OFF! Rumble Premium - Corporate America is fighting to remove speech, Rumble is fighting to keep it. If you really believe in this fight Rumble is offering $10 off with the promo code RUBIN when you purchase an annual subscription, Go to: https://Rumble.com/premium/RUBIN and use promo code RUBIN Field Emergency Kit - This prescription Field Emergency Kit from The Wellness Company provides you with life-saving antibiotics, antivirals, anti-parasitics, non-addictive pain relief, and even a generic EpiPen. This is a Rumble Exclusive Offer, and quantities are limited. Rubin Report viewers save $200 off at checkout PLUS free shipping when they use code: RUMBLESALE. Kits are ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE USA. Go to: https://TWC.health/RUBIN and use CODE: RUMBLESALE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
BestPodcastintheMetaverse.com Canary Cry News Talk #795 - 11.27.2024 - Recorded Live to 1s and 0s NEO SCIENTOCRACY | Satan II, Trump NIH, CERN Predictive Antimatter, Antarctica Wall Deconstructing Corporate Mainstream Media News from a Biblical Worldview Declaring Jesus as Lord amidst the Fifth Generation War! AGE OF DECEIT 4: https://x.com/FaceLikeTheSun/status/1839045851488071927 TJT Youtube (backup) Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJoyspiracyTheory The Show Operates on the Value 4 Value Model: http://CanaryCry.Support Join the Supply Drop: https://CanaryCrySupplyDrop.com Submit Articles: https://CanaryCry.Report Submit Art: https://CanaryCry.Art Join the T-Shirt Council: https://CanaryCryTShirtCouncil.com Podcasting 2.0: https://PodcastIndex.org Resource: Index of MSM Ownership (Harvard.edu) Resource: Aliens Demons Doc (feat. Dr. Heiser, Unseen Realm) Resource: False Christ: Will the Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah Tree of Links: https://CanaryCry.Party Join the Canary Cry Roundtable This Episode was Produced By: Executive Producers Sir Jamey Not the Lanister*** Sir LX Protocol V2 Baron of the Berrean Protocol*** Producers of TREASURE (CanaryCry.Support) Raoul S, Rebecca V, Julie S, Sir Casey the Shield Knight, Elle O, Jeremiah S, Kevin K Producers of TALENT Cassius Producers of TIME Timestampers: Jade Bouncerson, Morgan E Clippy Team: Courtney S, JOLMS, Kristen Reminders: Clankoniphius Links: JAM SHOW NOTES/TIMESTAMPS HELLO WORLD EFNOM RUN DOWN EXECS WW3/ RUSSIA/PROPOGANDA Putins SATAN II missle on “Combat Duty” (The Sun) TRUMP/SCIENCE Trump turns to critic of COVID mandates to run NIH (NPR) Clip: Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford (X) Marc Andreessen on JRE Clip 1: Operation Chokepoint 2.0 on why part of SV had to support Trump Clip 2: More on split in Silicon Valley, JRE is mean to MyPillowGuy POLYTICS CLIP: Denver mayor “shared sacrifices” for newcomers (X) Denver Mayor suggests mobilizing police against against federal government (Fox) “Flower in the gun” CLIP: Denver Mayor Walks Back… Doesn't want to go to jail PRODUCERS GATES OF THE GODS Romans 1:20, Job 11:7-9 → Antimatter - it costs $62 trillion for one gram (Market Realist) → Physicists May Have Figured Out How to Safely Transport Antimatter (Yahoo) Antimatter to be transported outside a lab for first time — in a van (Nature) → CERN page on Angels & Demons plot (CERN Web archive) → Facts, Fiction, Dan Brown story on Antimatter (CERN Web archive) + CERN's ELISA: World's first mini proton accelerator to study cave art (Interesting Engineering) TALENT ANTARCTICA Geoengineering Plan To Build "Curtain" Around Antarctica Could Spark Trouble (IFL Science) → Journal article on Geoengineering Antarctica (Academic) TIME/END