Unchained

Laura Shin
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Crypto assets and blockchain technology are about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity to the Internet of Things. In this podcast, host Laura Shin, an independent journalist covering all things crypto, talks with industry pioneers about how crypto assets and blockchains will change the way we earn, spend and invest our money. Tune in to find out how Web 3.0, the decentralized web, will revolutionize our world. Disclosure: I'm a nocoiner.

  1. 11 HR AGO

    The Chopping Block: Crypto Clarity Act Drama + Stablecoin Yield Wars + Developer Liability Fights

    This week the boys break down the Crypto Clarity Act's dramatic Senate markup with Coin Center's Peter Van Valkenburgh, covering developer liability concerns, tokenized securities language controversy, the banking industry's war against stablecoin yield. Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. Tarun's out this episode, but we're joined by Peter Van Valkenburgh, Principal of Policy at Coin Center and one of the sharpest legal minds in crypto. This week, we're diving deep into the Crypto Clarity Act drama that has DC in chaos mode. What started as crypto's best shot at comprehensive regulation just hit a major roadblock when Coinbase pulled their support hours before the Senate markup. We'll break down the developer liability questions around "control" definitions, the tokenized securities language that has Brian Armstrong fired up, and the stablecoin yield restrictions that have banks and crypto companies at each other's throats. Peter gives us the inside scoop on what's really in this 200-page bill, why Polymarket odds crashed from 80% to 40%, and whether this legislative train wreck can still get back on track. Let's get into it. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights 🔹 Coinbase pulls support for Crypto Clarity Act hours before Senate markup, citing "defacto ban" on tokenized equities 🔹 Peter Van Valkenburgh explains developer liability concerns and how "control" definitions could impact DeFi protocols   🔹 Debate over whether the bill actually kills tokenized securities innovation or just restates existing law 🔹 Banking industry fights to restrict stablecoin yield payments, fearing deposit flight and profit compression 🔹 Tom breaks down multiple loopholes in yield restrictions that could easily be exploited through rewards programs 🔹 Robert argues banks are protecting oligopoly profits while stifling consumer choice and competition 🔹 Peter warns that fighting over yield could jeopardize crucial developer protections like the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act 🔹 Polymarket odds for bill passage crash from 80% to 40% as political tensions escalate 🔹 Discussion of sanctions obligations for DeFi frontend operators and application layer providers Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️Peter Van Valkenburgh, Executive Director of Coin Center Disclosures Links Senate Banking Nears Vote on Digital Asset Market Structure by Peter Van Valkenburgh & Jason Somensatto & Lizandro (Laz) Pieper https://www.coincenter.org/senate-banking-nears-vote-on-digital-asset-market-structure/  Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:36 Clarity Act Panic 04:46 Peter's Expert Take: Why This Bill Matters 10:16 Developer Liability 19:36 Sanctions Compliance 27:03 Tokenized Equities Fight 35:42 Great Yield War: Banks vs. Stablecoins 45:11 Will Clarity Survive? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min

  2. 12 HR AGO

    DEX in the City: When NYSE Goes Onchain, What Happens to Financial Intermediaries?

    Thanks to Mantle for supporting the pod—and launching the Global Hackathon 2025 with $150k in prizes, VC mentorship, and access to 7M+ Bybit users. Your next big idea could go live here The New York Stock Exchange just announced that it has developed a platform for the trading of tokenized equities with plans to unlock 24/7 trading for users. In this DEX in the City episode hosts Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos and Vy Le are joined by Superstate General Counsel Alex Zozos to unpack the implications of NYSE's move and how tokenization could reshape markets. Are traditional financial grants facing an Existential crisis? And will tokenization make most regulatory regimes redundant? Plus, Zozos explains why all tokenized equities are not the same. Hosts: Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos TuongVy Le Guests: Alex Zozos, General Counsel at Superstate Links: NYSE’s Tokenized Trading Push Marks a Quiet Win for Crypto Inside Robinhood’s Big Super App Plan: ‘There’s Still a Lot of Work to Be Done’ JPMorgan Launches Tokenized Money Market Fund on Ethereum Vy's paper on the evolution of capital markets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    53 min

  3. 19 HR AGO

    How Nansen’s New Trading Agent Makes It Easier to Follow the Smart Money Onchain

    Thank you to our sponsor, Walrus! Crypto intelligence platform Nansen has rolled out an AI trading agent, aiming to let users complete the full trading lifecycle—from discovery to execution—within a single platform. But the move also heralds a new horizon for trading and investment, one potentially filled with interesting possibilities. In this episode of Unchained Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik unpacks what the AI agent does, the end game, the opportunities and the hurdles. Can Nansen AI do for trading what Anthropic's Claude is doing for coding? And will humans soon be able to work without being glued to a screen? Listen to find out! Guests: Alex Svanevik, Co-founder and CEO at Nansen Links: How the x402 Standard Is Enabling AI Agents to Pay Each Other GOAT: How AI Agents Talking Turned Into a $268 Million Memecoin ‘Religion’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 4m

  4. 1 DAY AGO

    Why Bitcoin Isn't Acting as Digital Gold & International Stocks Are Winning - Bits + Bips

    This episode is brought to you by Uniswap! Are you a builder who needs to add on-chain trading to your product? The Uniswap Trading API from Uniswap Labs offers plug-and-play access to some of the deepest liquidity in crypto It’s on-chain execution at an enterprise level. More liquidity. Less complexity. Visit hub.uniswap.org to learn more. Is Bitcoin losing its “digital gold” narrative just as geopolitics heat up? The Bits + Bips crew debates what markets still aren’t pricing in. In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins are joined by David Duong, Global Head of Research at Coinbase, to unpack a volatile mix of crypto regulation, geopolitics, and shifting market structure. The group digs into why the latest market structure bill is starting to crack, why investors may be underpricing regulatory clarity, and what it means that Bitcoin is failing to behave like digital gold just as global risk rises. They also explore whether the U.S. and Europe are still true allies, why Wall Street’s move toward 24/7 onchain markets matters more than most realize, and how internet capital markets could reshape who gets access to capital in the next decade. Hosts: Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Austin Campbell, NYU Stern professor and founder and managing partner of Zero Knowledge Consulting Christopher Perkins, Managing Partner and President of CoinFund Guests: David Duong, Global Head of Research at Coinbase Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 8m

  5. 2 DAYS AGO

    Bits + Bips: Why Grayscale Sees ATHs Before Q3, With ETH Outperforming

    Thank you to our sponsor, Walrus! Walrus is where the world’s data becomes reliable, valuable, and governable. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Crypto legislation is stalled. And pressure on the Federal Reserve is intensifying. So why are Bitcoin and the broader crypto market holding strong? In this episode of Bits + Bips: The Interview, Steve Ehrlich sits down with Zach Pandl, Director of Research at Grayscale Investments, to unpack what’s been driving markets since 2026 began, from Washington’s regulatory battles to global instability and the Fed’s fight to maintain independence. They break down where U.S. crypto policy stands, why Wall Street isn’t waiting for Congress, and how macro forces like inflation, debt, and geopolitics are shaping crypto’s next move. Hosts: Steven Ehrlich Guests: Zach Pandl, Head of Research at Grayscale Links: Robinhood CEO warns Congress delay is hurting Americans - TheStreet Crypto: Bitcoin and cryptocurrency news, advice, analysis and more Senate Banking Committee postpones vote on crypto market structure legislation amid industry pushback Crypto bill delay 'may ultimately be constructive' for final product, Benchmark says Trump attacks on Jerome Powell testing Fed’s independence Why the Federal Reserve has historically been independent of the White House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  6. 3 DAYS AGO

    Q-Day Is Imminent. Can Bitcoin Survive the Quantum Threat?

    Thank you to our sponsors! Walrus Post-quantum era focused blockchain builder Project Eleven has just raised $20 million from the industry's heavy hitters as concerns over Bitcoin's quantum readiness grow. In this Unchained podcast episode, Project Eleven CEO Alex Pruden delves into the urgency of the quantum threat to Bitcoin while highlighting which other blockchains are most at risk. He also shares what Project Eleven is focused on to help crypto prepare and the potential outcomes. Listen to learn why Pruden believes implementing post-quantum cryptography would be the most significant upgrade blockchains have ever undergone and why a Bitcoin chain split is likely. Guests: Alex Pruden, CEO and Co-Founder of Project Eleven Links: Solana Deploys Post-Quantum Signatures on Testnet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

  7. 4 DAYS AGO

    Uneasy Money: In a World of AI, Are Dino Privacy Coins a Good Bet?

    Thank you to our sponsor, MultiChain Advisors! Privacy is back on the radar as Monero gets compared to silver. Meanwhile, Vitalik wants Ethereum to ossify, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ NYC token rugs and X's algorithm has crypto Twitter up in arms. In this episode of Uneasy Money, hosts Kain Warwick, Luca Netz and Taylor Monahan unpack: Monero's sudden surge, Vitalik's “walkaway test,” why blatant scams like Adams’ NYC token continue to succeed and whether X has been suppressing crypto content. Don’t miss Kain’s story on how he lost nearly $250K in a wild vibe coding experiment. Plus, Is Vitalik's “walkaway test” too “aspirational?” And could X cashtags usher in the next altseason? Hosts: Luca Netz Kain Warwick Taylor Monahan Links: Why the Privacy Coins Mania Is Much More Than Price Action Eric Adams’ NYC Token Crashes Amid Liquidity Concerns Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin Says Blockchain Trilemma ‘Has Been Solved’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    54 min

  8. 5 DAYS AGO

    Polygon's Big Pivot: Why the Network Is Pivoting to Payments and What It Means for POL

    Thank you to our sponsor, Figure! Ethereum scaling network Polygon is charting a new course. Polygon on Jan. 13 announced that it was becoming a “regulated U.S. payments platform” following the acquisition of Web3 services companies Coinme and Sequence. In this Unchained episode, Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron reveals the motivations behind the pivot and what it means for the network and its native token POL. He says that despite the pivot, Polygon is not becoming an application chain. Can Polygon thrive in the stablecoin dominated space? And will POL benefit? Guests: Marc Boiron, Chief Executive Officer at Polygon Labs Links: Flutterwave and Polygon to Launch Africa-Wide Stablecoin Payments Why Wall Street Banks Need to Launch Their Own Stablecoins Stripe and Paradigm Announce New Layer 1 Blockchain ’Tempo’ Circle to Launch Layer 1 Blockchain ‘Arc’ Stablecoin Blockchains Are Coming. Here’s Why These Two Giants Should Be Nervous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min
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About

Crypto assets and blockchain technology are about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity to the Internet of Things. In this podcast, host Laura Shin, an independent journalist covering all things crypto, talks with industry pioneers about how crypto assets and blockchains will change the way we earn, spend and invest our money. Tune in to find out how Web 3.0, the decentralized web, will revolutionize our world. Disclosure: I'm a nocoiner.

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Shin
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 Laura Shin. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Unchained

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