Unchained

Laura Shin
  • 5.0 (11)
  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY
Unchained

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. 1 DAY AGO

    Bits + Bips: Why Bitcoin Was Strong Amid the DeepSeek Selloff But a Drop May Be Coming

    From AI shaking up Big Tech to bitcoin’s role in the macro landscape, Jim Bianco delivers insights on the DeepSeek-triggered market selloff, memecoins, and the challenges facing traditional systems. In this episode, the macro strategist shares why DeepSeek’s AI model is reshaping competition, how crypto reserves might evolve, and what happens to MicroStrategy if bitcoin’s price takes a hit. Plus, hear his take on why stablecoins are a threat to banks, and why memecoins could be more than speculation. Show highlights: What of crypto attracted Jim so much 0:49 What of crypto attracted Jim so much 6:15 Why the DeepSeek new model was so disruptive 12:47 Whether the biggest loser is OpenAI, not all the Mag 7 16:14 Whether we’ll see a major macro response from U.S. companies and government 26:06 What will happen next with the price of bitcoin 28:54 What would happen to MSTR if bitcoin goes 30% lower 34:11 How Trump was able to move so fast since the inauguration 39:30 Why the Fed should not do QE, according to Jim 49:02 How memecoins could be designed to be much more than speculative assets 53:03 Why James hopes the SEC doesn’t approve all the memecoin ETF applications 58:06 Whether banks will start onboarding crypto companies 1:05:52 Why stablecoins poise an existential threat to the current banking system 1:11:19 Whether it’s a bad idea for the U.S. to acquire other cryptos that are not bitcoin 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: Jim Bianco, President and Macro Strategist at Bianco Research Links CNN Business: Trump announces a $500 billion AI infrastructure investment in the US Unchained: Tuttle Capital Files for 10 Leveraged Crypto ETFs CoinDesk: Nasdaq Files for In-Kind Redemptions for BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF Reuters: US, Colombia reach deal on deportations; tariff, sanctions put on hold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 20m

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    Chris Dixon on Why We Will Finally See New App Innovation in Crypto

    Chris Dixon, founder and managing partner of a16z crypto, joins Unchained to share why he believes crypto innovation is about to explode. From Ethereum’s potential to new crypto legislation, Chris delves into why the industry is poised for a major break out. He also discusses why the Biden administration’s “lawfare campaign” led to the memecoin craze, how AI and crypto together could transform technology, and why bad tech policy stifled the industry for years.  Plus, he shares his take on the executive order signed by President Donald Trump and its significance for the industry. Show highlights: 2:51 Why Chris feels like the Biden administration was trying to destroy crypto 7:16 Chris’s take on the Trump announcements and executive orders 14:18 What Chris would like to see in upcoming crypto legislation 21:37 How he compares the intertwining of AI and crypto with mobile, cloud and social 26:24 Whether an investing AI agent like ai16z could ever compete with A16z 32:05 How technologies usually evolve exponentially and how the AI x crypto craze will evolve 39:21 Why Chris doesn’t think the debate about whether Ethereum L2s are ‘parasitic’ is important 47:24 Chris’s opinion on whether Vitalik should be doing more marketing for ETH 51:29 Why Chris thinks native rollups on Ethereum could be valuable and promising 55:43 What he believes is important to pitch blockchain to Wall Street 59:39 Chris’s vision for a future multichain world 1:04:20 How the Biden administration’s “lawfare campaign” enabled the memecoin craze in 2024 1:08:08 Why Chris says that Coinbase has been very innovative 1:14:11 Whether ICOs are a recipe for fraud and scams 1:17:39 What apps and innovations Chris is excited about 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 Somnia Network Guest:  Chris Dixon, Founder and Managing Partner of a16z crypto Previous appearances on Unchained: A16z Crypto’s Chris Dixon on How Blockchains Can Save the Internet Chris Dixon on How Trust Is the Best Lego Links Unchained:  President Trump Declares Crypto a National Priority in Executive Order 2024 Was Solana's Best Year Yet. Can It Sustain the Momentum in 2025? Chris’ tweet on the executive order  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 26m

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    The Chopping Block: Crypto as a Public Good, Tornado Cash Ruling, and SEC’s New Direction

    Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, and Tom Schmidt chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, we're joined by special guest Peter Van Valkenburgh, Executive Director of Coin Center, to tackle one of the most pivotal moments in crypto policy. In this episode, we dive into the groundbreaking Fifth Circuit ruling on Tornado Cash, unpack its implications for blockchain privacy, and discuss the challenges noncustodial developers like Roman Storm are facing. We also break down Trump’s crypto executive order, the SEC’s new direction under Hester Peirce, and speculate on what a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve might mean for the future. Show highlights 🔹 Crypto as a Public Good: Why open, permissionless technologies need protection—and how Coin Center defends them. 🔹 Tornado Cash Ruling: The Fifth Circuit overturns OFAC sanctions—what this means for blockchain privacy and freedoms. 🔹 Roman Storm Case: DOJ’s controversial crackdown on noncustodial developers and its implications for innovation. 🔹 Trump’s Crypto EO: Breaking down the ban on CBDCs and the push for U.S. leadership in digital assets. 🔹 SEC’s New Direction: Hester Peirce’s crypto task force and the future of enforcement and regulation. 🔹 CFTC vs. SEC: Will Congress resolve the jurisdiction battle over crypto markets? 🔹 Senate Banking’s Subcommittee: How Senator Lummis could lead a new era of crypto-friendly policy. 🔹 Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Speculating on what a U.S. Bitcoin reserve might look like. 🔹 2025 Regulatory Outlook: How shifting policies could redefine crypto’s future. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest: ⭐️Peter Van Valkenburgh, Executive Director of Coin Center Disclosures Timestamps -  00:00 Intro  01:34 Coin Center & Crypto as a Public Good 05:04 Crypto Policy Shifts & Trump's Executive Order 16:11 Senate Banking Digital Assets Subcommittee 20:20 SEC Crypto Task Force 32:10 Hester Peirce's Safe Harbor Proposal 35:43 Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Expectations and Realities 41:12 Tornado Cash & OFAC Sanctions 45:28 Legal Implications for Noncustodial Developers 57:51 Future of Crypto Regulation & Coin Center's Role Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    Why Ethereum’s New Marketing Arm Is Convinced Wall Street Will Adopt ETH

    Ethereum has had a tough year, losing ground to Solana in price performance, developer activity and as the home to the latest crypto trends. Yet, Vivek Raman, founder and CEO of Etherealize, is doubling down on Ethereum’s future. In this episode, Vivek explains how Etherealize, a “marketing arm for the ETH ecosystem,” was in the works long before the current criticisms of the Ethereum Foundation’s marketing, and how it got funding from Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin and the foundation. He discusses why he believes layer 2 solutions make Ethereum a better fit for Wall Street than Solana. Plus, Vivek shares his thoughts on Ethereum’s value accrual, the state of its ecosystem, and how Etherealize plans to bridge the gap between Wall Street and Web3. Show highlights: 2:50 Why Vivek thinks that it’s an opportune time to launch Etherealize 7:32 How the project has been in the works for longer than people might think 13:28 How Etherealize secured funding from Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation 15:11 Why Vivek says they got “lucky” with the timing of the announcement 19:03 How Vivek plans to drive the narrative of ETH as an asset 22:17 Why he believes corporations will launch their own L2s on Ethereum 29:13 How he pitches Ethereum to TradFi 31:42 Why Vivek believes Ethereum is better suited for Wall Street than Solana  34:08 What he has to say about L2s being centralized 38:24 News Recap Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Quai Network Polkadot Guest Vivek Raman, founder and CEO of Etherealize  Links Etheralize’s announcement Unchained:  Lido Founder Says No ‘Second Foundation’ Exists Yet 2024 Was Solana's Best Year Yet. Can It Sustain the Momentum in 2025? 2025 Will Be a Year of Crypto Competition. Can ETH Make a Comeback? Ethereum Foundation to Fund New DeFi MultiSig Wallet With 50,000 ETH The Block: Vitalik Buterin details 'large changes' to Ethereum Foundation leadership amid calls for new leadership  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min

  5. 22 JAN

    The Chopping Block: Trump’s Crypto Shake-Up, Solana’s Big Moment, that Changes Everything

    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. In this episode, we dive into one of the wildest weeks in crypto history, unpacking the unprecedented launch of Trump’s memecoin and its explosive $70 billion valuation. We discuss how it broke every record imaginable, the fallout from Melania’s token, and the chaos it unleashed across the Solana network. From the ethics of a sitting president launching a coin to the implications for retail investors and the future of memecoins, we’re covering it all. Plus, we debate whether this marks a new chapter for crypto adoption or a troubling precedent for political grift. Stay tuned for this jam-packed emergency episode! Show highlights 🔹 Trump’s Memecoin Craze: Breaking down the historic launch of $Trump, its unprecedented $70B valuation, and how it shattered every record in crypto history. 🔹 Melania’s Memecoin Fallout: What went wrong with the $Melania token launch? Exploring its disastrous impact on the market and $Trump coin’s rapid crash. 🔹 DeFi’s Ultimate Stress Test: How Solana infrastructure held up against unprecedented volumes, Moonshot’s rise to the top, and why this reshaped the memecoin landscape. 🔹 Retail FOMO vs. Institutional Doubts: Examining retail’s overwhelming rush to $Trump coin and why some insiders remain skeptical of its long-term implications. 🔹 Crypto Meets Politics: The ethics and implications of a sitting president launching a memecoin—and how it could distort the future of crypto regulation and perception. 🔹 The Memecoin Economy Evolves: Could Trump and Melania coins signify the end—or a new era—of memecoins? A debate on the future of speculative tokens. 🔹 Solana’s Big Moment: Why Trump coin positioned Solana as the go-to chain for memecoins, and how it outperformed competitors during this chaos. 🔹 On-Chain Innovation or Grift? Is this a turning point for crypto adoption, or just the latest example of right-wing opportunism? The crew debates the broader implications. 🔹 Adversarial Predictions: What happens when other world leaders witness Trump’s success? The panel speculates on who could be next in the memecoin race. Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Disclosures Timestamps -  00:00 Intro  02:23 The Crypto Ball 07:11 Trump's Memecoin: $TRUMP 13:21 Market Reactions & Infrastructure Challenges 26:25 Melania Token: $MELANIA 38:52 Solana's User Surge, Start of Ethereum Civil War? 45:12 Speculation: Crypto's Killer Use Case 49:59 Partisan Divide in Crypto 54:22 Trump's Crypto Strategy 01:07:32 Crypto's Social and Political Implications Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 16m

  6. 22 JAN

    Bits + Bips: Debate: Is Trump’s Memecoin a Gift or a Grift?

    This week, Trump’s memecoin launch had everyone talking—and scrambling for Phantom wallets. But was it a strategic masterstroke or just another speculative frenzy? On this episode of Bits + Bips, the hosts unpack the wild moments of the Crypto Ball, where $TRUMP made its surprise debut. They discuss how Bitcoin maxis were forced to embrace Solana wallets, why Multicoin Capital emerged as the biggest winner, and whether the memecoin launch signals a local market top. Plus, they debate whether Trump’s crypto-friendly stance could shape policy in 2025, why Litecoin might beat Solana to a spot ETF, and what Trump’s inauguration speech reveals about his crypto game plan. Show highlights: 0:58 What Ram can tell us about his experience at the Crypto Ball  3:39 How Ram was so surprised when the $TRUMP coin dropped in the middle of the event 7:51 What will happen with the 80% of $TRUMP that Trump holds 8:51 Why Ram believes Multicoin Capital was the biggest winner of $TRUMP dropping 10:14 Whether the coin was “gift or grift” 17:07 How the $Melania coin was the Trumps shooting themselves in the foot 19:37 How the launch of the coin is a “major win” for Solana 22:49 Whether ETH can have a comeback as the “TradFi chain” 35:28 How the market would react to the lack of a strategic bitcoin reserve mention 43:28 What executive orders Trump could deliver for the crypto industry 48:47 Alex’s experience with the pump and dump of a fake Barron Trump memecoin 53:41 What was notable from Trump’s inauguration speech 56:28 Whether rate cuts in December were a mistake and whether more are coming 1:05:51 Why James believes that Litecoin has more chances than Solana for a spot ETF 1:08:41 Whether the launch of $TRUMP will mark a local top for the markets Hosts: James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter  Links Saylor’s parody account’s tweet recounted by Alex  Meme recounted by Noelle Vitalik on changing the EF leadership Josh Stark’s tweet on how the EF “uses Ethereum” Paper on DeFi that Alex talked about: Christopher J Waller: Centralized and decentralized finance - substitutes or complements? Polymarket: Will Trump create Bitcoin reserve in first 100 days? Unchained:  Trump Appoints Crypto-Friendly Mark Uyeda as Acting SEC Chair Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial Goes on Token Buying Spree Trump Picks Pham as Acting CFTC Chair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 18m

  7. 21 JAN

    Why Lyn Alden Isn't a Fan of Trump’s Memecoins, but Neutral on a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

    The crypto world was shaken this weekend when Donald Trump and Melania Trump launched their own memecoins, ahead of Trump’s inauguration as president.  Financial analyst Lyn Alden joins Laura to explain why she’s not a fan of memecoins, neutral on a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve, and doubtful the U.S. can disrupt itself even as Bitcoin, crypto and blockchain technology hold the possibilities of upending the geopolitical world order. Discussing everything from rising tariffs to reshoring strategies, Lyn offers a sharp analysis of the U.S. fiscal and monetary outlook and explains why she believes fiscal policy now overshadows monetary policy. Plus, hear her take on the TikTok ban debate, her skepticism that Bitcoin’s future security could be at risk as the block subsidy decreases, and her Bitcoin projection for 2025. Show highlights: 02:13 Why Lyn is not supportive of the launch of Trump’s and Melania’s memecoins 10:01 Whether Trump should airdrop his memecoin to U.S. citizens 11:47 Why a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve sparks debate over its potential to devalue the dollar, reshape trade deficits, and challenge the global reserve currency system 25:09 How bitcoin’s rise as a neutral reserve asset could shape a multi-polar world 27:23 Why she thinks addressing U.S. fiscal issues may require the reshoring of industry and rethinking the dollar system 31:22Why Lyn thinks rising tariffs could disrupt global trade, but might also make the government less able to rely on taxation in a world of portable capital and growing privacy tools 35:16 Whether DOGE will be bearish for bitcoin 39:39 Why Lyn feels that Scott Bessent’s “3-3-3 Plan” faces challenges 42:29 Why fiscal policy now overshadows monetary policy, according to Lyn 48:21 What the TikTok ban debate reveals to Lyn about government control and the push for decentralized social media 52:31 Lyn’s take on MSTR’s plan to increase the number of shares 54:56 Lyn’s view on OP_CAT and bitcoin soft forks 57:20 Why Lyn doesn’t think that declining subsidies pose a problem for bitcoin’s security 1:05:59 Why Lyn doesn’t see value in other sectors of crypto, such as DeFi, aside from Bitcoin and stablecoins 1:09:15 Lyn’s projection for the price of bitcoin in 2025 Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Somnia Network Polkadot Guest: Lyn Alden, founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy Previous appearances on Unchained: Does Maximalism Help or Hurt Bitcoin? Lyn Alden and Udi Wertheimer Debate How Will Inflation Impact Crypto? Is Ethereum a Good Investment?  Why Bitcoin Now: Meltem Demirors and Lyn Alden on the Perfect Conditions for Bitcoin Links Trump’s announcement of a memecoin  Unchained: TRUMP Memecoin Soars Then Sinks as MELANIA Launches Balaji’s tweet on the proposal of airdropping $TRUMP Unchained: A Bitcoin Strategic Reserve for the U.S.? Senator Cynthia Lummis Reveals Her Bill Bloomberg: MicroStrategy May Soon Rival Amazon, Alphabet in Common Shares -  Unchained: What Is the OP_CAT Bitcoin Improvement Proposal? - Unchained Unchained: Bitcoin Layer 2s Aim to Attract Ethereum-Like Dapps. Will They Succeed? - Ep.638 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 12m

  8. 17 JAN

    Why Sony Launched Soneium, an Ethereum L2, and Blacklisted Some Memecoins

    This week, Sony launched the mainnet for Soneium, its Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built on the OP Stack from Optimism. Soneium is designed to support creators, developers, and fans through tools like Sony’s NFT-based Fan Marketing Platform and Soneium Spark. However, Soneium’s launch has sparked controversy. Its decision to blacklist some memecoins—over intellectual property concerns—has raised questions about the balance between decentralization and protecting creators’ rights. Even Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in, highlighting the tradeoffs businesses face in Web3. Sota Watanabe, CEO at Startale, took a quick interview to clear up the misunderstanding about IP infringement. He also explains the vision for the platform and what’s next for Soneium in entertainment and finance. Plus, at the end of the episode, Laura speaks to Ari Gore, head of communications at Zengo Wallet, about protecting your private keys and your cryptocurrencies from natural disasters. Show highlights: 01:52 Why Sony decided to launch a layer 2 on Ethereum 05:39 How Soneium will work with creators to support them 11:29 Sota’s response to the backlash about blacklisting memecoins 18:46 How Soneium’s technical implementation protects IP rights 23:56Why Soneium attracts people from certain demographics 27:05 What the L2 blockchain will focus on next 27:05 Tips to protect your crypto safe from natural disasters 34:47 News Recap Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Stellar Build Better Quai Network Polkadot Guests Sota Watanabe, CEO at Startale Ari Gore, head of communications at Zengo Wallet Links Soneium Mainnet: Invoking Emotion And Empowering Creativity Tweet by PopPunkOnChain Tweet by 0xKawz Tweet by Vitalik  Tweet by donnoh_eth Soneium's Philosophy for Responsible Innovation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min
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Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    805
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 Laura Shin. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Unchained

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