Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner get together and give the industry insider's perspective on crypto. This week, special guest Vance Spencer of Framework Ventures joins the crew to explore Ethereum’s Beam Chain proposal, a bold yet contentious vision for Ethereum 3.0. With promises of quantum resistance, faster transactions, and decentralized staking, is this five-year roadmap a revolutionary leap or an unachievable ambition? The team dives into the tension between Layer 2s and Ethereum’s base chain, alongside Solana’s growing dominance as a UX benchmark. On the political front, the conversation breaks down Trump’s pro-crypto administration. From speculation around key cabinet picks to the potential establishment of a national Bitcoin reserve, they analyze what this new era could mean for regulation, innovation, and the broader market. Tune in for a lively discussion of the forces shaping Ethereum’s evolution and crypto’s role in America’s future.

Show highlights

🔹 Polymarket CEO Raided: The crew discusses the FBI’s raid on Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan following the election, raising questions about politically motivated actions and the future of prediction markets.

🔹 Trump’s Crypto Administration: Trump’s pro-crypto agenda, including cabinet picks and a proposed Bitcoin strategic reserve, signals a potential shift in U.S. crypto policy.

🔹 D.O.G.E. and Dogecoin: The Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, ignites a Dogecoin rally and highlights crypto’s rising cultural impact.

🔹 Bitcoin’s Surge: Bitcoin hits $94,000, sparking predictions of $250K or more during Trump’s presidency, while the crew debates whether a long-awaited altseason is imminent.

🔹 Ethereum’s Challenges: Ethereum’s Layer 2 friction and Solana’s growing UX dominance fuel concerns over Ethereum’s long-term competitiveness.

🔹 Solana and memecoins: Solana’s connection to memecoin markets strengthens its position as a key rival to Ethereum.

🔹 Crypto Regulation Outlook: The potential for sweeping pro-crypto legislation under Trump’s administration raises hopes for innovation but also risks overexuberance.

🔹 Ethereum 3.0 Skepticism: The Beam Chain proposal reflects Ethereum’s struggle to balance long-term visions with immediate market pressures, drawing comparisons to Solana’s rapid growth.

🔹 Future Price Predictions: Vance and the crew share bold price predictions for Bitcoin and Ethereum, exploring the political and technological forces driving market momentum.

Hosts

⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

⭐️Tarun Chitra, Managing Partner at Robot Ventures

Guest:

⭐️Vance Spencer, Co-Founder Framework Ventures

Disclosures

Timestamps 

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:36 Trump's Election and Market Reactions
• 03:14 Polymarket CEO FBI Raid
• 13:37 DOGE or the Department of Government Efficiency?
• 16:10 Memecoin Meta Update?
• 23:17 Trump's Pro-Crypto Administration
• 33:23 Market Sentiments and Predictions
• 42:00 Ethereum 3.0 and Beam Chain
• 52:17 Ethereum's Future and Competitors

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Bitcoin and SOL are flirting with all time highs, Ethereum is lagging behind, and the next six months could define the trajectory of crypto markets. 

In this episode of Bits + Bips, James Seyffart, Alex Kruger, and guest David Grider unravel the key stories driving the space: What could a meeting between Trump and Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong mean for crypto policy? Could a new Treasury Secretary pick become the industry’s biggest ally? And is Ethereum’s underperformance hiding a major comeback?

Plus, what crypto categories might be winners in the near future.

Show highlights:

What the potential meeting of Trump with Brian Armstrong shows

• Which pick for the Treasury Secretary position would be most positive for crypto
• Whether Michael Saylor has been driving the bitcoin market
• Whether rate cuts are coming in December and what impact it’s having on the markets
• How tariffs are not as bad as people think, but massive deportation is, according to Alex
• Why a potential Treasury General Account (TGA) rundown would be bullish for the markets
• Whether traders will be taking profits at the $90,000 bitcoin level
• How ETH has been underperforming and why David sees a silver lining
• How the lack of institutional interest in ETH has changed dramatically since the election
• Why David is so optimistic about restaking across different ecosystems
• What the outlook for crypto regulation looks like in the near future and what will benefit the industry
• Why James believes that we’ll have in-kind creations and redemptions for bitcoin ETFs under new SEC leadership
• What the future trajectory of bitcoin’s price is and the role of a strategic bitcoin reserve
• How different categories within crypto will perform in the markets

Hosts:

• James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
• Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard

Guest:

• David Grider, Partner at Finality Capital

Links

Trump and politics:

• Unchained: 
• Donald Trump to Meet Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong: Report
• Truth Social in Talks to Acquire Crypto Platform Bakkt
• Who Might Trump Pick for S.E.C. Chair? This Is Who Jay Clayton Hopes to See
• The Trump-Connected Brad Bondi Is a New SEC Chair Contender and Pro-Crypto
• A Degen Administration? Why the Crypto Czar May Be Allowed to Own Tokens

Markets:

• Unchained: 
• Spot Ether ETFs See Record $515 Million Weekly Inflows
• Solana dApps See Massive Fees Amid Memecoin Frenzy

Bitcoin ETF options:

• Unchained: 
• Bitcoin Hits New All Time High as IBIT’s First-Day Volume Nears $1.9 Billion 
• Why Bitcoin ETF Options Could Unlock Massive Amounts of Capital for Crypto

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 02:31 What a Trump-Brian Armstrong meeting means for crypto
• 07:36 Who could be crypto’s biggest ally as Treasury Secretary
• 12:43 Is Michael Saylor driving bitcoin’s rally?
• 14:46 Whether December rate cuts will shake the markets
• 19:33 Tariffs vs. deportation: What’s worse for crypto?
• 26:03 Whether a Treasury General Account rundown would be bullish for markets
• 30:19 Whether traders will take profits at $90K Bitcoin
• 35:50 Why ether’s underperformance might hide a comeback
• 47:15 Whether institutional interest in ETH has turned around
• 51:49 Why David is bullish on restaking across ecosystems
• 54:09 What’s next for crypto regulation and industry growth
• 1:06:55 Whether new SEC leadership would greenlight better bitcoin ETF structures
• 1:09:10 Whether strategic Bitcoin reserves could drive its price higher
• 1:17:25 Which crypto categories could lead the next rally

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Martin Köppelmann, co-founder of Gnosis, has proposed that Ethereum should have native rollups—a vision aimed at addressing scalability and decentralization.

Köppelmann critiques the current state of layer 2 solutions, highlighting their limitations in fully inheriting Ethereum’s security and composability. 

He proposes a bold alternative: 128 Ethereum-native rollups designed to expand block space, strengthen alignment with Ethereum’s core principles, and ensure long-term viability for developers and users.

Plus, Martin tackles the controversies: Are L2s parasitic? Could native rollups spell the end for existing solutions? And why should they rely on zero-knowledge proofs instead of Optimism?

Show highlights:

• Whether the Ethereum scaling roadmap is accomplishing its goals
• Why based rollups are not a full solution, according to Martin
• What Martin proposes instead
• Why Martin is proposing these rollups to be ZK-rollups instead of optimistic
• Whether the proposed solution would focus on privacy
• What it is about chain abstraction that Martin doesn’t like
• How he envisions that these native rollups will solve many composability issues across L2s
• Whether the community has embraced this proposal and how likely it is to be implemented
• What would happen to current L2s if native rollups get implemented
• Why despite being against the current state of L2s, Martin says that they are not parasitic to Ethereum

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
• iYield

Guest:

• Martin Köppelmann, Co-founder and CEO of Gnosis

Links

• Previous coverage of Unchained on Ethereum layer 2s:
• ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?
• Are L2s ‘Parasitic’? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees
• Are Solana’s ‘Network Extensions’ Just Like Ethereum’s Layer 2s But by a Different Name?
• Ethereum Has Had a Banner Year in Most Areas. Except Price.
• Should Ethereum Layer 2s Urgently Decentralize Their Sequencers?
• Blockworks: Gnosis founder argues Ethereum needs native L2s
• Martin’s tweet on USDC yields

Timestamps: 

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:47 Is Ethereum’s scaling roadmap meeting its goals?
• 04:07 Why Martin believes based rollups aren’t the full solution
• 08:11 Martin’s bold proposal for native rollups
• 12:07 Why ZK-rollups over optimistic rollups
• 15:56 Whether these rollups should also preserve privacy
• 17:11 Martin’s issue with chain abstraction
• 22:35 How native rollups could solve L2 composability problems
• 26:49 Has the community embraced Martin’s vision?
• 30:52 What happens to existing L2s if native rollups win
• 36:06 Whether Martin thinks L2s are parasitic to Ethereum

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BlackRock’s entry into crypto through its bitcoin ETF (and later on the spot ether ETF) has rewritten the record books, driving massive inflows and reshaping the narrative for institutional crypto adoption.

Robbie Mitchnick, head of digital assets at BlackRock, unpacks the story behind this monumental shift. He shares the journey from skepticism to success, how BlackRock’s ETF has changed the market, and the surprises even he didn’t expect.

Plus, he explains why he believes people mistake bitcoin for a risk-on asset, what the investment case is for Ethereum, and what’s next for crypto in 2025.

Show highlights:

• 01:31 What and who is driving this massive amount of activity in bitcoin trading
• 05:05 Why Robbie offers some caution about the future of digital asset regulation
• 08:35 What about crypto captivated Robbie
• 13:32Whether Robbie was the one who “orange pilled” BlackRock CEO Larry Fink
• 14:37 Why Robbie thinks that bitcoin is not a risk-on asset
• 18:08 The backstory of how BlackRock ended up filing for a spot bitcoin ETF
• 20:15 How inflows into ETFs surprised Robbie, even considering fairly optimistic projections
• 24:14 Why BlackRock’s clients always ask about bitcoin’s correlation with other assets
• 27:22 Robbie’s take on the critique that BlackRock could centralize a decentralized ecosystem
• 29:34 What his thesis is on stablecoins, payments, and tokenization
• 31:25 The reasons why Ethereum ETFs have not been as successful as bitcoin
• 34:14 How Robbie pitches the ether ETF to clients
• 35:26 Why BUIDL is built on Ethereum, a public blockchain, rather than on a private one
• 36:48 Why DeFi’s potential is “immense,” according to Robbie
• 41:56 How bitcoin ETF options will impact the behavior of investors
• 43:57 What features BlackRock would love to see under a new SEC regime
• 45:32 What it’ll take for regulators to approve staking in ether ETFs
• 46:33 Why Robbie is not sure which crypto ETFs might come next
• 48:16 Whether BlackRock will develop proof of reserves for its ETFs
• 52:21 Robbie’s outlook for the markets 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!

• Polkadot
• Mantle’s FBTC

Guest:

• Robbie Mitchnick, Head of Digital Assets for BlackRock

Links

• Previous coverage of Unchained on Bitcoin ETFs:
• Why Bitcoin ETF Options Could Unlock Massive Amounts of Capital for Crypto
• How, in 7 Weeks, Bitcoin ETFs Reached Inflows That Took Gold ETFs 3 Years 
• Bitcoin’s Price Is Way Up. And $48 Trillion in Wealth Just Got Access
• How Small Bitcoin ETF Issuers Will Compete With the Likes of BlackRock
• Unchained: BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF Eclipses Firm’s Gold ETF in Net Assets
• CNBC: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink: I believe bitcoin is a legit financial instrument
• CoinDesk: BlackRock Sees Sovereign Wealth Funds, Pensions Coming to Bitcoin ETFs
• Forbes: A Trump U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve ‘Game-Changer’ Is Suddenly Hurtling Toward The Bitcoin Price

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The 2024 elections have reshaped the future of crypto in Washington. With almost $200 million in donations, the Fairshake Super PAC not only backed pro-crypto candidates but also took bold risks by challenging entrenched incumbents. This strategic gamble appears to have paid off, leading to the most crypto-friendly Congress in U.S. history.

In this episode, Coinbase’s Faryar Shirzad and Kara Calvert reveal the behind-the-scenes decisions that drove this unprecedented effort, discuss why crypto needs to transcend partisanship, and explain how this election could usher in long-awaited regulatory clarity. They also delve into the global stakes of blockchain adoption and whether the U.S. can reclaim its leadership as other nations surge ahead in Web3 innovation.

Show highlights:

• 01:48 The journey of how crypto became so important in this election
• 04:16 The differences between Fairshake and Stand With Crypto
• 08:48 How Fairshake decided which candidates to support
• 12:48 How Washington reacted to the massive influx of money to support pro-crypto candidates
• 15:51 Why Fairshake stayed out of the Presidential race
• 18:23 How hard it was for Fairshake to handle its non-partisan stance with both parties
• 22:32 How the U.S.’s approach to crypto can be compared to how it lost on the cutting-edge technologies of 5G and semiconductors
• 26:41 What drove the decision to attempt to unseat Sherrod Brown, which ended up giving Sen. Warren more power on the Senate Banking Committee
• 32:54 Whether Sen. Warren’s anti-crypto stance has been diminished after the elections
• 35:28 How the industry got past the fiasco of Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX
• 42:07 Why Faryar believes that “anyone would be an upgrade” from Gary Gensler as Chair of the SEC
• 46:45 How blockchain technology allows for instant settlements, a feature so needed in capital markets
• 49:36 What could happen with the SEC’s legal actions against crypto companies now that Gensler will lose his position as SEC chair
• 53:22 What Faryar and Kara expect the new administration to do around crypto
• 56:47 How DeFi can be regulated in the U.S. and whether Trump will support the motto “code is free speech”
• 1:01:37 The perception of Washington insiders about Polymarket 
• 1:04:28 Whether the technology sector will be on the Republican side from now on

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
• iYield

Guests:

• Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase Chief Policy Officer 
• Kara Calvert, Coinbase Head of US Policy

Links

Previous coverage of the elections on the podcast:

• Under Trump, the First Crypto President, Where Will Markets Go?
• Bits + Bips: Trump Won and the Question Is: Do You Have Enough Crypto?
• How Arthur Hayes Has Prepared His Portfolio for the Elections
• The Chopping Block: 2024 Election Debate feat. Mike Novogratz & Shaun Maguire
• It’s Not Just the Presidency. Congressional Races Matter a Lot for Crypto

Unchained: 

• DeFi Tokens Jump on Hopes That Trump Will Provide Crypto Regulatory Clarity
• What Gary Gensler Could Still Do Against Crypto in His Remaining Days as SEC Chair
• Elizabeth Warren Will Be the Top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee
• Stand With Crypto Says These Races Are Crucial for Crypto. But Why?

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Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner get together and give the industry insider's perspective on crypto. This week, Laura Shin joins the squad to help break down the aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election and its impact on the crypto landscape. With a new pro-crypto administration on the horizon, they explore what Trump’s stance on blockchain regulation could mean for the industry, from ETFs and stablecoin legislation to the potential of a national Bitcoin reserve. They also dig into the power of prediction markets, which outperformed mainstream media in election coverage, signaling a shift in trust and transparency. From the populist appeal of crypto to the challenges facing a divided Democratic Party, this episode uncovers the political dynamics that could drive innovation or stifle growth in the U.S. crypto market. Expect insights on the forces shaping America’s crypto future and the role of policy in crypto’s place on the global stage.

Show highlights

🔹 Prediction markets outpaced mainstream media in calling the 2024 election, marking a shift in how people track election outcomes.

🔹 Trump’s pro-crypto stance signals potential changes for the industry, from new ETFs to a possible federal Bitcoin reserve.

🔹 The Democratic Party’s anti-crypto stance highlights a disconnect between progressive values and blockchain innovation.

🔹 As prediction markets gain popularity, more Americans rely on them over traditional media for real-time election insights.

🔹 One high-stakes bettor’s multi-million-dollar wager on the election paid off, thanks to a unique strategy involving the "neighbor effect."

🔹 The Democratic Party’s focus on "woke" issues may have contributed to a historic loss, raising questions about the future of these policies.

🔹 With pro-crypto Republicans in control, sweeping legislative changes are expected, from stablecoin laws to crypto tax reforms.

🔹 Crypto’s anti-elite appeal is resonating with populist movements, indicating a potential path for mass adoption.

🔹 The idea of Bitcoin on the U.S. national balance sheet is gaining traction as a pro-crypto administration takes office.

🔹 Political choices could propel or stifle America’s standing as a global leader in blockchain innovation and technology.

Hosts

⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly 

⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly 

⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

⭐️Laura Shin, journalist, author of ‘The Cryptopians,’ founder and CEO of Unchained

Disclosures

Links

Kamala Harris Shouldn’t Just Embrace Crypto. She Must Help It Flourish by Laura Shin:

https://time.com/7111315/kamala-harris-crypto-laura-shin-essay/ 

How the Trump Whale Correctly Called the Election by Alexander Osipovich

https://www.wsj.com/finance/how-the-trump-whale-correctly-called-the-election-cb7eef1d 

Timestamps 

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:17 Election Night Observations
• 04:32 Polymarket's Role
• 06:19 French Whale x Neighbor Effect
• 14:52 Mainstream Media vs. Prediction Markets
• 25:54 The Future of Prediction Markets
• 27:26 Crypto and the Democratic Party's Missteps
• 30:30 Democratic Party's Superiority Complex
• 31:38 Crypto's Global Impact and Legislation
• 43:23 Predictions for Crypto's Future in the U.S.
• 49:47 The Return of Crypto Companies to the U.S.

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With a friendlier regulatory environment in sight, will crypto finally get its moment?

Jeff Park, head of alpha strategies at Bitwise, joins Unchained to break down what a pro-crypto approach in Washington could mean for the industry, why DeFi tokens such as UNI are thriving, and whether Bitcoin has a place as a strategic national asset. 

Plus, Park shares insights into how China will respond to Trump’s economic measures and explains what he means by the “radical portfolio” thesis. 

Tune in to find out how this new political era could set the stage for crypto’s long-awaited breakout.

Show highlights:

• Jeff’s main takeaways from the intersection of crypto and politics this cycle
• Whether crypto has become a partisan issue
• Why Jeff highlights the usefulness of Polymarket to track the chances of each candidate
• Why Uniswap’s token UNI outperformed the broader market
• What sectors of the industry could boom with more regulatory clarity
• Whether the idea of using bitcoin as a strategic reserve is feasible 
• How China will respond to Trump’s economic measures
• What is the “radical portfolio” thesis and what’s bitcoin’s role in it

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
• Mantle’s FBTC

Guest

• Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise
• The Radical Portfolio Theory

Links

Unchained: 

• Ether Breaks Past $2,800 to 3-Month High Following Trump’s Victory
• DeFi Tokens Jump on Hopes That Trump Will Provide Crypto Regulatory Clarity
• Bitcoin Just Gained $100 Billion in Market Cap Overnight. Is it Time to Take Profits?
• Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High of $75,000
• What Gary Gensler Could Still Do Against Crypto in His Remaining Days as SEC Chair

Haralabos Voulgaris’s tweets on gambling:

• Expressing concern about gambling addiction
• Contrasting gambling now vs. when he started
• His opposition to how much gambling is promoted

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:13 Key takeaways on crypto’s role in politics
• 02:38 Has crypto become a partisan issue?
• 06:47 Why Polymarket is crucial for tracking election odds
• 09:29 Why UNI is outperforming the market
• 11:56 Which sectors could thrive with regulatory clarity?
• 15:07 Could Bitcoin become a national strategic reserve?
• 18:32 How might China respond to Trump’s economic policies?
• 20:17 What is the “radical portfolio” thesis?
• 29:57 Crypto News Recap

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Donald Trump is headed back to the White House, and the crypto markets are surging in response. 

This episode of Bits + Bips dives into what the election means for crypto, the potential crypto IPOs coming soon, why DeFi tokens are outperforming, and what changes in U.S. regulation could mean for investors. Ram Ahluwalia and Noelle Acheson join to explore this unprecedented moment in crypto and how inflation and policy changes may boost Bitcoin and the broader ecosystem.

Show highlights:

• Everyone’s initial reactions to Trump’s win
• How some crypto companies could have their IPO soon
• Whether it’s time to take profits after the substantial run
• Why DeFi tokens have been the biggest winners 
• What the next crypto spot ETF will be and whether we’ll see staking rewards for ETH
• Why mainstream media didn’t see the Trump win coming
• Why Ram and Alex believe that Kamala Harris was not the right candidate
• How Trump won the appeal of the lower class in the U.S.
• Whether immigration was key to sustaining the GDP and avoiding a “hard landing”
• Crypto’s massive win in Congress
• How much impact Elon Musk had in the outcome of the elections
• How Polymarket has become a “new source of truth,” according to Ram
• Why the Fed doesn’t have a need to accelerate rate cuts
• Whether Trump’s policies will be inflationary and whether he’ll go forward with tariffs
• Whether the 10-year bond will reach new highs

Thanks to Gemini for sponsoring this episode of Bits + Bips.

Hosts:

• James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
• Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard

Guests:

• Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida
• Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter 

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:57 Reactions to Trump’s election win
• 03:13 Which crypto companies might IPO soon?
• 09:28 Is it time to take profits in crypto?
• 17:30 Why are DeFi tokens surging?
• 20:31 What’s next for crypto ETFs and ETH staking rewards?
• 28:00 Why mainstream media missed Trump’s victory
• 33:44 Ram’s thoughts on Kamala Harris’s candidacy
• 43:52 How Trump gained appeal with lower-income voters
• 45:41 Did immigration help sustain GDP?
• 53:11 Crypto’s big win in Congress
• 56:53 Elon Musk’s influence on the election outcome
• 1:04:10 Is Polymarket becoming a “new source of truth”?
• 1:10:30 Why the Fed may not need faster rate cuts
• 1:13:26 Will Trump’s policies drive inflation?
• 1:17:08 Will the 10-year bond hit new highs?

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Crypto networks are meant to be decentralized, community owned systems. But they’re turned out to be dominated by whales and to have more mercenaries who are just interested in getting free tokens to dump them, rather than having long-term believers who want to build the ecosystem. How can tokens be launched in a way that gets token holders aligned with long-term success? 

Today’s guests, Mike Dudas, founding partner of 6th Man Ventures, and Matt O’Connor, co-founder of Legion, believe there’s room for improvement. In this episode, they share how Legion aims to reshape the process, focusing on fair distribution, incentivizing organic user growth, and building loyal communities. They explore Legion’s approach to token sales, its compatibility with regulatory frameworks, and why it might be the key to bringing new people into crypto.

Show highlights:

• How Legion was born and what its main goal is
• The problems with how token launches currently work 
• Why projects don’t want to return to the ICO model
• Whether the criteria to earn a better reputation on Legion is gameable 
• How Legion actually works and what the role of KYC is
• What type of regulatory framework Legion is leveraging
• How MiCA’s rules for token offerings allowed for this type of project to emerge
• Whether the U.S. should follow Europe in establishing a crypto framework like MiCA
• What the business model of Legion is
• What the difference is between Legion and other similar platforms such as Cobie’s Echo
• Whether token sales is a better distribution mechanism than airdrops

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
• Mantle
• Robinhood & Arbitrum

Guests:

• Mike Dudas, Founding partner of 6th Man Ventures
• Matt O’Connor, Co-Founder of Legion
• Matt’s open source publication: Tokenomics for Builders

Links

• Unchained: Legion Launches New Tool to Identify Best Contributors in Crypto Fundraises
• Legion Whitepaper

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:49 How Legion was born and its main goal
• 05:33 What’s wrong with current token launches?
• 11:13 Why projects avoid the ICO model
• 13:37 Can Legion’s reputation system be gamed?
• 26:18 How Legion works and the role of KYC
• 35:23 The regulatory framework behind Legion
• 39:06 How MiCA enabled this type of project
• 44:09 Should the U.S. adopt a framework like MiCA?
• 46:32 What is Legion’s business model?
• 50:28 How Legion differs from Cobie’s Echo
• 53:18 Are token sales better than airdrops for distribution?

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Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner slice into the juiciest topics in crypto. This week, Robert Leshner welcomes two special guests: Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy, and Shaun Maguire, general partner at Sequoia Capital, for a one-of-a-kind debate on how the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election could shape the future of crypto. With the stakes higher than ever, they explore what a Harris or Trump presidency could mean for crypto regulation, market infrastructure, and the populist undercurrents driving the industry forward. From blockchain voting possibilities to the macroeconomic forces impacting Bitcoin and stablecoins, the conversation pushes beyond policy to the heart of crypto's role in tomorrow's world. This episode delivers crucial insights on the political forces that could redefine crypto’s trajectory in the U.S. and beyond.

Show highlights

🔹 Crypto in the Election Crosshairs: Mike Novogratz and Shaun Maguire debate how a Trump or Harris presidency could reshape the U.S. crypto landscape.

🔹 Deregulation vs. Innovation: Trump’s pro-deregulation stance meets Harris’s pro-innovation campaign promises. Which path is better for crypto growth?

🔹 Crypto's Populist Appeal: How Trump’s base connects with crypto’s populist movement and why that resonates with “the people at the bottom” of the income bracket.

🔹 Deep State and Political Jaywalking: Shaun Maguire dives into the concept of “political jaywalking” and its impact on trust in U.S. elections.

🔹 The Future of Blockchain Voting: Could blockchain-based voting bring transparency to elections? The crew weighs in on the feasibility and timing of decentralized voting.

🔹 Bitcoin's Role in Macro Trends: With U.S. debt surging, Mike and Shaun share their thoughts on Bitcoin as a hedge, whether Trump or Harris takes office.

🔹 The Crypto Political Machine: A look at how crypto insiders engage with political campaigns and the industry’s impact on down-ballot races.

🔹 Wildcard Assets: How a national Bitcoin reserve might impact U.S. fiscal policy – could it ever happen under Harris?

Hosts

⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate

Guests

⭐️Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy

⭐️Shaun Maguire, general partner at Sequoia Capital

Disclosures

Timestamps 

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:03 Shaun’s Argument for Trump
• 05:10 Mike's Argument for Harris
• 11:10 Political Bias and Prediction Markets
• 18:25 Flynn & Political Jaywalking
• 24:26 Macroeconomic Implications for Crypto
• 30:29 Bitcoin Price Predictions Post-Election
• 32:38 Gold & Central Bank Dynamics
• 34:41 Nation States & Bitcoin Reserves
• 37:35 Military Technology & Future Dominance
• 39:10 Presidential Campaign Issues & AI
• 47:44 Election Integrity & Blockchain Voting
• 53:17 Crypto's Influence in Politics
• 56:42 $WLFI Endeavors
• 01:00:17 Closing Thoughts

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As the 2024 U.S. election draws near, the crypto market is buzzing with speculation on what’s next. Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, joins Unchained to discuss how Bitcoin and altcoins might react depending on who wins. Hayes shares his insights on election trade strategies, from the importance of sticking to the majors to his preference for Solana over Ethereum in the short term.

He also dives into whether Trump will fulfill his promises to the crypto community and drops a banger explanation on what could be the next Federal Reserve move. (Hint: it’s not about interest rates.) 

Plus, Unchained reporter Veronica Irwin joins the show to discuss her latest scoops on Stand With Crypto’s scoring system and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s stance on whether she would want to become Chair of the agency in replacement of Gary Gensler.

Show highlights:

•    01:39 How the market could react based on the election outcome
•    03:53 Has a Trump win been priced in? What if there’s no clear winner?
•    06:30 Arthur’s short-term trade strategy for the elections
•    13:00 Will Bitcoin surge, and is an altcoin rotation coming?
•    16:52 Why Arthur favors SOL over ETH right now
•    21:28 Whether Layer 2s are parasitic to Ethereum
•    24:19 Could crypto regulation reform come after the election?
•    26:12 Whether Trump would deliver on his promises to the crypto community
•    29:45 The election outlook for memecoins
•    30:52 Why traders should focus on high-cap AI memecoins
•    36:41 Why Arthur believes the Fed need to restart quantitative easing
•    47:55 How much money China will print to tackle its property crisis
•    52:21 Arthur’s take on Japan’s political shift and economic impact
•    54:44 Whether Stand With Crypto has been honest with the crypto community
•    56:20 A potential conflict of interest of one of the top executives
•    56:58 Stand With Crypto’s affiliation with PAC Fairshake
•    1:04:19 Whether Hester Peirce will become SEC Chair if Trump wins
•    1:08:27 Crypto 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!

• Polkadot
• Mantle’s FBTC

Guest

• Arthur Hayes, Co-Founder of BitMEX and CIO at Maelstrom
• Previous appearances on Unchained: 
• Arthur Hayes and Will Clemente on How This Bitcoin Halving Is Different
• Arthur Hayes on Why Bitcoin Is Money and ETH Is a Shitcoin He Loves
• Arthur Hayes, Former Ethereum Skeptic, on Why the Merge Makes Him Bullish on ETH 
• Arthur Hayes of Bitmex on Why Countries Will Turn to Digital
• The Chopping Block: Arthur Hayes on Why Crypto Needs to Ditch the Banks
• How Crypto and Blockchain Technology Could Change Financial Services

Links

• Unchained: 
• Why You Might Have to Wait a Little Longer for a Crypto Bull Market
• What Needs to Happen for Altcoins to Finally Pump: Report
• Arthur’s latest blog post

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