Best Laurashin Podcasts (2023)

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Ethereum L2s Are About to Be the Hot New Thing in NFTs - Ep.498 43:30

8m ago43:30

43:30

It’s in the name: mint.fun. Co-founder Luke Miles joins the show to talk about his platform’s efforts to make NFTs more discoverable, accessible and fun. He also shares his on-the-ground perspectives on emerging trends in the NFT space – everything from Bitcoin Ordinals to the rise of Ethereum L2s as NFT hot spots. With last cycle’s NFT mania in th…

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The Chopping Block: Why Everyone Is Talking About EigenLayer - Ep. 497 57:54

1h ago57:54

57:54

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner, chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, EigenLayer founder Sreeram Kannan explains his vision for providing “decentralized trust” to new projects on Ethereum. Was Vitalik Buterin’s recent “re-staking” post a shot across …

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Ex-CFTC Commissioner Berkovitz Says ‘DeFi Should Be Regulated’ – But How? - Ep. 496 1:24:17

7m ago1:24:17

1:24:17

In the SEC’s push to rein in the crypto sector, one question looms large: Is ETH a security? Dan Berkovitz, a former CFTC commissioner and SEC general counsel, and Colin Lloyd, a partner at law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, assess the current state of the regulatory turf war in the U.S., shedding light on some of Washington’s unanswered questions. List…

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The Chopping Block: Wizards vs. Laser Eyes for the Future of Bitcoin - Ep. 495 1:16:40

1h ago1:16:40

1:16:40

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Robert Leshner, chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, Taproot Wizards instigator Eric Wall joins the show to discuss the rise of Ordinals and what it means for the future of Bitcoin. Will inscriptions and BRC-20 tokens bring a slew of Ethereum-styl…

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The Ugly Tradeoffs of Ledger’s New Recovery Service - Ep. 494 41:04

7m ago41:04

41:04

Ledger, the crypto industry’s leading hardware wallet manufacturer, rolled out a new recovery feature this month that caused an uproar. The recovery service has dangerous implications for crypto self-custody, says Foundation Devices Head of Content “Seth For Privacy.” He joins the show to discuss the downsides of closed-source code and the security…

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Bitcoin’s BRC-20 Mania: Is It Sustainable? - Ep. 493 1:08:56

8m ago1:08:56

1:08:56

Ordinal theory has unleashed a new wave of NFTs, memecoins and innovation on Bitcoin — but not without controversy. Bitcoin educator Dan Held and Bitcoin Frontier Fund Managing Partner Trevor Owens join the show to discuss the breakneck rise of BRC-20s and why they’re both bullish on what memecoins mean for the original blockchain. Listen to the ep…

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The Chopping Block: Do Aragon Association Members Get 'Fat Salaries' With 'Zero Accountability'? - Ep. 492 54:42

8m ago54:42

54:42

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, they talk about the recent issues surrounding the Aragon Foundation, the likelihood of Montenegro becoming an ETH hub, the BRC-20s mania, and much more! Listen to the episode on App…

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The IRS Wants $44B From Bankrupt FTX. How Is That Possible? - Ep. 491 42:04

24m ago42:04

42:04

News emerged this week that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) placed $44 billion in claims on the FTX bankruptcy estate. Now creditors of the defunct crypto exchange are worried that the taxman is going to gobble up funds that would otherwise be used to make users partially whole. Wassielawyer, a lawyer specializing in restructuring and insol…

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Writing the Book on FTX’s Downfall: ‘It Was All Just Sam’ - Ep. 490 1:02:48

18h ago1:02:48

1:02:48

Longtime crypto reporter Brady Dale has beat Michael Lewis to market with the first book on the dramatic collapse of FTX. In stores today, “SBF: How the FTX Bankruptcy Unwound Crypto’s Very Bad Good Guy,” tells the tale of the outsized role that Sam Bankman-Fried played in the FTX-Alameda death spiral. Drawing on years of reporting and interviews w…

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$630M Due Next Week: Is DCG at Default Risk? - Ep. 489 46:01

19d ago46:01

46:01

The Genesis bankruptcy is about to take a high-stakes turn with a $630 million payment from Digital Currency Group (DCG) due by May 11. Barry Silbert’s DCG, the parent company of Genesis, is on the hook for the massive payment, but doubts are swirling as to whether the crypto conglomerate can cover it. Lumida Wealth CEO Ram Ahluwalia joins the show…

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Do You Need to Think Twice Before Restaking Your Assets? - Ep. 488 1:11:15

23d ago1:11:15

1:11:15

In this episode, Sreeram Kannan, founder of EigenLayer, and Konstantin Lomashuk, cofounder of Lido Finance, discuss the complex world of staking in Ethereum's post-Shanghai ecosystem. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorit…

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The Chopping Block: Why Are We Still Building Layer 1s? - Ep. 487 45:06

11d ago45:06

45:06

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news in digital assets. In this live episode from Consensus 2023, they are joined by Avery Ching, chief architect of Aptos, to discuss the latest SEC enforcement actions, an embarrasing admission by audit firm Certik, an…

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Coinbase's Legal Action Against the SEC: How It Will Likely Unfold - Ep. 486 39:34

12d ago39:34

39:34

Major crypto exchange Coinbase has decided to take action to get an answer from the Securities and Exchange Commission: this week, they filed a court action seeking to compel Gary Gensler’s agency to give specific rulemaking on crypto assets. J.W. Verret, associate professor of law at George Mason Law School, talks about how both parties are playin…

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Gary Gensler vs. Crypto: What Will the SEC Attack Next? - Ep. 485 1:15:12

15d ago1:15:12

1:15:12

Two lawyers, Josh Klayman, head of digital assets at Linklaters, and Marc Boiron, chief legal officer at Polygon Labs, offer their takes on the SEC’s recent crypto crackdown. They share what they heard from SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s Congressional testimony, whether this crackdown was inevitable or sparked by FTX, and why a proposed change to the def…

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The Chopping Block: Are Layer 2s Stealing Ethereum’s Thunder? - Ep. 484 59:07

18d ago59:07

59:07

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, the gang plays “guess the chart” and takes a deep dive into the booming world of Ethereum Layer 2s. Show highlights: how much Layer 2s are spending to post data to Ethereum whether …

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‘Is ETH a Security?’ Why Gary Gensler Couldn’t Give Congress a Straight Answer - Ep. 483 41:11

19d ago41:11

41:11

It got heated this week on Capitol Hill with SEC Chair Gary Gensler testifying before the House Financial Services Committee on his agency’s efforts to rein in the U.S. crypto industry. Jason Gottlieb, partner at Morrison Cohen, unpacks what was said and whether we’ll continue to see more crackdowns from the U.S. securities regulator. Show highligh…

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Why MEV Will Always Be Controversial - Ep. 482 1:11:15

22d ago1:11:15

1:11:15

Maximal extractable value, or MEV, is a mainstay of the Ethereum landscape. But the process of validators reaping profits from handling new blocks is not without controversy. Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake and bloXroute Labs CEO Uri Klarman assess the current state of MEV. Hear them disagree about the path forward for making Ethereum f…

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The Chopping Block: Are VCs Bad for Crypto? - Ep. 481 1:05:42

25d ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, they’re joined by Unchained’s Laura Shin to debate FTX revival rumors, what the U.S. Treasury got wrong about DeFi, and whether VCs are antithetical to crypto’s core principles. Show highlights: …

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Laura’s 10-Year Anniversary of Self-Employment: A Personal Message 14:52

25d ago14:52

14:52

Laura’s 10-Year Anniversary of Self-Employment: A Personal Message Laura Shin, the host of Unchained, celebrated her 10-year anniversary of self-employment on Wednesday, April 12. She tells her story and has a message that she hopes will help others on their journeys. Links: Original Twitter thread Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.…

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Shapella in the Rearview: After Major Upgrade, What’s Next for Ethereum? - Ep. 480 43:36

26d ago43:36

43:36

This week’s major Ethereum upgrade, Shapella (it was really two upgrades, Shanghai and Capella, in one), brings the network’s multi-year journey to proof-of-stake to a close. With validator withdrawals now live, the Ethereum Foundation’s Tim Beiko explains Shapella’s significance, why EIP-4844 is the next big thing, and what else is on Ethereum’s r…

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Are DAOs Strong Enough to Survive the Regulators? - Ep. 479 1:18:34

1M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

How can decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) be more resilient? Gabriel Shapiro, general counsel at Delphi Labs, and Fatemeh Fannizadeh, lawyer and researcher at Geneva-legal.ch, survey the landscape and offer their insights on what will fuel the next wave of DAO innovation. Are new rules from U.S. states like Wyoming and Utah a boon for D…

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Rep. Emmer on Why He Believes Gary Gensler Is a ‘Bad-Faith Regulator’ - Ep. 478 41:15

1M ago41:15

41:15

Amidst a wide-ranging crackdown on all kinds of crypto players, Representative Tom Emmer talks about recent enforcement actions, the classification of cryptocurrencies as securities or commodities, the potential impact of US regulatory actions on the country’s global economic power, and the Federal Reserve's upcoming payment system. He touches on t…

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The Chopping Block: Is Ether the Only ‘Organic Yield’ in Crypto? - Ep. 477 55:36

1M ago55:36

55:36

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, they are joined by Laura Shin, author, journalist, and host of Unchained, to discuss the drama around the Arbitrum governance’s proposal, the MEV attack on Ethereum, the Shanghai upgrade… and much mo…

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Is the Government Trying to Kill Off Crypto in the US? - Ep. 476 1:15:20

1M ago1:15:20

1:15:20

Brian Quintenz, head of policy for a16z crypto, and Nic Carter, general partner at Castle Island Ventures, talk about Operation Choke Point 2.0, the relationship between the government and the crypto industry, the status of different tokens as securities or commodities, and potential future developments in the space Show highlights: what the origin…

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Why the CFTC Case Against Binance Will Have Very Important Consequences for Crypto - Ep. 475 45:43

1M ago45:43

45:43

In this episode, Austin Campbell, a professor at Columbia Business School, discusses the recent allegations made by the CFTC against Binance, and whether or not criminal charges will be brought against company officers such as CEO Changpeng Zhao, or CZ, or former Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim. He also sheds light on how this case could shape …

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The Chopping Block: Is This the Beginning of the End for Binance? - Ep. 474 1:05:02

1M ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. In this episode, they discuss Binance's recent regulatory issues, the potential impact on the crypto markets, the CFTC's stance on tokens, and also touch on Do Kwon's arrest and Hong Kong's approach…

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Why Zero-Knowledge Proofs Are Critical to Ethereum’s Future - Ep. 473 1:11:55

1M ago1:11:55

1:11:55

In this episode, Stanford cryptography professor Dan Boneh and a16z General Partner Ali Yahya elevate our knowledge of zero-knowledge proofs and their applications in the blockchain world. Listen as they dive into the intricacies of succinct proof systems, the difference between SNARKs and STARKs, the magic of recursive SNARKs, and why zero-knowled…

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Coinbase’s Top Lawyer Calls SEC Wells Notice a ‘Massive Overreach’ - Ep. 472 40:49

2M ago40:49

40:49

Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer, shares his concerns about the SEC’s recent warning that it would pursue legal action against the crypto exchange. With the U.S. markets regulator failing to provide clear rules on digital assets, Grewal discusses the implications for Coinbase and for the future of crypto in the United States. Show highli…

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The Chopping Block: Why AI Will Change the Course of History in Crypto - Ep. 471 1:20:36

2M ago1:20:36

1:20:36

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. This week, NEAR co-founder and former Google AI researcher Illia Polosukhin joins the show to discuss the intersection of crypto and machine learning. Show highlights: whether Signature was shut down because of its…

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Why Caitlin Long and Meltem Demirors Are Worried About Crypto’s Future in the US - Ep. 470 1:18:25

2M ago1:18:25

1:18:25

Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, and Meltem Demirors, chief strategy officer of CoinShares, share their concerns about crypto in the U.S. following a wild week in the banking sector. With Signature Bank’s takeover looking like a targeted takedown and crypto-friendly upstarts like Custodia being shadowbanned by the Fed, the two longti…

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Jim Bianco on Why the Banking System Has Always Been Broken - Ep. 469 46:48

2M ago46:48

46:48

Jim Bianco, president and macro strategist at Bianco Research, explains what’s causing the recent cascade of bank failures. Yield seekers taking their money elsewhere are putting banks under strain. However, the Signature Bank takeover by New York regulators is “a little fishy,” Bianco says. He adds that DeFi has been holding up strong, providing a…

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The Chopping Block: Was Crypto Just Debanked? - Ep. 468 1:06:19

2M ago1:06:19

1:06:19

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. This week: Silicon Valley Bank went belly up and knocked USDC off its peg with it. For good measure, Signature Bank was taken over by regulators. After a hellish weekend, what did we learn? Listen t…

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How Will ETH React to Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade? - Ep. 467 1:02:59

2M ago1:02:59

1:02:59

ETH staking began in December 2020. With Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade, which could happen as early as mid-April, withdrawals of staked ETH will finally be enabled. Will validators rush to cash out? Or will Shanghai bring more institutional stakers into the fold? Christine Kim, VP of research at Galaxy Digital, joins the show to discuss how Etheruem’…

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The Chopping Block: Arthur Hayes on Why Crypto Needs to Ditch the Banks - Ep. 466 59:21

2M ago59:21

59:21

BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes, fresh out of home confinement after settling charges with the U.S. government, joins “The Chopping Block” with Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, and Tarun Chitra. The early crypto pioneer pulls no punches in his assessment of SBF, TradFi’s failings, and how crypto traders lost the plot in trusting CeFi middlemen. Show hig…

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Grayscale v. SEC: Who Won This Week’s Hearing? - Ep. 465 38:09

2M ago38:09

38:09

By Laura Shin

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ETH Denver Debate: Should Testnet ETH Be Free or Have a Price? - Ep. 464 47:24

2M ago47:24

47:24

LayerZero launched a testnet bridge that allows users to swap mainnet ETH for Goerli ETH (GoETH), which led to a sudden emergence of a liquid market for GoETH tokens. This was a hugely controversial decision, as many in the Ethereum community believe that testnet tokens should remain free. At ETH Denver, Laura moderated a panel discussion about thi…

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The Chopping Block: Is Coinbase’s Base ‘the Binance Smart Chain for White People’? - Ep. 463 47:51

2M ago47:51

47:51

In-person at ETH Denver, crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest crypto news. This week, Kyle Samani, scion of Solana, joins the show. Show highlights: why Coinbase decided to launch Base, a layer 2 on Ethereum and whether developers are building on it how Coinbase might make money from it whether i…

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Bitcoin Ordinal NFTs Are Hot and Getting Hotter. What's the Hype About? - Ep. 462 40:50

2M ago40:50

40:50

Muneeb Ali, co-creator of Stacks, discusses the Bitcoin trend that has everyone – or at least, many Bitcoiners – buzzing: Bitcoin ordinals. Ali explains why it is that they’ve taken up block space, pushed Bitcoin fees higher, and caused controversy in the community. Plus, he explains why the phenomenon has generated excitement about Stacks. Show hi…

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Have Crypto Detectives Killed the Cypherpunk Dream? - Ep. 461 1:11:04

2M ago1:11:04

1:11:04

Andy Greenberg, senior writer for WIRED and author of “Tracers in the Dark,” takes us inside the world of crypto-tracing crimebusters and voices the ambivalence of Bitcoin – a cypherpunk creation – eroding financial privacy. Hear how the longtime crypto scribe got law enforcement and sleuthing firms like Chainalysis to open up about their major win…

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Is Asia Going to Lead the Next Bull Run? - Ep. 460 37:39

3M ago37:39

37:39

Emily Parker, CoinDesk’s executive director of global content, joins the show to discuss the Asian crypto markets. From Hong Kong to Tokyo, Parker sees bullish signs in recent developments. Hear why she thinks China and Japan are closely watching as the U.S. clamps down on the crypto industry. Show highlights: how Hong Kong is trying to create a re…

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The Chopping Block: The Inside Story of How Blur Toppled NFT Giant OpenSea - Ep. 459 1:10:00

3M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

Welcome to “The Chopping Block” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. This week, it’s time for a case study: Special guest Pacman, founder of Blur, explains how his upstart NFT marketplace fought OpenSea and won. Show highlights: what it’s like to launch a token why B…

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Just a Coincidence? Coinbase and Polygon Lawyers See Bad Omens in SEC Crackdown - Ep. 458 1:09:33

3M ago1:09:33

1:09:33

A settlement with Kraken, a proposed custody rule, and lawsuits against Paxos and Terraform Labs. “This week has been a very long year,” said Polygon Labs Chief Policy Officer Rebecca Rettig. She joins Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal to interpret what’s going on with the SEC. Is it just one big push to cripple the crypto industry? “The fac…

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Is Gary Gensler on a Mission to Put Crypto Down for Good? - Ep. 457 50:56

3M ago50:56

50:56

Mike Selig, counsel at Willkie Farr, has plenty to talk about this week, with a slew of actions from Gary Gensler’s SEC putting the future of crypto in the U.S. in question. From Kraken’s custodial staking settlement to action against BUSD issuer Paxos, the former CFTC law clerk voices concern that coordination among regulators could choke off the …

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The Chopping Block: The SEC Is Attacking Crypto – Will Gary Gensler Succeed? - Ep. 456 1:17:01

3M ago1:17:01

1:17:01

Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. This week, Polygon Chief Legal Officer Marc Boiron joins the show to examine the SEC’s recent enforcement ramp-up. why Marc thinks NYDFS coming after Paxos is the most interesting thing to analyze in …

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How This Prosecutor Is Spearheading the Fight Against Crypto ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams - Ep. 455 1:00:12

3M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Erin West, Deputy District Attorney of California’s Santa Clara County, has heard firsthand tales of scammers preying on victims for hundreds of thousands of dollars. She joins the show to explain the scamming technique known as “pig butchering,” how it is estimated to have raked in tens of billions worldwide, and why it has led to suicide in some …

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Chris Blec on Why He Believes a16z’s Uniswap Vote Exposes DeFi as a Farce - Ep. 454 40:08

3M ago40:08

40:08

Chris Blec, DeFi researcher and founder of the Blec Report, explains why he believes the involvement of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in a contentious Uniswap governance proposal flies in the face of crypto’s core value: decentralization. He argues that the venture capital firm’s ability to potentially sway the vote in favor of a portfolio company und…

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Everything You Need to Know About Filing Your 2022 Crypto Taxes - Ep. 453 1:12:48

3M ago1:12:48

1:12:48

Lawrence Zlatkin, VP of Tax at Coinbase, and Shehan Chandrasekera, Head of Tax Strategy at CoinTracker, give a full accounting of everything U.S. crypto traders should be aware of as we inch closer to April 18. The two tax experts discuss the latest on how the IRS is approaching crypto taxation, going deep on everything from staking rewards to NFT …

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The Chopping Block: Why Canto, Up Nearly 500% This Month, Has Its Haters - Ep. 452 59:47

3M ago59:47

59:47

Welcome to “The Chopping Block!” – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Robert Leshner, Tom Schmidt, and Tarun Chitra chop it up about the latest news. This week, they cover: why Bitcoin maximalists are mad about Bitcoin NFTs why Robert thinks Bitcoin is not a good blockchain on which to build things why Canto, a layer 1 blockchain, surged in pric…

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Why the Celsius Examiner Report Shows 'a Complete Disaster in Almost Every Way' - Ep. 451 38:38

3M ago38:38

38:38

Following the release of Celsius' examiner report, Kadhim Shubber, an investigative reporter at The Financial Times, dives into the controversial business practices of the lender, how the company inflated the CEL token, the use of customers' money, and much more. Show highlights: how Celsius used investors’ money to prop up the price of CEL the rea…

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Did FTX Ruin Crypto’s Image on Capitol Hill? Two DC Insiders Discuss - Ep. 450 1:15:14

3M ago1:15:14

1:15:14

Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, and Miller Whitehouse-Levine, Policy Director of the DeFi Education Fund, offer insider takes on how lawmakers and regulators are viewing crypto after FTX’s catastrophic failure. Both expect heightened activity in the U.S. from what they’re calling the “Crypto Congress.” Will this be the year…

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