Empire

Avichal Garg On Investing in Crypto, AI and Ethereum’s Path Forward 01.06.2026 1h 1min

This week, Avichal Garg joins the show to discuss how he is currently allocating to crypto in 2026. We deep dive into the opportunity in crypto and AI venture, how to build a breakout app, the future path for Ethereum, why Avichal is still bullish on SOL & ETH, why tokens trade at a discount and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Avichal: https://x.com/avichal Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (13:58) How To Build A Breakout App (21:46) Where Electric Sees the Most Opportunity (33:35) Why Do Tokens Trade At A Discount? (39:42) Why Avichal Is Still Bullish On SOL & ETH (42:46) Who Wins The Crypto Exchange Wars? (48:10) The Ethereum Roadmap (54:16) How To Make DeFi Safe Again (57:50) Final Thoughts -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Why’s Everyone So Bearish, Robinhood's AI Agent and SoFi's Stablecoin Launch 29.05.2026 1h 2min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss why everyone in crypto feels so bearish. We then dive deep into whether stablecoins significantly improve payment rails, Robinhood’s AI agent announcement, Rob’s takeaways from a trip to D.C., MicroStrategy and RoboStrategy NAV premiums, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:50) Why’s The Timeline So Bearish? (22:12) Robinhood Launches AI Agents (32:23) Morpho Midnight (44:27) Is DeFi Uninvestable? (49:15) Takeaways From D.C. (54:14) MicroStrategy & RoboStrategy NAV Premiums (58:22) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Hyperliquid Just Had It's Breakout Moment 22.05.2026 58min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss why Hyperliquid is having its breakout moment by capitalizing on the trillion dollar IPO wave. We then deep dive into whether we’re entering a new bull market, if Ethereum is overvalued, SpaceX’s IPO, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:20) Hyperliquid’s Breakout Moment (23:38) SpaceX's IPO (29:15) Are We Entering A New Bull Market? (36:15) Why Ethereum Is Overvalued (53:28) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Figure Co-Founder: How Figure Became A $10B Business | Mike Cagney 19.05.2026 1h 14min

This week, Mike Cagney joins the show to discuss Figure and how it became the leading non-bank HELOC lender in the U.S. We deep dive into how Figure leverages blockchain rails to scale the next evolution of capital markets before Mike shares his thoughts on tokenization, being a public vs private company, how to fix tokens and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Mike: https://x.com/mcagney Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:20) How Do Blockchains Disrupt Capital Markets? (09:28) Why Did Mike Build Figure? (27:00) Will Figure Launch a Wallet? (38:05) SoFi’s Superbowl Ads (45:42) Tokenizing Equities (55:08) The Provenance Blockchain (01:01:46) Being a Public vs Private Company (01:07:18) How To Fix Tokens (01:12:27) What’s Next For Crypto In 5 Years? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

AI Feels Like Crypto In 2017, Circle Raises $222M and Anthropic Cracks Down On SPVs 14.05.2026 1h 16min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current AI mania and how it feels similar to crypto in 2017. We then deep dive into Circle's $222M raise, expectations for the Clarity Act, Anthropic's crackdown on SPVs and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:44) AI Today Feels Like Crypto In 2017 (27:12) Circle Raises $222M (46:15) The Clarity Act (59:03) Anthropic Cracks Down On SPV’s (01:10:30) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How KelpDAO's $290M Exploit Nearly Killed DeFi | Stani Kulechov & Mike Silagadze 04.05.2026 59min

This week, Stani Kulechov & Mike Silagadze join the show to discuss the aftermath of the KelpDAO exploit. We deep dive into why this hack could have potentially killed DeFi, launching the DeFi United fund, how to mitigate against future hacks, why DeFi tokens are uninvestable and more .Enjoy! -- Follow Stani: https://x.com/StaniKulechov Follow Mike: https://x.com/MikeSilagadze Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:08) How The KelpDAO Exploit Could Have Killed DeFi (14:13) Fidelity Crypto Ad (14:48) Launching DeFi United (30:12) Fidelity Crypto Ad (30:52) The Future of Aave & EtherFi (39:00) DeFi’s Speculative Premium (43:00) How To Prevent DeFi Hacks? (53:00) Why DeFi Tokens Are Uninvestable -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Big Tech Earnings, DeFi United and Pump Fun’s Token Burn 01.05.2026 1h 2min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets during earnings season. As equities push to new all time highs on stronger than expected results, we take a closer look at Robinhood’s numbers, the DeFi United recovery fund, Pump.fun’s token burn announcement and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:00) Takeaways From Earnings (20:10) Fidelity Crypto Ad (20:45) Stablecoin Chains (24:28) State of The Market (30:12) The DeFi United Recovery Fund (42:04) Fidelity Crypto Ad (42:45) Pump Fun’s Token Burn (55:58) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

A Quantum Fork is Coming to Bitcoin | Alex Pruden & Philip Martin 27.04.2026 1h 5min

This week, Alex Pruden & Philip Martin join the show to discuss Bitcoin's rising quantum threat. We deep dive into what is the risk from quantum, what to do with Satoshi's coins, will we see a Bitcoin fork, how does DeFi mitigate hacks, how to protect your privacy and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Alex: https://x.com/apruden08 Follow Philip: https://x.com/SecurityGuyPhil Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:02) The Quantum Computing Risk (08:50) Bitcoin’s Quantum Risk (12:20) Fidelity Crypto Ad (12:55) What To Do With Satoshi’s Coins? (35:12) Fidelity Crypto Ad (35:52) The Biggest Threat to Bitcoin (38:35) How Does DeFi Mitigate Hacks? (46:27) Are Stablecoins At Risk To Quantum? (50:15) ZKsync Ad (50:49) How To Secure Your Privacy (54:57) What's The Timeline For Quantum? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

DeFi’s Latest $290M Hack, Kalshi vs Polymarket & Will the Clarity Act Pass? 24.04.2026 1h 13min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the latest DeFi exploit of KelpDAO which saw $290M in funds exploited. We deep dive into how to resolve the recent exploits in DeFi, the rivalry between Kalshi and Polymarket, will the Clarity Act pass and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- This episode is brought to you by Fidelity Crypto. Learn more at https://Fidelity.com/crypto Fidelity Crypto was built in-house with over a dozen years of crypto experience. So you can trade crypto and stocks in one place at Fidelity, backed by industry-leading security. Fidelity Crypto. We're here to help you feel good about investing in crypto. Crypto is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets, NA, is not insured by FDIC or SIPC and includes risk of complete loss. Securities offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:25) The Fallout From KelpDAOs Exploit (18:08) Fidelity Crypto Ad (18:43) Crypto Is At An Inflection Point (39:10) Fidelity Crypto Ad (39:51) Kalshi & Polymarket Push To Launch Perps (01:00:58) ZKsync Ad (01:01:33) Will The Clarity Act Pass? (01:04:53) What Is USDai? (01:09:52) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

The Blockworks Vision 22.04.2026 45min

This week, Jason and Mippo sat down to discuss the Blockworks rebrand! They examine the trust problem in crypto, onchain capital markets, disclosure frameworks, industry consolidation, and Blockworks’ evolution over the years. Enjoy! – Follow Blockworks: https://x.com/blockworks Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:10) The Current State of Crypto (07:08) Crypto’s Trust Problem (09:12) Blockworks’ Solution (12:02) The Data Behind Tokens (17:11) Blockworks’ Evolution (25:00) Issues With Tokens (35:25) The Blockworks Rebrand (39:45) Crypto Sentiment (43:51) Closing Comments Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Solana vs Hyperliquid, Why Ethereum Is Overvalued & Crypto In 2026 | Logan Jastremski 20.04.2026 1h 8min

This week, Logan Jastremski joins the show to discuss his current crypto thesis in 2026. We deep dive into who wins the competition for onchain trading volume between Solana and Hyperliquid, are L1s overvalued, Logan's highest conviction bets in 2026 and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Logan: https://x.com/LoganJastremski Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:02) Logan’s Crypto Thesis in 2026 (05:30) Are L1s Overvalued? (16:02) Solana vs Hyperliquid (29:40) ZKsync Ad (30:15) Why Was Hyperliquid So Successful? (43:35) Opportunities In 2026 (50:35) The Tesla Thesis (56:54) Can Twitter Scale To A Finance Platform (01:02:20) Which Would You Own: BTC vs NVDA (01:05:28) Final Thoughts -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Markets Bounce Back, The Hyperliquid Thesis and Kraken Raises $200M 17.04.2026 58min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets as the S&P hits a new all time high. We then deep dive into Tether's $150M recovery plan for Drift, Kraken's $200M raise, the impact on Microstrategy's $STRC, why have L2s underperformed and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:11) State of The Market (12:40) The Hyperliquid Thesis (25:18) ZKsync Ad (25:52) Tether’s $150M Drift Recovery Plan (28:17) The SEC’s New DeFi Guidance (32:05) Microstrategy's $STRC (34:50) Kraken Raises $200M From Deutsche Börse (40:53) Why Have L2s Underperformed (53:19) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

How To Make DeFi Great Again | Adrian Cachinero Vasiljevic & Luca Prosperi 13.04.2026 1h 26min

This week, Adrian Cachinero Vasiljevic & Luca Prosperi join the show to discuss what's next for DeFi in 2026. We deep dive into why are rates so low in DeFi today, how to mitigate risk, the growth of stablecoins, the fallout from Drift's exploit, the opportunity for prediction markets and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Adrian: https://x.com/adcv_ Follow Luca: https://x.com/LucaProsperi Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Referenced in the show: https://kitchen.steakhouse.financial/ # 68 | The Physics of On-Chain Lending (I): https://dirtroads.substack.com/p/68-the-physics-of-on-chain-lending?triedRedirect=true -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:42) Why Are Rates in DeFi So Low? (16:32) The Physics of Onchain Lending (24:33) ZKsync Ad (25:16) The Biggest Risk In DeFi Today (52:58) What’s Next For DeFi In 2026 & Beyond? (01:02:18) How To Mitigate Risk In DeFi (01:09:43) Fallout From Drift’s $280M Exploit (01:15:15) Prediction Markets (01:19:52) What's Exciting In Crypto Today? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Why DeFi Is Unattractive, Claude Mythos and Cryptos's Biggest Winners 10.04.2026 1h 16min

This week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the biggest problem within DeFi today. We then deep dive into Anthropic's announcement of Mythos, the state of crypto fundraising, the biggest winners in crypto today, are we buying the dip and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:32) Why Is DeFi Unattractive? (26:45) ZKsync, Blockworks IR (28:16) Anthropic Announces Mythos (49:46) What’s Happening In Crypto Fundraising? (57:34) The Biggest Winners in Crypto Today (01:04:45) Are We Buying The Dip? (01:13:35) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Hivemind: Ceasefire In Iran, Is AI a Bubble & Drift Exploited For $280M 09.04.2026 1h 7min

This week, the Hivemind team breaks down the ceasefire in Iran and how it could impact markets going forward. We then deep dive into the 2026 IPO window, is AI a bubble, the fallout of Drift's $280M exploit, Polymarkets recent announcement and more. Enjoy! -- To stay up to date with future Hivemind episodes: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Delphi_Digital Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AE858NXDnaIlXP6sWfLj6?si=2019bc45ec914220 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hivemind/id1704667885 -- Follow Ceteris: ⁠https://x.com/ceterispar1bus⁠ Follow Jason: ⁠https://x.com/3xliquidated⁠ Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedo Follow Kevin: https://x.com/Kevin_Kelly_II Follow Empire: ⁠https://x.com/theempirepod⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx⁠ Subscribe on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3⁠ Subscribe on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH⁠ -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: ⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/⁠ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:50) State of The Market (09:53) Finding Opportunities In Crypto (15:15) Is AI In a Bubble? (26:35) The Return of Active Investing (37:42) Prediction Markets (51:40) The Drift Exploit Fallout -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Paxos CEO on Crypto Today & Why Stablecoins Are Exploding | Charles Cascarilla 06.04.2026 1h 22min

This week, Charles Cascarilla joins the show to discuss the current state of crypto and the future of Paxos. We deep dive into Paxos’ origin story and business model, the growth of stablecoin payments, whether Paxos may look to IPO in 2027, Charles' advice for founders and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Charles: https://x.com/chadcascarilla Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:03) The State of Crypto Today (22:24) How To Fix The U.S Debt Problem (32:24) ZKsync Ad, Blockworks IR (33:56) Behind The Paxos Business Model (43:32) Why Binance’s $BUSD Would Have Been The Largest Stablecoin (50:12) The GENIUS Act & The Global Dollar Network (59:46) Agentic Payments (01:05:32) Will Paxos IPO? (01:17:06) Advice For Founders -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Making Tokenization a Reality: Bringing Assets Onchain | Samara Cohen 04.04.2026 20min

Making Tokenization a Reality: Bringing Assets Onchain Speakers: Samara Cohen, Jason Yanowitz This is a panel from DAS New York 2026. To explore more Blockworks events, visit blockworks.co/events

Western Union CEO: Western Union's Stablecoin Future 04.04.2026 25min

Inside Western Union's Stablecoin Fueled Future Speakers: Jason Yanowitz, Devin McGranahan This is a panel from DAS New York 2026. To explore more Blockworks events, visit blockworks.co/events

The Two Biggest Issues In Crypto Today | Weekly Roundup 03.04.2026 1h 14min

This week, we’re back with another roundup covering whether it’s time to buy the dip, crypto’s VC mass extinction event, the state of secondary markets, Drift’s $280M exploit, Bitcoin’s quantum threat and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:34) Time To Buy The Dip? (10:42) Crypto’s VC Mass Extinction Event (23:55) Crypto's Token Reset (39:25) ZKsync Ad (40:07) Blockworks Investor Relations (40:58) Drift Exploited For $280M (59:28) Bitcoin's Quantum Threat (01:10:18) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Copper Founder: Building a Billion Dollar Company & Fixing Crypto Custody 30.03.2026 53min

This week, Dmitry Tokarev joins the show to discuss how he built one of crypto's largest institutional custody platforms. We deep dive into the Copper origin story, what's broken with crypto custody today, Dmitry's new venture (Bron) and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Dmitry: https://x.com/tokarev_d Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (05:14) The Copper Origin Story (14:55) How To Scale a Company (19:07) ZKsync Ad (19:50) Blockworks Investor Relations (20:40) Building Bron: How To Fix Crypto Custody (34:18) Why Bron Is Launching a Token (43:10) Lessons Learned From Fundraising (48:35) What To Own in 2026? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.