Off the Record on the Rocks

Bitcoin’s at an all-time high, Trump’s back in office, and rumors are swirling that Musk might join his administration. What could go wrong? Toner and Ankarino dive into what’s driving Bitcoin’s surge and whether a federal Bitcoin reserve could be next. Meanwhile, McDonald’s teams up with Doodles—NFTs in your Happy Meal? Will Gensler gets the Thanksgiving boot, Bezos buys into Anthropic, and a sur...

While Sam Altman rolls out Worldcoin with its biometric eye scans, Apple whispers “privacy” and keeps its AI tucked into your secure enclave. Meanwhile, at DC Startup Week, everyone’s on the blockchain bandwagon—whether it’s putting “cows on the chain” or racing to build the next big layer two solution. Apple’s AI doesn’t need fanfare; it’s there, integrated and subtle, unlike Altman’s bold, eyeba...

Jefferies downgrades Apple Stock because “Serious AI is two-years off…” But they mean Apple or Artificial Intelligence? Meanwhile Zuck doubles down on Meta Ray-Bans, solves battlefield private edge network needs! Also, 15 second AI generated videos on Facebook, but no disinformation this time. Cuban hates Trump and Musk, Musk loves Mars, and the IMF urges El Salvador to steer clear of Bitcoin… Buk...

Sammy Altman has done it again, headed to the Middle East and raised a boatload of cash… Six Point Six Billion is no joke! Apple might have seen too much OpenAI + DOD coziness, backed out of the investment. Guess who backed in? Abu Dhabi-based MGX! Wait, will AI be responsible for all our nukes? Is anyone still talking about Effective Altruism anymore, or did they all effectively, and altruistical...

When Shark Week with John Cena draws more headlines than mass layoffs in the tech industry, you know there’s a massive imbalance! Insanity in the US! Assassination attempts, bungling officers from the Secret Service, FBI, and CIA. The seemingly disorganized ways that regulators evaluate Crypto and Web3 products are apparently typical of big government, even when someone’s life is in the balance! P...

‘Artificial’ is now ‘Apple’ Intelligence. Your ‘Apple Wallet’ is now… just your ‘Wallet’! We’ve been calling the big moves WAY before they happen. Coming off the heels of Google Gemini and Microsoft AutoPilot, WWDC quelled the overall fever pitch with a nice, long conversation about secure enclaves, clouds, and computing. Ah, so NOW it’s private? What about all those lock icons that we’ve seen ove...

Joe Biden vetos the resolution to repeal SAB 121… and he does so, to ‘protect investors’. The Heat Dome has descended on North America this summer, much like the pressure dome over Crypro and Web3! Lots of mixed messages coming in from the SEC and the DOJ… who will raise their hand and say SOMETHING?

Big guys holding ETH… and they provide liquidity for the whole marketplace… what if the inflows and the outflows don’t make sense? They just print more ETH! Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like the US dollar! Off the Record on the Rocks at Genesis ETH conference in Washington D.C.!

Is SEC *truly* dragging its feet on Spot ETH ETF approvals, or just political theater, obfuscating the true narrative? SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 121 was reversed… will Biden veto? This clears way for massive inflows of cash to ETH ETF market just like the BTC ETF before. Consolidation continues: Vanguard fires CEO, installs Ramji from Blackrock, Greyscale sacks leader, hiring Mintz...

Seems like they are clearing the path for crypto regulation to make way for the Hedera Hashgraph token, while the SEC drags its feet on the ETH ETF? What about integrating AI into apps or following the FTC’s ban on non-competes? Michael Toner and BTC Ankarino unravel these threads while the US government targets Binance, and de-dollarization and crypto wallet hacks roil Venezuela and beyond. The t...

APRIL 19, 2024- The Halving

approved in Hong Kong, we explore this new era of crypto investments and the complex world of digital ownership and fractionalization. The limitations of the FDIC, the need for higher crypto deposit insurances, and the geopolitical impacts on Bitcoin stability are in the spotlight. The episode concludes with a deep dive into Meta's innovative Meta Quest and its potential as a gateway to the me...

Back of a dollar bill says “In God We Trust”... if our fiat economy’s truth layer is managed by an all-seeing deity, why can’t the blockchain be managed by Artificial intelligence? The immutable ledger is but a data set, requiring governance and trust to be validated. AI is the filter on that data set… after all, isn’t reality what just happened yesterday? Maybe God.ai is just what the crypto comm...

The proliferation of cryptocurrencies before the upcoming halving is jarring, and underscores the importance of cleaning up and building infrastructure. Election cycles are impacted by topics related to technology, finance, and government. Will Gary Gensler and the SEC get Spot Ethereum ETFs in place before November? Certainly the emergence of crypto-funded Super PACs and commensurate shift toward...

“Sora ain’t so, Batman!” The Feds vacation on Snake River AND legally recognize DAOs, regardless of their members. But who really cares, Bitcoin is at an all time high! Microstrategies and Blackrock swing their genitals around, while Bezos quietly contemplates parking billions of dollars. Mastercard and Metamask believe that an untested Etherium Layer 2 blockchain is the best place to secure your...

Sammy Altman wants $7TT (TRILLION) to fund AI microchip development… how many Sheiks can spare a few shekels? What is impact of AI on jobs and innovation? Actors and writers cut their deal, what about electricians, gaffers, cinematographers? Tyler Perry cancels $800MM Atlanta studio… says, “Sora is the way.” Let’s juxtapose the space race and Bitcoin accumulation:  AI influences entertainment, the...

AI-related stocks and securities make waves, decentralization and new software businesses. Capital One makes major discovery… acquires Discover! Why are so many SEC staff members leaving? Let’s discuss network effects and decentralized applications, ownership and incentivization, the potential for individual innovation, consolidation and the current state of AI and the “hype cycle.” How does geopo...

Spatial Computing is here… with 2D apps and some 3D movies I don’t wanna see again? Give it time, haters! When iPhone hit, we didn’t need until social media apps. iPads hit because of SkyWalk app… VisionPro developer APIs are out and available, so get busy y’all! Meanwhile, Gary Gensler is on anti-AI train again: thinks GPTs create false layers of regulatory truth. Bitcoin touched $50,000, a great...

The era of new worlds ushers in Spatial Computing: just a concept today, but will be commonplace by end of decade. Reality skinning will allow me to look at you however I want… so which side of uncanny valley are we standing? More Bitcoin ETFs hit around the world, everyone wants to talk to Gary Gensler. Scammers AI deep fake a zoom call to the tune of $25MM, how will we know if our colleagues are...

“Cryptocurrency” has become a normalized concept, so all attention turns to AI: the true existential crisis facing our economy. Taylor Swift is  Web3 product: new & valuable, and at center of ownership conversation…  human embodiment of self-custody and self-regulation! VisionPro’s expensive, but focused on privacy, right? Xreal costs 80% less, but will low-cost Chinese AR goggles saturate the...

VisionPro sells out first day? No worry, you can visit Apple Experience Centers (fka Apple Stores) and test soon! Will the parallax define Disney’s future? Bitcoin ETFs pull in billions USD daily…  so why no BTC price movement? IRS says “we rewriting rules”, so “please accumulate tax free!” Wait a second… who scheduled the BTC halvening for US tax day? Seems like this new BTC ETF based 100% on cas...

Apple steals CES narrative: who cares about micro transparent screens when we pre-order VisionPro Jan 19th? And BTC ETF? A January 10th deadline looms… Gary Gensler loves splitting hairs and missing deadlines. AND the DOJ loves flexing $5.3BB in confiscated BTC! Next crash brought to you by good ol’ U S of A. Cryptos on sale! It’s 2024, accumulate, mate! Summary: Apple's announcement of the Vi...

Blackrock has pole position on Bitcoin ETFs… will the SEC play fair, approving all at once, or will big money play first? Also, Blackrock and others will use American Dollars instead of Cryoto to back the ETFs… makes sense if you’re a bank, mang! Apple cheats on Goldman Sachs with Chase, clearing way for micropayments across Mastercard MasterPass platform! Just in time for the holidays: AI will be...

We in the White House! Turns out: way harder to ask Biden direct questions in person. Fidelity discusses BTC ETF operational frameworks with SEC, while BlackRock works to convolute the very intention of crypto. Buckle up! Mr. Fink wants to circumvent restrictions preventing banks from holding Bitcoin directly on balance sheets! China is using AI to hack into US infrastructure, while American union...

We’ll be at the White House on Friday getting answers to the HARD questions. Why exactly does my contractor need an electric battle tank that repels .45 caliber bullets? Might sell big in El Salvador and Argentina! Coinbase battles on two opposite fronts: (1) repelling the SEC and (2) courting retail investors. And is the word of a Bitcoin ETF just rumor or news? Michael Saylor says there’s no “I”...