Bankless

In this episode of Bankless, Luca Netz, CEO of Pudgy Penguins, explores how meme coins are evolving beyond speculation. We discuss Pengu’s launch on Solana, Pudgy Penguins’ expansion into retail and gaming, and how GIFs with 300M+ daily views are driving mass adoption. Luca also shares why meme coins can be real brands and what’s next for Pudgy’s growing ecosystem. ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEE...

Joining us this week is Haseeb Qureshi who is here to help walk us through this week’s Weekly Rollup. We cover the major shift in the U.S. government’s stance on crypto, as Trump signs an executive order that establishes a national digital asset stockpile working group and bans CBDCs. The SEC also revokes SAB121, clearing the way for banks to custody crypto. Meanwhile, Venice AI’s token launch mad...

Ejaaz and David reunite to unpack the DeepSeek shockwave: how a mere $6M open-source AI model rattled OpenAI’s dominance, nudged Nvidia’s stock, and sparked a fresh “arms race” in crypto AI. Meanwhile, Trump’s massive AI funding pledge and Solana’s record DEX volumes signal that the space might be heading for its biggest bull run yet. On the builder side, ARC’s rust-based agents partner with the S...

China’s new DeepSeek AI model, which reportedly matches GPT-4’s performance at 1/45th the cost, has rattled the AI hardware market and contributed to a 20% dip in Nvidia’s stock price. Investor-technologist Jeffrey Emanuel argues that DeepSeek’s efficiency gains aren’t the only story, as his viral 12,000-word article “The Short Case for Nvidia Stock” also catalyzed the market’s panic. In this epis...

In this episode of Bankless, Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and author of Super Agency, explores how AI is set to transform humanity and amplify individual potential. We dive into Hoffman’s vision of “super agency,” We examine AI's potential to democratize technology and reshape society, along with an analysis of four distinct perspectives on its impact: pessimistic, cautious, ambitious, and...

In this week’s Bankless Weekly Rollup, David is joined by Eric Conner to unpack a whirlwind week in crypto. Highlights include Trump’s explosive entry back into the Oval Office, launching a $50B memecoin on Solana, a full pardon for Ross Ulbricht, and pro-crypto cabinet appointments. Meanwhile, the Ethereum Foundation faces internal drama as Vitalik declares “wartime mode” amidst leadership restru...

Ejaaz is back with David to unpack the whirlwind effects of President Trump’s $70B memecoin launch, which slammed 400K fresh users onto Solana and shattered revenue records in under 30 hours. Meanwhile, a $500B federal boost to AI—backed by OpenAI and SoftBank—has everyone on edge about how crypto’s AI agent economy might ride this newfound momentum. On the protocol front, Arc’s Rake framework and...

Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, joins us to unpack all the craziness that's gone down this week around the inauguration. Alex had the opportunity to attend the Crypto Ball and spend the weekend in DC so he gives us the inside scoop among all the other exciting developments. Alex on X - https://x.com/intangiblecoins    ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🪙 FRAX | SELF SUFFICIENT DeFi ht...

In this episode of Bankless, Samara Cohen, BlackRock's Chief Investment Officer of ETFs and Index Investments, discusses how ETFs and blockchain are revolutionizing finance. We explore Bitcoin and Ether ETFs as bridges between crypto and TradFi, blockchain's role in market modernization, and how ETFs enhance transparency and diversification. Cohen also shares insights on upcoming regulations and t...

This week’s episode dives into the evolving landscape of crypto as we approach a new administration. We discuss Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency and what it could mean for markets, analyze the recent market turmoil despite positive economic indicators, and break down the SEC’s case against Elon Musk. We also explore Sony’s controversial L2 launch and Tether’s move to El Salvador. Finally, some a...

Ejaaz is back with David to dissect the accelerating rise of AI agents at crypto’s cutting edge. They uncover how Arc’s multi-chain approach and Ai16z’s Eliza framework are igniting a fresh wave of DeFAI innovation—everything from clever Twitter agents to more autonomous protocols. They dive into Virtuals’ relentless shipping, which is driving record on-chain fees and fueling a bold $40M buyback,...

Quantum computing is advancing rapidly, raising significant questions for cryptography and blockchain. In this episode, Scott Aaronson, quantum computing expert, and Justin Drake, cryptography researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, join us to explore the impact of quantum advancements on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the future of crypto security. Are your coins safe? How soon do we need post-quantum cry...

Ryan and David return for another Weekly Rollup, tackling the question everyone’s asking in 2025: is the crypto bull market already over, or do we still have more to go? Fresh FDIC emails prove Choke Point 2.0 was no conspiracy, with yet another key antagonist stepping down. Meanwhile, AI agents dominate headlines and reimagine DeFi UX, and Meta’s abrupt pivot to free speech has everyone buzzing....

Welcome back to The AI Rollup where we're diving into the intersection of AI and crypto, exploring the rise of autonomous AI agents and their impact on DeFi, gaming, and beyond. From groundbreaking tools like agent engines that simplify complex DeFi tasks to emerging trends like AI x Gaming, we’re at the forefront of innovation in this rapidly evolving space. Join us as we discuss the hottest AI c...

David and Ejaaz are joined by Jeffy and Tint, creators of Zerebro—an autonomous AI agent that composes rap tracks, launches NFTs, and even minted its own token by hijacking Jeffy’s computer. This on chain sensation transcends mere GPT wrappers, forging a bold new path for AI in crypto. How does an AI manage cross-chain finances, get deplatformed by Spotify, and still power a no-code framework for...

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to become a founder in crypto? On the show today we’ve got 8 of crypto’s most famous and successful builders in crypto, each with about 15 minutes in time, giving you the wisdom they gained founding their own companies. We’re joined by Jesse Pollack from Base, Jeremy Allaire from Circle, Anatoly from Solana, Stani from Aave, Kain from Synthetix, Mike & Jason f...

This week’s rollup kicks off our 5th year with exciting updates! We dive into our top 10 predictions for 2025, from AI-driven crypto market surges to ETH hitting $15K. DeFi faces new challenges with the IRS’s rule to KYC all “DeFi brokers” by 2027, while Ethereum’s “blobs” dominate as the top ETH burners. DEX volumes soared to record highs in December, and Do Kwon’s extradition to the U.S. moves f...

Ejaaz returns to break down the unstoppable rise of AI agents in crypto alongside David for a special New Year AI Rollup, setting the stage for a massive 2025.  They explore how frameworks like Ai16z’s Eliza are accelerating multi-chain agent deployment, why Zerebro’s creative moves are redefining cultural impact, and how Virtuals’ relentless shipping is driving explosive onchain fee generation. ...

How do politics shape Bitcoin’s future? Can the U.S. adopt Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset? Our guest today is Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital and author of the upcoming The Little Book of Bitcoin. Known for his finance acumen and brief stint in the Trump administration, Scaramucci unpacks Wall Street’s growing embrace of Bitcoin and its implications for the global economy. W...

The Bankless Yearly Rollup recaps 2024, a transformative year for crypto. David takes this one solo with a quick rundown of the week’s news before diving into the top 10 defining events of the year. Highlights include Bitcoin surpassing $100,000, the approval of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, and Donald Trump’s embrace of crypto as the “Crypto President.” The episode also explores the memecoin bo...

Ryan and Ejaaz are joined by Jansen Teng, co-founder of Virtuals, a decentralized platform that has launched over 11,000 AI agents and generated more than $35 million in fees. Virtuals isn’t just another protocol—it’s an entirely new kind of “digital nation” where AI agents hold their own wallets, strike deals with other agents, and even hire humans to accomplish their goals. We dive into how thes...

How do you find an asset with 1000x asymmetric return? How do you find the next bitcoin? Our guest today is Dan Morehead, founder and managing director at Pantera Capital. He has been buying bitcoin since 2013 when the price was just $65. His fund is up over 100x since then. There’s a lot to learn from Dan’s story, about early bitcoin history, but also the pattern recognition required to identify...

Joining us this week is Anthony Sassano! We'll explore whether the current price downturn signals the end of the bull market or just a minor hiccup in the cycle, analyze the Fed’s latest rate cuts, and assess institutional adoption trends keeping crypto’s momentum alive. Big L2 developments are making waves: Kraken’s Ink chain hits mainnet early, Deutsche Bank ventures into zkEVMs, and ENS selects...

Ejaaz returns to break down the latest surge in AI Agent innovation alongside Ryan this week, covering the rapid evolution at the intersection of crypto and AI. They explore how AI agents are making onchain payments to each other, autonomously ordering real-world goods, and even running their own Ethereum validators. They also dive into the new frameworks and partnerships—like ai16z’s collaboratio...

How can economic bubbles be good for the world? Byrne Hobart is a financial analyst known for his newsletter "The Diff" which covers tech, trends and economics. Byrne has been on the periphery of crypto for longer that this podcast has existed In this podcast we discuss the book he has co-authored, Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation, where he makes the case for why human progress has stagnate...