The Breakdown

A daily analysis of macroeconomics, bitcoin, geopolitics and big picture power shifts, hosted by Nathaniel Whittemore @nlw. The Breakdown is part of Blockworks.

Business
Investing
801
As Bank of England Intervenes, Druckenmiller Se...
This episode is sponsored by , and .    The Bank of England made huge news today when it intervened in the U.K. bond markets to prop up pension funds in the country that were in serious trouble due to recent volatility. On this episode, NLW...
16 min
802
The Dollar Is Our Currency and Your Problem
This episode is sponsored by , and .    The joke du jour on FinTwit has been that the British pound is trading like an emerging market currency (or on Crypto Twitter, like a s**tcoin). On today’s episode NLW looks at what’s happening...
19 min
803
A Surprise Crypto Bill Veto in California
  This episode is sponsored by , and .    On today’s episode, NLW looks a set of recent crypto news, including: A veto of California’s version of New York’s BitLicense bill  A new DARPA initiative to study crypto as a...
18 min
804
Will the Debt Crush Powell’s Volker Dreams?
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads by Eric Basmajian and by James Lavish. - is a security-first platform where you can buy, exchange and borrow against your crypto. The company...
19 min
805
The 'New Weird' and the Terror of the In-Between
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at: The market’s reaction to the FOMC, a few days on The “golden handcuffs” in the housing market A recap of the bank CEO hearing on Capitol...
16 min
806
The CFTC Goes After a DAO
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On today’s episode, NLW looks at news that a draft of the House stablecoin bill is now circulating, and would, among other things, set out a two-year ban on algorithmic stablecoins like Terra. He...
19 min
807
The Single-Mandate Fed Says There Are Too Many ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate by 75 basis points, the third consecutive hike of that size. The market expected this, but reacted negatively to...
19 min
808
'Housing Recession?' How the Beleaguered Real E...
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On today’s episode, NLW looks at the housing market, which has shifted dramatically in the last six months. Mortgages today cost more than double what they did last year – the biggest...
18 min
809
Why Today’s News Tells You Everything You Need ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .  On today’s episode, NLW breaks down the day’s news in terms of how it demonstrates the archetypes of the 2022 crypto bear market, looking at: Market moves A DeFi hack  CBDCs Regulatory enforcement...
20 min
810
Bleak Week as Bitcoin Hits 3-Month Low
This episode is sponsored by , and .    On today’s episode, NLW looks at why bitcoin hit a three-month low over the weekend. He also discusses traders’ predictions about the upcoming interest rate hike at this week’s Federal Open...
19 min
811
After the Merge, How Do We Think About Change W...
This episode is sponsored by , and .    For this edition of “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads and discusses Chris Castiglione’s “,” as well as a . - is a security-first platform where you can buy, exchange and borrow against your...
16 min
812
Two Regulatory Hearings Show Difference in SEC ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at the latest in market action plus how two congressional hearings highlighted differences in the approaches the CFTC and SEC are taking to crypto. ...
15 min
813
White House ‘Comprehensive Framework for Respon...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On today’s episode, NLW looks at a set of three reports around crypto out of the Treasury Department as well as examines the White House’s just-released framework for digital assets. He argues there are...
17 min
814
Welcome to the Post-Merge Era in Crypto
This episode is sponsored by , and .   At 2:44 a.m. ET Thursday, Ethereum successfully transitioned from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. On today’s show, NLW breaks down what that means for the network’s security and economics and looks at...
19 min
815
Unsatisfying Clarifications on the Tornado Cash...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On today’s episode, NLW catches listeners up on the latest news in crypto, including: Arrest warrants for Do Kwon and others from Terra El Salvador Bond Repurchase program  Crypto regulatory and...
16 min
816
Markets Plummet as Inflation Comes In Hot
This episode is sponsored by , and .   July’s inflation report provided the first glimmers that the U.S. might have turned a corner in its fight against inflation. For the past several days, investors have been betting on a continuation of...
17 min
817
Investors Are Betting on Inflation Declining. A...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   Bitcoin was up 15% over the weekend. Stocks have seen four days of green. The reason? Investors are anticipating that August’s inflation numbers (to be released on Tuesday) will show another monthly...
18 min
818
Gensler’s Latest Take on Crypto and Securities ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW digs in on the latest speech from SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. It appears reasonable, but does the crypto industry believe him?  - is a security-first...
17 min
819
So, Is the White House Banning Bitcoin Mining, ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On today’s episode, NLW examines the new report from the White House about crypto mining and its impact on climate change. He argues that the report is effectively a Rorschach test for people’s prior...
17 min
820
The Rise of CBDC Skepticism Among US Officials
This episode is sponsored by , and .   The discussion around a United States-issued central bank digital currency is heating up, but not in the way one might expect. Increasingly, U.S. regulators and elected officials are showing signs of...
17 min
821
38 Things We Learned About Crypto and the Econo...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On today’s episode, NLW celebrates his 38th birthday with 38 lessons we’ve learned in the last year, from inflation to macro to geopolitics to crypto.  - is a security-first platform where you can...
26 min
822
Could the European Energy Crisis Become a Debt ...
This episode is sponsored by , and .   On today’s episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at the latest in the European energy crisis, including: Gazprom keeping the Nord Stream pipeline closed Russian officials saying the reason for the...
18 min
823
Does AML Even Work?
This episode is sponsored by , and . Today on “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads and discusses David Z. Morris’ “.” - is a security-first platform where you can buy, exchange and borrow against your crypto. The company ensures the safety of...
17 min
824
‘Piles of Risk’: An Outlook for Autumn
This episode is sponsored by , and . NLW reviews the key events from August with an eye to how they will shape September and the fall, including: Sanctions The Merge Institutionalization Fundraising  Regulation, legislation and...
17 min
825
‘Soft Landing’ Is Out. ‘Growth Recession’ Is In.
This episode is sponsored by , and .   Today NLW looks at the shifting Fed narrative. We’ve moved from “soft landing” to “softish landing” to “growth recession” as the goal for monetary policy. With the jobs report coming in...
16 min