A daily analysis of macroeconomics, bitcoin, geopolitics and big picture power shifts, hosted by Nathaniel Whittemore @nlw. The Breakdown is part of Blockworks.
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This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at a number of crypto events from the long weekend, including: Why Argentines flooded into stablecoins and drove the price of tether above $1 over the weekend...
16 min
1027
After Bitcoin Maximalism
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads and reflects on Nic Carter’s “.” - is a security-first platform where you can buy, exchange and borrow against your crypto. The company...
21 min
1028
June Was Bitcoin’s Worst Month Ever
This episode is sponsored by , and . On the “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at: The progress around two major European crypto regulation frameworks. The latest in Three Arrows Capital crypto contagion. Issues in the mining...
14 min
1029
Powell: “How Little We Understand About Inflation”
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at: Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments on inflation at the ECB conference. The latest recession indicators. Manufacturing declines. Turmoil in the...
16 min
1030
Grayscale’s Legal Battle Against the SEC
This episode is sponsored by , and . Late Wednesday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rejected Grayscale’s proposal to convert the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust to a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). Within minutes,...
18 min
1031
A Primer on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW gives a 101-level overview of the Lightning Network, including where it came from, how it works, and who is building on it. - is an all-in-one platform where you can...
13 min
1032
Alex Gladstein on Why Human Rights Activists Do...
This episode is sponsored by , and . NLW is joined today by Alex Gladstein, chief strategy officer of the Human Rights Foundation. They discuss the Oslo Freedom Forum, the human rights use case for Bitcoin and what Alex is excited about...
26 min
1033
The Battle for Self-Hosted Wallets
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW explores the ongoing policy debate around “unhosted” (or, as crypto users call them – “self-hosted”) wallets, looking at MiCA legislation in Europe, an updated...
14 min
1034
Putin Weaponizes Inflation
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW builds off of Stack Hödler’s on a recent Putin speech to examine the Russian leader’s weaponization of inflation. - is an all-in-one platform...
15 min
1035
Slouching Toward Crypto Winter
This episode is sponsored by , and . In this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW argues that this week saw the crypto community settling into the bear market. He looks at why both the macro landscape and crypto’s recent string of...
17 min
1036
Can a Solana Phone Beat the Bear?
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at two big events: Congress held a committee meeting about the role of the CFTC in regulating and overseeing the crypto industry Solana announced a new...
16 min
1037
Powell Finally Talks Recession
This episode is sponsored by , and . For the past two days, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has been testifying on the Hill before both committees in the Senate and House. One of the most pointed discussions has been around the...
16 min
1038
Is Miner Selling Contributing to Bitcoin's Pric...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at the state of bitcoin miners’ balance sheets. Specifically, he looks at increased selling of bitcoin over the past few months, and to what extent it has to...
17 min
1039
How Real Is This Relief Rally?
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s show, NLW explores the discussion around the bitcoin relief rally of the last two days, following the crash last Friday and Saturday. Some think that there are a plethora of bottom...
16 min
1040
How Much of the Market Meltdown Is Macro vs. Cr...
This episode is sponsored by , and . The crypto market just went through one of its most turbulent and brutal weekends in recent memory. In today’s episode, NLW looks at how much the broader downturn as well as these more recent moves are...
17 min
1041
The Importance of an Open Metaverse
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads a thread from Punk6529, “.” - is an all-in-one platform where you can buy crypto with a bank card and earn up to 16% interest on your assets. On the...
15 min
1042
Why Coin Center Is Suing the US Government
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at two stories from the past week in crypto. The first is advocacy group Coin Center’s lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS...
18 min
1043
US Recession Odds Surge Over 70%
This episode is sponsored by , and . Yesterday, the Federal Reserve increased the target Federal Funds rate by 0.75% – the biggest increase since 1994. While the markets initially popped on the news, stocks subsequently tanked and...
17 min
1044
What a More Aggressive Fed Means for the Housin...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at the Federal Reserve’s increasing hawkishness on inflation. He explains how market expectations around Fed interest rate raises have shifted, and...
16 min
1045
The Second Horseman of the Cryptopocalypse
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at the market’s reaction to Celsius’ struggle to remain solvent. He also examines to what extent the recent downturn is being driven by Celsius and other...
15 min
1046
Sens. Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand on ...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Today on “The Breakdown,” Sens. Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand join NLW to discuss their recently released Responsible Financial Innovation Act. They discuss: How Senator Gillibrand came...
21 min
1047
Why New York City Might Be the Right Model for ...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s interview, NLW is joined by Mathieu Nouzareth, the CEO of The Sandbox. The Sandbox is one of the leading metaverse platforms today, with deep roots in gaming. In this conversation, they...
18 min
1048
Nic Carter on How to Make the Best of a Bear Ma...
This episode is sponsored by , and . NLW is joined on “The Breakdown” by Nic Carter, the founding partner at Castle Island Ventures. In this conversation, they discuss the market cycle, what’s valuable about being in a bear market...
26 min
1049
Crypto’s Appetite for Legal Battles Is Growing
This episode is sponsored by , and . There is a growing appetite among crypto companies to avail themselves of the legal system to fight for what they believe. This week, Custodia Bank (formerly Avanti), run by Caitlin Long, filed suit...
13 min
1050
Bitcoin Is Human Rights Technology
This episode is sponsored by , and . Crypto critics have been emboldened lately. The New York Times this week published an article seemingly meant to convince people that because early bitcoin mining was concentrated, bitcoin’s ideal...