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
1101
A "Crypto Frenzy"? Today's Congressional Hearin...
An interview with a congressman followed by a congressional hearing on crypto signal policymakers are moving to the next phase of talks about regulating crypto. Troubling comments in Congressman Bill Foster’s interview with Axios Upcoming committee...
19 min
1102
How the Macro Landscape Is Shaping Bitcoin Markets
Highlights from today’s Breakdown: The latest legal challenges around the Bitcoin white paper  A barrage of institutional bitcoin news  What the S&P 500 hitting all-time highs has to do with the crypto markets For those worried there...
10 min
1103
The Real Story of the UK Binance Ban
Today on the Brief: Indian investment in crypto soars The first Mexican bank to accept bitcoin?  Tether FUD from the FED?  In our main discussion, NLW looks at recent regulatory action from the U.K., Canada and Japan. He argues that...
12 min
1104
The Great Western Hashrate Migration Is Real
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads Nic Carter’s latest essay for CoinDesk “.” -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at https://nexo.io/ -- Enjoying this content?  ...
10 min
1105
Even in an Off Week, Bitcoin Had Quietly Massiv...
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at: Two more massive fundraises  A set of positive regulatory news  A new partnership that will bring bitcoin directly to bank accounts and credit unions around...
7 min
1106
Elon Shitposting While El Salvador's President ...
Last night was one for the history books. As Elon Musk was making weird, stupid jokes about bitcoiners, the president of El Salvador was live on YouTube discussing what amounts to a $117 million BTC airdrop to citizens as a part of the recently passed...
11 min
1107
John McAfee and the End of Crypto’s Gonzo Era
The passing of an icon in crypto necessitates reflection. John McAfee was at times reviled, and at the same time, deadly serious and a prophet, sometimes a clown. The many facets to his personality mirror the roller-coaster history of crypto, a Wild...
15 min
1108
Bear Market? Not According to These Monster Fun...
Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at the contrast between growing bear market sentiment versus a sustained set of high-profile eight and nine figure financing rounds across multiple dimensions of the crypto market. Specifically, he looks at...
14 min
1109
Lyn Alden on Bitcoin, Inflation and the Potenti...
, investment researcher and strategist with a keen eye on both crypto and traditional markets, joins NLW on today’s “The Breakdown.” Listen for a conversation about the state of the market and projections for the future including: Inflation:...
54 min
1110
The De-Chinafication of Bitcoin
On this episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW takes a look at the most recent crypto news before taking a deeper dive into the latest step in the de-Chinafication of bitcoin.   MicroStrategy going “all-in” on bitcoin   Michael Burry’s...
12 min
1111
Does a Law From the Civil War Make Stablecoins ...
On this week’s Long Reads Sunday, NLW reads “” by Franklin Noll, and discusses the recent debates around stablecoins and CBDCs.  -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io --...
11 min
1112
What Are the Prospects for a Bitcoin Standard i...
This week on “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap” NLW covers: More institutional bitcoin news, including a new Morgan Stanley fund from NYDIG and FS Investments and a Goldman Sachs trading partnership with Galaxy Digital  A resurgence of...
12 min
1113
The Shorter Cycle Theory With Larry Cermak
The idea of a multiyear supercycle is fading as shorter cycles take their place. In this episode, NLW and guest , director of research at The Block, discuss the transformation of the supercycle timeline as the crypto space evolves. The discussion...
34 min
1114
From a $1T Asset to a $100T Network: Everything...
On today’s episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW first follows up on yesterday’s episode about the FOMC meeting and a potential future shift in Fed policy. As many expected, the Fed kept its short-term policy the same, but revised forward its...
16 min
1115
Will the Fed Shift Policy Due to Increasing Inf...
On today’s episode, NLW looks at the Federal Open Markets Committee briefing coming up this afternoon and discusses what it might signal in terms of future monetary policy. The discussion includes: How the Great Financial Crisis inspired “the...
13 min
1116
Will a US Digital Dollar Protect Privacy?
The question of digital currencies is a question of power. On today’s episode, NLW explores that power in multiple dimensions: between states, between states and companies and within states with regard to their citizens. NLW looks at recent...
17 min
1117
'Bat-Shit Crazy’ Paul Tudor Jones on the Fed, I...
Just when it seemed like the “Economic Empowerment” narrative coming out of El Salvador was poised to overtake the inflation/digital gold narrative, one of that viewpoint’s strongest advocates was back on CNBC today. Hedge fund legend Paul Tudor...
11 min
1118
Is Bitcoin a Trojan Horse for Freedom?
This week’s “Long Reads Sunday” presents a reading of Human Rights Foundation CSO Alex Gladstein’s piece “.”  NLW contextualizes the piece with this week’s landmark legislation out of El Salvador and the concerns some international...
15 min
1119
Bitcoin Is Economic Empowerment
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at: Why the El Salvador news didn’t (immediately) impact bitcoin’s price How narratives set the tone for new entrants to the bitcoin market How the digital gold/inflation...
16 min
1120
An Interview With Bitcoin Beach, the Community ...
On today’s episode, NLW is joined by Mike Peterson, director of Bitcoin Beach. Bitcoin Beach is a community project in El Salvador that has spent the last two years helping individuals and companies integrate bitcoin into their daily lives and...
42 min
1121
The Empire Strikes Back: Inflation Hits 5% Whil...
In a week so filled with the optimism coming out of El Salvador, of course there had to be another side of the story.  On today’s episode, NLW looks at three examples of the existing power structure fighting back against the rise of crypto: ...
12 min
1122
El Salvador Made Bitcoin Legal Tender As Presid...
Last night, El Salvador voted to pass the bill making Bitcoin legal tender. As representatives debated the bill, the President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele and his brother and campaign manager Karim Bukele surprise-joined a Twitter Space hosted by Nic...
19 min
1123
Biden’s Top Antitrust Adviser Is a Bitcoin Mill...
On today’s episode, NLW looks at a grab bag of recent news: El Salvador’s bitcoin announcement makes waves as politicians from six more Central and South American countries change their profiles to laser eyes Donald Trump resurfaces to rip...
11 min
1124
El Salvador to Become the First Bitcoin Country...
On Saturday, the Bitcoin 2021 organizers teased that one of the biggest announcements in bitcoin’s history was coming. That announcement ended up being from El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who shared that he was advancing a bill to make bitcoin...
25 min
1125
What a New Era of Big Government Could Mean for...
A reading of David Z. Morris’ piece for CoinDesk “”.   -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content?   SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: ...
12 min