The Breakdown
The Breakdown dives into the deepest topics in crypto, blockchain, and the macro forces shaping markets and power structures. Each episode breaks down complex ideas into clear, grounded analysis — separating signal from noise across crypto, finance, and geopolitics.
Hosted by David Canellis, The Breakdown features explainers, interviews, and conversations with the people building, regulating, and challenging the financial system.
A Blockworks podcast.
Subscribe to The Breakdown newsletter: https://the-breakdown.carrd.co/
1251
The Battle to Change How the IRS Taxes Mining a...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Two Tezos stakers sued the IRS to get back taxes paid on property they say they created through staking. The IRS offered to pay them back but didn’t commit to clear policy guidance. The stakers will now continue...
14 min
1252
India Heading Toward Crypto Legalization?
One of the key themes for 2022 is the relationship between governments and the crypto industry. On today’s show, NLW looks at the latest from India, one of the countries with the highest degree of speculation on whether banning or regulation is the...
13 min
1253
Bullish or Bearish? 2022 Markets Started Rough,...
Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at what the first month of the year taught us about what to expect in 2022. Overall, he argues that the most important megatrend was the shift from risk-off to risk-on as the U.S. Federal Reserve looks towards...
16 min
1254
Unpacking Arizona's Bitcoin Legal Tender Proposal
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at a proposal moving through Arizona’s Senate to make bitcoin legal tender. He explores: The specifics of the Arizona proposal The controversial author of the...
16 min
1255
The Big Numbers from Ark's Big Ideas Report
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW pulls out some of the most interesting data from innovation investor . - is a powerful, all-in-one crypto platform where you can securely store your crypto. Invest, borrow, exchange and earn...
13 min
1256
Are NFTs the True Store of Value?
This episode is sponsored by , and . On this edition of the “Weekly Recap,” NLW examines why NFTs are having their best month ever, even as the rest of the crypto market bleeds value. - is a powerful, all-in-one crypto...
13 min
1257
The 3 Most Thought-Provoking Questions in Bitco...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW is joined by Nik Bhatia, author of “Layered Money” and newsletter. They discuss: Bitcoin’s relationship with equities and the TradFi markets Why the Fed is...
41 min
1258
A Crypto Industry Poison Pill Hidden in the Ame...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at a topic that has seized the attention of the crypto policy community. Hidden in the America COMPETES Act is a change to the Bank Secrecy Act that would allow...
16 min
1259
El Salvador's Battle With the IMF Is Bigger Tha...
This episode is sponsored by , and . When Nayib Bukele announced that El Salvador would be making bitcoin legal tender, the international monetary establishment acted with some amount of skepticism. When he announced the nation would be...
14 min
1260
The State of DAOs With Syndicate’s Ian Lee
This episode is sponsored by , and . Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW is joined by , co-founder at Syndicate. Syndicate helps groups tap into Web 3 tools to transform investing and capital allocation. Today Syndicate announced their...
67 min
1261
After Bloody Weekend, Crypto Market Sentiment G...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW looks at the growing bearish sentiment around the crypto industry. The culprit, he argues, is a deepening macro malaise that has been exacerbated by growing concerns about war in...
17 min
1262
What Facebook’s Patents Tell Us About the Fight...
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads David Z. Morris’ “.” - is a powerful, all-in-one crypto platform where you can securely store your crypto. Invest, borrow, exchange and earn up to 17% APR on Bitcoin and 20+ other top coins....
12 min
1263
What Happened at Congress’ Bitcoin Energy Hearing?
This episode is sponsored by , and . This week on the “Weekly Recap,” NLW breaks down the House hearing on energy in the crypto industry. He looks at problems with the advance memo and provides refutations of some of the...
14 min
1264
The Federal Reserve Shares Its Thinking About a...
This episode is sponsored by , and . For more than a year, the Federal Reserve has been talking about a forthcoming paper on central bank digital currencies in the U.S. Now that the paper has finally been released, NLW walks us step by step...
17 min
1265
Is Russia Trying to Ban Bitcoin?
This episode is sponsored by , and . NLW covers stories that show the full breadth of the crypto industry in 2022. In the first, he looks at a new report from the Russian central bank advocating a near-total ban on bitcoin and crypto in...
14 min
1266
A $4.2T Asset Manager Just Said Governments Wil...
On today’s episode, NLW looks at the latest from governments and crypto, including: India’s prime minister calling for global cooperation to “fight” crypto Pakistan’s security agency blocking crypto sites The U.K., Singapore and Spain...
17 min
1267
Microsoft Bets on Metaverse With $69B Acquisiti...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Microsoft today announced it is acquiring game publisher Activision Blizzard in a nearly $69 billion all-cash deal. The acquisition is being widely seen as a big bet to keep Microsoft competitive in the...
16 min
1268
A Former US Senator and Ambassador to China on ...
This episode is sponsored by , and . This week’s “Long Reads Sunday” reading is Max Baucus’ “.” Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: Spotify: Google: Join the discussion: Follow on...
12 min
1269
‘Every Company Will Be a Crypto Company’; A Ven...
This episode is sponsored by , and . In today’s “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at a slew of funding rounds announced this week, including: Near Protocol, $150 million ZeroHash, $105 million Checkout.com, $1 billion SEBA, $119 million DeFi...
13 min
1270
Rio de Janeiro is the Newest Bitcoin City
This episode is sponsored by , and . This was, NLW argues, a very good week for crypto. He covers: The mayor of Rio announcing big bitcoin/crypto support this week Strike launching in Argentina Northwest Arkansas offering tech workers $10,000...
15 min
1271
Meet the Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode, NLW covers: The new Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund from Jack Dorsey and others Crypto nuggets from 250 pages of former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s emails The latest out of the...
15 min
1272
What the Highest Inflation in 4 Decades Means f...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Markets have been nervous since last week’s FOMC meeting minutes revealed the Fed was considering early “balance sheet normalization” or quantitative tightening. At yesterday’s confirmation hearings, Fed...
16 min
1273
A Web 3 Company Just Bought a Stake in a TradFi...
This episode is sponsored by , and . On today’s episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW covers the latest news from macro and the crypto space, including: Value investing legend Bill Miller holds 50% of his net worth in bitcoin Paradigm...
15 min
1274
The Macro Battle That Will Shape Crypto Markets...
This episode is sponsored by , and . Last week, the December FOMC meeting minutes revealed that not only was the Fed expecting at least 3 rate hikes in 2022, they were actively considering “balance sheet normalization” (read: quantitative...
20 min
1275
Breaking Down the Fight Between Bitcoin and Web 3
This episode is sponsored by , and . This week’s Long Reads Sunday features a reading of David Z. Morris’ Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast Apple: Spotify: Google: Join the discussion: Follow on...
16 min