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
1276
Networks vs. Governments: Could Crypto-Powered ...
What exists between a Facebook group and a formal organization? Right now, not much. But in the future, Balaji Srinivasan argues, blockchain-powered communities will be able to exert the power to help them develop the polities of the future. On this...
16 min
1277
Is the ‘Bitcoin Supercycle’ Theory Dead?
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at what this cycle has taught us in terms of: Who is investing and how it’s influencing markets How market structure and narrative interact to shape price action Why stablecoins...
11 min
1278
Cathie Wood on Cathie Wood on Why Central Banks...
Today’s special edition of “The Breakdown'' is a replay of NLW’s fireside chat with ARK’s Cathie Wood that premiered yesterday as a closing keynote at Consensus 2021. In this conversation, they discuss: How macro going risk-off has impacted...
36 min
1279
‘Crypto Is Here to Stay’: Activist Investor Car...
Today on the Brief: PayPal to allow crypto withdrawals Regulatory rumblings from the SEC and FinCEN Bitcoin moving off exchanges again In our main discussion, NLW looks at the macro conversation around inflation, including: How concerns around...
15 min
1280
What's Really Behind China's Bitcoin Mining Ban?
Today on The Breakdown, NLW covers: More information about the Bitcoin Mining Council, and why its members say they’re strictly focused on energy transparency  A new, temporary crypto mining ban in Iran The latest on the China mining ban,...
13 min
1281
Bitcoin Mining Council: A “Green” Advance for B...
Yesterday, Michael Saylor and Elon Musk surprised the Bitcoin community when they announced a new “green” mining initiative that would see many of North America’s leading mining operators come together to develop common energy reporting...
20 min
1282
Hedge Fund Billionaire Ray Dalio Has Officially...
Today’s episode of “The Breakdown” is split into two parts. In part one, NLW recaps the latest out of China, including: Interpretations of Friday’s surprise targeting in a speech by the Vice Premier A weekend market crash, the second of the...
16 min
1283
The Unexplored Risks of a US Digital Dollar
For this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads: “” By David Z. Morris “” by Dante Disparte -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io -- Enjoying this content?  ...
16 min
1284
Why the Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein Says G...
On this week’s “Breakdown Weekly Recap,” NLW explores U.S. regulatory FUD. He specifically looks at recent statements from the SEC’s Gary Gensler, as well as new Treasury Dept. policy that wants businesses to report crypto transactions of over...
11 min
1285
Why Bitcoiners Are Rooting for This Latest Chin...
This week has been China story after China story in the world of crypto. Increasingly, NLW argues, bitcoiners are getting sick of the baggage that Chinese mining and Chinese state involvement place on bitcoin and crypto as a whole. In this episode, he...
10 min
1286
The Real Story of the Crypto Crash Isn't about ...
In this episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at the market structure dimension of the crypto crash, leveraging insights from Alameda Research, Willy Woo and many more. He explores:  Why the recent bull run was driven by derivatives more...
14 min
1287
The Bloodbath-ening: Is This the End of the Cry...
In one of the bloodiest days in recent crypto history, NLW looks at the reasons behind the wild market crash and explores whether it means an end to the bull market. As part of this, he explores five different categories of fear, uncertainty and doubt...
15 min
1288
No, China Didn’t Just Ban Crypto
On today’s episode, NLW provides an extended brief style episode, covering: Crypto’s allies on Capitol Hill Is “long bitcoin” the most crowded trade in the world? How much of the dip was just Tax Day? No, China didn’t just ban crypto ...
10 min
1289
Bitcoin Is the ‘No Heroes’ Asset
If you thought last week’s Elon intrigue was over, think again. This weekend saw an absolute showdown at the bitcoin corral, with Musk seriously losing his cool. In this episode, NLW explores the tussle from a number of dimensions: What it says...
18 min
1290
Bitcoin Is Much More Than a Speculative Asset
This week’s “Long Reads Sunday” is a reading of Alex Gladstein’s latest piece, “.” It follows the stories of people in three African nations who paint a very different picture from the rampant speculation you hear about in the news. ...
31 min
1291
Vitalik vs. Dog Money: Recapping a Crazy Week i...
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW discusses: Why the Elon Musk issue is really one of power and audience What the Colonial Pipeline attack reveals about our critical infrastructure  The debate around Vitalik Buterin...
12 min
1292
Why the DOJ, IRS Investigation Into Binance Cou...
Today on the Brief: More chaos from Elon Musk Hedge funds moving into DeFi? Tether reserve attestations Our main discussion looks at recent revelations of investigations by the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service around Binance....
14 min
1293
Et tu, Elon? What’s Really Behind Tesla’s Bitco...
Crypto Twitter exploded last night when Elon Musk announced Tesla was backtracking and would no longer be accepting bitcoin as payment for cars. The debate came fast and furious about whether this was genuine environmental concern and, if so, how Elon...
14 min
1294
46M Americans Now Own Bitcoin as Inflation Rise...
Today on the Brief: SEC throws cold water on bitcoin ETF dreams MoneyGram brings bitcoin for cash to 12,000 locations (for a hefty fee) Palantir considering adding bitcoin to balance sheet Our main discussion: Inflation has seen its biggest growth...
11 min
1295
Crypto to Replace Dollar as World’s Reserve Cur...
Last year, hedge fund gurus like Paul Tudor Jones set off the wave of institutional bitcoin buying by cementing the narrative of bitcoin as an inflation hedge. Today, one of those investors - Stanley Druckenmiller - is back with even more dire...
12 min
1296
If Prices Keep Going Up, We Might Have to Start...
Today on the Brief: Elon Musk saves an SNL flop with a dogecoin satellite  Growing interest in Ethereum  UBS explores offering crypto to wealthy clients Our main discussion:The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are both running headlines...
14 min
1297
CBDCs Aren't About Money, They're About Power
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads Sune Sorenson’s “.” He also discusses recent pieces by Niall Ferguson and The Economist that point to a growing conversation about CBDCs that is fundamentally about power and the global...
13 min
1298
‘My 401(k) is now my 401(k9)': Doge, SNL and Wh...
On this edition of “The Breakdown’s Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at: Why ETH should have had most of the attention The camps forming around dogecoin and why it’s likely to dump after “Saturday Night Live” A slew of massive institutional...
13 min
1299
The Balkanization of Bitcoin: The Next Attack o...
Today on the Brief: Square puts up monster Q1 bitcoin numbers First crypto comments from new SEC Chair Gary Gensler 3 new institutional bitcoin developments  Our main discussion:  As bitcoin becomes more mainstream, the attempts from the...
18 min
1300
Are Banks Getting Nervous About Competition Fro...
Today on the Brief: MercadoLibre has added bitcoin to its balance sheet Galaxy Digital buys BitGo  Debates around the new, improved, real economy  Our main discussion: While the last year has seen a massive amount of growth in...
17 min