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
1351
Why Kentucky Is Trying to Become a Crypto Minin...
On this week’s Breakdown Weekly Recap, NLW looks at: The beginning of the next institutional bitcoin wave NFT bubble signals Central bank policy changes Kentucky’s new pro-crypto legislation -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR,...
9 min
1352
How CBDCs Give ‘Absolute Control’ to Central Banks
Today on the Brief: China-U.S. talks U.S. spending coming back A virtual casino hiring IRL people  Our main discussion looks at central bank digital currencies and why they’re so appealing for bankers, especially compared to cash. NLW...
15 min
1353
Why a Norwegian Billionaire Is Betting on Bitco...
Today on the Brief Followup on the FOMC meeting $3.1M for an anonymous team Could we finally see a bitcoin ETF?  Our main discussion: Aker ASA’s new Seetee bitcoin division. NLW explores: Why a Norwegian billionaire is buying into bitcoin...
15 min
1354
Morgan Stanley Is First Big Bank Offering Bitco...
Today on the Brief: What markets want from the Federal Reserve’s FOMC meeting eToro’s $10B SPAC The latest on Coinbase’s IPO Our main discussion: Morgan Stanley set to become the first big bank to offer wealthy clients access to bitcoin. ...
12 min
1355
Ray Dalio on Dumb Dollar Debt, Bitcoin Controls...
Today on The Breakdown, NLW reviews Ray Dalio’s latest essay, looking at: The six reasons why it doesn’t make sense to hold bonds anymore Why holding bonds is especially troubling in the concept of growing government money printing Why sovereign...
20 min
1356
Survey: Americans Could Spend Up to $40B in Sti...
Today on the Brief: Bitcoin’s $60,000 weekend price brings out the angry bears India’s mixed signals on a crypto ban Tesla’s new Master of Coin Our main discussion:  A new $1.9 trillion stimulus package is on the books, of which about...
15 min
1357
The Case for $1M Bitcoin
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads Layered Money author Nik Bhatia’s recent essay for CoinDesk, “Why $1 Million Bitcoin Is Coming” -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at...
11 min
1358
Is This the Beginning of the Next Institutional...
On The Breakdown’s “Weekly Recap,” NLW looks at news of institutional involvement in the bitcoin and digital asset space including: New York Life investing in and joining the board of directors of NYDIG JPMorgan introducing a “cryptocurrency...
9 min
1359
What the $1.9T Stimulus Means for Bitcoin
COVID-19 sent the money printer into overdrive. With the newly signed $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, the total spent on pandemic relief in the U.S. exceeds $6 trillion, more than WWII’s inflation-adjusted $4.1 trillion.  In this episode, NLW...
13 min
1360
A Beeple Artwork Just Sold for $69M: NFT Bubble...
Everyone paying attention knew that Beeple’s Christie’s auction was likely going to set a new high water mark for NFT sales. Fewer would have guessed that it would lead to the third-highest auction price for a living artist in history.  On...
15 min
1361
Why the CEO of New York Life Just Joined the Bo...
Today on The Breakdown, NLW catches up on the news from the past few days, looking at: NFTs heating up – and capturing some negative attention in the process Infrastructure acquisitions and M&A heat up Eliminate Barriers to Innovation Act 2021...
17 min
1362
The World’s Most Important Geopolitical Fault L...
On today’s episode, NLW is joined by investor and FinTwit star Tracy Shuchart. On the show, they discuss: The world’s most important geopolitical fault lines, from the Middle East to China The early indicators from the Biden administration around...
47 min
1363
No, the Digital Dollar Won't Kill Bitcoin
On today’s episode, NLW provides a 101-style overview of central bank digital currencies, looking at: Why governments are interested in CBDCs Why Facebook’s libra announcement accelerated CBDC development the world over Why China’s CBDC efforts...
14 min
1364
What Governments Should Do in the Coming Global...
On today’s episode, NLW reads Balaji Srinivasan’s essay “.” NLW argues that while India’s proposed crypto ban is nominally the focus, the implications are much bigger and have to do with a forthcoming global monetary competition that will...
30 min
1365
22% of Goldman Sachs Wealthiest Clients Think B...
On this edition of The Breakdown’s weekly recap, NLW looks at: Whether bitcoin is being caught up in the larger macro volatility The latest NFT shenanigans including a burned IRL Banksy The latest on institutional adoption including a positive...
11 min
1366
Macro 101: Bonds, the Fed and Money Printing, F...
What are Treasury bonds? Why does it matter how they’re doing? Does the Federal Reserve actually print money? What’s the difference between quantitative easing and yield curve control?  Bitcoin undeniably operates in a macro environment. In...
51 min
1367
Bitcoin Isn't Acting Like Stocks, Stocks Are Ac...
Over the last year there has been a growing correlation between the stock market and bitcoin. Some of this is attributed to the new traditional participants in bitcoin. Some of it is attributed to bitcoin acting less like an uncorrelated hedge and...
15 min
1368
Are You Really Surprised Elizabeth Warren Doesn...
Today on the Brief: PayPal acquiring Curv for $500 million? Traditional markets are very confused Portnoy launches Buzz exchange-traded fund Our main discussion: NLW looks at the emerging political landscape for crypto in the U.S. Specifically, he...
14 min
1369
Are NFTs Just This Cycle’s ICOs?
On today’s episode, NLW looks at the explosion of interest in NFTs. Big money, big names, big problems?  He asks whether non-fungible tokens are this cycle’s initial coin offerings by looking at five different comparison points: Inflated...
18 min
1370
Why Citi Thinks Bitcoin Is at a Tipping Point
Today on the Brief: Michael Saylor bought the dip China bans bitcoin mining in Inner Mongolia WallStreetBets moving off Reddit?  Our main discussion: Citi’s analysis of bitcoin.  February saw a non-stop barrage of bullish bitcoin news...
14 min
1371
Governments Couldn’t Ban Bitcoin Even if They W...
Today on “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads “” by Alex Gladstein, published recently by Quillette. Gladstein argues that both technical and legal attacks on bitcoin are extremely difficult to execute, even for large governments.  -- Earn up...
20 min
1372
Are Beeple's $6.6M Sale and Christie's Auction ...
This week on the Weekly Recap, NLW discusses: The price dip Tether’s settlement with the NYAG Coinbase’s S1 Filings Beeple’s record-setting NFT sales and what it means for the NFT space as a whole  -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin,...
10 min
1373
Why Cathie Wood Thinks Bitcoin Could Replace Bonds
Today on the Brief: SEC investigating Elon’s DOGE tweets? U.S. income growth has second biggest monthly gain ever Robinhood growth suggests crypto mainstreaming Main discussion: Cathie Wood thinks bitcoin could replace bonds. In this episode, NLW...
13 min
1374
Bitcoin Investing Is ESG Investing
In today's episode, NLW looks at how bitcoin fits with the growing trend of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing. In it, he:  Argues that ESG investors should disregard the false idea that bitcoin is only used for crime Provides...
24 min
1375
If You Sell Your Bitcoin, Michael Saylor and Ja...
Today on the Brief: Fed Chair Jerome Powell comments on markets and digital currency Cathie Wood’s ARK faces toughest stretch since last September  India’s latest anti-crypto sentiment  Our main discussion: More news on corporate...
12 min