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.
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1526
The Future of Bitcoin Lies with Renegades and M...
On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads CoinDesk journalist Brady Dale’s “.” NLW argues this topic is even more important in the context of bitcoin institutionalization. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP,...
8 min
1527
For Bitcoin and Crypto, a Week of Mainstreaming...
On this edition of “The Breakdown” Weekly Recap, NLW looks at a set of mainstream moments including: “SNL” doing a song about NFTs Visa accepting USDC on Ethereum as a native settlement currency PayPal opening crypto checkout to 29 million...
8 min
1528
An Interview With Cathie Wood on Bitcoin, Tesla...
This episode is a replay of NLW’s conversation with Cathie Wood from October 2020. In it, they discuss: Why she had conviction in Tesla before the market caught up Why her fund offered the first bitcoin investment opportunities to Wall...
78 min
1529
Corruption, Leverage and Cheap Money: Archegos ...
The financial world has been rocked by the Archegos scandal. A family office managing at least $10 billion and betting with $50 billion-$80 billion on leverage that was completely undone, literally overnight. In this episode, NLW breaks down: ...
17 min
1530
Goldman Sachs To Offer Bitcoin to Wealthy Clien...
As the old saying goes: “First they ignore you, then they mock you, then they fight you, then you win.” Ten months ago, Goldman Sachs declared that “cryptocurrencies including bitcoin are not an asset class.” Today, CNBC broke the news...
13 min
1531
PayPal Opens Crypto Payments for Millions of Me...
Today on the Brief: BTC micro futures coming to CME Michael Jordan is now an NFT investor Bitcoin doesn’t care about Treasury yields Our main discussion: PayPal has begun rolling out its crypto checkout tools to millions of merchants. NLW breaks...
15 min
1532
Visa Just Supercharged Stablecoin Legitimacy
Today’s episode of “The Breakdown” is an extended brief with five different topics: NFTs make it to “SNL” “Green” bitcoin mining Square’s CFO thinks all companies should hold bitcoin in their treasuries Crypto M&A doubles in 2020...
14 min
1533
Can NFTs & Crypto Create Cultural Revolutions?
On this edition of “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads David Hoffman’s essay “” from Bankless. The essay argues that culture, more than economics, will be the most important long-term beneficiary of the rise of crypto. -- Earn up to 12% APY...
29 min
1534
Soros Breaks Into Bitcoin
On this week’s Weekly Recap, NLW: Highlights the four most important happenings around regulation and central bank digital currencies in the U.S. Updates the macro inflation narrative for a “new normal” era Digs into what we’ve learned...
13 min
1535
Worried About Bitcoin's Price Action? Here's Wh...
Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW digs into bitcoin and crypto markets. He argues that despite two weeks of sideways-down price action, there are a set of reasons to be optimistic: Historically bad March months versus historically good Aprils...
12 min
1536
The Fed Chair and the Treasury Secretary Come O...
Today on the Brief: Fidelity files a bitcoin ETF application Stimmies to China The situation in the Suez Our main discussion: In response to a question from Illinois Democrat Bill Foster during a House hearing earlier this week, Federal Reserve...
15 min
1537
Bears Fuming as Elon Opens Tesla Purchases With...
Today on the Brief: Robinhood IPO incoming Competing bitcoin price predictions Yellen and Powell’s latest testimony on economic growth Our main discussion: Elon Musk announced this morning Tesla’s program for buying its cars with...
14 min
1538
Stablecoins in the Hot Seat: Powell Calls Bitco...
Three major moments over the last couple days help provide insight into the future of the U.S. government’s relationship with bitcoin, stablecoins and digital currencies. The first was Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments on...
19 min
1539
When Currencies Fail: ‘Bitcoin’ Google Searches...
Today on the Brief: Nigeria central bank reversing stance on crypto ban? “The least responsible fiscal policy of the last 40 years” Scaramucci’s firm files fifth bitcoin ETF application Our main discussion: the crash of the Turkish lira....
14 min
1540
Hal Finney’s ‘Bitcoin and Me’
On this edition of “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads a BitcoinTalk forum from exactly eight years ago - Hal Finney’s “.” The piece is about the origins of Bitcoin, and more broadly, life’s treasures. -- Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin,...
8 min
1541
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
1542
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
1543
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
1544
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
1545
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
1546
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
1547
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
1548
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
1549
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
1550
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