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/
2026
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.29 | Lightning Network vs....
Weekly countdown of the 5 most important essays and threads from the week before on Long Reads Sunday. This week featuring Lightning Network vs the encroaching surveillance state; a US Congressman's response to Circle leaving the US; a hot take on the...
19 min
2027
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.24 | Encryption Backdoors ...
The US Attorney General has reignited a debate about encryption backdoors for law enforcement. Libra has a long way to go, with a recent poll finding it significantly less trustworthy to Americans than Bitcoin. And finally, a regulatory roundup...
13 min
2028
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.23 | Trontroversy! // Ethe...
Justin Sun canceled his lunch with Warren Buffett this week, claiming kidney stones. Reports today, however, suggested that he was compelled not to leave China by border authorities due to investigations. But then he showed up in SF? So basically,...
15 min
2029
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.22 | The "Libra Goes To Wa...
From 5 to 1, counting down the most important threads, essays and content from last week. Featuring the key setup questions for the Libra hearings; a case study of Cuba on whether a project like Libra could make a difference to the "unbanked"; the...
28 min
2030
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.19 | BitMEX vs. CFTC / Bit...
The CFTC's investigation of BitMEX is the latest in string of screws tightening on global exchanges touching US customers. In an interesting twist, a lawsuit leads to a Chinese court determining that Bitcoin is a protected legal property. Ycash has...
12 min
2031
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.18 | Libra Aftermath - G7,...
Libra was a hotbutton issue at the G7 meetings - maybe the one thing they agreed on. Meanwhile, the project made news in China as Facebook's David Marcus revealed explicitly that it saw Alipay and Wechat as competitors. Meanwhile, the crypto community...
12 min
2032
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.17 | Libra Hearings Day 2 ...
On Day 2 of Libra hearings, Facebook's David Marcus testified in front of the House Financial Services Committee. And boy oh boy, it could not have been more different than yesterday. Today was massively more substantive, thoughtful, and holy crap was...
21 min
2033
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.16 | Libra Hearing Day 1 R...
Libra's David Marcus testified before a relatively hostile Senate Banking Committee today. In today's we go over: 1) Facebook's trust problem; 2) the most important topics and themes of the questioning; 3) what it all means for Bitcoin. ...
17 min
2034
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.15 | Long Reads Sunday #55...
Every Sunday, I put together a list of the top tweets, threads and essays shaping the crypto conversation. On Monday, I countdown my five favorites with BlockTV. Monday's Crypto Daily is the audio recording version. For those who want to...
21 min
2035
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.12 | Special Edition: Trum...
A very Trump-y special edition! On this episode, we look at 1) what happened with Trump’s Bitcoin/Libra tweet; 2) the crypto community’s response; 3) the surprisingly with it mainstream media response; and 4) what it means going forward and why we...
25 min
2036
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.11 | Comply or Die Token S...
On this episode, we discuss: 1) Reg A+ compliant token sales from Blockstack and YouNow and why it's becoming comply or die; 2) Turkey planning a central bank digital currency and how the crypto market is trifurcating; 3) IDEO's new crypto startup...
13 min
2037
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.10 | Alt Season Dreams & N...
We discuss: 1) the chatter around a potential alt season and what makes things different this time around; 2) new financing that shows where crypto investors heads are at (hint: infrastructure not apps); 3) the latest salvos between Libra and...
13 min
2038
Crypto Daily 3@3 - 7.9.19 | Deutsche Bank layof...
Deutsche Bank announces 18k layoffs & a photo instafamous memes a tailor with a Bitcoin bag as a fired banker Strong counter argument against the idea that Libra is somehow good for Bitcoin A new platform for fractionalized art and culture...
11 min