Podcast Summary: CRYPTO 101 - “Crypto Rundown: Fed Decision Update, New ICOs That Are Getting 2-5X Returns!”

Hosts: Bryce Paul & Brendan Viehman
Date: December 13, 2025

Overview

This episode is a Friday “Momentum Money Makers” special, bringing together hosts Bryce, Brendan (“Bry”), and Joe to give a lively, informative rundown of the week’s most important crypto news. Key topics include the recent Federal Reserve decision, changes to the market macro-environment, the rise of a new “super cycle” narrative, major developments in ICOs and altcoin opportunities, and quick updates on meme coins, NFTs, prediction markets, and regulatory drama.

Lively banter and a “boots on the ground” investor perspective make this a highly engaging episode for retail crypto enthusiasts.

Major Topics & Key Insights

1. Market Sentiment & Recent Moves

Timestamps: 00:00 – 04:12

• The market is “choppy” but showing bullish undercurrents.
  • Bryan: “If there was a mention market for how many times I’ve said the word choppy over the last 60 days, I’m probably over a hundred for sure.” (02:37)
• The Fear & Greed Index is rising, but overall action is sideways as the year closes out.
• Expectation is that while the rest of 2025 may remain range-bound, all-time highs are likely in 2026.

2. Fed Decision: “Diet QE” & Macro Liquidity

Timestamps: 04:12 – 13:44

• The Fed cut rates by 25bps (well predicted by markets), but the bigger news: the Fed will buy $40 billion in Treasury bills. This has sparked “soft quantitative easing” chatter.
• Bryce: “As somebody myself who really enjoys cracking open a nice crispy diet soda, could we call it diet QE?” (05:00)
• This action could spur “risk-on” behavior in markets – including crypto.
• Bryan: “I try to get all the bullish parts out of it. I’m a permea-bull ... this increases liquidity. This is a bring on more risk-on assets.” (07:08)
• The hosts advise to monitor for continued liquidity injections – bullish if sustained, troubling if it means underlying market fears.

3. Supercycle Narrative: Is the 4-Year Cycle Dead?

Timestamps: 13:44 – 21:30

Expert Clips Played:

• Tom Lee: "Crypto prices are really sensitive to the ISM ... ISM moving back above 50 has historically been associated with actually supercycle moves in bitcoin and ethereum." (15:32)
• Cathie Wood: “We think the four year cycle is going to be disrupted ... the move by institutions into this new asset class is going to prevent much more of a decline. We may have seen the low a couple of weeks ago.” (17:22)

Discussion:

• The idea of a “supercycle” is gaining traction—institutions, new regulation, and major market structure changes could end the typical 4-year crypto cycle.
• Reduced volatility and higher lows expected due to inflows from smart money.
• Brendan: “There’s just too much traditional money flowing into these assets now. ... I think the four year cycle is on its way out personally.” (19:36)
• Joe: “For the four year cycle to be this tamed, in my opinion is great news … bullish news from administration and institutions coming in.” (20:30)

4. Big Market Action: Whales, Solana/Coinbase, Vanguard’s Bitcoin U-turn

Timestamps: 21:34 – 29:14

• Notable “whale” opened $500M+ in long positions after previously shorting the 2022 crash. “What’s he know that we don’t know?” (23:13)
• Solana tokens can now be bought on Coinbase’s Base network, easing user friction and broadening retail access.
  • Bryan: "Improves user interface ... makes me bullish for not only Coinbase, but also Solana." (24:42)
• Vanguard opens access to Bitcoin ETFs after firing the previous CEO, but still derides BTC as a “speculative digital toy.”
  • Bryce: “So Vanguard, the steward of capital ... and they’re selling toys. Boys, what do we think here?” (27:46)
  • Bryan: “They open up the floodgates for their customers to buy bitcoin, and now they're calling it a digital toy. I don’t even really have a good take on this other than it kind of makes me mad.” (28:07)

5. Regulatory & Legal News: Do Kwon Sentenced

Timestamps: 29:27 – 32:29

• Do Kwon (Terra/Luna) sentenced to 15 years for "$40 billion stablecoin fraud."
• Mixed feelings: justice served, but a reminder of the harsh 2022 bear market.
  • Bryan: “He caused a ton of damage ... $40 billion worth ... the spark that lit the bear market of 2022.” (30:35)

6. Momentum Money Makers: Alpha on Recent & Upcoming ICOs

Timestamps: 32:29 – 44:37

Recent ICO Successes

• Monad: 2x returns on Coinbase’s launchpad.
• Wet (Humidify): 4–5x gains. Initial allocation snatched by bots, but developers re-launched token to ensure 90% distribution to real users.
  • Joe: “They did another public sale ... 90% success rate ... good win for our community, just good win for Jupe and Solana overall.” (36:46)
• New trend: More legitimate use-cases in ICOs are displacing memes amid growing institutional presence.

Upcoming ICOs & Launchpads

• Fogo: Cancelled pre-sale, pivoting to broad airdrops.
  • Described as "first SVM [Solana Virtual Machine]" with high potential (38:21).
• Octra: First launch on Sonar (Coinbase-acquired platform), privacy chain, raising anticipation—“could probably do 3-4x off the bat.” (40:23)
• Rainbow Wallet: Large recent ICO, “meta is heating up quite a bit.” (42:51)
• Sports Fun: ICO on Base, tokenizing sports player shares as NFTs.

Joe: “Most of the last few wins has really been—you gotta move on it like 1, 2, 3 days after the launch, get out. ... We’re not talking about long term holds here. We’re talking about momentum plays.” (41:06)

7. Meme Coins & NFT News: Wrecked, Beeple, Trump

Timestamps: 44:37 – 53:47

Rekt (REKT)

• Brand evolution: from meme coin to legit beverage company with X Games and Abu Dhabi partnerships.
  • Joe: “They kind of evolved from a meme coin into like a full-fledged little beverage company now.” (46:54)
  • Bryan: “Rekt and Penguin ... have done 10 times more [activations] than like 75% of some of these altcoins that are trading at much higher market caps ... real companies that are integrating not only in web3, but in the web2 world.” (48:38)

Beeple’s Spectacle at Art Basel

• Latest drop: physical “dogs” with NFT pairing—created huge buzz at Art Basel Miami.
  • Bryce: “People stole the show. I mean, the guy’s the goat for a reason, right?” (52:47)
  • Bryan: “If you're gonna make a Mount Rushmore of digital artists, [Beeple] would have to be in the discussion.” (53:25)

Trump’s “Billionaires Club” Mobile Game

• Trump making headlines again: new mobile/web game with $1 million in TRUMP tokens and NFTs in play.
  • Hosts laugh at the spectacle, noting the meme coin circus continues.

8. Prediction Markets: Taking Over the Gambling World

Timestamps: 53:47 – 61:14

• Surge of user attention and institutional interest:
  • MetaMask and Trust Wallet integrating with Polymarket and Myriad (prediction market dApps).
  • Polymarket daily visit stats now rivaling Robinhood, Coinbase, overtaking DraftKings and FanDuel.
    • Bryan: “[DraftKings and FanDuel]... gotta believe they’re kind of sweating in their boots a little bit.” (55:42)
  • Robinhood and Coinbase prepping their own prediction markets.
• Bryce: “It’s only like inning one ... all the momentum has shifted from meme coins over to the prediction markets and rightfully so.” (59:09)
• Market/polling data feeding new financial models, revenue streams, and narrative change across the industry.
• Gemini stock surges on regulatory approval to start offering similar products.
  • Bryan: “They [Gemini] have all the major ability to lean into some of these retail aspects ... stock trading and tokenization and the crypto side of things.” (60:16)
• Bryce: “All you gotta do is listen to CRYPTO 101 and we give it to you on a silver platter.” (61:14)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Bryce (re: Fed action): “Could we call it diet QE?” (05:00)
• Joe (on Humidify/Wet launch): “They did another public sale ... 90% success rate where, you know, ... 90% of it actually went to actual people trying to get the token.” (36:46)
• Bryan (on future cycles): “It’s not the degens that are aping in every four years ... just smart money flowing in ... volatility is going to close on the majors.” (19:36)
• Bryan (on evolution of meme coins): “These are real companies that are integrating not only in web3, but in the web2 world, doing some really cool stuff.” (48:38)
• Bryce (prediction markets impact): “It’s only like inning one ... all the momentum has shifted ... it’s the start.” (59:09)

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |------------------------------|--------------------| | Market Overview (Choppiness, Fear/Greed) | 00:00 – 04:12 | | Fed Decision & “Diet QE” | 04:12 – 13:44 | | Supercycle Theory (Tom Lee, Cathie Wood audio) | 13:44 – 21:30 | | Whales, Solana/Coinbase, Vanguard News | 21:34 – 29:14 | | Do Kwon Sentenced | 29:27 – 32:29 | | ICO Winners & Upcoming Launches | 32:29 – 44:37 | | Meme Coin & NFT Updates (WREKT, Beeple, Trump) | 44:37 – 53:47 | | Prediction Markets Ascendant | 53:47 – 61:14 |

Tone & Language

Throughout, the hosts keep a lively, friendly, and investor-minded tone, blending hard analysis with fun banter and plenty of enthusiasm for the momentum (and memes) that keep crypto exciting.

Conclusion

This episode was rich with actionable insights: macro market drivers, expert commentary, real altcoin and ICO winners, and early signals for retail and institutional investors alike. Macro liquidity and new institutional behaviors are reshaping all market cycles, and nimble, educated investors have more opportunities than ever—so long as they keep their eyes on both the shifting big picture and the rapidly evolving “in the trenches” landscape.

For quick alpha, timely laughs, and up-to-the-minute coverage, Crypto 101 delivers.