Podcast
Empire
Hosted by Blockworks · EN
Empire features interviews with top crypto founders to get the real stories that aren’t shared elsewhere. Empire is your look behind the curtain of the crypto industry. We release two episodes per week: guest interviews on Monday and a weekly roundup on Friday.
65episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Robinhood's Plan to Bring Global Finance Onchain | Johann Kerbrat
2w ago00:42:33Tap to summarizeWhat happens when Robinhood turns crypto from a trading feature into the backbone of its global financial platform? This week, Robinhood's GM of Crypto, Johann Kerbrat, explains how Robinhood Chain connects DeFi, tokenized assets, and mainstream users. We explore global access, permissionless development, strategic partnerships, token economics, and whether equities and crypto eventually converge. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 00:59 Robinhood’s Onchain Vision 04:46 Will Robinhood Move Fully Onchain? 11:07 Inside Robinhood Chain’s Explosive Launch 14:33 Building The Chain For Adoption 16:15 Ads (peaq) 17:00 Building Robinhood’s DeFi Stack 21:20 Why DeFi Partners Stay Independent 26:58 Tokenized Equities Go Global 30:38 Robinhood’s Crypto Growth Strategy 34:52 Competition And Financial Convergence Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz FOLLOW JOHANN › X/Twitter – https://x.com/JohannKerbrat › Robinhood Crypto – https://x.com/RobinhoodCrypto FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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The Bill That Could Reshape Crypto In America with Greg Xethalis from Multicoin
2w ago00:45:16Tap to summarizeIs CLARITY the breakthrough crypto needs or just the beginning? This week, Jason and Multicoin’s Greg Xethalis unpack how the bill could reshape crypto’s regulatory future. They explore CFTC oversight, token classification, DeFi protections, disclosure requirements, and the fight threatening its passage. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:20 How CLARITY Came To Be 07:08 Who Built The CLARITY Act? 11:05 What CLARITY Actually Does 15:13 The New Token Taxonomy 18:13 Ads (Peaq) 18:58 When Is A Blockchain Mature? 23:01 Protecting DeFi And Developers 33:51 The Future Of Token Disclosures 40:14 What CLARITY Could Unlock 44:30 Closing Thoughts Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz FOLLOW GREG › X/Twitter – https://x.com/xethalis › Multicoin – https://x.com/multicoin FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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Clarity Window Closing, Robinhood Eating Ethereum Value & Coinbase's Base Reset
3w ago01:14:32Tap to summarizeCrypto's window for regulatory clarity is about to close while Robinhood raises questions about who actually captures the value created onchain. This week, we unpack Clarity’s narrowing path through Congress and what failure could mean for crypto markets and institutional adoption. We also debate Ethereum’s economics, Coinbase’s Base reset, the Ostium hack vs instant settlement, and Stripe’s reported PayPal bid. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Clarity Act’s Closing Window 08:40 Trump’s Crypto Ethics Roadblock 14:07 What Clarity Means For Markets 18:13 Robinhood Exposes Ethereum’s Value Problem 28:14 Coinbase Resets Base’s Strategy 39:28 Ostium Hack Challenges Instant Settlement 50:50 Stripe’s Bid To Reinvent PayPal 01:04:57 AI Trades And Biohacking 01:10:20 Content Of The Week FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel › Rob – https://x.com/HadickM › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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Fomo Co-Founders on Building the Social Network for Finance
3w ago01:14:27Tap to summarizeWhat happens when crypto finally builds a trading experience for everyone, not just crypto natives? This week, Jason sits down with fomo co-founders Paul and Se to discuss why consumer crypto has struggled, how fomo is approaching onchain trading differently, and why they believe social finance is the next major platform. They explore building for mainstream users, the future of tokenized assets, product design tradeoffs, creator-driven distribution, and why transparent onchain data could redefine how investors discover ideas. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 03:35 Why Consumer Crypto Keeps Failing 09:32 Selling The Social Finance Vision 15:57 From Niche App To Breakout 22:22 How Fomo Acquires Users 27:57 Building The Social Trading Layer 34:44 Fees, Perps, And Onchain Competition 43:37 Expanding Beyond Trading Fees 49:12 Funding Growth Through Market Cycles 53:14 Robinhood, X, And Copy Trading 58:00 Media And Frictionless Onboarding 01:04:03 The Everything Trading App 01:09:00 Crypto, Tokens, And Going Public FOLLOW GUESTS › Se – https://x.com/seyong › Paul – https://x.com/paulerlanger › fomo – https://x.com/fomo FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Telegram –https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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Crypto's Value Capture Problem & Why Robinhood Built Its Own Blockchain
4w ago01:13:13Tap to summarizeAI and distribution moats are forcing investors to separate real business transformation from crypto’s unresolved value-capture problem. This week, Jason and Santi discuss what months of researching crypto adoption taught Inversion, why the firm's investment strategy is evolving, and what it reveals about where value is actually being created today. They also explore Robinhood's onchain strategy, whether AI is delivering stronger returns than crypto in traditional businesses, the debate over token versus equity value capture, and how the next generation of consumer finance is taking shape. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 03:15 Inversion’s Crypto Thesis Reset 06:17 Where Crypto ROI Breaks 11:58 The Distribution Quality Trap 17:12 Inversion Broadens Its Mandate 22:02 Crypto’s Value Capture Problem 28:00 AI Rewrites Company Workflows 31:45 Ads (Peaq) 33:01 AI Pricing Hits The Limit 39:09 Robinhood Chain Takes Off 48:07 Regulatory Arbitrage Goes Onchain 52:35 Finance For The Next Generation 57:02 The Token Equity Debate FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →What’s Circle’s End Game, Robinhood Launches A Chain & Venice Raises $65M
Jul 301:17:34Tap to summarizeThis week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the announcement of OUSD and what it means for the future of Circle. We then deep dive into Robinhood’s recent product launches, Venice’s $65M raise, crypto’s continued discussion around tokens vs. equity, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:52) Did Saylor End Strategy’s Sell Off? (10:15) The Launch of OpenUSD (17:49) Should Everyone Launch A Stablecoin? (32:42) peaq Ad (33:28) Cloudflare's Monetization Gateway (38:35) Robinhood Launches A Chain (56:00) Venice Raises $65M & Crypto’s Token vs Equity Problem (01:16:14) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →Can You Really Buy A House Without Selling Your Crypto? | Vishal Garg
Jun 2900:48:47Tap to summarizeThis week, Vishal Garg joins the show to discuss how crypto and AI are reshaping the mortgage market. We deep dive into Better’s business model, why the mortgage market is so inefficient today, how to leverage tokenization and AI, partnering with Coinbase and OpenAI, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Vishal: https://x.com/vishal_better Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) What’s Wrong With The Mortgage Market Today (03:10) The Better Business Model (20:35) peaq Ad (21:21) Launching Crypto Backed Mortgages (30:04) Partnering With Sky (35:10) The Opportunity For Tokenization & AI (44:21) Running a Public Company -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →State of The Market, The Prediction Market Wars & Kraken Pursues Aave
Jun 2700:53:36Tap to summarizeThis week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss the current state of markets as worries around Strategy drag crypto lower. We then deep dive into the competition in prediction markets, the state of crypto venture, Kraken’s pursuit of a stake in Aave, Fomo’s $75M raise, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:33) State of The Market (07:01) State of Crypto Venture (21:57) peaq Ad (22:43) The Prediction Market Wars (38:07) Kraken Pursuing 15% Stake in Aave (48:18) Fomo Raises $75M at $550M Valuation (50:35) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →Optimism Co-Founders: What Happened to the L2s? Ben Jones & Karl Floersch
Jun 2201:09:20Tap to summarizeThis week, Ben Jones and Karl Floersch join the show to discuss what happened to the L2s. We take a deep dive into Optimism's new strategy for 2026, the current state of Ethereum, why companies need to launch a chain, having a token, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Karl: https://x.com/karl_dot_tech Follow Ben: https://x.com/ben_chain Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:43) What L2s Got Right vs Wrong (12:46) peaq Ad (13:42) Optimism’s Strategy in 2026 (32:36) What’s Optimism’s Moat? (40:02) Who Needs To Build a Chain? (51:20) The Current State of Ethereum (59:39) Launching a Token (01:03:10) What Defines Success in Crypto? -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →Anthropic's Fable Banned, Will Microstrategy Blow Up & Structuring A Portfolio in 2026
Jun 1901:10:54Tap to summarizeThis week, we’re back with another weekly roundup to discuss why the US government placed export controls on Anthropic's Fable model. We then deep dive into open vs close sourced models, will Microstratgey blow up, structuring a portfolio in 2026, Coinbase's new product announcement and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Jordi: https://x.com/gametheorizing Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (07:16) Anthropic's Fable Banned by US Government (20:10) peaq Ad (20:57) Open vs Closed Source Models (26:42) Structuring A Portfolio Post 10/10 (40:07) Will Microstrategy Blow Up? (59:12) Coinbase's Product Announcement (1:05:40) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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