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.
68episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Hivemind: Surviving Market Chop, Is Crypto Bottoming & Reasons to Be Optimistic in 2026
Feb 1901:00:07Tap to summarizeThis week, the Hivemind team breaks down the current market chop as equities trade sideways and crypto tries to hold on after a huge downturn. We deep dive into whether we’ve finally bottomed, reasons to be optimistic, AI’s impact on markets, Aave’s value accrual, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Ceteris: https://x.com/ceterispar1bus Follow Jason: https://x.com/3xliquidated Follow Yan: https://x.com/YanLiberman Follow Flip: https://x.com/trevor_flipper Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4jYEkBx Subscribe on Apple: https://bit.ly/3ECSmJ3 Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4hzy9lH -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- (00:00) Introduction (01:24) Market Outlook (18:54) AI’s Impact on Markets (27:18) Reasons To Be Optimistic In 2026 (36:20) Aave’s Value Accrual (45:28) Base, Zora & Pair Trades -- 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, the Hivemind team, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →
Quadrillions: The New Wall Street | Nick Shalek & Mathew McDermott
Feb 1800:42:26Tap to summarizeIn the Quadrillions finale, we map the power shift from crypto building parallel markets to institutions integrating onchain rails into traditional finance. With Ribbit Capital’s Nick Shalek, and Goldman’s Mathew McDermott, we break down why the last wave of adoption stalled, why distribution beats ideology, and how networks like Canton are building from the inside out. This is the blueprint for “The New Wall Street.” -- Follow Canton: https://x.com/CantonNetwork Follow Nick: https://x.com/nshalek Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod -- Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh -- Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:37) Ribbit Capital's Tokenization Letter (4:22) FinTech Companies Moving Onchain & Institutional Adoption (15:01) Crypto at Goldman Sachs Today (17:53) What Held Crypto Back? (20:33) What Canton Brings to the Market (29:25) Crypto's Institutional Pitch (33:14) Permissioned and Permissionless Chains Are Symbiotic (39:23) Closing Comments -- Disclaimer: “Quadrillions” is a mini-series produced by Blockworks, and is sponsored by Canton Network. Nothing on this show is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. It’s for informational purposes only, and the views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice or necessarily the views of Blockworks. Our hosts, guests, and the Blockworks team may hold positions in companies, funds, or projects discussed, including those related to Canton Network.
Transcribe →MegaETH in 2026 & Ethereum's L2 End Game | Brett DiNovi & Lei Yang
Feb 1601:17:07Tap to summarizeThis week, Brett DiNovi and Lei Yang join the show to discuss the path forward for L2s. We deep dive into why we need L2s, MegaETH's 2026 roadmap, how to build a successful ecosystem, lessons learned from building MegaETH, and more. Enjoy! -- Follow Brett: https://x.com/bread_ Follow Lei: https://x.com/yangl1996 Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Coinbase crypto-backed loans, powered by Morpho, enable you to take out loans at competitive rates using crypto as collateral. Rates are typically 4% to 8%. Borrow up to $5M using BTC as collateral and up to $1M using ETH as collateral. Manage crypto-backed loans directly in the Coinbase app with ease. Learn more here: https://www.coinbase.com/onchain/borrow/get-started?utm_campaign=0126_defi-borrow_blockworks_empire&marketId=0x9103c3b4e834476c9a62ea009ba2c884ee42e94e6e314a26f04d312434191836&utm_source=empire -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:57) Vitalik’s Post On L2s (05:30) Do We Need L2s? (11:52) What’s MegaETHs Moat? (29:00) Ethereum’s Security Value (33:53) Coinbase Ad (34:38) DAS plug (35:03) Value Accrual & What's Next For MegaETH? (51:49) How To Build An Ecosystem? (1:09:14) Lessons Learned From Building MegaETH -- 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 →
Crypto’s Momentum Shift, Kaito’s Token Launch, and Bridging UX | Roundup
Feb 21, 2025Tap to summarizeNo weekly Empire roundup this week unfortunately, but we'll be back next week! In the meantime, enjoy this episode from another Blockworks podcast Expansion.In this week's roundup, we discuss crypto’s momentum shift, Ethereum DA, and Kaito’s token launch. We also unpacked the implications of centralized companies operating onchain. Finally, we ended the episode with discussion on the current state of bridging UX. Enjoy!ResourcesC-node’s Take: https://x.com/colludingnode/status/1891862449663463506–Join us at DAS NYC 2025! Use code EXPANSION10 for a 10% discount: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2025-new-york- -Follow Jill: https://x.com/jillrgunterFollow Nick: https://x.com/nickwh8teFollow Uma: https://x.com/pumatheumaFollow Mike: https://x.com/MikeIppolito_Follow Expansion: https://x.com/ExpansionPod_--Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpansionPodSubscribe on Apple: http://apple.co/4bGKYYMSubscribe on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/3Vaubq1Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/--ZKsync is the pioneering zero-knowledge technology powering the next generation of builders with limitless scale. Secured by math and designed for native interoperability, ZKsync enables an elastic, ever-expanding network of customizable chains. Deeply rooted in its mission to advance personal freedom for all, the ZKsync technology makes digital self-ownership universally available. To learn more about ZKsync, visit https://zksync.io/empire--Unichain is a fast, decentralized L2 that’s built to be the home for DeFi and liquidity across chains.To stay updated on news including the upcoming launch of Unichain, visit www.Unichain.org or follow @Unichain on X.--Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at www.Ledger.com --Mantle is evolving into the premier on-chain financial hub, supercharging the ecosystem that bridges blockchain with banking. The 2025 roadmap introduces three transformative products: - Enhanced Index Fund (launching Q1) offering optimized crypto exposure to BTC, ETH, SOL and USD with built-in yield optimization - targeting $1B AUM - Mantle Banking for seamless financial services - MantleX for AI-powered innovationBacked by a $4.5B treasury, Mantle is building the future of on-chain finance – accessible for everyone.Learn more: https://x.com/Mantle_Official/status/1882017058680086805 --AO Mainnet is LIVE! Experience the future of decentralized computing: infinite parallel processing, secure TEE-powered computations, and LLMs in smart contracts. Built on Arweave, AO's modular design shatters scalability limits. 100% of tokens are distributed to Arweave holders and bridge depositors, with a fixed supply and halving. Explore AO today: https://ao.arweave.dev--Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction (00:19) Feeling Optimistic On Crypto(10:31) Ads ZKSync & Uniswap(12:39) Crypto's Momentum Shift(19:30) Ads ZKSync & Uniswap(21:38) Scaling Ethereum DA(38:29) Ads Ledger, Mantle, Arweave(40:54) Kaito's Token Launch & Centralized Companies Onchain(54:56) Bridging UX & Interop--Disclaimer:Expansion was kickstarted by a grant from the Celestia Foundation.Nothing said on Expansion 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. Michael, Nick, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →
Is The Bottom In For Alts? | 1000x
Dec 23, 202401:02:35Tap to summarizeGm! This week, we discuss the market dump, the Fed, a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, how to approach dip buying, Hyperliquid, AI agents, and much more! Enjoy--Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelmanFollow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyzFollow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPodJoin the 1000x Telegram: https://t.me/+fz-2f0cwC6o0MWNh--Definitive is a multichain trading platform used by top funds, DAOs and pro traders.Get the best trade execution for every token on every chain, with your order routed to every liquidity pool. Maximize your gains with automated TWAPs and Limit orders.For our 1000x listeners - get no fees on your first $100K in trading volume:blockworks.definitive.fi--Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/--Timestamps:(0:00) The Market Dump(9:44) The Fed(14:53) Definitive Ad(15:46) Bitcoin Strategic Reserve(22:56) Bitcoin Price(28:05) Figuring Out What To Buy(32:15) Volatility & Dip Buying(39:25) Trading On-Chain(41:37) Hyperliquid & Decentralized Exchanges(50:03) AI Agents--Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x 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. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed
Transcribe →
Investing in Crypto's Next App Wave with 6th Man Ventures | Mike Dudas & Carl Vogel
Dec 23, 202401:10:38Tap to summarizeIn today's episode Mike Dudas and Carl Vogel of 6th Man Ventures join Jason to unpack their fund's strategy heading into 2025. They dive deep into their investment thesis across various sectors including DePin, AI, and consumer applications. The discussion explores the evolving landscape of token economies, the future of crypto venture capital, and their controversial takes on industry giants like Coinbase. They close out by highlighting the growing intersection of social media with financial applications. Thanks for tuning in!- -Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcastsFollow Mike: https://x.com/mdudasFollow Carl: https://x.com/carlkvogelFollow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitzFollow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroelFollow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepodSubscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2jSubscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprwGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - -Explore the SKALE Ecosystem at skale.space/ecosystem and stay up to date with the gas-free blockchain on X at @skalenetwork- -Magic Eden is getting into token trading and their vision is to become onchain Binance and then much more as the entire world ends up moving on chain- -Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:37 Are VCs Founders06:37 Evolution of Fund Raising12:07 Origins of 6th Man Ventures18:24 Finding Top Founders & Companies23:18 2025 Investing Landscape38:03 Skale Ad38:42 Magic Eden Ad39:26 DePin Opportunity50:44 Crypto & AI Venture54:22 Explosion of Tokens58:25 L1s vs L2s01:02:55 Coinbase Hot Takes- -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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →
Luca Netz on the Pudgy Penguin Airdrop | Roundup
Dec 20, 202401:06:13Tap to summarizeIn this week's roundup we are joined buy Pudgy Penguins founder Luca Netz to unpack the recent Pengu token launch. He shares the journey from surviving the bear market with just $500k in the bank to becoming a global brand in Walmart, and explains why Pudgy Penguins is positioned to become crypto's first consumer conglomerate. The conversation delves into the challenges of fundraising for IP projects, strategic decisions around launching on Solana versus Abstract L2, and how the project aims to transcend traditional memecoins to become a cultural phenomenon. Thanks for tuning in!- -Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcastsFollow Luca: https://x.com/lucanetzFollow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitzFollow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroelFollow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepodSubscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2jSubscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7wwSubscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprwGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - -Explore the SKALE Ecosystem at skale.space/ecosystem and stay up to date with the gas-free blockchain on X at @skalenetwork- -It's time for an on chain Binance to emerge.Magic Eden is getting into token trading and their vision is to become on chain Binance and then much more as the entire world ends up moving on chain- -The self-custody wallet that's built for swapping. Created for a multi-chain world by the most trusted team in DeFi. Available on Chrome, iOS, and Android.https://blckwrks.co/UniswapWallet- -$cmETH, a Mantle native liquid restaking token, will launch together with Season 2: Methamorphosis, allowing users to easily participate in restaking, and earn $COOK rewards in addition to other yields.$COOK, the governance token of mETH Protocol, will allow holders to play a pivotal role in directing the strategic future of mETH Protocol. Learn more: https://x.com/mETHProtocol- -Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at Ledger.com- -Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:51) Pudgy Airdrop Review(12:16) Why launch a coin(24:56) Solana, zkSync, L2 Decision Making(30:53) Skale Ad(31:32) Magic Eden Ad(32:16) Uniswap Ad(32:48) Mantle Ad(33:43) Ledger Ad(34:30) Walmart Deal making(51:48) Difficulty of Raising- -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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →
Hivemind: Bitcoin's 2025 Momentum, AI Agent Platform Wars, and Liquid vs Private Markets
Dec 19, 202401:12:43Tap to summarizeThe Hivemind team dives into crypto's hottest narratives heading into 2025. They kick off with their expectations of Bitcoin heading into January and debate the odds of Trump's strategic reserve move. The team then unpacks the emerging AI agent ecosystem, debating whether platform tokens like Virtuals will outperform individual agents, before concluding an analysis of the merits of early-stage investing through platforms like Echo and Legion versus staying liquid in the current market cycle. Thanks for tuning in!Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts Follow Ceteris: https://twitter.com/ceterispar1busFollow Jose: https://x.com/ZeMariaMacedoFollow Yan: https://x.com/YanLibermanFollow Jason: https://x.com/3xliquidatedFollow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepodSubscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2jSubscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprwGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - -Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction(2:22) Crypto's EOY Outlook(19:27) Solana's Outlook & Competing App Chains(28:51) 2025 Markets Report(37:58) The Return of Fundamentals(40:28) AI Agent Meta(54:38) What's Next for AI Agents?(1:02:30) Liquid vs Venture- -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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →
Welcome To The Banana Zone | 1000x
Dec 17, 202401:06:40Tap to summarizeGm! This week, after a week off, we discuss Bitcoin breaking $100k! We deep dive into crypto’s 2025 cycle top, the Michael Saylor BTC bid, the rise of AI agents, the rotation to alt’s & what to expect in 2025. Enjoy!--Follow Avi: https://twitter.com/AviFelmanFollow Jonah: https://twitter.com/jvb_xyzFollow 1000x: https://twitter.com/1000xPodJoin the 1000x Telegram: https://t.me/+fz-2f0cwC6o0MWNh--Definitive is a multichain trading platform used by top funds, DAOs and pro traders.Get the best trade execution for every token on every chain, with your order routed to every liquidity pool. Maximize your gains with automated TWAPs and Limit orders.For our 1000x listeners - get no fees on your first $100K in trading volume:blockworks.definitive.fi--Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/--Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction(2:12) Bitcoin Breaks $100k(6:03) The Michael Saylor BTC Bid(11:31) Definitive Ad(12:24) Bitcoin Dominance & The Alt Rotation(14:01) Picking Winners This Cycle(22:19) Memes(26:06) AI Agents(44:03) Crypto's Cycle Top(55:26) Bullish Human Innovation(1:02:49) How To Trade This Market--Disclaimer: Nothing said on 1000x 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. Avi, Jonah and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed
Transcribe →
Building a Crypto Portfolio for 2025 | Dan Matuszewski & Roshun Patel
Dec 17, 202401:18:20Tap to summarizeIn today's episode Dan from CMS and Ro from Hack join us to explore what's truly different about this crypto cycle and what patterns are destined to repeat. We examined the notable absence of credit markets compared to previous cycles and investigated why leverage hasn't built up in the system this time around. We unpacked the evolving L1 landscape, debated token distribution models, and analyzed the return of "hot money" flowing through various sectors from memecoins to NFTs. We closed out by diving into institutional perspectives on market structure and potential risks, providing listeners with a comprehensive framework for building their crypto portfolio strategy for 2025. Thanks for tuning in!- -Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross and David Canellis. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcastsFollow Ro: https://x.com/roshunpatelFollow Dan: https://x.com/cmsholdingsFollow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitzFollow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroelFollow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepodSubscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2jSubscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7wwSubscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprwGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - -Explore the SKALE Ecosystem at skale.space/ecosystem and stay up to date with the gas-free blockchain on X at @skalenetwork- -It's time for an on chain Binance to emerge.Magic Eden is getting into token trading and their vision is to become on chain Binance and then much more as the entire world ends up moving on chain- -Toku simplifies every part of global token compensation — everything from paying full time employees in stablecoins, issuing token grants to your team and investors, all in 100 countries on one platform.Talk to Toku today at: https://www.toku.com/- -Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Empire podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now at Ledger.com- -Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:57 Tungsten Cube & Pepe Mural Stor04:47 Is this Cycle different?15:20 Biggest Risks in Crypt22:24 Eth/Btc & Sol/Eth Chart25:26 New Altcoin30:28 The L1 Trade37:25 Skale Ad38:05 Magic Eden Ad38:49 Toku Ad39:39 Ledger Ad40:24 Death of Crypto Venture55:14 Crypto's IPO Craze58:34 A16z/s Monopol01:05:08 Do Dino Coins Run01:08:14 Chasing the hot ball01:10:13 When you Retire- -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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Transcribe →