The Wolf Of All Streets
Host: Scott Melker
Guests: Tillman & Andrew
Date: January 20, 2026
Title: "Bitcoin Signals A Drop To $58K! Next Stop Or A Bear Trap?"
Episode Overview
In this episode, Scott Melker brings on Tillman and Andrew for a characteristically lively and insightful discussion about the state of the Bitcoin market, current macroeconomic and political events influencing crypto, and the structural shifts happening in the world of trading and finance. The team dives into the technicals behind the infamous "$58K" Bitcoin target, the impact of global politics (with more than a few jokes about Trump's “Greenland letter”), and debates about whether we’re really in a bear market or simply experiencing a new kind of market regime. Along the way, they tackle crypto regulation, institutional involvement, the future of 24/7 markets, and automation in trading, all while peppering the conversation with wrestling references and a good deal of humor.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The “Greenland Tariffs” & Market Impact
- [00:01 – 04:00]
- Scott opens with a satirical reading of a fake Trump letter regarding Greenland, poking fun at the role of geopolitics and tariff threats in today's market volatility.
- “If you're wondering why bitcoin apparently has dropped and why people are expecting a bad day for markets today, well, it's because we've thrown some tariff threats if we don't get to just take control of Greenland.” — Scott [01:50]
- Guests joke about how every political move is framed as a “crisis” but acknowledge how uncertainty in policy, especially tariffs, prompts market unease.
- “The shifting sands of the political scene. Oh man, it's like the Clarity Act. It's. It's. There is no clarity. There is no acting.” — Tillman [02:35]
2. Silver & Scarcity, Lessons for Bitcoin
- [04:00 – 07:33]
- Tillman draws a parallel between silver’s recent surge (hitting new highs and a split between paper/physical prices) and future possibilities for Bitcoin.
- Points out unrealized scarcity premiums and the importance of self-custody for both assets.
- “There is no substitute for the physical… bitcoiners should take a page out of their playbook and learn from their mistakes as it pertains to really—like we've said this since day one—but if it's not your keys, not your crypto…” — Tillman [05:29]
3. Bitcoin Price Structure: Technicals, Fundamentals & The “Bear Market” Debate
- [07:46 – 14:01]
- Andrew and Tillman discuss the new phase in Bitcoin as options/futures volume and ETFs dominate price action.
- Andrew challenges the idea that a 30% drawdown constitutes a real “bear market” by previous crypto standards.
- “There are advantages and disadvantages to the change in the structure of how bitcoin moves and who is controlling the price. So that the downside is much more limited. I don't think we get anywhere near 58K, you know, over the next three to six months.” — Andrew [11:51]
- Tillman notes technicals still matter for narrative but "the structures of how Bitcoin works, who's frankly in charge now, has changed".
4. TA vs. Fundamentals, Accumulation, and Institutional Flows
- [14:01 – 18:58]
- Panel debates the value of technical analysis vs. fundamentals, especially in an age of AI-powered trading and institutional flows.
- “Technically, there's a lot of times in markets where the fundamentals look unbelievable, but the macro world economic environment proves that the technicals get broken and fundamentals win.” — Tillman [14:01]
- Emphasis on how price corrections can simply transfer Bitcoin from weak to strong hands (retail to institutions).
- Major funds and institutions (e.g. BlackRock) are seen as price “floors” due to their incentive to promote ongoing inflows.
5. Mindset Differences: Crypto vs. TradFi & Timeframes
- [16:39 – 19:10]
- Andrew notes the psychological differences between crypto (short-term, high-frequency focus) and traditional finance (long-term, multi-year perspective).
- “There's such a huge disconnect… that bearish sentiment is based on literally one week, two weeks, one month type of thinking in the crypto space, whereas in the world of traditional finance that doesn't even cross people's minds.” — Andrew [16:39]
6. Institutionalization: Coinbase, ETFs, Custody, and the Clarity Act
- [20:35 – 27:46]
- Discussion on Coinbase’s evolving business—primarily as custodian for ETFs and earning yield on stablecoins, similar to bank models.
- Regulatory progress is stuck; the Clarity Act—regulation meant to define crypto assets/rules—is described as “dead”, with politics (poison pill amendments, partisan gridlock) ensuring little will change soon.
- “It’s a poison pill. You don’t get anything done, quote unquote, in ‘good faith.’ Good faith, by the way, doesn’t exist anymore in politics in D.C.” — Andrew [27:01]
7. 24/7 Markets, Tokenization & TradFi Rail Takeover
- [28:28 – 34:15]
- The NYSE, NASDAQ, and Intercontinental Exchange are all moving toward 24/7 tokenized asset markets—though none are choosing major blockchain platforms like Solana.
- Tokenization offers a path for TradFi to reclaim margins lost in recent decades; Citadel and BlackRock’s efforts in Texas highlight a profit race.
- “24/7 markets have to be based on crypto. You heard it here first. Have you heard of this thing called blockchain, by the way?” — Tillman [33:31]
8. Big Buys & Bitcoin Accumulation
- [34:15 – 36:41]
- Michael Saylor’s company, Strategy, recently purchased over $2 billion in Bitcoin.
- “Who sold 22,305 Bitcoin to Michael Saylor last week? My God, $2 billion. That's $3.4 billion in the past two weeks.” — Scott [34:42]
- Panel notes that such accumulation theoretically should push prices higher—but sellers remain shadowy.
9. Automation, Algorithmic Trading & The Democratization of Tools
- [37:11 – 41:40]
- Automation is increasingly crucial with 24/7 markets—tools like Arch Public give retail access to automated trading, once the sole purview of institutions.
- “When you’re asleep or if you’re at the gym or whatever, those parameters are now a part of your strategy and you’re not sitting there having to monitor it… it will take a larger percentage of crypto, specifically, but all markets.” — Tillman [40:01]
10. Tokenized Securities Regulation Deadlock
- [42:03 – 45:37]
- Armstrong's (Coinbase CEO) complaint: new Clarity Act language blocks tokenized securities—harming innovation in US.
- Panel agrees regulation is lagging tech, hampered by entrenched interests, and citizens may simply bypass restrictions via VPNs or offshore providers.
- “You're not putting the technology back in the bag...all you're going to do is limit the rule followers from participating. That's all you're going to do.” — Tillman [44:05]
11. The WWE & Ric Flair Tangent (Comic Relief)
- [46:47 – 49:58]
- The crew riff on old-school wrestling, with stories about Ric Flair and WWE/WWF stars—good-natured banter about nostalgia, age, and viral tips.
12. Final Thoughts, Automation Promotions & Q&A
- [50:08 – end]
- Brief discussion about upcoming features for Arch Public (expanding altcoin exposure via OKX integration).
- Promotion for the Bitcoin Investor Week in NYC.
- Jokes about European customers and 80s music—ending on a light note.
Notable Quotes
-
On self-custody and scarcity:
“There is no substitute for the physical… bitcoiners should take a page out of their playbook and learn from their mistakes as it pertains to really—like we've said this since day one—but if it's not your keys, not your crypto…” — Tillman [05:29] -
On shifting Bitcoin price structure:
“There are advantages and disadvantages to the change in the structure of how bitcoin moves and who is controlling the price. So that the downside is much more limited. I don't think we get anywhere near 58K, you know, over the next three to six months.” — Andrew [11:51] -
On technical analysis vs. fundamentals:
“Technically, there's a lot of times in markets where the fundamentals look unbelievable, but the macro world economic environment proves that the technicals get broken and fundamentals win.” — Tillman [14:01] -
On the resilience of technology:
“You're not putting the technology back in the bag...all you're going to do is limit the rule followers from participating. That's all you're going to do.” — Tillman [44:05] -
On regulatory deadlock:
"It’s a poison pill…good faith, by the way, doesn’t exist anymore in politics in D.C.” — Andrew [27:01]
Key Timestamps
- [00:01] — Satirical Trump/Greenland intro, impact on markets
- [04:00] — Silver's breakout, lessons for Bitcoin & importance of self-custody
- [09:33] — The rise of “paper Bitcoin” & ETF dominance
- [11:51] — Are we really in a bear market? New definition post-institutionalization
- [16:39] — Mindset gap: Crypto traders vs. traditional investors
- [20:35] — Coinbase’s real business is custody/yield, not exchange
- [27:01] — Clarity Act and why US crypto regulation is stalled
- [33:31] — TradFi’s rush to build 24/7 tokenized markets
- [34:42] — Strategy’s (Saylor) huge Bitcoin purchase & market effects
- [40:01] — Automation as “extension of your will” for trading
- [42:03] — Tokenized securities’ political roadblocks
- [46:47] — Comic relief: wrestling memories and Ric Flair
- [50:08] — Automated strategies, product Q&A, and so long
Tone & Takeaways
- Tone: Conversational, irreverent, grounded in market mechanics but rich in pop/crypto culture references.
- Takeaway: While Bitcoin headlines and technical patterns are as noisy as ever, panelists argue that the real action is in the shifting structure of the market: the rise of institutions, automation, 24/7 trading infrastructure, and the slow irrelevance of old narratives (like four-year cycles, or government bans). Politics injects uncertainty, but ultimately, innovation and global appetite for crypto assets are seen as unstoppable.
For those who missed it: This was a whirlwind episode blending hard-hitting market insight with humor, skepticism of both the media and government regulation, and a sense of inevitability around adoption and technological progress—plus enough wrestling nostalgia to keep things light.
