Coinbase Launches cbBTC; Are L2s Parasitic?
This week on Unchained: Don't miss the interviews on cbBTC and on whether L2s are parasitic to ETH. Plus, a new episodes of Bits + Bips and The Chopping Block.
Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab?
Coinbase’s new wrapped bitcoin alternative, cbBTC, just launched. Will it challenge the dominance of WBTC in DeFi, or is it just another centralized solution? Coinbase’s VP of engineering, Will Robinson, breaks it all down.
On Thursday, Coinbase unveiled cbBTC, a tokenized version of Bitcoin on its Base layer 2 and Ethereum. This launch follows the recent BitGo controversy about the custody arrangement for Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) now involving Justin Sun, sparking concerns within the crypto community.
In this episode, Will Robinson, Coinbase’s VP of engineering, discusses the strategic importance of cbBTC, how it differentiates from other wrapped Bitcoin products, and what this means for the future of Bitcoin within DeFi ecosystems.
Will Coinbase’s reputation as a “trusted custodian” be enough to make cbBTC the go-to choice for Bitcoin in DeFi, or will the industry remain skeptical?
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?
Ethereum scaled its layer 2s, but now they are raking in the fees while paying little to the base chain. Are layer 2s parasitic to Ethereum, or will things turn around? Justin Bons and Ryan Berckmans debate.
Ethereum’s layer 2 solutions are booming, but are they inadvertently holding back the value of ETH itself?
In this episode, Justin Bons and Ryan Berckmans engage in a heated debate over whether layer 2s are enhancing Ethereum’s ecosystem or siphoning off its potential. They discuss the impact of layer 2s on decentralization, network effects, and whether Ethereum, as a layer 1, can scale on its own or if the base layer and the rollups now have different incentives. Has Ethereum scaled appropriately for future usage, or was scaling via layer 2s the wrong roadmap for Ethereum?
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Bits + Bips: Why Hasn’t This Macro Cycle Boosted the Crypto Markets?
Noelle Acheson joins the show to discuss why the macro cycle hasn’t been benefiting crypto, how important the election is for the crypto markets, and why crypto ETF numbers are anemic.
As crypto markets continue to struggle, experts weigh in on whether the capitulation phase is finally over and what lies ahead. In this episode, hosts James Seyffart and Joe McCann, along with guest Noelle Acheson, delve into the recent market downturn, the potential for a recession in 2025, and why Bitcoin’s divergence from gold is puzzling analysts. They also explore the impacts of upcoming rate cuts, the lingering effects of fiscal dominance, and whether Ethereum ETFs are living up to the hype.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
The Chopping Block: VC vs. Liquid Funds, Friend.Tech’s Decline, Crypto Startup Exits
VC vs. Liquid Funds, Friend.Tech Fallout, & Crypto Ethics.
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news in crypto. This week the squad is joined by special guest Jason Choi, co-founder of Tangent. In this episode, the crew tackles the overvaluation of crypto projects by VCs, Friend.tech’s 96% token crash, and the ethics of early token launches. They also explore how airdrop farming skews user metrics, the volatility of memecoins, and whether VCs are extracting more value from crypto than they contribute.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
In Case You Missed It 👀
Here are some articles you will probably want to read:
SEC Surprisingly Details Exemptions From SAB 121, Further Muddying the Waters
Paul Munter, Chief Accountant at the SEC, revealed in a speech earlier this week that the SEC has granted exemptions to rules relating to the custodying of crypto assets that have been widely reviled in the industry.
Why the Investigation Into Gary Gensler’s Hiring Practices Is Unlikely to Result in Any Action
The Republican lawmakers behind the move lack enforcement power, and it’s extremely unlikely any federal agency would respond favorably to their recommendation, experts say.
What Do Cooling Inflation and Rate Cuts Mean for Crypto and Bitcoin Prices?
With interest rates set to fall, could bitcoin and other cryptos see a surge in price?
Betting Platform Kalshi Cleared to Offer Election Wagering in U.S.
A judge issued an opinion that effectively allows Kalshi to offer all the nascent platform’s election-related contracts in the U.S.—including ones involving specific candidates—giving Kalshi a leg up in competing against Polymarket, the dominant player in the space.
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