Empire
Podcast

Empire

by Blockworks

154 episodes

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.
Investment Summary
Updated 2 days ago
Summary of insights from content in the last 30 days

Real World Assets & Tokenization

Regulatory relief and expanding institutional integration are accelerating the shift toward tokenized real-world assets, bridging traditional finance with on-chain infrastructure.

  • Ondo Finance (ONDO): Capitalize on SEC regulatory relief for on-chain stock trading through leading RWA tokenization providers.
  • Arc (ARC): Circle's new Layer 2 blockchain offers strong upside in institutional payments, backed by BlackRock and Visa.
  • S&P Global (SPGI): Profit from digital asset adoption via strategic acquisitions of risk platforms like OpenZeppelin and Kaiko.

Decentralized Finance & Infrastructure

High-throughput networks and derivatives venues are capturing massive fee generation, driven by retail activity and expanding Layer-2 ecosystems.

  • Arbitrum (ARB): High-conviction play targeting a move toward a $10 billion valuation from its current base, capturing fees from Robinhood Chain.
  • Hyperliquid (HYPE): Productive core asset generating $600 million in annualized fees within decentralized derivatives markets.
  • Ethena (ENA): Accumulate to capture upside as USDe demand grows and tokenomics eliminate VC overhangs.
  • Solana (SOL): Premier L1 network capturing dominant retail liquidity and high-throughput consumer transactions.

Macro & Digital Assets

Institutional momentum and currency debasement trends continue to support major crypto assets while scaling networks optimize monetization.

  • Bitcoin (BTC): Strong momentum trade targeting a 25% upside from $81,000 as global liquidity expands.
  • Cloudflare (NET): Top infrastructure play for agentic AI, monetizing automated web traffic via micropayments.
  • Grass (GRAS): Undervalued decentralized AI play generating $40 million in operating profit ahead of an October token supply unlock.

AI-generated summary. Not investment advice. Learn more.

Ask about EmpireAnswers are grounded in this source's posts from the last 30 days.

Recent Posts

154 posts
CLARITY Failed, Many Stablecoins Debate, Circle Launches Arc & Meta's AI Edge | Weekly Roundup

Investors should consider building a core position in Meta Platforms (META) as strong institutional backing and superior computing scale accelerate the launch of its new Muse AI platform.

Take advantage of the SEC’s new five-year regulatory relief for on-chain stock trading by gaining exposure to leading tokenized real-world asset providers like Ondo Finance, Securitize, and Robinhood.

Buy S&P Global (SPGI) to profit from the institutional transition to digital assets, driven by its strategic acquisitions of risk and data platforms OpenZeppelin and Kaiko.

Consider accumulating Ethena (ENA) to capture upside as narrowing net asset value discounts and a rapidly growing neobank initiative drive real-world demand for its synthetic dollar, USDe.

Monitor the rollout of Circle's new Arc (ARC) Layer 2 blockchain, which offers significant upside in institutional payments and decentralized finance alongside heavy backing from partners like BlackRock and Visa.

The Six Tokens To Own This Cycle | Yan Liberman

Consider a near-term position in Aerodrome (AERO) ahead of its multichain rollout in late September, which will introduce new revenue streams expected to boost fee distributions by 40%.

Grass (GRAS) is an undervalued decentralized AI play generating $40 million in operating profit that is poised to re-rate once its primary token supply overhang ends in October.

Maintain a constructive long position on Bitcoin (BTC) through the current consolidation, but plan to take profits as the price approaches the high $90,000s ceiling.

Investors looking for higher-beta upside to Ethereum (ETH) growth can accumulate Arbitrum (ARB), which offers an asymmetric trade from its current $1.5 billion to $2 billion valuation toward a potential $10 billion target.

For steady income, hold Hyperliquid (HYPE) as a productive core asset backed by continuous USDC buybacks, or allocate to real-world asset (RWA) platforms like Tori Finance to capture a currency-hedged 10.5% yield.

Memecoins Are Stress-Testing The Future Of Tokenized Stocks | Weekly Roundup

Consider buying HOOD and COIN as core equity holdings to capture expanding retail trading volume, stablecoin adoption, and the shift toward tokenized financial markets. Accumulate SOL as a premier blockchain asset positioned for strong multi-year outperformance driven by its dominant trading activity and retail liquidity. Take a high-growth position in HYPE to capitalize on rising institutional demand and revenue generation within decentralized derivatives markets. Buy ARB over direct ETH exposure to capture higher growth and transaction fee revenues from expanding consumer networks like the Robinhood chain. Avoid chasing illiquid weekend price spikes in experimental Tokenized Stocks & Memecoin Liquidity Pools, focusing instead on compliant Real-World Asset (RWA) infrastructure.

Cloudflare CEO: The Man Deciding The Internet’s Next Business Model

Cloudflare (NET) represents the top infrastructure play for the rise of agentic AI, leveraging its lightweight server architecture and developing micropayment systems to monetize automated web traffic. Investors should consider building long-term positions in NET as it expands enterprise market share and deploys its monetization stack for machine-driven web interactions. Conversely, approach ad-reliant tech giants Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META) with caution, as autonomous AI agents threaten to bypass traditional search ads and algorithmic social feeds. Maintain exposure to GOOGL and META only as they prove capable of offsetting advertising risks through direct AI enterprise tooling, subscriptions, and native agent ecosystems. In the digital asset space, target scalable Layer-1 blockchains and Web3 payment infrastructure positioned to partner with major cloud providers to power ultra-high-frequency, machine-to-machine micropayments.

Robinhood Is Proving Distribution Captures Crypto’s Value | Weekly Roundup

Bitcoin (BTC) presents a strong momentum trade, with structural market strength pointing to a potential 25% upside from its $81,000 price point over the next four months.

At an attractive $1 billion valuation, Arbitrum (ARB) stands out as a high-conviction investment that directly captures a 10% fee share from the surging transaction volumes on Robinhood Chain.

Robinhood (HOOD) offers massive upside with the potential to double its revenue and triple profits through tokenized equities and Layer-2 activity, though investors should keep a close eye on potential regulatory pushback.

Investors should consider favoring high-growth Layer-2 platforms over base-layer Ethereum (ETH) in the near term, as current network economics capture less than 0.1% of Layer-2 fees at the foundational layer.

For yield-focused investors, Ethena (ENA) provides compelling fintech upside through Ethena Pay, which drives 40% of Robinhood Chain's stablecoin volume while delivering 6% daily account yields.

Beezie & Collector Crypt CEOs on Why Onchain Collectibles Are Exploding

Focus physical collectible investments exclusively on high-tier vintage Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards to maximize long-term appreciation while avoiding low-tier items burdened by platform fees.

Accumulate Solana (SOL) to capitalize on expanding transactional volume, as the network establishes itself as the primary infrastructure for high-throughput consumer applications and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

Monitor Collector Crypt ahead of its upcoming token utility announcement, taking advantage of automated four-hour token buybacks funded directly by platform revenue.

Track Beezie for a potential native token generation event and user rewards as the platform expands tokenization beyond cards into luxury goods like Hermès and Chanel.

Utilize on-chain vault platforms to purchase authenticated physical collectibles at an immediate 10% to 15% discount relative to traditional secondary marketplaces like eBay.

Story vs Valuation, Hyperliquid TAM, Pump’s Problem & Ethena’s Token Reset

Position in Bitcoin (BTC) above the $70,000 level to capture upside from expanding global liquidity and the ongoing currency debasement trend. Buy Hyperliquid (HYPE) following its move past $80 to gain high-conviction exposure to on-chain derivatives infrastructure generating roughly $600 million in annualized fees. Accumulate Ethena (ENA) to capitalize on improved tokenomics, which eliminate venture capital selling overhangs and activate programmatic revenue buybacks. Consider Pump.fun (PUMP) as an undervalued cash-flow play on retail speculation, supported by $90 million to $100 million in quarterly revenue trading at a steep discount to peers. Avoid allocating capital to early-stage consumer AI concierge platforms at inflated $2.5 billion to $5 billion private valuations, rotating instead toward AI infrastructure with durable competitive moats.

New SEC Crypto Proposal Could Finally Fix Tokens

With Bitcoin (BTC) trading in the $68,000–$69,000 range, historical cycle models highlight mid-October as an ideal buying window ahead of a potential market bottom. Investors can capture asymmetric upside by targeting BTC $100,000 strike call options expiring in December or January to capitalize on unusually low implied volatility. Hyperliquid (PER / HYPE) presents a compelling institutional opportunity following major hedge fund backing, driven by its market leadership in real-world asset (RWA) perpetual futures and a deflationary buy-and-burn model. Meanwhile, Uniswap (UNI) is a prime asset to monitor for fundamental yield, as its decentralization positions it to safely activate its revenue-distributing fee switch under emerging regulatory safe harbors. Overall, investors should prioritize fundamentally sound tokens with clear transparency over gray-market projects as the SEC rolls out structured exemption frameworks heading into 2027.

Uniswap Is Building The Liquidity Network For Everything | Hayden Adams

Consider accumulating Uniswap (UNI) to capitalize on its new $100 million annualized buy-and-burn deflationary mechanism and institutional upside toward Standard Chartered's $100 price target.

Buy Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD) as it successfully unlocks high-margin revenue by transitioning retail traders onto its high-volume Layer 2 network, Robinhood Chain.

Maintain foundational exposure to Ethereum (ETH), which continues to serve as the dominant reserve asset and settlement layer for institutional networks and decentralized finance liquidity.

Position for the emerging Tokenized Equities & Real-World Assets theme as major institutions like NASDAQ prepare to bring 24/7 stock trading and index baskets like SPY and QQQ onto blockchain rails.

Crypto’s Speculation Problem, Regulation Without CLARITY & The Gambling Economy

Investors should aggressively buy pullbacks in semiconductor leaders like Micron Technology (MU) and Nvidia (NVDA), leveraging multi-year enterprise artificial intelligence hardware demand over a three-to-five-year holding horizon. Within digital asset portfolios, treat Tether (USDT) as a secure cash preservation and liquidity tool following its successful top-tier financial audit. Conversely, exercise caution and reduce exposure to high-valuation altcoins like Solana (SOL) and Jito (JTO), which face near-term price pressure from heavy token unlock schedules. Finally, monitor the high-growth real-world asset tokenization sector, where platforms tokenizing physical collectibles and luxury goods are seeing surging liquidity and demand.

Morpho Is Coming For The $200 Trillion Credit Market | Paul Frambot

Capitalize on decentralized protocols like Uniswap (UNI) where tokens function as true network equity rather than relying on temporary buyback gimmicks. Watch for the public rollout of Morpho Midnight, a new layer designed to capture traditional fixed-rate credit markets by integrating major fintech platforms like Robinhood, Coinbase, and Kraken. Monitor how institutional asset managers scale vault deposits through ecosystem curators like Gauntlet and Steakhouse. Consider positioning in the underlying infrastructure as Morpho (MORPHO) captures a dominant share of the decentralized lending space following its recent $175 million funding round led by Paradigm.

Venture Mandates, Cloudflare Wallets, Circle Earnings & Saddam Hussein Patek Philippe

Capitalize on the structural growth of the machine-to-machine economy by investing in Cloudflare (NET) as a premier infrastructure play for the emerging agentic internet and stablecoin micropayments. Consider accumulating Circle (Circle/USDC issuer) around its current price of $64, as analyst consensus targets cluster near $100 despite short-term declines in token circulation and transaction volume. Monitor Circle's high distribution payouts and shifting interest rate curves closely before entering a position to manage macroeconomic risk effectively. Treat Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) as a foundational equity holding for diversified exposure to crypto trading volumes, supported by its newly renewed and critical USDC revenue-sharing agreement. Leverage these combined positions to capture institutional stablecoin adoption and expanding fintech revenue streams across the digital asset landscape.

AI Fatigue, Robinhood & Every Market Becoming Crypto | Weekly Roundup

Buy shares of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD) to capitalize on its explosive 32% year-over-year revenue growth, driven by surging retail activity in crypto and its new prediction markets.

Monitor HOOD's on-chain transaction volume and Real World Asset growth closely, as these metrics signal expanding retail capital flows into digital assets.

Investors holding Solana (SOL) and Ethereum (ETH) should prepare for ongoing network competition and separate native token price depreciation from actual underlying user activity.

Prepare for crypto-like volatility in semiconductor and artificial intelligence stocks by scrutinizing corporate return-on-investment metrics on CapEx spending.

Robinhood's Plan to Bring Global Finance Onchain | Johann Kerbrat

Consider buying Robinhood Markets (HOOD) as a diversified fintech holding, as its eleven distinct nine-figure revenue streams protect against traditional crypto volatility. Capitalize on Robinhood's ongoing international and blockchain expansion by establishing a position ahead of further global retail adoption. Look for opportunities in tokenized real-world assets through Robinhood, which currently offers attractive yields around 7% on stablecoin lending via partnerships with Morpho and Lloyd's of London. Accumulate Ethereum (ETH) to gain exposure to the foundational settlement layer powering Robinhood's new proprietary blockchain ecosystem. Monitor Arbitrum as its underlying technology stack continues to capture high-value institutional and fintech integration activity.

The Bill That Could Reshape Crypto In America with Greg Xethalis from Multicoin

Monitor the Clarity Act legislation on prediction platforms like Polymarket, where current odds for passing stand at 37%. If enacted, this bill will act as a major institutional inflow catalyst by replacing fragmented state rules with unified federal oversight. Position your digital asset portfolios to benefit from reduced compliance costs for crypto exchanges, custodians, and brokers. Anticipate an intensive rulemaking phase across the CFTC and SEC immediately following any legislative progress. Token issuers and market participants should proactively adopt standards like the Token Transparency Framework to prepare for upcoming mandatory disclosure requirements.

Clarity Window Closing, Robinhood Eating Ethereum Value & Coinbase's Base Reset

Investors should consider Robinhood (HOOD) equity as a high-conviction play over Ethereum (ETH), as fintechs are currently capturing up to 90% of transaction fees while ETH settlement revenue remains stagnant. The appointment of a crypto-native leader to oversee Coinbase (COIN) trading products is a bullish catalyst for the stock that Wall Street has likely not yet priced in. For those looking at the payments sector, a strategic pair trade involves going Long Adyen (ADYEN) while remaining cautious on Stripe’s high private valuation. Monitor the "Clarity Act" legislation before August 7th; while failure is priced in, an unexpected passage would trigger a massive "rip" across the crypto market. Given recent $18M exploits in decentralized finance, retail investors should prioritize platforms with "circuit breakers" or withdrawal delays and strictly avoid leverage during this period of high volatility.

Fomo Co-Founders on Building the Social Network for Finance

Investors should prioritize exposure to Hyperliquid (HYPE), as it has emerged as the dominant infrastructure layer for high-volume consumer trading apps like FOMO. For retail traders seeking transparency, the FOMO app offers a "social discovery" model that allows you to verify a trader’s actual on-chain performance and entry points before manually following their strategy. Consider shifting focus from traditional equities to Crypto-based Pre-IPO Perps, which currently provide the only viable price discovery and access to high-growth private companies like SpaceX. Monitor the "Crypto Consumer" sector for apps that use blockchain as invisible background rails, as these platforms are positioned to disrupt high-fee incumbents like Robinhood by offering lower trading costs (5-50 bps). Over a three-year horizon, favor Crypto assets over Stocks, as the former is viewed at a growth "local minimum" while equities face potential over-leverage risks from AI expectations.

Crypto's Value Capture Problem & Why Robinhood Built Its Own Blockchain

Investors should prioritize high-conviction equity in financial aggregators like Robinhood (HOOD), which is successfully capturing massive on-chain volume and fees through its new proprietary chain. To capitalize on the AI boom, businesses should shift from expensive manual workflows to automated systems using Claude 3.5 and Grok, while utilizing "LLM Gateways" to route simpler tasks to cheaper models like Meta’s Llama. Avoid "melting ice cube" businesses where crypto is the only saving grace; instead, focus on high-quality, cash-flowing companies where technology enhances an already profitable model. Within the crypto sector, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) remain the primary "shelling points" for ecosystem exposure, though investors should favor "clean" narratives like Hyperliquid over complex dual-token structures. For long-term stability, Stablecoins remain the most proven real-world application for cross-border movement and treasury management.

What’s Circle’s End Game, Robinhood Launches A Chain & Venice Raises $65M

Investors should prioritize "Tech-Cumbents" like Robinhood (HOOD), Stripe, and Cloudflare (NET), as these firms are successfully scaling blockchain technology to millions of mainstream users. HOOD is a high-conviction play following the launch of its Layer 2 chain, which offers tokenized stocks and high-yield DeFi incentives through protocols like Morpho and Aave. Cloudflare (NET) is positioned to dominate the emerging "AI agent" economy by launching a monetization gateway that allows websites to charge for content using stablecoins. While Bitcoin (BTC) remains the "perfect collateral," be cautious of MicroStrategy (MSTR) in the short term due to market skepticism regarding its "Stretch" financial products. The stablecoin sector is undergoing a massive shift toward yield-sharing models, making the OpenUSD consortium a significant long-term threat to Circle (USDC) and Tether (USDT).

Can You Really Buy A House Without Selling Your Crypto? | Vishal Garg

Investors should monitor Better Home & Finance (BETR) as it transitions into an AI-driven platform, with management targeting adjusted EBITDA breakeven by September. The company’s shift to a Platform-as-a-Service model for partners like Coinbase and Lending Club provides a high-margin revenue stream by reducing mortgage origination costs from $15,000 to under $2,000. Crypto holders can now leverage Bitcoin (BTC) or USDC as collateral for Fannie Mae-eligible mortgages through Better, allowing for home purchases without triggering capital gains taxes or margin call risks. Look for growth in the Real World Asset (RWA) sector, specifically through Sky (formerly MakerDAO), which is utilizing tokenized mortgages to lower the cost of capital by up to 100 basis points. High-conviction opportunities lie in firms that combine AI-driven underwriting with blockchain-based back-ends to disrupt traditional retail banks currently burdened by legacy administrative costs.

Top assets covered by Empire

The 12 most-discussed assets across Empire’s content on Kazuha (out of 325 total).

Empire’s sentiment — last 30 days

Aggregate of all sentiment-scored insights from Empire in the last 30 days.

Strongly bullish
avg +0.49
30 bullish2 neutral4 bearish

Frequently asked about Empire

What does Empire talk about on Kazuha?

Kazuha indexes 154 posts from Empire, with AI-extracted insights covering 325 distinct assets (stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and other investable assets).

Which assets does Empire cover the most?

Empire's most-discussed assets on Kazuha are BTC, ETH, SOL, HOOD, HYPE. See the "Top assets covered" section above for the full breakdown with sentiment.

Is Empire bullish or bearish right now?

Mostly bullish. In the last 30 days, Empire had 30 bullish, 4 bearish, and 2 neutral takes across all assets they discussed (per AI-extracted sentiment scoring on Kazuha).

Where does Kazuha get Empire's insights?

Empire's publicly available content (podcast episodes, YouTube videos, or X/Twitter posts) is transcribed and analyzed by an LLM that extracts the assets discussed and the speaker's sentiment toward each one. Each insight links back to the original source.