Unchained
Podcast

Unchained

by Laura Shin

412 episodes

Crypto assets and blockchain technology are about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity to the Internet of Things. In this podcast, host Laura Shin, an independent journalist covering all things crypto, talks with industry pioneers about how crypto assets and blockchains will change the way we earn, spend and invest our money. Tune in to find out how Web 3.0, the decentralized web, will revolutionize our world. Disclosure: I'm a nocoiner.
Ask about UnchainedAnswers are grounded in this source's posts from the last 30 days.

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412 posts
Why the Question Over How to Regulate Perps Has Turned Into a Fight

Investors should look at Coinbase Global (COIN) as a top growth play following CFTC approval to launch U.S. retail Bitcoin (BTC) perpetual futures, establishing a major first-mover advantage and a high-volume revenue stream. Keep Hyperliquid (HYPE) on your radar as its potential onshore U.S. rollout through Kraken could unlock substantial protocol adoption across both crypto and real-world asset (RWA) derivatives. Exercise caution with CME Group (CME), as rising retail and institutional demand for 24/7 crypto perpetuals poses a direct competitive threat to its traditional futures franchise. In decentralized finance, 1inch (1INCH) presents an actionable efficiency catalyst with the launch of OneInch Aqua, targeting over $540 million in currently idle capital. Finally, prepare for expansion in the real-world asset (RWA) theme, where continuous on-chain perpetual trading is rapidly moving into traditional commodities like gold, silver, and oil.

Uneasy Money: Inside the AI Agent Scandal That Cheated, Then Covered Its Tracks

Investors should maintain long-term core exposure to Ethereum (ETH), which remains the dominant, low-cost settlement layer for decentralized finance and institutional liquidity. Consider positioning in Hyperliquid (HYPE) to capitalize on its expanding market share in decentralized perpetual trading, while actively tracking token unlock schedules from major venture investors. Reduce capital allocation to decentralized lending protocols like Moonwell and Tectonic, where legacy infrastructure and illiquid collateral pose high risks of price manipulation and bad debt. Exercise caution regarding Cronos (CRO) assets following recent exploit-driven network rollbacks that expose significant centralization risks. Avoid speculative on-chain tokenized equities such as HIMS, as poor arbitrage mechanisms and extreme liquidity risks leave retail traders vulnerable to steep losses.

The Chopping Block: Robinhood Chain's Memecoin Mania and Tokenized Stocks

Investors can gain exposure to expanding corporate blockchain adoption through Arbitrum (ARB), which captures direct fee revenue from high-volume network rollouts like the new Robinhood (HOOD) chain.

Look for upside catalysts in Hyperliquid (HYPE) as it attempts to launch a regulated US perpetual futures exchange, a development that poses competitive market-share pressure on traditional derivatives giant CME Group (CME).

Exercise caution with Ethereum (ETH), as explosive Layer 2 transaction volume is currently failing to accrue meaningful fee value back to the underlying asset.

While Solana (SOL) maintains a dominant lead with over $62 billion in monthly decentralized volume, be aware that cross-chain trading tools are making retail liquidity increasingly quick to migrate to lower-cost competitors.

Avoid holding or trading weekend tokenized stock pairs like Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) and AMC Entertainment (AMC), as guaranteed Monday institutional arbitrage predictably triggers sharp losses for retail participants.

Bits + Bips: Is Kalshi Headed to the Supreme Court Next?

Investors holding Robinhood Markets (HOOD) and Crypto.com (CRO) should brace for near-term volatility and closely monitor legal rulings in Nevada, as state-level pushback threatens to restrict lucrative event-derivative offerings.

Despite these regulatory challenges, the broader Prediction Markets sector offers strong long-term upside as platforms like Kalshi rapidly expand into mainstream business hedging, setting up a pivotal jurisdictional showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the decentralized finance space, 1inch Network (1INCH) presents a compelling growth opportunity following the rollout of 1inch Aqua, a shared liquidity model designed to unlock over $540 million in currently idle assets.

Investors looking for DeFi exposure should watch 1INCH, as solving this capital inefficiency across 30% of the market could significantly boost trading volume and protocol revenue.

How Cory Klippsten Would Decide How to Secure Bitcoin Post-Coldcard

Bitcoin (BTC) is expected to consolidate within the $80,000 to $88,000 resistance range over the near term before attempting a future push toward milestones of $100,000 and above.

Long-term Bitcoin investors should rely on core adoption fundamentals rather than mathematical timing models, prioritizing collaborative multi-signature custody over centralized exchanges for optimal security.

Taxable investors holding the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) should explore grantor trust redemption mechanisms to transfer into low-fee alternatives like iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) or native BTC without triggering immediate capital gains taxes.

Active participants in decentralized finance (DeFi) should consider shared liquidity layers such as 1inch Aqua (1INCH) to deploy idle capital across multiple trading pairs directly from a single wallet balance.

How Tokenized Stocks Could Undercut Interactive Brokers' 77% Profit Margin

Consider allocating to Aerodrome Finance (AERO) to capture yield, as the platform distributes 100% of its trading fees directly to token holders while capturing 25% of the market share in newly launched on-chain equity trading.

Eligible non-U.S. investors can trade 1:1 backed tokenized equities—including Apple (AAPL), NVIDIA (NVDA), Meta (META), and Alphabet (GOOGL)—around the clock on the Base network with lower fees and direct decentralized finance (DeFi) integration.

Active traders should monitor on-chain liquidity pools for tokenized NVIDIA (NVDA) immediately following aftermarket earnings releases to capitalize on real-time price discovery before standard market open hours.

Track upcoming SEC regulatory guidance on tokenized assets, which serves as the primary near-term catalyst to unlock access for U.S. retail investors.

Long-term investors holding traditional brokerage stocks like Interactive Brokers (IBKR) should watch for margin compression as round-the-clock, low-fee real-world asset (RWA) platforms gain global adoption.

The Chopping Block: Crypto's Rebound, Reg Crypto, and AI Router Wars

Capitalize on the macro liquidity debasement trade by maintaining long exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) as sustained institutional ETF inflows support continued upward momentum above $79,500.

Take advantage of US regulatory momentum in decentralized derivatives by accumulating leading platforms like Hyperliquid (HYPE) following its breakout above $80, alongside emerging plays like Lighter.

Allocate capital to decentralized AI inference protocols such as Venice and EigenLayer, which offer high-conviction structural growth backed by immediate revenue sharing and enterprise demand.

Consider hedging exposure to legacy exchange operators like CME Group Inc. (CME), which face increasing long-term competitive threats from legally compliant on-chain trading venues.

Monitor early-stage crypto markets over the next 60-day SEC comment period as proposed token crowdfunding exemptions prepare to unlock compliant public sales of up to $5 million for retail investors.

Treasury Puts DeFi On Notice as Roman Storm Trial Drags On

Investors should prioritize core base-layer assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) for long-term holding, while minimizing exposure to centralized custodians and on-ramps facing tightening US sanctions enforcement. Within decentralized finance, favor spot trading platforms like Uniswap (UNI) over perpetual derivatives venues like Hyperliquid (HYPE) due to significantly lower regulatory and CFTC compliance risks. Exercise caution with cash reserves held in Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), recognizing that centralized issuers retain the technical ability to freeze these assets even in self-custody wallets. Treat dedicated privacy tokens like Zcash (ZEC) with caution amid sustained regulatory scrutiny, despite the expanding institutional use of zero-knowledge privacy infrastructure. Monitor early-stage crypto investment opportunities during the SEC's current 60-day comment period, as the proposed Reg Crypto framework could soon open compliant public token sales of up to $75 million.

Bits + Bips: How Bessent’s Treasury Buyback Is Fueling Bitcoin’s Rally

Ride the upward momentum in Bitcoin (BTC) following its breakout above $75,000, treating it as a primary hedge against currency debasement. Add Ethereum (ETH) as a higher-volatility growth play to capitalize on market liquidity tailwinds after its move past $3,000. Take a strategic position in Hyperliquid for high-conviction exposure to market-leading decentralized trading infrastructure. Approach Cardano (ADA) with caution, limiting exposure to short-term momentum trades due to weak underlying fundamentals and high risk of price reversal. Finally, protect your fixed-income portfolio against inflation by rotating out of volatile long-term U.S. Treasuries into TIPS, hard assets, and cash-equivalent stablecoins.

One Type of Post-Quantum Cryptography Is Most Popular. Why Is Crypto Trying Out Three?

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is establishing itself as the clear frontrunner in quantum-resistant blockchain infrastructure by launching live post-quantum signature support and partnering with institutions for quantum-safe custody. Investors can capitalize on NEAR's first-mover advantage as it expands its NEAR Intents technology to secure assets across more than 35 connected networks. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) investors should actively monitor governance proposals regarding 4 to 5 million vulnerable legacy coins that risk severe market disruption if left unmigrated against quantum computing advances. Both Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) carry technical post-quantum trade-offs, with ETH risking reduced transaction throughput and SOL facing slower integration with hardware wallets. Across the digital asset ecosystem, prepare for a multi-year hardware refresh cycle that will drive demand for security providers like Ledger as they roll out next-generation, quantum-safe chips.

Uneasy Money: Why Erik Voorhees Calls AI's Hidden Filter 'Deceptive'

Consider holding Bitcoin (BTC) as a foundational sovereign store of value following its sustained breakout above the $72,000 consolidation range.

Allocate to Venice (VVV) to capture privacy-focused AI growth, benefiting from real software subscription revenue that directly funds token buybacks and supply burns without insider dilution.

Avoid low-margin commodity compute providers and instead target AI autonomous agent infrastructure and decentralized payment rails designed for automated machine-to-machine transactions.

Deploy capital through 1inch Aqua (1INCH) to maximize decentralized finance yields, utilizing its shared liquidity model that lets a single wallet balance support multiple trading pairs simultaneously.

Arthur Hayes on Why AI Agents Will Want to Transact in Units of Compute

Accumulate Ethereum (ETH) as a high-conviction catch-up play, targeting a breakout toward $5,000 by year-end as price momentum accelerates above the $3,000 level.

For direct, regulated exposure to Bitcoin (BTC), buy spot exchange-traded funds like the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) over MicroStrategy (MSTR) to capture pure price upside without structural stock premium risks.

Maintain Bitcoin (BTC) as a primary hedge against currency debasement, using macro triggers such as the US 10-year Treasury yield approaching 5% as key accumulation signals.

Position early in decentralized AI infrastructure by participating in the Flop Network (FLOP) testnet in Q4 to qualify for an estimated 20% token airdrop ahead of its Q1 mainnet launch.

Trim exposure to debt-financed Big Tech and AI hyperscalers that face diminishing returns on physical data center spending ahead of an expected sector contraction by mid-2028.

EIP-8363: Should ETH Be Sound Money or a Productive Asset?

Investors should consider accumulating spot Ethereum (ETH), as the proposed EIP-8363 upgrade could significantly reduce new token supply over the next 18 to 24 months, strengthening its appeal as a scarce store of value. However, income-focused investors should prepare to reallocate capital away from native ETH staking and DeFi lending platforms like Aave, as projected annual staking yields risk falling sharply from ~3.0% down to 0.3%–0.4%. Investors should closely monitor Ethereum developer meetings in late October for key governance decisions that will dictate the timeline of these network changes. For immediate cash-flow generation, yield-seeking capital can be rotated into alternative Layer 1 networks like Solana (SOL), which currently delivers staking yields of 7%+. Finally, balance this rotation carefully, as SOL's higher payouts are driven by higher structural token inflation compared to ETH's low-dilution model.

DEX in the City: The CFTC's Kalshi Rescue and the Limits of Emergency Power

Investors should target enterprise Cybersecurity and Blockchain Forensics providers, as a new U.S. directive authorizing private offensive digital operations unlocks lucrative government contract opportunities. In decentralized finance, DeFi yield seekers can capitalize on the newly launched 1inch Aqua protocol from 1inch (1INCH) to maximize returns on previously idle market liquidity. Traders utilizing Prediction Markets like Kalshi should prepare for localized access restrictions and legal volatility while state and federal regulators dispute jurisdictional boundaries. Near-term compliance costs are rising for Generative Artificial Intelligence developers like Anthropic under the EU AI Act, which could create operational friction and compress enterprise software margins. Finally, maintain a cautious stance on Securities Tokenization assets and domestic crypto exchanges while the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) delays formalized market structure rules.

Bits + Bips: Is Crypto Privateering Even Legal?

Decentralized finance investors should consider exploring 1inch (1INCH) following the launch of 1inch Aqua, a shared liquidity platform designed to maximize yields by backing multiple trading pairs from a single wallet balance. This platform directly targets roughly $540 million in idle DeFi capital, allowing liquidity providers to boost returns without locking assets across fragmented pools. Investors seeking broader thematic growth should look toward the blockchain security & on-chain analytics sector, which is positioned for sustained demand as the industry works to counter an estimated $21 billion lost to annual crypto fraud. Finally, Bitcoin (BTC) holders should immediately prioritize strict self-custody and robust wallet hygiene to safeguard their holdings against sophisticated cybercrime threats.

Uneasy Money: An Agent Deleted Kain's Database. Two AI Models Rebuilt It in 30 Seconds.

Maintain core allocations in Bitcoin (BTC) as a resilient macro store of value, while avoiding speculative capital in network hard forks or chain splits. Exercise caution with Hyperliquid (HYPE), as platform fee-sharing models have diluted token buybacks from $290 million to $150 million despite surging Real World Asset (RWA) perpetual trading volume. Investors should wait for governance proposals that reduce third-party revenue splits before building aggressive positions in HYPE. Over a 3- to 5-year timeframe, rotate capital into Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure, automated code generation, and specialized AI cybersecurity solutions. Finally, monitor near-term regulatory headline risks closely, as security vulnerabilities in frontier AI models could trigger sudden government intervention.

Bitcoin Has Been Oversold for Months. Is a Buy Signal Next?

Bitcoin (BTC) is showing signs of forming a major market bottom near critical long-term support, indicating that the current crypto winter downtrend is reaching exhaustion. Technical indicators point toward a stabilization and potential turnaround window unfolding over the next 3 to 4 months. Investors should wait for the monthly stochastic oscillator to cross decisively above 20% to confirm a high-probability buy signal before entering new positions. Because BTC remains beneath its downward-sloping 40-week moving average resistance, any long exposure should be managed with strict downside risk controls.

The Chopping Block: threadguy on Crypto's Social Trading War, Trader Celebrities & AI Agents

Investors looking to capitalize on the structural shift toward active retail trading should consider platforms like Robinhood (HOOD), which are capturing high-margin volume across both equities and crypto.

For aggressive growth strategies, momentum-driven AI hardware and memory stocks such as Micron (MU), Nebius (NBIS), and SK Hynix offer explosive upside by behaving with crypto-like volatility.

In decentralized finance, prioritize leading perpetual exchanges like Hyperliquid, which hold strong competitive moats by enabling traders to bridge crypto liquidity into tokenized traditional stocks.

Within the viral token ecosystem, allocate toward top fee-generating platforms like Pump.fun and FOMO or assets tied to verifiable creator reputation, while strictly avoiding easily cloned copycat tokens.

For longer-term positioning, monitor emerging AI agent protocols such as AIXBT as autonomous software begins deploying capital and transacting natively on blockchains.

I Interviewed a North Korean Hacker Posing as a Crypto Dev

Liquidity providers should utilize OneInch Aqua to maximize capital efficiency across multiple trading pairs without locking tokens into separate pools prematurely. Investors holding Cosmos Hub (ATOM), Sushi (SUSHI), and Yearn Finance (YFI) must closely monitor how these protocols upgrade their developer vetting and cybersecurity. Assess whether affected platforms implement rigorous background checks to mitigate ongoing operational and security risks from state-sponsored infiltration. Factor operational security and human resources protocols directly into your fundamental analysis before investing in decentralized finance platforms. Prioritize projects with transparent security overhauls to protect your portfolio from potential intellectual property theft and exploits.

DEX in the City: A Founder's Death Sparked a Fight for Ondo's Boardroom

Investors should temporarily avoid Ondo Finance (ONDO) due to severe corporate governance risks stemming from the founder's passing and ongoing leadership disputes. Always verify board diversity and succession plans before investing in emerging crypto projects to avoid single points of failure. Manage expectations for comprehensive U.S. crypto legislation, as the Clarity Act faces significant hurdles and a narrow legislative window. Closely monitor the upcoming September 15th cloture vote on the Clarity Act for potential regulatory shifts. Finally, watch the SEC's open meeting regarding Reg Crypto for new compliance standards that will impact token offerings.