Episodes

  • The Past, Present and Future of Money with Ethan Buchman of Cycles

    The Past, Present and Future of Money with Ethan Buchman of Cycles
    Apr 9 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Ethan Buchman, CEO of Cycles Protocol. Listen in as they discuss Ethan's new venture Cycles and its mission to unlock the power of clearing by helping the most people settle the most debt with the least amount of money, why today's financial system ignores the graph of obligations that already exists between businesses and institutions, and how privacy-preserving onchain infrastructure could enable a more efficient, resilient, and less intermediary-dependent economy. They also explore how Cycles could bootstrap through crypto payments and trading firms, why trade credit and invoice networks represent a massive untapped source of liquidity, and how Ethan's work on trust in software and money connects Cycles, AI, and the long-term goal of building more sustainable economic systems.
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    42 mins
  • Quantum FUD, CLARITY, and the Bank of the Future with Mike Belshe of BitGo

    Quantum FUD, CLARITY, and the Bank of the Future with Mike Belshe of BitGo
    Apr 2 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Mike Belshe, Co-Founder and CEO of BitGo. Listen in as they discuss why quantum computing has re-emerged as a serious long-term risk for Bitcoin and other digital assets, what the industry can do to become quantum-resistant before the threat becomes practical, and why public market investors are increasingly asking tougher questions about crypto's technical foundations. They also explore BitGo's evolution from custody provider to full-stack digital asset infrastructure company, how tokenization and stablecoins are reshaping market structure, why vertically integrated crypto exchanges pose risks that traditional capital markets have long separated, and what the CLARITY debate could mean for custody, brokerage, retail protections, and the future of U.S. digital asset regulation.
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    42 mins
  • What's Next for Crypto Markets with Scott Melker

    What's Next for Crypto Markets with Scott Melker
    Mar 12 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Scott Melker, the Wolf of All Streets. Listen in as they discuss why Bitcoin has begun outperforming traditional safe-haven assets during rising geopolitical tension, how market cycles and technical levels around $60K–$70K may signal a broader bottoming process, and why unexpected macro shocks—like the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank—have historically catalyzed major crypto rallies. They also explore whether upcoming U.S. legislation like the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act could reshape the industry, the growing tension between crypto firms and traditional banks over stablecoin regulation, and why Melker believes Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana remain the most compelling long-term bets while the broader altcoin market still lacks clear valuation frameworks.
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    33 mins
  • Monitoring the (ETF) Situation with James Seyffart of Bloomberg Intelligence

    Monitoring the (ETF) Situation with James Seyffart of Bloomberg Intelligence
    Mar 4 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest James Seyffart, Senior Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Listen in as they break down why ETF flows keep accelerating despite a choppy macro backdrop, how the "ETF wrapper" is expanding beyond plain-vanilla index exposure into active, options-based, and leveraged products, what the latest flow data is signaling about sector rotation (energy, materials, and industrials leading), why esoteric filings like prediction market ETFs are gaining momentum, and what's actually happening under the hood in crypto ETFs—outflows, inflows, basis trade dynamics, and the evolving debate around where Bitcoin's value accrues as stablecoins and other rails dominate payments.
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    40 mins
  • How Maple Built an Onchain Finance Juggernaut with Sid Powell of Maple

    How Maple Built an Onchain Finance Juggernaut with Sid Powell of Maple
    Feb 26 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Sid Powell, Co-Founder and CEO of Maple. Listen in as they discuss Maple's evolution from the 2022 credit crisis to over $4B in AUM, why overcollateralized onchain lending is attracting family offices, funds, and institutional capital seeking T-bill-beating yields with daily liquidity, and how Maple is expanding beyond crypto-native users through DeFi integrations, securitized products, and fintech distribution. They also explore the growing opportunity in tokenized collateral—from Bitcoin to gold, equities, and real-world assets—the role onchain credit could play in the broader tokenization supercycle, and how AI agents may become major users of stablecoins, onchain lending, and autonomous credit markets as machine-native economic activity emerges.
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    35 mins
  • Decentralized Data Markets for the AI Era with Rebecca Simmonds of Walrus Foundation

    Decentralized Data Markets for the AI Era with Rebecca Simmonds of Walrus Foundation
    Feb 12 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Rebecca Simmonds, Managing Executive of the Walrus Foundation. Listen in as they discuss why the next phase of AI won't just be about better models or smarter agents, but about trust, provenance, and ownership of the data those systems rely on. From decentralized storage and verifiable data markets to the rise of personal AI agents and new monetization models for user data, the conversation dives into how crypto infrastructure could become the economic and security layer for the AI economy. They also discuss the real-world path to adoption, from builders and DeFi use cases to enterprise experimentation, along with the challenges of competing with Big Tech, the role of tokens in decentralized data networks, and why the future of AI may depend on individuals reclaiming control of their digital lives. If AI runs on data, this episode asks the critical question: who controls it, and who captures the value?
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    34 mins
  • Why Crypto Will Power the Economy of Things with Leonard Dorlöchter of peaq

    Why Crypto Will Power the Economy of Things with Leonard Dorlöchter of peaq
    Feb 5 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with special guest Leonard Dorlöchter, Co-Founder of peaq. Listen in as they discuss the rise of the machine economy and agentic commerce, why blockchain is emerging as the economic layer for AI agents, robots, and connected devices, how concepts like DePIN and machine RWAs enable community-owned, revenue-generating infrastructure, why machines are better suited than humans to transact onchain using stablecoins and DeFi, and how identity, reputation, and autonomous payments could unlock the largest product-market fit blockchain has ever seen.
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    35 mins
  • Dollar Debasement, CLARITY, Tokenization Supercycle and More with Bill Barhydt of Abra and Perianne Boring of The Digital Chamber

    Dollar Debasement, CLARITY, Tokenization Supercycle and More with Bill Barhydt of Abra and Perianne Boring of The Digital Chamber
    Jan 29 2026
    Join Alex Tapscott as he decodes the world of crypto with Bill Barhydt, Founder and CEO of Abra, and Perianne Boring, Chair of the Board of Directors of The Digital Chamber. Listen in as they discuss why crypto feels like it's at an inflection point, Bill's macro case for a liquidity-driven risk-on setup (and why gold may be leading while Bitcoin lags), how stablecoin legislation has shifted the policy battleground toward rewards and yield as banks push to protect deposits, why agencies (SEC/CFTC/Treasury) can move fast but market-structure laws are needed to future-proof regulatory clarity, how committee politics and "pathway" strategy can make or break a bill's progress (including the fallout from Coinbase stepping back), and what the Clarity debate could mean for exchanges, developers, and DeFi—ranging from new growth catalysts to potential constraints depending on how rules get written and enforced.
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    41 mins