Variant Fund

This week, Jake Chervinsky & MC Lader join the show to discuss the growth of Hyperliquid in 2026 and beyond. We deep dive into Hyperliquid's 24/7 markets thesis, how Native Markets won the USDH proposal, founding the Hyperliquid Policy Center, regulation in 2026 and more. Enjoy! -- Follow MC: https://x.com/Mclader Follow Jake: https://x.com/jchervinsky Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- ZKsync is the Bank Stack of Ethereum. It is a network of chains secured by cryptography, not validators. Its cutting-edge ZK innovation enables the privacy, performance and connectivity that businesses need to thrive in the digital assets economy. To find out more visit: https://www.zksync.io/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:45) The Hyperliquid 24/7 Markets Thesis (06:02) Founding The Hyperliquid Policy Center (15:45) The State of DeFi Regulation (18:59) ZKsync Ad (19:34) The Hyperliquid USDH Proposal (29:59) Stablecoin Regulation In The US (38:05) The Hyperliquid 24/7 Markets Thesis (44:40) The Future of Stablecoins (57:53) Crypto Regulation In 2026 & Beyond -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

MC Lader

Co-founder

NMNative Markets

Jake Chervinsky and Amanda Tuminelli join us to unpack the Roman Storm verdict—what it means for DeFi, why Section 1960 is a looming threat to open-source developers, and the strong grounds for appeal. We discuss the legal, political, and legislative paths forward, the role of Congress in protecting developers, and how the crypto industry can mobilize to prevent future prosecutions. ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEED | USE CODE: SPOTIFY24 https://bankless.cc/spotify-premium ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🪙FRAX | SELF SUFFICIENT DeFi https://bankless.cc/Frax 🦄UNISWAP | SWAP ON UNICHAIN https://bankless.cc/unichain 🛞MANTLE | MODULAR LAYER 2 NETWORK https://bankless.cc/Mantle ------ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 0:24 Verdict First Impressions 4:22 Was it Successful? 6:26 Second Trial? 9:47 Money Transmitter Debate 15:20 Optimistic Setup? 19:56 Levels of Precedent 26:04 What’s Next? 30:26 Crypto Industry Agency 34:01 Regulatory Acts 37:33 Two Paths 44:35 Trump Administration 49:02 Upcoming Administrations 53:45 Call to Action 56:55 Closing & Disclaimers ------ RESOURCES Jake Chervinsky https://x.com/jchervinsky Amanda Tuminelli https://x.com/amandatums DeFi Education Fund https://www.defieducationfund.org/ Fund Roman Storm https://freeromanstorm.com/ Fund Alex Pertsev https://juicebox.money/v2/p/713 ------ Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures⁠

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Amanda Tuminelli

Executive Director

DeFi Education Fund

With Paul Atkins as the incoming SEC Chair, David Sacks as the AI & Crypto Czar, and potential CFTC leadership changes, the Trump administration is signaling a major shift for crypto, AI, and financial regulation.  Guests Mike Selig and Jake Chervinsky break down what this means for token launches, enforcement actions, inter-agency collaboration, and the fate of Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Could this mark the end of the U.S.’s regulatory hostility toward innovation? Show highlights: 02:18-What changes to expect under an Atkins-led SEC 08:58-Who could lead the SEC in the period between Gensler resigning and Atkins assuming 11:54-Whether the Democrats will nominate SEC Commissioner Crenshaw again 15:50-Elizabeth Warren's influence on the non-Republican SEC commissioner picks 23:39-Whether Atkins’ leadership at the SEC might shift crypto regulation away from aggressive enforcement 28:26-Whether Gensler’s recent promotion of people in enforcement roles will further his SEC’s regulation-by-enforcement strategy 38:52-Whether the SEC and Coinbase will reach a settlement 41:47-Why Mike and Jake think it’s not likely that the SEC will pursue litigation in the Ripple case 46:03-How the SEC might clarify securities laws around token sales, airdrops, and exemptions 55:14-Whether Atkins’ leadership could fast-track Hester Peirce’s Safe Harbor 59:53-How the CFTC's potential lead on crypto regulation might redefine how it splits duties with the SEC 1:03:03-Whether it even makes sense to have two financial regulatory agencies 1:11:00-Who might lead the CFTC  1:13:59-Why Jake and Mike believe combining AI and crypto under one ‘czar’ makes sense 1:20:31-How the appointment of Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary will affect the crypto industry 1:25:47-How the likely end to Operation Chokepoint 2.0 will create a “sea change” Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Robinhood & Arbitrum Kelp DAO Guests: Mike Selig, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher  Previous appearance on Unchained: Is Gary Gensler on a Mission to Put Crypto Down for Good? Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Previous appearances on Unchained: The US vs. Crypto: Jake Chervinsky on Crypto's Legal and Regulatory Status Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Links Trump’s Office Picks:  Unchained:  Why Trump’s SEC Chair Pick, Paul Atkins, Is So Positive for Crypto David Sacks as A.I. & Crypto Czar? Why the Industry Was Surprised Trump Taps Paul Atkins for Next SEC Chair, Making Good on His Crypto Promises Democratic SEC Commissioner Is Stepping Down, but That Doesn’t Mean Trump Will Get 2 Outright Picks  Trump Taps Hedge Fund Manager Scott Bessent to Be Treasury Secretary A Degen Administration? Why the Crypto Czar May Be Allowed to Own Tokens Tracking Trump’s Cabinet and Staff Nominations  Congressional Results John Reed Stark’s tweet:“current SEC Chair Gary Gensler is quietly working behind the scenes to lead the SEC from the grave” Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Forbes: How ‘Debanking’ Tech And Crypto Companies Could Kill Businesses Marc Andreessen and the CFPB: Debunking the Debanking Debunkers by Nic Carter Unchained: Regulators Are Limiting Banks Serving Crypto Clients. Does That Violate the Law?  Unchained: Killed By Politics, Ex-Diem Boss Says of Meta’s Stablecoin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Selig

Attorney

Willkie Farr & GallagherCommodity Futures Trading Commission

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Today Jake Chervinsky is back on the podcast to discuss Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm's court case and its implications on DeFi and the crypto industry.    Could DeFi be made illegal in the United States? Are DeFi developers going to be prosecuted if criminals use their code? Is it just DeFi? What other sectors could be at risk? The answers to these and many other questions are discussed in today’s episode. ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2   🗣️TOKU | CRYPTO EMPLOYMENT  https://bankless.cc/toku   ⚡️CARTESI | LINUX-POWERED ROLLUPS https://bankless.cc/CartesiGovernance   ⁠ 🦄UNISWAP | BROWSER EXTENSION https://bankless.cc/uniswap  ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM ⁠https://bankless.cc/Arbitrum  🛞MANTLE | MODULAR LAYER 2 NETWORK https://bankless.cc/Mantle  ------ ✨ Mint the episode on Zora ✨ https://zora.co/collect/zora:0x0c294913a7596b427add7dcbd6d7bbfc7338d53f/75?referrer=0x077Fe9e96Aa9b20Bd36F1C6290f54F8717C5674E  ------ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 4:44 Roman Storm’s Case 12:52 Is DeFi at Risk? 18:20 The Ruling & Its Implications  21:29 Money Transmission Explained  25:52 Roman Storm’s Arrest 30:54 Are All DeFi Protocols At Risk?  36:17 Prosecution of Privacy 43:11 What This Ruling Means & What’s Next 48:41 Best & Worst Case Scenario 53:11 Other Sectors At Risk 57:35 Other Cases 1:03:48 Totalitarian Nightmare 1:08:21 SEC Updates 1:12:00 US Election 2024 1:17:30 Geofencing 1:23:21 Are We Winning & Conclusion ------ RESOURCES Jake Chervinsky https://x.com/jchervinsky  Jake Chervinsky’s Tweet https://x.com/jchervinsky/status/1839412423096467753  A Practical Guide to Geofencing https://variant.fund/articles/practical-guide-to-geofencing/  Defend Roman Storm https://juicebox.money/@defend-roman-storm  ------ Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures ⁠

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Jake Chervinsky, chief legal officer of Variant, discusses the current state of crypto regulation, touching on several ongoing legal and regulatory issues in the crypto space, including Uniswap’s Wells notice, the Coinbase case, the Tornado Cash case, the Ethereum Foundation investigation and more. Chervinsky argues that the government's approach to these cases is often misguided, particularly in instances where they hold software developers liable for how third parties use their software. He also discusses the potential implications of the government's case against Tornado Cash, suggesting that it could have far-reaching consequences for all open-source software developers.  Chervinsky also delves into the SEC's ongoing investigations into the Ethereum Foundation, as well as the recent IRS draft form that lists unhosted wallets as a type of broker. He expressed concern about the potential impact of these investigations on the crypto industry, but remained optimistic about the future of DeFi in the US. Show highlights: How the Tornado Cash case could set a critical precedent for open-source software How the government’s Tornado indictment reveals a fear of unsurveilled financial systems, according to Jake What the implications of the Tornado Cash case could be for the broader DeFi space What lessons can be learned from the $62 million hack of Munchables on Blast How to address the challenge of malicious actors like North Korea using a permissionless system Whether Coinbase's staking services are considered a securities offering Whether Judge Failla’s ruling on Coinbase acting as a broker could be overturned Why Jake thinks the SEC will face significant challenges in its potential case against Uniswap Labs How the Debt Box case order impacts the SEC’s reputation, according to Jake How the industry is pushing back against the SEC’s regulation by enforcement with its own lawsuits for Lejilex and Beba The future of DeFi in the U.S. and its potential for success, according to Jake Why Jake believes the SEC will deny Ether ETFs and why he disagrees with the latest stablecoin regulation bill by Lummis and Gillibrand How the U.S. Presidential election could impact the future of the crypto industry Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Guest: Jake Chervinsky, Chief Legal Officer at Variant Previous appearances on Unchained: Why the SEC vs. Ripple Order Is Now About 2 Things: Coinbase and Congress The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Links Tornado Cash Jake’s amicus brief with Amanda Tuminelli Unchained: Given the Sanctions on Tornado Cash, Is Ethereum Censorship Resistant? Unchained: Is This the End of DeFi? Why the US Government Is Going After Tornado Cash Munchables exploit Unchained: Blast-Based NFT Game Munchables Recovers $62.5 Million Lost in Exploit SEC cases: Coinbase Unchained:  Why the SEC’s Case Against Coinbase Is So Significant for Crypto Court Rejects Coinbase’s Bid to Dismiss SEC Charges Against It Uniswap Unchained:  Gary Gensler’s Case Against Uniswap: Does the SEC Even Stand a Chance? SEC Puts DeFi in Its Sights With Potential Uniswap Suit Uniswap Blog Post on the Wells notice Marvin Ammori Thread on Wells notice Ethereum Foundation Unchained: SEC Investigating Ethereum Foundation Regarding Proof-of-Stake Transition: Report The Real Reason Why the SEC Might Be Going After Ethereum Debt Box Unchained: SEC Sanctioned for ‘Abuse of Power’ in Debt Box Lawsuit Beba DeFi Education Fund and Beba sue SEC over airdrop policies Lejilex Lawsuit document Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Li Jin is a co-founder and general partner at the crypto VC firm, Variant. In this episode, Li analyzes the memecoin phenomenon that has recently swept over the crypto market, and explores how different types of memecoins capture and monetize attention. OUTLINE 00:35 Memecoin Zeitgeist 04:04 The Attention Economy 10:58 Classifying Memecoins 17:40 Trading Memecoins 21:05 Are Memecoins Productive? 23:14 Memetic Analysis 29:10 Memecoins & Marketing Strategies 34:42 Closing Thoughts

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

Li Jin is a prominent figure in the venture capital industry. She is the co-founder and managing partner at Variant Fund, a venture firm that invests in Web3 and the ownership economy. Before founding Variant, Li Jin worked at Andreessen Horowitz, a leading venture capital firm, where she helped to shape the firm’s views on the emerging tech landscape, including the gig and passion economies. In today's discussion, we delve into memecoins, Web3 social media, and the evolving landscape of token models, examining how these elements are shaping the future of digital economies and influencing user interaction in decentralized networks. 0:00 Intro 1:11 Variant Fund 3:20 Li Jin 4:55 Benefits of Blockchains at Consumer Level 7:55 Web3 Social Media 12:50 Speculative Media 18:20 Memecoin Products 24:24 Censorship 25:47 Web3 GTM Strategy 34:30 Token Models 47:41 Governance Tokens 52:00 Trends ✨ Check out our new website ✨ https://thedefiant.io/ 🚀 Sign up to our newsletter 🚀 https://thedefiant.io/go-premium#pricing?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=signup 🤑 Find DeFi investment opportunities & educational primers here https://thedefiant.io/promo?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alpha ✊ Follow The Defiant Twitter: https://twitter.com/defiantnews Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3SdRdEs5ag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefiant.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/DefiantNews 📬 Contact our Newsroom editorial@thedefiant.io 🤝 Sponsorships & Partnerships sponsors@thedefiant.io #TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

While there is always a lot of activity on Crypto Legal Front, this particular moment in time feels especially active. Today on the show we have Jake Chervinsky and Amanda Tuminelli, two of crypto’s most impressive lawyers.  Every single court case, of which there are 5 different ones discussed in this episode today, brings new precedent and new clarity to the crypto space. The theme of this episode today might be… crypto bites back. ------ 📣SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEED | USE CODE: SPOTIFY24  https://bankless.cc/spotify-premium  ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2    ⁠  🛞MANTLE | MODULAR LAYER 2 NETWORK https://bankless.cc/Mantle  🏙️ CONSENSUS | SAVE 20% WITH CODE BANKLESS https://go.coindesk.com/4cBztCA  🏠 CASA | SECURE YOUR GENERATIONAL WEALTH https://bankless.cc/Casa  🔗CELO | CEL2 COMING SOON https://bankless.cc/Celo    🗣️TOKU | CRYPTO EMPLOYMENT SOLUTION https://bankless.cc/toku    ------ TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Start 00:05:18 Life as a Crypto lawyer 00:10:20 Coinbase Court Case 00:15:21 Are Airdrops Securities 00:19:34 Amanda's Take 00:22:22 Some Bad News 00:27:32 When Can We Expect Clarity? 00:30:11 Politics vs Policy 00:32:39 SEC vs ETH ETFs 00:36:55 ETH ETF Denial? 00:42:59 SEC Lying? 00:50:41 Leveraging Against Corruption 00:55:17 DeFi Education Fund vs SEC 01:03:56 Roman Storm 01:15:06 Can Courts Remain Impartial? 01:16:57 Elections Impact   ------ RESOURCES Amanda https://twitter.com/amandatums  Jake https://twitter.com/jchervinsky  ------ Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures⁠

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Amanda Tuminelli

Executive Director

DeFi Education Fund

In today's episode we dive into the emergence of decentralized social networks and how they enable new forms of distribution and business models. ​​Farcaster, a decentralized social network built on Ethereum, has seen 400% increase in daily active users. This episode's discussion unpacks the concept of headless marketplaces, powered by global onchain identity and money, and how they bring markets to users wherever they already are. We explore the the permissionless composability unlocked by onchain protocols and how frames allow embedded experiences inside applications, enabling seamless transactions and viral growth. Stick around for all of this and much more! - Follow Jesse: https://twitter.com/jessewldn Follow Antonio: https://twitter.com/antoniogm Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Arbitrum is a game-changer for daily Ethereum's users and developers, offering top applications and lower fees. As the leading scaling solution with 600+ apps, explore Arbitrum’s Portal to find your perfect fit. Interact with the home of DeFi, a flourishing NFT and creator ecosystem, and a rapidly growing Web3 gaming hub – Arbitrum has it all.  Get started at: portal.arbitrum.io  - - Harpie is the most advanced on-chain security solution for monitoring and protecting your crypto wallet from theft in real time. Harpie detects, blocks, and recovers compromised assets from malicious transactions before they execute, and is the only security tool to also protect users from off-chain signature attacks like the recent Ledger Connect Kit exploit. Secure your wallet for free at harpie.io. - - Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use EMPIRE10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there! Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home - - Timestamps (01:51) Headless Marketplaces (13:50) Embedded Experiences in Applications (18:58) Permissionless Composability of App Experiences (28:26) Frames & Farcaster Overview (37:05) Arbitrum Ad (37:52) Harpie Ad (39:07) Company Adoption (52:52) Importance of Brand (58:55) Ownership Economy Thesis - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Jesse Walden

Co-founder

MEMediachainVariant FundVariant

Antonio Martínez

Take the Unchained 2023 survey! Over the past year, the crypto industry has seen the rise of a new trend: the adoption of points systems.  Li Jin, cofounder of Variant Fund, says that while points systems have long been a staple in the Web2 domain, their integration into the crypto ecosystem could have pitfalls.  She covers how these points are currently being leveraged within crypto applications in the hopes of driving user engagement and retention, why they’re taking off now, and why they’re off-chain. She also points out that, if implemented poorly, they could engender disloyalty instead of leading to sustainable communities, and urges founders to be thoughtful about the design of these systems, especially about how points translate to economic value. Show highlights: What points are in crypto and their role in rewarding user behavior​​ Examples of popular projects that have successfully implemented points systems​​ Why points mechanisms are gaining traction in crypto, offering benefits of tokens without the downsides​​ Whether points, which are currently off-chain, will eventually move on-chain, and the implications for users and founders​​ How points can incentivize inorganic behavior, drawing from Li Jin's experience in the Web2 sector​​ The potential pitfalls of points systems and how they can sometimes create more disloyalty than loyalty​​ Identifying which crypto projects are best suited for using points, and the importance of product-market fit​​ Why keeping the economic value of points ambiguous can enhance user engagement and loyalty​​ Whether points are being used by projects to navigate around regulatory challenges​​ Future developments in points systems, including the potential of bringing points on-chain for a universal loyalty system​​ Thank you to our sponsors! Arbitrum Foundation Uniswap Popcorn Network Phemex Guest Li Jin, cofounder and General Partner at Variant Fund Previous appearances on Unchained:  Will Every Piece of Media Enter the Internet as an NFT? Variant Fund Says Yes The Chopping Block: Two on Two Debate: NFT Royalty Throwdown! Links Points Li’s Newsletter: Lessons on Points Programs for Crypto Apps Li’s comments on the topic:  Tweet 1 on points entering “the crypto app zeitgeist” Tweet 2 on points discounting the cost of the product Tweet 3 on points and product-market-fit Tweet 4 on how points can “distort activity” CoinDesk:  Crypto Points: Off-Chain Derivatives That Everyone is Talking About  Web3 Loyalty Programs Are a Trojan Horse for Good Crypto Policy DL News: Why DeFi protocols love to offer ‘points’ before airdrops  Projects using points Rainbow wallet Friend.tech Blast Blackbirds Marginfi Parcl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

In this episode of Empire, Li Jin from Variant Fund and Ben Leventhal from Blackbird and co-founder of Resy, cover the intersection of the consumer market and crypto. They delve into the history of consumer startups, the limitations of traditional businesses in the dining industry, and the potential of crypto to transform ownership. Ben discusses Blackbird and how it addresses issues in the restaurant industry by establishing better connection and understanding between restaurants and customers. To close out Li touches on her vision for consumer crypto leading into 2024. Thanks for tuning in!  - - Follow Li: https://twitter.com/ljin18 Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benleventhal Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/  - - Planning to grant token awards for your team? Toku makes implementing global token compensation and incentive awards simple. With Toku, you get unmatched legal and tax support to grant and administer your global team’s tokens. Toku navigates it across the lifecycle — from easy to use token grant award templates through tracking vesting to managing tax withholdings. Make it simple today, at https://www.toku.com/empire - - Timestamps: (00:00) End of Times for Consumer Apps (05:58) Consumer Crypto's Advantage (17:22) Identity Rails for Restaurants (21:23) Balancing Blockchain & Consumer Rights (27:45) Complexity of Building On Web3 (30:00) Toku ad (31:16) Variant Fund Approach to Consumer Crypto (36:23) Why Use Crypto? (41:54) FLY Token & Progressive Ownership (46:44) Mitigating Attack Vectors (50:21) Consumer Crypto in 2024 - - Resources Blackbird Docs https://www.blackbird.xyz/flypaper Li Jin Barrier to Mainstream Adoption https://variant.fund/articles/barrier-to-mainstream-crypto-adoption-is-product-market-fit/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

Ben Leventhal

Co-Founder and CEO

BlackbirdResyEater

In the latest episode of the Empire Policy Series, Santi hosts Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to delve into recent allegations of Hamas leveraging cryptocurrency for terrorism funding, FinCEN's upcoming rules concerning crypto mixers, and the IRS's evolving crypto tax regulations. The trio also dissect the the forthcoming 3-6 months of crypto regulation and discuss recent bipartisan legislative triumphs in the stablecoin domain. To close out both Rebecca and Jake highlight the need for industry-wide collaboration to ensure regulations both foster innovation and effectively mitigate inherent risks. - - Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (1:31) Is Crypto Financing Terrorism? (11:37) Policy Maker Responses to Crypto Terrorism (18:34) Chainalysis Ad (19:38) Mixer Rule by Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (31:49) Defining the Mixer Use Case (45:22) Tax Provision for Crypto (51:59) Regulatory Outlook - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources Submit a comment on regulation https://www.protectdefi.org/ DeFi Education Fund https://www.defieducationfund.org/ The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Many of our listeners are familiar with Li Jin, an investor and co-founder of Variant Fund and is one of our favorite thinkers on crypto and the creator economy. Li is also joined by Eugene Wei. He’s a web2 product visionary. Listeners may be familiar with some of his incredible blog posts such as, “Status as a Service”, “Invisible Asymptotes”, “Why Information Grows” and more.  In today’s episode, these two gigabrains, one from web2 social, one from web3 crypto, talk about the future of status as a service, psychological ownership, and the future ties between social and crypto.  ------ ✨ DEBRIEF | Ryan & David unpacking the episode: https://www.bankless.com/debrief-li-jin-eugene-wei  ----- 🏹 Airdrop Hunter is HERE, join your first HUNT today https://bankless.cc/JoinYourFirstHUNT  ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE ⁠https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q4   🦊METAMASK PORTFOLIO | MANAGE YOUR WEB3 EVERYTHING ⁠https://bankless.cc/MetaMask   ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM ⁠https://bankless.cc/Arbitrum   ⁠  🔗 CELO | CEL2 COMING SOON https://bankless.cc/Celo  ------ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 8:00 Web2 Social History 18:55 Is Web2 Ending? 24:50 Network Effect Theory 27:45 3 Paths to Break Free 32:17 The Internet’s Good, Bad, & Ugly 41:48 The Algorithm’s Constraints 46:25 Web2 to Web3 Learning Lessons 54:40 Love vs. Fame 1:00:24 Web3’s Potential 1:07:00 Crypto's Social vs. Financial Problem 1:19:30 Ethereum’s Social Network 1:25:14 Increasing Psychological Ownership 1:31:25 Price vs. Psychological Ownership 1:35:00 Eugene’s Advice to Crypto Builders  1:42:00 Li’s Take on Crypto’s Potential Closing & Disclaimers  ----- RESOURCES Li Jin https://twitter.com/ljin18 https://li.substack.com/p/the-ownership-economy-2022  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6AJlmB2h8k  https://li.substack.com/p/building-psychological-attachment   https://li.substack.com/p/love-vs-fame-a-framework-for-social  Eugene Wei  https://twitter.com/eugenewei  https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2019/2/19/status-as-a-service  https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2018/5/21/invisible-asymptotes   ----- Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

Eugene Wei

Former Head of Product

OculusRemains of the DayHuluFlipboard

Li Jin is the co-founder and a general partner at the VC firm Variant and has written extensively about the benefits of web3 social platforms for creators. Stani Kulechov is the creator of Aave (one of the largest decentralized finance protocols) and has been key to the development of the web3 social network platform, Lens Protocol. In this episode, Li and Kulechov examine the problems with the existing social media landscape and explain the opportunities that exist for new web3 social media attempts such as Lens Protocol. As Jin explains, one of the key benefits of web3 social is that "every element of the business model is totally in the creator's control." Outline: 01:15 - Existing Social Media Landscape 08:18 - Opportunities for Web3 Social 12:35 - 'Socioeconomic Graph' 14:20 - Lens Protocol 17:44 - Financialization of Social Media 25:30 - Monetization on X (Twitter) 31:00 - Community Ownership 34:46 - 'Liquid Citizen' 38:26 - Investing in Web3 Social 40:09 - Tokens & Web3 Social 45:17 - Lens Protocol v2

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

Stani Kulechov

Founder

AaveLens ProtocolAave LabsAvara

Jason is joined by Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky in today's special Policy Series episode to tackle the monumental implications of Grayscale ETF decision, Uniswap case dismissal and Tornado Cash indictments. They discuss how these decisions could impact the broader industry and what's coming up next for Bitcoin ETF decisions. - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:37)The Importance of Grayscale ETF Victory (11:20) “Chainalysis Ad” (12:24) ETF Consequences & What's Next? (28:48) Uniswap Case Dismissal (36:52) Impacts of Decisions (39:39) Creating a New Asset Class (41:27) Cravath Paper & Tornado Cash Indictment - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources: Grayscale ETF https://twitter.com/jchervinsky/status/1696544309699363201 https://blockworks.co/news/judges-grayscale-sec-ruling https://twitter.com/MTCoppel/status/1696856472762683814 Uniswap Case Dismissal https://blockworks.co/news/uniswap-class-action-dismissed https://twitter.com/haydenzadams/status/1696991910370411003 Cravath Paper & Tornado Cash https://twitter.com/Cravath/status/1697693810363351358?s=20 https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1/status/1697716451358982364 Crypto Use-cases thevaluedrop.io The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Join Santi and guests Rebeca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky in today's special Policy Series episode as they discuss the landmark Ripple case and its monumental impact. Explore the implications for future legislation, token sales practices, decentralization & governance, and get updates on MiCA & EU regulations.  - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:24) Landmark Ripple Case (14:00) Verdict Impact on Industry Financing (19:08) What's Next for Ripple Case? (24:35) Influence on Future Legislation (28:36) Token Sales in Practice (38:31) Decentralization & Governance (48:57) Digital Asset Market Structure Proposal (56:25) Updates on MiCA & EU (01:01:18) Call Your Representatives (01:09:02) Futures Curve (01:15:07) Recession Risk - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/  - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis.  Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases.  For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources   Crypto Usecases thevaluedrop.io  The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn - -  Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

XRP isn’t itself a security; it depends on how it’s sold. So said a federal judge last Thursday in the SEC vs. Ripple case and the implications are significant. Jake Chervinsky, chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association, and lawyer Kayvan Sadeghi, partner at Jenner & Block, join the show to discuss two major ramifications. One: U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres dealt a major blow to the legal theory underpinning the SEC’s case against Coinbase. Two: This order really “lights a fire” under U.S. lawmakers to act on a pair of crypto bills in Congress. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: why this is an “extraordinary victory” for the industry, according to Jake whether Judge Torres made the right decision how the SEC could seek an interlocutory appeal to halt the case, though it’s unlikely what are the pending items in the case that need to be resolved why the order that Judge Torres issued is not a final judgment why it is more important to look at the transaction, not at the nature of the asset, to determine whether something should be deemed a security whether the SEC has the authority to call digital assets securities the significance of the “major questions doctrine” how the order in the Ripple case will affect other cases like the Coinbase one whether exchanges should re-list XRP why this case could be instrumental in steering the direction of crypto regulation in the U.S. whether other crypto tokens like SOL or MATIC should feel relieved with this new ruling why Jake says that this case will speed up the chances of crypto legislation getting passed what the differences are between the current crypto bills that are being proposed whether SEC Chair Gary Gensler should recuse himself from enforcement actions in the crypto industry Thank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com Arbitrum Foundation TOKEN2049 Guests: Jake Chervinsky, chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association Previous appearances on Unchained: The Chopping Block: Jake Chervinsky on How the SEC Has Lost Credibility All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Kayvan Sadeghi, partner at Jenner & Block and co-chair of the fintech and crypto assets practice. Links: Previous coverage of Unchained on the Ripple case:  New Order in SEC vs. Ripple Over XRP Is a Win for Crypto: What Happens Now? The Chopping Block: Should XRP Holders Really Be Rejoicing? The SEC's Lawsuit Against Ripple and 2 Execs: What You Need to Know  Ripple's XRP: Why Its Chances of Success Are Low SEC vs Ripple: Judge Rules XRP Sold on Exchanges Is Not a Security CoinDesk: Ripple, Crypto Industry Score Partial Win in SEC Court Fight Over XRP Ripple Labs Ruling Throws U.S. Crypto-Token Regulation into Disarray The Washington Post: Ripple ruling threatens SEC’s crypto regulation push Chair Gensler Must Recuse Himself From Digital Asset Enforcement Decisions - Blockchain Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Kayvan Sadeghi

Partner

Jenner & Block

Today we are joined by Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to discuss the SEC's attack on crypto and how the industry needs to respond. Rebecca and Jake explore the SEC lawsuits, the McHenry-Thompson Bill, their expected US regulation timeline, DC's sentiment and more! Regulation and policy are becoming must-know topics for crypto participants, and this is your go-to source for everything you need to know. This is the second episode in an ongoing regulatory and policy series with Jake and Rebecca! - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:53) The SEC Lawsuits: What’s Next? (10:53) “Chainalysis Ad” (11:57) The SEC Lawsuits: What’s Next? (16:02) We Need a Use Case to Show Regulators (21:06) The McHenry-Thompson Bill (38:23) Unprecedented Action by the SEC (45:47) MiCA, Global Legislation and the US’s Timeline (54:10) Non-Custodial Tax Reporting (56:18) DC's Sentiment: FTX Still Lingers - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources: The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn Polygon https://polygon.technology/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

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 this episode, the Blockchain Association’s Jake Chervinsky breaks down the cases against Binance and Coinbase – and how they are different from FTX – what it means for the crypto industry, and who may be next. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights:  Why Jake believes that the Binance lawsuit didn’t present major surprises Whether the SEC is trying to ban the crypto industry by enforcement How Binance has been allegedly doing a huge amount of wash trading Whether Gemini is next on the SEC’s enforcement action list How CZ and Coinbase CEOs have responded to the complaints How the market reacted to the lawsuits What the differences are between the Binance case and FTX Why the SEC is alleging that Coinbase is operating as an unregistered broker, exchange, and clearing agency Whether token issuers can bring action against the SEC for harming their business or reputation Whether the crypto industry doesn’t take the SEC seriously Whether the EOS settlement in 2019 shows how inconsistent the SEC has been in its crypto enforcement actions  Whether these cases will have an impact in Congress and accelerate legislation  What would happen if Gary Gensler stops being the chair of the SEC Hosts Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly  Robert Leshner, founder of Compound Tom Schmidt, general partner at Dragonfly  Tarun Chitra, managing partner at Robot Ventures Guest Jake Chervinsky, chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association Previous Unchained Appearances: Can Crypto Be a Force in the Midterms? Yes, Say Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky Everything You Need to Know About the Looming Battle Over Privacy in Crypto All Things Crypto Regulation With Jake Chervinsky Disclosures Links Unchained: SEC Sues Coinbase for Breaking Securities Laws SEC Files Motion to Freeze Binance’s Assets, Asks for ‘Sworn Accounting’ SEC Files 13 Charges Against Binance Including the Mishandling of Funds, Sale of Unregistered Securities SEC Calls Solana, Polygon, Algorand and Other Tokens Securities but Misses Ether in Binance Lawsuit US House Republicans Propose Bill That May Give Crypto Assets a Path to Becoming Commodities Fortune: Former Coinbase employee and his brother settle with the SEC, which again dodges proving whether cryptocurrencies are securities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Joining us today are the best in the biz Chervinsky & Amanda Tuminelli who are here to answer all our questions about the SEC and it's assault on the crypto industry as a whole.  ------ 📣 ASYMETRIX | STAKE stETH NOW https://bankless.cc/asymetrix-pod  ------ 🚀 Airdrop Alpha is waiting for you on Bankless.com  https://bankless.cc/Alpha   ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS:  🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2    🦊METAMASK LEARN | HELPFUL WEB3 RESOURCE https://bankless.cc/MetaMask  ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM https://bankless.cc/Arbitrum  👾STADER LABS | ETHX LIQUID STAKING https://bankless.cc/Stader  🗣️TOKU | CRYPTO EMPLOYMENT SOLUTION https://bankless.cc/Toku  🎮IMMUTABLE | GAMING ECOSYSTEM https://bankless.cc/Immutable  🛞MANTLE | MODULAR LAYER 2 NETWORK https://bankless.cc/Mantle  ------ CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 6:05 Who are Jake and Amanda? 8:08 Breaking Down This Historical Moment 11:19 The SEC Never Wanted Crypto To Win 14:56 Why Is Gary So Confident? 18:43 David's Conspiracy Theory 23:52 What if Gary Actually Wins? 31:07 Clarity From The Court Date? 35:01 Does Gary Just Want the Fame? 36:49 Why The SEC Rejects Public Process 38:34 Is This Un-Constitutional? 44:06 Jake's Optimistic Take 48:14 The Digital Asset Bill 52:44 How YOU Can Take Action ----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research. Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Amanda Tuminelli

Executive Director

DeFi Education Fund

Today we are joined by Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to discuss the state of crypto regulation. Rebecca and Jake explain how the US is falling behind, the EU's MiCA regulation, the SEC's attack on Coinbase, Gary's false sense of control and the hottest crypto bills in DC. Regulation and policy are becoming must-know topics for crypto participants, and this is your go-to source for everything you need to know. This is the first episode in an ongoing regulatory and policy series with Jake and Rebecca! - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:40) The State of Crypto Regulation (02:36) Europe's MiCA Legislation (11:10) “Chainalysis Ad” (12:14) Coinbase’s Offshore Expansion (14:11) The UK’s Approach and What’s Next for the EU (19:07) Gary Gensler’s April Testimony (22:45) Coinbase’s Fight with the SEC (30:08) Warren Marshall Bill (35:21) The US Policy Outlook - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - This episode is brought to you by Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, web3 companies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies. Our data powers investigation, compliance, and business intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases. For more information, visit www.Chainalysis.com/empire. - - Resources: Coinbase's response to the SEC’s Wells notice https://www.coinbase.com/blog/coinbase-responds-to-the-secs-wells-notice The Blockchain Association https://theblockchainassociation.org/ https://twitter.com/BlockchainAssn Polygon https://polygon.technology/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Jesse Walden and Li Jin are General Partners at the crypto venture firm, Variant. In this episode, Walden and Jin announce the launch of Variant's new Founder Fellowship — a three-month educational program for crypto founders at the earliest stages of their startup journey. During this episode, Chaparro, Jin, and Walden also discuss: Developments in web3 social networking How token models can be more effective Why bear markets are better for building This episode is brought to you by our sponsors Circle, Railgun, Flare Network About Circle Circle is a global financial technology company helping money move at internet speed. Our mission is to raise global economic prosperity through the frictionless exchange of value. Visit Circle.com to learn more. About Railgun Railgun is a private DeFi solution on Ethereum, BSC, Arbitrum and Polygon. Shield any ERC-20 token and any NFT into a Private Balance and let Railgun’s zero-knowledge cryptography encrypt your address, balance and transaction history. You can also bring privacy to your project with Railgun SDK, and be sure to check out Railgun with partner project Railway Wallet, also available on iOS and Android. Visit Railgun.org to find out more. About Flare Flare is an EVM-based Layer 1 blockchain designed to allow developers to build applications that can use data from other blockchains and the internet. By providing decentralized access to a wide variety of high-integrity data from other blockchains and the internet, Flare enables new use cases and monetization models. Build better and connect everything at Flare.Network.

Jesse Walden

Co-founder

MEMediachainVariant FundVariant

Li Jin

Founder

Variant FundVariantAtelier Ventures

In this episode of Empire, Kristin Smith and Jake Chervinsky join us to discuss how FTX's collapse will impact crypto regulation. SBF was the poster child of crypto in D.C. - how will his fallout damage crypto's reputation? Did regulators fail consumers, and how will they respond? What are the shortcomings of the DCCPA bill? How important are the political midterms, and what is happening in the securities vs commodities debate? Tune in to find out! - - Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:54) SBF’s Unbelievable Damage (07:17) How Active Was SBF In D.C.? (09:52) The First Red Flags & DCCPA Threats (22:56) Where Regulators Failed (27:32) Expected Reaction From D.C. (33:43) Circle Ad (35:26) DCCPA Overview & Its Impact On DeFi (47:53) What The Midterms Mean For Crypto (50:55) The Litigation Phase (55:07) LBRY, Ripple & Progressive Decentralization (1:03:45) A Path Forward - - Follow Kristin: https://twitter.com/KMSmithDC Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Circle’s USDC has quickly become one of the most trusted and widely used stablecoins because of its composability, stability and reserve transparency. As a seamless, trusted digital currency, USDC is a zero-to-one opportunity for the global financial system. Check out their Transparency Hub at http://empirepodcast.link/circle that outlines everything from links to USDC weekly reserve reports, monthly attestations, and blog posts written by their executive team highlighting how and why USDC was built the way it is. - - Resources Jake's tweet thread on DCCPA https://twitter.com/jchervinsky/status/1570451252852527104 Brian Amstrong's response to Elizabeth Warren https://twitter.com/brian_armstrong/status/1590511022104010753 Ron Hammond's tweet thread on FTX/SBF https://twitter.com/ronwhammond/status/1590741692348772352 Blockchain Association website https://theblockchainassociation.org/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Kristin Smith

CEO

Blockchain Association

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Blockchain AssociationVariant FundCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Welcome to The Chopping Block! Host Haseeb Qureshi partnered with Zhuoxun Yin, cofounder of Magic Eden, to debate Unchained host Laura Shin and Li Jin, cofounder at Variant Fund, on the topic of NFT Royalties.  Show highlights: What NFT royalties are Why Laura believes zero NFT royalties is a bad business decision prioritizing short-term needs over long-term ones and that it will turn creators off from the industry How charging royalties is not sustainable, according to Haseeb Why royalties are the best mechanism to align incentives between creators and holders, according to Li The technical limitations of NFT royalties on a general-purpose blockchain like Ethereum or Solana How to align incentives between NFT creators and holders Why the prices of NFTs would go up if royalties are not enforced Whether the NFT market will change in the future Whether it is possible to create a standard that enforces royalties in a smart contract The creators’ reaction to Magic Eden moving to optional royalties The possibility of a bifurcation of the NFT market Hosts Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly  Guests Laura Shin, author, and host of Unchained Zhuoxun Yin, cofounder of Magic Eden Li Jin, cofounder of Variant Episode Links Magic Eden Optional Royalties - Unchained Coverage  Post-debate poll Tool Metashield  The standards innovation paradox by Li Jin X2y2 flexible royalties Previous episodes of The Chopping Block debating NFT Royalties The Chopping Block - Ep. 405 The Chopping Block - Ep. 386 Article: Why NFT Creators and Collectors Can’t Stop Talking About Artist Royalties Article: NFT Royalties: Why artists love them, and traders don’t Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zhuoxun Yin

Co-Founder and COO

Magic Eden

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

In this episode of Empire, Jason and Santi are joined by Cooper Turley, aka Coopahtroopa, for a master class on music NFTs. We all listen to music every day, yet monetization for 99% of artists is abysmal. Coop explains how artists can leverage Web3 to maximize revenue, fan engagement and creativity. We explore how music NFTs work, why they have value, which artists should participate and how Web3 will revolutionize the music industry. Cooper is an absolute expert, you won't want to miss it! - - Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:00) Coop Records & Intro to Music NFTs (06:50) The Evolution of Music Monetization (11:30) How to Value Music NFTs (14:41) Artists as CEOs & the Music NFT Market (22:59) Circle Ad (24:41) Should Every Artist Create Music NFTs? (28:57) Do Music NFTs Need Utility? (37:40) One-of-Ones vs Collections (41:35) AI-Generated Music & Virtual Artists (47:05) Monetization, Fan Data and the Innovator's Dilemma (53:16) Incubating Artists, Creator Equity Tokens & Community (1:00:01) Tokenized Media & Rapid Fire Questions - - Follow Cooper: https://twitter.com/Cooopahtroopa Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw - - Resources Relics by Monstercat https://relics.xyz/ Hume https://www.wearehume.com/ Coop's Substack https://thisweekinmusicnfts.substack.com/ Coop Records https://www.cooprecords.xyz/ -- Circle’s USDC has quickly become one of the most trusted and widely used stablecoins because of its composability, stability and reserve transparency. As a seamless, trusted digital currency, USDC is a zero-to-one opportunity for the global financial system. Check out their Transparency Hub at circle.com/transparency that outlines everything from links to USDC weekly reserve reports, monthly attestations, and blog posts written by their executive team highlighting how and why USDC was built the way it is. - - Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Cooper Turley

Creator economy investor & advisor

AudiusVariant FundCoop RecordsFriends With Benefits

In this episode of Empire, Jason and Santi are joined by Rebecca Rettig and Jake Chervinsky to discuss the state of crypto regulation. We explore what Tornado Cash sanctions mean for crypto, how to define decentralization, if tokens will be considered securities, Ethereum censorship, what to expect from future regulation and more! - - (00:00) Introduction (01:18) Tornado Cash Sanctions (16:09) Defining Decentralization (26:17) What Has Been Most Damaging to Crypto? (31:03) Do Regulators Understand the Nuances of Crypto? (37:35) What Regulations Should Be Prioritized Today? (39:27) A Focus on User Protection (46:17) Getting Congress on Our Side (59:45) The SEC's Attack on Crypto (Coinbase) (1:01:02) Uniswap Fee Switch Implications (1:08:17) ETH Validators & OFAC Compliance (1:19:27) Permissionless vs Permissioned DeFi - - Follow Rebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRettig1 Follow Jake: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw - - Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Rebecca Rettig

Chief Policy Officer

Polygon LabsJito LabsPolygonDeFi Education Fund

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

On today's State of the Nation, it's time to bring back the crypto legal mind of Jake Chervinsky. With the recent OFAC sanctions against Tornado Cash and the cascading chilling effect, our digital rights are under attack. Have we seen the death of crypto privacy? What can we do to help advocate for digital justice? As always, Jake brings a thoughtful and measured approach to these crucial topics. ------  Chainlink | Register for SmartCon 2022 with promo code “BANKLESS” https://bankless.cc/smartcon  ------  SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER:          https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/    ️ SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:                 http://podcast.banklesshq.com/    ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS:   LENS | ACCESS CODE: VITALIK https://bankless.cc/Lens   ROCKET POOL | ETH STAKING https://bankless.cc/RocketPool  ️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM https://bankless.cc/Arbitrum   BRAVE | THE BROWSER NATIVE WALLET https://bankless.cc/Brave   JUNO | BRIDGE FIAT TO LAYER 2 https://bankless.cc/Juno  ️ ZKSYNC | THE LAYER 2 SCALING ENDGAME https://bankless.cc/zkSync  ----- Resources: Jake Chervisnky: https://twitter.com/jchervinsky  Set Alex Free: https://setalexfree.nl/  ----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research. Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/p/bankless-disclosures

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

This week on The Defiant Podcast we speak to Jake Chervinsky, the executive vice president and head of policy at Blockchain Association, a non-profit trade association representing the crypto industry in Washington DC. Jake is one of the most qualified to discuss the US Treasury Department sanctioning Tornado Cash, a development that’s caused shockwaves through crypto. Thanking our podcast sponsors: 1inch is a DEX aggregator that finds the best rates across multiple networks. Why use a single DEX when you can use them all? Find your best deal at 1inch. Pods stETHvv allows you to accumulate more ETH in only one click. Every time ETH price bounces, up or down, the vault earns more ETH. In this market it's not a matter of IF price will move, but WEN. ZenGo a crypto wallet that uses biometric encryption, 3FA authentication and MPC wallet cryptography instead of private keys.

Jake Chervinsky

Partner

Variant FundBlockchain AssociationCompound FinanceCompoundVariantCompound LabsHCHyperliquid Policy Center

Variant — a venture capital firm founded on the idea that the next iteration of the internet is going to be defined by decentralized, user-owned networks — has raised $450 million to be deployed across two new funds. In this episode of The Scoop, Variant co-founders Jesse Walden and Spencer Noon reveal how they plan on allocating the capital — and why Variant remains bullish on the long-term future of web3. According to Walden, the technology powering the emerging web3 industry will only improve from here: “In the history of technology, technology doesn't get worse and disappear — it gets better and more pervasive. And that's happening at an exponential rate in Web3, because this is all software, it's all open source, and there's just tons of talent jumping in... So the tech is working, and again, I think that means it's only going to be more pervasive.” Although web3 is still in its infancy, the Variant co-founders believe elements of it are already disrupting their centralized equivalents. For example, Walden describes how certain distressed lenders recently prioritized paying back loans to DeFi protocols over other counterparties: “DeFi protocols were the only protocols that got paid back by some of these institutions that blew up … the transparency and sort of enforcement of these smart contracts can actually have better outcomes than the alternative, which is opacity and sort of trust in the wrong parties.” Episode 70 of Season 4 of The Scoop was recorded remotely with The Block's Frank Chaparro, and Variant Co-Founders Jesse Walden and Spencer Noon. Listen below, and subscribe to The Scoop on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts. Email feedback and revision requests to podcast@theblockcrypto.com. This episode is brought to you by our sponsors Chainalysis & IWC Schaffhausen About Chainalysis Chainalysis is the leading blockchain data platform. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, exchanges, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies in over 60 countries. Backed by Accel, Addition, Benchmark, Coatue, Paradigm, Ribbit, and other leading firms in venture capital, Chainalysis builds trust in blockchains to promote more financial freedom with less risk. For more information, visit www.chainalysis.com. About IWC Schaffhausen IWC Schaffhausen is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Known for its unique engineering approach to watchmaking, IWC combines the best of human craftsmanship and creativity with cutting-edge technology and processes. With collections like the Portugieser and the Pilot’s Watches, the brand covers the whole spectrum from elegant timepieces to sports watches. For more information, visit IWC.com

Jesse Walden

Co-founder

MEMediachainVariant FundVariant

Spencer Noon

Partner

Variant FundVariant

On today's episode of Empire, Jason Yanowitz and Santiago Roel Santos are joined by Li Jin and Jesse Walden of Variant. Bringing their specific expertise on the creator space, Li and Jesse discuss what it means to form a crypto creator economy that not only supports quality content but attracts players to actually invest in the concept. With Jason and Santiago, they cover mainstream adoption, NFTs, what it means to be an owner, and more. -- ParaSwap: If you want to make a swap at the best price across the DeFi market, check out paraswap.io. ParaSwap’s state-of-the-art algorithm beats the market price across all major DEXs and brings you the most optimized swaps with the best prices, and lowest slippage. -- Empire is brought to you by Blockworks, a financial media brand delivering breaking news and premium insights about digital assets to millions of investors. For more content like this, subscribe to Blockworks' free daily newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ Follow me and Santiago on Twitter, @JasonYanowitz and @santiagoroel; let us know what you thought of the show! Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UTePv1CR3APdKOiosR3Iq?si=41bc452345b649f9 Subscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://apple.co/3srZf7M

Li Jin

Founder

Atelier VenturesVariantVariant Fund

Jesse Walden

Co-founder

VariantVariant FundMEMediachain