Blockspace: AI & Bitcoin Coinbase and CLARITY, OP_NET Raises $5M, Blockfills Goes Bankrupt, Drukenmiller Fades BTC
Mar 16, 2026
Valentin Rousseau, Hashlabs analyst who ranks countries for Bitcoin mining. Danny Plainview, OP_NET co-founder explaining the OpNet smart contract protocol. Chad Masters, OP_NET co-founder discussing the $5M raise and Bitcoin-native smart contract vision. They discuss OP_NET’s technical choices and developer momentum. They also cover the best and worst mining jurisdictions and recent industry turmoil around Blockfills and policy moves.
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De Minimis Exemption Affects Everyday Crypto Payments
- The de minimis exemption would remove tax reporting for small crypto purchases (originally $200, later $300).
- This matters because every crypto payment can trigger capital gains reporting even for stablecoins, since peg fluctuations and arbitrage create nonzero gains.
Stablecoin Interest Is The Big Regulatory Prize
- A core CLARITY provision at stake is allowing stablecoin issuers to pay interest to depositors, a major prize for exchanges.
- Banks oppose it because interest on stablecoins could drive capital away from traditional banking.
OP_NET Raised $5M And Ignited A 400+ App Hackathon
- OP_NET raised $5M to fund infrastructure and launched a VibeCode.finance hackathon attracting 400+ dApps.
- Danny Plainview said ~125 projects used working smart contracts and builders created DeFi, on-chain art, file storage, and messaging tools.