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Bitcoin rockets to an all-time high, raising eyebrows about Ethereum's path. The hosts dive into the aftermath of elections influencing crypto markets and the shocking FBI raid on Polymarket's CEO. Highlights from DevCon week shine a light on innovative proposals and the Beam Chain announcement. The growing popularity of meme coins and the surprising adoption of ZK rollups by Deutsche Bank signal shifting tides in finance. With retail investors flocking to platforms like Coinbase, the landscape of cryptocurrency is evolving rapidly.

Ejaaz Ahamadeen, a former Coinbase product manager and now a Crypto-AI fund operator, dives into the exciting intersection of AI agents and cryptocurrency. He discusses whether AI x Crypto is a genuine wave or just a fleeting trend. Ejaaz explores the rise of autonomous language models, the potential risks and ethical concerns surrounding AI, and how decentralized networks may redefine investment strategies. He emphasizes the crucial need for transparency and the evolving role of AI in enhancing user experiences within the crypto space.

The hosts share bold predictions for Bitcoin and Ethereum's prices by 2025, emphasizing that Ethereum is undervalued. They dive into the excitement of Layer 2 technologies and the potential rise of memecoins. Discussions include the evolving landscape of DeFi and the contrasting narratives of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Personal stories highlight life changes that fueled their passion for crypto, giving insight into their optimistic outlook for the future of digital currencies.

Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and CIO of the Maelstrom Fund, dives into the financial landscape, discussing what he's buying for 2025. He believes the U.S. election won’t affect money printing, which he predicts will surpass COVID stimulus. The conversation touches on the looming Chinese property bubble and the Fed's impact on the economy. Hayes also shares insights into his crypto portfolio and the evolving role of Ethereum as a potential monetary asset, setting the stage for the upcoming bull market.

The podcast dives into the political shake-up reshaping the cryptocurrency landscape, sparked by a Republican win. It discusses Bitcoin reaching new all-time highs and the implications of pro-crypto candidates in Congress. The Polymarket's influence during election coverage is examined, along with emerging trends in DeFi and market dynamics. There's a focus on significant investment moves by major players and the potential for a DeFi Renaissance. Exploration of new stablecoins and their competitive edge rounds out an insightful look at the evolving crypto environment.

Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, provides sharp insights into how the recent Republican victories could reshape the crypto landscape. He discusses the explosive price action in cryptocurrencies and examines the potential for new legislation. A highlight is the role of Polymarket in election analysis, showcasing crypto's growing political influence. Thorn also delves into the implications of SEC actions and the need for clearer regulations, emphasizing the importance of crypto advocacy in a shifting political context.

In this discussion, Anthony Sassano, a prominent angel investor and creator of The Daily Gwei, shares his insights on Ethereum's current market challenges. He analyses why ETH prices are lagging compared to competitors like Solana and Bitcoin. The conversation dives into the significance of Layer 2 solutions, Ethereum's evolving security landscape, and the impact of institutional investment. Additionally, Anthony addresses the project's marketing hurdles and outlines bullish catalysts for ETH, making a compelling case for its future growth.

Justin Drake, an Ethereum researcher known for his innovative work on Based Rollups, joins the discussion about the future of Ethereum. He explains how these rollups could revolutionize the Ethereum ecosystem, enhancing interoperability and reducing fragmentation in DeFi. The conversation delves into the mechanics of shared sequencing and real-time proving, as well as the economic implications for Ether and competition with other platforms. Drake's insights spark hope for a more efficient and interconnected blockchain landscape.

The discussion kicks off with the rise of AI agents in crypto and growing Bitcoin inflows ahead of the U.S. election. They explore Ethereum's price discovery and potential Microsoft acquisitions of Bitcoin. A surge in meme coins and advancements in layer two networks is also highlighted. The hosts analyze Bitcoin's approaching all-time high, the dominance of USDC in the stablecoin market, and Robinhood's new prediction markets feature. They also touch on regulatory challenges for centralized stablecoins and the evolving nature of digital interactions.

The collision between crypto and AI agents has officially begun. Matthew Stephensen of Pantera Capital research partner and author of “Crypto: Picks and Shovels for the AI Gold Rush,” joins us today.  We dive into the world of autonomous AI agents on blockchains, discussing the evolving role of agents, AI-driven market changes, and whether blockchain is the natural substrate for AI. Matt sheds light on topics from agent liability and regulatory challenges to infrastructure value capture and the "picks and shovels" approach to investing in AI-driven crypto tech.  Are AI agents on blockchains the obvious future? And how do scarcity and abundance interact in this new era? Join us as we tackle these questions and more, exploring what the future might hold at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and blockchain. ------ 🍵0x v2 | NEXT GEN PRICING ENGINE https://bankless.cc/0x   ------ 📣GET YOUR ALL-ACCESS PASS TO THE PODCAST https://bankless.cc/podshownotes  ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: 🐙KRAKEN | MOST-TRUSTED CRYPTO EXCHANGE https://k.xyz/bankless-pod-q2    ⁠ 🦄UNISWAP | BROWSER EXTENSION https://bankless.cc/uniswap  🪄MAGIC EDEN | HOME OF WEB3 https://bankless.cc/MagicEden  🛞MANTLE | MODULAR LAYER 2 NETWORK https://bankless.cc/Mantle    🤖 0G | MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, INEVITABLE https://bankless.cc/0G  ------ ✨ Mint the episode on Zora ✨ https://zora.co/collect/zora:0x0c294913a7596b427add7dcbd6d7bbfc7338d53f/86?referrer=0x077Fe9e96Aa9b20Bd36F1C6290f54F8717C5674E  ------ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 5:34 Crypto x AI Narrative Shift  6:39 AI & Economic Agents Explained  11:50 GOAT Memecoin Summary  23:15 Were AI Crypto Agents Obvious?  25:18 Luna AI Token & Terminal  29:41 Consequences? Is This Life? 33:27 Exciting Use Cases 40:27 Sam Altman Quote Importance  42:33 Wealth Generation Process & Blockspace 48:15 Programmable Money & Agent MEV 56:14 The AI Agent & Memecoin Thesis 1:03:03 Government & Society Reaction Predictions 1:11:09 No Off Buttons?... 1:13:40 DePin & AI 1:16:45 AI Agent Blockspace Demand 1:19:15 Closing & Disclaimers ------ RESOURCES Matthew Stephenson  https://x.com/stephensonhmatt  Crypto's Role In The AI Revolution https://panteracapital.com/blockchain-letter/cryptos-role-in-the-ai-revolution/#crypto-ai-gold-rush  ------ Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures ⁠