Unchained
Laura Shin
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
5 snips
Apr 8, 2026 • 54min
DEX in the City: How the SEC’s Crypto Task Force Is Rebuilding Trust with Builders
Sumeera Younis, SEC Crypto Task Force Chief of Operations, coordinates outreach and guidance. Commissioner Hester Peirce, an SEC commissioner focused on clear crypto rules and industry dialogue. They discuss rebuilding trust with builders, how roundtables and AI shape guidance, tokenization as a priority, SEC–CFTC coordination, and ways to make compliance workable for small teams.
8 snips
Apr 8, 2026 • 1h 10min
How 'Booth Babes' at Crypto Conferences Could Lead to Big Hacks Like Drift's
Amanda Wick, crypto compliance lead at VerifyVASP, and Michael Lewellen, blockchain security pro from Turnkey, unpack a six‑month in‑person long con that enabled the $285M Drift hack. They probe conference social engineering, Potemkin identities, use of USDC for laundering, why stablecoin freezes lag, booth-access risks, nation‑state tradecraft, and practical operational defenses.
13 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 60min
Bits + Bips: $285M Hack, Iran's Crypto War Machine & the Token Fundamentals Crisis
Chris Perkins, founder and leader in crypto asset management and head of 250 Digital, talks institutional crypto strategies and security. He breaks down a major hack and how nation-state actors used long-term tradecraft. They debate stablecoin risk, freezing tools, liability for upgradable contracts, and Franklin Templeton’s acquisition of 250 Digital.
Apr 6, 2026 • 46min
How Bitcoin Is Both a Risk Asset and a Hedge Against Debasement
Jim Ferraioli, Director of Digital Currencies Research and Strategy at Charles Schwab, blends traditional finance with crypto macro research. He discusses treating crypto as a risk asset, Bitcoin as a hedge against monetary debasement, miner cost-of-production support levels, and why Ethereum’s role in tokenization matters far beyond short-term price moves.
Apr 6, 2026 • 1h 17min
How State-Sponsored Hackers Like DPRK Drain DeFi Protocols: Uneasy Money
A massive DeFi drain on Solana and the mystery of why frozen USDC stayed in Circle's control. Deep dives into DPRK-style malware, stealthy supply-chain compromises, and why antivirus often misses nation-state tooling. A fresh look at a high-profile source leak that exposes agent harnesses and what that means for rapid AI model development.
38 snips
Apr 5, 2026 • 57min
The Chopping Block: Is Canton a Real Blockchain? Ethereum’s Cypherpunk Dilemma, AI Security Chaos
Evgeny Gaevoy, founder and CEO of Wintermute and a blunt market‑maker, debates whether Canton is truly permissionless or just TradFi in crypto clothing. He argues for Ethereum to lean into cypherpunk roots like a Linux sanctuary. The conversation pivots to AI-driven hacks, supply‑chain attacks, and how open source security is being forced to reinvent itself.
34 snips
Apr 5, 2026 • 1h 5min
Do Centralized Real World Assets on DeFi Break Ethereum? - Bits + Bips
They examine how rising bond yields and oil shocks are reshaping geopolitics and markets. The conversation explores escalation risks around the Strait of Hormuz and how that feeds market volatility. A heated debate centers on whether permissioned chains or a permissionless settlement layer will win for real-world assets. They close by weighing legal, censorship, and systemic risks if financial assets enter DeFi.
13 snips
Apr 5, 2026 • 46min
How Bitcoin Is Both a Risk Asset and a Hedge Against Debasement
Jim Ferraioli, Director of Digital Currencies Research and Strategy at Charles Schwab, explains why traditional finance valuation frameworks are now shaping crypto. He discusses Bitcoin as a risk asset that also hedges monetary debasement. He outlines a miner cost‑of‑production model for support levels and why Ethereum’s role in tokenization matters for long‑term value.
Apr 4, 2026 • 39min
How Solana's Largest Perp DEX Was Exploited for $285 Million
Omer Goldberg, founder and CEO of Chaos Labs and DeFi security analyst, breaks down the $285M Drift Protocol exploit. He walks through how an admin-key compromise, supply-chain trusts, fake collateral and a Solana nonce trick let attackers quietly escalate access. The conversation also covers slow responses, contagion to vaults and whether the attack bears state-linked fingerprints.
6 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 42min
DEX in the City: Why the Prediction Market Bans Could Just Be Beginning
Ryne Miller, former FTX general counsel and Partner at Morrison & Foerster, brings CFTC know-how. He breaks down the agency’s aggressive push on crypto, AI, and prediction markets. Short takes cover shifting rulemaking, staffing limits, rising bans on prediction-market participation by officials, and permissioned versus public chain tradeoffs.
