Episodes

  • Ethereum Must Move Faster or Risk Losing Its Edge Says Starkware Founder | Markets Outlook
    Jul 10 2026
    Is Ethereum moving too slow? On today's Markets Outlook, StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why he believes Ethereum's ambitious roadmap must move faster—or risk losing its first-mover advantage to newer, more modern blockchains. He also explains why quantum readiness has become an urgent priority and shares his vision for a durable, peer-to-peer financial system built on true economic freedom. Plus, in this week's Brand New Rails, we speak with Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante after Backpack Securities' tokenized SpaceX stock (SPCX) surpassed $1 billion in trading volume. - Timecodes: 00:00 - Eli Ben-Sasson Joins Markets Outlook 01:07 - Eli’s Take on Vitalik's Ethereum Roadmap 03:23 - What Eli Would Do Differently: Speed and StarkNet Lessons 04:34 - What's at Stake if Ethereum Falls Behind 06:04 - What Ethereum Needs Now: Speed and Governance Transparency 09:25 - Brand New Rails: SpaceX IPO Drives Record Tokenized Equity Trading 11:16 - Recursive STARKs and Ethereum's Upgrade Path 13:01 - Quantum Computing: Can Ethereum Move Fast Enough? 16:58 - Privacy Wars: Zcash, Ethereum, and the Race for a Standard - This episode is brought to you by RealFi, a smarter stablecoin, backed by real-world assets. Find out more at realfi.co. - Ledn provides a secure and transparent way to access liquidity while maintaining your bitcoin holdings. Perfect 8 year track record of keeping clients assets safe. Don't sell your bitcoin. Get a bitcoin-backed loan. Check out your rate by using their loan calculator at ledn.io - JPEG Trading is a global proprietary trading firm specializing in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance markets. From market structure and liquidity provision to quantitative trading strategies, JPEG Trading operates across the full spectrum of blockchain-based assets. Follow @jpegtrading on X to stay ahead of the latest developments in digital asset markets: https://x.com/jpegtrading - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Why Markus Thielen Says Bitcoin's Pain Isn't Over Yet | Markets Outlook
    Jul 2 2026
    Will Bitcoin dip below $50K? On today's Markets Outlook, 10x Research Founder and CEO Markus Thielen tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why he sees Bitcoin dropping even more before recovery, with $7B in ETF outflows since mid-May and MicroStrategy stepping back as the last real buyer. Plus, why he stays bearish on Ethereum, why he's calling Hyperliquid overvalued, and why nothing turns around until the Fed goes dovish. - Timecodes: 00:00 Bitcoin Could Dip to $46K Before Year-End Rally 01:20 Bitcoin Falls Below $60K: What's Driving the Selloff? 02:37 $4.5B in ETF Outflows, Saylor's Bitcoin Sale, and Missing Catalysts 03:14 Why the Genius Act and CLARITY Weren't Real Catalysts 05:00 When Does the Fed Turn Dovish? The Macro Case for a Rally 05:19 Kevin Warsh Nomination Was the Turning Point for Bitcoin 07:27 Why Bitcoin Could Break Below $50K to $46–47K 09:41 The 2022 Parallel: Grayscale's SEC Win as the Sentiment Shift 11:06 Brand New Rails: Securitize Lists on NYSE 12:40 Where Does Bitcoin End the Year? 13:51 Why Markus Is Still Bearish on Ethereum 15:20 Stablecoin Activity Isn't Accruing to ETH Holders 16:40 The Bull Case for ETH Has Broken Down 17:28 Hyperliquid Overvalued at $72? 18:33 Why HYPE Is Unlikely to Reach $100 19:46 What to Do Now: Covered Calls, Shorts, and Watching for the Low - This episode is brought to you by RealFi, a smarter stablecoin, backed by real-world assets. Find out more at realfi.co. - Ledn provides a secure and transparent way to access liquidity while maintaining your bitcoin holdings. Perfect 8 year track record of keeping clients assets safe. Don't sell your bitcoin. Get a bitcoin-backed loan. Check out your rate by using their loan calculator at ledn.io - JPEG Trading is a global proprietary trading firm specializing in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance markets. From market structure and liquidity provision to quantitative trading strategies, JPEG Trading operates across the full spectrum of blockchain-based assets. Follow @jpegtrading on X to stay ahead of the latest developments in digital asset markets: https://x.com/jpegtrading - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Ethereum Is Facing A Critical Funding Gap, Says Ex-EF Member | Markets Outlook
    Jun 25 2026
    Does Ethereum have a funding crisis? On today's Markets Outlook, Protocol Guild Organizer Trent Van Epps tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why the Ethereum Foundation's subtraction philosophy is creating a critical funding gap for core developers, what it will take to fill it, and why he's still optimistic about ETH's future. - Timecodes: 00:00 - Trent Van Epps Joins Markets Outlook 00:57 - Why Trent Left the Ethereum Foundation 01:55 - What Is Subtraction and Why It Matters 02:31 - 20% Workforce Cuts and the Funding Gap Explained 05:09 - Options for Solving the Funding Crisis 07:06 - Will Ethereum Lose Its First Mover Advantage? 08:40 - What Happens If the Funding Doesn't Come? 10:47 - What Institutions Should Replace the EF? 12:24 - Ethereum’s Future 14:37 - ETH the Asset: The Misconceptions and the Opportunity - Check out CoinDesk's latest episode of Public Keys from the NYSE: https://youtu.be/mePmjknvBVc - To get market moving news delivered daily, download CoinDesk’s mobile app: https://linktr.ee/coindeskapp. - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • Why Arthur Hayes Says Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Is a Dove Despite Hawkish Reputation | Markets Outlook
    Jun 19 2026
    Arthur Hayes on his HYPE position, AI bubble, and the new Fed Chair. On today's Markets Outlook, BitMEX Co-Founder and Maelstrom CIO Arthur Hayes tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why all roads still lead to money printing, how long the AI bubble has left, and why he has zero regrets about publicly selling his HYPE position. Plus, his reaction to Michael Saylor's Bitcoin stress test. - Timecodes: 00:00 - Arthur Hayes Joins Markets Outlook 01:30 - Arthur’s Reaction to Michael Saylor News and Strategy Business Model 02:59 - When Does the AI Bubble Burst? 03:56 - New Fed Chair Warsh's Task Forces & What It Really Means 06:58 - Uniswap & Standard Chartered's $100 Price Target 08:06 - Responding to the HYPE Selloff Drama 09:24 - HYPE vs. SOL: Which Wins? - For more commentary from Arthur Hayes: IG - https://www.instagram.com/cryptohayes/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-hayes-b493b42/ Substack - https://cryptohayes.substack.com/ Web: https://www.cryptohayes.com X - https://x.com/cryptohayes - Maelstrom Fund: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maelstromfund Web - https://www.maelstrom.fund X - https://x.com/maelstromfund - Check out CoinDesk's latest episode of Public Keys from the NYSE: https://youtu.be/75LrBmSScvY - To get market moving news delivered daily, download CoinDesk’s mobile app: https://linktr.ee/coindeskapp. - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • Inside the Race to Fix Zcash's Shielded Pool Vulnerability | Markets Outlook
    Jun 11 2026
    The bug that tanked ZEC with Josh Swihart. On today's Markets Outlook, ZODL CEO Josh Swihart joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie to break down the Zcash vulnerability discovered with the help of AI, including how it was found, fixed, and what it means for the protocol's future. Plus, he weighs in on privacy coins vs. government pushback, formal verification as the new security standard, and why Zcash is more battle-hardened than ever. - Timecodes: 00:00 - Zcash Bug Found by AI After Four Years 03:26 - What Went Through Josh’s Mind When He Found Out 04:47 - Could the Bug Have Been Exploited? 05:47 - How the Bug Helps the Zcash Ecosystem 07:27 - Zcash vs. Other Privacy Protocols 09:54 - Will Governments Push Back on Privacy Coins? 11:45 - Formal Verification and Finding Future Vulnerabilities 14:08 - What Other Protocols Can Learn from This - Check out CoinDesk's latest episode of Public Keys from the NYSE: https://youtu.be/zn3D_adn6nI - Register now for CoinDesk’s Policy and Regulation event on September 24, 2026: ⁠https://policy-regulation.coindesk.com/⁠. - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Arthur Hayes Sold HYPE and NEAR, Mert Mumtaz Says That’s Missing the Point | Markets Outlook
    Jun 4 2026
    Market convictions with Helius' Mert Mumtaz. On today's Markets Outlook, Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why he's tuning out the noise and staying convicted on Zcash, Solana, BTC and Hyperliquid. Plus, he weighs in on the Arthur Hayes drama, the Clarity Act, and why Bitcoin's transparency is actually a long-term vulnerability. - Timecodes: 00:00 - Institutional Capital Rotating into AI IPOs 01:53 - Met's 'Shield and Chill' Strategy 04:29 - Responding to Arthur Hayes Selling HYPE and NEAR positions 08:44 - Mert's Zcash Thesis 13:00 - Solana as the "Silicon Valley of Finance" 15:43 - Hyperliquid Thesis - Check out CoinDesk's latest episode of Public Keys from the NYSE: https://youtu.be/Nlp1QLZx0r0 - Register now for CoinDesk’s Policy and Regulation event on September 24, 2026: https://policy-regulation.coindesk.com/. - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • Are Prediction Markets Killing Altcoins? | Scott Melker on Markets Outlook
    May 28 2026
    Altcoins have lost the plot with Scott Melker. In today's Markets Outlook, Scott Melker, Host of Wolf of All Streets, tells CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie why altcoins have lost the plot, what's really driving the weird market we're all feeling, and why Bitcoin is still the only bet he's making long-term. Plus: are prediction markets, tokenized equities, and "private Bitcoin" just hype? - Timecodes: 00:00 - Scott Melker Joins Markets Outlook 01:38 - Why Bitcoin Is Underrated 03:59 - Is Crypto Recreating the System It Was Built to Fight? 06:08 - Scott’s Bitcoin Origin Story 08:04 - Why This Market Feels Impossible to Read 10:07 - How Prediction Markets Killed the Altcoin Casino 13:33 - Teaching His Kids About Bitcoin and AI in a Complicated World 16:22 - AI Tokens and Zcash Outlook 18:33 - Zcash as Privacy Bitcoin: “It Makes Me Want to Puke” 19:46 - Scott's Bitcoin Price Outlook for the Rest of the Year - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Why Michaël van de Poppe Sees $100 for HYPE | Markets Outlook
    May 21 2026
    Unpacking Hyperliquid's ATH with Michaël van de Poppe. In today's Markets Outlook, Michaël van de Poppe, Founder and CIO of MN Capital and MN Fund, joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie to share why Hyperliquid is hitting new all-time highs. He makes the case for NEAR and Bittensor as undervalued AI crypto plays compared to overhyped tech IPOs, and explains why he's steering clear of privacy coins like Zcash. Plus, his key macro signals to watch over the next four to six weeks. - Timecodes: 00:00 - What Michaël Is Watching in the Markets? 01:47 - Why European Traders Are Flocking to Hyperliquid 02:59 - HYPE Price Target & HYPE vs. Solana 05:09 - Responding to CME, ICE Regulatory Scrutiny of HYPE 07:27 - Are Altcoins Dead? 08:59 - The Case for NEAR Over AI IPOs 10:43 - Why Bittensor Could Reach $1,000-$2,000 12:48 - Privacy and Zcash 16:33 - Macro Outlook: Yields, the Fed, and What's Next - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins