Stablecoin Mania, The New American Dream, Bitcoin Moves, and More

This week on Unchained:

• 💸 Stablecoins Go Mainstream – Vicky Fu breaks down Circle’s under-the-radar strengths, Stripe’s crypto ambitions, and why stablecoins may finally be ready for retail.

• 🪙 1 Bitcoin = The New American Dream? – Jeff Park of Bitwise explains how Bitcoin and stablecoins could reshape both personal finance and U.S. global strategy.

• 📈 Bits + Bips: Circle’s IPO, ETH’s Quiet Rally, and BTC’s Supply Shock – The panel dissects crypto and macro’s big moves, from IPO mania to Ethereum’s stealth momentum.

• 🧑‍💼 The Chopping Block: TradFi’s Stablecoin Takeover? – Laura joins the crew to debate whether Wall Street is maturing crypto, or just hijacking it.

• 😱 A big SCOOP on the White House and Trump.

Today, June 14, is Unchained’s birthday!

9 years
851 episodes
2 additional shows (The Chopping Block, Bits + Bips…and more coming soon!)

Have you been a listener since the beginning? Did you just find us recently? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know!

A Soon-to-Be $2 Trillion Stablecoin Market? Stripe, Shopify and Banks Want In

Circle’s IPO, Stripe’s crypto push, Shopify accepting USDC, the hot Plasma ICO … the stablecoin market is in a near frenzy. 

Stablecoins are having a moment.

From Stripe’s acquisition of crypto wallet startup Privy, to Shopify integrating USDC, to Plasma raising $500 million for its stablecoin-optimized side chain, stablecoins are having a moment. And at the center of it all is Circle, which had one of the most successful IPOs in decades.

But what’s really happening under the surface? And who’s best positioned as stablecoins go mainstream?

Vicky Fu, co-founder at Yala and former engineering director at Circle, joins Unchained to explain:

• How she saw Circle as deeply undervalued before the IPO buzz

• What Stripe’s crypto moves signal for the broader market

• Why retail payments could become stablecoins’ breakout use case

• How network effects give Circle a serious edge, even as banks circle the space

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Jeff Park on Why Owning 1 Bitcoin Is Young People's American Dream

The global order is changing — and Bitwise’s Jeff Park says Bitcoin can help everyday investors weather these shifts, while stablecoins can help the U.S. government navigate them.

In part 2 of Jeff Park’s interview with Unchained, he describes ways that both everyday investors and the U.S. government can use various crypto assets to come out on top as old models and strategies become outdated. 

He reveals the three personal stories that led him to develop his radical portfolio theory, puts himself in the shoes of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and explains why Japan is the linchpin in the transition to this new world order.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Jeff believes the future belongs to wholecoiners

• The social mission behind owning bitcoin

• How the U.S. could leverage stablecoins to maintain global dominance

• Why the new American dream might not involve a house at all

And why, in Jeff’s words, we may already be “living in a Bitcoin-only world.”

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Bits + Bips: Elon vs. Trump, Bitcoin Supply Shock Brewing, Circle’s Wild Valuation

Is Circle’s IPO overvalued? Is ETH quietly setting up for a breakout? The panel digs into IPO fever, Bitcoin momentum, and the explosive potential of the crypto market in Q3.

This week on Bits + Bips, the panel tackles the biggest themes driving crypto: Circle’s triumphant IPO, ETH’s institutional tailwinds, and the fast-shrinking Bitcoin supply on exchanges. Plus, what Gemini’s IPO ambitions tell us about the state of exchanges, and whether Ram’s call for a BTC breakout is about to hit.

Also on the docket:

• Is Circle really worth its sky-high valuation?

• Why exchange fees are stuck in the 1970s

• ETH: the quiet trade that might be heating up

Oh, and yes, they talk about the Trump–Elon feud too 😅

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Did TradFi Just Hijack Crypto? The Suit-ification of Stablecoins – The Chopping Block

Crypto’s Wall Street Invasion: Circle’s IPO, Meme Stock Multiples, and the End of Fintech

This week, we’re joined by a special guest: Laura Shin, host of Unchained! The crew unpacks Circle’s explosive IPO, Tether’s threat to exit the U.S., and the meme-stock logic powering the rise of “crypto treasury companies.” From Coinbase’s grip on USDC to Wall Street’s sudden enthusiasm for stablecoins, we explore how public markets are reshaping crypto’s power centers. Is Circle overvalued—or the last compliant winner left? And are ICOs really back? We debate whether crypto’s just maturing—or if it’s being hijacked by the suits.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

In Case You Missed It 👀

SCOOP: White House Rejects Ban on Conflicts of Interest in Crypto’s CLARITY Act

Lawmakers on both sides quietly tried to address Trump’s crypto interests in the CLARITY Act, but the White House pushed back.

3 Reasons the Bitcoin Price Is Stuck, Despite the Surge in Treasury Companies

Companies are raising billions to fill their coffers with bitcoin, so why hasn’t the price reflected the craze?

Ailing Fitness Company on Nasdaq Turns to a $500 Million AI Crypto Token Treasury Strategy

Interactive Strength is losing money on its sales of high-end fitness equipment and memberships. It’s turning to crypto’s latest fad to reverse its fortunes.

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