The Breakdown

A daily analysis of macroeconomics, bitcoin, geopolitics and big picture power shifts, hosted by Nathaniel Whittemore @nlw. The Breakdown is part of Blockworks.
Website : http://nlwcrypto.libsyn.com/
IPFS Feed : https://ipfspodcasting.com/RSS/398/TheBreakdown.xml
Last Episode : April 8, 2025 2:32am
Last Scanned : 57 minutes ago

Episodes
Episodes currently hosted on IPFS.
Confirmed 3
The Worst 3 Days in Stocks Since Oct 1987 Tariff turmoil is in full swing. The Trump White House spent the weekend staying on message and ensuring that their were no cracks in the facade. NLW covers the market's reaction, and whether big poppa Jay Powell can fix it.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
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Expires in 40 hours
Published Tuesday
Trump's Crypto Engagement is Making it Hard for Pro-Crypto Republicans
It was supposed to be an effortless gloryland, where all our hopes and dreams for crypto would come true. But many in Washington D.C. are finding the Trump's support for crypto -- and very, very direct engagement in it -- creating a new set of problems even as it solves the old ones.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
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Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published Wednesday
What to Make of Galaxy Digital's $200m Fine
The New York Attorney General has settled with Galaxy Digital around their promotion of Luna. The company will pay a large fine and face a set of additional restrictions. Opinion on the deal is divided.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
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Published 04/01
Hester Peirce Charts a New Course for the SEC
In comments this week, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce articulated the new path for the agency, including how it was going to deal with numerous jurisdictional issues. This shows just how forward focused the crypto industry finally gets to be.
Source:
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/peirce-remarks-dc-blockchain-summit-032625
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
Follow on Twitter:
NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/30
Real World Asset Tokenization Shows Positive Early Indicators
On this grab bag episode, NLW covers a range of topics, including what was once the odds-on favorite to be this cycle's big narrative driver: real world asset tokenization.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/26
A Win for Privacy as Tornado Cash Addresses are Unsanctioned
A big win for privacy and the crypto space came surrounding the Tornado Cash sanctions, but as NLW points out, there is still battle ahead, as the Treasury is not saying that Tornado Cash is okay going forward.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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Published 03/25
Crypto's Past, Present and Future
A reading a discussion inspired by Meltem Demirors' recent DAS presentation: https://x.com/Melt_Dem/status/1902748560610795578
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/23
Making America the"Undisputed Bitcoin Superpower and Crypto Capital of the World”
A sitting US president appeared at a crypto conference for the first time yesterday as President Trump popped in on Blockworks' DAS yesterday to reaffirm his administration's commitment to US crypto superiority.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/22
The Real Story of Institutional Crypto Interest
We keep hearing that institutions are still stoked on crypto despite retail stress. Today NLW explores what evidence we have one way or another.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
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Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
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Published 03/20
Bitcoin is For Enemies: Pyongyang Edition
On this grab bag episode, NLW covers North Korea's growing bitcoin stack, the SEC reconsidering a Gensler-era rule, and record BTC outflows.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
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Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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Published 03/19
Treasury Secretary Bessent: "The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves"
The market is finally digesting that there is no Trump put, and that Trump 2.0 is more concerned with remaking the global economic order than on making Wall Street happy -- at least for now. NLW talks about the implications for markets, bitcoin and beyond.
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
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Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/18
Stablecoin Debate Illustrates the Failure of the Anti-Crypto Army
Two essays that reflect Elizabeth Warren and her anti-crypto army's failure shape the debate around common sense crypto policy.
Reading and discussion inspired by:
https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2025/03/13/no-the-stablecoin-bill-isn-t-built-for-billionaires
https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2025/03/13/stablecoins-are-a-vital-innovation-that-risk-being-crushed-by-misguided-fear
Sponsored by:
Ledger
Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world’s crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com.
Enjoying this content?
SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/
Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8
Follow on Twitter:
NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw
Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
Published 03/16