ChatGPT will be implemented across U.S. government agencies.Crypto projects pose national security risks. Crypto salaries paid triple in 2024 and Spot Ether ETFs see record daily outflow. Jane King has the latest from the NYSE.
Unlocking Ethereum: How Major Financial Players Are Embracing Blockchain
“Major financial institutions feel comfortable actually moving on-chain.” – 01:27
Arjun Bhuptani, Founder & Chief Research at Everclear, joins J.D. Durkin to discuss the recent resurgence of Ethereum and the shifting narrative surrounding it. Just a few months ago, the crypto industry was rife with skepticism, but now Ethereum has emerged as a hot topic, with many investors and companies looking to capitalize on its potential.
Arjun examines why major financial players are now eyeing Ethereum for blockchain adoption. He explains that Ethereum has evolved into a platform where new financial systems can be built, and major institutions are finally feeling comfortable moving on-chain. Arjun highlights how companies like PayPal are recognizing the benefits of a disintermediated business process, particularly in underserved markets.
Lastly, Arjun shares insights from his work at Everclear, which acts as a clearinghouse for Ethereum. He explains how the emergence of layer two chains is addressing scalability issues and allowing financial institutions to create their own ecosystems while still interoperating with Ethereum’s base layer. This shift is crucial for enabling large-scale capital movement between blockchains.
Collaboration and Balance: Keys to Wealth and Well-Being for Professional Women
“I think that everyone gets to define what success looks like for him or for her.” – 04:09
Dana Cox, Founder & CEO of FIX Coaching & Consulting, joins Remy Blaire to discuss the topic of wealth building for women, a subject that is often overshadowed by various financial challenges. Dana brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation, shedding light on the unique barriers women face in their financial journeys, such as the gender pay gap, career interruptions, and lower investment confidence.
The pair kick off the discussion by identifying the key factors that hold women back from building wealth. Dana emphasizes the fear of negotiation and a lack of understanding of their own worth as significant hurdles. She passionately advocates for strategic action to overcome these challenges, highlighting the importance of knowledge and empowerment in navigating the financial landscape.
Finally, Dana touches on the lessons learned in the post-pandemic era, particularly regarding work-life balance. Dana candidly shares her experiences with burnout and emphasizes the need for individuals to define their own version of balance. She advocates for open communication with family and a flexible approach to managing time and attention between personal and professional responsibilities.
Apple’s $100 Billion Manufacturing Bet: A Game Changer for U.S. Tech?
“This is the single largest corporate manufacturing reshoring in modern history.” – 01:35
Evelio Silvera, Co-Founder of Bull Street Media, joins J.D. Durkin to discuss Apple’s announcement of a staggering $100 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, which led to a 5% spike in their stock price. Despite facing challenges and being down double-digit percentages year-to-date, this investment is seen as a strategic move by CEO Tim Cook, who Evelio describes as 90% CEO and 10% politician.
Evelio emphasizes that this commitment is not merely about avoiding tariffs but is part of a broader industrial strategy that positions Apple for long-term success. He highlights that this investment brings Apple’s total U.S. investment to $600 billion over the next four years, marking the largest corporate manufacturing reshoring in modern history. Evelio discusses the implications of geopolitical risks, automation economics, and the changing trade environment, suggesting that Apple is setting itself up for significant margin expansion in the coming years.
Lastly, the pair touch on Disney’s mixed earnings report, where Evelio sees potential in their partnership with the NFL. He believes this collaboration could reshape sports media economics by aligning incentives and creating a content moat, despite some weaknesses in other revenue sources.
The Ether Surge: Analyzing Recent Trends and ETF Inflows
“It’s really been the Ether story, which is what we’ve been calling for for a long time, an Ether-led rally.” – 01:35
Andy Baehr, Head of Product & Research at Coindesk Indices, joins J.D. Durkin at the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the current state of the cryptocurrency market, focusing on the recent trading patterns of major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). Despite a week of range-bound trading and some recovery from weekend losses, both BTC and ETH have yet to reach new highs.
Andy shares his insights on the current market dynamics, noting that the recent sideways trading is a typical pause following a significant rally. He highlights that while Bitcoin has seen some fluctuations, Ethereum has been the standout performer, contributing significantly to the recent rally.
As we discuss the CoinDesk 5 and CoinDesk 20 indexes, Andy emphasizes the remarkable contribution of Ethereum to the recent market rally, which has seen a surge in transactions driven by stablecoins and decentralized trading platforms. He notes that ETH has risen 180% since its lows in April, fueled by significant ETF inflows, particularly into ETH ETFs.
Bridging Traditional Finance and Crypto: JP Morgan and Coinbase’s Game-Changing Partnership
“The single most important thing that we do is safeguard assets very well.” – 01:20
Brian Foster, Global Head of CaaS at Coinbase, joins J.D. Durkin at the New York Stock Echange to discuss the exciting developments at the intersection of traditional finance and cryptocurrency. The pair break down the groundbreaking partnership between JP Morgan Chase and Coinbase, which allows customers to link their accounts directly, earn rewards, and trade crypto seamlessly. This collaboration marks a significant step for the world’s largest bank in terms of market cap as it integrates directly with decentralized finance (DeFi) and exemplifies the concept of crypto as a service.
Brian elaborates on the notion of crypto as a service, drawing parallels to the well-known software as a service model. He explains how Coinbase is positioning itself as a platform that enables other financial institutions to leverage its infrastructure to build their own crypto products without the need to develop their own blockchain. This approach not only simplifies the process for institutions but also enhances the accessibility of digital assets for retail traders.
Lastly, Brian underscores the growing importance of payments in the crypto space, sharing his enthusiasm for the advancements in global payment solutions enabled by high-throughput blockchains and Layer 2 technologies like BASE. He believes that the focus on payments will drive significant growth and innovation in the industry.
The Business of Sports with Rick Horrow
Dr. Tywanna Smith, International Sports Manger, Professor & Award-Winning Filmmaker, and Co-Founder of Athletes Abroad Summit, joins Rick Horrow on this week’s episode of the Business of Sports.
Rick Horrow brings decades of expertise in sports business, infrastructure development, and public-private partnerships. As Chairman of Horrow Sports Ventures, he has structured over 100 deals valued at more than $20 billion, pioneering innovative funding strategies that have driven major sports, performing arts, and urban development projects. Known as “The Sports Professor,” Horrow has worked with major sports leagues, including the NFL, NHL, MLB, PGA Tour, NASCAR, and Major League Soccer, playing a key role in stadium and arena deals across the U.S. and internationally.
Horrow has built a distinguished media career as well, such as “The Icons with Rick Horrow” and “On The Record”. A Harvard Law graduate and industry thought leader, his expertise continues to shape the business of sports on a global scale. He has also authored four books, including When the Game Is on the Line: From the Man Who Brought the Heat to Miami and the Browns Back to Cleveland, an Inside Look at the High-Stakes World of Sports Deal-Making, The Sport Business Handbook: Insights from 100+ Leaders Who Shaped 50 Years of the Industry, and Beyond the Box Score: An Insider’s Guide to the $750 Billion Business of Sports. He has been identified as the Visiting Expert on Sports Law at the Harvard Law School, authoring the first sports law and analytical thesis at his alma mater. His expertise continues to shape the business of sports on a global scale.
Fumihide Esaka on the Future of AI and Smart Devices
Fumihide Esaka, Chief Executive Officer of Ambiq Micro, joins Remy Blaire at the New York Stock Exchange to discuss Ambiq Micro, a Texas-based company that has recently made headlines by going public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AMBQ. Ambiq Micro, founded in 2010, specializes in ultra-low power chips designed for a variety of edge devices, including smartwatches and glasses. As the demand for AI chips continues to surge, Ambiq is positioning itself to support not only consumer electronics but also AI data centers and automotive technology.
Fumihide shares insights into Ambiq’s innovative technology platform, known as Spot Technology, which allows semiconductors to operate below conventional voltage thresholds. This breakthrough enables energy efficiency that is nearly five times greater than traditional semiconductors, making it a game-changer for AI applications that typically require significant power.
Lastly, Fumi touches on Ambiq’s strategy for expanding into higher-performance markets. Fumi revealed that the company has already shipped millions of chips, generating $270 million in revenue, and is now focused on enhancing its engineering capabilities to meet the growing demand for advanced AI functionalities.
Revolutionizing Fintech: Timur Turlov on Freedom Holding’s Vision for Central Asia and Beyond
“the Central Asian market, especially the Kazakhstanian market, is growing at a very high level because the population itself is very tech optimistic.” – 01:02
Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holdings, joins Remy Blaire at the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the company’s ambitious initiatives and the broader implications for Central Asia’s digital economy.
The conversation begins by exploring the Freedom Cloud, a significant investment aimed at addressing the infrastructure deficits in Kazakhstan. Timur highlighted the tech-savvy nature of the local population and the rapid development of fintech services in the region. He explains how the government and financial institutions have struggled to accurately forecast their computing needs, leading to a shortage of resources. Freedom Holding’s investment in data centers is a strategic move to not only support its own operations but also to assist other market participants in building their cloud infrastructure.
Finally, the pair touch on Freedom Holding’s growth plans in the U.S. Timur expresses confidence in replicating the successful strategies employed in Kazakhstan within the American market. With the backing of significant capital and investor access, he envisions building a robust fintech presence in the U.S., leveraging the lessons learned from their operations in Central Asia.
Streaming Success: How Spotify and Universal Music Group Are Shaping the Market
“Music is a very uncorrelated asset class. It doesn’t really swing with the tides of the markets.” – 01:01
David Schulhof, MUSQ Global Music Industry ETf, joins Remy Blaire at the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the dynamic world of the music industry and its financial implications.
David explains why music is considered an uncorrelated asset class, resilient to market fluctuations and tariffs, and emphasizes its undervaluation and under-monetization. He shares insights into MUSQ’s impressive year-to-date performance, up 18-19%, and discusses the potential for streaming services to continue raising prices to align with competitors like Netflix and Hulu.
Transitioning to earnings season, David provides an analysis of Spotify and Universal Music Group’s recent results, noting strong fundamentals and growth in monthly active users and paid subscribers. He expresses optimism about upcoming reports from Live Nation, anticipating positive outcomes.