Unchained
Hosted by Ben Francis, Haseeb K. Qureshi, Laura Shin, Robert Leshner, Tarun Chitra & Tom Schmidt · 31 decoded episodes · newest Oct 15, 2026
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 31
- Sep 25, 2026 · 49 minCrypto’s next growth engine may be social tradingThe conversation tests whether crypto’s next expansion will come from useful, social financial products rather than another speculative Bitcoin cycle.
- Sep 24, 2026 · 1h 10mKalshi’s volume fight exposes prediction-market incentivesThe episode connects market-design questions to a broader warning that AI systems are gaining autonomy faster than oversight can keep pace.
- Sep 23, 2026 · 56 minPrivacy infrastructure puts Zcash and NEAR at crypto’s crossroadsThe episode examines whether confidential, cross-chain systems can make blockchain payments more useful while preserving security and user control.
- Sep 23, 2026 · 13 minBitcoin’s rebound tests a new fundamentals-driven market regimeThe rally’s durability after regulatory disappointment could signal that crypto prices are beginning to reflect institutional fundamentals more directly.
- Sep 18, 2026 · 35 minSEC moves as Congress stalls on crypto market rulesThe episode tests whether agency action can create durable crypto-market clarity after partisan conflict, banking pressure, and unresolved investor protections derail legislation.
- Sep 17, 2026 · 1h 0mSenate politics derail crypto rules as AI labs debate a pauseThe episode connects stalled crypto legislation, collapsing token projects, and AI safety politics to a broader question about who sets the rules for emerging technology.
- Sep 17, 2026 · 1h 14mCrypto loses its bill as AI labs seek the rulebookThe episode connects crypto’s partisan regulatory fight with a broader question about whether AI safety warnings protect the public or entrench powerful incumbents.
- Sep 16, 2026 · 16 minAI regulation could entrench frontier labsRules intended to manage AI risk may raise compliance, liability, and capital costs enough to narrow competition and weaken decentralized alternatives.
- Sep 15, 2026 · 52 minEthena bets mainstream banking can run on stablecoinsEthena Pay tests whether stablecoin savings and payments can reach mainstream users without exposing them to crypto’s technical complexity and risks.
- Sep 11, 2026 · 39 minStock tokens test the boundaries of regulated financeThe fight over tokenized stocks turns on whether blockchain markets can deliver broader access without weakening ownership rights, compliance, or investor protections.
- Sep 10, 2026 · 1h 4mMemecoin markets test transparency against retail lossesThe episode examines whether better interfaces and on-chain visibility can make speculative crypto markets more understandable without making them safer.
- Sep 10, 2026 · 1h 22mA Bitcoin exploit exposes AI’s privacy and control problemThe episode connects a coercive crypto theft with the risks of entrusting private research and AI governance to centralized systems.