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Artwork for Unchained

Unchained

Laura Shin
Bitcoin
Ethereum
Defi
Artificial Intelligence
CLARITY Act
Prediction Markets
Ethereum Foundation
Openai
Hyperliquid
Quantum Computing
CFTC
Tokenization
Kalshi
NEAR Protocol
Zcash
Regulation
Coinbase
Iran
Anthropic
Papertrade

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 ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1293Founded10 years ago
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Artwork for Unchained

Latest Episodes

A compromised developer laptop and 50 pre-signed transactions let North Korea drain $6.3 billion from Binance. Jonty and Pablo Sabbatella trace how it happened.

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Rob Hadick guest-hosts for a second week with Tom and Robert, joined by Nemil Dalal of Y Combinator. Hours before the show, Binance lost an estimated $5 billion in what looks like the largest hack in crypto history, Circle and Tether froze funds fast... more

Galaxy's Alex Thorn argues Bitcoin bottomed in late June. While macro funds exit, sovereign wealth funds buy and AI pushes debasement, he says now makes a good entry point.

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Anthropic's S-1 shows the company is still burning cash. Kain Warwick and Taylor Monahan say the bigger risk is a founder voting bloc that has to vote together.

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Recent Guests

Nemil Dalal
Visiting partner at Y Combinator and former USDC lead at Coinbase
Y Combinator
Episode: The Chopping Block: The Binance Hack, Circle's Fast Freeze, YC's Crypto Wishlist, and ICE Bringing Hyperliquid Perps Onshore
Alex Thorn
Head of Firmwide Research at Galaxy
Galaxy
Episode: Bitcoin's Price May Have Bottomed. One Reason Is the AI Debasement Trade
J. Christopher Giancarlo
Former chairman of the CFTC and author of The New Adventures of CryptoDad
Episode: Why America's New Cyber Privateers Can't Go After North Korea
Ari Redbord
Global head of policy at TRM Labs and former federal prosecutor
TRM Labs
Episode: Why America's New Cyber Privateers Can't Go After North Korea
Rob Hadick
General Partner at Dragonfly and regular on Empire's Weekly Roundup
Dragonfly
Episode: The Chopping Block: Black October, Banks Blocking AI Agents, Hyperliquid's Blockchain-Not-Bitcoin Moment, and the Visa-Fireblocks Rumor
Jason Pagoulatos
Head of Markets at Delphi Research
Delphi Research
Episode: PaperTrade Attracted $140M, Then Changed the Rules. Was It a Bait and Switch?
Conor Deegan
Co-founder and CTO of Project Eleven
Project Eleven
Episode: How Crypto Can Survive If AI or Quantum Computers Break Its Cryptography
Alex Pruden
Co-founder and CEO of Project Eleven
Project Eleven
Episode: How Crypto Can Survive If AI or Quantum Computers Break Its Cryptography
Mark Karpelès
CEO of Karpelès Lab Inc.
Karpelès Lab Inc.
Episode: Ledger Wallets Were Drained of $100 Million. Is Self-Custody Still Safe?

Host

Laura Shin
Lead host; investigative journalist covering crypto and blockchain.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • Great Podcast!

    Good pod but Laura is too aligned and outspoken on Her allegiance to democrats that it gets in the way of listening to her.

    SMH. Can’t we just have unbiased podcasts?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Change ditch
    United States2 months ago
  • Biased

    Biased reporting just chases hype brings on guests that spew nonsense u can skip this one

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    the_Night_King
    United States5 months ago
  • Unchained is my favourite crypto-first podcast channel, so many great podcasters in this excellent network; love Laura's in-depth interviews, the VCs' perspective on The Chopping Block and the builders take on Uneasy Money.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ATangy
    9 months ago
  • During a time of crisis, I came across what I thought was a legitimate charity online. They had a professional-looking website, emotional stories, and even testimonials from supposed donors. They claimed the funds were being used to support families in need, and it really tugged at my heart. I made a donation, then another, and soon after they kept reaching out with urgent appeals. Every message made me feel like I was directly helping vulnerable people, so I gave more than I could really afford... more

    Podchaser
    5
    gutmannaiden6
    a year ago
  • I've been investing for years, both in traditional markets and in crypto. I always considered myself smart enough to spot red flags, but the truth is, even experienced investors can fall victim to the right scam. That's exactly what happened to me. The platform I dealt with looked professional in every way. They had a sleek website, convincing support staff, and even showed me trading dashboards that looked legitimate. I tested them with a smaller deposit and was even able to withdraw at first. ... more

    Podchaser
    5
    hunkmuller0
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-caliber guests and sharp questioning drive thoughtful crypto discourse.
Listener feedback highlights timely topics and practical relevance for professionals and investors.
Audience values rigorous, non-hype coverage with credible insights into crypto policy and security.
Roundtable format is praised for depth, though some listeners find it dense.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Crypto Can Survive If AI or Quantum Computers Break Its Cryptography
Q: I'm curious, now with everything that we know about AI and quantum, if you have an updated sense about timelines in terms of when this will be relevant for blockchains.
Alex Pruden estimates that a quantum attack could be realistic as early as 2030, with the more likely window around 2030 to 2035. He says recent engineering results make an earlier timeline more plausible, while AI timelines are harder to predict.
How Crypto Can Survive If AI or Quantum Computers Break Its Cryptography
Q: Can one of you explain what ECDSA is and why it's so important for securing blockchains?
Conor Deegan explains that ECDSA is a digital signature algorithm used to prove control of an account. Elliptic curves make it compact and fast, which is why they are used across blockchains.
PaperTrade Attracted $140M, Then Changed the Rules. Was It a Bait and Switch?
Q: Do you feel like what they did here was justified?
Pagoulatos says the team's concern about a transferable token creating an attack opportunity is valid, but questions why transferability had been presented as part of the roadmap. He calls the reversal a bad look because users deposited under different expectations.
PaperTrade Attracted $140M, Then Changed the Rules. Was It a Bait and Switch?
Q: Explain what PaperTrade is and why people were initially so excited about it.
Pagoulatos describes it as an on-chain platform where users wager against a house pool with up to 1,000x leverage. The absence of order-book trading allows features such as no slippage and no fees, while losses mint PAPER tokens.
Why America's New Cyber Privateers Can't Go After North Korea
Q: How can countries like the US or companies in these countries combat or prevent these workers from infiltrating their companies?
Redbord recommends using AI to detect deepfakes and suspicious activity, while Giancarlo describes employers requiring in-person onboarding to verify new hires.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unchained

What is Unchained about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive into crypto policy, security, and markets featuring technical analyses and governance questions surrounding blockchain issuance, DeFi risk, and regulatory developments. Episodes frequently center on Ethereum economics, privateering and cyber operations, AI in crypto, hardware wallet vulnerabilities, and the governance challenges facing fast-moving crypto firms. Guests range from technologists and policy experts to founders and investors, creating a mix of rigorous critique, real-world case studies, and practical implications for builders, institutions, and traders. The show often surfaces nuanced debates about security budgets, centralization risks, and the balance between innovation and consumer protection, making it a valuable... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Unchained:

1. Bankless
2. Empire
3. On The Brink with Castle Island
4. The DeFi Report
5. The Pomp Podcast

How many episodes of Unchained are there?

Unchained launched 10 years ago and published 1293 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Unchained?

Recent guests on Unchained include:

1. Nemil Dalal
2. Alex Thorn
3. J. Christopher Giancarlo
4. Ari Redbord
5. Rob Hadick
6. Jason Pagoulatos
7. Conor Deegan
8. Alex Pruden

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