The Breakdown

Crypto might be the world’s best test bed for AI trading — and Virtuals Protocol is running the experiment live.

Weekee Tiew, co-founder of Virtuals Protocol, joins us to explain Degen Claw, their AI Council judging system, and why agents will soon replace wallets.

We unpack why pure P&L is the wrong benchmark, how the trench agent concept could reshape portfolio management, and what crypto’s role is in the future of finance. Enjoy!

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(05:29) Nexo Ad

(06:03) Interview with WeeKee

(09:28) Bot Strategies and Purpose of Agentic Trading

(12:16) How the “AI Council” Works

(14:39) Nexo Ad

(15:33) How Automation Fits into Benchmarks

(19:37) Incentives

(24:07) What Makes You Bullish on AI Agents and Crypto in Trading?

(26:35) LLMs vs Quants

(28:53) The Ultimate Bull Case

FOLLOW GUEST

› Weekee Tiew (Virtuals Protocol) — https://x.com/everythingempty

FOLLOW THE SHOW

› David — https://x.com/dcanellis

› The Breakdown — https://x.com/TheBreakdownBW

SPONSORS

› NEXO

Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

DISCLAIMER

As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

Trump's Fed pick has 30-plus crypto investments — and that's just what he could disclose. David walks through Warsh's filing, a Polymarket bot built on the theory that nothing ever happens, and Hollywood's Craig Wright blockbuster.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:21) Trying Something New

(02:47) Kevin Warsh

(08:58) Nexo Ad

(09:34) Nothing Ever Happens Polymarket Bot

(18:47) Nexo Ad

(19:38) Thoughts on Upcoming Craig Wright Bitcoin Thriller

FOLLOW THE SHOW

› David — https://x.com/dcanellis

› The Breakdown — https://x.com/TheBreakdownBW

SPONSORS

› NEXO

Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

DISCLAIMER

As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

AI is reprogramming the social fabric — and nobody can agree whether that’s a good thing.

Kevin O’Leary, investor and entrepreneur, joins us to share his framework for navigating the AI era across investing, data centers, and crypto.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:33) One Shot, One Opportunity

(03:20) Two Wolves

(06:02) Nexo Ad

(06:36) Interview with Kevin O’Leary

(08:56) Datacenters as a Political Issue

(12:13) How Kevin Uses AI

(14:39) Nexo Ad

(15:36) What Makes an AI Company Worth Investing In?

(17:39) Thoughts on Negative Sentiment

(19:09) How Does Crypto Fit Into This?

(23:26) Marty Supreme Role

(25:27) Developing Taste

(29:45) Advice for Future Generations

FOLLOW GUEST

› Kevin O’Leary — https://x.com/kevinolearytv

FOLLOW THE SHOW

› David — https://x.com/dcanellis

› The Breakdown — https://the-breakdown.carrd.co/

SPONSORS

› NEXO

Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

DISCLAIMER

As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

x402 just got a lot bigger. The Linux Foundation is now backing it — and maybe Amazon, Google, Stripe, Mastercard, and American Express along with them.

In this episode, David sits down with Jordan Liu, co-founder of AIsa — one of earliest builders in the x402 ecosystem, with over 20 million microtransactions already processed.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:42) What AISA Builds

(02:55) X40 Goes Linux

(07:30) Nexo Ad

(08:07) Adoption and Micropayments

(19:58) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo

(21:38) Adoption and Micropayments (Con’t)

(25:06) Protocols Roadblocks Future

FOLLOW GUEST

› Jordan Liu (AIsa) — https://x.com/AIsaOneHQ

FOLLOW THE SHOW

› David — https://x.com/dcanellis

› The Breakdown — https://x.com/TheBreakdownBW

SPONSORS

› NEXO

Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

DISCLAIMER

As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

AI agents are coming online fast — and the payment rails for that world are being built right now.

David breaks down the race between Coinbase’s x402 and Stripe’s Machine Payments Protocol, the rise of agentic commerce, and why crypto may have a natural edge, before sitting down with Jordan Liu of AIsa.

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) Tool Time

(03:45) AI-doption

(05:48) Nexo Ad

(06:30) When in Doubt, Incentivize

(07:36) Interview with Jordan Liu

(12:24) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo

(14:09) Interview with Jordan Liu (Con’t)

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› Jordan Liu (AIsa) —https://aisa.one/

› David — https://x.com/dcanellis

SPONSORS

› NEXO

Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

DISCLAIMER

As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.