The Breakdown

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.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re bringing some of our favorite conversations from across Blockworks onto the feed.

In this episode of Forward Guidance, Felix Jauvin sits down with Fed Governor Stephen Miran at DAS to discuss why he believes inflation fears are overstated, why the Fed may still be too restrictive, and how AI, deregulation, and stablecoins could all shape the future of monetary policy.

FOLLOW GUEST

› Federal Reserve – https://x.com/federalreserve

FOLLOW THE SHOW

› Felix – https://x.com/fejau_inc

› Forward Guidance – https://x.com/ForwardGuidance

› Telegram – https://t.me/+CAoZQpC-i6BjYTEx

› Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks

›David https://x.com/dcanellis

TIMECODES

(00:00) Introduction

(02:36) Why Miran Dissented

(05:10) Nexo Ad

(05:44) Looking Through Oil Shocks

(07:32) AI And Deregulation Disinflate

(11:04) The Case For Neutral

(13:26) What Sets Neutral Rates

(17:03) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo

(18:47) Where “Running It Hot” Narrative Fails

(26:01) Skinny Master Accounts

(28:00) Stablecoins And Dollar Demand

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

DISCLAIMER

Nothing said on Forward Guidance or The Breakdown is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing a panel from Digital Assets Summit featuring the team behind Inflection Point. The conversation explores how investors should think about crypto valuations, what gives L1s value, and why there’s still no shared framework for pricing blockchain networks.

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Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres

Follow Inflection Point: inflectionpoint.carrd.co

Follow Matt: https://x.com/Matt_Hougan

David: https://x.com/dlawant

Michael: https://x.com/marcryptonio

Marc: https://x.com/marcarjoon

Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis

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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 Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:46) Crypto Valuation Models Are Broken

(10:01) Nexo Ad

(10:42) Revenue Isn’t the Answer

(16:23) One Asset Class or Many?

(18:43) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo

(20:23) Network Effects Need Revenue

(26:03) Blockspace Isn’t A Commodity

(31:20) Institutions Need Intellectual Permission

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing a panel from Digital Asset Summit hosted by David. The discussion explores how institutions think about on-chain privacy, the tradeoffs involved, and what it takes to bring financial systems onto blockchain infrastructure.

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Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres

Follow Patrick: https://x.com/_patrickogrady

Follow Yannik: https://x.com/yrschrade

Follow Catherine: https://x.com/catgu_

Follow Eric: https://x.com/wesarn_real

Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis

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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 Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction

(00:45) Meet the Privacy Builders

(04:17) What Institutions Want

(08:40) Nexo Ad

(09:17) What Institutions Want (Con’t)

(23:00) Nexo Ad

(23:52) Composability and Compliance

(35:39) Retail vs Institutions Wrap

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this special episode, we introduce Blockworks’ new investor relations platform for onchain businesses.

As institutional capital continues to enter crypto markets, expectations around transparency, standardization, and professionalism are rising. But instead of replicating legacy systems, Blockworks IR takes a different approach, leveraging real-time, onchain data to create a more transparent, data-driven, and low-friction investor relations model.

The platform combines curated analytics, branded investor portals, and white-glove advisory support into a single solution, helping teams tell a clearer, more credible story while giving investors a more efficient way to evaluate opportunities.

Launched at the Digital Asset Summit in New York, Blockworks IR aims to fill a critical gap in the industry. Listen to learn more about the vision behind the product and what it means for the future of investor relations in crypto.