On The Brink with Castle Island
Hosts Matt Walsh and Nic Carter of Castle Island Ventures explore news and deals in the public blockchain space and talk to some of the leading experts in the industrypodnews.net.
Weekly Roundup 05/22/26 (AI and Power Bills, SpaceX IPO, Prime Trust Clawbacks, USG Invests in Quantum) (EP.721)
In this episode Matt Walsh and Nick Carter dissect the myth that AI is inflating residential electricity bills, showing data that states with the highest data‑center concentration actually enjoy the lowest power price growth, while higher rates are driven by inflation and renewable‑energy costs in blue states. They then shift to market dynamics, lamenting the lack of public equity exposure to AI giants and critiquing the upcoming SpaceX IPO, noting its massive Bitcoin holdings and speculative valuation. The hosts also review a slate of crypto‑related deals, from Bitcoin Depot’s bankruptcy to multiple multi‑million‑dollar funding rounds, and highlight a new U.S. government program investing roughly $2 billion in equity stakes across nine quantum‑computing firms.
Weekly Roundup 05/08/26 (Consensus Miami, AI Layoffs Strike Coinbase, Clarity Compromise, AI Energy and Water Use) (EP.719)
Matt Walsh and Nick Carter recap the latest crypto market dynamics, highlighting a wave of high‑profile M&A deals—including Kraken’s acquisition of REAP, MoonPay’s purchase of Deflow, and Bullish’s $4.2 billion takeover of Equinity—while noting a surge of fresh capital such as...
Weekly Roundup 04/10/26 (New Satoshi Candidates, Mythos' 0-Days, CZ's Memoir) (EP.713)
In this episode Matt Walsh and Nick Carter dive into the latest Bitcoin mysteries, dissecting the New York Times' claim that Blockstream founder Adam Back is Satoshi Nakamoto and weighing alternative candidates like Hal Finney, Len Sassaman, and the possibility...
Weekly Roundup 03/27/26 (Google's Quantum Deadline, Circle's Selloff, DATs Are Selling) (EP.710)
Matt Walsh and Nick Carter discuss a flurry of recent crypto and fintech developments, highlighting major funding rounds for XFX, Calci, Parify, Blue Sky, Pay2Y, Kairos Swap, Eureka Labs, and Unis. They dissect Circle's 20% USDC price drop, attributing it...
Weekly Roundup 03/13/26 (SEC vs CFTC Detente, Prediction Market Surveillance, Equitizing Tokens) (EP.708)
Matt Walsh and Nick Carter discuss a range of crypto‑related developments, from major funding rounds for stable‑coin and Bitcoin‑native projects to the SEC‑CFTC memorandum of understanding that promises coordinated oversight of digital assets. They analyze the implications of the CFTC’s...
Weekly Roundup 02/20/26 (CFTC Claims Prediction Markets, Rogue AI Agents, ETH's Existential Crisis) (EP.703)
In this episode Matt and Nic dissect a week of crypto headlines, from Neel Kashkari’s harsh critique of stablecoins and Base’s split from Optimism to Ethereum’s identity crisis and a $75 million shortfall at Blockfills. They discuss regulatory moves such as...
Raj Parekh (Monad Foundation) on Stablecoins and The Next Era of Fintech (EP.702)
In this episode, Raj Parekh, Head of Stablecoins and Payments at Monad Foundation, discusses how enterprises can integrate stablecoins into their operations, weighing the prospects of building private corporate blockchains versus using existing networks. He explores whether the market will...
Weekly Roundup 02/06/26 (Bitcoin Bloodbath, Digesting Epstein's Emails, Ethereum Rethinks L2s) (EP.699)
In this episode Matt and Nic dissect a turbulent week in crypto, covering Bitcoin’s sharp price drop and the fallout from leaked Jeffrey Epstein emails that hint at possible influence on Bitcoin development. They note Tether trading at a slight...
Weekly Roundup 01/30/26 (Fidelity's FIDD, Gold Rally, Worldcoin and AI Bots, Digital Alibis) (EP. 698)
Matt and Nic dissect the week’s crypto headlines, spotlighting Fidelity’s launch of the FIDD stablecoin on Ethereum and the Senate Agriculture Committee’s approval of new market‑structure legislation. They debate the macro impact of stablecoins on bank deposits, note Tether’s surge...
Weekly Roundup 01/16/26 (CLARITY Problems, InfoFi Dead, CA Wealth Tax, Kontigo) (EP.696)
Matt Walsh and Nic Carter recap the week’s blockchain headlines, noting the delayed markup of the Clarity market‑structure bill and Coinbase’s withdrawal of support amid bank lobby pressure. They flag Kontigo’s alleged sanctions‑evasion issues and X’s API change that blocks...
Weekly Roundup 01/02/26 (2026 Predictions, Wealth Taxes, Secret Insolvencies) (EP.694)
Matt and Nic kick off 2026 with a rapid-fire roundup covering the House's draft PARITY Act, the challenges of implementing wealth taxes, and ongoing declines in decentralized autonomous tokens (DATs). They share personal anecdotes, discuss Nic's fiction piece, and speculate...
Weekly Roundup 12/05/25 (The Trouble with Taproot, a Prediction Market Paradox, HFSC OCP.2 Report) (EP.689)
Matt Walsh and Nic Carter review the week’s blockchain headlines, flagging lingering quantum‑risk concerns and questioning whether banks are infiltrated by intelligence agencies. They dissect technical and regulatory issues—from problematic Taproot address handling and MicroStrategy’s USD reserve strategy to Kalshi’s...
Stepan Simkin (Squads) on Stablecoin-Powered Financial Services (EP.688)
In this episode, Stepan Simkin, founder of Squads, explains how his platform has shifted from a DeFi‑focused tool to a broader treasury solution for companies, addressing the cash‑flow challenges of small‑medium businesses. He discusses the growing migration of local currencies...
Weekly Roundup 11/27/25 (Who We Are Thankful for, S&P Downgrades Tether) (EP.687)
In this Thanksgiving special, Matt and Nic discuss a mix of crypto and fintech news, including Polymarket’s CFTC approval, Klarna’s launch of a stablecoin on Tempo, and Upbit’s recent hack. They delve into the controversy surrounding Berachain, analyze S&P’s downgrade...
Weekly Roundup 11/21/25 (Quantum FUD, DAT Hangover, Stablecoin Duration Risk) (EP.686)
Matt and Nic dissect a wave of quantum‑related fear, noting that prominent figures like Ray Dalio, Scott Aaronson, and Vitalik Buterin warn that quantum computing could threaten Bitcoin, while exploring potential upgrade paths and market reactions. They also review the...