‘Up’tober Provides

<strong>In a break from the Sam Bankman-Fried trial coverage, “Carpe Consensus” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson chat about bitcoin ETFs and the state of crypto policy.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson center the episode on, arguably, the crypto news event of the year: the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.</p><ul><li>[0:46] Inside the Desk: October is historically a good month for bitcoin, and this year is no different. But, there’s some additional factors pushing the price, including the potential for a spot bitcoin ETF approval in coming months.</li><li>[16:22] The ShillFest: Ben dives into policy, discussing the politicization of the industry, <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/10/16/the-stablecoin-bill-is-a-vital-upgrade-for-us-financial-plumbing/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">possible stablecoin regulation</a> and what <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/10/17/when-bankruptcy-regulates-crypto-the-good-the-bad-and-the-really-ugly/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bankruptcy courts</a> have to do with the U.S.’s approach to crypto policy.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:17:07

Can the Mainstream Separate SBF From the Rest of Crypto?

<strong>CoinDesk reports from the courthouse on week three of Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson center the episode on, arguably, the crypto news event of the year: the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.</p><ul><li>[0:46] Inside the Desk: Danny recounts what it's been like attending the trial.</li><li>[16:22] Danny records outside the courthouse (and inside a bar, pardon the noise) alongside Nik De.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:27:36

Caroline Ellison Takes the Stand

<strong>The government’s star witness, the former CEO of Alameda Research and once romantic partner of Sam Bankman-Fried, testified this week. CoinDesk reports from the courthouse.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson center the episode on, arguably, the crypto news event of the year: the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.</p><ul><li>[1:09] Inside the Desk: Danny recounts what it's been like attending the trial.</li><li>[14:24] Danny records outside the courthouse, alongside Eli Tan.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:19:34

The Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins

<strong>CoinDesk reports from the courthouse.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson center the episode on, arguably, the crypto news event of the year: the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.</p><ul><li>[1:05] Inside the Desk: Nik De, CoinDesk's managing editor for global policy and regulation, breaks down CoinDesk’s approach to covering the trial.</li><li>[10:08] Danny reports from the first two days at the courthouse, alongside Nik De and Sam Kessler.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:17:12

Special Interview: Robinhood Crypto General Manager Johann Kerbrat

<strong>Danny Nelson catches up with Johann Kerbrat, general manager of crypto at Robinhood about the company’s vision for crypto on its platform.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” host Danny Nelson catches up with Johann Kerbrat, general manager of crypto at Robinhood. The duo dive into:</p><ul><li>The evolution of Robinhood’s crypto vertical and changes throughout market cycles</li><li>Advantages of building in the bear</li><li>Considerations of what customers want next for the platform</li><li>The importance of transparency and consistency for crypto platforms, after the fall of FTX</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:18:04

How to 'Rage Quit' a DAO, Safely

<strong>The latest in a series of "rage quits" that showcase how DAOs deal with factions of investors who lose faith in their vision and demand their money back.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson dive into the latest crypto news.</p><ul><li>[1:15] Ben kicks off the show by recounting his time on the (muddy) playa of Burning Man 2023. Are some foundational ideals of the festival harmonious with the crypto ethos?</li><li>[6:07] Inside the Desk: North Korea-linked hacker collective Lazarus Group has been linked to <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/09/07/north-koreas-lazarus-hackers-stoke-41-million-from-crypto-gambling-site-fbi-says/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">yet another crypto hack</a>.</li><li>[12:06] Danny’s Dungeon: NounsDAO is the latest decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to undergo a so-called “rage quit.” The <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2023/09/09/nounsdao-barrels-toward-treasury-split-after-nft-holders-rally-for-rage-quit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanism for this particular treasury split</a> is relatively new and allows disaffected investors to, potentially, exit peacefully.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:20:34

Did Centralization Cause the Base Blockchain Outage?

<strong>While one network (Base) faced an outage, another (Ethereum) had a layer 2 leader grappling with the idea of an “Ethereum Supreme Court.”</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” host Danny Nelson is joined by CoinDesk tech reporter Sam Kessler to dive into the latest blockchain news.</p><ul><li>[0:53] Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 blockchain Base experienced its first major outage since its launch, halting the production of new blocks for about 45 minutes. Sam explains what caused the outage and other vulnerabilities he’s watching.</li><li>[13:16] In crypto, the phrase “code is law” seems to assert that technology can thwart centralized individuals. But a <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2023/09/05/ethereum-supreme-court-mooted-by-blockchain-executive-as-alternative-to-code-is-law/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">proposal for an “Ethereum Supreme Court”</a> gets Danny and Sam thinking – are blockchains already just social contracts, not straight code as we’ve been led to believe?</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:22:37

Time to ‘Treat Like Cases Alike,’ Judge Says in Grayscale ETF Appeal

<strong>Ryan Louvar, WisdomTree’s chief legal officer and head of business and legal affairs for digital assets, breaks down the latest in crypto ETFs.</strong></p>On today’s “Carpe Consensus,” Danny Nelson dives into the world of crypto news alongside CoinDesk tech reporter Margaux Nijkerk.</p><ul><li>[0:34] Inside the Desk: Coinbase finds itself in uncharted territory as it is now a public company … attempting to run a decentralized blockchain. It’s <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2023/08/24/coinbase-in-uncharted-territory-as-public-company-running-blockchain-pledges-neutrality/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pledged neutrality</a>, as Margaux reports. </li><li>[7:05] Ryan Louvar comments on <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/29/sec-must-review-grayscales-etf-bid-appeals-court-rules/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grayscale’s SEC victory</a> and what it might mean for other spot bitcoin ETF proposals in the review queue. WisdomTree itself is awaiting feedback, though the company has other focuses in the realm of digital assets, including its Europe ETFs and financial app WisdomTree Prime.</li><li>[25:07] Danny’s Dungeon: <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/08/29/yearn-finance-voters-to-wintermute-drop-dead/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yearn Finance Voters to Wintermute: Drop Dead</a></li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:33:34

Insights From El Salvador's Pioneering Legal Tender Experiment

<strong>Jonathan Martin has spent the last few months traveling across El Salvador, speaking with locals, developers, expats and merchants about the country’s adoption of bitcoin as legal tender.</strong></p>On “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson dive into the latest crypto news.</p><ul><li>[3:32] Inside the Desk: CoinDesk courtroom reporter Elizabeth Napolitano recaps what’s been going on inside Sam Bankman Fried’s court hearings ahead of his October trial. Notably, SBF is <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/11/sam-bankman-fried-jailed-ahead-of-trial/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">back in jail</a>.</li><li>[13:40] Jonathan Martin has been traveling across El Salvador, checking in on the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/08/07/two-months-in-el-salvador-the-ground-game-for-bitcoin-adoption/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Are locals buying it?</a> His latest focus is on <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/08/18/el-salvador-diary-lightning-is-key-to-bitcoin-adoption/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lightning's role in bitcoin adoption</a>.</li><li>[22:46] Things We Are Freaking Out About: The potato boon moves from Idaho to Washington state. Ben’s worried about weather.</li></ul><em>“Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:27:47

Season Tickets for the Crypto Theater

<strong>CoinDesk layoffs. Plus, DeFi fails to live up to its promises and a look at Coinbase’s recent flurry of announcements.</strong></p>On today’s “Carpe Consensus,” hosts Ben Schiller and Danny Nelson dive into the latest crypto news.</p><ul><li>[0:35] Inside the Desk: Ben and Danny discuss CoinDesk’s recent layoffs, which “Carpe Consensus” cohost Cam Thompson was affected by. Crypto’s bear (or as some say, “crab”) market has not been particularly kind to crypto media.</li><li>[4:20] Decentralized Finance (DeFi) promised a new take on governance. It’s unclear what we got instead. The hosts discuss Camila Russo’s piece, “<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/08/14/cryptos-theater-is-becoming-more-surreal/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crypto’s Theater Is Becoming More Surreal</a>.”</li><li>[15:48] Coinbase <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2023/08/09/coinbase-officially-launches-base-blockchain-milestone-for-a-public-company/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">launched Base blockchain</a>, a layer 2 network. It’s also formed a crypto lobbying agency, all while it’s in the middle of a battle with the SEC.</li></ul><em>This one’s for Cam – you’re the best. “Carpe Consensus” is executive produced by Jared Schwartz and produced and edited by Eleanor Pahl.</em></p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

00:27:00