Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
AI and distribution moats are forcing investors to separate real business transformation from crypto’s unresolved value-capture problem.
This week, Jason and Santi discuss what months of researching crypto adoption taught Inversion, why the firm's investment strategy is evolving, and what it reveals about where value is actually being created today.
They also explore Robinhood's onchain strategy, whether AI is delivering stronger returns than crypto in traditional businesses, the debate over token versus equity value capture, and how the next generation of consumer finance is taking shape. Enjoy!
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
03:15 Inversion’s Crypto Thesis Reset
06:17 Where Crypto ROI Breaks
11:58 The Distribution Quality Trap
17:12 Inversion Broadens Its Mandate
22:02 Crypto’s Value Capture Problem
28:00 AI Rewrites Company Workflows
31:45 Ads (Peaq)
33:01 AI Pricing Hits The Limit
39:09 Robinhood Chain Takes Off
48:07 Regulatory Arbitrage Goes Onchain
52:35 Finance For The Next Generation
57:02 The Token Equity Debate
FOLLOW THE SHOW
› Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod
› Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz
› Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel
› Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
› Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks
Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation.
Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz
EVENTS
› Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th
blockworks.com/events
DISCLAIMER
Nothing said on Empire 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.
AI and distribution moats are forcing investors to separate real business transformation from crypto’s unresolved value-capture problem.
This week, Jason and Santi discuss what months of researching crypto adoption taught Inversion, why the firm's investment strategy is evolving, and what it reveals about where value is actually being created today.
They also explore Robinhood's onchain strategy, whether AI is delivering stronger returns than crypto in traditional businesses, the debate over token versus equity value capture, and how the next generation of consumer finance is taking shape. Enjoy!
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
03:15 Inversion’s Crypto Thesis Reset
06:17 Where Crypto ROI Breaks
11:58 The Distribution Quality Trap
17:12 Inversion Broadens Its Mandate
22:02 Crypto’s Value Capture Problem
28:00 AI Rewrites Company Workflows
31:45 Ads (Peaq)
33:01 AI Pricing Hits The Limit
39:09 Robinhood Chain Takes Off
48:07 Regulatory Arbitrage Goes Onchain
52:35 Finance For The Next Generation
57:02 The Token Equity Debate
FOLLOW THE SHOW
› Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod
› Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz
› Santiago – https://x.com/santiagoroel
› Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
› Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks
Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation.
Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz
EVENTS
› Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th
blockworks.com/events
DISCLAIMER
Nothing said on Empire 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.
