Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
This week, Ben Jones and Karl Floersch join the show to discuss what happened to the L2s. We take a deep dive into Optimism's new strategy for 2026, the current state of Ethereum, why companies need to launch a chain, having a token, and more. Enjoy!
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Follow Karl: https://x.com/karl_dot_tech
Follow Ben: https://x.com/ben_chain
Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod
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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
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:43 What L2s Got Right vs Wrong
12:46 peaq Ad
13:42 Optimism’s Strategy in 2026
32:36 What’s Optimism’s Moat?
40:02 Who Needs To Build a Chain?
51:20 The Current State of Etheruem
59:39 Launching a Token
01:03:10 What Defines Success in Crypto?
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire 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. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
This week, Ben Jones and Karl Floersch join the show to discuss what happened to the L2s. We take a deep dive into Optimism's new strategy for 2026, the current state of Ethereum, why companies need to launch a chain, having a token, and more. Enjoy!
--
Follow Karl: https://x.com/karl_dot_tech
Follow Ben: https://x.com/ben_chain
Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: https://x.com/theempirepod
--
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
--
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:43 What L2s Got Right vs Wrong
12:46 peaq Ad
13:42 Optimism’s Strategy in 2026
32:36 What’s Optimism’s Moat?
40:02 Who Needs To Build a Chain?
51:20 The Current State of Etheruem
59:39 Launching a Token
01:03:10 What Defines Success in Crypto?
--
Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire 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. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
