Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
This week Brandon Millman & Donnie Dinch join the show to discuss the past, present & future of Phantom. We deep dive into why did Brandon originally build Phantom, recent M&A activity, building perps, how does Phantom generate revenue, will Phantom IPO & more. Enjoy!
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Follow Brandon: https://x.com/BChillman
Follow Donnie: https://x.com/donnie
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Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
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Zcash is encrypted Bitcoin. Your digital bill of rights securing your freedom for the 21st century.
Buy, store and spend ZEC privately using Zashi Wallet download today: electriccoin.co/zashi
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Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
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00:00 Intro
03:59 Why Did Brandon Start Phantom?
12:05 Building For Crypto Users vs Normies
20:57 Ads (Zcash, Katana)
22:11 Launching Phantom CASH
27:26 How To Scale As a Startup
35:42 Launching Perps
47:12 Ads (Zcash, Katana)
48:26 How Does Phantom Generate Revenue?
53:16 The Next Chapter of Phantom
56:24 Phantom's Recent M&A
01:02:16 Ads (mantle)
01:03:15 Will Phantom Launch a Chain?
01:11:25 Prediction Markets
01:15:31 Will Phantom IPO?
01:21:01 Phantom Connect
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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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
This week Brandon Millman & Donnie Dinch join the show to discuss the past, present & future of Phantom. We deep dive into why did Brandon originally build Phantom, recent M&A activity, building perps, how does Phantom generate revenue, will Phantom IPO & more. Enjoy!
--
Follow Brandon: https://x.com/BChillman
Follow Donnie: https://x.com/donnie
Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: twitter.com/theempirepod
--
Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
--
Zcash is encrypted Bitcoin. Your digital bill of rights securing your freedom for the 21st century.
Buy, store and spend ZEC privately using Zashi Wallet download today: electriccoin.co/zashi
--
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
--
00:00 Intro
03:59 Why Did Brandon Start Phantom?
12:05 Building For Crypto Users vs Normies
20:57 Ads (Zcash, Katana)
22:11 Launching Phantom CASH
27:26 How To Scale As a Startup
35:42 Launching Perps
47:12 Ads (Zcash, Katana)
48:26 How Does Phantom Generate Revenue?
53:16 The Next Chapter of Phantom
56:24 Phantom's Recent M&A
01:02:16 Ads (mantle)
01:03:15 Will Phantom Launch a Chain?
01:11:25 Prediction Markets
01:15:31 Will Phantom IPO?
01:21:01 Phantom Connect
--
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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
![Monad Founder: The Next Chapter For Monad | Keone Hon
This week, Keone Hon joins the show to discuss the recent launch of Monad. We deep dive into Monads ICO, launching on Coinbase, the state of airdrops in crypto today, do we need another L1, whether public vs corporate chains are competitors and more. Enjoy!
Follow Keone: https://x.com/keoneHD
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Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
Zcash is encrypted Bitcoin. Your digital bill of rights securing your freedom for the 21st century. Buy, store and spend ZEC privately using Zashi Wallet download today: https://electriccoin.co/zashi/
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
Mantle Global Hackathon 2025 is live! Running from Oct 22 to Dec 31, Mantle invites builders to design the future of Real-World Assets (RWAs) on its modular L2 stack.
Key Highlights:
- $150,000 Prize Pool + Grants & Incubation opportunities
- Access to Bybits 7M+ verified users
- Judges from Bybit Ventures, Spartan, Animoca Brands
- 6 Tracks: RWA/RealFi, DeFi, AI, ZK, Infra, GameFi
Join the Hackathon: https://www.hackquest.io/vi/hackathons/Mantle-Global-Hackathon-2025
Uniswap’s Trading API offers plug-and-play access to deep onchain and off-chain liquidity, delivering enterprise-grade crypto trading without the complexity - from one of the most trusted teams in DeFi.
Click to get started with seamless, scalable access to Uniswap’s powerful onchain trading infrastructure. https://hub.uniswap.org/?utm_source=blockworks&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ww_web_bw_awa_trading-api_20251117_podcast_clicks
00:00 Introduction
01:35 Behind The Monad Launch
06:42 Monads Exchange Listing
13:20 Ads (Zashi, Katana)
14:37 Monads Pre Deposit Strategy
22:10 Monad’s Airdrop
27:05 Ads (Zashi, Katana)
28:21 Launching On Coinbase
32:40 Launching Mainnet
38:33 Ads (Mantle, Uniswap)
40:35 Developing An App Ecosystem
46:30 Why Do We Need Another L1?
47:47 Public vs Corporate Chains
52:36 What’s Next For Monad In 2026?
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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. Monad Founder: The Next Chapter For Monad | Keone Hon](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cpl9Cu3f4n8/mqdefault.jpg)



![Is the Cycle Over, Portfolio Psychology, & Prediction Market Alpha
This week, Jonah & Avi from the 1000x podcast join Jason live in the Blockworks studio to discuss whether the crypto cycle is truly over, OGs selling vs new whales entering, and how we manage our portfolios. We also dive into Robinhood’s long-term potential, our favorite crypto projects, finding edge in prediction markets and much more. Enjoy!
Go follow the new 1000x feed to keep up to date with all new episodes!
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Join the 1000x Telegram: https://t.me/+fz-2f0cwC6o0MWNh
Crypto-native institutions and developers demand institutional-grade infrastructure with regulatory clarity and full asset control. Blockdaemons Earn Stack is a non-custodial platform combining high-performance staking rewards and seamless DeFi integration with no intermediate smart contract or vaults.
Programmatically access leading Ethereum & Solana staking rewards, plus DeFi opportunities across lending protocols, DEXs, and AMMs. Book a Demo!
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
00:00 Introduction
02:34 Is the Cycle Over?
07:57 Crypto Disrupting TradFi Rails
09:57 Ads (Blockdaemon, Katana)
11:22 OGs Selling
14:33 Easiest Trade in Crypto?
16:34 Crypto PTSD & Profit-Taking Psychology
22:40 Portfolio Management
29:19 Ads (Blockdaemon, Katana)
30:43 Most Attractive Crypto Bets
33:47 Prediction Markets & Gambling
38:17 Crypto Wash Trading
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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. Is the Cycle Over, Portfolio Psychology, & Prediction Market Alpha](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DUfxTk5VElU/mqdefault.jpg)


![Crypto’s in a 20-Year Secular Bull Market | Weekly Roundup
This week, we discuss why Blockworks decided to shut down its news room. We then dive into why 2025 marks the start of a new chapter for the crypto industry, why were still in a bull market, MegaETHs ICO, recent IPOs, M&A and more. Enjoy!
Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM
Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel
Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod
Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
Crypto-native institutions and developers demand institutional-grade infrastructure with regulatory clarity and full asset control. Blockdaemons Earn Stack is a non-custodial platform combining high-performance staking rewards and seamless DeFi integration with no intermediate smart contract or vaults.
Programmatically access leading Ethereum & Solana staking rewards, plus DeFi opportunities across lending protocols, DEXs, and AMMs. Book a Demo!
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
Mantle is pioneering Blockchain for Banking as a revolutionary new category that sits at the intersection of TradFi and web3.
Key elements for Mantle as the Blockchain for Banking:
- Transactions posted to the blockchain
- Compatibility with TradFi rails
- Integrated DeFi features
Mantle Network, the access layer — transforms Mantle Network into a purpose-built vertical platform — the blockchain for banking — that enables financial services on-chain. Mantle leads the establishment of Blockchain for Banking as the next frontier.
Follow Mantle on X (@Mantle_Official) for the latest updates on Mantle as the Blockchain for Banking.
00:00 Introduction
01:20 Why Blockworks Closed The News Division
13:27 Blockdaemon Ad
14:04 Katana Ad
14:52 The Next Chapter For Blockworks
20:48 It’s Still A Bull Market
25:12 Securitize Plans To Go Public At a $1.25B Valuation
31:16 Blockdaemon Ad
31:53 Katana Ad
32:39 Western Union Announces USDPT
51:25 Mantle Ad
52:22 Mastercard Looks To Acquire Zerohash
01:00:03 Will Stripes Tempo Be a Success?
01:06:17 The MegaETH ICO
01:09:44 Content Of The Week
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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. Crypto’s in a 20-Year Secular Bull Market | Weekly Roundup](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EJm-8gY6yRM/mqdefault.jpg)

![DC Crypto Week Takeaways
Gm! This week, Rebecca Rettig and Alexander Grieve join Jason to unpack the successful crypto week and the 3 pieces of legislation that have passed and will now impact the way stablecoins and crypto move forward in the US landscape.
Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross.
Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts
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Follow Rebecca: https://x.com/RebeccaRettig1
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Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod
Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh
SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees.
SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork
Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users.
Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates]
Mantle is building the financial infrastructure for a tokenised future—bridging traditional finance and on-chain innovation through six integrated product pillars: Mantle Network, mETH Protocol, Function BTC, and the upcoming launches of MantleX, Mantle Banking, and the Mantle Index Four (MI4) Fund. Anchored by one of the largest community-governed treasuries in the industry, valued at over $4 billion, Mantle is delivering institutional-grade products designed for global capital markets.
Follow Mantle on X: https://x.com/Mantle_Official
Zenrock is a permissionless, decentralized custody network backed by 1RoundTable Partners, 10T, Maven11, and Spartan. Live on Jupiter, $ROCK is the native token for transactions within the Zenrock ecosystem and secures Zenrock’s decentralized custody network.
The first application launching on Zenrock is zenBTC – yield-bearing Bitcoin on Solana. zenBTC is now live.
Ledn is the leading platform for Bitcoin-backed loans, offering a secure and transparent way to unlock liquidity without selling your Bitcoin. Ledn has issued over $9 billion in loans since 2018 and has never lost a single satoshi of client assets, earning a reputation as the name you can trust in the crypto space.
Visit https://www.ledn.io to learn more.
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Chapters:
01:55 Crypto Week Breakdown
06:04 GENIUS Act
26:04 Ads (Skale, Katana)
27:51 CLARITY Act
38:31 CLARITY Act + ICOs
42:42 Ads (Skale, Katana)
44:29 CLARITY Act + DeFi
55:11 Ads (Mantle, Zenrock, ,LEDN)
57:41 ANTI-CBDC Act
01:01:13 Impacts Of These Bills
01:04:21 Biggest Debates On Bills
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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, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. DC Crypto Week Takeaways](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EZn6kDKMI9M/mqdefault.jpg)
