About this episode
David Hoffman sits down with Mike Ippolito to unpack why 2025 felt brutal despite new all-time highs and why that tension matters for 2026. They argue crypto is entering its “2002 internet” phase, where speculation fades, fundamentals matter, and consolidation accelerates. The conversation covers why Ethereum may see a renaissance, why Bitcoin sentiment could struggle, how prediction markets and equity perps actually play out, and what builders and investors should focus on as crypto matures from hype into real value creation.------?SPOTIFY PREMIUM RSS FEED | USE CODE: SPOTIFY24 https://bankless.cc/spotify-premiumMike Ippolitohttps://x.com/MikeIppolito_https://x.com/MikeIppolito_/status/1870938934337020106https://blockworks.co/podcast/bellcurve ------BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS:?COINBASE | ETH & BTC BACKED LOANShttps://bankless.cc/coinbase-borrow?FRAXNET | MINT, REDEEM, & EARN https://bankless.cc/fraxnet?UNISWAP | CONTINUOUS CLEARING AUCTIONS https://bankless.cc/uniswap-cca?MANTLE | GLOBAL HACKATHON 2025https://bankless.cc/mantle-hackathon?EIGHT SLEEP | IMPROVE YOUR SLEEPhttps://bankless.cc/eight-sleep------TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro0:41 Evaluating 2025: The Best Worst Year7:19 Looking Ahead to 202615:40 Investor Relations in Crypto24:29 Evolving Revenue Discussions27:44 The Future of DATS30:06 VC Investment Trends35:13 Prediction Markets: Incumbents Win39:52 The Ethereum Renaissance45:42 The Quantum Threat to Bitcoin55:06 Consolidation in Blockchain Infrastructure1:05:07 Corporate Chains: Hot Starts, Cold Ends1:10:
