Chain Reaction podcast

NFTs don’t always get taken very seriously, particularly now that AI and content creators are hogging the spotlight, but not everyone is so quick to discount crypto’s oft-derided younger sibling. According to Animoca Brands’ chairman and co-founder, Yat Siu, the growing influence of artificial intelligence and content is exactly why there is a growing need for NFTs in the world. Yes, we know that’s a bold claim, but before you roll your eyes, hear him out: Animoca has its own NFT collections, blockchain products and…

Welcome to TechCrunch Crypto, formerly known as Chain Reaction. To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important crypto stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday at 12 p.m. PT, subscribe here. Hello and welcome back to the fourth edition of the new and improved TechCrunch Crypto newsletter. You probably know the deal already, but alongside our regularly scheduled news bits, I’ve added some recurring segments and features — so if you like what you see (or don’t), let me know at…

The crypto world is riddled with noise. Memecoins, speculation, rug pulls, scams, hype and doomers distract us from all the innovative stuff people are building with blockchains. And sometimes the noise pollutes the stream of information so much, it can get really difficult to continue to believe in the technology. Still, one venture capital veteran feels the only way to cut a clear path is to focus on blockchain technology and startups building in the industry. “Crypto and blockchains are in the news a lot, but a…

Although Ripple has been around since 2012, it and the XRP Ledger are doubling down on its global payments journey. At the same time, it’s also aiming to become the go-to enterprise infrastructure provider, the company’s president, Monica Long, said on TechCrunch’s Chain Reaction podcast. Distinct from the Ripple network and protocol, the XRP Ledger is a decentralized public ledger with an open source code base that anyone can contribute to or use, Long said. And there are thousands of developers globally who do, she…

Welcome back to Chain Reaction. Happy New Year! The crypto space has been off to a strong start for 2024 as reporters and ETF analysts have reported that a bitcoin spot ETF approval in the U.S. could be coming as soon. As a result, bitcoin’s price went over $45,000 on Tuesday, hitting its highest level since April 2022. It has since retracted slightly to $44,000 at the time of publication. The total cryptocurrency market capitalization is growing at $1.68 trillion, the highest level since May 2022. In other news,…

Welcome back to Chain Reaction. To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important crypto stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday at 12 p.m. PT, subscribe here. Editor’s note: There won’t be a newsletter on 12/28; hope you all have a happy holidays and talk to you in the new year! It seems every time a dog-themed memecoin like Dogecoin (DOGE) or Shiba Inu (SHIB) goes mainstream, another one lurks in the shadows, waiting to pounce on its very own hype train. The value of the newest such memecoin Bonk…

It wants to attract the “entire spectrum” of digital asset investors Jacquelyn Melinek 15 hours Robinhood has been around for over a decade, and its foray into crypto isn’t necessarily new; however, the company is still trying to expand its efforts there — even in groups that have typically strayed from the platform. “I think crypto has always been made by very technical people and for technical people,” Johann Kerbrat, the general manager of crypto at…

Welcome back to Chain Reaction. To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important crypto stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday at 12 p.m. PT, subscribe here. If you’re feeling the holiday spirit this month, you probably align with millions of people out there spreading joy, love, warmth, maybe even some generosity. But if you’re feeling like the Grinch, chances are you are aligning with a smaller party of individuals — one that (in this analogy) could include crypto hackers. And even though it’s…