224 - Power, Policy & the Future of Markets with David Menz
Crypto Curious
04/01/26
•26m
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This week’s episode is all about power — who has it, who’s fighting for it, and how it’s reshaping the future of crypto. We
👉🏼 We start in the US, where one of the most important pieces of crypto legislation — the CLARITY Act — is now at risk of falling apart. Not because the industry disagrees on the big picture, but because of one very specific battleground: stablecoin yield. And at the centre of it all, Coinbase is once again pushing back — raising big questions about influence, incentives, and who really gets to shape the rules of this industry.
👉🏼 Then we head closer to home, with a special guest, David Menz of Stand with Crypto joining us to unpack what crypto advocacy actually looks like in Australia. With millions of potential crypto voters and regulation still stuck in limbo, the question becomes: what does “winning” even look like here?
👉🏼 And finally, we zoom out to the biggest signal of all — because while policymakers debate the rules, the New York Stock Exchange is already building the future. A 24/7, blockchain-based trading platform for stocks, powered by stablecoins and instant settlement. Not a concept — actual infrastructure.
Policy fights, political momentum, and markets that never close.
Let’s get into it 🚀
****
TIMESTAMPS
2:31 What is 'Stand with Crypto'?
7:30 Messy advocacy - what's going on with the Clarity Act?
12:03 Turning local now to Australia, we hit David with some pointy ones!
17:43 New York Stock Exchange builds out trading on 24/7 blockchain
20:55 Short, sharp news bites
****
SHOWNOTES
David Menz - where to find him!
Sign up for the Crypto Curious Newsletter
💥 Have you downloaded Bamboo’s 2026 Crypto Market Report? 💥
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If you’re enjoying these episodes please subscribe to our podcast on your preferred platform, leave a review, or share this episode with a friend or family member.
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*****
In the spirit of reconciliation, the hosts of Crypto Curious acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.
*****
The Crypto Curious podcast is intended for educational and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs, or objectives.
Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
By the end of the weekend, we were back below $69K, all triggered by a single geopolitical curveball. A post from Donald Trump on Truth Social referencing Iran was enough to rattle global markets, and with a key deadline expiring today, the uncertainty isn’t exactly behind us.
But while prices were reacting in real time, regulators were doing something far more deliberate.
In a move that could reshape the entire industry, the SEC and CFTC have, for the first time, formally identified 16 crypto assets — including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and XRP — as commodities, not securities. It’s the kind of clarity the market has been asking for... and it could change how institutions, products, and capital flow into this space from here.
And then there’s what’s happening behind the scenes — because while headlines focus on price and policy, the Bitcoin network itself is under pressure.
Mining difficulty just dropped nearly 8%, one of the biggest declines we’ve seen this year. At the same time, the average cost to mine a single Bitcoin is sitting around $88,000... while it’s trading closer to $69,000. In simple terms: a lot of miners are operating at a loss right now.
So today, we’re unpacking all of it — the macro shock that moved the market, the regulatory shift that could define what comes next, and the growing stress signals under the surface.
Let’s get into it 🚀
****
TIMESTAMPS
2:24 BTC drops 7% thanks to a single tweet!
3:47 Hyperliquid's (oil) slick move!
5:42 The SEC and CFTC names 16 crypto assets as digital commodities
7:47 Bitcoin miners in crisis
10:54 Short, sharp news bites
****
SHOWNOTES
Sign up for the Crypto Curious Newsletter
💥 Have you downloaded Bamboo’s 2026 Crypto Market Report? 💥
****
If you’re enjoying these episodes please subscribe to our podcast on your preferred platform, leave a review, or share this episode with a friend or family member.
If you want to start investing in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Gold & Silver, you can download the Bamboo app here. Use the code CURIOUS for $10 in BTC when you sign up.
Follow the Crypto Curious Instagram here.
Join the Crypto Curious Facebook Group here.
*****
In the spirit of reconciliation, the hosts of Crypto Curious acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.
*****
The Crypto Curious podcast is intended for educational and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs, or objectives.
Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
225 - Ceasefires, Scams & Quantum Chaos
April 8
•16m
This week, crypto didn’t just move... it reacted.
👉🏼 A potential ceasefire sent markets flying — then reality tapped everyone back on the shoulder.
👉🏼 A $285 million “April Fool’s joke” turned out to be anything but funny.
👉🏼 And just when you thought things couldn’t get more futuristic... Google entered the chat with a warning that could rewrite crypto as we know it.
From global politics to billion-dollar breaches to quantum-level threats — this isn’t just another week in crypto.
Let’s get into it 🚀
****
TIMESTAMPS
2:35 'Truth Social' and ultimatums
5:18 Biggest hack of the year!
8:59 Under the radar - Google Quantum AI publishes a paper that comes with quite a warning!!
12:21 Short, sharp news bites
****
SHOWNOTES
Sign up for the Crypto Curious Newsletter
💥 Have you downloaded Bamboo’s 2026 Crypto Market Report? 💥
****
If you’re enjoying these episodes please subscribe to our podcast on your preferred platform, leave a review, or share this episode with a friend or family member.
If you want to start investing in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Gold & Silver, you can download the Bamboo app here. Use the code CURIOUS for $10 in BTC when you sign up.
Follow the Crypto Curious Instagram here.
Join the Crypto Curious Facebook Group here.
*****
In the spirit of reconciliation, the hosts of Crypto Curious acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.
*****
The Crypto Curious podcast is intended for educational and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs, or objectives.
Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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