Are AI Agents Actually Using Crypto? | The Breakdown

x402 just got a lot bigger. The Linux Foundation is now backing it — and maybe Amazon, Google, Stripe, Mastercard, and American Express along with them. In this episode, David sits down with Jordan Liu, co-founder of AIsa — one of earliest builders in the x402 ecosystem, with over 20 million microtransactions already processed. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (01:42) What AISA Builds (02:55) X40 Goes Linux (07:30) Nexo Ad (08:07) Adoption and Micropayments (19:58) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo (21:38) Adoption and Micropayments (Con’t) (25:06) Protocols Roadblocks Future FOLLOW GUEST › Jordan Liu (AIsa) — https://x.com/AIsaOneHQ FOLLOW THE SHOW › David — https://x.com/dcanellis › The Breakdown — https://x.com/TheBreakdownBW SPONSORS › NEXO Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown - Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ DISCLAIMER As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

AI agents are coming online fast — and the payment rails for that world are being built right now. David breaks down the race between Coinbase’s x402 and Stripe’s Machine Payments Protocol, the rise of agentic commerce, and why crypto may have a natural edge, before sitting down with Jordan Liu of AIsa. __ TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:30) Tool Time (03:45) AI-doption (05:48) Nexo Ad (06:30) When in Doubt, Incentivize (07:36) Interview with Jordan Liu (12:24) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo (14:09) Interview with Jordan Liu (Con’t) __ › Jordan Liu (AIsa) —https://aisa.one/ › David — https://x.com/dcanellis SPONSORS › NEXO Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to the Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ DISCLAIMER As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re bringing some of our favorite conversations from across Blockworks onto the feed. In this episode of Forward Guidance, Felix Jauvin sits down with Fed Governor Stephen Miran at DAS to discuss why he believes inflation fears are overstated, why the Fed may still be too restrictive, and how AI, deregulation, and stablecoins could all shape the future of monetary policy. FOLLOW GUEST › Federal Reserve – https://x.com/federalreserve FOLLOW THE SHOW › Felix – https://x.com/fejau_inc › Forward Guidance – https://x.com/ForwardGuidance › Telegram – https://t.me/+CAoZQpC-i6BjYTEx › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks ›David https://x.com/dcanellis TIMECODES (00:00) Introduction (02:36) Why Miran Dissented (05:10) Nexo Ad (05:44) Looking Through Oil Shocks (07:32) AI And Deregulation Disinflate (11:04) The Case For Neutral (13:26) What Sets Neutral Rates (17:03) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo (18:47) Where “Running It Hot” Narrative Fails (26:01) Skinny Master Accounts (28:00) Stablecoins And Dollar Demand SPONSORS › NEXO Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Forward Guidance or The Breakdown is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing a panel from Digital Assets Summit featuring the team behind Inflection Point. The conversation explores how investors should think about crypto valuations, what gives L1s value, and why there’s still no shared framework for pricing blockchain networks. – Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres Follow Inflection Point: inflectionpoint.carrd.co Follow Matt: https://x.com/Matt_Hougan David: https://x.com/dlawant Michael: https://x.com/marcryptonio Marc: https://x.com/marcarjoon Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ — Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:46) Crypto Valuation Models Are Broken (10:01) Nexo Ad (10:42) Revenue Isn’t the Answer (16:23) One Asset Class or Many? (18:43) Nexo Ad and Blockworks IR Promo (20:23) Network Effects Need Revenue (26:03) Blockspace Isn’t A Commodity (31:20) Institutions Need Intellectual Permission — Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing a panel from Digital Asset Summit hosted by David. The discussion explores how institutions think about on-chain privacy, the tradeoffs involved, and what it takes to bring financial systems onto blockchain infrastructure. – Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres Follow Patrick: https://x.com/_patrickogrady Follow Yannik: https://x.com/yrschrade Follow Catherine: https://x.com/catgu_ Follow Eric: https://x.com/wesarn_real Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ — Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction (00:45) Meet the Privacy Builders (04:17) What Institutions Want (08:40) Nexo Ad (09:17) What Institutions Want (Con’t) (23:00) Nexo Ad (23:52) Composability and Compliance (35:39) Retail vs Institutions Wrap — Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this special episode, we introduce Blockworks’ new investor relations platform for onchain businesses. As institutional capital continues to enter crypto markets, expectations around transparency, standardization, and professionalism are rising. But instead of replicating legacy systems, Blockworks IR takes a different approach, leveraging real-time, onchain data to create a more transparent, data-driven, and low-friction investor relations model. The platform combines curated analytics, branded investor portals, and white-glove advisory support into a single solution, helping teams tell a clearer, more credible story while giving investors a more efficient way to evaluate opportunities. Launched at the Digital Asset Summit in New York, Blockworks IR aims to fill a critical gap in the industry. Listen to learn more about the vision behind the product and what it means for the future of investor relations in crypto.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing the full version of a past conversation with Nick Almond. The discussion explores how to think about crypto networks, why common metrics can be misleading, and what actually matters when evaluating activity and value. Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres Follow Nick: https://x.com/DrNickA Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ — Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:07) Ethereum vs Solana Endgames (06:18) Nexo Ad (06:54) Valuation Paradigms and Realism (14:56) Nexo Ad (15:47) Decentralization vs Fintech Future (24:44) Measuring Decentralization — Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

While The Breakdown is between seasons, we’re sharing a recent episode of Forward Guidance. Felix is joined by Bob Elliott to break down how oil shocks impact inflation, growth, and central bank policy—and why markets may be underestimating the risks. As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice. – Forward Guidance: https://www.youtube.com/@ForwardGuidanceBW Follow Bob: https://x.com/BobEUnlimited Follow Felix: https://x.com/fejau_inc Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ —-- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:57) Oil Shock Challenges & Today vs 2022 (10:38) Nexo Ad (11:13) Oil Shock Challenges & Today vs 2022 (Con’t) (16:12) The Energy Shock Impact on Households (20:14) How Will Central Banks & Bonds React? (30:40) Nexo Ad (31:37) Oil Shock Sequence of Events (33:26) Iran War’s Asymmetric Regional Impact (39:57) What Happens to Gold? (43:02) Understanding a Wartime Economy (47:34) Final Thoughts - - Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

As a new season of The Breakdown approaches, David takes a moment to introduce himself and explain how he thinks about Bitcoin, crypto culture, and the industry’s next phase. – Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ — Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:04) My Crypto Origin Story (04:07) From Trading to Crypto Media (08:47) What Crypto Means Now (13:32) AI, Autonomy, and What’s Next __ Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Marc Arjoon joins the show to discuss how institutional flows, ETF market structure, and the changing economics of Bitcoin mining are reshaping the market. As always, remember this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely their opinions, not financial advice. – Follow Blockworks Research: https://x.com/blockworksres Follow Marc: https://x.com/marcarjoon Follow David: https://x.com/dcanellis — Nexo is the premier digital wealth platform. Receive interest on your crypto, borrow against it without selling, and trade a range of assets. Now available in the U.S with 30 days of exclusive privileges. Get started at http://nexo.com/breakdown Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ — Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:34) Do Halvings Still Matter (03:45) Miner Supply And Profitability (08:06) Will AI Shift Move BTC (10:15) Nexo Ad and DAS Promo (11:28) ETFs Treasury And Custody Risk (20:06) Nexo Ad (21:03) Blockchain Not Bitcoin Debate (24:24) Governance And Quantum Risk (31:12) Bitcoin As Separate Asset ⸻ Disclaimer: Nothing said on The Breakdown 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. Host and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.