Episode 62: Bitcoin - Anchor In A Shifting Macro World?

Markets face another wild week as tariff headlines spark volatility, front-end vols and put skew get crushed while Bitcoin rallies alongside a historic equity squeeze.

Host Dave Brickell (FRNT Financial) is joined by Kean Gilbert (Lido DAO) to unpack surging US yields, global de-risking, and Bitcoin’s growing stability. From Lido’s liquid staking revolution—now part of Deribit’s collateral pool—to a deep dive with Metis co-founder Elena Sinelnikova on AI’s role in building a decentralized, happy society, this episode explores crypto’s institutional future and blockchain’s synergy with AI.

The following topics is covered:

00:00 – Introduction
00:43 – Special Guest: Kean Gilbert & Latest Macro Insights by David
04:04 – Trump’s Tariff Pause & Uncertainty in markets
06:07 – Kean’s Journey into Crypto
07:13 – Lido DAO Explained and Lido Collateral on Deribit
09:41 – Custody Needs & Managing Risks for Institutions
11:35 – stEth’s role around the Ethereum ETF and Lido’s institutional focus
14:58 – stVaults Explained & Lido’s Core Focus
17:00 – Thoughts on Ethereum’s underperformance
20:11 – Exciting Institutional Trends in Crypto Staking
21:57 – Europe’s Regulatory Landscape & Getting Involved in Crypto Products
25:23 – David caught up with co-founder Elena Sinelnikova of Metis
28:41 – Metis Mission: What Sets It Apart from Other L2s?
34:17 – The Role of AI in the Crypto Ecosystem
41:14 – The Integrity of AI in Decision-Making
43:30 – AI as a Tool for Learning & Education
45:12 – Elena’s Key Focus & How to Apply It in a Business?
49:40 – Bias in Decision-Making: AI vs Human & AI Challenges
54:07 – The Long-Term Impact of AI on Society and Economies
59:29 – Closing Thoughts from David & Kean