The Block Runner Podcast

In Episode 319 of The Block Runner Podcast, hosts William and I-man are joined for a third time by Benny the Dev of Tap and Track. Benny walks through the TAP protocol's largest upgrade since 2023: native time locks, delegations, and HTLC-based cross-chain swaps that work without bridges, all done natively through meta protocols rather than soft L2s. They dig into Tapscope, the new cross-chain DEX, and Benny's take on perpetuals he calls superpositions, isolated collateral arenas that avoid cascading liquidations. He also teases phase two (the full cross-chain trading matrix) and a phase three AI integration. Then a retrospective on routing NAT emissions to Bitcoin miners, now over sixty percent of hashrate with four of the top five pools engaged, why the declining Bitcoin subsidy and security budget is a real long-term problem, and why NAT, built on the bitsfield with a minimal, non-invasive footprint, may be the perfect engineering answer to it. Plus: building ahead of the narrative, the OpenSea lesson, NAT.fun's dual-rail Solana and Bitcoin approach, Tim Sweeney's Team Open and the NFT/gaming revival, and where AI genuinely helps in development versus where human instinct still wins. Disclosure: The hosts are founders of NAT.fun and hold positions in assets discussed. Nothing in this episode is financial advice. Watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe to the newsletter at TheBlockRunner.com.

Join William and I-man in this insightful episode of The Block Runner Podcast as they delve into the recent upheaval in the crypto markets. They explore how traditional financial influences and derivatives are affecting Bitcoin's price discovery, comparing the situation to a nuclear EMP that disrupts the system from within. The hosts discuss the concept of non-arbitrary tokens (Nat) and the importance of Bitcoin as it faces its weak spots. They emphasize the need to re-establish foundational principles for ongoing industry security and growth, urging listeners to stay informed through their upcoming Discord call and other channels. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlockRunner Subscribe to our newsletter at TheBlockRunner.com for more updates and insights. Hosts William and I-man provide expert analysis on market dynamics, the role of derivatives, and the future of crypto.

This episode of the Blockrunner Podcast breaks down one of the most revealing weeks we’ve seen at the intersection of crypto, AI, and creator monetization. What began as a promising experiment in creator capital markets quickly turned into a live stress test for liquidity, incentives, and trust. We walk through the rise and collapse of the Ralph token, why it initially made sense, how it gained traction, and why it unraveled the moment the creator sold. The fallout wasn’t just about price action. It exposed deeper structural problems that most internet capital markets haven’t solved yet. From there, the conversation expands into the accelerating timeline toward AGI, why looping AI systems and agent swarms change the nature of work, and what happens to human purpose when intelligence becomes abundant. We react to Davos conversations, including moments where Bitcoin is openly laughed at by legacy financial institutions, and explain why those reactions reveal more ignorance than confidence. We then tackle the uncomfortable question most Bitcoin holders avoid: how the network remains secure long-term. Transaction fees alone are not a viable answer. We explore why Bitcoin’s security budget faces a real challenge over the next decade and why a second subsidy may be the only credible path forward without changing Bitcoin’s core protocol. This episode ties everything together into a single thesis. Internet capital markets are early, powerful, and inevitable, but without proper incentive design and liquidity structure, they will continue to fail in dramatic fashion. If you’re thinking seriously about AI, crypto, creator monetization, and Bitcoin’s future, this episode will challenge your assumptions. Learn more about the second subsidy thesis at natgmi.com. Topics: First up, walking through the rise and collapse of the Ralph token, why it initially made sense, how it gained traction, and why it unraveled the moment the creators sold. Next, reacting to Davos conversations, and a moment where Bitcoin is openly laughed at by legacy financial institutions. and Finally, why a second subsidy may be the only credible path forward without changing Bitcoin’s core protocol. Please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app! Sign up for a free newsletter: www.theblockrunner.com Follow us on: Youtube: https://bit.ly/TBlkRnnrYouTube Twitter: bit.ly/TBR-Twitter Telegram: bit.ly/TBR-Telegram Discord: bit.ly/TBR-Discord $NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat

We unpack how DMT, NAT, and AI-powered creation are converging into a new creator economy that looks fundamentally different from previous cycles. The conversation starts with a simple but critical idea: signal matters more than vibes, especially in markets driven by narratives. As AI tools collapse the distance between ideas and execution, the definition of “building” is changing in real time. What once required teams, capital, and long timelines can now be prototyped, iterated, and shipped by small groups or even individuals. That shift has major implications for creators, platforms, and monetization models across crypto and beyond. We explore DMT not as a buzzword, but as a production engine that enables creators to move faster, experiment more freely, and participate meaningfully in emerging markets. Along the way, we discuss community-driven building, vibe coding, and why some level of saturation is not a failure, but a necessary phase of discovery. The episode closes by examining creator monetization through the lens of platforms like OnlyFans, not as a destination, but as an early signal of where creator capital markets are heading. The real opportunity lies in aligning incentives, lowering production costs, and building systems that reward contribution over hype. This conversation isn’t about predicting the next trend. It’s about understanding what works before the market catches on. Topics: First up, unpacking how DMT, NAT, and AI-powered creation are converging into a new creator economy Next, exploring DMT not as a buzzword, but as a production engine that enables creators to move faster, experiment more freely, and participate meaningfully in emerging markets and Finally, examining creator monetization through the lens of platforms like OnlyFans, not as a destination, but as an early signal of where creator capital markets are heading. Please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app! Sign up for a free newsletter: www.theblockrunner.com Follow us on: Youtube: https://bit.ly/TBlkRnnrYouTube Twitter: bit.ly/TBR-Twitter Telegram: bit.ly/TBR-Telegram Discord: bit.ly/TBR-Discord $NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat

2025 wasn’t a failed bull market. It was the start of a structural bear. In this episode, we break down why Bitcoin holding the “blue zone” may signal maturity rather than weakness, and why that shift breaks many of the assumptions crypto has relied on for the last decade. Slower upside, collapsing speculative volume, and pressure on miners aren’t anomalies — they’re consequences. We revisit the biggest signals from this cycle: Trumpcoin, treasury-company leverage, crypto AI hype, and why on-chain activity quietly evaporated. Then we pivot into AI-generated content, dissecting a viral video that fooled millions and what it reveals about authenticity, persuasion, and trust in the AI era. From there, we look ahead to 2026: – Miner revenue compression and Bitcoin’s security budget problem – Why “fees will fix it” isn’t enough – Neobanking + stablecoins as the real onboarding wave – Regulation turning crypto into structured internet capital markets We close with the NAT thesis: Bitcoin’s long-term sustainability depends on a second subsidy. NAT is explored as a non-arbitrary, miner-aligned solution with a clear catalyst timeline (V1, V2, adoption, flywheel). This isn’t about hype. It’s about whether crypto becomes infrastructure — or breaks under its own assumptions. Topics: First up, break down why Bitcoin holding the “blue zone” may signal maturity rather than weakness Next, revisit the biggest signals from this cycle: Trumpcoin, treasury-company leverage, crypto AI hype, and why on-chain activity quietly evaporated. Finally, Our prediction for 2026 Please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app! Sign up for a free newsletter: www.theblockrunner.com Follow us on: Youtube: https://bit.ly/TBlkRnnrYouTube Twitter: bit.ly/TBR-Twitter Telegram: bit.ly/TBR-Telegram Discord: bit.ly/TBR-Discord $NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat