On this episode, Ryan Ezell, CEO of Flotek Industries, discusses the company’s transformation from a traditional chemistry provider into a data-driven technology player focused on power infrastructure and real-time analytics. With more than 130 patents and operations across 59 countries, the firm is pivoting toward advanced monitoring platforms that measure chemistry in real time using spectroscopy and near infrared technologies an innovation that has expanded its total addressable market from about $3 billion in 2021 to more than $20 billion today. Ezell explains how this strategic shift reduces exposure to commodity cycles, positions the company to support the global surge in AI-driven data center power demand, and strengthens its role in energy, infrastructure, and industrial applications. He also outlines how Flotek monetizes its intellectual property through licensing partnerships while protecting core technologies, and highlights global expansion efforts across regions such as Middle East, North Africa and Latin America, where rising energy and infrastructure needs create strong growth opportunities.
Embracing Change: How Legacy Banks Can Adapt to Crypto Innovations
Christian Catalini, founder of the MIT Cryptoeconomics Lab and co-creator of Libra joins Remy Blaire to discuss the evolving stablecoins landscape and their impact on the financial system. They discuss how stablecoins, often seen as the “quiet plumbing” of the digital asset world, are emerging as a significant force in mainstream finance.
Christian argues that stablecoins are not a threat to traditional bank deposits but rather an essential upgrade to our aging financial infrastructure. He anticipates a competitive landscape where both crypto-native firms and global banks will issue stablecoins, as incumbents recognize the need to adapt to this technology.
They explore the current state of Bitcoin, which has recently fallen below the $66,000 mark. Christian emphasizes the importance of viewing Bitcoin’s price on a log scale to better understand its long-term trajectory, driven by technological adoption rather than the notion of it being “digital gold.”
The conversation shifts to the intersection of crypto and artificial intelligence, where Christian predicts transformative changes in the next 12 to 24 months. He highlights the potential for crypto to serve as the native language of a machine economy, particularly in facilitating machine-to-machine payments.
They also address concerns about stablecoins potentially hollowing out the banking system, with Christian noting that, so far, this hasn’t occurred at scale. He believes that while banks are currently facing competition, they have the opportunity to enhance their offerings and retain customer loyalty.
Finally, they discuss the risks for legacy financial institutions that remain inactive in the face of these technological advancements. Christian stresses the importance of embracing and integrating new technologies to stay competitive.
Navigating the Future of DeFi: Insights on the Clarity Act and Project Crypto
Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute joins Remy Blaire to provide valuable insights into the legislative landscape in Washington.
Kristin highlights the significant involvement of high-level leaders, including the White House and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in negotiations between crypto and banking stakeholders. Despite the complexity of the Clarity Act, she expresses optimism about progress being made and the potential for the bill to reach the Senate floor for a vote in the spring.
They also discuss the relaunch of Project Crypto by the SEC and CFTC, which aims to provide regulatory clarity for the industry using existing authorities. Kristin emphasizes the importance of this initiative in harmonizing regulations and facilitating innovation, particularly in the trading of tokenized securities. She notes that an innovation exemption could pave the way for more efficient trading practices and new DeFi products.
Finally, they touch on the broader market volatility affecting digital assets and other asset classes. Kristin points out that while the market is experiencing fluctuations, the fundamentals remain strong, with increasing institutional interest in crypto and the rise of agentic finance.
Decentralized Intelligence: Bridging the Gap Between AI and Crypto
Evan Malanga, the Chief Revenue Officer of Yuma joins Remy Blaire to delve into the intriguing intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency. The discussion focuses on how decentralized systems are reshaping the landscape of AI.
Evan highlights the current state of the AI sector, where a few large companies dominate, creating high barriers to entry for both investors and builders. He explained how Yuma is leveraging the BitTensor network to democratize access to AI projects through token-based incentives, fostering a more open and innovative environment.
They discuss the fundamental differences between centralized and decentralized systems, with centralized players being large tech companies and decentralized players promoting open-source innovation. Evan likens BitTensor to the World Wide Web, emphasizing its role in providing access to intelligence across various projects.
Throughout the conversation, they explore real-world applications of decentralized AI, where builders compete to produce AI outputs, validated by a network of miners and judges. This model not only incentivizes innovation but also allows for rapid progression in the field.
As we look ahead, Evan expresses optimism about the future of decentralized AI and its integration with traditional finance (TradFi). He notes that we are likely to see more TradFi rails entering the crypto ecosystem, ultimately leading to a convergence of finance sectors.
Macro Concerns Eclipse AI Optimism as Dollar Stabilizes, Gold Near 5,000
Katy Kaminski, Chief Research Strategist at AlphaSimplex, joins Remy Blaire to break down equities, bonds, currencies, commodities, and the Fed outlook for the rest of 2026.
U.S. markets are opening lower as investors digest fresh earnings, rising Treasury yields, and the latest Federal Reserve minutes. Retailer Walmart delivered slight beats on both EPS and revenue thanks to strong holiday shopping — but a cautious fiscal year outlook is weighing on sentiment. This follows a positive session yesterday, where tech stocks rebounded and fears around AI overvaluation eased during the holiday-shortened week.
Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury yield is moving higher after last week’s pullback, as markets reassess the Fed’s path following a slightly hawkish tone in the January meeting minutes. Notably, stocks and bonds are both under pressure — signaling renewed macro concerns.
In currencies, the U.S. dollar index is hovering near the 98 level. After months of dollar weakness, recent shifts in rate expectations and risk sentiment may be creating a pause in that trend.
Commodities remain a major focus: gold is hovering just below the 5,000 level after reclaiming that key technical threshold, precious metals have rallied strongly in 2026, though volatility is increasing, energy markets are breaking out, with Brent crude back above $70 per barrel and the energy sector is up roughly 22% year-to-date, far outperforming the broader S&P 500.
How Blockchain Is Transforming Business and Finance
In this episode, we’re joined by Santiago Roel Santos, CEO of Inversion, who shares insights into how blockchain technology is reshaping the future of business and finance. Santos introduces Inversion as a private equity fund focused on acquiring companies and partnering with management teams that recognize blockchain’s potential to drive efficiency, transparency, and cost savings. With more than a decade of experience investing in crypto, he explains that the biggest opportunity today isn’t simply buying digital assets like Bitcoin, but rather implementing technologies such as tokenization and stablecoins to streamline operations and modernize financial workflows. He emphasizes that these tools are increasingly regulated, practical, and scalable, making them viable solutions for real-world business challenges.
The conversation also explores how market volatility in major cryptocurrencies does not necessarily reflect the value of blockchain technology itself. Santos compares this misconception to judging cloud computing adoption based solely on stock prices of major tech providers, arguing that the real story lies in how the technology improves efficiency.
Markets Near Record Highs? Eric Riscolo Breaks Down AI Volatility, Global Outperformance & What’s Next at the New York Stock Exchange
On this episode market strategist, Eric Chriscuolo breaks down the latest action on Wall Street as equities hover near record highs, with technology and consumer discretionary sectors leading a steady rotation rather than signalling a defensive, risk-off environment. He explains that recent volatility was driven by sweeping fears that artificial intelligence could disrupt entire industries, sending shockwaves beyond software into sectors like real estate and financial data, impacting companies such as Moody’s and CBRE before signs of stabilization and selective rebounds emerged. On the technical side, he notes the S&P 500 remains range-bound below the key 7000 resistance level, with traders closely watching moving averages and options-expiration volatility for clues about the next breakout. The discussion also highlights a growing global trend: international markets are currently outperforming U.S. equities, with standout strength in countries like South Korea and regions such as Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia as investors rotate into overseas opportunities after years of strong U.S. performance.
Global Markets Shift? Swen Lorenz Breaks Down Why United Kingdom Stocks May Lead Next
In this insightful episode, Remy Blaire is joined by Swen Lorenz, CEO and founder of Sarnia Asset Management, to break down global investing trends as 2026 gets underway. While the U.S. market posted its third straight year of double-digit gains in 2025, international equities outperformed even more strongly surpassing domestic stocks and the S&P 500for the first time in years. Lorenz explains why he believes this may signal the beginning of a multi-year cycle where international markets, particularly the U.K., could shift from being viewed merely as diversification plays to becoming powerful growth drivers. He highlights that investors can currently access world-leading companies in the U.K. at unusually low valuations, calling it a rare generational opportunity despite ongoing political and economic headwinds.
Duke Energy’s 100-Year Dividend Milestone & $103B Growth Plan
Fresh off ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, Harry Sideris, President and CEO of Duke Energy, joined us to reflect on the milestone moment and share insights into the company’s future. He described the experience as a dream come true, celebrating not only the honor of standing on one of the world’s most-watched financial stages often seen on CNBC but also marking 100 years of consistently paying cash dividends to investors through historic challenges like economic downturns and global crises. The conversation highlighted the company’s dual celebration of a century of dividends and 65 years listed on the exchange, alongside its ambitious $103 billion five-year capital plan aimed at supporting rapid growth driven by migration to regions such as Carolinas and Florida, increased onshoring, and rising demand from data centers. Sideris emphasized disciplined investment, affordability for customers, and long-term shareholder value, noting that strategic contracts and infrastructure expansion are designed to keep costs stable while supporting record growth.
How Gauntlet is Bridging Traditional & On-chain Markets
Long known as the quantitative backbone of decentralized finance, Gauntlet is now bridging traditional capital and on-chain markets — managing over $2 billion in TVL across curated vaults on Morpho, Drift, and Kamino. Through simulation-driven risk modeling, the firm is helping institutional allocators access sophisticated yield strategies in DeFi.
At the Ondo Summit 2026, Rahul Goyal, Head of Institutional Partnerships at Gauntlet, joined Remy Blaire to discuss: why this year feels “night and day” compared to 2025 — and how regulatory clarity has shifted firms from research mode to product launches, the difference between Prime and Frontier vaults — and how users can deposit stablecoins to earn yield based on collateral risk profiles, why NASDAQ-listed BTCS is allocating capital into DeFi vaults — and how Gauntlet’s risk modeling builds institutional confidence.
They also discuss Gauntlet’s leveraged RWA strategy, launched with Apollo Global Management, Securitize, Morpho and Polygon
Finally, they have a conversation on how Gauntlet stress-tests DeFi markets are simulating extreme scenarios like 60% BTC drawdowns to optimize allocations and manage liquidations and how tokenization and 24/7 markets are leveling the playing field for global investors.