In today’s newsletter:

• Steve’s first DeFi dive into staking and LPs on SOL, FLOW, and USDC

• Tom Lee’s $3B ETH position and what it signals for institutions

• Murakami’s $5 NFT drop backlash and cultural disconnect concerns

• SEC says liquid staking is not a security

• Moonbirds’ Towns airdrop and the push for external partnerships

• ApeChain’s ComplexCon plans and Otherside’s gaming pivot

• Lurky turns X Spaces conversations into actionable crypto insights

Watch & Listen Now: This week’s episodes blended market moves, project updates, and deep dives into both DeFi and NFT culture. Cap and Steve examined why grail Apes still hold premium value while Pudgy grails lag, then followed Steve’s first foray into staking and LP strategies across Solana, Flow, and USDC. Tom Lee’s $3B ETH position sparked broader discussion on institutional entry points and long-term crypto conviction, while Flow’s real-world reward model showed a fresh take on DeFi incentives. Murakami’s low-cost NFT drop and the SEC’s liquid staking ruling fueled midweek debate, alongside Moonbirds’ Towns airdrop reactions. Later, ApeChain leaders detailed their ComplexCon plans and Otherside’s gaming evolution, and Kyle from Lurky revealed how X Spaces data is being turned into real-time, monetizable insights.

☕️ Brewing This Week

📰 Monday

Gold Apes vs Pudgy Grails + Steve’s First DeFi Dive

With their video stream offline, Cap and Steve go full Spaces mode for a wide-ranging episode on NFTs and DeFi. They explore why grail Apes still command premium prices while Pudgy grails remain undervalued, analyzing culture, rarity perception, and the effects of a pending Abstract airdrop. Later, Steve shares his first deep dive into DeFi, walking through his staking and LP journey on SOL, FLOW, and USDC while explaining how he overcame the complexity with help from the community.

Check this episode out on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube (tech issues this week)

💡 Tuesday

Tom Lee’s $3B ETH Bet, Flow’s DeFi Rewards & Weitsman’s 5,000 Otherdeeds Buy

Tom Lee’s Bitmine now holds over $3 billion in ETH, sparking conversation about strategic onchain reserves and ETH’s long-term upside. Steve shares his evolving DeFi strategy focused on real yield across platforms like Flow, Solana, and Kinetic, highlighting how Flow’s reward model lets users earn real-world items like iPads. The show also unpacks Adam Weitsman’s massive Otherside investment, REKT’s continued rise as a brand token, and new signs of life inside Yuga’s metaverse. Cap closes with sharp words for Takashi Murakami’s NFT drop, calling it disconnected from the culture of Web3.

Check this episode out on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

🔗 Wednesday

Murakami's NFT Backlash, SEC’s Liquid Staking Ruling & Moonbirds’ Towns Airdrop

Takashi Murakami’s $5 NFT card pack drop on Base sparked debate after a tweet implying he’s the only artist still releasing NFTs drew swift pushback. Cap and Steve discussed whether the drop was a cash grab, poor communication, or a harmless low‑cost release, with some suggesting a middleman may be steering his NFT efforts. They also broke down the SEC’s decision that liquid staking is not a security and why it could accelerate traditional finance adoption. The episode wrapped with coverage of Moonbirds’ recent Towns protocol airdrop, the mixed reactions it generated, and a call for NFT projects to pursue more outside partnerships for their communities, plus a quick look at market conditions and DeFi progress.

Check this episode out on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

🤖 Thursday

ApeChain Plans ComplexCon & DeFi Growth + How Retail & Institutions Are Getting Into ETH

Special Guests:
Cameron Kates - CEO of ApeCoin Foundation: https://x.com/HeadofApe
Shpend - ApeChain Community Lead: https://x.com/NGBxShpend

Ethereum’s climb toward institutional legitimacy continues as Cap and Steve analyze how funds like Bitmine and Sharp Square are quietly stacking billions in ETH. They unpack Tom Lee’s $16,000 prediction and explore the growing list of crypto investment entry points, including 401(k) allocations and tax-advantaged ETFs. Later in the show, Cameron Kates and Shpend from ApeChain discuss their upcoming ComplexCon activation, SimpleFarmer’s new DeFi leadership role, and how Otherside is transforming into a social gaming hub with real-time tournaments and creator tools.

Check this episode out on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

🥳 Friday

GPT-5’s Big Reveal + How X Spaces Data Is Becoming Crypto’s Goldmine

Special Guest:
Kyle - Cofounder of Lurky: https://x.com/TeamLurky

Kyle, Cofounder of Lurky, joins Cap and Steve to discuss how the platform transforms crypto Spaces into actionable, real-time insights. He explains how Lurky bypasses X’s limited APIs with custom analytics tools, enabling hosts to repurpose conversations into short-form content, monetize through partnerships, and offer unique data access to companies. Kyle also highlights their 20,000 hours of proprietary Spaces recordings, calling it an untapped goldmine for the crypto ecosystem. The episode closes with reaction to OpenAI’s GPT-5 announcement and how it shifted sentiment in the competitive AI race.

Check this episode out on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

🎓 Quick Take For Newcomers

📺 Weekly YouTube Highlights

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Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend everybody!

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter contains information presented solely for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as financial or investment advice. Any investment decisions should be made after consulting with qualified professionals. Please be aware that I may own several digital assets discussed in this publication.