Unchained

Ampersend

2026-09-04 06:43:18

Ampersend outlines a safer way to manage funds across multiple AI agents

Unchained Premium featured a conversation with Rodrigo Coelho, CEO of Edge & Node and a founding member of Ampersend, about the project’s effort to make it safer to hand money over to AI agents. The discussion focused on a core problem in agent-based systems: how to reduce costly mistakes when models hallucinate or when prompts are manipulated through injection attacks. Coelho also explained why Ampersend chose to launch on Base and described the project’s work with enterprise names including BNY Mellon. The interview did not present agentic commerce as an immediate breakthrough. Coelho said the boom imagined by many backers remains far off, putting the emphasis on infrastructure rather than hype. The episode framed Ampersend as one attempt to build the controls needed before broader adoption can happen. The Unchained Premium page also listed subscriber benefits, including a 14-day free trial that renews at $7 per month, full transcripts of episodes, a members-only Telegram community, and the option to submit questions for guests on the main show.

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North Korean

2026-08-20 12:41:26

Laura Shin’s undercover job interview ended when a suspected North Korean hacker was asked to criticize Kim Jong Un

Blockcast, citing a report republished from Crypto City, described an undercover remote interview in which Unchained CEO Laura Shin posed as recruiter "Sophie Wang" to question a software engineer calling himself Justin Lim. The candidate was presented as a young developer claiming ties to Singapore and the United States, but prior research had already linked him to signs that he may actually have been operating from Vladivostok, Russia and may have been involved in a 2022 theft of about $2.7 million from Meta Play. During the call, he appeared stiff in casual conversation and reportedly exposed inconsistencies around his identity, accent, and personal background, while showing strong command of blockchain topics such as multisig wallets and reentrancy attacks. The interview took a decisive turn when Shin asked whether he could say something negative about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. According to the report, he hesitated, said "I think that’s not really…," then blamed a bad connection and abruptly ended the video call. Nine minutes later, he tried to resume contact on Telegram, but avoided the question again before blocking and reporting Shin’s account.

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Postquant Lab

2026-07-24 12:32:02

Postquant Outlines Quip Network’s Plan to Pair Quantum and Classical Computers

Postquant Labs co-founder Colton Dillon used an episode of Unchained Premium to explain how Quip Network is being designed as a marketplace where quantum and classical computers work on problems together. In the setup described in the episode, classical machines are paid in tokens for checking whether quantum computers are acting honestly. The discussion focused on several technical pieces behind that model. Dillon said Quip combines blockchain consensus with blind quantum computing so a cheating operator can be detected immediately. The conversation also covered zero-knowledge proofs of jurisdiction, which were presented as a way for quantum computers to comply with export controls without revealing who submitted a job. Dillon also addressed what quantum progress could mean for crypto security. According to the episode summary, he argued that Google’s claim that a 500,000-qubit machine could break elliptic curve cryptography in 9 minutes changes the timeline for quantum risk facing blockchains. The interview further pointed to areas where quantum computers are already showing practical advantages, including D-Wave’s Advantage2 outperforming a cluster of 80 Nvidia H100 GPUs, while FedEx and DHL were cited as examples of companies cutting delivery-routing costs.

2020

Bitcoin

2026-07-23 08:55:14

ARK Invest White Paper: 35% of Bitcoin Supply at Quantum Risk, but Threat Far From Here

ARK Invest and Unchained's joint white paper reveals that about 35% of Bitcoin's supply is potentially vulnerable to quantum attacks, but current quantum computing is far from a real threat, and any danger would emerge gradually across five phases.

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Ark Invest

2026-07-22 12:50:13

Ark Invest Says Quantum Computing Is a Long-Term Risk for Bitcoin, Not Imminent Threat, 35% of Supply Exposed

Ark Invest and Unchained co-authored a report stating quantum computing poses no immediate threat to Bitcoin. About 35% of BTC supply, including Satoshi's stash, lies in theoretically vulnerable addresses, but time exists for upgrades.

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Bitcoin-backe

2026-07-03 23:30:14

Unchained Tops $1 Billion in Bitcoin-Backed Loan Originations With Verifiable Custody Model

Unchained, a bitcoin-native financial services firm, says it has surpassed $1 billion in bitcoin-backed loan originations after issuing more than 4,000 loans over a nine-year operating history. The company framed the milestone not only as a measure of lending volume, but as evidence that a transparent and verifiable custody model can scale in the Bitcoin credit market. According to Unchained, borrowers retain one key in its 2-of-3 multisignature vault structure, allowing them to independently verify collateral on-chain rather than relying solely on platform assurances. The company also reiterated that it follows a non-rehypothecation approach, meaning client collateral is not reused or moved without permission. That distinction matters as the crypto lending sector continues to face scrutiny over custody practices, collateral treatment, and hidden counterparty risks. Unchained’s announcement also comes as HFT Market Intelligence projects bitcoin-backed lending to grow by more than 430% by 2030. Alongside the milestone, the firm said it has lowered APRs on its loan products to improve competitiveness, though it did not disclose specific rates. Overall, the update highlights a broader shift in Bitcoin financial services: borrowers are increasingly evaluating not just pricing and access to liquidity, but also custody design, transparency, and on-chain auditability.

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Unchained

2026-07-03 23:00:14

Unchained Tops $1 Billion in Bitcoin-Backed Loan Originations With a Transparent Custody Model

Unchained, a bitcoin-native financial services company, has announced that it has surpassed $1 billion in bitcoin-backed loan originations. The milestone comes after more than 4,000 loans issued over a nine-year operating history, giving the company a notable track record in a segment where trust, collateral handling, and custody standards remain central concerns. Company leadership framed the announcement not just as a growth milestone, but as proof that a transparent lending model can scale over time without relying on opaque practices. A core part of Unchained’s positioning is its non-rehypothecation policy. The firm says client collateral is not reused, re-lent, or moved without permission. This stands in contrast to lending models that depend on rehypothecation, where customer assets may be deployed elsewhere in search of yield or liquidity. Unchained also uses a 2-of-3 multisignature vault structure, allowing borrowers to retain one key and verify their collateral directly on-chain, rather than depending solely on internal statements from the lender. The announcement also cited market research from HFT Market Intelligence, which projects bitcoin-backed lending to grow by more than 430% by 2030. As the sector expands, scrutiny around custody, transparency, and collateral control is also increasing. In that context, Unchained argues that verifiable, client-empowered lending frameworks may become more attractive to serious long-term bitcoin holders. Alongside the $1 billion milestone, the company said it has lowered APRs on its loans to improve competitiveness, though it did not disclose specific rates. It also stated that the pricing change does not alter its underlying custody approach.

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Unchained

2026-07-02 16:45:14

Unchained Launches Multi-Million Dollar Bitcoin Legacy Project to Support Ecosystem Development

Bitcoin financial services firm Unchained has unveiled the Bitcoin Legacy Project, a multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative to bolster the long-term development, education, and advocacy of the bitcoin ecosystem. The project begins with a $1 million commitment and includes the first Bitcoin-native donor-advised fund (DAF) platform, enabling tax-efficient donations of bitcoin to U.S. nonprofits. Unchained will match donations up to 1 BTC to partner organizations such as MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency Initiative, Human Rights Foundation, Open Sats, and Brink. Additionally, the project funds three bitcoin hubs in Nashville, Austin, and Denver, contributes $50,000 to the Bitcoin Policy Institute, establishes a $150,000 bitcoin-focused university endowment at the University of Austin, and allocates $250,000 for the Bitcoin Scholars research grant program. CEO Joe Kelly emphasized the project's goal to strengthen bitcoin for future generations.

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