Bitcoin Volatility and Visa Web3 Loyalty - Interaxis Podcast - Jan. 4, 2024.

The Interaxis podcast is dedicated to helping financial professionals stay informed about the latest developments in crypto, Web3, and alternative asset classes. The hosts express their desire to increase the frequency of podcast episodes due to the vast amount of information to cover in these areas. Their goal is to analyze and discuss the advancements in crypto, DeFi, and Web3, and how they will impact financial advisors and their clients. The podcast aims to provide valuable insights and information to assist financial professionals in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of digital assets and understanding their implications for the financial industry.

In this episode, the hosts delve into the concepts of self-custody and ownership of assets and data. They emphasize the importance of individuals having greater control and ownership over their own assets and data, including loyalty points. Loyalty points are viewed as another form of data that individuals should be able to sell or transfer. The hosts provide examples such as Starbucks' loyalty program based on NFTs, where individuals can collect rewards and potentially sell or transfer them. They also explore the potential benefits of self-custody and ownership, such as increased security, transparency, and control over loyalty points and other assets. This concept of self-custody and ownership is seen as a crucial aspect of the evolving landscape of digital assets and blockchain technology.

During the episode, the hosts focus on two main topics: Bitcoin volatility and Visa's pilot of a loyalty program on Web3.

Regarding Bitcoin volatility, the hosts acknowledge recent fluctuations in its price. They briefly touch on the investment thesis of short-term buyers who aim to profit from Bitcoin's limited supply and potential increase in demand. However, they do not delve deeper into the reasons behind the volatility or provide specific analysis.

The hosts then shift their attention to Visa's pilot of a loyalty program on Web3. They highlight Visa's longstanding involvement in the crypto space and its exploration of utilizing crypto features like transparency and instant settlement. The loyalty program is built on Web3 technology, incorporating NFTs and wallets. The hosts speculate that users will be able to earn gamified rewards and experiences, including NFTs and tokens, and will require digital wallets to store them. They also mention the possibility of Visa partnering with other brands to issue these rewards. Drawing a parallel to Visa's partnerships with airlines and hotels for frequent flyer miles and points, the hosts suggest that Visa is responding to consumer preferences for experiential rewards.

Overall, the episode briefly touches on Bitcoin volatility but primarily focuses on Visa's pilot of a loyalty program on Web3. However, the discussion remains relatively high-level and lacks in-depth analysis or insights into these topics.

[00:01:13] Private credit offerings and interest rates.

[00:03:29] Leverage and Crypto Market Corrections.

[00:07:14] Grayscale Bitcoin trust and market volatility.

[00:11:37] Gambling on ETF approval.

[00:16:22] Short-term vs. long-term investment theses.

[00:20:57] Visa entering the Web3 loyalty program.

[00:22:51] Lack of familiarity with web3 wallets.

[00:26:23] Loyalty points as sellable assets.

[00:29:57] Keeping up with crypto.