How Texas Got Bipartisan Support to Buy $10 Million Worth of Bitcoin - Ep. 859

Laura Shin hosts "Unchained," featuring Lee Bratcher, president of the Texas Blockchain Council, to discuss Texas establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Bratcher details the journey from initial concepts in 2022 to the bill's passage, highlighting the bipartisan support and the influence of figures like Governor Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The conversation covers the $10 million allocation for Bitcoin purchase, the state's custody options, and the political dynamics surrounding digital assets in Texas, including age-related trends in crypto ownership. Later, Steve Ehrlich joins to discuss the rise of perpetual swaps, Hyperliquid's impact, and the potential launch of perps in the U.S. by Coinbase and Robinhood, examining the market interest and regulatory hurdles. The episode concludes with a weekly crypto news roundup, covering topics like prediction markets, stablecoin initiatives, and Reddit's exploration of iris scanning for user verification.