E169: Bitwise Founder: Why Every Major Bank Is Racing Into Crypto Right Now

Institutional adoption of crypto is accelerating rapidly, with major financial firms shifting from cautious observation to aggressive integration within the next 12 months. Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise Asset Management, characterizes this as the most bullish moment in the industry's history, driven by the realization that public blockchains provide the necessary infrastructure to transform global financial services. Bitcoin is increasingly positioned as a critical alternative asset competing for a share of the $400 trillion global wealth market, rendering short-term price fluctuations secondary to its long-term role as a store of value. Furthermore, the emergence of a new crypto-native wealthy elite is reshaping political and economic priorities, while Silicon Valley’s culture of trust and anti-establishment innovation continues to provide a unique, high-density environment for building the next generation of financial infrastructure.