Podcast: Institutional Money Drives Bitcoin Higher, China Grapples with Energy Crisis

Get your macro fix with Blockworks’ own Mike Ippolito and co-host, Mark Yusko.

by Brianna Beckford /
article-image
share

In the weekly roundup episode of Blockworks’ podcast “On the Margin,” Mike and Mark spend a lot of time on Bitcoin’s recent run above $55,000. They take a look at open interest and the rolling 1 month basis on Bitcoin futures on CME compared to other offshore exchanges like Deribit and Huobi, and what that says about institutional flows. They also take a look at Bitcoin’s price action compared to previous cycles in 2013 and 2017, and the recent resumption of the seasonality trend and divergence from equities.

Later in their talk, they dive deep into food prices, rising energy prices and depleted coal reserves in China and India, and what that says about the current state of geopolitics.

They also cover:

  • Bitcoin’s price action compared to previous 2013 and 2017 cycles
  • Recent resumption of the seasonality trend and divergence from equities
  • George Soros’ family office and crypto
  • The FDIC reportedly taking a look at stablecoin deposits

Watch the full episode below! 👇

“On the Margin” is a two-part show. Once a week, Mike interviews industry experts, and then at the end of the week he is joined by co-host Mark Yusko where they break down the top crypto and macro stories. Episodes go live every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Subscribe to “On the Margin” today on Apple or Spotify, or watch episodes on YouTube.

Are you a UK or EU reader that cant get enough investor-focused content on digital assets?Join us in London on November 15th and 16th for the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) London. Use code ARTICLE for £75 off your ticket. Buy it now.

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.png

Research

Nubank has scaled to 127M customers with a sub-$1 cost-to-serve, driving industry-leading profitability and a 31% ROE. Its model blends rapid monetization, strong operating leverage, and expanding verticals, from AI-driven lending to crypto, insurance, telco, and premium offerings like Ultravioleta. With 6.6M crypto users and new stablecoin payment pilots, Nu is becoming a major digital-asset gateway in LATAM. Despite rising NPLs and rate volatility, its efficiency and growth momentum support upside potential.

article-image

The need for a public, verifiable ledger system may have prompted the creation of an ancient mountain site

article-image

With markets still lagging, indices for BTC, crypto miners, and the Solana ecosystem are down

article-image

As DevConnect kicks off in Buenos Aires, Vitalik and friends call for a reset

article-image

GPUs are starting to go dark even as data-center spending doubles — is a bubble on the horizon?

article-image

Risk assets sold off as doubts loom over a December rate cut, with BTC tumbling briefly below $95K this morning

by Carlos /
article-image

Jeff Yass bets that prediction markets could stop wars, Paul Atkins’ announcement on “tokens,” and more