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Is Crypto Security at 'Max Vulnerability'? Chris Perkins Thinks So episode artwork

Oct 14, 2026 57 min

Is Crypto Security at 'Max Vulnerability'? Chris Perkins Thinks So

from Bits + Bips Hosted by Unchained

An Ethereum Foundation researcher says AI-driven math could break crypto keys in months, worst case. Austin Campbell and Chris Perkins weigh the real risk. Sponsor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Put your crypto to work with Nexo: earn daily interest or borrow funds against your assets on one platform trusted by more than 10 million clients. Find out more at https://unchainedcrypto.com/go/nexo-podcast-sn. Geo-restrictions, eligibility and terms apply. Quick favor: We're deciding what Unchained does next; new shows, stream times, what's worth paying for.⁠⁠⁠ Our listener survey⁠⁠⁠ takes five minutes, it's anonymous, and I read the write-in answers myself. Everyone who takes it can enter a drawing for a free year of Unchained Premium or Bits + Bips Premium. Open through Sunday, October 18. — Laura 👉 Heads up! If you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to Bits + Bips on its dedicated channels. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, X, Unchained and wherever you get your podcasts. 🔥 Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bits-bips/id1827931786⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔥 YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKiSkbYrUOOEEiYQEVPniQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔥 Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aSBMrOyi33aVDCULJ9mjN?si=NTLk-jl5QGeytA6-2kxMVQ&nd=1&dlsi=42f0b13dd53c4ba0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔥 X - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/bitsandbips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔥 Unchained - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unchainedcrypto.com/bitsandbips/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake warned that AI-accelerated math could break crypto's cryptography "in the worst case, in months, not years." Meanwhile, Ledger confirmed a hardware implant in a device sold through an authorized reseller, after an estimated $100 million was drained across six chains. Austin Campbell and Chris Perkins weigh whether self-custody still means what crypto thinks it means, and why Chris says this may be the moment for intermediaries. Fresh off Token2049 in Singapore, Chris also reports that institutions showed up in force as fundamentals and utility replace memes and momentum. Then they turn to a 10-year Treasury yield around 5.24%, CPI projections, and the young-versus-old fault line Austin sees splitting Western politics, before asking where the money in AI actually lands as OpenAI faces reporting of a $20 billion revenue gap. Chris's answer: picks and shovels. Hosts ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Austin Campbell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Perkins - Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto Timestamps: 🌏 01:47 Token2049: what Chris saw as institutions showed up in force in Singapore 🏗️ 07:05 Why Chris says fundamentals and utility are replacing memes and momentum 🇺🇸 11:07 What Patrick Witt's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve comments mean for sovereigns 💰 15:36 Nexo: Generate daily interest on your crypto or borrow funds against your assets at https://unchainedcrypto.com/go/nexo-podcast-yt 🔓 16:11 How a compromised Ledger reseller led to an estimated $100M drained 🔐 21:58 Why Austin says self-custody users have misread their security surface 🧮 25:25 Justin Drake's warning: could AI math break crypto keys before Q-Day? 📈 35:51 A 10-year near 5.24% and why Austin says you can't hike out of a supply shock 🧓 40:00 Why Austin sees young vs. old as the West's next political fault line 🤖 47:40 OpenAI's reported $20B revenue gap: where do the gains from AI land?

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Is Crypto Security at 'Max Vulnerability'? Chris Perkins Thinks So

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