Ethereum ETFs, Tokenization & The Future of Digital Treasuries

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PodcastSource211/v4/58/0d/33/580d330e-bde5-80ec-dc59-51459be7e44e/2604f9bb-fbb5-4264-8502-084aee345eb4.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Talking Tokens

Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations

156 episodes

1 day ago

Talking Tokens is a podcast focused on interviewing the best crypto leaders, startups, market players and up-and-coming founders that are changing the industry. Join Jacquelyn Melinek, an award-nominated host and seasoned crypto journalist-turned-entrepreneur, to dive into the best talks in crypto in an easy-to-understand way. The episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, X and more. For more updates, subscribe to the Talking Tokens newsletter here: https://talkingtokens.beehiiv.com/ Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens

Business

RSS

All content for Talking Tokens is the property of Jacquelyn Melinek, Token Relations and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Business

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/41070626/41070626-1714155462768-70804fdf6e057.jpg

Ethereum ETFs, Tokenization & The Future of Digital Treasuries | Joseph Chalom

Talking Tokens

46 minutes 57 seconds

1 week ago

Ethereum ETFs, Tokenization & The Future of Digital Treasuries | Joseph Chalom

On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sits down with Joseph Chalom, CEO of SharpLink and former Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock.Joseph shares how he went from leading BlackRock’s digital asset strategy to running one of the first publicly listed digital asset treasuries on Nasdaq. He explains what inspired him to leave BlackRock after 20 years, how institutional demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum has evolved and what makes a good DAT.

They dive deep into Ethereum’s role as the global settlement layer for finance, why tokenization is the next major market structure shift, and how SharpLink’s treasury model creates exposure to Ethereum, while actively managing yield through staking and DeFi.

Joseph also discusses regulation, market cycles, tokenized equities, and the growing interest from Asia-based institutions.

Timestamps

(00:00) - Intro

(01:06) - Life after 20 years at BlackRock & how his role at SharpLink began

(02:47) - Building BlackRock’s digital asset division and early learnings

(04:28) - Why institutional adoption took time: regulation & infrastructure gaps

(05:53) - ETF demand, client-first strategy & product-market fit for crypto

(07:55) - Who’s really driving today’s crypto markets: investors vs traders

(09:11) - Why Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins dominate institutional portfolios

(10:39) - Ethereum as the programmable settlement layer for global finance

(12:19) - Stablecoins, tokenization & the trillion-dollar opportunity ahead

(13:24) - Institutions entering DeFi and why the rails are shifting fast

(14:09) - What Ethereum’s consistency, security & liquidity mean for investors

(15:25) - Tokenization: which assets should actually move onchain

(17:00) - How stablecoins threaten bank margins but benefit the U.S. economy

(18:34) - Treasury management & the opportunity for onchain balance sheets

(19:34) - SharpLink’s mission: institutional access to Ethereum exposure

(21:12) - Turning ETH into a productive asset through staking and DeFi

(23:03) - Building an institutional team with trust & long-term credibility

(25:22) - Market cycles, ETH accumulation & thesis-driven treasury strategy

(27:48) - Managing a Nasdaq-listed crypto company responsibly

(30:12) - Lessons from BlackRock: transparency, controls & investor trust

(32:58) - The rise of other digital asset treasuries & what sets SharpLink apart

(35:03) - Global expansion: insights from Korea, Singapore & Hong Kong

(38:15) - How Asia’s retail energy outpaces Europe’s institutional caution

(41:10) - What he learned from 70+ investor meetings across four continents

(43:03) - Why DeFi collaboration matters more than competition

(45:09) - Final advice: play the long game, manage risk, and lead with integrity

You can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you like the show, please let us know by leaving a review!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141Follow us on X Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokensFollow us on Instagram Talking Tokens: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/

Note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.