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In this episode of Bankless, David speaks with Ian Debode from Ondo Finance about tokenizing stocks and the implications for the crypto world.

From SpaceX to Tokenization: The Current State

• Trading of tokenized SpaceX stock began just 5 minutes after its IPO.
• Ondo Finance has been active in the Real World Assets (RWA) space for three years and now sees others entering the field.
• Tokenization happens via a 'Wrapped' approach, making stocks available on-chain immediately after their market debut.

The Mechanics Behind Tokenized Stocks: An Efficient System

• The purchase process resembles a normal crypto trade but is managed via an RFQ system (Request for Quote).
• Market makers bid on user requests and receive a fixed price from Ondo (exchange price + 0.05%).
• Tokens are minted only after a purchase request (Just-in-Time), avoiding capital waste.
• Ondo buys the underlying stock on the open market immediately after minting the token.
• The entire transaction on Solana or Binance Chain takes about 1 second, up to 12 seconds on Ethereum.
• 80-90% of trading doesn't occur on Ondo's own platform but via partners like Binance Wallet, MetaMask, or Phantom, which tap into Ondo's liquidity.

From Spot to Perpetual: The Future of Crypto Derivatives

• The Problem: Pure crypto perpetuals (without backing) are inefficient, requiring market makers to lock up capital in both stablecoins and traditional market hedges.
• The Solution: Ondo uses tokenized stocks directly as collateral for perpetuals. This makes market makers fully hedged and capital is 100% efficient.
• The Advantage: This enables deeper liquidity and the construction of complex strategies, such as creating a synthetic ETF while simultaneously collecting funding rates over the weekend.
• Ondo's Perpetual platform 'Ondo Perps' uses a hybrid model: Deposits and withdrawals are on-chain, execution runs off-chain via a 'Secure Enclave' system (distributed attestors) for speed and privacy, while remaining non-custodial.

Future Outlook and Market Dynamics

• Ondo sees traditional exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ) not as competitors but as synergistic partners, as they build the 24/7 infrastructure Ondo's model requires.
• Goals for 2026: $1.5-2 billion in tokenized stocks, a fully functional perpetual platform, and the launch of 'portfolio products' for asset management.
• In closing, Ian honors the late co-founder Nathan Allman, whose vision and humility laid the foundation for the company. The team is highly motivated to carry on his legacy.

Summary follows...

A high-profile study published in Nature has challenged the ketogenic diet. While it was previously praised for metabolic health and cancer support, new MIT research in mice reveals a paradox: In genetically susceptible mice, the keto diet accelerated tumor growth in the small intestine.

• The researchers used mice with a mutation in the APC tumor suppressor gene, predisposing them strongly to intestinal tumors.
• Three diet groups: standard diet, high-fat high-calorie diet, and strict ketogenic diet.
• Result: Keto-fed mice stayed lean but had more small-intestine tumors and shorter survival.

• High fat intake upregulated fatty acid oxidation in intestinal cells.
• This activated the sensor PPAR delta, boosting stem cell division.
• Combined with the APC mutation, this led to accelerated tumor growth.
• Surprisingly, ketones (e.g., BHB) were not involved – they were mere “metabolic bystanders.” The effect was driven solely by the metabolism of dietary fats.

• In the colon of the same mice, the keto diet actually suppressed tumor growth – indicating tissue-specific effects.

1. Genetic Susceptibility: The mice had a defective APC gene – in humans, this mirrors a rare hereditary condition (about 1 in 10,000). Healthy humans have robust DNA repair mechanisms.
2. Ketones vs. Dietary Fats: Since ketones played no role, exogenous ketones (supplements) are not implicated. The effect stemmed from fat digestion in the gut.
3. Evolutionary Mismatch: Mice are natural grain-eaters, not adapted to high fat intake. Humans are omnivores with a long history of adapting to fatty diets and ketosis.

• The study did not compare different types of fats. A healthy keto diet emphasizes high-quality fats like olive oil, avocado, and omega-3s, whereas the study used processed fats.

• For healthy humans, this study is no reason for alarm. Keto followers should focus on fat quality and adopt a balanced, personalized approach.
• Science shows that nutrition is not one-size-fits-all – what benefits one tissue or person may carry different trade-offs for another.

Join the discussion: How does this research affect your view on the keto diet?

• Dee Ann Warner, a 52-year-old farmer and businesswoman from Michigan, vanished without a trace on April 25, 2021, from her farm. Her husband Dale Warner claimed he last saw her sleeping on the couch that morning.
• Despite extensive searches, she remained missing for over three years until her remains were discovered in a sealed ammonia tank on one of her husband's properties.

• Dee Ann co-managed several agricultural businesses and owned a trucking company. She was described as a strong, determined woman who planned to separate from Dale and sell her company.
• The marriage was troubled; she frequently talked about divorce. Dale had a financial motive – losing her trucking business would be a major blow to him.
• In the days before her disappearance, Dee Ann was highly stressed, had a fight with a fired employee, and learned that Dale had been spreading rumors about her behind her back.

• On Saturday, April 24, 2021, Dee Ann arranged for her young daughter Angelina to stay with relatives so she could discuss separation with Dale. Her last contact with her daughter was around 6 PM.
• On Sunday morning, Dee Ann's daughter Rickel arrived for breakfast and found the house empty. Dale's story: Dee Ann had a migraine and slept on the couch; he left for work at 6 AM. However, her car was in the garage, while her phone, purse, and passport were missing.
• Tire tracks from a front-end loader were found directly behind the house near the glass patio doors. Dale claimed he drove there to get a spare part, but family found this suspicious.

• Dale acted strangely: he barely participated in the search, repeatedly insisted his wife had voluntarily left (perhaps for Mexico or Puerto Rico), and claimed she had a secret second phone – which family members doubted.
• Investigators discovered Dee Ann had an affair, but the man had an alibi. They also learned Dale had installed a GPS tracker on her car in 2020.
• In May 2023, police searched Dale's properties after he conducted controlled burns shortly after Dee Ann's disappearance, but found nothing.

• On November 21, 2023, Dale Warner was charged with murder and evidence tampering – without a body. After a preliminary examination, the case was bound over for trial.
• In summer 2024, police found human remains in a sealed anhydrous ammonia tank in a barn on Dale's property. Autopsy revealed Dee Ann died by strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head.
• The trial began on February 12, 2026. Prosecution presented circumstantial evidence: tire tracks, Dale's behavior, purchase of welding supplies to reseal the tank, and the eventual discovery of the body.
• On March 10, 2026, Dale Warner was found guilty of second-degree murder and evidence tampering. On May 7, 2026, he was sentenced to 32 years and 8 months up to 70 years in prison.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates that even without a body, a murderer can be convicted through meticulous investigation, circumstantial evidence, and finally finding the victim's remains. Dee Ann's family fought tirelessly for justice.

In July, US spot Ethereum ETFs attracted $365 million, while Bitcoin ETFs managed only $172 million – following record outflows for Bitcoin ETFs in prior months. Meanwhile, corporate treasuries have overtaken ETFs as the main driver of ETH accumulation: 67 companies now hold over 8.2 million ETH (~6.8% of supply), with the vast majority staked.

While Bitcoin's treasury model (e.g., Strategy) relies on external financing, Ethereum balance sheets grow organically through staking rewards. Bit Mine (5.8M ETH, 87% staked) generates ~134,800 ETH per year – worth $250–290 million annually. The asset grows itself without needing new capital.

• BNY Mellon (custodian of $62.6 trillion) integrates native staking rewards into its platform.
• BlackRock launched ETHB (staked Ethereum product) and executed a reverse split to lower costs for institutional block traders.
• Tokenized treasuries ($15.2 billion) settle 43% on Ethereum – BlackRock’s BSTBL launched on Ethereum with BNY as tokenization agent.

Proposal EIP-8361 (“Tapered Issuance Burn”) would cut staking rewards from ~2.6% to ~1.1–1.2% once staking participation reaches 50%. Goal: prevent over-concentration among large stakers. Reactions are fierce: DeFi protocols and liquid staking providers criticize the move, while others (e.g., Grayscale) support it. No formal implementation has been decided yet.

Bitcoin keeps its identity as a digital reserve asset. Ethereum, however, is being used as programmable financial infrastructure – for settling tokenized assets, stablecoins, and staking yields. Institutional flows show Wall Street wants both, but for different purposes. Right now, ETH is the clear winner for productive use – the only question is how much yield the network is willing to pay to keep it that way.

• Bitcoin is trading around $62,000–63,000, and sentiment is low.
• Social metrics and interest are declining; Bitcoin is squeezed between the 200-week moving average and the bear market resistance band.

• The current structure closely resembles 2014, 2018, and 2022.
• In those years, Bitcoin fell while the stock market hit new highs – a normal pattern.
• The bear market typically lasts 12 months; we are in month 10.

• 60-day volatility is at just 1.47% – a historically low level that often precedes a sharp move (up or down).
• The analyst expects a downside breakout to trigger the final cycle bottom.
• Once that bottom is in, the next bull market usually follows within weeks.

• Don't be lulled into complacency: the calm before the storm can be deceptive.
• Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) helps avoid missing the bottom.
• Focus on long-term improvements in the crypto ecosystem, moving away from meme coins toward solid applications.

This video shows how to make great espresso at home with a simple machine (e.g., Dedica or D54) and a grinder. The key is the standard recipe and proper grind adjustment.

The Standard Recipe (double espresso)

• Ratio: 1:2 (coffee to espresso weight). For 15 g coffee → 30 g espresso.
• Brew time: 25–30 seconds.
• Double espresso often yields better results than single.
• Coffee dose: Find the optimal dose for your portafilter – start with the manufacturer's recommendation. Check with the coin trick: After tamping, lock in the portafilter – no imprint of the shower screen should appear in the coffee. Test by placing a coin on the coffee; a gentle imprint is ideal.

The Six Steps

1. Heat the machine: Target temperature: 91–94°C. Don't rely solely on indicator lights; flush hot water through the portafilter to heat it.
2. Grind coffee fresh: Use a grinder (hand grinder from ~€100 works). Start with a medium grind.
3. Dose and distribute: Weigh 15 g. Distribute evenly with hand or a WDT tool to break clumps.
4. Tamp: Tap lightly, then press with at least 8 kg force. Wipe the portafilter clean.
5. Brew: Use a scale to monitor ratio and time. Flush briefly before brewing. Start immediately after locking in the portafilter.
6. Adjust grind:
   • Espresso runs too fast (< 25 s) → grind finer (smaller number). Result: often sour, thin body.
   • Runs too slow (> 30 s) → grind coarser (larger number). Result: bitter, dry.

Goal: A balanced espresso in 25–30 seconds. Slight grind adjustments are normal with new coffee.

Beginner Recommendations

• Start with a chocolatey-cocoa espresso like Kompadre.
• Use a single-dosing grinder or hand grinder for precise doses.

Important Tips

• Always grind and dose fresh.
• Use a scale – guessing leads to inconsistent results.
• Flush after each espresso to keep the machine clean.