First episode of 2026 and we’re setting the frame for what matters this year: AI is hitting escape velocity, “creation” is getting commoditized, and that changes everything from business models to the metaverse thesis.

We talk through the cultural shift (the 2025 existential turn), why low-sentiment periods are when you should be paying the most attention, and how social media incentives reward overreaction. Then we zoom out to the macro: metals ripping, Bitcoin lag dynamics, and what a “real” 2026 setup could look like.

On the crypto side, we dig into the creator coin debate and why the fan-to-investor switch breaks expectations, using the Nick Shirley Zora post as a live case study. Finally, we share our north star: a world where CoinGecko has an “NAT” tab, non-arbitrary tokens become a real market category, and miners distributing NAT becomes the moment the market can’t ignore.

Key topics:

1. AI → new creator economy + new niches
2. Metaverse iteration gets cheaper and faster
3. The problem with “only up” expectations for creator
4. Macro signals: metals, lag theory, and Bitcoin’s next leg
5. Zora case study: viral content vs market participation
6. NAT vision: miners, distribution dashboards, and the path to scale

If you made it through 2025, welcome to 2026. We’re back on the grind. Like, subscribe, and drop a comment with what you think the “mukbang of AI” will be.

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$NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat

2025 wasn’t a failed bull market. It was the start of a structural bear.

In this episode, we break down why Bitcoin holding the “blue zone” may signal maturity rather than weakness, and why that shift breaks many of the assumptions crypto has relied on for the last decade. Slower upside, collapsing speculative volume, and pressure on miners aren’t anomalies — they’re consequences.

We revisit the biggest signals from this cycle: Trumpcoin, treasury-company leverage, crypto AI hype, and why on-chain activity quietly evaporated. Then we pivot into AI-generated content, dissecting a viral video that fooled millions and what it reveals about authenticity, persuasion, and trust in the AI era.

From there, we look ahead to 2026: – Miner revenue compression and Bitcoin’s security budget problem – Why “fees will fix it” isn’t enough – Neobanking + stablecoins as the real onboarding wave – Regulation turning crypto into structured internet capital markets

We close with the NAT thesis: Bitcoin’s long-term sustainability depends on a second subsidy. NAT is explored as a non-arbitrary, miner-aligned solution with a clear catalyst timeline (V1, V2, adoption, flywheel).

This isn’t about hype. It’s about whether crypto becomes infrastructure — or breaks under its own assumptions.

Topics:

1. First up, break down why Bitcoin holding the “blue zone” may signal maturity rather than weakness

2. Next, revisit the biggest signals from this cycle: Trumpcoin, treasury-company leverage, crypto AI hype, and why on-chain activity quietly evaporated.

3. Finally, Our prediction for 2026

Please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app!

Sign up for a free newsletter: www.theblockrunner.com

Follow us on: Youtube: https://bit.ly/TBlkRnnrYouTube

Twitter: bit.ly/TBR-Twitter

Telegram: bit.ly/TBR-Telegram

Discord: bit.ly/TBR-Discord

$NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat

We break down the viral “crypto is dead” take and what it actually means: the industry can’t rely on hype, memes, and casino mechanics forever. We talk about why stablecoins may be crypto’s biggest real-world win, how speculation still funds infrastructure, and why this cycle feels different as AI pulls capital (and attention) into a new “imagination phase.”

We also cover why builders need to ship real products (not just tokens), how authenticity becomes the new premium in an AI world, and why every project may end up running a podcast as the best distribution engine.

Plus: updates on NAT and Bitcoin’s long-term miner security budget problem, including a recent Twitter Space conversation with Cinco and what miner adoption signals to watch next.

Topics:

1. First up, break down the viral “crypto is dead” take and what it actually means
2. Next, discuss why stablecoins may be crypto’s biggest real-world win, and how speculation still funds infrastructure
3. and Finally, updates on NAT and Bitcoin’s long-term miner security budget problem

Please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app!

Sign up for a free newsletter: www.theblockrunner.com

Follow us on: Youtube: https://bit.ly/TBlkRnnrYouTube

Twitter: bit.ly/TBR-Twitter

Telegram: bit.ly/TBR-Telegram

Discord: bit.ly/TBR-Discord

$NAT Telegram: https://t.me/dmt_nat