Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll

Gold meets Code: Tokenizing Gold for the Digital Age

Exploring how tokenized gold bridges traditional finance, crypto, and trust in an evolving monetary world We’re kicking off something new at Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR): the Digital Money Interview Series—powered by our podcast partner etonec (and transparency: Jonas also works with etonec). About once a month, we’ll sit down with builders and operators who’ve shipped financial products at scale—less hype, more hard-won lessons. For the inaugural episode, Jonas is joined by new guest host Jonathan Knoll (ex Sun Microsystems, PayPal, and one of the early hires at the Libra Association). Together, they unpack why the “Libra era” still matters, how it acted as a catalyst for regulation and institutional focus, and why stablecoins have entered a critical “scaling phase” where trust, governance, and real customer needs matter more than clever tech. Then we go deep on a different kind of stable asset: gold-backed tokens. Our guest is Kurt Hemecker, CEO behind DGLD (and CEO of Gold Token SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS PAMP). We explore: • Why tokenize gold at all—and what problems it solves vs. physical gold and ETFs • What “asset-backed” really means, and why custody, insurance, audits, and redemption are non-negotiable • The Lindy effect, trust, and why gold’s thousands-year track record still shapes digital money • How DGLD works today (1 token = 1 troy ounce, fractional possible), where it’s live (Ethereum & Base), where it trades (DEXs like Uniswap and Aerodrome), and how redemption can go down to 1 gram (via Gold Avenue) • The roadmap: multi-chain expansion, institutional use cases (collateral, repo, lending), and future exchange listings • Plus: BTC vs fiat vs gold—what people really “believe in,” and why that matters If you care about tokenization, stablecoins, and the future of monetary infrastructure—this one’s for you. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow BFRR on LinkedIn and YouTube for future guests worldwide. LinkedIn Jonas Gross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grossjonas/] LinkedIn Jonathan Knoll [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-knoll/] LinkedIn Kurt Hemecker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/khemecker/] X account Kurt Hemecker [https://x.com/khem] etonec Website [https://www.etonec.com/] [DGLD Product Website](https://dgld.com/ Official DGLD X Account)[[https://x.com/DGLD_Official] [https://x.com/DGLD_Official]] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Our 2026 Predictions: A Year for Building

What the BFRR Team expects for the digital money and digital asset space for 2026 In our first episode of 2026, the full Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR) team—Michael, Jonas, Manu and a returning Alex—sets the year’s agenda and locks in bold, measurable predictions for what’s next in digital money, digital assets and institutional blockchain. We start with the “internal outlook”: how BFRR will level up in 2026, supported by our partners Zühlke (and guest host Stefan) and Etonec, adding a stronger European + US lens (including future guest host Jonathan Knoll). The theme is “more doing, less talking.” On the slate: stablecoin adoption and payments, digital-euro policy guardrails as EU regulation enters a decisive phase, tokenized deposits and multi-bank platforms (Partior, Agorá, Swift Ledger), the evolving DLT Pilot Regime, ECB projects Pontes & Appia, tokenization of funds and crypto funds, Bitcoin vs quantum risk, Ethereum valuation (and gas economics), and the IT-architecture questions CTOs face when TradFi meets decentralized rails. Then we go “external”: eight predictions you can score—and a lively debate on whether stablecoin volume is truly “payments” or still mostly crypto settlement. • Stablecoins overtake Automated Clearing House (ACH) in transaction volume • Payments share of stablecoin volume barely rises (<5pp) • At least one country bans stablecoins over monetary-sovereignty fears • EU leaders publicly reframe stablecoins as a sovereignty tool (and debate whether the ECB will follow) • Digital-euro legislation won’t be finalized in 2026 • No new L1/L2 breaks into the top-10 chains • US spot crypto ETF net inflows exceed $50B • Bitcoin mining gets recognized as a grid-stabilization tool (3+ countries) Finally: Bitcoin price bets for end-2026—Manu $160k, Alex $150k, Michael $145k (with $65k low / $180k high), Jonas $180k—and a closing thesis: 2026 might be a “boring” year where builders win. Shownotes Galaxy Digital Outlook on 2026 [https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/predictions-2026-crypto-bitcoin-defi] LinkedIn Jonas Gross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grossjonas/] LinkedIn Manuel Klein [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-klein/] LinkedIn Alexander Bechtel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderbechtel/] LinkedIn Michael Blaschke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-r-blaschke/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

EU Goes All-In, Stablecoins Scale, Equities Tokenize | News

From stablecoin issuance by major banks to tokenized securities entering DeFi—December marked the shift from experimentation to operational infrastructure. Close out 2025 with BFRR’s final news episode of the year—a fast-paced, institution-focused tour through what might be the most consequential month yet for blockchain in finance. Host Michael Blaschke is joined by Ivica Aračić and Atakan Kavukluto to unpack December’s biggest developments across markets, regulation, stablecoins, and tokenization—and to zoom out on what 2025 really meant for institutional adoption. We start with a market pulse (recorded on December 22): crypto closes the year strong, with the total market rebounding to roughly $3.8T, Bitcoin hovering around $90k, and stablecoins hitting new scale—with Tether and Circle together surpassing $260B. But the real story isn’t price. It’s infrastructure. Ivica breaks down major European policy momentum, including updates to the EU’s DLT Pilot Regime aimed at expanding eligible instruments, raising caps, reducing friction for smaller participants, and strengthening long-term certainty. The episode also tackles the digital euro’s political reality: the ECB pushes for legislative progress, while coordination challenges across parliaments, banks, and incentives remain the hard part. Michael then dives into the “stablecoin year” thesis: regulated clarity meets real-world rollout. From SoFi USD as a bank-issued stablecoin in the US, to a major European bank consortium targeting a EUR stablecoin, to payment giants integrating stablecoins at scale—PayPal’s PYUSD moving into AI infrastructure financing, YouTube enabling creator payouts in PYUSD, Intuit embedding USDC across finance workflows, and Visa expanding USDC settlement (including on Solana). Atakan rounds out the month with tokenization and TradFi integration: landmark pilots like JP Morgan arranging commercial paper on Solana, tokenized money market funds (JP Morgan and Amundi on Ethereum), and the early hints of tokenized equities distribution via crypto platforms and messaging-first experiences. The episode ends with a sharp 2025 wrap: stablecoins as the bridge between old rails and new networks, regulatory maturation finally arriving, and a growing tilt toward public blockchain infrastructure—plus reading recommendations (BIS Project Rialto, an IMF stablecoin primer, and Christian Catalini on the “trillion-dollar battle” for money’s operating system). BFRR Episode #290 on "Das sind die Alternativen zum digitalen Euro" with Peter Bofinger [https://www.bfrr.de/das-sind-die-alternativen-zum-digitalen-euro/] BFRR Episode #371 on “Reclaiming Digital Sovereignty in Europe - and the Role of the Digital Euro” [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bJwyxoVsrRhZregjiiOTT] LinkedIn Ivica Aračić [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivicaa/] LinkedIn Atakan Kavuklu [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atakan-kavuklu/] LinkedIn Michael Blaschke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-r-blaschke/] Knowledge Bite Ivica: Christian Catalini on “The trillion-dollar battle for money's operating system” [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7396079717621202944/] Knowledge Bite Atakan: BIS Technical Report on “Project Rialto” [https://www.bis.org/publ/othp106.htm] Knowledge Bite Michael: MIF Paper on “Understanding Stablecoins” [https://www.imf.org/en/publications/departmental-papers/issues/2025/12/02/understanding-stablecoins-570602] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Our 2025 Recap: What We Did (Not) See Coming

Recapping major developments and evaluating our predictions for 2025 BFRR closes out 2025 the only way it knows how: with bold calls, honest scorekeeping, and a few friendly jabs along the way. In this annual review episode, co-hosts Jonas, Michael, and Manuel look back on a year that felt like a turning point for digital money — not because the debates got quieter, but because they got more real: regulation hardened, institutions leaned in, and “stablecoin” became the word nobody in finance could avoid. First, we show some gratitude. 2025 was the podcast’s first full year in English, and the payoff shows: listeners in 50+ countries, a fast-growing community (including our highly active Telegram group), and a noticeable jump in LinkedIn reach. We also pull back the curtain on the work behind the scenes — from post-production to website support — and thank partners like Zühlke for helping professionalize what’s still, at its core, a passion project built outside full-time jobs. Then it’s time for the internal scoreboard: the top episodes by downloads, including conversations on stablecoins, Siemens’ blockchain journey, and — the runaway #1 — the team’s own predictions episode that everyone came back to audit. And yes: the audit gets spicy. The hosts revisit their 2025 predictions with a simple rule: if it was right, it earns a beer. If it wasn’t, there is no beer for you. Beyond the scorekeeping, the bigger theme emerges: 2025 was “the stablecoin year,” but also the year the industry matured — clearer rules, more institutional rails, more productization, and a sharper focus on what actually ships versus what only gets announced. The episode wraps with personal highlights, community shout-outs, and a clear message heading into 2026: stay curious, keep the feedback coming, and help spread Europe’s perspective on digital currencies to the world. Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Reclaiming Digital Sovereignty in Europe - and the Role of the Digital Euro

Exploring why digital money matters for Europe’s strategic autonomy and what the Digital Euro could change. In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR), hosts Jonas Gross and Stefan Grasmann sit down with Dr. Alexandra Hachmeister, Director General for the Digital Euro at Deutsche Bundesbank, for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the future of money in Europe. Drawing on more than two decades at Deutsche Börse and her transition into central banking, Hachmeister offers rare insight into how public institutions think about digitizing sovereign money in an increasingly fragmented and geopolitically charged payments landscape. The discussion explores why the digital euro is not simply a technical upgrade, but a strategic response to Europe’s growing dependence on non-European payment infrastructures. From Visa and Mastercard to Big Tech wallets, much of Europe’s daily payment traffic runs on rails outside European control. Hachmeister explains how the digital euro is designed to strengthen monetary sovereignty while preserving the role of commercial banks, protecting privacy, and offering citizens a cash-like public alternative in the digital world. Beyond retail payments, the conversation dives into usability, merchant acceptance, offline functionality, and the complex challenge of rolling out a pan-European payment system across 20 countries. The hosts and their guest also address common misconceptions: the digital euro is not about crowding out private innovation, abolishing cash, or competing head-on with existing payment solutions, but about building resilient public infrastructure that others can build upon. In the second half of the episode, the focus widens to stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and corporate payments. Why are USD-denominated stablecoins advancing so quickly? Why has Europe struggled to create a compelling euro stablecoin ecosystem? And how do central banks view the potential risks and opportunities these new forms of money bring for financial stability, cross-border payments, and bank balance sheets? This episode offers a nuanced, behind-the-scenes look at how Europe’s monetary future is being shaped—balancing innovation, sovereignty, market realities, and public purpose at a time when the definition of money itself is evolving. Shownotes LinkedIn Alexandra Hachmeister [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrahachmeister/] LinkedIn Jonas Gross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grossjonas/] LinkedIn Stefan Grasmann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgrasmann/] Website Digital Euro Bundesbank [https://www.bundesbank.de/de/aufgaben/unbarer-zahlungsverkehr/digitaler-euro] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!