Bitwise x Base: How Crypto Could 2,000x Sooner Than Anyone Expects

Host John Gillen speaks with Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan and Base head of growth Antonio Garcia Martinez about the regulatory opening for tokenized stocks in the US. They explain how onchain equities could enable near-instant settlement, round-the-clock trading, and borrowing or lending against stock holdings, while also creating new liquidity and risk-management challenges.

The discussion examines Base’s early tokenized-stock volume and Bitwise’s automated token portfolios, which let users replicate professionally designed strategies while holding the underlying assets directly. Hougan and Martinez also assess where investment value may accrue across blockchains, applications, and public companies, arguing that broad exposure may be more prudent than trying to pick a single winner.

Both guests say they are more bullish on crypto than at any prior point in their careers, citing improving regulation, institutional interest, and growth in tokenization and stablecoins. Their key takeaway is that the shift of traditional assets onchain remains early, but could reshape how investors trade, settle, collateralize, and manage portfolios.