Unchained cover art
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Unchained

Hosted by Laura Shin

A crypto news and analysis podcast network led by journalist Laura Shin, known for its "no-hype" and deeply-sourced interviews with industry leaders.

The brief

Unchained is a media brand and podcast network focused on the cryptocurrency industry. The flagship show, also called *Unchained*, features journalist Laura Shin conducting one-on-one interviews with crypto's most influential and controversial figures. The feed also includes several specialized panel shows like *The Chopping Block* and *DEX in the City*, which are hosted by other industry experts and cover venture capital, legal news, and DeFi.

Unchained's primary distinction is its journalistic, "no-hype" approach in a field known for boosterism. Laura Shin's reputation as a tough but fair interviewer who does her homework allows her to land major guests and ask probing questions. The network structure, with specialized sub-shows, also sets it apart.
— What makes it distinctive
§1 · The host

Who hosts this show

Laura Shin is a crypto journalist, podcast host, and author of “The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze”. A former senior editor at Forbes, she was the first mainstream media reporter to cover crypto assets full-time. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University and holds a Master of Arts from Columbia University's School of Journalism.

AI-extracted bio · help us verify· Source: gemini-video-grounded

Credentials & credits

  • Author, "The Cryptopians"
  • Former Senior Editor, Forbes
  • M.A., Columbia University's School of Journalism
  • B.A., Stanford University, Phi Beta Kappa

Other ventures

  • The Chopping Block (podcast)
  • Bits + Bips (podcast)
  • Uneasy Money (podcast)
  • DEX in the City (podcast)
  • Unconfirmed (podcast)
§2 · Classification

What kind of podcast

Region
usa
§3 · Cadence & catalog

When new episodes drop

§3b · Editor's picks

Notable episodes

AI-extracted picks + commentary · help us verify
  1. 01
    Will Strategy Be Crypto’s Next FTX? Here’s Why Vinny Lingham Thinks So

    A characteristic example of the Unchained format: a timely, controversial thesis from a single expert, interrogated by host Laura Shin.

  2. 02
    Why CME Is Taking the Unprecedented Step of Suing the CFTC: DEX in the City

    Highlights the network aspect of the podcast, with a panel of legal experts dissecting a complex regulatory story on a specialized sub-show.

  3. 03
    The Ethereum Foundation Is Splitting Up - The Chopping Block

    Showcases the popular investor roundtable, *The Chopping Block*, where crypto VCs debate the week's most important news.

§4 · Signature

What you'll be asked on this show

AI-extracted from recent episodes · help us verify
How Laura Shin interviews

Laura Shin's interview style is journalistic and probing. She typically opens with a broad, direct question to elicit the guest's core thesis on a major news event. She then challenges their position by citing conflicting opinions from other named experts or by presenting common counter-arguments to test the guest's conviction. Her questioning is known for being tough and well-researched, aiming to distill complex topics into an accessible narrative.

The main *Unchained* show is a one-on-one interview hosted by Laura Shin. The broader Unchained podcast feed is a network that also publishes several weekly panel discussions hosted by other crypto experts, such as *The Chopping Block* (investors), *Uneasy Money* (DeFi builders), and *DEX in the City* (lawyers).

Questions Laura Shin keeps coming back to

3 catalogued

If you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Laura Shin reaches for it.

controversy

3
  1. Q.01

    What's your take on everything going on with [major news event]?

    This is often her opening move, designed to get the guest's core thesis on the record immediately.

  2. Q.02

    [Another expert] said [conflicting opinion]. What do you think about that?

    She frequently uses this technique to create debate and probe the strength of a guest's argument against other public figures.

  3. Q.03

    What about people who say [common counter-argument or bull case]?

    This is how she challenges a guest's position by forcing them to confront the prevailing narrative they are arguing against.

Signature segments

  • · The Chopping Block
  • · Uneasy Money
  • · DEX in the City
  • · Bits + Bips
  • · "You just caught a piece of Unchained..." (outro)

Topics covered repeatedly

CryptocurrencyBitcoinEthereumDeFiRegulationVenture CapitalMarket AnalysisNFTsBlockchain TechnologyStablecoins
§5 · Guests

Who gets booked here

AI-extracted guest list + profile · help us verify
Typical guest

Guests on the primary *Unchained* show are typically founders, CEOs, investors, and analysts with a strong, often controversial, perspective on a timely crypto news event.

Recent guests
  • Vinny Lingham
    on Will Strategy Be Crypto’s Next FTX? Here’s Why Vinny Lingham Thinks So
  • Matt Cole
    on Why Matt Cole Believes Last Week's STRC Crash Was a Leverage Liquidation
§6 · Channels & links

Where to find this show

§7 · Stats

Audience & reach

YouTube · first-party
Subscribers
72.8K
72,800
Avg views / video
382
Trailing window
Total views
6.4M
6,411,349
Videos published
3,200
Sponsor readEstimated

Sponsors include a mix of major TradFi firms moving into crypto (Fidelity) and crypto-native companies (Cape). The advertising targets a professional audience interested in finance, technology, and career opportunities in the digital asset space.

AI-extracted sponsor read · help us verify

Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.

§8 · Contact

Pitch Laura Shin

Sign-in required
Verified contact
Host / booking email
e•••@•••.com
Public channels

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§9b · FAQ

People also ask

AI-extracted researched answers · help us verify
Who is the host of Unchained?
The main host is Laura Shin, a crypto journalist and author. The Unchained network also features other hosts for its specialized panel shows.
Is this one podcast or multiple shows?
It's a network. The main podcast feed includes the flagship interview show *Unchained* hosted by Laura Shin, plus panel shows like *The Chopping Block*, *Uneasy Money*, and *DEX in the City*.
What is Laura Shin's background?
Laura Shin is a journalist who was formerly a senior editor at Forbes, where she was the first mainstream reporter to cover crypto full-time. She holds degrees from Stanford University and Columbia's School of Journalism.
What is the format of the main Unchained show?
The primary show hosted by Laura Shin is a one-on-one interview format, typically focused on a single, timely topic with an expert guest.
Is the podcast still running?
Yes, the podcast network releases multiple episodes per week.
Last updatedJun 29, 2026Not yet host-verified
Research depthLightly researchedMedium confidence · Jun 29, 2026 · gemini-2.5-pro

Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.

§9c · Methodology

Sources & how this page was built

This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · medium confidence

  1. [01]Official Websiteunchainedcrypto.com
  2. [02]Laura Shin's Author Pagehachettebookgroup.com
  3. [03]Laura Shin's Biolaurashin.com
  4. [04]Forbes Profileforbes.com
  5. [05]The Cryptopians - Hachette Book Grouphachettebookgroup.com
  6. [06]Unchained on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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