From balance sheets in boardrooms to the auction of digital art pieces, crypto is everywhere. And while knowledge about blockchain may have almost reached mainstream — it’s not uncommon to find a bitcoin ATM at the bar — what’s still emerging is just how much the blockchain will change and challenge the world we live in. Already, crypto has been adopted as legal tender in El Salvador, leading to emerging questions about what a global economy may look like if it shifts toward decentralized banking.
So how do you get up to speed on how crypto is changing the global culture? The best way to understand the A(xie Infinity ), B(itcoin ), and C(ryptopunks ) of this new world is to take a step back. While you can get lost in the ups and downs of the volatile crypto market and the hundreds of cryptocurrencies for sale on the exchange, what is constant is that new digital assets anchored in blockchain technology are creating major change around the world at the macro-level.
To that end, “Down the Rabbit Hole ” — a new series from the digital asset management company Ledger — unpacks the wide world of crypto. In each episode, the longform series will tackle the crypto industries through various segments, looking at how crypto is changing society as we know it, and what to expect as the world becomes crypto-fied.
Get the news before it hits the headlines with “7 Days in Crypto”
Every week, “Down the Rabbit Hole” brings viewers a segment called, “7 Days in Crypto. ” In less than the time it takes you to brew your coffee — that’s three minutes, if you’re watching the clock — you’ll get a roundup of global crypto news — before it hits mainstream headlines. From crypto-related companies becoming key advertisers for sports teams in the United States to Facebook launching its new digital wallet for crypto, “7 Days in Crypto” gives viewers an around-the-world overview of what’s going on in the world of crypto and blockchain.
Go deeper with “The Story”
Crypto may be dependent on tech, but it’s creating a seismic shift in society. And now that crypto isn’t exclusively in the hands (or, rather, digital wallets) of investors, what does that mean for the masses?
That depends on who you ask. “The Story” uses a global lens and on-the-street reporting to connect to decision makers and real people to see how crypto is playing out in everyday lives. For example, the premier of “The Story” focuses on what happened when El Salvador adopted bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021. For some citizens, the shift was life changing. With a crypto wallet, a smartphone and a Wi-Fi connection, some Salvadorans found the opportunity to expand their customer base or support their far-flung families in a way that was more complicated when they relied on a brick-and-mortar bank. Others worry about oversight and transparency, wondering why the government was so quick to adopt cryptocurrency in the country.
In another episode, the series brings viewers to the Nigerian city of Lagos , now a global epicenter of a new crypto-meets-culture world in which Nigerian artists have become emerging visionaries in the NFT space. Another segment explores the burgeoning love affair between football and crypto as an increasing number of crypto companies advertise on jerseys, partner with football clubs and have become part of contract payments for star athletes such as Paris Saint Germain Football Club’s star forward Lionel Messi.
The result: a program that has a unique take on the global economy.
Know what’s cool with “The Deep Dive”
Crypto hasn’t only rocked the financial world. It’s also shifting the cultural world as well, as blockchain technology has transformed concepts like ownership. Because data in a blockchain can’t be tampered, destroyed or forged, individuals have the opportunity to “own” a specific set of data. This ownership has given rise to the NFT.
An NFT can be a work of art. It can also be a tweet, meme or pretty much anything else that may not seem to have “value” in “the real world.” In “The Deep Dive,” instead of trying to explain what an NFT is (because, as you can see, it’s complicated) the segment explores the who, how, when and why behind the crazy world of crypto culture.
One segment delves into Larva Labs, a studio that came up with the concept of digital property with the invention of its online CyberPunks, becoming one of the pioneers in the NFT space. Another segment explores Axie Infinity, a blockchain-based play-to-earn video game changing the concept of gaming. And a third explores the acceleration of the metaverse becoming an integral part of our current reality.
In other words: It’s crypto’s world. And “Down the Rabbit Hole” shows us how we’re living in it.
Because crypto is more than a currency
Futuristic, weird, inspiring, complicated. As “Down the Rabbit Hole” illustrates across its three segments, there are many lenses to view crypto. But by taking discussions away from a portfolio and into the real world, “Down the Rabbit Hole” hopes to give enhanced perspective into why crypto is much more than a craze. Crypto is changing the way we live — even if we don’t fully know just how much (yet).
From Ledger:
Founded in 2014, Ledger is the all-in-one digital asset management solution serving retail and institutional clients in 200 countries. By combining a hardware wallet, which provides security, with the Ledger Live app, which provides access to crypto-currency services, Ledger offers consumers the easiest way to start their crypto journey while maintaining full control over their digital assets. Their newest YouTube video series, “Down The Rabbit Hole,” explores how crypto changes the world, the economy and the culture around the globe.
Exchange, lend, and other crypto transaction services are provided by third-party partners. Ledger provides no advice or recommendations on use of these third-party services.