State of The Market, Polymarket Insider Trading & a16z Raising $2B | Weekly Roundup

This week, we're back with another weekly roundup where we discuss the current state of markets as Bitcoin holds steady around $70k. We then deep dive into how to unlock 24/7 markets, insider trading on prediction markets, recent VC fundraises & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Rob: https://x.com/HadickM Follow Santi: https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Empire:https://x.com/theempirepod -- Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in New York City this March! Follow the link below to grab your ticket, and use code EMPIRE200 to get $200 off your ticket! https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-nyc-2026 -- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:20) State of The Market (08:05) How To Unlock 24/7 Markets (18:54) DAS Plug (19:20) Insider Trading On Prediction Markets (52:58) OKX Raises At a $25B Valuation (55:34) a16z & Paradigm Raising $3.5B (01:09:33) Will Crypto Prices Recover? (01:13:16) Content of The Week -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, Rob and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.