Share this article

Narrative Watch: The Hunt for Crypto's Killer App

As a Brooklyn Nets player tokenizes his contract, are income share agreements poised to break out as one of crypto’s killer apps?

Updated Sep 13, 2021, 12:08 p.m. Published Jan 13, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Breakdown1-13

Starting today, accredited investors will be able to partake of $13.5 million in tokenized bonds connected to the contract of Brooklyn Nets Point Guard Spencer Dinwiddie. The first-of-its-kind offering took months of negotiation with the NBA but marks a seminal moment for both crypto and the larger idea of "income share agreements."

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

In this podcast, we discuss how big a deal Dinwiddie’s offering is and whether income share agreements could be a breakout use case for crypto. We also discuss other contenders for “crypto killer app,” including under-collateralized DeFi loans and NFT-based games. Finally, we discuss whether crypto’s actual killer app has already arrived - in the form of using bitcoin to escape local political and economic controls.

Topics Discussed:

Spencer Dinwiddie tokenizes $13.5m NBA contract

What Income Share Agreements have to do with crypto

Bitcoin’s mainstream use case isn’t mainstream

Больше для вас

KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

16:9 Image

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

Что нужно знать:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

Больше для вас

Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold

Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven'

Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.

Что нужно знать:

  • During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
  • Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
  • Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.