The ETH merge cometh • TechCrunch

Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.

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Now, what did we get into today?

• Stocks are higher around the world, while major cryptos have risen sharply in the last week.
• The Ethereum update known as the ‘Merge’ is just around the corner. The change in consensus model at ETH is a big darn deal. How the tech change goes, and what the market reaction is to it, will be key events this week.
• And speaking of crypto, the SEC is getting even busier in its efforts to have more oversight of the space.
• From the startup front, Gotham Greens and Diveplane both raised money, $310 million and $25 million respectively. Each are a part of neat, growing sectors in startup-land, making their fundraising a bit more impactful than individual rounds tend to be.
• And then quick takes: Everyone’s worried about TokTik, Amazon’s content budget is bonkers, and EQT has a huge new fund.

We are back Wednesday, and our Friday show will be taped live on Thursday!