Encryption pro playlist exposed: SBF's heartbroken song, Brian loops it 60 times.

From SBF's emo style to Brian's inspirational tracks, encryption pros are not Bots, they also have heartbeats and melodies.

Written by: 1912212.eth, Foresight News

If you are a billionaire in the cryptocurrency world, discussing the future of Bitcoin on Twitter during the day, while secretly looping Coldplay's sad love songs at night, or being obsessed with Broadway musicals. Isn't it dramatic? But this is really happening.

According to Decrypt, on July 31, the website panamaplaylists.com exposed the Spotify accounts of 49 celebrities, politicians, and journalists, including political figures like U.S. Vice President JD Vance, as well as tech industry leaders Sam Altman and the two founding partners of a16z. Additionally, several pros in the encryption field were also included, such as SBF and Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong.

The website instantly exploded on the internet after its exposure. This is not just a data leak; it is a magnifying glass into the private lives of these "digital rogues." The site claims to be the "Panama Playlist," clearly inspired by the famous "Panama Papers" — which exposed the offshore accounts of global billionaires. This time, it targets Spotify's "hidden tastes."

The website operates anonymously, only linking to a Proton Mail email address, with no hacker manifesto and no flaunting of technology. The founder claims that all data comes from public sources, but many suspect it is data scraping or a small-scale leak. Spotify's privacy settings are already loose, and if users register with their real names, playlists can be easily uncovered.

As a result, the "private playlists" of the encryption pros have been made public. From Sam Bankman-Fried's emo style to Brian Armstrong's motivational tracks, these playlists not only reveal their musical tastes but also vaguely outline their inner worlds. After all, in the ups and downs of the encryption market, who doesn't need some music for healing?

SBF's emo style

The first protagonist of the event, FTX founder SBF. He is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud. His Spotify playlist is divided into two categories: "loud" and "soft."

The "soft" list is a collection of sad songs: Coldplay's "Yellow" sings of the romance between stars and skin, Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" tells the sweetness of a long-distance relationship, and Frank Ocean's "Bad Religion" carries profound self-reflection. There's also Bon Iver's "Blindsided," Blink-182's pop-punk nostalgia, and The Chainsmokers' electronic dance music. Doesn't it sound like a fallen millionaire reflecting on life on a Caribbean island?

Switch to the "loud" playlist, The Weeknd's "Save Your Tears" calls for saving tears, Khalid's "Young Dumb & Broke" and Sia's "Unstoppable" feel like a boost of encouragement.

After SBF's playlist was exposed, memes suddenly flooded the internet: some photoshopped him wearing headphones rocking out in prison, while others said "this playlist is more emo than his FTX collapse."

Brian's Inspirational Chicken Soup Style

The head of the encrypted exchange Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, has a playlist that resembles an inspirational collection. In the "Repeat" list, a song by Gareth Emery titled "Long Way Home" has been listened to by him 60 times.

This song is about the long journey home, and with its electronic rhythm, it might be the perfect BGM for a encryption bear market. Imagine Armstrong, during a market crash, wearing AirPods and playing this song on repeat, talking to himself: "The road is long, perseverance is victory."

In response to the leak of his "looping" playlist, he tweeted: "It (replaying this song) helps me to work with deep focus, don't ask me why."

Some users in the comments section pointed out that there is clearly a repeat play button, and there is no need to create a playlist containing 60 identical songs.

His "Morning" playlist seems sunny: "Two Suns In The Sky" by Davi, "Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston, and "SOL" by Pryda. These songs might inspire him to face regulatory pressure, just like morning coffee. The "favs" playlist is even more interesting: "Wait For It" from the Broadway musical "Hamilton" and "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Don't forget Chamath Palihapitiya, the host of the All-In podcast and an active figure in the encryption investment world. His "work!" playlist looks like the product of a workaholic: Drake's "0 To 100 / The Catch Up"—a rap from zero to hero, perfectly fitting his entrepreneurial story. Sia's "Cheap Thrills" brings cheap thrills, Young Money and Drake's "Trophies" celebrates victory, and Imagine Dragons' "Believer" is like a declaration of faith.

Chamath's playlist reveals Silicon Valley-style ambition: high-energy music is needed to drive productivity at work. These songs are not just background noise, but his "productivity hacks." Interestingly, he has also ventured into encryption investments, such as supporting Solana, which led to jokes after the playlist was exposed: "He should add a Solana theme song - 'Crash and Burn' - to his 'work!' list."

Another person is Ben Horowitz from Andreessen Horowitz, this venture capital pro has invested a considerable amount in the encryption field. His "Good times" playlist is a paradise of R&B and soul: The Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets," Anita Baker's "Sweet Love," Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," Babyface's "Whip Appeal (12-inch Version)," Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm." These songs are filled with romance and a relaxing atmosphere, like the soundtrack for a weekend party.

Horowitz's playlist reminds one of his famous book "The Hard Thing About Hard Things," but musically he clearly prefers the softer side.

Spotify list settings need to be hidden manually

Encryption pros are not Bots, they also have a heartbeat and melody.

The recent leak of the playlist has sparked privacy discussions. Spotify's settings allow users to publicly share lists, but many celebrities registered with their real names, not expecting to be exposed. Some reports indicate that this is the fault of Spotify's privacy settings: if users do not manually hide them, the lists are publicly visible.

The preferences of these pros are not much different from those of ordinary people. The crypto world is often portrayed as a cold and impersonal digital game, but the playlists show that they also have a vulnerable side. SBF's sad songs may reflect the regret after the FTX collapse, while Armstrong's inspirational songs may embody his resilience.

Of course, this also sounds the alarm. Privacy is becoming increasingly fragile in the digital age. Even encryption experts have not been able to protect their own Spotify. In the short term, this incident feels more like a celebrity gossip: who knows whose Netflix viewing history will be leaked next?

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