Dictators fuel bitcoin adoption with Anna Chekhovich | The Last Free Americans
Dictators fuel bitcoin adoption with Anna Chekhovich | The Last Free Americans  
Podcast: The Bitcoin Frontier
Published On: Tue Dec 30 2025
Description: Anna Chekhovich is a Russian activist who manages the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s finances while living in exile. She runs payrolls, budgeting, and fundraising for a movement that faces surveillance, asset seizures, and sanctions. What sets Anna apart is her operational playbook for keeping an organization alive when banks fail you. In this episode, Anna joins The Last Free Americans to share how bitcoin became ACF’s plan B for payroll and donations, how activists build practical off-ramps under hostile regimes, and how she co-designed a simple three-day training that now serves activists from more than 50 countries. SUPPORT THE PODCAST: → Subscribe → Leave a review → Share the show with your friends and family → Send us an email: podcast@unchained.com → Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcastTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro, disclaimers, and why Bitcoin self-custody matters for human rights1:04 - Running ACF finances under surveillance and in exile3:23 - Bank freezes and the shift to bitcoin as plan B4:52 - Paying 300 plus staff when accounts are seized5:57 - Donor safety in authoritarian regimes and why self-custody is essential7:10 - Explaining self-custody in the U.S. context9:37 - The HRF webinar design and why simplicity wins12:09 - Day 1 playbook: custody types, first wallet, sending sats12:41 - Day 2 playbook: last mile options, P2P, meetups, and ATMs13:52 - Day 3 playbook: self-hosted crowdfunding with BTCPay Server and cold storage16:22 - Why lightning for live demos and choosing simple wallets like Muun20:57 - Sanctions and supporting family via P2P off-ramps31:19 - Multisig for nonprofits and where Unchained fits35:02 - Privacy by default with coinjoin and better ops hygiene39:14 - The peace time case for self-custody and financial dignityWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained  → Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Kelly’s Twitter: https://x.com/josephkelly  → Anna Chekhovich’s Twitter: https://x.com/AnyaChekhovich