The Bitcoin Frontier
The Bitcoin Frontier

Explore how bitcoin as a monetary tool is transforming lives and perspectives. Through in-depth conversations, uncover stories of innovation, disruption, and growth as we chart the ever-evolving bitcoin frontier. Whether you're a bitcoin veteran or just curious, The Bitcoin Frontier is your guide to the future of money.

Allen Farrington is an investor at Axiom BTC Capital and a writer known for sharp, contrarian takes on bitcoin and adjacent topics like bitcoin venture capital, fiat “plumbing,” and stablecoins. With Axiom, Allen uniquely focuses on clients’ returns not coming from financial engineering, but from productive deployment of capital to solve real world problems.In this episode, Allen joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how bitcoin exposes the fiat distortions inside venture capital, why clear lines between saving and investing change founder and limited partner (LP) behavior, and what a bitcoin-first stack means for payments and stablecoins. We dig into local capital allocation on a sound-money standard, free/open-source dynamics and moats, and why lightning + ecash may be the endgame for stablecoins.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & disclaimer; setting up VC in a world of finite money2:12 – Bitcoin as “fixing the plumbing”: unwinding fiat distortions vs fantasizing about the end state4:45 – How artificially low rates monetize other assets and push allocators out the risk curve7:28 – Pension funds, liabilities, and why flows into venture decouple from fundamentals9:46 – “Thousand-x or bust”: why LP incentives shape VC behavior (and fund crypto)12:02 – Saving vs investing: why buying bitcoin ≠ venture investing (and Axiom’s thesis)16:05 – Local investing on a sound-money standard and higher opportunity costs for founders20:52 – Measuring in bitcoin terms: hurdle rates, returns, and what “outperforming bitcoin” really means27:15 – Trusted third parties are security holes… so where do businesses add value? (non-custodial services)32:06 – Moats in a FOSS world: compete by delivering value, not lock-in36:50 – “Zero to One,” monopolies, and why ruthless excellence beats user exploitation41:10 – Open vs closed source: the healthy tension in bitcoin-native companies44:22 – Allen’s “half-baked” stablecoin thesis: why new “stablecoin blockchains” are a dead end47:06 – The Genius Act: fully reserved dollars, surveillance tradeoffs, and limited real-world impact so far48:55 – Lightning as settlement layer for fiat tokens; taproot assets / RGB today, ecash tomorrow55:00 – Could fully reserved rails hollow out small banks? Centralization pressures and unintended consequences56:44 – Closing: where to find Allen and Axiom BTCWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom   → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Allen Farrington’s Twitter: https://x.com/allenf32    → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre → Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production): https://x.com/DeFBeD
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
Mark Connors is a veteran credit analyst and macro thinker who’s spent nearly four decades on Wall Street, from the bond desks of Solomon Brothers to the hedge fund trenches. What makes Mark unique is his ability to pull the lens back—connecting regime changes in global finance to bitcoin’s rise as the asset with true integrity.In this episode, Mark joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how his career shaped his understanding of risk, why bitcoin is the next monetary regime shift, and how Wall Street is still missing the plot. We dig into why bitcoin’s volatility is actually a superpower, how financial plumbing is breaking beneath the surface, and why institutions will eventually be forced to adopt bitcoin as pristine collateral.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & Mark’s 40-year Wall Street journey through credit and crisis3:15 – Lessons from Solomon Brothers to Bitcoin Park: where integrity lives6:05 – How bitcoin fits into the third monetary regime since Bretton Woods8:00 – The “hacks” that brought bitcoin into Wall Street’s line of sight10:00 – Bitcoin as collateral and the coming collateral crisis12:20 – Understanding volatility: why bitcoin’s risk is asymmetric17:00 – The myth of volatility and the truth about upside variance21:00 – “Good vol” vs “bad vol”: how bitcoin surprises to the upside25:00 – Why rebalancing into bitcoin beats traditional 60/40 portfolios29:00 – Can Wall Street co-opt bitcoin through paper markets?31:00 – The importance of holding your own keys and verifying collateral35:00 – Convincing older investors and rebuilding credibility post-FTX37:00 – Regime changes, Bretton Woods, and how history rhymes43:00 – How the dollar was “saved” by energy and the petrodollar system46:00 – Hidden cracks in the financial system and repo stress explained49:00 – How new liquidity facilities show a fragile, patched-up system52:00 – Will Wall Street adopt bitcoin for safety or profit?55:00 – The slow cultural shift toward integrity in finance57:00 – The ultimate incentive: clients demanding bitcoin exposure1:00:00 – Risks to bitcoin: mining centralization, paper supply, and innovation1:02:00 – Where to follow Mark and how he’s educating advisorsWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn:   / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Mark Connors’s Twitter: https://x.com/riskdimensions  → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre
Peter Van Valkenburgh is the Executive Director of Coin Center, a leading nonprofit research and advocacy group focused on cryptocurrency policy. In this episode, Peter joins The Bitcoin Frontier to explore why defending the right to self-custody is about much more than bitcoin — it’s about the future of individual freedom, open-source innovation, and financial privacy. We dig into the parallels between the 1990s “crypto wars” and today’s digital sovereignty battles, the threats facing developers of privacy tools, and the constitutional foundations for privacy and property in the digital age.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro and Peter’s journey from acting to bitcoin policy2:00 – Discovering the cypherpunks and the roots of internet freedom4:00 – Entering bitcoin through law school and meeting Jerry Brito6:00 – Founding Coin Center and defining “permissionless innovation”9:00 – The mission: protecting the freedom to build and use open blockchains11:00 – Bitcoin’s privacy problem and the legal risks of building privacy tech13:00 – Educating DC: explaining bitcoin to Congress in the early days16:00 – Navigating the SEC, ICOs, and defining what counts as a security18:30 – The evolution from education to constitutional litigation22:00 – Bitcoin as the revival of a “bearer instrument” economy26:00 – The “secret right to cash” and the Fourth Amendment’s blind spot30:00 – Privacy, property, and what bitcoin reveals about constitutional limits35:00 – The Keep Your Coins Act and why it matters for financial sovereignty43:00 – The DOJ’s shift toward prosecuting developers — and why it’s dangerous46:00 – Inside the Tornado Cash and Samurai Wallet prosecutions50:00 – How Coin Center is fighting for software publishing rights54:00 – Legislative progress: Clarity, Keep Your Coins, and BRCA1:00:00 – Lessons from the 1990s encryption wars1:03:00 – How liability protections shaped (and centralized) the internet1:08:00 – The convenience dilemma: why self-custody must become easier1:12:00 – The Bank Secrecy Act, mass surveillance, and new legal challenges1:19:00 – Coin Center’s constitutional lawsuits for privacy and association rights1:23:00 – Why the BSA is ripe for reform — and bitcoin’s role in that debate1:27:00 – Zero-knowledge proofs, AML, and a future of privacy-preserving compliance1:29:00 – How self-custody wallets enable digital identity and personal sovereignty1:31:00 – Closing thoughts: bitcoin as the foundation for a freer digital futureWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn:   / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Kelly’s Twitter: https://x.com/josephkelly → Peter Van Valkenburgh’s Twitter: https://x.com/valkenburgh
Seth Hertlein is the Global Head of Policy at Ledger and one of the earliest, most persistent advocates for bitcoin self-custody in Washington. Known for his “lone ranger” years as the only lobbyist focused on protecting non-custodial rights, he brings a rare combination of securities law expertise, political insight, and deep conviction about individual property rights. In this episode, Seth joins The Last Free Americans to share how he fell down the bitcoin rabbit hole, why self-custody is a return to humanity’s oldest property norms, and how today’s policy battles will define digital freedom for generations. We dig into the evolution of financial intermediaries, the history of natural rights from Aristotle to the framers, and the real political forces lining up for and against self-custody.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 to The Last Free Americans & Seth’s unique role in policy2:20 – How a securities regulator became an “accidental crypto lobbyist”5:03 – Early bitcoin reading, monetary policy, and recognizing its political nature7:43 – The aha moment of self-custody: from Ledger device to first withdrawal12:58 – Ownership vs. possession: how financial markets drifted into full intermediation16:40 – Why self-custody is not new: property as a natural human right22:45 – How centralization overtook markets: certificates, DTCC, and efficiency tradeoffs27:58 – 2021: the year Washington and the industry “woke up” to each other33:10 – Keep Your Coins Act, Canadian truckers, and why lawful peer-to-peer matters38:40 – Property rights, natural law, and the framers’ blind spots on privacy45:55 – Executive Order 6102, takings law, and lessons for bitcoin52:03 – How the Bank Secrecy Act and third-party doctrine became digital surveillance59:42 – The three camps opposing self-custody: nats-ec hawks, socialists, and bureaucracies1:05:40 – The IRS broker rule, CRA repeal, and precedents for stopping overreach1:11:22 – House vs. Senate language: what “retain the right” really means1:17:14 – Odds of passage in 2024 and why Senate floor time is everything1:22:44 – The global landscape: why America is still the last best hope1:27:50 – What comes next: privacy as the next digital freedom frontier1:32:10 – Closing thoughts on restoring founding principles through BitcoinWHERE 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  → Seth Hertlein’s Twitter: https://x.com/SethHertlein
Kent is the CEO of Sazmining and a longtime bitcoiner who previously led large-scale solar operations before building a non-custodial bitcoin mining platform. Recently, he became the victim of a sophisticated in-person scam that resulted in the loss of $220,000 worth of bitcoin.In this episode, Kent joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share exactly what happened during the scam, what red flags he missed, and why he decided to go public. We dig into the psychology of social engineering, how attackers exploit self-interest, and why even experienced bitcoiners remain vulnerable. We also cover how to build operational security inside a business to mitigate social engineering attacks, how families can prepare for deepfake attacks, and why bitcoin’s immutability still strengthens personal responsibility even in difficult moments.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 & Kent’s disclosure of a $220k bitcoin scam3:20 – Why he chose to go public: PSA, law-enforcement pressure, and justice7:10 – Kent’s background in solar, bitcoin, and building Sazmining10:05 – The setup: a “family office” deal, travel, and early yellow flags14:40 – The first meeting in Amsterdam & unusual trust-building exercises19:00 – How the attackers built credibility and portrayed ultra-wealth23:15 – The second meeting, Atomic Wallet, and how the sweep unfolded28:40 – The psychological trap: self-interest, exhaustion, and urgency34:00 – Why immutability didn’t shake his conviction in bitcoin37:25 – Internal policy changes: whitelisting, diligence, and cooling-off periods41:50 – Distinguishing roles: CEO instincts vs. bitcoiner instincts45:05 – Scam evolution, social engineering, and the danger of urgency49:20 – Efforts to recover funds & the limits of both private and public options54:10 – How AI deepfakes raise the stakes for family safety57:20 – Why code words, local trust, and multisig can protect loved ones59:40 – Closing thoughts, personal accountability & Sazmining’s missionWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained  → Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Kent Halliburton’s Twitter: https://x.com/khalliburton  → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre
Zack Shapiro is the head of legal and policy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute and a key architect behind the Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund. He’s spent years on the frontlines where law, technology, and human freedom intersect—helping lawmakers and judges understand what it means to hold value in the digital age. In this episode, Zack joins The Bitcoin Frontier to break down why self-custody is foundational to bitcoin’s value, how the Clarity Act could define financial freedom for a generation, and why the right to hold your own money might be the most American right of all.We dig into the constitutional roots of property rights, how U.S. law is being stretched to fit a peer-to-peer world, and why the fight for non-custodial software developers will determine the future of bitcoin in America.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & the mission behind The Last Free Americans series2:00 – What self-custody really means and why it’s the foundation of bitcoin’s value3:45 – ETFs, financialization, and the fading connection to real bitcoin5:00 – Why self-custody matters more than ever in 20256:15 – How outdated laws are clashing with a peer-to-peer world7:40 – The Clarity Act and the battle for non-custodial rights9:00 – Would bitcoin even be valuable without self-custody?10:00 – How self-custody connects to America’s founding values12:00 – The Constitution’s protections for holding bitcoin: 1st, 4th, 5th, 9th Amendments16:00 – The history lesson: Executive Order 6102 and gold confiscation18:30 – Enumerated powers, the 9th Amendment, and the people’s retained rights21:00 – Why protecting non-custodial developers is critical to freedom23:30 – Tornado Cash, Samurai Wallet, and the dangerous new legal precedents27:30 – Knowledge vs. intent: how the DOJ’s theories stretch the law31:00 – The risk of calling developers “money transmitters”33:30 – Steelmanning the other side: why regulators see a loophole37:00 – How the Bank Secrecy Act evolved from mob busting to digital dragnet40:30 – From halawa networks to bitcoin: applying old laws to new rails42:30 – The real ideological divide: state control vs. individual liberty46:00 – Why self-custody embodies the American idea of limited government47:30 – If Bitcoin existed in 1776, would the framers have protected self-custody?49:00 – Strategy going forward: the Clarity Act, education, and vigilance52:00 – The political battle ahead: Elizabeth Warren, ICOs, and what’s really at stake54:00 – How bitcoin helps the least powerful—and why that matters mostWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn:   / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter:
Tim Hite is the director of policy at Exodus and a former congressional staffer for Rep. Warren Davidson. He helped shape early self-custody legislation—including the Keep Your Coins Act (a playful nod to “KYC”)—and bridges law, technology, and individual rights. In this episode, Tim’s discussion kicks off The Last Free Americans miniseries to share the origin story of self-custody protections on Capitol Hill, how “keep your coins” language differs from the Clarity Act’s approach, and what meaningful safeguards against CBDCs could look like. We dig into the evolution of property rights in a digital world, why illicit-finance fears are often overstated, and how social media has changed the legislative battlefield.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 & why self-custody matters now0:51 – “The Last Free Americans”: series premise1:16 – Tim’s path: 2017 bull run, law school, FINRA, and meeting Rep. Davidson3:34 – From Hill staffer to crypto policy: Token Taxonomy Act & early frameworks6:51 – The spark for the Keep Your Coins Act and naming the bill11:12 – Two legislative styles: affirming a right vs. restricting regulators16:24 – Digital ownership as a new chapter in American property rights19:05 – CBDCs vs. self-custody: opposite ends of the spectrum22:30 – Social media’s role: sunlight, mobilization, and changing the odds30:34 – The 2020 “unhosted wallet” rule & why KYCs on self-hosted wallets don’t fit39:00 – Bank Secrecy Act’s $10k threshold, report overload, and diminishing returns41:37 – House passage, Senate path, and realistic timelines for the Clarity Act47:26 – What’s next: tokenized securities and the future of self-custody52:58 – Peer-to-peer (with an asterisk): whitelists, accounts, and true control55:01 – Closing thoughts: momentum, vigilance, and “nature finds a way”WHERE 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  → Tim Hite’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimHite  → Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production): https://x.com/DeFBeD
Joe Kelly is the co-founder and CEO of Unchained. In this latest episode, Joe shares his story and Alaskan roots that shaped a deep respect for self-sufficiency—an experience he now applies to the digital frontier. In this episode, Joe joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share why Unchained is launching a new miniseries, The Last Free Americans, how self-custody became his life’s work, and why the conservation movement offers a powerful analogy for protecting financial freedom. We dig into the frontier phases of new assets and ideas, the role of ETFs as a bridge (not the destination), and how policies like developer protections and “keep your coins” language can ring-fence essential rights.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: The Last Free Americans and what’s at stake with self-custody1:06 – Alaska, boats, and learning self-sufficiency2:54 – Conservation mindset: preserving wilderness and preserving peer-to-peer money4:03 – From accounts to keys: the “aha” of sending bitcoin yourself5:39 – Seeing the water we swim in: intermediaries, fees, and privacy tradeoffs8:03 – Frontiers and phases: from prospectors to politics—how new assets mature10:57 – Gold rush parallels: excess, scams, and integration into the mainstream12:55 – National parks as a model: ring-fencing what matters for future generations15:00 – “The last free Americans”: a proud warning about peer-to-peer rights17:02 – Building Unchained on bitcoin’s assumptions, not fiat rails19:16 – ETFs as a useful bridge vs. living the peer-to-peer experience21:03 – Who are today’s “John Muirs”? Gear, guidance, and making self-custody approachable23:42 – Beyond one bill: culture, developer protections, and keep-your-coins language26:34 – Free speech, code, and the very American fight for financial privacy27:34 – Short memories: SVB, protests, and why self-custody matters before the next shock29:16 – What to expect from the series and the intellectual adventure of bitcoinWHERE 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  → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre
Pierre Rochard is one of the original bitcoin thinkers, builders, and educators — now serving as CEO of The Bitcoin Bond Company. Known for popularizing the term “speculative attack” in the bitcoin space, Pierre has long explored how bitcoin can replace legacy finance from the inside out.In this episode, Pierre joins The Bitcoin Frontier to discuss how banks adopting bitcoin could strengthen global stability, how fractional reserve banking might evolve on a bitcoin standard, and why he believes governments buying bitcoin is inevitable. We dig into the rise of bitcoin treasury companies, the idea behind bitcoin bonds, and whether bitcoin’s decentralization can withstand institutional adoption.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 & bitcoin’s ideological roots in libertarianism3:00 – Why banks holding bitcoin could prevent future financial crises7:20 – Can fractional reserve banking exist on a bitcoin standard?10:50 – MicroStrategy and the rise of bitcoin treasury companies12:40 – Why collapsing banks would be dangerous for society16:00 – Financial intermediation, savings culture, and a soft landing to a bitcoin economy18:00 – “Money for enemies”: Why state adoption isn’t betrayal20:00 – Bitcoin in U.S. and state reserves: From Texas to Trump23:00 – Can governments or corporations co-opt bitcoin?25:00 – What bitcoin bonds are and how the Bitcoin Bond Company works29:30 – Bringing bitcoin into institutional portfolios through structured credit35:00 – Comparing bitcoin bonds to MicroStrategy’s convertibles37:00 – Why treasury companies are undervalued and what investors are missing40:00 – Hyperbitcoinization, speculative attacks, and soft landings45:00 – How adoption is accelerating asymmetrically across nations50:00 – The ETF era: Collaborative custody and the path from convenience to sovereignty55:00 – Have we peaked in self-custody? UX, education, and generational change58:00 – Is bitcoin’s freedom money inevitable — and what are the real threats ahead?1:02:00 – Quantum computing, Satoshi’s coins, and the future of protocol resilience1:03:00 – Where to find Pierre online and closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained  → Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Pierre Rochard’s Twitter: https://x.com/BitcoinPierre  → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre
Marty Bent is a bitcoin investor, media founder, and host of TFTC — one of the longest-running bitcoin podcasts. He’s also a managing partner at Ten31, supporting companies building critical bitcoin infrastructure. Marty is uniquely positioned at the intersection of bitcoin, energy, and now artificial intelligence.In this episode, Marty joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how AI is transforming the bitcoin ecosystem, how his team at TFTC is leveraging it to streamline media production, and how it’s fueling his latest creative projects. We dig into how he built Opportunity Cost, why AI drives decentralization in mining, and how bitcoiners can use these tools to stay ahead of the curve.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & why bitcoin and AI are converging faster than anyone expected2:00 – Marty’s projects: TFTC, Ten31, and bitcoin mining5:00 – The evolution of TFTC and what the rebrand to “Truth for the Commoner” means8:30 – How the team integrates AI tools across research, writing, and production12:00 – From Perplexity to Claude: learning to use AI as a research assistant15:00 – Automating TFTC’s backend workflows with AI and no-code tools18:00 – Clipping, editing, and distribution: using AI for speed and quality23:00 – Building Opportunity Cost: turning fiat prices into sats in your browser27:00 – Why open-source and privacy-preserving design still matter30:00 – The birth of AI-generated storytelling33:00 – Storyboarding, JSON prompts, and producing viral AI bitcoin videos38:00 – The Trojan horse approach: spreading bitcoin ideas through culture46:00 – Bitcoin and AI’s overlap: how energy demand is driving decentralization50:00 – Paying for compute with bitcoin and why eCash may win55:00 – AI, energy, and the physical limits of growth58:00 – How bitcoin founders are using AI to build faster and cheaper1:00:00 – Practical advice: using AI without compromising your craft or security1:01:30 – Where to follow Marty and watch his latest creationsWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn: / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Marty Bent’s Twitter: https://x.com/MartyBent → Trey Seller’s Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl
James Check (aka Checkmate) is the co-founder of Checkonchain and one of the leading voices making onchain data accessible for everyday bitcoiners. Known for his ability to turn complex charts into compelling stories, James blends his engineering background with market analysis to help people see human behavior imprinted in bitcoin’s ledger. In this episode, James joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share why realized cap is one of the most powerful adoption metrics, how to interpret profit and loss across holders, and what onchain data is saying about the current cycle. We dig into the role of ETFs and treasury companies, the impact of derivatives on market structure, and why the future of onchain analytics remains deeply human.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Intro & why onchain data matters for bitcoin 1:30 – Buying the 2017 top, engineering background & finding bitcoin 4:50 – Realized cap, cost basis, and why it just crossed $1T 7:30 – From civil engineering to onchain analysis 10:00 – Orange pill moments, macro influences, and early metrics 12:40 – Human behavior, fear & greed mapped onchain 15:00 – Turning raw data into stories people understand 18:00 – State of the market in 2025: leverage, ETFs, and demand 22:00 – Cycles, late-stage dynamics & institutional flows 26:00 – Rethinking market cycles: the three-cycle structure 31:00 – Sell-side pressure, hodlers, and ETF dynamics 35:00 – Are ETFs and treasury companies changing onchain analysis? 40:00 – Profit, loss, and building decision frameworks for different price scenarios 46:00 – Key support zones: 110K, 90K, and Sailor’s liquidation line 49:00 – Derivatives, ETFs, and how flows shape volatility 54:00 – Risks of leverage, banks entering, and future fireworks 58:00 – Rapid fire: desert island metrics, entry point for retail, and data wish list 1:02:00 – The Australian bitcoin community & grassroots conferences 1:05:30 – The future of onchain analytics, AI, and Checkonchain’s next reportWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained LinkedIn:   / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → James Check’s Twitter: https://x.com/_Checkmatey_ → Connor Dolan’s Twitter:
Rob Warren is Head of Research and Education at Bitcoin Park and the author of The Bitcoin Miners Almanac. He brings a unique ability to explain the economic incentives of bitcoin mining in a way that makes sense across industries and expertise. In this episode, Rob joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how bitcoin’s incentive structure creates resilience, why mining is misunderstood but critical, and how energy markets and bitcoin naturally align. We dig into the history of mining and the difficulty adjustment, the realities of mining pools and decentralization, and the surprising ways bitcoin miners are accelerating global electrification.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=you... → Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Intro & Rob’s role at Bitcoin Park 2:30 – From home mining experiments to Riot Platforms and Bitcoin Park 5:00 – Why Rob wrote The Bitcoin Miners Almanac 8:10 – The three essentials of mining: energy, cooling, and connectivity 9:30 – The brilliance of the difficulty adjustment 13:00 – Satoshi’s hard cap and why it broke economic orthodoxy 20:30 – How incentives keep miners aligned, even without ideology 24:00 – The “security budget” debate and what it misses 29:00 – Mining economics: liabilities, waste energy, and heat as an asset 31:00 – Flare gas, hydro, and turning liabilities into profitable inputs 37:00 – Gridless and bitcoin’s role in electrifying rural Africa 43:00 – AI superclusters and their overlap with bitcoin mining 49:00 – The history of mining pools and how Slush solved variance 56:00 – Difficulty, shares, and how pools account for work 1:02:00 – Centralization risks, hidden white-labeling, and Ocean’s model 1:11:00 – Bitcoin’s anti-fragility and the long-tail theory 1:18:00 – Adoption as a 140-year game, not a 5-year scheme 1:21:40 – Where to find Rob and upcoming Bitcoin Park summitsWHERE TO FOLLOW US: → Unchained X: / unchained → Unchained LinkedIn: / unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Rob Warren’s Twitter: https://x.com/BikesandBitcoin → Timot Lamarre’s Twitter: https://x.com/TimotLamarre
In this episode, Tuur joins The Bitcoin Frontier to talk about his latest report, How to Position for the Bitcoin Boom (2025 Edition). He share why he believes the 2025 bitcoin cycle will be longer than past cycles, why confiscation risk should be taken seriously, and how bitcoin treasury companies could reshape global adoption. We dig into stagflation, institutional adoption, and how to approach investing not only in bitcoin but also in bitcoin-native companies.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=you...→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Disclaimer & intro1:00 – Why Tuur released his latest report mid-cycle3:00 – Longer bitcoin cycles and why 2021 was an anomaly5:00 – The institutional cycle and bitcoin as an escape hatch6:30 – Long-term holders, conviction, and whale behavior8:00 – Risks to bitcoin: liquidations, hacks, confiscation, and more10:00 – Government stakes, Intel, and parallels to ETFs and MicroStrategy15:00 – Custody risk, avoiding low-hanging fruit, and the importance of self-custody18:00 – Politics, legitimacy, and bitcoin as a reserve asset19:30 – Macro outlook: dollar weakness, stagflation, and commodities23:00 – Why money printing is inevitable and lessons from Latin America29:00 – The “gradually, then suddenly” moment in markets31:00 – Bitcoin treasury companies, ETFs, and adoption dynamics35:00 – Consolidation, risks, and differences between ETFs and strategy companies40:00 – Investing in bitcoin companies vs bitcoin itself: diligence, timing, geography47:00 – Example: Anchorwatch and the importance of insurance for bitcoin custody49:00 – Philosophy: bitcoin as a side quest and avoiding idolatry53:00 – Swords into plowshares: virtue, stewardship, and technology for goodWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: / unchained→ Unchained LinkedIn: / unchainedcom→ Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter→ Tuur Demeester's Twitter: https://x.com/TuurDemeester→ Connor Dolan’s Twitter: https://x.com/conhodlan
Roberto Rios, known online as Peruvian Bull, is a macro researcher and writer. He’s best known for his Dollar Endgame series, where he explores global debt dynamics, reserve currency shifts, and the future of money. In this episode, Roberto joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share his insights on inflation mechanics, the breakdown of the yen carry trade, and how bitcoin fits into the global monetary reset. We dig into debt spirals, Triffin’s dilemma, and why liquidity is the ultimate driver of financial markets.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=you...→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – How QE, deficits, and government spending really drive inflation4:00 – Roberto’s background, macro research journey, and Dollar Endgame series7:30 – Separating truth from propaganda in economics education12:00 – QE in 2010 vs. 2020: why one caused inflation and the other didn’t16:00 – The 2022 rate hike cycle, liquidity drains, and banking crises20:30 – Reverse repo, TGA, and creative liquidity injections25:00 – Why global liquidity is the best barometer for bitcoin’s price31:00 – Triffin’s dilemma and the birth of the dollar system37:00 – Foreigners owning US assets and the long-term risk to Americans43:00 – The simulacrum of markets: why asset prices detach from reality46:00 – The US debt spiral and foreign demand for Treasuries52:00 – Long-term debt risks, short-term bills, and emerging market dynamics57:00 – Breakdown of the yen carry trade and why it matters globally1:03:00 – Japan as a testing ground for future Federal Reserve policies1:06:00 – How bitcoin solves Triffin’s dilemma and fits into the new order1:09:00 – Where to follow Roberto and his Dollar Endgame researchWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://x.com/unchained → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter→ Trey Sellers’ Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl
Brian Harrington is a long-time bitcoiner, educator, and the gift card product lead at Fold. He’s spent years helping people integrate bitcoin into their personal finance habits, while building deep local roots in his community in Temecula, California. In this episode, Brian joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share why bitcoin is uniquely important for both the individual and society, how “compounding” your geography and network can expand your influence, and why purposeful consumption can be as strategic as stacking sats. We dig into his journey from politics to bitcoin startups, the 10,000 people who could tip U.S. adoption, and how everyday purchases send powerful market signals for bitcoin companies.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=you...→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro & why bitcoin matters for both the individual and society3:00 – Compounding geography and network for long-term influence7:00 – Homeownership, perception, and credibility in your community12:30 – Growing up as bitcoiners and recognizing “the payoff”16:00 – Local politics, planning committees, and building influence24:00 – The 10,000 people who could tip U.S. bitcoin adoption29:00 – The best argument against bitcoin and why incentives matter33:00 – Balancing stacking sats with purposeful consumption40:00 – How Fold integrates bitcoin into everyday spending & market signals53:00 – Fold going public, future plans, and closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: / unchained→ Unchained LinkedIn: / unchainedcom→ Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter→ Trey Sellers’ Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl
Isabella Santos is a content creator, educator, and bitcoiner. She runs BTC Isla on Isla Mujeres, where she’s planting seeds of financial literacy, self-custody, and sovereign empowerment—starting with Bitcoin education for locals. In this episode, Isabella joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how she’s turning a sleepy island into a vibrant circular economy, what she’s learned documenting bitcoin adoption across Latin America, and why saving in sats is changing lives in Mexico.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→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro1:18 – From journalism to bitcoin advocacy3:02 – Why she moved to Isla Mujeres4:38 – Building BTC Isla and teaching bitcoin to locals6:01 – Financial literacy, circular economies, and bottom-up adoption9:10 – Saving in sats vs. fiat: real stories from her students11:00 – Why Western bitcoin narratives don’t always resonate globally13:02 – Documenting bitcoin in Peru, El Salvador, and beyond15:03 – Adapting messaging to different cultures and education levels17:03 – Launching Get Based TV for sovereign storytelling20:41 – What “awakening the sovereign individual” really means25:33 – Cultural hurdles to long-term thinking—and how Bitcoin helps27:04 – Escaping abusive systems via bitcoin circular economies29:34 – Lightning vs. on-chain: what matters on the ground31:04 – How self-custody education meets infrastructure limits34:18 – BitFit Games: gamified bitcoin education + community fitness36:07 – Building her own bitcoin citadel, gym, and villas39:02 – Accepting bitcoin at the gym and beyond40:05 – What’s next: villas, education reform, and new docs42:13 – How to support BTC IslaWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: / unchained→ Unchained LinkedIn: / unchainedcom→ Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter→ Trey Sellers’ Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl
In this episode, we speak with Jeff Booth—entrepreneur, author of The Price of Tomorrow, and founding partner at Ego Death Capital—about what happens when deflation meets a free market for the first time. Jeff unpacks how AI and robotics are accelerating exponential productivity, and why only bitcoin can encode that abundance into the economy without extraction. We talk about what it means to denominate your life in bitcoin, why the future is being built by people who have already opted out of the legacy system, and how venture capital looks different when the benchmark is no longer 8%—but 45%. Jeff offers a deeply moral take on progress, pricing, and why building on bitcoin is no longer risky—it’s necessary.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=you...→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro1:10 – Why Jeff started Ego Death Capital5:22 – Bitcoin vs crypto: protocol vs casino8:35 – 45% risk-free rate: why Jeff invests in bitcoin companies13:40 – How deflation changes the game17:12 – The new benchmark: outcompete bitcoin20:44 – Why exponential tech and fiat money can’t coexist24:20 – How Jeff thinks about AI and marginal cost29:05 – Productivity, value creation, and economic first principles33:40 – The myth of capitalism under fiat36:59 – AI, robotics, and what the merge looks like41:10 – Bitcoin as mirror and map: get out of the dying system43:37 – Hope, energy, and building for othersWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: /unchained→ Unchained LinkedIn: /unchainedcom→ Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter→ Connor Dolan's Twitter: /conhodlan
Ben Justman is a winemaker, entrepreneur, and bitcoiner. He founded Peony Lane in western Colorado with a bet on long-term thinking: plant grapes, make wine, and stack bitcoin. In this episode, Ben joins The Bitcoin Frontier to share how he built a handcrafted wine business from the ground up—during a drawdown—and how his best customers turned out to be bitcoiners.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-descriptionTIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro1:14 – Bitcoin bull run and building a business on conviction7:10 – Wine, frost, and learning the hard way in two industries13:45 – Why winemaking and bitcoin both reward patience21:15 – What’s really in your wine—and why bitcoiners care27:00 – Selling wine for sats: accepting bitcoin and adapting systems33:00 – Borrowing at the top, stacking through the drawdown40:00 – How bitcoiners became his core customer base46:30 – Fighting industry headwinds with niche alignment49:40 – The downside of leverage and the value of conviction59:25 – What’s next for Peony LaneWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Trey Sellers' Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl
What if orange-pilling isn’t persuasion—but marketing, ethics, and timing? In this episode, we sit down with Tad Smith—partner at One Roundtable Partners, former CEO of Madison Square Garden and Sotheby’s, and one of bitcoin’s most articulate educators—to explore the moral case for orange-pilling, and why it’s not a right but a responsibility. Tad shares hard-won lessons from orange-pilling family members across generations and wealth brackets, and explains why alignment—not argument—is the key. We break down how different cohorts—from boomers to creatives—encounter bitcoin, and why effective orange-pilling starts with listening, not preaching. From bitcoin vs. college and homeownership, to AI’s threat to knowledge workers, Tad lays out how bitcoin becomes not speculation, but protection—not rebellion, but insurance—not utopia, but sovereignty. 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=you...→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?ut...TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro1:10 – The moral case for orange-pilling5:47 – Why persuasion fails and alignment works10:08 – Mistakes made orange-pilling family and friends15:02 – You need an invitation to orange-pill18:48 – Cohort-based messaging: it’s not religion, it’s marketing23:27 – Orange-pilling high-net-worth individuals28:12 – Retirees, boomers, and fear of complexity31:40 – Tech-savvy, libertarian, and progressive angles35:20 – Why creatives matter: expression, ownership, and ordinals38:47 – College vs bitcoin: a post-AI investment dilemma44:02 – Should you buy a house or stack more bitcoin?49:55 – Narrative shapes price: the Marian Antoinette necklace lesson53:10 – What bitcoin really is: protection, insurance, sovereignty57:35 – How to orange-pill with respect and precisionWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X:   / unchained  → Unchained Linkedin:   / unchainedcom  → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter
What if the future of credit markets is built on bitcoin? In this episode, we sit down with Jon Melton, Head of Lending at Unchained and a veteran of Morgan Stanley, Silvergate, and Xapo. Jon shares his journey from Wall Street to building a bitcoin-backed credit business, helping institutions safely borrow dollars against their bitcoin without losing control. We explore why bitcoin is pristine collateral, how interest rates in this market may evolve, and why re-hypothecation risk matters. Jon explains how collaborative custody transforms the borrowing experience and outlines the future of institutional credit on a bitcoin standard. We also discuss why the regulatory tide in America has turned—and what that unlocks for bitcoin’s next wave.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro4:45 - Conviction through doing the work10:07 - Managing $1.5b in bitcoin loans with zero losses16:08 - What Wall Street still doesn’t understand about bitcoin20:11 - Why bitcoin embodies American values26:27 - How interest rates might evolve in bitcoin lending30:12 - Why Unchained never rehypothecates your bitcoin36:22 - How big will bitcoin lending get in 10 years41:10 - What unlocks the next wave of bitcoin credit markets46:25 - The biggest risk to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Jon Melton’s Twitter: https://x.com/jmelton21mm
What if you were introduced to digital scarcity before bitcoin even existed? In this episode, we sit down with Anil Patel, author of The Bitcoin Handbook and creator of widely shared bitcoin graphics featured in Michael Saylor keynotes. Anil shares how selling concert tickets sparked his early understanding of scarcity, and how that insight shaped his approach to bitcoin. We discuss his take on bitcoin’s future as a store of value, treasury asset, and sovereign protection tool, and why he believes bitcoin’s price will rise forever. Anil unpacks his journey from pitching bitcoin to MBA classmates in 2013 to now building educational content that simplifies complex ideas. We explore the rise of bitcoin treasury companies, how centralized platforms differ from bitcoin’s ethos, and the enduring value of reading and low time preference in a distracted world.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro  1:09 - Anil’s early digital scarcity insight from concert ticketing  5:12 - Why bitcoin will go up forever, according to Anil  12:07 - Building a personal and family bitcoin reserve  14:18 - Bitcoin treasury companies vacuuming up supply  16:17 - Pitching bitcoin to his MBA class in 2013  23:32 - Evolving bitcoin education and content creation  29:22 - Why early bitcoiners understood digital scarcity  32:16 - Sovereignty vs number go up—why both matter  40:16 - Mental models and heuristics to cut through noise  43:08 - Innovation is accelerating—so is bitcoin’s upside WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Anil Patel’s Twitter: https://x.com/anilsaidso
What if bitcoin treasury companies become the most powerful corporations of the next decade? In this episode, we’re joined by Sam Callahan to explore how lightning adoption, corporate strategy, and macro uncertainty are reshaping the global economy. Sam explains why companies like Strategy are pioneering a new capital structure based on bitcoin, how BTC-native yield on the Lightning Network could disrupt traditional finance, and why institutions are finally waking up to sound money. We cover everything from regulatory arbitrage and ETF flows to lightning yield flywheels, safe haven behavior, and the future of corporate balance sheets. Sam also breaks down how tether and stablecoin adoption could drive a new phase of economic activity on lightning—and what it means for investors looking to outperform.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro  1:21 - How bitcoin treasury companies are revolutionizing finance  5:20 - Bitcoin treasury companies vs real estate leverage  10:01 - Why this cycle could mimic 2017’s parabolic run  12:46 - Why bitcoin adoption is at a major inflection point  16:36 - Who’s next to buy bitcoin: corporates or governments?  22:31 - If bitcoin hits 50% of gold, price hits $1 million  28:06 - Bitcoin is starting to show safe haven behavior  34:39 - How lightning and tether could explode BTC-native yield  46:16 - Spend fiat or spend and replace bitcoin?52:30 - Why DOGE can’t stop the era of fiscal dominanceWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Sam Callahan’s Twitter: https://x.com/samcallah
Bitcoin’s volatility is falling—and Trace Mayer thinks that may signal the end of its wealth creation era. In this episode, we sit down with early bitcoin investor and proof of keys holiday founder Trace Mayer to unpack where we are in bitcoin’s lifecycle and what comes next. Trace breaks down his recent debate with Peter Schiff, explaining why subjective value theory and entrepreneurship are at the heart of bitcoin’s superiority over gold. We explore bitcoin’s declining volatility, why Strategy’s strategy may be riskier than it looks, and how bitcoin financialization is accelerating faster than expected. Trace also shares why proof of reserves matters, the long-term risk of custodial centralization, and how legal frameworks might evolve to protect against contentious forks.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:24 - Debating Peter Schiff on sound money and bitcoin5:44 - Why Satoshi was a monetary entrepreneur10:07 - Bitcoin vs gold: scarcity, portability, and use cases20:36 - The light side vs dark side of investing with bitcoin23:18 - Saylor’s strategy: capital gains vs cash flow28:01 - Bitcoin volatility is declining—is the wealth creation phase over?33:45 - The financialization of bitcoin is accelerating40:01 - Global instability, geopolitics, and bitcoin49:46 - Capital controls: bitcoin’s roleWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Trace Mayer’s Twitter: https://x.com/TraceMayer
Bitcoin might still be wildly undervalued—and Adam Back explains why. In this episode, we sit down with Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, early cypherpunk, and inventor of hashcash, the proof-of-work system that inspired bitcoin mining. Adam shares the story of receiving the first known email from Satoshi Nakamoto, why he didn’t buy bitcoin until it hit $100, and how early ideas like b-money and bit gold shaped Satoshi’s breakthrough. We explore the importance of a fixed supply, why halvings still move the market, and how doubt keeps bitcoin underpriced. Adam weighs in on treasury adoption, supply shocks, and whether this cycle could break the diminishing returns theory. We also discuss volatility, long-term thinking, and the $100 trillion opportunity bitcoin is unlocking.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:00 - Why selling bitcoin is like playing against a rigged casino7:38 - Why Adam didn’t buy bitcoin until it hit $10010:11 - Realizing bitcoin had bootstrapped into something real13:35 - The underrated role of Nick Szabo, Wei Dai, and Hal Finney19:24 - Why the 2008 financial crisis was perfect timing for bitcoin22:32 - Is bitcoin drifting from its cypherpunk roots?26:01 - How doubt keeps bitcoin undervalued27:52 - Why $10 million bitcoin is still possible31:19 - Why volatility makes bitcoin hard to sell36:36 - Why halvings still impact the price despite being predictable42:35 - Why this cycle could invalidate the diminishing returns theory46:14 - The global unbanked: a $100 trillion bitcoin market48:12 - The 200-week moving average as a price floor50:10 - Price reflexivity: why people buy because it’s going up53:07 - The shrinking tradable supply and why halvings still matterWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Adam Back’s Twitter: https://x.com/adam3us
In this episode, we sit down with Vijay Boyapati, author of The Bullish Case for Bitcoin, to explore where we really are in the current market cycle and what comes next. Vijay breaks down four frameworks for valuing bitcoin, explains why gold parity is almost inevitable, and outlines how ETFs and corporate treasury strategies are reshaping adoption. We talk through HODL waves, why the current price action still feels boring, and what it might take to push bitcoin to $10mm+ per coin. Vijay also discusses quantum computing and AI as emerging risks, the importance of ossification, and how a future of abundance may still require sound money. Finally, he shares what he’d update in his original thesis and why the story of Satoshi may become one of the defining legends of the next thousand yearsSUPPORT 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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Read Joe Burnett’s new report, Repricing the Economy in Bitcoin: https://www.unchained.com/go/repricing-the-economy-in-bitcoin?utm_campaign=strivereport&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=tbf&utm_content=youtubeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro2:08 - Valuing bitcoin at $1M and $10M4:01 - HODL waves and the psychology of selling5:49 - Four frameworks for bitcoin valuation10:06 - Why bitcoin surpassing gold is nearly certain12:27 - How early we still are in global adoption14:38 - Why ETFs changed the bitcoin game17:32 - How MicroStrategy tapped the bond market20:36 - What’s holding bitcoin back today22:41 - Why hyperbitcoinization is unlikely this cycle23:18 - How bitcoin cycles crash and reset27:11 - What could break the MicroStrategy model29:34 - How long-term investors may soften future crashes30:27 - Would you change anything in the bullish case?35:06 - Quantum computing and bitcoin’s biggest risk38:02 - Will AI abundance make money obsolete?41:29 - Why time guarantees bitcoin’s role in the future46:00 - Bitcoin ossification vs. protocol changes49:27 - Will self-custody or custodians win long term?51:40 - What would Satoshi think today?54:19 - Is bitcoin a digital organism?56:05 - Outside of bitcoin, what excites Vijay most?57:09 - Where to find Vijay and his workWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Vijay Boyapoti’s Twitter: https://x.com/real_vijay
What if bitcoin could spark a nuclear renaissance? In this episode, we’re joined by Ryan, better known as Nuclear Bitcoiner, to explore the intersection of nuclear energy and bitcoin. Ryan shares how bitcoin aligns with long-term infrastructure like small modular reactors and how it may reshape the economics of power generation. We walk through the advantages of nuclear over wind and solar, the implications of AI and data center demand, and how microgrids could decentralize the future energy landscape. Ryan also breaks down fusion vs. fission, the role of hash rate flexibility, and why nation-states will inevitably compete for mining dominance. From financing nuclear with bitcoin bonds to rethinking scarcity itself, this episode offers a forward-looking view of energy, incentives, and acceleration.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Learn why every business will buy bitcoin: https://unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:01 - Why Ryan became the nuclear bitcoin03:03 - How bitcoin mining fits perfectly with nuclear microgrids06:36 - Why nuclear beats wind and solar on resilience11:32 - Can small nuclear reactors decentralize the grid?14:11 - The AI and data center energy boom is bullish for nuclear16:24 - Why Microsoft wants to own a nuclear plant20:02 - Bitcoin may fix nuclear financing22:43 - How radiation is misunderstood—and actually saves lives25:14 - What’s the difference between nuclear fusion and fission?27:33 - The myth of “cheap” wind and solar energy30:09 - Bitcoin mining adds unmatched flexibility to the grid36:25 - Could bitcoin mining one day use more energy than the world does today?41:05 - Why perfect scarcity is so hard to understand44:51 - How bitcoin bonds could revolutionize nuclear financing52:30 - Final thoughts on bitcoin, nation-states, and the future of energyWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Nuclear Bitcoiner’s Twitter: https://x.com/NuclearBitcoinr
What happens when a former underground miner and Navy fighter pilot goes all in on bitcoin? In this episode, we sit down with George Bodine to find out. George shares his unique journey—from hauling rock beneath the earth to flying jets—and how it led him to see bitcoin as the only escape from a broken monetary system. We explore his view on inflation, the collapse of the American dream, and why he believes bitcoin could reach $2.4 million by 2030. George breaks down the risks of yield products, the role of ETFs and MicroStrategy, and the repeal of SAB 121. He shares his thoughts on Tether and 21 Capital, the rise of the national strategic bitcoin reserve, and the possibility of sovereign accumulation. We close with a thoughtful discussion on whether bitcoin is ultimately for optimists or pessimists—and his message to the next generation.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Watch the video premiere of Bitcoin, Not Crypto: https://unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:14 - From underground miner to Navy pilot to Delta captain4:17 - Realizing you can’t outrun fiat money after the GFC6:57 - Living through Nixon’s gold shock and the petrodollar pivot9:06 - Why gold bugs are future bitcoiners12:51 - Will young people be locked out of owning meaningful bitcoin?16:49 - A volatile but hopeful transfer of wealth to ethical builders18:59 - Coinbase yield product and the future of bitcoin financial services27:52 - Tether, 21 Capital, and Strategy30:19 - SAB 121, stablecoin legislation, and the national strategic reserve46:51 - Bitcoiners will inherit the world50:11 - TradFi anger, denial, and inability to accept yield-less assets01:05:28 - Will art improve on a bitcoin standard?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ George Bodine’s Twitter: https://x.com/Jethroe111
What if bitcoin really is decoupling from the stock market? In this episode, we’re joined by Rational Root, creator of the Bitcoin Strategy Platform and one of the top on-chain cycle analysts in the space. We explore whether macro chaos and rising gold prices are setting the stage for bitcoin to chart its own path. Root breaks down how the 4-year cycle could break, what historical data says about the current inflection point, and why he believes institutional flows are quietly limiting downside volatility. He also shares his custom spiral and 3D valuation charts, how to track hype in the market, and why 100k bitcoin might be harder to break than most think.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ Watch the video premiere of Bitcoin, Not Crypto: https://unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:06 - Why bitcoin’s fundamentals have never looked better4:20 - Could macro chaos trigger bitcoin’s decoupling?10:06 - Bitcoin trades on optimism, gold trades on fear17:09 - Is gold’s rise setting up bitcoin’s breakout?22:01 - Will the next recession break the 4-year cycle?30:23 - Why 100k bitcoin may face resistance36:09 - The 3D chart that could predict the cycle top44:10 - Bitcoin’s floor price keeps rising50:23 - Will bitcoin crack 100k or break down?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Rational Root’s Twitter: https://x.com/therationalroot
Energy production is broken—and rebuilding it could unlock a new era of abundance. In this episode, we sit down with Isaiah Taylor, founder of Valor Atomics, to explore how cheap energy can reshape the world. Isaiah shares his family’s history with the Manhattan Project, why nuclear innovation stalled in the West, and how Valor is building modular giga-sites to produce cleaner, cheaper energy at scale. We discuss how robotics, AI, and manufacturing are shifting cost curves, the future of energy demand, and why decentralization is key to national resilience. Isaiah also shares his thoughts on bitcoin, the dangers of regulatory bloat, and how restoring antifragility to America’s legal system could unleash a new industrial boom.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ Watch the video premiere of Bitcoin, Not Crypto: https://unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:04 - Isaiah Taylor’s Manhattan Project family history3:18 - Secrecy inside America’s Secret City5:37 - Why America needs new Manhattan Projects today7:39 - How Valor Atomics is rethinking nuclear reactors10:01 - How a nuclear reactor really works13:38 - Why building reactors became a legal and talent problem16:59 - How AI is pushing investors toward hard tech18:59 - The future of energy: exponential demand and production21:46 - Why energy prices have been broken since the 1970s26:06 - Valor’s giga-site model to transform energy markets30:27 - Could machines create an infinite energy feedback loop?33:57 - Humanity’s mission: garden the universe36:19 - Will money still matter in a post-scarcity world?40:34 - How regulatory bloat crushed American industry48:10 - Why Isaiah Taylor is suing the Nuclear Regulatory CommissionWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Isaiah Taylor’s Twitter: https://x.com/isaiah_p_taylor
What if bitcoin development stopped tomorrow? In this episode, we sit down with Mike Schmidt, Executive Director at Brink, and Buck Perley, Director of Product Engineering at Unchained, to explore the state of open source development and why it matters more than ever. Mike shares his path from software engineer to funding bitcoin core developers, while Buck recounts his early bitcoin experiences in China. We cover what bitcoin core developers actually do, how brink evaluates contributors, and why maintenance, security, and review are essential—even without major protocol changes. The conversation also touches on ossification, governance, and the future of soft forks. If you’ve ever wondered who maintains bitcoin’s foundation and why it matters, this episode pulls back the curtain.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ What is bitcoin: A tech stock? An inflation hedge? A ponzi scheme? Can DOGE Fix The Dollar? Come listen to Professor Peter St. Onge give a keynote presentation on April 16th: https://unchained.com/dogeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:14 - Why open source matters for bitcoin6:20 - How Buck discovered bitcoin in China11:12 - What bitcoin core developers actually do16:57 - How brink evaluates developers before funding22:15 - What brink would do with unlimited funding27:34 - Why bitcoin needs more reviewers, not just coders32:10 - Should bitcoin ossify or stay flexible?36:36 - The messy politics of soft forks and consensus42:18 - What is bitcoin governance really?47:18 - Unpopular opinions from Mike and Buck51:25 - The biggest long-term risk to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Mike Schmidt’s Twitter: https://x.com/bitschmidty→ Buck Perley’s Twitter: https://x.com/puckberley
In this episode, we dive into bitcoin's impact on the future global monetary order with Natalie Smolenski, an anthropologist and bitcoiner. We discuss her thoughts on how bitcoin challenges the state's monopoly on currency, invoking Karl Marx's unexpected agreement that gold, a commodity, originally embodied money—not the state-minted currencies. Natalie explains her fascination with the concept of the invaluable—elements of culture and society that transcend monetary value—and how bitcoin fits in today’s culture. We also tackle bitcoin's role as a deflationary currency in contrast to fiat's inflationary tendencies, highlighting its potential to redefine economic and social hierarchies. Join us as we explore bitcoin's potential to reshape not just economies but cultural identities.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ Meet Natalie in Austin on April 16th: https://www.meetup.com/bitcoin-park-austin/events/306342336/TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:12 - Natalie's journey into bitcoin02:19 - Anthropology and the concept of value06:06 - Modern monetary theory and social power10:09 - Central banking and national economic performance15:12 - The challenge of physical currencies and the role of central banks20:27 - Money as the most salable good: Carl Menger's insights26:17 - Debunking the myth: Bitcoin and collective hallucination30:01 - Bitcoin as a protocol for new societal frameworks34:10 - Bitcoin's potential impact on societal structures38:23 - The state's interest in bitcoin and potential risks42:27 - Legal challenges and the future of bitcoin ownership45:24 - The future of privacy, property, and political action in the bitcoin eraWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Natalie Smolenski’s Twitter: https://x.com/NSmolenski
What happens when a certified financial planner sells two homes to buy bitcoin? In this episode, we sit down with Jessy Gilger, Senior Advisor at Sound Advisory, to explore the radical shift happening inside the financial advisory industry. Jessy shares how he went from flipping houses to building multi-generational wealth on a bitcoin standard, and why more clients—and even advisors—are quietly making the leap. We cover how ETFs are changing incentives, how to navigate capital allocation between real estate and bitcoin, and the risks of high bitcoin exposure in retirement. Jessy explains why volatility planning matters, how to survive bitcoin drawdowns, and how to protect your family with proper inheritance planning. We also get into his take on the national bitcoin reserve and potential tax changes.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ If you can’t talk about your bitcoin wealth with your financial advisor, it might be time to find a new advisor. Check out Sound Advisory at thesoundadvisory.com.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:18 - Why Jessy sold two houses for bitcoin02:35 - Jessy’s thesis for bitcoin as internet-native money04:13 - How financial advisors react to buying bitcoin05:34 - Why ETFs changed the game for advisors07:26 - When to buy a house vs. buy more bitcoin09:17 - Using long-term mortgages as low-cost leverage12:03 - How Jessy thinks about portfolio allocation13:15 - What 90% bitcoin portfolios look like in real life15:09 - Why retirees need a bitcoin bear market survival plan20:01 - Bitcoin’s volatility and the four-year cash barbell24:37 - Could the next 80% bitcoin drawdown be the last?27:06 - The return of austerity and why it matters for bitcoiners30:04 - Tax changes coming in 2025 and what to do now43:37 - When it’s time to fire your financial advisorWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Jessy Gilger’s Twitter: https://x.com/idahohodl
What happens when corporations and nations wake up to bitcoin’s dominance? In this episode, we sit down with Matt Cole, former CalPERS portfolio manager, to discuss why every public company will eventually hold bitcoin and how the U.S. is already falling behind in the global bitcoin race. Matt shares his journey from managing $70 billion in fixed income to realizing bitcoin’s role as the ultimate savings vehicle. We explore his viral letter urging GameStop to adopt bitcoin, the concept of bitcoin as a corporate hurdle rate, and the growing pressure for businesses to rethink treasury strategies. Matt breaks down the risks and misconceptions around MicroStrategy’s leverage, how AI could reshape business moats, and why a higher hurdle rate could force a more productive economy. We also discuss why he believes regulatory risks for bitcoin have dropped to near zero and what this means for the future.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:32 - From Wall Street to bitcoin: Matt Cole’s journey03:45 - Managing $70 billion at CalPERS and the pension crisis05:34 - Buying US treasuries and questioning the system07:22 - The moment Matt first heard about bitcoin (on a bodybuilding forum!)10:17 - Why institutions are always late to bitcoin12:19 - The fight between bitcoin and CBDCs15:36 - Why the US must buy bitcoin before it's too late16:05 - The viral letter urging GameStop to adopt bitcoin20:06 - Could GameStop become the next MicroStrategy?23:25 - Why every public company will hold bitcoin27:02 - Bitcoin as the new corporate hurdle rate35:36 - Why most businesses are losing to bitcoin’s hurdle rate39:59 - Does MicroStrategy have too much leverage?46:56 - Will bitcoin force a more productive economy?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Matt Cole’s Twitter: https://x.com/ColeMacro
What happens when a small AI company moves its entire treasury into bitcoin? In this episode, we sit down with Drew D’Agostino, founder of Crystal, to unpack his bold decision to adopt a bitcoin standard. Drew shares how the 2022 bear market forced him to rethink his company’s financial strategy, the challenges of onboarding employees to bitcoin, and how he uses bitcoin as a hurdle rate for business spending. We compare his approach to Microstrategy’s aggressive accumulation, explore AI’s role in disrupting traditional business models, and discuss whether AI and bitcoin together could decentralize the world.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:01 - Why drew moved his company to a bitcoin standard3:46 - The bear market forced a critical decision5:28 - How bitcoin saved the company from collapse7:11 - Using bitcoin as a hurdle rate for business spending9:05 - How employees reacted to the bitcoin strategy12:42 - How bitcoin aligns with long-term company culture18:17 - Comparing microstrategy’s strategy to a private business23:15 - Will more businesses adopt a bitcoin-first strategy?25:30 - AI is accelerating faster than expected29:56 - Why AI gives small companies an edge over big corporations32:35 - Can bitcoin and AI decentralize the world?35:41 - Will AI accelerate hyperbitcoinization?45:00 - The biggest risk to bitcoin’s future57:15 - Where to find DrewWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Drew D’Agoostino’s Twitter: https://x.com/DrewDAgostino
This episode was recorded moments before the U.S. made its biggest financial decision since 1971. In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Jacoutot, attorney and bitcoin policy expert, to break down the push for a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve. We explore the 20-year HODL mandate in Senator Lummis' bill, Trump's policy shift, and why nation-states could face bitcoin FOMO. Bryan explains how the U.S. could acquire 1 million bitcoin, the debate over funding it with gold revaluation, and the risks of waiting too long. We also discuss whether altcoins should be included, shifting banking regulations, and how a sovereign wealth fund could reshape global finance.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro2:12 - The 20-year bitcoin HODL mandate in Senator Lummis' bill4:29 - Trump's surprising shift on bitcoin policy5:31 - EO vs legislative strategic reserve10:14 - How the U.S. could acquire 1 million bitcoin12:14 - The genius idea to fund bitcoin purchases with gold revaluation15:02 - How the crypto summit could influence bitcoin policy20:35 - Is the U.S. front-running the world on bitcoin?23:50 - The case against a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve29:28 - Why the U.S. must hedge against not buying bitcoin31:58 - Sovereign wealth fund vs. strategic bitcoin reserve35:38 - Why Texas and Georgia may lead the state-level bitcoin reserves42:10 - SAB 121 repeal: A game-changer for bitcoin banking?51:51 - Why only bitcoin belongs in a U.S. strategic reserveWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Bryan Jacoutot’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BryanJacoutot
How did a simple golf tournament turn into one of the most unique bitcoin events in the world? In this episode, we sit down with the key organizers and participants of the Max & Stacy Bitcoin Golf Invitational in El Salvador to unpack how this event came to life. We explore the surprising connection between bitcoin and golf, the challenges of organizing a major bitcoin event from scratch, and why the tournament attracted bitcoiners from around the world. The conversation covers El Salvador’s rapid transformation, its growing role in the bitcoin community, and the inspiring story of the country’s top golfer. We also discuss bitcoin’s long-term adoption, the power of a strong network, and the future of bitcoin sports events.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:12 - How the bitcoin golf tournament started3:46 - From article to international event8:20 - Why bitcoin and golf share the same mindset12:32 - The rise of bitcoin sports events18:25 - Inside the Max & Stacy Invitational22:05 - El Salvador’s top golfer and his bitcoin connection25:41 - The unique culture of bitcoiners31:10 - El Salvador’s transformation and first impressions34:09 - The best food in El Salvador39:32 - Why hash rate signals bitcoin’s strength42:18 - Executing a flawless bitcoin event45:42 - How bitcoin reshapes time and wealth50:06 - The power of taking action52:35 - The future of bitcoin sports and elite events55:00 - Final thoughts on bitcoin, El Salvador, and the tournamentWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Max Keiser on Twitter: https://x.com/maxkeiser→ Stacy Herbert on Twitter: https://x.com/stacyherbert→ Bitcoin Sports Network on Twitter: https://x.com/BSN_Events→ Trey Sellers on Twitter: https://x.com/ts_hodl→ Rocky Wold on Twitter: https://x.com/rkywld
Could bitcoin mining reshape the global energy grid? In this episode, we sit down with Zach Bradford, CEO and President of CleanSpark, to uncover how mining and energy industries are converging. Zach shares how stoicism influences his leadership, why CleanSpark navigated past bull and bear cycles so effectively, and his take on whether bitcoin will ever see another 80% drawdown. We discuss the risks of market euphoria, how SAB 121 could open the floodgates for institutional adoption, and why nation-states may begin accumulating serious amounts of bitcoin. Zach also explains CleanSpark’s distributed mining strategy, the future of energy integration, and how bitcoin could ultimately transform global trade and finance.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:00 - How stoicism shapes bitcoin mining leadership5:09 - Will bitcoin ever see another 80% drawdown?7:29 - Strategy over ideology in bitcoin mining9:34 - How CleanSpark capitalized on the bull and bear cycles13:39 - Is the market too euphoric right now?16:20 - How SAB 121 could change the financial system18:10 - Will bitcoin mining and energy industries fully converge?21:44 - Could bitcoin mining fundamentally disrupt the power industry?25:36 - Bitcoin as digital gold or digital capital?30:40 - Why nation-states are accumulating bitcoin32:26 - Will the United States adopt a strategic bitcoin reserve?37:34 - How CleanSpark balances short-term execution with long-term vision42:31 - Why CleanSpark focuses on efficiency over size46:00 - The unexpected second-order effects of bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Zach Bradford on Twitter: https://x.com/ZachKBradford
Is the U.S. on the brink of creating a national strategic bitcoin reserve or will Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) buy bitcoin first? In this episode, we sit down with Eric Semler, Chairman of Semler Scientific, seasoned investor, and founder of TCS Capital, to discuss why he believes bitcoin will not only match gold’s valuation but far exceed it. Eric shares his early exposure to bitcoin, the pivotal moments that shaped his conviction, and the strategy behind his firm’s aggressive accumulation. We break down BTC Yield, the real hurdles stopping corporations from adopting bitcoin, and why institutional investors are still skeptical. Eric also gives his take on the evolving role of banks in bitcoin custody and how global trade shifts could accelerate bitcoin’s rise. We wrap up with insights on bitcoin’s long-term trajectory, the risks it still faces, and why even skeptics may soon become bitcoin savers.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:07 - How Eric first heard about bitcoin3:06 - The debate among top investors in bitcoin’s early days5:14 - Why Eric didn’t buy bitcoin immediately6:48 - How Eric values publicly traded bitcoin companies10:16 - The significance of BTC yield and its impact on valuations14:10 - Why institutional adoption of bitcoin is still lagging17:35 - The biggest hurdles stopping companies from putting bitcoin on their balance sheets20:25 - Will banks start custodying bitcoin soon?24:58 - Should bitcoiners be concerned about banks lending bitcoin?27:59 - How tariffs, trade wars, and inflation impact bitcoin’s future29:52 - Could the U.S. create a national strategic bitcoin reserve?33:20 - Why Eric believes bitcoin will far exceed gold’s valuation36:52 - What happens once bitcoin reaches full adoption?38:06 - Thoughts on MicroStrategy’s rebrand to Strategy43:55 - Are any CEOs actually considering putting bitcoin on their balance sheet?46:22 - The biggest risk to bitcoin’s futureWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Eric Semler on Twitter: https://x.com/SemlerEric
In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise, to discuss his journey from trading derivatives at Morgan Stanley to becoming a leading voice in bitcoin. Jeff shares his perspective on the nature of money, why he sees bitcoin as speech rather than currency, and how its volatility is both a challenge and an opportunity. We break down the implications of the US dollar’s structural weaknesses, the potential for a Plaza Accord 2.0, and the role of tariffs in reshaping global trade. Jeff explains why he believes bitcoin will surpass gold, how corporations are beginning to embrace bitcoin on their balance sheets, and whether a major tech company like Meta could be next. We also explore the impact of SAB 121’s repeal, the future of bitcoin custody in traditional finance, and the biggest risks to bitcoin’s long-term adoption.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:14 - What is money? Jeff Park’s take3:13 - Bitcoin is not money—it's speech5:13 - Is bitcoin more like gold or a commodity?8:43 - How Jeff Park went from Wall Street to bitcoin10:56 - Why is bitcoin so volatile?13:56 - The US dollar’s hidden dilemma and the role of tariffs16:26 - How the Plaza Accord 2.0 could change everything21:27 - Bitcoin vs. gold: competition or complementary?25:12 - Could bitcoin surpass gold's market cap?32:17 - Will foreign nations pivot to bitcoin instead of treasuries?39:50 - The US sovereign wealth fund and bitcoin’s role44:03 - Could Mark Zuckerberg put bitcoin on Meta’s balance sheet?46:41 - What does SAB 121’s repeal mean for banks and ETFs?52:37 - The biggest risk to bitcoin’s long-term futureWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Jeff Park on Twitter: https://x.com/dgt10011
In this episode, we sit down with Radu, an engineer at Amazon and deep thinker in the bitcoin space. Radu shares his journey from discovering bitcoin in 2015 to developing a unique thermodynamic perspective on its inevitability. We discuss how he ties bitcoin to the laws of energy, his insights into bitcoin as perfected digital energy, and the role of proof of work in anchoring its value. Radu explains bitcoin’s function as an energy conduit and how it drives perpetual innovation in mining and energy efficiency. We explore his views on bitcoin as a singularity, its potential to reshape global capital flows, and the long-term impact on nation-states and human consciousness. Radu also touches on the philosophical implications of a bitcoin standard and how technology, like AI, accelerates this transformation.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:09 - Radu’s journey from engineering to bitcoin03:14 - The first bitcoin opportunity missed at $40004:02 - How a coworker sparked Radu’s bitcoin curiosity05:19 - Riding bitcoin from $20K to $3K and back06:46 - Discovering bitcoin's inevitability through thermodynamics08:20 - The Michael Saylor moment that changed everything10:03 - Why bitcoin is perfected digital energy13:05 - Bitcoin as the ultimate energy conduit21:00 - Bitcoin’s perpetual flywheel: the gradient minimization engine27:20 - How bitcoin is pulling global capital like a waterfall31:47 - The future: from digital capital to digital energy32:07 - Bitcoin and the path to universal consciousness38:52 - Can humanity handle the coming singularity?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Radu on Twitter: https://x.com/LizardWizardBTC
In this episode, we sit down with Skot, electrical engineer and creator of Bitaxe, the first open-source ASIC bitcoin miner. Skot shares his journey from IoT hardware development to designing hardware for bitcoin mining, including his early experiments with FPGAs in a university lab. We discuss the significance of open-source mining for bitcoin’s future, the challenges of hardware and firmware development, and how Bitaxe compares to industry giants like Bitmain. Skot explains the potential for decentralized mining, the risks of centralization in mining hardware and pools, and why making mining accessible and transparent is critical. We also touch on the concept of incorporating miners into household devices and the role of small-scale miners in bitcoin’s long-term resilience.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:16 - Meet Skot, the mind behind Bitaxe02:34 - From IoT projects to bitcoin mining innovation05:20 - Skot’s bitcoin origin story and the PayPal saga09:35 - Mining bitcoin with university lab FPGAs12:11 - Why Skot started the first open-source ASIC miner14:55 - The challenges of open-source bitcoin mining hardware19:59 - Bitaxe vs. Bitmain: efficiency showdown21:25 - Who’s building Bitaxes and why?25:01 - The importance of open-source mining for bitcoin’s future28:26 - Can Bitaxe become a significant part of bitcoin’s hash rate?33:39 - The dream of decentralized mining in household devices41:02 - The future of bitcoin mining: big grids vs. home miners47:06 - Skot’s take on mining centralization risks53:37 - How open-source mining could save bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Skot on Twitter: https://x.com/skot9000
In this episode, we sit down with Tad Smith, founder of Durable Money, partner at One Roundtable Partners, and former CEO of Sotheby’s and Madison Square Garden. Tad reflects on his journey from leading global companies to teaching strategy and finance at NYU Stern. We discuss his teaching methods, including the Amazon case study that captivated students, and how it applies to understanding bitcoin and MicroStrategy today. Tad shares insights on risk versus volatility, the challenges of valuing bitcoin and MicroStrategy, and the role of patterns in investment decisions. We also explore the concept of a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve, the biggest risks to bitcoin, and why Tad believes bitcoin is reshaping capital allocation worldwide.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:00 - From Sotheby’s to Madison Square Garden3:00 - Teaching at NYU Stern: Lessons from students5:30 - The Amazon case study that wowed students9:00 - Patterns in history: Bitcoin's historical rhymes12:30 - MicroStrategy’s bold bitcoin bet17:00 - Volatility vs. risk: What investors get wrong22:00 - Why is bitcoin so volatile?33:00 - Should the U.S. create a strategic bitcoin reserve?48:30 - The biggest risks to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Tad Smith on Twitter: https://x.com/tadtweets
In this episode, we sit down with Kenny Florian, former UFC fighter, broadcaster, and co-host of the Anik & Florian Podcast, to discuss his journey from martial arts to bitcoin. Kenny reflects on his fighting career, the lessons learned from competition, and how his mindset shifted when he discovered bitcoin in 2017. We explore the parallels between the discipline of fighting and the principles of bitcoin, misconceptions about volatility, and its role as a defensive asset. Kenny shares his thoughts on bitcoin’s potential as a global reserve, the growing race for adoption among nations, and the unique advantages it offers over traditional assets like real estate. We also discuss self-custody, the importance of educating newcomers, and how tools like Unchained’s bitcoin retirement calculator can help individuals better understand bitcoin's long term potential.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:06 - Introducing Kenny Florian00:02:30 - From law school dreams to the UFC00:05:15 - What it's like training as a professional fighter00:07:35 - The mental and physical challenges of weight cutting00:10:17 - Discovering bitcoin: first impressions and early doubts00:13:55 - Going all in on bitcoin in 201700:15:35 - Why bitcoin is the ultimate underdog00:18:12 - Bitcoin's defensive qualities and wealth preservation00:22:03 - Misconceptions about bitcoin: volatility and risk00:24:18 - Bitcoin vs. traditional investments like real estate00:26:50 - Lessons from Michael Saylor's bitcoin advocacy00:29:45 - Bitcoin's role in geopolitical and financial systems00:33:02 - The race for bitcoin adoption among nations00:36:12 - How bitcoin changes personal finance and wealth strategy00:40:02 - The importance of self-custody in bitcoin ownership00:42:15 - The power of bitcoin as a tool for individuals and nations00:45:25 - The future of bitcoin: 10 to 20 years from now00:48:05 - Advice for beginners: understanding bitcoin's potential00:50:50 - Reflections on bitcoin's journey and its role in global changeWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Kenny Florian’s Twitter: https://x.com/kennyflorian
In this episode, we sit down with George Selgin, Director Emeritus at the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, to explore his views on money, markets, and bitcoin’s role in the global economy. George shares his journey from studying marine biology to becoming a leading voice in monetary economics and discusses how definitions of money have evolved. We examine bitcoin’s classification as a synthetic commodity, its potential as a store of value, and whether it could ever replace the US dollar. George also analyzes the proposed bitcoin strategic reserve, highlighting its costs, risks, and implications for government debt.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:11 - Introducing George Selgin's background and career00:07:42 - Moving from Hong Kong to the University of Georgia00:09:50 - Defining money and its role in economics00:12:12 - Explaining why bitcoin doesn’t meet the definition of money00:13:31 - Defining the dollar and its place in the economy00:15:52 - Understanding gold’s history and modern role00:19:11 - Analyzing bitcoin as a synthetic commodity00:21:51 - Evaluating bitcoin as a store of value vs. medium of exchange00:24:52 - Discussing bitcoin’s long-term price potential00:29:21 - Examining markets, prices, and bitcoin’s future00:36:13 - Questioning if the US dollar could be replaced00:42:36 - Evaluating the bitcoin strategic reserve proposal00:49:11 - Breaking down the costs and risks of a bitcoin reserve00:55:00 - Closing thoughts and where to follow George SelginWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ George Selgin’s Twitter: https://x.com/GeorgeSelgin
In this episode, we recap the top 5 episodes of 2024 on The Bitcoin Frontier, reflecting on the show’s growth, standout moments, and what’s ahead in 2025. We’re joined by Jose, Director of Media Production at Unchained, to discuss the podcast’s journey, including hitting 1.5 million views and 17 years of watch time this year. We highlight key episodes featuring expert guests who tackled topics like bitcoin ETFs, mining, macroeconomic trends, health, science, AI, and the philosophical debates shaping bitcoin’s future. From bitcoin’s role as a reserve asset to its vulnerabilities and the risks of quantum threats, this countdown captures the most important conversations of the year while setting the stage for what’s next.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:14 - Jose, Director of Media Production3:07 - 2024 growth and podcast milestones5:25 - Unchained hits 1.5M views and 17 years watched in 202411:22 - Honorable mention13:42 - Episode #516:56 - Episode #421:32 - Episode #327:04 - Episode #230:27 - Episode #134:55 - 2025 podcast plans and bitcoin growth outlook37:55 - Is bitcoin just digital gold or the best form of money?43:30 - Bitcoin risks from fiat dominance to quantum threatsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos’ Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD
In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Batten to explore the six megatrends shaping bitcoin this cycle, from sovereign wealth funds and pension funds entering the market to miners becoming net buyers instead of sellers. Daniel shares his take on bitcoin ETFs as a game-changer for traditional finance and the growing potential for national bitcoin reserves. We discuss whether this cycle will break the pattern of diminishing returns, why volatility isn’t the risk many think it is, and how bitcoin’s adoption could accelerate at unprecedented levels.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 — Why sovereign wealth funds are the next big bitcoin adopters00:01:22 — The six megatrends shaping bitcoin this cycle00:05:06 — How pension funds are allocating to bitcoin00:11:42 — Why miners are buying, not selling, bitcoin this cycle00:15:19 — Will this cycle break bitcoin’s diminishing returns trend?00:27:33 — Blow-off tops vs. steady growth: what to expect this cycle00:30:47 — Why the bitcoin ETF success is just beginning00:35:14 — The rise of bitcoin strategic reserves among nations00:40:54 — Addressing the “too late for bitcoin” mindset00:49:57 — The biggest risks to bitcoin’s futureWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Daniel Batten’s Twitter: https://x.com/DSBatten
In this episode, we sit down with Hunter Beast, a developer focused on making bitcoin quantum resistant. Hunter shares his journey from discovering bitcoin in 2017 to working on a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) aimed at securing the protocol against future quantum threats. We explore how quantum computers could compromise elliptic curve cryptography, why P2PK coins are at risk, how address reuse poses risks, and Hunter's proposed pay-to-quantum-resistant hash solution. He explains the challenges of implementing post-quantum cryptography, the trade-offs between security and efficiency, and the timeline for potential quantum threats. Hunter also discusses the importance of community collaboration on upgrades and how bitcoin can prepare for a secure future while maintaining its core values.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:02 - Meet Hunter: Bitcoin and quantum focus00:01:51 - Fixing money: Bitcoin's potential to fix the world00:03:06 - Real risks vs myths00:04:41 - Elliptic curve cryptography: Bitcoin’s security backbone00:06:08 - Why bitcoin matters: Grounding the digital world00:07:07 - Quantum risks: Shor's algorithm and private keys00:10:33 - Quantum threat: An existential risk to bitcoin00:11:44 - Resilience: Lessons from Carrington event00:12:57 - Quantum resistance00:14:26 - Hunter’s proposal: Pay-to-quantum-resistant hash00:17:04 - Public key risks: Old coins, mempool, reuse, taproot00:20:22 - Quantum solutions: SegWit v3 and new algorithms00:26:21 - Resistant addresses: Naming conventions and tips00:31:06 - Securing bitcoin with new cryptography00:34:06 - Signature challenges: Balancing security and block space00:37:07 - Future cryptography: Preparing for quantum security00:43:27 - Trade-offs of quantum-proof cryptography00:50:00 - Quantum risk timeline: Predictions and unknowns00:55:27 - Satoshi’s coins: Why not burn vulnerable addresses01:00:18 - Soft fork challenges: Consensus and activation risks01:03:10 - Closing thoughts: Hunter’s work and resourcesWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Hunter Beast’s Twitter: https://x.com/cryptoquick
In this episode, we sit down with Junseth, a long-time bitcoiner and co-host of the legendary Bitcoin Uncensored podcast. Junseth shares how he got started in bitcoin, his views on the evolution of the bitcoin community, and his take on the cycles of bitcoin podcasts and companies. He provides insights into the rise of social engineering scams, his experience confronting phishing attackers, and the mentality behind young scammers. We also discuss the challenges of self-custody, the risks of bitcoin centralization, and the potential implications of a national bitcoin reserve. Junseth offers a unique perspective on the future of bitcoin, libertarian ideals, and the lessons learned from his years in the space.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 – Introduction00:01:06 – How Junseth got involved in bitcoin00:04:42 – Libertarianism and bitcoin's evolution00:09:04 – Background of Junseth’s scammer calls00:15:21 – Why young scammers do what they do00:17:16 – Protecting yourself from phishing scams00:24:45 – Self-custody00:31:02 – Evolution of bitcoin podcasts00:36:22 – Michael Saylor’s infinite money glitch00:42:30 – Current bitcoin cycle and price movements00:46:46 – Reflections on bitcoin's rapid adoption00:51:16 – Bitcoin strategic reserve: pros and cons00:54:14 – Unique perspectives and risks to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Junseth’s Twitter: https://x.com/verysmallclaims
In this episode, we sit down with Willy Woo, a leading on-chain analyst and bitcoin market expert. Willy provides insights into the current state of the market, highlighting how corporate and institutional players like MicroStrategy and BlackRock are shaping bitcoin’s adoption. He explains bitcoin’s role as a potential global reserve asset and its energy-based scarcity model, which sets it apart from traditional assets like gold. We discuss the impact of upcoming FASB accounting changes on companies holding bitcoin, the risks of centralization, and the sustainability of bitcoin’s four-year cycles. Willy also shares his thoughts on how bitcoin’s growth could reshape geopolitics and global monetary systems, offering a clear vision for a decentralized financial future.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro01:31 Current state of the bitcoin market03:02 Bitcoin dominance, altcoins, and institutional impact07:08 MicroStrategy and the future of ETFs10:37 FASB accounting and potential S&P 500 inclusion13:54 BlackRock’s role in legitimizing bitcoin16:54 Bitcoin as digital gold and its exponential growth22:15 Energy scarcity and bitcoin’s long-term viability28:11 Bitcoin’s potential as a global reserve asset38:25 Geopolitical implications of a bitcoin standard43:23 Where are we in the current bitcoin cycle?50:19 Bitcoin’s biggest risks and future challenges54:05 Optimism for bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Willy Woo’s Twitter: https://x.com/woonomic
In this episode, we sit down with Dhruv Bansal, co-founder of Unchained, and Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, for a friendly debate on whether bitcoin was invented or discovered. We examine how historical inventions and discoveries like mathematics and fire compare to bitcoin, explore the philosophical implications of digital scarcity, and discuss its relevance across civilizations. Dhruv and Samson share their insights on bitcoin as a living organism, potential challenges from quantum computing, and the evolution of its network over time. The conversation also touches on the future of money and mining in a spacefaring civilization, how energy markets intersect with bitcoin, and the practicality of sidechains for interplanetary use. Throughout, we question the boundaries of bitcoin’s definition, its adaptability, and its role as the ultimate form of energy money.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:43 Welcome to the debate: invented vs. discovered3:48 Definitions: what makes something invented or discovered?7:53 Analyzing historical examples: math, melodies, and fire12:03 Was bitcoin invented or discovered? Opening arguments20:25 The ship of theseus analogy for bitcoin’s evolution24:09 Addressing quantum computing and potential bitcoin changes30:58 Bitcoin as a living organism and its self-regulation33:19 Does digital scarcity truly exist across civilizations?39:09 Bitcoin’s impact on energy grids and global sustainability42:00 Mars colonization: should Martians adopt bitcoin or a sidechain?47:09 Decentralization vs. centralization of hash power in space52:50 Concluding thoughts: bitcoin’s universal role as energy money1:01:10 The biggest risk to bitcoin—aliens?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Dhruv Bansal’s Twitter: https://x.com/dhruvbansal→ Samson Mow’s Twitter: https://x.com/Excellion
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jack Kruse, a neurosurgeon with over 30 years of experience, to explore his transformative journey from centralized medicine to decentralized health and his discovery of bitcoin as a tool for freedom and time preservation. Jack discusses the flaws in traditional medicine, the significance of circadian biology, and why sunlight and sleep are critical for optimal health. He explains his perspective on bitcoin as a “time machine” and the parallels between decentralized money and biology. The conversation touches on the importance of self-custody, the role of technology in shaping health outcomes, and whether Americans should consider moving to El Salvador for greater personal freedom. Jack also shares insights on the challenges of population growth, the potential to extend human lifespan, and how bitcoiners can prioritize health to secure their future.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:06 Jack Kruse's background and medical journey3:32 Decentralized medicine: what it means9:20 Why centralized medicine is broken11:19 The importance of circadian biology18:25 Bitcoin and time: connecting decentralized money to health23:11 "Bitcoin is a time machine": explained33:53 How sunlight and darkness affect health37:10 The role of technology in health outcomes43:08 Living a healthier, longer life: practical advice49:47 El Salvador: should Americans move there?57:29 Is bitcoin a time machine for everyone? Victor’s story1:01:13 The case for decentralizing your lifeWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Dr. Jack Kruse’s Twitter: https://x.com/DrJackKruse
In this episode, we sit down with Joe Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Unchained, to discuss his journey from his first ‘aha’ moment with bitcoin to building a company that prioritizes long term bitcoin security and self-custody. Joe reflects on Unchained’s evolution into a bitcoin-only company, his personal donation to the University of Austin’s bitcoin endowment, and Unchained’s new bitcoin donor-advised fund product. We explore the critical importance of self-custody, why new bitcoiners should care about self-custody, the challenges and opportunities for global bitcoin adoption, and Unchained’s future roadmap. Joe also shares his thoughts on the risks and potential of AI, phishing threats in the digital space, and the balance between security and user experience in bitcoin financial services.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:18 ‘Aha’ moment, Dhruv’s influence4:19 Founding Unchained, long-term vision7:47 Bitcoin-only focus10:27 University of Austin donation13:18 Bitcoin donor-advised funds15:23 Beyond bitcoin: family, consciousness17:45 Favorite podcast20:23 Why self-custody matters26:01 Accelerating adoption28:52 Phishing threats32:20 Bitcoin ETFs35:41 AI, identity verification38:17 Unchained’s future40:03 Roadmap, sustainability41:30 Favorite products44:44 ECB bitcoin paper46:50 Contrarian views on money49:05 Bitcoin’s biggest risk50:44 Closing remarksWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Joe Kelly’s Twitter: https://x.com/josephkelly
In this episode, we sit down with Marty Bent, founder of TFTC, Managing Partner at Ten31 VC, and Director at Cathedra Bitcoin. Marty shares his journey, from starting his newsletter and TFTC podcast to recording at Barstool Sports and now recently being cited by the European Central Bank in an academic paper. We explore his take on the ECB's paper, bitcoin’s adoption speed, and the risks of mining centralization. Marty dives into vulnerabilities in bitcoin core, the future of mining, and Ten31’s unique approach to supporting bitcoin-only companies on a bitcoin standard. We also discuss the balance between clickbait and integrity in bitcoin media and AI's impact on content and media.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction1:05 Starting Marty's newsletter and TFTC3:22 Expectations vs. reality: Marty's journey5:47 Recording at barstool sports and potential acquisition10:21 Talking about bitcoin with co-workers at the managed futures fund13:05 European central bank citing Marty's newsletter23:25 Vulnerabilities in bitcoin29:04 Mining centralization—is it a problem?40:30 Worst and best business models you've seen at Ten3147:26 What's the end goal for Ten31 portfolio companies?52:08 How will VC change after the monetization of bitcoin?58:23 How will media and AI evolve over the next decade?1:02:23 Hyperbitcoinization faster than we expect?1:08:00 Biggest risk for bitcoin?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, we sit down with Dennis Porter, CEO and Co-Founder of the Satoshi Action Fund, for an in-depth look at bitcoin’s place in U.S. politics. Dennis opens with an overview of how each political party approaches bitcoin and discusses the importance of bipartisan support. He examines bitcoin's resonance with American values, its appeal across political lines, and how policies can balance innovation and openness with consumer protection. Dennis reflects on the role of single-issue bitcoin voters and the potential impact on future elections including the 2024 US presidential election. He also explores how states are beginning to adopt bitcoin-friendly policies and the importance of creating scalable templates for state-level adoption.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:09 Breaking down each party’s stance on bitcoin3:04 Bipartisan effort and why it matters for bitcoin5:39 Kamala Harris vs. biden on bitcoin7:04 Protecting consumers while supporting innovation8:32 Bitcoin’s inclusiveness and appeal to democrats9:36 Why bitcoin resonates with American values10:16 Importance of bipartisan support for bitcoin11:38 Working with both sides of the aisle17:17 Role of broken money in political division20:40 ECB’s stance on bitcoin holders23:14 Debunking the ECB paper26:16 Bitcoin’s potential as a bipartisan issue29:20 Single-issue bitcoin voters and future elections32:14 Bitcoin voters as a swing factor in elections36:43 Strategic bitcoin stockpile plan39:17 How bitcoin influences future elections41:17 Adoption of bitcoin-friendly policies at the state level47:15 Influence of presidential cycles vs. halvings on bitcoin cycles50:07 Creating template policies for state adoption53:02 Risk to bitcoin: if earth falls into the sunWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Dennis Porter’s Twitter: https://x.com/Dennis_Porter_
In this episode, we sit down with Pierre Rochard, VP of Research at Riot Platforms, and Bitstein, co-founder of the Nakamoto Institute, to discuss hyperbitcoinization and more. Pierre and Michael open by reflecting on its price history, historical cycles, and long-term outlook. They explore bitcoin’s progression onto the global stage, considering how central banks view it and where we are in the context of hyperbitcoinization. They address the critical balance between self-custody and bitcoin banks, including insights into the evolving role of custody solutions and associated risks. Discussing perspectives like those of Michael Saylor and Saifedean Ammous, they weigh in on bitcoin’s function as both an asset, a money, and the concept of bitcoin “yield.” The conversation covers MicroStrategy’s strategic approach to bitcoin and their perspective on the various models like S2F, power law, and Bitcoin24.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:17 - Reflections on bitcoin cycles3:21 - Long-term outlook5:12 - Bitcoin on global stage7:05 - Central banks’ view on bitcoin14:03 - Defining hyperbitcoinization17:05 - Self-custody vs. bitcoin banks25:16 - Future of bitcoin custody30:10 - Risks in custodial options35:38 - Saylor vs. Saifedean on bitcoin banking42:27 - Bitcoin yield vs. fiat yield50:02 - MicroStrategy’s strategy55:10 - Modeling bitcoin’s value1:02:31 - Fiat vs. bitcoin volatility1:04:15 - Challenging views in bitcoin communityWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Pierre Rochard’s Twitter: https://x.com/BitcoinPierre→ Bitstein’s Twitter: https://x.com/bitstein
In this episode, we sit down with Chaitanya Jain (CJ), an MBA candidate at Harvard Business School and strategist at MicroStrategy, who worked closely with Michael Saylor on the recent open source Bitcoin24 model. CJ shares his experience talking about bitcoin at HBS, detailing efforts to distinguish it from broader crypto discussions. We explore Michael Saylor’s perspective on whether bitcoin is money or just another asset. CJ offers insights into building the Bitcoin24 model and MicroStrategy’s evolving custody strategy, including the future of bitcoin in banking and other companies adopting MicroStrategy’s bitcoin strategy. We also cover their acquisition strategy using equity and convertible notes, the constraints they face, and how to think about valuing MicroStrategy in relation to their NAV. Last, CJ discusses MicroStrategy's potential future S&P 500 inclusion, effective bitcoin advocacy techniques, and the most significant risks to bitcoin today.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction and background00:03:23 Experience at HBS with bitcoin00:06:06 Efforts to differentiate bitcoin from crypto at HBS00:08:13 Bitcoin and crypto courses at HBS00:10:21 Michael Saylor’s view of bitcoin: money or asset?00:12:12 Catalysts for HBS interest in bitcoin00:14:06 Key takeaways from interacting with Michael Saylor00:18:25 Valuing bitcoin without cash flows00:20:36 Building the Bitcoin24 model with MicroStrategy00:24:24 MicroStrategy’s bitcoin custody strategy00:26:32 Future of bitcoin in banking00:30:55 Other companies following MicroStrategy’s bitcoin strategy00:38:21 MicroStrategy’s bitcoin acquisition strategy: equity and convertible notes00:46:24 Limits on equity issuances and convertible notes00:50:24 Common misunderstandings about MicroStrategy00:52:42 MicroStrategy’s inclusion in the S&P 50000:58:26 Bitcoin advocacy and persuasion techniques00:59:10 Biggest risks to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Chaitanya Jain’s Twitter: https://x.com/_ChaitanyaJ
In this episode, we sit down with Luke Gromen to unpack the U.S. fiscal landscape, exploring the growing strain of true interest expense and why the world may be entering a liquidity acceleration phase. Luke highlights some of the most crowded and least crowded trades in the market today and explains why gold miners are taking on a new role, while commodity stocks resemble bonds. We also discuss the potential release valves of gold, oil, and bitcoin. Luke provides insights into the shifting dynamics of physical versus paper assets, the repricing of bonds and hard assets, and bitcoin’s potential place in central bank reserves. Additionally, we cover China’s latest economic moves, the ongoing global debt bubble, and the potential impact of the U.S. Presidential election.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:06 - The U.S. fiscal situation and 'true interest expense'02:49 - U.S. fiscal tightening and liquidity needs04:03 - 'America doesn’t get to do collectively stupid stuff with borrowed money forever'04:51 - What is money?07:13 - Most crowded and least crowded trades today08:39 - 'Gold miners are the new commodity stocks, commodity stocks are the new bonds'12:07 - The release valve: gold, oil, and maybe bitcoin14:21 - Bitcoin miners as the new gold miners?16:06 - The importance of physical versus paper assets20:10 - The accelerating repricing event in bonds and hard assets23:49 - How bitcoin and gold fit into the reserve asset narrative33:14 - Will central banks eventually hold bitcoin?35:00 - China’s aggressive stimulus and what it means for global markets39:00 - The global sovereign debt bubble and the U.S. deficit40:21 - U.S. Presidential election and fiscal largesse41:59 - Repricing of gold and bitcoin49:10 - What most bitcoiners disagree with Luke on50:24 - The biggest risks to bitcoin and gold55:00 - Outro and where to find more of Luke’s workWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Luke Gromen’s Twitter: https://x.com/LukeGromen
In this episode, we sit down with James Check to tackle common misconceptions in bitcoin, from misunderstood on-chain metrics to the real impact of long-term holders. We break down key market indicators, discuss risks of audience capture, and explore whether bitcoin is set for slow, steady growth or another 80% drop. We also dive into the relevance of entity-adjusted metrics, the potential impact of ETFs, and how Checkmate optimizes bitcoin allocation strategies. Looking ahead, we speculate on bitcoin’s role in future portfolios, touch on large-scale gold buying, and even consider whether aliens might have their own version of bitcoin.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:40 What is one thing you think most people are wrong about?08:14 Misinterpreted on-chain metrics and long-term holders13:00 Key metrics to watch for market tops19:10 Protecting against audience capture in bitcoin narratives22:44 Slow grind up vs fast exponential growth?25:48 Will bitcoin fall another 80% at some point?29:25 Bitcoin was not a ZIRP phenomenon30:10 Optimizing DCA and portfolio allocations through cycles35:00 How accurate are “entity-adjusted” on-chain metrics?41:10 Do ETFs destroy the potential usefulness of on-chain analytics?46:35 Decades from now, how much bitcoin is in a typical portfolio?50:50 Who is buying gold in size now?56:50 Do aliens exist and did they discover their own bitcoin?1:02:50 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Checkmate’s Twitter: https://x.com/_Checkmatey_
In this episode, we sit down with Troy Cross to examine the environmental impact of bitcoin mining and its potential role in stabilizing energy grids. Troy shares his journey into bitcoin and peer-to-peer systems, addressing early concerns about energy consumption and how his views have evolved. We explore key data from bitcoin miners on energy usage and discuss the challenges of gathering accurate information. Troy highlights bitcoin mining’s unique flexibility in reducing emissions and compares its energy impact to other technologies like AI. We also cover the political implications of bitcoin, potential risks, and the importance of effective branding for bitcoin’s future growth.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=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-descriptionTIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:40 The environmental impact of bitcoin mining04:28 How Troy got into bitcoin and peer-to-peer systems07:33 Early concerns about bitcoin’s energy consumption11:21 Bitcoin’s role in stabilizing energy grids14:53 Data from bitcoin miners on energy consumption18:47 Challenges in gathering bitcoin mining data21:25 Bitcoin mining’s flexibility and reduced emissions25:02 Halvings, miners, and price28:37 Bitcoin’s superpower: Flexible energy consumption32:12 Comparing bitcoin to AI in energy use34:44 The future of energy and bitcoin38:12 How bitcoin mining adapts to market conditions42:28 Political ramifications of bitcoin46:08 The biggest risk to bitcoin50:09 Bitcoin’s branding challenges54:12 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Troy Cross’s Twitter: https://x.com/thetrocro→ Troy’s bitcoin ownership report: https://www.thenakamotoproject.org/report→ Troy’s bitcoin mining report: https://www.btcpolicy.org/articles/bitcoin-mining-reduces-carbon-emissions
In this episode, we sit down with Rational Root to explore whether bitcoin is on the verge of entering a parabolic growth phase. We discuss key indicators, including on-chain data, market cycles, and global liquidity trends, to assess the current state of bitcoin and its potential for rapid price acceleration. Root breaks down the importance of short-term holder behavior, ETF flows, and the psychology of the market. We also consider external factors, such as macroeconomic conditions and regulatory developments, that could fuel or hinder bitcoin's next major move.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:01:40 Where are we in the 4 year cycle?04:55 Bitcoin goes sideways or down a majority of the time08:14 Cycles from the bottom13:03 On-chain value map21:21 Do ETFs change on-chain analytics?24:00 Psychology of a bitcoin market cycle26:23 Global liquidity catalyst30:14 Short-term holder supply34:38 Bitcoin ETF flows43:30 Bitcoin ETF cost basis45:55 Bitwise proof of reserves49:40 HODL Model update1:01:40 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Rational Root’s Twitter: https://x.com/therationalroot
In this episode, former FBI agent Ren McEachern breaks down financial crime and fraud in the digital age. We cover how criminals use different monetary tools for money laundering, whether the FBI can reverse wire transfers, and their work on the dark web. Ren explains asset seizures, including high-value items like yachts, and the unique challenges of seizing and liquidating bitcoin. We also discuss the FBI’s evolving stance on bitcoin, tracing crypto transactions, and using off-chain data to prevent fraud. Lastly, we tackle the potentially fraudulent NFT market, and Ren shares what he sees as the biggest risk to bitcoin today.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:01:30 Introduction and Background06:00 Most common monetary tool used in money laundering?09:08 Can the FBI reverse wire transfers?12:48 FBI and the dark web15:12 Brazil banning X.com17:15 Seizing assets and chasing yachts21:55 Liquidating seized assets and yachts24:00 The difficulty of seizing bitcoin29:00 Government seizure of bitcoin and liquidation37:00 Trump’s strategic bitcoin stockpile40:00 The FBI's perspective on bitcoin50:10 Future of fraud with bitcoin and crypto?01:01:25 Is the NFT market just money laundering?01:04:30 Most commonly used crypto for fraud?01:08:13 Biggest risk to bitcoin?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Ren McEachern’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-ren-mceachern
In this episode, Joe Consorti joins us to explore the impacts of trillion-dollar deficits on the fiscal landscape and what it means for bitcoin’s future. We start with a look at the current liquidity environment and how asset prices are responding, followed by a discussion on rate cuts and capital deployment strategies. Joe shares his outlook on bitcoin’s trajectory through 2025 and the central bank actions we should be keeping a close eye on. We then examine key models like the power law and stock-to-flow to understand how they relate to bitcoin’s growth. Joe also addresses whether excessive monetary and fiscal stimulus could harm bitcoin, and why crypto is in decline while bitcoin continues to thrive. Finally, we talk about the acceleration of exponential growth, before wrapping up with Joe’s thoughts on unpopular beliefs and the biggest risks facing bitcoin today.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:30 Trillion-dollar deficits and the fiscal situation10:43 The liquidity spigot and asset prices17:21 Rate cuts and capital deployment25:35 Bitcoin's future and monitoring central bank actions30:35 Predicting bitcoin in 2025 and factors to watch37:12 The power law model vs. the stock-to-flow model40:05 Does too much monetary and fiscal stimulus harm bitcoin?46:50 The decline of crypto and the thriving of bitcoin51:00 Acceleration and exponential growth01:02:20 Unpopular beliefs and the biggest risks to bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Joe Consorti’s Twitter: https://x.com/JoeConsorti
In this episode, Dylan LeClair joins us to discuss positive feedback loops around bitcoin’s extreme volatility and a collapsing crypto industry. We kick off with Vitalik's questions about the sustainability of yield in the crypto space and whether ethereum and other cryptocurrencies are at risk of fading away. Dylan offers his insights on the VIX spike in early August and what it might mean for the broader market. We then shift to the success of bitcoin ETFs and dive into how companies like Metaplanet and MicroStrategy are using financial engineering to increase their bitcoin holdings per share. Dylan shares his thoughts on the concept of corporate "bitcoin yield" versus holding bitcoin in cold storage, and how volatility can create a highly positive feedback loop. We also touch on the power law and S2F models, rounding off with a personal note as Dylan reflects on his high school teachers congratulating him on his success.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:50 Vitalik questioning where the yield comes from00:04:07 Are crypto and ethereum dying?00:08:03 Vix spike in early August—bottom for risk assets?00:14:34 Success of bitcoin ETFs00:17:30 Metaplanet and Microstrategy financial engineering more bitcoin00:33:42 Bitcoin “yield” or bitcoin per share?00:36:58 Metaplanet and MSTR vs cold storage bitcoin00:43:00 Volatility results in a positive feedback loop00:54:13 Power law and S2F model00:56:45 Dylan’s high school teachers00:59:35 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?01:04:29 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?01:08:15 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Dylan LeClair’s Twitter: https://x.com/DylanLeClair_
In this episode, Sean Buckley, former professional baseball player and scout, shares his journey from college baseball to being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. He reflects on the challenges of transitioning from the minors to the majors and the mental toll of playing the game at a high level. Sean discusses his shift from player to scout, offering insights into player dynamics, scouting's impact on his view of baseball, and how it influenced his approach to investing. He explores the parallels between identifying value in baseball and in markets, particularly bitcoin. Sean also touches on the difficulties of generating market alpha, the reasons behind his interest in capital allocation, and how he introduced the concept of bitcoin to other players.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:17 Sean’s intro into college baseball and MLB draft00:03:00 How did you get started with baseball?00:03:58 Ever feel burnt out playing too much baseball?00:05:40 What was Sean’s college major?00:07:49 Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds00:10:55 Did you think you could be one of the best players?00:12:35 Minors vs majors—big difference?00:14:39 Transitioning from player to scout00:18:39 Player dynamics and drama00:20:38 Did scouting change your perspective on baseball?00:23:05 Investing vs scouting00:24:57 Has identifying value become more difficult?00:26:55 When did you get interested in capital allocation and bitcoin?00:33:16 Generating market alpha—why bitcoin?00:38:00 Did you tell players about bitcoin?00:40:22 Did other minor league players buy gold and single family homes?00:42:10 What’s the catalyst for players to get interested in bitcoin?00:44:19 What is the player’s union?00:45:41 Should the union do anything about bitcoin and personal finance?00:47:45 Retiring after professional sports00:50:58 What podcast or books do you recommend?00:53:30 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Sean Buckley’s Twitter: https://x.com/seancbuckley
In this episode, Nazar Khan, COO of Terawulf, discusses his entry into power and bitcoin mining, weighing the importance of inexpensive energy versus more efficient machines. He shares his thoughts on the growth of mining capacity, the competition between AI and mining for power, and the possibility of utilities acquiring bitcoin miners. Nazar also explores Terawulf's dual exposure to AI and mining, strategies for managing bitcoin's volatility, and the challenges of operating in a hyper competitive market. He addresses the impact of miners on bitcoin's price, potential international expansion plans, and whether mining could lead to lower consumer electricity prices. The episode wraps up with Nazar's views on mining's natural decentralization, a contrarian belief he holds, and the biggest risks facing bitcoin today.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:17 Nazar’s into to power and mining00:06:51 More energy or better machines?00:08:32 Was bitcoin mining intuitive to you at first?00:13:08 8 GWs added over the last few years, what about the next 4 years?00:15:00 Do AI and mining compete for power?00:22:37 Will utilities acquire bitcoin miners?00:25:27 WULF—AI vs mining exposure00:28:03 Mining through the volatility00:30:14 Is mining a brutally competitive market?00:34:00 Most difficult part about operating a bitcoin mine?00:35:15 Do miners affect the price of bitcoin?00:36:59 Is WULF US only? When international mining?00:40:47 Magnitude of mining power00:42:00 Is global energy production about to explode?00:48:56 Does mining lead to lower consumer electricity prices?00:56:30 Does mining naturally decentralize to low cost power?00:56:55 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiner’s disagree with?00:59:12 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:59:36 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Alyse Killeen discusses bitcoin's presence at the Bloomberg Invest Summit and its connection to AI, including insights from Jeff Booth’s thesis. She examines the positive feedback loop between AI and the Lightning Network, comparing it to other bitcoin Layer 2 solutions. Alyse also touches on Fold’s SPAC, her motivation for founding Stillmark, and the regulatory challenges facing bitcoin and bitcoin startups. She shares her thoughts on educating politicians about bitcoin, the future of Taproot assets, and how startups should navigate bitcoin’s volatility. The episode concludes with a discussion on the most underrated bitcoin products and how to balance between holding bitcoin and investing in bitcoin startups.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:43 Bitcoin at the Bloomberg Invest Summit00:05:45 Bitcoin, LLMs, and generative AI00:08:04 Jeff Booth thesis + AI00:11:26 AI and Lightning positive feedback loop00:15:58 Lightning vs other bitcoin L2s00:19:20 Fold’s SPAC and bitcoin VC00:21:15 Why did you found Stillmark?00:23:49 Regulatory hurdles for bitcoin or bitcoin startups?00:28:27 Educating politicians on bitcoin vs crypto00:30:55 What’s the biggest challenge for bitcoin startups?00:33:29 Taproot assets00:36:51 Credit cards vs Lightning decades from now00:39:59 Should bitcoin startups operate differently because of bitcoin volatility?00:42:07 Most underrated bitcoin product or service00:47:28 Holding bitcoin vs investing in bitcoin startups00:56:23 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Alyse Killen’s Twitter: https://x.com/AlyseKilleen
In this episode, James Lavish discusses the potential of bitcoin against the current fragile financial system. He starts by explaining why bitcoin is short the current world and long a new world. James examines how weak leadership can create challenging times and its impact on financial cycles. He explores the next wave of institutional adoption and whether Wall Street still laughs at bitcoin. Emphasizing the need for critical thinking, James questions if excessive economic stimulus actually slows bitcoin adoption. He speculates on bitcoin's potential value, considering $10 trillion, $100 trillion, or $1,000 trillion scenarios. The episode also covers how long he thinks the market can fall and analyzes the national debt, and what it means for America and bitcoin.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:10 Bitcoin—short the current world and long a new one00:05:00 Weak men create hard times00:06:34 Institutional cycle—next wave of adoption?00:15:39 Does Wall Street still laugh at bitcoin?00:20:15 Bitcoin requires critical thinking00:29:38 Does extreme stimulus actually slow bitcoin adoption?00:34:30 What’s the endgame for bitcoin? $10T, $100T, $1,000T+?00:37:50 How long will this market crash last?00:39:35 National debt–something is wrong, but what?00:46:43 Will the transition from a fiat standard to bitcoin standard be smooth?00:48:29 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?00:50:20 What is the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:52:25 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Caitlin Long’s Twitter: https://x.com/jameslavish
In this episode, Caitlin Long analyzes bitcoin businesses under the Biden Administration. She begins with her reasons for building Custodia and the importance of opening banking to all industries. Caitlin critiques the SEC's recent court losses and explores Custodia's efforts to obtain a master account at the Federal Reserve, contrasting Custodia's approach with the Federal Reserve's stance. The discussion moves to Operation Choke Point 2.0, the future of banking, and whether de-banking is a subtle attempt to ban bitcoin and crypto. Caitlin shares her thoughts on the surprise of ETF approvals and the more unknown risks of centralized exchanges. She speculates on the products banks might offer once they enter the bitcoin space and the impact of rehypothecation on bitcoin's price. SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:26 Why did Caitlin build Custodia?00:02:43 Opening banking to all industries00:04:26 SEC continues losing court cases00:05:46 Master account at the Federal Reserve00:11:49 Custodia vs Federal Reserve00:16:13 Operation Choke Point 2.000:21:05 Future of banking?00:22:50 Is de-banking a roundabout way to ban bitcoin and crypto?00:30:38 How surprising were the ETF approvals?00:35:54 Unknown risk of centralized exchanges00:38:50 When banks come what products will they offer?00:43:08 Does rehypothecation affect the price of bitcoin?00:46:37 Banking industry endgame–fractional reserve vs full reserve?00:52:35 Are you surprised Tether never died?00:57:00 What is the biggest risk to bitcoin?01:00:12 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Caitlin Long’s Twitter: https://x.com/CaitlinLong_
In this episode, Brian Brookshire provides a comprehensive analysis of MicroStrategy’s bitcoin acquisition strategy. He begins with his background in fintech product marketing, including experiences at Stanford and in Asia. Brian explores MicroStrategy's use of convertible debt to accumulate more bitcoin per share, evaluating the marginal returns and looking back at the NAV discount in 2022. He discusses the risks of MicroStrategy as a bitcoin yield vehicle, potential new products, and future acquisitions. The conversation compares spot bitcoin to spot MSTR and considers whether other companies will soon follow MicroStrategy's lead. Last, Brian dives into his perspective on the stock-to-flow and power law models.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:11 Brian’s background—Stanford, Asia, and fintech product marketing00:02:49 MSTR’s bitcoin convertible debt strategy00:12:08 Accumulating more bitcoin per share00:15:26 Marginal returns on increasing bitcoin per share?00:18:27 MSTR’s NAV blowing out?00:19:41 MSTR’s NAV discount in 202200:21:50 MSTR as bitcoin yield?00:22:48 MSTR new products and potential future acquisitions00:24:12 Spot bitcoin vs spot MSTR00:25:49 Will other companies finally follow MSTR?00:30:08 S2F, power law, and the models00:32:00 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:34:44 What’s something you believe about bitcoin that many bitcoiners would disagree with?00:35:26 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Brian Brookshire’s Twitter: https://x.com/btc_overflow
In this episode, Nik Bhatia provides a comprehensive analysis of current market conditions, starting with an overview of the macroeconomic landscape and its implications for various assets, including bitcoin. He explores bitcoin's potential performance under different macro scenarios and examines whether broken monetary systems actually hinder bitcoin adoption. The discussion extends to global liquidity trends and their impact on bitcoin, insights into the efficiency of markets, log bitcoin charts, and academic perspectives. Bhatia also identifies potential catalysts for the next wave of bitcoin adoption and debates whether paper bitcoin is suppressing its price.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:57 Macro—where do you see markets right now?00:06:47 How will bitcoin perform in various macro conditions?00:10:56 Does broken money actually slow bitcoin adoption?00:15:12 Global liquidity and bitcoin00:26:10 Efficient markets, log bitcoin chart, and academics00:30:54 Catalyst for next adoption wave00:35:17 Is paper bitcoin suppressing the price?00:45:10 Does bitcoin weaken or strengthen the Dollar over the next decade?00:49:00 What’s it like teaching young people about bitcoin?00:49:51 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?00:50:09 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:50:35 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Nik Bhatia’s Twitter: https://x.com/timevalueofbtc
In this episode, Andrew Bailey, author of Resistance Money, explores the philosophical foundations of bitcoin and its role as resistance money. He discusses the need for resistance in today's socio-economic landscape, who benefits from it, and why he wrote another bitcoin book. Andrew argues for bitcoin's adoption based on more widely held beliefs and examines its value in a censorship-free world. He addresses the role of privacy, bitcoin's future, and the importance of self-custody versus centralized custody. The conversation also covers the ossify versus non-ossify debate, personal reputational risks, its political impact, and its biggest risks.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:24 What is Resistance Money?00:02:17 Andrew’s philosophy background00:04:46 What do people need to resist?00:07:52 Who needs resistance money?00:10:58 Why write another bitcoin book?00:12:38 Arguing for bitcoin from more widely held beliefs00:14:37 Is bitcoin valuable if there is no censorship?00:15:47 How does philosophy help us understand bitcoin?00:19:49 Bitcoin as an alien technology drop00:21:36 What’s the role of privacy and money?00:23:32 Can there be too much privacy?00:27:05 Bitcoin is a new tool in today’s reality00:28:00 Where is bitcoin in a decade?00:31:59 How can we accelerate self-custody adoption?00:33:55 What’s the concern with centralized custody?00:37:35 Ossify vs not ossify fork00:42:56 Risking your reputation talking positively about bitcoin?00:46:23 When will bitcoin become not fringe?00:48:53 How might bitcoin transform politics?00:52:46 Biggest risk to bitcoin?00:55:27 What’s something you believe about bitcoin that many bitcoiners would disagree with?00:56:45 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Andrew Bailey’s Twitter: https://x.com/resistancemoney→ Andrew’s book: https://www.resistance.money
In this episode, former 12x USA national mountain bike champion and Olympian Jeremy HK Nova shares his journey from the trails to bitcoin. He reflects on life lessons, proud achievements, and the evolution of mountain biking globally and in the US. Jeremy discusses his transition from professional racing, discovering bitcoin, and his interest in macroeconomics. He explains why he sold his rental properties for bitcoin and why extreme sports athletes should start embracing bitcoin. The conversation explores exercise science misconceptions, Jeremy's bitcoin pitch to mountain bikers, and bitcoin's impact in El Salvador. Jeremy also talks about his work at Studio Shed, demonetizing real estate, and his unique views on bitcoin. SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:20 Jeremy’s journey into professional mountain biking00:04:20 Mountain biking and life00:05:35 Most proud mountain biking achievement?00:07:10 Various mountain biking disciplines00:08:19 Living in the olympic athlete village00:09:22 How big of a sport is mountain biking?00:10:29 Evolution of professional mountain biking00:12:55 How big is professional mountain biking in the US?00:13:23 Post-professional mountain biking00:16:12 Jeremy discovering bitcoin00:20:06 Why interested in macro, finance, and economics?00:21:45 Selling rental properties for bitcoin00:24:06 Extreme sport athletes earning bitcoin00:26:00 Bitcoin and extreme sports counter culture00:28:36 Exercise science and bitcoin–what else are experts wrong about?00:30:09 Are athletes more likely to have a healthy skepticism?00:30:50 Jeremy’s bitcoin pitch to other mountain bikers00:34:42 Bitcoin in El Salvador00:37:51 Spouses and bitcoin00:41:36 Do other pro athletes earning bitcoin really understand bitcoin?00:42:27 Other pro mountain bikers deep into bitcoin?00:42:50 How else can bitcoin help pro athletes?00:45:35 Jeremy’s day job at Studio Shed00:47:05 Demonetizing real estate00:50:27 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:52:23 What’s something you believe about bitcoin that many bitcoiners would disagree with?00:54:09 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jeremy HK Nova’s Twitter: https://x.com/JeremyHK
In this episode, Ray Kamrath, Chief Commercial Officer of Bakkt, shares his journey from Wall Street to embracing bitcoin. Starting with a light-hearted recount of riding scooters and breaking his arm in Austin, Ray narrates his first encounter with bitcoin and the concept of sound money. He contrasts gold and bitcoin, explains his decision to join Bakkt, and he explores the potential for an institutional driven bull market. Ray offers insights into political interactions with bitcoin, valuation methods, and a potential monetary reset. The discussion also covers collaborative custody, differentiating bitcoin from other cryptocurrencies, and Bakkt's future trajectory.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:20 Who is Ray Kamrath?00:02:38 Riding scooters and breaking arms in Austin00:03:36 Ray first hearing about bitcoin00:07:50 Talking about sound money on Wall Street00:10:37 Gold vs bitcoin00:11:36 Why join Bakkt?00:16:15 An institutional-driven bull market00:22:20 Government and bitcoin00:24:39 How do you value bitcoin?00:27:20 Monetary reset–what does it look like?00:31:30 Which countries will influence the market most?00:38:30 Collaborative custody and a network of keys00:42:18 Bitcoin vs crypto00:45:47 Where is Bakkt in 5 years?00:47:10 Where is bitcoin in 5 years?00:48:54 Passive flows, MSTR, and bitcoin00:50:41 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?00:51:47 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?00:53:59 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Ray Kamrath’s Twitter: https://x.com/Ray_Kamrath→ Bakkt’s Twitter: https://x.com/Bakkt
In this episode, David Marcus, CEO and co-founder of Lightspark, discusses his journey from Facebook to bitcoin and the challenges of integrating Lightning at Coinbase. He explores the pace of bitcoin adoption, differentiates between custodial and non-custodial Lightning services, and addresses the market for goods transactable only over the Lightning network. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on financial services, the future of Visa and Mastercard with bitcoin, and issues with taxes on smaller bitcoin payments.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:35 Founded and exited multiple companies—why so much success?00:02:50 Leaving Facebook to start Lightspark?00:07:03 Telecom and paypal to bitcoin?00:08:19 David’s first touchpoint with bitcoin00:12:26 Adoption occurring faster or slower than you expected?00:15:20 Implementing Lightning at Coinbase00:17:50 What took Coinbase so long to implement Lightning?00:20:30 Transaction fees on L1 and L200:23:05 Is Lightning broken?00:25:55 Custodial Lightning vs non-custodial Lightning00:33:40 Spending bitcoin vs Lightning as payment technology only00:35:19 Concerns with stablecoins on Lightning?00:36:50 Tether’s rapid growth00:38:24 Goods and services only sold over the Lightning network?00:40:17 Future of AI and AI agents00:42:45 Wealth created from AI?00:45:07 Lightspark, Visa, and Mastercard00:47:09 Barriers to break into in person retail payments00:49:50 Will Visa and Mastercard be forced to adopt bitcoin and Lightning?00:50:40 Will taxes always be a hurdle for bitcoin payments?00:51:25 Will the Visa and bank “3% payment fee” eventually go away?00:52:39 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?00:54:44 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin and Lightning?00:56:46 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ David Marcus’s Twitter: https://x.com/davidmarcus→ Lightspark's Twitter: https://x.com/lightspark
In this episode, Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy, explores the implications of states attacking bitcoin and discusses how the U.S. can support bitcoin. He analyzes potential catalysts for the U.S. government buying bitcoin and questions if Nvidia and mega-cap tech are in a bubble. The conversation covers bitcoin’s stability and volatility, the prospect of MicroStrategy in the S&P 500, and when more companies might adopt similar strategies. He also addresses another wave of CPI inflation, Balaji’s $1,000,000 bitcoin prediction, the beliefs of MMTers, and what drives bitcoin cycles. The episode concludes with discussions on bitcoin scaling, contrarian beliefs, risks to bitcoin, and Alex's Unchained and Bitcoin Commons rap.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:52 “Attacking bitcoin will harm america more than bitcoin.”00:04:35 How can America support bitcoin?00:08:15 Catalyst for U.S. government buying bitcoin00:10:08 Is Nvidia and mega cap tech a bubble?00:13:52 Bitcoin’s stability and volatility00:15:42 Microstrategy in S&P 500?00:18:01 When will more companies copy Microstrategy?00:19:37 Different corporate bitcoin strategies00:20:50 When may bitcoin become less volatile?00:26:50 Why do academics and economists still disregard bitcoin?00:28:35 Will bitcoin be obvious in hindsight?00:30:20 Is another wave of CPI inflation coming?00:32:15 Are assets going up regardless of decreasing or increasing rates?00:34:47 Balaji’s $1,000,000 bitcoin prediction in 90 days00:37:26 MMTers—do they believe what they say?00:39:50 What drives bitcoin cycles? Halving, macro or something else?00:42:37 Bitcoin was not just a ZIRP phenomenon00:45:06 S2F and power law models00:47:38 Research at Galaxy00:51:48 Will bitcoin scale on Lightning or a different L2?00:56:20 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners would disagree with?00:57:58 What’s the biggest risk to bitcoin?01:02:42 Alex’s Unchained, Bitcoin Commons, and Joe rap01:04:03 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Alex Thorn’s Twitter: https://x.com/intangiblecoins
In this episode, John Ratcliff, a bitcoin blockchain analytics pioneer and early bitcoin adopter since 2013, explores the extremity of bitcoin scarcity. John shares his extensive background as a game developer and how he initially began to understand bitcoin. He discusses the similarities between early game development and bitcoin's block size limit, as well as the interesting connection between bitcoin and freemasonry. The conversation also covers topics like Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), UFOs, and the mindset needed to analyze the bitcoin blockchain. Listeners will learn John’s perspective on bitcoin price models, the true scarcity of bitcoin, and practical advice for young people incorporating bitcoin into their lives.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:35 John’s background as a game developer and 2013 bitcoiner00:02:57 Did being a video game developer help you understand bitcoin?00:07:38 John’s catalyst to understanding bitcoin00:11:42 Money or markets within video games00:13:05 Resource constraints in bitcoin and early game development00:19:39 Bitcoin video games00:20:17 You’re a freemason–what is a freemason?00:23:29 Bitcoin and freemasons00:27:19 Do MMTers actually believe what they say?00:29:26 UFOs, aliens, and open mindedness00:34:30 Analyzing the bitcoin blockchain00:51:00 How scarce is bitcoin01:05:18 Bitcoin price models—S2F and power law01:06:16 Advice for young people making bitcoin a part of their life01:14:20 Something you believe that most holders of bitcoin would disagree?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ John Ratcliff’s Twitter: https://x.com/jratcliff
In this episode, Christopher David, a self-taught software engineer with two decades of experience, dives into the future of AI and bitcoin. Christopher offers his expert analysis on OpenAI's GPT-4o model release, the evolving dynamics between humans and AI, and the pivotal question of whether AI will replace or create millions of jobs. He also examines the future landscape of closed-source versus open-source models, the innovative ways software engineers are leveraging LLMs, and the potential arrival of AGI.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:35 Christopher’s software and bitcoin background00:02:47 Thoughts on Open AI GPT-4o?00:07:00 Is technology actually accelerating?00:13:08 Will we use AI as a personal assistant or as autonomous agents?00:19:18 What is AGI? When will we see AGI?00:24:30 How will humans continue to interact with AI models?00:28:14 Will AI replace or create jobs?00:31:20 AI models and software engineering00:36:14 Will open source models keep pace with closed source models?00:38:13 One big AGI model or many niche models?00:41:22 How does bitcoin fit into the future of AI?00:43:05 What is OpenAgents?00:45:53 What is an AI agent?00:49:22 Does AI destroy moats around SaaS companies?00:51:23 Are we approaching a technological singularity?00:52:53 Is AI a centralizing or decentralizing technology?00:53:58 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Christopher David’s Twitter: https://x.com/AtlantisPleb
In this episode, Bitstein discusses critical aspects of bitcoin's history. We begin with an analysis of the 2015-2017 blocksize war and its implications. Bitstein offers insights on potential future bitcoin fork wars and whether he would ever support any future hard forks. We explore bitcoin's antifragility and why institutions like the Mises Institute haven't fully embraced it. Bitstein also outlines the long-term vision of the Nakamoto Institute. We then examine stock-to-flow and power law models to understand bitcoin’s “boundless” total addressable market (TAM).SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:36 2015-2017 blocksize war00:21:21 Will there be future bitcoin fork wars?00:27:27 Will Bitstein ever choose a future hardfork?00:32:34 Antifragility of bitcoin00:43:25 Why is the Mises Institute not a massive bitcoin proponent?00:48:00 Nakamoto institute—long term vision?00:58:26 Supporting the Nakamoto Institute01:00:43 S2F and power law models01:07:39 Bitcoin’s total addressable market?01:12:22 Closing thoughtsSUPPORTING LINKS:Nakamoto Institute: https://nakamotoinstitute.org/Support the Nakamoto Institute: https://nakamotoinstitute.org/get-involved/ Donate to the Nakamoto Institute: https://nakamotoinstitute.org/donate/ Contact the Nakamoto Institute: https://nakamotoinstitute.org/contact/ WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Bitstein’s Twitter: https://x.com/bitstein
In this episode, Matt McClintock shares his expertise on managing thousands of bitcoins for ultra-wealthy clients. He discusses the differences between early bitcoin pioneers from 2010 and existing ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) buying bitcoin, the burning questions ultra high net worth bitcoin holders ask, and how bitcoin is transforming wealth inheritance. Matt dives into trust durations, jurisdictions, and tax strategies, revealing whether these UHNWIs are still buying bitcoin or diversifying and shifting to “ethical” investments. We also look at bitcoin's future in the US, the timing of ETF approvals, its total addressable market, and the surprising number of early ultra-wealthy adopters.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:30 Matt’s background: Helping people hold thousands of bitcoins00:04:55 Early bitcoiners vs. existing UHNWIs00:09:47 Key questions from ultra-wealthy bitcoiners00:12:58 Inheriting traditional assets vs. bitcoin00:19:22 Trust duration and jurisdictions00:25:06 Trust endings and tax implications00:29:30 Do ultra-wealthy bitcoiners still buy bitcoin?00:34:44 Wealthy investing in moral good vs. returns00:38:49 How will the US and bitcoin evolve together?00:43:25 Timing of ETF approvals00:47:00 Bitcoin’s total addressable market00:50:40 Surprised by ultra-wealthy early adopters?00:53:50 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Matt McClintock’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcclintock_m Connect with Matt McClintock and The Bespoke Group: →  Website: https://bespokegroup.io/→  Matt’s X: [https://x.com/mcclintock_m →  Company X: https://x.com/BespokeGroupCO→  Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmcclintock/→  Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bespoke-service-company-llc/
In this episode, Dr. Jeff Ross shares insights on current macroeconomic trends, including the Federal Reserve's reconsideration of rate cuts, increased market volatility over the past month, and unexpectedly high inflation rates. He discusses the power law model, drawing comparisons with patterns observed during his medical career as a physician and radiologist. Dr. Jeff also explores strategies for constructing the optimal portfolio in 2024 and in the future under a bitcoin standard.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:33 Macro—fed walking back rate cuts, VIX high, hot inflation00:06:55 S2F and power law—where will bitcoin go this cycle?00:17:49 Best performing hedge fund of 202400:20:57 Bitcoin, MSTR, miners, and options?00:26:53 Changing the geopolitical world order00:33:00 What’s the optimal bitcoin allocation?00:37:36 Is there anyone that should not buy bitcoin?00:39:13 Will investment management get less or more important?00:40:32 ETF, exchange, or self custody?00:42:41 Will financial advisors play a role in private key management?00:45:32 Future of bitcoin custody00:48:28 Are passive index funds useful on a bitcoin standard?00:51:37 Optimal portfolio allocation on a bitcoin standard00:53:15 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Dr. Jeff Ross’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/VailshireCap
In this episode, we explore bitcoin skepticism, focusing on topics such as hashrate volatility, potential miner attacks, and Michael Saylor's perspective on bitcoin. Micah provides insights from his bitcoin textbook and uses a chalkboard to clearly illustrate his views on the future of the bitcoin mining industry. We dive into significant issues like transaction censoring and miner collusion, and discuss the potential future risks to bitcoin's cryptographic security.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:15 Who are you and when did you start thinking about bitcoin?00:14:30 What do people think about your bitcoin textbook?00:15:45 Do you own bitcoin?00:16:38 Do you want bitcoin to succeed?00:19:55 Is saving bad?00:20:44 Rent seeking?00:21:45 Could bitcoin’s hashrate be highly volatile?00:27:38 What’s the tipping point of hashrate volatility?00:30:17 Is this hashrate volatility a problem?00:31:20 Attacking bitcoin00:35:20 What are the attacks miners might do?00:39:35 When do you think this type of attack may occur?00:43:24 MARA transaction censoring failed00:44:24 What’s the tipping point for miner collusion?00:45:55 We’ve already seen miner capitulation00:47:30 Bitcoin price vs value?00:48:00 Will the price of bitcoin keep going up?00:48:16 Thoughts on Michael Saylor?00:50:13 Any risk of cryptography breaking?00:51:40 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Micah Warren’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AchimWar
In this episode, we compare common hardware wallets with SeedSigner, a DIY bitcoin hardware wallet. We explore the reasons behind building SeedSigner, the process of securely generating seeds, and the considerations for holding a private key on hot devices like an iPhone or cold devices like a Trezor, Ledger, or Coldcard. We also discuss the evolution of bitcoin custody over the last decade, the risks associated with using common hardware like Raspberry Pi, and the advantages of multisig versus singlesig setups.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:25 What is SeedSigner?00:02:05 Why build SeedSigner?00:05:44 Holding a private key on an iPhone?00:06:33 Building a SeedSigner device00:08:16 Why call it a “signing device?”00:10:45 Generating seeds securely00:12:33 Good security vs extreme paranoia00:17:05 How has bitcoin custody evolved over the last 10 years?00:25:42 How to securely buy hardware?00:30:45 Are there risks to using a raspberry pi for bitcoin private keys?00:32:58 Multisig vs singlesig00:39:10 DIY multisig vs collaborative custody multisig00:40:53 Using different hardware devices for different seeds00:44:54 Future of bitcoin custody in 10-20 years00:50:00 New SeedSigner features?00:52:41 New to multisig and using SeedSigner?00:56:30 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ SeedSigner’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeedSigner
In this episode, Fred Krueger reflects on his initial experience of purchasing bitcoin on Mt. Gox and subsequently selling it on Mt. Gox. He dives into detailed explanations of both the Stock-to-Flow (S2F) and power law models, offering his insights on whether the bitcoin power law model should be regarded as a mathematical law or just a pattern. Finally, he discusses potential factors that could disrupt the power law model and addresses the notion proposed by Michael Saylor that all models are broken.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:20 Fred’s background preparing him for bitcoin00:04:17 Fred buying bitcoin on Mt. Gox00:06:37 Bitcoin as a pet rock with no cash flow00:10:57 S2F and Power law models00:23:03 ETH trending to 000:25:17 Power law—mathematical law or pattern?00:40:16 Extreme bear markets00:41:50 Using bitcoin and bitcoin custody00:47:50 How would the power law model break?01:01:09 Will all the models break?01:07:01 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Fred Krueger’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/dotkrueger
In this episode, Bryan Jacoutot dives into the process leading to the approval of a bitcoin ETF, comparing this journey with the potential pathway for an Ethereum ETF to receive approval. He touches on the Ethereum Foundation investigation, what would happen if ethereum is declared an unregistered security, and how ethereum’s proof of stake consensus mechanism may play a role in the approval process. Last, he suggests what may be the biggest threat to bitcoin and how the United States and bitcoin may evolve together.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:04 Bitcoin ETF approval vs Ethereum ETF approval00:08:27 Reasonable concerns for not approving the bitcoin ETF for years?00:13:56 What happens if ETH is declared an unregistered security?00:18:24 Proof of Work vs Proof of Stake—commodity vs security00:26:40 Was ETH not declared an unregistered security because it went up so much?00:31:50 Security vs commodity? Truly binary?00:36:36 Slashing in PoS and ETFs00:38:38 Forks and ETFs00:40:34 Biggest threat to bitcoin?00:46:00 Bitcoin’s role in presidential and local elections00:49:00 Will bitcoin bear markets eventually cause financial system instability?00:50:52 United States and bitcoin—freedom values00:54:15 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Bryan Jacoutot’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BryanJacoutot
In this episode, Allen Farrington breaks down the “deflation is bad” narrative in economics. He explains why the deflation paranoia is wrong and what growth may look like under a bitcoin standard. Allen also thinks about how an index like the S&P 500 may perform under a bitcoin standard and he explains his DLCVM paper on bitcoin scaling in detail.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:04 Is deflation a bad thing?00:11:04 Is there malintent behind “deflation = bad”?00:17:10 Deflation worries are wrong00:23:10 Growth under a bitcoin standard?00:25:46 Your wealth is melting in BTC00:28:32 S&P 500 under a bitcoin standard00:32:52 Company lifecycle under a bitcoin standard00:37:36 Building decentralized markets on bitcoin00:42:53 DLCVM - perfectly scaling bitcoin00:52:14 Are you a technical, political, or economic thinker?00:54:27 Allen Farrington podcast?00:56:53 What’s something you believe that most bitcoiners disagree with?01:01:12 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Allen Farrington’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/allenf32
In this episode, we sit down with Will Reeves to discuss his perspective on what bitcoin scaling will look like in 2026, how there may be future unknown scaling solutions we cannot even comprehend today, the risks to bitcoin failing to scale further, altcoin speculation and unit bias, and the future of Fold in 5 years.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:22 Scaling bitcoin in 2026?00:06:49 Unknown futuristic scaling solutions?00:08:32 Failure to scale scenario?00:10:30 Risk that people get comfortable with centralized custodians?00:13:40 BlackRock bitcoin fork00:16:09 It was good an ETF was not approved in 201300:16:40 Will altcoins ever die?00:22:45 Unit bias—bitcoin vs altcoins00:24:51 Treating sats rewards differently?00:28:44 Sat flows vs HODL’d bitcoin 00:32:32 Future of fiat payments companies?00:34:27 Unstoppable payments00:39:09 Where is Fold in 5 years?00:41:52 Why are so many people passionate about Fold?00:43:16 Rapid fire Fold questions from the audience00:47:47 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Will’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/wlrvs
In this episode, we sit down with Giovanni Santostasi who created the bitcoin power law model. Giovanni explains what power laws are and why they are common in physics and nature. He then expounds on his bitcoin power law model in detail, why there are cycles within the model, and how the model could potentially break in the future.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:15 Physics and bitcoin00:25:35 Power law model00:38:23 Bubbles and cycles in the model01:08:35 How would the model break?01:16:29 Will the market front run the power law model?01:26:49 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Giovanni’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Giovann35084111→ Giovanni's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ScaleInvariant→ Bitposeidon: https://bitposeidon.com/
In this episode, we sit down with Haris Basit, Chief Strategy Officer at Bitdeer (NASDAQ: BTDR) to talk about a massive potential Bitcoin ASIC breakthrough that could severely disrupt the entire bitcoin mining industry. Haris has been involved with bitcoin ASIC development since 2014, and he has a deep background in semiconductor physics. SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:09 Background in semiconductor industry00:03:12 Semiconductor physics00:07:13 Developing bitcoin ASICs in 201400:08:14 Bitcoin ASICs vs other chips00:11:36 Ordering wafers from TSMC00:13:32 Chip fabs around the world00:16:30 Bitdeer vs Bitmain?00:17:40 Designing and simulating chips00:20:35 Bitdeer and Jihan Wu00:24:44 Designing the most efficient bitcoin ASIC00:26:40 Future ASIC breakthroughs?00:32:02 Hurdles to building more chip fabs?00:37:24 Mega bitcoin mining farms?00:38:31 AI and bitcoin mining interacting00:41:04 2024 halving00:43:55 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Shell to discuss the two major ongoing wealth transfers—bitcoin and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Bobby discusses his history growing a number of SMBs, and he explains how bitcoin holders may be well positioned to begin operating a small-medium business with their newfound wealth. Last, we discuss the impact of bitcoin on corporations, SMBs, and the individual, and how a bitcoin standard will likely lead to more localized entrepreneurial activity and fewer mega-corporations.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:10 Bobby’s history helping build SMBs and Voltage00:03:33 Two major wealth transfers—bitcoin and SMBs00:07:45 Bitcoin holders acquiring SMBs00:12:16 Buying bitcoin vs buying an SMB00:16:24 Holding bitcoin and using SBA loans00:19:25 Which SMB to build?00:21:11 Private equity rolling up local businesses00:25:00 Entrepreneurship from early wealthy bitcoiners00:28:26 AI and new technology in SMBs00:30:34 Will bitcoin create more opportunities for local entrepreneurs?00:40:25 Does bitcoin bring power from the corporation back to the individual?00:47:45 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Bobby Shell’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/iBobbyShell→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, we sit down with Lyn Alden for an in-depth discussion on her recent presentation at Princeton, evaluating the thresholds at which the academic community might recognize bitcoin's legitimacy in terms of its market valuation or size. We explore if the ETFs have the potential to amplify a potential bull run, and we get her thoughts on self-custody vs ETFs. Last, we explore her opinion on various bitcoin price models and what may mark the top of this coming cycle.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:20 Explaining bitcoin at Princeton00:07:58 What size bitcoin will academics take bitcoin seriously?00:12:03 Surprises in your book, Broken Money?00:15:15 First month of bitcoin ETF results00:19:31 ETFs amplifying the bull run?00:21:40 Muted 2021 high?00:22:59 Could the ETFs capture bitcoin?00:30:00 Self-custody vs ETF? 00:37:54 How big of an impact will the halving have?00:40:03 Halving vs macro liquidity cycle?00:42:50 S2F model, power law model, and price models00:44:40 Where is the next cycle top?00:47:05 Will “crypto” gambling ever die?00:49:36 Buying bitcoin vs bitcoin startups00:52:37 What’s a good bitcoin startup?00:55:04 How could bitcoin fail?00:57:40 Closing thoughts, Broken Money, and Ego DeathWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Lyn Alden’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynAldenContact→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Buy Lyn’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Money-Financial-System-Failing/dp/B0CG83QBJ6/
In this episode, Joe Burnett sits down with Asher Genoot, CEO of Hut 8, and Sue Ennis, Head of Investor Relations at Hut 8. They discuss the groundbreaking merger between Hut 8 and US Bitcoin Corp, marking the largest bitcoin mining merger in history. The conversation also covers the impact of ETF approval on Hut, the strategic shift towards diversifying beyond bitcoin mining, and the anticipation surrounding the upcoming bitcoin halving. Additionally, they tackle the implications of J Capital's short report, the future of mining site sizes as the block subsidy decreases, and the potential role of miners in the energy sector.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:03 Background—getting into bitcoin mining00:06:12 Hut 8 <> US Bitcoin Merger00:11:00 How has the ETF approval changed Hut?00:12:56 Why diversify out of bitcoin mining?00:17:12 Halving in ~2 months, excited or concerned00:20:19 Monitor mining competitors00:26:12 Will there be another boom bust cycle?00:33:37 J Capital’s short report00:39:30 Block subsidy trending to 0—future size of mining sites?00:47:53 Will miners become a substantial part of energy grids?00:49:46 What excites you over the next 2-3 years?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Sue Ennis’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigsuey→ Asher Genoot’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashergenoot→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, James discusses why he started analyzing bitcoin ETF approvals and net-flows. He explains why bitcoin ETFs were denied for so long, how they got approved in 2024, and how individuals should consider holding real bitcoin vs holding an ETF. We cover the SEC X account hack and other surprises since the ETFs began trading. We even contrast the gold ETFs with the bitcoin ETFs, and discuss what may be the end game of GBTC.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:20 Bloomberg and bitcoin00:05:31 Did you think a bitcoin ETF would be approved before 2024?00:07:47 Why was it denied for so long?00:10:33 Will bitcoin play a role in the 2024 election?00:11:43 Hold your own keys or the ETF?00:19:15 Will ETFs mute bitcoin’s volatility?00:21:58 How do you value bitcoin?00:26:58 SEC Twitter account hack00:30:16 Surprises since ETF approvals?00:33:31 End game of GBTC?00:37:15 Can ETFs increase their fees?00:40:34 Gold ETF vs bitcoin ETFs00:46:47 Can the gold market be manipulated via ETFs or futures?00:49:44 What do most not understand about the bitcoin ETFs?00:55:16 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → James Seyffart’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSeyff→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Andrew Myers shares his vision of bitcoin revolutionizing global power markets by making them more permissionless and efficient. He explains why entrepreneurship could become easier under a bitcoin standard, evaluates the sustainability of mega mining farms (100+ MW), and looks into the future of global energy production in relation to bitcoin miners.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:40 Permissionless Power Markets00:06:19 Entrepreneurship under a bitcoin standard00:08:25 Bitcoin adoption in the energy sector00:13:57 Credit worthiness of bitcoin miners00:16:30 Are mega mining farms (100MW+) sustainable?00:18:17 Will bitcoin lead to the development of new energy technologies?00:20:07 Will the world continue to produce exponentially more energy?00:22:27 Bitcoin mining and geopolitics00:24:22 Will countries that embrace bitcoin have a massive advantage?00:26:55 How will bitcoin change power prices?00:30:54 “Who will build the roads (transmission lines)?”00:41:04 Will bitcoin create sovereign self-sufficient communities?00:42:19 Block subsidy trending toward 000:46:01 Merging of the mining and energy industries?00:47:47 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Andrew Myer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/acmyers→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Drew D’Agostino talks about how the banking system collapses of last year inspired him to bring his 30 employee SaaS company onto a bitcoin standard by adding bitcoin into its treasury and using bitcoin as a tool to make better decisions. Drew’s SaaS company is in the AI industry, so he also touches on the current state of the AI hype cycle and his outlook on the true speed of technology innovation and growth.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:57 Who are you?00:03:25 How did you get into bitcoin?00:08:57 Putting bitcoin on your SaaS company’s balance sheet00:15:29 Board and Employee’s reaction to bitcoin on balance sheet00:20:33 Is bitcoin changing company culture?00:26:46 Bitcoin raises the bar for any investment00:29:00 What happens as the world adopts bitcoin?00:31:47 Bitcoin as a long term or short term benchmark00:37:18 Has bitcoin influenced your products or services?00:39:49 What do you think about the current state of AI?00:45:28 AI deflationary or inflationary?00:48:49 AI cycles vs bitcoin cycles00:56:08 AGI and the singularity?00:58:50 Bitcoin may bring innovation back to the physical worldWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Drew D’Agostino’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrewDAgostino→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Peter and Luke explain why they think $1,000,000 bitcoin is both early and optimistic for the world. They review humanity’s technological progress and discuss why bitcoin is a paradigm shift when it comes to our ability to save and store wealth into the future. Last, they touch on the ETF approval and how it compares to self-custodied bitcoin.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:35 What are the implications of humanity discovering bitcoin?00:08:06 How do you value bitcoin?00:17:48 Comprehending rapid technological innovation00:25:00 Perfect scarcity clashing with real world abundance00:29:22 ETF is approved, now what?00:38:53 93% of all bitcoin has already been mined00:44:03 Will bitcoin cycles continue?00:47:12 ETF vs Self-custody00:59:17 Saving bitcoin for centuries: Inheritance and Trusts 01:08:12 Accelerating adoption and closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Peter Dunworth’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterBTCAdviser→ Talk to Luke to set-up a multisig vault: https://calendly.com/luke-btc-advisor/the-bitcoin-adviser-initial-consultation?month=2024-01→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Will talks about potential major catalysts for bitcoin payments, why businesses will ultimately demand payment in bitcoin, society’s trend towards more and more financial censorship, building bitcoin products, and sci-fi books.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:00 What are you working on now?00:05:25 Is the timing right for Zaprite (bitcoin payments)?00:08:16 Next catalyst for bitcoin payments?00:12:29 Will Saylor accept bitcoin at Microstrategy?00:14:10 Dentists accepting bitcoin00:17:10 Would accepting bitcoin payments become a viral feedback loop?00:20:05 Discounts for paying in bitcoin?00:23:48 3% credit card fees are restaurants and small businesses00:28:07 Is bitcoin our best tool to stop financial censorship? 00:34:44 Online or brick and mortar more likely to accept bitcoin first?00:36:58 What will happen to credit card companies?00:42:39 How is building on bitcoin different from building other software?00:59:21 Low time preference to building bitcoin products?01:07:00 What’s required to build good bitcoin products?01:08:54 What’s your favorite sci-fi book and why?01:10:49 Does bitcoin feel like we’re living in a sci-fi book?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Will Cole’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/willcole→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Jimmy Song dives into bitcoin derangement syndrome, his expectations for the speed of bitcoin adoption, how much more productive the world would be under a bitcoin standard, his experience visiting Argentina and more.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:19 Bitcoin derangement syndrome00:09:54 Has bitcoin adoption happened faster or slower than you expected?00:16:09 Did you expect extreme cycle volatility?00:19:38 Do people still think you’re crazy in regards to bitcoin? 00:23:21 How would corporate culture change under a bitcoin standard?00:28:50 How much more productive would the world be without rent seekers?00:41:37 Of the books you’ve written, which is your favorite?00:44:04 What was your experience in Argentina? Javier Melei?00:54:00 What will be the next surprise in global bitcoin adoption?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Jimmy Song’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmysong→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Parker Lewis dives into why his bitcoin is not a hedge presentation was so successful, how he wrote Gradually, Then Suddenly, and the odds of bitcoin and the Dollar coexisting. He addresses common misconceptions, reflects on the evolution of his own writings about bitcoin, and explores why there’s nothing more American than bitcoin and nothing more un-American than the Dollar.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:51 “Bitcoin is not a hedge” presentation hits 250,000+ views00:05:46 Presentation criticism - what is “printing” money?00:08:44 Macro investors and bitcoin00:10:31 What’s the best way to explain bitcoin?00:19:17 Will bitcoin leave people behind?00:21:07 Why write a book?00:26:15 We’re probably not wrong about bitcoin.00:31:08 Which essay did you need to update most?00:34:08 Ordering your essays in the book00:37:55 Objections to bitcoin are answered in Gradually Then Suddenly00:39:30 Still reading Federal Reserve transcripts?00:45:04 Do most people know the Dollar is designed to debase forever?00:47:15 Unexpected symptoms of broken money?00:50:44 Banning bitcoin00:59:06 Will bitcoin and the dollar co-exist?01:01:30 There’s nothing more American than bitcoin01:07:34 What’s exciting about bitcoin payments?01:13:04 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Parker Lewis’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/parkeralewis→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Matt Pirkowski dives into the complex relationship between information, money, and technology. He offers thought-provoking insights on the evolving landscape of bitcoin and its impact on the global financial system and humanity. The discussion traverses various topics, including the philosophical aspects of order and chaos in economics and a deep analysis of proof of work and proof of stake. Pirkowski's expertise shines through as he navigates these intricate subjects with a unique perspective and extreme depth.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:00:53 What’s your background?00:04:08 “Order to chaos” and “chaos to order”00:06:15 What is money?00:19:55 Can there be more than one money?00:27:30 Proof of Work vs Proof of Stake00:38:57 Is Ethereum’s future uncertain?00:43:20 Hold bitcoin for ethereum for the next 10 years?00:47:40 Self custody in complex systems00:53:24 What happens as the world adopts bitcoin?01:01:44 8 billion people connected at light speed01:09:16 Is social media dangerous?01:15:38 Closing thoughtsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Matthew Pirkowski’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattPirkowski→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this podcast episode, Matt Schultz, co-founder and executive chairman of CleanSpark, a leading public bitcoin miner, discusses JP Morgan initiating coverage on the top bitcoin miners. He shares insights on challenges faced while building a top bitcoin mining operation and CleanSpark's strategy in transitioning from selling to holding bitcoin. Schultz also dives into the company's approach to financing projects, particularly in relation to leveraging debt amid bitcoin's volatility, and offers his perspective on the potential impact of a bitcoin ETF approval. The conversation further explores CleanSpark's decision to build infrastructure in Georgia, predictions for the mining industry's growth, and thoughts on the 2024 Bitcoin halving and its possible effects on the market.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:00:53 Who are you and what do you do at CleanSpark?00:04:03 What does the world not understand about mining?00:08:00 15,000 miners in Washington, Georgia00:09:22 JP Morgan initiating coverage on bitcoin miners00:13:05 Institutional investors in bitcoin miners00:15:28 What’s hard about building a mining company?00:21:22 If you were not in bitcoin mining, what would you be doing?00:22:30 Financing and growing CleanSpark with debt or equity?00:25:20 Will we see another wave of greed and leverage in the next cycle?00:30:30 Will CleanSpark buy distressed halving capitulation assets?00:32:35 How big of a catalyst will the ETF be?00:35:17 Will energy and mining companies consolidate?00:37:00 What’s hard for regulators and Wall Street to grasp about bitcoin mining?00:38:38 How fast can hashrate double?00:42:28 AI competing with mining infrastructure00:43:01 Why build mining infrastructure in Georgia?00:47:51 CleanSpark expanding internationally?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Matthew Schultz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/smatthewschultz→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
Begin your journey of understanding Satoshi's key innovation in the first article in the series, available as a free 28-page PDF. You can download it right now: https://unchained.com/go/how-did-satoshi-think-of-bitcoin?utm_source=transitor&utm_campaign=hdstofIn this episode, Dhruv Bansal dives into the complexities of bitcoin, starting with an exploration of why a sound monetary policy was required to successfully build bitcoin. He questions whether Satoshi Nakamoto's approach to bitcoin's supply distribution was optimal, highlighting bitcoin's unique market dynamics. The discussion then shifts to the intriguing possibility of the internet eventually running on bitcoin, and the challenges of building decentralized markets on social media and computer security. The episode wraps up with a thought-provoking segment on artificial intelligence, piracy, and the role of decentralized systems dismantling intellectual property.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:02:34 What have you been working on?00:08:49 21 million solved the double spend problem00:18:39 Did Satoshi find the optimal supply distribution time cadence?00:20:45 Bitcoin is a market00:33:04 Will the internet run on bitcoin?00:44:49 Building decentralized markets on social media and computer security01:08:00 AI, piracy, intellectual property and decentralized systemsWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Dhruv Bansal’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhruvbansal→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Gary Cardone talks about the importance of not being a slave to money, the journey of building a successful payments chargeback company, and the evolving role of open networks like bitcoin and the impact it may have on traditional payment systems like Visa and Mastercard.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:16 Who is Gary Cardone?00:05:12 Why get into nat gas and payment industries?00:15:17 Don’t become a slave to money00:17:40 Will early bitcoin holders struggle with too much wealth?00:20:10 Is self custody actually the future?00:28:15 Cardone Digital Ventures and outperforming bitcoin00:32:17 What was your bitcoin tipping point?00:38:28 Visa and Mastercard vs bitcoin00:47:00 What excites you the most about bitcoin?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Gary Cardone’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaryCardone→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Colin Harper sheds light on the surprising insight that 10% - 20% of the total network hashrate still resides in China, despite the ban on mining. He dives into the intricacies of bitcoin mining, discussing the 2024 halving's impact, block space demand from ordinals, the global flows of bitcoin ASICs, and the environmental myths surrounding bitcoin.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:02:34 2024 Halving and miner capitulation00:12:10 Will miners over use leverage again in the next bull market?00:16:24 Did the China mining ban pause the 2021 bull run?00:20:06 Hashrate derivatives?00:28:06 Ordinals and block space00:36:23 Time preference of block space usage00:40:00 Global flows of bitcoin ASICs00:44:53 Finding inexpensive energy in the US00:51:15 Bitcoiners don’t actually hate the environment00:54:27 Sovereign energy production00:57:40 Is there still bitcoin mining in China?01:01:18 Where do you see bitcoin and mining in 10-20 years?01:05:18 Fiat is the experiment, not bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Colin Harper’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AsILayHodling→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this podcast, Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming addresses the U.S. national debt as a major national security threat and explores solutions and consequences of failing to address it. She assesses the feasibility of balancing the national budget and discusses the importance of Americans' rights to self-custody Bitcoin. The conversation focuses on the U.S.'s future approach to Bitcoin, its growing acceptance in the Senate, and its potential impact on the global financial system and the U.S. Dollar. Senator Lummis also examines the tax challenges associated with Bitcoin payments and the likelihood of legislation introducing a de minimis tax exemption for small transactions.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:07 How to fix the $33T national debt?00:05:27 What happens if we don't fix it?00:08:10 Should self custody be a protected right for all Americans?00:12:07 Is balancing the budget even possible?00:14:04 How should the US approach bitcoin over the next 10 years?00:16:40 Are other senators truly grasping bitcoin?00:20:59 How will bitcoin and the dollar evolve together?00:23:46 Bitcoin payments and a de minimis rule00:25:24 Bitcoin and America are going to winWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Senator Lummis’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/SenLummis→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Max Gagliardi, an expert in the energy industry, shares his journey into the sector and discusses its misunderstood aspects, inefficiencies, and potential for innovation. He evaluates different energy models, including ERCOT and the national grid, and the challenges in energy development. Gagliardi also explores the future of energy breakthroughs, the feasibility of modular nuclear reactors, and the historical significance of energy in civilizations. He addresses the dynamics of renewable energy, oil prices, and the influence of bitcoin mining on the energy industry. Finally, Gagliardi shares his personal interests in tech, real estate, and energy investments.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:22 Max in the energy industry00:05:57 What's one surprising fact about energy?00:11:25 Oil and mineral property rights00:14:10 Where are the inefficiencies?00:19:20 Future energy disruption or innovation?00:23:58 Renewables benefiting China?00:27:36 Understanding energy grids00:29:29 Upcoming energy breakthroughs00:31:25 Civilization, energy, and money00:36:34 Bitcoin mining and energy00:39:24 Energy executives and bitcoin mining00:42:42 How are miners thinking about the 2024 halving?00:47:30 Hashrate trending up relentlessly00:52:00 What's interesting outside of bitcoin?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Max Gagliardi’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/max_gagliardi → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Pierre Rochard revisits his foundational experience with the Nakamoto Institute and its influence on bitcoin philosophy, including "Hyperbitcoinization" and "Speculative Attack." Rochard recounts his transition from an accountant to software engineer to product manager at Kraken, emphasizing the importance of the 'don’t trust, verify' approach in his work. He tackles common bitcoin misconceptions, the New York Times environmental impact controversy, and the future of Bitcoin mining amidst halving block rewards. Rochard critically assesses the Stock-to-Flow concept and shares his bullish outlook for bitcoin.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:22 The Nakamoto Institute and speculative attacks00:07:03 Why are we not seeing more speculative attacks?00:13:42 Auditing Everything00:18:29 Building bitcoin products00:22:02 What are we wrong about?00:24:04 Auditing bitcoin miners emitting CO200:31:20 2024 halving from a miner’s perspective00:39:40 Auditing the S2F model and concept00:44:56 Auditing Artificial IntelligenceWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Pierre Rochard’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BitcoinPierre → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this episode, Peter St Onge shares his journey from obtaining a PhD in economics to embracing bitcoin. Peter discusses the current state of academia, the perceptions of freedom and bitcoin among professors at top universities, and whether the existing education system is broken. We explore the viability of bitcoin as a solution to the problems in academia, the challenges facing Austrian economists in adopting bitcoin, and the position of the Mises Institute. Peter also sheds light on the popularity of his videos and his vision for the future of bitcoin.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family on social media→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:32 Why a PhD in economics?00:08:00 Current state of academia and top universities00:19:58 Why do anti-bitcoin austrians still exist?00:22:48 Peter’s viral videos00:27:04 What’s the solution to broken government?00:30:47 Will bitcoin defund corruption?00:38:35 2033 and beyondWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Peter St Onge’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/profstonge → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
In this pioneering episode of The Bitcoin Frontier Podcast, we are joined by Tuur Demeester, who walks us through his extensive journey navigating bitcoin’s highs and lows of each halving epoch. Tuur shares his insights on the intriguing connection between demographics and bitcoin popularity, the global impact of movements like Oliver Anthony and Milei, and what the future holds for bitcoin in the 2024 US presidential election. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation that delves into the complexities of bitcoin and the political landscape.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show out with your friends and family on social media→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.comTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Intro00:01:11 Tuur’s journey on the bitcoin frontier00:08:10 What have you been wrong about?00:11:06 Rich men north of richmond00:16:20 Appalachia and bitcoin00:26:44 Milei’s rise in Argentina00:37:20 Bitcoin fever is spreading00:41:21 Is there another fever like bitcoin fever?WHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Tuur Demeester’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TuurDemeester → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
Welcome to the Bitcoin Frontier podcast presented by Unchained and hosted by your very own Joe Burnett.This series explores intersections between Bitcoin and other fields like AI, economics, sports, engineering, science, health, etc. Our goal is to educate and connect these diverse areas with Bitcoin. Buckle up, listeners, the Bitcoin Frontier waits, and the journey promises to be nothing short of exhilarating.