What Bitcoin Did - podcast cover

What Bitcoin Did

Danny Knowleswww.whatbitcoindid.com
What Bitcoin Did unpacks Bitcoin’s role in reshaping money, freedom, and the future of finance.

Episodes

Strategy's Trillion Dollar Bitcoin Bet | Jeff Walton

Jeff Walton is a financial analyst, a former reinsurance broker and the Founder of True North. In this episode, we break down the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies, why Strategy is playing an entirely different game, and how Saylor’s new financial instruments are creating a Bitcoin-native yield curve. We also discuss how these instruments could absorb trillions from the fixed income market and what that means for Bitcoin’s long-term price floor. We get into the risks of corporate treasury model...

Jun 26, 20251 hr 20 min

Inflation, War & $475K Bitcoin w/ Jeff Ross

Jeff Ross is a macroeconomist, bitcoiner and Founder & CEO of Vailshire Capital Management. In this episode, we discuss why Jeff believes we're entering a new inflationary era that echoes the 1970s, why global capital is rotating out of U.S. assets, and how this sets up Bitcoin and gold for massive outperformance & why he thinks the next Bitcoin cycle could peak in late 2025. We also get into the risks of corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies, the geopolitical impact of war on markets, a...

Jun 24, 20251 hr 5 min

Hyperbitcoinisation by 2032? | Erin Redwing

Erin Redwing is a former astronomer turned astrologer and the host of the Hell Money podcast. In this episode, we discuss how outer planet astrology can offer insights into macroeconomic and civilisational shifts, why Erin believes Bitcoin's 2032 Saturn-Uranus cycle climax is a make-or-break moment, and how the Age of Aquarius provides a framework for decentralisation. We also talk about the natal chart of Bitcoin, why its inception reflects a structural tension between rebellion and order, and ...

Jun 22, 20251 hr 23 min

Is Bitcoin Failing? | Alex Gladstein & Paul Sztorc

Alex Gladstein is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, Paul Sztorc is Founder and CEO of LayerTwoLabs and the creator or Drivechains. In this episode, we discuss whether Bitcoin is falling behind the innovation curve, if Lightning Network has failed as a project, and if privacy models like eCash are a dangerous compromise or a practical necessity. We also get into whether hard forks should be revived as a path for progress, how censorship resistance is being weighed against...

Jun 19, 20251 hr 43 min

Why America Is Winning the Bitcoin Race w/ Sam Wouters

Sam Wouters is the Director of Marketing at River. In this episode, we discuss why the U.S. is emerging as the dominant force in Bitcoin adoption, how proof-of-reserves has evolved in a post-FTX world, and why retail interest in Bitcoin remains muted despite all-time highs. We also discuss how institutional involvement might be both a blessing and a curse, the psychological barriers stopping new retail entrants, the moral responsibility of Bitcoiners to re-engage no-coiners, and what the next ph...

Jun 17, 20251 hr 12 min

The Myth of the Dollar Collapse w/ Joe Carlasare

Joe Carlasare is a Commercial Litigator, a long time Bitcoiner, and macro commentator. In this episode, we discuss the U.S. sovereign debt debate, why the doom loop narrative might be missing the bigger picture, and how rapid advances in AI and automation could unleash a wave of productivity strong enough to reshape the fiscal outlook. Joe argues that the real risk isn’t a collapsing dollar, but instability in the Treasury market - the backbone of the global financial system. We also get into wh...

Jun 11, 20251 hr 21 min

Bitcoin Core, OP_RETURN, & the Fight to Save Our Wallets w/ Matt Corallo

Matt Corallo is an Open Source Engineer at Spiral, a long time Bitcoin Core contributor and Lightning dev. In this episode, we discuss the current state of Lightning: what's finally working, what UX breakthroughs are coming, and why 2024 might be the year lightning delivers. We also get into the risks of U.S. policy treating non-custodial services like custodians, the threat of regulatory capture through KYC mandates, why developers are walking away from the U.S. market, and why the “Save Our Wa...

Jun 09, 20251 hr 10 min

How the State Captures Bitcoin w/ American HODL

American HODL is an OG Bitcoiner. In this episode, we explore how the state may co-opt Bitcoin not by banning it, but by absorbing it into public markets, enabling control through financial instruments like ETFs and convertible bonds. We also get into the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies, why Michael Saylor’s strategy is just the beginning, and the threat of an Executive Order 6102 style attack. We also discuss the moral tradeoffs of financialising Bitcoin and whether self-custody will be puni...

Jun 05, 20251 hr 12 min

The Debt Spiral, Stagflation & Why Bitcoin Wins w/ James Lavish

James Lavish is a macro investor, former hedge fund manager, and managing partner at the Bitcoin Opportunity Fund. In this episode, we explore the fragility of the U.S. bond market, how sovereign credit ratings work, and why the U.S. is now priced by markets as a default risk on par with Greece. We discuss the structural privilege of the dollar as the world reserve currency, why that privilege is under threat, and how the Triffin Dilemma is playing out in real time. We also get into institutiona...

Jun 03, 20251 hr 4 min

ORANGE PILLING WALL STREET W/ Jack Mallers

Jack Mallers is the Founder and CEO of Strike, and the Co-Founder and CEO of 21. In this episode, we discuss the breakdown of the post-WWII monetary order, the consequences of the U.S. exporting dollars, and why the dollar’s global reserve status is becoming a liability rather than a strength. We also get into 21’s plan to take Bitcoin-native principles into the heart of Wall Street, how companies like MicroStrategy and Metaplanet are paving the way for sovereign-grade Bitcoin exposure, and why ...

May 30, 20251 hr 47 min

THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT: BITCOIN, WALL STREET & ENERGY w/ Harry Sudock

Harry Sudock is SVP at CleanSpark, one of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies in the world. In this episode, we explore why Bitcoin mining is reshaping America’s energy landscape, the evolution of corporate Bitcoin strategy, and the game theory behind early adoption by individuals, companies, and nation states. We also get into how companies like MicroStrategy and Metaplanet are unlocking powerful financial leverage through Bitcoin balance sheets, the risks of derivatives-based ...

May 27, 20251 hr 5 min

Is the Fed Losing Control? W/ Matthew Mezinskis

Matthew Mezinskis is a macroeconomic researcher, host of the Crypto Voices podcast and creator of Porkopolis Economics. In this episode, we discuss fractional reserve banking, why it's controversial among Bitcoiners, the historical precedent for banking practices, and whether fractional reserve banking inherently poses systemic risks. We also get into the dangers and instabilities introduced by central banking, and why Bitcoin uniquely offers a pathway to financial sovereignty, the plumbing of t...

May 21, 20251 hr 28 min

The True Cost of the Dollar Empire w/ Lyn Alden

Lyn Alden is a macro analyst, investment strategist and the author of Broken Money. In this episode, we discuss the structural imbalances underpinning the U.S. trade deficit and its link to the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency. We get into the mechanics of capital surpluses, why U.S. treasuries are at the heart of global liquidity, and how foreign ownership of American assets introduces systemic fragility. We also discuss Bitcoin as a neutral reserve asset,, gold and tariffs, Bitco...

May 16, 20251 hr 8 min

The OP_RETURN War: Who Controls Bitcoin w/ Bitcoin Mechanic

Bitcoin Mechanic is the Chief Boiling Officer at OCEAN. In this episode, we dive deep into the battle over OP_RETURN and Bitcoin node policy. Mechanic explains why arbitrary data like inscriptions and JPEGs represent an attack vector, how Core developers have responded, and why he believes filters are essential to protecting Bitcoin’s monetary use case. We also cover the risks of miner centralisation, the tension between Bitcoin’s ideological roots and its current developer politics, and what’s ...

May 14, 20251 hr 24 min

$100K Bitcoin: Is the Cycle Breaking? W/ Checkmate

Checkmate is an on-chain analyst and founder of Checkonchain. In this episode, we get into Bitcoin’s breakout back above $100k and what on-chain data reveals about who’s buying, who’s selling, and whether retail is finally showing up. We also discuss whether the Bitcoin cycles are over, how the global macro shift is influencing hard asset flows, and why gold might be the early signal for a longer Bitcoin run. Finally, we get into the OP_RETURN war. Follow: Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnow...

May 12, 20251 hr 16 min

The US Government Vs Bitcoin w/ Zack Shapiro

Zack Shapiro is a lawyer and Head of Policy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute. In this episode, we discuss the Samurai Wallet case, how the U.S. government is using outdated laws to target non-custodial Bitcoin tools — and why the outcome of this case could criminalise running a node or writing open-source Bitcoin code. We also discuss the DOJ’s “regulation by prosecution” playbook, the fact that FinCEN explicitly told prosecutors Samurai was not breaking the law, why prosecutors hid that fact for...

May 09, 20251 hr 11 min

OP_RETURN, Filters & Bitcoin’s Identity Crisis w/ Shinobi

Shinobi is the Technical Editor at Bitcoin Magazine. In this episode, we get into the latest "OP_RETURN war," exploring whether the debate is a cultural clash or a technical discussion about Bitcoin’s future. We discuss the origins of the OP_RETURN limit, how users are bypassing it, and the arguments for and against changing data limits. Shinobi lays out his view that filters designed to block certain transactions could increase mining centralisation and degrade network security. We also get int...

May 06, 20251 hr 5 min

BITCOIN IS HUMAN NATURE w/ Jesse Myers

Jesse Myers is the author of the Once in a Species newsletter. In this episode, we discuss why humanity’s obsession with scarce assets may be hardwired into our DNA and how this evolutionary trait could explain Bitcoin’s inevitable rise. We also get into how early humans monetised scarcity, why Homo sapiens may have outcompeted Neanderthals through money-based cooperation, and how Dunbar’s number and inter-tribal trade shaped civilisation. Finally, we explore why Bitcoin represents the culminati...

May 02, 20251 hr 17 min

LIVE IN BEDFORD w/ Checkmate, Preston Pysh, Lawrence Lepard, James Lavish, Matt Pines & Alex Thorn

In this episode we have three sessions recorded live at CheatCode in Bedford. In the first session, Checkmate, Preston Pysh, and Alex Thorn break down the cracks in the fiat system, the rise of deglobalization, stablecoins, Bitbonds, and how Bitcoin and gold are emerging as neutral reserve assets. In the second session, Matthew Pines unpacks the global economic reordering, the U.S.–China trade war, escalating tariffs, the fragility of the bond market, and why Bitcoin may be the ultimate escape v...

Apr 30, 20251 hr 28 min

The End of Globalisation & The Rise of Bitcoin w/ Mark Moss

Mark Moss is an entrepreneur, investor, and host of the Mark Moss Show and Market Disruptors. In this episode, we discuss why Bitcoin could 10x over the next five years as well as the political and financial cycles converging to drive massive change. We also get into the collapse of global institutions like the World Economic Forum, the role of AI and Bitcoin in reshaping money and power structures, why open-source AI could decentralise innovation, and how Bitcoin might become the default money ...

Apr 28, 20251 hr 33 min

BITCOIN: A TROJAN HORSE FOR FREEDOM w/ Alex Gladstein

Alex Gladstein is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation and author of Check Your Financial Privilege, Hidden Repression and The Trojan Horse of Freedom. In this episode, we discuss whether Bitcoin’s adoption by governments and Wall Street threatens its original mission, the Trojan Horse theory of Bitcoin and why nation-state adoption may be essential to separating money from state. We also get into the IMF’s decades-long role in global debt traps, the potential endgame of Bit...

Apr 24, 20251 hr 35 min

BITCOIN IS WINNING w/ Matt Odell

Matt Odell is host of Citadel Dispatch, co-host of Rabbit Hole Recap, managing partner at Ten31 and co-founder of OpenSats and Bitcoin Park. In this episode, we discuss the risks of Bitcoin’s increasing financialisation, why only a small minority may ever use it as true “freedom money,” and whether Bitcoin is on track to become a global reserve currency. We also get into the rise of stablecoins and their impact on adoption, MicroStrategy’s role in reshaping public market exposure to Bitcoin, and...

Apr 22, 20251 hr 53 min

HAS BITCOIN ACTUALLY DONE ANYTHING? W/ Junseth

Junseth is the co-founder of the legendary Bitcoin Uncensored podcast and a longtime Bitcoiner. In this episode, we discuss whether Bitcoin has actually “done anything yet,” why financialisation might be both Bitcoin’s future and a serious threat, and how MicroStrategy’s could play a key role in that. We also get into the risks of leverage and ETFs, Junseth’s unique investment strategy based on volatility and diversification, why most Bitcoiners aren’t truly prepared for sovereign-level adoption...

Apr 18, 20251 hr 56 min

THE RISKS OF BITCOIN MINING CENTRALISATION w/ Bob Burnett

Bob Burnett is the Chairman and CEO of Barefoot Mining and board member of Ocean. In this episode, we discuss why the future of Bitcoin mining is about much more than just hashing, how control of block space could determine who holds true economic power in a Bitcoinised world, and why building from the bottom up — starting with energy production — may be the only path to sovereignty. We also get into complacency amongst bitcoiners, the issue of centralised mining pools, why financial institution...

Apr 16, 20251 hr 30 min

THE BIG PRINT IS COMING w/ Lawrence Lepard

Lawrence Lepard is an investment manager and author The Big Print, which covers the broken monetary system and how Bitcoin fixes this. In this episode, we discuss Trump’s tariffs, their real economic impact, and why Lawrence believes they could trigger a major market crash and sovereign debt crisis. We also discuss how the fiscal doom loop is accelerating, why Powell may soon be forced into another round of money printing, and why Bitcoin will benefit. FOLLOW: Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_Danny...

Apr 12, 20251 hr 19 min

THE CASE FOR BITCOIN w/ Joe Bryan

Joe Bryan is a Bitcoin educator and the creator of What’s the Problem? In this episode, we discuss why our current system is rigged, how the hidden theft of inflation quietly corrodes everything from quality of life to trust in society, and why the “big red button” — the ability to print money — sits at the heart of so many global crises including the breakdown of family structures, mental health crises, and broken incentives all stem from the same monetary flaw. We also get into how this knowle...

Apr 10, 20251 hr 45 min

THE DOLLAR MILKSHAKE & BITCOIN w/ Brent Johnson

Brent Johnson is the CEO of Santiago Capital and the creator of the Dollar Milkshake Theory. In this episode, we discuss why the dollar may strengthen before it dies, how global debt markets rely on an insatiable demand for US dollars, and why Brent believes a global sovereign debt crisis will force a dramatic monetary reset. We get into the mechanics of the Eurodollar system, why stablecoins entrench dollar hegemony, and why attempts to escape the dollar could make it stronger in the short term...

Apr 04, 20251 hr 18 min

BITCOIN BRAIN MELT w/ Michael Dunworth

Michael Dunworth is an Australian entrepreneur and was one of the co-founders of Wyre, a Bitcoin payments and infrastructure provider established in 2013. In this episode, we discuss nation-states strategically acquiring Bitcoin, why the integration of Bitcoin mining into national energy strategies could become a key geopolitical advantage, and how Bitcoin adoption could revitalise struggling companies like GameStop. We also get into the risks of quantum computing for Bitcoin encryption, the sig...

Apr 02, 20251 hr 21 min

GAMESTOP, MICROSTRATEGY & THE FINANCIALIZATION OF BITCOIN w/ Peter Dunworth

Peter Dunworth is the Director of a multi-family office and is the co-founder of The Bitcoin Adviser. In this episode, we discuss why Bitcoin is the only asset that can recapitalise the financial system, why Peter believes Bitcoin could become a $100 trillion asset within a decade, why credit markets are ultimately a collateral problem, and why financializing Bitcoin might be necessary to save Main Street from being collateral damage. We also get into Australia's property obsession, GameStop’s p...

Mar 31, 20251 hr 15 min

QE, LIQUIDITY, BONDS & BITCOIN w/ Nik Bhatia

Nik Bhatia is the author of Layered Money and The Bitcoin Age. In this episode, we discuss the structure and evolution of the modern financial system, how banks run the world and why understanding liquidity is essential to grasping Bitcoin’s place in the world. We also get into the Eurodollar system, the coming end of quantitative tightening, the behavioural vs mechanical impact of QE, and how the credit system could coexist with Bitcoin. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: IREN: https://www.iren.com/ RIVER...

Mar 28, 20251 hr 26 min
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