What Bitcoin Did

Latest Episodes:

Bitcoin Will Eat the World’s Biggest Asset | Leon Wankum Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

“Your house isn’t getting more valuable. Your dollar’s becoming worthless.”

Leon Wankum, real estate developer and author of Digital Real Estate, joins me to discuss why he believes Bitcoin will replace property as the world’s dominant store of value. We get into how homes became savings accounts, why rising house prices can hide currency debasement, and whether buying property still makes sense as a way to build wealth.

What happens when people stop treating houses as investments? We discuss the housing crisis, the difference between buying a home and saving in real estate, and how much of the wealth held in property could move into Bitcoin.

We also get into Bitcoin-backed mortgages, corporate Bitcoin treasuries, and why governments have so much at stake in keeping house prices high. Could Bitcoin make housing affordable again, and how long might that transition take?

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Is Bitcoin Losing Its Miners to AI? | Nacho Pauls Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

“Our vision was one, his vision was different. Why would he stay?”

Nacho Pauls, Chief Commercial Officer at OCEAN, joins me to discuss why Luke Dashjr and Mechanic left the company, the fallout from BIP110, and how the controversy cost the pool nearly half its hashrate. He gives his account of the internal disagreements, the painful split and what comes next.

We also get into why major Bitcoin miners are turning towards AI, and why Nacho believes the shift could actually strengthen Bitcoin.

How decentralised is Bitcoin’s mining industry? We discuss the influence of large pools and hardware manufacturers, the risks of government pressure, and why control over which transactions enter a block matters. We also get into stranded energy, the economics of staying competitive and the challenges miners face heading towards the 2028 halving.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

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BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/danny

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

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The Fight to Defend Bitcoin From AI | Rob Hamilton Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

"This doesn’t stop, it accelerates from here."

Rob Hamilton returns to discuss the AI attacks on Bitcoin, the fallout from the Coldcard hack and the volunteers racing to find vulnerabilities before hackers do. He explains how the Bitcoin Red Team scanned around 650 codebases, flagging more than 10,000 potential issues, including 1,500 rated high or critical.

We discuss how a $1 AI scan helped Rob identify the Coldcard flaw, what the team found when it tested Bitcoin Core, and how AI is uncovering problems that security audits missed. Rob also explains why he expects the attacks to spread beyond Bitcoin.

We also get into what this means for self-custody, the risks of relying on a single hardware wallet, multisig, testing your backups and whether Bitcoiners really understand the systems protecting their life savings.

Finally, we discuss why some American AI models refused to help with the defensive work, how Chinese open models filled the gap, and why Rob sees attempts to restrict access to AI as a threat to freedom of thought.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/danny

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

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The Debt Crisis Bitcoiners Aren’t Ready For | Avik Roy Oct 18, 2026

Show notes

“The people who bet right by being early to Bitcoin are the ones who get blamed.”

Avik Roy returns to discuss why he believes America’s debt crisis is far worse than official forecasts suggest, and why Bitcoiners shouldn’t assume they’ll be safe. We get into his 15-year warning, the risk of bank failures and inflation, and how governments could restrict access to Bitcoin or target those who hold it.

We also discuss self-custody, capital controls and the freedom to exit, before getting into Bitcoin treasury companies and whether their incentives align with shareholders.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/danny

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

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Bitcoin’s Next Rally Could Break the Cycle | Eric Yakes Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

“The worst thing is to not own any of it.”

Eric Yakes returns to discuss why he believes Bitcoin’s four-year cycle is breaking, why diminishing returns may not be inevitable, and how institutional and nation-state demand could change the next rally. He explains why Bitcoin needs to become bigger and more liquid before its largest potential buyers can make meaningful allocations.

We also get into Bitcoin’s role as a hedge against debasement, the debate over money versus digital gold, and why Eric rejects the “private Bitcoin” pitch around Zcash. We finish with how AI could make Bitcoin’s scarcity more valuable, the security risks that concern him most, and why he still believes the biggest mistake is owning none.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/danny

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles

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Why AI Needs Bitcoin to Survive | Dhruv Bansal Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

“Bitcoin feels alive, but not intelligent. And AI feels intelligent, but not alive.”

Dhruv Bansal joins to discuss why AI may need Bitcoin to survive, why autonomous agents could choose Bitcoin over dollars and stablecoins, and how earning Bitcoin to pay for their own resources could align them with human needs.

We also get into how Bitcoin could help rebuild a free and open internet, the problems with advertising and surveillance, and whether AI could accelerate hyperbitcoinization. Dhruv explores how Bitcoin and AI could give rise to a new form of digital life and why he sees an optimistic path for both.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles

Dhruv Bansal: https://x.com/dhruvbansal

Operation Choke Point 2.0: The Fall of Silvergate | Alan Lane Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

“We experienced, as a percentage of deposits, the biggest bank run in history.”

Alan Lane joins to discuss the fall of Silvergate, the bank run that followed FTX’s collapse, and how his team kept meeting withdrawals as 70% of deposits left. He explains why he believed the bank could rebuild and what changed between surviving the run and deciding to close.

We also get into Operation Choke Point 2.0, why Alan believes Washington wanted the industry cut off from banking, and the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature just days after Silvergate’s wind-down announcement.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

BITGO - Secure your Bitcoin with institutional grade security.

https://www.bitgo.com/

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

The Macro Shift That Could Send Bitcoin to $500K | Matt Cole Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

“You actually have the president and the Treasury working for Bitcoin because they’re working for a weaker dollar.”

Matt Cole joins to discuss why he believes America’s debt crisis leaves the government with few good options, how rising bond yields could force the Treasury and Fed to intervene, and why a weaker dollar could fuel Bitcoin’s next bull market.

We also get into why AI could create abundance without generating enough tax revenue to fix the debt problem, his case for $500K Bitcoin by 2030, and whether Bitcoin is entering a supercycle.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

https://learn.ledn.io/wbd

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation: https://www.anchorwatch.com/wbd

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

https://bitkey.world/wbd

EXPAT MONEY - Build your Plan B. Explore second residencies, citizenship and offshore wealth protection.

https://expatmoney.com/wbd

FOLLOW:

Danny Knowles: https://x.com/\_DannyKnowles

Matt Cole: https://x.com/ColeMacro

How AI Could Take Bitcoin to $1 Million | Jordi Visser Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

“I think everyone is underestimating the speed of AI.”

Jordi Visser joins the show to discuss why he believes AI could trigger a major shift in global wealth, weaken the investment appeal of stocks and real estate, and create a new bull case for Bitcoin. He explains why wealthy investors haven’t needed Bitcoin yet, and how AI’s deflationary effects could change that.

We also get into whether AI is a bubble, how agents and tokenization could transform finance, and why Big Tech may struggle to maintain its dominance.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

SWAN - Buy Bitcoin, Build Wealth. Discover Swan’s Bitcoin products for individuals and businesses.

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation:

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

CAPE - Get 33% off your first six months with code WBD.

FOLLOW:

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America’s Debt Problem Is Bitcoin’s Bull Case | Andy Constan Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

“The things they need to do to bring inflation down are just too painful for them.”

Andy Constan returns to discuss why he thinks politicians will keep running large deficits, how inflation can shift the cost of America’s debt onto savers and future generations, and why that creates a bull case for Bitcoin.

We also get into how institutions decide whether to own Bitcoin, why its volatility and weak correlation with gold keep Andy on the sidelines, and whether a US debt collapse is inevitable. Andy explains why bonds look more attractive to him today, what it would take to bring inflation down, and whether AI could change America’s debt outlook.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

LEDN - Explore Bitcoin-backed loans and get 0.25% off your first loan.

SWAN - Buy Bitcoin, Build Wealth. Discover Swan’s Bitcoin products for individuals and businesses.

ANCHORWATCH - Insured Bitcoin custody, security & inheritance. Book a consultation:

BITKEY - Get 10% off the new Bitkey wallet with code WBD.

CAPE - Get 33% off your first six months with code WBD.

FOLLOW:

Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles

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