The Bitcoin Matrix

"Bitcoin is not physical gold. You can kill Bitcoin."

Matthew Kratter — who runs Bitcoin University, did a PhD in literature under René Girard, and ran global macro at Peter Thiel's hedge fund — joins the show to explain why he now holds nearly everything he owns in Bitcoin, and why he's become one of the loudest voices warning that Bitcoin is under attack from the inside.

We trace the improbable path first: from Girard's seminar table to growing Thiel's $50M Roth into a $2 billion fund, and the 20 years trading that taught him to spot financial engineering "traps...

"Rehypothecation is cryptographically impossible."

Martin Matejka joins the show to break down the rise of Bitcoin-native lending, Firefish's 3-of-3 multisig + DLC architecture, and why the February 6 stress test was the day Bitcoin-backed credit grew up.

We discuss why rehypothecation can be engineered out rather than promised away, how Firefish thinks about LTV, margin-call cadence, and the three warnings before liquidation, and why $160 million in non-custodial loans across 27,000 users in 70 countries is the proof a Bitcoin-native lender can scale.

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🎙️ GUEST

Martin Matejka, Co-founder & CEO o...

Matt Cole spent fifteen years at CalPERS — the largest public pension fund in the U.S. — running more than $70 billion in global fixed income, where his portfolios reportedly never underperformed their benchmark in a single year. Today he's Chairman & CEO of Strive (Nasdaq: ASST), the first publicly traded asset-management Bitcoin treasury company — and the man who just made a security pay a dividend every single business day, the first time that's ever happened in U.S. market history.

This is the structured-finance mind behind "digital credit" — the idea that you can split a perpetual Bitcoin position into two inst...

Matt Hougan is the Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management — one of eleven spot Bitcoin ETF issuers, managing over $10 billion. When family offices, RIAs, and pension consultants size their Bitcoin allocation, his is the analysis they read.

This is the institutional case for Bitcoin in plain language: Bitcoin as two investments at once (digital gold plus a call option on becoming the world's apolitical currency), the math behind his $1.4 million by 2035 call, and why he thinks Bitcoin is about to repeat the supply shock that just took gold parabolic. If you've been trying to explain Bitcoin to...

Jeff Casler and Angelo Firenze don't run a Bitcoin conference. They run a Bitcoin camp.

Jeff is a serial entrepreneur and MS survivor — co-founder of Camp Nakamoto and @btc_mass, with a thesis-forward "why this matters" voice. Angelo grew up on Sandy Island. He spent decades as director of the original family camp the property was built around — and now runs the Bitcoin version of the same idea.

Every summer, the Bitcoin world boards another plane to another conference. And every summer, some of us come home wondering if we actually made a single real conn...

Bram Kanstein returns to The Bitcoin Matrix. He's spent over three thousand hours studying money. He hosts Bitcoin for Millennials — now expanding into Freedom for Millennials — and writes essays connecting fiat money to consciousness, attention, and the design of modern life.

This conversation picks up where his first appearance left off. Once you've truly understood Bitcoin — what comes next?

Bram's answer is that the orange pill is just the entry point. The real work is what happens after: noticing the bandwidth tax that costs you 13 IQ points before you've even started thinking, recognizing Bitcoin as "engine...

Pius Sprenger has a PhD in mathematics and spent twenty-five years on Wall Street. He was hired to Deutsche Bank in 2004 and ended up on Greg Lippmann's derivatives desk — the desk Ryan Gosling's character runs in The Big Short. In February 2007 he co-built the ABX index with Goldman Sachs and Bear Stearns. He held his short position for nearly three years while senior management told him he was wrong.

He was right.

He left Wall Street in 2020. Today he is a founding member of the Scientific Bitcoin Institute alongside Giovanni Santostasi and Steven Perino — peer-reviewed rese...

Paul Tarantino is the CEO of Byte Federal, one of the largest Bitcoin ATM networks in the country. Eighteen months ago on this show he told us Bitcoin wins by default. That Bitcoin is the last currency standing. That AI-generated fraud would break the credit-based payment system.

He was right on all three.

Now legislators across the country are coming for Bitcoin ATMs and framing it as consumer protection. Paul has spent three years building the most comprehensive data-driven defense of this industry anyone has produced. He's here to show you what's actually going on.<...

Nik Bhatia called Bitcoin a once-in-a-millennium monetary event

before most people understood what Bitcoin was. Now he has a

second book, a course at USC Marshall, and the global monetary

system is doing exactly what he said it would do.

This is one of the most important conversations we have had on

this show.

We discuss:

Josh discovered Bitcoin in 2010 — before most people knew what a blockchain was.

What happened next changed everything.

"I'm thankful that I forgot that I was holding." — Josh @secsovereign

"The mechanism of control only works on people who can't see it." — Étienne de La Boétie

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🎙️ GUEST

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Josh @secsovereign → https://x.com/secsovereign

Bitcoin Commons → thebitcoincommons.org

Personal site → secsov.com

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💰 SPONSORS & DISCOUNTS

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Nobody told Connor Dolan that the Stoics figured out Bitcoin 2,000 years before Satoshi — but after a year of research, he proved it.

Connor Dolan — VP of Enterprise Sales at Unchained, former BlackRock and Capital Group — joins The Bitcoin Matrix to break down why Bitcoin and Stoicism are the two most powerful forces shaping how we think about time, money, and how to actually live.

We cover why Bitcoin is the MAP and Stoicism is the COMPASS, how a plastic yellow piggy bank on a kitchen counter started Connor's lifelong obsession with money, why the most educat...

Nobody could explain how we get from today to a Bitcoin Standard — until now.

MarylandHODL21 and Cris Reed join The Bitcoin Matrix to break down STRC, Strategy's capital flywheel, and why very few people understand what's actually happening in the financial system right now.

We cover why STRC is Bitcoin's iPhone moment, how two financial systems are running simultaneously, the apex carry trade, why real inflation is closer to 8% and what that does to every "safe" instrument you own, the M-NAV cycle and how Sailor is managing it, and how the bridge from fiat to Bi...

In this episode, I sit down with Roberto Rios aka Peruvian Bull, and he didn’t come to play it safe. Fresh off breaking news the morning of recording, we kick things off with the Jane Street manipulation lawsuit and what it might mean for Bitcoin price action.

We cover the terrifying thesis of The Great Taking, why you may not actually own the stocks in your brokerage account, China’s secret gold accumulation strategy and what it signals about the dollar’s future, the slow-motion collapse of Japan’s bond market, and how silver is finally breaking...

After watching Lebanese banks steal his life savings overnight, Tony Yazbeck went from cybersecurity veteran to full-on Bitcoin sovereignty advocate. Now as co-founder of The Bitcoin Way, he’s on a mission to make sure what happened to him doesn’t happen to you.

This conversation gets real, we’re talking bank collapses, self-custody, opting out of the system entirely, and why proper Bitcoin education might be the most important thing you do in 2026.

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In this episode, I’m sitting down with Tom Luongo for the sixth time, and he makes a bold case: the chaos you’re watching in Western politics, the wars, the censorship, the financial pressure, it doesn’t trace back to China, it doesn’t trace back to Russia. It traces back to Europe. And specifically to a colonial power structure that never really let go.

We’re diving into why Trump’s second term is less about one man and more about a historic battle over who actually controls American monetary and foreign policy. This one goes deep in...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Joe Burnett for the fourth time to discuss his piece “The Singularity Has Begun” and this might just be our most important conversation yet.

Joe makes a bold case: as intelligence becomes abundant and essentially free, wealth itself starts to melt. When AI models write their own code and you can spin up a trillion Albert Einsteins on demand, what happens to your savings? Your assets? Everything you’ve worked for?

This goes deep into scarcity, abundance, money, and what it means to preserve wealth in a world be...

In this episode, I'm chatting with Andy Schoonover, the founder and CEO of CrowdHealth, a revolutionary community-powered alternative to health insurance that’s helping thousands of people fund their healthcare through crowdfunding, not corporate middlemen.

But here’s where it gets really interesting: Andy’s not just disrupting healthcare, he’s building Bitcoin circularity into the system, working with major hospital networks to accept Bitcoin payments and create a parallel economy where your healthcare dollars never touch the broken fiat system.

In this conversation, we dive deep into medical freedom, why the insurance industry is fundamen...

In this episode, I sit down with Dave Collum. We dive deep into why the financial legends who warned us about insane market bubbles back in 2015 might not have been wrong – they might have just been early. We’re talking about an economy at 35,000 feet with its engines on fire, and the solution has been to climb to 45,000 feet. That doesn’t fix the problem.

This is raw, unfiltered truth about corruption, fake jobs, market insanity, and why keeping your head on a swivel has never been more important.

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In this episode, I’m sitting down with Beau Turner, co-founder and CEO of Abundant Mines. What starts as a conversation about mining quickly becomes something bigger: a deep exploration of what it means to convert energy into sovereignty. Beau’s path here wasn’t easy. From real estate empires to catastrophic losses in sketchy mining operations. Now he’s on the other side, helping everyday investors participate in something that was once reserved for industrial giants. This isn’t just about hash rate and electricity costs. It’s about conviction. It’s about understanding that while everyone else is chasing nar...

In this episode, I chat with Lauren Rodriguez, wife of Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the privacy-focused Samurai Wallet, about her family’s harrowing journey through the U.S. justice system. Keonne was indicted by the DOJ and sentenced to five years in federal prison for developing non-custodial Bitcoin privacy tools. Lauren walks us through the shocking pre-dawn FBI raid, the trial that never happened, the political motivations behind the charges, and the personal toll of what she believes is a deeply unjust prosecution.

We dive into the philosophical fight for privacy, the role of open-source software, and th...

In a year of noise, we looked for the signal. 53 episodes - one truth. This is the best of The Bitcoin Matrix Podcast in 2025.

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In this episode, I chat with Aaron Day, a freedom movement architect, serial entrepreneur, and outspoken opponent of global technocracy. After government regulations destroyed his healthcare business, Aaron walked away from the fiat system, becoming an early advocate for Bitcoin and decentralized alternatives. He’s also the author of The Final Countdown, and a former presidential candidate who used his campaign to warn Americans about the growing threat of surveillance, CBDCs, and global governance.

We dive deep into the rise of technocracy, the ideology behind it, and how key players like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and institutions li...

In this episode, I chat with Jason Leibowitz, Head of Strategy at Meanwhile, about a game-changing financial product that blends Bitcoin with the powerful concept of infinite banking.Jason takes us on a journey through how Bitcoin-denominated whole life insurance works—and why it might be the smartest way for Bitcoiners to unlock liquidity, plan for the future, and ensure their wealth outlives them.

He also breaks down the mechanics of policy loans, estate planning, and why traditional life insurance fails in a fiat-debased world.

Whether you’re thinking about passing your Bitcoin on to your...

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Booth, entrepreneur, author of The Price of Tomorrow, and one of the clearest thinkers on how technology, money, and human agency collide. We explore why Bitcoin is not just an asset but a protocol, how broken money distorts society, and why deflation is the natural state of free markets.

We also dig into AI, privacy, self-custody, family, time, and what a Bitcoin standard could mean for human consciousness itself.

If you’re trying to understand Bitcoin beyond price, grapple with the implications of AI, or make sense of...

In this episode, I sit down with Walker America, host of the Bitcoin podcast and one half of The Crypto Couple, to explore his journey into Bitcoin, content creation, and podcasting. We discuss the separation of money and state, the power of independent media, low time preference living, homeschooling, and what it truly means to build a Bitcoin family.

This conversation dives deep into why Bitcoin is not just a financial tool, but a framework for reclaiming time, sovereignty, and generational legacy.

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HELP KEONNE AND BILL: https://billandkeonne.org/ I

n this episode, I chat with Keonne Rodríguez, co-founder of Samurai Wallet—a Bitcoin wallet focused on privacy and self-sovereignty. Keonne now faces prison time for building open-source privacy tools, in a legal case that has stunned the Bitcoin and developer communities.

This episode exposes the frightening reality of what happens when privacy-focused developers are targeted by state power. If you care about Bitcoin’s future as freedom money, developer rights, and the fight against financial surveillance, this conversation is a must-listen.

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In this episode, I chat with Parker Lewis, author of Gradually, Then Suddenly and Head of Business Development at Zaprite. We dig deep into the transition from fiat to a Bitcoin-based economy, why Bitcoin must become a medium of exchange to succeed, and how Zaprite is helping pave that path by enabling businesses to accept Bitcoin alongside fiat.

If you’re looking to understand Bitcoin on a deeper economic level, not just as an asset but as the future of money, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Dave Collum, professor of organic chemistry at Cornell University and one of the most iconic voices in the financial and political commentary space. Dave returns for his eighth appearance on the Bitcoin Matrix and as always, he pulls no punches.

If you’re looking for an unfiltered exploration of everything from precious metals to power structures and the deep state, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Natalie Brunell, host of Coin Stories, a top-ranked Bitcoin podcast and one of the most powerful voices in Bitcoin education and financial media.

We dive into her debut book Bitcoin is for Everyone, while also exploring the role of women in Bitcoin, and why she sees Bitcoin as a deeply moral technology.

If you’re looking to reconnect with the idea of financial freedom, discover how Bitcoin might reshape society, or simply hear an inspiring story of resilience and conviction, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Daniel White, the author of The Great Realignment: Power, Money, Greed, and Bitcoin, and the CEO of MicroSeed, a Bitcoin self-custody startup.

If you’ve ever wondered why the world works the way it does, and how Bitcoin offers a profound shift in that dynamic, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Jimmy Song, a Bitcoin developer and educator that has been a driving force in Bitcoin for over a decade.

We dive deep into the political undercurrents around Bitcoin Core development, funding models, decentralization theater and the question on everyone’s mind: Is Bitcoin under attack from within?

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In this episode, I sit down with my friends Tomer Strolight and Nico Moran live at the Canadian Bitcoin Conference to explore what it really means to live on a Bitcoin standard.

If you’re ready to upgrade your time preference, protect your keys, and build a life aligned with hard money and real human flourishing, this one’s for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Bram Kanstein, host of the Bitcoin for Millennials podcast and longtime internet tinkerer turned Bitcoiner. We get into cypherpunk roots vs. Wall Street adoption, the upcoming digital euro, and why AI’s energy future actually pairs with Bitcoin mining.

If you want a grounded, generational lens on why “one Bitcoin is one Bitcoin” matters, and what that means for your next decade, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Tom Luongo, a well-known macro expert and a returning five-timer on the show, about the power games behind markets and politics.

If you want a hard-hitting map of the current geopolitical and cultural battlefield, this one’s for you.

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MicroSeed is redefin...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of joining Robin Seyr on his show to dive deep into Bitcoin, its current trajectory, and the bigger forces shaping our future.

If you’re curious about where Bitcoin stands today, how it could evolve tomorrow, and what we can do as individuals to preserve its core ethos, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Grant Cardone, the entrepreneur, bestselling author, and real-estate mogul behind Cardone Capital, known for his 10X philosophy and massive multifamily portfolio.

If you want a brutally practical blueprint for going all-in on one thing, building units at scale, and using Bitcoin to supercharge a legacy business, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Amanda Goodall, a workforce intelligence analyst who spots restructuring signals months before they hit the headlines. We dig into how AI is quietly eating back-office work. We also cover warehouse robots and humanoids on the horizon, and practical job-hunt tactics to become the obvious hire.

If you’re trying to navigate layoffs, automation, or a tougher job market with clear signal over noise, this one’s for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Samson Mow, CEO of Jan3, longtime Bitcoiner, and a key voice in nation-state Bitcoin adoption, about the heated Core vs. KNOTS debate.

If you want a clear, no-BS walk through the current discourse, plus practical takeaways for node runners, this episode is for you.

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PO Box: The Bitcoin Matrix, P.O. Box 18056, Sarasota, FL 34231

In this episode, I chat with Trace Mayer, early Bitcoin investor and the mind behind the Seven Network Effects, about monetary sovereignty and the ideas that shaped Bitcoin culture. We dive into his rabbit-hole journey from gold to Bitcoin, debates from the block size wars, why “proof of keys” still matters, and how time preference and family tie into sound money.

If you want a masterclass in first-principles Bitcoin thinking with historical and philosophical depth, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, I chat with Jesse Myers, aka “Croesus” on X, a Bitcoin strategy advisor and former co-founder of OnRamp Bitcoin. With an MBA from Stanford and experience at Bain & Company, Jesse is now leading Bitcoin strategy at SmarterWeb and advising UTXO Management.

We dive deep into the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies—how they’re reshaping capital markets, unlocking trapped fiat, and potentially becoming the most valuable companies in the world.

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