Digital Money Advisor
Steve Sanduski
Enlightening conversations about digital money, the macro factors affecting it, and the investment opportunities that result.
We're especially fond of Bitcoin!
Bitcoin's Impact on War, Geopolitics, and the Treasury System with Matthew Pines
In a Nutshell: Matthew Pines says trying to speculate and reason about the future evolution of geopolitics and state relations in the absence of Bitcoin is extremely difficult. "In fact, it's probably one of the things that stresses all world leaders out and economists and hedge funds. Everyone's trying to predict how the global system is going to evolve so trying to answer the question of how the global system's going to evolve WITH Bitcoin imposes an additional complexity," he said. Yet, this
Bitcoin, the Climate Crisis, and Financialization with Margot Paez (aka jyn urso)
Margot Paez says the financialization of the US economy is one reason why it’s been difficult to take decisive action on climate change. She views Bitcoin “as a very important tool in this whole process because it exists outside of the system. And it’s also kind of an attack on the existing financial structures because it takes away a centralized power basically from Wall Street and decentralizes it in a very non-coercive way. And everybody has an opportunity to participate in it and use Bitcoin
Bitcoin's Connection to Religion, Metaphors, Belief Systems, and Being a Force for Good with Mark Stephany
In a Nutshell: This was a thoughtful, introspective, and heartfelt conversation with Mark Stephany. As a doctor, he's been on the frontlines of the culture war that's flamed up around Covid and vaccines. As the son of a priest and a nun, he's explored and questioned the meaning of religion and the power of myths and metaphors. As a person concerned about the direction of society, he's explored racial and social justice issues. And as a curious person, he's deeply explored Bitcoin and how it can
The Politics of Bitcoin with Dennis Porter
In a Nutshell: People tend to get triggered when you talk about the politics of Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a technology but it is also a political protest statement in the sense that it is separating money from state and it gives you the option to opt-out. Whether you are left, right, center, up, down, sideways, progressive, libertarian, non-labeled, or Trumpian, almost everyone who coalesces around Bitcoin agrees that monetary policy left in the hands of a few unelected bureaucrats is, and has been sh
The Philosopher Kings of Bitcoin with Andrew Bailey, Bradley Rettler, Craig Warmke, and Troy Cross
In a Nutshell: One of the beautiful things about Bitcoin is its interdisciplinary nature. To really “get” Bitcoin, you have to have at least a working knowledge of a wide variety of disciplines. That’s one reason why I love talking to academic philosophers who are also Bitcoiners. They have frameworks to help us understand the expansive and interconnected nature of Bitcoin and the kinds of questions we should be asking ourselves about it. Here’s Andrew Bailey, Bradley Rettler, and Craig Warmke w
Making the Progressive Case for Bitcoin with Nicole Dobrow
In a Nutshell: Bitcoin is for everyone including people who align with progressive values. A growing group of progressives see Bitcoin as a tool for furthering social justice and leveling the economic playing field. Nicole passionately shares why people with progressive values should adopt Bitcoin now to ensure they don't get left behind as the world financial system moves toward a Bitcoin standard. Guest: Nicole Dobrow, a prolific Bitcoin writer, social worker, and progressive Bitcoiner who fel
The Expansive Nature of Bitcoin with Troy Cross
In a nutshell: Troy Cross and I discuss philosophical angles related to Bitcoin including what Plato and Aristotle would have thought of Bitcoin, how to influence skeptics of Bitcoin, a new proposal to incentivize green mining, and why Troy does not regret paying 5 bitcoin for a pair of Alpaca socks. Guest: Troy Cross, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Reed College and a self-described "Philosopher, Environmentalist, and Bitcoiner."
What Financial Advisors Should Think, Feel, and Do About Bitcoin, Crypto, and DAOs with Steve Larsen and Adam Blumberg
In a Nutshell: The tentative embrace of Bitcoin and other digital assets by advisors and institutions was one of the biggest stories in financial services this year. As more professionals clear the emotional (“It’s a scam!”) and educational (“I don’t get it.”) hurdles, now we have to overcome the operational hurdles. The story of 2022 could very well be how a new wave of fintech platforms and forward-thinking leaders solve those challenges and make digital assets an essential tool in helping cli
Bitcoin is Big Tent Money with Matt Hanzelka
Guest: Matthew Hanzelka, the Pastor of Community Care at Peace of Christ Church, just outside of Austin, Texas. Matt has a Bachelor's Degree in Financial Planning from Texas Tech University and a Master's Degree in Divinity. He's also a U.S. Air Force Reserve chaplain, a hospital chaplain, and a Bitcoiner. Insight: NGU tends to drive mainstream conversation about Bitcoin. But as I've learned more and become more active in the Bitcoin community, what grabs my attention isn't the price, it's the
How Bitcoin Changes You and the World Around Us with Christian Keroles
Insight: Who you are when you start your Bitcoin journey and who you become as you go further and further down the rabbit hole could be two very different people--in a good way. People get attracted to Bitcoin for many different reasons. But one passion that unites many advocates is the belief that Bitcoin is pointing us towards real solutions to longstanding problems such as wealth inequality, inflation, labor inefficiency, and even climate change. So, what could the future look like if the tru
Bitcoin and Your Practice: Where Does it Fit?
For the second year in a row, I was invited to speak at the Bitcoin for Advisors conference produced by Coindesk as a member of the FA Advisory Board. And I think I can sum up my main message as a panelist in two words: Don't wait. A confluence of socioeconomic and political factors continues to drive up the price of bitcoin. If a year ago you would have allocated just 2% of a client's portfolio to bitcoin, it would have added five percentage points to the portfolio's return, all else in the por
Why Buy Bitcoin with Andy Edstrom
Guest: Andy Edstrom, CFA®, CFP®, a financial advisor at WESCAP Group, where he manages more than $300 million for high-net-worth families. Andy is also an advisor and board member of Swan Bitcoin, and the author of a great book called Why Buy Bitcoin. Insight: At the top of the Bitcoin funnel, there are an almost endless number of entry points that could attract curious investors, consumers, business owners, thinkers, activists, and, yes, financial advisors. But you don't have to travel down the
Equality, Sufficiency, and What is Money with Andrew Bailey
Guest: Andrew M. Bailey, a professor at Yale-NUS College, where he teaches classes and conducts research on money, philosophy and politics. He is one third of the Resistance Money Bitcoin Research Collective alongside Bradley Rettler and Craig Warmke, both of whom are past guests on this podcast. Insight: Bitcoin can be many things to different people: a store of value, a tool for social justice, a means of exchange, an organizing principle for folks who think the traditional financial system is
Understanding and Positioning Bitcoin for Financial Advisors with Justin Castelli
Guest: Justin Castelli, an executive at Onramp Invest, which is a technology company that provides access to crypto assets for registered investment advisors. He's also the founder of RLS Wealth, which is an RIA firm in Fishers, Indiana. And he's the co-founder of The AGC, which is an organization that connects financial advisors across the globe to collaborate and grow both personally and professionally. Insight: Think Bitcoin and other crypto investments aren't right for your client base? You
Using Philosophical Frameworks to Answer "Big" Questions About Bitcoin with Bradley Rettler
Episode: Bradley Rettler, Assistant Professor of Philosophy University of Wyoming. Insight: Bitcoin's practical applications can appeal to folks across a wide spectrum of social, political, and economic thought. But from a philosophical perspective, the most important question to ask about Bitcoin might be: How can it make people happier? Answering that question could be a key to helping Bitcoin skeptics understand this technology's potential value.
Bitcoin and Crypto Solutions for Financial Advisors with Chris King
Episode: Chris King the Founder and CEO of Eaglebrook Advisors, which provides independent financial advisors with seamless, secure, and compliant access to Bitcoin and digital assets through their proprietary separately managed account platform. Insight: The Bitcoin conversation is mainstream and it's difficult for financial advisors to avoid it. Educational resources about Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets is widely available. Consumer access to buying digital assets is now as simple
Why Advisor Jim Crider Allocates 5 - 20% of His Clients' Portfolios to Bitcoin and Related Assets
Jim Crider, CFP® and CEO of Intentional Living FP discusses what led him down the Bitcoin rabbit hole and why he now allocates 5-20% of his clients' portfolios to Bitcoin and Bitcoin-related companies.
David Z. Morris on Unpacking the Signifiers and Presumptions That Define Bitcoin Culture
Episode: David Z. Morris is the Chief Insights Columnist at CoinDesk. Previously he was a staff writer for Fortune and Breaker magazines. David also has a PhD in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Iowa. Insight: To its growing base of users and enthusiasts, Bitcoin is many things: a global currency, a store of value, a payment system, a shared delusion, a weapon for social justice, and even a means of communication. And while folks with a more casual interest in crypto might
How Bitcoin Connects with Austrian Economics and Libertarian Politics with Professor Steve Horwitz and Jeremy Keil
Episode: Steve Horwitz is an American economist of the Austrian School and currently the Distinguished Professor of Free Enterprise in the Department of Economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA, CIMA®, is a retirement-focused financial planner with Keil Financial Partners and the host of the Retirement Revealed blog and podcast. Jeremy was also the Wisconsin Libertarian Party executive director in 2003 and served on the Liber
Digital Asset Investment Solutions for Financial Advisors with Dan Eyre
Episode: Dan Eyre, co-founder of Blockchange, the world's first digital turnkey asset management platform for financial advisory firms, family offices, hedge funds, outsourced CIOs, and private banks. Insight: Twenty-five years ago, many people thought that giving your credit card number to that new online book seller was crazy. Online banking and investing sounded even crazier. But just as ecommerce and finance platforms developed their stability, security, and ease of use, a new generation of
A Philosophical Conversation About Bitcoin with Professor Craig Warmke
Episode: Craig Warmke is an assistant professor of philosophy at Northern Illinois University. We discuss how Bitcoin sits at a unique intersection between philosophy, fiscal policy, economics, computer science, game theory, and the meaning of money. Insight: The deeper you dive down the Bitcoin rabbit hole -- especially on social media -- the more fervent the belief in Bitcoin's power can be. All that evangelizing can be off-putting, especially if you're just trying to educate yourself and your
How to Advise On and Use Digital Assets as an Investment with Financial Advisor Matt Kolesky
Episode: In 2010, Matt Kolesky's interest in Bitcoin led him to join an online mining pool. Not long after, he was buying bitcoin at Mt. Gox. Today, as President at Arbor Capital and Director of Arbor Digital, Matt helped create our industry's first true digital asset SMA. Insight: A year or two ago, many of your clients might have thought you were crazy if you suggested adding digital assets to their portfolios. Today, if you're not at least investigating Bitcoin's potential as an investible st
Bitcoin: Financial Advisors Must Respond to It
Episode: Recently I was a guest on the Wicked Pissah Podcast, where I talked to hosts Chris Boyd, CFP® and Jeff Tomaneng, CFP® about how my lifelong interest in finance and tech led me to investigate bitcoin's potential as digital money and a store of value. Today's episode is a rebroadcast of that show. Insight: I believe that our global financial systems are at an inflection point. You don't have to agree with me about the role that Bitcoin might play in this transition. But you do need to hav
Bitcoin Discussion for Skeptical Financial Advisors with Meg Bartelt, Ronnie Colvin, and Adam Blumberg
Episode: Joining me for this panel discussion on Bitcoin are: Meg Bartelt, CFP®, MSFP of Flow Financial Planning Ronnie Colvin, CFP®, AIF® of ColeFP Wealth Management Adam Blumberg, CFP® of Interaxis Academy Insight: Bitcoin can lead you down some very twisty rabbit holes. But as an advisor, learning the basics will allow you to answer the most common questions you're going to get from clients: What is this? Should I invest in it?
Case Study: How and Why Northland Wealth Allocated Bitcoin for Its HNW Clients with Arthur Salzer
Episode: Arthur Salzer, the Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer of Northland Wealth Management. Insight: Is investing in bitcoin right for your clients? You won't know for sure until you make an effort to learn about what's really happening in the digital money space and examine how bitcoin may or may not align with your clients' long-term financial goals.
What is DeFi? with Lex Solkolin
Episode: Lex Sokolin, a futurist and entrepreneur working on the next generation of financial services. He is the Global Fintech Co-Head at ConsenSys, a blockchain technology company building the infrastructure, applications, and practices that enable a decentralized world. Insight: The entire financial infrastructure is being rebuilt from the ground up using decentralized finance (DeFi) technology. And it's happening in two big buckets. First, financial assets themselves, the asset classes, are
Bitcoin is Digital Social Justice with Tyrone Ross
Episode: Tyrone Ross, Chief Executive Officer at Onramp Invest. Insight: Bitcoin is much bigger than just its market valuation. The technology behind the world's top cryptocurrency has created a platform that allows folks to send and receive cash instantly. That might not seem like a big deal to your typical client. But to the millions of folks in the U.S. and abroad who are living paycheck to paycheck, don't have bank accounts, and feel underserved by our current financial system, Bitcoin's spe
Deflation and the End of Fiat with Pierre Rochard and Morgen Rochard
Episode: Guests Pierre and Morgen Rochard, "The first couple of Bitcoin," discuss deflation and the end of fiat currencies Insight: Central banks in the US and around the world are almost unanimous in trying to target some level of annual inflation, often in the 2% range. Why? Today's guests say we should target annual DEFLATION, which in turn will encourage savings and fire up the free market system to deliver even better products that will prod people to spend their savings. 3 Quotes: We shou
Genesis Episode: The Tectonic Shift in the World Financial System
There are inflection points in history where major changes move from being probable to being inevitable. And I believe we are at such a time right now with the world financial system. Just like tectonic plates move slowly over time, then snap all at once, I think we’re in a situation now where the world is quickly moving to a new system because the current one is broken. And this is something that’s been building for the past 50 years. Join me in this journey as we try to understand what’s happe