Exposing Pegasus: How the State Spies on You | John Scott-Railton
John Scott-Railton dives into the dark world of spyware, surveillance, and state power — and what it means for our freedoms in the digital age. From uncovering Pegasus spyware in 2016 to exposing private intelligence firms like Black Cube, John explains how governments, corporations, and authoritarian regimes exploit our phones and data to control narratives and suppress dissent.
We discuss how spyware has evolved from phishing texts to zero-click exploits, the chilling stories of journalists and dissidents targeted, and why even democracies are sliding into mass surveillance under the guise of “safety.” John also warns about the next frontier: AI supercharging surveillance, corporate data brokers selling your life by the byte, and if Bitcoin faces the same creeping panopticon risks if incentives aren’t carefully guarded.
In this episode:
- The rise of mercenary spyware like Pegasus
- How the state abuses surveillance tech
- The role of corporate surveillance and data brokers
- AI’s potential to supercharge surveillance
- If Bitcoin could face the same panopticon dynamics
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1:40:32
From Wall Street to Bitcoin & The Separation of Money & State | Vijay Selvam
Vijay Selvam digs into the first principles of Bitcoin, why it matters, how it works, and what makes it the greatest tool against authoritarian states. From his background on Wall Street during the 2008 financial crisis to writing Principles of Bitcoin, Vijay explains why digital scarcity is a paradigm-shifting invention and why separating money from the state may be one of the most important moments in human history.
We explore why narratives like “digital gold” are both useful and limiting, how Bitcoin embodies Enlightenment values of decentralization, and why its real political and philosophical implications go far beyond finance. Vijay also shares why the greatest threats to Bitcoin come from within, and how Bitcoin serves as both a mirror and a peaceful revolution for humanity.
In this episode:
- The 2008 financial crisis and discovering Bitcoin
- Digital scarcity and the core innovation of Bitcoin
- Separation of money and state vs. church and state
- Narratives: digital gold, freedom money, and beyond
- Bitcoin’s political and philosophical ramifications
- Why Bitcoin is a mirror that forces self-reflection
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
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Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles or https://primal.net/danny
Vijay Selvam: https://x.com/VijaySelvamXO
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1:01:55
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1:01:55
The Real Bitcoin Revolution Is Grassroots | Rod Roudi
Rod Roudi gets into the convergence of Bitcoin, AI, energy, and freedom tech — and why grassroots adoption matters just as much as corporate treasury plays. From the rise of Bitcoin meetups and physical hubs like Bitcoin Park to the explosive growth of mining innovation, Rod makes the case that open-source tools and community-driven education are the foundations of Bitcoin’s future.
We discuss how Bitcoin Park solo-mined a block against one-in-a-thousand odds, and why home-grown projects like BitAxe and miner-powered heating systems are reshaping the mining landscape. Rod also shares how he uses AI in his own workflows, what the future of education might look like for his kids, and why entrepreneurial grit will matter more than credentials in the age of automation.
In this episode:
- The rise of grassroots Bitcoin communities and meetups
- Solo-mining a block live
- Mining decentralisation
- The convergence of Bitcoin, AI, and energy
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
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Follow:
Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles or https://primal.net/danny
Rod Roudi: https://x.com/bitkite
Imagine IF: https://bitcoinpark.com/imagineif
Bitcoin Park: https://bitcoinpark.com/
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1:07:16
Paper Bitcoin Summer | American HODL & Steven Lubka
American HODL & Steven Lubka get into the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies, unpacking how securitisation, jurisdictional arbitrage, and corporate leverage are shaping the next phase of Bitcoin’s financialisation. We discuss whether this new wave of Bitcoin-wrapped equities is a healthy Bitcoin on-ramp or just a speculative bubble, and what happens to these companies in a bear market.
Steven breaks down Nakamoto’s strategy, from running higher leverage to building a global network of local vehicles and using M&A to accumulate Bitcoin at scale. We get into the “Paper Bitcoin Summer” thesis, the morality of treasury cos, if they are just another form of shitcoining, or a necessary step to embed Bitcoin into public markets and give millions passive exposure?
In this episode:
- The playbook for Bitcoin treasury companies
- Why size, leverage, and jurisdiction matter for survival
- MNAVs, premiums, and the risk in a bear market
- The morality of treasury companies
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
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Danny Knowles: https://x.com/_DannyKnowles or https://primal.net/danny
American HODL: https://primal.net/hodl
Steven Lubka: https://x.com/dzambhalahodl
Willy Woo gets into Bitcoin’s evolving market structure, breaking down how institutional flows, ETFs, and treasury companies are reshaping the bull market. He explains why Bitcoin has never faced a true business cycle downturn, why 2026 could be the first real test, and how liquidity waves set the rhythm for both blow-off tops and brutal bear markets.
He unpacks the mechanics of Strategy's debt model versus MetaPlanet’s synthetic leverage, how ETFs are smoothing inflows and dampening volatility, and why premiums to NAV create both opportunity and risk. Willy also zooms out to the thousand-year arc of money, showing why fiat is a short-lived social consensus ledger and Bitcoin is destined to be the next energy-secured system of value.
In this episode:
- How ETFs are changing Bitcoin’s price dynamics
- Premiums to NAV, synthetic leverage, and liquidation risk
- Why treasury companies could amplify the next bear market
- Liquidity cycles and business downturns
- ESG, BlackRock, and the shift in institutional adoption
- The transition from gold and fiat to Bitcoin
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
IREN
RIVER
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Follow:
Danny Knowles: https://x.com/\\\\\\\_DannyKnowles or https://primal.net/danny
Willy Woo: https://x.com/woonomic
Netherlands