
Bitcoin: A Once-in-Lifetime Invention | Vijay Selvam #204
The Bitcoin Collective
Vijay's Legal and Finance Background
Vijay describes his 20-year legal career across Freshfields, Davis Polk, and Goldman Sachs and his role at Gemini.
Vijay, International General Counsel at Gemini and author of Principles of Bitcoin, joins to discuss Bitcoin through law, markets, and first principles. He shares lessons from Freshfields, Davis Polk, Goldman Sachs and the 2008 crisis, and why that period pushed him from gold to “digital gold”.They explore what gives money value, why Bitcoin’s scarcity is path-dependent, and how multidisciplinary thinking—technology, economics, politics, philosophy—prevents the usual siloed mistakes. They also assess ETFs, the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies, and what genuine adoption might look like.
Available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms.🎟️ Every business needs a Bitcoin strategy. Tickets available for our next conference: https://bitcoincollective.co/bitcoin-a-competitive-advantage/CONTACT JORDAN:💬 X: https://x.com/JayW132💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-walker-293955106/📬 Email: hello@bitcoincollective.coCONTACT VIJAY:💬 X: https://x.com/VijaySelvamXO💼 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/vijay-selvam-244400- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction 00:50 - Background03:34 - The Journey to Bitcoin06:11 - Understanding the 2008 Financial Crisis08:41 - From Gold to Bitcoin11:21 - Intrinsic Value of Bitcoin14:03 - Bitcoin Not Crypto: A Distinction16:43 - The Multidisciplinary Approach to Bitcoin19:24 - Philosophical Perspectives on Bitcoin23:35 - The Essence of Bitcoin: First Principles Thinking27:45 - Understanding Bitcoin’s Unique Value Proposition30:51 - The Challenge of Widespread Understanding35:31 - Bitcoin Treasury Companies: A New Investment Avenue40:20 - The Role of Education in Bitcoin Adoption⸻- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -READ OUR NEWSLETTER: 📬 https://newsletter.bitcoincollective.co/LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06sBiOznJDxuhafDmkE9VK?si=3f0a8bb8abd64eecApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bitcoin-collective/id1561573613Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/AYHiNhTTv0HOgGEjRjWNYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitcoincollective?sub_confirmation=1- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -EDITED BY JAMES PEARCE💼 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pearcesf/Available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.Bitcoin: A Once-in-History Invention#Bitcoin #BitcoinTreasury #Fintech #BTC


