In this episode, we sit down with George Selgin, Director Emeritus at the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, to explore his views on money, markets, and bitcoin’s role in the global economy. George shares his journey from studying marine biology to becoming a leading voice in monetary economics and discusses how definitions of money have evolved. We examine bitcoin’s classification as a synthetic commodity, its potential as a store of value, and whether it could ever replace the US dollar. George also analyzes the proposed bitcoin strategic reserve, highlighting its costs, risks, and implications for government debt.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
→ Subscribe
→ Leave a review
→ Share the show with your friends and family
→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.com
→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description
→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description
→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:11 - Introducing George Selgin's background and career
00:07:42 - Moving from Hong Kong to the University of Georgia
00:09:50 - Defining money and its role in economics
00:12:12 - Explaining why bitcoin doesn’t meet the definition of money
00:13:31 - Defining the dollar and its place in the economy
00:15:52 - Understanding gold’s history and modern role
00:19:11 - Analyzing bitcoin as a synthetic commodity
00:21:51 - Evaluating bitcoin as a store of value vs. medium of exchange
00:24:52 - Discussing bitcoin’s long-term price potential
00:29:21 - Examining markets, prices, and bitcoin’s future
00:36:13 - Questioning if the US dollar could be replaced
00:42:36 - Evaluating the bitcoin strategic reserve proposal
00:49:11 - Breaking down the costs and risks of a bitcoin reserve
00:55:00 - Closing thoughts and where to follow George Selgin
WHERE TO FOLLOW US:
→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom
→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom
→ Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter
→ Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital
→ George Selgin’s Twitter: https://x.com/GeorgeSelgin
