TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast #685: Why Bitcoin Policy Activism Matters Now with Kyle Olney
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Nov 19, 2025 Kyle Olney, a Bitcoin policy advocate and co-founder of Save Our Wallets, shares his fascinating journey from bank resolutions during the financial crisis to fighting for self-custodial Bitcoin rights. He stresses the importance of grassroots activism against financial surveillance and the potential dangers of expanded regulations like the Bank Secrecy Act. Olney highlights the need for Bitcoiners to call their senators and unite in defense of financial privacy, urging the community to amplify their voices and protect open-source initiatives.
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Seizing Banks Sparked A Bitcoin Return
- Kyle Olney entered consulting after graduating into the Great Financial Crisis and helped seize 140+ failing banks for the FDIC.
- That work radicalized him and later led him back to Bitcoin and political advocacy.
How The Government Actually Closes Banks
- Kyle described the cloak-and-dagger process of closing banks, from kill lists to teams camping near branches and seizing charters on a Friday.
- The closures required 72-hour forensic cleanups and often involved political interference and messy outcomes.
Software Mindset Versus Money Mindset
- Kyle highlights a core cultural split: Bitcoiners understand money but not software; many in Silicon Valley understand software but not money.
- He argues Bitcoin's verification ethos resists the token-economy corruption he observed in Web2/Web3.
