Ep. 99: Knut Svanholm - Stop Asking Permission: Bitcoin Or Fiat Prison

Oct 8, 2025

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My guest today is Knut Svanholm, author, educator, and philosopher focused on Bitcoin. Drawing on ethics, praxeology, and monetary history, Knut argues that sound money reduces conflict by aligning human action with natural law and voluntary exchange. In this episode, he explains why fiat banking already functions like a CBDC system in practice, why cash preserves privacy but not liberty, and why real freedom requires self custody and non-KYC Bitcoin. We explore his critique of custodial “paper Bitcoin,” the case for non-custodial adoption over treasury companies, and his view of Bitcoin as intellectual armor that raises the cost of violence. Knut outlines a practical path away from banks, explains why stablecoins can be a bridge yet remain fiat, and why a low-time-preference culture of quality over quantity matters.

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-- CHAPTERS –

00:00 - Coming Up

01:23 - Introduction to Knut