Episode #96: Can Argentina Be Fixed? with Michael J. Casey

Olá pessoal!

For today’s episode I’m joined by Michael J. Casey, who is a renowned journalist, author and authority on the topics of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

As a Wall Street Journal correspondent covering capital markets, he was one of the first mainstream media journalists to take an interest in bitcoin back in 2012-13.

Michael lived in Argentina for six years in the 2000s as a WSJ reporter, witnessing firsthand the hyperinflation, currency devaluations, and banking crises that have plagued the country over the years.

He more recently served as Chief Content Officer at CoinDesk (where he was my boss), and an advisor at the MIT Media Lab and Digital Currency Initiative. He’s also the co-author of three acclaimed books about cryptocurrency and blockchain adoption:

* The Age of Cryptocurrency - which explores the early years of bitcoin’s development

* The Truth Machine: The Blockchain and the Future of Everything - which explains the potential of blockchain technology

* Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age - co-authored with Frank McCourt, the book lays out a blueprint for taking back control of the internet from corporate powers and algorithms

In this conversation, Michael shares how his experiences in Argentina primed him to immediately recognize bitcoin’s transformative potential.

We also discuss cryptocurrency adoption in the country over the years, and whether new president Javier Milei has the juice to successfully take on the Peronist machine.

He vividly recounts his attempt to transfer his life savings out of the country after selling his apartment - an ordeal that involved shady back-alley money changers, stacks of physical cash, and a complete lack of trust in the formal financial system.

These experiences led Michael appreciate bitcoin’s value proposition. As he puts it:

"A monetary system that gets its trust from math, not from a government. That's amazing...I saw the ability to move, transfer money back and forth without the intermediary, without that casa de cambio in the middle or a bank or whomever."

We also touch on the unique historical factors, including a legacy of colonial exploitation, that have contributed to Argentina's perpetual economic instability and lack of faith in government institutions. Michael draws insig

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

Podcast Episode Details

Episode #96: Can Argentina Be Fixed? with Michael J. Casey