The Bitcoin Frontier

• The new Manhattan Projects: 50x cheaper energy, the race to space, and bitcoin

  Energy production is broken—and rebuilding it could unlock a new era of abundance. In this episode, we sit down with Isaiah Taylor, founder of Valor Atomics, to explore how cheap energy can reshape the world. Isaiah shares his family’s history with the Manhattan Project, why nuclear innovation stalled in the West, and how Valor is building modular giga-sites to produce cleaner, cheaper energy at scale. We discuss how robotics, AI, and manufacturing are shifting cost curves, the future of energy demand, and why decentralization is key to national resilience. Isaiah also shares his thoughts on bitcoin, the dangers of regulatory bloat, and how restoring antifragility to America’s legal system could unleash a new industrial boom.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ 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→ Watch the video premiere of Bitcoin, Not Crypto: https://unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:04 - Isaiah Taylor’s Manhattan Project family history3:18 - Secrecy inside America’s Secret City5:37 - Why America needs new Manhattan Projects today7:39 - How Valor Atomics is rethinking nuclear reactors10:01 - How a nuclear reactor really works13:38 - Why building reactors became a legal and talent problem16:59 - How AI is pushing investors toward hard tech18:59 - The future of energy: exponential demand and production21:46 - Why energy prices have been broken since the 1970s26:06 - Valor’s giga-site model to transform energy markets30:27 - Could machines create an infinite energy feedback loop?33:57 - Humanity’s mission: garden the universe36:19 - Will money still matter in a post-scarcity world?40:34 - How regulatory bloat crushed American industry48:10 - Why Isaiah Taylor is suing the Nuclear Regulatory CommissionWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained X: https://twitter.com/unchained→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Isaiah Taylor’s Twitter: https://x.com/isaiah_p_taylor

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• What if bitcoin development stopped tomorrow? with Mike Schmidt and Buck Perley

  What if bitcoin development stopped tomorrow? In this episode, we sit down with Mike Schmidt, Executive Director at Brink, and Buck Perley, Director of Product Engineering at Unchained, to explore the state of open source development and why it matters more than ever. Mike shares his path from software engineer to funding bitcoin core developers, while Buck recounts his early bitcoin experiences in China. We cover what bitcoin core developers actually do, how brink evaluates contributors, and why maintenance, security, and review are essential—even without major protocol changes. The conversation also touches on ossification, governance, and the future of soft forks. If you’ve ever wondered who maintains bitcoin’s foundation and why it matters, this episode pulls back the curtain.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ 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→ What is bitcoin: A tech stock? An inflation hedge? A ponzi scheme? Can DOGE Fix The Dollar? Come listen to Professor Peter St. Onge give a keynote presentation on April 16th: https://unchained.com/dogeTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:14 - Why open source matters for bitcoin6:20 - How Buck discovered bitcoin in China11:12 - What bitcoin core developers actually do16:57 - How brink evaluates developers before funding22:15 - What brink would do with unlimited funding27:34 - Why bitcoin needs more reviewers, not just coders32:10 - Should bitcoin ossify or stay flexible?36:36 - The messy politics of soft forks and consensus42:18 - What is bitcoin governance really?47:18 - Unpopular opinions from Mike and Buck51:25 - The biggest long-term risk to bitcoinWHERE 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→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Mike Schmidt’s Twitter: https://x.com/bitschmidty→ Buck Perley’s Twitter: https://x.com/puckberley

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• Value beyond price: Bitcoin, Marx, Menger, and MMT with Natalie Smolenski

  In this episode, we dive into bitcoin's impact on the future global monetary order with Natalie Smolenski, an anthropologist and bitcoiner. We discuss her thoughts on how bitcoin challenges the state's monopoly on currency, invoking Karl Marx's unexpected agreement that gold, a commodity, originally embodied money—not the state-minted currencies. Natalie explains her fascination with the concept of the invaluable—elements of culture and society that transcend monetary value—and how bitcoin fits in today’s culture. We also tackle bitcoin's role as a deflationary currency in contrast to fiat's inflationary tendencies, highlighting its potential to redefine economic and social hierarchies. Join us as we explore bitcoin's potential to reshape not just economies but cultural identities.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ 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→ Meet Natalie in Austin on April 16th: https://www.meetup.com/bitcoin-park-austin/events/306342336/TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:12 - Natalie's journey into bitcoin02:19 - Anthropology and the concept of value06:06 - Modern monetary theory and social power10:09 - Central banking and national economic performance15:12 - The challenge of physical currencies and the role of central banks20:27 - Money as the most salable good: Carl Menger's insights26:17 - Debunking the myth: Bitcoin and collective hallucination30:01 - Bitcoin as a protocol for new societal frameworks34:10 - Bitcoin's potential impact on societal structures38:23 - The state's interest in bitcoin and potential risks42:27 - Legal challenges and the future of bitcoin ownership45:24 - The future of privacy, property, and political action in the bitcoin eraWHERE 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→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Natalie Smolenski’s Twitter: https://x.com/NSmolenski

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• This Certified Financial Planner (CFP) sold his house to buy bitcoin

  What happens when a certified financial planner sells two homes to buy bitcoin? In this episode, we sit down with Jessy Gilger, Senior Advisor at Sound Advisory, to explore the radical shift happening inside the financial advisory industry. Jessy shares how he went from flipping houses to building multi-generational wealth on a bitcoin standard, and why more clients—and even advisors—are quietly making the leap. We cover how ETFs are changing incentives, how to navigate capital allocation between real estate and bitcoin, and the risks of high bitcoin exposure in retirement. Jessy explains why volatility planning matters, how to survive bitcoin drawdowns, and how to protect your family with proper inheritance planning. We also get into his take on the national bitcoin reserve and potential tax changes.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ 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→ If you can’t talk about your bitcoin wealth with your financial advisor, it might be time to find a new advisor. Check out Sound Advisory at thesoundadvisory.com.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:18 - Why Jessy sold two houses for bitcoin02:35 - Jessy’s thesis for bitcoin as internet-native money04:13 - How financial advisors react to buying bitcoin05:34 - Why ETFs changed the game for advisors07:26 - When to buy a house vs. buy more bitcoin09:17 - Using long-term mortgages as low-cost leverage12:03 - How Jessy thinks about portfolio allocation13:15 - What 90% bitcoin portfolios look like in real life15:09 - Why retirees need a bitcoin bear market survival plan20:01 - Bitcoin’s volatility and the four-year cash barbell24:37 - Could the next 80% bitcoin drawdown be the last?27:06 - The return of austerity and why it matters for bitcoiners30:04 - Tax changes coming in 2025 and what to do now43:37 - When it’s time to fire your financial advisorWHERE 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→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Jessy Gilger’s Twitter: https://x.com/idahohodl

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• Bitcoin is the hurdle rate with Matt Cole, CEO of Strive

  What happens when corporations and nations wake up to bitcoin’s dominance? In this episode, we sit down with Matt Cole, former CalPERS portfolio manager, to discuss why every public company will eventually hold bitcoin and how the U.S. is already falling behind in the global bitcoin race. Matt shares his journey from managing $70 billion in fixed income to realizing bitcoin’s role as the ultimate savings vehicle. We explore his viral letter urging GameStop to adopt bitcoin, the concept of bitcoin as a corporate hurdle rate, and the growing pressure for businesses to rethink treasury strategies. Matt breaks down the risks and misconceptions around MicroStrategy’s leverage, how AI could reshape business moats, and why a higher hurdle rate could force a more productive economy. We also discuss why he believes regulatory risks for bitcoin have dropped to near zero and what this means for the future.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ 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/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:32 - From Wall Street to bitcoin: Matt Cole’s journey03:45 - Managing $70 billion at CalPERS and the pension crisis05:34 - Buying US treasuries and questioning the system07:22 - The moment Matt first heard about bitcoin (on a bodybuilding forum!)10:17 - Why institutions are always late to bitcoin12:19 - The fight between bitcoin and CBDCs15:36 - Why the US must buy bitcoin before it's too late16:05 - The viral letter urging GameStop to adopt bitcoin20:06 - Could GameStop become the next MicroStrategy?23:25 - Why every public company will hold bitcoin27:02 - Bitcoin as the new corporate hurdle rate35:36 - Why most businesses are losing to bitcoin’s hurdle rate39:59 - Does MicroStrategy have too much leverage?46:56 - Will bitcoin force a more productive economy?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→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Matt Cole’s Twitter: https://x.com/ColeMacro

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