🎙️ My guest today is Giacomo Zucco, Director of Plan B Network and a well-known Bitcoin maximalist. He's also an advisor/investor for OCEAN, Relai, Ark Labs, Twentytwo, Geyser, Lightning Ventures, Breez and more. He spends his time supporting projects that he feels might be relevant for the future of Bitcoin, be it as an educator, consultant, entrepreneur, maximalist, or troll. In this episode, we dive deep into Bitcoin’s ideological and technological battles, from the early days of monetary activism to today’s regulatory and institutional challenges. Giacomo unpacks the role of stablecoins and specifically USDT, explaining why it has become both a “useful scam” and a financial bridge for millions. We also touch on CBDCs, the future of financial decentralization, transhumanism and why Bitcoiners should remain cautious as institutions get involved. Please note Giacomo’s views do not represent Tether’s official views in any way.
This episode is also on Twitter, Spotify, Fountain, Rumble and more.
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We talked about:
00:00 Coming Up…
00:57 Introduction
01:25 Giacomo’s Story and Background
09:35 The Story Behind “Plan B Network”
16:34 Tether - A Happy Accident or a Useful Scam?
26:51 Tether’s Audits & Conspiracy Theories of Pumping Bitcoin Price
30:58 Tether’s Bet On Gold with XAUt
32:26 Tether’s Tech & Investments Diversification
32:58 Transhumanism & its Risks
37:04 The New Monetary Order: CBDCs,Stablecoins & Bitcoin
43:22 The Evolution of Bitcoin's Ideological Landscape
47:38 Giacomo’s Message of Hope
My takeaways:
Bitcoin is the only truly decentralized money, unlike stablecoins or CBDCs.
Tether is both a “useful scam” and a bridge for the unbanked to access dollars.
Tether Gold is a better store of value than USD-backed stablecoins.
Bitcoiners should build alternatives instead of relying on political change.
The centralization of money has accelerated with digital fiat systems.
The Plan B Network is working on alternative education, investment, and co-living hubs.
The next 12-24 months will be chaotic—but Bitcoin thrives in chaos.
Bitcoin’s ethos is expanding: from “Fuck the Government” only to ETFs and political lobbying too.
Bitcoin’s adoption grows, but institutional involvement dilutes the market size of its original ethos.
The financial elite and central bankers are trying to reinvent Bitcoin’s features under a controlled system.
Privacy and security are crucial—Bitcoiners should strengthen their OPSEC.
Bitcoiners won’t comply—but should prepare for government attacks on self-custody.
The rise of transhumanist tech poses risks, even if decentralized.
Bitcoin will win by staying decentralized and censorship-resistant.
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