- Back to menuPrices
- Back to menuResearch
- Back to menuConsensus
- Back to menu
- Back to menu
- Back to menu
- Back to menuWebinars & Events
Rights Versus Privileges in a Global Financial System
Two critical questions about financial freedom and responsibility
ABOUT
As the second week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins, questions continue to arise surrounding crypto’s complexities in a wartime environment alongside broader questions about the future of money.
This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io and Wrejects.com.
On this episode of “Speaking of Bitcoin,” hosts Adam B. Levine, Stephanie Murphy and Jonathan Mohan dive into two critical questions about financial freedom and responsibility.
The first question surrounds an emerging narrative of sanction evasion. Could bitcoin (BTC) even be an effective tool for a nation-state to use to evade sanctions, given crypto’s relative market size to a nation’s reserves? Even further, how effective are these sanctions at all?
The second question lies in the distinction between rights versus privileges for financial freedom. Do nation-states or individuals have a right to transact, or is interacting with larger financial systems a privilege that can be revoked by whoever operates the system?”
HOST
Adam B. Levine joined CoinDesk in 2019 as the editor of its new audio and podcasts division. Previously, Adam founded the long-running Let's Talk Bitcoin! talk show with co-hosts Stephanie Murphy and Andreas M. Antonopoulos.
Finding early success with the show, Adam transformed the podcast's homepage into a full newsdesk and publishing platform, founding the LTB Network in January of 2014 to help broaden the conversation with new and different perspectives. In the Spring of that year, he would go on to launch the first and largest tokenized rewards program for creators and their audience. In what many have called an early influential version of "Steemit"; LTBCOIN, which was awarded to both content creators and members of the audience for participation was distributed until the LTBN was acquired by BTC, Inc. in January of 2017.
With the network launched and growing, in late 2014 Adam turned his attention to the practical challenges of administering the tokenized program and founded Tokenly, Inc. There, he led the development of early tokenized vending machines with Swapbot, tokenized identity solution Tokenpass, e-commerce with TokenMarkets.com and media with Token.fm. Adam owns some BTC, ETH and small positions in a number of other tokens.

EPISODES
THE MINING POD: The Trumps Mine BTC Now: Inside American Bitcoin w/ Matt Prusak
Hut 8 is splitting its mining business into a new subsidiary, American Bitcoin, with backing from Eric Trump and Dona...
Apr 8, 2025
BITCOIN SEASON 2: Inside Bitcoin’s Darknet Markets
We’re exploring darknet markets, from their history with the Silk Road to how they function today. Bitcoin vs. Monero...
Apr 5, 2025
THE MINING POD: Hut 8’s Trump-Backed American Bitcoin, Galaxy’s $4.5B CoreWeave Deal, Tariff Impact on Bitcoin Miners
Two stories dominated headlines this week, and they both have to do with Trump: Hut 8 launches a new Trump-back subsi...
Apr 4, 2025
BITCOIN SEASON 2: Julian Assange’s Brother, Gabriel Shipton on Wikileaks & BTC
Julian Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton and Brian Laughlin announce Project Spartacus - an initiative to preserve th...
Apr 2, 2025

The Mining Pod
Feb 10, 2025

CoinDesk Podcast Network
The top stories and best shows in the blockchain world, delivered daily from the team at CoinDesk.
Dec 20, 2023

Markets Daily Crypto Roundup
Tune in as CoinDesk runs down daily action in bitcoin markets and some of the most important recent industry development.
Dec 19, 2023

Unchained
Unchained, your no hype resource for all things crypto by former Forbes senior editor Laura Shin, author of The Cryptopians.
Dec 18, 2023