Users, entrepreneurs, and investors are harnessing bitcoin’s “workaday utility” in Argentina, a place where bitcoin is arguably more widespread among everyday people than anywhere else. What conditions led to this? Is it indicative of what may happen someplace else? Or is it just an isolated case or even a stopgap?
In this episode of the a16z Podcast, NYT journalist Nathaniel Popper, author of the new book Digital Gold on the “inside story of the misfits and millionaires trying to reinvent money”, shares his insights on the phenomenon taking place in Argentina; what lessons other countries should (or shouldn’t) take away from it; and why email is the best analogy for email. And why the people behind bitcoin really do matter … especially because — not in spite of! — bitcoin being a “blank slate” to build on top of.
Nathaniel Popper
The a16z Podcast discusses the most important ideas within technology with the people building it. Each episode aims to put listeners ahead of the curve, covering topics like AI, energy, genomics, space, and more.