August 29, 2025 • 10 mins
In this Pocket Byte, we strip away the buzzwords and get to the heart of blockchain. Too often, it’s framed as either a get-rich-quick scheme or a confusing tech fad. But blockchain is bigger than speculation; it’s a new form of trust, ownership, and information.
We’ll explore where blockchain came from, why it matters, and how it’s reshaping the way value moves across the globe. From the early days of Bitcoin to the decentralized applications that are challenging old institutions.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back to
(00:00):
The Wealth Effect.
I'm your host,
Green Moon.
And today we're diving into something that
goes far beyond the latest financial trend
or stock pick.
This is bigger than just
another investment hack.
We're talking about the quiet force
that's building the future of wealth,
trust, and ownership.
And also a topic that changed
my life and my interest.
(00:21):
In 1440, Gutenberg finishes his
invention, the printing press.
At first, no one pays
much attention to him.
The clerics are afraid, the scholars
call it dangerous, and the elites try to
suppress it.
But we know
what happened.
It changed
everything.
It changed
the future.
The printing press decentralized
(00:41):
knowledge, broke the monopoly on the
church and the state
over information.
The printing press decentralized
knowledge, broke the monopoly the church
and state had over information, and
empowered the common person with
literacy, autonomy,
and access.
Now fast forward to 2009, a mysterious
(01:02):
figure named Satoshi Nakamoto introduces
something similar.
A technology that promises
trust, value, and ownership.
And it's similar to what the
printing press did to knowledge.
And it's called
blockchain.
Just like back then, many people
didn't fully understand it yet.
Or they were
dismissing of it.
(01:23):
Today, we're going to break down
blockchain and look how it's reshaping
everything.
Let's fill
your pocket.
You've heard
the buzzwords.
You've seen
the headlines.
But what is
blockchain in reality?
At its core, a blockchain
is just a ledger.
Think about the old ledgers that the
older generations would have used in their
businesses.
Debits on one side and
credits on the other.
(01:44):
But here's where it
gets interesting.
This ledger is digital,
public, and immutable.
Imagine a notebook where millions of
people are watching it at the same time.
Every transaction,
every entry is visible.
And once you write it
down, it's permanent.
No erasing and
no changing it.
And why does
this matter?
(02:04):
Well, because trust is the
foundation of everything.
Whether it be business, currency,
or even democracy itself.
For far too long, we've outsourced our
financial trust to banks, government,
and institutions.
But what happens when those
institutions, banks, betray that trust?
What if they inflate currencies,
(02:25):
lose our data, or manipulate markets?
That's where
blockchain comes in.
It's not about
asking for trust.
It's about showing
to you with math.
Every great movement begins
with a moment of disconnect.
For the American Revolution, it was
no taxation without representation.
And for blockchain,
it started in 2008.
(02:46):
Banks were failing.
The housing market
was collapsing.
Governments were bailing
out billionaires.
While everyday people
lost everything.
In the midst of all that
chaos, a quiet protest emerged.
On January 3rd, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto
mined the first Bitcoin block.
The Genesis block.
(03:07):
Embedded in the
code was a message.
The time is
January 3rd, 2009.
Chancellor on the brink of
second bailout for banks.
That wasn't just
a timestamp.
It was a
declaration.
Bitcoin wasn't
just a currency.
It was a rebellion
against corruption.
It was a tool for financial independence
(03:27):
and a new system where code, not humans in
suits, would rule.
Bitcoin is not
blockchain.
Bitcoin is not
blockchain.
But it was the first major
application of blockchain.
If Bitcoin was just the
beginning, then what's next?
If a tool could give power back to the
people, would you ignore
it or would you study it?
(03:48):
Because the real magic of blockchain
isn't just about currency.
It's about decentralizing
control, ownership, and value.
Think about it
in your life.
You store your photos on someone
else's server, mainly Google.
You socialize through someone
else's networks, Meta.
You pay through someone else's
system, Visa, MasterCard.
(04:10):
You rent homes through someone
else's app, like Airbnb.
You stream music through someone else's
platform, like Spotify and Apple Music.
In each of these cases, you're just a
user, and someone else is the owner.
Now imagine a world where
you can control your data.
You own your
identity.
You get paid for your content,
(04:31):
your time, and your attention.
That's the
Web3 vision.
And blockchain is the
engine that powers it.
It's not about getting
rich off of meme coins.
It's about building a
new, fairer internet.
One that's peer-to-peer
and more transparent.
And here's something that might sound
complex, but it's actually pretty simple.
Smart contracts.
A smart contract is a piece of code that
(04:53):
executes itself automatically when certain
conditions are met.
Think of it like
a vending machine.
You put $1.50,
and you press B2.
You get a Snickers.
There's no negotiation,
no middleman, just logic.
Smart contracts are doing the same
for their agreements and deals.
Want to rent out your
apartment without using Airbnb?
(05:13):
A smart contract.
Want to raise funds for a
project without a bank loan?
A smart contract.
Want to automate royalty
payments for a song you wrote?
Smart contracts.
Blockchain's trustless trust is already
making waves in decentralized finance,
or DeFi, where people are lending,
borrowing, and trading all without banks.
(05:35):
And it's not
just an idea.
It's already
happening now.
And of course, blockchain
has its critiques.
Some blockchains consume a lot of energy,
and scammers are still a very big problem
in the community.
But just like the early days of the
internet, regulation is on the horizon.
And that's okay, as long as it protects
users without stifling innovation.
(05:56):
But let's not confuse the misuse of a
tool with the failure of the tool itself.
So what does this
mean for you?
One of the skills for the next decade
is going to be blockchain literacy.
You don't need to be a
developer to understand it.
But you need to know how decentralization
works, how value is being redefined,
and why owning digital assets might just
(06:19):
be as crucial as owning
physical real estate.
You don't need to buy or hold
crypto to believe in blockchain.
Just like you didn't have to buy Amazon
stock in the early 2000s
to believe in the internet.
But you need to think critically,
act intentionally, and stay informed.
Because the shift
isn't slowing down.
At its core, blockchain isn't
(06:40):
just about the technology.
It's a philosophy.
The philosophy
of trustlessness.
Trust is fragile
in the old world.
It's based on relationships,
brands, and reputations.
All subject to human error,
manipulation, and biases.
But blockchain replaces
trust with trust.
Enforced by math and
(07:00):
code, not people.
Blockchain
follows an ethic.
Like, don't
trust, verify.
And this shift isn't
just financial.
It's moral.
If we build systems where trust is baked
in, we can reduce corruption before it
even starts.
It's not perfect, but it's better than
blind faith in a broken, old system.
(07:22):
In today's digital world, your
identity is more valuable than ever.
But right now, your data is being
mined, monetized, and manipulated.
Without your
consent.
Blockchain offers the possibility of a
self-sovereign identity, where you own
your identity, you own your data, you
own your credentials, and you own your
(07:42):
reputation.
Imagine logging into apps without
passwords, proving your education or
medical records instantly and securely,
or donating to a cause where tracking
every dollar
goes is normal.
Blockchain
enables this.
Many people think blockchain
is about getting rich.
Blockchain isn't
just about wealth.
(08:03):
It's about redefining
how and who gets rich.
In the old economy, the
top 1% control the system.
But in the blockchain economy, it's
open source, replaces closed doors.
Micro-ownership
replaces monopolies.
Value flows peer-to-peer
without permission.
You can own fractional real estate,
(08:25):
a piece of a song, or a slice of a
startup, all
without Wall Street.
Creators get
paid directly.
No middleman.
No app stores
taking cuts.
This is a creator-first,
user-owned economy.
And it's about
participation.
And blockchain has been dubbed the great
equalizer for over 1.4 billion people who
(08:48):
are unbanked.
Not because they're lazy, but because
the system has no place for them.
But now they can participate in the global
economy with just a
smartphone and a wallet.
And it's not just
for the poor.
The wealthy are using blockchains
for estate planning,
private equity, and more.
Blockchain scales down to the underserved
(09:10):
while still providing great benefits to
the elites.
Blockchain doesn't care about
your net worth, job, or education.
It only cares that your wallet is
connected, your key is valid, and your
transaction is true.
And that provides real opportunity
for everyone across the world.
And to close things off with something
that's rarely discussed in blockchain
(09:32):
conversations
is legacy.
In Greek mythology, societies grew great
when old men planted
trees whose shade they'll
never sit in.
And blockchain is
one of those trees.
We may not see all the benefits in our
lifetime, but future generations will.
They'll live in a world where
(09:52):
value moves instantly and true.
Blockchain
isn't a trend.
It's a tool, a philosophy,
and a movement.
You can use it to make money, but it's
also about making meaning, participating
in the change, and building the
future of the financial world.
Thanks for listening.
Until next time.
Welcome back to
(00:00):
The Wealth Effect.
I'm your host,
Green Moon.
And today we're diving into something that
goes far beyond the latest financial trend
or stock pick.
This is bigger than just
another investment hack.
We're talking about the quiet force
that's building the future of wealth,
trust, and ownership.
And also a topic that changed
my life and my interest.
(00:21):
In 1440, Gutenberg finishes his
invention, the printing press.
At first, no one pays
much attention to him.
The clerics are afraid, the scholars
call it dangerous, and the elites try to
suppress it.
But we know
what happened.
It changed
everything.
It changed
the future.
The printing press decentralized
(00:41):
knowledge, broke the monopoly on the
church and the state
over information.
The printing press decentralized
knowledge, broke the monopoly the church
and state had over information, and
empowered the common person with
literacy, autonomy,
and access.
Now fast forward to 2009, a mysterious
(01:02):
figure named Satoshi Nakamoto introduces
something similar.
A technology that promises
trust, value, and ownership.
And it's similar to what the
printing press did to knowledge.
And it's called
blockchain.
Just like back then, many people
didn't fully understand it yet.
Or they were
dismissing of it.
(01:23):
Today, we're going to break down
blockchain and look how it's reshaping
everything.
Let's fill
your pocket.
You've heard
the buzzwords.
You've seen
the headlines.
But what is
blockchain in reality?
At its core, a blockchain
is just a ledger.
Think about the old ledgers that the
older generations would have used in their
businesses.
Debits on one side and
credits on the other.
(01:44):
But here's where it
gets interesting.
This ledger is digital,
public, and immutable.
Imagine a notebook where millions of
people are watching it at the same time.
Every transaction,
every entry is visible.
And once you write it
down, it's permanent.
No erasing and
no changing it.
And why does
this matter?
(02:04):
Well, because trust is the
foundation of everything.
Whether it be business, currency,
or even democracy itself.
For far too long, we've outsourced our
financial trust to banks, government,
and institutions.
But what happens when those
institutions, banks, betray that trust?
What if they inflate currencies,
(02:25):
lose our data, or manipulate markets?
That's where
blockchain comes in.
It's not about
asking for trust.
It's about showing
to you with math.
Every great movement begins
with a moment of disconnect.
For the American Revolution, it was
no taxation without representation.
And for blockchain,
it started in 2008.
(02:46):
Banks were failing.
The housing market
was collapsing.
Governments were bailing
out billionaires.
While everyday people
lost everything.
In the midst of all that
chaos, a quiet protest emerged.
On January 3rd, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto
mined the first Bitcoin block.
The Genesis block.
(03:07):
Embedded in the
code was a message.
The time is
January 3rd, 2009.
Chancellor on the brink of
second bailout for banks.
That wasn't just
a timestamp.
It was a
declaration.
Bitcoin wasn't
just a currency.
It was a rebellion
against corruption.
It was a tool for financial independence
(03:27):
and a new system where code, not humans in
suits, would rule.
Bitcoin is not
blockchain.
Bitcoin is not
blockchain.
But it was the first major
application of blockchain.
If Bitcoin was just the
beginning, then what's next?
If a tool could give power back to the
people, would you ignore
it or would you study it?
(03:48):
Because the real magic of blockchain
isn't just about currency.
It's about decentralizing
control, ownership, and value.
Think about it
in your life.
You store your photos on someone
else's server, mainly Google.
You socialize through someone
else's networks, Meta.
You pay through someone else's
system, Visa, MasterCard.
(04:10):
You rent homes through someone
else's app, like Airbnb.
You stream music through someone else's
platform, like Spotify and Apple Music.
In each of these cases, you're just a
user, and someone else is the owner.
Now imagine a world where
you can control your data.
You own your
identity.
You get paid for your content,
(04:31):
your time, and your attention.
That's the
Web3 vision.
And blockchain is the
engine that powers it.
It's not about getting
rich off of meme coins.
It's about building a
new, fairer internet.
One that's peer-to-peer
and more transparent.
And here's something that might sound
complex, but it's actually pretty simple.
Smart contracts.
A smart contract is a piece of code that
(04:53):
executes itself automatically when certain
conditions are met.
Think of it like
a vending machine.
You put $1.50,
and you press B2.
You get a Snickers.
There's no negotiation,
no middleman, just logic.
Smart contracts are doing the same
for their agreements and deals.
Want to rent out your
apartment without using Airbnb?
(05:13):
A smart contract.
Want to raise funds for a
project without a bank loan?
A smart contract.
Want to automate royalty
payments for a song you wrote?
Smart contracts.
Blockchain's trustless trust is already
making waves in decentralized finance,
or DeFi, where people are lending,
borrowing, and trading all without banks.
(05:35):
And it's not
just an idea.
It's already
happening now.
And of course, blockchain
has its critiques.
Some blockchains consume a lot of energy,
and scammers are still a very big problem
in the community.
But just like the early days of the
internet, regulation is on the horizon.
And that's okay, as long as it protects
users without stifling innovation.
(05:56):
But let's not confuse the misuse of a
tool with the failure of the tool itself.
So what does this
mean for you?
One of the skills for the next decade
is going to be blockchain literacy.
You don't need to be a
developer to understand it.
But you need to know how decentralization
works, how value is being redefined,
and why owning digital assets might just
(06:19):
be as crucial as owning
physical real estate.
You don't need to buy or hold
crypto to believe in blockchain.
Just like you didn't have to buy Amazon
stock in the early 2000s
to believe in the internet.
But you need to think critically,
act intentionally, and stay informed.
Because the shift
isn't slowing down.
At its core, blockchain isn't
(06:40):
just about the technology.
It's a philosophy.
The philosophy
of trustlessness.
Trust is fragile
in the old world.
It's based on relationships,
brands, and reputations.
All subject to human error,
manipulation, and biases.
But blockchain replaces
trust with trust.
Enforced by math and
(07:00):
code, not people.
Blockchain
follows an ethic.
Like, don't
trust, verify.
And this shift isn't
just financial.
It's moral.
If we build systems where trust is baked
in, we can reduce corruption before it
even starts.
It's not perfect, but it's better than
blind faith in a broken, old system.
(07:22):
In today's digital world, your
identity is more valuable than ever.
But right now, your data is being
mined, monetized, and manipulated.
Without your
consent.
Blockchain offers the possibility of a
self-sovereign identity, where you own
your identity, you own your data, you
own your credentials, and you own your
(07:42):
reputation.
Imagine logging into apps without
passwords, proving your education or
medical records instantly and securely,
or donating to a cause where tracking
every dollar
goes is normal.
Blockchain
enables this.
Many people think blockchain
is about getting rich.
Blockchain isn't
just about wealth.
(08:03):
It's about redefining
how and who gets rich.
In the old economy, the
top 1% control the system.
But in the blockchain economy, it's
open source, replaces closed doors.
Micro-ownership
replaces monopolies.
Value flows peer-to-peer
without permission.
You can own fractional real estate,
(08:25):
a piece of a song, or a slice of a
startup, all
without Wall Street.
Creators get
paid directly.
No middleman.
No app stores
taking cuts.
This is a creator-first,
user-owned economy.
And it's about
participation.
And blockchain has been dubbed the great
equalizer for over 1.4 billion people who
(08:48):
are unbanked.
Not because they're lazy, but because
the system has no place for them.
But now they can participate in the global
economy with just a
smartphone and a wallet.
And it's not just
for the poor.
The wealthy are using blockchains
for estate planning,
private equity, and more.
Blockchain scales down to the underserved
(09:10):
while still providing great benefits to
the elites.
Blockchain doesn't care about
your net worth, job, or education.
It only cares that your wallet is
connected, your key is valid, and your
transaction is true.
And that provides real opportunity
for everyone across the world.
And to close things off with something
that's rarely discussed in blockchain
(09:32):
conversations
is legacy.
In Greek mythology, societies grew great
when old men planted
trees whose shade they'll
never sit in.
And blockchain is
one of those trees.
We may not see all the benefits in our
lifetime, but future generations will.
They'll live in a world where
(09:52):
value moves instantly and true.
Blockchain
isn't a trend.
It's a tool, a philosophy,
and a movement.
You can use it to make money, but it's
also about making meaning, participating
in the change, and building the
future of the financial world.
Thanks for listening.
Until next time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!