Ep. 82: Caitlin Long - Banking Meets Bitcoin Revolution

My guest today is Caitlin Long, Founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, a 22-year Wall Street veteran, and one of the most influential voices in Bitcoin policy and financial regulation. A Harvard-trained lawyer and early Bitcoin advocate, Caitlin played a central role in turning Wyoming into the most crypto-friendly legal jurisdiction in the United States, helping pass over 20 blockchain-enabling laws. In this episode, Caitlin walks us through her ongoing legal battle with the Federal Reserve, the hidden mechanics of Operation Chokepoint 2.0, and why access to a Fed master account is the front line of financial freedom. We discuss the stablecoin wars, the surveillance threats of CBDCs, and how privacy, law, and innovation are colliding inside the US banking system. Above all, this is a conversation about fighting centralized control, defending open access to money, and building the legal rails for a Bitcoin-native financial future.

► This episode is part of the "Bitcoin Vegas 2025 Special" in collaboration with Ben Samocha, Founder of Israel’s CryptoJungle and Crypto Talks podcast.

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-- LINKS –

Caitlin’s Twitter: https://x.com/CaitlinLong_

Custodia Bank’s Website: https://custodiabank.com/ 

Efrat's Twitter: https://twitter.com/efenigson

Efrat's Telegram: https://t.me/efenigsonBen's Twitter: https://x.com/bensamocha 

Ben's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-samocha-728147153/ 

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-- CHAPTERS –

00:00 Coming Up

01:05 Welcome from Bitcoin Vegas & Intro to Caitlin

02:05 Vegas, Bitcoin & Fiat

04:00 Founding Custodia & Wyoming’s Role

08:14 Anti-Bank Bias & Innovation Crackdown

12:08 Battling the Fed for a Master Account

14:35 Chokepoint 2.0 & Bitcoin’s Resilience

17:44 Suing the Fed: Strategy & Stakes

24:29 Stablecoins: Banks vs Startups

31:12 Outdated US Payment Rails

37:54 CBDCs: Privacy & Surveillance

42:20 Does Financial Privacy Exist? Coinbase Goes To Court

50:55 Stablecoins vs Eurodollar System

54:54 LIBOR Ends: US Reclaims Control

57:27 Wyoming’s Pro-Bitcoin Laws

1:05:45 Remove Taxes on Bitcoin

1:09:05 Adoption, Saylor & Market Momentum

1:14:01 Final Thoughts & Hope for