196: Bitcoin Demystified (Part 3): Currency, Sustainability, And Social Impact Absolute Trust Talk podcast

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196: Bitcoin Demystified (Part 3): Currency, Sustainability, and Social Impact

2d ago 17:01

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Can Bitcoin actually function as real money—and is it destroying the planet? In Part 3 of our cryptocurrency series, host Kirsten Howe continues her conversation with Jirayr Kembikian, CFP® and Managing Director of Citrine Capital, to answer these critical questions. Jirayr systematically breaks down the seven properties that define ideal currency—durability, divisibility, portability, verifiability, scarcity, established history, and ease of use—then compares Bitcoin against both the U.S. dollar and gold. Bitcoin outperforms the dollar on almost every measure and beats gold in critical areas like portability and verifiability. You'll discover why no one can walk into Fort Knox to verify reserves, how Bitcoin's network validates itself every 10 minutes, and why the fixed supply cap means higher prices can never inflate availability (unlike gold mining).

But the real surprises come when Jirayr addresses Bitcoin's environmental critics. Learn how mining operations now capture harmful methane from landfills and gas flaring, why Bitcoin uniquely utilizes stranded energy that nothing else can access, and how 55% of the network runs on renewable power—advancing clean energy in unprecedented ways. The conversation extends to Bitcoin's profound social impact: providing financial access to over a billion unbanked people worldwide and offering economic freedom to those living under authoritarian regimes. From Block (formerly Square) integrating Bitcoin into millions of point-of-sale terminals to El Salvador's adoption as legal tender, Bitcoin is moving from investment vehicle to functional currency faster than most realize.

Time-stamped Show Notes: 0:00 Introduction 1:38 Breaking down what makes "good money"—the seven research-backed properties of ideal currency compared across Bitcoin, gold, and the dollar. 3:05 Gold's fatal flaw: incredibly heavy and expensive to transport across countries, while Bitcoin enables instant, costless transfers worldwide. 5:18 Start listening now to learn more about why Bitcoin's 21 million supply cap is unchangeable. 5:51 The track record gap—gold's thousands of years of proven use versus Bitcoin's 15-year history remains its biggest weakness. 6:49 Survival needs drive Bitcoin adoption in the Global South, whereas in the West, it is adopted as a store of value. 8:58 Block (formerly Square) just integrated Bitcoin into millions of point-of-sale terminals—a massive shift for real-world payments. 10:17 The merchant advantage: significantly lower fees plus immediate settlement, versus waiting days for credit card deposits. 11:00 Lightning Network explained—designed for fast, cheap, everyday transactions rather than long-term value storage. 12:00 The ESG dilemma—energy consumption concerns initially kept sustainably-focused investors away from Bitcoin. 12:50 The surprising discovery: Bitcoin mining operations now capture harmful methane from landfills and gas flaring, actively reducing emissions. 15:31 How Bitcoin mining accelerates renewable energy—co-location with solar and wind projects makes them profitable sooner while eliminating transmission costs. 15:47 Financial freedom for billions: over 1 billion unbanked people gain access to banking, while those under authoritarian regimes escape government financial control.

Get in touch with Jirayr! Managing Director & Co-Founder Citrine Capital CitrineCapitalAdvisors.com [email protected] 415.494.8262

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