About this episode

The episode discusses the resurgence of cryptocurrency and its implications, featuring insights from Ben McKenzie on the blurred lines between investing and gambling.

Crypto is back—new hype cycles, rising prices, and fresh promises that this time cryptocurrency is changing the financial system for good. But the questions haven’t changed: is this innovation or just another wave of speculation, scams, and financial fraud? That’s why we’re revisiting this conversation with actor and author Ben McKenzie—whose bestselling book Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud and new documentary, Everyone is Lying to You For Money are once again fueling the debate over crypto’s real impact. What started as curiosity became a deeper look at how the crypto boom blurred the line between investing and gambling—and what that reveals about an economy increasingly driven by speculation instead of real value. McKenzie joins Nick and Goldy to pull back the curtain on the hype, the believers, and the system that made it all possible. Ben McKenzie is an actor, author, and director best known for his roles on The O.C., Southland, and Gotham. A graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in economics and foreign affairs, he has emerged as a leading critic of the cryptocurrency industry. He is the co-author, with journalist…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Hanauer

Guest: Ben McKenzie

Topics covered

• cryptocurrency
• financial fraud
• speculation
• economic impact
• investing vs gambling

Keywords

• cryptocurrency
• scams
• financial system
• Ben McKenzie
• Easy Money
• speculation
• investing
• gambling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Civic Ventures

Books & works: Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud, Everyone is Lying to You For Money

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