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People by WTF

People by WTF

Written by: Nikhil Kamath
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People by WTF is a series where Nikhil Kamath has a conversation with personalities who stand out in their industries around the world.

Copyright 2025 Nikhil Kamath Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The Crypto Skeptic vs The Coinbase CEO | Brian Armstrong x Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF

    The Crypto Skeptic vs The Coinbase CEO | Brian Armstrong x Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF
    Jul 16 2026

    I've said it before I'm a crypto critic. I've never bought a Bitcoin, never held a stable coin, never traded a perp. So I sat down with Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, the company that stores more crypto than anyone else on the planet and asked him to explain the whole thing from scratch, like I was an idiot. What followed was the most patient walkthrough of this industry I've ever been given: what a blockchain actually is, why proof of stake replaced proof of work, how stable coin issuers make money, and why he believes fractional reserve banking the foundation of every bank you've ever used shouldn't be the foundation of anything. I pushed him on where the yield really comes from, why an intermediary deserves my treasury returns, and whether crypto has quietly become the opposite of everything Satoshi wrote in that white paper. I'm still not buying a Bitcoin. But for the first time, I understand why so many people do.


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Introduction

    05:12 Income inequality and making everyone a capitalist

    11:15 Inequality's magnitude and AI's concentration problem

    17:54 Why AI agents will pay in stablecoins

    24:28 The risk and yield economics of stablecoins

    31:21 Remittances, a digital rupee and tokenized gold

    38:09 Bitcoin and blockchain from first principles

    45:25 Mining economics and the Michael Saylor playbook

    51:09 How proof of stake secures a network

    56:52 Smart contracts and DeFi lending explained

    1:01:42 Creating entrepreneurs and India's fear of failure

    1:08:16 India's crypto adoption and the leverage wipeout

    1:15:56 Banks, stablecoins and the fractional reserve debate

    1:22:13 The everything exchange and money as energy

    1:27:50 The AI bubble question and open source models

    1:34:43 Going to Washington and suing the SEC

    1:40:01 The rise of perpetual futures trading

    1:45:32 Bitcoin's psychology and fair market data

    1:51:35 Base and building the new financial system

    1:57:25 Whether Brian would run for president

    2:02:14 Sleep, health and advice for obsessive traders

    2:08:50 Bitcoin versus gold and remittance opportunities

    2:13:34 Agentic commerce, moats and capital formation


    #nikhilkamath-Co-founder of Zerodha and Gruhas

    Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' Podcast

    • Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/


    Brian Armstrong – CEO of Coinbase

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barmstrong/
    • X: https://x.com/brian_armstrong
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_armstrong/?hl=en


    Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4ezn


    Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59


    Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th


    #WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
    Show More Show Less
    2 hrs and 19 mins
  • Brian Armstrong x Nikhil Kamath | Ep. 24 Trailer | People by WTF

    Brian Armstrong x Nikhil Kamath | Ep. 24 Trailer | People by WTF
    Jul 14 2026

    #nikhilkamath-Co-founder of Zerodha and Gruhas

    Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' Podcast

    • Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/


    Brian Armstrong- CEO of Coinbase

    • LinkedIN- https://www.linkedin.com/in/barmstrong/
    • X- https://x.com/brian_armstrong
    • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brian_armstrong/?hl=en


    Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4ezn


    Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59


    Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify

    https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th


    #WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • The President of Cyprus on Whether Democracy Still Works | Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF

    The President of Cyprus on Whether Democracy Still Works | Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF
    Jul 2 2026
    I sat down with Nikos Christodoulides, the President of Cyprus — and the rare leader who came to politics as a historian first. Cyprus is a country of a million and a half people sitting on the bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, which makes it one of the most strategically placed nations on earth right now. We got into why he believes the world is sliding back into raw power politics, why the institutions built after World War II no longer reflect reality, why India has to be at the centre of whatever replaces them, and why he thinks war is the easiest mistake a country can make and the hardest to undo. We also talked about democracy under pressure, why he moved from the left to the centre-right over a lifetime, what AI might do to work and governance, and what it actually feels like to wake up every day and carry the weight of a country. He told me it's a very lonely role — and that the only thing that matters is whether history, not tomorrow's headlines, judges you well.00:00 Introduction03:07 Being a historian first, a politician second08:02 Why power politics is returning to the world12:03 The case for India on the UN Security Council17:01 How postwar institutions favoured the incumbents22:23 Whether democracy still delivers economic progress27:02 Designing a new regional order from India to Europe34:39 Why interests, not values, reshape alliances40:53 The only real way to avoid war42:35 Where he stands on left versus right46:02 Moving from academia into political reality47:11 What AI could do to work and democracy52:08 Thinking about the next generation, not the next election56:22 What it feels like to hold power1:03:09 What diplomacy taught him about negotiation1:07:57 A closing argument for India's leading role#NikhilKamath – Co-founder of Zerodha and GruhasHost of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' PodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/Nikos Christodoulides – President of the Republic of CyprusLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikos-christodoulides-660b02139/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikoschristodoulides/?hl=enX: https://x.com/ChristodulidesWatch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4nsm4eznWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/yme92c59Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
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Most relevant
People by WTF” hosted by Nikhil Kamath is not just another business podcast — it’s a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary individuals across industries.

What makes this podcast stand out is Nikhil’s calm, curious, and non-judgmental interviewing style. The conversations feel raw, authentic, and intellectually stimulating rather than scripted or overly dramatic. From entrepreneurs and investors to artists and change-makers, every episode offers valuable insights into success, failure, mindset, and life lessons.

The podcast beautifully blends:

Entrepreneurship & wealth creation

Personal growth & philosophy

India’s evolving business landscape

Real struggles behind public success

If you are someone interested in startups, investing, leadership, or simply understanding how high performers think, this series is absolutely worth your time.

Highly recommended for entrepreneurs, students, and curious minds who love meaningful conversations.

Inspiring, Honest & Thought-Provoking Conversation

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