Stablecoins and shenanigans, with Zeke Faux

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) is joined by Zeke Faux, investigative reporter at Bloomberg and author of Number Go Up, to discuss stablecoins and crypto fraud. They dive into Tether's controversial history, the senate’s emerging GENIUS act, and how crypto enables various types of financial crime. The conversation explores how Tether went from a “quilted collection of red flags” to becoming crypto's dominant stablecoin, its noteworthy relationship with Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX, and its current political maneuvering. They also discuss the societal value of financial regulation versus laissez-faire approaches to consumer protection.
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Full transcript available here: www.complexsystemspodcast.com/zeke-faux-stablecoins-tether/

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Sponsors: Safebase

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Recommended in this episode:

• Number Go Up: https://zekefaux.com/
• Anyone Seen Tether’s Billions? Zeke Faux, Bloomberg Businessweek: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-10-07/crypto-mystery-where-s-the-69-billion-backing-the-stablecoin-tether
• Patrick’s review of Number Go Up: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/a-review-of-number-go-up-on-crypto-shenanigans/
• Doesn't Matter, That's Reg E: https://suno.com/song/173bbd67-92f7-4868-930f-efeca4b373c0

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Twitter:
@zekefaux
@patio11
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(00:45) The GENIUS act of 2025
(02:28) Tether's audit controversy
(05:49) The origins and impact of Tether
(08:17) Investigative reporting and red flags
(12:58) Tether's shady business practices
(19:23) Tether meets SBF
(21:40) Sponsor: Check
(22:51) New anecdotes in the Number Go Up paperback
(28:53) The role of stable coins in crime
(38:20) The importance of AML and KYC rules
(44:21) Financial privacy
(45:18) Sam Bankman-Fried's conference in the Bahamas
(47:14) Loot NFTs
(49:34) Axie Infinity: a case study
(52:30) Crypto's real-world consequences
(58:15) Regulation and financial safety
(01:05:40) Stablecoin bill and ownership limits
(01:06:50) Political realignment and crypto
(01:14:40) Citizen journalists and the crypto-skeptic community
(01:20:36) The abilities and limitations of institutional journalists
(01:26:00) Wrap