Escaping Hyperinflation in a Rolls Royce with Freddie New - WBD653

Freddie New is the Head of Policy at Bitcoin Policy UK. In this
interview, we discuss how his childhood experiences living in
Zimbabwe and Syria have shaped his understanding of Bitcoin’s
unique properties. We also discuss his amazing efforts in setting
up Bitcoin Policy UK, a new and much-needed advocacy group
promoting Bitcoin to policymakers and the wider public in the
United Kingdom.


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Danny and I have been very fortunate to travel to a vast array of
countries in making this show. In the process, I have been
exposed to ideas and experiences that reinforce the importance of
Bitcoin. But what strikes me the hardest is coming back to the
UK. There is a general lack of interest and consideration for
this innovation. It’s an attitude that borders on outright
suspicion and derision on occasions.


Freddie New is one of the main people behind a new advocacy
group: Bitcoin Policy UK. It is a lobbying and educational
non-profit that the UK has been in desperate need of. This speaks
to the difficulties of getting funding for such initiatives more
than anything else. But, as the Bitcoin Policy Institute and Coin
Centre attest, it’s about getting the right people to work in
such organisations.


Freddie is such a person. Whilst he speaks like a typical London
professional (which can open many doors in the UK!), his
experiences in growing up and escaping Zimbabwe were anything
like the typical insular upbringing of many in the UK. At an
early age, Freddie was forced to acquire valuable education on
the importance of the properties that Bitcoin provides. It is a
story that makes you catch your breath.


Bitcoin advocacy is about looking beyond the investment potential
of the Bitcoin asset and expressing its value as a technology
that can protect people. Advocacy needs to be authoritative and
tell powerful stories to persuade people who are blind to the
economic transition coming down the road. Having someone who can
eloquently attest to the need to have means to protect sovereign
wealth could be the lightning rod for Bitcoin advocacy in the UK.