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SpotifyThe Journey from Barter to Bitcoin
Tea Bricks, Whale Teeth, Spices, Chocolate: The history of money is more than just weird! In this episode of TechTonik, co-hosts Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque explore the evolution of currency from ancient cowrie shells to today’s digital transactions. This first episode delves into money as an innovative technology, examining how it has shaped global trade and personal finance over millennia.
Listen as they discuss the transformation from barter systems to sophisticated financial structures that define our economic landscape. Join them on this fascinating journey through the technological advancements that have revolutionized our understanding and use of money; tune in now!
Table of Contents
Discussion Topics: The Journey from Barter to Bitcoin
- Could shells really buy you a fortune – The surprising story of ancient currency
- Is money just humanity’s cleverest hack – Rethinking how we invented wealth
- What killed bartering – The untold inefficiencies of early trade
- Olympic medals or ancient cash – How gold, silver, and bronze set the standard for value
- Snails, superstition, and serious cash – Why cowrie shells were more than just shiny trinkets
- Would you wear dead snails for luck – The bizarre beginnings of global trade
- Chocolate or currency – The Aztec obsession with cacao beans that changed history
- When spices were worth fighting for – How flavour drove empires to battle
- From stone discs to Bitcoin – The ancient inspiration behind today’s digital currency
- Can banks really be trusted – The scary truth about your money in the digital age
Our Guest: Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial “Mari Kondo,” which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth – and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.
Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.
Your Host: Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.