003. The Man Who Called FTX, Luna & Celsius | Swan Bitcoin’s Cory Klippsten on Real Bitcoin, Self-Custody & Long-Term Wealth

Welcome back to STACKED, the show about becoming your own best asset.Today, Emily sits down with Cory Klippsten, founder and CEO of Swan Bitcoin — the wealth platform that has purchased $4.5 billion in Bitcoin for families and businesses building long-term wealth.Before Swan, Cory spent 15 years at Google, McKinsey, Microsoft, and Morgan Stanley, and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago.He is one of the most respected and feared voices in the Bitcoin space: the man who publicly called out the Luna Ponzi, warned about Celsius weeks before it collapsed, and nicknamed Sam Bankman-Fried "Scambankster Fraud" months before FTX went to zero.This episode is your clean, beginner-friendly Bitcoin playbook.No hype. No fluff. Just the truth about what Bitcoin is, how to actually own it, how to protect it, and how to think about it as a long-term wealth strategy.Connect with us:Subscribe to the STACKED newsletter — weekly headlines on Bitcoin, digital assets, business, and wellness, delivered every Sunday and Wednesday. Subscribe at ⁠⁠www.stackedassets.co ⁠⁠Follow Us:YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@stacked-assets⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stackedassets/⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@stacked.assets⁠⁠Follow Emily Dempsey:Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/emilydempsey⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/EmilyDempsey⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-j-dempsey/⁠⁠Follow The Brickell Babes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become A Member: ⁠⁠www.thebrickellbabes.com⁠⁠/membership⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thebrickellbabes/⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/thebrickellbabes/⁠⁠KEY TOPICS COVERED— Swan Bitcoin: what it is, who it's built for, and the difference between real vs. paper Bitcoin.— Cory's origin story and why it took 11 months to get truly convicted.— Bitcoin vs. crypto: why they're fundamentally different.— Swan's operating principle, content-led acquisition, and AI integration.— Why Bitcoin is a monetary revolution — not a product — and why AI makes it more valuable.— Cory's fraud calls: Luna, Celsius, FTX, and the Alameda balance sheet.— Swan products: brokerage, IRAs, Swan Safe, Swan Vault, Swan Generations, Swan Trinity, and multisig explained.— Regulation, cap gains, and the lightning round.TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Welcome to STACKED02:45 — What Swan Bitcoin does and who it's built for04:45 — Real Bitcoin vs. paper Bitcoin06:00 — Cory's origin story: leaving Google in 201309:00 — Why it took 11 months to get truly convicted10:30 — The moment Cory knew he wanted to build Swan13:00 — Content-led acquisition and education for wealthy clients17:00 — The Bitcoin ETF as the Netscape moment — why we're in 199519:00 — How institutional ownership is changing price dynamics22:30 — Emily's Bitcoin origin story: $500 to get her Instagram back29:00 — AI at Swan: agents, swarms, what changed in the last 2 months34:00 — Why deflationary economics make scarce assets more valuable36:00 — Bitcoin as monetary revolution, not product — why adoption takes decades42:00 — The Triffin dilemma and the hidden cost of dollar reserve status43:00 — Cory's reputation as Bitcoin's no-BS guy49:00 — SBF and FTX: calling him a liar before the full story broke56:00 — Swan products: brokerage, IRAs, tax loss harvesting, limit orders57:00 — Rolling an old 401k into a Bitcoin IRA through Swan58:00 — Swan Safe, Swan Vault, and multisig explained01:01:00 — Swan Trinity: the Rolls-Royce of custody for families and family offices01:05:00 — Working with trust companies, estate attorneys, and Bitcoin-savvy RIAs01:06:00 — Swan's New York expansion01:09:00 — Regulation and Bitcoin: why clarity has only been positive01:11:00 — The cap gains tax problem and tax-free Bitcoin spending01:14:00 — Where to find Cory and Swan BitcoinDisclaimer:This podcast is educational content, not financial advice. Do your own research. Consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.