In this episode of the Crypto 101 Podcast, Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex, shares the incredible journey of helping build one of crypto’s oldest surviving exchanges through hacks, market crashes, and multiple Bitcoin cycles. Paolo explains why Bitfinex eliminated trading fees, how tokenized securities could unlock capital access for emerging markets, and why Bitcoin remains the ultimate hedge against global instability. The conversation dives deep into Lightning Network scaling, AI agents transacting with Bitcoin, institutional adoption, and why self-custody still matters despite the rise of ETFs. Paolo also gives his perspective on quantum computing risks, Bitcoin’s future beyond the four-year cycle, and why owning even one Bitcoin could become life-changing.Check out Quince: https://quince.com/CRYPTO101Check out Shopify: https://shopify.com/crypto101Check out Mars Men: https://mengotomars.comGet my #1 altcoin pick for this month.Get immediate access to my entire crypto portfolio for just $1.00 today! Get your FREE copy of "Crypto Revolution" and start making big profits from buying, selling,Get immediate access to my entire crypto portfolio.. just $1.00 today! Go here to get access: https://www.crypto101insider.com/cryptnation-directm6pypcy1?utm_source=Internal&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_content=Podcast&utm_term=20250916Get your FREE copy of "Crypto Revolution: Your Guide To The Future of Money". In this book, I reveal how to make (and keep) a fortune during this crypto bull run! http://www.cryptorevolution.com/free?utm_source=Internal&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_content=Podcast&utm_term=20250916Chapters00:00 - Paolo Ardoino joins the Crypto 101 Podcast02:00 - From hacker to CTO of Bitfinex06:30 - Surviving the 2016 Bitfinex hack10:00 - Why Bitfinex removed trading fees15:00 - Tokenized securities and emerging markets20:00 - Why options trading never took off in crypto24:30 - ETFs, institutions, and Bitcoin self-custody29:30 - Lightning Network, AI agents, and Bitcoin payments35:00 - Quantum computing vs Bitcoin explained40:00 - Why owning 1 Bitcoin could become life-changingSubscribe to YouTube for Exclusive Content:https://www.youtube.com/@crypto101podcast?sub_confirmation=1Follow us on social media for leading-edge crypto updates and trade alerts:https://twitter.com/Crypto101Podhttps://instagram.com/crypto_101Guest Linkshttp://bitfinex.com/*This is NOT financial, tax, or legal advice*Boardwalk Flock LLC. All Rights Reserved  ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Fog by DIZARO https://soundcloud.com/dizarofrCreative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0 Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/Fog-DIZAROMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/lAfbjt_rmE8▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy