The Transformation of Value with Cody Ellingham

Athena Tong previously served as Director of Public Relations for the now disbanded pro-democracy Demosistō party in Hong Kong.Now based in Japan as a visiting Researcher at the University of Tokyo, Athena focuses on infrastructure resilience, political warfare, and economic security, with an emphasis on communist China’s influence in East Asia and the Indo-Pacific.Her writing has been published by the Jamestown Foundation, Nikkei Asia, and the China Strategic Risks Institute.Athena on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/athena-kerin-tong/SUPPORT ME - https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/support

Greg Girard is a Canadian photographer who has spent much of his career capturing the urban landscapes and people of Asia. He has authored several photographic books, including City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City, Phantom Shanghai, and most recently his upcoming book Snack Sakura, which explores Japan’s iconic night-time snack bars.Greg Girard on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gregforadayGreg Girard website - https://www.greggirard.com/SUPPORT ME - https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/support

What are charter cities? Is law really just like computer code that can be forked and modified? How do you bootstrap an economy?Patri Friedman founded The Seasteading Institute, a non-profit exploring the creation of sovereign ocean colonies. He is on the board of the Startup Societies Foundation, advising a variety of new governance projects. Most recently he founded Pronomos, the first charter city investment fund.Pronomos Capital - https://www.pronomos.vc/SUPPORT ME - https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/support

Kevin Whitmore is Chair of the Bitcoin Policy Institute New Zealand, and CEO of Cashbucket. On November 12th, 2025, the institute held its official launch event in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, and released its first tax policy paper. The event had a great turnout, with leaders from the Bitcoin community, industry, and across government, including Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee and MPs Joseph Mooney, Greg Fleming, and Cameron Luxton.Bitcoin Policy Institute NZ - https://nzbitcoin.org/Cashbucket - https://getcashbucket.com/

Taiwan sits at the heart of global geopolitics, caught between history, identity, and rising tensions with China. In this episode, Chris Horton takes us inside the island’s struggle for survival and what it means for the world today.Chris is a journalist based in Taiwan since 2015, covering the country’s foreign relations, domestic politics, economy, and society. Chris’ writing has appeared in The New York Times, Nikkei Asia, Bloomberg News, the Financial Times and other publications. Chris has released his first book: Ghost Nation: The story of Taiwan and its struggle for survival.Chris Horton's website - https://www.chrishortonwriter.com/SUPPORT ME - https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/support