Episode notes
The UK has the talent, the capital, and the financial infrastructure. So why are Bitcoin founders still hesitating?
Ben Cousens — Chief Strategy Officer at ZBD, co-founder of Antidote, and one of the few people who's been backing Bitcoin businesses from inside venture capital — joins Jordan on the rooftop at Antidote's Hatton Garden space to get into it.
Join the UK Bitcoin Business Network here: https://bitcoincollective.co/bbn/
CONTACT JORDAN:
X: https://x.com/JayW132
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-walker-293955106/
Email: hello@bitcoincollective.co
CONTACT BEN:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencousens/
Website: https://antidotebtc.com/
Topics covered:
How ZBD put Bitcoin into video games — and grew a partner's revenue four to five times in a year
ZBD's $40M Series C and what it means for Bitcoin payments in gaming
Why most Bitcoin founders have a project, not a company — and the difference matters
What Antidote is, how it works, and who should apply
Why the UK isn't falling behind on Bitcoin, it's drifting — and what that distinction means
The regulatory shift coming as high street banks move toward Bitcoin accounts
Why business owners understand Bitcoin faster than individuals
Ben's take on the one thing he'd change about the UK's approach to Bitcoin and fintech
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro — The UK Is Drifting, Not Falling Behind
01:37 Ben's Background — Video Games, Film and a Hard Pivot to Finance
03:00 How Ben First Encountered Bitcoin
04:15 The Hairdresser Top Signal and Selling at the 2017 Peak
06:25 Top Three Video Games of All Time
08:24 Getting Sign-Off to Research Bitcoin Inside a VC Fund
09:33 Building a Bitcoin Investment Thesis at Lake Star
11:15 What Is ZBD and How Does It Work?
15:59 ZBD's $40M Series C
19:29 What People Get Wrong About Building Bitcoin Businesses
25:15 The Moment Ben Decided to Found Antidote
28:31 The UK Isn't Falling Behind — It's Drifting
33:32 What Kind of Founders Is Antidote Looking For?
38:48 How Early Do You Need to Be to Apply?
41:50 Why Antidote Is Based on Hatton Garden
49:53 Where Does Ben Want Antidote to Be in Five Years?
READ OUR NEWSLETTER:
https://newsletter.bitcoincollective.co/
LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06sBiOznJDxuhafDmkE9VK?si=3f0a8bb8abd64eec
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bitcoin-collective/id1561573613
Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/AYHiNhTTv0HOgGEjRjWN
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitcoincollective?sub_confirmation=1
All content provided by The Bitcoin Collective and guests in this episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, trading, or investment advice.
Why the UK Is Finally Waking Up to Bitcoin
⸻
EDITED BY JAMES PEARCE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pearcesf/
Available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
Ben Cousens — Chief Strategy Officer at ZBD, co-founder of Antidote, and one of the few people who's been backing Bitcoin businesses from inside venture capital — joins Jordan on the rooftop at Antidote's Hatton Garden space to get into it.
Join the UK Bitcoin Business Network here: https://bitcoincollective.co/bbn/
CONTACT JORDAN:
X: https://x.com/JayW132
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-walker-293955106/
Email: hello@bitcoincollective.co
CONTACT BEN:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencousens/
Website: https://antidotebtc.com/
Topics covered:
How ZBD put Bitcoin into video games — and grew a partner's revenue four to five times in a year
ZBD's $40M Series C and what it means for Bitcoin payments in gaming
Why most Bitcoin founders have a project, not a company — and the difference matters
What Antidote is, how it works, and who should apply
Why the UK isn't falling behind on Bitcoin, it's drifting — and what that distinction means
The regulatory shift coming as high street banks move toward Bitcoin accounts
Why business owners understand Bitcoin faster than individuals
Ben's take on the one thing he'd change about the UK's approach to Bitcoin and fintech
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro — The UK Is Drifting, Not Falling Behind
01:37 Ben's Background — Video Games, Film and a Hard Pivot to Finance
03:00 How Ben First Encountered Bitcoin
04:15 The Hairdresser Top Signal and Selling at the 2017 Peak
06:25 Top Three Video Games of All Time
08:24 Getting Sign-Off to Research Bitcoin Inside a VC Fund
09:33 Building a Bitcoin Investment Thesis at Lake Star
11:15 What Is ZBD and How Does It Work?
15:59 ZBD's $40M Series C
19:29 What People Get Wrong About Building Bitcoin Businesses
25:15 The Moment Ben Decided to Found Antidote
28:31 The UK Isn't Falling Behind — It's Drifting
33:32 What Kind of Founders Is Antidote Looking For?
38:48 How Early Do You Need to Be to Apply?
41:50 Why Antidote Is Based on Hatton Garden
49:53 Where Does Ben Want Antidote to Be in Five Years?
READ OUR NEWSLETTER:
https://newsletter.bitcoincollective.co/
LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06sBiOznJDxuhafDmkE9VK?si=3f0a8bb8abd64eec
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bitcoin-collective/id1561573613
Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/AYHiNhTTv0HOgGEjRjWN
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitcoincollective?sub_confirmation=1
All content provided by The Bitcoin Collective and guests in this episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, trading, or investment advice.
Why the UK Is Finally Waking Up to Bitcoin
⸻
EDITED BY JAMES PEARCE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pearcesf/
Available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
