The Napster of Finance: A Revolut-ion Image

The Napster of Finance: A Revolut-ion

30 July 2024 - 38 mins
Podcast Series The David McWilliams Podcast

This week, we delve into one of the most transformative shifts in economics and finance: the rise of e-banking, spotlighted by Revolut's meteoric growth. Revolut, a Lithuanian-born company now boasting 2.7 million Irish customers—nearly three-quarters of the adult population—has quickly transitioned from a simple travel card service to a major banking player. With recent licenses from the European Central Bank and the UK, Revolut is set to enter the mortgage market, leveraging its 45 million global users and disrupting traditional banking models with no physical assets. This digital upstart, now valued at around $45 billion, challenges established banks like AIB and Bank of Ireland, demonstr...

38 mins

Series Episodes

Germany Wakes Up: Britain Breaks Out

Germany Wakes Up: Britain Breaks Out

For 70 years, Germany kept its head down; an economic juggernaut, but a military lightweight, happy to let America call the shots. Not anymore.J.D. Vance’s off-the-cuff dismissal of Europe as a lost cause, combined with Trump’s America First foreign policy, has done something extraordinary: it’s forced Germany to step up. And when Germany steps up, the whole world shifts. And one of the shifts could well be, the UK running back to the EU and for the first time in 10 years Britain needs Europe and Europe need Britain. The great reconciliation is next! Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

35 mins

11 March Finished

Casement, Congo & the Comeback of Empire: Is Trump Reviving Imperialism?

Casement, Congo & the Comeback of Empire: Is Trump Reviving Imperialism?

Neo-imperialism is marching, loud and proud, straight into the heart of global politics. Between Trump’s quiet dealmaking in Riyadh, to his open musings about annexing Canada, the last few weeks have shattered the illusion that the age of empire is behind us. The world order of the last 70 years is crumbling, replaced by raw, transactional power. Trump and Putin are set to carve up Ukraine, billionaires are circling mineral-rich territories like vultures, and Washington’s foreign policy has been reduced to a simple equation: If you have resources, we’ll take them. This episode draws an eerie parallel between Trump’s tactics and one of the most brutal imperial heists in history; King Leopold’s reign of terror in the Belgian Congo. Just as European powers once justified plunder with the rhetoric of “civilization,” today’s resource grabs are wrapped in the language of “economic deals.” And at the heart of exposing that brutality was Roger Casement, a man who paid with his life for revealing the truth. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

33 mins

6 March Finished

The King’s Gambit: DIY Declan, Trump’s Market Meltdown & Musk’s 18th-Century Twin

The King’s Gambit: DIY Declan, Trump’s Market Meltdown & Musk’s 18th-Century Twin

What do DIY stores, French financial bubbles, and Elon Musk have in common? Kicking off with a detour into The Pope’s Children and the perils of being a DIY impostor, we quickly shift gears to the real story: the Trump Dump. As financial markets recoil from the chaos of MAGA economics, we dive into history for a striking parallel: John Law, the 18th-century financial mastermind who convinced France to bet everything on his wild vision of a new economic order. Law promised a dazzling future, just as Musk does today, but his empire of speculation collapsed, taking the French monarchy down with it. What happens when the richest man in the world gets inside the head of a leader hungry for power? Are Trump and Musk unwittingly following the script of Law and the Duke of Orléans? Are we on the brink of a modern-day financial reckoning? With markets tanking, Bitcoin crumbling, and the spectre of stagflation looming, we explore the dangerous dance between speculative hype and economic reality. Will history repeat itself, first as tragedy, then as farce? Buckle up. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

41 mins

4 March Finished

Deutschland Dilemma: Voting Blocs, Power Shocks & the Bundeswehr Rocks with Katja Hoyer

Deutschland Dilemma: Voting Blocs, Power Shocks & the Bundeswehr Rocks with Katja Hoyer

Germany’s latest election has sent shockwaves across Europe. The CDU has reasserted itself, but the far-right AfD continues to gain ground, fuelled by economic anxieties and social media echo chambers. Meanwhile, younger voters are breaking in radical new directions, young men shifting right, young women embracing the far left. With NATO under strain, America’s global leadership in question, and the war in Ukraine forcing Germany to confront its historical reluctance to lead, Berlin is at the heart of an unfolding geopolitical realignment. As German arms manufacturers see their stock prices soar, the Bundeswehr prepares to fill the security vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal from Europe. Will Germany finally embrace its role as the continent’s dominant power, or is it doomed to remain an economic giant but a political pygmy? Historian Katja Hoyer joins us to break down the election results, the shifting tides of power in Berlin, and what it all means for the future of the European project. Is this the moment Germany finally steps up, or is Europe heading for a deeper divide? Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

42 mins

27 February Finished

MAGA, Mercantilism & Mass Extinction: The Economics of a Shifting World Order

MAGA, Mercantilism & Mass Extinction: The Economics of a Shifting World Order

Anxiety is in the air. Trump's latest outbursts underscore America’s shifting economic stance. Who knows if there is a method to the madness? In this episode, we break down the logic of MAGA economics, tracing its roots back to mercantilism; the imperialist trade philosophy that once fuelled global empires. We dissect Trump’s obsession with trade surpluses, the inevitable clash between MAGA and Wall Street, and why Ireland might be enemy number one in the next trade war. Just when you think things can't get more chaotic, we explore the looming "mass extinction event" set to shake Silicon Valley and the tech elite. From tariffs to TikTok bans, economic history to geopolitical strategy, this is a no-holds-barred deep dive into the forces reshaping the world, whether we like it or not. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

42 mins

25 February Finished

The Second Republic: Reinventing Ireland for the Future

The Second Republic: Reinventing Ireland for the Future

What if we could start over? What if instead of just stitching the North onto the South, we reimagined the whole country. new flag, new anthem, even a brand-new capital? What if Ireland’s future wasn’t just about unity, but about revolutionising how we run our society? From Swiss-style direct democracy to high-speed rail, from Athlone as a futuristic capital to a redefined relationship with the Commonwealth, this episode dives deep into bold ideas for a Second Republic. We’re talking more than a united Ireland, instead an Ireland that actually works. With special guest Paddy Cullivan, this is a no-holds-barred conversation on history, identity, and the radical ideas that could shape the next decade. Whether you think a united Ireland is inevitable or impossible, one thing’s for sure: the way we do things now is broken. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a way to fix it. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

34 mins

20 February Finished

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