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In this episode of the Unlimited Hangout podcast, hosts Whitney Webb and Mark Goodwin discuss the significant role of BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, in the financial landscape, particularly during economic crises. They highlight BlackRock's involvement in the 2008 financial crisis and its subsequent relationship with the Federal Reserve, which has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and the prioritization of profits over public welfare. John Titus, a guest on the show, explains how BlackRock's "going direct" policy, introduced before the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated a massive wealth transfer during the crisis. The Fed's intervention, designed by BlackRock, involved purchasing assets from non-bank entities, which was a departure from its previous practices of bailing out banks. This shift allowed for an unprecedented increase in the money supply, contributing to inflation and economic instability. The conversation also touches on the consolidation of banks following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, with Titus asserting that many economic calamities were intentionally orchestrated to consolidate control over the financial services industry. The hosts discuss the implications of this consolidation and the potential for future crises, emphasizing the need for public awareness and scrutiny of these developments. Titus further elaborates on the concept of "killer whale accounts," which are large bank accounts that can destabilize banks if funds are withdrawn rapidly. He cites Peter Thiel's actions during the Silicon Valley Bank crisis as a prime example of how these accounts can lead to systemic risks. The discussion shifts to the rise of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and their role in the financial system, with Titus arguing that they serve as a control mechanism for large asset managers like BlackRock. The hosts explore the implications of this control on corporate governance and the broader economy. As the conversation progresses, they delve into the potential for a digital currency and the implications of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Titus expresses skepticism about the transition to a purely digital monetary system, emphasizing the advantages of the current debt-based system for those in power. The episode concludes with reflections on the upcoming elections and the potential for financial crises to be used as a pretext for further regulatory changes that could diminish transparency and public oversight. Titus urges listeners to invest in their knowledge and remain vigilant against the machinations of those in power, emphasizing the importance of public pressure on politicians to hold them accountable.

Whitney Webb hosts Unlimited Hangout, arguing the COVID crisis provided cover for agendas beyond health and that money flows by central banks and Wall Street have become historic and under-scrutiny. The panel asks if central bank digital currencies are digital cash or something more coercive, as CBDC white papers and cross-border interoperability advance with BIS and major players like Visa. John Titus, founder of Best Evidence, explains the Fed is a hybrid misdescribed as public. The Board of Governors and the FOMC set policy, but the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks are privately owned; the government has no shares. The regional banks print cash and, crucially, reserves—digital money. This structure suggests private entities run the system behind a public facade. Titus describes BlackRock’s involvement before COVID and the “going direct reset.” He explains reserves as part of a two-tier electronic money system: central bank liabilities and commercial bank liabilities. In 2008-09 reserves were used to bail out banks; in 2020 reserves and the retail money supply rose in lockstep via three-party transactions involving institutions like Calpers and Citigroup, enabling public money to flow into private assets. BlackRock’s role in March 2020 is described as delivering a plan to move public money into private hands, with BlackRock helping select assets for Fed purchases. The discussion frames CBDCs as instruments of control, citing BIS head Augustin Karstens on the ability to control the central bank liability, and noting that privacy claims may be a sales tactic while intermediaries manage data and accounts. Cross-border settlement and interoperability are debated; Visa’s plan is described as convertibility, not settlement, with a need for an international settlement layer. The panel notes banking consolidation among the four largest banks, the risk of reduced lending, and the Fed’s ongoing role in offsetting credit contractions. They also discuss climate finance structures like natural asset corporations, the nature-based economy proposed by Intrinsic Exchange Group and Rockefeller-linked partners, and ESG-driven wealth consolidation. They conclude with a projected timeline: CBDCs may become clearer 2024-2025, with crypto and related tech playing transitional roles. The talk ends with recommendations to follow John Titus’ Best Evidence and Solari collaborations.

Since the Ukraine-Russia conflict began, major shifts in the international financial system have unfolded, with sanctions aimed at Russia seemingly rebounding off the ruble while inflicting greater pain on the West. This has fed questions about why a policy that appears punitive to one side ends up hurting the sanctioning side and has fueled talk of the dollar’s waning dominance and the possible demise of the petrodollar system, alongside a wider move toward a multipolar world order. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are advancing in both Ukraine and Russia and among their allies, framing a global control architecture that many see as a critical element of a broader digital governance regime. Whitney Webb and John Titus discuss how, on March 2, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, asked about China, Russia, and Pakistan moving away from the dollar, pivoted to the world reserve currency and the durability of the dollar, inflation, and the rule of law—points Titus argues reveal a scripted witness with a broader agenda about the dollar’s reserve status and the sustainability of US fiscal paths. Titus notes a shift in public officials, including Cabinet-level figures, acknowledging debt unsustainability, which he interprets as a signal that the days of US currency dominance may be numbered, given that the US debt path is already out of control. They examine what losing reserve currency status would mean at home: a large fraction of currency in circulation is overseas, and if dollars flow back to the US, inflation could surge. The conversation turns to the petrodollar system’s fragility as Saudi Arabia and the UAE push back on sanctions enforcement, with implications for the dollar’s hegemony. Russia’s strategy to accept payment for energy in rubles or via Gazprom Bank, and to require non-sanctioned banks, is presented as an actionable workaround that forces a reevaluation of Western sanctions’ effectiveness and Europe’s consequences, including higher energy prices and potential shortages. The Bear Stearns bailout and broader 2008 crisis are revisited, highlighting the distinction between official Treasury/TARP bailout narratives and what Titus calls the Fed’s real bailout and political cover. He argues the endgame is when the US borrows to pay interest on debt, including entitlements, creating an unsustainable trajectory that drives a multipolar challenge to US control. CBDCs are analyzed through questions of backing, issuer sovereignty, and settlement mechanisms. Titus argues the US CBDC would be issued by the private-leaning regional Federal Reserve banks, complicating governance and accountability, while Russia contemplates a digital ruble with programmable features and a two-tier system where the central bank maintains the ledger but commercial banks handle access. The broader framework includes debates about the World Economic Forum, the Bank for International Settlements, and the balance of power between public sovereigns and private financial interests, with the BIS and private banks often seen as critical sovereign-like actors. The discussion ends with a warning about the evolving digital-finance landscape, the risks of central bank digital currencies, and the importance of understanding who ultimately holds sovereign power in money issuance.