Econ Americas

Paz Gómez, an analyst at Econ Americas, joins this episode to discuss her new book, When Crypto Makes Sense: A Guide to Use Cases for Liberty. In her book, she breaks down the fundamentals of crypto, outlines practical investing basics—from understanding the ecosystem to managing risk—and explores four real-world use cases tied to liberty.

.Paz Gómez, an analyst at Econ Americas, joins this episode to discuss her new book, When Crypto Makes Sense: A Guide to Use Cases for Liberty. In her book, she breaks down the fundamentals of crypto, outlines practical investing basics—from understanding the ecosystem to managing risk—and explores four real-world use cases tied to liberty.

Buy the book: https://a.co/d/9SOpGA9

Show notes: https://econamericas.substack.com/p/cryptocurrency-use-cases-explained

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "Financial Sovereignty for Canadians" on Amazon!: https://econamericas.com/financial-sovereignty-canadians/Demelza Hays holds a doctorate in business economics from the University of Liechtenstein and is a portfolio manager at Zeltner & Co. She publishes the Crypto Research Report and argues that bitcoin is not money in the strict sense. However, it is a credible investment asset that continues to gain traction.Show notes: https://open.substack.com/pub/econamericas/p/demelza-hays-get-on-crypto-train?r=b61i7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "Financial Sovereignty for Canadians" on Amazon!: https://econamericas.com/financial-sovereignty-canadians/
Peter Earle—director of Economics and Economic Freedom at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER)—joined the Econ Americas podcast to discuss gold’s role in today’s economy. Earle contends in his new book, Gold in Uncertain Times, that gold remains one of the most reliable hedges against inflation and economic shocks.
Show notes: https://econamericas.substack.com/p/peter-c-earle-structural-changes-gold

Peter Earle—director of Economics and Economic Freedom at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER)—joined the Econ Americas podcast to discuss gold’s role in today’s economy. Earle contends in his new book, Gold in Uncertain Times, that gold remains one of the most reliable hedges against inflation and economic shocks.

Follow Peter Earle on X.

When a generation or two are putting off home purchases by almost a decade, there is likely a rational basis. Here are some crucial factors that came to mind when seeking to explain why the shift to older purchases has taken place in the past quarter century. If homeownership is healthy, as so many people believe, we must look at the causes for its decline. That means facing up to a lack of disposable income, NIMBY zoning and regulation, and immense subsidization of useless higher education. We can also explore novel ways to bypass the rent-seekers holding the gates.

Read the article: https://econamericas.substack.com/p/reasons-delayed-homebuying

If you would like to book a consultation with me, please sign up at econamericas.com/consult.

If you care about private property and laissez-faire capitalism, run a mile from ESG (environmental, social, governance) factors that promote stakeholder capitalism.

This is Chapter 21 of Financial Sovereignty for Canadians. Founding Econ Americas members receive a signed copy of the book.

Read the chapter: https://econamericas.substack.com/p/esg-snake-oil

If you would like to book a consultation with us, please sign up here: https://econamericas.com/consult/

Bitcoin has not become practical electronic cash, but it has emerged as a compelling store of value. Demelza Hays holds a doctorate in business economics from the University of Liechtenstein and is a portfolio manager at Zeltner & Co. She publishes the Crypto Research Report and argues that bitcoin is not money in the strict sense. However, it is a credible investment asset that continues to gain traction.

She acknowledges bitcoin’s volatility and higher risk but suggests a 2–5 percent portfolio allocation: “When the price pulls back, I see a buying opportunity, because it is the asset I value most.”

Hays believes the crypto era is still in its early steps. She points to growing interest in digital assets from the US government and to Tether’s accumulation of US debt as signals of mainstreaming: “Bitcoin could become the way out for the US government’s trillionaire debt.” Over time, she contends, governments could hold more crypto in reserves, making bitcoin increasingly akin to gold.

Listen to the podcast and subscribe on Substack and YouTube.

Recommended Links:

* Follow Demelza Hays on X.

* “Tracking BTC to USD Trends and Marketcap,” Crypto Research Report.

* “When Crypto Makes Sense (III): Accessing High-Barrier Investments,” Econ Americas.

* Read the book: Hijacking Bitcoin: The Hidden History of BTC by Roger Ver.

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These comments appeared in the Epoch Times on October 8, 2025:

Credit Card Use in US Records Sharp Decline

The slowdown in borrowing suggests households may be shifting from credit-fueled spending to greater caution.

Americans’ use of credit cards in the 12 months through August saw its steepest contraction since the COVID-19 pandemic recession, suggesting that the U.S. consumer sector may be shifting from credit-driven resilience toward a more cautious footing.

According to the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit report for August, total consumer credit grew at a negligible 0.1 percent annual rate, a sharp deceleration from 4.3 percent in July. Revolving credit—primarily credit cards—fell at a 5.5 percent annualized rate.

Journalist Tom Ozimek requested implications for: (1) household spending, (2) consumer sentiment, and (3) the broader economic outlook.

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My responses:

(1) While there is not a one-to-one relationship between credit-card borrowing and household spending, it is still tight. Any decline in credit limits or credit utilization will hit luxury goods hardest, because the decline suggests a reduced perception of wealth among card users. This is particularly the case because we have not witnessed markedly strong per capita GDP growth.

(2) The relationship with consumer sentiment is muddy, because credit-card utilization can be both a leading and lagging indicator, depending on the conditions. There is so much going on at the moment, from technological shocks to geopolitical uncertainty, I would not blame consumers for tightening their belts. Further, revisions to macroeconomic data have revealed their inaccuracies and contorted presentation. Such confusion dampens confidence in the US trajectory.

(3) More than 20 years has now passed since the release of The Coming Generational Storm by Laurence Kotlikoff and Scott Burns. This book foresaw the debt debacle we face today, with tension between the Baby Boomers and their progeny. While the United States continues to lead the world in many economic metrics and attract much of the world’s top talent, that position is shaky. Another government shutdown makes us aware of fiscal recklessness and mismanagement from the US federal government. The debt burden on the productive economy continues to grow, and I foresee the new normal of modest growth continuing long into the future.

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Financial Sovereignty for Canadians" Fergus Hodgson: https://econamericas.com/financial-sovereignty-canadians/

Canadian financial markets offer a wide range of opportunities for global investors. In this podcast episode, investment analyst Ian Madsen explains why mining, oil, and gas stocks often move differently than US equities. In other words, they deliver low betas, which is helpful for diversifying a portfolio. Madsen also explains two strategic moments to buy mining stocks.

He shares lower-risk ways to gain exposure to mining assets and explains differences between the three major capital markets in Canada. Beyond commodities, Madsen highlights Canadian industries and companies that deserve fresh investor attention, including technology and manufacturing.

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