How did we get from trading seashells to billion-dollar crypto empires? The story of money is wilder than any movie, and it’s shaped the way we live today.

In this episode, we take a fast-paced ride through history—from Wall Street’s boom-and-bust cycles to the rise of big tech and the crypto revolution. How did we end up in a world where digital assets, venture capital, and meme stocks dominate? And what’s next for the global economy?

Join us as we unpack the past, present, and future of money—because this story is far from over.

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) The secret behind financial power—where did it all start?
(02:30) How stock markets became the ultimate wealth machine
(03:30) Why financial crashes keep happening (and who profits from them)
(05:00) The dot-com boom—brilliant innovation or pure speculation?
(06:00) The rise and fall of internet giants—who made it, who didn’t?
(10:00) The secret playbook of today’s most powerful companies
(11:30) The 2008 crash—how a financial house of cards collapsed
(14:00) Governments vs. markets—who really controls the economy?
(16:30) Crypto, hype, and the power of belief—what drives value?
(19:00) Tech’s unstoppable rise—what fueled the biggest winners?
(22:30) The WeWork saga—when billion-dollar dreams crash hard
(24:00) Bitcoin’s real purpose—was it built to replace banks?
(29:00) The future of money—what’s next in finance?
(37:00) Is US financial dominance coming to an end?
(40:00) Sustainability investing—real change or just another bubble?

Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.

Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial Mari Kondo, which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.

How did a few clever ideas transform the entire world of money and banking? Join us, Azmul and Sherry, as we dive deep into the riveting history of financial innovations from medieval money lenders to the titans of modern banking. We'll uncover how banking began, soared, crashed, and evolved into the systems we rely on today. Tune in to explore the seismic shifts caused by wars and economic upheavals, and how they reshaped global finance forever. It's a journey through time, full of surprises and pivotal moments that have defined our economic landscape!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Unlock the Secrets of Modern Banking's Origins!
(01:30) How Did Money Lending Forge Today's Financial Giants?
(04:30) The Crash That Redefined Global Finance!
(06:00) Before Modern Banks: The Wild Financial West!
(10:30) How Wars Reshaped the Global Financial Landscape!
(12:00) From Depression to Boom: The Roaring Twenties!
(13:30) Exposed! The Financial Scam That Shocked the World!
(16:30) Unraveling the New Deal's Financial Reforms!
(19:00) How Did WWII Transform U.S. Banking?
(21:00) The Invention That Saved Banks During Crises!
(25:00) Rebuilding the World: The Post-War Boom!
(29:00) The Rise and Fall of the Gold Standard!
(31:00) The Future of Money: Beyond National Currencies!

Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial Mari Kondo, which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.

Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.

What if medieval moneylenders invented credit cards before it was cool?

In this episode, Sherry and I journey through history, uncovering how lending started as a risky handshake deal in medieval Europe and evolved into the banking world we love (or fear) today. Along the way, we meet the Medici family — think Renaissance bankers meet power influencers — and uncover the hustle behind joint-stock companies that changed the world.

Is moneylending where trust issues began? Dive in to know how the past still messes with your wallet today!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) 3000 ducats and trust issues begin… – What Shakespeare can teach us about lending.
(01:00) Sailors, rats, and risky ventures! – The real dangers of trade in medieval times.
(02:00) What is banking, really? – Rethinking what we take for granted.
(04:00) The rebels of lending: medieval moneylenders. – How an outcast community shaped finance.
(06:00) Gold coins, bandits, and financial hacks! – Innovations that saved merchants’ lives (and wallets).
(09:00) How the Medicis hacked money and power. – The family that redefined wealth forever.
(14:00) Renaissance art or financial smarts? – The surprising connection between money and the Mona Lisa.
(23:00) From tulips to startups—history repeats. – Why speculative bubbles will never go out of style.
(27:00) How to hire an army (on a budget). – The surprising secret of East India Company’s success.
(31:00) Human greed or imagination? – What drives our endless quest for more.

Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial Mari Kondo, which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrypeek/ 

Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/azmulhaque/ 

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.

Is money actually a form of technology?

In this episode, co-hosts Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque explore the evolution of currency from ancient cowrie shells to today's digital transactions. This first episode delves into money as an innovative technology, examining how it has shaped global trade and personal finance over millennia.

Listen as they discuss the transformation from barter systems to sophisticated financial structures that define our economic landscape. Join them on this fascinating journey through the technological advancements that have revolutionized our understanding and use of money; tune in now!

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 | Is money a form of technology?

03:21 | Why did we even need money?

05:46 | How did money evolve?

09:00 | Why did we need banks?

12:20 | How did we end up with banknotes and coins?

18:43 | Where are we heading now?

24:31 | Summing it up 

Sherry Jiang

Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial "Mari Kondo," which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.

Azmul Haque

Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.

Welcome to TechTonik, a brand new podcast that explores the riveting journey of technology through history! Join our hosts, Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, as they delve into the origins and evolution of innovations that have reshaped our world.

From the inception of money to the rise of digital currencies, each episode offers a deep dive into the technological advancements that influence how we live, work, and play. Unpack the past to understand the present with expert analysis and insightful discussions on TechTonik, where history meets the future of technology!

Meet The Hosts:

Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.

Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial "Mari Kondo," which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.

Welcome to TechTonik, a brand new podcast that explores the riveting journey of technology through history! Join our hosts, Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, as they delve into the origins and evolution of innovations that have reshaped our world.

From the inception of money to the rise of digital currencies, each episode offers a deep dive into the technological advancements that influence how we live, work, and play. Unpack the past to understand the present with expert analysis and insightful discussions on TechTonik, where history meets the future of technology!

Meet The Hosts:

Azmul Haque
Azmul is a legal entrepreneur and tri-qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in England, India, and Singapore. Over the last 23 years, Azmul has developed particular expertise in complex, cross-border corporate transactions, particularly M&A and venture capital investments. When he is not counselling emerging technology companies on legal strategies to disrupt incumbents, Azmul indulges in his passions: period drama, history podcasts and pub quizzes.

Sherry Jiang
Sherry is the CEO and Cofounder of Peek (peek.money). Peek is your financial "Mari Kondo," which aims to clean up the clutter and provide a clear, real-time picture of your net worth - and give you actionable insights for all aspects of your financial life.

Prior to founding Peek, Sherry worked at Amazon and Google. During her time at Google, she was the growth product marketing lead in driving the exponential growth of Google Pay in India from 13M to over 120M+ monthly active users.

ABOUT TECHTONIK
TechTonik is a podcast that delves deep into the history of technology and innovation, exploring how these advancements have shaped the way we live, work, and play. Hosted by Sherry Jiang and Azmul Haque, each episode unpacks a different aspect of technological evolution, from the origins of money to the rise of digital currencies and beyond. 

With insightful discussions and expert analysis, TechTonik offers listeners a thoughtful exploration of the forces that drive change in our world, highlighting the connections between past innovations and modern life. Join Sherry and Azmul as they reveal the seismic shifts in technology that have transformed our society.