WTF is Finance

Nikhil Kamath

Nikhil Kamath explores global finance trends, macroeconomics, and business finance through in-depth conversations with friends, industry experts, and thought leaders.

Episodes

  1. 12/20/2025

    WTF Is Wealth? Ray Dalio Breaks It Down w/ Nikhil Kamath | WTF is Finance Ep 2

    Wealth can be created easily — but that doesn’t mean it’s real. In WTF is Finance, Ray Dalio explains how money actually works, why asset bubbles form, and how investors should build portfolios that survive cycles, debt, and political change.  00:00 – Ray Dalio’s early life & first exposure to markets 04:55 – Why early wins hook people into trading 07:20 – Leverage, futures & learning risk the hard way 08:45 – Nixon ending the gold standard & why it mattered 11:25 – What money really is (store value vs medium of exchange) 15:00 – The interest-rate trap: promises vs real money 18:00 – How Ray compares assets, liquidity & leverage 21:48 – Portfolio construction if you can’t beat the market 24:21 – Bitcoin, stablecoins & why Ray remains cautious 26:40 – What actually counts as a store of wealth (beyond gold & crypto) 28:41 – Real estate, taxation & why immovable assets are easy to tax 30:44 – Learning by proximity: the modern version of “being a caddy” 34:22 – Prediction markets: speculation vs hedging 36:02 – Wealth vs money: how bubbles are created 41:32 – The 5 big forces that drive economies & markets 45:39 – How young Indians should actually “play the money game” 50:00 – What makes a successful trader or investor psychologically 52:43 – Curiosity, cause–effect thinking & building an edge 55:00 – Ray Dalio on legacy, Community & passing knowledge forward 59:50 – Leadership lessons from China, UAE & global powers 1:05:02 – China vs US vs India: understanding the new world order #NikhilKamath Entrepreneur & Investor Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' Podcast X: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/  #RayDalio American Hedge Fund Manager X: https://x.com/raydalio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raydalio/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raydalio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raydalio/  Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5T1uhRS... Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/435Ybgm... Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3BQFvdH...  #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline

    1h 13m
  2. 09/04/2025

    India vs. China vs. US: Who Wins the Next Decade? | WTF is Finance | Ep 1 ft. Ruchir Sharma

    Ruchir Sharma thinks America’s peak is over. In this episode, I sat down with the author, investor and economist to discuss the forces shaping the world’s economy, where India fits in the new world order, and all things geopolitics. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 2:45 - Early life & formative years 6:50 - What India can learn from Singapore & China’s models 11:33 - Premature welfare state: growth or mistake? 17:47 - Social mobility, elections & incumbency 27:06 - Does meritocracy create inequality? 31:29 - Why govt. bailouts hurt the private sector 33:50 - Regulation, crypto & blockchain 44:06 - Tariffs & free trade 49:12 - Affordable housing & property taxes 56:55 - Does India need a dogecoin? 1:02:00 - State vs. central govt. in India 1:09:07 - Putting corruption into perspective 1:15:03 - UBI & AI’s potential 1:25:37 - Interaction with Putin 1:32:35 - Journalism, free speech & media ethics 1:41:43 - Short selling: risks & rewards 1:43:47 - How Ruchir found his passion 1:53:26 - Validation & defining happiness 1:57:28 - FDI & how India can boost growth 2:06:44 - US: Superpower no more? 2:11:31 - Geopolitics: India, China & US 2:18:28 - American tech & patriotism 2:21:55 - Small cap boom & retail investors 2:30:56 - China today: politics & economics 2:37:26 - The thesis of American exceptionalism 2:40:28 - India’s 10 year playbook: wages vs. assets 2:48:35 - Private, public & emerging markets 2:52:48 - Tomorrow’s big trends #NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur Twitter: [https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm9WZVh3cHVTX3JEeGptVjlOZ1R3cW5rVkZJUXxBQ3Jtc0tuekFjWnRXME9XUUVLcDNCTk9YcHd5OU1MV1NMamE0cWE1T25meGJ4VWRMa21OY3VYLWM2T05iOUJtYTNWbWRSLW5YUXNzTTRHUUpjOGdZSGJzNEYxMkt2Y2hmWVNUeU51Nk5MRFVieVNtSTJwMkFXZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g) LinkedIN: [](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGNsNjlxS2NyU3VxOUNIQU1VUmczaWNobmtJd3xBQ3Jtc0tsVmczaDdwdkpMZWlNaVdISk1mQUFfbmhZNVB2al9OU1hwbF9rYTFoMFJGN2FKRnFreXFEaXZhRGttd2xLRHBpQVhIS19XaW5wQTZ3UjB6bm5vazVmdUkwSEdsU0MxS1lXYmJvVnhlekVRczc0RmdTRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g)https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/ #RuchirSharma - Chairman of Rockefeller International and Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Breakout Capital Website: https://ruchirsharma.com/

    2h 60m

About

Nikhil Kamath explores global finance trends, macroeconomics, and business finance through in-depth conversations with friends, industry experts, and thought leaders.

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