Asri Bendacha on why nobody cares about Bitcoin

Asri Bendacha wrote a book called Who Cares – because, in his words, “nobody cares about Bitcoin.” But that’s exactly what drew him in: the freedom of building something meaningful without waiting for permission.

That realization came years after his first encounter with crypto in 2016. A friend named Khaled introduced him to Bitcoin – then worth just $400 – and it set him on a new path. “Once you go into it, it's like the red pill,” he said, referencing The Matrix. “You start seeing the world differently.”

At the time, Bendacha was already gaining public attention as a filmmaker. But Bitcoin added a new layer to his curiosity – one he couldn’t ignore.

Earning crypto, not just buying it

Bendacha’s crypto journey hasn’t been driven by speculation. He believes the most powerful way to build conviction is to use it – not just trade it. “The best way to earn crypto is not to buy it, but to earn it,” he said. He accepts Bitcoin and other tokens as payment for his creative work and encourages others, including local businesses, to do the same.

That ethos of participation extends to how he invests. “I'm going to bet on both scenarios – against the system and with the system,” he explained, describing his strategy of holding both Bitcoin and XRP. He isn’t dogmatic – but he is deliberate.

Still, he warns against entering the space blindly. “When you want to make quick money, that's when you lose your money,” he said. “People attracted by something shining will go after it without understanding.” The “get rich quick” mindset, he argues, is one of the biggest risks facing the space.

That caution has been hard-earned. “Crypto and Bitcoin nowadays is just pure speculation,” he admitted. But for those willing to go deeper, it can offer something more meaningful – a chance to rethink what we value.

A documentarian’s lens on crypto

That deeper value is what inspired Bendacha’s ongoing documentary project about Bitcoin. “I started it. And then I went to many countries. I went to Iceland. I went to, like, those big events in New York, in Germany... I went to Venezuela,” he recalled.

One of his biggest discoveries came in New Hampshire, where he found a group of libertarians who, he said, played a key role in making Bitcoin famous. Their passion and activism helped him realize that Bitcoin’s rise wasn’t just technological – it was ideological.

Driven by what he calls his “obsession with freedom,” Bendacha said he couldn’t stop digging. “You buy it, and then you have two choices,” he explained. “You hold it and move on, or you go deep into it. I went deep.” He read the white paper, interviewed experts, and kept asking questions. “I wanted to know more and more and more and more.”

He’s collected hours of footage along the way. “I have a huge hard drive, like lot of, lot of footage, not interviews. And the beauty of it, it's going to be released one day,” he said. For now, the project remains unfinished – but that’s by design. “The beauty of it is, like, it's going to be even better later... because it's gonna age so well.”

He’s still building. “I'm finishing a script for project... probably gonna move into the production of another documentary,” he shared. In the meantime, the footage sits like a time capsule, ready for the right moment. “The documentary, like, at some point I'm gonna release it, for sure, I'm gonna work on it, and it's gonna be very powerful, because it's gonna be something like shot 10 years ago, when no one I've seen it yet.”

Crypto speculation vs real systems change

Despite his critical take on current crypto culture, Bendacha is optimistic about the direction things are heading. He’s seen growing interest from governments and institutions that signals a more serious phase.

“Which governments are using it? How are they using it?” he asked. In the UAE, where he lives, the government is already using blockchain technology to facilitate cross-border payments. “People are so ignorant about it,” he said. “The UAE government has a blockchain department.”

Over the years, he’s spoken to miners, developers, and entrepreneurs around the world. One conversation, in particular, stuck with him: “If one millionaires in the world wants one Bitcoin, it's not gonna be possible.” The limited supply, he believes, is what gives Bitcoin its true value.

But systems change slowly. “Either you get on board, or you're going to be left at the station,” he said. He encourages people to start small – to learn, to ask questions, to build conviction before investing.

That doesn’t mean he sees crypto as a silver bullet. “Sometimes people can be so smart into something but so dumb into something else,” he said with a laugh. He describes himself as both a realist and a skeptic. “I’m a conspiracy theorist, I have to admit,” he joked – before quickly adding that healthy skepticism is necessary in any emerging space.

Whether you agree with him or not, Bendacha offers a refreshing, grounded perspective in a crypto world often driven by noise. He’s not shouting for attention – he’s listening, observing, and building quietly. His message is simple: understanding money leads to freedom. And freedom starts with not needing others to care.

Listen to the whole interview on The Crypto Radio's live player or the Chain Breakers podcast.