UNBOUND Founders: "The Bitcoin Senator" w Chris Kline of @BitcoinIRA | $BTC

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MikeNielsen
@havenmediaNov 13, 2025

The Spaces features host Mike interviewing Chris Klein (Bitcoin IRA co-founder, aka @SenatorKlein) about building Bitcoin IRA from zero to roughly $12–13B in assets under custody and ~200k users. Chris shares his origin story from Colorado to Los Angeles, his 2015 orange-pilling moment (the Bitcoin halving mechanics), and the early regulatory grind to enable crypto inside retirement accounts—landing former U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy as the first client. The discussion centers on the U.S. financial literacy gap and a mounting retirement crisis, why self-directed IRAs (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k)) are powerful tax-advantaged tools for crypto investors, and how trading inside IRAs avoids capital-gains friction. Chris outlines Bitcoin IRA’s 87 supported assets, staking, and upcoming Sui staking, plus actionable contribution ranges and rollover tactics. He offers founder lessons (incremental wins, team/culture, balance), and shares a bold outlook—Bitcoin to $180k near-term and $1M by 2035—closing with promotions for listeners and live Q&A with builders like RJ and Big Stan.

Unbound Founder Series: In-Depth Summary — Chris (Bitcoin IRA) with Host Mike

Participants and Roles

  • Mike (Host, Unbound Founder Series): Southern Utah-based founder, long-time crypto participant; emphasizes education and real founder stories.
  • Chris (Guest; Co-founder/Executive at Bitcoin IRA; @SenatorKlein): Lives in Scottsdale, AZ; origin from Aurora/Denver, CO; veteran crypto retirement entrepreneur; public speaker; father; strong views on financial literacy and retirement planning.
  • Jerry (Bitcoin IRA Social Media Director): Runs the Bitcoin IRA account and promotional links.
  • Kappo (Co-host): Based in Germany; experienced in crypto.
  • RJ (Audience): Founder building a web3 music/audio platform on Sui; seeking advice on positioning and team compensation.
  • Big Stan (Audience): Space host; interested in hosting Chris on another space.
  • Davy (Audience): Founder, father of four; paid in crypto; interested in Bitcoin IRA.

Opening Context and Rapport

  • Light banter around golf (Chris’s first tournament in two years; team placed second) and regional life (Scottsdale golf culture; Southern Utah’s courses and national parks like Arches and Zion) establishing a friendly, open tone.
  • Sports allegiances: Chris is a lifelong Denver Broncos fan; acknowledges recent ups and downs and competitive games like upcoming Chiefs match. Nostalgic references to Rockies, Avalanche, and an OG Dikembe Mutombo Nuggets jersey.

Chris’s Origin Story and Path to Bitcoin IRA

  • Early career and inflection points:
    • Grew up in Aurora, Colorado; University of Colorado Boulder graduate.
    • Entered the workforce during the Great Financial Crisis (2007–2008), sharpening business fundamentals at a US-made photo products startup.
    • Personal hardship: Mother’s passing (2009) catalyzed a “do something great” decision.
    • Sold possessions, took a one-way flight to California; serendipitously met long-term business partners in LA (Sherman Oaks) and joined them.
    • Lived frugally (10 months in a very modest motel) while building retirement solutions.
  • Discovery of Bitcoin and the retirement thesis:
    • In 2015, CEO Camillo asked: “Could we put bitcoin in retirement accounts?” Chris had to “orange-pill” himself (whitepaper, YouTube, Twitter).
    • Key insight: Bitcoin’s halving and supply schedule contrasted with fiat’s inflationary design; saw halving as sound monetary policy.
    • Early validation: Former US Mint Director Ed Moy became their first Bitcoin IRA client, signaling legitimacy.

Political Background, “Senator Klein” Handle, and Personal Aspirations

  • Chris ran for 46 elected positions from grade school onward (won several, lost a few); grabbed the @SenatorKlein handle early (circa 2008–2009), anticipating a political path.
  • Worked donor relations for McCain/Palin-era campaigns; behind-the-scenes experience left him disillusioned with modern politics.
  • Future outlook: More drawn to teaching AP U.S. History and being an “unimportant” but present school coach—investing in youth and education rather than a political career.

Financial Literacy Gap and the Retirement Crisis

  • Thesis: The U.S. faces a deep financial literacy gap and a mounting retirement crisis.
    • Prior generations could rely on pensions, Social Security, and blue-chip dividends; today’s landscape is far more complex and inflationary.
    • Data points:
      • ~11–12k Americans turn 60 every day; aging boomers amplify the challenge.
      • Over a third of near-retirees fear outliving their savings.
      • Northwestern Mutual’s surveys: “comfortable retirement” estimates rose from ~$500k (2019) to ~$1.8M (2023) post-COVID/inflation.
  • Education stories: Chris advocates for early, practical financial education; he created a kindergarten Bitcoin lesson (barter → coin → cash → digital transaction) to introduce money evolution.
  • Personal application: Opened a Roth IRA for his daughter (Izzy) with earned income; uses crypto allocations and ties her school costs to her own earnings to instill accountability.

Building Bitcoin IRA: From Regulatory Hurdles to Scale

  • Early regulatory navigation:
    • Banks, trust companies, and state regulators (South Dakota, Kentucky, Nevada) initially skeptical: “What does a 30-year-old care about retirements—and what is bitcoin?”
    • Strategy: Conduct thorough diligence, then move forward (“forgiveness over permission”) once compliant custody and process were in place.
  • Early customers and product expansion:
    • Initial “engine room” clients were retired scientists/engineers (NASA, IBM, Intel), libertarian and tech-forward—passionate and deeply engaged.
    • Product roadmap: Started with Bitcoin (2016), added Ethereum (2017; regulators amusingly called it “reetheum”), then XRP, Litecoin; supported the Bitcoin Cash fork; now 87 cryptocurrencies with staking and yield features.
  • Scale today:
    • ~$12–13B assets under custody (AUC), ~200k users, ~200–220 employees.
    • Culture: ~1% turnover—invests heavily in people and trust; success is incremental (Chris keeps their first $500k deposits press release as a reminder).
    • Entrepreneurial endurance: Survived cycles (2017 euphoria, 2018–2019 winter, 2021 boom, 2022–2023 FTX shock) by listening to clients and balancing survival/growth.

Why IRAs for Crypto: Tools, Limits, and Tax Advantages

  • Philosopher’s stone: IRAs are among the few true tax advantages “given back” by government—ideal for long-term, high-upside assets like bitcoin.
  • Account types:
    • Individual: Traditional IRA, Roth IRA.
    • Small business: SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k)/“indie Ks.”
  • Key contribution guidance (from the discussion):
    • W-2 employees: $7,500 annually (<50); $8,000 (≥50). Traditional reduces taxable income now; Roth defers tax to zero on qualified withdrawals.
    • Small business/LLC owners (SEP IRA): Up to ~$60,000 depending on earnings.
    • Solo 401(k): Potentially up to ~$150,000 depending on structure and income.
  • Rollover and consolidation:
    • “Don’t leave your old 401(k) behind—like a favorite hoodie at an ex’s house.”
    • There’s an estimated ~$2.6T sitting in abandoned employer plans (401k/457/403b/TSP). Rollovers are eligible and can fund crypto allocations.
  • Self-directed flexibility:
    • Within Bitcoin IRA, clients self-direct trades across 87 cryptos; staking and conversions available.
    • Beyond crypto: Precious metals, LLCs, real estate. Example: A client in Kentucky buys John Deere tractors through the IRA LLC and leases to farms, generating tax-advantaged passive income.
  • Contact and onboarding:
    • Real people available by phone: (877) 936-7175.
    • Promotions: “Year of Financial Freedom” campaign; up to ~$1,000 in rewards and swag (HODL hoodies, baby onesies). Mention Unbound Founders/Mike for access to offers.
    • Jerry can share sign-up links; Chris invites a follow-up webinar/space to illustrate scenarios visually.

DCA and “Avocado Toast” Math (Why Allocation Matters)

  • Chris’s critique of the “Boomer advice”: Skipping avocado toast/coffee doesn’t get you a home anymore without smart investing.
    • Rough math: $17.50/day over 10 years ≈ $60k saved, but purchasing power erodes.
    • DCA into crypto daily over a decade in the modeled example led to ~31.5 BTC (per their internal video/math demo) — worth orders of magnitude more depending on bitcoin’s price.
  • Tax positioning matters: Outside an IRA, every crypto trade may be a capital gains event; inside an IRA, trades accrue without immediate tax friction.
  • Practical stance: Chris keeps liquid non-retirement funds conservative, but allocates aggressively inside tax-advantaged retirement accounts for long-term growth.

Market Outlook: Bitcoin and Macro Signals

  • Near-term target: Chris believes 180k bitcoin is achievable by end of year or early next year (acknowledges timing uncertainty; it “happens fast”).
  • Long-term thesis: Million-dollar bitcoin by ~2035 driven by institutional adoption (BlackRock, JPM, Robinhood initiatives), nation-state reserves, and bitcoin’s monetary properties.
  • Cycle awareness: 2023 expectations were high; still sees the cycle intact with plenty of runway.

Advice for Founders and Builders

  • Listen to customers: Early power users shaped Bitcoin IRA’s roadmap; tough feedback is invaluable.
  • Transparency and on-chain reality: Web3 competition is open; be prepared to operate transparently.
  • Balance and durability:
    • “Sleep now” before founding; post-launch your sleep changes—carry the responsibility.
    • Recharge regularly; your impact is limited by your battery.
  • Invest in people: Trust, loyalty, mentoring; think multipliers (each employee’s family depends on leadership doing the job right).

Audience Q&A and Interactions

  • RJ (web3 music/audio on Sui): Sought structuring/global positioning advice and team/contractor offerings.
    • Chris’s guidance: US is hardest jurisdiction; global introduces complexities—DM to schedule a detailed consult. Consider offering artists crypto-paid contracts via retirement accounts (citing NFL players who took crypto and funneled into IRAs to maximize long-term wealth).
  • Big Stan: Inspired; wants to host Chris on a future space to educate and onboard more users. Chris agreed.
  • Davy: Encouraged by Chris’s optimism; plans to check Bitcoin IRA since he’s paid in crypto. Shared an allergy anecdote; Chris reciprocated with his own (seafood allergy discovered at 30).

Partner Shout-outs (from Mike)

  • Potato Finance: TG event on Nov 15, 9am ET; noted as a top community project.
  • Blue Fin: Announced a partnership this week with a digital asset treasury company (“sueg”) on Sui; recognized as strategic and precedent-setting.

Operational Notes and Near-Term Roadmap

  • Bitcoin IRA will launch staking on Sui within about a month.
  • Jerry (Bitcoin IRA) to drop signup links; promotions active through the holiday season.
  • Chris proposes a follow-up educational session/webinar to deep dive on IRA structures, limits, and crypto use-cases.

Key Takeaways

  • Crypto + IRAs are a powerful combination for long-term, tax-advantaged wealth building.
  • The retirement crisis and inflationary environment demand proactive strategies beyond traditional fixed-income routes.
  • Listening to users and investing in people are core operating principles.
  • Market outlook is bullish; expect rapid price moves and sustained institutional/nation-state interest.
  • Practical next steps: Follow Bitcoin IRA and Chris, use the phone line for tailored advice, mention Unbound Founders for rewards, and consider consolidating old employer plans into a self-directed crypto IRA.

Action Items for Listeners

  • If you have old 401(k)/403(b)/457/TSP accounts, evaluate rollovers into a self-directed IRA for crypto allocations.
  • Decide on Traditional vs Roth IRA based on your tax strategy; if you’re a founder, explore SEP/SIMPLE/Solo 401(k) for higher contributions.
  • Set up disciplined DCA and keep long-term allocations inside tax-advantaged accounts to minimize capital gains friction.
  • Reach out via (877) 936-7175 or Bitcoin IRA’s shared link from Jerry; mention Unbound Founders for the Financial Freedom promo and swag.
  • Watch for upcoming Sui staking support and the planned educational webinar.