You’re about to invest in crypto, but here’s the thing – you know that many people lose money in this market as they get in without knowing what they’re buying or why it all even exists. But these six documentaries will show you exactly how crypto works, who’s getting rich, who’s going to jail, and what mistakes to avoid.
1) Watch “Inside Job” First to Understand Why Bitcoin Was Made Back in 2008
However, before you invest in any cryptocurrency, you should watch “Inside Job.” Even though this 2010 Oscar winner doesn’t mention Bitcoin once, it explains everything. Director Charles Ferguson shows how Wall Street crashed the global economy in 2008, costing $20 trillion and destroying millions of lives. Banks gambled with complex derivatives, ratings agencies misrepresented risk, and when everything collapsed, executives walked away with millions, while regular people lost their homes.
The film interviews George Soros, Nouriel Roubini, and other giants who saw it coming – you’ll watch economic advisors squirm when Ferguson asks about their Wall Street paychecks. Well, it’s all important since Satoshi Nakamoto made Bitcoin right after Lehman Brothers collapsed – specifically to bypass these corrupt institutions. So, once you see how regular finance actually works, Bitcoin suddenly makes perfect sense.
2) “The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin” Shows You the Chaotic Early Days
In 2014, this documentary follows Daniel Mross, a programmer who mined Bitcoin when it cost pennies. However, what makes it valuable is that Mross had a camera rolling during Bitcoin’s most chaotic moments. You’ll meet Gavin Andresen, one of the few people who actually spoke with Satoshi Nakamoto – and Charlie Shrem appears before his arrest. The Winklevoss twins explain why they bet a billion dollars on magic internet money.
Brian Armstrong shows up to build Coinbase in a tiny office. The film captures Bitcoin transitioning from a quirky experiment to something governments began taking seriously. You witness the Mt. Gox collapse unfold in real-time, regulatory battles unfold, and early adopters realize they might actually be changing the world.
3) “Cryptopia” Asks If Blockchain Can Actually Deliver (Spoiler: It’s Complicated)
Torsten Hoffmann’s 2020 documentary goes even deeper into Bitcoin to examine the entire blockchain ecosystem. He interviews Vitalik Buterin about Ethereum, explores DeFi before it was cool, and asks some uncomfortable questions about whether we’re just recreating Wall Street with extra steps.
Well, the film took two years to make and includes exclusive footage from Switzerland’s secret “Bitcoin Bunker.” But Hoffmann doesn’t sugarcoat anything – he shows the scams, real damage, and regulatory nightmares alongside the innovation. At 86 minutes, it moves fast and covers everything from smart contracts to NFTs to why you probably shouldn’t buy Dogecoin.
4) “Trust No One” and “Bitconned” Show Us How Crypto Scams Actually Work
These two documentaries will save you money – “Trust No One” investigates QuadrigaCX founder Gerald Cotten, who supposedly died in India with the only passwords to $250 million in customer funds – but investors still think he faked his death. The film illustrates precisely how crypto exchanges can steal your money and why “not your keys, not your coins” is more than just a catchy phrase.
“Bitconned” on Netflix exposes Centra Tech, whose founders raised $32 million by claiming partnerships with Visa and Mastercard that didn’t exist. Ray Trapani, one of the fraudsters, begins by saying, “Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a criminal.” However, many similar scams occur every week in the crypto world, so watch these films to recognize the red flags before you become a victim.
5) “God Bless Bitcoin” Makes the Moral Case for Crypto
This 2024 documentary takes an unusual yet interesting angle – examining Bitcoin from religious and ethical perspectives. Directors Brian and Kelly Estes argue that our current money system funds wars and crushes the middle class through inflation. So, they interview Mark Cuban, Cathie Wood, and religious leaders who see Bitcoin as a more moral form of money.
Yes, it’s heavily biased toward Bitcoin, but it raises some valid points about how printing money disproportionately hurts the poor and how Bitcoin could contribute to a more peaceful economy.
6) Ben McKenzie’s “Everyone Is Lying to You for Money” Provides the Reality Check
The actor from “The O.C.” holds an economics degree and spent three years creating this 2025 documentary. McKenzie interviewed Sam Bankman-Fried months before his arrest and Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky before his $25 billion collapse. He shows actual victims crying about losing their life savings.
The film ends with McKenzie testifying to Congress, calling crypto “the biggest Ponzi scheme in history.” He might be wrong, but his interviews with fraudsters and their victims show exactly how smart people lose everything in crypto. Good luck finding it, though – McKenzie says distributors won’t touch it in the current pro-crypto climate.
What Can You Actually Learn from These Films
After watching all seven documentaries, you’ll get to know why Bitcoin exists, how early adopters made fortunes, why governments fear crypto, and how scammers operate. Also, you’ll see why some call Bitcoin digital gold while others call it worthless. Most importantly, you’ll spot the difference between new and revolutionary tech and some obvious scams.
So, even though these documentaries won’t tell you what to buy, they can show you what actually happens in crypto – the fortune-making and the life-destroying parts at the same time. In a market where yesterday’s genius becomes tomorrow’s convict, that knowledge might save your portfolio.
And while the films focus on the human stories behind crypto, Bitcoin’s reach goes far beyond individual wins and losses. Entire industries have grown out of its rise. One example is Bitcoin gambling, which has exploded in recent years as more than 560 million people now hold crypto assets. Casino expert Viola D’Elia has even built a platform of trusted Bitcoin casino reviews to help players find legitimate sites. Her work cuts through the marketing hype to show which casinos actually pay out and deliver on their promises.
