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The Story of Money

Financial Times
Donald Trump
China
Private Equity
Artificial Intelligence
Financial Times
Federal Reserve
US Economy
Elon Musk
Electric Vehicles
Tariffs
Berkshire Hathaway
Northvolt
Palantir Technologies
Mergers and Acquisitions
Investment
Islamic Banking
KKR
Blackstone
Warren Buffett
Indian Stock Market

FT columnist Gillian Tett and FT Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth dig into the ideas, personalities and institutions that have shaped the history of finance.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes337Founded8 years ago
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Latest Episodes

The 1873 Gründerkrach, the spectacular stock market crash that followed Germany’s unification, is one of history’s great financial maelstroms. But its most enduring legacy isn’t about money. Host Robin Wigglesworth speaks to Pulitzer Prize-winning au... more

Ancient Rome is often depicted as a glamorous empire of power, sophistication and wealth. Yet for most people, the reality of daily life was precarious. Host Robin Wigglesworth talks to Kim Bowes, author of Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the N... more

The construction of the Erie Canal is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in American history. But its most influential legacy is not the waterway itself, it is how it was paid for. Hosts Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth speak with f... more

Jesse Livermore was a legendary trader who made and lost several fortunes in the early 20th century, most famously by shorting the Wall Street crash of 1929. His early life was immortalised in the roman à clef Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edw... more

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Recent Guests

Liaquat Ahamed
Author of Laws of Finance; financial historian
Author of Laws of Finance; 1873
Episode: How a stock market crash gave birth to modern antisemitism
Kim Bowes
Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: The hidden financial world of ancient Rome
Richard Sylla
Financial historian, Professor Emeritus of Economics at NYU Stern
New York University Stern School of Business
Episode: The canal that shaped American finance
Robert Armstrong
FT US Financial Commentator, host of the Unhedge Podcast, FT writer
Financial Times
Episode: The trader who made $100mn from the 1929 crash — only to lose it all
Thomas Levenson
Author of Money for Nothing, The South Sea Bubble and the Invention of Modern Capitalism
University of Cambridge / Author
Episode: The financial crash that created Britain’s first prime minister
Hettie O'Brien
Author of The Asset Class and long read writer at The Guardian
The Guardian
Episode: The 1980s Garfield buyout that changed corporate finance
Brendan Greeley
Author of The Almighty Dollar
Financial Times
Episode: The US dollar’s ‘immigrant’ origins
Ortenca Aliaj
FT's banking editor, born and raised Albanian
Financial Times
Episode: The financial scams that brought Albania to the brink of war
Jeffrey Garten
Author of Three Days at Camp David; former US government official and economist
Yale University; former Under Secretary of Commerce
Episode: Why Richard Nixon torpedoed the global monetary system

Hosts

Gillian Tett
Host of The Story of Money; Financial Times journalist and columnist
Robin Wigglesworth
Co-host of The Story of Money; FT Alphaville editor

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Clear bias

    Leave it to the FT to evidence clear bias in the guest selection and the snide comments. How about trying something unique, let’s try not to evidence your severe TDS. I have had enough. I don’t need to hear another word.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    RedstateX
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • The Story of Money

    This season is such a disappointment. You have what could be interesting topics, but for whatever reason everything has to be tied back to Trump this, Trump that. We get it; you're obsessed. Not all of us are.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nanda Farai
    Canada2 months ago
  • Keep it up

    I really enjoy your podcast. The historical topics are very interesting and I am learning about things that I heard about but at the time when it was actually happening I was to young to understand

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MVTTUTX82
    United States2 months ago
  • So disappointing

    Such an interesting set of topics but they make it so hard to keep listening. Tett is just not good at interviewing or presenting and Wigglesworth for all his amazing FTA articles, just can’t weave a spoken narrative or ask good questions. They are trying to copy OddLots but they lack the chemistry and the interview skills. Very disappointing. You might as well have Siri read an article.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    someone-reviewing-podcasts
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Could have been better

    Oh dear, the presenters treat listeners like morons. Great subject spoiled by presenters trying to make it ‘accessible’. I gave up rather quickly.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    qazxsw62
    Australia2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's clear storytelling and depth of market knowledge.
Some episodes receive criticism for pacing or hosting style, but overall high engagement.
Guests and topics are described as insightful, with strong historical grounding.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#38
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#28
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#144
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#71
Italy/Business
Apple Podcasts
#123
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#144
Germany/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The hidden financial world of ancient Rome
Q: How did ordinary Romans access credit and manage debt when drought or poor harvests hit?
Credit was pervasive and often tied to collateral like land, dowries, or even family members' labor. Debt could be secured through assets or labor, and families used a mix of loans, pawn, and wage labor to survive. Even in hardship, many used money as a flexible instrument—moving between cash, credit, and goods—rather than relying solely on coin for transactions.
The 1980s Garfield buyout that changed corporate finance
Q: Why did many see this as a turning point for the private equity industry?
Because it demonstrated the profitability of highly leveraged acquisitions at scale, captured broad media attention, and inspired a flood of similar transactions that transformed Wall Street and the corporate landscape, despite later critiques about value creation and long-term impact.
The 1980s Garfield buyout that changed corporate finance
Q: How did this deal manage to buy Gibson Greetings with so little own capital and such heavy debt?
The deal used a small equity stake of about $1 million and borrowed roughly $79 million, with real estate proceeds and financing arrangements, plus ongoing fees charged to the company, effectively recouping the initial equity and financing the purchase largely through debt.
The financial crash that created Britain’s first prime minister
Q: How did Walpole navigate the crisis and reshape Britain's finances?
Walpole reduced and restructured the debt, prevented a sovereign default, and transformed South Sea stock into bonds, thereby creating a functioning national debt market and consolidating his political power as a stabilizing reformer.
The financial crash that created Britain’s first prime minister
Q: What was the South Sea Company, and why did it cause such a disaster?
It was a government-debt management scheme turned into a stock venture, where inflated promises and speculative buying drove prices to unsustainable levels, leading to a dramatic collapse that exposed the fragility of debt-led finance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Story of Money

What is The Story of Money about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A historically minded finance show that unpacks the ideas, institutions, and personalities that have shaped markets, money, and monetary policy. Episodes typically thread together deep historical context with contemporary financial questions, weaving in expert guests from economics, archaeology of debt, finance journalism, and policy analysis. Noteworthy is the duo's ability to blend narrative storytelling with data-driven insights, often grounded in FT reporting, to illuminate how past financial systems influence today's money and markets. Potential listeners who enjoy rigorous history-informed finance and clear explanations of complex topics will likely find this podcast especially compelling.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Story of Money?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Story of Money:

1. Unhedged
2. The Economics Show
3. FT News Briefing
4. FT Tech Tonic
5. The Rachman Review

How many episodes of The Story of Money are there?

The Story of Money launched 8 years ago and published 337 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Story of Money?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Story of Money?

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What guests have appeared on The Story of Money?

Recent guests on The Story of Money include:

1. Liaquat Ahamed
2. Kim Bowes
3. Richard Sylla
4. Robert Armstrong
5. Thomas Levenson
6. Hettie O'Brien
7. Brendan Greeley
8. Ortenca Aliaj

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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