REVIEW: ‘Unbanked’ (2025) – Bitcoin documentary

Unbanked is a new documentary exploring the bitcoin revolution and cryptocurrency in general. The film comes from new film-makers David Kuhn and Lauren Sieckmann.

Bitcoin has been controversial since its mysterious release by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. Some say Bitcoin is only comprised of a small minority of anarchist computer nerds, or that it supports criminal activity as just another Ponzi scheme. Others herald the arrival of Bitcoin as financial freedom for the masses after years of abuse by a centralized banking cartel. Passionate views surround this ethereal yet hard-to-ignore beacon-or-bust proposition. Is Bitcoin a myth or a pathway to mass monetary self-determination? We are living in a day and age where Bitcoin promises what more and more people claim they want: disintermediation, decentralization, freedom from transactional parasites, restoration of trust in peer-to-peer interaction and commerce, and a possible exit from the financial cartels who hold all the coins. There has never been a viable alternative. Until now. Is Bitcoin a house of cards waiting to collapse? Or is it exactly what is needed as governments and central bankers siphon fees and funds from savers and debase fiat currency?

There has been no shortage of documentaries about the rise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as it has gradually become a larger part of the global conversation. What perhaps sets Unbanked apart is that it focuses on certain individuals and businesses that have embraced bitcoin and the benefits it has had for them with a truly global view featuring interviewees from the US as well as Europe, Africa & South America. It does give a good background and history of how Bitcoin was created and how the system works without getting bogged down with in-depth explanations as seen in some other films.

The film explores the political, social and economical impacts the Bitcoin revolution has had for people from all backgrounds and walks of live as well as exploring links with technology and the environmental concerns such as power generation.