Thomas Fahrer, co-founder of Apollo joins me to talk about the Bitcoin ETFs. We talk: 

Analysing the Bitcoin ETFs What further institutional adoption looks like How much capital could flow into Bitcoin The Bitcoin FOMO scenario Disagreements on the power law model MSTR and Bitcoin

Links:

X: @thomas_fahrer  Site: Heyapollo.com 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 03:02 - The Significance of Bitcoin ETFs 13:33 - Rebalancing and Volatility 21:19 - Grayscale's Declining Bitcoin Holdings 25:41 - Swan.com 27:00 - Mempool.space 27:45 - Coinkite.com 33:35 - Possible Motivations for Grayscale's Actions 34:03 - Successful ETF Launch and Consistent Demand 37:23 - Bitcoin Price Rise and Demand - Supply Dynamics 39:44 - Volatility and Orderly Transition 41:07 - Bitcoin's Historical Price Patterns 44:05 - Flaws in Power Law Model 45:05 - Bitcoin's Potential to Replace Traditional Assets 46:41 - Flaws in Power Law Model and Fiat Currencies 50:11 - Importance of Fundamental Analysis 51:38 - Bitcoin's Bullish Case and Fundamental Properties 58:51 - Closing Thoughts

My friend Vijay Boyapati (Author of the Bullish Case for Bitcoin, and part of the Swan team) rejoins me on the show to talk about HODLing, share his analysis on things, and offer some tips on how to HODL. We talk:

What phase of the cycle we?re in HODLer psychology Does Bitcoin get captured?  Is Bitcoin for Everyone? Self custody tech GBTC and Bankruptcies Common traps and how to avoid them

Links:

X: @real_vijay Genesis thread https://twitter.com/real_vijay/status/1744454450138526162 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Overview 03:01 - The Excitement of Bull Markets 05:54 - The Slow Build-Up and Parabolic Moves 08:46 - Hodling Through Adversity 13:07 - The Nature of Bitcoin Cycles 16:02 - The Reachability of Bitcoin Participants 19:45 - Coinkite.com 21:00 - NomadCapitalist.com 22:08 - The Challenges of Self-Custody 30:00 - The Feasibility of Self-Custody for All 34:14 - Bitcoin as a Superior Monetary Base 35:10 - Concerns about Concentration Risk 38:07 - Mempool.space 39:16 - Swan.com 40:12 - Government Influence on Bitcoin ETFs 43:32 - Multipolar World and Bitcoin Adoption 44:01 - US Favorability towards Bitcoin 46:51 - Genesis Bankruptcy and Grayscale's Future 50:11 - Common Traps in a Bull Cycle 59:54 - Dealing with Corrections in a Bull Cycle

Mi Primer Bitcoin (My First Bitcoin) has grown since I last spoke with them on the show. John from the team rejoins me to talk about how things have developed. The team has now taught over 25,000 students in El Salvador and they are now expanding internationally. 

Links:

X: @jdennehy_writes Site: Miprimerbitcoin.io SLP381 John Dennehy & Gloriana Solano ? Bitcoin Diploma in El Salvador

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 01:16 - Bitcoin Diploma and Infrastructure 03:37 - International Expansion and Node Network Governance 05:27 - Course Format and Duration 08:16 - Teaching Bitcoin in Public Schools 09:14 - Collaboration with Ministry of Education 12:37 - Different Approaches to Teaching Bitcoin 15:27 - Continued Education and Advanced Courses 17:55 - Coinkite.com 19:06 - Swan.com 20:18 - Mempool.space 21:13 - Bitcoin Education for Different Age Groups 23:48 - Format and Agenda of Bitcoin Education Conferences 26:15 - Collaboration with Governments and Universities 29:37 - Localization and Modification of Curriculum 32:31 - Focus on International Expansion 34:26 - Challenges of Education for the Masses 36:48 - Adapting Curriculum to Rising Fees 39:17 - Empowerment and Independence in Bitcoin Education 40:40 - Call for Support and Contributions

How do we interact with Bitcoin in a multi layer world? What cost savings and trade offs are necessary here? What even counts as a layer? Kilian from boltz.exchange joins me to talk about swapping across Bitcoin on-chain, Lightning and Liquid. We discuss:

How swapping works What makes it atomic and non-custodial What counts as layer 2 Fee savings and trade offs

Links:

X: @kilrau Site: boltz.exchange X: @boltzhq Taproot feature blog post: Introducing Taproot Swaps: Putting the "Fun" Back into Refunds! 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Chapters/Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 03:07 - Boltz.exchange: Moving Between Bitcoin Layers 05:35 - Use Cases for Lightning Service Providers 09:45 - Enhancing Wallet Functionality 13:20 - Non-Custodial Atomic Swaps 21:43 - Coinkite.com 23:07 - NomadCapitalist.com 24:25 - Fees and Fee Savings 29:35 - Trust Model of Liquid 32:40 - Regulatory Risks for Liquid 37:10 - Transaction Limits on Liquid 38:58 - Mempool.space 39:59 - Swan.com 41:02 - Scalability of Liquid 44:15 - Integration of Liquid with Other Services and Wallets 51:22 - Pragmatism in Bitcoin Adoption 55:45 - Operating in a High-Fee Environment 57:45 - Closing Thoughts

Patrick van der Meijde, founder of BitKassa and co founder Arnhem Bitcoin City joins me to talk about his experience with co-founding one of the earliest Bitcoin ?circular economy? communities in 2014. 

How he got started Taking payments pre-lightning Are there enough people spending? Resurgence in circular economies Adopting Bitcoin Arnhem City

Links:

 X: @PatrickvdMeijde Site: adoptingbitcoinarnhem.com Site: arnhembitcoinstad.nl  Cofounder @BitKassaNL Cofounder Arnhem Bitcoin City @Bitcoinstad Youtube: 10 years of merchants accepting bitcoin in Arnhem  

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera Links:

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Chapters/Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 01:55 - Bitcoin Narratives in 2014 04:45 - Transaction Fees and Challenges 08:46 - Arnhem Bitcoin City and its Evolution 09:55 - Context of Arnhem City in the Netherlands 11:45 - Capital Gains Tax in the Netherlands 12:33 - Impact of AML Regulations 14:13 - Merchants Keeping Bitcoin 15:00 - Swan.com 16:14 - Mempool.space 17:11 - Coinkite.com 18:40 - Merchant Churn and Turnover 23:35 - Importance of Local Community 28:55 - Adopting Bitcoin Conference in Arnhem 31:32 - Transition to Lightning Network 35:45 - Success Rates of Lightning Network Payments 36:30 - Improvement of Lightning Network 37:53 - Conclusion and Event Details

While in Madeira for Bitcoin Atlantis, I did some interviews on a range of topics with Lyn Alden, James Lavish, Tomer Strolight, Francis Pouliot, Steven Roose and Peter Todd. We discussed:

is Macro mid curve?  USG debt Using analogies to teach bitcoin librerelay MEV concerns Self custodial and scaling

Links:

Lyn Alden X: @LynAldenContact Site: lynalden.com  James Lavish X: @jameslavish Site: jameslavish.substack.com  Site: bitcoinopportunity.fund  Tomer Strolight X: @TomerStrolight Bitcoin is Generational Wealth - A Short Film by Matt Hornick and Tomer Strolight Swan Signal Bitcoin Blog Francis Pouliot X: @francispouliot_ Site: BullBitcoin.com Steven Roose X: @stevenroose3 GitHub: github.com/stevenroose  Peter Todd X: @peterktodd  Site: Petertodd.org

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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What applications exist for Bitcoin self custodial finance? Philipp Hoenisch, founder of 10101 (pronounced ten-ten-one) joins me on the show to talk about bitcoin trading without counterparty risk. We discuss:

DLC overview and basics DLC channels and lightning 10101 walkthrough ?Funding rate? Synthetic stablecoins For individuals or business? Risks and things can break down

Prior Episodes:

SLP349 Chris Stewart Bitcoin DLCs & Stablechannels SLP219 Nadav Kohen ? What You Should Know About Bitcoin DLCs SLP519 Self Custodial Bitcoin Finance with Matthew Black of Atomic Finance

Links:

X: @bonomat X: @get10101  Site: 10101.finance

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 05:58 - The Concept of Discrete Log Contracts (DLCs) 10:28 - Non-Custodial Trading and DLC Channels 12:46 - Using the 10101 App 21:32 - Expiry and Funding Rates 26:01 - NomadCapitalist.com 27:47 - Coinkite.com 28:57 - Market Makers and Trade Sizing 32:05 - Limits and Future Plans 35:55 - Security and Hardware Wallets 37:41 - Non-Degen Uses for 10101 38:50 - Comparison of Stable Coin Concepts 41:58 - High Interest Rates and Risks 48:33 - Swan.com 49:42 - Mempool.space 50:44 - Comparison of Stable Value Options 56:49 - Technical Complexity and Education 58:43 - Future of the 10101 App 01:00:45 - Reasons for Lack of Non-Custodial Finance Adoption 01:03:56 - Closing Thoughts

Eric Yakes, author of The 7th Property, joins me to talk about the future of Bitcoin Banking, LN and ecash. We discuss:

Chaumian mints and ecash Interaction with LN Credit markets in the future How does the system remain Full Reserve?  Regulatory roadblocks Will there be a role for passive index funds? 

Links:

X: @ericyakes  axiombtc.capital/bank  Site: Yakes.io

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction 08:23 - Bitcoin Banking 13:57 - Chaumian Mints 19:10 - How Do Chaumian Mints Work 24:04 - Use Cases for FediMints and CashewMints 31:09 - Coinkite.com 32:24 - Mempool.space 33:13 - Swan.com 35:08 - Bitcoin's Evolution and Adoption 38:20 - Regulatory Roadblocks for Commercial Mints 40:31 - Mitigating Risk of Token Debasement 46:59 - Fractional Reserve Banking and Trust 56:45 - Passive Index Funds and Stock Indexes 01:01:56 - Accounting Valuation and Global Wealth 01:06:02 - Closing Thoughts on Banks Without Bankers

Brian Morgenstern, Head of Public Policy of Riot Platforms joins me to talk about the latest attack on Bitcoin miners: 

Is Bitcoin mining a partisan issue?  The EIA ?Survey? Falsehoods on grid stability and emissions False Emergency What to do about it

Links:

X: @MorgensternNJ  Thread https://twitter.com/MorgensternNJ/status/1754634147232977246 X: @TXblockchain_  Sen. Lummis declares the survey to be ?absurd? Joint statement by the Chamber of Digital Commerce & Texas Blockchain Council opposing the survey: Industry Statement on EIA?s Emergency Survey  - Chamber of Digital Commerce (digitalchamber.org)

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background 02:26 - Is Bitcoin Support Partisan? 06:35 - The EIA Request for Information on Bitcoin Mining 13:18 - Motivations and Political Divide 18:42 - "Emergency" Collection of Data 20:14 - Swan.com 21:26 - Mempool.space 22:35 - Coinkite.com 23:52 - Competitive Information and Disclosure 31:50 - Potential Misinterpretation and Attacks 39:04 - Pushing Back and Taking Action 41:24 - The Importance of Speaking Up 42:16 - Closing Thoughts

Ben Carman of Mutiny Wallet rejoins me on the show to talk about what?s coming next for Bitcoin. We talk about scaling Bitcoin and contrast the different mindsets, discuss different soft fork proposals and directions Bitcoin could go. We also talk about what impact covenants will have and the latest with Mutiny Wallet. 

Bitcoin?s biggest challenges Taxonomy of Bitcoin development culture Soft forks and covenants What ?counts? as a Bitcoin L2?  What are the big benefits of covenants?  Mutiny Wallet - a new Hybrid era? Will people get priced out?  Fedimint support Synthetic USD or swaps?  Inscriptions and Spam

Links:

Site: mutinywallet.com X: @benthecarman  nostr: npub1u8lnhlw5usp3t9vmpz60ejpyt649z33hu82wc2hpv6m5xdqmuxhs46turz  Inscriptions post: https://habla.news/a/naddr1qqxnzdesxgerxdp58yenyvejqgswrlemlh2wgqc4jkds3d8ueqj9a2j3gcm7r48v9tskdd6rxsd7rtcrqsqqqa28wdzn0j 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction 01:18 - Bitcoin's Challenges: Scaling and Social Consensus 08:50 - Different Perspectives on Bitcoin's Future 16:10 - The Importance of Unilateral Exit and Self-Custody 21:16 - The Potential of Covenants for Scaling Bitcoin 25:23 - Mempool.space 26:17 - Coinkite.com 27:37 - Bitcoin Ark - A Payment Pool 31:11 - Introduction to Mutiny Wallet 34:36 - Addressing Security Concerns 37:06 - Simplifying Onboarding and Social Features in Mutiny Wallet 41:50 - The Challenge of Scalability and Affordability 43:50 - Building a Hybrid Wallet with Fediment Support 45:50 - NomadCapitalist.com 47:50 - Swan.com 49:07 - Guardians and Discoverability in Mutiny Wallet 50:50 - Multiple Federation Support in Mutiny Wallet 55:25 - Stable Channels and Synthetic USD in Mutiny Wallet 01:00:20 - The Role of ETFs and Number Go Up in Bitcoin Adoption 01:04:40 - The Debate on Inscriptions and Shitcoins in Bitcoin 01:08:01 - Closing Thoughts

Do the lies about Bitcoin frustrate you? Join us in this episode as we discuss the ways to dispel and debunk some of the most egregious false climate narratives on Bitcoin with Daniel Batten, Managing Partner at CH4 Capital. We discuss:

The biggest bitcoin climate myths Dishonest portrayal in the media ?Per transaction? fake methodology Where Cambridge CCAF is wrong Bitcoin?s PoW and ?ideological intransigence? ESMA submission How Bitcoiners can help

Links:

X: @DSBatten Articles: https://batcoinz.com/submission-to-esma-on-bitcoin-mining/ https://batcoinz.com/a-tale-of-two-articles/

Prior episodes referred to

SLP487 Bitcoin Mining Energy Debate ? Digiconomist and Ben Gagnon   SLP542 Defending Bitcoin PoW in the EU with Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bota Jardemalie

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction 01:51 - Daniel's Journey with Bitcoin 09:13 - Biggest Bitcoin Climate Myths 18:34 - Coinkite.com 19:37 - Mempool.space 20:34 - How Media Perceptions about Bitcoin Changed Over Time 36:20 - Cambridge Bitcoin Estimate 44:45 - Swan.com 45:54 - Acknowledging Other Paths To Sustainability 57:10 - Submission to ESMA and Correcting False Narratives 01:09:21 - Bitcoin's Environmental Benefits 01:12:40 - Closing Thoughts

We talk about monetary maximalism, and whether everything is good for bitcoin with Christian Keroles of HRF. We discuss:

Monetary maximalism: descriptive or prescriptive Bitcoin Spam  Antifragility What bitcoiners are getting wrong on personal finance How 2023 played out with ?ordinals? Not being used to winning

Links:

X: @ck_SNARKs Site: HRF.org Site: https://cbdctracker.hrf.org/home

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamp/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction 01:22 - Defining Monetary Maximalism 03:10 - Monetary Maximalism as an Observation 05:00 - Descriptive vs Prescriptive Monetary Maximalism 09:50 - The Debate on Ordinals and Spam 21:05 - The Nuisance Level of Spam 22:48 - What Are Most Bitcoiners Getting Wrong On Personal Finance 29:49 - The Emergence of Ordinals and Inscriptions 32:27 - Coinkite.com 33:28 - Swan.com 34:31 - Mempool.space 35:54 - The Umbrella Term of Ordinals 41:16 - The Fallout and Consequences of Bitcoin Developments 48:53 - The Strengthening of Bitcoin through Challenges 53:20 - The Debate on Filtering in Bitcoin 58:32 - The Emergence of Runes Protocol 01:02:13 - Bitcoin's Winning Streak 01:04:35 - Confusion and False Narratives 01:07:37 - The Base of Bitcoin: 21 Million Coins and HODL 01:08:37 - Closing Thoughts and Bitcoin Adoption

We?re trying something a little different this episode! While at Bitcoin Oasis 2024 in Dubai I captured some short interviews with some speakers at the conference. We covered a wide range of topics ranging from Bitcoin Spam, to nation state adoption and honestly grappling with bitcoin user adoption trade offs. The speakers interviewed are:

Alejandro De La Torre of Demand Mining Luke Dashjr of Ocean Mining Prince Philip of Serbia, from JAN3 Pete Rizzo of Bitcoin Magazine Giacomo Zucco of Plan B Network

Links:

Alejandro De La Torre X: @bitentrepreneur   Luke Dashjr X: @LukeDashjr  and https://ocean.xyz/ Prince Philip of Serbia X: @PrincFilip1 and https://jan3.com/ Pete Rizzo X: @pete_rizzo_ and Bitcoinmagazine.com Giacomo Zucco X: @giacomozucco and https://planb.network/

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space https://nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction 01:44 - Alejandro De La Torre Interview 08:26 - Luke Dashjr Interview 21:10 - Swan.com 22:46 - Mempool.space 23:47 - Prince Philip of Serbia Interview 37:08 - Pete Rizzo Interview 54:29 - Coinkite.com 55:46 - NomadCapitalist.com 57:20 - Giacomo Zucco Interview 01:13:26 - Closing Thoughts

Mike Peterson from Bitcoin Beach El Zonte, El Salvador rejoins me on the show to give listeners some updates from El Salvador. Having a reduced crime rate and improved investment and tourism into the country has driven big changes! We talk:

How things look a few years on from the Bitcoin Law Life on the ground in El Salvador How easy it is to move El Salvador $1M Citizenship Program Dealing with on chain fees Custodial vs Self Custodial and pragmatism ?Circular Economies? and insights from his networking around the world

Links:

X: @Bitcoinbeach YT: @LiveFromBitcoinBeach 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

01:20 - Two and a Half Years After Bitcoin Adoption in El Salvador

05:21 - Financial Innovation in El Salvador

09:36 - Bottom-Up vs Top-Down Adoption of Bitcoin

11:00 - Ease of Setting Up in El Salvador

21:05 - Coinkite.com

22:13 - Mempool.space

22:56 - Swan.com

24:15 - Living on Bitcoin in El Salvador

31:48 - Bitcoin Meetups and Events in El Salvador

35:51 - Circular Economies and Bitcoin Adoption

40:55 - Insights from Other Circular Economies

50:05 - Custodial vs. Non-Custodial

54:21 - The Bitcoin Beach Podcast

56:16 - Closing thoughts

Get an overview of lightning wallets in this episode with Anita Posch. Anita walks through what she found in testing self custodial lightning wallets under conditions of poor internet connectivity. We also talk about themes that came up at the recent Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town South Africa. 

On the ground insights Results of the self custodial wallet test Which LN apps came out best?  The situation with fees Where the test might not be suitable How things may change with a Liquid or Fedimint approach

Links:

X: @AnitaPosch Site: bffbtc.org Bitcoin for Fairness - Anita Posch  (L)earn Bitcoin

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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What does Life Insurance look like when it?s all priced and done in Bitcoin? Zac Townsend (CEO and co-founder of Meanwhile) joins me on the show to talk about it. We discuss:

Life insurance as a model Term or Whole life Bitcoin denomination Is it the next Celsius or BlockFi?  Does it work under a deflationary Private credit fund

Links:

X: @ztownsend  X: @meanwhilelife Site: meanwhile.bm 

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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Aaron van Wirdum rejoins me to talk about his exploration of how Bitcoin came to be. We talk about his new book, The Genesis Book. In this book, Aaron explores some of the technologies, and philosophies that led to the creation of Bitcoin. We discuss:

What he learned in making this book Hayek and the Austrians Extropians Cryptography and the Cypherpunks Libertarians Precursor tech to Bitcoin

Links:

X: @AaronvanW Site: http://thegenesisbook.com/ Nostr #npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Stephan Livera Substack newsletter

Timestamp/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:07 - Motivation for Writing the Book

04:05 - Bitcoin's Origins and Evolution

08:21 - The Influence of Hayek and Austrian Economics

18:54 - The Connection Between FOSS and Bitcoin

25:49 - The Extropians and Their Vision

30:47 - The Cypherpunks and Their Ideology

32:28 - Swan.com

33:52 - Mempool.space

35:00 - Coinkite.com

39:30 - The Rise and Fall of DigiCash

51:20 - The Crypto Wars and Government Regulation

56:26 - Pre-cursor Electronic Cash Projects

01:01:20 - Satoshi's Clever Insight

01:03:00 - Closing thoughts

Sébastien Gouspillou is a French Bitcoin miner, entrepreneur, and speaker. He is the CEO of BBGS (Big Block Green Services) and he joins me to talk about Bitcoin mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Oman and elsewhere around the world: 

Bitcoin mining in the DRC Bitcoin mining in Oman Using various forms of energy  Working in different environments Narrative shifts in Bitcoin Mining and Proof of Work

Links:

X: @SebGouspillou Site: bbgsmining.com

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomad Capitalist LIVE

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Stephan Livera Substack newsletter

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:34 - Challenges and Risks in the Congo

04:30 - Bitcoin Mining in Virunga National Park

09:28 - Performance and Investment in the DRC

14:10 - Economic Opportunities and Job Creation

23:31 - Bitcoin Mining in Oman

28:05 - Challenges of Solar-Powered Mining

31:38 - Bitcoin Mining in the Middle East

41:30 - Mining Potential in Africa

45:05 - Energy Sources

47:37 - The Environmental Impact of Bitcoin Mining

55:35 - Closing Thoughts

It seems that the EU is constantly coming out with bad new regulations that will impact Bitcoiners and Bitcoin miners. Joining me today is Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bota Jardemalie from the Open Dialogue Foundation - Bitcoin and human rights advocates. We talk about:

EU bureaucracy and ECB threat to Bitcoin Why engage with these people at all? Attacks on Bitcoin?s Proof of Work Threat to self custody and sovereignty - AML Bitcoin as bank of last resort How you can help with testimonials

Links:

PoW submission: https://en.odfoundation.eu/a/724499,defend-pow-submission-to-esma/ EU AML submission: https://en.odfoundation.eu/a/578069,can-the-eus-anti-money-laundering-reform-help-dictators/ Site / Support OD Foundation: https://en.odfoundation.eu/how-can-you-help/ Lyudmyla on X: @LyudaKozlovska  Bota on X: @jardemalie

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space NomadCapitalist.com LIVE

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

04:55 - The current threats

08:00 - Engaging with Regulators

12:05 - Can they be reasoned with?

17:30 - Threats to mining

25:55 - ESG Narrative and Proof of Work

38:20 - Threats to Self Custody and AML Regulations

46:03 - AML and Counter-Terrorism Financing Regulations

52:50 - De-risking and Financial Exclusion

01:00:28 - Summary of Key Concerns and closing thoughts

Given the recent discussion on covenants, you might be curious about what actual covenant use cases look like. Joining me today is Steven Roose to help explain covenant uses and TXHASH as well as various objections: 

Case for Covenants Why TXHASH  Scope of changes Covenants.info Covenant use cases Ark Commercial viability

Links:

X: @stevenroose3  Site: Covenants.info TXHASH ML post: https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2022-January/019813.html

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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On the eve of Bitcoin ETFs being approved, is Bitcoin entering a new era? Tuur Demeester, long time bitcoin advocate, writer and speaker rejoins me on the show to discuss his thoughts:

This new era for Bitcoin ETF approval and what it means Capture risks are low Psychology of a market cycle and HODLers ?Hate buying? Bitcoin Bitcoin Life Insurance Why every company needs a Bitcoin strategy Future of Bitcoin use

Note this show was recorded Jan 10th 2024 8pm Dubai (11am Eastern time), just prior to ETF approval. 

Links:

X: @TuurDemeester 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

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Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and background

01:00 - The new era of Bitcoin

06:11 - What are the actual risks?

12:20 - How many coins are held in custody?

15:00 - Tuur's reports

21:27 - Psychology of a market cycle and HODLers

31:40 - Swan.com

33:12 - Coinkite.com

34:52 - Mempool.space

37:43 - 3 green, 1 red meme

43:10 - Bitcoin Life Insurance

51:21 - ?Hate buying? Bitcoin

56:35 - Why every company needs a Bitcoin strategy

01:01:50 - Future of Bitcoin use

01:07:02 - Closing thoughts

Have you heard about Dubai but been wondering about what it?s like there? Lara Eggiman joins me to talk about Dubai, the UAE and the new bitcoin-only conference launching here, Bitcoin Oasis. We discuss:

Dubai lifestyle Common misconceptions Tips for people who want to set up in Dubai Why the UAE is well placed for Bitcoin adoption Bitcoin Oasis Bitcoin Association 

Links:

X: @SwissAlice1  Site: Bitcoin-oasis.com 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and background

01:27 - Why Dubai?

02:46 - Common Misconceptions about Dubai

05:32 - Benefits of Living in Dubai

08:08 - Tips for Setting Up in Dubai

12:27 - Why UAE and Dubai are Well-Placed to Adopt Bitcoin

14:25 - Swan.com

16:07 - Mempool.space

17:11 - Coinkite.com

20:25 - Competitive Jurisdictions

22:07 - Bitcoin Association UAE

27:46 - Living in Dubai

30:00 - Closing thoughts

In this conversation, Natalie Smolenski discusses the intersection of Bitcoin, anthropology, and political economy. She explores the debate on the origin of money and the clash between anthropologists and economists. Smolenski argues that money is a social technology that can take different forms based on trust and use cases. She examines the limitations of fiat currency and the importance of trust in debt settlement. Smolenski also discusses the rise of Bitcoin as a competing institution to traditional currencies and the threat to open source development in the EU. We also discuss various topics related to jurisdictional arbitrage, the Texas Bitcoin Foundation, the challenges facing universities, and the future of higher education. Links:

X: @NSmolenski  Satoshi Papers: Satoshipapers.org   Texas Bitcoin Foundation: txbitcoinfoundation.org

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:00 The Debate on the Origin of Money

06:50 Clash between Anthropologists and Economists

13:14 The Role of Commodity Money

20:07 Coinkite.com

21:29 Swan.com

27:05 Payment vs Settlement

34:44 The Decline of State Power and the Rise of Bitcoin

39:00 Mempool.space

40:13 The Competition between Bitcoin and Fiat Currency

52:18 The Threat to Open Source Development in the EU

59:24 The Texas Bitcoin Foundation and Bridging the Gap

01:01:24 The Challenges of Universities and the Need for Innovation

Not everybody understands that blockchains themselves don?t scale. And this may create some tricky implications if we want to onboard large numbers of people to Bitcoin. This is why some of the discussion nowadays is about soft forks and covenants. Brandon Black rejoins me to talk about some of his ideas on how many people can use Bitcoin with current tech, and how covenants such as CTV (Check Template Verify) could help improve this. We discuss:

How many people can use Bitcoin Why not build L3?  Thoughts on block size ?Rush to the exits? Different kinds of forks Covenant proposals explained in english Concrete proposals Commercial demand Unforeseen risks Value density

Links:

X: @reardencode Timeout Trees explanation article by Shinobi

Prior Episodes:

SLP505 MuSig2 in Practice, APO, CTV & Bitcoin Soft Forks

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Elizabeth Warren has come out with a new anti Bitcoin bill. Joining me is VP of Research at Riot Platforms, Pierre Rochard. We talk about: 

What?s in the bill Policy objectives ?Unhosted wallets? FATF Ordinals Tx Fees Third school of thought on long term fees

Links:

X: @BitcoinPierre

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What are the key principles underlying Bitcoin? How should we think about changes to Bitcoin? Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman and Founder of MicroStrategy rejoins me on the show to discuss:

Bitcoin Protocols Bitcoin Principles Bitcoin Dynamics Bitcoin Politics Bitcoin Philosophy

Links:

X: @saylor

Prior Episode:

SLP213 Michael Saylor ? Bitcoin Dematerializes Money

Prior Episode:SLP213 Michael Saylor ? Bitcoin Dematerializes Money

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Should Bitcoiners consider Small Business? What are some of the important considerations here? Bobby Shell of Voltage and Imprint Digital joins me on the show to talk about his experiences in SMB and why Bitcoiners should also think about it. 

Why do SMB Earning more and making an impact His experiences with digital and physical businesses Why not just stack sats? The latest at Voltage

Links:

Twitter/X: @iBobbyShell  Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-shell-iv/ Youtube: @ibobbyshell  Website: Bobbyshell.com Nostr: [email protected] / npub1kyga29699700q90pd4s2uc36ddn27cczfmkfgxcx2wl7urwkvl2ql3asvf Imprint Digital website

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Drivechain is a proposal from 2015 which has had a lot of community debate recently. Joining us today to debate this are Paul Sztorc (CEO of Layer Two Labs) and Peter Todd. We discuss a range of points:

Drivechain and miner centralisation Whether you can delegate running a node Legal risks Fees and Blocksize limits

Links:

Earlier episode with Shinobi: Will Drivechain Centralise Bitcoin? With Shinobi X: @peterktodd  Peter Todd?s post: Drivechains: A Detailed Analysis Peter?s Site:petertodd.org X: @Truthcoin  Paul?s site: Truthcoin.info Paul?s response to Peter?s post: https://www.drivechain.info/peer-review/peter-todd-2023.png 

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Guests Introduction 02:12 - Paul's Opening Statement 11:08 - Peter's Opening Statement 19:42 - Paul's Rebuttal 24:56 - Peter's Rebuttal 30:47 - Guests Challenge each Other 01:30:59 - Closing thoughts

Now many of us are familiar with the idea of using steel backups for our bitcoin private keys, but what about in the case of multi signature? And what about using machine engraving? Dax and E from the SeedHammer project join me to talk:

Why they are interested in this problem Passphrase vs multi sig Descriptor backup on steel Seed Hammer walk through Cost Attack vectors Changing standards Where the project is going next

Links:

X: @SeedHammer Site: Seedhammer.com Github: https://github.com/seedhammer/seedhammer

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How many people can use Bitcoin and Lightning today? Severin Buhler from Synonym joins me to talk about the LSP spec as well as lightning development. We talk about how the new LSP spec will enable more wallet builders, and more user choice, as well as smoothing the process for LSPs to compete: 

What is an LSP A marketplace of LSPs Competition between jurisdictions Wallet of Satoshi news How many people can use lightning?  LSP business models LSPS1 and 2 JIT Channels Asynchronous payments Blocktank

Links:

X: @SeverinAlexB  X: @lnrouter Site: lnrouter.app  Site: Synonym.to

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There are various Bitcoin ?circular economies? but we talk with Fernando Motolese about how he started Bitcoin Beach Brazil, as well as his efforts in creating a new merchant POS terminal device, Bitcoinize. We discuss:

How Bitcoin Beach Brazil started Onboarding merchants Bolt card Tech stack Tourists and Locals experience Bitcoinize device HODL vs Spend Fundraising

Links:

Fernando Motolese X: @MotoleseOficial  Bitcoinize site: bitcoinize.com Bitcoinize POS on X: @BitcoinizePOS  Bitcoin Beach BR fundraiser: https://donate.praiabitcoin.org/ X: @BitcoinBeachBR 

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Free Private Cities are an exciting attempt at a new model for private governance. I?ve previously spoken with leaders in this movement such as Titus Gebel and Peter Young. Today I?m speaking with the founder of Ciudad Morazan, another free private city in Honduras. This one is a little different to the others you may have heard of, as this one is more focused on ?blue collar? workers, families, and businesses. We talk about the free private cities model and how it is being applied differently here with Massimo Mazzone, founder. Topics: 

Free Private City Model Taxes How many live in Morazan ZEDE law Comparison with Prospera Morazan?s 4 advantages Scaling up Amenities available Growth No legal tender law

Links:

X: @MassimoMazzone4  Site: morazan.city 

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Has Bitcoin?s Mining ecosystem become centralised? What can be done about it? Bitcoin Mechanic from Ocean joins me to talk:

Hashers vs Miners Different pool payout methods Stratum v2 Block withholding attacks What Ocean is doing about it Fees Lightning payouts

Links:

X: @GrassFedBitcoin Site: ocean.xyz/event X: @ocean_mining Article: Are Mining Pools Becoming a Problem? 

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Many Bitcoiners have seen or shared around the images that show Labour Compensation (wages and other benefits) diverging from Labour Productivity since 1971, particularly from sites such as wtfhappenedin1971.com. Rejoining me today is Gene Epstein to break down why this chart is flawed! We also talk about broader issues around CPI, whether inflation is over or undercounted, and cost of living pressures that so many people are facing today. The conclusions will surprise you!We talk:

Labour Compensation and Productivity Nominal dollars and issues with price indexes Is CPI overstated?  Are we poorer than we used to be?  Cost of living crisis Can you make it on a single income these days?  The real problems

Links:

X: @GeneSohoForum WTFhappenedin1971 site spoken about: https://wtfhappenedin1971.com/ Gene?s Soho Forum Website: https://www.thesohoforum.org/  Book: Econospinning: How to Read Between the Lines When the Media Manipulate the Numbers  Gene?s Mises Institute Lecture cited: https://youtu.be/h9BE1YIrqyE?si=J5ia_Q18OjGcdB6- 

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How do you prevent loss of your coins? What are some critical steps that are commonly missed? NVK and I discuss a recent case of a HODLer losing 25 BTC, as well as talk about updates in  Bitcoin security.

Links:

X: @NVK Nostr: npub1az9xj85cmxv8e9j9y80lvqp97crsqdu2fpu3srwthd99qfu9qsgstam8y8 Site: Coinkite.com

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When you need to send a Bitcoin transaction, you need Bitcoin blockspace. But blockspace is scarce! CEO of Barefoot Mining, Bob Burnett and I chat about this, and what you can do about it. 

Blockspace scarcity and explanation What you can do about it UTXO management Different types of miner Miner?s Trilemma Arguments against public company mining Mining NOT being a leverage play on Bitcoin Public vs private miners Gateway going public Core Scientific bankruptcy Mining decentralisation

Links:

X: @boomer_btc Site: Barefoot Mining Old Man Yells: @OldManYells-btc Satoshi?s Heel article mentioned: SATOSHI?S HEEL: IS MINING INFRASTRUCTURE A VULNERABILITY THAT COULD TAKE DOWN BITCOIN?

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Is there a demographic collapse coming? What could or should be done about it? Is there any connection with Bitcoiner culture? Malcolm Collins has a background in VC and Private Equity, and he is a co-founder of The Pronatalist Foundation. He has spent a lot of time speaking about this problem and has some great insights to share:

Population Projections The Urban Monoculture Pronatalist aims Childless demographics What caused this What governments have tried Where Bitcoiner culture could change this How to motivate a large family 

Malcolm?s links mentioned:

Pragmatist?s Guide to Religion Book Basedcamp podcast with Malcolm and Simone Collins

Links:

Site: Pronatalist.org X: @SimoneHCollins

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Are we entering a new Bitcoin bull cycle? Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, rejoins me on the show to talk about a variety of things: 

SBF found guilty Bitcoin bull cycle Block size wars Blockstream Greenlight Blockstream BASIC note Blockstream Green

Links:

Site: Blockstream.com Blockstream BASIC Note X: @adam3us 

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Relevant Episodes:

SLP521 Support Bitcoin Lightning with Greenlight with Christian Decker  SLP484 Robin Linus ZeroSync: Speeding up Bitcoin IBD

Have you wondered about the challenges of managing a large publicly listed Bitcoin mining company? Jason Les, CEO of Riot Platforms joins me to talk:

His poker background Why hashrate expands even when price is down Riot?s competitive advantages Should miners use debt financing?  HODLing Bitcoin as a miner Bitcoin ETF impact?  How can miners outperform bitcoin?  Dodging knives Educating government Curtailment & Ancillary services Halving predictions

Links:

Site: Riotplatforms.com X: @JasonLes_

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Are you interested in building support for Bitcoin?s Lightning Network into your product or service? Check out this discussion of Greenlight with Blockstream?s Christian Decker. We talk:

Improvements in lightning experience over the years No. of payments, reliability Greenlight experiences Mobile nodes Comparison with other providers Shared infrastructure Core Lightning features What features will help make lightning easy

Links:

Site: https://blockstream.com/lightning/greenlight/ X: @Snyke  X: @Blockstream 

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BitVM is a new paradigm for Turing-complete bitcoin contracts. In this episode I speak with the creator, Robin Linus and another developer working on the idea, Super Testnet. We discuss:

What is BitVM?  What are some of the trade offs?  What could BitVM enable?  Set up time and interactivity Can it enable sidechains or covenants? 

Links:

Paper: bitvm.pdf X: @robin_linus X: @super_testnet Super Testnet?s Tapleaf circuits Shinobi article on BM: The Big Deal With Bitvm: Arbitrary Computation Now Possible on Bitcoin Without a Fork AJ Towns ML response on BitVM: BitVM: Compute Anything on Bitcoin

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Matthew Black, co-founder and CTO of Atomic Finance joins me to talk about earning yield in a self custodial way with DLCs. We get into all the questions and criticisms people might have:

How does it work without being custodial? Where is the yield coming from?  HODL only Different strategies available DLC security over time The future of Bitcoin Finance

Links:

X: @matthewjablack Website: Atomic.Finance

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Lyn Alden, macro analyst rejoins me on the show to talk about her new book, Broken Money. We discuss Lyn?s thoughts on:

Ledger money and who controls it Different theories of money Speed of transaction vs. settlement Warfare funding under fiat Base money and Broad money GFC and the response to it Fiat standard incentives What kind of debt makes sense under a Bitcoin standard

Links:

X: @LynAldenContact  Site: LynAlden.com Book: Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better 

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Will Cole of Zaprite rejoins me to talk about: 

Merchant adoption and why it?s different this time Improved custody How Zaprite works Accounting and integration How adoption will be driven this time Circular economy The lie of 2% inflation

Links:

X: @willcole Zaprite: https://zaprite.com/

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Do you have debt? Are you wondering about the case for why you shouldn?t? Check out this episode with my friend and Bitcoin developer and advocate, Jimmy Song.

We talk about his newest book, Fiat Ruins Everything: 

Why he wrote this book Why you should have zero debt Cultural issues  Fiat morality

Links:

X: @jimmysong Site: https://fiatruinseverything.com/

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Have you wondered what it takes to be a long-term HODLer? American HODL rejoins me on the show to talk about HODLer psychology, bitcoin culture, and what to expect going forward:

Adoption waves Living on Bitcoin Overconfidence Mainstream culture Bitcoin Fixes This Jurisdictions Thoughts on next cycle

Links:

X: americanhodl8

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Are you interested in spending 16,000 more hours with your children? Consider homeschooling! We discuss this and many other insights in this chat about homeschooling:

Their own journey of homeschooling Escaping hivemind thinking Criticism of ?school vouchers? Building up your child?s agency Do you need curricula?   Modelling behaviour ?Socialisation? The culture war

Links:

X: https://twitter.com/Homeschool_LLC Site: https://www.homeschoollife.us/

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The next generation of Bitcoin Lightning wallets is here with Phoenix from ACINQ. Rejoining me is CTO of ACINQ, Bastien Teinturier to talk about how the team is innovating a great self custodial experience for bitcoin and lightning users:

High Fee environment New Phoenix fee structure Splicing and what it enables Dual Funding Liquidity Ads Building on a smartphone app Can ACINQ steal from users?  APO Biggest challenges Reasons to be optimistic

Bastien links:

Twitter: @realtbast  Phoenix Splicing Update post

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Drivechain is a proposed soft fork that has faced a lot of criticism in the community, and Shinobi (Technical Editor of Bitcoin Magazine) joins me to discuss his critiques of the idea. We discuss:

What is Drivechain How it works Miner centralisation Re orgs on sidechains T-shirt sales argument Stratum v2 ?Miners can steal? Other soft fork ideas (e.g. APO, CTV) Multi Party Channels ?First Develop with what we?ve got?

Links

brian_trollz on X Drivechains Introduce New Incentive Dynamics to Bitcoin  Achim Warner - Thoughts on Drivechain I

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Glozow rejoins me to talk about updates coming to Bitcoin?s transactions and mempool policy. We talk about how these will be essential to keep bitcoin use efficient and safe, especially for layer 2 protocols such as Lightning. We chat:

Current state with transacting RBF and CPFP Problems right now L2 security Pinning vectors What is package relay?  What is v3 transactions?  What are ephemeral anchors?  Policy vs consensus

Glozow links:

Glozow on X Waiting for confirmation - blog series on Bitcoin Optech v3 and Package RBF Bitcoin Core Review club Bitcoin Optech v3 transaction relay  Glozow slides for BTC++ talk: v3 and ephemeral anchors

Prior episodes:

SLP404 Gloria Zhao ? What Do Bitcoin Core Maintainers Do? SLP216 Gloria Zhao Learning Bitcoin Core Contribution & Hosting PR Review Club

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