The Anita Posch Show: A Bitcoin Only Podcast

The Anita Posch Show: A Bitcoin Only Podcast

Lightning and the Creator Economy - Adopting Bitcoin Panel
Ep. 143

Lightning and the Creator Economy - Adopting Bitcoin Panel

This is a recording of the panel discussion “Lightning and the Creator Economy: How the Lightning Network Will Power New Revenue Models for Artists and Creators” at the Adopting Bitcoin conference in San Salvador in November 2021. The panelists were Desiree Dickerson – CEO and co-founder of THRDgames, Colin Harper – Journalist and Content creator at Luxor Technologies, Roy Sheinfeld – Co-founder and CEO of Breez Technology and Michael Tidwell – Head of System Operations at Zebedee. I had the honor to moderate the discussion.

Elizabeth Stark: Bringing Bitcoin to Billions with Lightning at LaBitconf 2021
Ep. 142

Elizabeth Stark: Bringing Bitcoin to Billions with Lightning at LaBitconf 2021

This is a recording of a fireside chat with Elizabeth Stark at LaBitconf, the first Latin American Bitcoin conference which took place in San Salvador in November 2021. Stark is CEO and co-founder of Lightning Labs, a company that’s building a financial infrastructure on top of Bitcoin called the Lightning Network. I’m asking her about the possibilities to bring Bitcoin to billions of people, why Bitcoin is the most valuable internet money, how we will be able to earn bitcoin via the Lightning Network and much more. Sponsors SOVRYN - DeFi for Bitcoin Live on Crypto with Bitrefill (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Elizabeth Stark: Bringing Bitcoin to Billions with Lightning at LaBitconf 2021 erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Anita Posch: Impressions from Bitcoin in El Salvador
Ep. 141

Anita Posch: Impressions from Bitcoin in El Salvador

In November 2021 I visited El Salvador to research the use of Bitcoin, that has been legal tender there since early September. I was attending Bitcoin week in San Salvador, speaking at Adopting Bitcoin and LaBitconf, two Bitcoin conferences. Afterwards I moved to El Zonte at the Pacific Ocean, the village where Bitcoin Beach started in early 2020. I also visited “Bitcoin City SV” a cooperative in Sonzacate, that is educating their ~2,000 members about Bitcoin even longer than the folks at Bitcoin Beach. In this episode I talk about my thoughts about Bitcoin City, the government’s plans, Bitcoin Bonds and the state of adoption on the ground. Sponsors SOVRYN - DeFi for Bitcoin Live on Crypto with Bitrefill (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Anita Posch: Impressions from Bitcoin in El Salvador erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Mike Peterson: Bitcoin for Communities in El Salvador
Ep. 140

Mike Peterson: Bitcoin for Communities in El Salvador

While I was visiting El Salvador in November 2021 I met with Mike Peterson, the initiator of Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte. Over 40 businesses are accepting bitcoin as payment and the locals use it to pay for their daily needs. We’re discussing the effects of bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador, the Chivo wallet, it’s problems and how the community is using Bitcoin in a multisig shared custody model with the Bitcoin Beach Wallet. If you’re interested to learn more, Mike was my guest already in May, just a few days before the announcement of Bitcoin law. Sponsors Live on Crypto with Bitrefill Paxful - buy and sell cryptocurrency instantly (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! SOVRYN - DeFi for Bitcoin Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Mike Peterson: Bitcoin for Communities in El Salvador erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Bitcoin Is Financial Emancipation
Ep. 139

Bitcoin Is Financial Emancipation

This is a conversation about my experiences in the Bitcoin space and in emerging countries, that I had with Svein Ølnes, a researcher and teacher at a Bitcoin course at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. Svein started teaching the course in 2018 and this year there is a record interest with more than 200 students enrolled.

Rodolfo Andragnes: From Bitcoins.com to LaBitconf
Ep. 138

Rodolfo Andragnes: From Bitcoins.com to LaBitconf

My guest is Rodolfo Andragnes, co-founder and executive director of the non-profit organization Bitcoin Argentina and main organizer of the Latin American Bitcoin Conference LaBitconf. We’re talking about Rodolfo’s creation of the word Bitcoin in the year 2000, cryptocurrency adoption in Latin America and LaBitconf the first Bitcoin conference in Latin America, which is taking place in El Salvador this week.

Hong Fang: From China Via Wall Street to Bitcoin
Ep. 137

Hong Fang: From China Via Wall Street to Bitcoin

My guest is Hong Fang, CEO of OKCoin, a global, US-licensed cryptocurrency platform serving 190+ countries – the largest reach of any US-based exchange. Hong was born and raised in China, holds an MBA in Finance, Accounting and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. After that she worked at Goldman Sachs and left Wall Street for cryptocurrency after realizing digital assets offer the financial inclusion that traditional finance only claims to. Topics: – Hong Fang: from Wall Street to Bitcoin – Free markets vs. central planning – Wealth inequality – Her view on China’s Bitcoin bans – CBDC’s and Bitcoin – El Salvador’s Bitcoin law – OKcoin’s trading data in different regions – Use cases Western and emerging countries – A danger for Bitcoin – Experiences from their Lightning integration – “Earn” product, STX and MiamiCoin – Bitcoin in 2022

Johannes Zweng: Lightning - The Future of Payments
Ep. 136

Johannes Zweng: Lightning - The Future of Payments

My guest is Johannes Zweng, software developer and backend engineer at Coinfinity, Austria’s first bitcoin broker. Johannes and I are walking through new techniques enabling future use cases of Bitcoin. How Taproot upgrades our privacy, how lightning invoices will allow us to walk through a retail store and get everything we buy delivered just by scanning QR codes. – Johannes Zweng’s Bitcoin story – How Bitcoin changed his thinking – new features enabled by Taproot – Schnorr signatures – Taproot’s Lightning improvements – Lightning optimizations – new possibilities static QR codes, refunds, sending text via LN – Lightning Address – proof of payer, recurring payments, payment flows – examples how friction less we’ll pay in the future

Alyse Killeen: Insights of a Bitcoin Venture Capitalist
Ep. 135

Alyse Killeen: Insights of a Bitcoin Venture Capitalist

Today’s guest is Alyse Killeen founding managing partner at StillMark, the Bitcoin Venture Capital Firm. Alyse has been in the Bitcoin space since 2013 and she is the Independent Director on Blockstream’s board of directors. StillMark’s portfolio includes companies such as CASA, Lightning Labs, lastbit and Sphinx. – Introduction Alyse Killeen – Alyse’s Bitcoin story – Why Bitcoin and not Altcoins? – KYC and regulations conflicting financial inclusion? – Will the suits take over? – How Bitcoin VC Alyse Killeen’s estimates future developments – Earning bitcoin – fintech for poor people – Bitcoin founders, startups in emerging countries – Stillmark’s portfolio companies

Jörg Platzer: Insights of the World's First Bitcoin Merchant
Ep. 134

Jörg Platzer: Insights of the World's First Bitcoin Merchant

Meet Jörg Platzer, co-founder of Room77 in Berlin, the very first bar in the world to accept bitcoin for beer and burgers in 2011. Bitcoiners from around the world met in the Room, and their discussions sparked dozens of projects and ideas. Jörg’s stories and views about Bitcoin and privacy are refreshing and motivating, he says “The future of Bitcoin is so bright, we’ll need sunglasses” and “Freedom of transaction is a meta human right.” “I wanted to have Bitcoin, I failed at mining, so why not just put on a sign and accept it.” – Jörg Platzer “The development of Bitcoin in Germany is a disaster.” – Jörg Platzer “Altcoins are valuable testnets.” – Jörg Platzer “Freedom of transaction is a meta human right.” – Jörg Platzer Topics: – Jörg Platzer’s Bitcoin story – how he realized that Bitcoin is unstoppable – the search for digital cash – how the early Bitcoin community saw Bitcoin – why he closed the Room77 – why Peter Todd was the only one who understood the purpose of Room77 – 2011 you knew everyone who used Bitcoin on the planet – Bitcoin in Germany – no Bitcoin ATM and no exchange in Germany – why Bitcoin start-ups are not incorporating in Germany – Central Bank Digital Currencies are the dystopian surveillance and control nightmare – the beauty of adopting Bitcoin in formerly colonized countries – the poor people have much higher pressure to adopt bitcoin and therefore they will have a bigger advantage – the economic power drives adoption, not privacy – freedom of transaction is a meta human right – atomic swaps between Bitcoin and Monero – the Lightning Network – Bitcoin in El Salvador – Hyperbitcoinization – Bitcoin mining from excess energy – selling energy as exporting goods in form of bitcoin – Black Rock in mining – what defines a crypto anarchist – the vision for Bitcoin – using a Blockstream satellite dish Sponsors Live on Crypto with Bitrefill Paxful - buy and sell cryptocurrency instantly (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Jörg Platzer: Insights of the World’s First Bitcoin Merchant erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Joshua Scigala: Bitcoin and Decentralized Stablecoins
Ep. 133

Joshua Scigala: Bitcoin and Decentralized Stablecoins

My guest is a real Bitcoin OG, Joshua Scigala, co-founder of Vaultoro a bitcoin and physical gold trading platform established in 2015. We are talking about the future and current state of Bitcoin, how to hedge against bitcoin’s volatility using gold and his new project the Standard Euro. Topics: – insights of a Bitcoin OG – current state of Bitcoin – Bitcoin in El Salvador – Lightning Network and other interesting developments – how to hedge between Gold and Bitcoin – future of stablecoins – the Standard Euro and DeFi Sponsors Live on Crypto with Bitrefill Paxful - buy and sell cryptocurrency instantly (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Joshua Scigala: Bitcoin and Decentralized Stablecoins erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar: Bitcoin in Latin America and Rootstock
Ep. 132

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar: Bitcoin in Latin America and Rootstock

My guest is Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar one of the first people to foster and develop Bitcoin and blockchain technology in Latin America starting 2012. He is the CEO of IOV Labs, co-founder of LaBitconf, the first Bitcoin conference in Latin America and the co-founder of Bitcoin Iberoamérica an NGO devoted to Bitcoin education. His goal is to build a more decentralized world for a freer and fairer financial future. Rootstock, a sidechain of Bitcoin that enables smart contracts, is one of these building blocks. Our topics: – Introduction Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar – Why Bitcoin is needed in Latin America – Uses cases in different regions – El Salvador legal tender law – Rootstock, goals, projects and future – Bitcoin DeFi, NFTs – LaBitconf in November 2021 in El Salvador

Christian Decker: The Lightning Network and Greenlight Nodes
Ep. 131

Christian Decker: The Lightning Network and Greenlight Nodes

My guest is Christian Decker one of the architects of the Lightning Network, a Bitcoin OG and a Core Tech engineer at Blockstream. He wrote the world’s first PhD dissertation about Bitcoin and has been involved in the community since 2009. Topics: – Introduction Christian Decker – The first eleven years – Growth of the Lightning Network – Privacy on the Lightning Network, Taproot – Hurdles for the adoption of Lightning – Purpose and goals of “Greenlight” – The future of Lightning and Bitcoin

Jeff Gallas & Rootz: RaspiBlitz and the Speed of Lightning
Ep. 130

Jeff Gallas & Rootz: RaspiBlitz and the Speed of Lightning

My guests are Jeff Gallas and Rootz of Fulmo, an open source company dedicated to the research and development of the Lightning Network. They are the organizers of the Lightning Hackdays and the first Lightning Conference that took place in Berlin in 2019 and are supporters of the RaspiBlitz project, a Lightning and Bitcoin full node. “If you run a Lightning node you’re a part of replacing the VISA and Mastercard networks.” – Rootz Topics: 03:17 Introduction Fulmo 11:30 Development of the Lightning Network and the RaspiBlitz 15:00 Adoption rate of the Lightning Network 22:18 Accessibility improvements 27:20 How many payments will be possible on the Lightning Network 33:38 Most exciting Lightning projects 39:39 Why it’s important to run your own node RaspiBlitz integrations, LND and c-lightning 52:10 Resources and RaspiBlitz communities

Adam Back: Future of Bitcoin and Blockstream
Ep. 129

Adam Back: Future of Bitcoin and Blockstream

My guest is Adam Back the inventor of Hashcash, that was used as the proof-of-work method in Bitcoin. His work is cited in the Bitcoin whitepaper as well as in the Tor Browser whitepaper. Adam is a seasoned cryptographer with a PhD in computer science and distributed systems. As co-founder and CEO of Blockstream he is building the infrastructure for the internet of the future. Topics: – Blockstream’s funding and future plans – Decentralization of mining – Greenlight: Lightning nodes for everyone – how Bitcoin supports green energy – Starlink vs. Blockstream satellites – Bitcoin R & D and innovations in Altcoins – Inflation bug in Bitcoin – Simplicity: Bitcoin smart contracts – Strategies to de-risk ETFs dangers to Bitcoin – How to make more bitcoin out of your bitcoin – DeFi on Bitcoin – What Adam Back is doing in his spare time – The Future of Blockstream and Bitcoin – How Bitcoin has changed Adam Back Sponsors Live on Crypto with Bitrefill Paxful - buy and sell cryptocurrency instantly (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! https://youtu.be/uSJGZmFGKCg Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Adam Back: Future of Bitcoin and Blockstream erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Andreas M. Antonopoulos: Lightning Unleashes Bitcoin
Ep. 128

Andreas M. Antonopoulos: Lightning Unleashes Bitcoin

My guest is Andreas M. Antonopoulos one of the worlds foremost experts on Bitcoin and open blockchains. Andreas is an educator, author of five books and an excellent speaker. His new co-authored book “Mastering the Lightning Network” will be published at the end of 2021. I was especially excited to be able to speak with him in person while we both visited Berlin. Our topics: – the state of Bitcoin in 2021 – Taproot and why it’s important for Bitcoin – the battle between regulators and DeFi – staircase of financial sovereignty – future of the Lightning Network – immutability of Bitcoin – what is sound money? Ethereum or Bitcoin – will he write another Altcoin book? Sponsors Live on Crypto with Bitrefill (L)earn Bitcoin - start now! Support the podcast Share the podcast with friends and family! Subscribe to my newsletter Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Castbox | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed Give a 5 stars recommendation on Apple Podcast Follow me on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Donations Do you like what you hear? If yes, then please support my podcast. Every donation is used to produce episodes, finance travel costs and make the show better. Every donor, will be invited to my exclusive Telegram group with personal background stories and updates. Send me a short message with your Telegram ID after donating and I will add you. Donate with PayPal Donate with BTC Donate with Lightning Der Beitrag Andreas M. Antonopoulos: Lightning Unleashes Bitcoin erschien zuerst auf The Anita Posch Show.

Team Satoshi: Sports and the Road to Bitcoin
Ep. 127

Team Satoshi: Sports and the Road to Bitcoin

My guests today are Vitus Zeller and Richard Taylor my team mates at Team Satoshi, a decentralized sports team. We’re talking about the interconnections between Bitcoin and sports and how you can participate in this movement. – Introduction Vitus and Richard – What is Bitcoin for you? – Why are you active in the Bitcoin space? – What is Team Satoshi and its goal – Bitcoin and sports – where is the connection – How do you stay healthy? Mental fitness – First adventure of Vitus, Satoshi Freeathlon – Road to Bitcoin – Icebathing

Lyn Alden: Bitcoin for Billions, Not Billionaires
Ep. 126

Lyn Alden: Bitcoin for Billions, Not Billionaires

Lyn Alden is one of the sharpest minds in the bitcoin space, an investment strategist with a background in engineering and finance, Lyn started investing at a young age and made equity research and investing her primary business. She is focusing on value investing with a global macro overlay. Recently she shared the stage at the Bitcoin2021 conference in Miami with Lightning Labs CEO Elizabeth Stark on the topic of Bitcoin for billions, not billionaires, which is the core of my work in the Bitcoin space too. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. Macro-economic situation 1.5 years into pandemic Deflation and its effects Impact of El Salvador’s legal tender bill Risks and chances for countries following Emerging countries: debt trap and dependence on USD Possible solutions for emerging countries Merits of self-custodied assets for individuals Thoughts on Bitcoin bans The Elon Musk effect and bitcoin’s price development Bitcoin ban in China: Inflation and CBDC Lightning Network and DeFi on Bitcoin Bitcoin outlook How Lyn built her business

Meron Estefanos from Eritrea: Bitcoin Can Take Down Dictators
Ep. 125

Meron Estefanos from Eritrea: Bitcoin Can Take Down Dictators

Meron Estefanos is a Swedish-based Eritrean human rights activist and journalist, who works tirelessly to aid and raise awareness about the plight of Eritrean refugees, who have been kidnapped, tortured, raped and held for ransom in the Sudan and the Sinai. In her efforts to rise up against the dictatorship in Eritrea she is engaging researchers in Ethiopia, who she has been paying with bitcoin. We’re also discussing the fact that Bitcoin can take down dictators and many human rights activists use bitcoin discreetly. “Bitcoin helps people on the ground as a money transferring method, as an investment and even to topple a dictatorship. In Eritrea 36% of the population survive because of remittances. Banking is controlled by the government, the Hawala system is controlled by the government. The people that give out the money in Eritrea are part of the government and they need the hard currency sent from abroad. If we Eritreans and other African regions fighting dictatorships would start using Bitcoin, we’d take away the power of the government, because without money, they are nothing.” – Meron Estefanos, Human rights activist Background of Meron Estefanos General situation in Eritrea Human rights, living standards Military service and women’s situation Journeys and hardships of refugees Traffickers taking hostages How Meron got involved Using bitcoin as a means of payment Bitcoin compared to Western Union and Hawala Is there a solution to this horrible situation? How Meron copes with the depressing stories How the audience can support refugees and Meron’s work

Don't Trust, Verify! Scammers Send Fake Hardware Wallets
Ep. 124

Don't Trust, Verify! Scammers Send Fake Hardware Wallets

Bitcoin in the last 12 years, bullish signs, trading volume in the last year, reactions towards El Salvador’s decision to make bitcoin legal tender, fake hardware wallets, Blockstream’s Bitcoin strategy. This was Last Week in Bitcoin. Read here ▶ https://anitaposch.com/weekly-33 📧️ Subscribe for free ▶ https://anita.link/weekly/

Samson Mow: Blockstream's Bitcoin Strategy
Ep. 123

Samson Mow: Blockstream's Bitcoin Strategy

In this episode I talk with Chief Strategy Officer Samson Mow about Blockstream’s Cypherpunk origins and their far stretching engagement in the Bitcoin space – from their Green and Aqua wallet, to their mining business, the Liquid sidechain and the Blockstream satellites, which enable receiving Bitcoin without the Internet. Samson Mow’s Bitcoin story Why Bitcoin is important Blockstream’s Cypherpunk background What is Liquid? Lightning Network and c-lightning Blockstream Green vs. Aqua wallet Bitcoin works without the internet – satellites Blockstream’s mining operations – future of mining

El Salvador First Country to Make Bitcoin Legal Tender - Bitcoin Beach Improving Lives
Ep. 121

El Salvador First Country to Make Bitcoin Legal Tender - Bitcoin Beach Improving Lives

June 9, 2021 a historical moment for Bitcoin. The first country of the world, El Salvador, made Bitcoin officially legal tender. Michael Peterson initiated Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte and started this whole development. I spoke with him two weeks before, he said, he is expecting a country to adopt Bitcoin, but we didn’t know, that it will happen so soon. Listen to the story of Bitcoin Beach and the people of El Salvador. Our topics: Michael Peterson’s Bitcoin story What is Bitcoin Beach? Description of El Salvador Living conditions, financial problems How Bitcoin makes a difference Which wallets and services people are using Use cases and hurdles? How people navigate volatility What Bitcoin enables Is there a circular bitcoin economy? Goal of Bitcoin Beach 2021 and beyond?

Bitcoin on the Moon - Last Week in Bitcoin
Ep. 120

Bitcoin on the Moon - Last Week in Bitcoin

So many news this week… _Taproot on the way _Bitcoin adoption in Zimbabwe _Inflation hits new records _News from China and India _Bitcoin was on the moon _building a permissionless future Read here ▶ https://anitaposch.com/weekly-31

Exiledsurfer: Building a Permissionless Future with Sovryn
Ep. 119

Exiledsurfer: Building a Permissionless Future with Sovryn

Exiledsurfer is an early Bitcoiner, a Co-founder of Parallele Polis and now part of the communications team of Sovryn a Bitcoin-native DeFi platform. We’re talking about the historical developments and the roots of Bitcoin as a Hippie activists Utopia coming true, the community discussions around the differences between Ethereum and Bitcoin, and who the real enemies of Bitcoin are. Tldr: it’s companies like Coinbase. exiledsurfer’s Bitcoin story The Bitcoin Foundation Early history and different mindsets of the Bitcoin community Original promises of Bitcoin Nation state actors coming into mining 21st century paradigm: Government identity vs. cryptographic identities not tied to personal data Bitcoin’s USP has been confirmed Bitcoin a Hippie activists utopia Cypherpunk ethos Companies like Coinbase are a threat to Bitcoin, not governments Sovryn’s idea and goals SOV token and governance KYC rant Sovryn hackathon

Last Week in Bitcoin: Keep Calm and Carry On
Ep. 118

Last Week in Bitcoin: Keep Calm and Carry On

This week’s learnings: _Bitcoin privacy improvements with Taproot _mining developments in China _solar power is bad? _hodlers hodl _state of the Lightning Network _Bitcoin and new art forms Image credit: https://twitter.com/Labrahodl9 Read here ▶ https://anitaposch.com/weekly-30

Rarescrilla: Bitcoin Enables New Art Forms
Ep. 117

Rarescrilla: Bitcoin Enables New Art Forms

Rarescrilla is a hip-hop musician and producer, who joined the cryptomusic journey in 2014 and created DJ PEPE in 2016 with a first of its kind access token based on the Counterparty platform, which is extending Bitcoin’s functionality. In 2020 he dropped the “Sound Money” album, a niche hip hop themed bitcoin album. Now he is into programmable music, where the owners of music layers control the output, which makes it living art and music. Rarescrilla’s Bitcoin journey First NFTs in 2014? Early days and now? Impact of current NFT “craze” on the art and music space Path to adoption Why Rarescrilla is focusing on Bitcoin Future of NFTs on Bitcoin Sound Money album and upcoming projects

Last Week in Bitcoin: Bitcoin Is on Sale and That's Good
Ep. 116

Last Week in Bitcoin: Bitcoin Is on Sale and That's Good

This week’s learnings: buy and earn bitcoin now. _Bitcoin dipping, what’s next? _volatility is good _where Bitcoin is needed the most _Sub-Saharan Africa’s trading volume up in 2021 _Bitcoin, NFTS and the arts _US regulatory crackdown will spur decentralization Music: Rarescrilla https://twitter.com/ScrillaVentura Image credit: https://twitter.com/LinaSeiche

Adam B. Levine: Bitcoin, NFTs and the Arts
Ep. 115

Adam B. Levine: Bitcoin, NFTs and the Arts

My guest is Adam B. Levine the managing editor for podcasts at Coindesk, and host of the longest-running English language talk show about Bitcoin called “Speaking of Bitcoin” (formerly known as Let’s Talk Bitcoin). I appreciate Adam’s work a lot, I have been an avid listener of his podcast for many years. Adam is also the CEO of tokenly.com, has minted some NFTs and had Metakovan on his show, who bought Beeple’s NFT for $ 69 million – the most expensive NFT sold at an auction so far. Our topic is NFTs and how they are going to shape the art world of the future. “The value of the key is not how it looks like, it’s what it does.” – Adam B. Levine about NFTs Adam B. Levine’s podcasting and Bitcoin story Why Metakovan paid $69 Mio. for Beeple’s NFT Advantages and responsibility of being your own bank Technology adoption Democratization of art and gatekeepers Technological problems to be solved How to mint a NFT Tezos, Mintable, Rarible, Nifty gateway Artists revenue split and rewards The new renaissance and the Medici patronage model Lightning network and podcasting Adam sent 5 bitcoin to Adam Curry Tokenly project, crowdfunding with tokens

Last Week in Bitcoin: The Eco-Narrative Against Bitcoin and Why It Doesn't Use Proof-of-Stake
Ep. 114

Last Week in Bitcoin: The Eco-Narrative Against Bitcoin and Why It Doesn't Use Proof-of-Stake

With this week’s Tesla dismissing Bitcoin for its energy use and at the same time Elon Musk pumping the joke currency Doge another level of hypocrisy has been reached. We’re looking into why Elon Musk suddenly dismisses Bitcoin, how Tesla’s income relying on renewable energy credits, Elon Musk pumping Doge, and why Bitcoin doesn’t change to proof-of-stake? With shout outs to Andreas M. Antonopoulos, John Carvalho and Gabriel Shipton on behalf of Julian Assange. Image credit: https://twitter.com/laughingmantwit/status/1392611155135315974 Read here ▶ https://anitaposch.com/weekly-28

Gabriel Shipton: Defend Julian Assange, Defend Free Internet
Ep. 113

Gabriel Shipton: Defend Julian Assange, Defend Free Internet

This episode was recorded on World Press Freedom Day 2021, the perfect date for a conversation with Gabriel Shipton, half-brother of Julian Assange. We are talking about the current state of Julian, who is the first publisher charged under the US espionage act and is awaiting further trials locked up in Belmarsh high security prison, the connections between WikiLeaks, journalism and Bitcoin and why and how Bitcoiners can support Julian’s case. The current state of Julian Assange WikiLeaks and the history of the charges The US against Julian Assange No extradition from the UK, but Belmarsh prison WikiLeaks achievements The blocking of WikiLeaks bank connections Bitcoin and WikiLeaks Press Freedom, quo vadis? No free internet without WikiLeaks and Bitcoin Call for support and donations The prosecution of Julian Assange can be stopped, but we need your help. An easy way you can do something is by donating as much bitcoin as you can afford through our portal at the below link. Our goal is to raise 40 bitcoin to pay for the appeal and associated campaigning. Donations are totally legal/tax deductible and are made through the Germany-based not-for-profit Wau Holland Foundation. Donate here: https://wauland.de/en/donate/moral-courage/#77

Last Week in Bitcoin: Don't Mess with Bitcoin
Ep. 112

Last Week in Bitcoin: Don't Mess with Bitcoin

Don’t mess with Bitcoin, the most interesting stories in Bitcoin: _Bitcoin empowers Zimbabweans _Buckminster Fullers’ energy and wealth vision _Iran trying to regulate mining _censored mining _mining more decentralized _Taproot activation _Buffett and Munger yelling at Bitcoin _DeFi on Bitcoin _global adoption of Bitcoin Read here ▶ https://anitaposch.com/weekly-27

Miss Aurra: Bitcoin Empowers Zimbabweans
Ep. 111

Miss Aurra: Bitcoin Empowers Zimbabweans

My guest is Miss Aurra from Harare, Zimbabwe. I got to know her at the beginning of 2020, when I visited Zimbabwe to research the possibilities and the use of Bitcoin in the country. In May 2020 we started a donation campaign for the school that Miss Aurra is leading. It had to be closed down due to Covid and the school lost its building. We are discussing the difficult living situation in Zimbabwe and how Bitcoin has been helping through your donations. Who is Miss Aurra? Living conditions Economical situation in Zimbabwe Problems in getting money in and out of the country The use of bitcoin in Zimbabwe Bitcoin’s volatility The effects of donations What one donor did Workshop about Bitcoin with teachers Reaction of people knowing about Bitcoin Government, Bitcoin and free speech

Anita Posch: How Bitcoin Supports Democracy
Ep. 110

Anita Posch: How Bitcoin Supports Democracy

The Central European Affairs podcast featured Anita Posch in an interview by Balasz Csekö about different aspects of Bitcoin, how blockchain is revolutionizing the global financial system, how cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can help overcome Big Brother, and why every regulatory plan makes Bitcoin stronger. Civitas Institute is a European knowledge center created for the purpose of promoting European democracy and European integration through analyses and debates in the widest possible societal groups, without ideological bias but with a firm belief in pluralistic democracy and freedom. Topics: Anita Posch’s Bitcoin story How Bitcoin can promote democracy Blockchain revolutionizing the global financial system Bitcoin’s most important use case Central Bank Digital Currency Big Brother and privacy Regulation makes Bitcoin stronger

Alex Gladstein: Bitcoin a Trojan Horse for Freedom
Ep. 109

Alex Gladstein: Bitcoin a Trojan Horse for Freedom

My guest is Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer of the Human Rights Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded it 2005. We talk about how Bitcoin helps to defend human rights and promote liberal democracy. Alex is also the Vice President of Strategy for the Oslo Freedom Forum since its inception in 2009 and a co-author of “The Little Bitcoin Book”. Topics: Alex Gladstein’s Bitcoin story Bitcoin’s importance as a human rights tool Mainstream media causing damage Savings instrument and unstoppable payment network How Bitcoin has been helping Countries where it’s needed the most Surveillance and Bitcoin Bitcoin a Trojan horse

Franco Amati: Bitcoin in Argentina
Ep. 108

Franco Amati: Bitcoin in Argentina

My guest is Franco Amati, founder of Bitcoin Argentina and member of laBitconf – the biggest Bitcoin conference in Latin America, the Bitcoin embassy Buenos Aires, and Bitcoin Iberoamérica foundation. We are discussing the importance of Bitcoin for the people of Argentina, who have to deal with harsh capital controls that allow them to only buy foreign currency up to 200 USD per month with 65% tax and an inflation of 50%. Franco Amati’s Bitcoin story 50% Inflation in Argentina How capital controls hurt the people Use cases for Bitcoin in Argentina Confiscation through fake rates Message about a ban of Bitcoin Importance of the Lightning Network

Shermin Voshmgir: The Web 3 and Token Revolution
Ep. 107

Shermin Voshmgir: The Web 3 and Token Revolution

I sat down with Shermin Voshmgir, a researcher and author of “Token Economy” to discuss the hype around NFTs and how in the future every part of the economy will be merged into crypto. Shermin is the founder of Token Kitchen and BlockchainHub Berlin. On a personal sidenote: in early 2017 Shermin’s keynote about Bitcoin and open blockchains spurred my attention and deepened my interest to work in that field. “You can’t run a decentralized network like a centralized company.” – Shermin Voshmgir Topics: Token definition Potential use-cases Identity and Web 3.0 Thoughts on regulation of DeFi Why the real economy and financial markets will merge Future of the token economy Bottlenecks to mass adoption

Jonathan Chester: Get Paid in Bitcoin
Ep. 106

Jonathan Chester: Get Paid in Bitcoin

My guest is Jonathan Chester, he is the CEO and Founder of Bitwage, a company that enables employees and remote workers worldwide to get paid in Bitcoin. We discuss how individuals can earn their wage in bitcoin, what the advantages are, the details of their 401k retirement plans, and when public adoption of Bitcoin could feasibly take place. Topics: Jonathan Chester’s Bitcoin story The looming US Dollar fall Bitcoin enabling self-sovereignty Why earn bitcoin? Bitwage’s history Bitcoin payroll and 401k retirement plans State and future of Bitcoin’s adoption

Edan Yago: Sovereignty Through Bitcoin
Ep. 105

Edan Yago: Sovereignty Through Bitcoin

Edan Yago is a neuroscientist and entrepreneur who turned his career around to focus on Bitcoin. He has been pivotal in establishing Sovryn one of the first Bitcoin-native DeFi platforms. We’re talking about how a decentralized bitcoin trading and lending platform like Sovryn will create a new, open economic system that empowers individuals globally. Topics: Why Edan Yago lived in a closet Why Bitcoin matters Advantages of Bitcoin DeFi to other blockchains NFTs are silly, but… The future of finance and self-sovereignty How decentralized lending works Sovryn’s mission and innovations Governance without company structures “The people that Bitcoiners hate the most are, shitcoiners, altcoiners, that’s not really the enemy they are basically a gateway into the crypto space and in particular into the Bitcoin space. The real enemies I think, are going to be the centralized intermediaries to whom we give up our power. It’s going to be the large exchanges, the lending platforms, the custodian platforms, because what their regulators are going help them is to persuade you that for convenience or for security, you should give up your Bitcoin. So that the only interesting property of Bitcoin, which is the sovereignty or self control is something you’d give up. And then if you’re distracted by the price gains, you won’t even notice.” – Edan Yago

Abe Cambridge: Invest in Solar Powered Bitcoin
Ep. 104

Abe Cambridge: Invest in Solar Powered Bitcoin

My guest is Abe Cambridge, the founder and CEO of Sun Exchange, the world’s first peer-to-peer solar leasing platform. We’re discussing how to transition the world away from fossil fuels and towards solar power, the most deployable, affordable and accessible type of renewable energy. In combination with a decentralized money like Bitcoin it is possible to open up owning solar cells and earning from it to anyone for as little as 5 USD. Abraham Cambridge has an academic background in climate change science. Through his studies, it became alarmingly clear that climate change presents the most imminent threat to humanity. “Sun Exchange allows micro ownership of the solar panels. And there were children in the Stellenbosch Waldorf school who were purchased solar panels by their parents. And they’re earning Bitcoin once per month from them. So you’ve got kids who are growing up, earning Bitcoin, powering their own school and know that solar energy works.” – Abe Cambridge 2. The #Bitcoin network mines 900 BTC per day from 0.213 TWh of energy. 900 BTC can finance 70MW of solar power plant. 70MW of solar will generate 2.651 TWh of electricity. That’s 12 times as much energy as it took to mine the BTC in the first place, which still exists. #Magic. — abecambridge (@abecambridge) March 10, 2021 <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> 3. Spend 0.5% of the #bitcoin market cap on 51.85 GWp of solar power, and you’ll meet the annual 77.782 TWh energy needs of the #bitcoin mining network. #letsdoitalready — abecambridge (@abecambridge) March 10, 2021 <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> Our topics: Abe Cambridge’s background Why Bitcoin matters Sun Exchange – peer-to-peer solar leasing platform How it works, achievements Future of solar power, costs, efficiency Bitcoin mining – an ecological problem? Nhimbe Fresh, the biggest crowdfunding in Africa so far “The fact is that solar panels are silicon chips that produce electricity, which can be sold for money. And Bitcoin is just a silicon chip that produces money when it’s fed with electricity. So they’re really very parallel things. And the fact that the solar energy network is decentralized, it’s embedded, anybody can become a solar power generator or producer, and likewise, anyone can join a Bitcoin mining pool and start to create their own currency will hold a Bitcoin wallet and be their own bank. These two worlds are really parallel with each other. They are symbols off of the 21st century. As we see it.” – Abe Cambridge

Sébastien Gouspillou: Bitcoin Mining Funds Green Energy
Ep. 103

Sébastien Gouspillou: Bitcoin Mining Funds Green Energy

My guest is Sébastien Gouspillou, he is the Co-Founder and CEO of BigBlock Datacenter a Bitcoin mining company based in France. BigBlock Datacenter is running several mining farms in Russia, Central Asia, and Africa. His mission is to qualify France in the world competition of proof-of-work. We are going deep into the business and the ecological effects of Bitcoin mining. “Since bitcoin responds to a major need and is there to last, it seems more relevant to take advantage of this new electrical demand than to be afraid with catastrophic studies or to wait for a miracle protocol supposed to replace the proven principle of proof of work.” – Sébastien Gouspillou “Each country with big not carbonated electricity resources will mine and have an economical advantage over other countries.” – Sébastien Gouspillou Topics: How Sébastien Gouspillou became a Bitcoin miner Addressing climate change Debunking myths around Bitcoin mining Myth 1: One transaction produces X CO2 Myth 2: Bitcoin is an ecological disaster Myth 3: Bitcoin is mined mainly with coal in China Myth 4: Bitcoin is not useful Mining in the Virunga National Park, Kongo Mining in Kazakhstan Bitcoin hash rate follows the price Abstract / Transcript There are some climate change deniers in the Bitcoin space. What is your opinion on climate change? Climate change is indisputable, we can already clearly see its effects in certain countries where we work. In Tajikistan, Kazakhstan or Russia. In Tajikistan, the whole ecosystem is disrupted, many storms are following one another. In Kazakhstan, temperatures are rising twice as fast as in the rest of the world. We have very high temperatures during the longer and longer summer. In Siberia, we had several hot months in 2020. Those Bitcoin guys who deny climate change seem to have never visited these countries. How did you find out about Bitcoin? When did you hear about it first? My associate, Jen François, who is a geek and also my oldest friend, told me about it in 2010 or 2011, at the very beginning. He has tried unsuccessfully to get my attention to the subject for years. I really started to realize what bitcoin was in 2015. In 2016 we installed the first rigs. What attracted you to work in the Bitcoin space? I had the chance to visit mining farms in Asia at the end of 2015, it really impressed me, and I knew that was what I wanted to do … What is the most interesting property or characteristic of Bitcoin in your opinion, that sets it apart from all other monies or payment systems? It’s just the best monetary system mankind could dream of. We are very close to a perfect currency, we touch the ideal of many monetarists Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, or Maurice Allais, not only from the Austrian school of economics. You were invited to speak in front of the Cryptocurrencies Information Commission of the French national assembly on 22 May 2018 to speak about the importance of cryptocurrencies and especially of mining in France. You were there to discuss these very common myths or false assumptions about mining Myth #1: A single bitcoin transaction produces X amount of CO2? This tale of consumption per transaction is irrelevant. We agree that the great performance of the Bitcoin blockchain is the immutability of its data. Bitcoin is consuming energy to enable exactly this functionality. Bitcoin mining secures the blockchain, independently from the number of transactions. Bitcoin is not only a payment system. If I pay you with a gold coin, a Louis, for example, it’s a peer to peer transaction, no middleman. The transaction itself does not directly spend energy. But there is a lot of energy spent in extracting, transporting, storing and securing gold stocks in banks and central banks. If we include it in the calculation, this payment with a louis d’or will have cost more than the consumption of electricity for an American family for 6 months. I can do the same reasoning with the Visa credit card: if I pay you in EURO with my Visa card, it is not only the energy requested by Visa that is taken into account to calculate the energy expenditure of this transaction, but the whole Euro monetary system. That is to say the salaries of central bankers and private bank bosses, their cost of printing money by credit, with all the energy spent to repay this loan and its interest. The environmental cost of this monetary system is obviously not proportional to the number of Visa transactions. It’s the same for bitcoin and I can prove it: during large transaction peaks on the Bitcoin network, there is not more consumption than the day before or the next day. To talk about energy cost per transaction on bitcoin, is not relevant. Myth #2 Bitcoin power consumption is an ecological disaster For people who do not see the how Bitcoin makes sense, it is totally useless and therefore, they say it consumes too much. But it doesn’t make it an ecological disaster. Who ever said Christmas lights were an ecological disaster? Electronic devices on standby consume more than bitcoin, they are useless, it’s pure waste, we know, we take offense, but who qualifies it as an ecological disaster? Searching a little, I find tons of examples of unnecessary activity for me consuming as much or more than bitcoin. So, no, disaster, I refute, obviously. But the important thing is not so much how much energy consumed, but which energy is consumed? Today, Bitcoin farms are where there is excess capacity to generate electricity; this production may or may not be carbonated. But tomorrow, bitcoin mining will be done mostly from clean sources, that’s for sure, because renewable energy producers can sell their surplus at a very low price, because it’s just a surplus. Hydrocarbon power plants can have the capacity to produce more, but they have no surplus, unlike renewable energies. If they want to sell energy to miners, they have to produce it and buy coal to do so. But renewables have a decisive competitive advantage, they do not have to pay for their raw material. The price of hydrocarbons is increasing, the only miners who will use them in the long term will be the countries producing coal and oil. Myth #3 Bitcoin is mined mainly with coal in China It’s a tale: China is the biggest mining country, yes; China’s energy mix is 65% carbon, yes. But it is not on coal plants that mining is mainly done, it is on hydroelectric stations. In Sichuan alone, there are more than 500 hydroelectric dams; it is also tens of thousands of small run-of-river power plants. Their surplus would be enough to power 4 additional bitcoin networks. So, no, Bitcoin is not charcoal black. Myth #4 Bitcoin is not useful, but what about the Petrodollar, the cost of military defense and war? Bitcoin is not only useful, it is essential: it is already a counter-power against States tempted to do total surveillance of populations by currency (CBDC); it is a way to escape the yoke of dictators (35% of the world population lives under an authoritarian government) and to offer financial services to 40% of the world population that the banking system ignores. How will mining participate in the transition to green energy transition? It’s simple; today, all renewable projects are subsidized. Despite these efforts by the States, the profitability of these factories is not obvious, it often takes a long time to find an economic balance. Mining offers another form of subsidy to green producers. With crypto-mining, sustainable productions reduce energy waste. It should be understood that the creation of a sustainable power plant has an environmental costs. But once built, having them run at 100% rather than 50% is neutral … Today, the bitcoin mining becomes a regulator of the electricity of a country, of a region, it will soon be an optimizer of global production-distribution. Imagine the paradigm shift for “green” electricity producers, when miners tell them: whatever your production, there is now a customer of last resort: at any time be it cold or hot, summer or winter, I will buy from you the part of your production that until then you have not been able to value. Help the renewable energy sector is the way that governments have chosen; Bitcoin mining does exactly the same… What about the halvings and the reduction of mined coins…Nic Carter thinks that the hashpower will get lower, when no more new bitcoin are left to mine and mining is financed by transaction fees only, and therefore the electricity consumption will fall. This part of Nic Carter’s speech is not clear to me. In my opinion, the hashrate will continue to rise and will only stabilize when the price of bitcoin is stabilized. But that does not necessarily imply an increase in electricity consumption, the energy improvement of equipment also comes into play. Where are BigBlockDatacenter’s mining facilities? Russia, Central Asia, Africa In the Kongo you are mining in Virunga National Park, what is this project about? Virunga National Park plays an important role in offsetting carbon emissions. The park and plantations in the province are second only to the Amazon in terms of total forest area, according to the W.W.F. In 2014 a small hydroelectric power plant was built with an investment from the European Union. Another hydroelectric plant — funded largely by Howard Buffett, a son of the billionaire businessman Warren Buffett — began operating 2015 on the southern edge of Virunga. The battle of the park director is gigantic: 5 million people live around the park; the primary energy is charcoal, the demand for wood is enormous. In fact, poaching in the park is systematic. The only way to curb this deforestation is to offer the people an alternative. Creating power plants to be able to bring electricity to the population is just essential… We are mining there to help this project as long as we are useful. We have this kind of operation in 5 African countries. The only way to provide electricity to people who do not have it is to create new small decentralized networks. These networks can be helped by mining, which subsidizes the power stations, a lot. The farm has been in operation since September 2020. Is it not too hot in the Kongo to mine? On the equator, the climate is mild and the temperature, stable, rarely reaches 30 degrees. That is ok. We have more problems when it is too cold. At -20 degrees the mining rigs freeze, when they come to a halt. Irkutsk (Russia) On Irkutsk, we work with Baikal Mining, it’s not our farm. We are just lodged. Kazhakhstan We arrived in Kazakhstan in 2018, mining was still confidential there. Interestingly, the government now prefers to sell the overcapacity to miners rather than to the Russian state; in fact, huge farms were created in this country in 2019-2020, with the approval of the authorities. We are still present there, but our developments are elsewhere, now. Why are you mining bitcoin only? Why does the gold miner not mine for copper? We believe in bitcoin, we mine bitcoin, that’s it. Can I as a private person participate in mining? Or only companies? Investing in mining is not recommended for beginners; I see that a lot of people, crypto connoisseurs, don’t understand anything about mining, so imagine the level of understanding among new entrants … beyond this knowledge aspect, anyone can become a customer, individual or company. To mine, you must want to participate in securing the Bitcoin network, to become an active player. If the only goal is to make money, just buy Bitcoin and keep it 5 years. How are you selling your bitcoin? By Kraken or other Bitcoin marketplaces. What is the impact of a halving on miners? A lot of them need to shut down, because they are not profitable anymore. Same in a bear market. A often raised question is: is the bitcoin price following the hash rate or hash rate following the price? The hashrate follows the price; the contrary is absolutely not true, it is a fundamental error from many analysts. The price of Bitcoin is based on supply and demand, that’s all. Mining does not make the price, in any case. If the price falls and falls, the cost of mining is also falling, because miners need to stay profitable. Hashing difficulty would fall, meaning less electricity is needed to mine. The geopolitical impact of mining? Each country with big not carbonated electricity resources will mine and have an economical advantage over other countries. How did the use and your explorations of bitcoin change your behavior or your perspective of life? Above all it gave me a lot of hope; Before I got to Bitcoin, I thought a lot about how the world works, about this fast growing economy for decades that was unable to lift the masses out of great poverty, while shamelessly enriching the few privileged. I came to the conclusion that the problem was monetary. From then on, Bitcoin is carrying a lot of hope, it is a promise of a better world. What do most people overlook, when they talk about bitcoin? What are you missing in the public discourse about it? People in Europe, in the West in general, forget that they have banks, they have democratic and benevolent governments, this is not the case everywhere around the world, and it also may not last here. If I were to buy an ad on all social media platforms and you can decide on the short message that we are pushing into the world, what would it say? What do you want people to know? Do you want to resist? Give yourself the means to leave the system, ask to be paid in Bitcoin.

Max Keiser & Stacy Herbert: The 220k Bitcoin Orange Pill
Ep. 102

Max Keiser & Stacy Herbert: The 220k Bitcoin Orange Pill

Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert are preaching Bitcoin in the Keiser Report since 2011. The Report is broadcasted on RT to a global audience. The YouTube channel has 4.1 million subscribers. In 2020 the dynamic couple started their own show, the Orange Pill Podcast. Max Keiser has made a bold price prediction for Bitcoin in 2021, he says it will reach 220,000 USD. I am asking him, why he thinks that this will be the case and how to assess the value of Bitcoin. We are talking about Stacy and Max’s background and why Max left Wall Street to become a financial anarchist. “Bitcoin will eat all capital markets.” – Max Keiser Topics: Stacy and Max’s film and theater background From Wall Street to financial anarchy Karmabanque vs. Bitcoin boiling the oceans Why Wall Street and the Fiat system are rigged How bitcoin prevents corruption and insider trade Max’ price prediction of 220k in 2021 Why Bitcoin can not be banned Bitcoin enables a new economical order How to assess bitcoin Advice for GenZ

Philippe Bekhazi: Bitcoin Mining in Practice
Ep. 101

Philippe Bekhazi: Bitcoin Mining in Practice

My guest is Philippe Bekhazi, he is the CEO of XBTO Group a company active in market-making, OTC trading, venture capital, and Bitcoin and Ethereum mining. Our main topic is Bitcoin mining. XBTO Group is runnning a mining facility that is powered by electricity generated from Niagara Falls. Philippe Bekhazi is also the CEO of Stablehouse a regulated market-leading stablecoin platform bridging centralized and decentralized finance enabling payments, foreign exchange, trading and treasury for people and institutions. Philippe Bekhazi’s Bitcoin story Counterparty risks Proof-of-work vs. proof-of-stake mining Bitcoin mining at Niagara Falls Energy consumption of PoW mining – problem? Miner centralization in China? Do miners have an effect on the price of Bitcoin Mining profitability Future of Bitcoin

Jameson Lopp: Bitcoin Mining and Censorship
Ep. 100

Jameson Lopp: Bitcoin Mining and Censorship

My guest is Jameson Lopp, he calls himself a professional cypherpunk. His mission is to use his skills as a technologist to build tools that empower individuals. Our topic is nicely called “clean” mining or to say it in a more distinct way: censored mining. Is this an attack on Bitcoin and what are the possible strategies and outcomes? Jameson is the Co-founder & CTO of Casa a company dedicated to helping you to secure your bitcoin. It’s the second time that Jameson is my guest, listen to our previous interview here. Topics: Government friendly mining or an attack on Bitcoin? Geo-political aspects, US hegemony Bitcoin mining explainer and definition of miners Tools used: KYC-ing miners and censoring transactions Possible outcomes? Worst case scenario Counteracting: Game theory, economics, technical aspects

Ben Arc: Building Bitcoin DIY Hardware and Software
Ep. 99

Ben Arc: Building Bitcoin DIY Hardware and Software

My guest is Ben Arc from Wales. He is a FOSS hobbyist, advocate, and educator. FOSS stands for Free Open Source Software. Ben has been building hardware and software for Bitcoin and the Lightning Network since around 2014. We are talking about the Welsh Bitcoin scene and his projects like Bowser, a DIY Hardware Wallet, lnbits or the Nostr messaging client, which could enable completely decentralized markets and social media apps. Our topics: Ben Arc’s personal Bitcoin story Bitcoin scene in Wales? Ethics in the FOSS world Ben’s hardware projects Lightning ATM Bowser DIY hardware wallet lnbits Nostr protocol, nostr-twitter

Farooq Ahmed: Bitcoin in Pakistan
Ep. 98

Farooq Ahmed: Bitcoin in Pakistan

My guest is Farooq Ahmed, President of the Bitcoin Association Pakistan. Pakistan is a country of over 200 million people, between Afghanistan and India. I recently released interviews with Fereshteh Forough and Sunny Ray about those countries as well. Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading is banned in Pakistan at the moment, nonetheless the use of Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining is rising. We discuss: Farooq Ahmed’s personal Bitcoin story The situation in Pakistan Bitcoin’s legal status Trading and holding bitcoin Bitcoin mining Bitcoin Association Pakistan

Sunny Ray: Bitcoin's Win vs. India's Central Bank
Ep. 97

Sunny Ray: Bitcoin's Win vs. India's Central Bank

My guest is Sunny Ray, he is a co-founder at Unocoin which is the first and leading bitcoin platform in India serving 1.5 million people. Sunny’s family stems from India and while he is spending most of the time living in Toronto, Canada he learned a lot about different cultures and their special ways to approach money and Bitcoin. We discuss Sunny Ray’s Bitcoin story Start and learning’s from Unocoin Bitcoin in India Bitcoin use cases in India The court case against the Reserve Bank of India His message to the Bitcoin community

Bitcoin Q & A, Jan. 2021
Ep. 96

Bitcoin Q & A, Jan. 2021

I asked for your Bitcoin questions. Here are my answers. Want to ask a Bitcoin question too? Subscribe to get a notification for the next Q&A. I was joined by Chris Chester. 0:01:00 Introduction 0:03:40 If you had to specify your options for preferred exchange, cold storage wallet, hardware wallet, software wallet, multi sig wallet – which would you choose and why? 0:09:21 Software wallets 0:12:15 Counter arguments to custodial wallets 0:16:50 Cold storage/paper wallets 0:24:10 Finding a buyer for your Bitcoin: When I want to sell Bitcoins which I have in my wallet. Do I have to find a buyer or can I just exchange them anytime without any issue? Thanks 0:29:45 What kind of price behavior of bitcoin do you expect in this bull run – how high will it go, how much will it fall given the new players entering the market. 0:34:50 At what price level in this bull run will you start to reduce BTC exposure and to what percentage of your investment portfolio. 0:40:44 Which other cryptocurrencies do you own/trade. Which projects do you believe in? 0:43:35 Ledger breach: Your recommendations regarding ledger breach: how to set up a burner phone and a burner e-mail address? 0:50:45 Which exchange do you trust. Which online Crypto-Broker is viable? I checked some experience reports for Bitpanda, etoro and Swissquote and there was a lot of negative statements. 0:54:33 Can I buy Ethereum with the green wallet too? If not, what can I use? 0:56:17 What if the wallet software company closes down? 0:57:30 In the news

Fereshteh Forough: Bitcoin in Afghanistan
Ep. 95

Fereshteh Forough: Bitcoin in Afghanistan

My guest is Fereshteh Forough, she is the founder of “Code to Inspire”, which is the first coding school for women in Afghanistan. We will be talking about her journey and her learning’s from being a refugee, the general situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which is one of the least developed nations in the world and of course about Bitcoin in Afghanistan and how it is used to support the female students of “Code to Inspire”. Fereshteh’s learning’s as a refugee Situation of women in Afghanistan Gender gap in STEM How Bitcoin can support the lives of women Bitcoin in Afghanistan Code to Inspire’s approach to economic equality

Derek Muhney: The Business of Bitcoin ATMs
Ep. 94

Derek Muhney: The Business of Bitcoin ATMs

My guest is Derek Muhney, Director of Marketing & Strategy at CoinSource the largest Bitcoin ATM network in the world. We are discussing the impact the 2020 pandemic is having on their business, about how Bitcoin ATMs work, and Bitcoin’s future from his perspective. Topics: Derek’s personal Bitcoin story Coinsource’s company development Impact of the pandemic Volume of transactions and users How does a Bitcoin ATM work from the user perspective Setting up an ATM Privacy and regulation Bitcoin’s future from his/company perspective

Desiree Dickerson, Ryan Gentry: Lightning is Bitcoin
Ep. 93

Desiree Dickerson, Ryan Gentry: Lightning is Bitcoin

My guests are Desiree Dickerson and Ryan Gentry. They are working for one of the – in my eyes – hottest companies in the Bitcoin space. Lightning Labs was founded in 2016 by Elizabeth Stark and Olaoluwa Osuntokun. The Lightning Network is a second layer protocol on top of the Bitcoin network. We will be talking about the Lightning Network, what it is and what it is enabling, their most interesting products and about their outlook for the Lightning Network in 2021. Our topics: Their personal Bitcoin stories Areas where Bitcoin is important today What is LND (Lightning Network Daemon)? The development of the Lightning Network since its start Building through quarantine Growing number of apps and Lightning services Lightning Pool, Lightning Loop Streaming money and Podcasting 2.0 Lightning Network in 2021 Atomic multipath payments Kraken integrating Lightning Does Lightning Labs hold Bitcoin as company asset “The Lightning gaming community or Bitcoin gaming community, it’s actually a bunch of people who’ve never, ever owned Bitcoin, or don’t really know much about Bitcoin at all, are coming to these games. Cause they’re like, Oh, Hey, I can have fun. And I can earn this asset that everybody’s talking about. And so we’re actually onboarding a ton of new users to Bitcoin directly through these Lightning games. The growth is incredible. Just at the last e-sports tournament that we hosted there was, I think there were almost up to 15,000 transactions just during two hours.” – Desiree Dickerson “A Lightning balance and a Bitcoin balance, will be viewed in the future as like having a checking account and a savings account. It’s just that your money that’s in your lightning balance is much easier and more accessible to be sent and paid for stuff. And it’s very cheap. It’s very quick. It works really well. And you don’t have to ask permission or wait for the bank to be open.” – Ryan Gentry