Bobby Lee talks about Ballet Wallet, his return to the real Bitcoin, meeting Bruce Willis, debating Nouriel Roubini, and onboarding nocoiners with a skewmorphic object that they can understand. 00:50 – Introduction 2:00 – How Ballet was created 3:16 – Ballet REAL vs PRO 4:55 – BIP 38 in Ballet PRO 7:30 – How Charlie Lee gifted Bobby a Casascius physical coin 9:27 – Skewmorphisms for nocoiners (a physical card is easy to understand) 11:20 – How does the Ballet app work and how does it improve on the Casascius and BTC Mint model? 15:41 – Ballet is not for experienced bitcoiners, but nocoiners who had no previous exposure with BTC and need to learn how it works 19:37 – Ballet PRO as a gift where the giver is the trusted third party 21:00 – The Bruce Willis story (and how his daughters received BTC) 23:40 – How did Bruce Willis react? 24:40 – What Adam Back, Trace Mayer, and Tone Vays thought about the Ballet wallet 28:40 – What is the maximum amount that should be stored on a Ballet Wallet? After which threshold should users look into more sophisticated storage solutions? 30:53 – Can Ballet help incentivize more people to run Bitcoin nodes? 34:30 – Which competitors does Ballet have? 36:55 – Bitcoin onboarding and full nodes 38:48 – Does Ballet compete with mobile wallets? 41:31 – Does the Ballet come in a 3-pack? 42:40 – How did Bobby Lee come up with the name “Ballet”? 45:10 – Bobby Lee’s comeback from the big blocker camp and why he returned to the real Bitcoin 46:37 – BTC actually has bigger blocks on average 47:05 – The network effect of Bitcoin 47:30 – Why the Ballet was created and Bitcoin’s use case 49:39 – Bobby Lee’s debate with Nouriel Roubini 50:40 – Nouriel Roubini is a Bitcoin maximalist 52:10 – Closing comments

On April 14th 2020, JScrilla releases "Sound Money": an eclectic juxtaposition of hip hop beats and famous voices that speak about Bitcoin. The album tells a story about the origins of Bitcoin and how the decentralized currency has evolved during the last 11 years. During this interview, JScrilla also reveals that the album's launch is going to be immortalized on the Bitcoin blockchain, and early buyers will also get unique couterparty tokens.

Phemex CEO Jack Tao talks about his journey from Morgan Stanley to Bitcoin, and explains why he enjoys the decentralized world. 3:16 – What is Phemex? 4:19 – From Morgan Stanley to Bitcoin 7:05 – What makes Bitcoin special? 9:23 – Limitations of the legacy financial system and fungibility 11:18 – Unbanking the banked 13:10 – Phemex vs BitMEX 17:00 – Separation between user accounts and the exchange 18:05 – What is simple about Phemex trading? 20:03 – Find 2.1 BTC in an art puzzle 22:00 – Information about the contest 23:21 – Phemex exchange whitepaper/yellowpaper 29:07 – How does Phemex scale? 32:06 – Why small investors should use Phemex 37:52 – Which hardware wallets does Jack use and recommend? 41:05 – Buying BTC on fiat for DCA 42:42 – How should bitcoiners think of Phemex? 43:41 – No KYC/AML on Phemex 45:49 – The data management problems involved in storing user private data 48:40 – Why BTC insurance is not perfect 50:40 – The lessons we learn from altcoin failures 51:05 – Bad Bitcoin regulations by politicians who don’t get it 54:20 – Big companies demanding for more regulations due to monopolistic greed 59:00 – Closing statements

Coinkite CEO Rodolfo Novak talks about the unique design of the Coldcard wallet and the device's uncompromising approach to security. 5:25 – Why use a hardware wallet? 6:33 – A lot of people have lost their bitcoins in the early days 7:45 – Building your own Coldcard 9:08 – Why is the Coldcard special? 12:10 – What is great about the Trezor? 12:25 – The problem with Trezor 12:43 – Why is the Ledger interesting? 13:00 – What keeps the Ledger from being great? 13:08 – The pros and cons of the KeepKey 13:30 – What is nice about the Cobo? 14:45 – On Slush’s criticism of physical security 16:14 – Whe massive spectrum of secure elements 21:15 – Can airport security hack your hardware wallet? 24:05 – Ledger article “Not All Chips Are Born Equal” and the definition of security element chips 27:10 – Is going Bitcoin-only more secure and profitable? 30:13 – Why altcoiners don’t care much about security 32:17 – Different types of bitcoiners have different kinds of security expectations 34:45 – Can hardware wallet manufacturers keep track of the devices they sell to dox you or steal your coins? 37:16 – User interface wallets that potentially track you 39:30 – Is a KeepKey that you run via Electrum as secure as a Trezor? 40:10 – Is PSBT really safe? 45:03 – Can you check your balance on a Coldcard? 46:50 – Coldcard’s opsec 49:00 – Does Coinkite store any data about customers to link the serial number with the invoice? 50:28 – Coinkite’s merchant processor is proprietary 51:17 – Rolling the dice for more randomness during seed phrase generation 53:11 – What is CK Bunker? 55:05 – Shamir Backup on Coldcard? 56:12 – What is next for the Coldcard? 58:42 – Is it safe to never upgrade your Coldcard and keep it as cold storage? 1:00:56 – Secure elements designed for Bitcoin 1:01:30 – Is the Coldcard comparable with a dedicated general-purpose computer?

Lixin Liu, creator of the Cobo Vault, talks about building a hardware wallet that serves the needs of the Chinese miners and then trying to branch out towards Western markets with a second generation of devices. Furthermore, he mentions why he thinks the design of the new Cobo Tablet is more intuitive and ergonomic than that of the Crypto Steel. Time stamps: 04:01 – The problem with brain wallets 09:23 – Paper Wallets 12:15 – The Cobo Tablet 13:55 – The Cobo Vault 16:09 – Testing according to the American military standards 16:38 – Building a product for the miners 18:36 – The background story of Cobo 21:36 – Driving a car over the Cobo vault 22:07 – Cobo Tablet vs Crypto Steel and Billfodl 26:45 – Disposing unused metal plate letters with responsibility 28:23 – Cosmos Tablet vs Cobo Tablet 28:46 – Possibly releasing a co-branded Cobo Tablet with Coldcard 30:53 – Product positioning for the Cobo Tablet vs Cobo Vault 32:57 – 2nd gen Cobo Vault 34:01 – Cobo Vault vs Cobo Vault Gen 2 36:46 – Secure element of Cobo Vault Gen 2 46:32 – The definition of a secure element 50:43 – Cobo secure element vs Coldcard secure element 52:33 – Is the Cobo Vault source code open source? 56:39 – DIY Cobo Vault? 58:35 – Cobo vs Trezor 1:00:29 – Cobo vs Coldcard 1:02:40 – Cobo vs Ledger 1:03:48 – Cobo vs BitBox02 1:05:12 – Cobo vs KeepKey 1:08:08 – Does Cobo Vault connect to your own full node? 1:10:40 – Cobo Vault privacy 1:18:33 – Closing words on 2nd Generation Cobo Vault

Slush, inventor of both the world's first mining pool and hardware wallet, talks about his work on the Trezor products and why good and transparent software is more important than physical security. Time Stamps: 4:03 – Introduction 5:00 – How did Slush come up with the idea of creating a hardware wallet? 6:30 – Meeting Satoshi Labs & Trezor Co-Founder Stick 8:50 – Why the Trezor was designed in line with the Bitcoin philosophy so you can build your own and verify its code 10:30 – Peter Todd and Lazy Ninja liked the Trezor the most 12:25 – Why should bitcoiners use a hardware wallet? 13:00 – Satoshi Labs advised Crypto Steel 14:00 – When you need to do cryptographic operations that are enabled by hardware wallets 15:39 – Why should newcomers buy Trezor hardware wallets? 21:15 – Hardware is broken and lagging behind software 27:10 – The pros of Ledger 27:40 – The issues of Ledger 28:37 – The pros and cons of KeepKey 29:25 – The Coldcard wallet design & why it’s selling snake oil 30:40 – What can’t be verified about the Coldcard? 33:23 – Is physical security a marketing trap? 35:56 – What’s to like about the BitBox? 37:30 – What are the tradeoffs of the Trezor? 38:23 – Shamir Backup 45:10 – SLIP doesn’t stand for Stephan Livera Podcast 46:48 – Software before hardware 48:01 – Why is the Trezor so expensive if it’s so basic? 48:55 – Other companies taking Trezor’s open source software to create cheaper hardware wallet clones 54:12 – Is there demand for the BTC-only firmware? 55:33 – Multisig on the Trezor 1:00:39 – Who should use a multisig setup? 1:02:30 – When should you get a hardware wallet? 1:09:10 – Local software application for Trezor 1:12:00 – Running your Trezor with Electrum or Wasabi 1:13:05 – Does Trezor collect any user data? 1:16:30 – Trezor doesn’t know who you are 1:18:23 – What are Trezor’s future plans?

<p>4:02 – Intro</p> <p> </p> <p>5:24 – Hardware Wallet Physical Security</p> <p> </p> <p>6:10 – Buying hardware wallets on eBay?</p> <p> </p> <p>7:04 – Toothbrush analogy</p> <p> </p> <p>7:26 – Supply chain attacks</p> <p> </p> <p>7:40 – Fake seed cards<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>8:20 – Does Peter Todd use any hardware wallets?</p> <p> </p> <p>9:10 – Hardware wallets as part of the Bitcoin lifestyle<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>9:30 – Dealing with Bitcoin in the early days</p> <p> </p> <p>10:40 – Peter Todd running Qubes and multiple virtual machines</p> <p> </p> <p>11:29 – Advice for newbies</p> <p> </p> <p>13:00 – The economics of hardware wallets</p> <p> </p> <p>13:50 – Markets for Bitcoin transaction data<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>15:00 – Are Electrum servers ran by Chainalysis?</p> <p> </p> <p>16:30 – Chainalysis and Bitcoin exchanges</p> <p> </p> <p>17:00 – Shapeshift’s KeepKey</p> <p> </p> <p>18:31 – Does Peter Todd use a Coldcard?</p> <p> </p> <p>20:22 – The issue of hardware wallet screens and checking addresses</p> <p> </p> <p>21:55 – Packaging to discourage supply chain attacks</p> <p> </p> <p>23:00 – Coldcard and PSBT</p> <p> </p> <p>25:25 – Auditing trusted setups</p> <p> </p> <p>26:10 – Which hardware wallet does Peter Todd recommend?</p> <p> </p> <p>29:15 – Is the YubiKey better than a hardware wallet?</p> <p> </p> <p>31:57 – Setting up a watch-only wallet for cold storage</p> <p> </p> <p>32:58 – Is just using Bitcoin Core secure enough?</p> <p> </p> <p>35:14 – The psychology of having a piece of hardware that makes you feel safe</p> <p> </p> <p>36:36 – Ballet Crypto and trusted printing</p> <p> </p> <p>37:45 – BitAddress dot org</p> <p> </p> <p>39:00 – Generating randomness with a dice<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>40:10 – Security is hard and complex</p> <p> </p> <p>41:00 – Security theatre<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>42:47 – Cryptography vs Applied Cryptography<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>44:30 – How can Trezor and Ledger steal funds from hardware wallet owners?</p> <p> </p> <p>46:41 – Liability for theft</p> <p> </p> <p>49:40 – Can hardware wallet manufacturers steal $1 from each user?</p> <p> </p> <p>51:00 – The perfect theft that hardware wallet manufacturers can coordinate</p> <p> </p> <p>52:10 – Bluetooth on hardware wallets?</p> <p> </p> <p>53:10 – RS 232<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>55:20 – Faraday cages</p> <p> </p> <p>57:20 – Practical advice for bitcoiners<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>59:00 – Tiger rocks, locks, and lock pickers<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>1:00:20 – Is multisig a good idea?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:01:23 – Is memorizing your private key a good idea?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:01:56 – Security from yourself</p> <p> </p> <p>1:03:30 – Physical vs digital data security</p> <p> </p> <p>1:05:20 – Does Peter Todd like weed?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:06:16 – Bitcoin and drug sales</p> <p> </p> <p>1:07:41 – Peter Todd’s prediction for Bitcoin’s success</p> <p> </p> <p>1:09:50 – One day, Bitcoin will go to 0</p> <p> </p> <p>1:10:00 – The US dollar will fail before Bitcoin</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

<p>05:45 – Solve the puzzle and get 2.1 BTC from show sponsor Phemex</p> <p> </p> <p>8:50 – Supply chain attacks on hardware wallets</p> <p> </p> <p>12:00 – Compromising private key generation on hardware wallets</p> <p> </p> <p>12:50 – Is running Bitcoin Core on your computer as safe as using a hardware wallet?</p> <p> </p> <p>14:46 – Coldcard’s PSBT</p> <p> </p> <p>20:28 – Lindy effects in hardware wallets (the longer they’ve been around, the more secure they are)</p> <p> </p> <p>22:50 – Hardware wallets are definitely better than bank account security</p> <p> </p> <p>23:10 – Why Bitcoin’s scarcity makes it very valuable</p> <p> </p> <p>24:43 – Losing bitcoins vs losing fiat</p> <p> </p> <p>26:48 – Hardware wallets vs cold storage</p> <p> </p> <p>29:00 – QR code cold storage</p> <p> </p> <p>29:25 – Multisig</p> <p> </p> <p>34:00 – Casa multisig inheritance system</p> <p> </p> <p>39:30 – Authentication, identity & voting</p> <p> </p> <p>43:30 – Are microchip implants a safe way to store your Bitcoin private keys?</p> <p> </p> <p>45:47 – Why Bitcoin is the best user experience</p> <p> </p> <p>47:20 – YetiCold dot com</p> <p> </p> <p>55:00 – Why does YetiCold use 3 out of 7 signatures?</p> <p> </p> <p>58:00 – JW Weatherman on using steel plates to store private keys</p> <p> </p> <p>1:02:00 – What the term “cypherpunk” really means and why the cypherpunk movement is abolitionist<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p>1:05:40 – Why should YetiCold be trusted?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:07:00 – Does YetiCold make JW Weatherman any money?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:09:00 – Mathbot dot com</p> <p> </p> <p>1:11:05 – Is Donald McIntyre a cypherpunk historian?</p> <p> </p> <p>1:11:53 – David Chaum is a genius</p> <p> </p> <p>1:13:50 – Digicash had to exist and had to fail</p> <p> </p> <p>1:14:27 – Why JW Weatherman thinks Monero is a scam</p> <p> </p> <p>1:16:53 – Closing note on the JW Weatherman’s interview with Tim May (available on YouTube)</p> <p> </p>

<p>Bryan Aulds is a co-founder of the Billfodl cold storage company. In this episode, he talks about the importance of securing your private keys on something that can take natural disasters – more specifically, a metal plate.</p> <p>Here are some of the questions asked:</p> <p>Does a cold storage device replace a hardware wallet or work in conjunction with it?</p> <p>What makes the Billfodl stand out from the competition?</p> <p>Will there be a partnership between Billfodl and Ledger?</p> <p>How do Billfodls get tested?</p> <p>What is it like to arrange letters on the Billfodl?</p> <p>How can metal plates be improved?</p> <p>What are the costs of building your own Billfodl?</p> <p>Are bitcoiners survivalists?</p> <p>Is Bitcoin friendly for mainstream users?</p> <p>Is Bitcoin like the oil boom in terms of peculiar personalities?</p> <p>How expensive were booths at the Consensus 2018 conference?</p> <p>Are blockchains any better than old supply chain systems?</p> <p>Who came up with the Billfodl?</p> <p>Why is Bitcoin similar with teenage sex?</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

<p>Thanks to his decades-long in security chips and electronic devices, BTChip (Nicolas Bacca) is one of the finest experts in the field of Bitcoin hardware wallets.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this exclusive episodes, he answers questions about the design choices of the Ledger Nano series, compares the products with the Trezor, Coldcard, BitBox02, and KeepKey, but also reflects on the future of Bitcoin security.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Episode time stamps:</p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>04:40 – Introduction, brief history of experiences in the field</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>06:20 – Why Trezor was created</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>8:20 – Pushing your op-sec with Trezor's apps and operating system</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>11:00 – Ledger criticism as feedback</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>13:25 – Why should anyone buy a hardware wallet?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>17:10 – Why choose a Ledger hardware wallet?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>20:47 – Ledger Nano S vs Nano X</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>24:00 – The pros and cons of Trezor devices</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>27:03 – The pros and cons of the KeepKey</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>29:24 – The pros and cons of the Coldcard wallet</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>31:00 – The pros and cons of the BitBox02</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>35:00 – What is open source about the Ledger software and what isn't?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>42:20 – Security element chips in hardware wallets (Ledger, BitBox, Coldcard)</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>51:20 – Is it safe to buy used Ledger hardware wallets on eBay?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>53:00 – Are hardware wallets like toothbrushes?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>55:55 – Bitcoin-only Ledger?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>57:20 – Multisig in Ledger Live?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>1:01:00 – Is it reckless to use your Ledger with third party software (Electrum, Wasabi, Shapeshift)?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>1:03:41 – What is next for Ledger? (Liquid, Shamir, CoinJoin, PSBT)</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>1:09:00 – How does Ledger Manager recognize a fake Ledger hardware wallet?</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>1:14:00 – The golden age of hardware wallets and wild experiments</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p>

<p>Lazy Ninja (@FreedomIsntSafe on Twitter) is best known in the hardware wallet community for responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in the BitBox02 and Coldcard devices. </p> <p>As a security expert with a solid background in the field of microchips and cryptography, Lazy Ninja provides invaluable advice on managing private keys and using hardware wallets without worrying about losing all the coins to a hacker.</p> <p>In this episode, which happens to be his first podcast appearance, Lazy Ninja talks about how he first got into Bitcoin, his experiences with various hardware wallets, his approach to finding vulnerabilities, and his general security advice.</p>

<p>Douglas Bakkum and Jonas Schnelli are the two founders of the ShiftCrypto company – one of the most significant players on the hardware wallet market. The newly launched BitBox02 has lots of interesting features and finds the middle ground between security, privacy, and user friendliness. </p> <p>In an interesting segment, Douglas also agrees to say something nice and something critical about the most significant competitors (Trezor, Ledger, KeepKey, Coldcard).</p> <p>Also, an interesting discussion about responsible disclosures and the general security level of hardware wallet devices emerges.</p> <p> </p> <p>If you want to better understand the dynamics and collaborative practices behind the world of Bitcoin hardware wallets, then this is certainly a must-listen.</p>

<p>ShapeShift COO Jon talks about all the elements that make the KeepKey hardware wallet great, and even agrees to answer some tough questions about comparing the KeepKey to the competition (Trezor, Ledger, Coldcard, and BitBox).</p> <p>Jon also explains how the ShapeShift platform works and why the company's approach is to onboard as many users as possible, regardless of the hardware wallet of their choice.</p> <p>In the end, a conversation about the importance of privacy and how ShapeShift handles customer data takes place. </p> <p> </p> <p>Special thanks to the episode's sponsors: European Exchange LXMI and Lightning payments service Bottle Pay.</p>

<p>Bitcoin Magazine media associate Christian CK (@ck_SNARKs on Twitter) talks about the purpose of shitcoins as smokescreens that keep regulators and political actors busy and distracted from Bitcoin.</p> <p>Also, the POV Crypto Podcast co-host presents some of his takeaways from the book "The Sovereign Individual" by James Dale Davidson. </p> <p>Another big topic is hyperbitcoinization – a process which CK regards as ongoing and close to completion.</p>

<p>Guns N' Bitcoin CEO Ragnar Lifthasir talks about onboarding the Lightning Network, how, when and why he got into Bitcoin, and some mental issues that Bitcoin may fix.</p>

<p>Ever heard of a podcast where somebody simply asks "How many sats do you want me to stack right now?" and then proceeds to buy 3 million? American HODL talks about the eternal riches that he's accummulated, the aspirations that he has as a successful bitcoiner, and the life advice he'd give to both his younger self and new bitcoiners.</p> <p>You will also find references to Joseph Campbell and Nassib Taleb, shoutouts to Dieter (AwyeeBTC), and debates about cinematic masterpieces of the 20th century.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Bitcoin Magazine journalist Colin Harper is a university graduate with a degree in English. In his spare time, he takes a lot of interest in politics, enjoys reading studies on various social sciences, and holds the rather unconventional belief that Bitcoin should also be interesting for left-wingers (Marxists and social democrats alike).</p> <p>Throughout this 80-minute interview, we discuss various experiences from the field of journalism, why Bitcoin Magazine is THE ivory tower in terms of high demands and rigor, and which political issues Bitcoin might be able to solve.</p> <p> </p> <p>We agree that stateless, uncensorable, and unconfiscatable money should be a tool for all peope regardless of their political views, and then go on to talk about boomers and their views on Bitcoin.</p>

<p>Paradoxically, Austrian bitcoiner Gigi has had no exposure to the Austrian School of Economics before he got into Bitcoin. However, his understanding has developed way beyond the conventional views as he's started to explore Ralph Merkle's theory about Satoshi's invention bearing the characteristics of a living organism.</p> <p>Throughout the talk, we also discuss issues such as state intervention and limited government, the likeliness of hyperbitcoinization, and general political considerations which might affect Bitcoin.</p>

<p>TruthRaider talks about his libertarian mindset, why he got into Bitcoin, how left-wingers can also be incorporated within the BTC community, and what he thinks about world politics in relation to uncensorable and unconfiscatable money. One of the most interesting parts is about his theory that Paul Le Roux might be the person behind the Satoshi Nakamoto pseudonym, and he explains why his theory might be true.</p> <p>Last but not least, TruthRaider presents his views on the state of Bitcoin adoption in Turkey and other European countries. </p>

<p>Carlos Roldan is the creator and lead developer of Satoshi's Games, a Lightning-powered video game platform where you can actually earn sats for your skills. In this hour-long conversation, we talk about the birth of the project, what makes it unique, how it's supposed to be sustainable if people cash out the sats they win, and the future plans concerning it. Furthermore, Carlos mentions his beginnings with Bitcoin and Lightning, and what made him turn into a developer in the space.</p> <p>If you would like to see more of Carlos and Satoshi's Games, you will find them at the Lightning Conference which takes place in Berlin on October 19th 2019.</p>

<p>Dan Hannum is a reformed finance guy who decided to move his expertise in the Bitcoin space. In this episode he talks about his experience working with clients and his opinions on various influencers and phenomena.</p>

<p>Jeremy's involvement in the realm of cryptographic digital currencies precedes the invention of Bitcoin: during the 1990s, he has collected intelligence about a rudimentary privacy coin for a military project. But as soon as he stumbled upon Satoshi Nakamoto's creation, he has irreversibly fallen in love with it.</p> <p>As an American citizen, Jeremy considers himself to be a patriot: not in the sense that he follows the narrative of mainstream politics, but to the extent that he believes in the vision of the Founding Fathers and the spirit of the US Constitution. In this regard, he thinks that Bitcoin is a financial tool which helps individuals attain the kind of freedom which the likes of Madison and Jefferson projected in their political writings.</p> <p>Also, Jeremy is passionate about Bitcoin software and runs the applications which he finds most interesting and useful. Part of the conversation concerns Wasabi, LND, Samourai, the Core client, and more.</p>

<p>Shaitan Ioton is an American bitcoiner who has been paying attention to Satoshi Nakamoto's creation since 2009. In this season 3 pilot he talks about his own geekiness, his fascination with BTC, the reason why he didn't get lured by the big block scaling narrative, and some of his philosophical considerations about what Bitcoin really is.</p> <p> </p> <p>The episode has some late night radio vibes that will hopefully mark the whole third season. The discussions are open and spontaneous, there is no clear direction and format, and the conversation ends naturally whenever the topics run dry or fatigue takes over.</p>

<p>When you think of Chris DeRose, you either think of the scrutinizing Bitcoin Uncensored host or the nihilistic Twitter troll. Thankfully, this candid interview will definitely make you respect him more.</p> <p>The "ticker-agnostic" Chris DeRose, who at various moments of his long involvement in Bitcoin has endorsed the BCH and BSV forks, turns out to be an avid post-modernist philosophy leader who constantly puts himself in a position where he must argue against the largest majority.</p> <p>As you're about to hear, the man who is partially responsible for the creation of the "Bitcoin maximalist" label by Vitalik Buterin likes to regard everything as if he was an alien who just landed on Earth and saw human inventions for the first time ever. He asks uncomfortable questions, he questions even the most solid of paradigms, and has no issue with the fact that he might be wrong.</p> <p> </p> <p>To Chris DeRose, the inquiry and the search are the greatest reasons to be around the Bitcoin space and his pursuit is designed to hurt feelings, disappoint expectations, and ultimately defy norms. It's not necessarily about being right or wrong, but about asking the right questions which open new doors.</p> <p>Some may find this two-hour immersion in the mind of Chris DeRose blasphemous and against all established conventions. Nonetheless, some of his points are valid and intriguing and worth pursuing by any open mind. </p>

<p>Brent Philbin is an American professional poker player and bitcoiner who in his spare time enjoys doing the educational Crypto Basic Podcast. This is a crossover episode between the two shows, as we discuss the scarcity of Bitcoin-only events in the USA (at the end of a shitcoiny SXSW), the reasons why BTC is great, and why we're both in for the long time.</p> <p> </p> <p>During this episode you will also find out more about methodology and how we have similarities and differences in our approach to podcasting.</p>

<p>R.L. Bryer, also known as Pittsburgh HODLr on Twitter, has been in the Bitcoin space since 2010. In this episode, he talks about going to university to study Austrian economics, working for Ron Paul during the great libertarian's presidential run, and how all of his experiences lead to Bitcoin.</p> <p> </p> <p>Furthermore, Mr. Bryer is the author of the book "Blockchain Project Renaissance" (which has sold in more than 40 countries) and will release a sequel for his opus in July 2019.</p>

<p>American bitcoiner Fartface2000 is best known for receiving the LNTrustChain torch from Hodlonaut as part of the movement which brought Lightning into the mainstream. In spite of this shot at fame, Jim (his real first name) remains humble, curious, and continuously willing to learn.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this episode of the Bitcoin Takeover Podcast, Fartface2000 talks about always trying new technologies, getting involved in the world of cryptocurrencies, and the journey which led him to Bitcoin.</p> <p> </p> <p>Furthermore, you will find out more about his business with Bitcoin-powered piggy banks for children. It's called Bit Piggys and it's a way of educating the youth to make savings and get used to rewards in BTC. </p>

<p>In preparation for the Understanding Bitcoin Conference which took place in Malta back in April 2019, Giacomo Zucco has decided to present some of his objections towards the security model of Neutrino. In his view, the technology can potentially become a threat and a disentivization for users who run full BTC nodes. Therefore, this episode will reveal more of his considerations.</p> <p> </p> <p>Also, Giacomo talks about Bitcoin-only events and how they are taking over the "crypto" and "blockchain"-focused gatherings which seem to mostly deliver vaporware.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this episode you will also get a brief update on the B, an organization whose purpose is to finance Bitcoin development. </p>

<p>American bitcoiner Sasquatch Muscle had a pretty typical beginning the the world of cryptocurrencies: he bought some shitcoins close to the all-time high, then got caught in the never-ending cycle of trading between them as a way of maximizing USD gains.</p> <p>However, after months of studying the phenomena and learning more about Bitcoin and its community, he now runs his full BTC node and onboards the Lightning Network without making use of custodial wallet.</p> <p>His transformation is inspiring and his story is definitely useful to help newcomers understand what kind of mistakes they should be avoiding in order to have a good experience from which they learn more than managing poorly informed speculation.</p> <p>Also, Sasquatch Muscle presents some of his experiences working in the public sector and expresses his views on the ways in which Bitcoin can help create more responsibility, sovereignty, and accountability.</p>

<p>Patrick Miller has been involved in the Bitcoin space since 2013, enjoys writing articles and research papers about the value proposition of BTC as opposed to scammy altcoins, and holds some really interesting opinions that are worth listening.</p> <p>Throughout this 90-minute interview, the topic of the conversation constantly shifts between BTC's social and economic impact, the uniqueness of Satoshi's invention, and the vices of altcoins.</p> <p> </p> <p>Self-sovereignty, independence, and responsibility are also big topics of this discussion, and you better watch out for a strong criticism of Ethereum and its "post-modernist" approach to narratives and governance.</p>

<p>This interview with Karo Zagorus will help you find out more about the Bitcoin communities in Central and Eastern Europe, while also providing valuable insights on the experiences of two academics who write research papers on the topic of Satoshi's invention.</p> <p> </p> <p>Inevitably, the discussion tackles the issue of politics, regulation, and how the politicians choose to address Bitcoin. The conclusion that you will discover is truly astonishing: though it would make a lot of sense for the gatekeepers of fiat money to reject the kind of currency they cannot control, it seldom happens because they might be corrupt enough to hide large amounts of money with it. Therefore, if the elites find themselves guilty of using Bitcoin, then the cryptocurrency will find itself in a perpetual grey area of inexistent regulation.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

<p>Indian bitcoiner Rajarshi Maitra talks about his involvement in the Bitcoin space and how his worldview has changed once he fell down the rabbit hole. Being brought up in a communist environment and having discovered the innovative way in which Bitcoin allows greedy interests to coexist in harmony, Rajarshi has undergone a significant ideological transformation which compels him to spread the word about Satoshi's invention.</p> <p>Also, Mr. Maitra talks about the importance of gold in the Indian culture and the ways through which Bitcoin might be able to replace it. Other discussions involve doing meetups and spreading awareness on the importance of sound money.</p> <p>Inevitably, the conversation leads to the question: "Is Bitcoin a cult?". Surprisingly, Rajarshi Maitra responds that it might be, yet there is nothing wrong with it as long as the intentions are pure.</p> <p>Tune in for this interesting two-hour conversation and learn more about the Indian culture and the Bitcoin-related events taking place in the world's second most populous country.</p> <p>Follow Rajarshi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RajarshiMaitra</p>

<p>Former ETCDEV lead developer Igor Artamonov talks about his expertise in analyzing blockchains and why Bitcoin has a competitive advantage in the field. As the discussion progresses, some points are made on the cleavage between ideology and development, and the ever-relevant topic of dev financing also gets part of the spotlight.</p>

<p>When he doesn't troll or shame altcoin fanatics who more or less rightfully deserve the "shitcoiner" badge, Udi Wertheimer is the kind of man who can leave toxicity behind and do a great exposition of his views on Bitcoin. Admittedly, his understanding is constantly shifting throughout time, and it was thanks to this dynamic of always learning that he temporarily labelled himself as a "Bitcoin noob". Throughout this interview, Udi talks about the BTC scene in Israel, transaction privacy and coin mixing with Wasabi wallet, and scalability through Lightning. Moreover, a philosophical discussion about Bitcoin's place in the grand scheme of things and world legal order takes place during most the second half of the podcast. Questions such as "What if we are the bad guys?", "What is the difference between Bitcoin and all the virtual currencies?" and "Is Bitcoin against the US foreign policy?" receive candid yet nuanced answers that are definitely worth listening. Understanding Bitcoin is a continuous process, and the insights that Udi Wertheimer gives us are undoubtedly valuable. Give him a listen, he's definitely much more than the toxic Twitter troll who takes shots at bad actors.</p>

<p>In this in-depth interview, polymath Wassim Alsindi talks about his views on Bitcoin, why it resembles the qualities of a time machine, and how altcoins can actually be interesting experiments which reveal the limitations of certain technological and social governance models. The discussions transcend the idea of maximalism and explore a more scientific approach to everything involving blockchains: while there is no doubt that Bitcoin reigns supreme and will remain king, there are always good or bad lessons to be learned from the more or less reckless experimentation conducted via altcoins. The fundamental idea is that some technological breakthroughs (such as MimbleWimble and Confidential Transactions) may end up being implemented in BTC at some point, but the fact that other projects try them first ensures a better implementation in the conservative, definitely more decentralized, and resilient-by-design network of Bitcoin. Also, Wassim Alsindi is specialized in protocol forks and political hacks, which makes his points about derived altcoin projects much more knowledgeable and interesting. Throughout the nearly three hours of interview, you will also get to find out more about the early days of Mr. Alsindi as a Bitcoiner and how he became interested in pursuing research in this exciting field which combines computer science and cryptography.</p> <p>If you’re going to ask me about the most underrated Bitcoin Takeover Podcast episode, then I’m going to mention my recording with Wassim Alsindi from June 2019. You see, Wassim is the kind of guy who doesn’t have much of a social media presence and is mostly known by developers and people with whom he interacts regularly. He teaches at MIT and has some very fascinating inter-disciplinary views on Bitcoin.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: I really like the way that Wassim explains his understanding of Bitcoin and how alts/shitcoins merely experiment with features that can become features on the longest and most battle-tested chain after enough testing. He’s a reasonable maximalist who understands that a truly hyperbitcoinized world will require the most secure network which transacts the hardest money to accommodate all the use cases that we may or may not personally like.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Wassim Alsindi is a true polymath. He’s been successful in lots of areas, including music and astronomy. So when he switched to computer science and eventually Bitcoin, he applied his past learnings in ways that might surprise you. Also, I love his theory about Bitcoin being a time machine.</p>

<p>Donald McIntyre is a collaborator of Nick Szabo’s, and a man who left behind the world of mainstream finance (he previously worked at UBS Securities and Morgan Stanley) to embrace the cypherpunk ethos. He’s passionate about history of money, cypherpunk culture, natural sciences, and anthropology.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: The crash course in cypherpunk history and the fact that Donald McIntyre knows Nick Szabo’s work so well that this interview is the single closest experience to having the Bit gold inventor himself on the show.</p> <p>The element of surprise: The tribute to Tim May (the cypherpunk legend who passed one month before we recorded this interview) and the criticism of David Chaum’s Elixxir project. The interview definitely is very cypherpunk-oriented. Also, Mr. McIntyre mentions “Truth Coin” (Paul Sztorc) as a must-have guest — thus establishing a goal that would take me eight seasons to accomplish.</p> <p>Donald McIntyre talks about the anthropological and historical elements that led to the creation of Bitcoin, and reveals his admiration and affinity for the works of Tim May and Nick Szabo.</p> <p> </p> <p>Topics and timestamps: </p> <p>0:50 – Introduction</p> <p>2:50 – Was Bitcoin Inevitable?</p> <p>6:45 – Cypherpunks</p> <p>7:50 – Desire for Privacy and Sound Money</p> <p>9:30 – Money as Freedom</p> <p>13:00 – Trust Minimization</p> <p>14:40 – Nick Szabo's Social Scalability</p> <p>18:30 – Privacy and Intelligence Agencies</p> <p>24:00 – Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins</p> <p>30:00 – Comments on Centralized Projects</p> <p>32:00 – Views on Hyperbitcoinization</p> <p>39:45 – The 1% Wasn't First in Bitcoin</p> <p>44:00 – The Early Bitcoin Days</p> <p>44:50 – Bitcoin as a Biological Invention, Nick Szabo's Approach, The Origins of Money</p> <p>57:00 – Nick Szabo, Tim May, Wei Dai, Hal Finney, Satoshi Nakamoto</p> <p>1:10:00 – Bitcoin's Game Theory</p> <p>1:15:00 – Satoshi and Nick Szabo Are Just Like Newton and Leibnitz</p> <p>1:19:00 – What Was Tim May Like?</p> <p>1:22:00 – David Chaum</p> <p>1:26:00 – Cypherpunk Inventions</p> <p>1:30:00 – Tim May and Wei Dai on Violence</p> <p>1:32:00 – What Is Ethereum?</p> <p>1:38:00 – How ETC Supplements BTC</p> <p>1:42:00 – Bitcoin and Ethereum Classic in 10 Years</p> <p>1:53:00 – The Only Legitimate Hard Fork in Bitcoin</p> <p>1:54:00 – Governments and Bitcoin</p> <p>1:58:00 – Miners' Attacks on Bitcoin Supply and Block Reward</p>

<p> Before he became an executive at Bitrefill and moving on to build the ambitious Synonym company, John Carvalho was best known as the CEO of Xotika (the first camgirl website which enabled BTC tips) and the Bitcoin hero who made Roger Ver rage quit at the end of a heated debate.</p> <p>John Carvalho candidly opens up about his involvement in the Bitcoin space and recalls some of the moments when he played key roles within the community. </p> <p>Watch out for interesting stories about The Bitcoin Foundation and how every attempt to represent the entire group of bitcoiners inevitably suffers from a quick demise.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: John opens up about his involvement with the Bitcoin Foundation and speaks about the time he mined BTC in his garage. He also provides some useful perspectives about his personal philosophy on Bitcoin.</p> <p>The element of surprise: John describes his debating technique in various contexts. He explains how he prepared for his confrontation with Roger Ver and also highlights the “zooming out” approach which becomes necessary when dealing with a sophisticated debater like Chris DeRose (whom I’d have on the show a couple of months later).</p>

<p>Zack Voell talks about the ways in which Bitcoin can change international relations and politics, offers more insights on his background in Austrian economics, and reveals what it's like to have a dating life as a bitcoiner.</p> <p> </p> <p>This interview marked the first crossover between shows, as at the time Zack was doing the Coin Pod. The plan was to feature the episode on both shows, but he never published this interview on his. Also, this is Zack Voell before he joined Blockstream and Compass Mining: just a university graduate whose fascination for Austrian economics has led him down the Bitcoin rabbit hole.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: As fresh university graduates, Zack and I talk about Bitcoin in relation to international relations and global politics. It’s exactly the kind of conversation that I would have had on every episode had I stuck with the “Bitcoin in Politics” name.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Dating as an outspoken bitcoiner just a month after the capitulation phase of the bear market was a rough experience. And at the time, Zack was describing part of it in his tweets. In this episode, you get to hear some spicy details about having a personal life when you’re basically married to Bitcoin.</p>

<p>Cryptocurrency journalist Omar Faridi talks about Bitcoin adoption in Pakistan, his experiences with exchanges, and how BTC adoption can help shift the power dynamics among nation states.</p> <p>While recording this first season of the BTCTKVR podcast, I was still the editor in chief of Crypto Insider. Omar was one of my colleagues, and I’ve always appreciated his ability to produce a lot of content: at his peak, he would write 3-4 articles a day for a handful of different publications.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: At this point, it became evident that guests from this season would talk about bitcoin adoption in their country. So hearing some insights about bitcoin in Pakistan was both refreshing and interesting — expecially in a podcast space which tends to focus a little too heavily on the North American experiences and events.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Omar and I end up talking about geopolitics and how bitcoin adoption by small and historically-oppressed nation states would create opportunities to shift the existing power structure. If wealth migrates towards a country in a permissionless and peer to peer fashion, then economic growth follows. If only our politicians and central bankers listened to the talk.</p>

<p>Bitcoin journalist Matt B talks about his experience with BTC in Ireland and New Zealand, expresses his views on the Satoshi Nakamoto conspiracies, comments on the importance of running your own node, and offers insights about his interactions with decentralized exchanges.</p> <p>In terms of writing, Matt B was about one year ahead of me: in 2018, he was writing for Bitcoin Magazine and I ripped off one of his articles (basically reworded his piece to convey the same meaning) when I was still a rookie writer at Crypto Globe. However, I paid my due by inviting Matt to get on his first podcast interview ever. Sometimes this freshness becomes evident — Matt was shy and soft spoken, but still managed to say interesting stuff.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: As an Irishman living in New Zealand, Matt B has a broader view on bitcoin adoption. He speaks about both countries from a comparative perspective, which is always useful when trying to understand how different territories approach financial innovation.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Matt and I end up talking about Satoshi Nakamoto conspiracies – a very hot topic in 2019, when lots of claims from different people were emerging. If anything, our discussion was an attempt to rationalize a contest of claiming merits without any kind of proof.</p>

<p>Buzz Lightyear, now established in Portugal. talks about the importance of Bitcoin in our galaxy. From domestic politics and all the way to international affairs, there is quite a lot that this neutral and immutable form of currency can radically change.</p> <p>If Buzz Lightyear is going to infinity and beyond, then it seems like he will be taking Bitcoin with him.</p> <p>Long before interviewing the so-called “plebs” was cool, I’ve decided to allow the owner of an anonymous Twitter account to get on the Bitcoin Takeover podcast and talk about his understanding of BTC.</p> <p>Buzz Lightyear was one of the earliest supporters of my idea to start a podcast, he’s followed my project since day one and was eager to join the first season as a guest. I, on the other hand, have decided that I wouldn’t care too much about reputation, followers, or any metrics that other podcasters use to vet their invitees. Which is why we ended up having such a great conversation.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: Buzz Lightyear is a Portuguese bitcoiner who very much enjoys defending the network from people who claim that Bitcoin is a Ponzi (in early 2019, this was still the case in many places). To add up to Mr. Lightyear’s genuine nature, he even bought himself a new microphone just to have decent audio during this interview. He’s this committed to the mission.</p> <p>The element of surprise: All throughout the interview, Buzz Lightyear stays in character and tries to talk just like an orange-pilled version of the Toy Story astronaut. He goes to infinity and beyond when it comes to opsec and the protection of his identity — but also manages to keep a sense of humor.</p>

<p>Avi Rosten makes use of his background in political science and philosophy to talk about Bitcoin, libertarianism, his love for John Stuart Mill, and what it's like to use Bitcoin in the United Kingdom.</p> <p>Also, he analyzes the Bitcoin-only alternatives for Patreon and inquires on the future of permissionless crowdfunding.</p> <p>Last but not least, Avi tells a story about meeting David Chaum in London and doing an interview with the legendary cypherpunk.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: Avi is well-versed in classical liberalism and the political philosophy which surrounds it. Also, most Bitcoin podcasters talk about the Austrian school of economics but neglect the freedom-centric writings of the classics. Avi talks about the work of John Stuart Mill, a man who influenced everyone from Mises to Hayek and Rothbard.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Avi recalls the casual setting in which he interviewed David Chaum in London. He suggests that we must be very early if the grandfather of cypherpunks is so unknown to the general public and can become available for interviews so easily. I reply that working in Bitcoin in 2019 is pretty much like getting a job at BBC in the early 1960s: you inevitably meet John Lennon, Mick Jagger, and all the other rock n roll heavyweights years before they become world famous.</p>

<p>Anthony Lusardi of the Ethereum Classic Cooperative talks about getting into Bitcoin, using it as a mean of exchange in New York, his take on the New York Agreement, and the purpose of altcoins in a market that's dominated and led by BTC.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: Though it’s short and a bit on the awkward side, this episode presents the scale of the New York Bitcoin scene. Yes, the city and state of New York has left its fingerprint on Bitcoin culture: from BitInstant (Charlie Shrem’s not-defunct exchange) to BitLicense (a regulatory framework which influenced much of the legislation around Bitcoin) and the infamous New York Agreement (the SegWit2X deal), there’s definitely a lot that happened in the area.</p> <p>On the other hand, as of 2019, Bitcoin was still a minor phenomenon on the local scene. Understanding this only helps us realize how early we are.</p> <p>The element of surprise: There was no “talk in the streets” about the New York Agreement in 2017 and Bitcoin is still an insignificant phenomenon in the city. This only means that our civil wars have had a minimalistic impact on the public perception of Bitcoin and we are still in the early days. This may also mean that the true battles are yet to come.</p>

<p>Crypto Twitter personality Brekkie van Bitcoin (formerly known as Crypto Brekkie) makes use of his degree in International Relations to talk about Bitcoin's position in world politics.</p> <p>Throughout the episode, you will find an interesting balance of jokes and serious discussions that may shine a light on what this politically-neutral cryptocurrency is all about and might turn you into a fan of the cult hit "Blockchain and Morty". </p> <p>Furthermore, Mr. Brekkie also provides insight on the prospects of becoming the Johnny Carson (or Jimmy Kimmel) of crypto in a new network television show.</p> <p>What makes this episode a must-listen: If you’re a fan of Brekkie’s work, then this is basically him before he became a famous Bitcoin-only advocate. We don’t talk much about international relations, but we definitely express views about the future of art before either of us became aware of Bitcoin NFTs.</p> <p>The element of surprise: Brekkie is not German, but at the time enjoyed using a slightly exaggerated Deutsch accent. It’s hilarious and maybe that it should make a comeback sometime.</p>