Stephan Livera Podcast Archiv

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

Bitcoin’s biggest challenges

Taxonomy of Bitcoin development culture

Soft forks and covenants

What ‘counts’ as a Bitcoin L2? 

What are the big benefits of covenants? 

Mutiny Wallet - a new Hybrid era?

Will people get priced out? 

Fedimint support

Synthetic USD or swaps? 

Inscriptions and Spam

Links:

Site: mutinywallet.com

X: @benthecarman 

nostr: npub1u8lnhlw5usp3t9vmpz60ejpyt649z33hu82wc2hpv6m5xdqmuxhs46turz 

Inscriptions post: https://habla.news/a/naddr1qqxnzdesxgerxdp58yenyvejqgswrlemlh2wgqc4jkds3d8ueqj9a2j3gcm7r48v9tskdd6rxsd7rtcrqsqqqa28wdzn0j 

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:18 - Bitcoin's Challenges: Scaling and Social Consensus

08:50 - Different Perspectives on Bitcoin's Future

16:10 - The Importance of Unilateral Exit and Self-Custody

21:16 - The Potential of Covenants for Scaling Bitcoin

25:23 - Mempool.space

26:17 - Coinkite.com

27:37 - Bitcoin Ark - A Payment Pool

31:11 - Introduction to Mutiny Wallet

34:36 - Addressing Security Concerns

37:06 - Simplifying Onboarding and Social Features in Mutiny Wallet

41:50 - The Challenge of Scalability and Affordability

43:50 - Building a Hybrid Wallet with Fediment Support

45:50 - NomadCapitalist.com

47:50 - Swan.com

49:07 - Guardians and Discoverability in Mutiny Wallet

50:50 - Multiple Federation Support in Mutiny Wallet

55:25 - Stable Channels and Synthetic USD in Mutiny Wallet

01:00:20 - The Role of ETFs and Number Go Up in Bitcoin Adoption

01:04:40 - The Debate on Inscriptions and Shitcoins in Bitcoin

01:08:01 - Closing Thoughts

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

The biggest bitcoin climate myths

Dishonest portrayal in the media

“Per transaction” fake methodology

Where Cambridge CCAF is wrong

Bitcoin’s PoW and ‘ideological intransigence’

ESMA submission

How Bitcoiners can help

Links:

X: @DSBatten

Articles: https://batcoinz.com/submission-to-esma-on-bitcoin-mining/

https://batcoinz.com/a-tale-of-two-articles/

Prior episodes referred to

SLP487 Bitcoin Mining Energy Debate – Digiconomist and Ben Gagnon  

SLP542 Defending Bitcoin PoW in the EU with Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bota Jardemalie

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:51 - Daniel's Journey with Bitcoin

09:13 - Biggest Bitcoin Climate Myths

18:34 - Coinkite.com

19:37 - Mempool.space

20:34 - How Media Perceptions about Bitcoin Changed Over Time

36:20 - Cambridge Bitcoin Estimate

44:45 - Swan.com

45:54 - Acknowledging Other Paths To Sustainability

57:10 - Submission to ESMA and Correcting False Narratives

01:09:21 - Bitcoin's Environmental Benefits

01:12:40 - Closing Thoughts

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

Monetary maximalism: descriptive or prescriptive

Bitcoin Spam 

Antifragility

What bitcoiners are getting wrong on personal finance

How 2023 played out with “ordinals”

Not being used to winning

Links:

X: @ck_SNARKs

Site: HRF.org

Site: https://cbdctracker.hrf.org/home

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

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Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamp/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:22 - Defining Monetary Maximalism

03:10 - Monetary Maximalism as an Observation

05:00 - Descriptive vs Prescriptive Monetary Maximalism

09:50 - The Debate on Ordinals and Spam

21:05 - The Nuisance Level of Spam

22:48 - What Are Most Bitcoiners Getting Wrong On Personal Finance

29:49 - The Emergence of Ordinals and Inscriptions

32:27 - Coinkite.com

33:28 - Swan.com

34:31 - Mempool.space

35:54 - The Umbrella Term of Ordinals

41:16 - The Fallout and Consequences of Bitcoin Developments

48:53 - The Strengthening of Bitcoin through Challenges

53:20 - The Debate on Filtering in Bitcoin

58:32 - The Emergence of Runes Protocol

01:02:13 - Bitcoin's Winning Streak

01:04:35 - Confusion and False Narratives

01:07:37 - The Base of Bitcoin: 21 Million Coins and HODL

01:08:37 - Closing Thoughts and Bitcoin Adoption

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

Alejandro De La Torre of Demand Mining

Luke Dashjr of Ocean Mining

Prince Philip of Serbia, from JAN3

Pete Rizzo of Bitcoin Magazine

Giacomo Zucco of Plan B Network

Links:

Alejandro De La Torre X: @bitentrepreneur 

 Luke Dashjr X: @LukeDashjr  and https://ocean.xyz/

Prince Philip of Serbia X: @PrincFilip1 and https://jan3.com/

Pete Rizzo X: @pete_rizzo_ and Bitcoinmagazine.com

Giacomo Zucco X: @giacomozucco and https://planb.network/

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

https://nomadcapitalist.com

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:44 - Alejandro De La Torre Interview

08:26 - Luke Dashjr Interview

21:10 - Swan.com

22:46 - Mempool.space

23:47 - Prince Philip of Serbia Interview

37:08 - Pete Rizzo Interview

54:29 - Coinkite.com

55:46 - NomadCapitalist.com

57:20 - Giacomo Zucco Interview

01:13:26 - Closing Thoughts

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

How things look a few years on from the Bitcoin Law

Life on the ground in El Salvador

How easy it is to move

El Salvador $1M Citizenship Program

Dealing with on chain fees

Custodial vs Self Custodial and pragmatism

‘Circular Economies’ and insights from his networking around the world

Links:

X: @Bitcoinbeach

YT: @LiveFromBitcoinBeach 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

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

05:21 - Financial Innovation in El Salvador

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

11:00 - Ease of Setting Up in El Salvador

21:05 - Coinkite.com

22:13 - Mempool.space

22:56 - Swan.com

24:15 - Living on Bitcoin in El Salvador

31:48 - Bitcoin Meetups and Events in El Salvador

35:51 - Circular Economies and Bitcoin Adoption

40:55 - Insights from Other Circular Economies

50:05 - Custodial vs. Non-Custodial

54:21 - The Bitcoin Beach Podcast

56:16 - Closing thoughts

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

On the ground insights

Results of the self custodial wallet test

Which LN apps came out best? 

The situation with fees

Where the test might not be suitable

How things may change with a Liquid or Fedimint approach

Links:

X: @AnitaPosch

Site: bffbtc.org

Bitcoin for Fairness - Anita Posch 

(L)earn Bitcoin

Sponsors:

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Stephan Livera links:

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

Life insurance as a model

Term or Whole life

Bitcoin denomination

Is it the next Celsius or BlockFi? 

Does it work under a deflationary

Private credit fund

Links:

X: @ztownsend

 X: @meanwhilelife

Site: meanwhile.bm 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

nomadcapitalist.com/apply

Stephan Livera links:

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

What he learned in making this book

Hayek and the Austrians

Extropians

Cryptography and the Cypherpunks

Libertarians

Precursor tech to Bitcoin

Links:

X: @AaronvanW

Site: http://thegenesisbook.com/

Nostr #npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

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Mempool.space

https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/

Stephan Livera links:

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Timestamp/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:07 - Motivation for Writing the Book

04:05 - Bitcoin's Origins and Evolution

08:21 - The Influence of Hayek and Austrian Economics

18:54 - The Connection Between FOSS and Bitcoin

25:49 - The Extropians and Their Vision

30:47 - The Cypherpunks and Their Ideology

32:28 - Swan.com

33:52 - Mempool.space

35:00 - Coinkite.com

39:30 - The Rise and Fall of DigiCash

51:20 - The Crypto Wars and Government Regulation

56:26 - Pre-cursor Electronic Cash Projects

01:01:20 - Satoshi's Clever Insight

01:03:00 - Closing thoughts

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

Bitcoin mining in the DRC

Bitcoin mining in Oman

Using various forms of energy 

Working in different environments

Narrative shifts in Bitcoin Mining and Proof of Work

Links:

X: @SebGouspillou

Site: bbgsmining.com

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

Nomad Capitalist LIVE

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

Subscribe to the podcast

Subscribe to Stephan Livera Substack newsletter

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:34 - Challenges and Risks in the Congo

04:30 - Bitcoin Mining in Virunga National Park

09:28 - Performance and Investment in the DRC

14:10 - Economic Opportunities and Job Creation

23:31 - Bitcoin Mining in Oman

28:05 - Challenges of Solar-Powered Mining

31:38 - Bitcoin Mining in the Middle East

41:30 - Mining Potential in Africa

45:05 - Energy Sources

47:37 - The Environmental Impact of Bitcoin Mining

55:35 - Closing Thoughts

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

EU bureaucracy and ECB threat to Bitcoin

Why engage with these people at all?

Attacks on Bitcoin’s Proof of Work

Threat to self custody and sovereignty - AML

Bitcoin as bank of last resort

How you can help with testimonials

Links:

PoW submission: https://en.odfoundation.eu/a/724499,defend-pow-submission-to-esma/

EU AML submission: https://en.odfoundation.eu/a/578069,can-the-eus-anti-money-laundering-reform-help-dictators/

Site / Support OD Foundation: https://en.odfoundation.eu/how-can-you-help/

Lyudmyla on X: @LyudaKozlovska 

Bota on X: @jardemalie

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

NomadCapitalist.com LIVE

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

Subscribe to the podcast

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Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

04:55 - The current threats

08:00 - Engaging with Regulators

12:05 - Can they be reasoned with?

17:30 - Threats to mining

25:55 - ESG Narrative and Proof of Work

38:20 - Threats to Self Custody and AML Regulations

46:03 - AML and Counter-Terrorism Financing Regulations

52:50 - De-risking and Financial Exclusion

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

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

Case for Covenants

Why TXHASH 

Scope of changes

Covenants.info

Covenant use cases

Ark

Commercial viability

Links:

X: @stevenroose3 

Site: Covenants.info

TXHASH ML post: https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2022-January/019813.html

Sponsors:

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CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

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

This new era for Bitcoin

ETF approval and what it means

Capture risks are low

Psychology of a market cycle and HODLers

“Hate buying” Bitcoin

Bitcoin Life Insurance

Why every company needs a Bitcoin strategy

Future of Bitcoin use

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

Links:

X: @TuurDemeester 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

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Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and background

01:00 - The new era of Bitcoin

06:11 - What are the actual risks?

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

15:00 - Tuur's reports

21:27 - Psychology of a market cycle and HODLers

31:40 - Swan.com

33:12 - Coinkite.com

34:52 - Mempool.space

37:43 - 3 green, 1 red meme

43:10 - Bitcoin Life Insurance

51:21 - “Hate buying” Bitcoin

56:35 - Why every company needs a Bitcoin strategy

01:01:50 - Future of Bitcoin use

01:07:02 - Closing thoughts

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

Dubai lifestyle

Common misconceptions

Tips for people who want to set up in Dubai

Why the UAE is well placed for Bitcoin adoption

Bitcoin Oasis

Bitcoin Association 

Links:

X: @SwissAlice1 

Site: Bitcoin-oasis.com 

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

Subscribe to the podcast

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and background

01:27 - Why Dubai?

02:46 - Common Misconceptions about Dubai

05:32 - Benefits of Living in Dubai

08:08 - Tips for Setting Up in Dubai

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

14:25 - Swan.com

16:07 - Mempool.space

17:11 - Coinkite.com

20:25 - Competitive Jurisdictions

22:07 - Bitcoin Association UAE

27:46 - Living in Dubai

30:00 - Closing thoughts

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

X: @NSmolenski 

Satoshi Papers: Satoshipapers.org  

Texas Bitcoin Foundation: txbitcoinfoundation.org

Sponsors:

Swan.com (code LIVERA)

CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)

Mempool.space

Stephan Livera links:

Follow me on X: @stephanlivera

Subscribe to the podcast

Timestamps/Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:00 The Debate on the Origin of Money

06:50 Clash between Anthropologists and Economists

13:14 The Role of Commodity Money

20:07 Coinkite.com

21:29 Swan.com

27:05 Payment vs Settlement

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

39:00 Mempool.space

40:13 The Competition between Bitcoin and Fiat Currency

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

59:24 The Texas Bitcoin Foundation and Bridging the Gap

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