Stephan discusses the evolution of Bitcoin and the challenges of self-custody with Philip Hoenisch, co-founder of Lendasat. They explore the transition from traditional finance to on-chain solutions, the importance of self-custody, and the ideological divides within the Bitcoin community. Philipp shares his insight on the intricacies of Bitcoin lending, focusing on liquidation processes, collateralization ratios, and the role of technology in managing these aspects. He explains the cost structur...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 642
Eric Semler, chairman of Semler Scientific, shares his journey from being an investor in technology and media to adopting a Bitcoin treasury strategy for his company. He discusses the origins of Semler Scientific, the challenges faced in the healthcare sector, and how he became convinced of Bitcoin's potential as a store of value. Eric elaborates on the transition from personal conviction in Bitcoin to implementing a corporate strategy, navigating regulatory hurdles, and the evolution of Bitcoin...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 641
In this episode, Stephan speaks with Nick Slaney about the current state and future of the Lightning Network. They discuss the misconceptions surrounding Lightning adoption, the legal challenges faced by developers, and the opportunities for Lightning Service Providers (LSPs). Nick shares insights on hosted channels, liquidity management, and the user experience of Lightning, emphasizing the importance of understanding costs associated with using the network. The conversation highlights the pote...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 640
In this episode, Stephan Levera interviews Ethan from Bitaroo, discussing the current state of Bitcoin in Australia, regulatory challenges, the importance of self-custody, and the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges. They explore the implications of regulations like the FATF and AFSL, the role of banks in facilitating or hindering Bitcoin transactions, and the need for consumer protection and self-responsibility in the crypto space. The conversation also touches on proof of reserves a...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 639
Harsha & Stephan discuss the challenges Bitcoin businesses face regarding regulation, particularly the tightening KYC and AML requirements. Harsha highlights the implications of these regulations on the Bitcoin ecosystem and the role of custodians. The discussion also touches on the evolving regulatory landscape, the impact of political administrations on crypto regulation, and the future of stablecoins. Harsha emphasizes the need for clarity in regulations and the importance of maintaining ...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 638
Will Foxley, co-founder of BlockSpace Media and host of the Mining Pod chats with Stephan about the need for a dedicated Bitcoin media publication, the upcoming OP NEXT conference focused on scaling Bitcoin, and the importance of fostering conversations among Bitcoin developers, miners, and institutions. Will shares insights on the ossification debate within the Bitcoin community and the role of public Bitcoin miners in shaping the future of Bitcoin. The conversation also emphasizes the need for...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 637
Stephan and Pierre discuss the evolving landscape of Bitcoin, focusing on the dichotomy between securitization and tokenization. They explore the regulatory environment, the challenges of Bitcoin adoption, and the implications of volatility on investor behavior. The discussion also touches upon the financialization of Bitcoin and the misconceptions surrounding tokenization of real-world assets, ultimately questioning the value created through such processes. They also discuss the risks associate...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 636
The episode focuses on the evolving narrative of Bitcoin, emphasizing its role as a medium of exchange rather than just a store of value. Dan & Danny explore the advancements in the Lightning Network, the challenges of user adoption, and the importance of awareness in driving Bitcoin's integration into both crypto and fiat worlds. The discussion highlights the potential for Lightning to facilitate peer-to-peer transactions and the future of Bitcoin swaps with stablecoins. Dan & Danny als...
Feb 14, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 635
Stephan and Nicolas discuss the evolution of Bitcoin banking, the role of Galoy, and the impact of regulatory changes on the Bitcoin ecosystem. They explore the differences between Bitcoin and fiat banking, the potential for local and global Bitcoin banks, and the future of Bitcoin custody and lending. The discussion also touches on the challenges posed by regulations and how recent changes may open up opportunities for banks to offer Bitcoin services. Nicolas also discusses Lana - a platform de...
Feb 10, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 634
Mason Carter, co-founder of Acropolis, chats about the adoption of Bitcoin in corporate treasury management. Stephan & Mason discuss the challenges faced by businesses in managing their treasury, the role of Bitcoin as a potential solution, and the importance of custody and regulatory considerations. Mason also shares insights on how companies can get started with Bitcoin, the impact of recent accounting changes, and the future of Bitcoin in banking. They then conclude the conversation with ...
Feb 06, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 633
Julian and Peruvian Bull join Stephan to discuss the origins of the Federal Reserve - its creation in 1913 and its implications on the economy. They explore the recent awakening of public awareness regarding economic disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 and the role of central banking in these issues. The discussion contrasts the historical significance of 1913 with the events of 1971, emphasizing the Federal Reserve's influence on monetary policy and the illusion of free markets. They also talk ...
Jan 31, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 632
In this conversation, Ben Kaufman discusses the evolving relationship between Bitcoin and government, the implications of political engagement for Bitcoiners, and the advancements in self-custody technology. He introduces Miniscript, a programming language for Bitcoin that enhances the flexibility of spending conditions, and explores innovative use cases, particularly in inheritance planning. The discussion also emphasizes the evolving landscape of Bitcoin self-custody, focusing on the security ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 631
Andrew Hohns discusses the maturation of Bitcoin collateralized finance, the unique characteristics that make Bitcoin an exceptional form of collateral, and the innovative financing model of Battery Finance. In this conversation, Andrew also discusses the complexities of capital markets, the challenges posed by inflation for credit investors, and the potential of Bitcoin as a transformative tool in structured finance. He emphasizes the importance of understanding investor needs, managing risks a...
Jan 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 630
In this episode, NVK, co-founder and CEO of CoinKite, discusses the fundamentals of Bitcoin self-custody. He covers the importance of self-custody, the different forms of Bitcoin ownership, the significance of private keys, best practices for securing Bitcoin, and tips for choosing the right hardware wallet. NVK highlights that self-custody is a high-responsibility activity and provides practical advice for managing Bitcoin securely. Stephan & NVK discuss the trade-offs associated with diffe...
Jan 22, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 629
In this episode, Susie Ward discusses her advocacy for Bitcoin in the UK, focusing on media misrepresentation and regulatory challenges. She critiques the BBC's negative coverage of Bitcoin, highlighting the importance of accurate information and the impact of misinformation on public perception. The conversation then shifts to the FATF travel rule, exploring its implications for privacy and the ineffectiveness of traditional financial regulations in combating money laundering. Susie emphasizes ...
Jan 16, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 628
In this conversation, OpnState shares his journey from a disillusioned banker to a policy advisor focused on compliance and anti-money laundering (AML) laws. He discusses the complexities of financial regulations, the erosion of individual rights, and the impact of global standard-setting bodies like the FATF on national sovereignty. OpnState emphasizes the presumption of guilt in financial transactions and the challenges posed by compliance culture, while also addressing the future of self-host...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 627
In this episode of SLP, the discussion revolves around the advancements in Bitcoin hardware and software, focusing on wallet recommendations for beginners, the trade-offs between different types of wallets, and the importance of hardware wallets for securing Bitcoin. Ben & K3tan share their insights on when to transition from software to hardware wallets, the significance of recovery processes, and the evolving landscape of Bitcoin tools and options available to users. They also discuss vari...
Jan 12, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 626
Maya Parbhoe, a presidential candidate from Suriname and Bitcoin advocate, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and her vision for her country. She discusses the challenges Suriname faces, including economic issues, corruption, and the lack of a capital market. Maya emphasizes the potential of Bitcoin to transform the economy and governance in Suriname, advocating for decentralization and transparency to combat corruption. She outlines her plans for a technocratic government and the importance ...
Jan 02, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 625
In this conversation, Giovanni Santostasi shares his insight about the power law and its application to Bitcoin. Giovanni starts with his journey of discovering Bitcoin, his background in data analysis, and how he applies scientific methods to understand Bitcoin's behavior. The discussion delves into the concept of power laws, their prevalence in nature, and how they can be used to model various phenomena, including economic systems. Giovanni critiques traditional economic models and emphasizes ...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 624
In this conversation, Miljan from Primal discusses the significant updates in the Nostr protocol and the launch of Primal 2.0. The discussion covers the evolution of Nostr, the introduction of a feed marketplace that empowers users, and the diverse communities forming around the platform. Miljan highlights the new features of Primal 2.0, including long-form content capabilities, advanced search functionalities, and the ethical monetization model of Primal Premium. The conversation emphasizes the...
Dec 16, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 623
Bumi & Stephan explore the evolution of Alby from a browser extension to a self-custodial Lightning wallet, Alby Hub. The conversation delves into the integration of Nostr for self-sovereign digital identity, security considerations for browser extensions, and the role of LSPs in channel management. Bumi explains the architecture of Alby Hub, its user experience, and pricing models, emphasizing the importance of integrating Bitcoin into various applications. They also discuss the cost struct...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 622
PlanC and Sminston to discuss the power law as it applies to Bitcoin. They explore the implications of power law on Bitcoin's price, volatility, and market dynamics, emphasizing its predictive capabilities and the diminishing returns over time. The conversation focuses on the technical aspects of power law, its historical accuracy, and potential factors that could disrupt its validity. The hosts also touch on the S-curve phenomenon in Bitcoin adoption and the overall health of the Bitcoin market...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 621
Matthew Zipkin and Stacie Waleyko discuss the current state of Bitcoin open source development, the various layers of Bitcoin development, and the need for more contributors in the ecosystem. They emphasize the importance of education and innovative approaches to learning Bitcoin development, sharing success stories from their programs aimed at increasing participation in the Bitcoin community. In this conversation, Matthew and Stacie also share their insights on the various ways individuals can...
Nov 28, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 620
Sina, COO and co-founder of 21st Capital, discusses the application of power law in understanding Bitcoin's growth. He explains how his empirical research led to the development of a power law model that accurately describes Bitcoin's historical price behavior. The discussion delves into the mechanisms behind this model, the reliability of its predictions, and the impact of market maturity on Bitcoin's growth trajectory. Sina also introduces quantile models to provide a probabilistic view of fut...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 619
Tom Nelson discusses the misconceptions surrounding climate change, particularly the belief that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary driver of climate change. He argues that this notion is a significant part of a larger narrative that has been perpetuated for decades, leading to alarmism and extreme policies. The discussion also touches on the evolution of climate catastrophism, the implications of the net zero agenda, and the role of media and funding in shaping public perception. Nelson emphas...
Nov 22, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 618
Joe Quirk, president of the Seasteading Institute, discusses the innovative concept of seasteading, which proposes creating floating societies on the ocean as a solution to the limitations of land-based governance. Quirk shares his personal journey into the world of seasteading, drawing parallels between cruise ships, Burning Man, and the potential for self-governing communities at sea. He explores the practicalities of building seasteads, the challenges faced, and the legal frameworks necessary...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 617
Steve and Lyn delve into the complexities of Bitcoin consensus, discussing the motivations behind their project analyzing consensus risks in protocol upgrades. They explore the technical and economic aspects of Bitcoin, the evolution of its consensus mechanisms, and the various stakeholder groups involved in decision-making processes. The discussion also highlights the importance of awareness among Bitcoin users regarding potential changes and the historical context of contentious changes in Bit...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 616
Roman Martinez, Lexi & Stephan discuss the evolving real estate landscape in El Salvador, particularly in the context of Bitcoin adoption. They explore the motivations of various buyers, the impact of recent changes in infrastructure and regulations, and the unique challenges and opportunities present in the market. The conversation also touches on the importance of trust in real estate transactions and the varying expectations of foreign buyers regarding property quality and development. Le...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 615
In this conversation, Freddie New, general counsel at The Little Car and Head of Policy at Bitcoin Policy UK, discusses the evolution of Bitcoin regulation in the UK. He highlights the historical context of regulatory attitudes, the role of the Law Commission in recognizing Bitcoin as property, and the challenges posed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The conversation also touches on banking access issues, the impact of fraud concerns, and the future of Bitcoin custodianship. They also ...
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 614
Eric Yakes & Tyler Stevens join me to discuss their efforts to build a Bitcoin-focused community in Denver through various events, educational initiatives, and sustainable financial practices. Summary In this episode, Stephan Livera hosts Eric Yakes and Tyler Stevens to discuss the burgeoning Bitcoin community in Denver and their initiative to establish a dedicated Bitcoin space. They explore the dynamics of the local Bitcoin scene, the vision behind creating a community-driven hub, and the ...
Nov 06, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 613
