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Stephan Livera Podcast (Stephan Livera)

stephan.livera@gmail.com
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DateTitreDurée
18 Jun 2024Updates on Ark with Tiero SLP58401:09:05

Tiero of Ark Labs joins me on the show to discuss the latest with Ark. We get into: 

  • How Ark has changed since initial proposal

  • clARK - covenant-less ARK

  • Trade offs to make clARK happen

  • Which covenants would help vs what is ideal for Ark

  • Ark on Liquid 

  • Capital requirements and costs

  • Fiatcoins

  • Nostr

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:37) - What is Ark? ELI5 version

(05:42) - Tradeoffs of scaling payments

(07:41) - Interchangeably using LN & Ark under the hood

(10:52) - Updates on Ark 

(13:57) - What are out-of-round payments?

(17:48) - Trade Offs of out-of-round payments

(19:45) - The fee structure in Ark

(21:39) - Sponsors

(24:15) - Who runs the ASPs?

(28:55) - ‘Congestion control’ with Ark

(33:06) - The role of covenants with Ark

(39:44) - Ark on Liquid

(41:20) - Sponsors

(43:49) - The ideal covenant & its impact on Ark

(48:00) - Thoughts on extreme conservatism on Bitcoin

(52:55) - Way forward with Ark Labs

(56:18) - Opportunities & threats of stablecoins on Ark?

(1:02:39) - NIP46 & building Nostr Connect

(1:06:40) - Summary & closing thoughts 

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

29 Jan 2021SLP247 Luke Gromen - Does Bitcoin Recreate The Hunger Games?00:55:12

Luke Gromen, founder of FFTT (Forest for the Trees) joins me to talk about his views on Bitcoin. We chat:

  • Bitcoin as store of value, medium of exchange bifurcated
  • Does Bitcoin recreate the Hunger Games?
  • Bitcoin as Smoke Alarm
  • US Govt debt
  • Why rates can’t rise?

Luke Gromen links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

01 Apr 2020SLP162 Matt D’Souza - Bitcoin Halving Analysis: Bullish for Competitive Miners00:56:24

Matt D’Souza CEO of Blockware Solutions joins me to talk about his team’s recent research piece on Bitcoin Halving and analysis from a mining perspective. In this conversation, we chat:

  • Market participant profiles
  • Miner electricity distribution
  • Shut off and breakeven cost
  • Mining Rigs
  • Scenario Analysis
  • Why some miners operate at a loss
  • Difficulty adjustment dynamics
  • Why Efficient miners welcome the halving

Matt D’Souza links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

18 Aug 2021SLP301 Bitcoin Mining Pools Decentralised? A Discussion with Pavel Moravec of SlushPool & Ryan Ellis of Laurentia Pool01:24:46

How should Bitcoin mining be structured? Pavel Moravec of SlushPool (Braiins) and Ryan Ellis of Laurentia Pool join me to chat. We discuss:

  • Why pools exist
  • How to structure mining pools
  • Trade offs around decentralisation of pools
  • Coinbase payouts vs other ways
  • Lightning payouts
  • Scalability for mining pools
  • Stratum v2

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links: 

19 Feb 2021SLP253 Samson Mow Blockstream Jade, Liquid & Bitcoin Mining00:58:29

Samson Mow CSO of Blockstream rejoins me on the show to chat about what’s going on with the new Jade hardware wallet, updates on Liquid & Bitcoin Mining:

  • Jade hardware wallet
  • Blockstream Green
  • Why use Liquid vs Lightning
  • Blockstream Mining
  • Mining industry generally

Samson links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

11 Apr 2023SLP470 Correcting NYT Disinformation on Bitcoin with Pierre Rochard00:51:03

Pierre Rochard (VP of Research at Riot Platforms) rejoins me on the show to correct the NYT’s recent disinformation article on Bitcoin. We discuss:

  • Fundamental problems with the degrowth world view
  • Factual errors in the article
  • Demand response
  • Bitcoin mining has zero emissions
  • How Bitcoiners should respond

Links:

Sponsors:

10 May 2024A Shift in Bitcoin Developer Thought? with Brandon Black (aka reardencode) SLP57300:56:45

As you may know, at the recent Bitcoin++ conference, there was a ‘meeting of the minds’ and Brandon Black aka reardencode rejoins me on the show to discuss. We talk about: 

  • The state of various covenant proposals
  • What has shifted now in thinking
  • The promise of Great Script Restoration
  • Could it have bad side effects? 
  • Doing good engineering

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:


22 Apr 2024The cost to hack bitcoin hardware wallets with Dmitry Nedospasov SLP56601:23:32

Dmitry Nedospasov is a PhD in Chip Security, also known for his hardware wallet exploits in 2018 with the wallet.fail talk. Dmitry joins me to talk about hardware security in the world of bitcoin and how it compares with hardware chip security in other domains. We discuss:

  • The 2018 wallet.fail talk
  • Bitcoin compared with other industries
  • Realistic hardware wallet attack types
  • The cost of attacking a hardware device
  • Backups and Shamir’s Secret Sharing

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

11 Aug 2018SLP9 - Lightning UX and Routing, with Bryan Vu00:58:12
Bryan Vu, VP of Product at Lightning Labs joins me in this episode to sketch out a vision of what Lightning Network may evolve into. We discuss Lightning User Experience and Routing, and the benefits to users, merchants and exchanges.
27 Nov 2019SLP128 Jan Čapek - Stratum v2 Bitcoin Mining Protocol01:08:33

Jan Čapek, co-CEO of Braiins and working at Slush Pool joins me to talk about this an upgrade to a Bitcoin Mining protocol, Stratum. Stratum V2 is the next generation protocol for pooled mining. It focuses on making data transfers more efficient, reducing physical infrastructure requirements for mining operations, and increasing security. In this conversation we get into some detail about:

  • How Jan got into Bitcoin and Bitcoin Mining
  • How the original Stratum protocol came about
  • What is new about Stratum v2
  • Benefits of Stratum v2
  • Relation with BetterHash
  • Bitcoin Pools generally

Jan Čapek and Stratum Protocol Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

31 Jul 2020SLP197 Stephen Cole How to Run Your Local Bitcoin Meetup00:52:31

How do we grow Bitcoin’s community of self custodying HODLers? With Bitcoin Meetups! How do you organise and run one? What topics do you present? How do you get a venue? How do you keep people engaged? Stephen Cole of the OC Bitcoin Meetup joins me to discuss.

Stephen Cole links:

Sponsors:

Fund Bitcoin Open Source development: www.bitcoindevlist.com

Stephan Livera links:

14 Jan 2023SLP449 James O’Beirne OP_Vault - A New Way to HODL? 00:56:32

James O’Beirne (Bitcoin Core developer) rejoins me on the show to chat about OP_Vault. We discuss:

  • The history of the Vault idea
  • Precomputed vaults vs General covenants
  • What does a good vault look like?
  • How OP_Vault works
  • Who it’s for
  • What next with OP_Vault

Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

12 Feb 2023SLP458 AI and the Economy with Peter St Onge01:21:58

Peter St Onge rejoins me on the show to talk about AI and what it means from an economic perspective. Many believe that all the jobs will disappear or there will be massive economic chaos.

We discuss:

  • AI and what jobs it will take
  • What new jobs will be created?
  • What about UBI?
  • Implications for choosing a career
  • ChatGPT and political bias
  • Existential risks
  • Trillion dollar coins

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

20 Jun 2022SLP385 Nicolas Burtey - Central African Republic & Bitcoin Legal Tender00:55:43

Nicolas Burtey of Galoy Money rejoins me on the show to talk about his recent trip to Central African Republic and their new bitcoin legal tender push.

We chat:

  • The situation in the country today
  • Hurdles to adoption
  • Internet, Electricity and Smartphone penetration
  • What makes sense for bitcoin adoption in CAR?
  • Comparison with El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law
  • Galoy Money
  • El Salvador hosting central bankers and finance ministers

Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

29 Dec 2022SLP447 K3tan 2022 Year in Review00:59:01

K3tan of Ministry of Nodes rejoins me on the show to chat about his recent survey and review the year in Bitcoin. We discuss:

  • Practical tips on using Bitcoin
  • Which Bitcoin projects/software/hardware came out on top and why
  • Self sovereignty and adoption
  • Lightning
  • Fedimint, Cashu
  • What to expect for the next year

Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

05 Jun 2023SLP484 Robin Linus ZeroSync: Speeding up Bitcoin Initial Block Download (IBD)00:45:01

Robin Linus from the ZeroSync project joins me to talk about how ZKPs can be used to help people quickly get started using Bitcoin. We discuss:

  • What ZKPs are and what they can be used for
  • Speeding up IBD
  • Contrasting ZeroSync with utreexo and assumeutxo
  • UTXO set commitment
  • Blockstream satellite
  • What’s being verified? 
  • Different types of nodes

Links:

Sponsors

Stephan Livera links:

25 Oct 2018SLP29 - Samourai Wallet, Bitcoin privacy software that Silicon Valley would never build01:08:58
One of the pseudonymous founders of Samourai Wallet joins me in this exciting episode to talk about Bitcoin privacy techniques that are applied within the wallet and upcoming improvements to their Bitcoin wallet app. Anyone interested to learn more about how Samourai Wallet helps protect privacy will truly enjoy this episode.
10 Apr 2019SLP66 James O’Beirne - The truth about ‘power’ in Bitcoin00:57:45

James O’Beirne, Bitcoin Core Engineer at Chaincode Labs joins me in this episode to talk about the real nature of ‘power’ and control within Bitcoin. It’s not as simple as it might first seem! We talk about: 

  • Differing conceptions of ‘power’ in Bitcoin
  • Peer to peer network governance
  • Bitcoin Core development
  • Assume utxo

James O’Beirne links:

Discussed in episode: 

Stephan Livera links:

11 Jul 2022SLP392 Pete Rizzo - Is Bitcoin Maximalism Still Needed? 01:00:44

Pete Rizzo, Editor at Bitcoin Magazine and Editor-at-large at Kraken rejoins me on the show to talk about Bitcoin Maximalism. There has been some discussion recently on the role of the ‘toxic’ Maximalists, and Pete has clarified some thinking on this in his recent article and discussion on this topic. We talk:

  • What is Bitcoin Maximalism
  • What do maximalists believe?
  • Social and cultural arguments
  • Technical aspects
  • Is it still needed?

Links:

Sponsors

Stephan Livera links:

03 Feb 2020SLP146 Will Cole - Bitcoin Native Financial Services01:04:12

Will Cole, CPO of Unchained Capital joins me to talk about:

  • Learning about bitcoin and austrian economics
  • Bitcoin meet ups and the shifts over time
  • Getting ready for a bull run
  • Bitcoin and allodial title
  • Wyoming Blockchain taskforce
  • Unchained Capital vaults and loans
  • Bitcoin as collateral

Will Cole links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

22 Mar 2021SLP261 Dominic Frisby - Bitcoin vs Daylight Robbery (Taxation)01:22:15

Dominic Frisby, comedian, author, financial writer and libertarian joins me on the show to talk about his latest book, Daylight Robbery.

We chat:

  • How taxes have impacted society
  • Low taxes for more prosperous societies
  • Bitcoin Citadels and patronage
  • Bitcoin’s impact on taxes
  • Bitcoin Nomads
  • Surveillance and Platforms

Dominic links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

16 Dec 2019SLP134 Rusty Russell - Lightning Multi Part Payments01:03:16

Rusty Russell from Blockstream rejoins me in this episode to talk about a very exciting development in Bitcoin’s Lightning Network: Multi Part Payments. This is a new feature that will be implemented into the Lightning Network specification, and will be included in the new c-lightning 0.8.0 release. We talk about:

  • Development work ongoing
  • Multi Part Payments and how they change Lightning Network
  • Payment Secrets
  • Privacy on Lightning Network
  • Outlook for Lightning Network in 2020

Rusty Russell links

Prior episodes with Rusty:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

02 Nov 2020SLP223 Preston Pysh Bitcoin's Final Cycle?01:03:43

Preston Pysh of We Study Billionaires joins me on the show to talk about what Bitcoin’s final cycle might look like. How would we know if we’re going through the final cycle? How likely is it? Will corporates buying bitcoin be weak hands or strong hands? What about governments trying to shut Bitcoin down?

Preston Pysh‘s Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

27 Jul 2021SLP295 John Lee Quigley Why Bitcoin Mining Is Shifting to North America00:55:37

Historically, Bitcoin Mining as an industry was dominated by China. John Lee Quigley (formerly of Compass Mining, and now independently consulting and writing) rejoins me on the show to talk about his recent report on the state of Bitcoin mining. We talk about the various factors going into this generational shift. Listen to this episode to understand some of the dynamics, gleaned from John’s in depth research and interviews on the subject. We chat:

  • Historical reasons for China’s dominance
  • Why its changing now
  • Mining equipment upgrade cycle
  • Capital market access
  • Regulatory certainty
  • Downsides of this shift

John Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

18 Jul 2023SLP492 eSIMs for Privacy and Convenience - silent.link00:48:47

Have you considered using eSIMs instead of your typical telco mobile phone SIM? Silent.link joins me to talk about: 

  • How the online eSIM service works and costs
  • Privacy and security with phones
  • How carriers have you pwned
  • zero-day exploits
  • Convenience and traveling with an eSIM
  • Experiences using Bitcoin and Lightning

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan links:

11 Dec 2020SLP236 Nic Carter Stablecoins: Bullish or Bearish For Bitcoin?01:13:47

Nic Carter of Castle Island Ventures, author and podcaster in the space joins me to talk about stablecoins.

  • What are stablecoins?
  • Who uses them?
  • What kind of volumes are we talking about?
  • What kind of platform risks are involved?
  • Are they bullish or bearish for Bitcoin?
  • STABLE act
  • Outlook for stablecoins going forward

Nic Carter links:

Relevant episodes:

Sponsors:

25 Dec 2023Elizabeth’s War on Bitcoin with Pierre Rochard (SLP535)01:16:52

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

18 Aug 2024Getting on Zero with Sahil - SLP59800:56:05

Sahil Chaturvedi, Designer at Foundry joins me to share his experience of getting on zero fiat and fully embracing Bitcoin as a unit of account. We discuss: 

🔸#GetOnZero fiat  

🔸Tools required to crossover 

🔸Tax implications

🔸Weathering volatility

🔸Using intermediaries to live on a Bitcoin Standard 

Summary

Sahil discusses the concept of 'Get On Zero' and the reasons behind it. The conversation explores the concept of 'get on zero,' which means minimizing fiat currency holdings and maximizing Bitcoin holdings. He explains that the idea originated from a Twitter space conversation and grew into a community discussing tactics and strategies for minimizing the amount of fiat currency held. Sahil emphasizes the importance of rethinking the function of fiat currency and considering it as a payment rail to move Bitcoin rather than an asset to hold. He also addresses objections related to fiat-denominated obligations, volatility, and the perception of being a hardcore Bitcoiner. 

Sahil highlights the need for specific tooling, including interfaces with the legacy system, instant conversions between fiat and Bitcoin, fiat cards that auto-convert Bitcoin balances, and tax automation. Sahil explains that he personally holds 100% Bitcoin and sees it as a simple and beautiful way to manage his finances. He addresses the tax implications of using Bitcoin as a currency, emphasizing that capital gains tax is only applicable when there is a gain compared to holding fiat currency. Sahil also discusses the challenges and considerations for individuals, families, and businesses in adopting the 'get on zero' approach.

Takeaways

  • ‘Get On Zero’ is the concept of minimizing the amount of fiat currency held and rethinking the function of fiat as a payment rail to move Bitcoin.

  • Objections related to fiat-denominated obligations can be addressed by considering the function of fiat currency and converting at the last millisecond.

  • Volatility is a consideration, and building up a balance of savings is important to weather volatility.

  • Specific tooling, such as interfaces with the legacy system, instant conversions, fiat cards, and tax automation, is necessary to achieve #GetOnZero. The 'get on zero' approach involves minimizing fiat currency holdings and maximizing Bitcoin holdings.

  • Using Bitcoin as a currency can simplify financial management and eliminate the need to constantly buy and sell assets.

  • Capital gains tax is only applicable when there is a gain compared to holding fiat currency.

  • Tooling and technology play a crucial role in enabling individuals and businesses to adopt the 'get on zero' approach.

  • Considerations for families and businesses include tooling, income vs. expenses, and the need for a cash balance for stability.

  • Using intermediary companies and physical cash can be alternative ways to spend Bitcoin while minimizing fiat currency usage.

  • The 'get on zero' approach may not be suitable for those who are strictly anti-KYC or uncomfortable with Bitcoin's volatility.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:23) - Managing the USD obligations & rethinking function of fiat currencies

(04:43) - Should ‘Get on Zero’ be considered as a ‘purity’ test?

(07:46) - Navigating the volatility of Bitcoin 

(13:20) - Tools & services required to ‘Get on Zero’

(19:35) - Sponsor

(20:53) - Tools & services required to ‘Get on Zero’ contd.

(27:21) - Balancing cash and Bitcoin 

(30:04) - Tax implications of ‘Get on Zero’ lifestyle

(35:51) - Sponsor

(37:05) - Sahil’s personal experience of getting on zero fiat

(42:16) - Is it practical for families & businesses to ‘Get on Zero’?

(49:40) - Using intermediaries to live on a Bitcoin standard

(51:40) - Managing physical cash, Spending Bitcoin instead of ‘Selling’ Bitcoin

(55:16) - Outro

Links: 

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

24 Feb 2025Bitcoin Scaling, 'Ossification' and OP NEXT with Will Foxley | SLP63701:00:44

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 collaboration and open dialogue to address scaling challenges and the evolving landscape of Bitcoin. Stephan and Will also deep dive into the evolving landscape of Bitcoin mining, highlighting the impact of the China mining ban, the professionalization of the industry, and the relationship between miners and developers. The diverse perspectives on transaction fees, the challenges faced by public and private miners, and the importance of custodians in securing Bitcoin are some of the other key points that are raised as well. 

Takeaways

🔸BlockSpace Media aims to fill the gap in Bitcoin media.

🔸OP NEXT is a revival of the scaling Bitcoin conference.

🔸Scaling Bitcoin is not an urgent issue at the moment.

🔸The conference focuses on bringing together developers and miners.

🔸Institutions play a crucial role in Bitcoin's future.

🔸The ossification debate is about necessary changes versus bug fixes.

🔸Public Bitcoin miners are becoming more involved in development discussions.

🔸The future of Bitcoin may involve more custodial solutions.

🔸Conversations around scaling Bitcoin need to be inclusive.

🔸The importance of self-custody in the Bitcoin ecosystem. The Bitcoin mining ecosystem has dramatically changed post-China mining ban.

🔸Miners are increasingly professionalized and financially robust.

🔸There is a growing need for collaboration between miners and developers.

🔸Transaction fee dynamics reveal diverse miner perspectives.

🔸Public miners leverage capital differently than private miners.

🔸Diversification strategies are emerging among Bitcoin miners.

🔸The halving event significantly impacts miner survival rates.

🔸Custodians play a crucial role in Bitcoin security and wealth protection.

🔸Self-custody remains a viable option for many Bitcoiners.

🔸Engaging ossifiers can enrich the Bitcoin discourse.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:05) - What is BlockSpace Media?

(04:15) - Is Scaling Bitcoin a pressing issue right now?

(10:01) - How is OP Next different from other Bitcoin conferences?

(14:00) - What is Will’s view on the ossification debate?

(17:15) - Hosting OP Next at Strategy offices

(19:53) - Sponsors

(21:09) - Who will be at OP Next?

(25:23) - How do people perceive Bitcoin?

(30:50) - How has the Bitcoin mining ecosystem evolved over the years?; Impact of the China mining ban on hashrate distribution

(35:24) - The relationship between Miners and Developers

(36:24) - Sponsors

(39:00) - What are the different perspectives on Bitcoin’s transaction fees?

(44:31) - Public vs. Private miners: Efficiency and Capital Access

(50:39) - Survival of the fittest Bitcoin miners

(54:09) - What is the commercial feasibility of Bitcoin soft fork upgrades? 

(57:29) - Engaging with the Ossifiers / Bitcoin conservatives

Links: 

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:


19 Mar 2019SLP60 Askuwheteau & Ketominer of nodl - Plug and Play Bitcoin Lightning Nodes01:01:37

Askuwheteau and Ketominer of the nodl.it team join me to talk about the ‘plug and play’ Bitcoin Lightning full node hardware they are creating. We discuss: 

  • Bitcoin full node philosophy
  • Why they started a company
  • How to set up a Nodl device
  • Comparison with other plug and play node products
  • Future features coming

Askuwheteau, Ketominer & nodl links:

Stephan Livera links:

28 Nov 2022SLP435 Bitcoin Times Austrian Edition with Svetski01:03:34

Svetski (Founder of The Bitcoin Times) rejoins me on the show to chat about what he’s working on lately:

  • The Bitcoin Times as a new annual bitcoin publication
  • How and why he got into Austrian economics
  • How bitcoin changes our time preference
  • Explaining Bitcoin
  • Playing the long game with bitcoin adoption

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

08 Feb 2021SLP250 Andrew Henderson - Nomad Capitalism for Bitcoiners00:51:42

Andrew Henderson of Nomad Capitalist joins me on the show to talk about the benefits of nomad capitalism, using overseas residences and citizenships to obtain legal tax savings and increased freedom. We chat:

  • Huge tax savings possible
  • Risks and costs
  • Considerations for Bitcoiners
  • Being a nomad with a family
  • Jurisdictional competition
  • Adapting to a globally changing game

Andrew Henderson links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

17 Aug 2023SLP502 Validating Lightning Signer - Ken Sedgwick00:56:42

How can lightning users secure themselves even further? Just like how hardware wallets and secure elements can help secure your cold storage coins, Validating Lightning Signer (VLS) is a project aiming to help improve the way lightning security works. In this conversation with project co-founder Ken Sedgwick, we chat:

  • Why VLS is needed
  • How VLS works
  • Implementing part of the lightning state machine
  • What rules are covered? 
  • What lightning implementations are supported? 
  • The impact of lightning protocol changes
  • Interactions with watchtowers? 
  • How you can get involved

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

04 Nov 2023Entering a new Bitcoin bull cycle with Adam Back (SLP523)01:01:49

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

Relevant Episodes:

15 Mar 2021SLP259 Whit Gibbs - Bitcoin Mining For All With Compass Mining00:53:30

Whit Gibbs of Compass Mining joins me on the show to talk about his background in mining, and how the mining market is developing. We chat:

  • Hitting ROI on a mining machine
  • Current prices and costs
  • How to do it
  • Learning by doing and making mistakes
  • Mining equipment
  • Mining facilities
  • Hashrate distribution around the world
  • Recent raise

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

16 Feb 2024Dispelling False Narratives About Bitcoin with Daniel Batten SLP55001:13:17

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:

Prior episodes referred to

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

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
08 Sep 2018SLP19 - The Bitcoin Ecosystem, with Vortex (Jeffrey)00:53:26
Vortex (Jeffrey), a software developer and well known bitcoin YouTuber joins me in this episode to talk about the Bitcoin ecosystem. This interview is targeted for newbies to bitcoin, to help them understand the key components of the Bitcoin ecosystem. We also discuss: the Cryptocast network, the role of nodes in Bitcoin, Bitcoin development, his course Programming with Bitcoin, Fintech vs FinUI, and his outlook for the future.
04 Oct 2021SLP309 Easy CoinJoin Use For Desktop Is Here With Sparrow Wallet with Craig Raw00:54:55

Craig Raw, founder of Sparrow Wallet rejoins me on the show to talk about the latest: easy coinjoin for the desktop is now here with whirlpool being integrated into Sparrow Wallet. Sparrow Wallet might well make coinjoin much more accessible to users interested in bitcoin privacy.

Craig and I chat:

  • Latest updates
  • How Whirlpool in Sparrow works
  • STONEWALL privacy preserving spends in Sparrow
  • Implications of having multiple whirlpool clients
  • Electrum server back ends for Sparrow
  • Wallet business models

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

21 Jan 2020SLP143 Eduardo Gomez - Bitcoin as a source of truth in Venezuela01:24:48

Eduardo Gomez, head of customer support at Purse.io joins me to talk about some interesting developments in Venezuela and bitcoin being used to transfer value across borders. We talk about:

  • Eduardo’s background
  • Bitcoin as source of truth
  • Petro
  • Stablecoins
  • What’s needed in terms of tooling and education
  • Bitcoin in Argentina

Eduardo links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

12 Sep 2022SLP412 Moritz of Alby - Making Lightning On the Web Easy00:55:01

Alby is an exciting project that allows us to easily interact with lightning on the web. Moritz from the team joins me to talk about:

  • How Alby started
  • Influence from joule
  • Lighting paywall plugin for WordPress
  • Interoperability using lightning
  • Lightning address, LNURL, WebLN
  • Privacy and security

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

14 Nov 2023Bitcoin’s Blocksize Scarcity with Bob Burnett of Barefoot Mining (SLP525)01:03:50

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

20 Jun 2019SLP81 Dan Held - Why Bitcoin’s Security is Fine00:58:05

Dan Held, Co-Founder of Interchange rejoins me in this episode to talk about the long term security of Bitcoin as it transitions to transaction fee (away from block subsidy). We discuss whether this will be a problem, or whether Bitcoin will be OK. 

  • Basic statement of the concern
  • The modelling behind why Dan believes Bitcoin’s security is fine
  • The increasing ‘weight’ of a bitcoin transaction
  • How bitcoin usage will evolve in the future
  • Value of Bitcoin conference reflections e.g. is Proof of Work wasteful or environmentally destructive

Dan Held Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

19 Jul 2024The Fertility Crisis and Cultural Answers to it with Daniel Hess SLP59201:14:53

The global fertility crisis is on with many western and developed nations below replacement fertility. Joining me to discuss this problem is Daniel Hess (aka @MoreBirths on X). 

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro 

(00:54) - How bad is the global fertility crisis?

(04:50) - Implications of low birth rate for future generations

(09:54) - Causes for declining global rate of fertility

(11:53) - Marriages affecting birth rate

(15:38) - Religion affecting birth rate

(17:36) - Fertility rate in the East

(21:28) - The impact of government policies on fertility rate

(25:47) - Sponsors

(27:43) - Urban planning & fertility rates

(32:40) - The impact of welfare state on fertility rates

(36:00) - Taking cues from the fall of Roman empire

(41:16) - Insights from the population curve of South Korea

(45:05) - Sponsors

(47:30) - The ‘3 Child Norm’

(52:57) - The lessons from ‘Baby Boomers’

(55:38) - Recalibrating expectations

(59:13) - The importance of low time preference 

(1:04:00) - Deregulating childcare

(1:14:20) - Outro

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

21 Dec 2020SLP238 Zach Herbert & Ken Carpenter - Passport by Foundation Devices: Air Gapped Hardware Wallet01:03:42

The market for high quality hardware wallets is becoming more competitive with new entrants over time. Zach Herbert & Ken Carpenter of Foundation Devices join me to talk about their new upcoming product, Passport. Passport is fully air gapped (QR or microSD), PSBT, and designed with an open source mindset. We chat:

  • Zach and Ken’s history with Obelisk prior to Foundation
  • Overview of Passport
  • Features
  • Approach with software
  • QR air gapping
  • Seed Generation
  • Firmware updates
  • Pricing and Timing

Guest links:

Relevant episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

09 Nov 2023Natalism and Bitcoiners with Malcolm Collins (SLP524)00:58:00

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

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

Malcolm’s links mentioned:

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

15 Jan 2019SLP47 Giacomo Zucco - Custodial LN, Altcoins, Financialisation, Attacks on Bitcoin01:15:10

Giacomo Zucco, well known Bitcoin advocate, Supremo of BHB Network, and bitcoin consultant/teacher joins me in this episode. We talk:

  • His Bitcoin 'rage quit'!
  • The recent trend of Lightning Network custodial wallets, and whether this is on net a good or bad thing
  • Thoughts on altcoins - are some of them honest, good faith efforts? Might they be technologically interesting, but still not monetarily relevant?
  • Bitcoin financialisation - Does Bitcoin need financialisation or does finance need Bitcoin?
  • Attacks on Bitcoin that may come

Giacomo links:

Stephan links: 

09 Apr 2021SLP266 Croesus_BTC - Bitcoin: Stake Your Claim Before Everyone Else01:02:19

Croesus_BTC joins me to talk about why the yuppie elite do not like Bitcoin, making simplified bitcoin content, adoption and cycles, speculative attacks on fiat, and staking your claim on your ‘fair share’ of Bitcoin. Don’t miss this one!

Croesus_BTC links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

26 Jul 2020SLP195 nix-bitcoin: A Security Focused Bitcoin Node01:03:06

Nix-Bitcoin is a designed to be a more secure Bitcoin node, based on NixOS. Pseudonymous developer, nixbitcoindev joins me to explain more about why and how. What are the benefits of reproducibility? What else can be done from a security perspective to secure your bitcoin node? Will it be easy to use or only for technical people?

Nix-Bitcoin links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

15 Oct 2020SLP219 Nadav Kohen - What You Should Know About Bitcoin DLCs01:08:20

What are Discreet Log Contracts? Are they just for degenerate gamblers or is there a business use here? Nadav Kohen of Suredbits joins me to talk about what they are, why they’re useful and how they work.

  • Why Use DLCs over multisig?
  • Trust and Privacy
  • Funding and Contract Execution Transactions
  • Oracles and associated problems
  • Lightning DLCs
  • DLC Spec

Nadav‘s Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

09 Mar 2019SLP57 Alex Adelman, Founder of Lolli - How Newbies Can Earn Bitcoin00:55:34

Alex Adelman, CEO and Founder of Lolli joins me to talk about How Newbies Can Earn Bitcoin. We'll be discussing: 

  • Psychology around bitcoin today 
  • Earning vs buying 
  • Privacy & security in a custodial world 
  • Merchant & consumer adoption 
  • Self sovereign, personal banking 

Alex Adelman and Lolli Links: 

Stephan Livera links:

21 Sep 2023HODLing through the cycles with American HODL (SLP515)01:26:59

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

05 Mar 2023SLP463 Bitcoin Transaction Pinning, ANYPREVOUT & eltoo with Greg Sanders (Instagibbs)01:02:21

Greg Sanders of Blockstream joins me to talk about Transaction Pinning, ANYPREVOUT and eltoo. We discuss a range of questions:

  • What is Transaction Pinning?
  • How does mempoolfullrbf help?
  • Transaction Pinning vectors and possible fixes
  • v3 transaction relay
  • Overview of ANYPREVOUT
  • Improvements with eltoo
  • LN Penalty contrasted with LN Symmetry
  • Scaling Bitcoin longer term

Relevant episodes:

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

28 Jan 2023SLP454 Dante Cook Bitcoin as the Shipping Container of Money01:00:59

Dante Cook of Swan Business joins me on the show to chat about:

  • Athletes and Bitcoin
  • Proof of Work
  • Shipping Containers and Bitcoin
  • The need for entrepreneurs
  • The old system fighting the new
  • Bitcoin for businesses

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

14 Jan 2020SLP141 American HODL - HODLer stories and Bitcoin Citadels01:13:56

American HODL of Bitcoin Twitter joins me to tell us his stories of Bitcoin HODLing, how he built up his conviction in Bitcoin HODLing, and where we’re going with this:

  • Modern society and the impact of fiat money
  • HODLer stories
  • Spend and replace vs HODL
  • Bitcoin Baby steps
  • Bitcoin Citadels - will they be real?

Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

22 Jun 2022SLP386 Roy Sheinfeld - The Utility Of Bitcoin & Lightning01:01:05

Roy Sheinfeld of Breez rejoins me on the show to talk about various topics:

  • How lightning network is growing and maturing
  • Breez Merchant Point of Sale
  • Breez and Greenlight
  • LN Protocol development
  • Asynchronous payments
  • Splicing

Links:

Mentioned:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

13 Mar 2022SLP354 Josef Tetek - Why is Bitcoin HODLing rational?00:49:35

Josef Tetek of Trezor (and contributor at Bitcoin Magazine) joins me on the show to talk about:

  • The liberty movement in Europe
  • The connection between Austrian economics and bitcoin
  • Fractional and full reserve visions of bitcoin’s future
  • Why HODLing is rational
  • Nakamoto-Gresham’s law and how most get Gresham’s law wrong

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

16 May 2023SLP479 Defending Open Source with Jess Jonas of Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund 00:41:06

Jess Jonas, Chief Legal Officer of the Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund joins me to chat:

  • Overview the Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund - supported by Jack Dorsey, Alex Morcos, Martin White
  • What's the threat with the Tulip Trading Case? 
  • What are the open source licensing implications for developers? 
  • Secondary case and Bitcoin copyright claims

Site:

Sponsors:

27 Oct 2020SLP222 Jonas Nick and Tim Ruffing What’s MuSig2? What Does it Mean for Bitcoin Multisig?01:11:37

Confused about what MuSig2 is? As Bitcoin’s Schnorr Taproot soft fork has now been merged into Bitcoin Core (but not yet activated), it’s worthwhile understanding what some of the new multisignature schemes are for using Taproot. Jonas Nick and Tim Ruffing, cryptographers working at Blockstream join me on the show to talk about their latest, MuSig2.

Jonas Nick‘s Links:

Tim Ruffing‘s Links:

Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

04 Oct 2022SLP418 NVK Tapsigner: Bitcoin Hardware for the Masses?00:59:08

NVK of Coinkite rejoins me on the show to talk about how Tapsigner, a Bitcoin NFC Hardware card may be the next big iteration in UX for the masses given it’s price and ease of use. We chat:

  • Low cost hardware devices
  • Tapsigner features and use
  • Bitcoin and NFC support w/Nunchuk
  • SatsCard - the new OPENDIME
  • BlockClock Micro shipping
  • BitcoinTreasuries.Net
  • Bitcoin.Review - NVK’s new podcast

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

19 Mar 2022SLP356 Bitcoin: An Upgrade to 700 Year Old Accounting Tech01:20:36

Darin Feinstein, Founder of Core Scientific (Bitcoin Mining) joins me on the show to talk about Bitcoin as an upgrade on some very old accounting technology and what it could mean for our future. We get into:

  • Learning about Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin mining narratives - FUD and facts
  • Bitcoin’s importance for liberty
  • Challenges to Bitcoin fungibility
  • Bitcoin for human rights
  • EU Proof of Work ban?
  • The path forward

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

24 Sep 2019SLP109 Preston Pysh - How To Think About Bitcoin as an Investor01:01:18

Preston Pysh, co-host of The Investor’s Podcast (a globally ranked Investment podcast), joins me to talk about his thoughts on investing in Bitcoin. We talk about the category errors and pitfalls that an investor must be wary of when conceiving of the Bitcoin investment thesis.

We discuss:

  • Category errors
  • 80 years of conditioning
  • Investment career risk
  • Psychology and emotions, and how you can manage yours
  • Trace Mayer and the Mayer Multiple

Preston Pysh Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

03 Sep 2022 SLP410 Pete Rizzo Principles of Bitcoin Maximalism00:59:25

Pete Rizzo of Bitcoin Magazine rejoins me to chat about what bitcoin maximalists actually believe. We chat:

  • What maximalists actually believe and do
  • “Crypto minimalism”
  • What to do in cases of technical infeasibility
  • Commitment to slow change and enfranchising users

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

13 Nov 2020SLP226 Max Keidun Can Bitcoin Do DeFi and Lending? Hodl Hodl Lend00:55:52

What is DeFi? Should it be a thing in Bitcoin or is that just an altcoin gambling thing? Max Keidun, CEO of Hodl Hodl joins me to talk about Bitcoin DeFi and Hodl Hodl’s new product, Lend. We talk:

  • Bitcoin DeFi
  • Hodl Hodl Lend
  • Opening up a whole new lending market
  • Risks
  • Costs
  • How it might develop

Max Keidun links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

28 Aug 2020SLP205 Specter Desktop Bitcoin Multi Sig with Stepan Snigirev & Ben Kaufman01:04:41

Are you looking for an easy bitcoin multi signature wallet that doesn’t require an electrum server? Or perhaps one with support for different bitcoin hardware wallets and a different interface? Check out Specter-Desktop! Stepan Snigirev (CTO Crypto Advance) and Ben Kaufman (Specter Desktop contributor) join me to talk about the project.

  • Features
  • UX
  • Multi signature standards
  • HWI and HWW support
  • Design decisions
  • Looking for contributors

Links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

07 Jul 2022SLP391 Ben Carman - Bitcoin Privacy, Surveillance & LN Vortex01:01:15

Ben Carman (Bitcoin core contributor, working at The Bitcoin Company, co-organizer Austin BitDevs) joins me on the show to talk about the world of Bitcoin Privacy, the implications of surveillance on us all today, some of his ideas on improving Bitcoin Privacy, LN Vortex, P2P and the Austin BitDevs scene.

Links:

Sponsors

Stephan Livera links:

01 Apr 2021SLP264 Roy Sheinfeld Podcasting 2.0 & Lightning with Breez01:04:05

Roy Sheinfeld of Breez rejoins me on the show to talk about the latest with Breez and how Lightning Network is enabling a whole new world of possibilities.

We chat:

  • Breez updates
  • Merchant adoption of Breez
  • Lightning network podcasting
  • Taking payments offline
  • Cloud backups
  • Lightning development

Roy Sheinfeld links:

Relevant episodes:

Sponsors:

28 Jul 2018SLP2 - How Bitcoin "mentally captures" people with Vijay Boyapati01:00:42
In this episode with Vijay Boyapati, we discuss economics of Bitcoin. Most interesting is the concept that over time, more and more people are being 'mentally captured' by Bitcoin. Some other points discussed: Bitcoin progressing through stages of 'moneyness' Hype cycles of bitcoin HODL'ing as freeriding Confidence in Bitcoin
31 Aug 2020SLP206 Luke Childs - How To Recover Bitcoins & Umbrel01:08:19

Have you wondered how to recover bitcoins from a seed? Maybe your friend doesn’t remember which wallet they used? In this episode with Luke Childs, we talk about how to recover them into Electrum with his newly written tool.

We also talk about Umbrel, a new node package promising very easy set up.

We also chat about security, development and bitcoin coding.

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

24 May 2022SLP383 Alex Epstein - Fossil Future and Better Energy Conversations01:17:52

Alex Epstein, energy expert and author rejoins me on the show to talk about his newest book coming out, Fossil Future. We chat:

  • Updates to his thinking since the Moral Case for Fossil Fuels in 2014
  • Problems with our ‘knowledge system’ today
  • Fossil Fuels benefit deniers
  • “Climate Mastery”
  • What the Bitcoin community is getting right and wrong on energy
  • How free market energy advocates should be approaching their discussions

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

20 Nov 2023Has Business Been Exploiting Labour since 1971? with Gene Epstein (SLP527)01:13:43

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

18 Oct 2020SLP220 Is Bitcoin Democratic, And Is Democracy Good? With Saifedean and Alex Gladstein01:05:50

Is Bitcoin a democracy? Or is it more like a natural order? What about democracy in general, does that protect human rights and enable human flourishing? Saifedean and Alex Gladstein debate the question of whether democracy promotes human flourishing. This was moderated by Stephan Livera, initially on Saifedean’s online seminar.

Saifedean's Links:

Alex Gladstein's Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

14 Oct 2024Bitcoin Mining: The Most Flexible Energy Buyer with Kenji Tateiwa SLP60900:55:08

Summary

In this episode, Kenji Tateiwa, CEO of Agile Energy X, discusses his extensive background in nuclear engineering and the impact of the Fukushima disaster on public perception of nuclear energy. He explains the innovative concept behind Agile Energy X, which leverages wasted renewable energy through Bitcoin mining to address curtailment and grid congestion issues in Japan. Kenji elaborates on the unique flexibility of Bitcoin mining as an energy buyer and its potential role in the future energy landscape, including the integration of circular economy principles. The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities in Japan's energy production, particularly regarding nuclear energy and the need for a diverse energy portfolio.

Takeaways

  • Kenji Tateiwa has a strong background in nuclear engineering.

  • The Fukushima disaster significantly impacted public perception of nuclear energy.

  • Agile Energy X aims to utilize wasted renewable energy through Bitcoin mining.

  • Bitcoin mining can help solve curtailment and grid congestion issues.

  • The concept of 'Megawatt to MegaHash' connects energy production to Bitcoin mining.

  • Bitcoin mining is flexible and can be turned on and off as needed.

  • AI data centers are less flexible compared to Bitcoin mining.

  • Agile Energy X has a two-pronged strategy to hedge against market fluctuations.

  • The circular economy can be integrated into energy solutions.

  • Japan's energy future requires a diverse mix of energy sources.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:50) - Who is Kenji Tateiwa and what is TEPCO?

(05:34) - What are the various components of energy markets?

(06:30) - Fukushima and the perception of nuclear energy 

(09:42) - What is Agile Energy X & why was it created?

(14:15) - Convincing TEPCO to mine Bitcoin; Solving the energy issue

(16:14) - Understanding Curtailment and Grid Congestion

(20:06) - Sponsors

(23:10) - Megawatt to MegaHash: Bridging Energy and Bitcoin

(25:42) - Bitcoin Mining vs. AI Data Centers

(29:02) - The competitive landscape of Bitcoin mining

(33:26) - Sponsors 

(37:58) - Challenges and opportunities in Nuclear Energy

(42:12) - Curtailment of renewable energy could reach 42% in Japan by 2050?

(45:41) - Scaling Bitcoin mining in Japan

(47:02) - What is “The Ultimate Circular Economy”?

(51:28) - The future of Japanese energy production

(53:44) - The future of Agile Energy X

Links: 

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:


07 May 2021SLP273 Andy Edstrom - Bitcoin and Leverage: Don’t Get Rekt01:04:39

Andy Edstrom rejoins me on the show to talk about Bitcoin, leverage, and not getting Rekt! We chat:

  • What’s changed in the market in recent years
  • Why use leverage
  • Risks and costs with leverage
  • Supercycle or not
  • SWR and FIRE crossovers with collateralization
  • Bitcoin side hustles or jobs

Andrew Edstom links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

04 Nov 2019SLP122 PlanB - Responses to the S2F model00:59:52

PlanB (Pseudonymous Bitcoin Quant) rejoins me in this episode to talk about the response to his seminal work, Modeling Bitcoin’s Value with Scarcity. There have been some responses to his Stock to Flow (S2F) modelling work, so we talk:

  • The response to his articles and translations
  • What cointegration is and why it matters
  • Responses to PlanB’s modelling work
  • Cash and carry trade
  • Where to from here

PlanB Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

11 Oct 2019SLP116 Taylor Helsper - Easy Bitcoin Nodes with myNode00:57:31

Taylor joins me to talk about his project myNode which may be one of the easiest, cheapest and feature rich methods to run your own full node and connect to your own hardware wallet. We talk through the process, and some of the challenges that newbies face today, in setting up their own bitcoin full node.

Taylor Helsper myNode Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

06 May 2022SLP374 Adam O (DenverBitcoin) - Combating the ESG Mafia01:33:44

Adam O (DenverBitcoin) of Upstream Data rejoins me on the show to talk about the Bitcoin advocate community’s response to the ESG Mafia. Are there better ways to respond?

We chat:

  • ESG statistics and what would be better
  • Bitcoin’s rising energy use and prominence
  • Bitcoin Mining Council
  • Carbon accounting dishonesty
  • Is placating them a good strategy?

Links:

Previous Episode:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

05 Oct 2024The Next Big Print Sends Bitcoin to $350K with Lawrence Lepard SLP60801:03:39

Lawrence Lepard, Managing Partner, Equity Management Associates, joins me to discuss the national debt crisis, inflation, possible price suppression of hard assets and the contrasting roles of gold and Bitcoin as sound money. 

Summary

In this conversation, Stephan Livera and Lawrence Lepard delve into pressing economic issues, including the national debt crisis, inflation, and the contrasting roles of gold and Bitcoin as sound money. They discuss the implications of the upcoming US election on economic policies and the market dynamics of gold and Bitcoin. The conversation also touches on the potential for economic suppression and the future predictions for both gold and Bitcoin in light of current financial trends.

Takeaways

  • The national debt is accelerating and poses a significant risk.

  • Inflation is likely to rise again due to government policies.

  • Gold is currently viewed as a safe haven, but Bitcoin is seen as the future of sound money.

  • The upcoming US election could have major implications for Bitcoin and economic policies.

  • Gold ETFs have been shrinking while Bitcoin ETFs are growing, indicating a generational shift in investment.

  • The suppression of gold prices has been a long-standing issue, but Bitcoin may not face the same challenges yet.

  • Future predictions suggest Bitcoin could reach $300,000 and gold could hit $5,000 in the next economic crisis.

  • The need for sound money is becoming increasingly urgent as the dollar loses value.

  • A monetary reset may be necessary to address the current economic challenges.

  • Investors should consider diversifying into sound money assets like Bitcoin and gold.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:09) - US Govt. debt spiraling out of control

(07:17) - Gold’s reaction to crisis

(10:14) - Is inflation inevitable?; Managing interest rates

(18:24) - CPI & asset inflation; Overvaluation of assets

(24:18) - Sponsors

(26:34) - Who is buying the Gold?; Gold vs. Bitcoin 

(31:10) - Sponsors

(33:12) - What does the US election mean for Bitcoin?

(40:10) - What would cutting the size of the state look like?

(45:58) - The significance of Bitcoin advocacy

(48:43) - Gold & Bitcoin price suppression? 

(55:00) - Possible Executive order on Bitcoin in the future?

(57:07) - Will ‘The Next Big Print’ send Bitcoin to $350K?

Links: 

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

13 Jan 2021SLP242 Jonas Schnelli Maintaining Bitcoin Core: Contributions, Consensus, Conflict01:22:00

Jonas Schnelli, one of the Bitcoin Core maintainers joins me to talk about Bitcoin development, contribution, funding and the ecosystem of Bitcoin. We get into:

  • How contribution happens
  • How to deal with conflict as a maintainer
  • What rough consensus means
  • Taproot
  • Privacy
  • Lightning
  • Mining
  • Outlook for next 5 years

Jonas links:

Prior episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

31 May 2019SLP75 Giacomo Zucco - There is only one Bitcoin (Newbie episode)01:08:33

Giacomo joins me again in this episode to explain for newbies why there is only one Bitcoin. We cover common points of confusion that newbies and outsiders to Bitcoin may not grasp:

  • Forks of Bitcoin
  • Semantics and word games
  • Traps to avoid

Giacomo link:

Stephan Livera links:

26 Mar 2022SLP361 Rene Pickhardt - Pickhardt Payments & Zero Base Fee for Lightning Network01:04:23

Rene Pickhardt, independent researcher and bitcoin/lightning educator rejoins me to talk about his new approach to massively improving lightning payments reliability, and the various trade offs:

  • What the current approach is
  • What Pickhardt payments are
  • Constraints and trade offs
  • Reliability and privacy trade offs
  • Are there conflicts with other proposals to improve lightning network?
  • Zero Base Fee

Rene links:

Prior episode:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

26 Sep 2022SLP416 Per Bylund - How To Think About Economics00:46:32

Per Bylund, Senior Fellow of the Mises Institute rejoins me on the show to talk about his new intro book on economics, “How to Think About Economics”. This is a great new ‘first book’ on economics, especially in the Austrian tradition. We discuss:

  • How this book project came about
  • Austrian methodology
  • Comparison with other books
  • Rationing vs Production
  • Educating family and friends on Austrian econ

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

23 Jul 2020SLP194 RaspiBlitz with Rootzoll and Openoms01:06:50
Wondered how to set up your own bitcoin + lightning node? Raspiblitz  is a project offering a DIY node (or you can buy a premade one), with an  LCD screen. Rootzoll and openoms join me to discuss.

Raspiblitz links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

14 Jan 2024Covenant Use Cases & TXHASH with Steven Roose (SLP541)01:13:38

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:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

31 May 2021SLP280 BTCxZelko & Pavel - Reclaim Your Bitcoin Privacy with Ronin Dojo01:04:59

If you want the best privacy possible in Bitcoin, you want to use Samourai Wallet. And for the best way to use it, you need to use your own node. Zelko and Pavel join me to talk about the latest with Ronin Dojo, an easy way to do just that. We chat:

  • What it is
  • Who its for
  • Recent upgrades on the UI
  • Thoughts on hardware wallets
  • Other services and features offered
  • Best practice tips on privacy
  • Open source licensing
  • Getting support

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

25 Jul 2019SLP92 Britt Kelly - BTCPayServer documentation, translation & Newbie tips00:53:24

Britt Kelly joins me for the fourth and final episode in the BTCPayServer interview series. 

Britt and I chat about:

  • Getting into Bitcoin and BTCPayServer
  • What you can learn by contributing
  • Documentation of BTCPay
  • Translation of BTCPay
  • Tips for newbies
  • Reflections on being a female in Bitcoin and open source

Britt Kelly links:

SLP BTCPayServer series link:

https://stephanlivera.com/slp-btcpayserver-interview-series/

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

02 Jun 2021SLP281 Cory Klippsten - Bitcoin Is For Everyone, Swan Bitcoin $1B run rate, Bitcoiner Ventures, Elon’s mistakes00:57:32

Cory Klippsten, CEO and Founder of Swan Bitcoin joins me to talk about various topics:

  • Working in the bitcoin space
  • Teaching newcoiners
  • Growing the auto-stacking movement
  • The latest with Bitcoin Ventures
  • Elon Musk’s mistakes

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

18 Dec 2023Small Business for Bitcoiners with Bobby Shell (SLP534)00:52:26

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

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

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

29 Apr 2019SLP69 Saifedean Ammous - How governments could kill Bitcoin and Bitcoin scenarios01:01:47

Saifedean Ammous, Bitcoin economist and author of seminal book, The Bitcoin Standard, joins me in this episode. We talk about some of his recent research:

  • How governments could try to kill Bitcoin 
  • Why fiat money hyperinflation is not that likely
  • Why we can’t simply disregard gold
  • Thoughts on stock to flow modelling
  • Research Bulletins going forward

Saifedean links:

Stephan Livera links:

01 Sep 2018SLP17 - Bitmain, Bcash, Facebook Crypto rumours, and reframing scarcity with Vijay Boyapati00:59:52
Vijay Boyapati (Software engineer, Austrian economist) and I discuss the coming Bitmain IPO, the economic errors behind BCash, rumours of Facebook entering Crypto, reframing scarcity, hard money in earlier times, and how Bitcoin might fare in a broader market crash.
23 Aug 2023SLP504 Design Your Life With Jurisdictional Arbitrage - Coinsurenz01:03:23

Have you been wondering about how to design your lifestyle overseas? Rigel (aka coinsurenz) rejoins me on the show to talk about jurisdictional arbitrage in Latin America. We talk about some of his recent moves and his experiences as a bitcoin sovereign individual: 

  • Voice vs Exit - what about ‘staying and fighting’? 
  • Recent residency acquisition in Paraguay
  • How the Latam residency market has shifted
  • Common mistakes that digital nomads make
  • Owning vs Renting homes and storage lockers
  • Designing your life

Links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

04 Mar 2025The Bitcoin Strategy of Semler Scientific with Eric Semler | SLP64101:03:13

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 treasury strategies. He also addresses the concept of zombie companies and their potential to benefit from adopting Bitcoin as part of their financial strategy. The strategic timing for deploying Bitcoin in business operations, the high hurdle rate associated with Bitcoin investments, and the evolving landscape of Bitcoin treasury companies are few of the other aspects discussed in depth. 

Takeaways

🔸Semler Scientific was founded 20 years ago by Eric's father.

🔸The company focuses on medical devices, particularly for screening peripheral artery disease.

🔸Eric's journey with Bitcoin began in 2013 but solidified in 2017.

🔸He was influenced by notable figures like Tom Lee and Michael Saylor.

🔸The company adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy in May 2021.

🔸They faced regulatory challenges with the SEC during the adoption process.

🔸The board was supportive of the Bitcoin strategy despite initial skepticism.

🔸Eric believes that many companies should adopt a Bitcoin treasury strategy.

🔸Zombie companies are those with cash but lack growth and market interest.

🔸Eric advocates for these companies to consider Bitcoin as a valuable asset.  Tech CEOs may 🔸personally hold Bitcoin but hesitate to adopt it for their companies.

🔸Advising zombie companies to start with small Bitcoin investments can be effective.

🔸Calling a company a 'zombie' can be insulting and counterproductive.

🔸Companies should focus on accumulating Bitcoin rather than using it for operations.

🔸The hurdle rate for Bitcoin investments is exceptionally high.

🔸Market saturation could impact the success of Bitcoin treasury companies.

🔸Institutional investors have strict mandates that limit direct Bitcoin purchases.

🔸The current market drawdown may deter companies from investing in Bitcoin.

🔸Long-term strategies are essential for navigating Bitcoin's volatility.

🔸The potential for Bitcoin to exceed gold's value presents significant opportunities.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:54) - The story of Semler Scientific 

(06:09) - How did Eric stumble down the Bitcoin rabbit hole?

(09:10) - Semler Scientific adopting the Bitcoin Treasury Strategy

(16:34) - Convincing the stakeholders and the board of Semler Scientific to adopt BTC 

(18:32) - Exploring financial engineering to buy more Bitcoin

(20:42) - Sponsors

(22:57) - Semler Scientific’s value as a MedTech & Bitcoin Treasury company

(26:38) - How is the debt structured to acquire more Bitcoin?

(29:02) - What is the future of Bitcoin Treasury Companies?

(31:40) - What is a zombie company?; The case for Bitcoin in zombie companies

(36:00) - The role of Tech CEOs in Bitcoin adoption

(37:29) - Advising zombie companies on Bitcoin

(39:27) - Sponsors

(40:39) - Are zombie companies sensitive to criticism?

(43:58) - When should a company deploy Bitcoin in its business strategies?  

(46:45) - Should Bitcoin be a hurdle rate for investments?

(51:18) - Bitcoin treasury companies managing market saturation

(54:39) - Understanding the investor landscape for Bitcoin Treasuries

(59:33) - How does Semler navigate bear cycles? 

(1:01:53) - Closing thoughts

Links: 

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

17 Feb 2021SLP252 NVK Bitcoin Hardware Wallets vs Air Gapped Computers01:02:33

NVK, CEO of CoinKite joins me on the show to talk about hardware wallets, air gapped computers and all kinds of useful security questions. This episode will help you learn about the kinds of attacks possible against air gapped computers and hardware wallets, as well as bring some nuance and balance to the conversation about how people should use Bitcoin. We chat:

  • Locking down security
  • Attacks possible against air gapped computers
  • Multi sig vulnerabilities and standards
  • Helping newcoiners in the space
  • Balancing tradeoffs

NVK links:

Other links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

05 Apr 2023SLP469 Is the World Really Dedollarising? with Peter St Onge01:02:10

Peter St Onge rejoins me to talk about whether the world is really dedollarising. What kind of timeframe are we talking about here? We also talk through some recent developments from an austrian economics perspective: 

  • Dedollarisation
  • Cantillon Effects
  • Fictional Reserve Banking systems
  • Did the market really ‘choose’ FRB? 
  • How Bitcoin is really what most people think of as money
06 Dec 2021SLP327 Mike Germano - Going Against Fiat Media & Bitcoin Magazine Print Edition01:03:15

Mike Germano of Bitcoin Magazine (and previously of Vice) joins me to talk about his latest efforts with Bitcoin Magazine Print edition and to share his thoughts on media in today’s age.

We chat:

  • Why do a print magazine now
  • Is Bitcoin media overly US biased?
  • Why Fiat Media is getting Bitcoin wrong
  • Technical precision and accuracy in stories

Links:

Other episodes:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

24 Jan 2019SLP49 Marty Bent - Bitcoin content creation and curation, and 'mainstream' Economics00:48:34

Marty Bent, host of the Tales From the Crypt podcast, and editor in chief of Marty's Bent joins me in this episode. We talk about Bitcoin content creation and curation, and also touch on the shifts in thinking from 'mainstream' economics required to understand Bitcoin. 

Marty Bent links:

Stephan Livera links:

15 Aug 2022SLP406 Adi Shankara Bitcoin Needs Technologists & Summer of Bitcoin00:45:49

Adi Shankara (founder of Summer of Bitcoin) joins me on the show to chat about:

  • How he got into Bitcoin from a tech background
  • The Bitcoin scene in India
  • How the RBI actually gets Bitcoin (and doesn’t like it)
  • Why Bitcoin Needs Technologists
  • Summer of Bitcoin
  • How the program works
  • How you can support the program

Links:

Sponsors:

23 Jul 2022SLP397 Stack Hodler - Money Printing Around the World00:55:48

Stack Hodler, twitter anon investor joins me to chat:

  • Fiat currencies & #Bitcoin
  • JPY and Japanese bond market
  • Why you shouldn’t #GetOnZero
  • Credit Cycles
  • Mortgage Boycotts
  • BRICS

Links:

Sponsors

Stephan Livera links:

11 Feb 2019SLP52 Jack Dorsey & Elizabeth Stark - Bitcoin: Native Currency of the Internet00:52:08

Jack Dorsey (CEO of Twitter & Square) & Elizabeth Stark (CEO of Lightning Labs) join me to talk about the vision of Bitcoin as native currency of the internet. Bitcoin's principles, resilience, and being 'of the internet' are what make it special. In this special episode we discuss:

  • How Jack came to understand Bitcoin and view it as potentially the native currency of the internet
  • Why everyone is so excited about the Lightning Network
  • Lightning Torch
  • Square and the Cash App
  • Twitter & Bitcoin
  • Future internet business models possible with Lightning Network
  • Bitcoin as foundational to the internet and society

Jack Dorsey Links:

Elizabeth Stark Links:

Stephan Livera links:

31 Jan 2020SLP145 Rahim Taghizadegan - The Zero Interest Rate Trap and social consequences of fiat01:03:06

Rahim Taghizadegan, Austrian economist and author, joins me in this episode to talk about the problems with central banking, and social consequences of fiat money. If you enjoyed earlier episodes on Austrian economics, you’ll really enjoy this one! We talk:

  • Why central banking is a problem
  • What governments are enabled to do
  • Capital structure of production
  • Social consequences of fiat money
  • How to escape the Zero Interest Rate Trap

Rahim Links:

Sponsor links:

Stephan Livera links:

03 May 2021SLP272 Peter St Onge - Bitcoin Energy Double Standards & Why Robots Are Not Taking All Our Jobs01:13:55

Peter St Onge, Austrian economist and fellow at Mises Institute joins me on the show to talk about his thoughts on Bitcoin Energy use, and what Deflationary growth will look like. We chat:

  • Bitcoin energy costs
  • Fiat standard costs
  • Costs of recession
  • Deflationary growth
  • Keynesian ‘sticky wages’
  • UBI and MMT
  • Will robots take our jobs?

Peter St Onge links:

Sponsors:

Stephan Livera links:

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