Blockspace: AI & Bitcoin

Storm Rund, President of the Oklahoma Bitcoin Association, joins us to discuss the state of Bitcoin Strategic Reserve bills across the US. Storm breaks down the complex legislative process, explains why many bills fail despite strong support, and compares treasurer vs. pension fund approaches. He introduces the opportunity cost tracker that shows how much money states have lost by rejecting Bitcoin. The conversation concludes with insights on vibe coding, AI productivity, and how these technologies will reshape business models. Follow our guests: @Storm_R0 Notes: - Over half of US states have proposed SBR bills - Oklahoma SBR bill passed 77-15 then died in committee - Pension funds typically 4x larger than state funds - 5% Bitcoin allocation = $500M opportunity cost - Montana SBR had $50M cap with specific fund source - AI changing labor market in big tech companies Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:31 Current Bitcoin Reserve landscape 03:31 Bill process 07:05 Oklahoma example 11:53 Funding these state SBRs 12:43 Bill design matters 17:55 Bill funding 19:54 Treasury vs Pension funds 27:03 Crafting better bills 33:53 Opportunity cost tool 43:50 Vibe coding 49:07 AI changing business - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Janusz joins us to dive into the recent Coinbase customer data breach where overseas support agents were bribed to steal user information. We explore the fundamental vulnerabilities in KYC systems, the rising trend of physical attacks targeting crypto holders, and sophisticated phishing operations. Yanis offers practical alternatives to centralized exchanges and discusses how to maintain privacy while navigating regulatory requirements in the crypto space. Notes: - Coinbase hackers demanded $20M in Bitcoin ransom - Less than 1% of Coinbase customers affected - Physical crypto attacks increasing since 2022 - Support agents bribed to copy customer data - P2P alternatives avoid additional KYC exposure - Constitutional rights may extend to anonymous payments Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:15 Easy targets 03:09 Coinbase breach timeline 04:15 Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Video 06:58 The pitfalls of KYC 15:29 Junseth scam call 17:29 Arch Network 18:31 Know the risks 22:31 Protecting yourself - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth for Privacy, VP at Cake Wallet, joins us to discuss the ongoing Samurai Wallet legal case and its implications for Bitcoin privacy. Seth explains how the DOJ's prosecution of Samurai developers threatens the entire crypto privacy landscape, despite FinCEN's admission that self-custodial wallets shouldn't be regulated as money services. He breaks down Bitcoin's current privacy limitations, highlighting promising technologies like Silent Payments and Payjoin V2, while candidly addressing why Monero offers superior privacy by design. Are we re-living through the same cryptography battle we fought in the 90s? Follow our guests: @Sethforprivacy Notes: - Samurai indicted April 24, 2024, despite self-custody - 98% conviction rate in Southern District of NY - DOJ hid key FinCEN evidence from defense - Silent Payments gives one reusable static address - Payjoin V2 coming to Cake Wallet this week - Bitcoin privacy tools fighting transparent design Timestamps 00:00 Start 01:04 Samurai wallet legal case 06:30 Jurisdiction & charges 11:59 How significant is this case? 16:28 Arch Network 17:00 Current privacy on BTC 19:47 Silent payments 21:54 Payjoin V2 24:43 Privacy tech limits of BTC 27:42 Privacy soft forks 32:51 Future of oh-chain privacy 37:31 OP_RETURN debate - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What started as a technical proposal has exploded into community division, with accusations of "destroying Bitcoin" flying around. The hosts break down what OP_RETURN is, why some devs want to increase its size limit, and why others view it as enabling "spam" on the blockchain. At its core, this fight reveals deeper tensions about who controls Bitcoin's future and what the network should be used for. Notes: - OP_RETURN limit currently set at 83 bytes - Proposal would increase limit to ~1 megabyte - 30-45% of Bitcoin transactions are "non-financial" - Bitcoin Knots node usage has grown to 7-8% - Out-of-band transactions bypass node relay - Core devs facing diminished community trust Timestamps: 00:00:00:00 Start 00:00:36:16 Why's everyone so mad? 00:02:04:14 Claim your bias 00:04:00:03 The backstory 00:08:27:09 Changing the OP_RETRUN limit 00:11:24:06 Post to relax the limit 00:15:39:23 Out of Band payment 00:17:39:06 Standard vs valid consensus 00:19:52:29 What is spam? 00:28:41:05 Arch Network 00:29:13:14 Cons of increasing the limit 00:32:34:25 That's too "woke" bro! 00:35:56:27 Knots - 👉 Brought t o you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Udi Wertheimer, co-founder of the Taproot Wizards and famous Bitcoin provocateur, joins us to talk about the explosive OP_RETURN debate dividing the Bitcoin community. We dive deep into why Bitcoin Core developers are facing unprecedented backlash, how they've lost touch with newer Bitcoiners, and what Greg Maxwell's sudden reappearance signals about Core's weakening position. Udi offers surprising insights on both sides and proposes solutions for rebuilding trust between developers and the community. Follow our guests: @udiwertheimer **Notes:** • OP_RETURN controversy spans over a decade • Greg Maxwell returns after years of silence • Core devs disconnected from 5+ year Bitcoiners • ~50 readers engage with Bitcoin OpTech weekly • 6-month delay suggested for PR merge • JPEGs benefit from controversy attention Timestamps: 00:00 Start 03:08 OP_RETURN Debate Summary 10:21 SPAM on Bitcoin 17:17 Is this a Core blunder? 27:26 How SHOULD Core do? 34:42 What if Core doesn't communicate better? 37:38 What does a pleb do? - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona has taken the lead in the race to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, with two bills passing through the legislature and now awaiting the governor's signature. These bills would allow the state to hold and buy Bitcoin and other digital assets with up to 10% allocation. The hosts dissect the different approaches states are taking, from Texas's expert advisory committee structure to New Hampshire and North Carolina's advancing legislation. With 40 strategic Bitcoin reserve bills filed across the US, and states navigating custody options, yield strategies, and political roadblocks, the Bitcoin state race is heating up! Notes: - Arizona passed two SBR bills awaiting governor's signature - 40 SBR bills filed across US states, 6 are dead - Texas bill allows up to 1% of general fund for Bitcoin - Arizona bills allow up to 10% allocation to Bitcoin - $500B minimum market cap requirement in Texas bill - Oklahoma bill failed in committee by one vote (6-5) Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2 Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:32 Arizona SBR vote 08:42 State custody 11:50 Arch Network 12:22 Not your keys, not your strategic reserve 15:28 Other states drafting Bitcoin laws 16:51 Texas bill 20:31 Market cap provisions 25:31 Alabama 27:19 Fails: Oklahoma 32:08 Fails: Pennsylvania - 👉 Brought t o you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author of "The Bitcoin Dollar" Mark Goodwin joins us to discuss how stablecoins may be the US government's strategy to maintain dollar hegemony by yoking Bitcoin to the dollar system. He explains how private stablecoin issuers must buy US treasuries, creating artificial dollar demand while enabling surveillance. Mark argues that while Bitcoin pumps, Bitcoiners must fight to preserve its permissionless nature or risk merely empowering the state rather than creating true freedom for individuals. Follow our guests: @markgoodw_in # Notes: - Tether holds ~$145B in US treasuries - PayPal offering 3.7% yield on PYUSD stablecoin - Bitcoin inflation fell below gold in May 2020 - US strategically using stablecoins for dollar demand - Stablecoin regulations prioritize treasury backing - Bitcoin scaling solutions needed for privacy Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:32 The 21 cabal 06:40 Bitcoin as an EXIT 14:14 The Bitcoin Dollar 29:54 Arch 39:27 Stablecoins 51:40 Trump's illegal scams 1:01:25 What should Bitcoiners do? - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie and Colin explain 5 things you probably didn’t know about Bitcoin. Satoshi's original Bitcoin client included a poker program. Did you know Bitcoin has an off-by-one error in Bitcoin's difficulty adjustment? We debunk the myth that the 21 million cap is mentioned in the whitepaper and explore three critical inflation bugs that threatened Bitcoin. Lastly, we tell the story of how "Bitcoin Pizza Guy" Laszlo Hanyecz was actually a pioneering contributor to Bitcoin's development and mining technology. Notes: - Original Bitcoin client included a poker client - Difficulty adjustment calculation uses 2015 not 2016 blocks - 21M supply cap not mentioned in Bitcoin whitepaper - 2010 inflation bug created 184 billion Bitcoin - Bitcoin Pizza guy spent ~100,000 BTC, not just 10,000 Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2 Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:05 Bitcoin & Poker 09:12 Difficulty Adjustment 2015 Blocks 13:02 21M Supply (or not?) 17:55 Arch 18:28 3 Bugs 29:06 Bitcoin Pizza Guilt 39:58 BONUS: HFSP - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Amine, co-founders of Arch Network, join us to talk about their recent $13M Series A funding round led by Pantera Capital. They explain how Arch differentiates itself from other Bitcoin L2s by enabling programmability on Bitcoin with their custom VM and FROST/ROAST threshold signature schemes. The founders discuss their approach to solving Bitcoin's programming limitations, creating a dynamic validator system that can scale over time, and building applications like DEXs and prediction markets directly on Bitcoin. They also share insights from their testnet phase and outline their roadmap toward mainnet launch. Follow our guests: @0xfinetuned @proofofmud # Notes: - Arch raised $13 million led by Pantera Capital - Uses FROST/ROAST for dynamic validator sets - Custom VM inspired by Solana's architecture - Aims for instant finality vs Bitcoin's 10 minutes - Uses transaction dependency graph for rollbacks - Mainnet launch expected around June/July 2025 Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:35 Pantera Capital raise 01:57 Building Arch last 2 yrs 04:04 VC finally funding BTC dev 07:37 Arch ecosystem 09:07 Arch dev verticals 13:25 Distributed validator set 15:04 Arch ad read 15:36 Arch Virtual Machine 17:33 Developer adoption new VM 20:19 Builder reception 21:50 Testnet learnings 24:26 Under the hood of Arch 25:51 Bitcoin MEV 29:05 Apps for Arch 31:14 Migrating L1 assets to Arch 33:27 Wen Arch token 35:09 The future - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie and Colin dive into the growing presence of crypto lobbying in Washington, D.C., analyzing CoinDesk's coverage and the staggering $119 million spent by the industry in 2024. They contrast national lobbying orgs like the Bitcoin Policy Institute with state-level players like the Satoshi Action Fund, discussing their roles, motivations, and effectiveness. The hosts also reflect on their own grassroots efforts in Oklahoma, the risks of regulatory capture, and the long-term implications of industry money shaping public policy. Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2 Timestamps: 0:00 Intro: Are there too many crypto lobbyists? 0:42 Offensive lobbying: Crypto enters DC with money and momentum 1:50 From defense to offense: Lobbying works 3:13 CoinDesk chart: $119M spent by crypto in 2024 5:20 How past regulatory scares galvanized the industry 7:20 Two types of lobbying: Good faith vs regulatory capture 10:21 Inside look: Local lobbying efforts in Oklahoma 21:20 Arch 22:34 National vs state: Satoshi Action Fund vs Bitcoin Policy Institute - 👉 Brought t o you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pierre Rochard, one of the OG voices in Bitcoin discourse, joins us to discuss his new Bitcoin Bond Company as the continuation of the speculative attack thesis that he wrote about a decade ago. Pierre shares insights on corporate Bitcoin adoption trends, the trade-offs between on-chain transactions vs custodial services, and why he's more open to soft forks than many Bitcoin maximalists. The conversation takes a personal turn when Pierre explains how Bitcoin's shift away from materialism created space for his spiritual journey back to Catholicism. Follow our guests: @BitcoinPierre Notes: - Bitcoin bonds enable borrowing weak currencies - MicroStrategy uses convertible bonds for Bitcoin - Transaction fees crashed during bear markets - ETFs reduce on-chain Bitcoin footprint - Corporate adoption mainly from struggling companies - Pierre has cataloged 22 soft fork proposals Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:36 Who's Pierre Rochard? 03:27 What's a speculative attack? 09:24 Current market outlook 11:48 Starkware interview reaction 20:45 Priced out of on-chain access 26:40 Arch 27:14 Corporate influence over protocol development 36:39 Corps buying BTC 39:34 Degens & speculation 46:05 Religion & faith 49:44 The virtues of soft forks - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do previous Bitcoin crashes compare to this week’s Tariff Troubles? Colin and Charlie analyze Bitcoin's recent 30% drop from $109K to $76K in context of previous market crashes. We compare the COVID crash of 2020, the Terra/Luna collapse of 2022, and the FTX insolvency that same year. They discuss how market sentiment differed between crashes despite similar percentage drops, explore how "exogenous" vs "endogenous" factors affected recovery, and debate whether Bitcoin behaves as a risk-on or risk-off asset. The conversation includes personal anecdotes about experiencing these market downturns and predictions for Bitcoin's future. Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2 Notes: - Bitcoin down 30% from $109K to $76K - Markets recovered 9.5% in one day - Terra/Luna crash: 35% drop in one week - FTX collapse: only 30% drop but worst sentiment - US fiscal deficit at $36.7 trillion debt - BitMEX "outage" may have saved 2020 crash Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:46 Bitcoin crashes, don't buy it 06:25 Macro lookback 14:00 Covid crash (march 2020) 22:45 Arch 23:18 Terra Luna crash (may 2022) 32:16 FTX Crash 38:43 Stay humble, stack sats - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ReardenCode, independent Bitcoin developer and freedom advocate, joins us to talk about reframing how we think about Bitcoin soft forks. Reardon breaks down opcodes, explains why we should focus on capabilities rather than protocols, and explores the historical context of Bitcoin's upgrades from SegWit to Taproot. The conversation goes deep on OP_CAT, CTV, and CHECKSIGFROMSTACK while but tries to make the topics approachable approachable. Follow our guests: @ReardenCode Notes: - Bitcoin is the first digitally scarce asset - OP_CAT enables five different capabilities - SegWit enabled non-third party malleable txs - Taproot enabled hidden script paths - CTV+CSS combo enables rebindable signatures - MEV concerns can probably be scoped and managed Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:28 What is Bitcoin? 02:36 What's an OP code? 05:41 How to think about OP codes 07:39 Capabilities examples 10:17 Explaining OP codes 12:03 What do we want? 13:24 Why did SegWit NOT do more? 15:22 Taproot 18:50 Arch 19:25 Hidden script paths 22:13 CTV 31:55 OP_CAT 35:11 Check Contract Verify 36:33 Introduction of "state" & MEV 37:07 MEV 40:29 Limiting MEV 43:36 The problems of OP_CAT 48:26 The current consensus 52:22 Wrap up - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BITCOIN SEASON 2: Inside Bitcoin’s Darknet Markets Sub-title (150 characters or so) We’re exploring darknet markets, from their history with the Silk Road to how they function today. Bitcoin vs. Monero usage, exit scams, and why these markets look like they're stuck in 2004 despite handling billions in transactions. Body (300 characters or so) You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Colin and Charlie dive into the seedy underbelly of cryptocurrency—darknet markets. From the early days of the Farmers Market to the infamous Silk Road and beyond, they explore how these marketplaces function, why they initially struggled without Bitcoin, and the recent shift from Monero back to Bitcoin following exchange delistings. With $2 billion in annual volume yet surprisingly flat growth, they examine the robust review systems, exit scams, and why these sites stubbornly maintain their 2004-era aesthetics. Disclaimer: This episode discusses drugs and illegal activities for informational purposes only. Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2 Notes: - Darknet markets processed ~$2-3.5B annually - Farmers Market (2006) had only 3,000 users - Silk Road processed $182M from 100,000 users - Market volume remained flat despite crypto growth - Monero losing popularity after exchange delistings - Kraken darknet market: ~$800M volume in 2024 Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:50 Chainalysis Darknet Market Report 05:15 Farmer's Market 14:27 After Silk Road 16:11 Arch 16:42 Rise of Monero 23:38 Quality control 29:24 Exit scams - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabriel Shipton, film producer and brother of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, joins us alongside Brian Locklin from Ordinals to discuss Project Spartacus. This ambitious initiative aims to permanently archive the Afghan War Logs on Bitcoin's blockchain through ordinals technology, creating an uncensorable repository of historically significant information. They explore how Bitcoin offers unique censorship resistance, the technical challenges they've overcome, and the potential for Bitcoin to serve as a powerful publishing platform for journalists and freedom advocates. Follow our guests: @GabrielShipton @ordinalsbot @bruffstar Notes: - Project archives 76,000+ Afghan War Logs on Bitcoin - Julian Assange was imprisoned for 14 years - War Logs were previously unavailable at times - Julian is free but restricted by plea deal - Bitcoin enabled Wikileaks to survive debanking - Ordinals offer new censorship-resistant archive Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:25 Project Spartacus 03:18 Before Assange was released 06:36 Ordinalsbot involvement 09:45 Arch 10:17 New financial model for publishing 15:42 Breaking new ground for Ordinals 18:32 Censorship resistant platforms 23:07 Recent wins & losses 29:38 Wrap up - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dive into GameStop's surprising announcement to raise $1.3 billion in convertible notes, potentially to buy Bitcoin. The hosts explore how this connects to the 2021 meme stock saga that gave GameStop its massive cash position, Ryan Cohen's relationship with Michael Saylor, and whether this Bitcoin strategy is a life raft for a retail gaming business in decline. With GameStop's revenue dropping from $8.5B to $3.8B over eight years, is this a smart pivot or just vibe investing? Notes: - GameStop announces $1.3B convertible note offering - Revenue declined from $8.5B to $3.8B in 8 years - Company has $4.76B cash on balance sheet - Cash position largely from 2021 meme stock frenzy - Zero debt after paying off all loans - Saylor posted photo with Ryan Cohen: "Team Bitcoin" Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:28 GameStop enters the chat 02:05 GME be buying 07:58 Roaring Kitty Redux 10:43 Financials 13:25 Arch 13:56 Business evolution 20:14 Volatility trade 25:28 Not a crazy pivot 30:22 BTC makes an honest market or not... - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, joins us to discuss how StarkNet plans to settle on both Ethereum and Bitcoin. We dive into the technical details of zero-knowledge proofs, the importance of OP_CAT for Bitcoin's future, and the fascinating Collider Script approach to covenants. Eli shares his concerns about Bitcoin ossification, explaining why without scaling solutions, Bitcoin risks becoming a "Rolex" - an asset only accessible to the wealthy. We also explore quantum computing threats and potential solutions for securing Bitcoin's future. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: - StarkWare has over 200 team members - OP_CAT is the "greenest" covenant proposal - Quantum threats require ZK-based solutions - Collider Script enables covenants at high cost - Bitcoin fees prevent mass adoption - Bitcoin needs soft forks to avoid ossification 00:00 Start 01:09 Starkware background 04:38 Bringing ZK tech to Bitcoin 07:53 What is a "unified" layer 2? 09:21 Why use Starknet? 11:33 Posting proofs on-chain 13:26 OP_CAT 16:55 Collider script 19:35 Arch 20:09 SHA1 collisions? 22:43 Brute forcing covenants into Bitcoin 24:53 fear of soft fork 27:59 Quantum 32:16 Possible quantum futures 34:26 Why ZK_Starks for Satoshi's coins?? 38:16 Confiscation vs network protection 43:18 Self custody future - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump makes a pivot from Bitcoin to stablecoins in his latest policy statements. Reality check: stablecoins now account for over 50% of all crypto settlement volume, with Tether becoming the 7th largest holder of US Treasuries globally. We break down how stablecoins are being used in emerging markets, why Tron dominates the stablecoin landscape despite centralization concerns, and what this means for Bitcoin's relationship with the traditional financial system. Notes: - Tether is 7th largest buyer of US treasuries globally - Stablecoins now 50% of all crypto settlement volume - Tether holds $113 billion in treasuries - Tron handles ~40% of stablecoin transactions - Tether earns ~$4 billion yearly on Treasury yields - Trump now promoting stablecoins for dollar dominance Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:34 Trump video 03:09 Reaction 06:53 Tether buying treasuries 11:08 Other stablecoins 17:35 Arch Network 18:05 The Tether Eye of Sauron 20:10 Who's using stablecoins 22:18 Where are stablecoins traded? 26:31 Volume of all crypto transactions compared 32:33 A realistic view - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Todd joins us to talk about Bitcoin's technical evolution, discussing terminology like "blockchain" vs "timechain," and revealing flaws in Satoshi's original design. Peter dives deep into mining economics, explaining the risks of block withholding attacks, the problems with activation mechanisms for soft forks, and controversial funding models like demurrage. Despite surviving significant challenges, Bitcoin faces ongoing security concerns as block rewards diminish, requiring creative solutions to ensure mining remains economically viable long-term. Notes: - Block withholding attacks remain an unsolved risk - Mining rewards currently ~0.5% tax on Bitcoin savings - Bitcoin difficulty algorithm relies on halving events - Miners have ~24-30% hash power can disrupt network - Transaction fees alone insufficient for mining economics - Demurrage could stabilize mining revenue long-term Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:03 Timechain not a good word 04:28 White paper terminology 09:17 Difficulty 11:35 Price vs hashrate 12:53 Block withholding attack 21:08 Arch Network 21:40 Risks of a block withholding attack 26:50 Soft forks 31:01 BIP 8 & BIP 9 34:12 Signaling for soft forks 35:51 Nodes vs miners 38:04 Transaction IDs 43:22 OP_NEXT 44:14 Solving soft fork activation 48:50 Are drivechains dumb? 50:44 Miner centralization 56:54 WTF is demurrage? 1:01:18 Tail emission 1:07:04 ETH mansion 1:09:47 Ordinals - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Kimmell joins us to evaluate the Lightning Network's decade long journey. We break down Lightning using simple analogies (bar tabs and abacuses!), trace its historical development through Bitcoin's scaling debates, and try to assess its successes and disappointments. While Lightning functions technically and has achieved notable adoption milestones, the we discuss why user experience remains challenging and if we can address persistent issues like channel liquidity management and offline reception problems. - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - Notes - Lightning whitepaper published in 2015 (decade ago) - Three softforks enabled Lightning functionality - Trump used Lightning for burger purchase on camera - Many Lightning wallet providers have shut down - Channel liquidity management remains a major UX issue - Binance and major exchanges now support Lightning Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:17 What is the Lightning Network? 08:50 History of Lightning 21:34 Web3 26:35 Arch Network 27:07 New use cases 30:05 Lightning successes 37:49 Lightning failures 41:30 OP_NEXT 48:06 UX challenges 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Janusz is meeting Solana degens where they’re at by building a product that helps them stack bitcoin during their regular Solana use. “Lemon Drop” is the first product release in Janusz’s recent Bitcoin pivot and builds towards his bigger goal: increasing Bitcoin privacy through increasing Bitcoin’s anonymity set. Also: activating a Bitcoin soft fork? Notes: • How Lemon Drop works • Privacy on Bitcoin • Open Source vs Product focused development • A soft fork activation? Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:02 Anon payments 03:17 Pivot on Layers project 05:39 Lemondrop 10:13 Inspiration 12:45 Arch Network 13:17 Building the team 16:52 Wrapped BTC 20:36 Bitcoin Layers project 25:51 Soft fork activation client 32:26 Advocating for specific covenants 37:11 Privacy projects 42:43 Privacy adoption - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com We break down the 2024 River Financial Report. What countries are buying? Which funds are buying? What does the average Bitcoin user look like? And what the heck is up with Lightning these days? Notes: • Lightning mixed: up & down • ETFs are buying individuals Bitcoin • Sovereigns are starting to but BTC • Good vs Bad changes to Bitcoin in 2024 Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps 00:00 Intro Bitcoin Season 2 Writers Room 00:22 Institutions Are Buying All Your Bitcoin 02:42 How ETFs & Institutions Are Changing Bitcoin 05:35 MicroStrategy’s Massive Bitcoin Holdings 09:45 Arch Network 10:16 Nation States 12:03 Nation-States & Governments Holding Bitcoin 16:26 Bitcoin’s Bull Case How Early Are We 22:27 ETFs & The 2024 Bitcoin Bull Market 26:50 The State of the Bitcoin Lightning Network 39:00 Stablecoins Adoption & Bitcoin’s Use Cases 42:03 Bitcoin Protocol Upgrades & Future Development - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot has happened since our last conversation with Hunter just 3 months ago. The Bitcoin developer mailing list has been popping off and now everyone’s talking about Quantum Bitcoin. But what’s changed? What new debates have kicked off & what are their implications? And should we confiscate Satoshi’s coins if they get quantum hacked? Notes: • Should we steal Satoshi’s coins? • Does quantum need a block size increase? • Which bitcoin is most vulnerable? • Has the “best” solution changed in the past 6 months? Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction & Controversial Bitcoin Proposal 02:03 Bitcoin’s Quantum Security Threat 05:01 How Quantum Computers Could Steal Bitcoin 08:07 The Debate on Locking Satoshi’s Coins 12:24 Bitcoin Censorship vs. Core Values 19:53 Arch Network 20:27 Preparing Bitcoin for a Quantum Future 29:23 Evaluating Quantum-Resistant Cryptography 36:14 Block Size Weight & Transaction Discounts Explained 44:41 Security Implications for Bitcoin Miners 52:40 Conclusion & How to Get Involved - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob Bodily explains how Odin.fun hides all the complexities of Bitcoin so the users get straight to doing what they want: trading tokens fast. Odin.fun solves the bonding issue, the token namespace reservations, threshold signing, etc. But at the end of the day you have to solve the biggest problem: user acquisition. Notes: • Chain abstraction for Bitcoin • Engineering challenges of Bitcoin tokens • User experience vs technical complexity • Going head-to-head with the Solana ecosystem Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps 2:30 What is Odin.fun? 4:36 Why Are Runes Hard to Design For? 7:00 Under the Hood 9:44 Arch Network 10:16 Asian Markets 13:57 Token Creation on L2 15:57 Front Running 18:47 Abstracting Away Complexity 22:38 Current BTC Developments 24:52 OP_CAT 28:43 Plans for BRC20 - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lyn Alden’s just dropped a report a little different than her normal Bitcoin & macro focus: Bitcoin Consensus. She takes us through defining the various stakeholder groups and how the game theory works as these groups’ influence wax and wane. You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: • What is an Economic Node • What are the Six Bitcoin Stakeholder groups? • Protocol Developers power • Game Theory of stakeholder power dynamics Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 02:52 - Lynn’s Background & Bitcoin Research 05:16 - The Six Bitcoin Stakeholder Groups 08:09 - Economic Nodes 12:03 - Miners vs. Nodes 15:15 - Arch Network 15:45 - Protocol Devs 16:33 - Protocol Developers & Their Influence 20:19 - Podcasters 23:08 - “State of Mind” Concept 29:26 - Should More Stakeholders Be Involved in Consensus? 31:43 - Game Theory Behind Bitcoin Consensus Changes 34:31 - Weaknesses & Risks in the Process 38:52 - Future Soft Forks 39:15 - Lyn’s View 42:46 - Potential Future Optimizations - 👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more. - 👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech! Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here. Questions or want to sponsor? [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices