Humans of Bitcoin: Recent Episodes
Bitcoin.com
Humans of Bitcoin tells the stories of people whose lives have been impacted by cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Guests range from activists and refugees to artists and entrepreneurs.
At Humans of Bitcoin, we just want to know how cryptocurrency is changing people’s lives, and why. Hosted by Matt Aaron. Part of the Bitcoin.com podcast network.
"What that means is it's a grey area.... We wanted to be patient and see the token models that worked, the token models that did not, and the things that we should stay away from as a business."
If you are going to start a business in cryptocurrency, you must deal with a high level of regulatory and legal uncertainty.
Navigating the world of KYC, lawyer fees, and vague directives from government agencies, ShapeShift has evolved over the last 5 years.
The uncertainty has caused Erik to make some very tough decisions in order to stay relevant as a cryptocurrency company.
Recently, they launched commission-free trading with the FOX token.
Erik walks through this decision, the critics of their move to implement KYC/AML, and views on money and state.
After all, you don't have to go through KYC when you go out to eat at a restaurant.
Even though Anthony Pompliano's Morgan Creek Digital holds BCH as it's 3rd largest asset, he'll rarely, if ever, talk about it in public.
I'm not picking on Pomp, this is par for the course among the crypto fund community.
Justin Bons is not your typical fund manager. He proudly engages with the Bitcoin Cash community and is excited about the future.
How do you apply "investing in fundamentals" to the world of cryptocurrency? What's it like running a fund with 0 BTC?
Justin shares his views on fundamentals, governance and why you should care about cryptocurrency in the first place.
In 2017, the bitcoin community was outraged by the extreme negligence of Equifax in one of the largest data breaches ever.
A central point of vulnerability was hacked and personal data including social security and credit card numbers were leaked onto the interwebs.
We have a short memory: Equifax stock is up roughly 43% this year!
Two years later, Reuben and his company, Class Action Inc are still fighting for the people. They recently filed an objection to a laughable settlement offer: less than $5 per person to less than 10% of those affected.
We discuss data freedom, digitizing law, and decentralizing power.
The inflation rate in Argentina is currently at 55% per year. It's not a surprise that bitcoin has a strong following and usage there.
A talented developer and thinker, Santiago is the founder of Democracy Earth.
He's someone that gets a ring from political activists in Chile and Mexico asking him for advice on how to organize digitally. He declined to work with the political party in Mexico due to ethical reasons.
He also started a political party, the Net Party, in 2012 in Argentina. I'll leave it there. Listen to the episode!!
This is the first of a two part special on the Ethereum ecosystem.
Lawson Baker has a weapon is his toolkit that is quite useful in the crypto world: a law degree.
With a background in finance, Lawson understands the power of cryptoassets and the regulatory guidelines that have to be met.
We talk about narratives in crypto, stablecoins, privacy, and a token standard he has helped push along: the ERC-1404.
For a long time (in crypto terms) Bitcoin Cash has been largely ignored by institutional investors.
Dave Shin is working to change that. Dave is a banker by day and bitcoiner by night. His double life is starting to pay dividends.
In addition to running the Bitcoin.com exchange, he is raising awareness of the viability of Bitcoin Cash as an asset to the international banking crowd.
An engineer running for Congress in San Fran, Agatha offers a unique skillset and ideas not found in the current House of Representatives. She is an advocate for blockchain tech, cryptocurrency, and prison reform.
What I really appreciate about Agatha is her willingness to discuss any topic. She gave smart and candid answers to questions that 99% of politicians would have deflected.
We talk about the way money works today, the benefits of a public ledger for the government, and much more.
An inside look at Wachsman - The public relations arm for top crypto companies like Bitmex, Kraken, and Coindesk. A behind the scenes juggernaut with a team of 100 employees with offices in 3 countries.
Going into the interview, I was curious how David was able to scale his PR expertise into a global team. How do they handle those emergency situations?
What about their relationships with press contacts?
How do they manage clients who may be directly or indirectly competing with each other?
Filmmaker, researcher, and cryptocurrency advocate Peter Ryan talks about growth marketing for Bitcoin Cash.
He started at NYU and then went to THE media establishment of the industry: CoinDesk. Now, Peter has rolled the dice and joined media upstart CoinSpice.
What excites him about CoinSpice? How can Bitcoin Cash become a "winning culture"?
Andreas shares his thoughts on global politics and finance and ties it back to bitcoin. Learn why his current project, Sideshift.ai, a cutting edge, non-custodial exchange is a reflection of these world views.
Andreas loves what he does: coding. Usually from a tropical location.
Until recently, he had the largest node on the Lightning Network. He's also famous (or infamous?) for testing IOTA, creating and providing liquidity for SLP tokens on Bitcoin Cash, he enjoys playing with cryptocurrencies.
If I had to describe him in one sentence: A Norwegian libertarian wearing a gold shitcoin.com chain, Andreas combine his under-the-hood tinkering with cryptos and experience at exchanges since 2013 and now his own exchange Sideshift.ai.
Back for part 2 with Sean. We conclude this conversation with Sean's thoughts on Bitcoin as a compliment to the current financial system.
Sean is the CEO of HyperBlock, which has a large mining center in Missoula, Montana.
Note: Apologies for not having the best sound quality on Sean's side. We did our best to clean it up. But this episode will make you think differently about bitcoin and what it means to be a contrarian thinker.
Running a publicly traded mining company, Sean has to defend bitcoin to the public. He defines what bitcoin is, plus his personal Big Short story from the 2008 housing bubble.
Sean Walsh is a natural entrepreneur and contrarian. I've done well over a hundred interviews with top people in the bitcoin world, and Sean has ideas and opinions that I've never heard before!
Sean is the CEO of HyperBlock, which has a large mining center in Missoula, Montana.
This episode will make you think differently about bitcoin and what it means to be a contrarian thinker.
I apologize for not having the best sound quality on Sean's side. We did our best to clean it up.
The appointment of Stefan Rust as CEO of Bitcoin.com surprised many in the industry. How does his leadership style and vision compare to Roger's?
Not well-known by the broader cryptocurrency community, it was great having a relaxed conversation with the new head honcho of the company.
Also joining us is Dan Schatt of MyCred.io. Cred is a leading company in the decentralized lending and finance sector.
Stefan and Dan answered a few questions about the industry, bitcoin cash, and decentralized finance.
How is Bitcoin Cash perceived in the world of institutional investing? Why is decentralized lending so popular? What about security?
Plus, a few bold predictions for the future.
Emin Gun Sirer is arguably the most prominent professor in the Bitcoin ecosphere.
Teaching computer science at Cornell since 2001, Emin was interested in cryptocurrency before bitcoin.
In 2003, with Karma, he invented proof of work. Now, he believes that their is a better solution to consensus: Avalanche.
Emin shares his thoughts on the current bitcoin discourse, how CEOs should behave, and, of course, the future of cryptocurrency.
One of the oldest companies in the space, Blockchain.com has staying power. With over 40 million downloads, Blockchain.com has a large share of bitcoin transactions and the #1 downloaded wallet.
In 2011 the term "blockchain" was not a word. It was not a thing. In fact their website, blockchain.info at the time, was the first page on the internet to ever use the word.
Back in the day (2011), it made the decision to take the non-custodial approach. This was in contrast to Coinbase's custodial approach.
Years later, Peter is still grinding it out at the Blockchain.com headquarters in London. Peter takes an unconventional approach to life and business. As Peter states, "even Roger thinks I'm weird."
Entering uncharted territory for the company, they finally decided to launch an exchange of their own, PIT, which is billed to be the fastest crypto exchange on the market!
Sam Feldman is an internet entrepreneur. Like many, he is fascinated by crypto.
His recent, comprehensive Cryptoguide on Binance caught the attention of Changpeng Zhao himself.
We analyze last week's ep with Binance's CSO, talk about the opportunities and threats to Binance dominance, and get Sam's take on cryptocurrency in general.
Plus a recent incident in Sweden that shows some of the new problems caused using cryptocurrency as money.
"The real story, we believe, is that Binance is probably the fastest profitable startup to achieve unicorn status (private company with $1bn+ valuation) in history. Binance is valued at not $1bn+ but closer to $2bn+. And they did it in less than 6 months. Yes, you read it right, 6 months."
What got you here, won't get you there. Binance continues to evolve.
They recently added Gin Chao. Among other things he will:
"oversee its global strategy, ranging from the company’s venture capital (VC) arm, Binance Labs, to its strategic fiat-to-crypto gateways, including the creation of new partnerships and banking relationships for Binance Singapore, Binance Uganda and in emerging regions such as Latin America. Chao will also create new business opportunities for Binance’s existing and forthcoming partners, as well as acquire capabilities that bridge departments company-wide."
A long career in investment banking, Gin was most recently the Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development at the National Basketball Association (NBA) in China.
Gin is another all-star on Binance's global team.
Paul Le Roux, subject of the book and future TV series The Mastermind, is a real life bond villain. We talk to the author about the prospect of Le Roux as Satoshi and his thoughts on Bitcoin in general.
You can listen to this podcast without having read the book, but make sure to buy and read it after.
The recent Craig Wright lawsuit brought up the possibility of Le Roux being Satoshi. At the very least, there are a lot of coincidences. We didn't come to a definitive answer but, to me, it's the most compelling case I've ever heard.
One thing that stands out in the crazy world of bitcoin is how little conversation is dedicated to shopping; spending cryptocurrency.
Instead, we see dApps, investing, and user cases taking away limelight from "crypto as cash".
Matt and his team have built a travel website that not only accepts 10 cryptocurrencies, but rewards their users with their own cryptocurrency, the AVA token.
Imagine if you had liquidity for your frequent flyer miles. That's exactly what Travala is doing.
A young, bright entrepreneur, Matt shares the philosophy that guides the company.
Something obvious but not always stated: If we want worldwide adoption Today's youth must be involved with cryptocurrency.
There is a misconception that you have to invest, or that you have to code in order to be involved with Bitcoin. While Christian does code, he also runs a YouTube channel and hosts meetups in Southern California.
Another Bitcoin.com team member joins the show. We double down on mining. Following up our interview with Nishant of Bitmain, we talk to Shaun Chong, one of the brightest minds at Bitcoin.com.
He moved to Tokyo looking for an adventure and he found one.
Running the bitcoin.com mining pool is a fast-paced, exciting life.
Shaun is very intelligent but also soft-spoken, so it's a treat to hear his perspective on the world of bitcoin.
Nishant Sharma leads Bitmain's international PR and community relations strategy.
Preparing for the interview, I had a lot of questions about the company: What happened with the IPO? Why is there so much FUD and mystery? What is Wu Jihan these days?
We covered that but we also had a deep discussion about China.
How does money work there? Does anti-Chinese propaganda affect our understanding of bitcoin usage and sentiment in China?
And of course, we had to talk about Bitcoin Cash. Why did some call it the "Chinese Bitcoin"?
Nishant eloquently weaves in stories to make it entertaining.
This episode is mandatory listening for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Bitcoin in China.
Kai is humble and he wouldn't say it, but I will: Kai is one of the top writers in the cryptocurrency world.
A Scottish native, he's never been a fan of gov't control. When he learned about bitcoin years ago, he was hooked.
A clever, insightful journalist Kai knows a lot about Darknet markets and has a firm grasp on the bitcoin news circuit.
We tell all types of stories on Humans of Bitcoin. This one is about the transformation of a young man.
Playing college basketball, Adam was on track for a traditional business career. But things changed.
A spiritual awakening influenced by time in Belize has sent him down the unconventional life which includes Liberland and, of course, Bitcoin.
One of the most important parts of bitcoin is its community. Moe Levin is one of the key connectors in the space that helped build it.
From the first Bitcoin event in Amsterdam to the famous North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami, Moe makes things happen.
We talk about the evolution of conferences and the bitcoin community at large.
Part 2 of our interview with Joey King, developer at Bitcoin.com.
As you saw in Part 1, Joey is a intelligent, thoughtful contrarian whose understanding of political science allows for insightful analysis of bitcoin.
I pick Joey's brain on a number of topics:
The principles of Political Science
The politics of the bitcoin world
Bitcoin vs Bitcoin Cash
Ripple (XRP)
Facebook / JP Morgan Coin
Don't forget to follow Joey on Twitter.
Joey King, developer at Bitcoin.com, is not very well know outside of the Bitcoin Cash community, but he should be.
A true intellectual, Joey is one of the best at contextualizing bitcoin into the "real world".
In the first part of the interview, we talk about Joey's early years, how he learned about geopolitics, and how he ended up in Bitcoin.
If you are new to Bitcoin, you may not have heard of him. Not on Twitter often. Definitely not on Reddit.
If you're on his route from Miami to Los Angeles, you may physically see him. He's not hard to miss. The large, bearded hippie is running across the United States to raise awareness for Blockchain technology and the homeless epidemic.
A skilled entrepreneur, connector, philanthropist, and (of course) long distance runner, Jason is an undeniable talent adding value to the Bitcoin ecosystem since 2010.
We also talk about his contributions in the media: Bitcoin rap and collaborating with Kevin Connolly (former star of Entourage) about a pilot for an HBO series about cryptocurrency.
Note: if you came here for the Reddit R/Bitcoin story. It starts around 15 minutes in.
The second part of our interview with Jeffrey Tucker, Bitcoin's chief economist.
What would the founding fathers of Austrian Economics think about Bitcoin? UBI, Proof of Stake, Store of Value, Medium of Exchange and much more!
The future of bitcoin from the lens of an Austrian economist
A branch of economics that is far from main stream, Bitcoin has given Austrian economics a boost in interest.
But most of us have not studied the founding fathers of the discipline like Mises, Rothbard, and Haslitt.
In part 1, Jeffrey Tucker, Bitcoin's chief economist, explains central themes of Austrian econ:
- The origins of Austrian Economics
- History of money: tobacco, gold standard etc.
- Do we need central banks?
- Price discovery
- What bitcoiners commonly get wrong about economics
- Why Austrian economics is still around today after so many years of a fractional reserve monetary system
In a continent with the highest mobile banking usage in the world, why is Africa lagging behind in cryptocurrency adoption?
It should be embraced by countries economically-plagued by unstable currencies, governments and poor banking systems. But there are some roadblocks that must be removed.
Enter Elisha Owusu Akyaw. Only 17 years old, he has plans to help open up Ghana and West Africa to cryptocurrency usage. It all starts with education.
Kevin Pham is one of the post polarizing figures on "Crypto Twitter", recently interacting with Jack Dorsey himself.
He also has attacked Vitalik Buterin for being in cahoots with the Russian government.
Kevin used to work in commercial banking, but realized it wasn't for him.
He started the Hold Wells Fargo Accountable movement encouraging customers to close their accounts in a facebook post that went viral and gained national attention.
This interview delves into Kevin's life; how he sees the world, and where bitcoin fits in.
A successful entrepreneur and activist, Vit Jedlicka has founded something that virtually noone else can claim: a country.
As a fall out of the Yugoslavian war in the 1990's, there was a piece of land on the Danube river that remained unclaimed by both Serbia and Croatia.
So Vit went there and planted a flag. Now, Liberland is growing as a micronation.
It has a lot of obstacles, but things are happening. They even have their own cryptocurrency, the merit.
How does the country work? What is the "roadmap" for Liberland?
Every cloud has a silver lining. While her son Ross is STILL in jail for Bitcoin, Lyn has grown as a leader in the liberty and bitcoin movement. This episode is about her personal transformation.
I had the pleasure to sit down with Lyn at Anarchapulco. It's been years since Ross is in jail, and Lyn continues to fight for his release.
The prison population has gone up 800% since the 1980's. The war on drugs has many detrimental effects to society in the United States and the rest of the Americas.
Eric July is a rapper, front man, comic book nerd, and political activist from Dallas, Texas.
We had a chance to sit down at Anarchapulco to tell his story and world views.
Why are many African Americans resistant to libertarian ideas like Bitcoin?
Eric breaks it down.
This week on Human’s of Bitcoin, we sat down with the one and only Patrick Byrne, cryptocurrency enthusiast and CEO of Overstock.com.
Patrick is an incredible human being. In addition to running a public company, he also has a PhD in philosophy, speaks multiple languages, has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and has a near photographic memory.
A true renaissance man, we review his past, bitcoin and the current regulatory environment, as well as the projects his team at Medici ventures are working on.
Here are some highlights of the discussion:
The “Dutch Uncle”
Patrick’s love for business can be traced back to two hour meetings he had with a special mentor when he was just 13.
That mentor was none other than famous investor Warren Buffett, who was a close family friend and someone who Patrick always thought was just some rich farmer from Omaha. He called him his “Dutch Uncle” because he wasn’t exactly family, but still had a major influence on his life.
One of the lessons Buffett taught him was that you need the temperament to be patient enough to wait for the perfect opportunity. You may only need to make 10-20 big decisions in life, and when the timing is right you need to have the courage to swing for the fences.
Buffett wanted Patrick to spend a year on Wall St., so he set him up with a friend of his at First Manhattan to learn how the game was played. This experience was Patrick’s first look at the inner workings of the financial system.
First Bitcoin Moment:
After becoming CEO of Overstock.com, Patrick realized there was a crack in our financial infrastructure, and that a group of smart people had figured out a way to scheme the system for their own profits at the expense of the average citizen.
He waged his own personal Occupy Wall St. movement, and was ostracized for speaking out against the nation’s power brokers. It was only after the 2008 crash that he felt vindicated for his remarks.
Following the crash, Patrick randomly came across a Wired.com article about Bitcoin and realized someone had used cryptography to develop a new form of money that solved the “Byzantine General’s Problem” he had learned about in college.
While others saw it as a means for speculation, he knew this new form of money could fix the issues he had witnessed first-hand during his time on Wall St. both as an analyst and as a CEO.
Regulation:
Wall St. was aware of the potential of Bitcoin as well, and the first few years of its existence were marred by smear campaigns which stigmatized cryptocurrencies as a tool for drug dealers and terrorists.
However, Patrick believes that regulators are now seeing the bigger picture, and realizing the benefits of a blockchain based economy. He was able to meet with organizations like FINRA to show them how this technology could make their lives easier.
These meetings have shown him the government wants to adapt so they can be involved in the creation of regulation that allows blockchain innovation to flourish. He does not think they will try to stop the movement, and even if they wanted to, it’s already too late.
“Bigger than the Gutenberg Press”
⅔ of the world population doesn’t have access to records that allow them to prove ownership of their land. Patrick’s current project, Medici Ventures, is going into developing countries and helping local officials put land titles on the blockchain.
In Zambia for example, they titled 50K homes in a pilot program and now they’re working with the government to put every home in the country on the blockchain as well.
He thinks this project can change the lives of billions of people and will be more effective than simply handing out cash to those in need. Officials in Africa have taken notice, and countries like Bermuda are looking to implement his solution as well.
1000 years from now, he predicts the impact of the blockchain movement will be bigger than the Gutenberg Press and Internet because corrupt third parties will be replaced by governance systems based upon mathematics.
Conclusion
We are very grateful that Patrick took time out of his busy schedule to fill us in on all of these exciting things that he’s been working on. If you have any questions or comments about the topics we covered, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Bitcoin.com/podcast.
We’ve had an incredible list of guests on Humans of Bitcoin who have provided invaluable insight and advice for our listeners over the past year.
So this week, Matt went back and chose five of his favorites that he thought would resonate with everyone.
The people that Matt chose are well accomplished. They can serve as inspiration for anyone striving for personal excellence and looking to make an impact on the world.
Stephen Pair of Bitpay
Rob Viglione of Horizen
XDite of OTCBTC
Erik Voorhees of Shapeshift
Paul Puey of Edge Wallet
On today’s show, Matt sat down with Linzerd to talk about the current situation in Venezuela. Linzerd provides a unique perspective because he’s a Venezuelan resident who is on the ground experiencing what’s happening on a day to day basis. His background is in computer science, but he didn’t actually discover crypto until 2018. He was definitely not an early adopter, and his story is a reminder that it’s never too late to get involved in the space and make an impact.
The Current Situation
Things are a little chaotic in Venezuela right now. There are two presidents, Nicholas Maduro and Juan Guaido both fighting for power. Not only are the citizens divided, but the rest of the globe is divided on who to support as well. Maduro still has control of the military which has given him an edge over Guiado thus far. From an economic perspective, necessities like food and water are available but very expensive. The main reason Guiado is calling for foreign aid is because things like medicine are still inaccessible. Tensions are high as everyone is still taking sides. Linzerd provides his thoughts on Maduro stepping down and the likelihood of foreign intervention.
He also comments on whether or not he believes Maduro will use violence to take out his opposition for good. If you’d like to stay updated as the story unfolds, be sure to follow Linzerd’s blog posts on CoinSpice.com.
Remittance Payments
Remittance payments have been flowing into Venezuela from all over Latin America and even from the US. But popular services like Paypal take exorbitant fees, sometimes upward of 90%. This is a perfect opportunity for crypto to disrupt the status quo. Websites like “Local Bitcoins” have stepped in to provide an alternative solution, and they’ve done so in a record breaking fashion.
Over 6 million dollars worth of bitcoin were exchanged in one week alone. However, people still aren’t well versed on the technology. Matt & Linzerd discuss how to make it easier for people to understand and adopt crypto as both a remittance system and a medium of exchange.
As the popularity of crypto rises, you can be sure that a Maduro backed government will have something to say about it. Linzerd explains how the government could intervene and make the internet a state owned entity just like oil.
Venezuela is clearly in a state of turmoil. It’s fascinating to hear first-hand accounts of the situation.
It’s also a way to see clear cut examples of how crypto can help those affected by these totalitarian regimes. We appreciate Linzerd coming on the show and look forward to helping the Venezuelan people as much as we can over the coming months and years.
Daniel Kelman is Bitcoin.com’s resident legal advisor, founder of an exchange, and one of the most respected lawyers in the crypto space.
After a few years in New York, he sought an adventure to break free from the monotony of corporate life.
He landed in Taiwan, but the adventure really began in 2012 when he stumbled upon a bitcoin exchange called Mt. Gox.
Today, he has many exciting projects including founding the OceanEx exchange, advising the free society project, leaders of foreign governments and more.
It all happened in Europe.
A Polish guy moves to Germany, later wins a Hackathon in Amsterdam. Today, Adrian Barwicki is currently in Istanbul building honest.cash.
Honest.Cash is a blogging platform similar to Medium with two main differences:
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Users can earn money by creating and curating content.
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It also offers censorship-resistance.
Even if a piece of content is removed (they follow German law), it will always exist on the Bitcoin Cash blockchain.
Censorship-resistance is and will continue to be a fight going forward. Adrian has his gloves on.
Peter's life was in a downward spiral due to a series of unfortunate events.
Learning of his wife having an affair, witnessing the death of his mother, drugs and a crashing business, things got very rough over a short period of time.
Today, he is on the up and makes a living with the What Bitcoin Did podcast.
You don't have to be tech-savvy in order to work in the new revolution of cryptocurrencies.
Peter is a living and breathing example of this.
Enter Hamza's world. From dreaming, sleep paralysis, to empathizing with homeless people and helping onboard people to crypto with clothing donations.
Now in Canada, and expanding to USA this year, Coins 4 Clothes provides Bitcoin Cash as an added incentive to donate gently worn clothes to charity.
You may (or may not) be surprised that it all connects.
Spotlight on another Bitcoin.com team member. In addition to being an ace developer, he's got the wilderness skills that most of us only see on the Discovery channel.
Chris Troutner adds tremendous value to Bitcoin.com and the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem. We talk about why bitcoin is important to him.
Related to economic freedom is his personal freedom in the natural world. Living on a sailboat, a paragraph from his blog says a lot:
I’m getting ready to install 1000 watts of solar panels in order to power a chest freezer. I’m building a micro-root cellar to protect homemade wine and canned goods from both the summer heat and the winter freeze. And I’m building out a grid of self-watering garden beds. This summer I’ll be experimenting with cob and building a 1/6th scale model of a wood-fired, five-person hot tub. I’m looking forward to sharing all of it here on the blog.
A fascinating conversation with a true renaissance man.
I stumbled upon a 2015 Motherboard article about Jamie and his Bitcoin family by accident doing research for another interview.
While there is no official count, it is very possible that news.bitcoin.com lead writer has published more articles on bitcoin than anyone in the world.
Reporting on the news, reading, talking to sources gives Jamie a unique perspective on the history and future of cryptocurrency.
Listen to hear the story of of a graphic designer from cold New England who moved his family to an island in South Florida where he actively teaches his kids about Bitcoin.
Counter economics, day-to-day island life and more.
He was mining before Jihan Wu. Making a million dollars a day in 2013, Marshall somehow manages to maintain a low profile.
For those with money and contacts that want to set up a mining operation, this is the guy you call.
Paul Puey, founder of Edge, thinks differently than most engineers. Having spent time in observing consumers running businesses like nightclubs and climbing gyms, he unconsciously thinks about the end user.
Cryptocurrency companies need to be connected to their users. Paul is one of these rare people that always has an opinion that you didn't see beforehand.
An enlightening conversation on the hidden risks of bitcoin storage and how to think about future cryptocurrency adoption.
Timestamps:
01:37 - Paul Puey, short bio and how he got in the cryptocurrency world.
04:03 -Been the technical guy in a no-technical business.
07:45 - Get crypto use and how to solve one of the biggest security issues in cryptocurrency.
11:04 - Developing products “Out of sight, out of mind."
13:12 - Is Edge wallet safe to hold large amounts of crypto?
17:49 - How should crypto be used?
19:35 - Store of value as a concept and the stability question.
26:35 - One of the biggest shifts in financial history.
30:50 - “Forking is freedom.”
36:46 - “You are the Edge of the network.”
CEO of the world's largest bitcoin payment processor, Stephen Pair has been interested in digital currencies since the 1990's. Insights on the history AND future of money.
Timestamps:
01:58 - The early days of Internet and what was DigiCash?
06:01 - Similarities between crypto and The Internet, being one of the ‘Web Surfers’ and the Magical Internet.
10:05 - Differences between the stone age of internet and the stone age of crypto.
12:15 - Stephen on discovering Bitcoin.
14:00 - The good old days of Bitcoin mining
16:35 - Big changes takes time-Stephen is extremely patient.
17:30 - The idea of BitPay and where it came from.
19:35 - Relationships with Visa.
20:55 - The contribution of Roger Ver, Barry Silbert and Erik Voorhees to BitPay.
23:45 - Asia is taking the lead in the adoption of Bitcoin-why?
25:00 - Convincing Merchants to accept BTC and BCH.
28:45 - Using cryptocurrencies is inevitable going forward
31:25 - Finding solutions and setting goals for the future.
32:30 - Advice for those getting involved in the crypto world.
34:50 - BitPay and recurrent payments.
36:55 - Attitudes towards the Mining community
38:13 - Stephen’s stance on ‘Proof of Stake.’
40:00 - Projects to keep an eye on..
We, humans, are FULL of excuses. We are going to start that new project .. tomorrow.
Didi Taihuttu had a wife, two kids, and three businesses. It would have been easy to justify not making a move Too many responsibilities..
But he pulled the trigger anyway. Didi sold his house and all of his stuff. Now he travels the world with his family.
And all their savings and transactions are in bitcoin. A reminder about the importance of taking action no matter what others may think.
Timestamps:
1:36 - Didi's early years
2:32 - His entrepreneurial ventures
3:35 - On his radical life change. Getting rid of everything
4:25 - What is minimalism, really?
5:33 - Pulling the trigger on a new life
7:21 - On selling a house in Holland for bitcoins
9:48 - How their family survives on the road
12:30 - On educating his kids for the future
And, more!
A fun, intellectual conversation. We talk about Rob being a mercenary in Afghanistan to math, history, human behavior, floating countries, and the need for privacy coins.
This is one of the best interviews we have done. Rob Viglione is someone you can chat with for hours. I got smarter by doing this interview. And you will too!
Timestamps:
3:42 - His work in Afghanistan
5:45 - Rob's early years
6:32 - Lessons from history
7:24 - Matt pretends he is a knowledgeable historian :)
11:00 - On economic theory
14:33 - Rob's discovery of bitcoin
16:55 - Teaching bitcoin to Afghans
22:31 - Matt shares a conspiracy theory question
And much, much more!
Rory has become the defacto "Bitcoin Guy" in the MMA circuit. The current Bellator Welterweight World Champion, we talk about his life as a pro fighter and thoughts on cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin.com's global ambassador Sterlin is the first two time guest on the show. The charming Texan talks about his fascinating worldwide bitcoin travels, psychadelics, and the battle with Facebook censoring his fan page.
He lives a life many can only dream about. Sterlin travels to conferences speaking about bitcoin and anarchy. From debates in D.C. to exciting adventures in Eastern Europe, what a fascinating and insightful person.
When I have the chance to hang out with Sterlin, it is always a blast. His emotional intelligence is at a genius level (really). Have a listen and get inside his mind!
A country with 1.3 billion people and less than 20% of citizens have a bank account.. The central bank (RBI) is back and forth on Bitcoin regulations.
Nischal is on a mission to involve every Indian in the Blockchain revolution.
Timestamps:
2:09 – Demonetization and the change towards new notes on account of “Black Money”
4:02 – Growing up and the start of Crowdfire
6:21 – First Bitcoin Experience back in 2009
8:15 – Second try at Bitcoin 2013 and Coinbase
10:00 – The start of WazirX
11:19 – RBI and Cryptocurrency
14:35 – Why only Tether and not Bitcoin?
15:55 – Any issues buying/selling Tether with banks in India?
17:20 – India, bank Accounts, what does this mean for cryptocurrency
19:00 – Mobile and Blockchain Revolution
21:25 – Remittance payments
23:30 – What happened with ZebPay?
He is one of the most important and influential members of the bitcoin world.
Founder and CEO of ShapeShift, Erik approaches the fiat-crypto battle with unwavering perseverance AND pragmatism.
We talk about a variety of topics, including:
After so much progress for bitcoin over the last 7 years, does Erik ever stop to smell the roses?
His bitcoin story. Meeting Roger Ver and Charlie Shrem back in the early days.
His recent run-in with an unethical hit piece on ShapeShift by the Wall Street Journal.
What fuels the MSM hatred towards bitcoin?
The ideal role the SEC should play in cryptocurrency regulation
Why Erik already cashed out of bitcoin a long time ago
Tips on being a contrarian thinker
ShapeShift's decision to do KYC/AML
Hyper-inflation, lack of food, water, basic goods, and safety. Venezuela has fallen apart over the years, and there isn't much hope in sight for the Government to turn things around.
Jose is in Venezuela running a charity, EatBCH. With Bitcoin Cash donations from around the world, Jose and the team help acquire food and cook meals for people in 6 different states across the country.
What is life like in Venezuela today? How does commerce work and what money is used?
Timestamps:
2:51 - Jose's recent trip to D.C. for the CSIS conference
4:45 - The logistics of going from Venezuela to D.C.
6:48 - What is Venezuela like right now? Food, water etc.
9:42 - Refugees and cryptocurrency
11:14 - Do young people stay in Venezuela?
13:11 - What are typical salaries in the country?
14:09 - Can you pay for everyday things with cryptocurrency? Cash? Credit cards?
16:58 - Do cryptos really work in Venezuela?
18:45 - How does Jose make a living?
20:57 - Behind the scenes of EatBCH
23:10 - Why transaction fees matter. In practice there is a big difference between 10 cents and a fraction of a cent.
24:59 - How many people can be fed for 5 dollars?
Mentioned in the show:
EatBCH: https://twitter.com/eatbch
CSIS https://www.csis.org/events
Help Jose Directly: bitcoincash:qr2zkwyl5j9hfn5xrflw0trm34ja4q60lsc7r8683q
He just turned 73, but John remains full of vigor. When we spoke, he was enjoying life on the Outer Banks.
No stranger to public attention, John has been in contentious battles with multiple governments, ran two public companies, made big bets, and is running for president in 2020.
John and I discussed his entrance into the bitcoin world, standing up to the S.E.C., the smartest man in the world, what we need to do for cryptocurrency to be a revolution (and not just an asset class)and much, much more!
Timestamps:
1.15 - Introduction to John Mcafee’s life and why you need to listen to this episode.
2:12 - We find out what he did for his 73rd birthday and what he really does everyday,
3:30 - The reason he got into Bitcoin originally and when he started to realise it wasn’t an investment opportunity.
4:48 - Matt gives a low down on Jihan Wu as we discuss his success and future during the show.
7:13 - Where does AI fit with blockchain technology and is it a good idea?
9:58 - Johns first impressions of Roger Ver and why he changed his opinion of him.
10:54 - The SEC have been after John-he tells us what really happened there and why making enemies was inevitable. Was that what led to his Subpoena?
14:11 - He’s running for president- he reveals his plans and reason behind that.
In Johannesburg, Sibo tirelessly works to help adoption of Bitcoin. Learn about her initiative BCH4Bicycles. And - What would Nelson Mandela think about bitcoin?
1.15: The importance of using cryptocurrency in South Africa
2.20: We discover who Sibo is and her background
4.06: South Africa is in recession but how this is positive for Bitcoin adoption.
5:25: Famous people using Xhosa - her mother tongue
6:60: Her cool career in metallurgy - ( yes, that word Matt can’t pronounce )
10:20: The moment she found out about Bitcoin and why it took so long to purchase
12:45: Matt asks Sibo- "why did you want to donate to WikiLeaks?”
14:08: Merchants that accept Bitcoin Cash in Johannesburg and her successes with BCH adoption
& Much Much More!
He’s been scammed more times than you can imagine. Ernesto is resilient though .. His undenying faith in cryptocurrency has changed his life. Instead of lambos, he chose to launch Cryptospace.
Now he’s helping others discover economic freedom in San Pedro, Los Angeles.
A neighborhood, physical space where anyone can learn about bitcoin and buy/sell on Ernesto's licensed exchange.
This is a powerful local business model that needs to be replicated around the world.
Check out the Cryptospace
Timestamps:
0:38 Introduction to Bitcoin Cash Ambassador Ernesto and his CryptoSpace
1:38 Ernesto opens up about his ‘blue collar’ work growing up and finding out about Ron Paul
3:07 His favorite type of History. Fake news and the consequences of this.
4:29 Applying science learnings to Bitcoin today and how science fiction from his youth is becoming a reality.
6:09 Ernesto reveals the people posting all the bad news and FUD about crypto
8:15 The reason people are having their bank accounts closed in the USA
10:45 Is the BOA the worst bank for crypto?
11:44 CryptoSpace has a super cool smart ATM.Ernesto explains the features.
14:07 San Pedro - is it the new tech beach hub?
15:55 Most people are slaves to debt…Bitcoin gives you control over your money-but also more responsibility.
17:26 Losing faith in crypto…but what kept him going. It paid off.
18:13 The biggest mistake of his life & why you should always back up your Bitcoin.
& much much more!
Two of the most prevalent problems in analysis of crypto:
1. Allegiance to a blockchain - as a fan of X coin, your arguments are emotionally driven
2. Lack of historical perspective - lessons from other technological shifts
Chris is aware of both of these problems and has a unique perspective on how to think about the future going forward. I learned a ton both as an investor and a believer in the purpose of cryptocurrencies.
A pleasure to have one of the O.G.'s of bitcoin on the show.
Many of you are familiar with Vinny. He is well known for his success as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley.
He is a successful investor, a media figure on shows like Shark Tank and Dragon's Den, and a partner in the largest cryptocurrency hedge fund.
At one point, 5% of all bitcoin transactions were made via his company Gyft.
Today, he serves as the CEO of Civic, a decentralized identity ecosystem built on Ethereum.
Vinny sheds light on his day-to-day and his outlook for cryptocurrencies:
What is a typical day in the life of Vinny? How does he divide his time?
How should we interpret the consequences of the scaling debate?
What does the Bitcoin Foundation do in 2018?
Why should people care about decentralized identity? When is the best time to lead a startup?
A highly recommended person to interview, I was delighted to watch Daniel's YouTube channel and his analysis of Groucho Marx as a stupid genius.
It was a pleasure to speak with him and pick his brain. He's been around since the very early years of bitcoin. And he is full of many ideas / viewpoints that you probably haven't heard.
We talk about meeting Ross Ulbricht in the early days, why a return to the cryptoanarchy ideals could benefit Bitcoin, and a lot more!
An entertaining episode that will make you smarter and maybe even richer.
Cody Wilson became famous in 2013 with his blueprint for a 3D printable gun.
Five years later, his company Defense Distributed is still making headlines.
Fresh off a settlement victory with the Federal government, Cody is now in a legal war with over 20 states.
In this exclusive interview, he shares the ins and outs of his legal situation and what the future holds for Defense Distributed.
Paul is the godfather of blockchain prediction markets.
With a personal interest in prediction markets and it's effect on the future, I picked his brain some more.
Distributed decision making can change sports, investing, global warming, and politics.
If you have better information, you can profit. Listen as we go deep into something that could change the world.
Timestamps:
2:25 - Godfather of prediction markets
4:04 - Use cases for prediction markets
5:35 - Making Government better
6:50 - More use cases
13:05 - Today's decisions
16:58 - On filtering ignorant policies
19:47 - Ideal political platforms
21:05 - Futarchy
23:22 - How to convince the public
24:41 - Oracles, decentralized
28:27 - Paul's upcoming sidechain project
Bitcoin changed the game; changed the rules. With new rules comes new solutions. That's where Paul comes in.
Working on sidechains and prediction markets, he applies a skillset from many disciplines:
Statistics, Economics, Psychology, Finance, Programming, Cryptography among other fields.
Roger paid Paul to leave Yale and work full-time on Bitcoin. And he's still working on it years later!
He holds four passports, although Lichtenstein isn't one of them.
Forced to pave his own way, Andreas got involved with accounting and economics as a teenager in London.
A few years later, he would be gifting bitcoin to the Prince of Lichtenstein, Hans Adam II.
Just 23, he has become a key figure for the wealthiest country in the world, leading them in bitcoin and blockchain adoption.
Lichtenstein has only 37,000 citizens. Yet it is a force in the cryptoworld with over 200 ICO's based out of this tiny nation.
Listen for an inside look on a fascinating country in the heart of Western Europe.
Prague, Czech Republic
Konstantin Gladys is in the Changelly HQ. As he walks around to show me the office on the video call, you can see that this a growing, powerful crypto outfit.
Operating since 2015, Changelly has attracted over 2M registered users from around the world. Currently, the service processes more than 15K transactions weekly with a monthly turnover of around 60K BTC.
He came from the advertising world and has a PHD in machine learning.
How did he get to where he is today? What is the crypto scene like in his home country?
Listen to find out.
Corb Lund is a lifelong musician. He writes his own lyrics and is one of the top country music artists out of Canada.
He has also been into bitcoin for a while and is a go-to guy to educate ranchers about cryptocurrency.
Many in the "rural lifestyle" buy and invest in gold. Will they end up getting into bitcoin?
Corb is intelligent, thoughtful and opens up on a world that many of us know very little about.
He had to decide between a dinner with Ron Paul and his college finals. Derek chose the former and never returned to the University of Michigan.
Just 25, he is a successful entrepreneur and writer. He is currently helping other ambitious young minds skip college and start their career right away as the director of marketing at Praxis.
Listen and learn how to supercharge your career.
"Bitcoin leaves me with tremendous hopes for the future...it is a chance to re-write wrongs and change history. Thanks to Satoshi we actually have an alternative option” -Caitlin Long
We had a chance to interview one of our idols. The Wall street insider played on the other side. When she found Austrian economics her world flipped.
Now she helps traditional institutes embrace Bitcoin. She was part of the team that convinced Wyoming to become a crypto/blockchain friendly state.
Listen to her advice so you can help advance bitcoin too!
Fancy.com is a social commerce website that is used by famous celebrities and jet setters all around the world.
It's been running for 10 years and the company has made many pivots along the way. Consumer behavior and sophistication has evolved.
As you'll learn, your company needs to evolve as well.
Joe is a deep thinker. Listen as he reflects on the past, present, and future.
A pro poker player, Bryan Micon brought bitcoin to the poker community.
He helped launch an online pokerroom that only used bitcoin.
In doing so, he got in trouble with the Nevada gaming commission. Like Calvin Ayre, he now resides in Antigua.
We talk poker, the U.S. Government, and other topics that fascinate Bryan.
Calvin's life got better when he shifted his international payments from fiat to Bitcoin Cash.
Craig Wright brought him into this world and he is making his mark.
Calvin is currently building a 100 million dollar wellness resort that will be crypto friendly and is funded by his crypto profits.
He is also a diplomat: the economic envoy to Antigua.
Prior to that he founded Bodog entertainment, one of the largest players in the online gambling industry.
What is life like for a magnate in the Caribbean?
We talk about the future of cryptocurrency, his knowledge of Satoshi's identity, and much more.
It is impossible to not be intrigued when you read Adam's Wikipedia page
Adam is no stranger to controversy. Protesting with Iraqi Veterans Against War and other groups, he has been arrested multiple times.
Based on the principles of his book Freedom!, which he started writing while in prison for civil disobedience, Adam is running for Not-President of the United States.
Growing up in Hell's Kitchen, he developed entrepreneurial grit at an early age.
Ray went through many ups and downs. In an especially rough patch, he was homeless for a few months.
Today, his exchange, Paxful, is a major player in the African Bitcoin scene.
We talk about the absurd limitations that Nigerians have to deal with and where Bitcoin and gift cards can help.
A true polymath. Vin Armani is an internationally known, elite, male escort for women. His years of experience, both professional and otherwise, in the art of seduction have given him a deep understanding of the applied principles of human sociosexuality.
In addition to being a gigolo, he has made his living as a software developer, pirate radio station operator, DJ, music producer, motorcycle courier. He also owns a vodka company.
Vin's main project right now is Cointext: send Bitcoin using SMS without the need for internet.
Erik never graduated. Despite coming from a family of academics, he had his parents blessing to drop out of high school.
But the blessing was conditional - he had to make a million dollars. And the catalyst behind his early wealth? You guessed it .. Bitcoin.
Erik is a young, gifted entrepreneur. He was named TIME's most influential teen.
He's working to change the education system and building a satellite with NASA. We delve into his worldviews and his plans for the future.
Recently, a Las Vegas strip club was in the news for advertising their acceptance of bitcoin.
Strippers had temporary QR code tattoos on their bodies that clients could scan for sending payment.
We wanted to find out more, so we got in touch with adult film star Brenna Sparks.
Brenna tells us why crypto means survival in the adult entertainment industry. Listen to find out why she’s a HODLer + her honest views on the infamous Legends club.
In his early 30's, Roger Ver was pretty much retired.
Then he discovered bitcoin. And he was hooked. Roger became a key investor and advocate for the cryptoworld.
It's been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride:
- Roger's day-to-day life
- His relationship with Erik Voorhees
- What keeps Roger going?
- How does he manage all the ups and downs?
- Why you should never enter prison on a Friday
- And much, much more..
Esteemed economist Jeffrey Tucker, like most of us, didn't immediately wrap his head around bitcoin. Another attempt at digital money?
When he finally understood, Jeffrey risked his reputation and made the biggest bet of his career: advocating Bitcoin.
Many economists laughed at him then. While they'll never admit that he was right (human nature), his bet has paid off big time.
Jeffrey Tucker cut his teeth with Ron Paul in the 80's. Today, he is the founder of Liberty.me and the Atlanta Bitcoin Embassy.
This episode was produced by Edward Kelso.
Joannes is a French intellectual. But not one of the arrogant ones :)
On top of running a 60-person company, he is a Bitcoin thought leader.
We talk about the moral compass of bitcoin it's role in humanity. A thought-provoking conversation.
Check out his essay A Weirder Bitcoin.
Ryan didn't want to stay in academia his whole life. Just 6 months away from his PhD in physics, he left to pursue a career in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Today, he runs a social media platform powered by Bitcoin Cash micropayments, Yours.org.
Ryan is currently ranked #44 on the CryptoInfluencers list.
Meet XDite. Taiwan's world class Ruby On Rails Hacker, founder of the world's largest online coding camp & the power behind crypto exchange OTCBTC.
Prior to the exchange, she started ico.info, an ICO Kickstarter that raised 200M in 2 months until it was shutdown by the government.
A self taught Bitcoin millionaire, this superwoman is unstoppable.
Check out her announcement to run for mayor of Taipei here
This week’s guest is a 6th grader from Wellesley, Massachusetts and the author of recently released book called The Early Bird Gets the Bitcoin: The Ultimate Guide to Everything About Bitcoin.
We chat with Andrew about what it’s like to become and expert in something so complex at such a young age, the reception of the book at his school, and we even nerd out about who we really think Satoshi Nakamoto was/is.
Andrew also gives advice on how to tackle learning new things that may be intimidating at first, and what he sees as the most exciting new technologies out there.
Guest: Andrew Courey
Host: Cady Voge
Produced by: Matt Aaron and Cady Voge
The full interview from Juan Pinto, a Venezuelan miner, recently featured in WIRED Magazine, about using cryptocurrency to survive in Venezuela’s crippling economy.
Life is not easy in Venezuela. Hyperinflation has resulted in Venezuela’s currency losing 98% of its value against the US dollar. The value of people’s life savings is disintegrating, the minimum wage is worth roughly $5, and many people are even rummaging through the trash for food.
Juan and so many other Venezuelans are turning to mining, trading, and investing in cryptocurrencies as a way to avoid restrictions on holding foreign currencies and a way to survive. Juan even started a business to help people in Venezuela support entire families on the income from just one mining computer.
Bitcoin may be volatile, but in Venezuela it’s much more stable than their alternative, and Juan sees the spread of cryptocurrency as the one positive outcome of the crisis.
Our guest this week does an excellent job of explaining what life is really like on the ground in Venezuela, and how and why the crypto-craze has taken hold in this struggling country. He also shares his thoughts on the Venezuelan government’s recent announcement of their own cryptocurrency, the “petro”.
Check out host Cady Voge’s full piece on crypto as a life line in Venezuela in WIRED magazine: https://www.wired.com/story/where-could-bitcoin-succeed-as-a-currency-in-a-failed-state/
Guest: Juan Pinto
Hosted/Produced by: Cady Voge
Learn more about the show and other shows from Bitcoin.com, at https://www.bitcoin.com/podcast
This week our guest is Lyn Ulbricht, the activist-mother to Ross Ulbricht. Ross was the founder of the famous Silk Road platform, a site on the Dark Web known best as a marketplace where you could buy and sell drugs using bitcoin.
The Silk Road website had a massive impact on the rise of bitcoin because it was one of the first places where it was tested and used as a real currency.
Lyn discusses how her life has changed since the day Ross was arrested, how she keeps fighting, where the case stands now, and her theory about how the government is more scared of bitcoin than drugs.
Check it out!
Guest -Lyn Ulbricht of freeross.org
Host - Cady Voge
ProducersMatt Aaron, Cady Voge, Laurie Rice, Claire Woodcock
This week we talk to Swedish entrepreneur, Sergej Kotliar about his belief that people should be able to pay for just about anything with bitcoin and how he’s working to make that happen.
His company, BitRefill, allows people in 163 countries to top up their prepaid phone balances using bitcoin. 70% of the world uses prepaid phones rather than paying a monthly flat rate plan! That’s huge.
We chat about why phone technology might be a good avenue for popularizing the use of bitcoin as money, and how someone (me?) should start a podcast all about either awkward silences and/or gambling!
Check it out!
Learn more about Sergej’s company here: www.bitrefill.com
Producers: Cady Voge Matt Aaron
Host: Cady Voge
This week we explore the topic of crypto-art with artist Nanu Berks. Nanu used to be completely disinterested in money and just wanted to make art, now she’s spreading the message of cryptocurrency through murals, paintings, virtual reality galleries and five-senses installations.
She tells us about living in the jungle, traveling all over South and Central America, and how she first discovered bitcoin.
Learn about her art, how she pays the rent, and how viewers experience her five-senses exhibitions.
To learn more about her work: http://nanuberks.com/
Host: Cady Voge
Producers: Matt Aaron + Cady Voge
Check out the rest of the Bitcoin.com podcasts at www.bitcoin.com/podcast
This week we explore bitcoin and blockchain solutions to sending money across borders. We talk to Luis Buenaventura, a Filipino entrepreneur, and Hugo Cuevas Mohr, a strategy consultant for the money transfer industry.
2 billion people in the world are un-banked - How can bitcoin help serve these people in ways that traditional financial institutions have failed them?
To check out Luis’ illustrations, take a look at Coindesk’s 10 Most Influential in Blockchain in 2017
Host: Cady Voge
Guests: Luis Buenaventura and Hugo Cuevas Mohr
Producers: Matt Aaron and Cady Voge
Sterlin Lujan had been working for Walmart for 10 years and was trying to finish up his Bachelor’s degree when he was arrested for possession of 500 pills of MDMA and 26 grams of cocaine. Now he travels the world talking about bitcoin and anarchism.
Host: Cady Voge
Guest: Sterlin Lujan, Communications Ambassador at Bitcoin.com
Producers: Matt Aaron and Cady Voge