Stephan Livera Podcast

Stephan Livera

About

Join Stephan as he interviews the sharpest economic and technical minds in Bitcoin & Austrian Economics to help you understand how money is changing and evolving. This is one of the leading podcasts in the space, and listening to this show is one of the fastest ways to learn and get up to speed on Bitcoin.

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560 episodes

Tracking the new Bitcoin ETFs with Thomas Fahrer SLP560

Thomas Fahrer, co-founder of Apollo joins me to talk about the Bitcoin ETFs. We talk:  __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS: __ __

1h 6m
Mar 30, 2024
How to Ride Through This Bitcoin Bull Cycle with Vijay Boyapati SLP559

How to Ride Through This Bitcoin Bull Cycle with Vijay Boyapati SLP559My friend Vijay Boyapati (Author of the Bullish Case for Bitcoin, and part of the Swan team) rejoins me on the show to talk about HODLing, share his analysis on things, and offer some tips on how to HODL. We talk: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS: __ __

1h 9m
Mar 26, 2024
Mi Primer Bitcoin Goes International with John Dennehy SLP558

Mi Primer Bitcoin (My First Bitcoin) has grown since I last spoke with them on the show. John from the team rejoins me to talk about how things have developed. The team has now taught over 25,000 students in El Salvador and they are now expanding internationally.  LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS: __ __

41m
Mar 23, 2024
Swapping across Bitcoin, Lightning and Liquid with Kilian from Boltz.exchange SLP557

How do we interact with Bitcoin in a multi layer world? What cost savings and trade offs are necessary here? What even counts as a layer? Kilian from boltz.exchange joins me to talk about swapping across Bitcoin on-chain, Lightning and Liquid. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS: __ __

58m
Mar 15, 2024
The First Bitcoin Circular Economy - Arnhem City Netherlands with Patrick van der Meijde SLP556

Patrick van der Meijde, founder of BitKassa and co founder Arnhem Bitcoin City joins me to talk about his experience with co-founding one of the earliest Bitcoin ‘circular economy’ communities in 2014.  __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS: __ __

38m
Mar 13, 2024
SLP555 Bitcoin Atlantis 2024 interviews - Alden, Lavish, Strolight, Pouliot, Roose, Todd

While in Madeira for Bitcoin Atlantis, I did some interviews on a range of topics with Lyn Alden, James Lavish, Tomer Strolight, Francis Pouliot, Steven Roose and Peter Todd. We discussed: __ __ LINKS: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __

1h 31m
Mar 06, 2024
Bitcoin DLC Self Custodial Finance with Philipp Hoenisch of 10101 SLP554

What applications exist for Bitcoin self custodial finance? Philipp Hoenisch, founder of 10101 (pronounced ten-ten-one) joins me on the show to talk about bitcoin trading without counterparty risk. We discuss: __ __ PRIOR EPISODES: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: __ __

1h 4m
Mar 02, 2024
The Future of Bitcoin Banking with Eric Yakes SLP553

Eric Yakes, author of The 7th Property, joins me to talk about the future of Bitcoin Banking, LN and ecash. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS: __ __

1h 8m
Feb 27, 2024
EIA Attack on Bitcoin Miners Brian Morgenstern SLP552

Brian Morgenstern, Head of Public Policy of Riot Platforms joins me to talk about the latest attack on Bitcoin miners:  __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: __ __

46m
Feb 22, 2024
What’s Next for Bitcoin and Mutiny Wallet with Ben Carman SLP551

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

1h 9m
Feb 19, 2024
Dispelling False Narratives About Bitcoin with Daniel Batten SLP550

Do the lies about Bitcoin frustrate you? Join us in this episode as we discuss the ways to dispel and debunk some of the most egregious false climate narratives on Bitcoin with Daniel Batten, Managing Partner at CH4 Capital. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ PRIOR EPISODES REFERRED TO __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: __ __

1h 13m
Feb 16, 2024
Is Everything Good For Bitcoin? with Christian Keroles SLP549

We talk about monetary maximalism, and whether everything is good for bitcoin with Christian Keroles of HRF. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMP/CHAPTERS: __ __

1h 11m
Feb 13, 2024
Bitcoin Oasis 2024 interviews - Zucco, Rizzo, Dashjr, Prince Philip, De La Torre SLP548

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

1h 14m
Feb 10, 2024
Big Changes in El Salvador with Mike Peterson SLP547

Mike Peterson from Bitcoin Beach El Zonte, El Salvador rejoins me on the show to give listeners some updates from El Salvador. Having a reduced crime rate and improved investment and tourism into the country has driven big changes! We talk: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 01:20 - Two and a Half Years After Bitcoin Adoption in El Salvador 05:21 - Financial Innovation in El Salvador 09:36 - Bottom-Up vs Top-Down Adoption of Bitcoin 11:00 - Ease of Setting Up in El Salvador 21:05 - Coinkite.com 22:13 - Mempool.space 22:56 - Swan.com 24:15 - Living on Bitcoin in El Salvador 31:48 - Bitcoin Meetups and Events in El Salvador 35:51 - Circular Economies and Bitcoin Adoption 40:55 - Insights from Other Circular Economies 50:05 - Custodial vs. Non-Custodial 54:21 - The Bitcoin Beach Podcast 56:16 - Closing thoughts

57m
Feb 06, 2024
2024 Lightning Wallet Overview with Anita Posch SLP546

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

1h 4m
Feb 02, 2024
Bitcoin Life Insurance with Zac Townsend SLP545

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

1h 11m
Jan 30, 2024
Where Did Bitcoin Come From? The Genesis Book with Aaron van Wirdum (SLP544)

Aaron van Wirdum rejoins me to talk about his exploration of how Bitcoin came to be. We talk about his new book, The Genesis Book. In this book, Aaron explores some of the technologies, and philosophies that led to the creation of Bitcoin. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMP/CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction 01:07 - Motivation for Writing the Book 04:05 - Bitcoin's Origins and Evolution 08:21 - The Influence of Hayek and Austrian Economics 18:54 - The Connection Between FOSS and Bitcoin 25:49 - The Extropians and Their Vision 30:47 - The Cypherpunks and Their Ideology 32:28 - Swan.com 33:52 - Mempool.space 35:00 - Coinkite.com 39:30 - The Rise and Fall of DigiCash 51:20 - The Crypto Wars and Government Regulation 56:26 - Pre-cursor Electronic Cash Projects 01:01:20 - Satoshi's Clever Insight 01:03:00 - Closing thoughts

1h 4m
Jan 26, 2024
Bitcoin Mining Around the World with Seb Gouspillou (SLP543)

Sébastien Gouspillou is a French Bitcoin miner, entrepreneur, and speaker. He is the CEO of BBGS (Big Block Green Services) and he joins me to talk about Bitcoin mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Oman and elsewhere around the world:  __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 02:34 - Challenges and Risks in the Congo 04:30 - Bitcoin Mining in Virunga National Park 09:28 - Performance and Investment in the DRC 14:10 - Economic Opportunities and Job Creation 23:31 - Bitcoin Mining in Oman 28:05 - Challenges of Solar-Powered Mining 31:38 - Bitcoin Mining in the Middle East 41:30 - Mining Potential in Africa 45:05 - Energy Sources 47:37 - The Environmental Impact of Bitcoin Mining 55:35 - Closing Thoughts

56m
Jan 21, 2024
Defending Bitcoin PoW in the EU with Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bota Jardemalie (SLP542)

It seems that the EU is constantly coming out with bad new regulations that will impact Bitcoiners and Bitcoin miners. Joining me today is Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bota Jardemalie from the Open Dialogue Foundation - Bitcoin and human rights advocates. We talk about: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 04:55 - The current threats 08:00 - Engaging with Regulators 12:05 - Can they be reasoned with? 17:30 - Threats to mining 25:55 - ESG Narrative and Proof of Work 38:20 - Threats to Self Custody and AML Regulations 46:03 - AML and Counter-Terrorism Financing Regulations 52:50 - De-risking and Financial Exclusion 01:00:28 - Summary of Key Concerns and closing thoughts

1h 3m
Jan 17, 2024
Covenant Use Cases & TXHASH with Steven Roose (SLP541)

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

1h 13m
Jan 14, 2024
A New Era for Bitcoin with Tuur Demeester (SLP540)

On the eve of Bitcoin ETFs being approved, is Bitcoin entering a new era? Tuur Demeester, long time bitcoin advocate, writer and speaker rejoins me on the show to discuss his thoughts: __ __ Note this show was recorded Jan 10th 2024 8pm Dubai (11am Eastern time), just prior to ETF approval.  LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and background 01:00 - The new era of Bitcoin 06:11 - What are the actual risks? 12:20 - How many coins are held in custody? 15:00 - Tuur's reports 21:27 - Psychology of a market cycle and HODLers 31:40 - Swan.com 33:12 - Coinkite.com 34:52 - Mempool.space 37:43 - 3 green, 1 red meme 43:10 - Bitcoin Life Insurance 51:21 - “Hate buying” Bitcoin 56:35 - Why every company needs a Bitcoin strategy 01:01:50 - Future of Bitcoin use 01:07:02 - Closing thoughts

1h 10m
Jan 11, 2024
Living in Dubai and Bitcoin Oasis with Lara Eggiman (SLP539)

Have you heard about Dubai but been wondering about what it’s like there? Lara Eggiman joins me to talk about Dubai, the UAE and the new bitcoin-only conference launching here, Bitcoin Oasis. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and background 01:27 - Why Dubai? 02:46 - Common Misconceptions about Dubai 05:32 - Benefits of Living in Dubai 08:08 - Tips for Setting Up in Dubai 12:27 - Why UAE and Dubai are Well-Placed to Adopt Bitcoin 14:25 - Swan.com 16:07 - Mempool.space 17:11 - Coinkite.com 20:25 - Competitive Jurisdictions 22:07 - Bitcoin Association UAE 27:46 - Living in Dubai 30:00 - Closing thoughts

30m
Jan 10, 2024
The Real Origins of Money with Natalie Smolenski SLP538

In this conversation, Natalie Smolenski discusses the intersection of Bitcoin, anthropology, and political economy. She explores the debate on the origin of money and the clash between anthropologists and economists. Smolenski argues that money is a social technology that can take different forms based on trust and use cases. She examines the limitations of fiat currency and the importance of trust in debt settlement. Smolenski also discusses the rise of Bitcoin as a competing institution to traditional currencies and the threat to open source development in the EU. We also discuss various topics related to jurisdictional arbitrage, the Texas Bitcoin Foundation, the challenges facing universities, and the future of higher education. LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 The Debate on the Origin of Money 06:50 Clash between Anthropologists and Economists 13:14 The Role of Commodity Money 20:07 Coinkite.com 21:29 Swan.com 27:05 Payment vs Settlement 34:44 The Decline of State Power and the Rise of Bitcoin 39:00 Mempool.space 40:13 The Competition between Bitcoin and Fiat Currency 52:18 The Threat to Open Source Development in the EU 59:24 The Texas Bitcoin Foundation and Bridging the Gap 01:01:24 The Challenges of Universities and the Need for Innovation

1h 4m
Jan 08, 2024
Are Covenants Necessary for Bitcoin? with Brandon Black (SLP537)

Not everybody understands that blockchains themselves don’t scale. And this may create some tricky implications if we want to onboard large numbers of people to Bitcoin. This is why some of the discussion nowadays is about soft forks and covenants. Brandon Black rejoins me to talk about some of his ideas on how many people can use Bitcoin with current tech, and how covenants such as CTV (Check Template Verify) could help improve this. We discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ PRIOR EPISODES: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __

1h 20m
Dec 31, 2023
Michael Saylor on Bitcoin Principles (SLP536)

What are the key principles underlying Bitcoin? How should we think about changes to Bitcoin? Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman and Founder of MicroStrategy rejoins me on the show to discuss: __ __ LINKS: __ __ PRIOR EPISODE: __ __ PRIOR EPISODE:SLP213 Michael Saylor – Bitcoin Dematerializes Money https://stephanlivera.com/episode/213/ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __

2h 50m
Dec 22, 2023
Elizabeth’s War on Bitcoin with Pierre Rochard (SLP535)

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

1h 13m
Dec 20, 2023
Small Business for Bitcoiners with Bobby Shell (SLP534)

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

52m
Dec 18, 2023
The Great Drivechain Debate with Paul Sztorc and Peter Todd (SLP533)

Drivechain is a proposal from 2015 which has had a lot of community debate recently. Joining us today to debate this are Paul Sztorc (CEO of Layer Two Labs) and Peter Todd. We discuss a range of points: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __ TIMESTAMPS: __ __

1h 39m
Dec 15, 2023
Bitcoin Seed Backups for Multi Sig with SeedHammer (SLP 532)

Now many of us are familiar with the idea of using steel backups for our bitcoin private keys, but what about in the case of multi signature? And what about using machine engraving? Dax and E from the SeedHammer project join me to talk: __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __

52m
Dec 12, 2023
How Many People Can Use Lightning? LSP Specs with Severin Buhler (SLP531)

How many people can use Bitcoin and Lightning today? Severin Buhler from Synonym joins me to talk about the LSP spec as well as lightning development. We talk about how the new LSP spec will enable more wallet builders, and more user choice, as well as smoothing the process for LSPs to compete:  __ __ LINKS: __ __ SPONSORS: __ __ STEPHAN LIVERA LINKS: __ __

1h 2m
Dec 05, 2023