Navigating the Block Size Wars and Transition to Lightning Network

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. 

• How he got started
• Taking payments pre-lightning
• Are there enough people spending?
• Resurgence in circular economies
• Adopting Bitcoin Arnhem City

Links:

•  X: @PatrickvdMeijde
• Site: adoptingbitcoinarnhem.com
• Site: arnhembitcoinstad.nl 
• Cofounder @BitKassaNL
• Cofounder Arnhem Bitcoin City @Bitcoinstad
• Youtube: 10 years of merchants accepting bitcoin in Arnhem  

Sponsors:

• Swan.com (code LIVERA)
• CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)
• Mempool.space

Stephan Livera Links:

• Follow me on X: @stephanlivera
• Subscribe to the podcast
• Subscribe to Substack

Chapters/Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction and Background
• 01:55 - Bitcoin Narratives in 2014
• 04:45 - Transaction Fees and Challenges
• 08:46 - Arnhem Bitcoin City and its Evolution
• 09:55 - Context of Arnhem City in the Netherlands
• 11:45 - Capital Gains Tax in the Netherlands
• 12:33 - Impact of AML Regulations
• 14:13 - Merchants Keeping Bitcoin
• 15:00 - Swan.com
• 16:14 - Mempool.space
• 17:11 - Coinkite.com
• 18:40 - Merchant Churn and Turnover
• 23:35 - Importance of Local Community
• 28:55 - Adopting Bitcoin Conference in Arnhem
• 31:32 - Transition to Lightning Network
• 35:45 - Success Rates of Lightning Network Payments
• 36:30 - Improvement of Lightning Network
• 37:53 - Conclusion and Event Details