THE Bitcoin Podcast Self-Custody, Nostr, & Building the Bitcoin Future | Alex McShane
7 snips
Dec 4, 2025 In this conversation with Alex McShane, a Bitcoin builder and events producer, listeners explore the intricacies of self-custody and the pitfalls of deceptive hardware wallet marketing. Alex discusses the challenges faced by Nostr in achieving product-market fit and the importance of honest messaging over slick designs in the crypto space. He reflects on his experience organizing Bitcoin conferences, critiques grant-funded models, and emphasizes the need for market-driven solutions. The chat wraps up with thoughts on community engagement and prioritizing real-world Bitcoin adoption.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Prefer Transparent Multisig Over Hidden Custody
- Do learn and set up a 2-of-3 multisig instead of trusting opaque custodial marketing claims.
- Avoid products that encourage discarding seed phrases because they remove your unilateral exit and increase dependency.
Hidden Cloud Keys Undermine Security
- Hot devices and cloud keys defeat privacy and security when used as primary signing keys.
- Relying on vendor infrastructure without a seed phrase traps users and increases catastrophic risk.
From Magazine Desk To Global Conferences
- Alex started running Bitcoin Magazine's conference desk and scaled it into large live-streamed events.
- He used that experience to take over multiple conferences and produced the first Nostr conference in Costa Rica.