Stephan Livera Podcast

Carel van Wyk, an engineer and Bitcoin entrepreneur, co-founded MoneyBadger to revolutionize payments in South Africa. In this insightful discussion, he explores the integration of Bitcoin payments at over 700,000 locations and how the Lightning Network addresses speed and cost challenges. Carel shares the successful rollout at Pick n Pay, highlights the importance of QR codes, and discusses the need for regulatory evolution. He also compares Bitcoin spending dynamics with stablecoins and envisions Bitcoin as a viable alternative to traditional payment systems.

Gustavo Flores, CEO and founder of Aureo, shares his journey from Bitcoin meetups in Montreal to building a Bitcoin startup in Mexico. He discusses the unique challenges of Bitcoin adoption in a country where only 3% of households use financial instruments. Cultural differences greatly impact outreach strategies, and the informal savings practices shape investment perceptions. Gustavo highlights Aureo's mission to educate wealthy investors and contrasts it with crypto casinos, emphasizing the importance of a Bitcoin-first approach.

In this engaging discussion, Kevin Hurley, CTO and co-founder of Lightspark, shares his transition from the Libra project to developing Spark, a user-friendly Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin. He highlights the challenges of the Lightning Network, including liquidity issues, and explains how Spark simplifies user experience while ensuring privacy and security. Kevin dives into the unique state chain design, unilateral exits, and the potential for asset tokenization within the Spark ecosystem, emphasizing community involvement and future developments.

In this engaging discussion, Matt McClintock, founder of Bespoke Group and a wealth strategy expert for high-net-worth Bitcoiners, dives into the intricacies of wealth management intertwined with Bitcoin. He introduces the concept of the Sovereignty Paradox, emphasizing that sovereignty is a spectrum. Topics include the importance of preparing the next generation for wealth, the role of philanthropy, and the risks of custodianship. Matt also highlights the significance of diversification and evolving strategies in this new financial landscape.

Join Jack Mallers, CEO of Strike, who unveils the exciting world of Bitcoin-backed lending and their impressive no-rehypothecation policy. He sheds light on how borrowing against Bitcoin can be a wise move. Meanwhile, Chris Pavlovski, co-founder of Rumble, discusses the fight for free speech and the innovative features of Rumble's new wallet. He addresses government control threats and the importance of creating independent tech ecosystems. Together, they explore the future of finance and freedom technology.

In this discussion, Philip Walton, CTO of Gridless, unveils how his company is revolutionizing Bitcoin mining by harnessing stranded renewable energy in Africa. Roy Sheinfeld, CEO of Breez, contrasts value transfer with traditional payments, introducing the Time2Build challenge to boost Lightning adoption. Marco Argentieri, founder of Tiero, explains Arcade's innovative virtual UTXO system and its potential for scalable Bitcoin programmability, highlighting seamless transactions and instant Bitcoin loans. A fascinating blend of tech and entrepreneurial insights!

In this discussion, The Charlatan, a Bitcoin Core developer and project lead for the Bitcoin Kernel initiative, dives into the highlights of Bitcoin Core version 30. He shares insights on removing the legacy wallet to cut technical debt and the aims of the Bitcoin Kernel project for modular code. They explore the ongoing data carrier size controversy and its balance with network performance, plus enhancements in initial block download times. The conversation also touches on evolving fee policies and the importance of competition among different Bitcoin implementations.

André Loja, a Bitcoin entrepreneur and founder of the Free Madeira project, explores the exciting world of Bitcoin adoption in Madeira. He shares insights on successful merchant onboarding and how local conferences have sparked interest in the island as a Bitcoin hub. Loja discusses the innovative Basalto Fund, enabling residency in Portugal through Bitcoin investment. Community engagement and the future of Sovereign Engineering projects emphasize a collaborative approach to tech freedom. The conversation highlights Madeira's unique blend of lifestyle and Bitcoin-friendly infrastructure.

NVK, CEO and founder of CoinKite and creator of the Coldcard wallet, dives into the innovative world of Bitcoin self-custody solutions. He discusses the importance of self-custody for businesses and the complexities of Bitcoin accounting. The rise of corporate Bitcoin treasuries highlights a growing institutional interest. NVK also explains the need for diverse custody solutions and the implications of the Bitcoin Core development debates. With ongoing innovations, he emphasizes how self-custody can shape the future of Bitcoin adoption and financial landscapes.

Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Bringin, shares his journey from discovering Bitcoin in 2017 to founding a startup focused on Eurozone Bitcoin solutions. He discusses the challenges of liquidating Bitcoin and presents Bringin’s innovative offering of virtual IBAN accounts and debit cards to bridge self-custody wallets with banks. Prashanth highlights user feedback emphasizing speed and reliability, regulatory impacts of EU laws, and future plans to enhance the user experience for both casual spenders and larger transactions.