Epicenter - Learn about Crypto, Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies

We’re joined by Alexey Akhunov, an independent Ethereum researcher. Alexey has been working on an ambitious project called TurboGeth. As the name implies, it is a version of Geth which features a number of speed and performance optimizations. Alexey also leads the state rent working group of the Ethereum 1.x project. Ethereum 1.x came out of Devcon when core developers began to realize that the full migration to Serenity would likely take several years. The team hopes to bring progressive improvements to Ethereum in parallel to the development of Serenity. Topics covered in this episode: Alexey’s background as a computer scientist The story behind TurboGeth and how it differs from the original Geth client The speed and performance optimizations of TurboGeth, as well as its trade-offs What is Ethereum 1.x in the context of Ethereum 2.0 (Serenity) Which people and projects are part of Ethereum 1.x What is state rent and why it may be beneficial to Ethereum Implementing state rent in Ethereum 1.x and 2.0 eWASM and how it can be introduced in Ethereum 1.x and 2.0 The future of Ethereum and the progress towards Serenity Episode links: Alexey Akhunov on Medium TurboGeth talk at Bevcon4 Ethereum State rent for Eth 1.x pre-EIP Ethereum state rent - rough proposal State Rent proposal version 2 (rushed) Ethereum state rent proposal 2 ETH Roadmap AMA EthCC EthCC Epicenter Meeup Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst and Sébastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/274

When the Lightning Network (LN) was conceived in 2015, it was quickly embraced by the Bitcoin community as the way to dramatically scale Bitcoin’s capacity. There was an expectation of LN being available quickly. Instead, development proceed more slowly in the background with different teams contributing to a standard specification. That spec is now almost ready and last year interest and early activity on the LN increased dramatically. We were joined by Christian Decker, a core engineer at Blockstream, where he works on their LN client. We discussed the history and progression of the LN and what remains on the road to scaling Bitcoin. Topics covered in this episode: How Christian ended up writing the world’s first PhD on Bitcoin The vision of the Lightning Network How the Lightning Network evolved in the last 4 years Approaching the 1.0 specification The current state of the network Why centralization concerns around hubs are often misguided eltoo and the future of lightning network The case against other chains being better layer 1 networks than Bitcoin Episode links: Lightning Network Whitepaper Christian Decker - Scaling Bitcoin with Duplex Micropayment Channels Joseph Poon & Tadge Dryja - Scalability and the Lightning Network Blockstream - Lightning Network A Simplified Update Mechanism for Lightning and Off-Chain Contracts Lightning Network Specifications on Github Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Simplify your hiring process & access the best blockchain talent . Get a $1,000 credit on your first hire at toptal.com/epicenter. Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/273

We’re joined by Jameson Lopp. Jameson is the CTO of Casa, a company providing key storage solutions. Previously, he was an early engineer at BitGo. However, to most people, he is perhaps known for his Twitter presence and his excellent writing. Over the years, Jameson has written extensively about Bitcoin development, cryptocurrencies, and personal operational security. A self-proclaimed “Professional Cypherpunk,” aligns with the ideas of libertarianism and volunteerism. Topics covered in this episode: Jameson’s background and how he learned about Bitcoin His political view before and after discovering crypto What stands out for Bitcoin in 2018 His writing on the decentralized nature of Bitcoin Core development His views on how Bitcoin compares to Ethereum on the topic of development control His thoughts on the Lightning Network and smart contracts on top of Bitcoin Jameson’s approach to personal operational security The tradeoffs of having air-tight personal OpSec Casa and its vault offering Episode links: Jameson Lopp's website Jameson Lopp's Bitcoin Resources CRYPTO 101 interview with Jameson Lopp Bitcoin Full Validation Sync Performance (article) Reflections Upon a SWATting (article) Bitcoin By the Numbers: 2018 Recap (article) Who Controls Bitcoin Core? (article) Professional Cypherpunk Jameson Lopp on the Lightning Network (article) Decentralized Summit 2019 Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Sébastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/272

The concept of DAOs has been captivating to many in the crypto space for years. When “The DAO” was created in 2016, in the few weeks of its existence and despite obvious flaws, it gather tremendous momentum and amassed 14% of the entire ether supply. Since then the technology has matured and Martin and Matan argue that the time for DAOs has finally arrived. We were joined by DAOstack Founder Matan Field and Gnosis Founder Martin Köppelmann. We talked about the decentralized exchange protocol DutchX. We also talked about how the two projects together created the dxDAO, which will manage the DutchX protocol, but could go onto its own path. A path that could even lead to being the DAO for all of DeFi. Topics covered in this episode: The unifying vision behind the various Gnosis projects Why Gnosis decided to build decentralized exchange protocol DutchX DutchX’s usage of batch auctions to provide good prices and liquidity for any market Incentivizing market makers with the Magnolia token Why the DutchX needs a DAO The role of Reputation in the dxDAO How Reputation will be distributed Why DAOs unlike companies could become more efficient as they grow How the dxDAO could become the biggest organization on earth in the next 10 years How one can get involved in the dxDAO Episode links: dxDAO Website Joint AMA: Martin Köppelmann & Matan Field - dxDAO DAOtalk.org Introducing the dxDAO A brief discussion of the protocol governing the dxDAO The DutchX as an Open Protocol Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Simplify your hiring process & access the best blockchain talent . Get a $1,000 credit on your first hire at toptal.com/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/271

Epicenter turned 5 years old this month – that’s a long time in the blockchain space! When the podcast began in January 2014, the entire ecosystem was made up of only Bitcoin and a handful of altcoins. Soon after, the Ethereum white paper was published which ushered in a new era of crypto assets and decentralized applications. Since then, we have released 270 episodes and interviewed some of the leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and engineers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. Needless to say, we have learned a lot about the blockchain industry, but also what it takes to run a successful podcast in this space. This week, we look back on the early days of Epicenter and how the podcast has evolved over the years. We also answer your questions in our first ever AMA. Finally, we take stock of 2018 and the trends that marked this past year. Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain, Friederike Ernst, Sébastien Couture and Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/270

We’re joined by Joseph Lubin, Founder and CEO of ConsenSys. Joseph founded ConsenSys as an Ethereum development studio on the heels of the Ethereum crowd sale in 2014. The company has since grown to a distributed organization of over 1,000 people. Over 50 companies and projects have emerged from ConsenSys, including Metamask, uPort, Gnosis, and GitCoin, to name only a few. Today, the company continues to invest in growing the Ethereum ecosystem by funding projects, and through consulting services for companies and institutions. Topics covered in this episode: Joseph’s background working as a technologist in the financial industry How he discovered Bitcoin in 2011 What lead Joseph to meet Vitalik Buterin and the founding Ethereum team How he founded ConsenSys and the company’s vision The company’s impressive growth and output The recent round of layoffs at ConsenSys How he thinks blockchain can change the world for the better His advice to companies feeling the pressure of the current bear market Joseph visiton for the future of ConsenSys and Ethereum Episode links: ConsenSys website The Prophets of Cryptocurrency Survey the Boom and Bust (The New Yorker) The Uncanny Mind That Built Ethereum (WIRED) ConsenSys Monthly Report — November 2018 A Prehistory of the Ethereum Protocol Joseph Lubin on Twitter Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Simplify your hiring process & access the best blockchain talent . Get a $1,000 credit on your first hire at toptal.com/epicenter. Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst and Sébastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/269

When token sales and ICOs took off in 2017, most projects chose to push ahead despite large regulatory risks. One of the few that went the other direction and put compliance first was CoinList. The platform made its debut by running the massive Filecoin token sales in which $205m was raised from accredited investors. CoinList also played a major role in popularizing the SAFT and creating tools to efficiently and legally raise in the US. We were joined by CoinList President and Co-founder Andy Bromberg to discuss the history of CoinList, token sales, securities regulation and the potential of security tokens. Topics covered in this episode: How Andy became interested in Bitcoin and co-founded the Stanford Bitcoin Club The Filecoin token sale and CoinList’s genesis story CoinList’s due diligence for listing projects Why they created a whitelabel token sale offering The regulatory framework under which CoinList token sales take place The logic behind the SAFT (Simple Agreement for Future Tokens) How a token could transition from security to non-security The recent SEC crackdown on projects that did ICOs CoinList’s stance on security tokens Episode links: CoinList Website Introducing CoinList The Current State of Initial Coin Offerings Introducing Airdrops by CoinList The SEC reiterates their stance on crypto Andy Bromberg on Twitter Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/268

Lending is one core pillar of the economy, enabling one person or company to be entrepreneurial with someone else’s capital. However, in the traditional banking system processes in lending are often opaque and the barrier to entry into this market is high. The emergence of easy to use Decentralized Finance is one of the hallmarks of 2018: To date, DeFi has brought us crypto-collateralized stable coins, decentralized exchanges, tokenized credit default swaps, trustless derivatives, and decentralized margin lending. We’re joined Nadav Hollander, co-founder and president of Dharma. Dharma is a decentralized protocol for credit products which connects debtors with creditors through a transparent mechanism. The protocol itself is agnostic towards the collateral and terms used, however, the team recently introduced a crypto-collateralized margin lending application running on top of the Dharma protocol, Dharma Lever. Topics covered in this episode: Nadav’s background and how he became interested in both blockchain technology and debt The vision behind distributed lending The mechanics of the Dharma protocol The role of underwriters in the Dharma protocol Dharma lever, an application for margin lending on the Dharma protocol Dharma’s business model The future of decentralized finance Episode links: Dharma Dharma Lever Introducing Dharma Lever (article) Request For Blockchain Lending Startups (article) Current and Future Approaches to Unsecured Lending in Dharma Protocol (article) Dharma protocol: Debt & Liquidity for ETH (video) Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/267

Since the rise of digital currencies and cryptocurrencies, central banks are considering the role these new forms of money may play in our evolving digital economy. One of the ideas studied is the notion of a central bank digital currency. While people and companies can hold central bank liabilities in the form of cash, only licensed banks have access to digital cash accounts with central banks. We’re joined by David Andolfatto, VP of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. David was previously on the podcast to discuss his idea for Fedcoin, a central bank issued cryptocurrency. In a recent paper, he explores the impact central bank digital currencies may have on the monopolistic banking sector. Topics covered in this episode: The state of central bank research on digital currencies and cryptocurrencies The idea that central banks may hold Bitcoin reserves David’s new paper on the impact of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) The potential impacts of CBDC’s on the banking sector and our economy The role of fractional reserve banking in our economy How fractional reserve banking applies to cryptocurrencies The Debreu model and the need for money in an entirely liquid market David’s outlook for the future of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies Episode links: Assessing the Impact of Central Bank Digital Currency on Private Banks (paper) Smart Contracts and Asset Tokenization (article) My perspective on the Bitcoin Project (article) The Trust Machine: The Story of Bitcoin (article) Fedcoin: On the Desirability of a Government Cryptocurrency (article) David's last appearance on the podcast Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Simplify your hiring process & access the best blockchain talent . Get a $1,000 credit on your first hire at toptal.com/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Sébastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/266

While trustless interactions on Ethereum are native to the protocol, trustless interactions between the Ethereum blockchain and other blockchains are difficult to implement. Interoperability protocols heavily rely on atomic swaps, which typically come with a free option problem. For this episode we’re joined by James Prestwich, CEO at Summa. Summa designs and implements cross-chain financial contracts and instruments such as swaps, options, futures, and auctions. Summa recently conducted a dutch auction spanning the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains: Ethereum NFTs were auctioned off trustlessly to bidders on the Bitcoin network. We also discuss Riemann, a framework for deploying transaction scripts to UTXO-based chains, as well as the advantages of the predictability of transactions in UTXO-based chains and how to bring some of those advantages to Ethereum smart contracts. Topics covered in this episode: James background in Japanese and how he became interested in blockchain James contributions to Bitcoin Script Summa’s recent cross-chain auction in which Ethereum NFTs were auctioned off to participants on the bitcoin network Riemann, a framework for deploying script based transactions to UTXO blockchains Atomic swaps leading to free options Advantages of transaction predictability in UTXO based chains Episode links: Summa Website Cross-chain Auctions via Bitcoin Double Spends (article) Statesless SPV (article) Declarative Smart Contracts (article) Introducing Reimann (article) James Prestwich on Twitter Thank you to our sponsors for their support: Deploy enterprise-ready consortium blockchain networks that scale in just a few clicks. More at aka.ms/epicenter. This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst and Sunny Aggarwal. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/265