Epicenter – Podcast on Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies

Many people think of Bitcoin as the ultimate contender against the power of central banks, most importantly the Federal Reserve System. But that is certainly not the only way that cryptocurrencies and the blockchain can be used and one particularly interesting idea is that central banks could issue their own cryptocurrencies. To discuss how this … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3DRyTDjnoG1LhjjbSyy2C87zs7jQWnzbmE (http://bit.ly/1cDuYI9) Many people think of Bitcoin as the ultimate contender against the power of central banks, most importantly the Federal Reserve System. But that is certainly not the only way that cryptocurrencies and the blockchain can be used and one particularly interesting idea is that central banks could issue their own cryptocurrencies. To discuss how this could be done and what the consequences could be we were joined by David Andolfatto, a Vice President of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and a professor of Economics at Simon Fraser University. Topics covered included: - What makes good money? How does Bitcoin fare in comparison? - What is Fedcoin and how could it work? - Why the tension between a governments desire for control and the desires for 'permissionless innovation' could make this difficult to implement - Whether Fedcoin would threaten fractional reserve banking - Why competition between currencies, both governmental and non-governmental, could be a good thing Links mentioned in this episode: - David Andolfatto: Why Gold and Bitcoin Make Lousy Money http://bit.ly/1C8EZ7h - David Andolfatto: On the Desirability of a Government Cryptocurrency http://bit.ly/1IFfQ8N - Business Insider Interview with David Andolfatto http://read.bi/1LauAzW - Robert Sams: Seignorage Shares http://bit.ly/1LauxUX *The views and opinions expressed by ou guest are his own and should in no way be attributed to his employer.* Sponsors: - Ledger Nano: Smart card security for your Bitcoins - Get 10% off your first order when you use the code EB09 at http://ledgerwallet.com (valid until 09/30/15) Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/083 YouTube: https://youtu.be/LK6qWjtG5A8 Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

Whether the block size should be increased to 20MB has created more controversy than any other question in Bitcoin’s recent history. For some, it is an urgent and necessary step in Bitcoin’s evolution. Their view is that leaving the block size at 1MB would be irresponsible inaction with potentially catastrophic consequences. Others see increasing the … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3Pxbqsv8AJgn68HoZ5jAz5otxWwJSisLPs (http://bit.ly/1Qt8fMk) Whether the block size should be increased to 20MB has created more controversy than any other question in Bitcoin's recent history. For some, it is an urgent and necessary step in Bitcoin's evolution. Their view is that leaving the block size at 1MB would be irresponsible inaction with potentially catastrophic consequences. Others see increasing the block size as unnecessary and a dangerous first step down a slippery slope towards a more centralized Bitcoin. We were joined by Mike Hearn, along with Gavin Andresen the most outspoken supporter of a block size increase. He is also the creator of Bitcoin XT, a modified fork of Bitcoin Core, that may become the vehicle for the push for bigger blocks if no agreement is reached regarding Bitcoin Core. Don't miss this crucial conversation! Topics included: - What would happen if blocks started being consistently full - Whether bigger blocks create a centralization risk - Why Bitcoin core development has become pervaded with toxic division - What Bitcoin XT is and how it differs from Bitcoin Core - The roadmap ahead and how a transition to BitcoinXT would occur - Update on Lighthouse Links mentioned in this episode: - The Capacity Cliff: http://bit.ly/1Ap8NRP - Crash Landing: http://bit.ly/1HrOhNd - Let's Talk Bitcoin! #217 The Bitcoin Block Size Discussion: http://bit.ly/1dXmOvU - Gavin Andresen Moves Ahead with Push for Bigger Blocks: http://bit.ly/1FKzgFf - Bitcoin Dev Mailing List: http://bit.ly/1QEhsS8 - Lighthouse: http://bit.ly/1eXxwCP Sponsors: - CoinCap: Crypto-currency market cap rankings, charts, and more http://coincap.io/#/ - Ledger Nano: Smart card security for your Bitcoins - Get 10% off your first order when you use the code EB09 at http://ledgerwallet.com (valid until 09/30/15) - Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg at http://vaultoro.com Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/082 YouTube: http://youtu.be/8JmvkyQyD8w Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

From the mysterious creation story, to the early development among a small group of cypherpunks, to the emergence of the Silk Road, the collapse of MtGox, to the entry of a tidal wave of VC money and the Silicon Valley elite, Bitcoin’s short history has been action-packed. It’s no surprise that this could make for … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3EZtfjPrXijExjkBNvnRwqgxohuqCdVSfS (http://bit.ly/1PHqfYn) From the mysterious creation story, to the early development among a small group of cypherpunks, to the emergence of the Silk Road, the collapse of MtGox, to the entry of a tidal wave of VC money and the Silicon Valley elite, Bitcoin's short history has been action-packed. It's no surprise that this could make for a riveting story and NY Times journalist Nathaniel Popper's book 'Digital Gold - Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money' is precisely that. Popper joined us for a conversation about his must-read book about the remarkable story of Bitcoin. Topics covered included: - How Nathaniel Popper ended up writing a book about Bitcoin - Why he chose 'Digital Gold' as a title and some of its different connotations - Why he chose to focus on the people and stories of Bitcoin rather than the technology - The story of the Silk Road and how it played such a critical role in the early days of Bitcoin - How Xapo CEO Wences Casares came to play a crucial role in evangelizing Bitcoin among Silicon Valley's power players - The rising tension and passing of influence between the old, ideological guard and the newer Silicon Valley crew Links mentioned in this episode: - Get 'Digital Gold' on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LxK5im - Nathaniel Popper's website: http://bit.ly/1HrXUf0 - Can Bitcoin Conquer Argentina article: http://nyti.ms/1RgQYIB - Decoding the Enigma of Satoshi Nakamoto: http://nyti.ms/1ApjvYv Sponsors: - Shapeshift: Buy and sell alt coins instantly at http://ShapeShift.io - Ledger Nano: Smart card security for your Bitcoins - Get 10% off your first order when you use the code EB09 at http://ledgerwallet.com (valid until 09/30/15) Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/081 YouTube: http://youtu.be/LblhEaE3AtM Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

Since Gavin Andresen’s proposal to increase the Bitcoin block size, how Bitcoin can scale to accommodate higher transaction volumes has been heatedly debated among developers. One of the most promising long-term options to allow near infinite scalability is the Lightning Network. Joseph Poon and , the co-authors of the whitepaper, joined us for a discussion … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3B8RJd1yTcRuz1CjMtTPfbz1VT71vEAeVg (http://bit.ly/1FyO2Sj) Since Gavin Andresen's proposal to increase the Bitcoin block size, how Bitcoin can scale to accommodate higher transaction volumes has been heatedly debated among developers. One of the most promising long-term options to allow near infinite scalability is the Lightning Network. Joseph Poon and Tadge Dryja, the co-authors of the whitepaper, joined us for a discussion of scalability and how the lightning network could allow massive numbers of off-chain transaction in a trustless way. Topics covered included: - Why Bitcoin has a scalability problem - How payment channels work and the architecture of the Lightning Network - Why the Lightning Network would still require a block size increase - How transaction fees would work in the Lightning Network - How the Bitcoin blockchain would take on a court-like function to ensure honest off-chain behavior - The risks and downsides to the Lightning Network Links mentioned in this episode: - Gavin Andresen - Why Increasing the Block Size is Urgent: http://bit.ly/1Blccfj - Mike Hearn - The Capacity Cliff: http://bit.ly/1Ap8NRP - Mike Hearn - Crash Landing: http://bit.ly/1HrOhNd - Rusty Russell - Series on the Lightning Network Parts 1-4: http://bit.ly/1F54zKo, http://bit.ly/1Ap7LVQ, http://bit.ly/1Ap7Pos, http://bit.ly/1PH8xnM - Lightning Network Whitepaper: http://bit.ly/1Symmnu - Lightning Network website: http://bit.ly/1Ap8Xsj Sponsors: - Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg at http://vaultoro.com - Shapeshift: Buy and sell alt coins instantly at http://ShapeShift.io Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/080 YouTube: https://youtu.be/fBS_ieDwQ9k Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

Started in May 2013, Coinkite has by now almost advanced to senior citizen status in the short-lived Bitcoin startup space. CEO Rodolfo Novak joined us for a discussion about what drove their initial interest in Bitcoin, why they initially focused on providing ‘bank-like’ services and how they’ve transitioned to powering the infrastructure of countless Bitcoin … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3F1oAeaN5gbZothT7q4S67agrs2zcvjXid (http://bit.ly/1EX03i4) Started in May 2013, Coinkite has by now almost advanced to senior citizen status in the short-lived Bitcoin startup space. CEO Rodolfo Novak joined us for a discussion about what drove their initial interest in Bitcoin, why they initially focused on providing 'bank-like' services and how they've transitioned to powering the infrastructure of countless Bitcoin startups with their API. We also discussed multi-sig and the business strategy they pursued that allowed them to be profitable and not require venture funding. Topics covered included: - How Coinkite started - Why they have come away from calling themselves a Bitcoin bank - Why they have been putting so much emphasis on multi-sig - How they've ended up building an insane amount of features - The transition of their business model to providing a powerful API for startups - What the Bitcoin ecosystem in Toronto is like Links mentioned in this episode: - Coinkite: http://bit.ly/1QX86mp - Coinkite-Ledger Partnership: http://bit.ly/1cKX58M - How to use Ledger Nano with Coinkite: http://bit.ly/1IH8Jzh - p2sh.info: http://bit.ly/1HpQCxF Sponsors: - Shapeshift: Buy and sell alt coins instantly at http://ShapeShift.io - Ledger Nano: Get 10% off your first order when you use the code EB09 at http://ledgerwallet.com (valid until 09/30/15) Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/079 YouTube: http://youtu.be/5P5PofChyo8 Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

The idea of using the Bitcoin blockchain to represent and track the ownership of off-chain assets is almost as old as Bitcoin itself. One of the startups that is pursuing this vision is Berlin-based Ascribe, which allows creators to register (‘ascribe’), transfer and archive digital art. Ascribe CTO joined us for a fascinating discussion of … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3L1PitPnkVd7yWd69EnumxyJ24ajvVuJN3 (http://bit.ly/1QBM5JS) The idea of using the Bitcoin blockchain to represent and track the ownership of off-chain assets is almost as old as Bitcoin itself. One of the startups that is pursuing this vision is Berlin-based Ascribe, which allows creators to register ('ascribe'), transfer and archive digital art. Ascribe CTO Trent McConaghy joined us for a fascinating discussion of their ambitious goals to enable a so-far elusive secondary market for digital art, help creators monetize their work and ultimately retrofit an entire ownership layer to the internet. Topics covered included: - Why ownership in the internet is broken - How Ascribe wants to realize the vision of Project Xanadu of an internet with bi-directional links and baked-in copyrights - How the SPOOL (Secure Public Online Ownership Ledger) protocol works - The components of the Ascribe tech stack - How Ascribe will crawl and similarity-match the entire internet to retrofit an internet of ownership - Why Ascribe focuses first on the digital art market Links mentioned in this episode: - Ascribe: http://bit.ly/1IqTzxY - SPOOL Protocol: http://bit.ly/1AOPQCw - Cointemporary: http://bit.ly/1Kxscjc - Project Xanadu Wikipedia: http://bit.ly/1Rri9kQ - Rewiring the Internet for Ownership with Big Data and Blockchains: http://bit.ly/1FrMes1 - Slides: http://bit.ly/1BHm9E1 Sponsors: - Shapeshift: Buy and sell alt coins instantly at http://ShapeShift.io Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/078 YouTube: http://youtu.be/j33pnGFuoiU Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

Few question that educating people about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies is one of the most important and challenging tasks to achieve mass adoption. And perhaps even fewer disagree that there is no one more gifted at communicating the revolutionary potential of Bitcoin than Andreas M. Antonopoulos. A technologist, entrepreneur, LTB host and author, he has been … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 35YN8J3B2WwLTGiUcc3xy9QVTd6MenW8p5 (http://bit.ly/1DyuKrM) Few question that educating people about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies is one of the most important and challenging tasks to achieve mass adoption. And perhaps even fewer disagree that there is no one more gifted at communicating the revolutionary potential of Bitcoin than Andreas M. Antonopoulos. A technologist, entrepreneur, LTB host and author, he has been speaking, writing and educating about Bitcoin for years and become one of the most popular people in the Bitcoin space. He joined us to talk about his new book, his journey in the Bitcoin space, educating lawmakers about Bitcoin and the exciting future awaiting us. Topics covered included: - Why he wrote 'Mastering Bitcoin' and how the reception has been so far - What he currently spends him time on - How he introduces new people to Bitcoin - What NOT to do when telling someone new about Bitcoin - His experiences speaking in front of the Canadian and Australian Senate - Why he believes in the community's ability to keep evolving Bitcoin Links mentioned in this episode: - University of Nicosia Digital Currency MOOC: http://bit.ly/1R4MPZf - Canada Senate Hearing: http://bit.ly/1I9tEL6 - Disrupt Athens Talk: http://bit.ly/1EQGT0L - Personal Website: http://bit.ly/1KGiR9r - Mastering Bitcoin on github: http://bit.ly/1cckH6F - Mastering Bitcoin on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1JkpNbg Sponsors: - Shapeshift: Buy and sell alt coins instantly at http://ShapeShift.io - Ledger Nano: Smart card security for your Bitcoins - Get 10% off your first order when you use the code EB09 at http://ledgerwallet.com (valid until 09/30/15) - Vaultoro: Trade gold to Bitcoin instantly and securely starting at just 1mg at http://vaultoro.com Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/077 YouTube: http://youtu.be/hEpNDK3q__Q Epicenter Bitcoin is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain & Sébastien Couture. - Visit our website: http://epicenterbitcoin.com - Subscribe to our newsletter: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/newsletter - Twitter: http://twitter.com/epicenterbtc

Bitcoin’s approach to solving the double spending problem is to make a collusion and attack on the network prohibitively expensive. One of the main factors that will determine Bitcoin’s chance of survival in the long-term is whether the behavior that maximizes the profits of miners contributes to or sabotages the health of the network. The … Continued