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

Support the show, consider donating: 38viPCsCkr2BRc77g6SJDWKR1tnhH7Mb82 (http://bit.ly/1LAj5h7) Every quarter, CoinDesk releases its excellent State of Bitcoin Report proving an accurate benchmark of where the Bitcoin ecosystem stands. We were very fortunate to be joined by the man who compiles the State of Bitcoin Report, Garrick Hileman. As an economic historian at the London School of Economics and a frequent contributor to CoinDesk, Garrick is best know as an expert on Bitcoin and other currencies. The topics we covered included: - The recent $5m hack on Bitstamp - Startup activity and VC investments - The continually slumping Bitcoin price - Merchant and user adoption - What we should look forward to in 2015 We would like to pay our respects to the 17 innocent people who lost their lives in the recent terror attacks in Paris. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones. Je suis Charlie! Links mentioned in this episode: - Garrick's Website: http://www.garrickhileman.com - Stake of Bitcoin 2015 Report (CoinDesk): http://www.coindesk.com/state-bitcoin-2015-ecosystem-grows-despite-price-decline/ - New Index Ranks Argentina 'Most Likely' to Adopt Bitcoin (CoinDesk): http://www.coindesk.com/argentina-most-likely-adopt-bitcoin/ Sponsors: - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/061 YouTube: http://youtu.be/bAZbr3ru1kU 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

That the bitcoin price is highly volatile is no secret. Opinions differ on whether that is just an inevitable roadblock to be passed on the way to world domination or whether it represents a fundamental flaw that will prevent Bitcoin from ever achieving widespread use as a medium-of-exchange. Seasoned hedge fund trader and monetary systems … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 34v4Vx2ALjuy2iE6JcZviLoembWkKpAb2P (http://bit.ly/1D8mY8q) That the bitcoin price is highly volatile is no secret. Opinions differ on whether that is just an inevitable roadblock to be passed on the way to world domination or whether it represents a fundamental flaw that will prevent Bitcoin from ever achieving widespread use as a medium-of-exchange. Seasoned hedge fund trader and monetary systems expert Robert Sams, is of the latter view and has been among the leaders in conceptualizing what a stable cryptocurrency should look like. It's an issue that is at the very heart of how the cryptocurrency ecosystem will develop. Topics covered included: - Why volatility is an obstacle to cryptocurrency adoption - The two big problems of creating a stable cryptocurrency - His proposal for a stable cryptocurrency: Seignorage Shares - How finance professionals perceive Bitcoin Links mentioned in this episode: - Seignorage Shares Whitepaper: https://github.com/rmsams/stablecoins/ - Robert Sams Blog: http://cryptonomics.org/ - Ethereum Blog Search for a Stable Cryptocurrency: https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/11/11/search-stable-cryptocurrency/ - XeroClear Twitter: https://twitter.com/xeroclear Sponsors: - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/060 YouTube: http://youtu.be/V7-xSVJQrgI 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

Support the show, consider donating: 3DA69nwmqRCVuruzyUT3eRed84cHVybYnU (http://bit.ly/1B9DDMe) As we wrap up 2014, Brian and Sebastien have a fireside chat and look back on some of the areas of Bitcoin they thought were the most defining. They also look out to 2015 and give their thoughts about what to expect in the coming year. This episode also marks the show's 1-year anniversary, so celebratory drinks are in order. No guests or scripts for this one, just a candid conversation between the Epicenter Bitcoin founders. Sponsors: - Gems: http://getgems.org/ - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io/ - Fairlay: http://fairlay.com/ Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/059 YouTube: http://youtu.be/5V5-RlnP9Gk SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/epicenterbitcoin/eb-059 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

As we wrap up 2014, Brian and Sebastien have a fireside chat and look back on some of the areas of Bitcoin they thought were the most defining. They also look out to 2015 and give their thoughts about what to expect in the coming year. This episode also marks the show’s 1-year anniversary, so … Continued

At just 20-years young, Vitalik Buterin is one of the most brilliant minds in the cryptocurrency space. Previously, a co-founder of Bitcoin Magazine, he has conceptualized Ethereum, the most radical and ambitious cryptocurrency project since Bitcoin. After raising $18m in a crowdsale, a team of over 30 are working on launching the project by March … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3PCV8LKfA9952FTF9Y4wGTUmYikEgHws34 (http://bit.ly/1AHdNNW) At just 20-years young, Vitalik Buterin is one of the most brilliant minds in the cryptocurrency space. Previously, a co-founder of Bitcoin Magazine, he has conceptualized Ethereum, the most radical and ambitious cryptocurrency project since Bitcoin. After raising $18m in a crowdsale, a team of over 30 are working on launching the project by March 2015. In his work on designing a system for the future, he has been grappling with many of the hardest problems in the cryptocurrency space over the past year. In a fascinating discussion, we covered: - How Ethereum has evolved since the white paper - The problems of Proof-of-Work - Why Proof-of-Stake is the future of consensus protocols - Why his main focus has been on consensus issues and scalability - Why Bitcoin will never be stable enough to price things in - The flawed ideology of ‘Bitcoin maximalism’ that prevents people from considering Proof-of-Work alternatives Links mentioned in this episode: - Ethereum: http://ethereum.org - How to get started: Your first DApp in under one hour: https://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/1402/how-to-get-started-your-first-dapp-under-one-hour - Ethereum Proof-of-Concept 7: https://github.com/ethereum/cpp-ethereum/wiki - Proof of Stake: How I Learned to Love Weak Subjectivity: https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/11/25/proof-stake-learned-love-weak-subjectivity/ - Slasher: A Punitive Proof-of-Stake Algorithm: https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/01/15/slasher-a-punitive-proof-of-stake-algorithm/ Sponsors: - Gems: http://getgems.org - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io - Fairlay: http://fairlay.com Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/058 YouTube: http://youtu.be/qPsCGvXyrP4 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

CoinTelegraph Chief Editor, Allen Scott, and writer, Ian DeMartino join Sebastien (Brian is away) for a conversation about the independent Bitcoin media. Cryptocurrencies enable new business models and monetization opportunities for content producers, which CT is fully utilizing. Allen and Ian explain their innovative system whereby content creators are paid according to the success of … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 329K738i2gwhBFZCNmepCymJTwVy6CUgrg (http://bit.ly/1FUlzsr) CoinTelegraph Chief Editor, Allen Scott, and writer, Ian DeMartino join Sebastien (Brian is away) for a conversation about the independent Bitcoin media. Cryptocurrencies enable new business models and monetization opportunities for content producers, which CT is fully utilizing. Allen and Ian explain their innovative system whereby content creators are paid according to the success of their articles, which it determines by measuring the number of shares on social media. CoinTelegraph is an independent news site that specializes in Bitcoin and digital currencies. Freelance writers, who all get paid in Bitcoin, produce the vast majority of their content. CT's long-term ambition is to grow along with Bitcoin and become a front runner in the cryptocurrency news space. Links mentioned in this episode: - Cointelegraph: http://cointelegraph.com/ - Article Contest: http://cointelegraph.com/article-contest Sponsors: - Gems: http://getgems.org/ - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io/ - Fairlay: http://fairlay.com/ Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/057 YouTube: http://youtu.be/eqblE1EREmw 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

We are joined by Daniel Krawisz, the Director of Research at the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute. Daniel co-founded that organization last year with Michael Goldstein and Pierre Rochard to educate the Bitcoin community on the foundational ideas that led to the creation of Bitcoin. The Satoshi Nakomoto Institute is dedicated to shedding light on the ideological … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 34LAoG7Z49yo1TzgMz5Ek3zdB9ax94YeG1 (http://bit.ly/1MPaafk) We are joined by Daniel Krawisz, the Director of Research at the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute. Daniel co-founded that organization last year with Michael Goldstein and Pierre Rochard to educate the Bitcoin community on the foundational ideas that led to the creation of Bitcoin. The Satoshi Nakomoto Institute is dedicated to shedding light on the ideological history of Bitcoin and keeping its controversial roots from being marginalized. Topics discussed included: - What it means to be a libertarian, crypto-anarchist. - The perception of Bitcoin and the future of the bitcoin ecosystem - The viability of alternative currencies Links mentioned in this episode: - The Satoshi Nakamoto Institute: http://nakamotoinstitute.org - Bitcoinist.net: http://bitcoinist.net/author/daniel-krawisz/ - Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZTnjU-KAiuZl7g-dNHUyUg Sponsors: - Gems: http://getgems.org/ - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io/ - Fairlay: http://fairlay.com/ Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/056 YouTube: http://youtu.be/Z9Vv9t78HeM 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

SolidX Partners CEO Daniel Gallancy joined us for a discussion of Bitcoin, institutional investors and how his company is working on creating a bridge between the two. While there is no question that interest in cryptocurrencies has risen dramatically – also among the financial elite, there is still a big chasm separating the two worlds. … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 323uQGQzn5xu2GZonv6CZQcKkSSp6Jvkme (http://bit.ly/1AHc1wp) SolidX Partners CEO Daniel Gallancy joined us for a discussion of Bitcoin, institutional investors and how his company is working on creating a bridge between the two. While there is no question that interest in cryptocurrencies has risen dramatically - also among the financial elite, there is still a big chasm separating the two worlds. With Daniel we explore how it could be bridged, when it will happen and what the consequences could be. Topics discussed included: - How SolidX offers institutional investors exposure to bitcoin using Total Return Swaps - The perception of Bitcoin on Wall Street - The relationship between VC investments and direct bitcoin purchases - If a derivatives market could undermine the security of Bitcoin Links mentioned in this episode: - SolidX: https://www.sldx.com/ Sponsors: - Gems: http://getgems.org/ - Shapeshift: https://shapeshift.io/ - Fairlay: http://fairlay.com/ Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/055 YouTube: http://youtu.be/DunQKiSypyk 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

Daniel Peled, CEO of Gems, and Tom Kysar, Marketing Lead at Koinify, join us to talk about a project that aims to revolutionize social messaging. As one of the first decentralized social networks built on blockchain technology, Gems hopes to put the ownership of the network back in the hands of its users. While large … Continued

Support the show, consider donating: 3HKQKYUfxNPuT3oV7kuFiYtjVR2VT3Vga4 (http://bit.ly/1AHaVk5) Daniel Peled, CEO of Gems, and Tom Kysar, Marketing Lead at Koinify, join us to talk about a project that aims to revolutionize social messaging. As one of the first decentralized social networks built on blockchain technology, Gems hopes to put the ownership of the network back in the hands of its users. While large centralized social networks collect your information and sell it to advertisers, Gems is building on a different model in which users only receive solicited messages and get paid when companies advertise to them. Gems is also a cryptocurrency which can be traded between users within its mobile app. The initial crowdsale, organized by Koinify, will run from December 1st to January 5th. Links mentioned in this episode: - Gems: http://getgems.org - Koinify: http://koinify.com - Gems Token Sale Details & Update on the Koinify blog: http://koinify.com/blog/gems-token-sale-details-update/ Sponsors: Fairlay: http://fairlay.com/epicenter Gems presale will raise to 1500BTC: http://bit.ly/1tpUBxv Show notes: http://epicenterbitcoin.com/podcast/054 YouTube: http://youtu.be/P_n56kcI7jg 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