Stephan Livera Podcast

Even as ETFs and MicroStrategy sell into weakness, natural spot demand has kept Bitcoin from collapsing in what may be the shallowest bear market on record. The real test now is time pain, the grinding boredom that forces out remaining weak hands after the initial price capitulation. James Check, founder of Checkonchain.com, joins me to break down the current cycle through on-chain data and market...

Radar integrates self-custodial Bitcoin payments directly into Signal's messaging network, eliminating the need for separate apps or custodians when sending value to contacts. Seth for Privacy, from the Cake Wallet team, explains how Radar targets everyday users rather than Bitcoin maximalists by preserving Signal's privacy model while adding instant Lightning-enabled transfers via Spark....

Payjoin delivers transaction batching driven by real economic activity rather than waiting for pool participants, while also cutting fees through direct net settlement between counterparties. Dan Gould, maintainer of Payjoin DevKit, explains how the new async protocol and oblivious HTTP relay change what is practical for mobile wallets today. The conversation covers current live deployments in Bul...

A South African circular economy is already running real payments on Fedimint with seven guardians on Start9 boxes. Users send eCash with zero fees inside the federation and feel the same simplicity as Wallet of Satoshi—except the custody is local and the privacy model is different. Hermann and Joshi explain how non-technical guardians set up 5-of-7 multisig, how the Conduit wallet hides complexit...

In this episode,  NVK rejoins me to discuss the latest developments in Bitcoin self-custody, hardware wallets, and privacy solutions, providing valuable insights for enthusiasts and practitioners alike. Timestamps: 00:00 Quarterly Self-Custody Update 01:28 Sparrow Wallet Update & Silent Payments 05:41 Coldcard MK5 & Recent Firmware Updates 07:53 The Evolution of Co-signing & MuSig2 11:...

In this episode, Alejandro De La Torre, CEO of @DMND_Sv2, joins me to discuss the mining of Bitcoin block 955,318 — the first known Stratum V2 block on mainnet. We break down what happened, the benefits of Stratum V2, how it improves efficiency and we talk about SV2 adoption more broadly. A great episode for anyone who wants to understand where Bitcoin mining is heading. Timestamps: 00:00 The Firs...

In this episode, Adrian Morris joins the show to discuss Bitcoin Treasury Companies. We explore whether MSTR and STRC are over, sustainable mNAV premiums, the impact of leverage, the right way to calculate mNAV, how many such companies can realistically exist, and how this space evolves through bull and bear markets. Timestamps: 00:00 What are Bitcoin Treasury Skeptics Getting Wrong? 03:55 Is it o...

In this episode, Craig Raw returns to discuss Sparrow’s Silent Payments and Frigate integration, where multisig UX stands in 2026, his thoughts on building Bitcoin wallet software solo, and the ongoing challenges of distribution and platform risk. We discuss: Silent Payments and their impact on privacy and UX Platform risks and the importance of pragmatic development Standards and interoperability...

In this episode, Jesse Schrader (Jestopher), CEO of Amboss, joins us to break down RailsX — their new Lightning-native DEX. We discuss: 🔸How traders and liquidity providers use RailsX 🔸The costs and benefits for both sides 🔸Current Lightning routing volumes and growth trends 🔸The state of Lightning yield and how it compares to other players 🔸The recent BitGo Lightning Earn partnership 🔸A qui...

In this urgent 15-minute conversation, Stephan speaks with Ricki Allardice, one of the leaders of the Property Rights Defense Group, about South Africa’s Draft Capital Flow Management Regulations 2026 — the most serious threat to Bitcoin self-custody the country has seen. Ricki breaks down exactly what the draft rules would do to private keys, self-custody, and everyday Bitcoiners, where the proce...

Matt McClintock (Founder & CEO of Bespoke Group) returns to the show alongside Alla Futterman (Associate Client Relationship Manager & Head of Philanthropy Operations) fresh off his main-stage talk at BTC Prague 2026 titled “Using Bitcoin to Change the World.” In this deep dive, we explore how ultra-high-net-worth Bitcoiners and their families are moving beyond simple HODLing to become act...

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Juchniewicz of Bitcoin Passport Index and Bitcitizen to discuss Bitcoin sovereignty, jurisdictional arbitrage, and how Bitcoiners should think about second passports and residencies. We dive into the Bitcoin Passport Index, why Bitcoin-friendly tax and legal treatment matters more than most people realize, and how the landscape for citizenship and residency p...

Steven Roose (CEO of Second) rejoins me to explain Bark going live on Bitcoin’s main net.  Timestamps: (00:00) - Bark mainnet launched on June 9th (02:01) - Bark and Lightning onboarding (03:30) - Ark compared to Lightning — replacement or teammate? (04:15) - User experience with Bark (05:54) - Developer experience with Bark SDK (08:04) - Barkd for merchants and services (08:56) - Dev tooling and...

In this episode, NG Zhang, founder and CEO of Canaan Inc., shares his journey in Bitcoin mining technology, from early ASIC development to modern innovations like heat reuse and energy integration. We talk about the evolution of mining hardware, industry trends, and future prospects. Timestamps: (00:00) –  Intro and Early Days of Bitcoin Mining (03:40) –  From FPGA to ASIC Technology (06:22) –  Th...

In this episode, I caught up with Will Cole from Zaprite, Alex Bragin (Jan3), Nathan Day from BTCMap, Philipp (Satora), and Skot 9000 (BitAxe/SHA256) while at BTC Prague 2026. Timestamp: (00:00) – Interview with Skot9000 of (SHA256) (09:01) – Interview with Alex Bragin of JAN3  (20:35) – Interview with Will Cole of Zaprite (28:45) – Interview with Philipp of Satora.io (39:33) – Chris Seedor of See...

In this episode, industry experts discuss the latest developments in Bitcoin treasury strategies, Lightning Network innovations, and market outlooks amid macroeconomic uncertainties. Gain insights into hardware wallets, stablecoins, and the future of Bitcoin adoption. Timestamp: (00:00) – Interview with Freddie New from BHODL (08:47) - Interview with Nick Farrow from Frost Snap (21:27) - Interview...

In this episode, Chris Ritter joins me to discuss Lightning Network economics, yield opportunities, network centralization, and the rapid growth of Lightning payments. We explore who captures value in the Lightning Network, security considerations for routing nodes, and what recent data reveals about the future of Bitcoin payments. Timestamp: (00:00) – Introduction to Lightning Economics (04:23) –...

In this episode, PakoVM joins me as we discuss the security challenges facing Bitcoin users, from scams and self-custody risks to the trade-offs of convenience versus sovereignty. The conversation explores emerging Bitcoin protocols such as Ark and Spark, the role of Linux and open-source hardware, advancements in wallet design, privacy, inheritance planning, and whether stablecoins and Bitcoin-na...

In this episode, Stephan sits down with Arbedout to explore one of the most debated technical topics in Bitcoin today: covenants, vaults, and the future of Bitcoin custody infrastructure. They discuss why many people may be misunderstanding where the real demand for covenants comes from, and how covenant-related features could improve Bitcoin self-custody through vaults, spending limits, recovery...

In this episode, Sanjay Mavinkurve and Chase Palmieri join me to discuss Sovana, a groundbreaking product that allows property owners to leverage their real estate equity to gain Bitcoin exposure without traditional debt. They explore the product's mechanics, target audience, market timing, and future potential, providing insights into how real estate and Bitcoin markets intersect. Timestamps:...

In this episode, we explore the latest in Bitcoin security with NVK, including the new MK5 device, firmware updates, and the impact of AI and quantum computing on crypto security. We discuss practical tools, philosophical debates on self-custody, and future tech trends. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro  (00:21) - What’s new with @COLDCARDwallet? (04:05) - Miniscript support in Coldcard (09:48) - Though...

In this episode, Pavlenex joins Stephan to discuss the strategic importance of funding open source in the Bitcoin ecosystem. They explore how open source support benefits companies, the stages of open source project development, and recent updates on Stratum V2 and BTCPay Server. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:09) - Open source is not philanthropy (05:07) - Reaction to MARA Foundation’s initiativ...

In this episode Stephan speaks with Matyas Kuchar, co-founder of BTC Prague, about the upcoming Bitcoin conference in Prague. They discuss the conference's focus on Bitcoin and its intersection with other technologies like AI, the regulatory landscape in Europe, and the community divides within the Bitcoin space.  Matyas shares insights on the importance of self-custody, the challenges posed b...

In this conversation, Giovanni Santostasi discusses his new book 'The Physics of Bitcoin' and the application of power law analysis to understand Bitcoin's growth, value, and long-term behavior. The conversation covers the scientific basis of Bitcoin's patterns, the significance of power laws in natural and social systems, and how this framework challenges common narratives about e...

In this episode, Stephan Livera chats with James Van Straten, senior analyst at CoinDesk, to explore the current state of Bitcoin and macro markets. They discuss the nature of bear markets, cycle theories, technical indicators, institutional behavior, and macroeconomic influences affecting Bitcoin’s price and sentiment.  Takeaways: 🔸James shares his perspective on Bitcoin's bear market versus...