The Kevin Rooke Show

Jesse Shrader is the co-founder of Amboss, a Lightning Network explorer and data analytics tool.   Jesse and I spoke about Amboss role in helping node operators make better routing decisions, the ways Amboss can build a competitive moat when Lightning data is publicly available, the future of node operations on Lightning, as well as a discussion on Lightning messaging and other applications J...

André Neves is the co-founder and CTO of ZEBEDEE, a Lightning Network company focused on powering real economies in virtual worlds.   André and I spoke about ZEBEDEE’s role in the metaverse, the ways Bitcoin can be integrated into games to change incentives, the history of LNURL and its use cases, as well as a discussion on Lightning Addresses and BOLTs.   → ZEBEDEE: https://zebedee.io/&...

Keagan McClelland is the co-founder of Start9 Labs, where his team is ushering in the age of sovereign computing with their personal servers.   Keagan and I spoke about the distinction between Bitcoin/Lightning nodes and personal servers, the challenges of getting app developers and users to adopt personal servers, the growth of the Lightning Network, and the new technologies Keagan is most e...

Keyan Kousha is the founder of Stacker News, a Bitcoin forum that pays users for sharing great content using the Lightning Network.   Keyan and I spoke about the issues plaguing social media platforms, how the Lightning Network can incentivize better online communities and conversations, the growth of Stacker News so far, and the new features Stacker News is working on.   → Stacker News:...

Jack Everitt is the founder of THNDR Games, a game studio that leverages Bitcoin's Lightning Network.   Jack and I spoke about how to design the right incentives in Bitcoin games, the growth of THNDR Games, the constraints limiting Lightning adoption, and much more.   → THNDR Games: https://www.thndr.gg/  The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me or my future...

Danny Scott is the CEO of CoinCorner, and Zakk is their Technical Lead working on Lightning.   Danny, Zakk, and I spoke about how CoinCorner merchants are using Lightning today, CoinCorner's new Lightning card, as well as the various Lightning payment standards and UX challenges that still need to be solved.   → CoinCorner: https://www.coincorner.com/  The Lightning Round is sponsor...

Alex Gladstein is the Chief Strategy Officer of the Human Rights Foundation, where he has worked since 2007. Alex and I spoke about how Bitcoin improves financial freedom, how Lightning extends Bitcoin’s functionality, and the ways in which Lightning still needs to improve for journalists, dissidents, and citizens under authoritarian rule. → The Human Rights Foundation: https://hrf.org The Lightni...

Graham Krizek is the CEO and founder of Voltage, the premier provider of Bitcoin and Lightning node infrastructure. Graham and I spoke about how Voltage is improving Lightning node management, solving challenges for Lightning builders today, and the future of the Lightning Network. → Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo This episode also...

Chris Tramount is the CEO of Scarce City, a Bitcoin marketplace for buying digital and physical art and collectibles on the Lightning Network. Chris and I spoke about how Scarce City uses the Lightning Network for collateral payments, Bitcoin collectibles (called 'Rares') vs. NFTs on other chains, the history of Rare Pepes, and monetizing internet memes. This episode also features the Lightning Ro...

Daniel Berezovsky is the co-founder of sMiles, which is one of the easiest ways for anyone to earn Bitcoin on the Lightning Network. Daniel and I spoke about how Lightning will affect industries from gaming to healthcare to retail, the issues holding back Lightning adoption today, and the new features sMiles is building to make earning Bitcoin easier and more enjoyable. This episode also features...

Sergej Kotliar is the co-founder of Bitrefill, one of the most important Bitcoin and Lightning Network businesses in the world. Sergej and I spoke about how people are using Bitrefill today to live off their Bitcoin, how they manage their Lightning Network nodes, and the new features Bitrefill is building in El Salvador to kickstart a circular Bitcoin economy. This episode also features the Lightn...

Michael is the pseudonymous co-founder of Boltz, a non-custodial Lightning exchange and Lightning service provider. Michael and I spoke about how he built Boltz, estimating Lightning Network activity and payment volumes, and the applications he is excited about in the Lightning ecosystem. This episode also features the Lightning Round, where you can support the show and ask me any questions direct...

John Carvalho is the CEO of Synonym, a Bitcoin-only company that has been building in stealth mode for almost two years. John and I spoke about the projects Synonym is working on, enabling tokens on the Lightning Network, and how Web3 can be built without any blockchains or tokens at all. This episode also features the Lightning Round, where you can ask me your questions directly over the Lightnin...

Chris Hunter is the co-founder of Galoy, the company behind the Bitcoin Beach Wallet in El Salvador. Chris and I spoke about how the Bitcoin Beach project developed, the shifting sentiment around the Lightning Network in El Salvador over time, and how Galoy’s Banking-as-a-Service business model could help onboard different forms of communities, companies, and countries to Bitcoin. Got a question?...

In November, I wrote an article about why I think podcasting will be the next big use case for the Lightning Network, and this is the audio version for those who prefer listening to podcasts over reading long articles. In the time since I wrote the article, over 500 podcasters have enabled Lightning tips on their shows, bringing the total number of lightning podcasters to just under 3,400 today. A...

Shone Anstey is the CEO of LQwD, the world's first public Lightning Network company.  Shone and I spoke about LQwD's Bitcoin accumulation strategy, the ways Lightning service providers can earn yield on their Bitcoin holdings, and how the Lightning Network might evolve over time. This episode also features the Lightning Round, where you can ask me your questions directly over the Lightning Ne...

Bernard Parah is the CEO of Bitnob, a Nigerian Bitcoin business with a Lightning Network integration. Bernard and I spoke about the payments and savings landscape in Nigeria, the ways Bitcoin can empower Africans to push back against fees and restrictions levied by fiat payment processors, and how remote work and Bitcoin are enabling a new generation of African entrepreneurs. This episode also fea...

LNMarkets is a Lightning Network derivatives exchange, with over $300M in trading volume since their launch in March 2020. Last week I spoke with LNMarkets co-founder Romain Rouphael about derivatives, the growth of the Lightning Network, his experience using Lightning in El Salvador, and much more. This episode also features my new segment called the Lightning Round, where you can ask me your que...

Derivatives trading is faster than ever on the Lightning Network. Last week I spoke with Kollider co-founder Nathan Jessop about the next era of derivatives trading, the importance of building on the Lightning Network, and the ways instant settlement may change the behavior of traders. I’m also starting a new podcast segment called the Lightning Round, where you can ask me any question you want as...

Podcasting 2.0 is here, and Fountain is leading the charge. I spoke with Fountain co-founder Oscar Merry about the next era of podcasting, the importance of Lightning Network payments, and the impact Podcasting 2.0 could have on creators, podcasting apps, and the overall media landscape. To send direct messages and tips on this podcast, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and l...