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In this episode, Haley Berkoe interviews Conor Okus, a Product Manager at Spiral. Conor shares his journey from playing football to becoming a grantee at Spiral and now managing the grant program. He addresses common misconceptions about bitcoin contributors, emphasizes the importance of user experience in promoting adoption, and discusses the emergence of user-friendly (easy) bitcoin...

Haley Berkoe sits down with Mogashni “Mo” Naidoo — UX researcher, designer, and co-founder of the Bitcoin Design Foundation. Mo shares her path into bitcoin design, why developers and designers need each other, and how the foundation supports designers across the ecosystem. She also talks about her UX Research Toolkit, the role of AI in product design, and previews Bitcoin Design Week in San...

Haley Berkoe talks with Matthew Pines, Executive Director of the Bitcoin Policy Institute, about bitcoin’s growing role in U.S. policy. They cover building a bitcoin community in DC, how policymakers are treating bitcoin as a strategic asset, the risks of quantum computing and AI, and why this moment feels like one of “high agency and high leverage” for bitcoiners.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction...

Haley Berkoe met with Tadge Dryja, a bitcoin developer, researcher, and co-creator of the Lightning Network. They discussed the importance of preparing for potential threats from quantum computing and Tadge’s proposed solution, called “Lifeboat.” Tadge also dives into how to attract the next generation of developers, the health of the bitcoin ecosystem, dream projects to improve usability and...

In this episode, Haley Berkoe chats with Jameson Lopp, longtime bitcoiner, cypherpunk, and Chief Security Officer at Casa, to explore the long-term threats and opportunities facing bitcoin. He discusses his latest bitcoin improvement proposal, how AI can be both a productivity booster and existential risk, and why bitcoin's future hinges on education, sovereignty, and conversation.CHAPTER...

This episode features Alex Pruden, the Chairman of Aleo and the CEO of Project Eleven, an applied R&D lab focused on the intersection of quantum computing and cryptography. In this conversation with Haley Berkoe, Alex discusses quantum computing, future-proofing bitcoin, user experience upgrades, and his journey from the Army Special Forces to becoming a cryptographer.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:...

In this episode, Haley Berkoe sits down with Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation. They discuss how AI tools are empowering activists, the importance of local governance, and what a world on the bitcoin standard could look like. Alex shares insights from HRF’s grant program, the UX hurdles activists face using bitcoin, and why he remains hopeful about bitcoin’s...

Haley Berkoe sat down with Ryan Loomba, a Bitcoin Engineer at Block. Ryan shares his journey from early startup life to working across Square, Cash App, and Block’s Bitcoin team. They get into the weeds on bitcoin custody, the power of open-source, how Lightning is rolling out in the real world, and why AI might be the next big unlock for developers.FOLLOW:Ryan Loomba: https://x.com/RLoombsBlock:...

In this episode, Haley Berkoe interviews Alex Zukauskas, the Presidio Bitcoin Lead. Alex shares his background, discusses past and upcoming events, and explains why Presidio Bitcoin is the best place to be. He will be joining the show quarterly to keep everyone updated on all the exciting developments at Presidio Bitcoin.Episode Highlights:* Time flies, it’s been 7 months since Alex took the job,...

Haley Berkoe met with Clara Shikhelman, the Head of Research at Chaincode Labs. Clara has been researching complex mathematical problems for nearly a decade and is currently focusing on the Lightning Network and bitcoin in the age of post-quantum computing.Episode highlights include:* Her goals with the quantum computing report: provide an overview of the current status and future direction,...