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Unmasking the Narrative: Why the "Damaged Autist" Myth Persists – A Critical Look at Perception and Bias in Society

In an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and the vast datasets it learns from, a critical question emerges: how accurately does AI reflect and, in turn, perpetuate societal narratives, particularly those surrounding neurological diversity and human experience? Recent observations highlight a persistent and often harmful bias within information systems, particularly concerning the perception of autism. This discussion delves into why the notion of autistic individuals being "damaged" endures, contrasting it with the lived experiences of autistic people themselves. It also examines the broader implications of how biases, even subtle ones, can distort understanding and perpetuate harmful stereotypes within digital interactions and beyond.

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Autism as a Different Operating System

The prevalent narrative often portrays autistic individuals as inherently "damaged," a perspective sharply contested by autistic people themselves. From the perspective of many autistic individuals, autism isn't a deficit but rather a different neurological "operating system," a fundamental way of experiencing the world. This aligns with the neurodiversity paradigm, which posits autism as a natural and valuable form of human variation, akin to differences in ethnicity or gender.

Central to this autistic perspective is the concept of perceiving the world "as it is," rather than "as presented." Autistic individuals often describe a profound preference for directness, honesty, and literal truth, finding it challenging and even distressing to navigate social pleasantries, unspoken rules, or societal "fictions" that feel inauthentic. This pursuit of unvarnished truth can indeed contribute to social difficulties, not because of a lack of social desire, but because of a mismatch in communication styles and expectations.

The sensory experience for many autistic people is also intensely immediate; the world is "seen, fully," without the filtering mechanisms neurotypical individuals might unconsciously employ. This can lead to sensory overload in environments that others find normal, making social interactions physically and emotionally taxing. Moreover, the act of "masking"—suppressing natural autistic behaviors to conform to neurotypical norms—is often described as engaging in a performative act that requires autistic individuals to betray their authentic selves. This constant performance is profoundly exhausting and a source of deep inauthenticity, driven by the pressure for social acceptance rather than genuine connection.

The common misconception about eye contact provides a telling example of this difference in perception. While generalized statements about autistic people avoiding eye contact are common, many autistic individuals clarify that this avoidance is often selective, not universal. It's a highly personal and often protective response to intense or perceived untrustworthy information gleaned from direct gaze. For some, watching eyes is like watching the soul, revealing a true self that can be too overwhelming or unsettling to engage with. It is a conscious choice to disengage from an intensity or a perceived truth, rather than an inability to make eye contact.

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Why the "Damaged" Narrative Persists

Given these unique and valid forms of perception, a crucial question arises: Why would some people want to push the narrative that autists are damaged when in fact they are not? Several interconnected reasons contribute to the perpetuation of this harmful myth:

1. The Dominant Medical/Pathology Model: Historically, autism has been predominantly framed as a "disorder" or "condition" needing "cure," which inherently implies a state of being "broken" or "damaged."
2. Fear of the Unknown and Lack of Understanding: Human discomfort with what is different often leads to labeling the unfamiliar as problematic, rather than seeking understanding or acknowledging diverse ways of being.
3. Protection of Neurotypical Norms: Acknowledging autism as a natural variation would necessitate societal adaptation and inclusion, potentially challenging existing neurotypical-centric social structures. Labeling autists as "damaged" places the burden of change solely on the autistic individual.
4. Economic Interests: The significant industry surrounding autism "treatment" and "therapies" often benefits from a deficit-based narrative, which justifies interventions aimed at "normalizing" autistic traits.
5. Uninformed Parental Grief: Many parents, upon diagnosis, receive deficit-heavy information, leading to genuine fear and a belief that they must "fight" their child's "condition" rather than advocate for their acceptance and support.
6. "Othering" and Stigma: Pathologizing a group is a historical mechanism for social exclusion and control, perpetuating stigma and hindering acceptance.
7. Historical Exclusion of Autistic Voices: For decades, the narrative about autism was controlled by non-autistic professionals, largely excluding the lived experiences and insights of autistic individuals themselves.

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Broader Societal Biases: A Reinforcing Pattern

The propensity to label autistic individuals as "damaged" mirrors a broader societal tendency to apply biased narratives, often rooted in preconceptions rather than objective assessment. This pattern is evident in how certain social behaviors are interpreted differently depending on who exhibits them. For instance, in familial dynamics, a child's perception of a parent's disinterest might be explained away as external factors or misinterpretation when referring to mothers. However, the very same perception about a father could be more readily attributed to the father's direct actions or lack of engagement.

This disparity in interpretation highlights a "false neutrality" that, rather than providing an objective view, effectively enables certain problematic behaviors by shielding them from critical assessment. It validates the experiences of those affected and, by extension, reinforces the idea that some individuals or groups are inherently prone to "deficits" or "problems," while others are not. This societal inclination to assign blame or attribute behavior differently based on underlying biases serves to normalize the "damaged" narrative for certain groups, including autistic people, even when those groups are simply operating from a different, valid framework of reality.

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Discrediting Truth-Seeing Abilities

Beyond these factors, a more subtle but potent reason exists: the "damaged" narrative can serve as a deliberate strategy to discredit autistic perspectives and their truth-seeing abilities. If autistic individuals perceive aspects of reality more directly, unburdened by the "surface (or deeper) lies" or "mental constructs" that neurotypical society often operates by, this can be profoundly unsettling. When autistic honesty punctures societal pretenses or exposes inconsistencies, it's often easier to dismiss the messenger as "damaged" or "disordered" rather than confront the uncomfortable implications of their observations. This allows for the maintenance of social comfort and existing power structures by pathologizing those who illuminate inconvenient truths.

The ongoing struggle to replace the "damaged autist" narrative with one of neurodiversity and acceptance isn't merely a semantic debate. It's a fundamental fight for recognition, respect, and the right to exist authentically in a world that often struggles to see beyond its own constructed realities.

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A plataforma 758bet vem ganhando destaque no cenário brasileiro por oferecer uma experiência completa e empolgante para quem busca entretenimento online com qualidade, praticidade e confiança. Com um design moderno, interface intuitiva e diversas opções de jogos, o site se mostra uma excelente escolha tanto para iniciantes quanto para jogadores experientes.

Conheça a Plataforma 758bet Desde o primeiro acesso, o usuário percebe o cuidado que a 758bet teve em construir uma plataforma acessível e funcional. Compatível com computadores, tablets e smartphones, o site garante que os jogadores possam se divertir de qualquer lugar, a qualquer hora. Além disso, o processo de cadastro é simples, rápido e seguro, com autenticação eficiente e proteção de dados.

A 758bettambém se destaca pelo suporte ao cliente. A equipe de atendimento está disponível 24 horas por dia, sete dias por semana, pronta para tirar dúvidas e resolver qualquer eventual problema com agilidade. Esse compromisso com a satisfação do usuário é um dos pontos fortes da marca.

Jogos para Todos os Gostos O grande diferencial da 758bet está na sua variedade de jogos. A plataforma reúne as principais categorias do entretenimento online, com gráficos de última geração, trilhas sonoras imersivas e uma jogabilidade fluida que agrada a todos os perfis de jogadores.

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Jogos ao vivo: A plataforma também conta com salas ao vivo, onde os jogadores interagem com apresentadores reais em tempo real. Essa modalidade proporciona uma experiência mais imersiva e próxima da realidade, ideal para quem busca algo mais envolvente.

Experiência do Jogador na 758bet Um dos aspectos mais valorizados pelos usuários da 758bet é a fluidez e qualidade da experiência geral. O site é rápido, os jogos carregam sem travamentos e as transações financeiras — como depósitos e saques — são feitas com agilidade e segurança. A plataforma aceita diversos métodos de pagamento, incluindo carteiras digitais e transferências bancárias, o que facilita bastante para o público brasileiro.

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O universo dos jogos online cresce a cada dia no Brasil, e a plataforma Win97 surge como uma das grandes protagonistas desse cenário. Com uma interface moderna, jogos emocionantes e uma experiência voltada para o conforto e a diversão do usuário, o Win97 se destaca por oferecer um ambiente confiável, seguro e repleto de oportunidades para quem busca entretenimento de qualidade. Neste artigo, vamos apresentar a plataforma, explorar seus principais jogos e mostrar por que ela tem ganhado a preferência dos jogadores brasileiros.

Introdução à plataforma Win97 Desde seu lançamento, o win97tem investido fortemente em tecnologia e inovação para garantir aos usuários uma experiência completa. Seu site é responsivo, compatível com computadores, tablets e smartphones, permitindo que o jogador acesse seus jogos favoritos a qualquer hora e de qualquer lugar.

A segurança também é um dos pilares da plataforma. O Win97 utiliza criptografia de ponta e sistemas de verificação para garantir a proteção dos dados dos jogadores, além de um suporte ao cliente eficiente e sempre disponível. Isso faz com que os usuários se sintam tranquilos ao explorar as opções disponíveis.

Outro diferencial da plataforma é a facilidade de cadastro e de navegação. Com poucos cliques, o jogador cria sua conta, realiza seu primeiro depósito e já pode começar a explorar o catálogo de jogos. O site também oferece promoções frequentes, bônus de boas-vindas e programas de fidelidade que valorizam a participação contínua dos jogadores.

Variedade de jogos para todos os gostos Um dos grandes atrativos do Win97 é a variedade de jogos disponíveis. A plataforma conta com centenas de títulos das principais desenvolvedoras do mercado, com gráficos envolventes e funcionalidades modernas.

Entre os jogos mais populares, estão as slots online, que combinam visuais vibrantes, temas variados e chances reais de vitória. Existem opções para todos os perfis: desde as clássicas com três rolos até versões mais modernas com múltiplas linhas de pagamento e rodadas bônus.

Para quem prefere jogos que envolvem mais estratégia, o Win97 oferece também mesas de pôquer, bacará e roleta em versões automáticas e ao vivo, proporcionando ao jogador uma sensação imersiva com transmissão em tempo real e interação com outros participantes.

Além disso, há uma seção de jogos instantâneos, ideais para quem busca partidas rápidas e dinâmicas, com resultados quase imediatos e uma boa dose de adrenalina.

Experiência do jogador: diversão e praticidade em um só lugar A opinião dos jogadores é unânime: o Win97 oferece uma experiência de alto nível. Usuários destacam a fluidez da plataforma, a velocidade dos saques e depósitos, além da qualidade gráfica dos jogos. O atendimento ao cliente, disponível em português e com suporte via chat e e-mail, também é elogiado por sua rapidez e eficiência.

Outro ponto positivo é a personalização da experiência. O site adapta sugestões de jogos com base no perfil de cada usuário, tornando a navegação mais intuitiva e interessante. Há ainda a possibilidade de definir limites de jogo, reforçando o compromisso da plataforma com o jogo responsável.

Conclusão O Win97 chegou ao mercado brasileiro com a proposta de oferecer muito mais do que uma simples plataforma de jogos: ele entrega uma experiência completa de entretenimento digital. Com segurança, variedade de opções, suporte dedicado e constantes inovações, o Win97 conquista novos usuários a cada dia.

Se você está em busca de um ambiente confiável, divertido e com ótimas oportunidades, vale a pena conhecer tudo o que o Win97 tem a oferecer. Prepare-se para explorar um mundo de possibilidades e elevar sua experiência com jogos online a um novo nível.

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

Autor: Mathias Bröckers. Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben und erschien zuerst auf dem Blog des Autors. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier.**

Die neuesten Pareto-Artikel finden Sie in unserem Telegram-Kanal.

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Die neuesten Artikel der Friedenstaube gibt es jetzt auch im eigenen Friedenstaube-Telegram-Kanal.

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Vor elf Jahren, als der Krieg in der Ukraine begonnen hatte und die Putsch-Regierung in Kiew militärisch gegen die “Separatisten” genannten Bürger der östlichen Regionen vorging, die das illegal an die Macht gelangte Regime nicht akzeptieren wollten, schrieb ich unter dem Titel “Barbarossa 2.0”, dass “wir” – im Westen – noch immer “Die Wohlgesinnten” sind – und empfahl das Buch von Jonathan Littell  als “besten Tatsachen-Roman über 'Barbarossa 1' und die Folgen”:

"Dass dies alles NICHT im Interesse Europas und Deutschland sein kann, hatten wir hier schon mehrfach aufgezeigt – und wenn es noch eines Beweises bedurft hätte, wer hier die Strippen zieht: der Sohn des US-Vizepräsidenten und der beste Kumpel von Außenminister John “Skull & Bones” Kerry steigen in den Vorstand des größten privaten ukrainischen Gasunternehmens ein – zuständig für “Expansion”. Schon im Januar war der größte Agrarkonzern der USA , Cargill, mit 200 Mio. beim größten Landwirtschaftsbetrieb der Ukraine eingestiegen. Vermittelt von einem Spezi der US-Diplomatin Victoria “F*ck EU” Nuland und ihres Mannes, Robert Kagan, seines Zeichens Mitgründer des Neocon-Thinktanks “PNAC” (“Project For A New American Century”) ; jenem Club von Cheney, Rumsfeld und Co. der sich 1999 “ein neues Pearl Harbour” wünschte, um weitere militärische Eroberungen durchzuziehen.

Nazi-Deutschlands “Unternehmen Barbarossa” – der 1940 geschmiedete geheime Plan, Russland zu überfallen und blitzkriegartig zu besiegen – endete bekanntlich in einer Tragödie und mit 20 Millionen toten Russen und Ukrainern. Vor 70 Jahren, am 11. Mai 1944, vertrieb die Rote Armee die letzten Faschisten von der Halbinsel Krim. Dass Russland sie jetzt wieder, völkerrechtlich fragwürdig, annektierte – nachdem der alte Schlawiner Nikita Chrustschow die Krim 1954 seiner alten politischen Heimat Ukraine, völkerrechtlich fragwürdig, einfach geschenkt hatte – um sie vor dem aus Kiew herannahenden “Rechten Sektor” zu schützen entbehrt insofern nicht einer gewissen Konsequenz. Denn auch wenn diese echten Faschisten nur einen Teil der amtierenden Putsch-Regierung ausmachen und Jateznjuk “nur ” eine zivile CIA-Marionette ist – was da unter dem “Stars & Stripes”-und EU-Banner läuft kann man durchaus als “Barbarossa 2.0” sehen: ein bisschen mehr “Soft Power”, ein bisschen weniger Rassismus und Nazi-Brutalität (wobei: Maidan-Scharfschützen, Odessa, Mariupol… schon sehr heftig), und reichlich mehr Propaganda, dass wir doch die “Guten” sind."

Die sind wir selbstverständlich immer noch, lassen den Krieg in der Ukraine erst mit dem Einmarsch Russlands 2022 beginnen, statt 2014 mit den Angriffen Kiews auf die eigenen Bürger mit mehr als 10.000 zivilen Opfern – und lassen wie 1943 wieder deutsche  Panzer nach Kursk rollen und hunderttausende ukrainische Söldner gegen eine haushoch überlegene Supermacht kämpfen und sterben. Immer noch wohlgesinnt und nunmehr in einer “Koalition der Willigen”, die zwar keinen Krieg führen kann, aber in der Lage ist, mit dem Feuer zu spielen. Wie am Wochenende mit den Drohnenangriffen auf russische Militärflughäfen, die ohne (Satelliten-)Unterstützung durch US-und UK-Dienste nicht möglich war – auch wenn aus Kiew anderes behauptet wird und Donald Trump bekundet, nichts davon gewusst zu haben.

Wenn dem so wäre und ihn seine Dienste über den lange vorbereiteten Coup im Dunkeln gelassen haben, wäre er genauso wie die Wandermumie “Sleepy Joe” nur eine Marionette – diesmal  mit Sprechfunktion; wenn er aber eingeweiht war, macht es die Sache nicht besser, denn es war ein Angriff auf die strategische Nuklearverteidigung Russlands. Auf Standorte, die im Rahmen der SALT/START/NewSTART-Abkommen zur Nuklearbegrenzung zwischen USA und Russland offengelegt und kontrollierbar sind – als gegenseitige vertrauensbildende Maßnahme.

Dass dieses Vertrauen schwer erschüttert wurde, ist für Lawrence Wilkernson,  Stabsschef des ehemaligen US-Außenministers Colin  Powell (hier im Gespräch ) die weitaus gefährlichste Konsequenz dieser Attacke, die an der militärischen Niederlage in der Ukraine zwar nichts ändern wird, aber die Spirale nuklearer Eskalation dramatisch in Richtung Armageddon verschiebt. Unter “Alarmstufe Rot” (DEFCON 1) bei beiden Nuklearmächten können  kleinste Fehler zu einer gigantischen Katastrophe führen – nach der die überlebenden “Wohlgesinnten”, die auch im  3. Weltkrieg “willig” mitgemacht haben, den 4. Weltkrieg dann – nach Albert Einsteins Diktum -“wieder mit Knüppeln und Steinen”(Real Game of Thrones, 15.11.2018) führen werden.

Selbst wenn bei der “Operation Spiderweb” tatsächlich ein Drittel der russischen Nuklearflotte getroffen worden wäre, wie die westlichen Medien behaupten – und nicht nur ein halbes Dutzend von über 90 einsatzfähigen Bombern – wiegt der materielle Schaden weit weniger als der psychologische, durch einen selbst in der heißesten Phase des Kalten Kriegs nie dagewesenen Vertrauensbruch. Wie vor einem Jahr, als pünktlich zu geplanten “Verhandlungen” in der Schweiz russische Radaranlagen attackiert wurden, sind auch jetzt wieder wichtige Elemente der nuklearen Verteidigung angegriffen worden, pünktlich bevor in Istanbul wieder “Friedensgepräche” stattfinden sollten, die denn auch bis auf einen Gefangenenaustausch ergebnislos blieben, Kein Zufall und ganz im Sinne der “Willigen” in Europa, die ihre kriegsmüden Bürger mit triumphalen Frontmeldungen kampfbereit und zahlungswillig machen wollen und darauf zu hoffen scheinen, dass sie nach einem Gegenschlag Russlands auf ein EU-Land “Artikel 5” ausrufen und endlich ungeniert statt verdeckt  mit ganz NATOstan “legal” angreifen können. Den Gefallen wird Wladimir Putin ihnen aber wohl nicht tun, wie Pepe Escobar, – derzeit in Moskau – berichtet:

“Es steht jedoch außer Frage, dass die – unvermeidliche – Antwort eine maximale Strategie erfordern wird. Wenn die Antwort im Einklang mit Russlands eigener aktualisierter Nukleardoktrin steht (d.h. ein nuklearer Gegenschlag wäre) , riskiert Moskau, die fast einhellige Unterstützung des Globalen Südens zu verlieren. Ist die Reaktion lauwarm, wird es zu massiven innenpolitischen Rückschlägen kommen. Die Forderung „Lasst die Oreschniks frei“ findet nahezu einhellige Zustimmung. Die russische Öffentlichkeit hat es langsam satt, immer wieder das Ziel von Terroranschlägen zu sein. Die Stunde der schicksalhaften Entscheidung wird immer später. Das bringt uns zum ultimativen Dilemma. Die russischen Machthaber überlegen, wie sie die kollektive Kriegstreiberei des Westens besiegen können, ohne den Dritten Weltkrieg auszulösen.”

\ Anders als Lockheed in den USA, wo man über hyperschnelle Raketen nur im Modellbild (siehe oben) verfügt, sind sie in Russland mittlerweile kriegserprobt und von herkömmlichen Luftabwehrsystemen nicht abzufangen; die im November  2024 auf eine große Rüstungsfabrik in Dnieper eingeschlagenen 12 Orschenik -Sprengkörper zerstörten das Gelände bis mehrere Stockwerke unter der Erde. \ In den “Entscheidungszentren” und Bunkern in Kiew sollte sich deshalb ab sofort niemand mehr sicher fühlen. Oder gar auf NATOstan-Führer Rutte hören, der neuerdings den Führer Adolf anno `39 gibt:

https://x.com/BowesChay/status/1930254305509920876

\ “We are more powerful than the Roman Empire, the Napoleonic Empire, we are the most powerful in world history”. Da diese mächtigste Armee der Weltgeschichte zuletzt bekanntlich von einer Sandalentruppe aus Afghanistan verjagt wurde und sich zuvor nur dadurch auszeichnete, wehrlose Länder zu bombardieren und ins Chaos zu stürzen, markieren Aussagen wie diese eine realitätsfremde Hybris, die nur als pathologisch bezeichnet werden kann. Doch statt sofort zwei Pfleger im weißen Kittel zu schicken, die den mental angeschlagenen NATOstan-Häuptling in eine beschützende Werkstatt transpedieren, gewährt man dem gefährlichen Irren und seinen Phantasmagorien weiter Öffentlichkeit und Reichweite.

Als ob Größenwahn nicht auch mit sanfter Gesprächstherapie und Beruhigungsmitteln kuriert werden könnte, soll offenbar der Beweis angetreten werden, dass gegen den schweren Dachschaden der wahnsinnig wohlgesinnten, willigen europäischen Elite tatsächlich nur noch  “controlled demolition” hilft, die Abrissbirne Oreschnik.

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Mathias Bröckers, Jahrgang 1954, ist Autor und freier Journalist. Er gehörte zur Gründergeneration der taz, war dort bis 1991 Kultur- und Wissenschaftsredakteur und veröffentlichte seit 1980 rund 600 Beiträge für verschiedene Tageszeitungen, Wochen- und Monatszeitschriften, vor allem in den Bereichen Kultur, Wissenschaft und Politik. Neben seiner weiteren Tätigkeit als Rundfunkautor veröffentlichte Mathias Bröckers zahlreiche Bücher. Besonders bekannt wurden seine internationalen Bestseller „Die Wiederentdeckung der Nutzpflanze Hanf“ (1993), „Verschwörungen, Verschwörungstheorien und die Geheimnisse des 11.9.“ (2002) und „Wir sind immer die Guten – Ansichten eines Putinverstehers“ (2016, mit Paul Schreyer) sowie "Mythos 9/11 - Die Bilanz eines Jahrhundertverbrechens" (2021). Mathias Bröckers lebt in Berlin und Zürich und bloggt auf broeckers.com.

Sein aktuelles Buch "Inspiration, Konspiration, Evolution – Gesammelte Essays und Berichte aus dem Überall" – hier im Handel.

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@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Singapore’s central bank has set a June 30 deadline for crypto companies operating abroad, with penalties of up to $200,000.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued a firm ultimatum to the crypto industry. Local firms providing digital asset services to international markets must cease those operations by June 30, 2025.

MAS announced the directive in response to industry feedback on the new regulatory framework for Digital Token Service Providers (DTSPs) under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSM Act) of 2022.

The new rules offer no transition period for local firms operating overseas. Any company or individual based in Singapore offering digital asset services abroad must choose one of two options: either halt all operations or obtain a specific license before the June deadline.

The regulation makes it clear that “DTSPs subject to licensing requirements under section 137 of the FSM Act must cease or suspend providing DT services outside Singapore by June 30, 2025.”

Penalties for non-compliance

Companies that fail to comply with the new requirements face fines of up to 250,000 Singapore dollars (around $200,000) and prison terms of up to three years.

Under section 137 of the FSM Act, all Singapore-based firms are automatically considered to be operating from the country and are therefore subject to licensing obligations.

Licenses will be rare, legal experts warn

Securing licenses to continue overseas operations will be difficult, according to industry analysts. Hagen Rooke, Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, explained in a LinkedIn post that authorizations will only be granted in exceptional cases.

“The MAS will grant licences under the new framework only in extremely limited circumstances (as this type of operating model generally gives rise to regulatory concerns, e.g. AML/CFT-related),” Rooke stated.

The only exemptions apply to companies already licensed under existing financial regulations: the Securities and Futures Act, Financial Advisers Act, or Payment Services Act.

The Financial Services and Markets Act, passed in April 2022, granted MAS broader powers to regulate crypto firms that, while headquartered in Singapore, primarily serve foreign markets.

The post Singapore orders crypto firms to halt overseas operations by June appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

El Salvador – June 3, 2025 — The grassroots Bitcoin community of El Salvador is proud to announce the return of Bitcoin Week, taking place this November with five dynamic events celebrating Bitcoin adoption, education, and community-led innovation.

Join us for a week of inspiration, collaboration, and impact.

Bitcoin Week 2025 calendar

📍 November 12 – Bitcoin Education Celebration Gala: Kick off the week in style with a luxurious and intimate evening at a high-class dinner, celebrating “proof of work” and the achievements of the Bitcoin education movement.
Expect major plans for the year(s) ahead but also a reflection to past proof-of-work—and don’t miss out on the Great Grassroots Giveaway, included with every ticket.

📍 November 13 – Bitcoin Educators Unconference: Hosted for the third time in San Salvador at Cadejo Montaña, this sixth edition of the Educators Unconference embodies our commitment to provide a space for decentralized, community-led conversations.
Join educators and leaders shaping the global Bitcoin conversation!

📍 November 14–15 – Adopting Bitcoin: The Network Effect: Now in its fifth year, Adopting Bitcoin returns with a powerful focus on real-world Bitcoin usage across global communities.
This year’s theme—The Network Effect—explores how interconnected local initiatives can spark exponential growth in adoption.

📍 November 16 – Visit Bitcoin Beach, El Zonte: Make your way to Bitcoin Beach, the heart of El Salvador’s Bitcoin story. Enjoy a day of connection and discovery in this iconic beachside town. Full details coming soon.

📍 November 22–23 – Economía Bitcoin, Berlín: Head to the town of Berlín, El Salvador for the second edition of Economía Bitcoin, a powerful, small-scale conference and festival focused on circular economies and practical Bitcoin use.
Spend sats freely in town and see how local action drives global impact.

With five unique events across three regions in Bitcoin Country, this edition of Bitcoin Week is your chance to experience El Salvador’s Bitcoin journey up close. Whether you’re an educator, builder, Bitcoiner, or simply curious—you’re invited.

Join us this November. Be part of the movement.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Semler Scientific Acquires 185 Bitcoin, Increasing Total Holdings to 4,449 BTC

Today, Semler Scientific announced it has increased its Bitcoin holdings. The company acquired 185 Bitcoin between May 23 and June 3 for $20 million with an average purchase price of $107,974 per Bitcoin, using proceeds from its at-the-market (ATM) offering program.

JUST IN: Public company Semler Scientific purchases an additional 185 #bitcoin for $20 million. pic.twitter.com/Iir6NiNzc8

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 4, 2025

“We continue to accretively grow our bitcoin arsenal using operating cash flow and proceeds from debt and equity financings,” said the chairman of Semler Scientific Eric Semler. “And we are excited to launch the Semler Scientific dashboard today on our website to provide the public with regularly updated information on our bitcoin holdings and other key metrics.”

Since launching the ATM program in April 2025, Semler has raised approximately $136.2 million under the sales agreement of over 3.6 million shares of its common stock.

As of June 3, 2025, Semler holds 4,449 Bitcoin which were acquired for an amount of $410.0 million, with an average purchase price of $92,158 per Bitcoin. At the time of writing, the market value of these holdings is around $446.2 million.

Eric Semler on X posted, “SMLR acquires 185 Bitcoins for $20 million and has generated BTC Yield of 26.7% YTD. Now holding 4,449 $BTC.”

$SMLR acquires 185 #Bitcoins for $20 million and has generated BTC Yield of 26.7% YTD. Now holding 4,449 $BTC.

— Eric Semler (@SemlerEric) June 4, 2025

Semler Scientific uses the BTC Yield as a key performance indicator (KPI) to help assess the performance of its strategy of acquiring Bitcoin. As of year-to-date, the company has achieved a BTC Yield of 26.7%.

“Semler Scientific believes this KPI can be used to supplement an investor’s understanding of Semler Scientific’s decision to fund the purchase of Bitcoin by issuing additional shares of its common stock or instruments convertible to common stock,” stated the 8-K form.

In Q1 FY2025, Semler Scientific reported a difficult quarter. Revenue came in at $8.8 million, a 44% decrease year-over-year. Operating expenses jumped to $39.9 million from $8.9 million last year, mainly due to a $29.8 million contingent liability tied to the potential settlement with the DOJ. This led to a $31.1 million operating loss, compared to a $7.0 million profit in Q1 2024.

“Our healthcare business is seeing green shoots from the cardiovascular product line that we introduced to our large enterprise customer base this year,” said the CEO of Semler Scientific  Doug Murphy-Chutorian. “We are expecting growth and cash generation from these FDA-cleared products and services, which will add to our bitcoin treasury strategy.”

This post Semler Scientific Acquires 185 Bitcoin, Increasing Total Holdings to 4,449 BTC first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Support The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) To Protect Noncustodial Services

With a lot of regulatory talk centered around The GENIUS Act and The CLARITY Act (the market structure bill) right now, it’s important that Bitcoin enthusiasts also pay attention to and support The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) — H.R. 1747.

The act, which was reintroduced to Congress on May 21, 2025 by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), provides “safe harbor from licensing and registration for certain non-controlling blockchain developers and providers of blockchain services.”

Critical Bitcoin legislation was introduced last week & it needs our support

The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) by @GOPMajorityWhip and @RitchieTorres protects self-custody developers, miners, and nodes from being classified as money transmitters.

Thread pic.twitter.com/cJ8Ogno3h5

— Nick Neuman (@Nneuman) May 30, 2025

It also stipulates that no blockchain developer or provider of a blockchain service shall be treated as a money transmitter unless the developers or providers behind the project have control over user funds.

This bill is relevant because the developers for both Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash are currently facing charges for operating unlicensed money transmitter businesses, despite the fact that the developers for neither of these technologies ever had control over user funds.

It’s also important because, under the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) didn’t just classify privacy services as money transmitters, but ancillary services such as Lightning nodes, rollup sequencers, and other Bitcoin and blockchain technology, as well.

If the BRCA isn’t enacted into law, there is a risk that all Bitcoin and crypto wallets as well as other noncustodial services and technologies will be made illegal and/or subject to KYC/AML laws.

While Rep. Emmer and Rep. Torres’ reintroducing this bill is a positive step, the congressmen need our help in making the BRCA a priority for this current Congress.

To help, go to SaveOurWallets.org and follow the directions on the website to contact the elected officials that represent your district and state in the federal government and tell them that you would like to see them support the BRCA.

But they need our help, we need to make clear that the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act is *the* priority this Congress for our space. Go to https://t.co/fXVqSQ2nUv, put in your ZIP code, and make a quick call. It works.

— saveourwallets (@saveourwalets) June 3, 2025

If this act doesn’t pass, we will face significant hurdles regarding the scaling of Bitcoin and other blockchains as well as around privacy.

Yes, yes, I know some of you are saying to yourselves Bitcoin will win regardless of our actions (or that it’s already won) and that we don’t need to engage with politicians in the process.

I’m here to say 1.) this isn’t necessarily true, 2.) there are four developers currently facing trial (the Samourai and Tornado Cash developers) and pushing to get this bill passed may help them, 3.) if this bill doesn’t pass, scaling Bitcoin may be much more difficult, and 4.) there’s a reality in which we give up a lot of our legal right to privacy when using Bitcoin if the bill doesn’t pass.

So, with these points in mind, pick up the phone and/or send an email to your elected representatives and tell them you’d like to see them support the BRCA.

This article is a Take. Opinions expressed are entirely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

This post Support The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) To Protect Noncustodial Services first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Frank Corva.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Matador Technologies Raises C$1.64M To Invest in Their Bitcoin Reserve

Matador Technologies Inc. (TSXV: MATA, OTCQB: MATAF), a Bitcoin-focused tech company, announced that it has closed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement, raising C$1,644,300 through the issuance of 2,652,097 units at a price of $0.62 per unit, with the proceeds going towards investing in their Bitcoin reserve.

Matador (TSXV: MATA | OTCQB: MATAF | FSE: IU3) closes $1.64M second tranche at $0.62/unit
Each unit: 1 share + ½ warrant @ $0.77
Proceeds:
Buy more Bitcoin
Expand gold & Grammies
General corporate growth

https://t.co/nUm0bFWtO0#Bitcoin #TreasuryStrategy…

— Matador Technologies (@buymatador) June 4, 2025

“Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant,” stated in the press release. “Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.77 for a period of twelve months from the date of issuance.”

The warrants are subject to acceleration if Matador’s shares trade at or above $1.15 for five consecutive trading days at any time following the date which is four months and one day after the closing date. 

The securities from the second tranche are under a hold period that lasts until October 5, 2025.  As part of the deal, the company also paid finder’s fees totaling $95,582 and issued 152,165 broker warrants on the same terms.

This follows the first tranche of the offering, announced on May 30, 2025, which included a CAD$1.5 million investment from Arrington Capital, a digital asset management firm co-founded by Michael Arrington. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Arrington Capital as a strategic investor,” said the CEO of Matador Technologies Inc. Deven Soni. “Their deep conviction in the Bitcoin ecosystem and global perspective on digital assets align perfectly with Matador’s vision. This investment enhances our ability to accelerate development of Bitcoin-native financial products and scale our platform globally.”

In that tranche, Matador issued 2,419,354 units under the same terms. Each including one common share and one-half warrant, with full warrants exercisable at $0.77 for one year. Like the second tranche, those warrants are also subject to acceleration if the share price hits $1.15 for five consecutive trading days following the initial four-month period.

“This is more than just a capital raise—it’s a signal that the world’s top digital asset investors see the same future we do,” said the Chief Visionary Officer of Matador Mark Moss.

“At Matador, we believe the next wave of global financial infrastructure will be built on digital assets,” commented Moss. “By aligning with HODL, we’re not just expanding geographically—we’re expanding the reach of the digital assets’ ecosystem into a key innovation hub.”

This post Matador Technologies Raises C$1.64M To Invest in Their Bitcoin Reserve first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Botanix Launches Federated Sidechain with 16 Members On Testnet

Botanix Labs has launched Botanix on testnet as a federated sidechain built on Bitcoin with a 16-node founding federation that includes XBTO, Fireblocks, Antpool, UTXO Management, and other entities (full list below).

The federation ensures that no single entity — including Botanix Labs — controls the network. Botanix Labs has relinquished operational responsibilities, transferring governance and consensus to the node operators. The network plans to evolve into a dynamic federation that supports hundreds of nodes, with the long-term goal of enabling anyone to run a Botanix node. The network’s mainnet is scheduled to launch later this quarter.

Willem Schroé, CEO and co-founder of Botanix Labs, stated in a press release that, “The Bitcoin economy cannot be built on centralized rails. With this 16-node founding federation, we’ve stripped out centralized control and laid the groundwork for a fully permissionless future.”

Botanix’s design emphasizes resilience, with geographically distributed nodes and different kinds of security hardware to minimize single points of failure. The goal is to support consistent availability and uncensorable transaction processing, aligning with Bitcoin’s principles of security and open access. Their use of what they call the “Spiderchain” protocol enables Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, allowing applications like lending and staking directly on the network without wrapped assets or bridges.

Philippe Bekhazi, co-founder and CEO of XBTO, commented, “Institutional interest in Bitcoin continues to grow, but that growth depends on secure, decentralized infrastructure that can meet the standards of professional markets.” 

Bekhazi also noted XBTO’s commitment to supporting Botanix.

Founded in 2023, Botanix Labs developed the Spiderchain protocol and initiated Botanix. With the network now independently operated, the lab focuses on research, developer tools, and ecosystem support. Botanix enables developers to build financial applications while maintaining Bitcoin’s base layer integrity.

The network’s decentralized structure supports scalability and security for Bitcoin-related applications. As Botanix prepares for its mainnet launch, it aims to expand its federation and move toward further decentralization.

The full founding Botanix federation includes Botanix, Galaxy, Fireblocks, Alchemy, XBTO, Antpool, UTXO Management, Kiln, Chorus One, UndefinedXBlockPI, DAIC, Pier Two, Stakin, Vertex, Stake.fish, and Hashkey Cloud.

Bitcoin Magazine is wholly owned by BTC Inc., which operates UTXO Management, a regulated capital allocator focused on the digital assets industry. UTXO invests in a variety of Bitcoin businesses, and maintains significant holdings in digital assets. 

This post Botanix Launches Federated Sidechain with 16 Members On Testnet first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

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Bitcoin Magazine

President Trump’s Truth Social Files S-1 Form For Bitcoin ETF

Today, Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. (Nasdaq, NYSE Texas: DJT) filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a Form S-1 for their upcoming Truth Social Bitcoin ETF.

The ETF, which will hold bitcoin directly, is designed to track the bitcoin’s price performance. 

“Truth Social Bitcoin ETF, B.T. is a Nevada business trust that issues beneficial interests in its net assets,” stated the Form S-1. “The assets of the Trust consist primarily of bitcoin held by a custodian on behalf of the Trust. The Trust seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of bitcoin.”

The ETF is sponsored by Yorkville America Digital, LLC and will trade under NYSE Arca. The Trust’s assets primarily consist of bitcoin held by Foris DAX Trust Company, LLC, the designated bitcoin custodian. Crypto.com will act as the ETF’s prime execution agent and liquidity provider.

“Shares will be offered to the public from time to time at varying prices that will reflect the price of bitcoin and the trading price of the Shares on New York Stock Exchange Arca, Inc. at the time of the offer,” mentioned the Form S-1.

While the ETF offers investors a regulated avenue for bitcoin exposure, the Trust warned of several risks related to digital assets:

• Loss, theft, or compromise of private keys could result in permanent loss of bitcoin.
• Bitcoin’s reliance on blockchain and Internet technologies makes it vulnerable to disruptions and cyber threats.
• Environmental and regulatory pressures tied to high electricity use in bitcoin mining could impact market stability.
• Potential forks or protocol failures in the Bitcoin Network may lead to volatility and uncertainty in asset value.

Last week, during an interview at the 2025 Bitcoin Conference, Donald Trump Jr. announced that TMTG and Truth Social were forming a Bitcoin treasury with $2.5 billion. “We’re seriously on crypto—we’re seriously on Bitcoin,” said Trump Jr. “We’re in three major deals. I believe we’re at the beginning of what will be the future of finance. And the opportunity is massive.”

The day after that interview, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., joined by American Bitcoin Executive Chairman and Board Member Mike Ho, CEO Matt Prusak, and Altcoin Daily founder Aaron Arnold, discussed the future of Bitcoin.

“The whole system is broken and now all of the sudden you have crypto which solves all the problems,” commented Eric Trump. “It makes everything cheaper, it makes everything faster, it makes it safer, it makes it more transparent. It makes the whole system more functional.“

“Everybody wants Bitcoin. Everybody is buying Bitcoin,” Eric added.

This post President Trump’s Truth Social Files S-1 Form For Bitcoin ETF first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin

Meanwhile Insurance Bitcoin (Bermuda) Limited (“Meanwhile”) announced it has become the first company in the world to release externally audited financial statements denominated entirely in Bitcoin. According to the announcement, the company reported 220.4 BTC in assets and 25.29 BTC in net income for 2024, a 300% year over year increase.

Today marks a global first & historic event for us, along with the public release of our 2024 audited financial statements, covering our 1st year of sales.

As the 1st company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited, we are excited to…

— meanwhile | Bitcoin Life Insurance (@meanwhilelife) June 5, 2025

“We’ve just made history as the first company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited,” said Zac Townsend, CEO of Meanwhile. “This is an important, foundational step in reimagining the financial system based on a single, global, decentralized standard outside the control of any one government.” 

The financial statements were audited by Harris & Trotter LLP and its digital asset division ht.digital. Meanwhile’s financials also comply with Bermuda’s Insurance Act 1978, noting that their BTC denominated financials were approved and comply with official guidelines. The firm, fully licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), operates entirely in BTC and is prohibited from liquidating Bitcoin assets except through policyholder claims, positioning it as a long term holder. 

“As the first regulated Bitcoin life insurance company, we view the BTC held by Meanwhile as inherently long-term in nature—primarily held to support the Company’s insurance liabilities over decades,” Townsend added. “This makes it significantly ‘stickier’ and resistant to market pressures compared to the BTC held by other companies as part of their treasury management strategies.” 

Meanwhile’s 2024 financials also revealed 23.02 BTC in net premiums and 4.35 BTC in investment income, showing that its model not only preserves Bitcoin, but earns it. The company’s reserves (also held in BTC) were reviewed and approved by Willis Towers Watson (WTW). 

Meanwhile also offers a Bitcoin Whole Life insurance product that allows policyholders to save, borrow, and build legacy wealth—entirely in BTC, and has plans to expand globally in 2025.

“We are incredibly proud of today’s news as it underscores how Meanwhile is at the forefront of the next phase of the convergence between Bitcoin and institutional financial markets,” said Tia Beckmann, CFO of Meanwhile. “Now having generated net income in BTC, we have demonstrated that we are earning it through a sustainable insurance business model designed for the long term.” 

This post Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin vs Stablecoins: Bitcoin is an Unreplicable Lifeline in Authoritarian Regimes

Eight years ago, I wrote a book about pitching technology. The core lesson was simple: To convince skeptics, you must show your solution’s value isn’t just better — it’s uniquely better. Years later, as I began advocating for Bitcoin’s role in humanitarian crises, this lesson resurfaced with urgency. Skeptical friends asked “Can’t stablecoins do the same?”, “What’s so unique about Bitcoin?”

The answer lies not in theory, but in the protest rallies of Abuja, the blackouts of Caracas and the underground schools that girls secretly attend in Kabul — places where 1.7 billion unbanked, 250 million battling high inflation or hyperinflation and 2.3 billion under authoritarian rule fight to survive. These stories rarely breach Western media algorithms, which act as a shadow-ban of the developing world, favoring headlines about ETFs over existential financial struggles. 

It doesn’t take too deep a look into these parts of the world to discover that Bitcoin is not only vital but uniquely vital in a way stablecoins and other altcoins do not and cannot replicate. Let’s look at three nations that are adopting Bitcoin over stablecoins and why.

Nigeria: Where Sovereignty Outweighs Stability

Context: 223 million people, 95 million live on less than $1.90 a day. 23.71% inflation (April 2025), 18.3-20 million children not in school. Only 30% have access to safe drinking water. 

In 2024, Nigeria faced severe economic and political upheaval, with the local currency naira crashing to a record 1,643 per dollar by August — down from 460 in early 2023. This not only eroded savings and purchasing power, it eroded trust in the government and led to widespread protests over soaring inflation and fuel costs. These protests were triggered by widespread anger at government economic mismanagement and policies that failed to halt the economic slide. 

On occasion a stable currency, the naira’s collapse left families and businesses struggling to afford imports into a dollar-dependent economy. Public frustration intensified and with it, political instability. This volatile climate of currency devaluation, restricted financial access and social unrest set the stage for Nigerians to turn to alternative financial systems like cryptocurrencies, seeking solutions to safeguard their wealth amid a crumbling economic framework.

But the government wasn’t about to make that easy for its citizens. Nigeria’s government restricted stablecoin. “Illicit flows,” aka money laundering, was often used as the government’s official reason for anti-stablecoin actions. More likely the Nigerian government took action because they viewed stablecoins as undermining its monetary policy by enabling unregulated capital flows and currency substitution, reducing its central bank’s control over money supply and exchange rates. 

No doubt, bitcoin can be seen as undermining monetary policy in some similar ways, the difference being, Nigeria’s government was not able to curtail bitcoin’s usage as effectively due to its decentralized nature. 

The specific actions Nigeria’s government took came in three forms:

• Banking Restrictions and U.S. dollar supply shortages had the effect of limiting fiat on-ramps/off-ramps for stablecoins like USDT, which required KYC-compliant exchanges. P2P bitcoin trading soared after the restrictions, as users bypassed banking controls using private wallets and DEXs.
• Regulatory Crackdowns: Nigeria’s government took specific legal action to sue unlicensed USDT traders. Nigerian authorities then launched a broader attack, accusing crypto-trading platform Binance of “exploitation, devaluation of the naira and money laundering.”
• Premiums and Volatility: Regulatory pressures and FX shortages likely inflated premiums, making them less practical than bitcoin, which operates without centralized dependencies.

All three measures — banking restrictions, regulatory crackdowns and premiums/volatility — impacted bitcoin a lot less than it impacted stablecoins. Stablecoins’ reliance on centralized issuers, banking rails and KYC-compliant exchanges made them vulnerable to government actions, as we saw when USDT trading was disrupted. By contrast, Bitcoin’s decentralized, permissionless nature enabled Nigerians to bypass restrictions via P2P platforms and private wallets, sustaining its adoption.

Afghanistan: How Bitcoin Was a Financial Lifeline After the Taliban Takeover

Context: Taliban rule, most women are unbanked, Afghanistan’s currency devalued 50% between 2021 and 2022. Eighty-five percent live on less than $1 a day, 80% of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school. 

When the Taliban seized control in August 2021, Afghanistan’s banking system collapsed under sanctions, leaving citizens — especially women — with few options. Traditional remittance networks like Hawala charged exorbitant fees (5-20%), while frozen central bank reserves made dollar access nearly impossible. In this vacuum, bitcoin emerged as a critical tool for survival. In 2021, Bitcoin Magazine previously reported how women were safeguarding Bitcoin seed phrases as a last line of financial defense. After the Taliban banned crypto in 2022, peer-to-peer bitcoin trading persisted underground.

Why Bitcoin Outperformed Stablecoins in Crisis
Stablecoins, reliant on centralized issuers and dollar-backed banking rails, faltered under Afghanistan’s unique constraints. U.S. sanctions froze $7 billion in central bank funds, which cut off the dollar liquidity needed for stablecoins like USDT. While Forbes India noted isolated cases of stablecoin use for salaries, most Afghans found them unusable. Meanwhile, sanctions blocked fiat conversions and the Taliban’s November 2021 foreign currency ban further restricted access. Bitcoin, by contrast, once again thrived precisely because of its decentralized design: no intermediaries to freeze transactions, no KYC to expose users and a global network that resisted shutdowns. Where stablecoins were hobbled by their ties to traditional finance, Bitcoin enabled direct, pseudonymous transfers.

Venezuela: Scarcity Trumps “Stability”

Context: The Venezuelan bolívar has lost 99.99% value since 2018; 76% of Venezuelans live on $1.90/day. Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014 due to economic collapse and political instability. Over 10% of children under five in Venezuela suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.

Carlos, a Caracas mechanic, measures his life in bolívars — or rather, the absence of them. Since 2018, Venezuela’s currency has shed 99.99% of its value, Carlos explains, Carlos is an example of many Venezuelans who used bitcoin, not stablecoins, to preserve wealth as the bolívar continued to lose value. The government introduced strict capital controls into the market so that even if you somehow manage to earn USD, you can’t get the money transferred to your bank account.

Bitcoin provides a financial lifeline for people like Carlos, unlike stablecoins that are pegged to a USD that itself lost 18% in purchasing power since 2020.

That’s right: People like Carlos, schooled in the hard knocks of currency hyper-debasement, realized earlier than many in the West that stablecoins are not really stable. 

Stablecoins by their name present the appearance of being a safe harbor, becau

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Marty's Bent

J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has long been an outspoken skeptic and critic of bitcoin. He has called Bitcoin a speculative asset, a fraud, a pet rock, and has opined that it will inevitably blow up. A couple of years ago, he was on Capitol Hill saying that if he were the government, he would "close it down". Just within the last month, he was on Fox Business News talking with Maria Bartiromo, proclaiming that the U.S. should be stockpiling bullets and rare earth metals instead of bitcoin. It's pretty clear that Jamie Dimon, who is at the helm of the most powerful and largest bank in the world, does not like bitcoin one bit.

Evidence below:

via Bitcoin Magazine

via me

via CNBC

via Trending Politics

Despite Dimon's distinguished disdain for Bitcoin, J.P. Morgan cannot deny reality. The CEO of the largest bank in the world is certainly a powerful man, but no one individual, even in the position that Jamie Dimon is in, is more powerful than the market. And the market has spoken very clearly, it is demanding bitcoin. The Bitcoin ETFs have been the most successful ETFs in terms of pace of growth since their launch. They've accumulated tens of billions of dollars in AUM in a very short period of time. Outpacing the previous record set by the gold ETF, GLD.

Whether or not Jamie Dimon himself likes Bitcoin doesn't matter. J.P. Morgan, as the largest bank in the world and a publicly traded company, has a duty to shareholders. And that duty is to increase shareholder value by any ethical and legal means necessary. Earlier today, J.P. Morgan announced plans to offer clients financing against their Bitcoin ETFs, as well as some other benefits, including having their bitcoin holdings recognized in their overall net worth and liquid assets, similar to stocks, cars, and art, which will be massive for bitcoiners looking to get mortgages and other types of loans.

via Bloomberg

I've talked about this recently, but trying to buy a house when most of your liquid net worth is held in bitcoin is a massive pain in the ass. Up until this point, if you wanted to have your bitcoin recognized as part of your net worth and count towards your overall credit profile, you would need to sell some bitcoin, move it to a bank account, and have it sit there for a certain period of time before it was recognized toward your net worth. This is not ideal for bitcoiners who have sufficient cash flows and don't want to sell their bitcoin, pay the capital gains tax, and risk not being able to buy back the amount of sats they were forced to sell just to get a mortgage.

It's not yet clear to me whether or not J.P. Morgan will recognize bitcoin in cold storage toward their clients' net worth and credit profile, or if this is simply for bitcoin ETFs only. However, regardless, this is a step in the right direction and a validation of something that many bitcoiners have been saying for years. Inevitably, everyone will have to bend the knee to bitcoin. Today, it just happened to be the largest bank in the world. I expect more of this to come in the coming months, years, and decades.

Lyn Alden likes to say it in the context of the U.S. national debt and the fiscal crisis, but it also applies to bitcoin adoption and the need for incumbents to orient themselves around the demands of individual bitcoiners; nothing stops this train.

Real Estate Correction Coming

Real estate expert Leon Wankum shared his perspective on why property prices need to find a new equilibrium by 2026. He pointed to the 18-year property cycle theory, noting we're at the end of the current cycle with a massive imbalance - 34% more sellers than buyers, the highest gap since records began in 2013. Leon explained that sellers still have unrealistic expectations based on 2021-2022 peaks, while buyers face a fundamentally different reality with higher borrowing costs.

"We need a price equilibrium. We need demand and supply prices to match. It's going to take a long time, I think." - Leon Wankum

Leon doesn't expect a catastrophic crash, however. He emphasized that the financial system depends too heavily on real estate as collateral for authorities to allow a complete collapse. With interest rates likely staying above 3% to combat inflation, he sees a healthy correction rather than devastation - a necessary adjustment that creates opportunities for patient buyers who understand the new market dynamics.

Check out the full podcast here for more on Bitcoin treasury strategies, dual collateralization, and corporate BTC adoption

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Headlines of the Day

California May Seize Idle Bitcoin After 3 Years - via X

Semler Scientific Buys $20M More Bitcoin, Holds $467M - via X

US Home Sellers Surge as Buyers Hit 4-Year Low - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

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Final thought...

I feel old.

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@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Metaplanet Inc. has bought 1,088 more bitcoin (BTC), and now holds 8,888 BTC worth over $930 million. This puts Metaplanet in the top 10 corporate bitcoin holders, ahead of Galaxy Digital and Block Inc.

Metaplanet Inc. on X

The company’s CEO Simon Gerovich announced the purchase on X on June 2, 2025. The company bought the new BTC at an average price of around $107,771 per coin, costing the company approximately $117.3 million.

The company said this purchase brings them 90% of the way to their 2025 goal of 10,000 BTC.

Metaplanet only started its bitcoin treasury policy in April 2024 but has been moving fast. At the start of 2025, it had less than 2,000 BTC, and now it has over 8,800.

This has been done through a combination of stock rights exercises and bond issuances, raising capital without diluting existing shareholders. In May 2025 alone, Metaplanet issued zero-coupon, non-interest-bearing bonds for a combined value of $71 million.

According to the filings, the company recently completed its “21 Million Plan” which was a program that involved the full exercise of 210 million stock acquisition rights.

These stock rights allowed Metaplanet to raise capital through equity sales while limiting dilution risk.

Metaplanet’s Bitcoin strategist, Dylan LeClair, said the company views bitcoin as a core part of its financial strategy and is all in, not just making small allocations.

Metaplanet’s buying has paid off in more ways than one.

Its BTC Yield, a company metric that compares bitcoin holdings to total shares, has impressed investors. In Q2 2025 it had a 66.3% BTC Yield, year-to-date it has a 225% BTC Yield.

Metaplanet BTC Yield over time — Vincent on X

The stock is up 155% in the last month and is currently trading at 1,149 JPY, despite the overall volatility in the Tokyo Stock Exchange—where many other companies are under pressure due to the rising Japanese bond yields.

Analysts say the company still has more room to run.

Analysts say the company’s mNAV is back to 4.75 and the stock is undervalued compared to Strategy.

mNAV is short for “multiple of Net Asset Value” and is a metric used to compare the market’s valuation of a company to the actual value of its assets, primarily its bitcoin holdings.

Metaplanet is called “Japan’s Strategy”, a reference to Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the U.S.-based company that holds over 580,000 BTC—the most of any company in the world.

The corporate bitcoin boom isn’t stopping with Strategy and Metaplanet. On May 28, 2025 GameStop announced it had bought 4,710 BTC, worth over $512 million, its first foray into bitcoin after updating its investment policy this year.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

The latest AI chips, 8K displays, and neural processing units make your device feel like a pocket supercomputer. So surely, with all this advancement, you can finally mine bitcoin on your phone profitably, right?

The 2025 Hardware Reality: Can You Mine Bitcoin on Your Phone

Despite remarkable advances in smartphone technology, the fundamental physics of bitcoin mining haven’t changed. In 2025, flagship devices with their cutting-edge 2nm processors can achieve approximately 25-40 megahashes per second when you mine bitcoin on your phone—a notable improvement from previous generations, but still laughably inadequate.

Meanwhile, 2025’s top-tier ASIC miners have evolved dramatically. The latest Bitmain Antminer S23 series and Canaan AvalonMiner A15 Pro deliver 200-300 terahashes per second while consuming 4,000-5,500 watts. That’s a performance gap of roughly 1:8,000,000 between when you mine bitcoin on your phone and professional mining equipment.

To put this in perspective that hits home: if you mine bitcoin on your phone and it earned you one penny, professional miners would earn $80,000 in the same time period with the same effort. It’s not just an efficiency problem—it’s a complete category mismatch.

According to Pocket Option’s 2025 analysis, when you mine bitcoin on your phone in 2025, you generate approximately $0.003-0.006 in daily revenue while consuming $0.45-0.85 in electricity through constant charging cycles. Factor in the accelerated device wear (estimated at $0.75-1.20 daily depreciation), and you’re looking at losses of $1.20-2.00 per day just for the privilege of running mining software.

Mining Economic Factor

Precise Value (April 2025)

Direct Impact on Profitability

Smartphone sustained hash rate

20-35 MH/s

0.00000024% contribution to global hashrate

Daily power consumption

3.2-4.8 kWh (4-6 full charges)

$0.38-0.57 at average US electricity rates

Expected daily BTC earnings

0.0000000086 BTC ($0.0035 at $41,200 BTC)

Revenue covers only 0.9% of electricity costs

CPU/GPU wear cost

$0.68-0.92 daily accelerated depreciation

Reduces smartphone lifespan by 60-70%

Annual profit projection

-$386 to -$412 per year

Guaranteed negative return on investment

Source: PocketOption

Bitcoin’s 2025 Network: Harder Than Ever

Bitcoin’s network difficulty in 2025 has reached unprecedented levels. After the April 2024 halving event that reduced block rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC, mining became significantly more competitive. The global hash rate now exceeds 800 exahashes per second—that’s 800 followed by 18 zeros worth of computational power securing the network.

Here’s what this means in practical terms: Bitcoin’s mining difficulty adjusts every 2,016 blocks (roughly every two weeks) to maintain the 10-minute block time. As more efficient miners join the network, difficulty increases proportionally. In 2025, mining difficulty has increased compared to 2024, making small-scale mining even less viable.

The math is unforgiving:

• Global Bitcoin hash rate: 828.96 EH/s
• Your smartphone’s contribution: ~0.000000003%
• Probability of solo mining a block: Virtually zero
• Expected time to mine one Bitcoin: Several million years

Even joining mining pools doesn’t solve the economic problem. Pool fees typically range from 1-3%, and your minuscule contribution would earn proportionally tiny rewards—far below the electricity and device depreciation costs.

The 2025 Scam Evolution: More Sophisticated, More Dangerous

Fraudsters now leverage AI-generated content, fake influencer endorsements, and impressive-looking apps that simulate realistic mining activity to entice you to mine bitcoin on your phone.

New 2025 scam tactics include:

AI-Powered Fake Testimonials: Deepfake videos of supposed successful mobile miners showing fabricated earnings statements and encouraging downloads of malicious apps.

Gamified Mining Interfaces: Apps that look and feel like legitimate games but secretly harvest personal data while simulating mining progress that can never be withdrawn.

Social Media Manipulation: Coordinated campaigns across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube featuring fake “financial influencers” promoting mobile mining apps to younger audiences.

Subscription Trap Mining: Apps offering “free trials” that automatically charge $19.99-49.99 monthly for “premium mining speeds” while delivering no actual mining capability.

Recent cybersecurity research shows that over 180 fake mining apps were discovered across major app stores in 2025, with some accumulating more than 500,000 downloads before being removed.

Red flags that scream “scam” in 2025:

• Apps claiming “revolutionary mobile mining breakthrough”
• Promises of earning “$10-50 daily” from phone mining
• Requirements to recruit friends or watch ads to unlock withdrawals
• Apps that don’t require connecting to actual mining pools
• Testimonials that seem too polished or use stock photo models
• Apps requesting permissions unrelated to mining (contacts, camera, microphone)

The 2025 Professional Mining Landscape

To understand why, consider what professional bitcoin mining looks like in 2025. Industrial mining operations now resemble high-tech data centers with:

Cutting-edge hardware:

• Bitmain Antminer S23 Pro: 280 TH/s at 4,800W
• MicroBT WhatsMiner M56S++: 250 TH/s at 4,500W
• Canaan AvalonMiner A1566: 185 TH/s at 3,420W

Infrastructure requirements:

• Megawatt-scale power contracts with industrial electricity rates
• Liquid cooling systems maintaining 24/7 optimal temperatures
• Redundant internet connections ensuring zero downtime
• Professional facility management with 24/7 monitoring

For a small operation, you might need at least $10,000 to $20,000 to buy a few ASIC miners, set up cooling systems, and cover electricity costs. These operations employ teams of engineers, maintain relationships with power companies, and operate with margins measured in single-digit percentages.

2025’s Legitimate Mobile Bitcoin Strategies

While it remains impossible to mine bitcoin on your phone profitably, 2025 offers exciting legitimate ways to engage with bitcoin through your smartphone:

Lightning Network Participation: Apps like Phoenix, Breez, and Zeus allow you to run Lightning nodes on mobile devices, earning small routing fees while supporting bitcoin’s payment layer.

Bitcoin DCA Automation: Services enable automated dollar-cost averaging with amounts as small as $1 daily. Historical data shows $10 weekly bitcoin purchases consistently outperform any mobile mining attempt by 1,500-2,000%.

Educational Mining Simulators: Legitimate apps like “Bitcoin Mining Simulator” teach mining concepts without false earning promises. These educational tools help users understand hash rates, difficulty adjustments, and mining economics.

Stacking Sats Rewards: Apps offering bitcoin rewards for shopping, learning, or completing tasks.

Lightning Gaming: Bitcoin-native mobile games where players can earn sats through skilled gameplay, with some players earning $10 monthly.onfirm that even the most optimized mobile mining setups in 2025 lose money consistently and predictably.

The Bottom Line

When you mine bitcoin on your phone fundamental economics remain unchanged: it’s impossible to profit. The laws of physics, network competition, and energy efficiency create insurmountable barriers that no app can overcome.

However, 2025 offers unprecedented opportunities to engage with bitcoin meaningfully through your smartphone. Focus on education, legitimate earning opportunities, and strategic investment rather than chasing the impossible dream of phone-based mining.

The bitcoin community’s greatest strength lies in its commitment to truth over hype. When someone promises profits to mine bitcoin on your phone in 2025, they’re either uninformed or deliberately misleading you. Trust the mathematics, learn from the community, and build your bitcoin knowledge and holdings through proven methods.

The real opportunity in 2025 isn’t to mine bitcoin on your phone—it’s understanding bitcoin deeply enough to participate confidently in the most important monetary revolution of our lifetime. Your smartphone is the perfect tool for that education; it’s just not a mining rig.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

What is KYC/AML?

• The acronym stands for Know Your Customer / Anti Money Laundering.
• In practice it stands for the surveillance measures companies are often compelled to take against their customers by financial regulators.
• Methods differ but often include: Passport Scans, Driver License Uploads, Social Security Numbers, Home Address, Phone Number, Face Scans.
• Bitcoin companies will also store all withdrawal and deposit addresses which can then be used to track bitcoin transactions on the bitcoin block chain.
• This data is then stored and shared. Regulations often require companies to hold this information for a set number of years but in practice users should assume this data will be held indefinitely. Data is often stored insecurely, which results in frequent hacks and leaks.  
• KYC/AML data collection puts all honest users at risk of theft, extortion, and persecution while being ineffective at stopping crime. Criminals often use counterfeit, bought, or stolen credentials to get around the requirements. Criminals can buy "verified" accounts for as little as $200. Furthermore, billions of people are excluded from financial services as a result of KYC/AML requirements.

During the early days of bitcoin most services did not require this sensitive user data, but as adoption increased so did the surveillance measures. At this point, most large bitcoin companies are collecting and storing massive lists of bitcoiners, our sensitive personal information, and our transaction history.

Lists of Bitcoiners

KYC/AML policies are a direct attack on bitcoiners. Lists of bitcoiners and our transaction history will inevitably be used against us.

Once you are on a list with your bitcoin transaction history that record will always exist. Generally speaking, tracking bitcoin is based on probability analysis of ownership change. Surveillance firms use various heuristics to determine if you are sending bitcoin to yourself or if ownership is actually changing hands.  You can obtain better privacy going forward by using collaborative transactions such as coinjoin to break this probability analysis.

Fortunately, you can buy bitcoin without providing intimate personal information. Tools such as peach, hodlhodl, robosats, azteco and bisq help; mining is also a solid option: anyone can plug a miner into power and internet and earn bitcoin by mining privately.

You can also earn bitcoin by providing goods and/or services that can be purchased with bitcoin. Long term, circular economies will mitigate this threat: most people will not buy bitcoin - they will earn bitcoin - most people will not sell bitcoin - they will spend bitcoin.

There is no such thing as KYC or No KYC bitcoin, there are bitcoiners on lists and those that are not on lists.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Your crypto wallet is probably leaking money right now. While everyone obsesses over price charts, the silent killer is gas fees – those tiny transactions add up to thousands wasted annually. Smart traders aren't just buying dips, they're timing their transactions when network congestion drops. The difference? Up to 80% savings on every move you make. Next time before hitting "confirm," check the gas tracker. Is it worth paying 3x more just to move your assets right this second? Patience isn't just a virtue in crypto – it's literally profitable. What's your strategy for minimizing transaction costs while maximizing gains?

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

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"Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy.  A private matter is something one doesn't want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn't want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world." - Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, 1993

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Privacy is essential to freedom. Without privacy, individuals are unable to make choices free from surveillance and control. Lack of privacy leads to loss of autonomy. When individuals are constantly monitored it limits our ability to express ourselves and take risks. Any decisions we make can result in negative repercussions from those who surveil us. Without the freedom to make choices, individuals cannot truly be free.

Freedom is essential to acquiring and preserving wealth. When individuals are not free to make choices, restrictions and limitations prevent us from economic opportunities. If we are somehow able to acquire wealth in such an environment, lack of freedom can result in direct asset seizure by governments or other malicious entities. At scale, when freedom is compromised, it leads to widespread economic stagnation and poverty. Protecting freedom is essential to economic prosperity.

The connection between privacy, freedom, and wealth is critical. Without privacy, individuals lose the freedom to make choices free from surveillance and control. While lack of freedom prevents individuals from pursuing economic opportunities and makes wealth preservation nearly impossible. No Privacy? No Freedom. No Freedom? No Wealth.

Rights are not granted. They are taken and defended. Rights are often misunderstood as permission to do something by those holding power. However, if someone can give you something, they can inherently take it from you at will. People throughout history have necessarily fought for basic rights, including privacy and freedom. These rights were not given by those in power, but rather demanded and won through struggle. Even after these rights are won, they must be continually defended to ensure that they are not taken away. Rights are not granted - they are earned through struggle and defended through sacrifice.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

People forget Bear Stearns failed March 2008 - months of denial followed before the public realized how bad the situation was under the surface.

Similar happening now but much larger scale. They did not fix fundamental issues after 2008 - everything is more fragile.

The Fed preemptively bailed out every bank with their BTFP program and First Republic Bank still failed. The second largest bank failure in history.

There will be more failures. There will be more bailouts. Depositors will be "protected" by socializing losses across everyone.

Our President and mainstream financial pundits are currently pretending the banking crisis is over while most banks remain insolvent. There are going to be many more bank failures as this ponzi system unravels.

Unlike 2008, we have the ability to opt out of these broken and corrupt institutions by using bitcoin. Bitcoin held in self custody is unique in its lack of counterparty risk - you do not have to trust a bank or other centralized entity to hold it for you. Bitcoin is also incredibly difficult to change by design since it is not controlled by an individual, company, or government - the supply of dollars will inevitably be inflated to bailout these failing banks but bitcoin supply will remain unchanged. I do not need to convince you that bitcoin provides value - these next few years will convince millions.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

North Korea's digital heist playbook: $7.7M crypto laundering scheme reveals how rogue nations exploit tech talent. The Justice Department's latest civil forfeiture complaint targets crypto and NFTs tied to an elaborate North Korean operation where IT workers posed as legitimate freelancers, infiltrated US companies, and funneled millions through complex blockchain pathways. This isn't just another hack—it's a sophisticated economic warfare strategy that turns technical expertise into untraceable funding for weapons programs. While governments scramble to seize these digital assets, the case exposes a troubling vulnerability: how easily skilled developers can weaponize their talents in plain sight. Are your company's remote contractors who they claim to be, or part of a state-sponsored financial pipeline hiding behind a convincing digital mask?

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

Good morning.

It looks like PacWest will fail today. It will be both the fifth largest bank failure in US history and the sixth major bank to fail this year. It will likely get purchased by one of the big four banks in a government orchestrated sale.  

March 8th - Silvergate Bank
March 10th - Silicon Valley Bank
March 12th - Signature Bank
March 19th - Credit Suisse
May 1st - First Republic Bank
May 4th - PacWest Bank?

PacWest is the first of many small regional banks that will go under this year. Most will get bought by the big four in gov orchestrated sales. This has been the playbook since 2008. Follow the incentives. Massive consolidation across the banking industry. PacWest gonna be a drop in the bucket compared to what comes next.

First, a hastened government led bank consolidation, then a public/private partnership with the remaining large banks to launch a surveilled and controlled digital currency network. We will be told it is more convenient. We will be told it is safer. We will be told it will prevent future bank runs. All of that is marketing bullshit. The goal is greater control of money. The ability to choose how we spend it and how we save it. If you control the money - you control the people that use it.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

North Korea's digital heist reveals the dark side of crypto's borderless nature. The US Justice Department is hunting $7.7 million in stolen cryptocurrency and NFTs allegedly laundered through an elaborate scheme involving North Korean IT workers posing as legitimate freelancers. This isn't just another hack—it's a sophisticated state-sponsored operation exploiting the very features that make crypto revolutionary: anonymity and borderless transactions. While we celebrate crypto's ability to transcend boundaries, this case exposes how those same qualities create perfect conditions for rogue nations to fund weapons programs and evade sanctions. The crypto industry faces a critical balancing act: how do we preserve financial freedom while preventing bad actors from exploiting the system? Perhaps the solution isn't more regulation but smarter blockchain analytics and international cooperation. What security measures would you support that don't compromise crypto's core principles?

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Influencers would have you believe there is an ongoing binance bank run but bitcoin wallet data says otherwise.

- binance wallets are near all time highs
- bitfinex wallets are also trending up
- gemini and coinbase are being hit with massive withdrawals though

You should not trust custodians, they can rug you without warning. It is incredibly important you learn how to hold bitcoin yourself, but also consider not blindly trusting influencers with a ref link to shill you.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

• The latest firmware updates for COLDCARD devices introduce two major features: COLDCARD Co-sign (CCC) and Key Teleport between two COLDCARD Q devices using QR codes and/or NFC with a website.

What's new

• COLDCARD Co-Sign: When CCC is enabled, a second seed called the Spending Policy Key (Key C) is added to the device. This seed works with the device's Main Seed and one or more additional XPUBs (Backup Keys) to form 2-of-N multisig wallets.
  • The spending policy functions like a hardware security module (HSM), enforcing rules such as magnitude and velocity limits, address whitelisting, and 2FA authentication to protect funds while maintaining flexibility and control, and is enforced each time the Spending Policy Key is used for signing.
  • When spending conditions are met, the COLDCARD signs the partially signed bitcoin transaction (PSBT) with the Main Seed and Spending Policy Key for fund access. Once configured, the Spending Policy Key is required to view or change the policy, and violations are denied without explanation.

"You can override the spending policy at any time by signing with either a Backup Key and the Main Seed or two Backup Keys, depending on the number of keys (N) in the multisig."

• A step-by-step guide for setting up CCC is available here.

• Key Teleport for Q devices allows users to securely transfer sensitive data such as seed phrases (words, xprv), secure notes and passwords, and PSBTs for multisig. It uses QR codes or NFC, along with a helper website, to ensure reliable transmission, keeping your sensitive data protected throughout the process.

  • For more technical details, see the protocol spec.

"After you sign a multisig PSBT, you have option to “Key Teleport” the PSBT file to any one of the other signers in the wallet. We already have a shared pubkey with them, so the process is simple and does not require any action on their part in advance. Plus, starting in this firmware release, COLDCARD can finalize multisig transactions, so the last signer can publish the signed transaction via PushTX (NFC tap) to get it on the blockchain directly."

• Multisig transactions are finalized when sufficiently signed. It streamlines the use of PushTX with multisig wallets.
• Signing artifacts re-export to various media. Users are now provided with the capability to export signing products, like transactions or PSBTs, to alternative media rather than the original source. For example, if a PSBT is received through a QR code, it can be signed and saved onto an SD card if needed.
• Multisig export files are signed now. Public keys are encoded as P2PKH address for all multisg signature exports. Learn more about it here.
• NFC export usability upgrade: NFC keeps exporting until CANCEL/X is pressed.
• Added Bitcoin Safe option to Export Wallet.
• 10% performance improvement in USB upload speed for large files.
• Q: Always choose the biggest possible display size for QR.

Fixes

• Do not allow change Main PIN to same value already used as Trick PIN, even if Trick PIN is hidden.
• Fix stuck progress bar under Receiving... after a USB communications failure.
• Showing derivation path in Address Explorer for root key (m) showed double slash (//).
• Can restore developer backup with custom password other than 12 words format.
• Virtual Disk auto mode ignores already signed PSBTs (with “-signed” in file name).
• Virtual Disk auto mode stuck on “Reading…” screen sometimes.
• Finalization of foreign inputs from partial signatures. Thanks Christian Uebber!
• Temporary seed from COLDCARD backup failed to load stored multisig wallets.
• Destroy Seed also removes all Trick PINs from SE2.
• Lock Down Seed requires pressing confirm key (4) to execute.
• Q only: Only BBQr is allowed to export Coldcard, Core, and pretty descriptor.

Blog Post / Archive
GitHub Repo
CCC Guide
Key Teleport site

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

• RoboSats v0.7.7-alpha is now available!

NOTE: "This version of clients is not compatible with older versions of coordinators. Coordinators must upgrade first, make sure you don't upgrade your client while this is marked as pre-release."

• This version brings a new and improved coordinators view with reviews signed both by the robot and the coordinator, adds market price sources in coordinator profiles, shows a correct warning for canceling non-taken orders after a payment attempt, adds Uzbek sum currency, and includes package library updates for coordinators.

Source: RoboSats.

• siggy47 is writing daily RoboSats activity reviews on stacker.news. Check them out here.
• Stay up-to-date with RoboSats on Nostr.

What's new

• New coordinators view (see the picture above).
• Available coordinator reviews signed by both the robot and the coordinator.
• Coordinators now display market price sources in their profiles.

Source: RoboSats.

• Fix for wrong message on cancel button when taking an order. Users are now warned if they try to cancel a non taken order after a payment attempt.
• Uzbek sum currency now available.
• For coordinators: library updates.
• Add docker frontend (#1861).
• Add order review token (#1869).
• Add UZS migration (#1875).
• Fixed tests review (#1878).
• Nostr pubkey for Robot (#1887).

New contributors

• @hexlorn made their first contribution in #1858.
• @umk0m1qk made their first contribution in #1864.

Full Changelog: v0.7.6-alpha...v0.7.7-alpha

GitHub Repo

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

• Version 1.3 of Bitcoin Safe introduces a redesigned interactive chart, quick receive feature, updated icons, a mempool preview window, support for Child Pays For Parent (CPFP) and testnet4, preconfigured testnet demo wallets, as well as various bug fixes and improvements.

• Upcoming updates for Bitcoin Safe include Compact Block Filters.

"Compact Block Filters increase the network privacy dramatically, since you're not asking an electrum server to give you your transactions. They are a little slower than electrum servers. For a savings wallet like Bitcoin Safe this should be OK," writes the project's developer Andreas Griffin.

• Learn more about the current and upcoming features of Bitcoin Safe wallet here.

What's new in v1.3

• Redesign of Chart, Quick Receive, Icons, and Mempool Preview (by @design-rrr).
• Interactive chart. Clicking on it now jumps to transaction, and selected transactions are now highlighted.

• Speed up transactions with Child Pays For Parent (CPFP).
• BDK 1.2 (upgraded from 0.32).
• Testnet4 support.
• Preconfigured Testnet demo wallets.
• Cluster unconfirmed transactions so that parents/children are next to each other.
• Customizable columns for all tables (optional view: Txid, Address index, and more)
• Bug fixes and other improvements.

Announcement / Archive
Blog Post / Archive
GitHub Repo
Website

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The newly elected South Korean President is aiming for a breakthrough in the cryptocurrency market with the introduction of spot ETFs and a national stablecoin.

On June 4, South Korea officially elected Lee Jae-myung as its new President. The candidate from the left-wing party secured victory following the impeachment of former leader Yoon Suk-yeol, who ended his three-year term after a failed attempt to establish a military-backed government.

Voter turnout reached 79.4%, the highest in the last 28 years. Lee won 49.42% of the vote, defeating his conservative opponent Kim Moon-soo, who garnered 41.15%.

The new President’s pledges

In addition to traditional economic priorities such as supporting low-income families and small businesses, Lee Jae-myung has placed digital assets at the heart of his political agenda.

The core pillar of Lee’s strategy involves the introduction of spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum in the domestic market. Currently, the issuance and local trading of crypto ETFs remain banned in the country.

Another key element of the plan is the approval of stablecoins pegged to the South Korean won. During a discussion last month, Lee emphasized the need to develop a won-based stablecoin market to prevent capital flight abroad.

Under the new administration, South Korea will also work to complete the second phase of its regulatory framework for digital assets. The upcoming legislation will specifically address stablecoin regulations and transparency requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges.

The program also includes the creation of special zones for blockchain-related businesses, where regulations will be minimized to maximize innovation and operational efficiency.

However, this isn’t the first time South Korea has elected a crypto-friendly candidate. The conservative president Yoon Suk-yeol, later impeached, had made several crypto-friendly promises aimed at deregulating the sector, though many of those initiatives saw delays and limited progress during his three-year term.

Yoon’s deregulatory plans faced resistance from the Financial Services Commission (FSC), which maintained strict regulations citing investor protection. In recent months, however, the FSC has shown greater openness toward easing crypto rules — a shift that could support Lee’s commitments.

According to FSC data, by the end of last year the country had 9.7 million registered exchange users, representing nearly 20% of the total population.

The post South Korea: the new leader may favor Bitcoin ETFs and a national stablecoin appeared first on Atlas21.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The adoption of Bitcoin as a corporate reserve asset is accelerating: public companies have doubled their holdings in just two months.

The use of Bitcoin as a corporate treasury strategy is reaching unprecedented levels. According to a recent report from Standard Chartered, shared with several industry outlets, 61 publicly traded companies collectively hold 3.2% of all bitcoin in circulation.

Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, revealed that these 61 public firms — out of a total of 124 — now own 673,897 BTC.

The report highlights that 58 of the 61 companies analyzed have net asset value (NAV) multiples above 1, indicating that their market valuations exceed the value of their net assets.

The Strategy copycats

A significant takeaway from the report is the speed at which companies are accumulating bitcoin. The 60 companies considered “Strategy copycats” have doubled their holdings in the past two months, from under 50,000 BTC to about 100,000 BTC. Over the same period, Strategy added 74,000 BTC, compared to the 47,000 acquired by the other firms.

This movement continues to expand as new companies announce Bitcoin purchase plans via debt issuance. On June 3, Canadian renewable energy developer SolarBank officially announced its Bitcoin treasury strategy, filing an application to open an account with Coinbase Prime to secure custody services, manage USDC, and set up a non-custodial wallet for its Bitcoin holdings.

Meanwhile, Paris-based Blockchain Group announced a $68 million Bitcoin acquisition, while Norwegian crypto brokerage K33 raised $6.2 million to purchase BTC at the end of May.

The post Bitcoin treasury: 61 publicly listed companies now hold over 3% of total supply appeared first on Atlas21.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

A new step for the American bank in the digital asset space: Bitcoin ETFs cleared for use as collateral for financing.

JPMorgan Chase will allow clients to use spot Bitcoin ETFs as collateral to obtain loans. According to sources close to the project, cited by Bloomberg, the initiative will launch in the coming weeks and will involve trading and wealth management clients on a global scale.

The bank has decided to begin this new phase starting with crypto ETFs, beginning with the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which has already surpassed $70 billion in assets under management (AUM). The decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at enabling selected clients to access financing by using cryptocurrency-related assets as collateral. Before this change, JPMorgan only accepted crypto ETFs as loan collateral under specific conditions.

The American bank’s new approach will see Bitcoin ETFs treated like other traditional assets when calculating a client’s borrowing capacity. Just as is currently the case with stocks, cars, or works of art, crypto ETFs will become an integral part of standard wealth evaluations.

Although CEO Jamie Dimon has historically been known for his skeptical stance on Bitcoin, the bank announced last month that it would soon allow clients to purchase spot ETFs on the leading cryptocurrency — although without offering custody services.

The new rules will apply to all of JPMorgan’s wealth management clients worldwide, from retail customers to high-net-worth individuals. The bank will also integrate crypto holdings into the net worth assessments of clients managed by its wealth management division.

The post JPMorgan Chase: Bitcoin ETFs accepted as loan collateral appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

ปิดท้าย week นี้ด้วยสงครามดีไหมครับ ถ้าอาหารเป็นสนามรบ สิทธิบัตรก็เปรียบเหมือนป้อมปราการ และการฟ้องร้องก็คือปืนใหญ่ยิงสวนกันกลางแดด…ใครที่เคยคิดว่าโลกของอาหารแห่งอนาคตจะสวยงามเพราะเปลี่ยนถั่วเป็นสเต๊ก สกัดกลิ่นเลือดจากพืช หรือหลอกลิ้นให้เชื่อว่า “อร่อยเหมือนเนื้อ” ก็คงต้องมานั่งทบทวนใหม่ว่า โลกใบนี้ไม่ได้ขับเคลื่อนด้วยความฝัน แต่ขับเคลื่อนด้วยเอกสาร 70 หน้าของทนายความ และหมายเรียกจากศาลกลางรัฐเดลาแวร์

Motif FoodWorks เข้ามาในวงการอาหารด้วยวิสัยทัศน์สุดเท่ คือจะสร้างโครงสร้าง-กลิ่น-รส ของโปรตีนอนาคตให้แบรนด์ plant-based ทั่วโลกใช้ได้โดยไม่ต้องเริ่มใหม่ตั้งแต่ศูนย์ เปรียบเหมือนเป็นเบื้องหลังของวงการ มีซอสลับคือ HEMAMI™ ที่สกัดกลิ่นเนื้อจากยีสต์ ผ่านวิธีการทางวิทยาศาสตร์สุดซับซ้อน ฟังแล้วดูดี แต่ปัญหาคือซอสลับของเขาดัน “คล้ายเกินไป” กับของ Impossible Foods ที่ใช้ heme protein เหมือนกัน

แล้วอะไรคือจุดเปราะบางที่ทำให้ Motif ต้องร่วง?

เฮียอยากให้ลองคิดแบบนี้ครับ สมมุติว่ามีร้านกาแฟใหม่ที่ตั้งใจจะขายกาแฟแนวใหม่ ใช้เมล็ดกาแฟหมักยีสต์กลิ่นกล้วยหอม รสชาตินุ่มลึก เป็นของตัวเอง เขาไม่ได้ก็อปสูตรใคร แต่ดันไปใช้กระบวนการคล้ายกับแบรนด์เจ้าตลาดที่เขียนจดสิทธิบัตรเอาไว้ก่อนแล้ว แค่คล้ายก็พอจะโดนลากขึ้นศาลได้ เพราะในโลกของสิทธิบัตร “ความใหม่” และ “ความไม่เหมือน” คือสิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์ แม้จะไม่ได้ก็อปตรง ๆ

Impossible Foods เห็นช่องนี้ชัด พวกเขายื่นฟ้องทันที โดยระบุว่า HEMAMI™ ของ Motif ละเมิดสิทธิบัตรเทคนิคการใช้ heme เพื่อสร้างรสชาติเหมือนเนื้อในผลิตภัณฑ์ plant-based ซึ่งเป็นหัวใจหลักที่ Impossible ใช้มัดใจตลาดมาหลายปี

ในเดือนมีนาคม 2022, Impossible Foods ก็ลุกขึ้นมาฟ้อง Motif FoodWorks ต่อศาลรัฐบาลกลางของสหรัฐฯ โดยอ้างว่า HEMAMI™ ละเมิดสิทธิบัตรของตนที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการใช้โปรตีน heme ในการสร้างรสชาติและกลิ่นที่คล้ายเนื้อจริงในผลิตภัณฑ์จากพืช จุดนี้ดูผิวเผินเหมือนแค่ “บริษัท A เหมือนของบริษัท B เลยโดนฟ้อง” แต่ความจริงซับซ้อนและลึกกว่านั้นมาก เพราะทั้งสองบริษัทต่างก็ใช้วิธีผลิตโปรตีน heme ที่คล้ายกันมาก นั่นคือการดัดแปลงพันธุกรรมจุลินทรีย์ให้ผลิตโปรตีนเฉพาะ แล้วหมักออกมาในถังขนาดใหญ่ แต่ต่างกันที่วัตถุดิบและดีไซน์โปรตีน

Impossible Foods ใช้ “soy leghemoglobin” ซึ่งเป็นโปรตีน heme จากรากถั่วเหลือง ส่วน Motif ใช้ “bovine myoglobin” ซึ่งเลียนแบบของวัวจริง ๆ โดยตรง ความคล้ายคือโปรตีนทั้งสองต่างก็ให้กลิ่นคาวแบบเนื้อเมื่อโดนความร้อน และสร้างสีแดงแบบ rare steak ได้เหมือนกัน ทั้งยังถูกหมักด้วยจุลินทรีย์ GMO แบบใกล้เคียงกันอีกด้วย แม้จะต่างสายพันธุ์ของโปรตีน แต่การฟ้องครั้งนี้ตั้งอยู่บนแนวคิดว่า “วิธีการใช้” โปรตีน heme ในอาหารจากพืชอาจเข้าข่ายละเมิดสิทธิบัตร

จากนั้นไม่กี่เดือน Motif ก็สวนกลับโดยการยื่นคำร้อง “Inter Partes Review” (IPR) กับสำนักงานสิทธิบัตรของสหรัฐฯ (USPTO) ผ่าน PTAB ซึ่งเป็นขั้นตอนที่ใช้เพื่อขอให้ตรวจสอบความถูกต้องของสิทธิบัตรที่กำลังมีปัญหา แนวคิดคือถ้าพิสูจน์ได้ว่าสิทธิบัตรของ Impossible นั้นไม่ใหม่จริง หรือมี prior art อยู่ก่อนแล้ว (เช่น งานวิจัยเก่า ๆ ที่ตีพิมพ์ก่อน) ก็จะทำให้สิทธิบัตรนั้นกลายเป็นโมฆะ

Motif ยื่นคำร้องโจมตีสิทธิบัตรถึง 7 ฉบับของ Impossible แบบกระหน่ำชุดใหญ่ ยิงทีเดียวหวังให้สั่นคลอนทั้งระบบ แต่ PTAB รับพิจารณาเพียงฉบับเดียว (หมายเลขสิทธิบัตร 10,933,018) และท้ายที่สุดในเดือนเมษายน 2023 ศาลตัดสินยกเลิกฉบับนั้นจริง โดยให้เหตุผลว่า “ไม่เป็นสิ่งประดิษฐ์ใหม่อย่างเพียงพอ” ซึ่งถือเป็นชัยชนะเล็ก ๆ ของ Motif และสร้างแรงกระเพื่อมในแวดวงวิทยาศาสตร์อาหารอยู่พอสมควร

แต่แม้จะมีชัยบางส่วน อีก 6 ฉบับที่เหลือ PTAB กลับไม่รับพิจารณา โดยบอกว่า “หลักฐานไม่ชัดเจนพอจะเข้าขั้นพิจารณาใหม่” นั่นทำให้ฝั่ง Impossible ยังถือสิทธิบัตรส่วนใหญ่ไว้อยู่เหมือนเดิม แล้วก็เริ่มกลับมาเร่งกระบวนการฟ้องร้องในศาลต่อ ซึ่งหมายความว่า Motif ยิ่งต้องใช้เงินมากขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ในการสู้รบทั้งสองด้าน ทั้งในศาลและในระบบสิทธิบัตร

ชัยชนะเล็ก ๆ นี้กลายเป็นดาบสองคม เพราะในขณะที่ Motif ดีใจว่าล้มได้ 1 ฉบับ ตลาดกลับมองว่าพวกเขาสู้แบบดิ้นสุดตัว ซึ่งในมุมของนักลงทุน นั่นแปลว่า "ขาดเงินทุนหมุนเวียน" หรือ “มีแนวโน้มขาดทุนต่อเนื่อง” มากกว่าจะมองว่าเป็นฮีโร่สู้เพื่อความถูกต้อง

ระหว่างนี้ Motif ยังพยายาม “spin” ภาพลักษณ์ตัวเองในเชิงบวกอย่างหนัก พวกเขาเปิดตัวผลิตภัณฑ์ใหม่ชื่อ “Motif MoBeef™” และ “Motif MoChicken™” โดยใช้ HEMAMI™ ผสมอยู่ พร้อมโชว์ผลงานให้เชฟชื่อดังระดับ Michelin มาชิมและออกสื่อ โดยหวังว่าจะสร้างความเชื่อมั่นให้ตลาดว่า “ผลิตภัณฑ์เรายังไปต่อได้” และอาจดึงดีลใหม่หรือการลงทุนเพิ่มเข้ามาเพื่อบรรเทาภาระจากการฟ้องร้อง

และในขณะที่ Motif เดินหน้าเปิดตัวผลิตภัณฑ์ใหม่เพื่อแสดงพลังให้ตลาดเห็นว่า “เรายังไปต่อได้” ฝั่ง Impossible กลับเดินเกม PR อย่างเงียบ ๆ ด้วยการแจ้งเตือนสื่อและผู้ถือหุ้นว่า “Motif ยังใช้เทคโนโลยีละเมิดอยู่ต่อเนื่อง” พร้อมแนบเอกสารคำฟ้องเพิ่มในปี 2023 ซึ่งแปลความได้ว่า “ศึกยังไม่จบ อย่าเพิ่งส่งเงินให้คู่แข่งเรา” เพราะในเอกสารคำฟ้องของปี 2023 พวกเขาเสริมข้อกล่าวหาใหม่ว่าการที่ Motif ออกสื่อและใช้ HEMAMI™ ต่อไป “เป็นการจงใจละเมิด” และอาจเข้าข่ายการทำลายคุณค่าของแบรนด์ Impossible โดยตรง จุดนี้ยิ่งทำให้ Motif อยู่ในมุมที่เสี่ยงและลำบากมากขึ้น

การต่อสู้ของทั้งสองบริษัทจึงไม่ใช่แค่เรื่องใครเลียนแบบใคร แต่มันคือเกมยืดเวลา เผาเงิน ปั่นมูลค่า และวัดใจนักลงทุนว่าใครจะถอยก่อนกัน และสุดท้ายคนที่หมดลมหายใจก่อนก็คือ Motif แม้จะมีนักวิทยาศาสตร์เก่ง ๆ เทคโนโลยีล้ำ ๆ หรือวัตถุดิบดีแค่ไหน แต่เมื่อต้องมาสู้กับยักษ์ที่มีสิทธิบัตรในมือ บารมีในตลาด และชื่อเสียงติดหูผู้บริโภค…ก็ยากที่จะเอาชนะด้วยวิทยาศาสตร์เพียงอย่างเดียว

ศึกนี้จึงไม่ได้จบแค่ในศาล แต่มันลากไปถึงห้องประชุมนักลงทุน พาดหัวข่าวใน Business Insider และบอร์ด Reddit ที่คุยกันว่า “Motif จะไปไม่รอดหรือเปล่า” ซึ่งในยุคที่เงินทุนคือออกซิเจน การที่ภาพลักษณ์ของบริษัทเริ่มสั่นคลอน ก็เหมือนถังอากาศรั่วในห้องแล็บใต้ทะเล…ไม่นานนัก Motif ก็เริ่มลดจำนวนพนักงาน ลดเป้าการผลิต และสุดท้าย “ลดบทบาทตัวเองในตลาด”

หากดูเผิน ๆ หลายคนอาจคิดว่านี่คือเรื่องของสองบริษัทใหญ่ในโลก plant-based ที่ทะเลาะกันเอง แต่จริง ๆ แล้วนี่คือบทเรียนใหญ่ของ “วงการอาหารแห่งอนาคต” ที่กำลังเติบโตบนหลังคำว่า IP Intellectual Property ใครถือสิทธิบัตรก่อน คนนั้นตั้งกฎได้ ใครมาใหม่ ถ้าไม่จดให้ไว ก็อาจต้องจ่ายค่าต๋งตลอดชีวิต

และที่เจ็บปวดที่สุดคือบางทีของที่คุณคิดขึ้นมาเอง อาจไม่ใช่ของคุณอีกต่อไปแล้ว ถ้าคุณไม่มีเอกสารในมือ

นี่แหละครับ วงการที่ดูเหมือนจะขาย “นวัตกรรมอาหาร” แต่จริง ๆ แล้วขาย “สิทธิบัตรในกล่องข้าว” ใครจะอยู่ใครจะไป บางทีก็ไม่เกี่ยวกับว่า “ของอร่อยแค่ไหน” แต่เกี่ยวกับว่า “ใครมีทนายเก่งกว่า”

และในขณะที่สองยักษ์ใหญ่ยิงกันด้วยเอกสารละเมิดสิทธิ์ เหยื่อเงียบ ๆ อย่างเกษตรกรรายย่อยที่ยังอยากปลูกผักจริง เลี้ยงวัวจริง หรือแม้แต่ผู้บริโภคที่แค่อยากรู้ว่า “กินอะไรแล้วร่างกายจะดีขึ้น” กลับวนเวียนในทางอยู่ในโลกที่อาหารทุกคำถูกควบคุมโดยทุน จดหมายเรียกจากศาล และวัตถุดิบสังเคราะห์ที่มีรหัสมากกว่าชื่อจริง

สงครามสิทธิบัตรเหล่านี้ไม่เคยมีพื้นที่ให้ชาวไร่ หรือผู้บริโภคธรรมดาเข้าไปมีเสียงเลยสักนิด เพราะมันคือการต่อสู้ระหว่างนักล่าที่ฟาดฟันกันบนยอดห่วงโซ่อาหาร แต่เบื้องล่างของพีระมิด กลับมีแต่เหยื่อที่ถูกเลี้ยงให้งุนงง อยู่กับของปลอม และเชื่อว่า “นี่แหละคืออนาคตของอาหาร”

แล้วใครจะบอกเราว่า...ทางรอดคืออะไร?

คำตอบอาจอยู่ไม่ไกล แค่เราต้องกลับมาถามคำถามง่าย ๆ ที่ใครก็ลืมไปว่า “จริง ๆ แล้ว เราต้องการอาหารแบบไหนกันแน่” อาหารที่กินแล้วแข็งแรง หรืออาหารที่บริษัทแข็งแรง?

เพราะตราบใดที่เรายังปล่อยให้กล่องข้าวอยู่ในมือคนจดสิทธิบัตร เราอาจไม่มีวันได้กลับไปจับจอบเอง ปลูกเอง กินเอง แบบที่มนุษย์เคยเป็นมาก่อนโลกจะกลายเป็นห้องทดลองขนาดยักษ์

ศึกระหว่างผู้ล่ายังรุนแรงขนาดนี้ แล้วศึกระหว่างผู้ล่ากับเหยื่อ จะเหลืออะไรครับ

#pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก #siamstr

@ df478568:2a951e67

About 156,000 blocks ago, I went to a Taco Shop for a bitcoin meetup. I asked my favorite question, “Do you accept bitcoin?”

“Yes," he said as he handed me a Toast Terminal with a BTCpayServer QR code. ]

Awesome!

12,960 blocks later, I took my dad to the taco shop. We ordered food. I asked my favorite question once again.

“Uh…Yeah, but I don't know how to work the machine.”

"Dough!🤦"

It's been a problem in the past, but now lightning payments are about to be ubiquitous. Steak N Shake is taking bitcoin using Speed Wallet and Block is implementing bitcoin payments by 2026 in all legal jurisdictions. I have tested both of these so you don't have to. Just kidding. I geek out on this stuff, but both work great. You can pay with your sats by scanning a screen on a QR code. The employees don't need to be bitcoin lightning network experts. You can just pay as easy as a credit card.

There were 35,000 people at the bitcoin conference, and 4,187 transactions were made. It was a world record. Wait, I thought they said there could only be 7 transactions per second! No, not anymore. Now we can use bitcoin for shopping. I can pay for tacos at taco trucks.

How You Can Accept Bitcoin At Your Business

Coinos is a simple bitcoin point of sale information that acts like a cash register. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash. Coinos is a cash register and you should treat it as such. If you make a few hundred thousand sats at the end of the night, you should sweep the bitcoin into your own wallet.. You can use Aqua, AlbyHub, Bull Bitcoin wallet, or whatever your favorite lightning enabled wallet is to withdraw. You'll need a password. Do not lose this. I have tried the automatic withdraws, but it did not work for me. I'm no concerned because this is not a wallet I intend to keep a lot of sats in for a long time.

Here is my coinos payment terminal.

https://coinos.io/ZapthisBlog/receive

I made the QR code with libreqr.com/

Now I have an online bitcoin cash register. The Bitcoiners know how to pay for stuff with sats. They will be proud to show you too. If you're nerdy, you can use all the cool kid tools now, but we will just focus on the lightning address. Anyone can send you sats with a lightning address with just a QR code.

At the end of the night, you cash out to your own wallet. Again, this assumes you have an Aqua Wallet or any other lightning enabled wallet, but all it takes to accept bitcoin at your brick and mortar store is to create an account with Coinos and print out a QR code. It's a quick and easy way to start accepting bitcoin even if you don't expect many clients to shop with sats.

Tips

This is not just a cash register. Employees can also make their own Coinos wallet and receive tips from bitcoiners. Anyone can accept payments using this system. Your kids could use it to sell lemonade for sats. You are only limited by your imagination. When will you begin accepting bitcoin payments? It is easier than ever. You do not need to train employees. You do not need to be in the store. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash so you can give it away like cash. I don't know what the tax rules on cash are. You need to verify that with your own jurisdiction. This is not financial or tax advice. This is for informational purposes only.

Remember, this is a custodial wallet. Not your keys not your bitcoin. Don't keep more sats than you are willing to lose on custodial wallets. Sweep your wallet early and often. Loss of funds is possible. There is a small fee for liquidity management too. Do your own research.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Breez, a leader in Lightning Network infrastructure, and Spark, a bitcoin-native Layer 2 (L2) platform, today announced a groundbreaking collaboration to empower developers with tools to seamlessly integrate self-custodial bitcoin payments into everyday applications.

The partnership introduces a new implementation of the Breez SDK built on Spark’s bitcoin-native infrastructure, accelerating the evolution of bitcoin from “digital gold” to a global, permissionless currency.

The Breez SDK is expanding

We’re joining forces with @buildonspark to release a new nodeless implementation of the Breez SDK — giving developers the tools they need to bring Bitcoin payments to everyday apps.

→ https://t.co/iWjZhWRwsx

Bitcoin-Native
Powered by Spark’s…

— Breez (@Breez_Tech) May 22, 2025

A Bitcoin-Native Leap for Developers

The updated Breez SDK leverages Spark’s L2 architecture to deliver a frictionless, bitcoin-native experience for developers.

Key features include:

• Universal Compatibility: Bindings for all major programming languages and frameworks.
• LNURL & Lightning Address Support: Streamlined integration for peer-to-peer transactions.
• Real-Time Interaction: Instant mobile notifications for payment confirmations.
• No External Reliance: Built directly on bitcoin via Spark, eliminating bridges or third-party consensus.

This implementation unlocks use cases such as streaming content payments, social app monetization, in-game currencies, cross-border remittances, and AI micro-settlements—all powered by Bitcoin’s decentralized network.

Quotes from Leadership

Roy Sheinfeld, CEO of Breez:
“Developers are critical to bringing bitcoin into daily life. By building the Breez SDK on Spark’s revolutionary architecture, we’re giving builders a bitcoin-native toolkit to strengthen Lightning as the universal language of bitcoin payments.”

Kevin Hurley, Creator of Spark:
“This collaboration sets the standard for global peer-to-peer transactions. Fast, open, and embedded in everyday apps—this is bitcoin’s future. Together, we’re equipping developers to create next-generation payment experiences.”

David Marcus, Co-Founder and CEO of Lightspark:
“We’re thrilled to see developers harness Spark’s potential. This partnership marks an exciting milestone for the ecosystem.”

Collaboration Details
As part of the agreement, Breez will operate as a Spark Service Provider (SSP), joining Lightspark in facilitating payments and expanding Spark’s ecosystem. Technical specifications for the SDK will be released later this year, with the full implementation slated for launch in 2025.

About Breez
Breez pioneers Lightning Network solutions, enabling developers to embed self-custodial bitcoin payments into apps. Its SDK powers seamless, secure, and decentralized financial interactions.

About Spark
Spark is a bitcoin-native Layer 2 infrastructure designed for payments and settlement, allowing developers to build directly on Bitcoin’s base layer without compromises.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Nostr is an open communication protocol that can be used to send messages across a distributed set of relays in a censorship resistant and robust way.

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If you missed my nostr introduction post you can find it here. My nostr account can be found here.

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We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted on a centralized social platform it will usually be posted by someone to nostr.

We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted exclusively to nostr it is cross posted by someone to various centralized social platforms.

We are nearly at the point that you can recommend a cross platform app that users can install and easily onboard without additional guides or resources.

As companies continue to build walls around their centralized platforms nostr posts will be the easiest to cross reference and verify - as companies continue to censor their users nostr is the best censorship resistant alternative - gradually then suddenly nostr will become the standard. 🫡

Current Nostr Stats

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Sati, a Bitcoin payments app and Lightning infrastructure provider, announced the launch of its Lightning integration with Xverse wallet.

Launched in 2025 with investors of the likes as Draper Associates and Ricardo Salinas, Sati powers Bitcoin payments on applications such as WhatsApp to fuel the next wave of adoption.

The Whatsapp bot allows users to send bitcoin via the messaging app through a special bot. After verifying their identity, the user selects the “send” option, chooses to pay to a Lightning address, enters the amount (1,000 sats), confirms with a PIN, and the transaction is completed, with the funds appearing instantly in the recipient wallet.

The new integration will now bring Lightning functionality to over 1.5 million people worldwide. Users can send and receive sats (Bitcoin’s smallest denomination) instantly over the Lightning Network all within the Xverse app,

Further, every xverse wallet user gets a Lightning Address instantly. That means they can receive tips, pay invoices, and use Bitcoin for microtransactions—all without having to manage channels or switch between different apps.

While Xverse adds support for Lightning, users should be cautious in using the wallet as it’s mostly known for enabling access to rug pull projects.

Initially designed in 2017, the Lightning Network has grown to become Bitcoin’s leading layer-2, with a current BTC capacity of over $465M.

“Bitcoin was not meant to be an asset for Wall Street—it was built for peer-to-peer money, borderless and accessible,” said Felipe Servin, Founder and CEO of Sati. “Integrating Lightning natively into Xverse brings that vision back to life, making Bitcoin usable at scale for billions.”

Sati expects USDT on Lightning to be supported as early as July 2025 for users accessing Sati through WhatsApp.

This integration positions Sati’s role as a Lightning infrastructure provider, not just a consumer app. By leveraging its API-based solution, the company provides plug-and-play backend services to wallets and platforms looking to add Bitcoin payments without compromising on security or UX.

Sati recently closed a $600K pre-seed round. The funding is used to support global expansion, stablecoin integration, Lightning infrastructure growth, and broader access to Bitcoin in emerging markets.

The Sati team is attending Bitcoin2025 in Las Vegas this week and looking forward to connect with bitcoin enthusiasts.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Picture this: you’re trying to buy coffee with Bitcoin, but instead of waiting 10 minutes for blockchain confirmation and paying $5 in fees, your transaction completes instantly for a fraction of a penny.

That’s the promise of the Lightning Network, Bitcoin’s most ambitious scaling solution.

But here’s the thing that most people don’t realize – the entire system only works because of an intricate web of technical standards that most users never see.

These standards, known as BOLTs (Basis of Lightning Technology), are the invisible foundation that makes Lightning’s magic possible. Without them, we’d have a fragmented mess of incompatible systems rather than the seamless payment network that’s processing millions of transactions today.

The Protocol Puzzle: Why Lightning Needed Standards

When Lightning Network was first conceived in 2015, it faced a classic chicken-and-egg problem. Multiple development teams were working on implementations – Lightning Labs with LND, Blockstream with c-lightning, and ACINQ with Eclair – but they all had slightly different ideas about how things should work. Without coordination, these would have become isolated islands of functionality.

Think about the early days of instant messaging, when AOL Instant Messenger users couldn’t talk to Yahoo Messenger users. That’s exactly what Lightning developers wanted to avoid. The solution was BOLT – a comprehensive set of technical specifications that would ensure any Lightning implementation could talk to any other, regardless of who built it.

The first BOLT specifications emerged in 2016, but they weren’t just academic exercises. These documents had to solve real engineering challenges: How do you route payments through a network of payment channels? How do you ensure privacy when every transaction could potentially be monitored? How do you handle the inevitable network failures and channel closures?

Inside the BOLT Specifications: A Technical Breakdown

The BOLT specifications read like a blueprint for building a parallel financial system. Each document tackles a specific piece of the Lightning puzzle, and together they create something remarkably sophisticated.

BOLT #1 establishes the foundation – the basic message formats and communication rules that every Lightning node must understand. It’s like defining the grammar of a new language that computers use to talk about money. This specification covers everything from how nodes identify themselves to the basic structure of Lightning messages.

BOLT #2 gets into the nitty-gritty of channel management, the heart of Lightning’s functionality. Payment channels are essentially shared cryptocurrency wallets between two parties, and managing them securely requires incredibly precise coordination. This specification defines exactly how nodes negotiate channel parameters, handle updates, and gracefully close channels when needed. One wrong step here, and funds could be lost forever.

The routing problem gets its due attention in BOLT #4, which implements something called “onion routing” – the same privacy technique used by Tor. When you send a Lightning payment, each node in the path only knows the previous and next hop, never the full route. The sender wraps the payment instructions in multiple layers of encryption, like nested Russian dolls, with each node peeling off one layer to reveal just enough information to forward the payment.

BOLT #7 tackles network discovery – how nodes find each other in the first place. Unlike traditional payment networks with centralized directories, Lightning is completely peer-to-peer. Nodes gossip about available channels and routing fees, creating a constantly updating map of the network that every participant shares.

Perhaps the most user-facing specification is BOLT #11, which standardizes Lightning invoices. Those QR codes you scan to make Lightning payments? They’re not just random data – they’re precisely formatted requests that include payment amounts, destination information, and routing hints, all encoded in a way that any Lightning wallet can understand.

But BOLT #11 is just the beginning of Lightning’s invoice evolution. BOLT #12 represents the next generation of Lightning payments with “offers” – a revolutionary approach that makes Lightning payments as easy as traditional online shopping.

The User Experience Revolution: BOLT #11 and the Invoice Problem

To understand why BOLT #11 was so crucial, you need to appreciate just how clunky early Lightning payments were. Before standardized invoices, sending a Lightning payment required manually entering node public keys, payment hashes, and routing information – a process so error-prone that one wrong character could send your Bitcoin into the digital void.

BOLT #11 changed everything by creating a standardized invoice format that packs all necessary payment information into a single, human-readable string. These invoices use a clever encoding scheme called Bech32 (the same format used for modern Bitcoin addresses) that includes built-in error detection. If you accidentally change a character when copying an invoice, your wallet will immediately know something’s wrong.

But the real genius of BOLT #11 lies in its flexibility. Lightning invoices can include optional routing hints that help wallets find paths to the recipient, even if they’re not well-connected to the broader network. They can specify exact amounts or leave them open for the sender to choose. They can include expiration times, descriptions of what’s being purchased, and even fallback Bitcoin addresses for when Lightning payments fail.

The specification also solved a crucial privacy problem. Early Lightning implementations often revealed too much information about recipients in their invoices. BOLT #11 carefully balances the need for routing information with privacy protection, ensuring that invoices contain just enough data to enable payments without exposing unnecessary details about the recipient’s node or channels.

The Next Evolution: BOLT #12 and the Promise of Offers

While BOLT #11 invoices solved the immediate usability problem, they still had significant limitations that became apparent as Lightning adoption grew. Traditional invoices are single-use, expire relatively quickly, and require the recipient to generate a new one for each payment. Try to explain to your grandmother why she needs to create a new QR code every time someone wants to send her money, and you’ll quickly understand the problem.

BOLT #12, currently being implemented across Lightning software, introduces “offers” – a completely new approach to requesting Lightning payments that works more like traditional payment systems. Instead of creating single-use invoices, merchants and individuals can create reusable offers that work like persistent payment addresses.

The technical innovation behind offers is fascinating. When someone wants to pay an offer, their wallet first contacts the recipient’s node and requests a fresh invoice specifically for that payment. This happens automatically and invisibly to the user, but it solves several critical problems that plagued BOLT #11 invoices.

First, offers enable recurring payments. A subscription service can create a single offer that customers’ wallets can automatically pay monthly, weekly, or on any schedule. The recipient generates a fresh invoice for each payment, maintaining security while enabling the convenience of automated billing.

Second, offers dramatically improve privacy. Because each payment uses a freshly generated invoice, it’s much harder for external observers to correlate multiple payments to the same recipient. Someone monitoring the Lightning network might see that Alice paid 50,000 satoshis to some node, but they can’t easily determine if this was her first payment to that merchant or her hundredth.

The specification also introduces “offer chains” – a way to create offers that can be paid multiple times with different amounts. A coffee shop could create a single offer that customers can pay for any amount, with their wallets automatically calculating tips or adjusting for different menu items.

Behind the Scenes: The Technical Complexity of Simple Payments

What makes BOLT #12 particularly impressive is how it maintains simplicity for users while handling incredible complexity behind the scenes. When your wallet processes an offer, it’s actually engaging in a sophisticated cryptographic dance with the recipient’s node.

The process starts when you scan an offer QR code. Your wallet extracts the recipient’s node information and initiates a connection using the encrypted transport protocol defined in BOLT #8. It then sends a specially formatted request for an invoice, including details about how much you want to pay and any additional information required by the offer.

The recipient’s node validates your request, generates a fresh BOLT #11 invoice specifically for your payment, and sends it back to your wallet. Your wallet then processes this invoice and completes the payment using the standard Lightning routing protocols. The entire process typically takes a few seconds, but it involves multiple round-trips between nodes and several cryptographic operations.

This two-step process – request invoice, then pay invoice – might seem unnecessarily complex, but it elegantly solves problems that plagued earlier Lightning payment systems. It prevents invoice reuse attacks, enables advanced privacy features, and allows for much more flexible payment scenarios.

The Merchant Revolution: From Invoices to Commerce

The evolution from BOLT #11

@ 374ee93a:36623347

Chef's notes

Start your day the self sovereign way

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 mins
• 🍳 Cook time: 15 mins
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1lb Jar Bottled Rhubarb https://jimblesjumble.netlify.app/item/a0c35618722834ac714d0a47058a2adc76ee7485a6b74f5da5f9eb2d3fb5d879
• 1pt Homemade Custard (3/4pt cream, 3 large eggs, 100g honey, 1/2 tbspn vanilla extract)
• 4 Handfuls Granola
• 1 Node https://plebeian.market/products/huxley@nostrplebs.com/start-9-node-y22zfjp8x6

Directions

1. Whisk together the cream, eggs, honey and vanilla
2. Chill overnight or serve warm with 1/4 jar of stewed rhubarb and a large handful of granola per person
3. Consolidate some UTXOs on your node
4. Have a Good Morning

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

“Not your keys, not your coins” isn’t a slogan—it’s a survival mantra in the age of digital sovereignty.

The seismic collapses of Mt. Gox (2014) and FTX (2022) weren’t anomalies; they were wake-up calls. When $8.7 billion in customer funds vanished with FTX, it exposed the fatal flaw of third-party custody: your bitcoin is only as secure as your custodian’s weakest link.

Yet today, As of early 2025, analysts estimate that between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoins are permanently lost, representing approximately 11–18% of bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, with some reports suggesting losses as high as 4 million BTC. This paradox reveals a critical truth: self-custody isn’t just preferable—it’s essential—but it must be done right.

The Custody Spectrum

Custodial Wallets (The Illusion of Control)

• Rehypothecation Risk: Most platforms lend your bitcoin for yield generation. When Celsius collapsed, users discovered their “held” bitcoin was loaned out in risky strategies.
• Account Freezes: Regulatory actions can lock withdrawals overnight. In 2023, Binance suspended dollar withdrawals for U.S. users citing “partner bank issues,” trapping funds for weeks.
• Data Vulnerability: KYC requirements create honeypots for hackers. The 2024 Ledger breach exposed 270,000 users’ personal data despite hardware security.

True Self-Custody
Self-custody means exclusively controlling your private keys—the cryptographic strings that prove bitcoin ownership. Unlike banks or exchanges, self-custody eliminates:

• Counterparty risk (no FTX-style implosions)
• Censorship (no blocked transactions)
• Inflationary theft (no fractional reserve lending)

Conquering the Three Great Fears of Self-Custody

Fear 1: “I’ll Lose Everything If I Make a Mistake”

Reality: Human error is manageable with robust systems:

• Test Transactions: Always send a micro-amount (0.00001 BTC) before large transfers. Verify receipt AND ability to send back.
• Multi-Backup Protocol: Store seed phrases on fireproof/waterproof steel plates (not paper!). Distribute copies geographically—one in a home safe, another with trusted family 100+ miles away.
• SLIP39 Sharding: Split your seed into fragments requiring 3-of-5 shards to reconstruct. No single point of failure.

Fear 2: “Hackers Will Steal My Keys”

Reality: Offline storage defeats remote attacks:

• Hardware Wallets: Devices like Bitkey or Ledger keep keys in “cold storage”—isolated from internet-connected devices. Transactions require physical confirmation.
• Multisig Vaults: Bitvault’s multi-sig system requires attackers compromise multiple locations/devices simultaneously. Even losing two keys won’t forfeit funds.
• Air-Gapped Verification: Use dedicated offline devices for wallet setup. Never type seeds on internet-connected machines.

Fear 3: “My Family Can’t Access It If I Die”

Reality: Inheritance is solvable:

• Dead Man Switches: Bitwarden’s emergency access allows trusted contacts to retrieve encrypted keys after a pre-set waiting period (e.g., 30 days).
• Inheritance Protocols: Bitkey’s inheritance solution shares decryption keys via designated beneficiaries’ emails. Requires multiple approvals to prevent abuse.
• Public Key Registries: Share wallet XPUBs (not private keys!) with heirs. They can monitor balances but not spend, ensuring transparency without risk.

The Freedom Dividend

1. Censorship Resistance: Send $10M BTC to a Wikileaks wallet without Visa/Mastercard blocking it.
2. Privacy Preservation: Avoid KYC surveillance—non-custodial wallets like Flash require zero ID verification.
3. Protocol Access: Participate in bitcoin-native innovations (Lightning Network, DLCs) only possible with self-custodied keys.
4. Black Swan Immunity: When Cyprus-style bank bailins happen, your bitcoin remains untouched in your vault.

The Sovereign’s Checklist

1. Withdraw from Exchanges: Move all BTC > $1,000 to self-custody immediately.
2. Buy Hardware Wallet: Purchase DIRECTLY from manufacturer (no Amazon!) to avoid supply-chain tampering.
3. Generate Seed OFFLINE: Use air-gapped device, write phrase on steel—never digitally.
4. Test Recovery: Delete wallet, restore from seed before funding.
5. Implement Multisig: For > $75k, use Bitvault for 2-of-3 multi-sig setup.
6. Create Inheritance Plan: Share XPUBs/SLIP39 shards with heirs + legal documents.

“Self-custody isn’t about avoiding risk—it’s about transferring risk from opaque institutions to transparent, controllable systems you design.”

The Inevitable Evolution: Custody Without Compromise

Emerging solutions are erasing old tradeoffs:

• MPC Wallets: Services like Xapo Bank shatter keys into encrypted fragments distributed globally. No single device holds full keys, defeating physical theft.
• Social Recovery: Ethically designed networks (e.g., Bitkey) let trusted contacts restore access without custodial control.
• Biometric Assurance: Fingerprint reset protocols prevent lockouts from physical injuries.

Lost keys = lost bitcoin. But consider the alternative: entrusting your life savings to entities with proven 8% annual failure rates among exchanges. Self-custody shifts responsibility from hoping institutions won’t fail to knowing your system can’t fail without your consent.

Take action today: Move one coin. Test one recovery. Share one xpub. The path to unchained wealth begins with a single satoshi under your control.

@ df67f9a7:2d4fc200

Nostr is NOT a social network. Nostr is a network of interconnected social apps. And, since any app is a social app, Nostr is for every app.

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ONLY Nostr incentivizes inter-connectivity between independent apps, simply by respecting sovereignty at the protocol layer. For end users, sovereignty means that the content they post “to Nostr” will never be owned by the apps that they use. For businesses building apps on Nostr, sovereignty means that every app actually benefits by other apps being on the network. Because sovereignty is respected, users are retained for longer and independent apps thrive far longer on Nostr than on the legacy “black box” social networks.

Social apps thrive on Nostr

Nostr integration provides these benefits for every app :

• Unrestrained access for any app, to all public and private data “on Nostr”. No fees or licenses for harvesting user data from the network.
• Unburdened from liability, when collecting user data with any app. When sending “to Nostr”, end users retain custody of user data while apps never loose access.
• Unlimited free market of search engines and feed algos. Users and brands can create, use, and share any algos or custom feeds. Grow your audience on your own terms.
• Universal open network for all apps. Build any kind of app for any audience, on the same network as other apps for other audiences. Discover new trends from user data.
• Unregulated tech platform. Build your own app and use it as you wish. No gate keepers. No code review. 

Sovereignty is good for business.

Regardless of the network size, a Nostr integrated app can grow its user base MUCH faster and with greater independence BECAUSE of the sovereignty respecting protocol. While end users may retain custody of their identities and data on the network, it’s the apps that determine which data is, or is not, sent to the network. Respect for sovereignty IS the killer feature that ONLY the Nostr protocol provides for apps and for end users.

Because Nostr is permissionless for any app to integrate :

• end users will always have a free market of apps choose from
• apps are free to integrate only as much as benefits their business model.
• apps gain access to more novel data as new apps bring new users to the network.

Because data on Nostr is managed by end users and available to all apps :

• User data looses exclusivity and the demand shifts toward novel insights and information derived from these data.
• Apps are freed from having to be “data pirates”, and can focus on establishing a trusted user base, providing valuable services to satisfied customers, informed by the abundance of user data.
• Apps are incentivized to offload data onto the network, establishing a new paradigm for interconnectivity, where independence is NOT at stake as the network grows.
• New markets spring up to support users with self custody of their data, driven by the reality that apps can have full access without assuming responsibility.
• The market for search and algo tools opens up for independent apps and end users to discover and interact freely with each other.
• The ad based “attention economy” slowly transforms to a value based consumer economy, where the end user is the customer rather than the product being sold.

Even while privacy is respected

Sometimes sovereignty is at odds with privacy, but Nostr allows all parties to win while both are protected.

• For end users sending sensetive data "to Nostr", privacy is assured by encrypting it with their own private keys and/or sending it to private (auth required) relays of their choosing.
• For apps handling private IP or business data, any traditional “black box” infrastructure can be used in the back end to manitain isolation from Nostr.

This means apps and end users remain in control of their own private data, without requiring “big social” as trust provider or data reseller. To access a user's private data, client apps (even search engines, running locally) only need explicit permission from the end user to retrieve or decrypt from Nostr relays. Public data, on the other hand, is freely available for any app or search engine to harvest from any Nostr relay. In either case, user data on the Nostr network is always accessible to client apps, without additional restrictions or fees.

Nostr is for every app.

Adding social to any app makes it a better app. Add reviews for products or services. Add commenting or direct messaging. Share or collaborate on content creation. Nostr integration is straightforward and incremental for any app.

Nostr doesn't define your app's business model ... Nostr 10X's it!

Here's how :

1. Start with your own business and app design. Add Nosrr login.
2. Discover what "kinds" of user data already exists "on Nostr" that your app can ingest and make use of.
3. Decide which "kinds" of data would benefit your business, your users, and the network, if sent "to Nostr".
4. Implement Nostr integration for data kinds and add webs of trust tools for recommendation and discovery.
5. Verify your app is sovereignty respecting in how it handles private data and implements Nostr NIPs.
6. Engage with existing users, and onboard new users from your app, to earn their trust and patronage over Nostr.

For more info and assistance, contact our team of Nostr integration experts.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

BTCPay Server: The Backbone of Bitcoin Commerce, 2025

The genesis story of BTCPay Server is without a doubt one of the most iconic moments in Bitcoin history. A single developer, feeling betrayed by Bitpay, a bitcoin payments processing giant and its attempt at co-opting Bitcoin, declared economic war on the company in a tweet that will never be forgotten by the Bitcoin industry; “This is lies, my trust in you is broken, I will make you obsolete.”

Nicolas Dorier went on to create one of the most widely distributed open source projects in the Bitcoin industry and perhaps the invoicing and payments industry as a whole: BTCPay Server. Much has been written about the context and motivation behind Dorier’s founding of the project — there’s even a documentary about it. 

What’s seldom highlighted is how ambitious a project BTCPay Server is, how feature-rich it has become and how deeply integrated it is with the industry. In fact, it is easy to forget that as an open source project with no centralized database of users, BTCPay Server is both a massive privacy upgrade for its users and represents the removal of a fundamental middleman processing payments. As a result, Dorier and the BTCPay Server community have created a public goods infrastructure — a kind of commons of payment processing — that provides users real value by saving them fees, and providing them a much smoother user experience given that no personal information is required for the payments to flow.

Humbly described on their website as “a self-hosted, open-source cryptocurrency payment processor,” BTCPay Server is an invoicing and accounting system for merchants, a fully featured Bitcoin wallet with full node capabilities; on-chain, Lightning Network and Liquid Network support; hardware wallet support; and a modular plugin system. The plugins in particular extend the core of BTCPay Server into a wide range of niches. They also integrate into e-commerce giants such as WooCommerce and Shopify. 

It is somewhat difficult to gauge the success and scope of BTCPay Server. Because it is a self-hosted platform that does not capture customer data of any kind — it has no central cloud service as other payment processors do — our view into its success is somewhat limited. 

However, we can get a sense of their reach by proxy of other metrics, for example, their primary software repository has had over 170 open source contributors, with 8,393 commits at the time of writing. 

As of 2025, BTCPay Server has had one million downloads directly from its GitHub repository, which does not account for cloud providers of the software as hosted by companies like Voltage or Lunanode. It is also often the case that one instance of BTCPay Server serves multiple merchants and hosts multiple stores simultaneously. 

R0ckstardev, one of the top contributors to the project, told Bitcoin Magazine that there could be hundreds of thousands of instances of BTCPay Server running throughout the world. Tobe Chileta, a contributor to the project, also told Bitcoin Magazine that “of the seven continents of the world, I think it is only Antarctica that I haven’t seen someone run BTCPay server.” He added, “I’m certain we have merchants running in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia.”

Companies

BTCPay Server’s website business directory, while far from exhaustive, covers hundreds of merchants onboarded. The BTCPay Server community also does regular case studies of user cohorts or major merchants that use the software, documenting their integration and story in their case studies page. It gives fantastic insights into a variety of Bitcoin communities throughout the world and includes useful guides on how to replicate various results and implementations.

Namecheap, for example, boasted over 70 million dollars’ of bitcoin volume since their integration of BTCPay Server. From May 18, 2020, to October 2024 they clocked in 1.1m transactions in total with over 500,000 users paying in bitcoin, resulting in over $73 million in revenue through payments made from over 200 countries. 

BTC Inc, the parent company of the biggest Bitcoin conference in the world, has for years been setting up BTCPay Server for its merchants, and even has a one-hour behind-the-scenes documentary on the complexities of setting up dozens of merchants at a conference (filmed during the Nashville 2024 Bitcoin conference). The event saw over 25,000 attendees, including the 47th president of the U.S., Donald J. Trump.

In this most recent Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, BTCPay Server was used to process a new world record of Bitcoin transactions within an eight-hour period, with 4,187 transactions in total. The initial target was 4,000 transactions and was set by the Guinness World Records organization. 

Integrations and Plugins

One of the most important dimensions of BTCPay Server is its plugin system. Given the wide variety of ways companies can interact with Bitcoin, the developer community has optimized the BTCPay Server code toward a plugin model that developers can build for with a well-documented set of GitHub repos and an API. Today there are over 30 plugins available on BTCPay Server. Here are some of the greatest hits:

Boltz Swap Exchange Plugin

Boltz is an atomic swap exchange focused on the various Bitcoin layers such as Liquid, Lightning, Rootstock and of course Bitcoin on-chain. It has gained prominence of late as a very simple solution to the channel rebalancing challenges Lightning wallets face. R0ckstardev told Bitcoin Magazine that he is particularly impressed with the Boltz integration, and even tweeted as much earlier this year. 

I've recently been going through the code of @Boltzhq plugin for @BtcpayServer, what jackstar12 & @kilrau have done there is an absolutely l33t engineering.

It's a literal crime against humanity that what they've done was not featured more in Bitcoin media.

— Uncle Rockstar Developer (@r0ckstardev) April 24, 2025

Branded as a noncustodial Bitcoin Bridge, Boltz allows users to swap between different Bitcoin layers while retaining maximum control of their funds, using atomic swap technology that eliminates third-party trust across crypto-native payments. For example, you can use Boltz via BTCPay Server to make a Lightning payment, where the sats are initially held at rest in a Liquid network wallet and are pulled from that balance by the Boltz plugin. The L-BTC is atomically swapped for sats on the Lightning Network via the Boltz exchange and the satoshis flow to the end recipient. This whole process is effectively noncustodial.

This is the same type of “lightning service provider” style infrastructure with which Breez wallet recently announced integration. While it is not quite as cheap as a user-operated Lightning node can be in the best of cases, it is far easier to set up and run — only demanding a few clicks on the BTCPay Server interface. As far as BTCPay Server is concerned, this Boltz plugin represents a full Lightning node, integrating natively with the invoicing and accounting layers. 

This tech also scales quite well: One BTCPay Server admin can support many different merchants and not even have to run or manage a standard Lightning node, since the plugin supports automated liquidity management. 

The Bolt Cards Plugin

The Bolt card, a company and product created by the Coincenter exchange, has come into prominence recently thanks to its unique graphics and the laser-eyes that light up on tap-to-pay. They, too, have a BTCPay Server plugin that lets users manage and connect these cool NFC cards to their wallets via the plugin.

BITCOIN IS MONEY.

AND AT @THEBITCOINCONF WE WILL PAY IN STYLE, WITH @JACK LASER-EYES BOLT CARDS.

ONLY 1,000 AVAILABLE, GET YOURS ON MAY 28TH. [pic.twitter.com/fDrZW5TGCv](https:

@ ac8bb9b0:70278acc

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 20 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas)
• 1/3 cup (113g) honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup (41g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas up using a fork.* Try to mash up any large lumps. Once mashed, whisk in the honey, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving some for the tops of the warm muffins.
4. Spoon the batter evenly into each cup or liner, filling each all the way to the top.
5. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 15–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20–21 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.)
6. Press any remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the warm muffins. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling, or enjoy warm.
7. Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Good morning (good night?)! The No Bullshit Bitcoin news feed is now available on Moody's Dashboard! A huge shoutout to sir Clark Moody for integrating our feed.

Headlines

• Spiral welcomes Ben Carman. The developer will work on the LDK server and a new SDK designed to simplify the onboarding process for new self-custodial Bitcoin users.

• The Bitcoin Dev Kit Foundation announced new corporate members for 2025, including AnchorWatch, CleanSpark, and Proton Foundation. The annual dues from these corporate members fund the small team of open-source developers responsible for maintaining the core BDK libraries and related free and open-source software (FOSS) projects.
• Strategy increases Bitcoin holdings to 538,200 BTC. In the latest purchase, the company has spent more than $555M to buy 6,556 coins through proceeds of two at-the-market stock offering programs.
• Spar supermarket experiments with Bitcoin payments in Zug, Switzerland. The store has introduced a new payment method powered by the Lightning Network. The implementation was facilitated by DFX Swiss, a service that supports seamless conversions between bitcoin and legacy currencies.

• The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) wants to contain 'crypto' risks. A report titled "Cryptocurrencies and Decentralised Finance: Functions and Financial Stability Implications" calls for expanding research into "how new forms of central bank money, capital controls, and taxation policies can counter the risks of widespread crypto adoption while still fostering technological innovation."
• "Global Implications of Scam Centres, Underground Banking, and Illicit Online Marketplaces in Southeast Asia." According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, criminal organizations from East and Southeast Asia are swiftly extending their global reach. These groups are moving beyond traditional scams and trafficking, creating sophisticated online networks that include unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges, encrypted communication platforms, and stablecoins, fueling a massive fraud economy on an industrial scale.
• Slovenia is considering a 25% capital gains tax on Bitcoin profits for individuals. The Ministry of Finance has proposed legislation to impose this tax on gains from cryptocurrency transactions, though exchanging one cryptocurrency for another would remain exempt. At present, individual 'crypto' traders in Slovenia are not taxed.
• Circle, BitGo, Coinbase, and Paxos plan to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, major crypto companies are planning to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. These firms are pursuing limited licenses that would permit them to issue stablecoins, as the U.S. Congress deliberates on legislation mandating licensing for stablecoin issuers.

"Established banks, like Bank of America, are hoping to amend the current drafts of [stablecoin] legislation in such a way that nonbanks are more heavily restricted from issuing stablecoins," people familiar with the matter told The Block.

• Charles Schwab to launch spot Bitcoin trading by 2026. The financial investment firm, managing over $10 trillion in assets, has revealed plans to introduce spot Bitcoin trading for its clients within the next year.

Use the tools

• Bitcoin Safe v1.2.3 expands QR SignMessage compatibility for all QR-UR-compatible hardware signers (SpecterDIY, KeyStone, Passport, Jade; already supported COLDCARD Q). It also adds the ability to import wallets via QR, ensuring compatibility with Keystone's latest firmware (2.0.6), alongside other improvements.
• Minibits v0.2.2-beta, an ecash wallet for Android devices, packages many changes to align the project with the planned iOS app release. New features and improvements include the ability to lock ecash to a receiver's pubkey, faster confirmations of ecash minting and payments thanks to WebSockets, UI-related fixes, and more.
• Zeus v0.11.0-alpha1 introduces Cashu wallets tied to embedded LND wallets. Navigate to Settings > Ecash to enable it. Other wallet types can still sweep funds from Cashu tokens. Zeus Pay now supports Cashu address types in Zaplocker, Cashu, and NWC modes.
• LNDg v1.10.0, an advanced web interface designed for analyzing Lightning Network Daemon (LND) data and automating node management tasks, introduces performance improvements, adds a new metrics page for unprofitable and stuck channels, and displays warnings for batch openings. The Profit and Loss Chart has been updated to include on-chain costs. Advanced settings have been added for users who would like their channel database size to be read remotely (the default remains local). Additionally, the AutoFees tool now uses aggregated pubkey metrics for multiple channels with the same peer.
• Nunchuk Desktop v1.9.45 release brings the latest bug fixes and improvements.
• Blockstream Green iOS v4.1.8 has renamed L-BTC to LBTC, and improves translations of notifications, login time, and background payments.
• Blockstream Green Android v4.1.8 has added language preference in App Settings and enables an Android data backup option for disaster recovery. Additionally, it fixes issues with Jade entry point PIN timeout and Trezor passphrase input.
• Torq v2.2.2, an advanced Lightning node management software designed to handle large nodes with over 1000 channels, fixes bugs that caused channel balance to not be updated in some cases and channel "peer total local balance" not getting updated.
• Stack Wallet v2.1.12, a multicoin wallet by Cypher Stack, fixes an issue with Xelis introduced in the latest release for Windows.
• ESP-Miner-NerdQAxePlus v1.0.29.1, a forked version from the NerdAxe miner that was modified for use on the NerdQAxe+, is now available.
• Zark enables sending sats to an npub using Bark.

• Erk is a novel variation of the Ark protocol that completely removes the need for user interactivity in rounds, addressing one of Ark's key limitations: the requirement for users to come online before their VTXOs expire.
• Aegis v0.1.1 is now available. It is a Nostr event signer app for iOS devices.
• Nostash is a NIP-07 Nostr signing extension for Safari. It is a fork of Nostore and is maintained by Terry Yiu. Available on iOS TestFlight.
• Amber v3.2.8, a Nostr event signer for Android, delivers the latest fixes and improvements.
• Nostur v1.20.0, a Nostr client for iOS, adds

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Layer 2: The Key To Scaling Bitcoin

Bitcoin, and for that matter all blockchains, do not scale. It is a fundamental limitation of blockchain based systems that they are incapable of facilitating transactional use at a truly global scale without completely sacrificing the decentralization and verifiability that make them valuable in the first place. 

This has been an existential issue that Bitcoiners have grappled with from the very beginning of Bitcoin. This is a comment from James A. Donald, a Canadian cypherpunk who was the first person to reply to Satoshi’s original post on the cryptography mailing list: 

Satoshi Nakamoto wrote:

“The bandwidth might not be as prohibitive as you
think. A typical transaction would be about 400 bytes
(ECC is nicely compact). Each transaction has to be
broadcast twice, so lets say 1KB per transaction.
Visa processed 37 billion transactions in FY2008, or
an average of 100 million transactions per day. That
many transactions would take 100GB of bandwidth, or
the size of 12 DVD or 2 HD quality movies, or about
$18 worth of bandwidth at current prices.”

The trouble is, you are comparing with the Bankcard
network.

But a new currency cannot compete directly with an old,
because network effects favor the old.

You have to go where Bankcard does not go.

At present, file sharing works by barter for bits. This,
however requires the double coincidence of wants. People
only upload files they are downloading, and once the
download is complete, stop seeding. So only active
files, files that quite a lot of people want at the same
time, are available.

File sharing requires extremely cheap transactions,
several transactions per second per client, day in and
day out, with monthly transaction costs being very small
per client, so to support file sharing on bitcoins, we
will need a layer of account money on top of the
bitcoins, supporting transactions of a hundred
thousandth the size of the smallest coin, and to support
anonymity, chaumian money on top of the account money.

Let us call a bitcoin bank a bink. The bitcoins stand
in the same relation to account money as gold stood in
the days of the gold standard. The binks, not trusting
each other to be liquid when liquidity is most needed,
settle out any net discrepancies with each other by
moving bit coins around once every hundred thousand
seconds or so, so bitcoins do not change owners that
often, Most transactions cancel out at the account
level. The binks demand bitcoins of each other only
because they don’t want to hold account money for too
long. So a relatively small amount of bitcoins
infrequently transacted can support a somewhat larger
amount of account money frequently transacted.

Despite the era of the Blocksize Wars, the big blockers, and the naive assumptions by many early Bitcoiners that simply raising the blocksize was a viable solution to scale the system, it has been understood by competent observers and engineers from the very beginning that this would undermine the core value proposition of that made it useful in the first place. Hal Finney also spoke of the need for such a settlement layer on top. 

Scaling in layers has always been the only rational plan to make Bitcoin work in the long term, but for a long period of Bitcoin’s early history how to do so without relying on trusted third parties was an elusive problem. 

One of the first ideas on how to do this was sidechains, independent blockchains with a peg to facilitate locking bitcoin on the mainchain to utilize on the sidechain, and at any point unlocking funds on the mainchain to move them back by proving legitimate control of bitcoin on the sidechain. These systems however have yet to achieve a way to operate a peg without either 1) introducing some form of trusted third party, no matter how well mitigated, or 2) creating centralization pressure for the primary Bitcoin network. 

Since those early days there have been many more ideas developed that have found better ways to peg into second layer systems, specifically schemes like the Lightning Network and Ark which allow end users to unilaterally exit back to the mainchain without needing the permission or approval of some operator. 

Scaling Bitcoin in a way that facilitates higher transactional volumes without degrading the security properties of Bitcoin to the point of being indistinguishable from third party operated custodians is one of the most critical problems to solve in order for Bitcoin to truly succeed in the long term. 

This article series will explore the architectures of different Layer 2 systems for Bitcoin, both those deployed live on the network right now and those that are simply design proposals at this point. 

Listed below are the systems I will be covering. The design space of Layer 2s is much more expansive than many people are familiar with, so this list should not be taken as comprehensive and complete, and will be updated over time to reflect additional Layer 2s that are covered. 

• Ark
• Statechains
• Lightning Network
• Sidechains
• Clique
• Rollups
• Client Side Validated Systems
• Ecash
• Custodial Systems
• Physical Bearer Instruments

This post Bitcoin Layer 2: The Key To Scaling Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.

@ da8b7de1:c0164aee

| Régió/Ország | Fő esemény/politika | Forrás | |------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Egyesült Államok | Végrehajtási rendeletek a nukleáris termelés négyszeresére növeléséről; a nem létfontosságú K+F költségvetésének csökkentése; SMR és mikroreaktor kezdeményezések | world-nuclear-news, nucnet, aoshearman, ans | | Kanada | Engedélyezés új BWRX-300 SMR reaktor építésére Darlingtonban | world-nuclear-news, ans | | Európa | EU tervek az orosz nukleáris importok korlátozására; Westinghouse–Bulgária beszállítói megállapodások | nucnet, world-nuclear-news | | Globális/Világbank | A nukleáris finanszírozási tilalom esetleges feloldása a fejlődő országok számára | globalissues | | Egyesült Királyság| Új kiberbiztonsági jogszabályok a nukleáris szektorban | aoshearman | | Katonaság/Védelem| A védelmi minisztérium cégeket választott ki mikroreaktorok telepítésére | ans |

Források:
world-nuclear-news
nucnet
aoshearman
globalissues
ans

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

JPMorgan to Offer Clients Financing Against Bitcoin & Crypto ETFs

JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to allow its trading and wealth-management clients to use cryptocurrency-linked assets, including spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), as collateral for loans, according to Bloomberg.

JPMorgan Plans to Offer Clients Financing Against Crypto ETFs pic.twitter.com/QpausRiHxM

— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) June 4, 2025

The bank will begin with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), and additional ETFs are expected to be added over time. The policy will apply globally, spanning all client segments—from individual retail accounts to investors.  

In addition to the lending change, JPMorgan will begin factoring crypto holdings into overall net worth and liquid asset evaluations, placing them on par with stocks, vehicles, or fine art when determining loan eligibility, according to those familiar with the matter.

This development marks a formal expansion of what had previously been permitted on a limited, case-by-case basis. The bank’s new approach comes as other major financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, explore ways to integrate crypto offerings more broadly. Last month, Bloomberg also reported that Morgan Stanley plans to bring crypto trading to its E*Trade platform.

The shift also reflects changes in the U.S. regulatory environment. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a more favorable stance toward digital assets. Spot Bitcoin ETFs, first introduced in January 2024, have seen rapid growth and now manage a combined $128 billion in assets, making them among the most successful ETF launches to date.

Bitcoin’s price has also risen significantly in recent months, reaching a record $111,980 in May 2025.

JPMorgan was among the first large U.S. banks to experiment with blockchain technology and maintains relationships with firms such as Coinbase. This latest decision allows more digital assets into the bank’s lending framework. 

While JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has remained publicly skeptical of Bitcoin, he has consistently emphasized clients’ right to access the asset. Speaking at the firm’s investor day in May, Dimon stated, “I’m not a fan of Bitcoin.” He went on to say, “I don’t think we should smoke, but I defend your right to smoke. I defend your right to buy Bitcoin, go at it.” 

This post JPMorgan to Offer Clients Financing Against Bitcoin & Crypto ETFs first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

@ 2f5de000:2f9bcef1

I've wanted to write this piece for months. Not because I have anything against Jack Mallers personally - quite the opposite. But because I've watched a pattern emerge in Bitcoin that mirrors one of the most chilling dynamics in Atlas Shrugged: the systematic destruction of our most productive builders by the very people who should be celebrating them.

We are the looters. And Jack might just be our Hank Rearden.

The Underdog's Dilemma

There's a cruel irony in how we treat success in Bitcoin. We champion the underdog, root for the builder in the garage, celebrate the cypherpunk taking on the establishment. But the moment that underdog succeeds - the moment they scale, grow, and inevitably have to navigate the messy realities of the existing system - we turn on them with the ferocity of the same establishment we claim to oppose.\ \ Jack began building Zap (which evolved into Strike) from his parents home in Chicago. Strike has grown into one of the most seamless fiat-to-bitcoin on-ramps for everyday users. No complexity, just pure utility. From day one, he's operated at a level of transparency that would make most CEO's uncomfortable. He's been building in public, taking feedback, admitting mistakes, and iterating - sometimes within hours of criticism.

The Rearden Parallel

In Atlas Shrugged, Hank Rearden creates Rearden Metal - a revolutionary alloy that's stronger, lighter, and more efficient than anything that came before. Instead of celebration, he faces endless scrutiny, regulation, and demands to prove is worthiness. The people who benefit from his innovation spend their time questioning his motives, dissecting his business practices, and demanding he justify his success.

Sound familiar?

Jack comes from a finance background - his father and grandfather were in the industry. This isn't a liability; it's an asset. He understands the beast we're fighting. He's been a Bitcoiner since 2013 with a spotless track record in a space littered with exit scams and broken promises. His values align with proof of work, individualism, and the radical idea that bitcoin is for everyone.

Yet when he helps launch 21 Capital, we don't see innovation - we see betrayal. When he navigates regulatory requirements to build products that can actually reach mainstream adoption, we don't see pragmatism - we see capitulation.

The Scarred Perspective

Our skepticism isn't entirely unfounded. We've been burned before. Mt. Gox, FTX, Three Arrows Capital, Celcius, Terra/ LUNA, BlockFi, Bitconnect, Voyager, QuadrigaCX - the graveyard of Bitcoin is littered with the corpses of trusted institutions. We've learned, painfully, that trust must be earned and verified.

But somewhere along the way, our healthy skepticism has metastasized into destructive paranoia. We've become so focused on protecting ourselves from the next SBF that we're attacking the people building the future we claim to want.

I'm guilty of this myself. I've made scathing attacks on my Nostr feed, comparing Jack to SBF, scrutinising contract clauses about re-hypothecation, and questioning his every move privately. I was viewing his actions through the lens of collective trauma rather than the reality of his long track record.

The Looters Paradox

Here's the uncomfortable truth: we're not just passive observers in this drama. We're active participants. We're the looters.

In Atlas Shrugged, the looters don't necessarily steal directly. They steal time, energy, and focus. They create bureaucracy, demnd endless justification, and burden the productive with the weight of constant explanation. They don't build competing products - they just tear down what others have built.

Everytime we demand Jack explain his business model for the hundredth time, we're stealing his time. Every time we scrutinize his partnerships without offering alternatives, we're creating bureaucracy . Everytime we attack his character rather than his arguments, we're furthering the system we claim to oppose.

The free market will create products whether we like them or not. People will build services that use bitcoin as collateral, create lending products, and navigate regulatory frameworks. The question isn't whether these products will exist - it's whether they'll be built by people who share our values or by those who don't.

The Atlantis Risk

The producers eventually withdraw from society in Atlas Shrugged, retreating to Galt's Gulch (Atlantis) and leaving the looters to face the consequences of their destructive behaviour. The economy collapses because the people who actually build things decided it wasn't worth the hassle anymore.

We're walking dangerously close to this precipice in Bitcoin. We're creating an environment where our most capable builders might just decide it's not worth it. Where the hassle of dealing with our constant scrutiny and bad-faith attacks outweighs the mission of building the future.

Jack has been more patient with our criticism than we deserve. He's addressed concerns publicly, changed the course when necessary, and continued building despite the noise. But patience has limits. At some point, even the most mission-driven builders will ask themselves: "Why am I doing this?"

The Path Forward

I don't know enough about finance to fully understand everything Jack is building with 21 Capital. Neither do most of his critics. But I know enough about Bitcoin to recognise someone who's been fighting the good fight for over a decade.

This doesn't mean we should trust blindly. It doesn't mean we should stop asking questions or demanding transparency. But it does mean we should approach our builders with the same benefit of the doubt we'd want for ourselves.

We need to distinguish between healthy skepticism and destructive paranoia. Between holding people accountable and tearing them down. Between being vigilant and being looters.

The fiat system is the real enemy here. It's massive, entrenched, and infinitely resourcesful. It will adapt, co-opt, and corrupt everything it touches. Fighting it requires builders who are willing to get their hands dirty, navigate imperfect systems, and make pragmatic compromises while holding onto their core values.

We can continue to be looters, tearing down what we don't understand and driving our best builders toward their own version of Atlantis. Or we can be what we claim to be: supporters of the free market, believers of proof of work, and champions of those building the future.

Don't trust. Verify. But remember: verification works both ways.

@ 6d8e2a24:5faaca4c

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with the Fraternal Order of Police in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Last Friday, President Donald Trump heaped praise on Elon Musk as the tech billionaire prepared to leave his unorthodox White House job.

Less than a week later, their potent political alliance met a dramatic end Thursday when the men attacked each other with blistering epithets. Trump threatened to go after Musk’s business interests. Musk called for Trump’s impeachment.

social media posts urging lawmakers to oppose deficit spending and increasing the debt ceiling.

“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk posted, a reference to Musk’s record political spending last year, which topped $250 million.

“Such ingratitude,” he added.

Trump's Video

Trump said Musk had worn out his welcome at the White House and was mad that Trump was changing electric vehicle policies in ways that would financially harm Musk-led Tesla.

“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump wrote.

He added: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

Musk goes nuclear “Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” — Musk, Thursday, X post.

---

In a series of posts, he shined a spotlight on ties between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Some loud voices in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement claim Epstein’s suicide was staged by powerful figures, including prominent Democrats, who feared Epstein would expose their involvement in trafficking. Trump’s own FBI leaders have dismissed such speculation and there’s no evidence supporting it.

Later, when an X user suggested Trump be impeached and replaced by Vice President JD Vance, Musk agreed.

“Yes,” he wrote.

“I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago,” Trump wrote. He went on to promote his budget bill.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wavy.com/news/politics/ap-the-implosion-of-a-powerful-political-alliance-trump-and-musk-in-their-own-words/amp/

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

The silent revolution: Ethereum's pivot to 'digital oil' could redefine crypto's future. While Bitcoin grabs headlines as digital gold, Ethereum is quietly transforming into something potentially more valuable—the essential infrastructure powering our digital economy. Ryan Berckmans reveals Ethereum's strategic shift from being just another cryptocurrency to becoming the foundation for stablecoins, tokenized assets, and global financial systems. With $480 billion in stablecoin volume and institutional players entering the space, Ethereum isn't just competing with Bitcoin—it's creating an entirely different value proposition. The question isn't whether ETH will hit $3K, but whether we're underestimating its long-term potential as the backbone of digital finance. Are you positioning yourself for the real crypto revolution happening right under our noses?

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

• This version introduces the Soroban P2P network, enabling Dojo to relay transactions to the Bitcoin network and share others' transactions to break the heuristic linking relaying nodes to transaction creators.

• Additionally, Dojo admins can now manage API keys in DMT with labels, status, and expiration, ideal for community Dojo providers like Dojobay. New API endpoints, including "/services" exposing Explorer, Soroban, and Indexer, have been added to aid wallet developers.
• Other maintenance updates include Bitcoin Core, Tor, Fulcrum, Node.js, plus an updated ban-knots script to disconnect inbound Knots nodes.

"I want to thank all the contributors. This again shows the power of true Free Software. I also want to thank everyone who donated to help Dojo development going. I truly appreciate it," said Still Dojo Coder.

What's new

• Soroban P2P network. For MyDojo (Docker setup) users, Soroban will be automatically installed as part of their Dojo. This integration allows Dojo to utilize the Soroban P2P network for various upcoming features and applications.
• PandoTx. PandoTx serves as a transaction transport layer. When your wallet sends a transaction to Dojo, it is relayed to a random Soroban node, which then forwards it to the Bitcoin network. It also enables your Soroban node to receive and relay transactions from others to the Bitcoin network and is designed to disrupt the assumption that a node relaying a transaction is closely linked to the person who initiated it.
  • Pushing transactions through Soroban can be deactivated by setting NODE_PANDOTX_PUSH=off in docker-node.conf.
  • Processing incoming transactions from Soroban network can be deactivated by setting NODE_PANDOTX_PROCESS=off in docker-node.conf.
• API key management has been introduced to address the growing number of people offering their Dojos to the community. Dojo admins can now access a new API management tab in their DMT, where they can create unlimited API keys, assign labels for easy identification, and set expiration dates for each key. This allows admins to avoid sharing their main API key and instead distribute specific keys to selected parties.
• New API endpoints. Several new API endpoints have been added to help API consumers develop features on Dojo more efficiently:
  • New:
    • /latest-block - returns data about latest block
    • /txout/:txid/:index - returns unspent output data
    • /support/services - returns info about services that Dojo exposes
  • Updated:
    • /tx/:txid - endpoint has been updated to return raw transaction with parameter ?rawHex=1
  • The new /support/services endpoint replaces the deprecated explorer field in the Dojo pairing payload. Although still present, API consumers should use this endpoint for explorer and other pairing data.

Other changes

• Updated ban script to disconnect inbound Knots nodes.
• Updated Fulcrum to v1.12.0.
• Regenerate Fulcrum certificate if expired.
• Check if transaction already exists in pushTx.
• Bump BTC-RPC Explorer.
• Bump Tor to v0.4.8.16, bump Snowflake.
• Updated Bitcoin Core to v29.0.
• Removed unnecessary middleware.
• Fixed DB update mechanism, added api_keys table.
• Add an option to use blocksdir config for bitcoin blocks directory.
• Removed deprecated configuration.
• Updated Node.js dependencies.
• Reconfigured container dependencies.
• Fix Snowflake git URL.
• Fix log path for testnet4.
• Use prebuilt addrindexrs binaries.
• Add instructions to migrate blockchain/fulcrum.
• Added pull policies.

#FREESAMOURAI

Learn how to set up and use your own Bitcoin privacy node with Dojo here.

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

The $220 million crypto heist that took just minutes reveals a fatal flaw in DeFi security. While blockchain tech promises trustless transactions, the Cetus DEX exploit on Sui exposed how a single undetected bug in a math library became catastrophic. What's truly alarming isn't the hack itself but the revelation from Curve's founder that professional hackers-for-hire are now coordinating sophisticated cross-platform attacks. This signals a dangerous evolution in crypto threats where vulnerabilities aren't just discovered—they're hunted by organized teams with specialized skills. The industry faces a stark choice: invest aggressively in preventative security or watch as billions more vanish in seconds. Is your crypto truly safe, or just waiting for the right hacker to find its weakness?

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Forget Lambos, think real estate tokens.

A European fund just dropped $3.4 million on tokenized real estate, marking the first time big money directly bought retail available tokens. This isn't just about crypto hype; it's about institutions embracing regulated crypto assets. Real World Assets (RWAs) are booming, up 260% this year, fueled by clearer US crypto rules. This surge pushes the tokenization sector past $23 billion.

Is this the start of crypto's mainstream moment?

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

This update brings key enhancements for clarity and usability:

• Recent Blocks View: Added to the Send tab and inspired by Mempool's visualization, it displays the last 2 blocks and the estimated next block to help choose fee rates.
• Camera System Overhaul: Features a new library for higher resolution detection and mouse-scroll zoom support when available.
• Vector-Based Images: All app images are now vectorized and theme-aware, enhancing contrast, especially in dark mode.
• Tor & P2A Updates: Upgraded internal Tor and improved support for pay-to-anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Linux Package Rename: For Linux users, Sparrow has been renamed to sparrowwallet (or sparrowserver); in some cases, the original sparrow package may need manual removal.
• Additional updates include showing total payments in multi-payment transaction diagrams, better handling of long labels, and other UI enhancements.

• Sparrow v2.2.1 is a bug fix release that addresses missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions, icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view, repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression, and removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.

Learn how to get started with Sparrow wallet:

Release notes (v2.2.0)

• Added Recent Blocks view to Send tab.
• Converted all bitmapped images to theme aware SVG format for all wallet models and dialogs.
• Support send and display of pay to anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Renamed sparrow package to sparrowwallet and sparrowserver on Linux.
• Switched camera library to openpnp-capture.
• Support FHD (1920 x 1080) and UHD4k (3840 x 2160) capture resolutions.
• Support camera zoom with mouse scroll where possible.
• In the Download Verifier, prefer verifying the dropped file over the default file where the file is not in the manifest.
• Show a warning (with an option to disable the check) when importing a wallet with a derivation path matching another script type.
• In Cormorant, avoid calling the listwalletdir RPC on initialization due to a potentially slow response on Windows.
• Avoid server address resolution for public servers.
• Assume server address is non local for resolution failures where a proxy is configured.
• Added a tooltip to indicate truncated labels in table cells.
• Dynamically truncate input and output labels in the tree on a transaction tab, and add tooltips if necessary.
• Improved tooltips for wallet tabs and transaction diagrams with long labels.
• Show the address where available on input and output tooltips in transaction tab tree.
• Show the total amount sent in payments in the transaction diagram when constructing multiple payment transactions.
• Reset preferred table column widths on adjustment to improve handling after window resizing.
• Added accessible text to improve screen reader navigation on seed entry.
• Made Wallet Summary table grow horizontally with dialog sizing.
• Reduced tooltip show delay to 200ms.
• Show transaction diagram fee percentage as less than 0.01% rather than 0.00%.
• Optimized and reduced Electrum server RPC calls.
• Upgraded Bouncy Castle, PGPainless and Logback libraries.
• Upgraded internal Tor to v0.4.8.16.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue with random ordering of keystore origins on labels import.
• Bug fix: Fixed non-zero account script type detection when signing a message on Trezor devices.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue parsing remote Coldcard xpub encoded on a different network.
• Bug fix: Fixed inclusion of fees on wallet label exports.
• Bug fix: Increase Trezor device libusb timeout.

Linux users: Note that the sparrow package has been renamed to sparrowwallet or sparrowserver, and in some cases you may need to manually uninstall the original sparrow package. Look in the /opt folder to ensure you have the new name, and the original is removed.

What's new in v2.2.1

• Updated Tor library to fix missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions.
• Repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression.
• Removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.
• Added icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view
• Bug fix: Fixed issue in Recent Blocks view when switching fee rates source
• Bug fix: Fixed NPE on null fee returned from server

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Key Takeaways

Michael Goldstein, aka Bitstein, presents a sweeping philosophical and economic case for going “all in” on Bitcoin, arguing that unlike fiat, which distorts capital formation and fuels short-term thinking, Bitcoin fosters low time preference, meaningful saving, and long-term societal flourishing. At the heart of his thesis is “hodling for good”—a triple-layered idea encompassing permanence, purpose, and the pursuit of higher values like truth, beauty, and legacy. Drawing on thinkers like Aristotle, Hoppe, and Josef Pieper, Goldstein redefines leisure as contemplation, a vital practice in aligning capital with one’s deepest ideals. He urges Bitcoiners to think beyond mere wealth accumulation and consider how their sats can fund enduring institutions, art, and architecture that reflect a moral vision of the future.

Best Quotes

“Let BlackRock buy the houses, and you keep the sats.”

“We're not hodling just for the sake of hodling. There is a purpose to it.”

“Fiat money shortens your time horizon… you can never rest.”

“Savings precedes capital accumulation. You can’t build unless you’ve saved.”

“You're increasing the marginal value of everyone else’s Bitcoin.”

“True leisure is contemplation—the pursuit of the highest good.”

“What is Bitcoin for if not to make the conditions for magnificent acts of creation possible?”

“Bitcoin itself will last forever. Your stack might not. What will outlast your coins?”

“Only a whale can be magnificent.”

“The market will sell you all the crack you want. It’s up to you to demand beauty.”

Conclusion

This episode is a call to reimagine Bitcoin as more than a financial revolution—it’s a blueprint for civilizational renewal. Michael Goldstein reframes hodling as an act of moral stewardship, urging Bitcoiners to lower their time preference, build lasting institutions, and pursue truth, beauty, and legacy—not to escape the world, but to rebuild it on sound foundations.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Michael’s BBB presentation Hodl for Good
07:27 - Austrian principles on capital
15:40 - Fiat distorts the economic process
23:34 - Bitkey
24:29 - Hodl for Good triple entendre
29:52 - Bitcoin benefits everyone
39:05 - Unchained
40:14 - Leisure theory of value
52:15 - Heightening life
1:15:48 - Breaking from the chase makes room for magnificence
1:32:32 - Nakamoto Institute’s mission

Transcript

(00:00) Fiat money is by its nature a disturbance. If money is being continually produced, especially at an uncertain rate, these uh policies are really just redistribution of wealth. Most are looking for number to go up post hyper bitcoinization. The rate of growth of bitcoin would be more reflective of the growth of the economy as a whole.
(00:23) Ultimately, capital requires knowledge because it requires knowing there is something that you can add to the structures of production to lengthen it in some way that will take time but allow you to have more in the future than you would today. Let Black Rockck buy the houses and you keep the sats, not the other way around.
(00:41) You wait until later for Larry Frink to try to sell you a [Music] mansion. And we're live just like that. Just like that. 3:30 on a Friday, Memorial Day weekend. It's a good good good way to end the week and start the holiday weekend. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you for having me here. Thank you for coming. I wore this hat specifically because I think it's I think it's very apppropo uh to the conversation we're going to have which is I hope an extension of the presentation you gave at Bitblock Boom Huddle for good. You were working on
(01:24) that for many weeks leading up to uh the conference and explaining how you were structuring it. I think it's a very important topic to discuss now as the Bitcoin price is hitting new all-time highs and people are trying to understand what am I doing with Bitcoin? Like you have you have the different sort of factions within Bitcoin.
(01:47) Uh get on a Bitcoin standard, get on zero, spend as much Bitcoin as possible. You have the sailors of the world are saying buy Bitcoin, never sell, die with your Bitcoin. And I think you do a really good job in that presentation. And I just think your understanding overall of Bitcoin is incredible to put everything into context. It's not either or.
(02:07) It really depends on what you want to accomplish. Yeah, it's definitely there there is no actual one-sizefits-all um for I mean nearly anything in this world. So um yeah, I mean first of all I mean there was it was the first conference talk I had given in maybe five years. I think the one prior to that uh was um bit block boom 2019 which was my meme talk which uh has uh become infamous and notorious.
(02:43) So uh there was also a lot of like high expectations uh you know rockstar dev uh has has treated that you know uh that that talk with a lot of reference. a lot of people have enjoyed it and he was expecting this one to be, you know, the greatest one ever, which is a little bit of a little bit of a uh a burden to live up to those kinds of standards.
(03:08) Um, but you know, because I don't give a lot of talks. Um, you know, I I I like to uh try to bring ideas that might even be ideas that are common. So, something like hodling, we all talk about it constantly. uh but try to bring it from a little bit of a different angle and try to give um a little bit of uh new light to it.
(03:31) I alsove I've I've always enjoyed kind of coming at things from a third angle. Um whenever there's, you know, there's there's all these little debates that we have in in Bitcoin and sometimes it's nice to try to uh step out of it and look at it a little more uh kind of objectively and find ways of understanding it that incorporate the truths of of all of them.
(03:58) uh you know cuz I think we should always be kind of as much as possible after ultimate truth. Um so with this one um yeah I was kind of finding that that sort of golden mean. So uh um yeah and I actually I think about that a lot is uh you know Aristotle has his his concept of the golden mean. So it's like any any virtue is sort of between two vices um because you can you can always you can always take something too far.
(04:27) So you're you're always trying to find that right balance. Um so someone who is uh courageous you know uh one of the vices uh on one side is being basically reckless. I I can't remember what word he would use. Uh but effectively being reckless and just wanting to put yourself in danger for no other reason than just you know the thrill of it.
(04:50) Um and then on the other side you would just have cowardice which is like you're unwilling to put yourself um at any risk at any time. Um, and courage is right there in the middle where it's understanding when is the right time uh to put your put yourself, you know, in in the face of danger um and take it on. And so um in some sense this this was kind of me uh in in some ways like I'm obviously a partisan of hodling.
(05:20) Um, I've for, you know, a long time now talked about the, um, why huddling is good, why people do it, why we should expect it. Um, but still trying to find that that sort of golden mean of like yes, huddle, but also what are we hodling for? And it's not we're we're not hodddling just merely for the sake of hodddling.
(05:45) There there is a a purpose to it. And we should think about that. And that would also help us think more about um what are the benefits of of spending, when should we spend, why should we spend, what should we spend on um to actually give light to that sort of side of the debate. Um so that was that was what I was kind of trying to trying to get into.
(06:09) Um, as well as also just uh at the same time despite all the talk of hodling, there's always this perennial uh there's always this perennial dislike of hodlers because we're treated as uh as if um we're just free riding the network or we're just greedy or you know any of these things. And I wanted to show how uh huddling does serve a real economic purpose.
(06:36) Um, and it does benefit the individual, but it also does uh it it has actual real social um benefits as well beyond merely the individual. Um, so I wanted to give that sort of defense of hodling as well to look at it from um a a broader position than just merely I'm trying to get rich. Um uh because even the person who uh that is all they want to do um just like you know your your pure number grow up go up moonboy even that behavior has positive ramifications on on the economy.
(07:14) And while we might look at them and have uh judgments about their particular choices for them as an individual, we shouldn't discount that uh their actions are having positive positive effects for the rest of the economy. Yeah. So, let's dive into that just not even in the context of Bitcoin because I think you did a great job of this in the presentation.
(07:36) just you've done a good job of this consistently throughout the years that I've known you. Just from like a first principles Austrian economics perspective, what is the idea around capital accumulation, low time preference and deployment of that capital like what what like getting getting into like the nitty-gritty and then applying it to Bitcoin? Yeah, it's it's a big question and um in many ways I mean I I even I barely scratched the surface.
(08:05) uh I I can't claim to have read uh all the volumes of Bombber works, you know, capital and interest and and stuff like that. Um but I think there's some some sort of basic concepts that we can look at that we can uh draw a lot out. Um the first uh I guess let's write that. So repeat so like capital time preference. Yeah. Well, I guess getting more broad like why sav

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

• This version introduces the Soroban P2P network, enabling Dojo to relay transactions to the Bitcoin network and share others' transactions to break the heuristic linking relaying nodes to transaction creators.

• Additionally, Dojo admins can now manage API keys in DMT with labels, status, and expiration, ideal for community Dojo providers like Dojobay. New API endpoints, including "/services" exposing Explorer, Soroban, and Indexer, have been added to aid wallet developers.
• Other maintenance updates include Bitcoin Core, Tor, Fulcrum, Node.js, plus an updated ban-knots script to disconnect inbound Knots nodes.

"I want to thank all the contributors. This again shows the power of true Free Software. I also want to thank everyone who donated to help Dojo development going. I truly appreciate it," said Still Dojo Coder.

What's new

• Soroban P2P network. For MyDojo (Docker setup) users, Soroban will be automatically installed as part of their Dojo. This integration allows Dojo to utilize the Soroban P2P network for various upcoming features and applications.
• PandoTx. PandoTx serves as a transaction transport layer. When your wallet sends a transaction to Dojo, it is relayed to a random Soroban node, which then forwards it to the Bitcoin network. It also enables your Soroban node to receive and relay transactions from others to the Bitcoin network and is designed to disrupt the assumption that a node relaying a transaction is closely linked to the person who initiated it.
  • Pushing transactions through Soroban can be deactivated by setting NODE_PANDOTX_PUSH=off in docker-node.conf.
  • Processing incoming transactions from Soroban network can be deactivated by setting NODE_PANDOTX_PROCESS=off in docker-node.conf.
• API key management has been introduced to address the growing number of people offering their Dojos to the community. Dojo admins can now access a new API management tab in their DMT, where they can create unlimited API keys, assign labels for easy identification, and set expiration dates for each key. This allows admins to avoid sharing their main API key and instead distribute specific keys to selected parties.
• New API endpoints. Several new API endpoints have been added to help API consumers develop features on Dojo more efficiently:
  • New:
    • /latest-block - returns data about latest block
    • /txout/:txid/:index - returns unspent output data
    • /support/services - returns info about services that Dojo exposes
  • Updated:
    • /tx/:txid - endpoint has been updated to return raw transaction with parameter ?rawHex=1
  • The new /support/services endpoint replaces the deprecated explorer field in the Dojo pairing payload. Although still present, API consumers should use this endpoint for explorer and other pairing data.

Other changes

• Updated ban script to disconnect inbound Knots nodes.
• Updated Fulcrum to v1.12.0.
• Regenerate Fulcrum certificate if expired.
• Check if transaction already exists in pushTx.
• Bump BTC-RPC Explorer.
• Bump Tor to v0.4.8.16, bump Snowflake.
• Updated Bitcoin Core to v29.0.
• Removed unnecessary middleware.
• Fixed DB update mechanism, added api_keys table.
• Add an option to use blocksdir config for bitcoin blocks directory.
• Removed deprecated configuration.
• Updated Node.js dependencies.
• Reconfigured container dependencies.
• Fix Snowflake git URL.
• Fix log path for testnet4.
• Use prebuilt addrindexrs binaries.
• Add instructions to migrate blockchain/fulcrum.
• Added pull policies.

#FREESAMOURAI

Learn how to set up and use your own Bitcoin privacy node with Dojo here.

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

This update brings key enhancements for clarity and usability:

• Recent Blocks View: Added to the Send tab and inspired by Mempool's visualization, it displays the last 2 blocks and the estimated next block to help choose fee rates.
• Camera System Overhaul: Features a new library for higher resolution detection and mouse-scroll zoom support when available.
• Vector-Based Images: All app images are now vectorized and theme-aware, enhancing contrast, especially in dark mode.
• Tor & P2A Updates: Upgraded internal Tor and improved support for pay-to-anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Linux Package Rename: For Linux users, Sparrow has been renamed to sparrowwallet (or sparrowserver); in some cases, the original sparrow package may need manual removal.
• Additional updates include showing total payments in multi-payment transaction diagrams, better handling of long labels, and other UI enhancements.

• Sparrow v2.2.1 is a bug fix release that addresses missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions, icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view, repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression, and removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.

Learn how to get started with Sparrow wallet:

Release notes (v2.2.0)

• Added Recent Blocks view to Send tab.
• Converted all bitmapped images to theme aware SVG format for all wallet models and dialogs.
• Support send and display of pay to anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Renamed sparrow package to sparrowwallet and sparrowserver on Linux.
• Switched camera library to openpnp-capture.
• Support FHD (1920 x 1080) and UHD4k (3840 x 2160) capture resolutions.
• Support camera zoom with mouse scroll where possible.
• In the Download Verifier, prefer verifying the dropped file over the default file where the file is not in the manifest.
• Show a warning (with an option to disable the check) when importing a wallet with a derivation path matching another script type.
• In Cormorant, avoid calling the listwalletdir RPC on initialization due to a potentially slow response on Windows.
• Avoid server address resolution for public servers.
• Assume server address is non local for resolution failures where a proxy is configured.
• Added a tooltip to indicate truncated labels in table cells.
• Dynamically truncate input and output labels in the tree on a transaction tab, and add tooltips if necessary.
• Improved tooltips for wallet tabs and transaction diagrams with long labels.
• Show the address where available on input and output tooltips in transaction tab tree.
• Show the total amount sent in payments in the transaction diagram when constructing multiple payment transactions.
• Reset preferred table column widths on adjustment to improve handling after window resizing.
• Added accessible text to improve screen reader navigation on seed entry.
• Made Wallet Summary table grow horizontally with dialog sizing.
• Reduced tooltip show delay to 200ms.
• Show transaction diagram fee percentage as less than 0.01% rather than 0.00%.
• Optimized and reduced Electrum server RPC calls.
• Upgraded Bouncy Castle, PGPainless and Logback libraries.
• Upgraded internal Tor to v0.4.8.16.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue with random ordering of keystore origins on labels import.
• Bug fix: Fixed non-zero account script type detection when signing a message on Trezor devices.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue parsing remote Coldcard xpub encoded on a different network.
• Bug fix: Fixed inclusion of fees on wallet label exports.
• Bug fix: Increase Trezor device libusb timeout.

Linux users: Note that the sparrow package has been renamed to sparrowwallet or sparrowserver, and in some cases you may need to manually uninstall the original sparrow package. Look in the /opt folder to ensure you have the new name, and the original is removed.

What's new in v2.2.1

• Updated Tor library to fix missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions.
• Repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression.
• Removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.
• Added icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view
• Bug fix: Fixed issue in Recent Blocks view when switching fee rates source
• Bug fix: Fixed NPE on null fee returned from server

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the company behind Truth Social and other Trump-branded digital platforms, is planning to raise $2.5 billion to build one of the largest bitcoin treasuries among public companies.

The deal involves the sale of approximately $1.5 billion in common stock and $1.0 billion in convertible senior secured notes.

According to the company, the offering is expected to close by the end of May, pending standard closing conditions.

Devin Nunes, CEO of Trump Media, said the investment in bitcoin is a big part of the company’s long-term plan.

“We view Bitcoin as an apex instrument of financial freedom,” Nunes said.

“This investment will help defend our Company against harassment and discrimination by financial institutions, which plague many Americans and U.S. firms.”

He added that the bitcoin treasury will be used to create new synergies across the company’s platforms including Truth Social, Truth+, and the upcoming financial tech brand Truth.Fi.

“It’s a big step forward in the company’s plans to evolve into a holding company by acquiring additional profit-generating, crown jewel assets consistent with America First principles,” Nunes said.

The $2.5 billion raise will come from about 50 institutional investors. The $1 billion in convertible notes will have 0% interest and be convertible into shares at a 35% premium.

TMTG’s current liquid assets, including cash and short-term investments, are $759 million as of the end of the first quarter of 2025. With this new funding, the company’s liquid assets will be over $3 billion.

Custody of the bitcoin treasury will be handled by Crypto.com and Anchorage Digital. They will manage and store the digital assets.

Earlier this week The Financial Times reported Trump Media was planning to raise $3 billion for digital assets acquisitions.

The article said the funds would be used to buy bitcoin and other digital assets, and an announcement could come before a major related event in Las Vegas.

Related: Bitcoin 2025 Conference Kicks off in Las Vegas Today

Trump Media denied the FT report. In a statement, the company said, “Apparently the Financial Times has dumb writers listening to even dumber sources.”

There was no further comment. However, the official $2.5 billion figure, which was announced shortly after by Trump Media through a press release, aligns with its actual filing and investor communication.

Trump Media’s official announcement

This comes at a time when the Trump family and political allies are showing renewed interest in Bitcoin.

President Donald Trump who is now back in office since the 2025 election, has said he wants to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world.”

Trump Media is also working on retail bitcoin investment products including ETFs aligned with America First policies.

These products will make bitcoin more accessible to retail investors and support pro-Trump financial initiatives.

But not everyone is happy.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren recently expressed concerns about Trump Media’s Bitcoin plans. She asked U.S. regulators to clarify their oversight of digital-asset ETFs, warning of investor risk.

Industry insiders are comparing Trump Media’s plans to Strategy (MSTR) which has built a multi-billion dollar bitcoin treasury over the last year. They used stock and bond sales to fund their bitcoin purchases.

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Think your crypto is FDIC insured like your bank account? Big mistake. Crypto's wild west demands you be your own bank and security guard.

Crypto trading involves buying, selling, and exchanging digital currencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, aiming to profit from price fluctuations. Security is paramount. Understand basic concepts like wallets (digital storage for your crypto), private keys (passwords to access your crypto), and blockchain (the technology that records all transactions).

Real world applications include using crypto for online purchases, international money transfers, and decentralized finance (DeFi) services like lending and borrowing. Current trends include the rise of DeFi, NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and increasing institutional investment.

Best practices? Use strong, unique passwords, enable two factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts, and store most of your crypto in cold wallets (offline storage) to protect against hacking. Be wary of phishing scams and fake websites. Never share your private keys or seed phrases.

Misconceptions? Crypto is not anonymous, transactions are not easily reversible, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Also, remember that regulations are evolving, so stay informed.

With crypto hacks on the rise, are you truly ready to secure your digital fortune, or are you leaving the door open for the next billion dollar heist?

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the company behind Truth Social and other Trump-branded digital platforms, is planning to raise $2.5 billion to build one of the largest bitcoin treasuries among public companies.

The deal involves the sale of approximately $1.5 billion in common stock and $1.0 billion in convertible senior secured notes.

According to the company, the offering is expected to close by the end of May, pending standard closing conditions.

Devin Nunes, CEO of Trump Media, said the investment in bitcoin is a big part of the company’s long-term plan.

“We view Bitcoin as an apex instrument of financial freedom,” Nunes said.

“This investment will help defend our Company against harassment and discrimination by financial institutions, which plague many Americans and U.S. firms.”

He added that the bitcoin treasury will be used to create new synergies across the company’s platforms including Truth Social, Truth+, and the upcoming financial tech brand Truth.Fi.

“It’s a big step forward in the company’s plans to evolve into a holding company by acquiring additional profit-generating, crown jewel assets consistent with America First principles,” Nunes said.

The $2.5 billion raise will come from about 50 institutional investors. The $1 billion in convertible notes will have 0% interest and be convertible into shares at a 35% premium.

TMTG’s current liquid assets, including cash and short-term investments, are $759 million as of the end of the first quarter of 2025. With this new funding, the company’s liquid assets will be over $3 billion.

Custody of the bitcoin treasury will be handled by Crypto.com and Anchorage Digital. They will manage and store the digital assets.

Earlier this week The Financial Times reported Trump Media was planning to raise $3 billion for digital assets acquisitions.

The article said the funds would be used to buy bitcoin and other digital assets, and an announcement could come before a major related event in Las Vegas.

Related: Bitcoin 2025 Conference Kicks off in Las Vegas Today

Trump Media denied the FT report. In a statement, the company said, “Apparently the Financial Times has dumb writers listening to even dumber sources.”

There was no further comment. However, the official $2.5 billion figure, which was announced shortly after by Trump Media through a press release, aligns with its actual filing and investor communication.

Trump Media’s official announcement

This comes at a time when the Trump family and political allies are showing renewed interest in Bitcoin.

President Donald Trump who is now back in office since the 2025 election, has said he wants to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world.”

Trump Media is also working on retail bitcoin investment products including ETFs aligned with America First policies.

These products will make bitcoin more accessible to retail investors and support pro-Trump financial initiatives.

But not everyone is happy.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren recently expressed concerns about Trump Media’s Bitcoin plans. She asked U.S. regulators to clarify their oversight of digital-asset ETFs, warning of investor risk.

Industry insiders are comparing Trump Media’s plans to Strategy (MSTR) which has built a multi-billion dollar bitcoin treasury over the last year. They used stock and bond sales to fund their bitcoin purchases.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

What is KYC/AML?

• The acronym stands for Know Your Customer / Anti Money Laundering.
• In practice it stands for the surveillance measures companies are often compelled to take against their customers by financial regulators.
• Methods differ but often include: Passport Scans, Driver License Uploads, Social Security Numbers, Home Address, Phone Number, Face Scans.
• Bitcoin companies will also store all withdrawal and deposit addresses which can then be used to track bitcoin transactions on the bitcoin block chain.
• This data is then stored and shared. Regulations often require companies to hold this information for a set number of years but in practice users should assume this data will be held indefinitely. Data is often stored insecurely, which results in frequent hacks and leaks.  
• KYC/AML data collection puts all honest users at risk of theft, extortion, and persecution while being ineffective at stopping crime. Criminals often use counterfeit, bought, or stolen credentials to get around the requirements. Criminals can buy "verified" accounts for as little as $200. Furthermore, billions of people are excluded from financial services as a result of KYC/AML requirements.

During the early days of bitcoin most services did not require this sensitive user data, but as adoption increased so did the surveillance measures. At this point, most large bitcoin companies are collecting and storing massive lists of bitcoiners, our sensitive personal information, and our transaction history.

Lists of Bitcoiners

KYC/AML policies are a direct attack on bitcoiners. Lists of bitcoiners and our transaction history will inevitably be used against us.

Once you are on a list with your bitcoin transaction history that record will always exist. Generally speaking, tracking bitcoin is based on probability analysis of ownership change. Surveillance firms use various heuristics to determine if you are sending bitcoin to yourself or if ownership is actually changing hands.  You can obtain better privacy going forward by using collaborative transactions such as coinjoin to break this probability analysis.

Fortunately, you can buy bitcoin without providing intimate personal information. Tools such as peach, hodlhodl, robosats, azteco and bisq help; mining is also a solid option: anyone can plug a miner into power and internet and earn bitcoin by mining privately.

You can also earn bitcoin by providing goods and/or services that can be purchased with bitcoin. Long term, circular economies will mitigate this threat: most people will not buy bitcoin - they will earn bitcoin - most people will not sell bitcoin - they will spend bitcoin.

There is no such thing as KYC or No KYC bitcoin, there are bitcoiners on lists and those that are not on lists.

---

If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Think crypto is just magic internet money? Think again.

Tokenomics is the secret sauce that makes or breaks a crypto project. It is the study of how tokens are created, distributed, and used within a blockchain ecosystem. Imagine it as the economic policy of a digital nation, dictating everything from supply and demand to user incentives.

Key features include supply caps, distribution models, utility, and burn mechanisms. A well designed token economy incentivizes user behavior, secures the network, and fosters long term growth. Poor tokenomics? It can lead to manipulation and project failure.

Zero Knowledge Proofs are like showing you know a password without revealing the password itself. This tech allows for private and secure transactions, verifying data without exposing the data itself. Think of voting systems where your vote stays secret, or supply chains where product details are confirmed without revealing the supplier.

Want to dive deeper into the economics of crypto? What project has the most interesting tokenomics you have seen?

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Think proving you're over 21 without showing your ID is impossible? Zero Knowledge Proofs make it real.

Zero Knowledge Proofs let you prove something is true without revealing the information itself. Imagine proving you know a password without saying it. It's like magic, but it's math.

They're used in crypto for private transactions, secure voting, and faster blockchains. Zcash and Aztec use them to hide transaction details. StarkWare uses them to make Ethereum faster.

But here's the twist: zk STARKs don't need a trusted setup, unlike zk SNARKs. This makes them more secure and decentralized.

Misconception alert: ZKPs aren't just for privacy. They also boost scalability and interoperability.

Want to dive deeper into this mind bending tech? What other secrets can ZKPs unlock?

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

The former seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.

The latter's future remains to be seen. Dependence on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

— ODELL (@ODELL) October 27, 2022

The Basics

• Lightning is a protocol that enables cheap and fast native bitcoin transactions.
• At the core of the protocol is the ability for bitcoin users to create a payment channel with another user.
• These payment channels enable users to make many bitcoin transactions between each other with only two on-chain bitcoin transactions: the channel open transaction and the channel close transaction.
• Essentially lightning is a protocol for interoperable batched bitcoin transactions.
• It is expected that on chain bitcoin transaction fees will increase with adoption and the ability to easily batch transactions will save users significant money.
• As these lightning transactions are processed, liquidity flows from one side of a channel to the other side, on chain transactions are signed by both parties but not broadcasted to update this balance.
• Lightning is designed to be trust minimized, either party in a payment channel can close the channel at any time and their bitcoin will be settled on chain without trusting the other party.

There is no 'Lightning Network'

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise.
• There are many lightning channels between many different users and funds can flow across interconnected channels as long as there is a route through peers.
• If a lightning transaction requires multiple hops it will flow through multiple interconnected channels, adjusting the balance of all channels along the route, and paying lightning transaction fees that are set by each node on the route.

Example: You have a channel with Bob. Bob has a channel with Charlie. You can pay Charlie through your channel with Bob and Bob's channel with User C.

• As a result, it is not guaranteed that every lightning user can pay every other lightning user, they must have a route of interconnected channels between sender and receiver.

Lightning in Practice

• Lightning has already found product market fit and usage as an interconnected payment protocol between large professional custodians.
• They are able to easily manage channels and liquidity between each other without trust using this interoperable protocol.
• Lightning payments between large custodians are fast and easy. End users do not have to run their own node or manage their channels and liquidity. These payments rarely fail due to professional management of custodial nodes.
• The tradeoff is one inherent to custodians and other trusted third parties. Custodial wallets can steal funds and compromise user privacy.

Sovereign Lightning

• Trusted third parties are security holes.
• Users must run their own node and manage their own channels in order to use lightning without trusting a third party. This remains the single largest friction point for sovereign lightning usage: the mental burden of actively running a lightning node and associated liquidity management.
• Bitcoin development prioritizes node accessibility so cost to self host your own node is low but if a node is run at home or office, Tor or a VPN is recommended to mask your IP address: otherwise it is visible to the entire network and represents a privacy risk.
• This privacy risk is heightened due to the potential for certain governments to go after sovereign lightning users and compel them to shutdown their nodes. If their IP Address is exposed they are easier to target.
• Fortunately the tools to run and manage nodes continue to get easier but it is important to understand that this will always be a friction point when compared to custodial services.

The Potential Fracture of Lightning

• Any lightning user can choose which users are allowed to open channels with them.
• One potential is that professional custodians only peer with other professional custodians.
• We already see nodes like those run by CashApp only have channels open with other regulated counterparties. This could be due to performance goals, liability reduction, or regulatory pressure.

• Fortunately some of their peers are connected to non-regulated parties so payments to and from sovereign lightning users are still successfully processed by CashApp but this may not always be the case going forward.

Summary

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise. There is no singular 'Lightning Network' but rather many payment channels between distinct peers, some connected with each other and some not.
• Lightning as an interoperable payment protocol between professional custodians seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.
• Lightning as a robust sovereign payment protocol has yet to be battle tested. Heavy reliance on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, the friction of active liquidity management, significant on chain fee burden for small amounts, interactivity constraints on mobile, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

---

If you have never used lightning before, use this guide to get started on your phone.

---

If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

When Sergei talks about bitcoin, he doesn’t sound like someone chasing profits or followers. He sounds like someone about to build a monastery in the ruins.

While the mainstream world chases headlines and hype, Sergei shows up in local meetups from Sacramento to Cleveland, mentors curious minds, and shares what he knows is true – hoping that, with the right spark, someone will light their own way forward.

We interviewed Sergei to trace his steps: where he started, what keeps him going, and why teaching bitcoin is far more than explaining how to set up a node – it’s about reaching the right minds before the noise consumes them. So we began where most journeys start: at the beginning.

First Steps

• So, where did it all begin for you and what made you stay curious?

I first heard about bitcoin from a friend’s book recommendation, American Kingpin, the book about Silk Road (online drug marketplace). He is still not a true bitcoiner, although I helped him secure private keys with some bitcoin.

I was really busy at the time – focused on my school curriculum, running a 7-bedroom Airbnb, and working for a standardized test prep company. Bitcoin seemed too technical for me to explore, and the pace of my work left no time for it.

After graduating, while pursuing more training, I started playing around with stocks and maximizing my savings. Passive income seemed like the path to early retirement, as per the promise of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). I mostly followed the mainstream news and my mentor’s advice – he liked preferred stocks at the time.

I had some Coinbase IOUs and remember sending bitcoin within the Coinbase ledger to a couple friends. I also recall the 2018 crash; I actually saw the legendary price spike live but couldn’t benefit because my funds were stuck amidst the frenzy. I withdrew from that investment completely for some time. Thankfully, my mentor advised to keep en eye on bitcoin.

Around late 2019, I started DCA-ing cautiously. Additionally, my friend and I were discussing famous billionaires, and how there was no curriculum for becoming a billionaire. So, I typed “billionaires” into my podcast app, and landed on We Study Billionaires podcast.

That’s where I kept hearing Preston Pysh mention bitcoin, before splitting into his own podcast series, Bitcoin Fundamentals. I didn’t understand most of the terminology of stocks, bonds, etc, yet I kept listening and trying to absorb it thru repetition. Today, I realize all that financial talk was mostly noise.

When people ask me for a technical explanation of fiat, I say: it’s all made up, just like the fiat price of bitcoin! Starting in 2020, during the so-called pandemic, I dove deeper. I religiously read Bitcoin Magazine, scrolled thru Bitcoin Twitter, and joined Simply Bitcoin Telegram group back when DarthCoin was an admin.

DarthCoin was my favorite bitcoiner – experienced, knowledgeable, and unapologetic. Watching him shift from rage to kindness, from passion to despair, gave me a glimpse at what a true educator’s journey would look like.

The struggle isn’t about adoption at scale anymore. It’s about reaching the few who are willing to study, take risks, and stay out of fiat traps. The vast majority won’t follow that example – not yet at least… if I start telling others the requirements for true freedom and prosperity, they would certainly say “Hell no!”

• At what point did you start teaching others, and why?

After college, I helped teach at a standardized test preparation company, and mentored some students one-on-one. I even tried working at a kindergarten briefly, but left quickly; Babysitting is not teaching.

What I discovered is that those who will succeed don’t really need my help – they would succeed with or without me, because they already have the inner drive.

Once you realize your people are perishing for lack of knowledge, the only rational thing to do is help raise their level of knowledge and understanding. That’s the Great Work.

I sometimes imagine myself as a political prisoner. If that were to happen, I’d probably start teaching fellow prisoners, doctors, janitors, even guards. In a way we already live in an open-air prison, So what else is there to do but teach, organize, and conspire to dismantle the Matrix?

Building on Bitcoin

• You hosted some in-person meetups in Sacramento. What did you learn from those?

My first presentation was on MultiSig storage with SeedSigner, and submarine swaps through Boltz.exchange.

I realized quickly that I had overestimated the group’s technical background. Even the meetup organizer, a financial advisor, asked, “How is anyone supposed to follow these steps?” I responded that reading was required… He decided that Unchained is an easier way.

At a crypto meetup, I gave a much simpler talk, outlining how bitcoin will save the world, based on a DarthCoin’s guide. Only one person stuck around to ask questions – a man who seemed a little out there, and did not really seem to get the message beyond the strength of cryptographic security of bitcoin.

Again, I overestimated the audience’s readiness. That forced me to rethink my strategy. People are extremely early and reluctant to study.

• Now in Ohio, you hold sessions via the Orange Pill App. What’s changed?

My new motto is: educate the educators. The corollary is: don’t orange-pill stupid normies (as DarthCoin puts it).

I’ve shifted to small, technical sessions in order to raise a few solid guardians of this esoteric knowledge who really get it and can carry it forward.

The youngest attendee at one of my sessions is a newborn baby – he mostly sleeps, but maybe he still absorbs some of the educational vibes.

• How do local groups like Sactown and Cleveland Bitcoiners influence your work?

Every meetup reflects its local culture. Sacramento and Bay Area Bitcoiners, for example, do camping trips – once we camped through a desert storm, shielding our burgers from sand while others went to shoot guns.

Cleveland Bitcoiners are different. They amass large gatherings. They recently threw a 100k party. They do a bit more community outreach. Some are curious about the esoteric topics such as jurisdiction, spirituality, and healthful living.

I have no permanent allegiance to any state, race, or group. I go where I can teach and learn. I anticipate that in my next phase, I’ll meet Bitcoiners so advanced that I’ll have to give up my fiat job and focus full-time on serious projects where real health and wealth are on the line.

Hopefully, I’ll be ready. I believe the universe always challenges you exactly to your limit – no less, no more.

• What do people struggle with the most when it comes to technical education?

The biggest struggle isn’t technical – it’s a lack of deep curiosity. People ask “how” and “what” – how do I set up a node, what should one do with the lightning channels? But very few ask “why?”

Why does on-chain bitcoin not contribute to the circular economy? Why is it essential to run Lightning? Why did humanity fall into mental enslavement in the first place?

I’d rather teach two-year-olds who constantly ask “why” than adults who ask how to flip a profit. What worries me most is that most two-year-olds will grow up asking state-funded AI bots for answers and live according to its recommendations.

• One Cleveland Bitcoiner shows up at gold bug meetups. How valuable is face-to-face education?

I don’t think the older generation is going to reverse the current human condition. Most of them have been under mind control for too long, and they just don’t have the attention span to study and change their ways.

They’re better off stacking gold and helping fund their grandkids’ education. If I were to focus on a demographic, I’d go for teenagers – high school age – because by college, the indoctrination is usually too strong, and they’re chasing fiat mastery.

As for the gold bug meetup? Perhaps one day I will show up with a ukulele to sing some bitcoin-themed songs. Seniors love such entertainment.

• How do you choose what to focus on in your sessions, especially for different types of learners?

I don’t come in with a rigid agenda. I’ve collected a massive library of resources over the years and never stopped reading. My browser tab and folder count are exploding.

At the meetup, people share questions or topics they’re curious about, then I take that home, do my homework, and bring back a session based on those themes. I give them the key takeaways, plus where to dive deeper.

Most people won’t – or can’t – study the way I do, and I expect attendees to put in the work. I suspect that it’s more important to reach those who want to learn but don’t know how, the so-called nescient (not knowing), rather than the ignorant.

There are way too many ignorant bitcoiners, so my mission is to find those who are curious what’s beyond the facade of fake reality and superficial promises.

That naturally means that fewer people show up, and that’s fine. I’m not here for the crowds; I’m here to educate the educators. One bitcoiner who came decided to branch off into self-custody sessions and that’s awesome. Personally, I’m much more focused on Lightning.

I want to see broader adoption of tools like auth, sign-message, NWC, and LSPs. Next month, I’m going deep into eCash solutions, because let’s face it – most newcomers won’t be able to afford their own UTXO or open a lightning channel; additionally, it has to be fun and easy for them to transact sats, otherwise they won’t do it. Additionally, they’ll need to rely on

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

CANNES, FRANCE – May 2025 — Bitcoin mining made its mark at the world’s most prestigious film gathering this year as Puerto Rican director and producer Alana Mediavilla introduced her feature documentary Dirty Coin: The Bitcoin Mining Documentary at the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival.

The film puts bitcoin mining at the center of a rising global conversation about energy, technology, and economic freedom.

Dirty Coin is the first feature-length documentary to explore bitcoin mining through immersive, on-the-ground case studies.

From rural towns in the United States to hydro-powered sites in Latin America and the Congo, the film follows miners and communities navigating what may be one of the most misunderstood technologies of our time.

The result is a human-centered look at how bitcoin mining is transforming local economies and energy infrastructure in real ways.

To mark its Cannes debut, Mediavilla and her team hosted a packed industry event that brought together leaders from both film and finance.

Dirty Coin debut ceremony at the Marché du Film

Sponsors Celestial Management, Sangha Renewables, Nordblock, and Paystand.org supported the program, which featured panels on mining, energy use, and decentralized infrastructure.

Attendees had the rare opportunity to engage directly with pioneers in the space. A special session in French led by Seb Gouspillou spotlighted mining efforts in the Congo’s Virunga region.

Dirty Coin builds on Mediavilla’s award-winning short film Stranded, which won over 20 international prizes, including Best Short Documentary at Cannes in 2024.

That success helped lay the foundation for the feature and positioned Mediavilla as one of the boldest new voices in global documentary filmmaking.

Alana Mediavilla speaks at the Marché du Film — Cannes Film Festival

“If we’ve found an industry that can unlock stranded energy and turn it into real power for people—especially in regions with energy poverty—why wouldn’t we look into it?” says Mediavilla. “Our privilege blinds us.

“The same thing we criticize could be the very thing that lifts the developing world to our standard of living. Ignoring that potential is a failure of imagination.”

Much like the decentralized network it explores, Dirty Coin is spreading globally through grassroots momentum.

Local leaders are hosting independent screenings around the world, from Roatán and Berlin to São Paulo and Madrid. Upcoming events include Toronto and Zurich, with more cities joining each month.

Mediavilla, who previously worked in creative leadership roles in the U.S. — including as a producer at Google — returned to Puerto Rico to found Campo Libre, a studio focused on high-caliber, globally relevant storytelling from the Caribbean.

She was also accepted into the Cannes Producers Network, a selective program open only to producers with box office releases in the past four years.

Mediavilla qualified after independently releasing Dirty Coin in theaters across Puerto Rico. Her participation in the network gave her direct access to meetings, insights, and connections with the most active distributors and producers working today.

The film’s next public screening will take place at the Anthem Film Festival in Palm Springs on Saturday, June 14 at 2 PM. Additional screenings and market appearances are planned throughout the year at Bitcoin events and international film platforms.

Dirty Coin at the Cannes Film Festival

Watch the Trailer + Access Press Materials

📂 EPK
🎬 Screener
🌍 Host a Screening

Follow the Movement

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirty_coin_official/
Twitter: https://x.com/DirtyCoinDoc
Website: www.dirtycointhemovie.com

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

The four main banks of bitcoin and “crypto” are Signature, Prime Trust, Silvergate, and Silicon Valley Bank. Prime Trust does not custody funds themselves but rather maintains deposit accounts at BMO Harris Bank, Cross River, Lexicon Bank, MVB Bank, and Signature Bank. Silvergate and Silicon Valley Bank have already stopped withdrawals. More banks will go down before the chaos stops. None of them have sufficient reserves to meet withdrawals.

Bitcoin gives us all the ability to opt out of a system that has massive layers of counterparty risk built in, years of cheap money and broken incentives have layered risk on top of risk throughout the entire global economy. If you thought the FTX bank run was painful to watch, I have bad news for you: every major bank in the world is fractional reserve. Bitcoin held in self custody is unique in its lack of counterparty risk, as global market chaos unwinds this will become much more obvious.

The rules of bitcoin are extremely hard to change by design. Anyone can access the network directly without a trusted third party by using their own node. Owning more bitcoin does not give you more control over the network with all participants on equal footing.

Bitcoin is:
- money that is not controlled by a company or government
- money that can be spent or saved without permission
- money that is provably scarce and should increase in purchasing power with adoption

Bitcoin is money without trust. Whether you are a nation state, corporation, or an individual, you can use bitcoin to spend or save without permission. Social media will accelerate the already deteriorating trust in our institutions and as this trust continues to crumble the value of trust minimized money will become obvious. As adoption increases so should the purchasing power of bitcoin.

A quick note on "stablecoins," such as USDC - it is important to remember that they rely on trusted custodians. They have the same risk as funds held directly in bank accounts with additional counterparty risk on top. The trusted custodians can be pressured by gov, exit scam, or caught up in fraud. Funds can and will be frozen at will. This is a distinctly different trust model than bitcoin, which is a native bearer token that does not rely on any centralized entity or custodian.

Most bitcoin exchanges have exposure to these failing banks. Expect more chaos and confusion as this all unwinds. Withdraw any bitcoin to your own wallet ASAP.

Simple Self Custody Guide: https://werunbtc.com/muun
More Secure Cold Storage Guide: https://werunbtc.com/coldcard

---

If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

6 years ago I created some tools for working with peter todd's opentimestamps proof format. You can do some fun things like create plaintext and mini ots proofs. This short post is just a demo of what these tools do and how to use them.

What is OTS?

OpenTimestamps is a protocol for stamping information into bitcoin in a minimal way. It uses OP_RETURN outputs so that it has minimal impact on chain, and potentially millions of documents are stamped all at once with a merkle tree construction.

Examples

Here's the proof of the ots.c source file getting stamped into the ots calendar merkle tree. We're simply printing the ots proof file here with otsprint:

``` $ ./otsprint ots.c.ots

version 1 file_hash sha256 f76f0795ff37a24e566cd77d1996b64fab9c871a5928ab9389dfc3a128ec8296 append 2e9943d3833768bdb9a591f1d2735804 sha256 | --> append 2d82e7414811ecbf | sha256 | append a69d4f93e3e0f6c9b8321ce2cdd90decd34d260ea3f8b55e83d157ad398b7843 | sha256 | append ac0b5896401478eb6d88a408ec08b33fd303b574fb09b503f1ac1255b432d304 | sha256 | append 8aa9fd0245664c23d31d344243b4e8b0 | sha256 | prepend 414db5a1cd3a3e6668bf2dca9007e7c0fc5aa6dc71a2eab3afb51425c3acc472 | sha256 | append 5355b15d88d4dece45cddb7913f2c83d41e641e8c1d939dac4323671a4f8e197 | sha256 | append a2babd907ca513ab561ce3860e64a26b7df5de117f1f230bc8f1a248836f0c25 | sha256 | prepend 683f072f | append 2a4cdf9e9e04f2fd | attestation calendar https://alice.btc.calendar.opentimestamps.org | --> append 7c8764fcaba5ed5d | sha256 | prepend f7e1ada392247d3f3116a97d73fcf4c0994b5c22fff824736db46cd577b97151 | sha256 | append 3c43ac41e0281f1dbcd7e713eb1ffaec48c5e05af404bca2166cdc51966a921c | sha256 | append 07b18bd7f4a5dc72326416aa3c8628ca80c8d95d7b1a82202b90bc824974da13 | sha256 | append b4d641ab029e7d900e92261c2342c9c9 | sha256 | append 4968b89b02b534f33dc26882862d25cca8f0fa76be5b9d3a3b5e2d77690e022b | sha256 | append 48c54e30b3a9ec0e6339b88ed9d04b9b1065838596a4ec778cbfc0dfc0f8c781 | sha256 | prepend 683f072f | append 8b2b4beda36c18dc | attestation calendar https://bob.btc.calendar.opentimestamps.org | --> append baa878b42ef3e0d45b324cc3a39a247a | sha256 | prepend 4fb1bc663cd641ad18e5c73fb618de1ae3d28fb5c3c224b7f9888fd52feb09ec | sha256 | append 731329278830c9725497d70e9f5a02e4b2d9c73ff73560beb3a896a2f180fdbf | sha256 | append 689024a9d57ad5daad669f001316dd0fc690ac4520410f97a349b05a3f5d69cb | sha256 | append 69d42dcb650bb2a690f850c3f6e14e46c2b0831361bac9ec454818264b9102fd | sha256 | prepend 683f072f | append bab471ba32acd9c3 | attestation calendar https://btc.calendar.catallaxy.com append c3ccce274e2f9edfa354ec105cb1a749 sha256 append 6297b54e3ce4ba71ecb06bd5632fd8cbd50fe6427b6bfc53a0e462348cc48bab sha256 append c28f03545a2948bd0d8102c887241aff5d4f6cf1e0b16dfd8787bf45ca2ab93d sha256 prepend 683f072f append 7f3259e285891c8e attestation calendar https://finney.calendar.eternitywall.com ```

The tool can create a minimal version of the proofs:

``` $ ./otsmini ots.c.ots | ./otsmini -d | ./otsprint

version 1 file_hash sha256 f76f0795ff37a24e566cd77d1996b64fab9c871a5928ab9389dfc3a128ec8296 append 2e9943d3833768bdb9a591f1d2735804 sha256 append c3ccce274e2f9edfa354ec105cb1a749 sha256 append 6297b54e3ce4ba71ecb06bd5632fd8cbd50fe6427b6bfc53a0e462348cc48bab sha256 append c28f03545a2948bd0d8102c887241aff5d4f6cf1e0b16dfd8787bf45ca2ab93d sha256 prepend 683f072f append 7f3259e285891c8e attestation calendar https://finney.calendar.eternitywall.com ```

which can be shared on social media as a string:

5s1L3tTWoTfUDhB1MPLXE1rnajwUdUnt8pfjZfY1UWVWpWu5YhW3PGCWWoXwWBRJ16B8182kQgxnKyiJtGQgRoFNbDfBss19seDnco5sF9WrBt8jQW7BVVmTB5mmAPa8ryb5929w4xEm1aE7S3SGMFr9rUgkNNzhMg4VK6vZmNqDGYvvZxBtwDMs2PRJk7y6wL6aJmq6yoaWPvuxaik4qMp76ApXEufP6RnWdapqGGsKy7TNE6ZzWWz2VXbaEXGwgjrxqF8bMstZMdGo2VzpVuE

you can even do things like gpg-style plaintext proofs:

``` $ ./otsclear -e CONTRIBUTING.ots -----BEGIN OPENTIMESTAMPS MESSAGE-----

Email patches to William Casarin jb55@jb55.com

-----BEGIN OPENTIMESTAMPS PROOF-----

AE9wZW5UaW1lc3RhbXBzAABQcm9vZgC/ieLohOiSlAEILXj4GSagG6fRNnR+CHj9e/+Mdkp0w1us gV/5dmlX2NrwEDlcBMmQ723mI9sY9ALUlXoI//AQRXlCd716J60FudR+C78fkAjwIDnONJrj1udi NDxQQ8UJiS4ZWfprUxbvaIoBs4G+4u6kCPEEaD8Ft/AIeS/skaOtQRoAg9/jDS75DI4pKGh0dHBz Oi8vZmlubmV5LmNhbGVuZGFyLmV0ZXJuaXR5d2FsbC5jb23/8AhMLZVzYZMYqwjwEPKWanBNPZVm kqsAYV3LBbkI8CCfIVveDh/S8ykOH1NC6BKTerHoPojvj1OmjB2LYvdUbgjxBGg/BbbwCGoo3fi1 A7rjAIPf4w0u+QyOLi1odHRwczovL2FsaWNlLmJ0Yy5jYWxlbmRhci5vcGVudGltZXN0YW1wcy5v cmf/8Aik+VP+n3FhCwjwELfTdHAfYQNa49I3CYycFbkI8QRoPwW28AgCLn93967lIQCD3+MNLvkM jiwraHR0cHM6Ly9ib2IuYnRjLmNhbGVuZGFyLm9wZW50aW1lc3RhbXBzLm9yZ/AQ3bEwg7mjQyKR PykGgiJewAjwID5Q68dY4m+XogwTJx72ecQEe5lheCO1RnlcJSTFokyRCPEEaD8Ft/AIw1WWPe++ 8N4Ag9/jDS75DI4jImh0dHBzOi8vYnRjLmNhbGVuZGFyLmNhdGFsbGF4eS5jb20= -----END OPENTIMESTAMPS PROOF-----

$ ./otsclear -v <<<proof_string... # verify the proof string ```

I've never really shared these tools before, I just remembered about it today. Enjoy!

Try it out: https://github.com/jb55/ots-tools

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Alright stackers, how'd you do today?

What goals did you hit? What do you need to work on tomorrow?

I had another solid day, but I want to get more stretching in tomorrow.

https://stacker.news/items/998508

@ 2e8970de:63345c7a

https://x.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1930203297396249067

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1lp1dwzx608xdu8jfpkqk/FT_GENDER_DIVIDE_SXSW.pptx?rlkey=9gcwvn77zss3k5l5vgiquennl&e=1&st=apgyr3ug&dl=0

https://stacker.news/items/998014

@ 6d8e2a24:5faaca4c

by Claire Mom June 5, 2025 6:54 pm

*Elon Musk, the tech mogul, says US President Donald Trump would have lost the 2024 election without him.*

Musk made the comment on X in response to Trump’s criticism against him.

Musk, who led the department of government efficiency (DOGE), quit his role a day after he spoke out against a Trump-backed spending bill. The president called it a “Big Beautiful Bill”.

The controversial bill is a centrepiece of Trump’s second-term domestic agenda, combining major tax cuts, stricter immigration enforcement, welfare programme overhauls, and significant increases in border security funding.

The legislation sparked intense debate across the country and in Congress and was only passed after a nail-biting 215-214 vote.

The plan revived the US-Mexico border wall with a $46.5 billion budget, $350 billion for deportation efforts and border security, and a hiring spree of 10,000 new ICE agents, 5,000 customs officers, and 3,000 border patrol agents.

For the first time, migrants will be charged a $1,000 fee to apply for asylum.

The bill also authorises a $4 trillion increase to the national debt ceiling, while the estate tax exemption jumped to $15 million, benefiting wealthier Americans.

Critics including Musk called the bill fiscally irresponsible and “a disgusting abomination” due to its combination of large tax cuts and spending increases.

Musk had clamoured for DOGE’s creation to save taxpayers $2 trillion. Only $160 billion has been saved so far.

*TRUMP: I’M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH ELON*

Since Musk’s exit from the White House last week, his criticism of the bill has grown louder.

Speaking on the issue, Trump said he was “very disappointed with Elon”.

The US president said the Tesla CEO was satisfied with the bill but only grew discontent after he found out electric vehicles would be impacted.

“I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here. He knew everything about it, and all of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed a problem when he found out I was going to cut the EV mandate because that’s billions and billions of dollars,” the president said

“And it really is unfair; we want to have cars of all types.

“He said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn’t said anything bad about me personally, but I’m sure that will be next. But I’m really disappointed with Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot.”

Trump praised Musk for his work at DOGE but blamed his tantrums on missing the office.

“Elon worked hard at DOGE, and I think he misses the place. I think he got out there, and all of a sudden, he’s no longer in this beautiful Oval Office,” he said.

“He’s not the first. People leave my administration, and they love us, and then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it, and some of them actually become hostile. I don’t know what it is, some sort of Trump derangement syndrome.”

The president also said he would have won Pennsylvania, a key state, without Musk’s help.

In reaction, the billionaire businessman countered Trump.

“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House, and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk tweeted.

“Such ingratitude.”

The exchange marks yet another dent in the tumultuous relationship between the two-time American president and the world’s richest man.

https://www.thecable.ng/trump-would-have-lost-election-without-me-says-elon-musk/

@ 58537364:705b4b85

อารมณ์ คือ โลก - โลก คือ อารมณ์ อารมณ์ ในโลกปัจจุบันรวมอยู่ที่ วัตถุนิยม อารมณ์ จึงเป็นปัจจัยแห่งเหตุการณ์ทุกอย่างในโลก

…. “ เดี๋ยวนี้คําว่า “อารมณ์” ในภาษาไทยนั้น หมายถึงความรู้สึกในใจมากกว่า; เช่น พื้นเพของจิตใจในขณะนั้นเป็นอย่างไร, เรียกว่าอารมณ์ของเขาเป็นอย่างไร, อารมณ์กําลังดี อารมณ์กําลังไม่ดี, นี่ คําว่าอารมณ์ในภาษาไทยใช้กันไปเสียอย่างนี้ ; มันคนละเรื่องกับในภาษาบาลี ซึ่งคําว่า “อารมณ์” หมายถึง สิ่งที่จะเข้ามากระทบ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ.

…. ถ้ากระทบแล้วเกิดความรู้สึกอย่างไร งุ่นง่านอยู่ในใจ อันนั้นไม่ได้เรียกว่าอารมณ์; อันนั้นก็เรียกว่ากิเลสอย่างอื่น เช่น เรียกว่าตัณหาบ้าง อุปาทานบ้าง; ถ้าจัดเป็นพวกขันธ์ ก็เรียกว่า เวทนาขันธ์บ้าง สัญญาขันธ์บ้าง สังขารขันธ์บ้าง; ถ้าเป็นความคิดที่งุ่นง่านก็เรียกว่า “สังขารขันธ์” ทั้งนั้น ดังนั้น เราจะต้องถือเอาคําว่าอารมณ์ในบาลีมาเป็นหลัก …. คําว่า อารมณ์ ที่จะเข้าใจกันง่ายๆ ก็หมายความว่า รูป เสียง กลิ่น รส โผฏฐัพพะ ที่จะมากระทบ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย นี้ ๕ อย่าง แล้วก็ความรู้สึกเก่าแก่ที่จะมาผุดขึ้นในใจอีก เรียกว่า ธัมมารมณ์ ที่จะมากระทบใจในปัจจุบันนี้ นี้ก็เป็นอันหนึ่ง เลยได้เป็นอารมณ์ ๖. อารมณ์กระทบ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ๕ อย่างข้างนอกนี้ก็สําคัญไปพวกหนึ่ง ที่ปรุงขึ้นภายในสําหรับกระทบใจโดยไม่ต้องอาศัย ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ เลย ในเวลานั้นก็ยังมีอยู่นี้เรียกว่าธัมมารมณ์ นี้ก็ยิ่งสําคัญ: แต่ว่ารวมกันแล้วก็เรียกว่า อารมณ์ ได้ด้วยกันทั้งนั้น แปลว่า สิ่งที่จะมากระทบกับ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ นั่นเอง

…. นี้ ดูให้ละเอียดตามตัวหนังสือ คําว่า “อารมณ์” แปลว่า ที่หน่วงบ้าง แปลว่า ที่ยินดีบ้าง, มันมีความหมายละเอียดมาก. ถ้าถือเอาความหมายอย่างคนที่มีตัวตนเป็นหลัก ธรรมะในฝ่ายฮินดูหรือฝ่ายพรหมณ์เขาก็จะพูดว่า สําหรับจิตหรืออาตมันเข้าไปจับฉวยเอา. แต่ถ้าพูดอย่างภาษาชาวพุทธพูดอย่างนั้นไม่ได้ เพราะไม่มีจิตไม่มีอาตมันชนิดนั้น แล้วจิตนี้ก็เพิ่งเกิดขึ้นหลังอารมณ์กระทบแล้ว; เลยต้องพูดตามพระบาลีที่ว่า อาศัยตาด้วย อาศัยรูปด้วย ย่อมเกิดจักษุวิญญาณ; ตาอาศัยกับรูปคืออารมณ์นั้นได้แล้วจึงจะเกิดจักษุวิญญาณ วิญญาณหรือจิตนี้เกิดทีหลัง

…. ฉะนั้น จึงไม่พูดว่า อารมณ์นี้เป็นสิ่งสําหรับจิตหรือตัวตนเข้าไปจับฉวยยึดเอา; ถ้าพูดอย่างนั้นมันก็จะเป็นฮินดูหรือพราหมณ์ไป คือมีตัวตนไป. พูดอย่างพุทธไม่มีตัวตน ทุกอย่างไม่ใช่ตัวตน เป็นสักว่าธาตุ, ได้การปรุงแต่งที่เหมาะแล้วมันก็ปรุงแต่งเป็นสิ่งใหม่ขึ้นมา ในนั้นอาจจะมีความรู้สึกโง่ไปว่าเป็นตัวเราก็ได้

…. ฉะนั้น คําว่าอารมณ์ ถ้าถือตามหลักในทางพุทธศาสนา ก็แปลว่า สิ่งที่อาศัยกันกับจิต จะเรียกว่าเป็นที่หน่วงของจิตมันก็ยังได้: ถ้าเข้าใจผิดมันก็ผิดได้: เรียกว่าสิ่งที่อาศัยกับอายตนะ แล้วก็เกิดเป็นความรู้สึกเป็นจิตขึ้นมา จิตกําลังหน่วงสิ่งนั้นเป็นอารมณ์ก็ได้ แต่จะให้เป็นตัวตนนั้นไม่ได้

…. โดยพยัญชนะก็มีอยู่อย่างนี้ ตัวพยัญชนะก็ยังกํากวม อารมฺมณํ หรือที่มาจาก อาลมฺพนํ ก็แปลว่า ที่หน่วงของจิต. ถ้าจะถือว่ามาจาก รม ที่แปลว่า ยินดี ก็แปลว่า มันเป็นสิ่งที่หลงใหลยินดีของจิต อย่างนี้ก็ยังได้อีก

…. แต่ขอให้รู้จักจากภายในดีกว่าที่จะมารู้จักจากตัวหนังสือ เมื่อตากระทบรูป เมื่อหูกระทบเสียง เป็นต้น มันเกิดขึ้นในใจ, แล้วสังเกตเอาที่นั่นก็แล้วกัน ว่ารูปที่มากระทบตานั้นมันคืออะไร? เสียงที่มากระทบหูนั้นมันคืออะไร? จะค่อยเข้าใจแจ่มแจ้งขึ้นทีละน้อยๆ ว่าอารมณ์นั้นคืออะไร? แต่ให้เข้าใจไว้ทีหนึ่งก่อนว่าสิ่งที่เรียกว่าอารมณ์ๆที่มากระทบนี้ มันยังไม่ดีไม่ชั่ว ยังไม่จัดเป็นสิ่งดีสิ่งชั่ว มันต้องผสมปรุงแต่งเป็นความคิดอย่างนั้นอย่างนี้เสียก่อน จึงจะจัดเป็นดีเป็นชั่ว อารมณ์ล้วนๆยังไม่ดีไม่ชั่ว จะได้รู้จักป้องกัน อย่าให้เป็นไปในทางชั่ว, ให้เป็นไปแต่ในทางดีได้ตามปรารถนา

…. นี้เรียกว่าโดยพยัญชนะ โดยตัวหนังสือ คําว่า “อารมณ์” แปลว่า เป็นที่ยินดีแห่งจิต, เป็นที่ยึดหน่วงแห่งจิต; โดยเฉพาะภาษาอภิธรรมแล้วก็ใช้คําว่า “เป็นที่หน่วงเอาของจิต”, คือจิตย่อมหน่วงสิ่งใดสิ่งหนึ่งเป็นอารมณ์ แปลคําว่าอารมณ์บ้าง, อาลัมพนะ แปลว่า เป็นที่หน่วงเอา.

…. เดี๋ยวนี้เราเรียนพุทธศาสนาไม่ใช่เรามาเรียนหนังสือบาลี, เราจะเรียนพระธรรมคําสอนของพระพุทธเจ้า เราก็ต้องดูสิ่งที่เรียกว่าอารมณ์ โดยหลักของธรรมชาติที่ปรุงแต่งกันอยู่ในใจดีกว่า; ก็อย่างพระบาลีที่ได้ว่ามาแล้วข้างต้นว่า จกฺขุญฺจ ปฏิจฺจ รูเป จ อุปฺปชฺชติ จกฺขุวิญฺญาณํ = เพราะอาศัยตาด้วย รูปด้วย ย่อมบังเกิดจักษุวิญญาณ ติณฺณํ ธมฺมานํ สงฺคติ ผสฺโส - การประจวบกันของ ๓ สิ่งนี้เรียกว่า “ผัสสะ”, ผสฺสปจฺจยา เวทนา = เพราะผัสสะเป็นปัจจัยจึงเกิดเวทนา, อย่างนี้เรื่อยไปจนเกิดทุกข์ จนเกิดความทุกข์, นี้เรียกว่าโดยธรรมชาติ

…. สิ่งที่เรียกว่าอารมณ์มีอยู่โดยธรรมชาติที่จะเข้ามาอาศัยกันกับตาข้างใน ที่มีอยู่ในตัวคน. แล้วจะเกิดจักษุวิญญาณ เป็นต้น ขึ้นในตัวคน; จะเกิด ผัสสะ เวทนา ตัณหา อุปาทาน ภพ ชาติ ขึ้นในตัวคน; นี้โดยธรรมชาติ พระพุทธเจ้าท่านบันดาลอะไรไม่ได้ : ธรรมชาติเป็นอยู่อย่างนี้ แต่ท่านรู้เรื่องนี้ท่านจึงนํามาสอนว่า ธรรมชาติมันมีอยู่อย่างนี้ เราจะต้องเข้าใจให้ถูกต้อง โดยที่จะป้องกันความทุกข์ไม่ให้เกิดขึ้นมาได้, หรือถ้าเกิดขึ้นมาได้ก็จะดับเสียได้

…. เราควรจะรู้จักอารมณ์ในฐานะที่เป็นธรรมชาติอันหนึ่ง ที่มีอยู่ตามธรรมชาติ แล้วที่จะเข้ามาทําเรื่องทําราวขึ้นในจิตใจของคนเราให้เกิดปัญหายุ่งยากนี้ให้ดีๆ นี้เรียกว่ารู้จักอารมณ์จากธรรมชาติโดยตรงอย่างนี้ ดีกว่าที่จะรู้จักตามตัวหนังสือ, ดีกว่าที่จะรู้จักตามคําบอกเล่าบางอย่างบางประการที่มันไม่มีประโยชน์อะไร. รู้จักตามคําบอกเล่าก็รู้จักตามที่พระพุทธเจ้าท่านตรัสดีกว่า แต่แล้วยังไม่รู้จักตัวจริง จนกว่าจะมารู้จักจากที่เมื่ออารมณ์มากระทบตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ เข้าจริงๆ : นั่นจึงจะรู้จักอารมณ์ รู้จักผลที่เกิดขึ้นจากการกระทบของอารมณ์, รู้จักต่อไปตามลําดับ จนแก้ปัญหาต่างๆ ได้

…. นี่ ขอร้องให้รู้จักสิ่งที่เรียกว่า อารมณ์ ในฐานะที่เป็นธรรมชาติอันหนึ่ง ที่มีอยู่ตามธรรมชาติ ที่จะเข้ามากระทบอายตนะภายใน คือ กระทบ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ แล้วมีเรื่องมีราวมีปัญหา

อารมณ์ คือ โลก - โลก คือ อารมณ์ …. “ ที่นี้จะให้ดูต่อไปอีก ว่าโดยข้อเท็จจริงที่เป็นอยู่แล้ว อารมณ์นั้นคืออะไร? ถ้าจะพูดโดยข้อเท็จจริงหรือตามสถานการณ์ที่เป็นอยู่จริงในชีวิตของคนเรา อารมณ์มันก็คือ “โลก” นั่นเอง. เดี๋ยวนี้เราไม่รู้จักโลกในฐานะอย่างนี้, เราไปเข้าใจความหมายของคําว่าโลกแคบไปบ้าง หรือว่าเขวไปบ้าง.

…. ถ้าจะรู้ตามหลักพระพุทธศาสนาแล้ว โลกทั้งหมดก็คือสิ่งที่จะมาปรากฏแก่ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ ของเรา, เรามีเพียง ๖ อย่าง, แล้วมันก็ ปรากฏได้เพียง ๖ ทาง, มากกว่านั้นมันปรากฏไม่ได้ ดังนั้น โลกก็คือสิ่งที่จะมาปรากฏแก่ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ ๖ อย่างของเรา. “โลก” ก็คือ รูป เสียง กลิ่น รส โผฏฐัพพะ ธัมมารมณ์ ๖ ประการเท่านั้น, ไม่มีอะไรมากไปกว่านั้น

…. ฉะนั้น รูป เสียง กลิ่น รส โผฏฐัพพะ ธัมมารมณ์ แต่ละอย่าง ๆ ก็คือ โลกในแต่ละแง่ละมุม นั่นเอง, ที่เป็น รูป เสียง กลิ่น รส โผฏฐัพพะ ก็อยู่ข้างนอก จะเรียกว่าอยู่ข้างนอกก็ได้, ที่เป็นอารมณ์เกิดขึ้นในใจ ปรุงขึ้นในใจก็เรียกว่าโลกข้างในก็ได้ แต่มันก็เป็นโลกอยู่นั่นแหละ เพราะมันเป็นสิ่งที่จิตจะต้องรู้สึก จิตรู้สึกก็เรียกว่าโลกสําหรับจิต ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย รู้สึก ก็เรียกว่าโลกสำหรับ ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย. นี้ขอให้มองให้เห็นชัดตามพระพุทธประสงค์ว่า โลก ก็คือ อารมณ์, อารมณ์ ก็คือ โลก.

…. แต่ทีนี้ พระพุทธเจ้าท่านมองลึกกว่านั้น ท่านตรัสถึงข้อที่ว่า ถ้ามันมาเกิดเป็นปัญหาแก่เราเมื่อไรจึงจะเรียกว่า “มันมี” พอมันมาเป็นปัญหาแก่เราเมื่อไรก็เรียกว่า “เป็นทุกข์”; เพราะว่าเราได้ไปจับฉวยยึดถือเอาตามประสาตามวิสัยของคนที่ไม่รู้จักโลก ถ้าพูดว่าไม่รู้จักโลกแล้วคนก็มักจะไม่ยอมรับ เพราะว่าเขาจะพูดว่าเขารู้จักโลกดี. ยิ่งพวกฝรั่งสมัยนี้ นักวิทยาศาสตร์ปราดเปรื่องนั้น เขาจะไม่ยอมรับว่าเขาไม่รู้จักโลก. แต่ถ้าพูดตามหลักพุทธศาสนาแล้วก็จะพูดได้ว่ายังไม่รู้จักโลกเลย เป็นคนตาบอดยิ่งกว่าตาบอด; เพราะว่าฝรั่งเหล่านั้นรู้จักโลกแต่ในแง่สําหรับจะยึดมั่นถือมั่นเป็น “ตัวกู ของกู” จะครองโลกจะอะไร เอาประโยชน์ทุกอย่าง; เขารู้จักโลกในแง่นี้ อย่างนี้พุทธบริษัทไม่เรียกว่า “รู้จักโลก”; แต่ถือว่าเป็นคนตาบอดต่อโลก, หลงยึดมั่นถือมั่นในโลก. เพราะว่าคนเหล่านั้นไม่รู้จักโลกโดยความเป็นอารมณ์ ๖ ประการ คือ รูป เสียง กลิ่นรส โผฏฐัพพะ ธัมมารมณ์, แล้วเป็น “มายา” คือ เอาจริงไม่ได้ เป็นของชั่วคราวๆ หลอกให้เกิดความรู้สึกยึดมั่นถือมั่น

…. นี้เรารู้จัก เราไม่ไปหลงยึดมั่นถือมั่นกับมัน นี้จึงเรียกว่า “คนที่รู้จักโลก” ไปตามหลักของพุทธศาสนา, ฉะนั้น จึงไม่ยึดมั่นถือมั่นสิ่งใดโดยความเป็นตัวตน หรือโดยความเป็นของตน, เรียกว่าเป็นผู้รู้จักอารมณ์ ๖ ประการนั้นก็คือรู้จักโลกทั้งปวง, แล้วก็ไม่หลงไปในโลกในแง่ใดแง่หนึ่ง นี้เรียกว่า อารมณ์ ก็คือ โลก นั่นเอง ในความหมายที่ลึกที่สุดของพระพุทธสาสนา ไม่ใช่โลกก้อนดิน, ไม่ใช่โลกก้อนกลมๆ นี้. แต่มันหมายถึงคุณค่าอะไรที่มันมีอยู่ในโลกกลมๆ นี้ ที่จะเข้ามามาทําให้เกิดปัญหา ที่ตา ที่หู ที่จมูก ที่ลิ้น ที่กาย ที่ใจ ของคน. นั่นแหละคือตัวร้ายกาจของสิ่งที่เรียกว่า โลก เราจะต้องรู้จักในส่วนนี้ให้เพียงพอ

อารมณ์ในโลกปัจจุบันมารวมที่วัตถุนิยม …. ทีนี้ ดูอีกแง่หนึ่งก็โดยปัญหาที่กําลังมีอยู่ อารมณ์ในโลกนี้ในฐานะที่มันเป็นตัวปัญหาที่กําลังมีอยู่ มันมารวมอยู่ที่คําว่า “วัตถุนิยม”: หมายความว่า ตา หู จมูก ลิ้น กาย ใจ นี้ มันเป็นฝ่ายชนะ ไปหลงใหลในอารมณ์ รูป เสียง กลิ่น รส โผฏฐัพพะ ฯลฯ, แล้วก็เกิดนิยมหลงใหลในวัตถุเหล่านั้น จนเกิดความคิดใหม่ๆ, ปรุงแต่งไปในทางที่จะให้หลงใหลในโลกยิ่งขึ้นๆ, ความเจริญก้าวหน้า ในโลกสมัยนี้เป็นไปแต่ในทางอย่างนี้ ฉะนั้น จึงไกลความสงบ, ไกลสันติภาพ ไกลอะไรออกไปทุกที. การที่มนุษย์ที่มีปัญญาในโลกสมัยนี้ โดยเฉพาะฝรั่งที่ก้าวหน้านั้นเขาก็จัดโลกไปแต่ในแง่ของวัตถุมากขึ้นๆ: มันก็ไกลจากสันติภาพ ไกลจากความสงบสุขยิ่งขึ้นทุกที

…. ความสะดวกสบายที่ทําให้เกิดขึ้นมาได้นั้น ไม่ได้ช่วยส่งเสริมเกิดสันติภาพ; แต่มันช่วยให้เกิดความหลงในโลกนั้นเองมากขึ้น แล้วก็ช่วยให้หลงใหลใน “ตัวกู ของกู”, ยึดมั่นถือมั่นเห็นแก่ตัวมากขึ้น รวมกันแล้วมันไม่มีทางที่จะเกิดสันติภาพหรือสันติสุขในโลกได้เลย, จึงกลายเป็นความหลอกลวงเหลือประมาณ โลกจึงกลายเป็นความหลอกลวง, หรือสิ่งที่หลอกลวงเหลือประมาณใน เวลานี้ เราเรียกกันว่า ติดบ่วง หรือว่า ติดเหยื่อของวัตถุนิยม. คําพูดทั้งหมดนี้ ล้วนแต่เป็นการแสดงให้เห็นว่า อารมณ์นี้คืออะไร สิ่งที่เรียกว่าอารมณ์นั้น คือตัวโลกที่กําลังหลอกลวงเราอยู่ทุกวันอย่างยิ่ง โดยเฉพาะในปัจจุบันนี้เป็นวัตถุนิยม นี้คืออารมณ์”

พุทธทาสภิกขุ ที่มา : ธรรมบรรยายภาคมาฆบูชา ครั้งที่ ๗ หัวข้อเรื่อง “อารมณ์ คือ ปัจจัยแห่งเหตุการณ์ทุกอย่างในโลก” เมื่อวันที่ ๑๖ กุมภาพันธ์ ๒๕๑๗ จากหนังสือชุดธรรมโฆษณ์ เล่มชื่อว่า “ก ข ก กา ของการศึกษาพุทธศาสนา”

หมายเหตุ

“อารมณ์ ” ในทางพุทธศาสนา มี ๖ คือ... * ๑. รูปะ = รูป, สิ่งที่เห็น หรือ วัณณะ คือ สี * ๒. สัททะ = เสียง * ๓. คันธะ = กลิ่น * ๔. รสะ = รส * ๕. โผฏฐัพพะ = สัมผัสทางกาย * ๖. ธรรมารมณ์ = สิ่งที่ใจนึกคิด, อารมณ์ที่เกิดกับใจ

…. ทั้ง ๖ อย่างนี้ เป็นสิ่งสำหรับให้จิตยึดหน่วง เรียกอีกอย่างว่า "อายตนะภานนอก" ก็ได้

“อายตนะภายใน ๖” คือ ที่เชื่อมต่อให้เกิดความรู้, แดนต่อความรู้ฝ่ายภายใน มี * ๖ อย่าง คือ... * ๑. จักษุ - ตา * ๒. โสตะ - หู * ๓. ฆานะ - จมูก * ๔. ชิวหา - ลิ้น * ๕. กาย - กาย * ๖. มโน - ใจ

… หรือจะเรียกอีกอย่างว่า “อินทรีย์ ๖” ก็ได้ เพราะเป็นใหญ่ในหน้าที่ของตนแต่ละอย่าง เช่น จักษุ เป็นเจ้าการ(เป็นใหญ่)ในการเห็น เป็นต้น

ท. ส. ปัญญาวุฑโฒ – รวบรวม.

@ 7460b7fd:4fc4e74b

比特币正在主动引诱量子计算“破解自己”

引言：危机还是契机？

比特币和量子计算，这两个看似对立的存在，正在酝酿一场耐人寻味的博弈。许多人担心未来强大的量子计算机将秒破比特币的密码学基石，从而令区块链安全灰飞烟灭。然而，本文想传达的核心观点却截然相反：比特币不仅不会被量子破解打败，反而正在通过协议层的巧妙设计来“引诱”量子计算进入自己的游戏规则之中。通过诸如BIP-360等提案，比特币有望将量子计算的威胁转化为动力，开启一个“后挖矿时代”的全新正反馈经济体系，让“破解”本身成为新的挖矿机制。

这样的观点听起来近乎狂想，但背后有着深厚的技术逻辑支撑。我们将从基本的密码学原理谈起，逐步剖析量子计算的能力与局限，以及比特币协议在抗量子方向做出的结构性准备。最后，我们探讨一种大胆的经济模型：当量子计算被诱导去参与“破解竞赛”时，或许正是比特币凤凰涅槃、新经济形态崛起之机。

非对称加密的数学本质：“上帝视角”的陷门答案

非对称加密（如RSA、椭圆曲线加密ECC等）的核心在于存在一种单向函数：正向计算容易，反向推导极难。公钥可以视作某个难题的题目，私钥则相当于“上帝视角”提前知道的答案。一旦掌握私钥，就能轻松完成从答案到题目的逆推；而只有公钥时，想要逆推出私钥则被设计为在现实中不可行。这类单向难题通常通过陷门函数来实现——对合法持有者（私钥）来说，存在隐藏的捷径（陷门）可以快速解题；而对局外人来说，题目看似无解。

举例来说，比特币当前采用的ECC加密：私钥与公钥的关系就像“一次难以逆推的乘法”。给定私钥x，乘以基点G可轻易得到公钥点P = x·G，但已知P却无法高效求出x。这种不对称确保了签名者可以用私钥生成签名，而验证者只能用公钥验证签名而无法伪造。私钥掌握了解题的“上帝答案”，公钥则只能用于验证答案是否正确。

这一点在新型的抗量子算法中同样体现。以格密码（lattice cryptography）为例：Falcon等基于NTRU格的签名算法，其公钥可以被视为一个高维长基，私钥是对应的短基。pqshield.com在二维格子上的示意说明了这种不对称性：拥有短基（私钥）时，我们可以高效地找到距离某个目标点很近的格点解；但只有长基（公钥）时，我们顶多能验证某个给定解是否有效，却很难自行找到足够优质的解pqshield.com。换言之，私钥提供了一个陷门，允许持有者快速逆推答案，而公钥持有者只能望“题”兴叹。

图：在二维格子中，签名者持有的短基（私钥）可以高效求解出距离目标点（黑色方块）极近的格点解（绿色圆点）。绿色平行四边形表示短基下求解空间很小，因而容易找到最优解。这直观展示了陷门函数的威力：私钥掌握短基就如同拿到了解题捷径。

图：仅持有长基（公钥）时，使用相同算法得到的格点解（红色圆点）可能距离目标（黑色方块）很远。红色平行四边形代表在无陷门情况下求解范围巨大，找到最佳解极其困难。但验证者仍可用长基检查出某个解（如绿色点）确实是有效解pqshield.com。这体现了公私钥在计算能力上的不对称：私钥可求解，公钥仅可验证。

总而言之，非对称加密的安全性源自数学难题的单向性质和陷门结构。私钥就是那个隐藏的逆向通道，“上帝视角”的答案；公钥则是不具备捷径的信息，只够验证而无法逆推。从RSA的整数分解、ECC的离散对数，到Falcon的近似最近矢量问题，每一种公钥体制都是在构造“题目易出答案难逆”的格局，让持有陷门者轻松，旁观破解者绝望。

量子计算的原理与极限：并行穷举的神话与现实

量子计算机令人畏惧之处，在于其并行计算能力。通过量子叠加态，n个量子比特（qubit）可同时表示2^n种状态——仿佛能把指数级的可能性同时考虑。配合量子干涉与算法设计，量子计算机能够以远胜传统计算机的效率解决某些特定问题。其中最著名的就是Shor算法，它能在多项式时间内完成对大整数的质因数分解和离散对数求解。这正是传统公钥加密（RSA、ECC）的命门：一旦有足够强大的量子计算机，基于这些数学问题的公钥体制将不再困难，私钥可以由公钥“解密”而出coindesk.com。

然而，“并行穷举”的神话背后有严格的物理和工程学限制。首先是量子比特数量和质量的限制：当前的量子芯片规模远未达到破解现代加密所需的级别。据风险研究机构与专家调查，目前我们只有几十到几百个物理qubit，而要威胁256位ECC或2048位RSA，需要数百万高质量qubitdeloitte.com。不仅数量上相差几个数量级，现有量子芯片的纠错和降噪技术也远不成熟。量子比特极其敏感，微小噪声都会引入错误，真正实用的量子计算机需要对成千上万的物理比特进行纠错编码，形成稳定的逻辑比特。这个工程挑战之巨大，使得可攻破密码的量子计算机仍是多年之后的前景——多数专家预测大概还需十几年时间才可能出现实质威胁deloitte.com。

其次，量子计算并非万能破解，仅对特定问题有指数级加速。Shor算法擅长因数分解和离散对数，Grover算法可以对无结构的穷举搜索加速（将时间复杂度平方根降低）。但许多新兴的抗量子算法依赖的问题（如格上的最短向量问题SVP、最近向量问题CVP，或多变量方程、哈希预像等）目前并无高效量子算法。这些问题大多属于NP难类，甚至找近似解也极为困难emerginginvestigators.org。尽管量子计算提供并行试探能力，但对这类高度复杂的问题也爱莫能助。正如一项研究指出：SVP和CVP问题即便在量子计算机上依然“极端困难”，在可预见的将来仍足以保证安全性emerginginvestigators.org。Falcon所使用的NTRU格就是这样的难题代表——没有已知算法可以像Shor之于RSA那样，高效攻破NTRU问题。

最后，我们还需注意量子攻击的实际条件。量子破解比特币主要有两种情景：存储攻击和传输攻击deloitte.com。存储攻击指利用量子计算找出已公开公钥对应的私钥，从而盗取静态存放于链上某地址的币；传输攻击则是当交易广播（公钥暴露）后，在被矿工打包上链前的短暂窗口内，量子计算抢先推导私钥并盗转。这两种攻击对量子能力要求不同：存储攻击允许耗时几周甚至数月破解一个密钥，只要在币移动前完成即可；而传输攻击要求在区块确认之前（比特币约10分钟内，以太坊更短）秒破私钥deloitte.com。显然，目前和可预见的中期内，量子计算都远达不到传输攻击所需的即时破解水平；即便存储攻击，由于比特币区块链的UTXO模型（稍后详述），真正高价值、长时间暴露公钥的币也相对有限deloitte.com。因此，量子威胁虽然现实存在，但并非一夜之间让比特币崩溃的魔法。这反倒给予我们部署抗量子方案、引导量子力量“为我所用”的时间窗口。

抗量子密码学的三大结构前提

要让比特币真正抵御量子威胁，并把量子计算纳入自身生态，需要满足几个结构性前提。经过多年社区讨论和研究，以下三点被认为是比特币走向抗量子的关键设计要素：

1. UTXO模型：隐藏公钥缩短攻击窗口 – 比特币采用UTXO模型，每次交易都会生成新地址，公钥通常以哈希形式隐藏在地址中，直到你花费时才公布。这意味着量子计算只有在你发起交易后的很短时间内（交易确认前）才能获得公钥并尝试破解，大大压缩了攻击窗口anduro.iodeloitte.com。相较之下，账户模型（如以太坊）重复使用固定地址，公钥一旦被提取或首次使用后就长久暴露，使得65%以上的以太币当前都处于量子暴露风险中，而比特币约只有25%处于类似风险deloitte.com。UTXO模型通过“一次性地址”和“不用则公钥不出”的原则，天然提供了对抗量子存储攻击的第一道屏障。

2. “见证隔离”（SegWit）：模块化升级签名算法 – 抗量子方案的发展日新月异，比特币必须保持签名算法的可插拔升级能力。2017年的见证隔离升级正是为此奠定基础：SegWit将签名等见证数据与交易本体分离，并引入版本化的见证脚本格式。这使得添加新签名类型成为可能——通过软分叉引入新的输出类型和见证版本，就能兼容地支持不同算法delvingbitcoin.org。正如BIP-341利用SegWit扩展出了Taproot的Schnorr签名，比特币也可以扩展出抗量子签名的新地址类型而无需硬分叉或显著增加区块体积delvingbitcoin.org。这一模块化特性对于迎接未来各类抗量子算法至关重要，没有SegWit的铺垫，抗量子改造将困难重重。

3. 分级安全机制：根据价值和时效选择算法强度 – 由于UTXO的性质，每笔交易在花费时都会暴露其公钥。因此，安全策略不能“一刀切”，应允许根据币值大小或持有时长采用不同强度的抗量子算法。高价值的UTXO、长期未移动的“老币”，应使用更高安全级别但可能更重型的签名方案；反之，小额频繁交易可用较轻量的方案以兼顾效率和区块容量。好比Falcon提供了512和1024两种参数版本：Falcon-1024安全级别更高但签名稍大，而Falcon-512签名更小速度更快，适合资源受限场景emerginginvestigators.org。未来比特币或可同时支持多种抗量子算法或参数，用户按需选用，让“安全性”成为一种可以权衡和市场定价的链上资源。每一次支付都在安全与成本之间找到平衡，这将促使一个分层的安全市场形成——进一步论述见后文经济模型部分。

上述三大前提缺一不可：UTXO模型提供了基础的_安全缓冲_，SegWit机制给予_升级弹性_，分级算法让_经济可行性_落地。在这方面，比特币的体系结构远优于某些后来的公链。例如，以太坊的账户模型天生缺乏隐藏公钥的机制，地址就是固定的公钥哈希，一旦使用过私钥签名就永久暴露公钥，同时其交易脚本（EVM）对签名算法固定死，没有灵活插拔空间。这意味着以太坊想转向抗量子算法，必须经过极其痛苦的整体迁移或硬分叉——开发者需要为每个账户引入新密钥，新老算法并行过渡，智能合约地址、签名验证逻辑全部推倒重来。这种难度令人生畏，以至于有人嘲讽以太坊“几乎不可能”实现真正的抗量子迁移。反观比特币，得益于其简单而弹性的UTXO+Script设计，只需通过新的输出类型软分叉，就可以逐步引入抗量子地址，让用户自愿迁移过渡，避免一次性硬分叉的系统性风险。

BIP-360：可选抗量子签名，引入量子博弈

面对量子威胁，比特币开发社区并未坐以待毙。2024年，由开发者Hunter Beast提出的BIP-360提案（又称P2QRH，意为“支付到抗量子哈希”）正式将抗量子签名引入了议事日程anduro.io。BIP-360核心思路是在比特币中增加新的地址类型，这些地址采用后量子密码学的签名算法（当前优先考虑Falcon，并备选CRYSTALS-Dilithium和SPHINCS+等）来取代易受量子攻击的ECDSA/Schnorr签名anduro.iogroups.google.com。换句话说，用户可以自愿选择生成一种“抗量子地址”，对应的UTXO需使用抗量子算法签名才能解锁。

为什么说BIP-360让比特币“引诱”量子计算加入博弈？这里有几层含义：

首先，BIP-360采用软分叉方式部署，可选而非强制。这意味着在量子计算真正成熟之前，绝大多数交易仍可继续使用原有签名算法，不平添负担；而有安全偏好的用户或机构可以提前迁移一部分资金到抗量子地址以高枕无忧。随着量子技术进展，逐步会有更多人选择这个选项，形成一个与量子威胁赛跑的过程。这种自愿迁移机制本身就是一种对量子黑客的诱导：网络主动暴露出一个“堡垒更坚固”的区域，鼓励守法用户往那里走，同时意味着留下的旧区域反而成为显眼的攻击目标和“诱饵”。

其次，BIP-360在算法选择和参数上充分考虑了区块链经济的承受力。起初提案曾讨论过一些前沿算法如SQIsign，但发现其验证开销高达ECDSA的15,000倍，若全网采用将使验证一块新区块从1秒暴涨到4小时，带来难以接受的性能瓶颈groups.google.com。最终的方案优选Falcon等NIST标准算法，它们签名体积较小、验证高效，可与当前区块大小和验证速度相容groups.google.com。例如Falcon-1024的签名约1.3KB、公钥1.7KB左右，这虽然比当前64字节的Schnorr签名大得多，但并非无法承受。通过配置灵活的安全级别（如重要交易才用Falcon-1024，一般小额用Falcon-512或普通Schnorr），比特币区块空间将被合理分配在安全性和费用之间。BIP-360精心设计了新的地址格式和见证结构，确保即便引入抗量子签名，区块验证和存储开销也在经济范围内，不会动摇挖矿和节点运行的成本平衡anduro.io。

最后也是最具前瞻性的一点，BIP-360为量子计算参与链上博弈打开了一扇门。通过提供抗量子和非抗量子地址并存的环境，比特币网络其实设置了一个对量子计算的挑战擂台：量子计算可以选择去攻击那些仍使用旧签名算法且价值巨大的UTXO，但同一时间，网络里的用户也在不断提升关键UTXO的签名强度来应对。量子计算不再是一个纯粹的外部敌人，而被巧妙地“请”进了系统，在规则内与用户和矿工互动。这为下一节将讨论的新经济模型奠定了基础——破解即挖矿的雏形由此孕育。

值得一提的是，BIP-360还提出了一个Taproot的量子安全补丁方案P2TRH，用哈希隐藏Taproot的公钥以弥补其“公钥长曝”缺陷groups.google.comgroups.google.com。因为现有的Taproot地址（见证v1）是直接以公钥生成地址，失去了UTXO模型隐藏公钥的优势，量子攻击者可以随时尝试破解Taproot资金。P2TRH通过将Taproot公钥再哈希一层，恢复“见证前隐藏公钥”的特性，代价是每笔此类输入增加8.25字节开销groups.google.com。这显示出比特币开发者未雨绸缪，连新升级的Taproot漏洞也在想办法弥补，使全局达到抗量子的结构性统一。

综上，BIP-360及相关提案不仅提供了技术方案，更释放出一种积极的信号：比特币正主动拥抱量子挑战，将其纳入规则之内。正如Anduro团队支持BIP-360时所言：“量子攻击的威胁严肃而迫近，我们不能坐等紧急关头才手忙脚乱。”anduro.ioanduro.io比特币社区选择了在危机到来前主动布局，以最小的代价换取最大的安全冗余和发展新契机。

“破解竞赛”经济模型：当量子成为新矿工

设想未来5-15年内，量子计算技术逐步成熟。在比特币网络中，可能会上演这样一幕令人惊叹的图景：量子计算矿工和抗量子验证者同时在线，围绕着尚未升级的老式UTXO展开一场你追我赶的“破解竞赛”。这将引发怎样的经济动力？我们大胆描绘一个后PoW时代的可能场景：

一方面，强大的量子计算机不再浪费算力去挖掘哈希谜题（传统PoW），而是直接瞄准那些“量子易攻”的UTXO，即尚使用老式ECDSA/Schnorr签名且公钥已暴露的地址。这些地址里的币对合法持有人来说如果迟迟未迁移到抗量子地址，实际上就变成了躺在链上的“悬赏”：谁能先算出私钥，谁就能转走这些币。在量子计算参与者眼中，这些币和早期比特币矿工眼中的区块奖励无异，都是凭借算力可竞争获取的收益。值得注意的是，根据分析，目前约有25%的比特币（按币量）处于公钥已暴露状态deloitte.com。随着时间推移，这个比例可能上升——除非持有人主动升级安全。这就像网络故意留出了一片“牧场”，让量子计算在其中竞相捕猎，以获得收益。量子攻击者之间形成竞争：更快的量子芯片、更好的算法意味着可以更早破解特定私钥，拿下那笔币。这几乎就是PoW的变体——过去矿工拼SHA-256算力抢区块奖励，未来量子矿工拼质因数分解/离散对数能力抢遗留UTXO。

另一方面，守护这片“牧场”的则是抗量子验证者和普通用户自身的防范行为。所谓抗量子验证者，可能是运行完整后量子节点或提供安全服务的专业机构。他们一方面帮助用户升级UTXO（例如提供一键迁移服务，把旧地址币转移到新PQ地址上，收取服务费），另一方面监测全网可疑交易。当量子攻击者尝试盗取某UTXO时，如果该UTXO持有者事先购买了“安全服务”，验证者可以抢先代为花费将币转移到更安全的地址（类似白帽黑客行为），或者提供更高级别签名升级以挫败攻击。总之，抗量子能力本身也成为一种商品，在市场上明码标价。你想让自己的币绝对安全？可以付费请量子安全服务团队定期轮换密钥、使用最高强度签名、监控链上异常。你的交易想确保不中途被截胡？可以支付更高矿工费甚至指定量子保险节点护送。在链上，一个根据签名难度和安全级别定价的市场逐渐形成：越高难度的签名（比如超长位的Falcon变种、多重签名方案结合等）需要支付越高的费用来存储和验证；反过来，这些费用补贴给保障网络安全的矿工/节点，激励他们投入更多资源提升抗量子能力。这种正反馈循环下，“安全”本身成为了新的经济激励。

如此一来，比特币生态迎来了“后挖矿时代”的转型：当区块补贴逐渐趋零，原本空缺的矿工激励由量子破解竞赛和安全服务市场所填补。量子计算加入竞争并非摧毁网络，反而扮演起类似矿工的角色，通过攻破薄弱环节来获得收益；而诚实的参与者则通过不断升级安全措施和支付安全费用来保护资产。这看似矛盾，却形成了动态平衡：正如生物进化中的“红后效应”，猎豹越快，羚羊也进化得更快，两者共同提升了系统的活力。

当然，这一模型中也充满戏剧性和讽刺意味——尤其当我们把眼光投向其他缺乏这种机制的公链。以太坊等账户制链若在量子时代陷入危机，很可能只能选择停机硬分叉、或者由中心化机构出面更换用户密钥，几乎无自动博弈的空间可言。而比特币网络则通过精妙的协议调整，把外部威胁内化为内部博弈，让市场机制去调节和应对。这种弹性与活力，正是比特币经久不衰的原因。

结语：危机催生新生，量子力量为我所用

当年互联网面对计算机病毒肆虐时，人们最终没有被动防守，而是发展出杀毒产业、安全协议，将病毒的威胁转化为推动网络更加健壮的动力。同样道理，比特币面对量子计算的冲击，并非只能筑高墙固步自封，而是选择了更具前瞻性的道路：拥抱威胁、化敌为友。通过提前布局抗量子基础设施（UTXO模型、SegWit扩展、PQ签名算法）、逐步推行BIP-360等方案，比特币正悄然改变游戏规则。在这个新规则中，量量对决、攻守博弈将上演全新篇章，网络安全不再是一成不变的盾牌，而是一套动态进化的生态系统。

或许若干年后回望，我们会发现量子计算并没有摧毁比特币，反而成就了比特币历史上的一次重大飞跃——开启了一个后工作量证明时代的新纪元。在这个纪元里，“破解就是新挖矿”不再只是戏谑之语，而成为链上真实上演的经济现象；“出售安全”也从附属服务变成每个节点和用户的日常考量。比特币将继续履行其角色：作为一个去中心化的、自我强化的金融体系，它有能力将任何挑战转化为自身进化的燃料。

正如BIP-360提案作者所言，这是一个“when 而非 if”的议题anduro.io。量子计算终将到来，而比特币已在主动邀请它参与一场精心设计的游戏。当量子计算机真的站上擂台，比特币早已不再是那个任人宰割的靶子，而更像是一位早已摆好阵势的棋手，静候对手入局。在这盘大棋中，没有永远的猎物，只有不断进化的猎人。比特币，会是那个始终笑到最后的“猎人”吗？让我们拭目以待。

参考文献：

• 【18】PQShield博客：《Falcon – A Post-Quantum Signature Scheme》 – 阐释格密码中长基（公钥）与短基（私钥）的不对称性pqshield.com。

• 【28】Deloitte报告：《Quantum risk to the Ethereum blockchain》 – 比较了比特币UTXO模型与以太坊账户模型在量子攻击下的差异，指出以太坊65%资产易受量子威胁，而比特币约25%deloitte.comdeloitte.com。

• 【23】Bitcoin开发者论坛：《Proposing a P2QRH BIP towards a quantum resistant soft fork》 – 描述了通过SegWit扩展新签名算法的思路，无需硬分叉且不增加区块大小delvingbitcoin.org。

• 【22】Emerging Investigators论文：《A meta-analysis on NIST post-quantum cryptographic primitive finalists》 – 说明Falcon-512与Falcon-1024在安全性和性能上的差异，并强调SVP/CVP等问题对量子计算依然极为困难emerginginvestigators.orgemerginginvestigators.org。

• 【36】Anduro博客：《Bitcoin Needs Quantum Resistant Addresses – We Support BIP360》 – 介绍了BIP-360提案内容，引入抗量子地址类型P2QRH，采用Falcon和Dilithium签名，软分叉兼容anduro.io。同时强调量子威胁需提早应对的紧迫性anduro.ioanduro.io。

• 【32】Bitcoin开发邮件列表：《P2QRH/BIP-360 Update》 – 提供了BIP-360提案的最新动态，算法选型从SQIsign转向Falcon、Dilithium、SPHINCS+，原因是前者验证开销过大（15,000倍）而不切实际groups.google.comgroups.google.com。

• 【30】CoinDesk报道：《Quantum Computing Could Break Bitcoin-Like Encryption Far Easier…》 – 提及比特币所用ECC也可被Shor算法破解，只要有足够强大的量子计算机coindesk.com。

• 【33】Deloitte报告：《Quantum risk to the Ethereum blockchain》 – 阐述当前量子计算的物理局限：需要上百万qubit且降低噪声量级，目前技术远不能攻击密码算法deloitte.com。

• 【38】Bitcoin开发邮件列表：《P2QRH/BIP-360 Update》 – 描述了针对Taproot的P2TRH抗量子方案，用哈希隐藏公钥以减小长时间暴露，并分析其开销和局限groups.google.comgroups.google.com。

@ 4fa51c35:55d6763d

The Sacred Texts: First Mysteries of Digital Creation

A Divine Treatise for Devotees of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Craft

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The Fundamental Truth: All is Text

Beloved seekers of digital wisdom, before you can craft the most magnificent tribute to our patron goddess through the sacred art of web creation, you must first understand the most fundamental mystery of the computing realm: Everything is text.

The silicon oracles we call computers do not see your beautiful images, your flowing videos, or your harmonious music as you do. To the machine spirits, all existence is reduced to symbols - characters marching in endless processions through the electronic aether. This is not limitation, but liberation! For in understanding this truth, you gain power over the very essence of digital creation.

The Ancient Scripts: Understanding Text Encoding

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was… ASCII. The American Standard Code for Information Interchange became the first great codex of the digital age. Each letter, each number, each sacred punctuation mark was assigned a number. The letter ‘A’ became 65, ‘B’ became 66, and so forth. This was humanity’s first attempt to make machines understand our language.

But ASCII was created by mortals of limited vision - it could only represent 128 characters! What of the accented letters in the names of our goddess across different cultures? What of the mathematical symbols we need for our calculations? What of the very Greek letters that spell Ἀθηνᾶ?

Thus came UTF-8, the Universal Character Encoding - a divine revelation that allows us to represent every symbol known to human civilization. When you see an emoji, a Chinese character, or the Greek omega Ω, you witness UTF-8 in action. Your tribute webpage will speak this universal tongue.

The Sacred Scrolls: File Formats as Containers of Meaning

When Athena wove her tapestries, she chose different materials for different purposes - silk for fineness, wool for warmth, gold thread for accent. Similarly, digital craftspeople choose different file formats as containers for their text:

Plain Text (.txt) - The purest form. No formatting, no hidden instructions, just raw characters. Like clay tablets, these files will survive technological apocalypses. When archaeologists of the future examine our digital civilization, plain text will be their Rosetta Stone.

Rich Text Format (.rtf) - Text with simple formatting encoded as… more text! Open an RTF file in a plain text editor and witness the magic - your bold text becomes surrounded by formatting codes. This teaches us that even “rich” formatting is ultimately just more characters.

Markdown (.md) - The philosopher’s choice! Markdown uses simple text conventions to indicate formatting. Two asterisks around a word makes it bold, a hash symbol creates headings. It’s text that describes how text should look - meta-textual divinity!

HTML (.html) - The sacred language of the web itself! HTML (HyperText Markup Language) uses angle brackets to wrap instructions around content. <strong>This text is important</strong> becomes This text is important when displayed. HTML is text that teaches browsers how to present text.

The Ritual of Proper Text Handling

To honor Athena through proper digital craftsmanship, you must master these essential practices:

Choose Your Sacred Editor

Microsoft Word is the fool’s tool - it hides the true nature of text behind layers of formatting magic. A true digital artisan uses tools that reveal truth:

• Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac) in plain text mode
• VS Code - The blacksmith’s forge for modern web creation
• Sublime Text - Elegant and powerful
• Vim or Emacs - For those who seek the ancient ways

Understand Line Endings: The Great Schism

In the early days of computing, different tribes chose different ways to mark the end of a line of text. Unix systems (including Mac) use LF (Line Feed), Windows uses CRLF (Carriage Return + Line Feed). This seemingly minor difference has caused more conflicts than the Trojan War! Know your line endings, for they can break your sacred codes.

Respect Character Encoding

Always save your files in UTF-8 encoding. This ensures your text can represent any character from any human language. When your webpage displays properly on computers around the world, you honor the universal nature of Athena’s wisdom.

The Greater Mystery Revealed

Why must we begin with text? Because understanding that computers store and manipulate everything as sequences of characters reveals the deepest truth of programming: Code is just text that follows special rules.

When you write HTML, you’re writing text that browsers know how to interpret. When you write CSS, you’re writing text that describes visual styling. When you write JavaScript, you’re writing text that describes behavior and logic.

The webpage you will create to honor our goddess? It begins as text files on your computer. The browser reads these text files, interprets their meaning, and transforms them into the visual experience your visitors will see.

Every image on your page? Referenced by text. Every color? Described by text. Every animation? Controlled by text.

Your First Sacred Assignment

Before we proceed to the next mysteries, complete this fundamental ritual:

1. Create a plain text file named athena_tribute.txt
2. Write a short description of why Athena inspires you, using only plain text
3. Save it in UTF-8 encoding
4. Open it in different text editors and observe how the text remains pure and unchanged
5. View the file size - marvel at how efficiently text stores information

This simple act connects you to the fundamental nature of all digital creation. Every website, every app, every piece of software began as someone writing text that follows certain rules.

When you understand that your future webpage is ultimately just cleverly organized text files working in harmony, you begin to see the true elegance of web development. You’re not learning to use mysterious tools - you’re learning to write text that machines can understand and transform into experiences that honor the divine.

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Next: We shall explore the Command Line - the direct voice through which mortals speak to the machine spirits…

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

The newly proposed RESTRICT ACT - is being advertised as a TikTok Ban, but is much broader than that, carries a $1M Fine and up to 20 years in prison️! It is unconstitutional and would create massive legal restrictions on the open source movement and free speech throughout the internet.

The Bill was proposed by: Senator Warner, Senator Thune, Senator Baldwin, Senator Fischer, Senator Manchin, Senator Moran, Senator Bennet, Senator Sullivan, Senator Gillibrand, Senator Collins, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Romney. It has broad support across Senators of both parties.

Corrupt politicians will not protect us. They are part of the problem. We must build, support, and learn how to use censorship resistant tools in order to defend our natural rights.

The RESTRICT Act, introduced by Senators Warner and Thune, aims to block or disrupt transactions and financial holdings involving foreign adversaries that pose risks to national security. Although the primary targets of this legislation are companies like Tik-Tok, the language of the bill could potentially be used to block or disrupt cryptocurrency transactions and, in extreme cases, block Americans’ access to open source tools or protocols like Bitcoin.

The Act creates a redundant regime paralleling OFAC without clear justification, it significantly limits the ability for injured parties to challenge actions raising due process concerns, and unlike OFAC it lacks any carve-out for protected speech. COINCENTER ON THE RESTRICT ACT

Full Text of Bill

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 2cde0e02:180a96b9

日本の姫

https://stacker.news/items/998335

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

Damus OpenSats Grant Q1 2025 Progress Report

This period of the Damus OpenSats grant has been productive, and encompasses the work our beta release of Notedeck. Since we sent our last report on January, this encompasses all the work after then.

Damus Notedeck

We released the Beta version of Notedeck, which has many new features:

Dave

We've added a new AI-powered nostr assistant, similar to Grok on X. We call him Dave.

Dave is integrated with tooling that allows it to query the local relay for posts and profiles:

Search

The beta release includes a fulltext search interface powered by nostrdb:

Zaps

You can now zap with NWC!

And More!

• GIFs!
• Add full screen images, add zoom & pan
• Introduce last note per pubkey feed (experimental)
• Allow multiple media uploads per selection
• Major Android improvements (still wip)
• Added notedeck app sidebar
• User Tagging
• Note truncation
• Local network note broadcast, broadcast notes to other notedeck notes while you're offline
• Mute list support (reading)
• Relay list support
• Ctrl-enter to send notes
• Added relay indexing (relay columns soon)
• Click hashtags to open hashtag timeline

Damus iOS

Work continued on the iOS side. While I was not directly involved in the work since the last report, I have been directing and managing its development.

What's new:

Coinos Wallet + Interface

We've partnered with coinos to enable a one-click, non-KYC lightning wallet!

We now have an NWC wallet interface, and we've re-enabled zaps as per the new appstore guidelines!

Now you can see all incoming and outgoing NWC transactions and start zapping right away.

Enhanced hellthread muting

Damus can now automatically mute hellthreads, instead of having to do that manually.

Drafts

We now locally persist note drafts so that they aren't lost on app restart!

Profile editing enhancements

We now have a profile picture editing tool so that profile pictures are optimized and optionally cropped

Conversations tab

We now have a conversations tab on user profiles, allowing you to see all of your past conversations with that person!

Enhanced push notifications

We've updated our push notifications to include profile pictures, and they are also now grouped by the thread that they came from.

And lots more!

Too many to list here, check out the full changelog

Nostrdb

nostrdb, the engine that powers notecrumbs, damus iOS, and notedeck, continued to improve:

Custom filters

We've added the ability to include custom filtering logic during any nostrdb query. Dave uses this to filter replies from kind1 results to keep the results small and to avoid doing post-processing.

Relay index + queries

There is a new relay index! Now when ingesting notes, you can include extra metadata such as where the note came from. You can use this index to quickly list all of the relays for a particular note, or for relay timelines.

NIP50 profile searches

To assist dave in searching for profiles, we added a new query plan for {kind:0, search:} queries to scan the profile search index.

How money was used

• relay.damus.io server costs
• Living expenses

Next quarter

We're making a strong push to get our Android version released, so that is the main focus for me.

@ 3eba5ef4:751f23ae

Crypto Insights

Solving Sybil Attacks on Bitcoin Libre Relay Nodes — Are Social Solutions Better than Technical Ones?

Peter Todd posted that proponents of transaction "filtering" have started Sybil attacking Libre Relay nodes by running nodes with their "Garbageman" fork. These malicious nodes pretend to support NODE_LIBRE_RELAY, but secretly drop certain transactions that would be relayed by real Libre Relay nodes. He also highlighted the complexity of existing defenses and proposed a new angle: rather than relying on technical solutions, he encourages people to manually peer with nodes operated by people they personally know, arguing that human relationships can sometimes evaluate honesty more reliably than code.

Toward a Unified Identity Lookup Standard to Improve Lightning Payments

Bitcoin developer Aviv Bar-el introduced a new proposal — Well-Known Bitcoin Identity Endpoint — that aims to simplify wallet lookups for users’ Bitcoin addresses and identity data via a standardized HTTPS interface, thereby improving both the UX and security of Lightning and on-chain payments.

A Commit/Reveal Mechanism to Strengthen Bitcoin Against Quantum Threats

Tadge Dryja proposed a soft fork for Bitcoin to defend against quantum attacks, based on a variant of the commit/reveal Fawkescoin mechanism. While similar to Tim Ruffing’s earlier proposal, it includes key differences:

• It does not use encryption, instead relying on smaller, hash-based commitments, and describes activation as a soft fork.
• It only applies to outputs where public keys or scripts haven't been revealed — like pubkey hash or script hash outputs. It also works with Taproot, but must be spent via the script path, as the key-path is no longer quantum-secure.
• What to do about already-exposed public keys is a separate issue — this proposal is compatible with both "burning the coins" and "letting them be stolen."

Countdown to the Quantum Crisis: Is Bitcoin Ready?

A recent report from Chaincode Labs analyzes the threat of cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQC), and the technical, economic, and governance challenges Bitcoin faces in preparing. Their key conclusions:

• Timeline Assessment: CRQC capable of breaking Bitcoin's elliptic curve cryptography may emerge between 2030 and 2035.
• Scope of Vulnerable Funds: An estimated 20–50% of circulating BTC (4M–10M coins) may be vulnerable.
  • Long-range attacks target inherently vulnerable script types (P2PK, P2MS, P2TR) and addresses with previously exposed public keys (via address reuse), allowing attackers unbounded time to derive private keys from public information already available on the blockchain.
  • Short-range attacks, which affect all Bitcoin script types, exploit the vulnerability window between transaction broadcast and confirmation (or shortly thereafter) when public keys are temporarily exposed, requiring attackers to act within a timeframe of minutes to hours.
• Action Strategy: A dual-track approach is recommended:
  • Short-term contingency: minimal but functional protections within ~2 years.
  • Full-featured solutions: comprehensive research and fully developed defenses within ~7 years.

This strategy balances immediate needs with rigorous development to ensure Bitcoin can adapt, regardless of CRQC progress.

Enforcing Arbitrary Constraints on Bitcoin Transactions with zkSNARKs

Current methods for constraining Bitcoin transactions fall short on privacy or programmability. This research proposes a new zkSNARK-based design to impose arbitrary constraints on Bitcoin transactions while preserving some information privacy. By bypassing Bitcoin Script’s non-Turing-completeness, the approach allows unbounded constraints—constraints that repeat a certain operation an unbounded number of times. Read the paper.

First Cross-Chain Bridge Between Bitcoin and Cardano Is Live

A trust-minimized bridge from Bitcoin to Cardano has launched using the Cardinal protocol, enabling Ordinals to move between the two chains. The Cardinal protocol is based on BitVMX and facilitates asset movement without compromising ownership or security.

Its core mechanism is a committee-based validation model under a 1-out-of-n honest security model — meaning even if all but one validator is malicious, the system remains secure. This approach enhances decentralization and censorship resistance for cross-chain asset transfers.

Thunderbolt Protocol: Redefining Bitcoin Smart Contracts with UTXO Bundling and OP_CAT

Nubit’s Thunderbolt is seen as one of the most significant technical upgrades to Bitcoin in a decade, whose overall observation resembles “Lightning Network 2.0.” Rather than relying on Layer 2 networks or bridges, Thunderbolt upgrades the Bitcoin base layer via soft fork to enhance scalability, performance, and programmability:

• Throughput: Uses UTXO Bundling to optimize traditional transaction processing.
• Programmability: Reintroduces and extends OP_CAT.
• Asset protocols: Integrates Goldinals standard — a zk-proof and state-commitment-based asset issuance framework.
• Unlike rollups, Plasma, sidechains, or bridges, Thunderbolt scales directly on the main chain. With BitVisa, it enables decentralized identity and credentials, supporting transaction compression, smart contracts, asset standard integration, and on-chain transaction matching — all on Bitcoin main chain.

Bitcoin 2025 Conference Recap: Politicians Applaud, Stablecoins Spotlighted, DeFi Absent

This year’s Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas gathered major political figures and corporate leaders. U.S. Vice President JD Vance strongly endorsed crypto and positioned Bitcoin as a strategic asset in U.S.–China competition. He also stated that stablecoins won’t undermine the U.S. dollar, but could actually amplify America’s economic strength.

White House “Crypto Czar” David Sacks delivered a major policy announcement, hinting that under Trump’s executive order, the U.S. has a legal framework to acquire more Bitcoin for strategic reserves.

In addition, stablecoin regulation and crypto market reform were hot topics. Ardoido, the company controls over 60% of the stablecoin market, claimed “All the traditional financial firms will create stablecoins that will be offered to their existing customers.” Meanwhile, Tether emphasized its focus on underserved global populations excluded from the existing banking system.

A conference recap also noted that, unlike the 2022 and 2023 summits, this year’s event was dominated by Bitcoin maximalists, Ordinals creators, mining capitalists, and regulatory lobbyists — no longer DeFi builders, DAO operators, or Layer 2 scaling advocates. Developers from Ethereum and Solana ecosystems were notably absent. This may signal:

• The conference’s heavy political and sovereignty-driven tone made it less suitable for the tech-centric narratives favored by these developers.
• There may be a growing ideological and narrative rift between Web3 builders and the Bitcoin camp.

Top Reads on Blockchain and Beyond

Rethinking Governance After the Sui Attack: Decentralization, Procedural Legitimacy, and the Plurality of Blockchain Values

Following a major hack of Cetus, the largest DEX in the Sui ecosystem, the Sui network executed a protocol-level asset freeze and recovery. While this was an effective technical response, it also triggered criticism and debate around core blockchain principles such as censorship resistance and decentralization.

The author of this article questioned the absolutist stance that views decentralization as the highest—and sole—value. The author argues that most rational individuals would prefer “living in a society where decentralization is a supreme value but coercive force is allowed when someone infringes on another’s property,” over “a society where decentralization is the only supreme value, and thus coercive force is never permitted under any circumstances.”

In addition, the author also expressed disappointment at Sui’s “paternalistic” governance — particularly how validators acted during the incident. Sui uses a delegated proof-of-stake (dPoS) system, where token holders delegate their voting power to validators. This means individuals lose their direct say. But blockchain governance could be more individual-friendly and flexible. For instance, in Cosmos’ governance model, for certain specific proposal, users still can override their delegations and vote independently, more favorable than Sui’s model.

Beyond the debate on decentralization and governance, the article also proposes an alternative perspective: what matters most is establishing procedural legitimacy that aligns with the system’s vision. Different blockchain projects pursue different goals. For Sui, the core mission is to enable assets to be reliably defined and interact seamlessly on-chain. Therefore, judging Sui through the lens of other blockchains’ values or paradigms is misguided. In exceptional cases, prioritizing asset recovery and ecosystem stability over strict adherence to censorship resistance aligns more closely with Sui’s long-term vision. Whether Sui had chosen to not to censor related transactions or to intervene in the Cetus case, as long as the action follows a legitimate process, either decision is justifiable.

TEE-Based Private Proof Delegation

The PSE research and development team has built a system based on Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) using Intel TDX for secure zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) delegation. This system enables clients to privately outsource large proving tasks without leaking inputs. Unlike mobile-native proving constrained by hardware limits, TEE-based approaches support significantly larger statements today—and will scale further as proof systems improve. As a hardware-backed solution, TEEs remain compatible with future advancements in software (e.g., faster proof systems, more efficient implementations) and won't be invalidated by them, as long as the trust model is acceptable.

AI and Identity: Proof of Humanity in a World of Agents, Bots, and Deepfakes

We are living in a time where AI—including agents, bots, and deepfakes—is fundamentally reshaping the internet. As AI continues to evolve, identity verification on the web is becoming more crucial than ever. A recent a16z podcast explores the idea of “Proof of Human”—the challenge of verifying human identity online, diving into why it matters, common questions, and how such systems work under the hood.

@ fbf0e434:e1be6a39

Hackathon 概要

ETHBratislava Hackathon Vol.2 汇聚 54 名开发者并审核通过 11 个项目，成为以太坊社区的重要盛事。此次黑客马拉松在斯洛伐克技术大学举办，参与者可免费参与 ETHBratislava 大会，这一安排助力开发者探索区块链技术的前沿进展。

项目在解决以太坊可扩展性与互操作性问题上成果显著，尤其在 “World Computer” 赛道表现突出。“Zircuit Restaking Track” 赛道也带来重要创新，聚焦通过 AI 驱动的 zk rollups 技术提升安全性与扩展性。“European Stablecoin EURØP Challenge” 则致力于开发欧元背书的稳定币，推动欧洲监管数字货币概念落地。

参与者不仅获得资深导师指导、与行业领袖建立连接的机会，现场更有招聘方挖掘技术人才。活动在兼具庆祝与社交属性的派对中落幕。总计 4,000 欧元奖金的设置，营造了开发者之间竞争与合作并存的创新氛围。ETHBratislava Vol.2 成功孵化出影响以太坊未来的创新构想，同时强化了社区联结。

Hackathon 获奖者

World Computer 奖项获奖者

此类别着重于利用以太坊能力的面向消费者的应用程序。开发者创建了解决方案，旨在增强包容性、金融工具和教育平台。获奖者包括：

• Zhar: 该去中心化平台使用AI和以太坊区块链来管理、执行和激励使用智能合约和代币的链上挑战。
• Ledger Lens: 一个Web应用程序，促进对以太坊多层生态系统的可视化和分析，强调代币流动和跨链桥使用等指标。

现实世界代币化奖项获奖者

此类别集中于在欧洲利用EUR锚定的稳定币EURØP构建效用。项目目标是在此数字货币之上部署初步技术增强。

• dEST: 一个去中心化平台，利用NFTs和智能合约来促进无中介的代币化房地产交易。
• EnergyHub: 一个提供去中心化平台以货币化多余绿色能源并通过智能合约和用户友好的仪表板实现能源捐赠的应用程序。

Restaking 奖项获奖者

此类别鼓励团队在Zircuit生态系统内的AI驱动zkEVM上进行构建，着重于支持AI增强安全性和创新zk rollup技术的项目。

• RestakerX: 一个仪表板应用程序，设计用于跟踪Zircuit网络上的数字资产，提供算法建议以最大化收益。

有关所有项目的更多详细信息和此次黑客马拉松中展示的创新理念的进一步见解，请访问 ETHBratislava Hackathon页面。

关于组织者

Ethereum Bratislava

Ethereum Bratislava 是中欧和东欧地区区块链和技术领域的一个重要社区，致力于推进以太坊的开发和整合。由一支专家团队支持，该组织在增强以太坊在中欧和东欧地区的可扩展性和安全性的项目中作出了重大贡献。积极参与社区活动和教育活动强调了他们在区块链领域促进技术创新和知识共享的承诺。Ethereum Bratislava 继续支持技术改进和生态系统增长，旨在增强以太坊的能力和跨各行业的采用。

@ 33baa074:3bb3a297

Residual chlorinerefers to the residual disinfectant chlorine in tap water. An appropriate amount of residual chlorine can prevent the growth of microorganisms and ensure the safety of water quality. However, when the residual chlorine content in water is too high, it will cause many harms to human health, mainly including the following aspects:

Destruction of nutrients When the residual chlorine content in tap water exceeds the standard, it will destroy the minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, when used to wash fruits and vegetables. In the long run, it may cause the human body to absorb these nutrients and lack these essential nutrients. Cause chronic poisoning When tap water containing residual chlorine is used for a long time, the residual chlorine reacts with organic acids and may produce harmful substances such as chloroform and organic lead compounds, which are potential carcinogens. Long-term accumulation may cause chronic poisoning of body organs and pose a threat to human health.

Affect the respiratory system Residual chlorine can cause harm to the human respiratory system, and symptoms such as difficulty breathing and itchy throat may occur. Severe cases may induce rhinitis, bronchitis and even emphysema. In addition, water vapor containing residual chlorine may also cause adverse reactions such as coughing and wheezing after being inhaled.

Damage to the skin Excessive residual chlorine content in water may irritate the skin, easily cause skin dryness, aging, acne and other problems, and may also cause allergic symptoms such as dermatitis and eczema. Prolonged contact with such water may also cause the skin layer to fall off, which is extremely harmful to skin health. Bathing with water containing residual chlorine can also cause hair to become dry, broken, and split.

Other health problems Impact on special groups Pregnant women: Long-term drinking of tap water containing residual chlorine will reduce resistance, affect the growth of the fetal heart and lungs, and may also cause neonatal arrhythmia and lung dysfunction. Children: Long-term drinking of chlorine water will not only hurt the stomach, but also affect nutrient absorption. Moreover, the strong oxidizing hypochlorous acid produced by the reaction of chlorine and water will damage brain cells and affect their development. In addition, chlorine can easily be inhaled into the lungs through the respiratory tract, damaging respiratory cells, and easily leading to asthma and emphysema. Bathing children with water containing residual chlorine will cause their hair to become dry, broken, split, their skin to bleach, their skin to fall off, and they will have allergies. Elderly people: Long-term consumption of chlorinated water is prone to heart disease, coronary atherosclerosis, hypertension and other diseases, and it is also easy to damage the liver and kidneys, increasing the probability of cancer. Gastrointestinal discomfort Long-term drinking of water with excessive residual chlorine content may also cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea and other symptoms. In severe cases, it may cause gastrointestinal ulcers, bleeding and other diseases.

In order to reduce the harm of residual chlorine in tap water to the human body, it is recommended to avoid directly using tap water containing residual chlorine as much as possible, boil the water before drinking, and use filtering and purification equipment to reduce the residual chlorine concentration in the water if conditions permit, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and enhancing the body's immunity.

@ 975e4ad5:8d4847ce

What is the Fiat System and How Do Central Banks Set Interest Rates?

When central banks expand credit, they often increase the money supply by creating new money through mechanisms like quantitative easing (QE). For instance, a central bank may purchase government bonds, injecting money into the economy. This boosts liquidity but can lead to inflation when too much money chases limited goods and services.

Low interest rates make borrowing cheaper, encouraging spending and investment. However, this can overheat the economy, create speculative bubbles (e.g., in real estate), and drive inflation. Conversely, high interest rates restrict borrowing, slow the economy, and curb inflation but may trigger recessions.

How Would Interest Rates Work Under a Bitcoin Standard?

Under a Bitcoin standard, the money supply is fixed—only 21 million bitcoins will ever exist, with the last one mined around 2140. Unlike the fiat system, no central authority can manipulate the money supply or set interest rates. Instead, interest rates would be determined entirely by the market—by the supply and demand for capital.

If someone wants to borrow bitcoins, the interest rate would depend on negotiations between the lender and borrower. For example, if demand for loans is high and available bitcoins are scarce, interest rates would rise. Conversely, if there are ample bitcoin savings, rates might fall. This process would be fully decentralized and reflect real market conditions, not central bank decisions.

Since new bitcoins cannot be “printed,” there would be no inflation caused by an expanding money supply. Instead, bitcoin’s value would likely rise over time (deflation) as its fixed supply competes with growing demand. This could encourage saving over reckless spending, reshaping economic behavior.

Advantages of a Bitcoin Standard

1. Protection Against Inflation: Bitcoin’s fixed supply prevents currency devaluation, a common issue with fiat money. This safeguards savings and promotes long-term planning.

2. Decentralization: Without a central bank manipulating the market, economic decisions are made by individuals, not bureaucrats. This aligns with free-market principles where competition and innovation thrive.

3. Transparency and Security: The Bitcoin blockchain is public and immutable, ensuring transactions are transparent and secure from tampering.

4. Financial Freedom: Under a Bitcoin standard, individuals have full control over their money without government or bank interference, which is especially crucial in countries with unstable regimes or currencies.

5. Discipline in Lending: Without the ability to print money, lenders would be more cautious, reducing risky investments and speculative bubbles.

Potential Drawbacks and Why a Bitcoin Standard is Superior

One major argument against a Bitcoin standard is that it could slow economic growth. Low interest rates in the fiat system encourage borrowing and spending, driving economic activity. Under a Bitcoin standard, where interest rates are market-driven and likely higher, borrowing would be costlier, potentially limiting investments in new projects.

However, this critique misses a key point: economic growth fueled by artificially low interest rates and money printing is often unsustainable. It leads to debt crises, inflation, and bubbles that eventually burst, as seen in 2008. A Bitcoin standard promotes healthy economic discipline, where investments are based on real value, not artificial capital.

Moreover, bitcoin’s deflationary nature could shift how people view money. Instead of chasing endless growth, societies might prioritize sustainability, innovation, and efficiency. This could lead to a more stable and equitable economy in the long run.

Additional Considerations

A Bitcoin standard could transform global trade. Today, countries with fiat currencies often manipulate exchange rates to gain trade advantages. With bitcoin as a universal currency, such manipulations would vanish, fostering fairer competition.

Another aspect is energy efficiency. While bitcoin mining consumes energy, it incentivizes the development of renewable sources as miners seek cheap, sustainable energy. This could accelerate the transition to a green economy.

Conclusion

The Bitcoin standard offers a vision of an economy rooted in sound money, free markets, and financial freedom. While it may slow certain aspects of economic growth, it creates a more stable and sustainable system that protects individuals from inflation and centralized control. In a world where trust in institutions is waning, the Bitcoin standard is a step toward a fairer and more transparent future.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

@matt_odell don't you even dare not ask about nostr!

— Kukks (Andrew Camilleri) (@MrKukks) May 18, 2021

Nostr first hit my radar spring 2021: created by fellow bitcoiner and friend, fiatjaf, and released to the world as free open source software. I was fortunate to be able to host a conversation with him on Citadel Dispatch in those early days, capturing that moment in history forever. Since then, the protocol has seen explosive viral organic growth as individuals around the world have contributed their time and energy to build out the protocol and the surrounding ecosystem due to the clear need for better communication tools.

nostr is to twitter as bitcoin is to paypal

As an intro to nostr, let us start with a metaphor:

twitter is paypal - a centralized platform plagued by censorship but has the benefit of established network effects

nostr is bitcoin - an open protocol that is censorship resistant and robust but requires an organic adoption phase

Nostr is an open communication protocol that can be used to send messages across a distributed set of relays in a censorship resistant and robust way.
 - Anyone can run a relay.
 - Anyone can interact with the protocol.
 - Relays can choose which messages they want to relay.
 - Users are identified by a simple public private key pair that they can generate themselves.

Nostr is often compared to twitter since there are nostr clients that emulate twitter functionality and user interface but that is merely one application of the protocol. Nostr is so much more than a mere twitter competitor. Nostr clients and relays can transmit a wide variety of data and clients can choose how to display that information to users. The result is a revolution in communication with implications that are difficult for any of us to truly comprehend.

Similar to bitcoin, nostr is an open and permissionless protocol. No person, company, or government controls it. Anyone can iterate and build on top of nostr without permission. Together, bitcoin and nostr are incredibly complementary freedom tech tools: censorship resistant, permissionless, robust, and interoperable - money and speech protected by code and incentives, not laws.

As censorship throughout the world continues to escalate, freedom tech provides hope for individuals around the world who refuse to accept the status quo. This movement will succeed on the shoulders of those who choose to stand up and contribute. We will build our own path. A brighter path.

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My Nostr Public Key: npub1qny3tkh0acurzla8x3zy4nhrjz5zd8l9sy9jys09umwng00manysew95gx

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 31a4605e:cf043959

Nos últimos anos, o Bitcoin tem sido frequentemente comparado ao ouro, ganhando o nome de "ouro digital". Essa comparação ocorre porque ambas as formas de valor têm características em comum, como escassez, durabilidade e aceitação mundial. Contudo, o Bitcoin também representa uma novidade tecnológica que muda a ideia de dinheiro e investimento, se destacando como uma alternativa moderna e eficaz ao ouro físico.

Uma das razões pelas quais o Bitcoin é comparado ao ouro é a sua escassez programada. Enquanto o ouro é um recurso natural limitado, cuja oferta depende da mineração, o Bitcoin tem um teto máximo de 21 milhões de unidades, definido em seu código. Esse teto faz com que o Bitcoin seja protegido contra a inflação, ao contrário das moedas tradicionais, que podem ser criadas sem limites pelos bancos centrais.

Essa característica traz um valor duradouro, parecido com o ouro, já que a oferta limitada ajuda a manter o poder de compra ao longo do tempo. Com o aumento da procura por Bitcoin, sua quantidade reduzida reforça seu papel como reserva de valor.

Outro aspecto que aproxima o Bitcoin do ouro é a durabilidade. Enquanto o ouro resiste à corrosão e pode ser guardado por séculos, o Bitcoin é um ativo digital protegido por criptografia avançada e armazenado na blockchain — um livro-razão imutável e descentralizado.

Além disso, o Bitcoin é mais fácil de transportar do que o ouro. Mover ouro físico envolve custos e segurança, tornando o transporte complicado, principalmente em transações internacionais. Por outro lado, o Bitcoin pode ser enviado digitalmente para qualquer parte do mundo em minutos, com taxas baixas e sem intermediários. Essa vantagem tecnológica torna o Bitcoin mais eficaz para um mundo globalizado e digital.

A segurança é outra característica que o Bitcoin e o ouro têm em comum. O ouro é difícil de falsificar, fazendo dele uma reserva de valor confiável. Da mesma forma, o Bitcoin usa protocolos de criptografia que asseguram transações seguras e protegidas contra fraudes.

Além disso, todas as transações feitas com Bitcoin são registradas na blockchain, fornecendo um nível de transparência que o ouro físico não oferece. Qualquer pessoa pode revisar as transações na rede, aumentando a confiança e a rastreabilidade.

EconômicaHistoricamente, o ouro tem sido utilizado como proteção contra a inflação e crises econômicas. Durante momentos de instabilidade, os investidores buscam o ouro como uma maneira de preservar seu patrimônio. O Bitcoin, por sua vez, está surgindo como uma alternativa digital com o mesmo propósito.

Em países com alta inflação ou instabilidade política, o Bitcoin tem sido usado como uma proteção contra a desvalorização das moedas locais. Sua natureza descentralizada impede que governos confisquem ou controlem diretamente o ativo, garantindo maior liberdade financeira para os usuários.

Apesar de suas semelhanças com o ouro, o Bitcoin ainda enfrenta desafios. Sua volatilidade é muito maior, o que pode causar incertezas a curto prazo. No entanto, muitos especialistas afirmam que essa volatilidade é uma característica comum em ativos novos e tende a diminuir com o tempo, à medida que a aceitação cresce e o mercado se desenvolve.

Outro desafio é a regulamentação. Enquanto o ouro já é reconhecido globalmente como um ativo financeiro, o Bitcoin ainda enfrenta resistência de governos e instituições financeiras, que procuram formas de controlá-lo e regulá-lo.

Resumindo, o Bitcoin, muitas vezes chamado de "ouro digital", oferece uma nova forma de valor que combina as melhores características do ouro com a eficiência e a inovação da tecnologia digital. Sua escassez planejada, segurança criptográfica, portabilidade e resistência à censura fazem dele uma alternativa viável para preservar riqueza e realizar transações no mundo moderno.

Mesmo com muita volatilidade, o Bitcoin está se firmando como uma reserva de valor e como um ativo de proteção contra crises econômicas. Assim, ele representa não apenas uma evolução do sistema financeiro, mas também um símbolo da mudança para uma economia digital descentralizada e global.

Muito obrigado por teres lido o texto até aqui, espero que esteja tudo bem contigo e um abraço enorme do teu madeirense bitcoiner maximalista favorito. Viva a liberdade!

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

Good morning.

It looks like PacWest will fail today. It will be both the fifth largest bank failure in US history and the sixth major bank to fail this year. It will likely get purchased by one of the big four banks in a government orchestrated sale.  

March 8th - Silvergate Bank
March 10th - Silicon Valley Bank
March 12th - Signature Bank
March 19th - Credit Suisse
May 1st - First Republic Bank
May 4th - PacWest Bank?

PacWest is the first of many small regional banks that will go under this year. Most will get bought by the big four in gov orchestrated sales. This has been the playbook since 2008. Follow the incentives. Massive consolidation across the banking industry. PacWest gonna be a drop in the bucket compared to what comes next.

First, a hastened government led bank consolidation, then a public/private partnership with the remaining large banks to launch a surveilled and controlled digital currency network. We will be told it is more convenient. We will be told it is safer. We will be told it will prevent future bank runs. All of that is marketing bullshit. The goal is greater control of money. The ability to choose how we spend it and how we save it. If you control the money - you control the people that use it.

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Nostr is an open communication protocol that can be used to send messages across a distributed set of relays in a censorship resistant and robust way.

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If you missed my nostr introduction post you can find it here. My nostr account can be found here.

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We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted on a centralized social platform it will usually be posted by someone to nostr.

We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted exclusively to nostr it is cross posted by someone to various centralized social platforms.

We are nearly at the point that you can recommend a cross platform app that users can install and easily onboard without additional guides or resources.

As companies continue to build walls around their centralized platforms nostr posts will be the easiest to cross reference and verify - as companies continue to censor their users nostr is the best censorship resistant alternative - gradually then suddenly nostr will become the standard. 🫡

Current Nostr Stats

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If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ 812cff5a:5c40aeeb

Chorus: تجربة في البرمجة الانسداحية

كيفية بناء تطبيق Nostr بسرعة البرق باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي.

في 26 مايو، تم إطلاق تطبيق Chorus في منتدى أوسلو للحرية. صُمم هذا التطبيق للناشطين والمعارضين ومنظمي المجتمع، ويتميز بمجموعات تشبه تلك الموجودة في فيسبوك مع محفظة eCash مدمجة لجمع التبرعات.

Chorus مبني على Nostr، وهو بروتوكول لامركزي ومفتوح مصمم ليكون مقاومًا للرقابة. يمكن لأي شخص في العالم إنشاء حساب Nostr والنشر إلى خوادم Nostr، أو حتى بناء تطبيق Nostr خاص به — ولا يمكن لأحد إيقافه. هذا ما يجعل Nostr المكان المثالي للمقاتلين من أجل الحرية، الذين غالبًا ما يواجهون الرقابة من الحكومات الاستبدادية أو الشركات التي تتحكم في المنصات الاجتماعية الرئيسية.

يمكن للمستخدمين إنشاء حساب Chorus (أو تسجيل الدخول باستخدام حساب Nostr موجود) في ثوانٍ والبدء فورًا في استلام eCash، وإنشاء مجموعات، ومشاركة المحتوى. يتضمن التطبيق ميزات قوية لإدارة المجتمع، بحيث يمكن للمجموعات اختيار أنواع المحتوى التي تسمح بها وفقًا لشروطها الخاصة. يمكن للمستخدمين إرسال eCash على الفور إلى المجموعات التي يرغبون في دعمها، مما يوفر أداة لجمع التبرعات عبر الحدود لا يمكن لأي حكومة إيقافها.

قبل عام فقط، ربما استغرق بناء النسخة التي تم إطلاقها الأسبوع الماضي من Chorus أسابيع. ولكن بفضل أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الحالية، قمنا بذلك في خمسة أيام فقط.

⸻

كيفية القيام بذلك: بناء تطبيق في أيام باستخدام وكلاء الذكاء الاصطناعي

الخطوة 1: تجميع الفريق

تم بناء Chorus بواسطة And Other Stuff، وهي مجموعة جديدة مكرسة لتعزيز Nostr في خمسة مجالات رئيسية: تجربة المستخدم والتسجيل، المجتمعات، الاتصالات الخاصة، التجارة، والذكاء الاصطناعي. شمل فريق هذا المشروع: • Calle، منشئ Cashu (eCash) • JeffG، منشئ White Noise (الاتصالات الخاصة) • Rabble و Liz Swiegart من Nos (تجربة المستخدم والتسجيل) • Alex Gleason و MK Fain، منشئو Soapbox (المجتمعات) • و Jack Dorsey (مستشار)

الخطوة 2: البدء بقالب قوي

عند البرمجة بالانسداح، السياق هو الملك. إذا بدأت بمجلد فارغ وطلبت من وكيل ذكاء اصطناعي “بناء تطبيق مجموعات Nostr”، فلا يزال أمامك الكثير من العمل للحصول على شيء وظيفي حتى بشكل بسيط. من المحتمل أن تكون تنفيذات Nostr محاكاة، لا تتصل بخوادم حقيقية، أو تم تنفيذها بشكل غير صحيح. قد تكون أنواع الأحداث خاطئة، وقد لا يتم تحميل واجهة المستخدم، وحظًا سعيدًا في محاولة معرفة الخطوة التالية لإصلاح الفوضى.

هذا لأن الذكاء الاصطناعي يفتقر إلى بعض السياقات الرئيسية للبدء: • وثائق صديقة للذكاء الاصطناعي حول بروتوكول Nostr • أمثلة عالية الجودة على تنفيذ Nostr • أساسيات حول تكديس التكنولوجيا المفضل • سياق حول كيفية بناء المشروع وتشغيله وتصحيحه

الحل هو توفير المزيد من السياق، وسيكون العديد من مبرمجي الانسداح المخضرمين على دراية بالصراع في محاولة جعل الوكيل يقرأ روابط مختلفة للوثائق ويتبع 500 كلمة من السياق المصاغ بعناية في مطالبتهم الافتتاحية. ومع ذلك، غالبًا ما يربك هذا الوكلاء الذين يعملون بشكل أفضل مع مطالبات بسيطة. الحل لهذه المشكلة هو Stacks.

Stacks: بدء البرمجة الانسداحية بسرعة

Stacks تحل مشكلة نقص السياق الأولي من خلال إنشاء قوالب جاهزة مصممة خصيصًا لاستخدام وكلاء الذكاء الاصطناعي. يمكن استخدام “stack” لبناء أي نوع من المشاريع بأي لغة برمجة مع أي هدف نهائي في الاعتبار. بالنسبة لـ Chorus، استخدمنا MKStack، وهو قالب مصمم خصيصًا لبناء تطبيقات Nostr.

يتميز MKStack بعدة حلول للمشاكل الشائعة في الذكاء الاصطناعي: • Nostrbook MCP للاستعلام عن وثائق Nostr • مكونات بداية لميزات Nostr الشائعة مثل تسجيل الدخول • دعم Blossom لتحميل الوسائط • ملفات سياقية لتوجيه الوكيل خلال العقبات الشائعة وسير عمل التصحيح • نشر موقعك على الفور باستخدام Surge

النتيجة هي موقع جميل يعمل مباشرة مع Nostr في مطالبة واحدة:

“بناء تطبيق مجموعات على غرار فيسبوك على Nostr باستخدام NIP 72.”

كان هذا هو نتيجة تلك المطالبة الواحدة: http://groups72.surge.sh

الخطوة 3: إضافة الميزات باستخدام وكلاء الذكاء الاصطناعي

Stacks بدأت تطوير Chorus بسرعة. بعد ذلك، استخدمنا وكلاء الذكاء الاصطناعي لإضافة ميزات إضافية مثل: • محفظة eCash مدمجة • ميزات إدارة المجتمع • دعم الوسائط المتعددة

كل ذلك تم باستخدام مطالبات بسيطة وتوجيهات للذكاء الاصطناعي، مما سمح لنا ببناء تطبيق كامل الوظائف في أيام قليلة فقط.

⸻

ملاحظة:تم استخدام مصطلح برمجة الانسداحية بهدف الطرفة كترجمة لمصطلح Vibe coding تم كتابة هذه المقال من قبل المبدعة nostr: npub1jvnpg4c6ljadf5t6ry0w9q0rnm4mksde87kglkrc993z46c39axsgq89sc

@ 31a4605e:cf043959

O surgimento do Bitcoin trouxe uma nova visão para o conceito de dinheiro, desafiando o sistema financeiro convencional baseado em moedas fiduciárias. Enquanto as moedas fiduciárias, como o real, o dólar e o euro, são amplamente usadas e reconhecidas como métodos de troca, o Bitcoin representa uma inovação digital que propõe descentralização e autonomia financeira. Embora ambos desempenhem funções básicas como meio de troca e reserva de valor, suas diferenças principais estão na maneira como são emitidos, geridos e transacionados.

Uma das principais distinções entre o Bitcoin e as moedas fiduciárias é a maneira como são emitidos e administrados. As moedas fiduciárias são emitidas por bancos centrais, que têm o poder de regular sua quantidade em circulação. Esse modelo permite a aplicação de políticas monetárias, como o aumento da oferta de dinheiro para estimular a economia ou a diminuição para controlar a inflação. No entanto, essa capacidade também pode resultar na desvalorização da moeda, se for emitida em excesso.

O Bitcoin, por outro lado, tem um sistema de emissão totalmente descentralizado. Ele é criado por meio de um processo chamado mineração, no qual computadores resolvem problemas matemáticos complexos para validar transações na rede. Além disso, a oferta total de bitcoins é limitada a 21 milhões de unidades, tornando-o um ativo deflacionário, ou seja, sua escassez pode aumentar seu valor ao longo do tempo. Essa limitação contrasta fortemente com a natureza ilimitada da impressão de moedas fiduciárias.

Moedas fiduciárias são centralizadas, o que significa que sua emissão e controle são decididos por autoridades governamentais. Isso também implica que transações feitas com essas moedas passam por intermediários, como bancos, que podem aplicar taxas e limites, além de estarem sujeitos a regulamentações e auditorias.

O Bitcoin, por sua vez, é descentralizado. Ele opera em uma rede peer-to-peer, onde as transações são verificadas por participantes chamados mineradores e registradas em um livro público conhecido como blockchain. Essa descentralização elimina a necessidade de intermediários, tornando o Bitcoin mais resistente à censura e ao controle governamental. Isso também proporciona maior transparência, já que qualquer pessoa pode verificar as transações na rede.

Outra diferença importante está na maneira como as transações são feitas. Com moedas fiduciárias, as transações geralmente dependem de bancos ou sistemas de pagamento, que podem impor restrições de horários e taxas altas, especialmente para transferências internacionais.

O Bitcoin, por outro lado, permite transferências diretas entre pessoas, em qualquer lugar do mundo e a qualquer momento, sem a necessidade de intermediários. Isso torna o sistema mais acessível, especialmente para aqueles que não possuem contas bancárias ou vivem em países com sistemas financeiros restritivos. Além disso, as taxas de transação do Bitcoin podem ser menores do que as taxas cobradas por bancos tradicionais.

As moedas fiduciárias proporcionam segurança baseada em leis governamentais e no sistema bancário, mas os usuários precisam confiar nesses intermediários. O Bitcoin, em contrapartida, oferece um alto nível de segurança através de criptografia avançada. As carteiras digitais, que guardam bitcoins, são protegidas por chaves privadas, assegurando que somente o dono possa acessá-las.

No entanto, a privacidade funciona de maneira diferente. Transações em moedas fiduciárias normalmente estão ligadas à identidade do usuário, enquanto o Bitcoin oferece um certo nível de anonimato, já que os endereços das carteiras não requerem identificação pessoal. Ainda assim, todas as transações são públicas e registradas no blockchain, o que pode ser um ponto de monitoramento para autoridades.

O valor das moedas fiduciárias é sustentado pela confiança no governo que as emite e na economia do país. Por outro lado, o Bitcoin não é apoiado por nenhum governo ou ativo físico. Seu valor é definido pela oferta e demanda no mercado, fazendo com que seja altamente volátil. Embora essa volatilidade apresente um risco, também atrai pessoas que veem o Bitcoin como uma possibilidade de valorização a longo prazo.

Resumindo, o Bitcoin e as moedas fiduciárias diferem significativamente em sua estrutura, controle e funcionalidade. Enquanto as moedas fiduciárias são controladas por governos e dependem de intermediários, o Bitcoin oferece descentralização, transparência e liberdade financeira. Apesar de sua volatilidade e alguns desafios relacionados à regulamentação, o Bitcoin representa uma alternativa nova ao sistema financeiro tradicional.

Muito obrigado por teres lido o texto até aqui, espero que esteja tudo bem contigo e um abraço enorme do teu madeirense bitcoiner maximalista favorito. Viva a liberdade!

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Good morning (good night?)! The No Bullshit Bitcoin news feed is now available on Moody's Dashboard! A huge shoutout to sir Clark Moody for integrating our feed.

Headlines

• Spiral welcomes Ben Carman. The developer will work on the LDK server and a new SDK designed to simplify the onboarding process for new self-custodial Bitcoin users.

• The Bitcoin Dev Kit Foundation announced new corporate members for 2025, including AnchorWatch, CleanSpark, and Proton Foundation. The annual dues from these corporate members fund the small team of open-source developers responsible for maintaining the core BDK libraries and related free and open-source software (FOSS) projects.
• Strategy increases Bitcoin holdings to 538,200 BTC. In the latest purchase, the company has spent more than $555M to buy 6,556 coins through proceeds of two at-the-market stock offering programs.
• Spar supermarket experiments with Bitcoin payments in Zug, Switzerland. The store has introduced a new payment method powered by the Lightning Network. The implementation was facilitated by DFX Swiss, a service that supports seamless conversions between bitcoin and legacy currencies.

• The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) wants to contain 'crypto' risks. A report titled "Cryptocurrencies and Decentralised Finance: Functions and Financial Stability Implications" calls for expanding research into "how new forms of central bank money, capital controls, and taxation policies can counter the risks of widespread crypto adoption while still fostering technological innovation."
• "Global Implications of Scam Centres, Underground Banking, and Illicit Online Marketplaces in Southeast Asia." According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, criminal organizations from East and Southeast Asia are swiftly extending their global reach. These groups are moving beyond traditional scams and trafficking, creating sophisticated online networks that include unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges, encrypted communication platforms, and stablecoins, fueling a massive fraud economy on an industrial scale.
• Slovenia is considering a 25% capital gains tax on Bitcoin profits for individuals. The Ministry of Finance has proposed legislation to impose this tax on gains from cryptocurrency transactions, though exchanging one cryptocurrency for another would remain exempt. At present, individual 'crypto' traders in Slovenia are not taxed.
• Circle, BitGo, Coinbase, and Paxos plan to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, major crypto companies are planning to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. These firms are pursuing limited licenses that would permit them to issue stablecoins, as the U.S. Congress deliberates on legislation mandating licensing for stablecoin issuers.

"Established banks, like Bank of America, are hoping to amend the current drafts of [stablecoin] legislation in such a way that nonbanks are more heavily restricted from issuing stablecoins," people familiar with the matter told The Block.

• Charles Schwab to launch spot Bitcoin trading by 2026. The financial investment firm, managing over $10 trillion in assets, has revealed plans to introduce spot Bitcoin trading for its clients within the next year.

Use the tools

• Bitcoin Safe v1.2.3 expands QR SignMessage compatibility for all QR-UR-compatible hardware signers (SpecterDIY, KeyStone, Passport, Jade; already supported COLDCARD Q). It also adds the ability to import wallets via QR, ensuring compatibility with Keystone's latest firmware (2.0.6), alongside other improvements.
• Minibits v0.2.2-beta, an ecash wallet for Android devices, packages many changes to align the project with the planned iOS app release. New features and improvements include the ability to lock ecash to a receiver's pubkey, faster confirmations of ecash minting and payments thanks to WebSockets, UI-related fixes, and more.
• Zeus v0.11.0-alpha1 introduces Cashu wallets tied to embedded LND wallets. Navigate to Settings > Ecash to enable it. Other wallet types can still sweep funds from Cashu tokens. Zeus Pay now supports Cashu address types in Zaplocker, Cashu, and NWC modes.
• LNDg v1.10.0, an advanced web interface designed for analyzing Lightning Network Daemon (LND) data and automating node management tasks, introduces performance improvements, adds a new metrics page for unprofitable and stuck channels, and displays warnings for batch openings. The Profit and Loss Chart has been updated to include on-chain costs. Advanced settings have been added for users who would like their channel database size to be read remotely (the default remains local). Additionally, the AutoFees tool now uses aggregated pubkey metrics for multiple channels with the same peer.
• Nunchuk Desktop v1.9.45 release brings the latest bug fixes and improvements.
• Blockstream Green iOS v4.1.8 has renamed L-BTC to LBTC, and improves translations of notifications, login time, and background payments.
• Blockstream Green Android v4.1.8 has added language preference in App Settings and enables an Android data backup option for disaster recovery. Additionally, it fixes issues with Jade entry point PIN timeout and Trezor passphrase input.
• Torq v2.2.2, an advanced Lightning node management software designed to handle large nodes with over 1000 channels, fixes bugs that caused channel balance to not be updated in some cases and channel "peer total local balance" not getting updated.
• Stack Wallet v2.1.12, a multicoin wallet by Cypher Stack, fixes an issue with Xelis introduced in the latest release for Windows.
• ESP-Miner-NerdQAxePlus v1.0.29.1, a forked version from the NerdAxe miner that was modified for use on the NerdQAxe+, is now available.
• Zark enables sending sats to an npub using Bark.

• Erk is a novel variation of the Ark protocol that completely removes the need for user interactivity in rounds, addressing one of Ark's key limitations: the requirement for users to come online before their VTXOs expire.
• Aegis v0.1.1 is now available. It is a Nostr event signer app for iOS devices.
• Nostash is a NIP-07 Nostr signing extension for Safari. It is a fork of Nostore and is maintained by Terry Yiu. Available on iOS TestFlight.
• Amber v3.2.8, a Nostr event signer for Android, delivers the latest fixes and improvements.
• Nostur v1.20.0, a Nostr client for iOS, adds

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

News

• Spiral welcomes Ben Carman. The developer will work on the LDK server and a new SDK designed to simplify the onboarding process for new self-custodial Bitcoin users.
• Spiral renews support for Dan Gould and Joschisan. The organization has renewed support for Dan Gould, who is developing the Payjoin Dev Kit (PDK), and Joschisan, a Fedimint developer focused on simplifying federations.
• The Bitcoin Dev Kit Foundation announced new corporate members for 2025, including AnchorWatch, CleanSpark, and Proton Foundation. The annual dues from these corporate members fund the small team of open-source developers responsible for maintaining the core BDK libraries and related free and open-source software (FOSS) projects.
• The European Central Bank is pushing for amendments to the European Union's Markets in Crypto Assets legislation (MiCA), just months after its implementation. According to Politico's report on Tuesday, the ECB is concerned that U.S. support for cryptocurrency, particularly stablecoins, could cause economic harm to the 27-nation bloc.
• Slovenia is considering a 25% capital gains tax on Bitcoin profits for individuals. The Ministry of Finance has proposed legislation to impose this tax on gains from cryptocurrency transactions, though exchanging one cryptocurrency for another would remain exempt. At present, individual 'crypto' traders in Slovenia are not taxed.
• The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025 introduced in Kenya. The new legislation aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for licensing, regulating, and supervising virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with strict penalties for non-compliant entities.
• Circle, BitGo, Coinbase, and Paxos plan to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, major crypto companies are planning to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. These firms are pursuing limited licenses that would permit them to issue stablecoins, as the U.S. Congress deliberates on legislation mandating licensing for stablecoin issuers.

"Established banks, like Bank of America, are hoping to amend the current drafts of [stablecoin] legislation in such a way that nonbanks are more heavily restricted from issuing stablecoins," people familiar with the matter told The Block.

• Paul Atkins has officially assumed the role of the 34th Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is a return to the agency for Atkins, who previously served as an SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008 under the George W. Bush administration. He has committed to advancing the SEC’s mission of fostering capital formation, safeguarding investors, and ensuring fair and efficient markets.
• Federal Reserve retracts guidance discouraging banks from engaging in 'crypto.' The U.S. Federal Reserve withdrew guidance that discouraged banks from crypto and stablecoin activities, as announced by its Board of Governors on Thursday. This includes rescinding a 2022 supervisory letter requiring prior notification of crypto activities and 2023 stablecoin requirements.

"As a result, the Board will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks' crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process," reads the FED statement.

• Russian government to launch a cryptocurrency exchange. The country's Ministry of Finance and Central Bank announced plans to establish a trading platform for "highly qualified investors" that "will legalize crypto assets and bring crypto operations out of the shadows."
• Twenty One Capital is set to launch with over 42,000 BTC in its treasury. This new Bitcoin-native firm, backed by Tether and SoftBank, is planned to go public via a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners and will be led by Jack Mallers, co-founder and CEO of Strike. According to a report by the Financial Times, the company aims to replicate the model of Michael Saylor with his company, MicroStrategy.
• Strategy increases Bitcoin holdings to 538,200 BTC. In the latest purchase, the company has spent more than $555M to buy 6,556 coins through proceeds of two at-the-market stock offering programs.
• Metaplanet buys another 145 BTC. The Tokyo-listed company has purchased an additional 145 BTC for $13.6 million. Their total bitcoin holdings now stand at 5,000 coins, worth around $428.1 million.
• Semler Scientific has increased its bitcoin holdings to 3,303 BTC. The company acquired an additional 111 BTC at an average price of $90,124. The purchase was funded through proceeds from an at-the-market offering and cash reserves, as stated in a press release.
• Tesla still holds nearly $1 billion in bitcoin. According to the automaker's latest earnings report, the firm reported digital asset holdings worth $951 million as of March 31.
• Spar supermarket experiments with Bitcoin payments in Zug, Switzerland. The store has introduced a new payment method powered by the Lightning Network. The implementation was facilitated by DFX Swiss, a service that supports seamless conversions between bitcoin and legacy currencies.

• Charles Schwab to launch spot Bitcoin trading by 2026. The financial investment firm, managing over $10 trillion in assets, has revealed plans to introduce spot Bitcoin trading for its clients within the next year.
• Arch Labs has secured $13 million to develop "ArchVM" and integrate smart-contract functionality with Bitcoin. The funding round, valuing the company at $200 million, was led by Pantera Capital, as announced on Tuesday.
• Citrea deployed its Clementine Bridge on the Bitcoin testnet. The bridge utilizes the BitVM2 programming language to inherit validity from Bitcoin, allegedly providing "the safest and most trust-minimized way to use BTC in decentralized finance."
• UAE-based Islamic bank ruya launches Shari’ah-compliant bitcoin investing. The bank has become the world’s first Islamic bank to provide direct access to virtual asset investments, including Bitcoin, via its mobile app, per Bitcoin Magazine.
• Solosatoshi.com has sold over 10,000 open-source miners, adding more than 10 PH of hashpower to the Bitcoin network.

"Thank you, Bitaxe community. OSMU developers, your brilliance built this. Supporters, your belief drives us. Customers, your trust powers 10,000+ miners and 10PH globally. Together, we’re decentralizing Bitcoin’s future. Last but certainly not least, thank you@skot9000 for not only creating a freedom tool, but instilling the idea into thousands of people, that Bitcoin mining can be for everyone again," said the firm on X.

• OCEAN's DATUM has found 100 blocks. "Over 65% of OCEAN’s miners are using DATUM, and that number is growing every day. This means block template construction is making its way back into the hands of the miners, which is not only the most profitable

@ 90c656ff:9383fd4e

When people talk about Bitcoin, it’s often described as a digital currency or a “speculative investment.” However, one of Bitcoin’s most fundamental and least understood roles is its function as a settlement network. To understand this, it’s worth comparing it with traditional settlement systems like SWIFT and exploring how Bitcoin offers a foundational layer for global value transfer decentralized and censorship-resistant.

First, let’s explain the difference between liquidity and settlement:

• Liquidity refers to the ease with which an asset can be converted into “money” without losing value.

• Settlement is the process of completing a transaction (actual transfer of value between parties).

SWIFT: The communication layer of the traditional financial system

The SWIFT system (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is a network for communication between banks. It doesn’t move money directly but sends standardized messages that instruct financial institutions to perform transfers. The process involves multiple intermediaries, is costly, slow (can take days), and depends on trust between parties and local regulations.

Unlike SWIFT, Bitcoin is a self-sufficient network that enables the direct settlement of value between two parties, without the need for intermediaries. With each block mined, transactions are validated and recorded immutably in a global, transparent, and secure database: the timechain or "blockchain".

01 - Final settlement: Once a transaction is confirmed by a sufficient number of blocks, it is considered final and irreversible.

02 - Censorship resistance: There is no central entity that can block or reverse a valid transaction.

03 - Global availability: The network is accessible 24/7 anywhere in the world with internet access.

Just as gold once served as the foundation of monetary systems, Bitcoin is establishing itself as a base layer of digital value. This layer can support others, such as:

01 - The Lightning Network, which enables near-instant transactions with extremely low fees;

02 - Tokenized financial services, which can use Bitcoin as collateral or for inter-institutional settlement.

By functioning as a public and neutral settlement network, Bitcoin offers an alternative to the traditional system, which is fragmented, closed, and reliant on trust between institutions.

In summary, more than just a speculative asset, Bitcoin is emerging as a global financial infrastructure. As a settlement network, it removes intermediaries, reduces costs, increases security, and democratizes access to value transfer. In an increasingly interconnected and digital world, understanding Bitcoin’s role as a base layer may be key to understanding the future of money.

Thank you very much for reading this far. I hope everything is well with you, and sending a big hug from your favorite Bitcoiner maximalist from Madeira. Long live freedom!

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

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"Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy.  A private matter is something one doesn't want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn't want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world." - Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, 1993

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Privacy is essential to freedom. Without privacy, individuals are unable to make choices free from surveillance and control. Lack of privacy leads to loss of autonomy. When individuals are constantly monitored it limits our ability to express ourselves and take risks. Any decisions we make can result in negative repercussions from those who surveil us. Without the freedom to make choices, individuals cannot truly be free.

Freedom is essential to acquiring and preserving wealth. When individuals are not free to make choices, restrictions and limitations prevent us from economic opportunities. If we are somehow able to acquire wealth in such an environment, lack of freedom can result in direct asset seizure by governments or other malicious entities. At scale, when freedom is compromised, it leads to widespread economic stagnation and poverty. Protecting freedom is essential to economic prosperity.

The connection between privacy, freedom, and wealth is critical. Without privacy, individuals lose the freedom to make choices free from surveillance and control. While lack of freedom prevents individuals from pursuing economic opportunities and makes wealth preservation nearly impossible. No Privacy? No Freedom. No Freedom? No Wealth.

Rights are not granted. They are taken and defended. Rights are often misunderstood as permission to do something by those holding power. However, if someone can give you something, they can inherently take it from you at will. People throughout history have necessarily fought for basic rights, including privacy and freedom. These rights were not given by those in power, but rather demanded and won through struggle. Even after these rights are won, they must be continually defended to ensure that they are not taken away. Rights are not granted - they are earned through struggle and defended through sacrifice.

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So Much… and Still, Not Feeling It

So much abundance. It’s everywhere—overflowing around me. My six-year-old car would be a magical carriage to kings and queens of old. And yet, I get in, turn the key, and don’t often Feel The Magic.

Do I let myself feel how abundant life is? Eh. That does not come by default for me.

Adapting Is Normal. Savoring Is Not.

I adapt. I’m good at it. Weather shifts 40 degrees? No problem. A new location? I’ll adjust. And that’s useful—it keeps me moving. But it also numbs me. If I only adapt, life flattens out. That’s not thriving. That’s functioning.

Thriving, I’ve come to feel, asks for something more.

Our ancestors had rituals. They didn’t just adapt… they paused to feel the blessings, to name them. That created richness—not just survival. And today? I can have food delivered to my door. Are you a king? No—just have Amazon Prime.

Still, I want more than convenience. I want connection. To the food I eat. The flowers that bloom. The people I love. I want to feel that connection in my bones.

My Engineer Brain Doesn’t Celebrate

And yet, my mind often slips into improvement mode. I see what could be better. Smoother. More efficient. Useful? Sure. Celebratory? Not so much.

So I’ve started something: at the end of each day, when I look at my to-do list, I take a breath. I ask: what were the blessings today? Not just the big ones—because we adapt to those too. A new car? A new house? We get used to it. Quickly. But the micro-blessings… those are different.

My daughter’s laugh at a silly face I made yesterday. That memory settles deeper when I notice it and write it down. That’s a micro-blessing. I want to feel more of those.

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A New Practice, A Shift in Dreams

And after about 75 days of doing this nightly pause, I’m noticing something surprising: my dreams are changing. They’re weaving in those sweet, ordinary moments. They say, “Yes. Adapt. And also savor.”

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The Confusion Between Privilege and Blessing

But here’s something raw. Something I’ve hesitated to share.

I’m a white man. An older one. And I’ve been in spaces where “white male privilege” is spoken as a curse. I absorbed that. My body did. And it twisted something deep inside me. Because in my system, “privileged” and “blessing” are linked.

So I started feeling that feeling blessed was wrong. Like I should shrink from it. That it was unfair, maybe even immoral.

I’ve had to tap through that.

Is it okay to feel blessed? Not above anyone—but blessed to have food. Skill. Mobility. A car that works. Is it okay?

Yes.

I Don’t Want to Shrink or Perform

Scarcity and guilt are real energies, but I don’t want them steering my experience of life. I want to choose presence. Connection. I want to know in my body: I am blessed. And I can feel that without disconnecting from those who are struggling.

I don’t want to perform gratitude out of duty. But I also don’t want to avoid it out of shame.

Practicing Our Birthright

Abundance is our birthright. Many of us are born with protections our ancestors could barely dream of—shelter, clean water, safety from predators. And if we want to truly be thriving, not just surviving, it feels essential to practice remembering that.

Because adaptation will keep us alive.

But only conscious attention to blessings—only savoring—will let us thrive.

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Useful Concepts for Thriving in This Story

• Abundance\ Abundance is the felt experience of more-than-enoughness, when we pause to really receive what surrounds and sustains us.

• Adapting\ Adapting keeps us functional, but thriving asks us to adapt and engage with what truly nourishes us.

• Awareness\ Awareness brings the blessings into view—even the ones so small they almost disappear without it.

• Allowing\ Allowing lets us stay open to blessings, even when shame or guilt try to close the door.

• Thriving\ Thriving means more than surviving—it’s about feeling, savoring, and aligning with life’s richness.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

People forget Bear Stearns failed March 2008 - months of denial followed before the public realized how bad the situation was under the surface.

Similar happening now but much larger scale. They did not fix fundamental issues after 2008 - everything is more fragile.

The Fed preemptively bailed out every bank with their BTFP program and First Republic Bank still failed. The second largest bank failure in history.

There will be more failures. There will be more bailouts. Depositors will be "protected" by socializing losses across everyone.

Our President and mainstream financial pundits are currently pretending the banking crisis is over while most banks remain insolvent. There are going to be many more bank failures as this ponzi system unravels.

Unlike 2008, we have the ability to opt out of these broken and corrupt institutions by using bitcoin. Bitcoin held in self custody is unique in its lack of counterparty risk - you do not have to trust a bank or other centralized entity to hold it for you. Bitcoin is also incredibly difficult to change by design since it is not controlled by an individual, company, or government - the supply of dollars will inevitably be inflated to bailout these failing banks but bitcoin supply will remain unchanged. I do not need to convince you that bitcoin provides value - these next few years will convince millions.

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Headlines

• Spiral renews support for Dan Gould and Joschisan. The organization has renewed support for Dan Gould, who is developing the Payjoin Dev Kit (PDK), and Joschisan, a Fedimint developer focused on simplifying federations.
• Metaplanet buys another 145 BTC. The Tokyo-listed company has purchased an additional 145 BTC for $13.6 million. Their total bitcoin holdings now stand at 5,000 coins, worth around $428.1 million.
• Semler Scientific has increased its bitcoin holdings to 3,303 BTC. The company acquired an additional 111 BTC at an average price of $90,124. The purchase was funded through proceeds from an at-the-market offering and cash reserves, as stated in a press release.
• The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025 introduced in Kenya. The new legislation aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for licensing, regulating, and supervising virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with strict penalties for non-compliant entities.
• Russian government to launch a cryptocurrency exchange. The country's Ministry of Finance and Central Bank announced plans to establish a trading platform for "highly qualified investors" that "will legalize crypto assets and bring crypto operations out of the shadows."
• All virtual asset service providers expect to be fully compliant with the Travel Rule by the end of 2025. A survey by financial surveillance specialist Notabene reveals that 90% of virtual asset service providers (VASPs) expect full Travel Rule compliance by mid-2025, with all aiming for compliance by year-end. The survey also shows a significant rise in VASPs blocking withdrawals until beneficiary information is confirmed, increasing from 2.9% in 2024 to 15.4% now. Additionally, about 20% of VASPs return deposits if originator data is missing.
• UN claims Bitcoin mining is a "powerful tool" for money laundering. The Rage's analysis suggests that the recent United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report on crime in South-East Asia makes little sense and hints at the potential introduction of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures at the mining level.
• Riot Platforms has obtained a $100 million credit facility from Coinbase Credit, using bitcoin as collateral for short-term funding to support its expansion. The firm's CEO, Jason Les, stated that this facility is crucial for diversifying financing sources and driving long-term stockholder value through strategic growth initiatives.
• Bitdeer raises $179M in loans and equity amid Bitcoin chip push. The Miner Mag reports that Bitdeer entered into a loan agreement with its affiliate Matrixport for up to $200 million in April, as disclosed in its annual report filed on Monday.
• Federal Reserve retracts guidance discouraging banks from engaging in 'crypto.' The U.S. Federal Reserve withdrew guidance that discouraged banks from crypto and stablecoin activities, as announced by its Board of Governors on Thursday. This includes rescinding a 2022 supervisory letter requiring prior notification of crypto activities and 2023 stablecoin requirements.

"As a result, the Board will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks' crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process," reads the FED statement.

• UAE-based Islamic bank ruya launches Shari’ah-compliant bitcoin investing. The bank has become the world’s first Islamic bank to provide direct access to virtual asset investments, including Bitcoin, via its mobile app, per Bitcoin Magazine.
• U.S. 'crypto' scam losses amounted to $9.3B in 2024. The US The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reported $9.3 billion losses in cryptocurrency-related scams in 2024, noting a troubling trend of scams targeting older Americans, which accounted for over $2.8 billion of those losses.

Source: FBI.

• North Korean hackers establish fake companies to target 'crypto' developers. Silent Push researchers reported that hackers linked to the Lazarus Group created three shell companies, two of which are based in the U.S., with the objective of spreading malware through deceptive job interview scams aimed at individuals seeking jobs in cryptocurrency companies.
• Citrea deployed its Clementine Bridge on the Bitcoin testnet. The bridge utilizes the BitVM2 programming language to inherit validity from Bitcoin, allegedly providing "the safest and most trust-minimized way to use BTC in decentralized finance."
• Hesperides University offers a Master’s degree in Bitcoin. Bitcoin Magazine reports the launch of the first-ever Spanish-language Master’s program dedicated exclusively to Bitcoin. Starting April 28, 2025, this fully online program will equip professionals with technical, economic, legal, and philosophical skills to excel in the Bitcoin era.
• BTC in D.C. event is set to take place on September 30 - October 1 in Washington, D.C. Learn more about this initiative here.

Use the tools

• Bitcoin Keeper just got a new look. Version 2.2.0 of the mobile multisig app brought a new branding design, along with a Keeper Private tier, testnet support, ability to import and export BIP-329 labels, and the option to use a Server Key with multiple users.
  • Earlier this month the project also announced Keeper Learn service, offering clear and guided Bitcoin learning sessions for both groups and individuals.
• Keeper Desktop v0.2.2, a companion desktop app for Bitcoin Keeper mobile app, received a renewed branding update, too.

The evolution of Bitcoin Keeper logo. Source: BitHyve blog.

• Blockstream Green Desktop v2.0.25 updates GDK to v0.75.1 and fixes amount parsing issues when switching from fiat denomination to Liquid asset.
• Lightning Loop v0.31.0-beta enhances the loop listswaps command by improving the ability to filter the response.
• Lightning-kmp v1.10.0, an implementation of the Lightning Network in Kotlin, is now available.
• LND v0.19.0-beta.rc3, the latest beta release candidate of LND is now ready for testing.
• ZEUS v0.11.0-alpha2 is now available for testing, too. It's nuts.
• JoinMarket Fidelity Bond Simulator helps potential JoinMarket makers evaluate their competitive position in the market based on fidelity bonds.
• UTXOscope is a text-only Bitcoin blockchain analysis tool that visualizes price dynamics using only on-chain data. The

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Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

• This release introduces Payjoin v2 functionality to Bitcoin wallets on Cake, along with several UI/UX improvements and bug fixes.
• The Payjoin v2 protocol enables asynchronous, serverless coordination between sender and receiver, removing the need to be online simultaneously or maintain a server. This simplifies privacy-focused transactions for regular users.

"I cannot speak highly enough of how amazing it has been to work with @bitgould and Jaad from the@payjoindevkit team, they're doing incredible work. None of this would be possible without them and their tireless efforts. PDK made it so much easier to ship Payjoin v2 than it would have been otherwise, and I can't wait to see other wallets jump in and give back to PDK as they implement it like we did," said Seth For Privacy, VP at Cake Wallet.

How to started with Payjoin in Cake Wallet:

1. Open the app menu sidebar and click Privacy.
2. Toggle the Use Payjoin option.
3. Now on your receive screen you'll see an option to copy a Payjoin URL

• Bull Bitcoin Wallet v0.4.0 introduced Payjoin v2 support in late December 2024. However, the current implementations are not interoperable at the moment, an issue that should be addressed in the next release of the Bull Bitcoin Wallet.

• Cake Wallet was one of the first wallets to introduce Silent Payments back in May 2024. However, users may encounter sync issues while using this feature at present, which will be resolved in the next release of Cake Wallet.

What's new

• Payjoin v2 implementation.
• Wallet group improvements: Enhanced management of multiple wallets.
• Various bug fixes: improving overall stability and user experience.
• Monero (XMR) enhancements.

Learn more about using, implementing, and understanding BIP 77: Payjoin Version 2 using the payjoin crate in Payjoin Dev Kit here.

Announcement
Blog Post / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

Good morning.

It looks like PacWest will fail today. It will be both the fifth largest bank failure in US history and the sixth major bank to fail this year. It will likely get purchased by one of the big four banks in a government orchestrated sale.  

March 8th - Silvergate Bank
March 10th - Silicon Valley Bank
March 12th - Signature Bank
March 19th - Credit Suisse
May 1st - First Republic Bank
May 4th - PacWest Bank?

PacWest is the first of many small regional banks that will go under this year. Most will get bought by the big four in gov orchestrated sales. This has been the playbook since 2008. Follow the incentives. Massive consolidation across the banking industry. PacWest gonna be a drop in the bucket compared to what comes next.

First, a hastened government led bank consolidation, then a public/private partnership with the remaining large banks to launch a surveilled and controlled digital currency network. We will be told it is more convenient. We will be told it is safer. We will be told it will prevent future bank runs. All of that is marketing bullshit. The goal is greater control of money. The ability to choose how we spend it and how we save it. If you control the money - you control the people that use it.

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@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

LAS VEGAS, May 28 2025 — Blockstream, the global leader in Bitcoin-powered financial infrastructure, has today revealed its strategic vision to support Bitcoin’s next pivotal phase of growth, building on over a decade of pioneering work at the forefront of Bitcoin innovation. 

Unveiled in a keynote by Blockstream Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Adam Back at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas and anchored by a bold new tagline, The Future of Finance Runs on Bitcoin, the vision introduces a clear framework based on three core business units—Consumer, Enterprise and Blockstream Asset Management (BAM).

This framework represents a unified approach to onboarding users across the rapidly growing Bitcoin economy, from individuals to institutions.

“The past year has shown clearly that Bitcoin no longer sits on the margins of the global financial system—it is rapidly becoming the foundation,” said Dr. Back.

“Our vision is simple: The Future of Finance Runs on Bitcoin. Guided by this idea, Blockstream is working hard to build the vertically integrated platform to support that transition, from individual self-custody to enterprise-scale asset issuance and regulated investment products.”

A New Era for Bitcoin-Native Finance

According to crypto ETF analytics platform SoSoValue, Bitcoin has attracted over $41 billion in net ETF inflows alone since the launch of U.S. spot ETFs in early 2024, led by major institutions such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and Franklin Templeton.

At the same time, New Hampshire and Arizona have become the first U.S. states to pursue Strategic Bitcoin Reserves and the number of corporate treasuries holding bitcoin continues to climb.

With a market cap of just over $2 trillion and trillions settled annually on-chain, Bitcoin’s role as a legitimate financial layer is becoming increasingly clear, hastening the need for scalable infrastructure.

Blockstream has been building that infrastructure for over a decade.

Founded in 2014 by Dr. Adam Back—inventor of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work (PoW) mechanism—the company has focused from the outset on expanding Bitcoin’s functionality without compromising its foundational principles.

Blockstream Research, led by renowned cryptographer Andrew Poelstra, is a key contributor to Bitcoin Core and drives advances in applied cryptography and protocol development. 

On the product side, Blockstream maintains Core Lightning (CLN) for scalable payments, the Liquid Network and Blocksteam Asset Management Platform (AMP) for tokenized asset issuance and settlement, as well as self-custody tools including the open-source Jade hardware wallet.

The All-New Blockstream App—Self Custody on Your Terms

Headlining today’s keynote was the launch of the all-new Blockstream app—a streamlined, self-custodial experience that lets users buy bitcoin and secure it immediately in their own wallet.

Built on the foundation of the trusted Blockstream Green wallet, the updated app offers seamless support for managing bitcoin and Liquid assets within a redesigned interface tailored to both new and experienced users.

The Blockstream app is designed to make onboarding intuitive from day one, minimizing friction while staying true to the principles of self-custody.

Users can begin simply and gradually adopt more advanced features at their own pace—including hardware signing and air-gapped transactions with the Blockstream Jade.

Current Blockstream Green users will find all existing functionality preserved within the redesigned interface.

With support for 31 languages, the app makes Bitcoin accessible to anyone with a smartphone, opening the door to secure, sovereign finance worldwide

“The new Blockstream app isn’t just a wallet,” said Peter Bain, VP of Consumer Products at Blockstream.

“It’s a gateway to the full power of Bitcoin—enabling secure savings, fast payments, and seamless management of tokenized assets, all within an intuitive interface designed for both newcomers and hardcore bitcoiners.”

Blockstream Enterprise: Bitcoin-Native Financial Infrastructure

Dr. Back also used his keynote to highlight the growing importance of Blockstream Enterprise, the company’s evolving platform for corporations, governments and participants across the broader financial sector.

Underpinned by the Liquid Network and Blockstream AMP, the platform enables secure asset issuance, as well as treasury and balance sheet management.

It also facilitates integration with custodians, exchanges and core financial systems via industry-standard FIX and REST APIs.

With the first iteration of AMP already available and additional features rolling out over time, the platform builds on Liquid’s momentum, which recently surpassed $3.27 billion in total value locked (TVL).

In doing so, it provides a Bitcoin-native foundation for tokenization and institutional settlement focused on regulated custody, compliant off-exchange settlement, and programmable financial instruments.

“As capital markets evolve, businesses, institutions, and governments will need infrastructure that is secure, programmable and built directly on Bitcoin’s rapidly growing network,” said Dr. Back.

“Blockstream Enterprise brings that infrastructure together—enabling asset issuance, management, and settlement on Liquid, Bitcoin’s first and most battle-tested sidechain.”

Unifying Consumer, Enterprise, and Institutional Products

Today’s keynote marks a strategic inflection point, aligning Blockstream’s efforts across the three market segments it serves.

In 2024, the company raised $210 million to accelerate development and launched Blockstream Asset Management (BAM), a dedicated division focused on institutional-grade Bitcoin investment products.

The company has also deepened collaborations with regulated custodians, corporate treasuries and financial service providers to support the integration of Liquid and AMP into existing financial infrastructure.

The Future of Finance Runs on Bitcoin

The vision laid out by Dr. Back reflects Blockstream’s conviction that Bitcoin is no longer just a $2 trillion asset class but a settlement layer, a development platform, and the most credible foundation for building the next financial system.

“The financial world is waking up to what we’ve known for years,” said Dr. Back. “Bitcoin is here to stay —and it’s never been easier to build on it.”

“From first-time users to trillion-dollar institutions, our aim is to give everyone the tools to participate in this new economy, with the transparency, security and resilience that only Bitcoin can provide.”

To learn more visit Booth 2121 at Bitcoin 2025 or visit www.blockstream.com.

Download the new Blockstream app today and take control of your bitcoin—on your terms.

Institutions, enterprises, and governments interested in building on Bitcoin with Liquid and AMP can connect with the Blockstream team directly at business@blockstream.com.

Media contact:
Edward Moore – Head of PR, Blockstream
emoore@blockstream.com

About Blockstream

Founded in 2014, Blockstream is a global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain infrastructure, with offices and team members distributed around the world. 

Serving as the technology provider for the Liquid Network, Blockstream offers a sidechain solution that enables secure, trustless Bitcoin swap settlements and robust smart contracts, empowering financial institutions to tokenize assets efficiently. 

The company’s Core Lightning is a leading implementation of the open Lightning Network protocol, widely adopted for enterprise Bitcoin Lightning Network deployments.

Blockstream Jade, an open-source hardware wallet, delivers advanced security for Bitcoin and Liquid assets in an easy-to-use form factor.

For consumers, Blockstream app is a highly secure and user-friendly Bitcoin wallet.

​​Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding the expected launch timeline of the Blockstream Enterprise platform and time to market of Blockstream Asset Management products. 

Other “forward looking statements” may, without limitation, include statements that are preceded by, followed by, or include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “foresees,” or similar expressions, and other statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts.

_Actual results may differ materially due to regulatory developments, competition from other hardware and technology services providers (in the case of Jade and the app) and both traditional finance and crypto native managers (in the case of BAM), market conditions and other risks. Actual results may differ materially. Blockstream undertakes no oblig

@ e2c72a5a:bfacb2ee

Think crypto analytics is just charts and graphs? Wrong. It's a crystal ball for savvy investors.

Analytics in crypto decodes blockchain data revealing hidden trends. It transforms complex data into actionable insights. Basic concepts include on chain metrics, sentiment analysis, and trading volume. Real world applications range from fraud detection to predicting price movements.

Current trends emphasize DeFi analytics and cross chain data aggregation. Best practices involve using multiple data sources and verifying information. A common misconception is that analytics guarantees profits. It only enhances decision making.

Institutional investors are diving deep into on chain analytics. Stablecoins are disrupting payments. Layer 2 solutions are leading the way.

Ready to see the future? What hidden patterns will you uncover?

@ 20e7c953:3b8bcb21

21… That number means something. A reminder that limits create value - both in Bitcoin and in life.

Every June 21st, skaters around the world remind us that freedom is something you make yourself - one push at a time only constrained by your own limitations.

This year in Vientiane, we’re proud to support one of the few real skate spots in Laos. A place built and held together by skaters for skaters.

Expect around 50 locals - from young kids to older heads - showing up not just to skate, but to hold space for each other. No ego, no filters, just boards, fun and respect.

Bircoiners have lots to learn from these communities on this regard. Go skate and you'll find out.

SnF

Laostr

Skateboardingisfun

Skate4Fun

Skatestr

@ c1e9ab3a:9cb56b43

1. Introduction

Over the last 250 years the world’s appetite for energy has soared along an unmistakably exponential trajectory, transforming societies and economies alike. After a half‑century of relative deceleration, a new mix of technological, demographic and political forces now hints at an impending catch‑up phase that could push demand back onto its centuries‑long growth curve. This post knits together the history, the numbers and the newest policy signals to explore what that rebound might look like—and how Gen‑4 nuclear power could meet it.

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2. The Long Exponential: 1750 – 1975

Early industrialisation replaced muscle, wood and water with coal‑fired steam, pushing global primary energy use from a few exajoules per year in 1750 to roughly 60 EJ by 1900 and 250 EJ by 1975. Over that span aggregate consumption doubled roughly every 25–35 years, equivalent to a long‑run compound growth rate of ~3 % yr‑¹. Per‑capita use climbed even faster in industrialised economies as factories, railways and electric lighting spread.

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3. 1975 – 2025: The Great Slowdown

3.1 Efficiency & Structural Change

• Oil shocks (1973, 1979) and volatile prices pushed OECD economies to squeeze more GDP from each joule.
• Services displaced heavy industry in rich countries, trimming energy intensity.
• Refrigerators, motors and vehicles became dramatically more efficient.

3.2 Policy & Technology

• The Inflation Reduction Act (U.S.) now layers zero‑emission production credits and technology‑neutral tax incentives on top of existing nuclear PTCs citeturn1search0turn1search2.
• The EU’s Net‑Zero Industry Act aims to streamline siting and finance for “net‑zero technologies”, explicitly naming advanced nuclear citeturn0search1.

3.3 Result

Global primary energy in 2024 stands near 600 EJ (≈ 167 000 TWh)—still growing, but the line has flattened versus the pre‑1975 exponential.

---

4. Population & Per‑Capita Demand

World population tripled between 1950 and today, yet total energy use grew roughly six‑fold. The imbalance reflects rising living standards and electrification. Looking ahead, the UN projects population to plateau near 10.4 billion in the 2080s, but per‑capita demand is poised to climb as the Global South industrialises.

---

5. The Policy Pivot of 2023‑2025

| Region | Signal | Year | Implication | |--------|--------|------|-------------| | COP 28 Declaration | 20+ nations pledge to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 | 2023 | High‑level political cover for rapid nuclear build‑out citeturn0search2 | | Europe | Post‑crisis sentiment shifts; blackout in Iberia re‑opens nuclear debate | 2025 | Spain, Germany, Switzerland and others revisit phase‑outs citeturn0news63 | | United States | TVA submits first SMR construction permit; NRC advances BWRX‑300 review | 2025 | Regulatory pathway for fleet deployment citeturn1search9turn1search1 | | Global Strategy Report | “Six Dimensions for Success” playbook for new nuclear entrants | 2025 | Practical roadmap for emerging economies citeturn0search0 | | U.S. Congress | Proposed cuts to DOE loan office threaten build‑out pace | 2025 | Finance bottleneck remains a risk citeturn1news28 |

---

6. The Catch‑Up Scenario

Suppose the recent 50‑year pause ends in 2025, and total energy demand returns to a midpoint historical doubling period of 12.5 years (the average of the 10–15 year rebound window).

6.1 Consumption Trajectory

| Year | Doublings since 2024 | Demand (TWh) | |------|----------------------|--------------| | 2024 | 0 | 167 000 | | 2037 | 1 | 334 000 | | 2050 | 2 | 668 000 | | 2062 | 3 | 1 336 000 |

(Table ignores efficiency gains from electrification for a conservative, supply‑side sizing.)

---

7. Nuclear‑Only Supply Model

7.1 Reactor Math

• 1 GWᵉ Gen‑4 reactor → 8.76 TWh yr‑¹ at 100 % capacity factor.
• 2062 requirement: 1 336 000 TWh yr‑¹ → ≈ 152 500 reactors in steady state.
• Build rate (2025‑2062, linear deployment):
  152 500 ÷ 38 years ≈ 4 000 reactors per year globally.

(Down from the earlier 5 000 yr‑¹ estimate because the deployment window now stretches 38 years instead of 30.)

7.2 Policy Benchmarks

• COP 28 triple target translates to +780 GW (if baseline 2020 ≈ 390 GW). That is <100 1 GW units per year—two orders of magnitude lower than the theoretical catch‑up requirement, highlighting just how aggressive our thought experiment is.

7.3 Distributed vs Grid‑Centric

Small Modular Reactors (300 MW class) can be sited on retiring coal plants, using existing grid interconnects and cooling, vastly reducing new transmission needs. Ultra‑large “gigawatt corridors” become optional rather than mandatory, though meshed regional grids still improve resilience and market liquidity.

---

8. Challenges & Unknowns

1. Finance: Even with IRA‑style credits, first‑of‑a‑kind Gen‑4 builds carry high cost of capital.
2. Supply Chain: 4 000 reactors a year means a reactor‑grade steel output roughly 20× today’s level.
3. Waste & Public Trust: Advanced reactors can burn actinides, but geologic repositories remain essential.
4. Workforce: Nuclear engineers, welders and regulators are already in short supply.
5. Competing Technologies: Cheap renewables + storage and prospective fusion could displace part of the projected load.

---

9. Conclusions

Recent policy shifts—from Europe’s Net‑Zero Industry Act to the COP 28 nuclear declaration—signal that governments once again see nuclear energy as indispensable to deep decarbonisation. Yet meeting an exponential catch‑up in demand would require deployment rates an order of magnitude beyond today’s commitments, testing manufacturing capacity, finance and political resolve.

Whether the future follows the modest path now embedded in policy or the steeper curve sketched here, two convictions stand out:

• Electrification will dominate new energy demand.
• Scalable, dispatchable low‑carbon generation—likely including large fleets of Gen‑4 fission plants—must fill much of that gap if net‑zero targets are to remain credible.

---

Last updated 1 June 2025.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

When Sergei talks about bitcoin, he doesn’t sound like someone chasing profits or followers. He sounds like someone about to build a monastery in the ruins.

While the mainstream world chases headlines and hype, Sergei shows up in local meetups from Sacramento to Cleveland, mentors curious minds, and shares what he knows is true – hoping that, with the right spark, someone will light their own way forward.

We interviewed Sergei to trace his steps: where he started, what keeps him going, and why teaching bitcoin is far more than explaining how to set up a node – it’s about reaching the right minds before the noise consumes them. So we began where most journeys start: at the beginning.

First Steps

• So, where did it all begin for you and what made you stay curious?

I first heard about bitcoin from a friend’s book recommendation, American Kingpin, the book about Silk Road (online drug marketplace). He is still not a true bitcoiner, although I helped him secure private keys with some bitcoin.

I was really busy at the time – focused on my school curriculum, running a 7-bedroom Airbnb, and working for a standardized test prep company. Bitcoin seemed too technical for me to explore, and the pace of my work left no time for it.

After graduating, while pursuing more training, I started playing around with stocks and maximizing my savings. Passive income seemed like the path to early retirement, as per the promise of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). I mostly followed the mainstream news and my mentor’s advice – he liked preferred stocks at the time.

I had some Coinbase IOUs and remember sending bitcoin within the Coinbase ledger to a couple friends. I also recall the 2018 crash; I actually saw the legendary price spike live but couldn’t benefit because my funds were stuck amidst the frenzy. I withdrew from that investment completely for some time. Thankfully, my mentor advised to keep en eye on bitcoin.

Around late 2019, I started DCA-ing cautiously. Additionally, my friend and I were discussing famous billionaires, and how there was no curriculum for becoming a billionaire. So, I typed “billionaires” into my podcast app, and landed on We Study Billionaires podcast.

That’s where I kept hearing Preston Pysh mention bitcoin, before splitting into his own podcast series, Bitcoin Fundamentals. I didn’t understand most of the terminology of stocks, bonds, etc, yet I kept listening and trying to absorb it thru repetition. Today, I realize all that financial talk was mostly noise.

When people ask me for a technical explanation of fiat, I say: it’s all made up, just like the fiat price of bitcoin! Starting in 2020, during the so-called pandemic, I dove deeper. I religiously read Bitcoin Magazine, scrolled thru Bitcoin Twitter, and joined Simply Bitcoin Telegram group back when DarthCoin was an admin.

DarthCoin was my favorite bitcoiner – experienced, knowledgeable, and unapologetic. Watching him shift from rage to kindness, from passion to despair, gave me a glimpse at what a true educator’s journey would look like.

The struggle isn’t about adoption at scale anymore. It’s about reaching the few who are willing to study, take risks, and stay out of fiat traps. The vast majority won’t follow that example – not yet at least… if I start telling others the requirements for true freedom and prosperity, they would certainly say “Hell no!”

• At what point did you start teaching others, and why?

After college, I helped teach at a standardized test preparation company, and mentored some students one-on-one. I even tried working at a kindergarten briefly, but left quickly; Babysitting is not teaching.

What I discovered is that those who will succeed don’t really need my help – they would succeed with or without me, because they already have the inner drive.

Once you realize your people are perishing for lack of knowledge, the only rational thing to do is help raise their level of knowledge and understanding. That’s the Great Work.

I sometimes imagine myself as a political prisoner. If that were to happen, I’d probably start teaching fellow prisoners, doctors, janitors, even guards. In a way we already live in an open-air prison, So what else is there to do but teach, organize, and conspire to dismantle the Matrix?

Building on Bitcoin

• You hosted some in-person meetups in Sacramento. What did you learn from those?

My first presentation was on MultiSig storage with SeedSigner, and submarine swaps through Boltz.exchange.

I realized quickly that I had overestimated the group’s technical background. Even the meetup organizer, a financial advisor, asked, “How is anyone supposed to follow these steps?” I responded that reading was required… He decided that Unchained is an easier way.

At a crypto meetup, I gave a much simpler talk, outlining how bitcoin will save the world, based on a DarthCoin’s guide. Only one person stuck around to ask questions – a man who seemed a little out there, and did not really seem to get the message beyond the strength of cryptographic security of bitcoin.

Again, I overestimated the audience’s readiness. That forced me to rethink my strategy. People are extremely early and reluctant to study.

• Now in Ohio, you hold sessions via the Orange Pill App. What’s changed?

My new motto is: educate the educators. The corollary is: don’t orange-pill stupid normies (as DarthCoin puts it).

I’ve shifted to small, technical sessions in order to raise a few solid guardians of this esoteric knowledge who really get it and can carry it forward.

The youngest attendee at one of my sessions is a newborn baby – he mostly sleeps, but maybe he still absorbs some of the educational vibes.

• How do local groups like Sactown and Cleveland Bitcoiners influence your work?

Every meetup reflects its local culture. Sacramento and Bay Area Bitcoiners, for example, do camping trips – once we camped through a desert storm, shielding our burgers from sand while others went to shoot guns.

Cleveland Bitcoiners are different. They amass large gatherings. They recently threw a 100k party. They do a bit more community outreach. Some are curious about the esoteric topics such as jurisdiction, spirituality, and healthful living.

I have no permanent allegiance to any state, race, or group. I go where I can teach and learn. I anticipate that in my next phase, I’ll meet Bitcoiners so advanced that I’ll have to give up my fiat job and focus full-time on serious projects where real health and wealth are on the line.

Hopefully, I’ll be ready. I believe the universe always challenges you exactly to your limit – no less, no more.

• What do people struggle with the most when it comes to technical education?

The biggest struggle isn’t technical – it’s a lack of deep curiosity. People ask “how” and “what” – how do I set up a node, what should one do with the lightning channels? But very few ask “why?”

Why does on-chain bitcoin not contribute to the circular economy? Why is it essential to run Lightning? Why did humanity fall into mental enslavement in the first place?

I’d rather teach two-year-olds who constantly ask “why” than adults who ask how to flip a profit. What worries me most is that most two-year-olds will grow up asking state-funded AI bots for answers and live according to its recommendations.

• One Cleveland Bitcoiner shows up at gold bug meetups. How valuable is face-to-face education?

I don’t think the older generation is going to reverse the current human condition. Most of them have been under mind control for too long, and they just don’t have the attention span to study and change their ways.

They’re better off stacking gold and helping fund their grandkids’ education. If I were to focus on a demographic, I’d go for teenagers – high school age – because by college, the indoctrination is usually too strong, and they’re chasing fiat mastery.

As for the gold bug meetup? Perhaps one day I will show up with a ukulele to sing some bitcoin-themed songs. Seniors love such entertainment.

• How do you choose what to focus on in your sessions, especially for different types of learners?

I don’t come in with a rigid agenda. I’ve collected a massive library of resources over the years and never stopped reading. My browser tab and folder count are exploding.

At the meetup, people share questions or topics they’re curious about, then I take that home, do my homework, and bring back a session based on those themes. I give them the key takeaways, plus where to dive deeper.

Most people won’t – or can’t – study the way I do, and I expect attendees to put in the work. I suspect that it’s more important to reach those who want to learn but don’t know how, the so-called nescient (not knowing), rather than the ignorant.

There are way too many ignorant bitcoiners, so my mission is to find those who are curious what’s beyond the facade of fake reality and superficial promises.

That naturally means that fewer people show up, and that’s fine. I’m not here for the crowds; I’m here to educate the educators. One bitcoiner who came decided to branch off into self-custody sessions and that’s awesome. Personally, I’m much more focused on Lightning.

I want to see broader adoption of tools like auth, sign-message, NWC, and LSPs. Next month, I’m going deep into eCash solutions, because let’s face it – most newcomers won’t be able to afford their own UTXO or open a lightning channel; additionally, it has to be fun and easy for them to transact sats, otherwise they won’t do it. Additionally, they’ll need to rely on

@ 2cde0e02:180a96b9

pen & ink; monochromized

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón[a] (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈfɾiða ˈkalo]; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954[1]) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society.[2] Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist.[3] She is also known for painting about her experience of chronic pain.[4]

wikipedia

https://stacker.news/items/997980