21 in 21

21 in 21: Linn Bieske on Hack-Nation and Building Global AI Communities

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:05:59 GMT

Linn Bieske, Co-Lead of the AI & Technology Track at the MIT Club of Northern California (CNC), AI Product Manager, and Co-Founder of Hack-Nation, joins Haley Berkoe on 21 in 21. They discuss the upcoming Hack-Nation event on April 25 and Spiral’s sponsored challenge exploring what becomes possible when AI agents can earn using the Lightning Network. Linn also shares her perspective on what motivates today’s AI builders, how to design experiences that lead to something more lasting than a 24-hour sprint, and why community and collaboration matter so much.

Apply by April 19 to join the upcoming hackathon, or follow along for the next one.

https://hack-nation.ai/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/linn-bieske-189b9b138/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hack-nation/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

https://spiral.xyz/

21 in 21: Rainey Reitman on Transaction Denied and Financial Censorship

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:46:33 GMT

Rainey Reitman joins 21 in 21 for a conversation on financial censorship, free speech, and her new book, Transaction Denied: Big Finance’s Power to Punish Speech. Rainey co-founded Freedom of the Press Foundation and serves on the board as president. She also spent 11 years at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, first as Activism Director and later as Chief Program Officer.

Drawing on years of work in civil liberties advocacy, Rainey explains how lawful speech can still lead to frozen accounts, denied payments, and exclusion from the financial system. She also shares how these issues connect to journalism, whistleblowers, privacy, and Bitcoin’s promise, and limits, as a censorship-resistant tool.

Links to Book:

Amazon: https://a.co/d/04WK0Qek

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/transaction-denied-big-finance-s-power-to-punish-speech

Audio: https://www.audible.com/pd/Transaction-Denied-Audiobook/B0FJZRQXXR?source_code=AUDORWS0718179KY7

A portion of every book sale goes to support Freedom of the Press Foundation.

“In her timely and necessary book, Reitman illuminates the shocking and widespread censorship exerted by the American banking system, details how Orwellian financial surveillance and control has become the norm, and makes a powerful case for why we must push for change if we want to preserve freedom and privacy in the 21st century.”

— Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer, Human Rights Foundation

Follow:

https://x.com/RaineyReitman

https://x.com/FreedomofPress

21 in 21: Michael Saylor on Bitcoin, AI, and Advice for Builders

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:53:39 GMT

Michael Saylor joined Haley Berkoe on 21 in 21 for a rapid-fire conversation on bitcoin, AI, and what’s coming next. He shares what’s top of mind for 2026, why he sees this year as a major turning point, and how he thinks bitcoin could evolve as digital capital beneath new layers of credit and currency.

Then, Saylor gets into how AI will radically transform civilization, and how that shift could make bitcoin even more important in a world where autonomous agents need to transact constantly with digital capital. He points to Strategy’s use of AI in creating digital credit products like Stretch (STRC), and shares the kinds of bitcoin products he hopes to see, from deeper integration into everyday technology to applications powered by bitcoin.

Saylor emphasizes that we’re entering one of the most fertile periods ever for building, and encourages builders and young people to spend a lot of time learning AI tools and continually pushing themselves to create something new and useful. There are also a few fun detours into MIT prank stories and the AI-generated X profile images he’s become known for.

Follow:

https://x.com/saylor

https://x.com/HBerkoe

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

Links:

https://www.michael.com

https://www.hope.com

https://www.uncute.com/products/here-comes-bitcoin

21 in 21: Andi Pitt on Bitcoin Venture, AI, and Cognitive Sovereignty

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:25 GMT

Andi Pitt of Ego Death Capital joined me on 21 in 21 to talk about the rise of new startups in the bitcoin ecosystem, how the funding landscape has changed, and the growing intersection of bitcoin and AI. She also shares what she looks for in founders and offers advice for launching a startup. Beyond venture, Andi discusses her recent research into mind control and cognitive sovereignty.

Note: We recorded this while Andi was in town last November for the HRF AI for Individual Rights Summit.

https://x.com/1andipitt

https://egodeath.capital/

https://clyrapassages.substack.com/

21 in 21: Mark Suman on Privacy-First AI

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:00:25 GMT

Mark Suman, co-founder and CEO of Maple AI, a privacy-first AI chat platform known as “the Signal of AI,” joins Haley Berkoe on 21 in 21. Mark explains how Maple AI uses secure enclaves to deliver a ChatGPT-like experience while getting as close to local-AI privacy as possible, without requiring users to run models on their own machine. He also covers why verifiability is essential for trust, the importance of thought privacy, the shared ethos between Bitcoin and AI, and why AI in schools deserves more scrutiny.

Maple AI: https://trymaple.ai/, https://x.com/TryMapleAI

Mark Suman: https://x.com/marksuman

21 in 21: David Gumberg on the Chaincode ₿OSS Challenge and Becoming a Bitcoin Core Contributor

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:00:25 GMT

Haley Berkoe sits down with David Gumberg, a Bitcoin Core contributor at Localhost, a bitcoin-focused research center in the Bay Area. David shares how he got into bitcoin, what pushed him from curiosity to contribution, and how completing the Chaincode ₿OSS Challenge in 2024 helped him make the leap to contributing to Bitcoin Core full time.

They also dig into what he’s focused on now in Core: Compact Block Relay, block propagation times, and why improving network latency can make mining more fair for smaller miners.

bosschallenge.xyz (applications due Dec 31)

github.com/davidgumberg

x.com/ChaincodeLabs

x.com/lclhostresearch

x.com/HBerkoe

21 in 21: Rod Roudi

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:00:25 GMT

In this episode of 21 in 21, Haley sits down with Rod Roudi, co-founder of Bitcoin Park in Nashville and Austin. Rod breaks down how Bitcoin Park began, why in-person energy fuels strong communities, and how Nashville grew into a hub for bitcoiners, policymakers, founders, developers, and bitcoin-curious locals. He also shares what he’s learned about bitcoin payments from the business side, why reducing merchant friction is essential, and what he’s looking forward to in 2026.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Welcome Rod

01:44 Bitcoin Park Description

03:39 Origin Story

07:08 Engaging Policymakers and Local Community

13:38 Accepting Bitcoin as a Business

16:22 Merchant Adoption and Reducing Friction

20:22 College Basketball Break

21:47 What Rod Is Excited About in 2026

23:06 Where to Follow Rod & Bitcoin Park

https://x.com/bitkite

https://x.com/bitcoinpark_

https://x.com/HBerkoe

21 in 21: Joe Carlo on How Bitcoin Changed Pink Owl Coffee Forever

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:51:04 GMT

Haley Berkoe sits down with Joe Carlo, co-owner of Pink Owl Coffee, a café that began in San Rafael, California, and has since expanded to three locations across the Bay Area. Pink Owl is one of the earliest Square merchants to integrate bitcoin into its business model. For several years, Joe and his partner Saandra have been converting a percentage of sales into bitcoin as part of their long-term savings strategy, and they recently joined Square’s beta program to begin accepting bitcoin payments directly, ahead of the public launch on November 10th.

Joe shares how he first discovered bitcoin, what inspired him to use it as a small-business owner, and how he’s helped educate both customers and staff on what it means to pay (and save) in bitcoin.

https://pinkowlcoffee.com/

21 in 21: Kyle Olney

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:25 GMT

Kyle Olney joins Haley Berkoe to talk about defending bitcoin’s foundational freedoms. A longtime Silicon Valley product leader turned bitcoin advocate, Kyle helped launch Save Our Wallets, a coalition fighting for Section 109 of the Clarity Act, and the Satoshi Needs You campaign, a national call to action to protect open-source developers and the right to self-custody.

Kyle shares his journey from seizing banks for the U.S. government during the 2008 financial crisis to championing bitcoin’s political and legislative future. He explains the legislative nuances of the Clarity Act, how the wrong version of this bill could endanger open-source developers, and how ordinary bitcoiners can take meaningful action.

00:00 Introducing Kyle Olney and saveourwallets.org

01:32 Kyle's journey to bitcoin advocacy

04:06 The importance of Save Our Wallets

05:46 Understanding the Clarity Act and BRCA

07:34 Getting the BRCA language written into U.S. law to protect open-source builder

8:58 Misconceptions in the bitcoin community

11:09 Why this affects everyone

14:36 The call to action

16:29 The Satoshi Needs You Campaign

19:10 Community collaboration and future outlook

22:19 How to get involved

Save Our Wallets: https://x.com/saveourwalets, saveourwallets.org

Kyle Olney: https://x.com/KyleOlney, https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleolney/

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe, https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Nick Slaney

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:38:41 GMT

In this episode of 21 in 21, Nick Slaney joins Haley Berkoe during Presidio Bitcoin Design Week. Nick is the founder of Money Dev Kit, a new startup building tools that make it easy for developers to add bitcoin and Lightning payments to their applications. Previously, he was at Block, where he helped build Bitkey and c=, whose LDK node became one of the Lightning Network’s largest and most active. He shares why he’s betting on bitcoin over stablecoins, how Lightning service providers (LSPs) improve Lightning usability, and what gives him hope for bitcoin’s future.

FOLLOW:

Nick Slaney: https://x.com/nick_slaney

Money Dev Kit: https://x.com/money_dev_kit

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Erik Cativo

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:43:16 GMT

During Bitcoin Design Week at Presidio Bitcoin, product designer and HRF grantee Erik Cativo joined the show to talk about designing the future of money. We get into his experiments with ecash and bitchat, the magic of bump-to-pay interactions, and how thoughtful UX can make bitcoin feel intuitive, private, and fun.

Erik also shares lessons from living in a nearly cashless society, ideas for building “throw-cash” experiences inside apps like Cash App, and why anyone can help design better bitcoin products simply by giving feedback.

FOLLOW:

Erik Cativo: https://x.com/uxerik_, https://www.erik.day/

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Kyle Fletcher

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:09:00 GMT

Haley Berkoe is joined by Kyle Fletcher, Principal Design Director at Block, to explore the intersection of bitcoin, design, and culture. They discuss why artists and designers play a critical role in shaping bitcoin’s future, the sats vs. bitcoin denomination debate, and how thoughtful design can help bring bitcoin to the masses. Kyle also shares personal influences, dream projects, and why onboarding artists, local merchants, and creative communities is key to bitcoin adoption.

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 Intro & Kyle’s background at Block

01:01 State of Bitcoin brand creative

02:59 Designing future money: local and circular economies

05:55 The Intersection of art and bitcoin

08:19 The sats vs. bitcoin denomination debate

12:32 Design mentors, observation, and environment

15:39 Why Silicon Valley designers should care about Bitcoin

17:52 Dream projects: Bitcoin art galleries & philanthropy

22:11 Final thoughts: how creatives can get started with Bitcoin

23:13 Where to find Kyle online

FOLLOW:

Kyle Fletcher: https://x.com/kyleluvsew, https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylefletcher/

Block/Cash App: https://x.com/blocks, https://x.com/CashApp

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe, https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.linkedin.com/company/presidio-bitcoin

LINKS:

Presidio Bitcoin Design Week Summary: https://open.substack.com/pub/bitcoindesign/p/presidio-bitcoin-design-week?r=53cq2n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Kyle’s talk at Design Week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YArvqMYy6nI

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Christoph Ono

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:00:28 GMT

In this episode of 21 in 21, Haley is joined by Christoph Ono, co-founder of the Bitcoin Design Foundation and longtime contributor to the Bitcoin Design Community. They talk about Bitcoin Design Week in San Francisco, the effort to redesign the Bitcoin Core wallet, and why design plays such a critical role in shaping the future of money. Christoph also shares how newcomers can get involved in the Bitcoin Design Community and why making bitcoin feel magical matters.

Chapter Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Christoph’s background

01:05 Bitcoin Design Week in San Francisco

02:51 Designing future money

04:59 Why Silicon Valley designers should care about bitcoin

06:40 How to join the Bitcoin Design Community

08:44 Redesigning Bitcoin Core’s original wallet

11:51 Designers and developers working together

13:48 Impactful projects & community contributions

17:51 Inspirations, books, and design influences

23:03 Final thoughts: making bitcoin magical

23:43 Where to follow Christoph

FOLLOW:

Christoph Ono: https://x.com/GBKS, https://www.linkedin.com/in/germanysbestkeptsecret/

Bitcoin Design Community: https://x.com/bitcoin_design

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe, https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.linkedin.com/company/presidio-bitcoin

LINKS:

Bitcoin Design 5 Year Report: https://five.bitcoin.design/

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X

Bitcoin Design Community: https://bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Design Foundation: https://bitcoindesignfoundation.org/

Bitcoin Design Week: https://event.bitcoin.design/

Christoph speaking at Bitcoin Design Week: https://youtu.be/EbFCoVtJKEc?si=JEVxnLCTFJGX9NdL

Christoph’s Substack: https://gbks.substack.com/

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Conor Okus

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 11:00:27 GMT

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

Conor also shares his thoughts on the intersection of AI and bitcoin, the ongoing debate about using "₿ " instead of "sats" to display bitcoin denominations, and offers valuable advice for newcomers to the bitcoin space.

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Conor’s unique path: From footballer to bitcoiner

01:33 Becoming a Spiral grantee and joining the team full-time

03:53 What Spiral looks for in grant applications

05:08 Misconceptions about bitcoin contributors

07:15 First impressions of Presidio Bitcoin and the SF builder scene

08:25 Current focus: UX, BOLT12, and easy bitcoin addresses

12:04 The next wave of bitcoin innovation: Lightning and AI

14:38 How AI might leverage bitcoin for payments and micro-transactions

18:27 The sats vs. bitcoin ₿ display debate (BIP 177 and UX shifts)

22:37 Advice for aspiring bitcoin contributors

23:42 How to reach Conor & connect with Spiral

FOLLOW:

Conor Okus: https://x.com/ConorOkus, https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorokus/

Spiral: https://x.com/spiralbtc, https://www.linkedin.com/company/spiralbtc

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe, https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.linkedin.com/company/presidio-bitcoin

LINKS:

Spiral Grant Guidelines: https://spiral.xyz/blog/square-crypto-grants-for-everybody/

Easy Bitcoin Address: https://easybitcoinaddress.me/

Bitcoin Design Week at Presidio Bitcoin: https://event.bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Design Community: https://bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Mogashni Naidoo

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:00:27 GMT

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

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Introduction

01:35 The Bitcoin Design Foundation and Bitcoin Design Community, and how both support builders

03:23 Mo’s Journey into UX and bitcoin

05:26 Why Developers need designers

06:39 The Bitcoin Design Community’s projects and impact

07:51 Mo’s personal project to unify bitcoin UX research and how she uses AI to build tools

10:47 Bitcoin Design Week September 15–19 at Presidio Bitcoin

14:52 How better design can empower activists, the unbanked, and everyday users

16:50 Exploring AI-powered design tools, including the idea of a “Bitcoin Design Sidekick”

21:38 Ways to contribute time or resources to the Bitcoin Design Foundation

23:57 Closing thoughts

FOLLOW:

Mogashni “Mo” Naidoo: https://x.com/MouxDesign, https://www.linkedin.com/in/mogashninaidoo/

Bitcoin Design Community: https://x.com/bitcoin_design

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe, https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleyberkoe/

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.linkedin.com/company/presidio-bitcoin

LINKS:

Bitcoin Design Week at Presidio Bitcoin: https://event.bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Design Community: https://bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Design Foundation: https://bitcoindesignfoundation.org/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitcoin-design-foundation/

Bitcoin Design 5 Year Report: https://five.bitcoin.design/

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Matthew Pines

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:00:27 GMT

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

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to Matt Pines and his path into bitcoin

02:10 The bitcoin scene in Washington DC

03:47 Shifting policy conversations and bitcoin as a strategic asset

05:12 Advice for bitcoiners engaging policymakers

07:06 What a bitcoin standard world could look like

09:08 Quantum computing risks and government response

13:18 Book recommendation: Global Discord by Paul Tucker

15:09 The intersection of bitcoin and AI

18:02 Dream bitcoin projects still missing in the market

19:42 Spicy take: China vs. U.S. bitcoin holdings

20:30 Optimism for bitcoin’s future and ETF adoption

23:24 Final takeaway: the power of agency

25:27 How to follow Matt and the Bitcoin Policy Institute

FOLLOW:

Matthew Pines: https://x.com/matthew_pines

Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://x.com/btcpolicyorg

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

LINKS:

Insights from the Quantum Bitcoin Summit https://presidiobitcoin.substack.com/p/insights-from-the-quantum-bitcoin

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Tadge Dryja

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:00:27 GMT

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

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

0:47 – Concerns about complacency despite btcoin’s high price; ongoing challenges with scalability, fees, and post-quantum readiness.

2:22 – Tadge explains his “Lifeboat” commit-reveal scheme for protecting coins if quantum computers become a threat.

5:09 – How quantum computers could break bitcoin’s elliptic curve signatures, why hashes remain safe, and the current likelihood of such attacks.

10:33 – Challenges of bringing new developers into bitcoin, overcoming political stigma, and keeping the community open to diverse participants.

16:21 – Usability improvements like BIP39 support in Bitcoin Core and having multiple full node implementations.

19:23 – Why education matters for both developers and non-developers to build a more resilient Bitcoin network.

FOLLOW:

Tadge Dryja: @tdryja, https://x.com/tdryja

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

LINKS:

Insights from the Quantum Bitcoin Summit https://presidiobitcoin.substack.com/p/insights-from-the-quantum-bitcoin

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Jameson Lopp

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 17:40:56 GMT

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

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

00:51 Lopp’s top of minds: ossification, quantum threats, and protocol evolution.

01:44 An overview of his quantum Bitcoin Improvement Proposal.

06:23 How AI is helping with tooling and security, plus Lopp’s caution on the hype.

07:59 Writer’s block and Lopp’s creative process.

11:55 Lopp’s vision of a sovereign future and concerns about paper bitcoin trends.

15:16 Promoting bitcoin as money without pushing.

16:42 Lopp shares two controversial ideas: cut off quantum-vulnerable coins and use dynamic block sizes.

19:20 What gives him hope, the failures of fiat are bitcoin’s best marketing.

20:17 Don’t buy before you learn. Start with education, then stack.

21:47 Why discussion is the key to bitcoin’s long-term success.

FOLLOW:

Jameson Lopp: @lopp, https://x.com/lopp

Casa: @CasaHODL, https://x.com/CasaHODL

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Spiral: @spiralbtc, https://x.com/spiralbtc

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

LINKS:

Lopp.net

Lopps’ BIP: https://github.com/jlopp/bips/blob/quantum_migration/bip-post-quantum-migration.mediawiki

Bitcoin Plushie: https://www.uncute.com/collections/everything-else/products/here-comes-bitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Alex Pruden

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:48:39 GMT

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

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

00:50 Discovering bitcoin in the Middle East

01:42 Project Eleven & why quantum matters

02:46 What it means to be "quantum-resistant"

04:50 AI and cryptography

07:02 Learning cryptography from scratch

08:51 Book recommendation: Life and Fate

09:37 What self-sovereignty should look like

11:11 Zero-knowledge on bitcoin

14:05 Bitcoin’s price does not equal success

15:18 Bitcoin UX still needs love and innovation

19:39 Army lessons that shape his work

21:02 Final thought: celebrate, but contribute

FOLLOW:

Alex Pruden: @apruden08, https://x.com/apruden08

Project Eleven: @qdayclock, https://x.com/qdayclock

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Alex Gladstein

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:38:19 GMT

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

TIMESTAMPS:

00:36 How Alex got into human rights

03:46 Use of AI by activists

06:13 The ideal role of government in a free society

08:04 Bitcoin as a human rights tool

10:15 A world on the bitcoin standard

14:18 Bitcoin UX: what’s improved, what’s still clunky, and the features activists want most.

16:53 Lessons from HRF’s grant program

19:36 Alex’s spicy takes on Bukele

22:02 Why Alex is hopeful about bitcoin’s future

23:21 Resources, books, and where to follow Alex online.

FOLLOW:

Alex Gladstein: @gladstein, https://x.com/gladstein

HRF: @HRF, https://x.com/HRF

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WHAT THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

21 in 21: Ryan Loomba

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:50:22 GMT

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

FOLLOW:

Ryan Loomba: https://x.com/RLoombs

Block: https://x.com/blocks, https://engineering.block.xyz/blog/, https://block.xyz/careers/jobs

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin,

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Alex Zukauskas

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:58:37 GMT

In this episode, Haley Berkoe interviews Alex Zukauskas, the Presidio Bitcoin Lead. Alex shares his background, discusses past and upcoming events, and explains why Presidio Bitcoin is the best place to be. He will be joining the show quarterly to keep everyone updated on all the exciting developments at Presidio Bitcoin.

Episode Highlights:

* Time flies, it’s been 7 months since Alex took the job, and 4 months since the launch of Presidio Bitcoin.

* Recurring monthly events open to the public: BitDevs, LitDevs, and ₿uilder.

* Upcoming events: The Quantum Bitcoin Summit, a careers fair in the fall, and book clubs.

* The focused approach to adding members. We currently have 22 people, including open-source contributors, startups, and builders.

* Global recognition and having visitors from all over the world.

* Perks of working at Presidio Bitcoin.

* Alex’s secrets to taking care of plants

Reach out to Alex at hello@presidiobitcoin.org if you’re interested in a membership, visiting the space, or getting involved!

FOLLOW:

Alex Zukauskas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azukauskas/

Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin, https://www.linkedin.com/company/presidio-bitcoin/

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Clara Shikhelman

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:49:45 GMT

Haley Berkoe met with Clara Shikhelman, the Head of Research at Chaincode Labs. Clara has been researching complex mathematical problems for nearly a decade and is currently focusing on the Lightning Network and bitcoin in the age of post-quantum computing.

Episode highlights include:

* Her goals with the quantum computing report: provide an overview of the current status and future direction, reduce FUD, and clarify what actually matters.

* A call for cryptographers to engage with bitcoin and read the whitepaper.

* The need for bitcoin to have a more user-friendly experience and tools that are as simple to use as Venmo.

* Excitement about new developers entering the space through the Chaincode BOSS program https://learning.chaincode.com/

* Advice to researchers: follow interesting questions rather than adhering to traditional academic paths.

FOLLOW:

Clara Shikhelman: @ClaraShik, https://x.com/ClaraShik

Chaincode Labs: @ChaincodeLabs, https://x.com/ChaincodeLabs

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

Watch the podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Ben Carman

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 05:05:50 GMT

Haley Berkoe met with Ben Carman, who recently joined the Spiral team to work on the Lightning Development Kit and LDK-related projects. Previously he was at Taproot Wizards and Mutiny, a non-custodial Lightning wallet.

Episode highlights include:

- Ben’s new focus areas at Spiral.

- His bitcoin journey, which started with a comedy podcast and Andreas Antonopoulos's videos.

- Ben’s concerns about the bitcoin community's lack of emphasis on real-world payments.

- He stresses the need for next-generation Lightning and self-custodial wallets, warning that without proper infrastructure, bitcoin risks being seen merely as a banking asset.

- Shoutouts to Rockstar Dev and folks in the Austin bitcoin community, such as Buck Pearly, Jack Lesser, and Rod from Bitcoin Park.

- Advice for newcomers: do everything you can to learn, contribute, and enhance visibility in the community.

FOLLOW:

Ben Carman: @benthecarman, https://x.com/benthecarman

Spiral: @spiralbtc, https://x.com/spiralbtc

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Stephen DeLorme

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:34:44 GMT

In this episode, Haley Berkoe sat down with Stephen DeLorme, a Product Designer at Voltage and co-founder of ATL BitLab, a bitcoin-focused hackerspace in Atlanta.

Episode Highlights:

* Battle of the Mine-hackers starts this Saturday, June 7th, at ATL BitLab! Remote participation is welcome: https://minehackers.atlbitlab.com/

* Centralization risks with mining pools, hardware manufacturing, and block template construction

* Current focus areas at Voltage along with fun side projects like Bolt 12 Zaps

* Hot takes on Cashu

* Warming up to renaming sats to bitcoin. We need user research to gauge reactions

* Making bitcoin fun with games and approaches like Bitty (go find all 9 on bitcoin.org)

* Shoutouts to Steve Lee (@moneyball) and Adam Jonas (@adamcjonas)

* His positive experiences with vibe coding and advice that everyone should start doing it

FOLLOW:

Stephen DeLorme: @StephenDeLorme https://x.com/StephenDeLorme

ATLBitLab: @atlbitlab, https://x.com/atlbitlab

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Ella Hough

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:15:09 GMT

Haley Berkoe met with Ella Hough, who has dedicated significant time to educating younger generations about bitcoin. She just completed her bitcoin-focused study at Cornell University, co-founded the Bitcoin Students Network, and led the Cornell Bitcoin Club, which is now transitioning to new leadership. Additionally, she is conducting a global study examining bitcoin adoption and financial freedom.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

* How she went about pursuing bitcoin as an independent major, focusing on its connections to linguistics and game theory, and viewing bitcoin as a language—a new protocol for truth and the dissemination of information.

* Her research study, which spans 25 countries, includes 25,000 surveys and about 250 interviews to explore how bitcoin serves as a tool for financial freedom.

* Her bitcoin "aha" moment 4 years ago after attending the Oslo Freedom Forum with the Human Rights Foundation.

* How hackathons can help foster connections and provide students a chance to build proof of work, making them more employable.

* Shoutouts to Sarah Kreps (@sekreps), Troy Cross (@thetrocro), Parker Lewis (@parkeralewis), Erik Hersman (@whiteafrican), Dhruv Bansal (@dhruvbansal), and her mom Lisa Hough (@lisa_hough_).

FOLLOW:

Ella Hough: @21MMforthe21st, https://x.com/21MMforthe21st

Bitcoin Students Network: @BTCStudents, https://x.com/BTCStudents

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Laolu Osuntokun

Sat, 24 May 2025 00:11:31 GMT

Haley Berkoe interviewed Laolu Osuntokun, also known as Roasbeef. He’s a longtime bitcoiner, the CTO and co-founder of Lightning Labs, and lead developer for LND, one of the main Lightning implementations.

Highlights of the conversation include his:

- Winning project at the PB hackathon

- Areas of focus at Lightning Labs, including improving LND and Taproot Assets

- Pragmatic view on stablecoins

- Ideas on how best to display bitcoin fractions and decimals

- Current favorite gadget: a ring watch

- Reflections on bitcoin's adoption and the need for better privacy

- The story behind his nickname

Follow:

Laolu Osuntokun: @roasbeef, https://x.com/roasbeef

Lightning Labs: @lightning, https://x.com/lightning

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Daniel Nordh

Tue, 13 May 2025 19:42:04 GMT

Haley Berkoe interviewed Daniel Nordh, co-founder of the Bitcoin Design Foundation and one of the longest-serving contributors to the Bitcoin Design Community.

Here are the key highlights:

- How designers can help build smoother user experiences

- Daniel's transition from big tech to bitcoin

- Fostering a sustainable future for the bitcoin design community

- Collaborating with open-source projects and developers

- Design Week at PB this fall

- Shoutout to Christoph and Mogashni Naidoo

FOLLOW:

Daniel Nordh: @danielnordh, https://x.com/danielnordh

Bitcoin Design Community: @bitcoin_design, https://x.com/bitcoin_design

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH THE SHOW:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Neha Narula

Tue, 06 May 2025 15:27:17 GMT

Haley Berkoe sat down with Neha Narula, the Director of the MIT Digital Currency Initiative, which supports research in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Additionally, she serves on Block’s board of directors.

FOLLOW:

Neha Narula: @neha, https://x.com/neha

MIT Digital Currency Initiative: @mitDCI, https://x.com/mitDCI

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoi

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

Spotify:

Substack: https://substack.com/@presidiobitcoin

bitcoin #money #technology #podcast

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Shehzan Maredia

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:15:32 GMT

Haley Berkoe met with Shehzan Maredia, the founder and CEO of Lava, a self-custodial solution for borrowing against bitcoin.

FOLLOW:

Shehzan Maredia: @MarediaShehzan, https://x.com/MarediaShehzan

Lava: @lava_xyz, https://x.com/lava_xyz

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe, https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin, https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

HIGHLIGHTS

2:16 Before bitcoin can be seen as a spending asset, it needs to be adopted as a savings asset. Right now, bitcoin is in the phase of being adopted as a store of value.

4:07 Lava addresses the demand from people who hold bitcoin and wish to make purchases without selling their bitcoin.

5:40 To mitigate the risk of bitcoin failing, we should ensure that Bitcoin Core is a reliable codebase, that enough people are running nodes, address centralization in mining, and provide accessible ways to acquire bitcoin.

8:55 Reasons for his lack of interest in the strategic bitcoin reserve.

9:40 Concerns regarding the interaction between stablecoins and bitcoin, and how Lava utilizes stablecoins in a unique way.

11:10 How individuals with different skill sets can contribute to Bitcoin.

11:58 Shoutout to Greg Maxwell

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Pierre Rochard

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 03:48:06 GMT

Haley Berkoe sat down with Pierre Rochard, who recently launched The Bitcoin Bond Company. Rochard is a longtime bitcoiner, having previously served as the VP of Research at Riot Platforms and co-founding the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute.

FOLLOW:

Pierre Rochard: @BitcoinPierre https://x.com/BitcoinPierre

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

Substack: https://substack.com/@presidiobitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Niftynei

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 04:03:56 GMT

Haley sat down with Niftynei, a seasoned Lightning developer, bitcoin educator, and conference organizer. Be sure to check out Bitcoin++, the global developer conference she spearheads multiple times per year.

FOLLOW:

Niftynei: @niftynei, https://x.com/niftynei

Bitcoin++: @btcplusplus, https://x.com/btcplusplus

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

WATCH:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Jack Dorsey

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:20:47 GMT

Haley Berkoe interviews Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Block, former CEO of Twitter, and prominent supporter of the bitcoin open-source ecosystem.

FOLLOW:

Jack Dorsey: @jack https://x.com/jack, https://primal.net/jack

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe https://x.com/HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoinhttps://x.com/PresidioBitcoin

SUBSCRIBE:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com

21 in 21: Rockstar Dev

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:22:36 GMT

In this inaugural episode of 21 in 21, Haley Berkoe interviews Rockstar Dev, a longtime contributor to BTCPayServer, one of the most important projects in the bitcoin space.

3:46 - Rockstar Dev’s story of growing up amidst hyperinflation and how that helped make him a bitcoiner.

9:07 - The importance of spending sats and building products like Nostr.

11:35 - How companies can support the open-source ecosystem by utilizing bitcoin tools rather than creating their own.

13:30 - Why stablecoins are a fantastic tool to onboard new bitcoiners.

14:40 - The importance of physical spaces like Presidio Bitcoin play as technology advances and people seek real connection.

16:05 - Shoutout to @Mandrik

18:47 - Advice to new bitcoiners: Figure out who inspires you and emulate their approach.

Follow:

Rockstar Dev: @r0ckstardev

Haley Berkoe: @HBerkoe

Presidio Bitcoin: @PresidioBitcoin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit presidiobitcoin.substack.com