21 in 21

• 21 in 21: Conor Okus

  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

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• 21 in 21: Mogashni Naidoo

  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

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• 21 in 21: Matthew Pines

  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

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• 21 in 21: Tadge Dryja

  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

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• 21 in 21: Jameson Lopp

  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

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