Humans Of Bitcoin

Peter's life was in a downward spiral due to a series of unfortunate events. Learning of his wife having an affair, witnessing the death of his mother, drugs and a crashing business, things got very rough over a short period of time. Today, he is on the up and makes a living with the What Bitcoin Did podcast. You don't have to be tech-savvy in order to work in the new revolution of cryptocurrencies. Peter is a living and breathing example of this.     

Enter Hamza's world. From dreaming, sleep paralysis, to empathizing with homeless people and helping onboard people to crypto with clothing donations. Now in Canada, and expanding to USA this year, Coins 4 Clothes provides Bitcoin Cash as an added incentive to donate gently worn clothes to charity. You may (or may not) be surprised that it all connects.

Spotlight on another Bitcoin.com team member. In addition to being an ace developer, he's got the wilderness skills that most of us only see on the Discovery channel. Chris Troutner adds tremendous value to Bitcoin.com and the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem. We talk about why bitcoin is important to him. Related to economic freedom is his personal freedom in the natural world. Living on a sailboat, a paragraph from his blog says a lot: I’m getting ready to install 1000 watts of solar panels in order to power a chest freezer. I’m building a micro-root cellar to protect homemade wine and canned goods from both the summer heat and the winter freeze. And I’m building out a grid of self-watering garden beds. This summer I’ll be experimenting with cob and building a 1/6th scale model of a wood-fired, five-person hot tub. I’m looking forward to sharing all of it here on the blog. A fascinating conversation with a true renaissance man.

I stumbled upon a 2015 Motherboard article about Jamie and his Bitcoin family by accident doing research for another interview. While there is no official count, it is very possible that news.bitcoin.com lead writer has published more articles on bitcoin than anyone in the world. Reporting on the news, reading, talking to sources gives Jamie a unique perspective on the history and future of cryptocurrency. Listen to hear the story of of a graphic designer from cold New England who moved his family to an island in South Florida where he actively teaches his kids about Bitcoin. Counter economics, day-to-day island life and more.

He was mining before Jihan Wu. Making a million dollars a day in 2013, Marshall somehow manages to maintain a low profile. For those with money and contacts that want to set up a mining operation, this is the guy you call.

Paul Puey, founder of Edge, thinks differently than most engineers. Having spent time in observing consumers running businesses like nightclubs and climbing gyms, he unconsciously thinks about the end user. Cryptocurrency companies need to be connected to their users. Paul is one of these rare people that always has an opinion that you didn't see beforehand. An enlightening conversation on the hidden risks of bitcoin storage and how to think about future cryptocurrency adoption. Timestamps: 01:37 - Paul Puey, short bio and how he got in the cryptocurrency world. 04:03 -Been the technical guy in a no-technical business. 07:45 - Get crypto use and how to solve one of the biggest security issues in cryptocurrency. 11:04 - Developing products “Out of sight, out of mind." 13:12 - Is Edge wallet safe to hold large amounts of crypto? 17:49 - How should crypto be used? 19:35 - Store of value as a concept and the stability question. 26:35 - One of the biggest shifts in financial history. 30:50 - “Forking is freedom.”

CEO of the world's largest bitcoin payment processor, Stephen Pair has been interested in digital currencies since the 1990's. Insights on the history AND future of money. Timestamps: 01:58 - The early days of Internet and what was DigiCash? 06:01 - Similarities between crypto and The Internet, being one of the ‘Web Surfers’ and the Magical Internet. 10:05 - Differences between the stone age of internet and the stone age of crypto. 12:15 - Stephen on discovering Bitcoin. 14:00 - The good old days of Bitcoin mining 16:35 - Big changes takes time-Stephen is extremely patient. 17:30 - The idea of BitPay and where it came from. 19:35 - Relationships with Visa. 20:55 - The contribution of Roger Ver, Barry Silbert and Erik Voorhees to BitPay. 23:45 - Asia is taking the lead in the adoption of Bitcoin-why? 25:00 - Convincing Merchants to accept BTC and BCH. 28:45 - Using cryptocurrencies is inevitable going forward 31:25 - Finding solutions and setting goals for the future. 32:30 - Advice for those getting involved

We, humans, are FULL of excuses. We are going to start that new project .. tomorrow.  Didi Taihuttu had a wife, two kids, and three businesses. It would have been easy to justify not making a move Too many responsibilities.. But he pulled the trigger anyway. Didi sold his house and all of his stuff. Now he travels the world with his family. And all their savings and transactions are in bitcoin. A reminder about the importance of taking action no matter what others may think.  Timestamps: 1:36 - Didi's early years 2:32 - His entrepreneurial ventures 3:35 - On his radical life change. Getting rid of everything 4:25 - What is minimalism, really? 5:33 - Pulling the trigger on a new life 7:21 - On selling a house in Holland for bitcoins 9:48 - How their family survives on the road 12:30 - On educating his kids for the future And, more!  

A fun, intellectual conversation. We talk about Rob being a mercenary in Afghanistan to math, history, human behavior, floating countries, and the need for privacy coins. This is one of the best interviews we have done. Rob Viglione is someone you can chat with for hours. I got smarter by doing this interview. And you will too! Timestamps: 3:42 - His work in Afghanistan 5:45 - Rob's early years 6:32 - Lessons from history 7:24 - Matt pretends he is a knowledgeable historian :) 11:00 - On economic theory 14:33 - Rob's discovery of bitcoin 16:55 - Teaching bitcoin to Afghans 22:31 - Matt shares a conspiracy theory question And much, much more!

Rory has become the defacto "Bitcoin Guy" in the MMA circuit. The current Bellator Welterweight World Champion, we talk about his life as a pro fighter and thoughts on cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin.com's global ambassador Sterlin is the first two time guest on the show. The charming Texan talks about his fascinating worldwide bitcoin travels, psychadelics, and the battle with Facebook censoring his fan page. He lives a life many can only dream about. Sterlin travels to conferences speaking about bitcoin and anarchy. From debates in D.C. to exciting adventures in Eastern Europe, what a fascinating and insightful person. When I have the chance to hang out with Sterlin, it is always a blast. His emotional intelligence is at a genius level (really). Have a listen and get inside his mind!  

A country with 1.3 billion people and less than 20% of citizens have a bank account.. The central bank (RBI) is back and forth on Bitcoin regulations. Nischal is on a mission to involve every Indian in the Blockchain revolution. Timestamps: 2:09 – Demonetization and the change towards new notes on account of “Black Money” 4:02 – Growing up and the start of Crowdfire 6:21 – First Bitcoin Experience back in 2009 8:15 – Second try at Bitcoin 2013 and Coinbase 10:00 – The start of WazirX 11:19 – RBI and Cryptocurrency 14:35 – Why only Tether and not Bitcoin? 15:55 – Any issues buying/selling Tether with banks in India? 17:20 – India, bank Accounts, what does this mean for cryptocurrency 19:00 – Mobile and Blockchain Revolution 21:25 – Remittance payments 23:30 – What happened with ZebPay?

He is one of the most important and influential members of the bitcoin world. Founder and CEO of ShapeShift, Erik approaches the fiat-crypto battle with unwavering perseverance AND pragmatism. We talk about a variety of topics, including: After so much progress for bitcoin over the last 7 years, does Erik ever stop to smell the roses? His bitcoin story. Meeting Roger Ver and Charlie Shrem back in the early days. His recent run-in with an unethical hit piece on ShapeShift by the Wall Street Journal. What fuels the MSM hatred towards bitcoin? The ideal role the SEC should play in cryptocurrency regulation Why Erik already cashed out of bitcoin a long time ago Tips on being a contrarian thinker ShapeShift's decision to do KYC/AML

Hyper-inflation, lack of food, water, basic goods, and safety. Venezuela has fallen apart over the years, and there isn't much hope in sight for the Government to turn things around. Jose is in Venezuela running a charity, EatBCH. With Bitcoin Cash donations from around the world, Jose and the team help acquire food and cook meals for people in 6 different states across the country. What is life like in Venezuela today? How does commerce work and what money is used? Timestamps: 2:51 - Jose's recent trip to D.C. for the CSIS conference 4:45 - The logistics of going from Venezuela to D.C. 6:48 - What is Venezuela like right now? Food, water etc. 9:42 - Refugees and cryptocurrency 11:14 - Do young people stay in Venezuela? 13:11 - What are typical salaries in the country? 14:09 - Can you pay for everyday things with cryptocurrency? Cash? Credit cards? 16:58 - Do cryptos really work in Venezuela? 18:45 - How does Jose make a living? 20:57 - Behind the scenes of EatBCH 23:10 - Why transaction fees matter. In pract

He just turned 73, but John remains full of vigor. When we spoke, he was enjoying life on the Outer Banks. No stranger to public attention, John has been in contentious battles with multiple governments, ran two public companies, made big bets, and is running for president in 2020. John and I discussed his entrance into the bitcoin world, standing up to the S.E.C., the smartest man in the world, what we need to do for cryptocurrency to be a revolution (and not just an asset class)and much, much more!   Timestamps: 1.15 - Introduction to John Mcafee’s life and why you need to listen to this episode. 2:12 - We find out what he did for his 73rd birthday and what he really does everyday, 3:30 - The reason he got into Bitcoin originally and when he started to realise it wasn’t an investment opportunity. 4:48 - Matt gives a low down on Jihan Wu as we discuss his success and future during the show. 7:13 - Where does AI fit with blockchain technology and is it a good idea? 9:58 - Johns first impressions of Roger Ver

In Johannesburg, Sibo tirelessly works to help adoption of Bitcoin. Learn about her initiative BCH4Bicycles. And - What would Nelson Mandela think about bitcoin? 1.15: The importance of using cryptocurrency in South Africa 2.20: We discover who Sibo is and her background 4.06: South Africa is in recession but how this is positive for Bitcoin adoption. 5:25: Famous people using Xhosa - her mother tongue 6:60: Her cool career in metallurgy - ( yes, that word Matt can’t pronounce ) 10:20: The moment she found out about Bitcoin and why it took so long to purchase 12:45: Matt asks Sibo- "why did you want to donate to WikiLeaks?” 14:08: Merchants that accept Bitcoin Cash in Johannesburg and her successes with BCH adoption & Much Much More!

He’s been scammed more times than you can imagine. Ernesto is resilient though .. His undenying faith in cryptocurrency has changed his life. Instead of lambos, he chose to launch Cryptospace. Now he’s helping others discover economic freedom in San Pedro, Los Angeles. A neighborhood, physical space where anyone can learn about bitcoin and buy/sell on Ernesto's licensed exchange. This is a powerful local business model that needs to be replicated around the world. Check out the Cryptospace Timestamps: 0:38 Introduction to Bitcoin Cash Ambassador Ernesto and his CryptoSpace 1:38 Ernesto opens up about his ‘blue collar’ work growing up and finding out about Ron Paul 3:07 His favorite type of History. Fake news and the consequences of this. 4:29 Applying science learnings to Bitcoin today and how science fiction from his youth is becoming a reality. 6:09 Ernesto reveals the people posting all the bad news and FUD about crypto 8:15 The reason people are having their bank accounts closed in the USA 10:45 Is

Two of the most prevalent problems in analysis of crypto: 1. Allegiance to a blockchain - as a fan of X coin, your arguments are emotionally driven 2. Lack of historical perspective - lessons from other technological shifts Chris is aware of both of these problems and has a unique perspective on how to think about the future going forward. I learned a ton both as an investor and a believer in the purpose of cryptocurrencies.

A pleasure to have one of the O.G.'s of bitcoin on the show. Many of you are familiar with Vinny. He is well known for his success as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. He is a successful investor, a media figure on shows like Shark Tank and Dragon's Den, and a partner in the largest cryptocurrency hedge fund. At one point, 5% of all bitcoin transactions were made via his company Gyft. Today, he serves as the CEO of Civic, a decentralized identity ecosystem built on Ethereum. Vinny sheds light on his day-to-day and his outlook for cryptocurrencies: What is a typical day in the life of Vinny? How does he divide his time? How should we interpret the consequences of the scaling debate? What does the Bitcoin Foundation do in 2018? Why should people care about decentralized identity? When is the best time to lead a startup?

A highly recommended person to interview, I was delighted to watch Daniel's YouTube channel and his analysis of Groucho Marx as a stupid genius. It was a pleasure to speak with him and pick his brain. He's been around since the very early years of bitcoin. And he is full of many ideas / viewpoints that you probably haven't heard. We talk about meeting Ross Ulbricht in the early days, why a return to the cryptoanarchy ideals could benefit Bitcoin, and a lot more! An entertaining episode that will make you smarter and maybe even richer.