Built on Bitcoin with Jacob Brown

👉 Subscribe to the Built on Bitcoin newsletter: https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/?modal=signup 

We cover why on-chain Bitcoin is a barbell, why self-custody still requires learning how to be a bank, coding agents should not have root access to your computer, the quantum panic is time-machine math, and the current state of BItcoin culture.

NOTE: This episode was recorded before the recent Coldcard incident and subsequent exploits.

🔗 Links & Resources
Coinkite: https://coinkite.com
NVK on X: https://x.com/nvk
Coinkite on X: https://x.com/coinkite
Bitcoin Quantum: https://bitcoinquantum.space
Built on Bitcoin newsletter: https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Follow the host on X: https://x.com/JakeBlockchain

Craig is the Director of Programming at Bitcoin Inc. The company behind the biggest Bitcoin conferences in the world, including what many people simply call “the main conference.”

In this conversation, we go behind the scenes of how those conferences actually come together: how speakers are chosen, what topics make it onto the biggest stages, what separates signal from noise, and how the event programming process reflects where Bitcoin is heading.

We also talk about what Craig is seeing across the ecosystem, which builders and ideas are earning attention, what makes a great Bitcoin talk, and why conferences still matter in an industry that lives online.

Follow Craig on X: https://x.com/bitcoin_phan

AI agents are getting more powerful fast. But if your AI can use your computer, move money, deploy code, access accounts, and make decisions on your behalf… who actually holds the authority?

In this episode, I’m joined by Zach Herbert, CEO of Foundation Devices, to talk about Passport Prime, the future of hardware wallets, and why Bitcoin-style security might become essential for the AI age.

We get into why “human in the loop” is a false narrative, how agents can go rogue even without malicious intent, why your phone is a weak point for identity and 2FA, and how dedicated hardware could become the approval layer for both Bitcoin transactions and AI actions.

This conversation is about more than wallets. It’s about sovereignty, authority, and how humans keep control as automation becomes more capable.

**In this episode:**
- Why AI security is really an authority problem
- How hardware wallets evolve beyond Bitcoin
- Why “human in the loop” can be security theater
- Passport Prime and Foundation’s AI vision
- Bitcoin principles applied to AI agents
- The problem with phone-based 2FA
- Local AI, sovereign compute, and the next class divide
- Why the future of self-custody is bigger than money

Follow Zach Herbert:
https://x.com/zherbert

Foundation Devices:
https://foundation.xyz

Subscribe for more conversations on Bitcoin, AI, sovereignty, and the builders shaping what comes next.

**Chapters**

00:00 - The device that stops rogue AI
01:42 - Why modern computing feels so fragmented
04:58 - How Foundation uses AI internally
08:45 - AI security is an authority problem
10:27 - Your computer can’t tell you from your agent
12:24 - What happens when agents go rogue
14:09 - Is “human in the loop” security theater?
18:02 - Building policy engines into hardware
21:49 - Putting Passport between models and actions
25:39 - Bluetooth, encryption, and better UX
28:30 - Why phone-based 2FA is broken
31:26 - KeyOS, Rust, and reducing attack surface
33:52 - AI agents testing hardware apps
36:52 - Will AI agents use Bitcoin or stablecoins?
37:43 - Bringing Bitcoin security to AI
40:24 - The gap between AI users and sovereign operators
42:51 - Keeping authority while reducing screen time
46:23 - Active tamper protection
47:44 - Why manufacturing location matters

**Pinned Comment Option**

The big idea from this episode: AI agents don’t just need better prompts. They need authority boundaries.

If your agent can act on your behalf, move money, deploy code, or access accounts, then the question becomes: what should it be allowed to do without you?

That’s where Zach’s thesis gets interesting: the same principles Bitcoiners use for self-custody may become the security model for AI.

👉 Subscribe to the Built on Bitcoin newsletter: https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/

Are Bitcoin Layer 2s actually "giving away the store"?

In this episode, Jacob Brown is joined by Adam Krellenstein, developer of Counterparty and co-founder of Kontor, to challenge the dominant narrative of Bitcoin scaling. While the industry is rushing off-chain to complex rollups and sidechains, Adam argues that the real scaling breakthrough lies in optimizing L1.

We dive deep into why copying Ethereum's economics on Bitcoin fails, how Hal Finney actually designed meta protocols back in 2010, and why the first ever DEX, NFTs, and DeFi protocols were built on Bitcoin in 2014—long before Ethereum existed.

Adam also breaks down the architecture of Kontor: its hybrid UTXO-account model that solves the bottlenecks found in protocols like Alkanes, and its Bitcoin-secured permanent storage network that challenges IPFS and Arweave.

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro & Adam's past year refactoring Counterparty
0:01:46 - What is a meta protocol? (Hal Finney’s 2010 blueprint)
0:03:00 - The forgotten history: Building the first DEX & NFTs on Bitcoin in 2014
0:03:52 - Why build a new meta protocol? (Limitations of Counterparty & Ordinals)
0:07:18 - Alkanes vs. Kontor (Rushed proofs-of-concept vs complete designs)
0:09:20 - The Alkanes race condition & why pure UTXO systems hit throughput ceilings
0:10:00 - The hybrid UTXO-account model: How Kontor enables concurrent smart contracts
0:11:00 - Lessons from enterprise blockchain (Symbiont & solving concrete problems)
0:12:12 - What do Bitcoiners actually want? (Yield, loans, and runes adoption)
0:13:40 - Why copying Ethereum's economics on Bitcoin is a mistake
0:15:10 - Interoperability: How Kontor connects all Bitcoin meta protocols
0:16:40 - The single-confirmation atomic swap (BTC to CORE to Storage to Inscriptions)
0:19:18 - The missing primitive: Permanent file storage secured by Bitcoin
0:21:20 - Why IPFS and Arweave fail (Data availability vs retrieval, and lack of penalties)
0:25:40 - How the Kontor storage network works (CORE staking and random challenges)
0:26:27 - Encryption on public networks: "Encrypt your data and put it in the NYT"
0:30:52 - Kontor's Tokenomics (Gas fees, burn mechanisms, and target inflation)
0:32:57 - Scaling up vs scaling out (Why L2s are "giving away the store")
0:37:12 - Kontor's Signet launch, open-source explorer, and SDK timeline
0:38:22 - The shifting Bitcoin narrative (Why builders don't need permission to ship)
0:41:31 - "Worse is better": Why Bitcoin's imperfections are its greatest strength
0:44:50 - Culture wars, the OP_RETURN debate, and the future of Bitcoin maximalism

🔗 Resources Mentioned:
Kontor Network: https://www.kontor.network/
Kontor Block Explorer: https://kor.space
Built on Bitcoin on X: https://x.com/builtonbtcpod

💬 Join the Conversation: Do you agree with Adam that moving activity to L2s is "giving away the store"? Or are off-chain rollups inevitable for Bitcoin scaling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Harsha Goli is back for a deep dive into the part of Bitcoin most people ignore: the compliant financial rails that make real-world Bitcoin apps possible. Especially the crucial actions of on and off-ramping.

In this episode, we unpack what has changed in Bitcoin compliance over the past year, why more companies are plugging into custodians and banking partners, and how Magnolia is building infrastructure for wallets, lending apps, stablecoin conversions, fiat rails, and Bitcoin-backed loans.

We also get into the practical tradeoffs around KYC, fraud, privacy, DLC oracles, stablecoins, 50-state coverage, Europe, Apple Pay, vibe coding, and why 2026 could be the year Bitcoin collateralization becomes a major theme.

If you care about where Bitcoin is going beyond just holding, this is a look at the hidden stack that could bring Bitcoin products to mainstream users.

Subscribe to the Built on Bitcoin Newsletter: https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/

Lending is the single biggest use case for Bitcoin.

Full stop.

To capture the benefits of your appreciated Bitcoin you've been holding for so long. You have two options:

1. To sell and pay the tax

2. Take a loan, pay some amount of interest, and still get the upside if the price increases.

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Black and Jay Patel, founders of Lygos Finance, to discuss the future of non-custodial Bitcoin lending.

We dive deep into Discreet Log Contracts (DLCs), why they might be the "Holy Grail" for Bitcoin-backed loans, and how Lygos is building a platform that gives you 50% LTV liquidity while keeping your keys (mostly) in your pocket. We also cover the "interest rate inversion" between DeFi and CeFi, and why institutional capital is finally waking up to Bitcoin as pristine collateral.**Timestamps:**00:00 Intro01:26 From Atomic Swaps to Bitcoin Loans (Matthew's Story)02:53 Lessons from the BlockFi/Celsius Blowups05:55 Why They Pivoted from Options to Loans10:13 Why DLCs are the Holy Grail for Lending18:34 Lygos Product Walkthrough: How it Works27:42 The Truth About "Trustless" (Oracle Risk Explained)37:26 The Capital Markets Thesis: Why Institutions Want In43:23 The Interest Rate Mystery: DeFi vs CeFi48:40 Bitcoin Upgrades: CTV, CAT & Covenants**Links & Resources:**- Lygos Finance: https://www.lygos.finance/- Follow Lygos on X: https://x.com/LygosFinance- Follow Matthew: https://x.com/matthewjablack- Follow Jay: https://x.com/jaypatel

Follow the Built on Bitcoin pod on X: @JakeBlockchainWe sat down with Shehzan Maredia, the CEO of Lava, to discuss their recent $200m raise of VC & debt for growth, launch of the Bitcoin-backed line-of-credit product called BLOC, and address questions around changing of custody and concerns recently brought to light on the timeline.Follow Shehzan on X: Shehzan MarediaLearn more about Lava: Homepage

Follow me on X: https://x.com/JakeBlockchain

I'm joined by David Seroy, Ecosystem Lead at @AlpenLabs, to discuss their groundbreaking work on Bitcoin. We cover: → What GLOCK is & how it improves on BitVM → The future of Bitcoin rollups → Why Alpen is 'd

Learn more about Alpen Labs: https://www.alpenlabs.io/

Follow David on X: https://x.com/david_seroy

Follow me on X: https://x.com/JakeBlockchain

Title says it all. Covering news from Lightspark, Spark, Arkade, Joltz, River, BitcoinYield, BitBIt, SatGo, Atomiq, Seth for Privacy, MagicEden and more.

Join the Built on Bitcoin Newsletter: https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/subscribeThe conversations that build tomorrow's economy. Beyond the tribes. Ahead of the trend.In a charged debate hosted by Jacob Brown, Harsha Goli champions the Lightning Network's surging adoption and technical leaps, painting a picture of a scalable future for Bitcoin. Countering this optimism, Paul Sztorc draws historical parallels to argue for caution, emphasizing the critical need for self-custody and raising concerns about custodial solutions and the hub-and-spoke model. This discussion dives deep into the technical hurdles, the passionate community divide, and the very real implications for Bitcoin's scaling and investment potential. Is Lightning the key to Bitcoin's mainstream success, or is it facing an uphill battle against inherent limitations and regulatory pressures?