#157 - Riccardo Spagni - The People Behind Bitcoin & Monero

There should be someone behind the scenes controlling Bitcoin right? I mean, it cannot just run and maintain itself right? I'm just stating what you've always been thinking after you heard that Bitcoin is not controlled by an institution or government.  In this episode, we're going to be demystifying that very question. Grey Jabesi connected with Riccardo Spagni(@flufflypony) AKA Fluffy Pony, a member of the Monero Core Team, who are stewards of the Monero Project, and is also the lead maintainer of the Monero project.  Monero is an open-source cryptocurrency created in April 2014 that focuses on fungibility, privacy, and decentralization. It's currently valued at $992M.  In this episode, we discussed: Who founded Monero How Fluffy Pony got involved Responsibilities as a lead maintainer Who controls or update Bitcoin code How Monero is maintained Law enforcement (The CIA and Interpol) Best tools and practices for personal privacy Success His favorite Apps His concerns with using Whatsapp for messaging Tari project Tools he recommends for privacy: Matrix Riot Wire App Signal VPN Wirecard TOR Email: Tutenota, Protonmail