Justin Rezvani is the CEO of Zion, a Bitcoin company re-imagining social media on the Lightning Network.

Justin and I spoke about how Zion differs from traditional social media apps, the importance of peer-to-peer communication and value transfer, how Value 4 Value changes people’s behavior, and Zion’s business model and adoption metrics to date.

→ Zion: https://www.getzion.com/

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

→ Lightning Address: ⚡[email protected]

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:29 - Justin Rezvani Intro

07:07 - Zion’s Social Media Vision

15:54 - Transitioning Users From Web 2 to Zion

19:04 - Zion’s Social Media Focus

24:41 - Supporting Creators With Sats

33:13 - Paid vs. Free Social Media

40:24 - Convincing Users To Pay For Zion

43:02 - Does Zion Rank Content?

48:25 - How Will Zion Build A Sustainable Business?

52:00 - Getting New Users On Lightning & Zion

54:40 - Educating People About Bitcoin

56:35 - Lightning Network Statistics

01:00:53 - Lightning Network Predictions

01:03:14 - Interesting Lightning Applications

01:05:12 - The Lightning Round

Oleg Mikhalsky is a Partner at Fulgur Ventures, a VC firm focused on investing in Bitcoin and Lightning Network companies.

Oleg and I spoke about why Fulgur is so excited about the Lightning Network, new business models enabled by Lightning, attracting founders to build on Lightning, valuations in the Lightning startup ecosystem, and the different types of adoption the Lightning Network is seeing today.

→ Fulgur Ventures: https://fulgur.ventures/

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:43 - Oleg Mikhalsky Intro

05:59 - Lightning Network Progress Since 2018

09:27 - Is Lightning Adoption Tied To Bitcoin’s Price?

12:25 - Why Invest in Lightning Companies?

17:17 - The Importance Of Value-Add Investors

22:16 - The Lightning Network’s Impact on Existing and New Markets

28:13 - Missing Components of the Lightning Ecosystem

32:08 - How Will the Metaverse Evolve?

36:26 - Proven Business Models in Lightning

43:13 - Are Lightning Companies Appropriately Valued?

49:51 - Are There Enough Founders Building on Lightning?

54:28 - Convincing Founders To Build on Lightning

58:23 - Where Does Lightning Adoption Come From?

01:05:03 - El Salvador’s Approach To Bitcoin

01:09:50 - Lightning Network Predictions

01:17:28 - The Lightning Round

Chris Stewart is the founder of Suredbits, a company focused on building financial applications and markets directly on the Bitcoin protocol.

Chris and I spoke about Bitcoin’s smart contract limitations today, the ways in which DLCs could enable new applications for Bitcoin, how DLCs, CFDs, and Oracles work, and the future applications of Bitcoin smart contracts that Chris is excited about.

→ Suredbits: https://suredbits.com/

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:15 - Chris Stewart Intro

06:30 - Smart Contract Development on Bitcoin

12:45 - How To Create Censorship Resistant Markets on Bitcoin

14:56 - What Are Oracles?

23:27 - Financial & Reputation Incentives for Oracles

32:30 - What Are DLCs?

41:01 - Use Cases For DLCs

45:57 - Sports Betting & Bitcoin

49:14 - What are Schnorr Signatures?

53:57 - The Importance of Backwards Compatibility on Bitcoin

55:27 - Future Use Cases For Smart Contracts on Bitcoin

1:01:21 - Contracts For Difference

01:07:04 - Contract-Based Stablecoins and Hedging Bitcoin’s Volatility

01:16:33 - Interesting Bitcoin Innovations

01:21:12 - The Lightning Round

Adam Curry is one of the pioneers of podcasting, and is playing an integral role in advancing the Podcasting 2.0 movement, and the Value 4 Value business model.

Adam and I spoke about his background in broadcasting, the ways in which the podcast industry has evolved, his work on the Podcast Index, the value of earning and engaging directly with your audience, and the new features being built into modern podcasting apps today.

→ Podcast Index: https://podcastindex.org/

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:29 - Adam Curry Intro

08:06 - Adam's Transition from Broadcasting to Podcasting

14:07 - Podcasting vs. Radio

27:59 - Applying Value 4 Value To Other Industries

31:35 - Audience vs. Advertiser Funding

33:20 - Why Is Now The Right Time for Podcasting 2.0?

47:02 - Apple and Spotify's Influence on Podcasting

58:53 - The Fall of Legacy Institutions

01:04:40 - Adam’s Introduction to Bitcoin

01:10:10 - The Excitement of Receiving Sats

01:18:35 - What is Holding Back Podcasting 2.0 Adoption?

01:22:09 - How New Podcast 2.0 Features Get Adopted

01:31:34 - How Other Industries Become Self-Sovereign

01:37:37 - Has Bitcoin Hit Escape Velocity?

01:39:54 - Stablecoins on The Lightning Network

01:44:03 - Interesting Lightning Applications

01:53:35 - The Lightning Round

Alyse Killeen is the Founding Partner at Stillmark, a Bitcoin focused VC firm.  

Alyse and I spoke about her focus on investing in Bitcoin companies, the things Alyse looks for in founders and startup pitches, and the particular segments of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network she is most excited about in 2022.  

→ Stillmark: https://www.stillmark.com/ 

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.    

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node    

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.    

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.    

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke 

Timestamps 

00:00 - Intro 

01:15 - Alyse Killeen Intro 

03:42 - Why Is Stillmark Focused on Bitcoin?  

08:33 - Investing in Bitcoin vs. Bitcoin Companies 

10:39 - Emerging Bitcoin Companies 

20:28 - Investing in Tokens vs. Equity 

23:03 - Is Bitcoin Innovation Constrained by Capital?  

25:30 - Can There Be Too Much Capital in Bitcoin Companies? 

29:22 - Down Rounds in VC Investing 

33:34 - Benefits of Investing In Bitcoin Startups 

38:14 - Web 2 Monopolies vs. Bitcoin Companies  

42:57 - Competitive Moats for Bitcoin Companies 

47:26 - Investing in the Lightning Network 

49:19 - Should Large Bitcoin Holders Fund Bitcoin Companies? 

54:04 - Deciding Which Founders To Invest In 

01:01:53 - New Lightning Payment Applications 

01:04:39 - Lightning Adoption & Earning Bitcoin 

01:11:08 - Bitcoin's Role in Web 3.0  

01:15:56 - What Areas of the Internet will Integrate Lightning? 

01:19:25 - How Will Newcomers Interact with Lightning? 

01:24:07 - The Lightning Round

Hussein Badakhchani is the CTO at Noah, a Bitcoin company building what they believe is the money app of the future.

Hussein and I spoke about the new products Noah is building, the different mechanics that help people earn, save, spend, and pay money on Noah, and the future of payments on the Lightning Network.

→ Noah: https://noah.com/

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

00:00 - Intro

01:27 - Hussein Badakhchani Intro

04:46 - Why Noah Is Building on Bitcoin

09:21 - Noah’s Liquidity Pool

10:56 - Noah Badges

15:29 - Saving and Earning Money on Noah

18:17 - Interest Rates on Noah

21:17 - Why Noah is Non-Custodial

26:44 - How Does Credit Work on Noah?

36:06 - The Challenges of Expanding Globally

38:50 - Political Problems with Bitcoin

40:54 - Second Order Effects of Instant Payments

43:46 - Bitcoin and the Inflationary Economic Environment

51:05 - How Noah Makes Bitcoin Adoption Easier

54:29 - Societal Implications When People Start Saving

01:00:49 - Noah’s Competitors

01:02:11 - Interesting Lightning Applications

01:06:03 - The Lightning Round

Jesse Shrader is the co-founder of Amboss, a Lightning Network explorer and data analytics tool.  

Jesse and I spoke about Amboss role in helping node operators make better routing decisions, the ways Amboss can build a competitive moat when Lightning data is publicly available, the future of node operations on Lightning, as well as a discussion on Lightning messaging and other applications Jesse finds exciting.  

→ Amboss: https://amboss.space/ 

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me questions over the Lightning Network.    

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node    

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.    

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.    

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke 

Timestamps:   

00:00 - Intro 

00:59 - Jesse Shrader Intro 

03:10 - Building Amboss 

06:33 - The Amboss Vision 

09:28 - Data Analytics with Limited Information 

11:24 - How Do Node Operators Make Decisions? 

15:34 - Can You Earn a Full Time Income From Your Node? 

22:50 - Will Lightning Fees Change Over Time? 

31:56 - Lightning Growth Surprises 

34:39 - Amboss’s Competitive Advantage 

39:55 - Will Amboss Be a Lightning-Native Business? 

42:27 - Features to Improve Node Operations 

44:48 - Is Lightning a Social Network? 

47:26 - What is Keysend?  

53:06 - Will The Lightning Network Get Congested?  

58:36 - Growth of Capacity, Nodes, and Channels 

01:03:29 - Total Addressable Market for Lightning 

01:07:39 - The Lightning Round

André Neves is the co-founder and CTO of ZEBEDEE, a Lightning Network company focused on powering real economies in virtual worlds.  

André and I spoke about ZEBEDEE’s role in the metaverse, the ways Bitcoin can be integrated into games to change incentives, the history of LNURL and its use cases, as well as a discussion on Lightning Addresses and BOLTs.  

→ ZEBEDEE: https://zebedee.io/ 

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage.    

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node    

In the Lightning Round at the end of every show, I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.    

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke  

Timestamps:   

00:00 - Intro 

01:14 - André Neves Intro 

06:47 - The Future of the Metaverse 

10:28 - Will All Metaverse Platforms Become One?  

12:59 - Will Bitcoin Be The Currency of Virtual Environments?  

17:00 - How Bitcoin is Being Integrated in Games 

25:41 - Making a Living From Playing Games 

30:07 - Emerging Gaming Applications 

33:13 - ZEBEDEE’s Business Model  

38:46 - Can Bitcoin Disrupt Closed Platforms?  

42:45 - Demand for Bitcoin Game Developers 

45:23 - What is LNURL?  

51:53 - Lightning Addresses & LNURL 

01:01:39 - Lightning Addresses vs QR Codes 

01:08:06 - What are BOLTs?  

01:21:25 - How Lightning Implementations Make Decisions 

01:23:52 - The Current State of Lightning Implementations 

01:29:20 - Exciting Lightning Tech for 2022 

01:33:32 - The Lightning Round

Keagan McClelland is the co-founder of Start9 Labs, where his team is ushering in the age of sovereign computing with their personal servers.  

Keagan and I spoke about the distinction between Bitcoin/Lightning nodes and personal servers, the challenges of getting app developers and users to adopt personal servers, the growth of the Lightning Network, and the new technologies Keagan is most excited about.  

→ Start9 Labs: https://start9.com/  

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me or my future guests questions over the Lightning Network.    

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo 

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node    

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.    

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.    

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/ 

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT 

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke  

Timestamps  

00:00 - Intro 

01:25 - Keagan McClelland Intro 

06:58 - Lightning Nodes vs. Personal Servers 

15:29 - Current Features on Start9’s Embassy 

20:32 - Future Applications for Lightning Nodes 

24:23 - Lightning Nodes & Hardware Design 

28:07 - Are Embassy Apps Censorship Resistant? 

30:39 - Decentralized Network Efficiency Trade-offs 

35:00 - Do People Care About Privacy & Censorship?  

37:42 - How Much Storage Do People Need?  

39:23 - How Does Start9 Earn Revenue?  

43:17 - Centralization Risks & Personal Servers 

45:27 - Start9 Competitive Advantages 

49:01 - The Growth of the Lightning Network 

51:35 - Challenges for Lightning Network Builders 

56:31 - Lightning Node Predictions 

01:00:44 - Interesting Lightning Projects to Keagan 

01:05:51 - The Lightning Round

Keyan Kousha is the founder of Stacker News, a Bitcoin forum that pays users for sharing great content using the Lightning Network.  

Keyan and I spoke about the issues plaguing social media platforms, how the Lightning Network can incentivize better online communities and conversations, the growth of Stacker News so far, and the new features Stacker News is working on.  

→ Stacker News: https://stacker.news/  

The Lightning Round is sponsored by Voltage, where you can ask me or my future guests questions over the Lightning Network.    

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo 

→ Use code KEVINROOKE to get 50% off your first month's Lightning node    

At the end of every show I answer any questions listeners send in over the Lightning Network.    

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the iOS or Google Play App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.    

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/ 

→ Listen to More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT 

→ Follow Kevin Rooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke  

Timestamps  

00:00 - Intro  

01:33 - Keyan Kousha Intro 

03:17 - Why Did You Build Stacker News? 

09:02 - Is Austin the Bitcoin Capital of the World? 

11:18 - What Features Are You Integrating? 

14:17 - How Does Stacker News Work?  

23:48 - Constraints to Stacker News Adoption 

26:09 - Can Curating Content Become a Career? 

32:32 - Why Stacker News Is Better Than Reddit 

38:40 - Decentralizing Your Reputation 

41:38 - How Users Can Earn Sats on Stacker News 

44:54 - Decentralizing Stacker News 

50:24 - Can Lightning Nodes Eliminate Censorship? 

53:21 - How Lightning Nodes Could Evolve 

59:30 - Stacker News Growth and Metrics 

01:06:01 - The Future of Stacker News 

01:11:32 - The Lightning Round