Built on Bitcoin with Jacob Brown

Jake

Interviews with the best founders building on Bitcoin. Jacob takes an open-minded approach and talks with builders from all corners of the Bitcoin ecosystem.

  1. 30 JUN

    Lightning Network Debate: Bitcoin's future or overhyped flop? Harsha Goli vs. Paul Sztorc 2025.

    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?

    1h 9m

  2. 11 JUN

    OP_Return Debate Ends, NerdAxe, BTC Vegas 2025, Alkanes - Bitcoin Weekly Kickback

    If you want to understand the forces shaping Bitcoin's future, this is the episode for you.The kickback crew is back after an 8-month hiatus to discuss:00:00 Running and Training for Marathons01:59 Reflections on Bitcoin Vegas05:52 The OP_RETURN Drama and Bitcoin Core12:08 Scaling Bitcoin: CTV and CheckSig from Stack24:52 Debating Bitcoin Upgrades30:01 The Rise of OdinFun33:11 Alkanes and Meta Protocols42:59 Nerdaxes and Open Source MiningFollow the crew on TwitterCharlie: https://x.com/cbspearsBob: https://x.com/BobBodilyDonny: https://x.com/itsdonnyokJake: https://x.com/JakeBlockchainFollow the Built on Bitcoin podcast on Twitter: https://x.com/builtonbtcpodCatch up on past episodes at https://www.builtonbitcoin.xyz/Subscribe to the newsletter:https://builtonbitcoin.beehiiv.com/subscribe

    55 min
  3. Scaling Bitcoin with BitVM & Bitlayer | Kevin He Interview Co-Founder of Bitlayer

    28 MAR

    Scaling Bitcoin with BitVM & Bitlayer | Kevin He Interview Co-Founder of Bitlayer

    Kevin He, a seasoned blockchain architect with experience launching multiple L1s/L2s (including Huobi Eco Chain), joins the show to discuss Bitlayer. We explore his journey into crypto, the genesis of Bitlayer, and take a deep dive into BitVM technology - what it is, how it works, its current development status (BitVM 2, Alliance progress, auditing), and how Bitlayer is leveraging it to build trust-minimized Bitcoin L2 solutions, focusing on DeFi. Kevin shares insights on the Bitcoin opcode debate, the future of Bitcoin scaling, and reveals Bitlayer's upcoming BitVM bridge mainnet launch. What we talk about: 00:56 Kevin's Background: Building L1s/L2s & Early Lessons 10:36 The Genesis of Bitlayer & Addressing Bitcoin L2 Needs 18:00 Discovering BitVM: A Breakthrough for Bitcoin L2 Security 26:45 BitVM Explained: Verification, Not Just Computation 34:37 BitVM Development: V1 vs V2, ZK Challenges & Bridge Focus 41:30 Inside the BitVM Alliance: Technical Progress & On-Chain Impact 48:00 Alpha Leak: BitVM Auditing & Mainnet Progress 54:30 The Bitcoin Opcode Debate: Necessity and Impact on BitVM 01:04:00 Long-Term Bitcoin Sustainability: Fees vs Subsidy & Upgrades 01:08:00 Bitlayer's BitVM Bridge Mainnet Launch & Partnerships Follow Bitlayer on Twitter: @BitlayerLabs Learn more about Bitlayer: [https://www.bitlayer.org/](https://www.bitlayer.org/) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter: @JakeBlockchain Stay updated on everything Built on Bitcoin podcast: [https://www.builtonbitcoin.xyz/](https://www.builtonbitcoin.xyz/) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Building something amazing on Bitcoin? Connect with us at the Bitcoin Frontier Fund. We invest and assist the best early-stage founders building new user-cases for Bitcoin. Website: [https://www.btcfrontier.fund/](https://www.btcfrontier.fund/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/BTCFrontierFund](https://twitter.com/BTCFrontierFund) Love yall! See you in the next episode. Peace!

    58 min
  4. E162: The Lightning Network in 2025 with Graham Krizek - Founder of Voltage Cloud

    8 MAR

    E162: The Lightning Network in 2025 with Graham Krizek - Founder of Voltage Cloud

    Is Lightning on its way out or primed for massive adoption? This is a question underlying so much of the discussion around Lightning on the timeline. So I sat down with Graham to discuss the state of Lightning in 2025. Recently they published a report in partnership with Fidelity Digital Assets and presented some great stats on the health of the network. This episode will make you bullish on Lightning. Check out this conversation with Graham Krizek - CEO & Founder of Voltage Cloud. Follow Graham on Twitter: https://x.com/gkrizek?lang=en Learn more about Voltage: https://www.voltage.cloud/

    46 min
  5. E161: Bitcoin Compliance: Everything You Should Know with Harsha Goli - Co-Founder of Magnolia

    24 JAN

    E161: Bitcoin Compliance: Everything You Should Know with Harsha Goli - Co-Founder of Magnolia

    In this conversation, we sit down with Harsha Goli and delve into the complexities of Bitcoin compliance, exploring the challenges faced by startups in navigating regulatory landscapes. Harsha shares his extensive background in the Bitcoin space, highlighting the importance of compliance and the impact of regulations on innovation. We discuss the current state of regulatory uncertainty, the implications of KYC and AML requirements, and the evolving role of custodial and non-custodial solutions. The conversation also touches on the tax implications of cryptocurrency transactions and the future of stablecoins in the regulatory framework. Follow Harsha on Twitter: @_arshbot Learn more about Magnolia on their website: https://magnolia.financial/

    45 min
  6. E160: BOB - The Hybrid Bitcoin L2 with Co-Founder Dominik Harz

    3 JAN

    E160: BOB - The Hybrid Bitcoin L2 with Co-Founder Dominik Harz

    In this episode, we sit down with Dominik Harz, co-founder of BOB (Build on Bitcoin), to explore the cutting edge of Bitcoin scaling and interoperability. Dom dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of building on Bitcoin, focusing on Bob's innovative approach to bridging Bitcoin with other networks like Ethereum using BitVM. We discuss the importance of network effects, the intricacies of cross-chain security, and the practical considerations for users interacting with these technologies. Dom also shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship and the unique hybrid L2 model Bob is implementing. This conversation provides a fascinating look into the future of Bitcoin and its potential to connect with the broader crypto ecosystem. What we talk about: Dominik's background and journey into the Bitcoin spaceThe evolution of Bitcoin and the need for scaling solutionsBob's approach to bridging Bitcoin with other chains using BitVMThe importance of network effects in cryptoChallenges and solutions in cross-chain securityPractical considerations for users and the future of BobThe hybrid L2 model and its implicationsTransitioning from academia to entrepreneurshipFollow Dominik Harz on Twitter: https://x.com/dominik0_ Learn more about Bob: https://www.gobob.xyz/

    58 min
  7. Unlocking the Power of UTXO Lending & Staking with FluidTokens - Matteo Coppola & Raul Antonio

    15/11/2024

    Unlocking the Power of UTXO Lending & Staking with FluidTokens - Matteo Coppola & Raul Antonio

    Today, Matteo & Raul join me to discuss how Fluid Tokens is revolutionizing decentralized finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin. As pioneers in leveraging Bitcoin’s UTXO model with Ordinals & Runes, they’re building innovative DeFi primitives like staking, lending, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs) in a trustless and permissionless way. In this episode, we explore: • [00:00] Surviving the Bear Market and Building in Web3 • [07:00] Matteo & Raul’s Journey into Crypto • [13:00] Understanding UTXO: Why It’s Better for DeFi • [23:30] Fluid’s Current Products: Lending, Staking, and DEXs • [30:00] The Future of Bitcoin OS and ZK Bridges • [37:00] Pushing Bitcoin Script to Its Limits • [45:00] The Role of Account Abstraction in DeFi’s UX Evolution Follow Fluid Tokens: • Website:https://fluidtokens.com/ • Twitter: @FluidTokensXBT Follow me on Twitter: @JakeBlockchain Stay updated on everything Built on Bitcoin podcast: https://www.builtonbitcoin.xyz/ Building something amazing on Bitcoin? Connect with us at the Bitcoin Frontier Fund. We invest in and assist the best early-stage founders building new use cases for Bitcoin. Website: https://btcfrontier.fund/ Twitter: @BTCFrontierFund Love y’all! See you in the next episode. Peace!

    48 min
  8. Bitcoin Stablecoins: Everything You Should Know with Jakob Schillinger - CEO & Founder of Hermetica

    08/11/2024

    Bitcoin Stablecoins: Everything You Should Know with Jakob Schillinger - CEO & Founder of Hermetica

    Bitcoin-Backed Stablecoins: A Deep Dive with Jakob Schillinger Jakob Schillinger, CEO & Founder of Hermetica, joins me to discuss the exciting potential of Bitcoin-backed stablecoins. Hermetica is building a system of decentralized finance on Bitcoin, using stablecoins as a key building block. In this conversation, we explore: [00:00] Bitcoin and Stablecoin Adoption Curve [08:10] Jakob's Journey into Bitcoin [18:50] The Different Types of Stables [27:30] What is Hermetica & How it Works. [47:45] Building Useful Products (Practically) Follow Jakob Schillinger on Twitter: @Jakob_btc Learn more about Hermetica: https://hermetica.fi/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter: @JakeBlockchain Stay updated on everything Built on Bitcoin podcast: https://www.builtonbitcoin.xyz/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Building something amazing on Bitcoin? Connect with us at the Bitcoin Frontier Fund. We invest and assist the best early-stage founders building new user-cases for Bitcoin. Website: https://www.btcfrontier.fund/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BTCFrontierFund Love yall! See you in the next episode. Peace!

    55 min
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Interviews with the best founders building on Bitcoin. Jacob takes an open-minded approach and talks with builders from all corners of the Bitcoin ecosystem.

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