Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

Cara Pennington and Juan Gabriel Ramos

We discuss Kaspa, a fast, decentralized, proof-of-work, scalable, and secure protocol. It is so much more than a cryptocurrency. Kaspa is peer-to-peer electronic cash. It is also programmable, and people are building in the Kaspa ecosystem. We discuss Kaspa news, adoption, BlockDAG tech, and the human perspective. We are not professional financial advisors, and everything we say is purely opinion and not financial advice. Do your own research. We look forward to connecting with you!

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Ep. 17 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    This live stream of "Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface" brought together a group of dedicated Kaspa community members, hosts, and guests for an in-depth discussion about the present and future of blockchain technology—especially focusing on Kaspa and its contrast to Bitcoin and Solana. The conversation explored technical, social, and economic issues around blockchain security budgets, memecoin dynamics, miner incentives, scalability, regulatory challenges, and the community's role in building and adopting protocols. The event's goal was to delve into the underlying truths of blockchain networks, foster education, and welcome newcomers, while offering a realistic—but optimistic—assessment of where Kaspa is headed. Guest Biography: - Odie: Kaspa community member known for his deep dives into security budgets, memecoin experiments, and technical expertise. He's recognized for creating educational resources and insightful calculators to illustrate security budget issues in proof-of-work blockchains. - Kaspa Maxi (alias): Financial advisor with experience in traditional investing as well as blockchain; active in the Kaspa community, committed to helping bridge the information gap for new Kaspa users. - Bishop: Kaspa community member, recognized for his humor and active participation in live sessions. - Additional contributors included 16bit, Onion, Dagpunk—all Kaspa enthusiasts with various technical and analytical backgrounds. Top Topics Discussed: 1. Kaspa vs. Bitcoin Security Model & Fee Market The group dissected Bitcoin's declining security budget and block rewards, emphasizing that fee-driven models are essential for sustainable mining incentives. Comparisons to Kaspa highlighted its superior transaction capacity and potential to enable broader network utility, with skepticism toward Bitcoin's long-term security prospects. 2. Meme Coins, Market Dynamics, and Cross-Chain Lessons Speakers—including Odie—shared personal experiences on memecoin launches, speculative trading, and the differences in liquidity, hype, and longevity between Solana and Kaspa tokens. The panel discussed how meme coin culture reflects deeper patterns in crypto communities and tech adoption. 3. Technical Education & Onboarding Emphasis was placed on Kaspa's learning curve and the need for newcomers to understand foundational concepts like block DAG, finality, security budget, and weighted transactions. Listeners were directed to resources such as kaspa.com and caspafaq.com for accessible articles and tools—addressing the gap between high-level discussion and entry-level understanding. 4. Building, Regulation, and Community Challenges The session revealed hurdles that community builders face, like centralized platform restrictions, regulatory gray areas (highlighted by the financial advisor's perspective), and the evolving needs for decentralized apps, wallets, and extensions. The group advocated for resilience, innovation, and moving toward self-hosted, censorship-resistant solutions. 5. Culture, Philosophy, and Community Engagement Resources Mentioned: - kaspa.com (especially the Learn Kaspa section) - kaspafaq.com - Blockchain Banter YouTube channel and live stream archive - KAS Map - Unspecified calculators and educational bots built by the community Key Learnings/Insights: - Bitcoin's security issues are now getting broader attention; Kaspa may offer superior solutions as its tech matures. - A focus on building real utility and scaling adoption is more important than price speculation—"proof of work" is not just mining, but active contribution. - Developers in Kaspa face unique challenges due to regulatory ambiguity and centralized platform limitations, but are finding creative ways to persist.

    3h 13m

  2. 5 FEB

    Ep. 16 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    The panel from Blockchain Banter, hosted by Cara and Juan, gather to discuss the recent revelations connecting Jeffrey Epstein to funding and influence in the early crypto ecosystem, especially regarding the Bitcoin Foundation, MIT's Media Lab, and major projects like Blockstream and Coinbase. The episode aims to bring both research and speculation about how nefarious actors and their funding could have steered development in crypto, and what that means for sentiment, legitimacy, and trust in blockchain technology. There is also discussion about the resilience and philosophy behind Kaspa versus Bitcoin, concerns over privacy and censorship in crypto, plus time spent on community topics such as fasting, disaster scenarios, and personal growth. --- Short Bios of Guest Speakers: - 16bit: An enthusiast and researcher with deep knowledge of the Bitcoin block size wars, involved in Casper debates, provides insightful analysis on attack vectors in core Bitcoin development and scaling. - Onion: Community participant often known for technical expertise around network nodes and privacy, especially on Casper, brings pragmatic views on blockchain security and sovereignty. - Dagpunk: Experienced community member, participated in technology debates and health-focused topics such as fasting. - Nakasompo: Early participant in Casper and Bitcoin debates, advocate for privacy and decentralization, shares views on AI, UBI, and society. - Crypto Odie/POW Odie: Active researcher and contributor in Casper, offers perspective on philosophical, technical, and social issues impacting blockchain. --- Core Topics Discussed 1. Epstein's Connection to Bitcoin Foundation, Blockstream, Coinbase, and MIT The group analyzes news reports and Justice Department files showing Epstein's funding role before and after the Bitcoin Foundation's bankruptcy, allocating funds to MIT's Media Lab and supporting core Bitcoin developers. Discussion highlights the ethical and network stigma, and how these histories impact market perception, onboarding, and belief in crypto as a legitimate tool. It also traces involvement of other figures (e.g., Brock Pierce, Adam Back) and addresses speculation about deeper influence. 2. Blockstream, the Block Size Wars, and Narrative Manipulation Panelists reconsider the impact of outside interests on Bitcoin's development, referencing the block size wars, and how smaller blocks and technical decisions were influenced by money and narrative control—possibly linked to external actors like Epstein. 3. Privacy, Transparency, and Node Sovereignty in Bitcoin and Casper Leaders debate the ethos and technical differences between Bitcoin and Casper around transaction traceability, node requirements, and archival data. There's critique that early Bitcoiners underestimated the traceability of the ledger, and praise for Casper's pruned node approach as making the network more resilient, self-sovereign, and less susceptible to forced censorship or dark content archiving. 4. Broader Network Manipulation and Disruption Risks (UBI, AI, Censorship, Privacy) Panelists explore how disruptive protocols like Casper threaten legacy and exchange-backed chains, leading to shadow bans or information suppression, and tie these issues to financial system instability, debt, and the probable emergence of UBI and programmable CBDCs. There's consensus that privacy and open-source participation are pivotal for resisting censorship and manipulation. 5. Community Resilience: Health, Fasting, Catastrophe Scenarios, and Personal Growth The final part covers community topics from fasting for health and spiritual growth to the impact of large-scale disasters (e.g., the Carrington event) on society and blockchain. The group highlights lessons learned about resilience, sharing skills, and finding purpose beyond technology, as well as the importance of personal development for contributing to decentralized networks.

    2h 56m

  3. 29 JAN

    Ep. 15 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Join us for Episode 15 of Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface, where we dive deep into the world of coding, AI-assisted development, and the future of Kaspa cryptocurrency. Hosted by Juan and Cara, this episode features inspiring stories and expert insights from the Kaspa community. Cara shares her journey from beginner coder to building a Pong game and multiple browser extensions for Kaspa using AI tools like GitHub Co-Pilot, Anti-Gravity, Claude, and Gemini. She discusses overcoming errors, her experiences with Kaspathon, and plans for apps, plugins, and more to boost Kaspa adoption. Kaspa core developer Izio joins to explain his work on covenants for native assets on Kaspa's L1, drawing from protocols like CAT on Bitcoin. He covers debugging, tools like Zed IDE, Excalidraw, and ngrok, and the ways AI can support research but not always code writing. The conversation shifts to macroeconomics: rising gold ($5,500/oz) and silver prices signaling dollar devaluation, debt crises, hyperinflation risks, and the role of crypto as a hedge. Guests Rory (from KII - Kaspa Industrial Initiative), Millennial, and 16-Bit discuss liquidity injections, BRICS' commodity-backed unit, UBI, stablecoins, and Kaspa's efficiency as a proof-of-work evolution. Rory emphasizes community coherence: aligning on Kaspa's mission, avoiding tribal wars, rewarding builders, and fostering a "living organism" for adoption. We explore morphic resonance, shared narratives, and industrial trust. Shoutouts to Neo's Better Melts, Kas BTC's Kaspa quiz, and community projects. Perfect for coders, crypto enthusiasts, and economic thinkers! Timestamps:0:00 Intro & Cara's Coding Journey 20:00 AI Tools & Browser Extensions 45:00 Izio on Kaspa Covenants 1:15:00 Gold, Silver & Dollar Devaluation 1:45:00 Community Mission & Coherence 2:30:00 Q&A and Wrap-Up Share your thoughts in the comments—what's your Kaspa project? #Kaspa #Blockchain #Crypto #AI #Coding #Economy

    2h 56m

  4. 22 JAN

    Ep. 14 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Join us for Episode 14 of Blockchain Banter: Beneath The Surface, where hosts Juan and Cara explore the latest in Kaspa developments, community insights, and macroeconomic trends. Featuring engaging discussions with Kaspa enthusiasts and experts.The episode kicks off with excitement over VProgs hitting GitHub, open-source progress, and upcoming Kaspa explorers like KRC Bot's fair and transparent version. Juan recounts a dramatic podcast appearance on Digital Gold Talk, highlighting agendas in crypto spaces and the importance of truth-seeking. Breaking news: Trump's pro-crypto bill speech at the W.F., potentially fostering infrastructure growth, with KII's prior SEC/CFTC engagements signaling bullish regulatory clarity for commodities like Kaspa. Rory from KII (Kaspa Industrial Initiative) joins to discuss industrial adoption: custom silicon for transactions, hardware prototypes, NDAs protecting enterprise tests, and Kaspa's role in real-world commerce (e.g., tokenizing commodities, enabling flow in supply chains). He contrasts fear-based maximalism with Kaspa's abundance mindset, emphasizing community coherence, energy flow over scarcity, and building a "living ledger." Guests Bishop, 16 Bit, and Onion share stories: Bishop on his Kaspa miner purchase via KasMart.org (escrow-protected marketplace), 16 Bit on photography and community vibes, Onion on past rants and Bitcoin critiques. The group dives into bank runs, IOUs, fee markets, sovereignty, and merging passions like wrestling with Kaspa. Deep philosophical takes on energy, stories, and unique perspectives from the panel, underscoring Kaspa's potential beyond currency—as a global sequencer for truth and data. Shoutouts to community projects, wallets, bridges, and Defi integrations like Cascade with MEXC. Perfect for Kaspa fans, builders, and truth-seekers! Timestamps: 0:00 Intro & VProgs GitHub Launch 15:00 Juan's Podcast Drama 30:00 Trump Pro-Crypto Bill & KII Insights 45:00 Rory on Industrial Adoption & Hardware 1:30:00 Community Stories: Bishop's Miner, KasMart 2:00:00 Flow vs. Fear, Community Coherence 2:45:00 Unique Perspectives & Wrap-Up Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Blockchain Banter! Share your Kaspa story in the comments—what's your unique perspective? #Kaspa #Blockchain #Crypto #KII #Community #Economy

    3h 28m

  5. 15 JAN

    Ep. 13 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Archived X Space with co-hosts @glitchin888 and @12stringcara. This episode of Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface (Episode 13) features an open mic discussion with core community members exploring decentralization in energy markets, carbon markets, and blockchain technical standards for energy trading. The format invites tough audience questions and candid exchanges among experts, builders, and community members. The focus is on cutting through crypto hype to examine how Kaspa and the KII (Kaspa Industrial Initiative) are developing practical, real-world blockchain infrastructure for efficient, verifiable, and interoperable carbon and energy markets—addressing fragmentation, trust, provenance, and global compatibility. Guest Spotlight: Rory – A leading figure at KII (Kaspa Industrial Initiative), from Ireland and Monaco, with 28+ years in energy infrastructure, market design, and family legacy in the sector. An early Bitcoin adopter, he has expertise in gas, electricity, subsea grids, high-precision medicine, and tech-energy innovation. Rory drives Kaspa's technical and market strategy for integrating with global energy, carbon, and financial systems. Key Topics Covered: Carbon Markets & Global Standards The discussion highlights fragmentation in current carbon markets, inefficiencies from missing global standards, and KII's push for regional (starting in MENA) then global on-chain frameworks. Kaspa's high-speed, timestamping capabilities enable trusted tracking, verification, and trading of carbon credits and energy attributes, balancing regulatory flexibility for voluntary and mandatory participants. Proof of Work in Energy and Blockchain A deep dive into why proof-of-work (PoW) is essential, especially for high-value energy/carbon markets. Kaspa's energy-as-value approach converts real-world energy into secure digital work, creating an incorruptible base layer. Compared to proof-of-stake and others, Kaspa's PoW (via the efficient kHeavyHash algorithm) stands out as technically superior, scalable, and energy-efficient for critical infrastructure. Technical Implementation: MRV, Oracles & Tokenization Focus on architecture for global energy/carbon markets, including MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) devices, data standards, and tokenized assets (e.g., RECs, carbon credits). Discussions cover hardware partnerships, secure data flows, and Kaspa as a censorship-resistant sequencer for high-frequency trades and environmental reporting. Market & Regulatory Challenges Balancing local regulations, voluntary participation, and penalties/rewards while aiming for standardized digital assets. Audience questions probe voluntariness, cross-border management, and adaptability. KII is developing flexible "rail" infrastructure, starting regionally (e.g., MENA), to support interoperation and market-led standardization. Community Engagement, Transparency & Skepticism Open format sparks probing questions on carbon mechanisms, privacy, inheritance, technical education, node incentives, and generational wealth. Themes include tensions between top-down control and grassroots open-source development. Resources & Mentions: Kaspa (blockDAG protocol/ecosystem) KII / Kaspa Industrial Initiative (Kaspa-based industrial applications, gigawatt stablecoin concepts) DII (Desert Energy Industrial Initiative) GEO Seal, ZTEX (geospatial proof & environmental exchange platforms) EuroMillions/lottery-style node rewards ideas Tether/USDT, Fireblocks, Copper (custody/institutional tools) Other chains: Cubic, Solana, Polygon, Ethereum, Bitcoin Ferrogranular.com (Rory's iron-powder energy tech/book) Key Takeaways: A grounded view of how Kaspa enables massive industrial use cases beyond speculation, with real architecture for energy and carbon markets. Insights into bottlenecks like fragmentation and regulation—and how tokenization/standardization via Kaspa can solve them.

    4h 30m

  6. 8 JAN

    Ep. 12 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Archived X Space recording featuring co-hosts @12stringcara and @glitchin888. In this episode of Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface, hosts Cara and Juan bring together passionate members of the Kaspa community for an energetic, wide-ranging discussion on recent developments, new project launches, and the growing ecosystem. The focus is on keeping the community informed, inspired, and connected — covering technical upgrades, real-world use cases, privacy, security, and building true utility around Kaspa. Guest Highlights CryptoODI (Odie) — Electrician-turned-advocate; known for technical tools (e.g., fee calculator) and now building NFC payments with the Nexus project. 16bit — Active ecosystem user and builder, providing testing and feedback on new apps. Other contributors: Kaspa Onion, CryptoNinja, and various community voices. Top Discussion Topics Warp Core & KII's Enterprise Integration WarpCore (by KII) allows banks and TradFi to settle fast, compliant, verifiable transactions on Kaspa — bridging decentralization with institutional needs. Panelists stressed proving real partnerships and the critical role of compliance in adoption. Kaspa Testnet 12 & Covenants Upgrade Testnet 12 is live with the powerful covenants feature — enabling protocol-level security, programmable restrictions, and enhanced flexibility without full smart contract complexity. Here’s a deeper look at Kaspa's BlockDAG architecture that powers this scalability. Ecosystem Growth: Dapps, Maps, Messaging & Marketplaces Highlights include Cast Maps (merchant directory), K-social (censorship-resistant network), KSEA encrypted messaging, Spectre NFT marketplace, Chain Signals (on-chain trading), and early stablecoin concepts — all aimed at real utility and circular economies over speculation. Privacy, Security & Scam Vigilance Discussions covered new privacy tools like Cloak Protocol, evolving security features, regulatory updates (e.g., Dubai DFSA), and the importance of the Kaspa Security Center for reporting scams and phishing. Real-World Adoption, NFC Payments & Future Vision Odie shared progress on NFC payments via Nexus — making Kaspa as easy as Apple/Google Pay. The group explored the 10x value needed to disrupt Web2, AI's role in the economy, grassroots onboarding, and the power of community experimentation. Peer-to-peer network vibes for Kaspa's decentralized foundation:freemanlaw.com And a glimpse of NFC contactless crypto payments in action:pymnts.com Key Resources Mentioned Warp Core (by KII) KasMap K-social.network Kasia Messaging Kaspasecuritycenter.com Kaspa Commons ChainSignals.net Spectre Market Cloak Protocol Nexus (NFC payments) KaspaNG & Testnet 12/faucet Kaspium Wallet KRC20/KRC Bot And more: Kasmi NFTs, Proof of Works, Pacman NFTs, Kaspa University WUp-to-date insights on major upgrades (Warp Core, covenants, testnets) and their real impact on utility/adoption How Kaspa is connecting crypto with TradFi through compliance and speed Overview of exciting ecosystem tools for merchants, users, and builders Practical advice on privacy, security, and staying safe in crypto Real builder/user stories on grassroots growth, circular economies, and experimentation A lively example of open, skeptical, forward-thinking community dialogue Great watch for anyone following Kaspa's fast-moving journey!

    3h 17m

  7. 18/12/2025

    Ep. 11 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Archived X Space with co-hosts @12stringcara and @glitchin888. This live stream is a lively, in-depth community discussion on Kaspa blockchain developments, challenges, and philosophies — with plenty of banter about decentralized tech, sovereignty, and the future of crypto. Hosted by Juan and Cara, the session features seasoned community members and special guests sharing insights, tackling technical questions, and debating narratives around Bitcoin, AI, economic history, and real-world Kaspa adoption. The tone is energetic, supportive, humorous, and motivating for both newcomers and veterans. Guest Highlights Cara — Community leader, regular cohost, and deep Kaspa ecosystem expert. KRCbot — Technical builder, creator of open-source tools and a planned block explorer. Kaspa Onion — Influencer and former Bitcoin maximalist, known for sharp questions and strong advocacy for Kaspa values. Buffalo — Candid, practical community voice. Here are the top discussion topics:Kaspa Hackathon (Casperthon) & Community Growth Excitement around the upcoming Casperthon hackathon — massive prize pool, open to AI-enhanced projects, designed to attract builders from Ethereum, Solana, and beyond to boost innovation and onboard new talent. Free Speech, Decentralization & Sovereignty Deep dive into anti-censorship tech like Kasia Messaging, real-world experiences with platform bans (YouTube vs. Rumble), and why Kaspa enables truly provable, uncensorable peer-to-peer communication. Peer-to-peer network illustration for context:shutterstock.com Economic History, Bitcoin Critique & Sound Money Debates on historical currency failures (Rome, gold confiscation, debasement), Bitcoin's shortcomings, and why Kaspa offers a superior peer-to-peer digital money model with lessons from the past. Technical Deep Dives Scaling, node operations, resource management, stress testing, and open-source block explorers — straight from experts like KRCbot. AI's Impact, Productivity & the Future Thoughtful takes on AI's societal effects (like the industrial revolution), job shifts, automation risks, and how communities can adapt with productive tools in a fast-changing world. Key Resources Mentioned: kaspathon.com kaspa.stream (block explorer) Kasia Messaging KEF / CORE (funding bodies) Community projects: SuperTypo, Wolfie, Kaspamedia.com, Kaspamap.org Other: Rumble, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, Chainlink, Near, Radix Upcoming: Vprog, CovProcs, Crumbs token, KRC 721, Kasplex, KNS, How to join Kaspa hackathons (even non-coders welcome) Real examples of why decentralized, uncensorable systems matter Clear Kaspa vs. Bitcoin comparisons (fees, scaling, usability) Node-running tips, scaling challenges, and open-source best practices Balanced views on blockchain + AI opportunities and risks Community-driven motivation to think critically about crypto, history, and personal sovereignty Ideas to advocate for Kaspa and digital freedom in your own circles Perfect for anyone curious about Kaspa's edge in the crypto space!

    3h 35m

  8. 11/12/2025

    Ep. 10 - Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface

    Recorded X Space with @glitchin888 and @12stringcara. This live stream is episode 10 of the "Blockchain Banter: Beneath the Surface" series, hosted by Cara and Juan. The focus of the event is deep discussion around Kaspa (KAS), a proof-of-work cryptocurrency project built on the innovative blockDAG architecture (via the GHOSTDAG protocol), its ecosystem, and how it positions itself against Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The session covers experiences from recent in-person events (like Tokenize in London), community building, technical discussions about mining, network scalability, transaction weighting mechanisms (e.g., harmonic mass for efficient resource use), and challenges of mainstream adoption. The hosts explore the human side of crypto communities, the importance of energy, in-person connection, and philosophical questions on decentralization and sovereignty. Guest speaker Kaspa Onion joins for an in-depth breakdown of Bitcoin's technical limitations versus Kaspa, and the future of network incentives and sustainability.Guest Biographies: Kaspa Onion: Former Bitcoiner with eight years of experience, now a Kaspa maximalist. Known for deep technical knowledge, especially around Bitcoin's scalability issues, mining economics, network security, and Kaspa's technology. Onion regularly hosts educational spaces on X (Twitter) and is recognized by the community for his insightful analysis and friendly banter. Top Topics Discussed: Real-Life Networking & Kaspa Community Energy Juan shares highlights from attending Tokenize in London, describing the palpable energy at the Kaspa booth compared to other industry booths. The organic, unscripted way community members engaged visitors showed genuine grassroots enthusiasm, with strong interpersonal connections and authentic vibes—a contrast to more corporate crypto projects. Bitcoin's Scalability Crisis and Lightning Network Limitations Kaspa Onion provides a technical breakdown of Bitcoin's base layer limitations (roughly 7 TPS / ~800k tx/day), describing the risks of congested transactions if mass adoption occurs. He details the problems with the Lightning Network, such as queueing for channel openings and the lack of sustainable miner incentives, explaining how these could lead to a future bank run scenario for Bitcoin holders. Kaspa's Transaction Weighting, Mass Calculation, and Security Budget A deep dive into how Kaspa can sustain itself post-block subsidy through innovative mechanisms like transaction mass/harmonic weighting (fees scaled by data usage, sigops, and script size) and high-throughput design—enabling the network to handle massive scale (currently 10 blocks per second, with goals for 100 BPS and thousands of TPS). Discussion includes how expanding utility and new use cases boost miner rewards, and why Kaspa is positioned to uncouple security from coin price better than Bitcoin. Philosophical & Human Elements of Decentralization The hosts explore themes of energy, connection, sovereignty, and the spiritual aspects of blockchain. They discuss how plant medicine, openness, and treating others as a reflection of oneself can enrich community building. They also touch on AI's role in making cryptography and Kaspa's technology more accessible, and how decentralization is a liberating force. Kaspa's Ecosystem Growth, In-Person Events, and Adoption Strategies The future of Kaspa adoption is discussed, with Cara sharing ideas around crypto-smart contracts for book royalties and payment platforms, as well as Kaspa's role in large-scale technological change (AI, data centers, KII's satellite nodes). The importance of continued community-driven education is emphasized, with the hosts setting the tone for building bridges across difference

    3h 4m
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About

We discuss Kaspa, a fast, decentralized, proof-of-work, scalable, and secure protocol. It is so much more than a cryptocurrency. Kaspa is peer-to-peer electronic cash. It is also programmable, and people are building in the Kaspa ecosystem. We discuss Kaspa news, adoption, BlockDAG tech, and the human perspective. We are not professional financial advisors, and everything we say is purely opinion and not financial advice. Do your own research. We look forward to connecting with you!

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