In this conversation, Ben Kaufman discusses the evolving relationship between Bitcoin and government, the implications of political engagement for Bitcoiners, and the advancements in self-custody technology.
He introduces Miniscript, a programming language for Bitcoin that enhances the flexibility of spending conditions, and explores innovative use cases, particularly in inheritance planning.
The discussion also emphasizes the evolving landscape of Bitcoin self-custody, focusing on the security provided by Miniscript, the importance of emergency keys, and the role of Keeper in enhancing user experience.
Stephan and Ben also explore the challenges of self-custody, the need for education, and the catalysts that could drive more users towards self-custody solutions. The balance between security and usability is key, highlighting the advancements in technology that make self-custody more accessible to the average user.
Takeaways
🔸The Bitcoin community’s relationship with government is evolving.
🔸There is a tension between wanting less government and engaging politically.
🔸Miniscript offers a flexible way to define spending conditions in Bitcoin.
🔸User experience in self-custody has significantly improved over the years.
🔸Innovative use cases for Bitcoin technology are emerging, especially in inheritance planning.
🔸Time locks can be managed through absolute and relative methods in Bitcoin.
🔸The setup process for advanced spending conditions is similar to multisig wallets.
🔸Miniscript allows for complex configurations that enhance security.
🔸The importance of backing up wallet configurations cannot be overstated.
🔸Understanding the protocol level of Bitcoin is crucial for security. Miniscript enhances the security of self-custody.
🔸Emergency keys provide a safety net for users.
🔸Redundancy is crucial in recovery solutions.
🔸User verification is essential for security.
🔸Keeper offers flexible options for emergency keys.
🔸Self-custody requires taking full responsibility.
🔸Education is key to increasing self-custody adoption.
🔸The landscape of self-custody is improving rapidly.
🔸Standardized templates for self-custody may emerge.
🔸Technological advancements are making self-custody easier.
Timestamps:
(00:00) – Intro
(01:04) – Bitcoin’s relationship with the government
(04:15) – Should governments be convinced not to buy altcoins?
(08:09) – What is the current landscape of Bitcoin self custody technology?
(11:20) – What is Miniscript?
(13:59) – What are some of the useful applications of Miniscript?
(16:12) – Sponsors
(17:47) – What are Time Locks and how do they work?
(23:42) – Setting up advanced spending conditions with Miniscript & Inheritance planning
(31:54) – Emergency keys & other Security models
(37:46) – Which devices support Miniscript?
(39:17) – What does Bitcoin Keeper offer?
(41:20) – The future of Miniscript adoption
(43:51) – Passphrases vs. Multisig
(45:31) – Sponsors
(49:13) – Why do normies avoid self-custody?
(1:01:15) – Catalysts for self-custody adoption
Links:
Sponsors:
- Bold Bitcoin
- CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)
Stephan Livera links:
- Follow me on X: @stephanlivera
- Subscribe to the podcast
- Subscribe to Substack