Bitcoin: podcast episodes, research and news
Overview
Bitcoin is the first and largest cryptocurrency, a proof-of-work network with a fixed supply of 21 million coins. For most of its history it has been treated as digital gold, something to hold rather than build on. That is changing. Teams are adding layers, rollups and stablecoins to put Bitcoin's security and liquidity to work in lending, trading and payments. The debates are familiar but still unsettled:
- Should Bitcoin stay simple?
- How much trust does a Bitcoin layer add?
- What should holders do about long-term risks such as quantum computing?
Orkun Kılıç of Citrea describes his project this way: "Citrea is basically the platform for Bitcoin capital markets." It combines a ZK rollup on Bitcoin, the ctUSD stablecoin and apps for swapping, borrowing and structured products. He also contrasts what Western users want from Bitcoin finance with what users elsewhere need. One team building on Citrea is working on Bitcoin payments sent by text message, for regions where mobile data is unreliable.
Danny Nelson of Bitwise covers the investment side. He walks through the research behind Bitwise's long-range case for Bitcoin's price, and explains how institutions now approach the asset.
Bitcoin's influence shows up across the rest of the archive:
- DogeOS. Jordan Jefferson entered crypto around 2011 by building an early Bitcoin rewards platform, back when Bitcoin traded under $10. He now builds DogeOS, an application layer for another proof-of-work chain.
- Zano. Quinten van Welzen points to the privacy section of the Bitcoin white paper as evidence that crypto was always meant to be private.
This hub gathers those episodes with our Bitcoin guides, research and news. If you're new, start with our beginner guide to what Bitcoin is. Then use the episodes to see where builders and analysts think it goes next. The Layer 1s & Layer 2s hub goes deeper on how Bitcoin layers compare with other scaling designs.
Episodes2 episodes
Bitcoin Scaling is Broken: Citrea Aims to Fix it!
Idle capital, clunky bridges, EVM baggage, and purity tests. Most of it still isn't built for the masses. Will the Bitcoin economy prevail?
Bitcoin to $1.3 Million? Bitwise Research Expert Explains How
Serious, somewhat institutional chat at Breakpoint with Danny. Internet capital markets are forming on Solana. Does institutionalization strengthen the space or move it away from Satoshi’s original ethos?
Research and guides4 articles
News5 stories
Guests who discussed it2 guests
Frequently asked questions
Can you build DeFi on Bitcoin?
Not directly on the base layer, which has limited scripting. Projects such as Citrea add a layer on top, in its case a ZK rollup, that settles to Bitcoin and supports lending, swaps and stablecoins.
What is a ZK rollup on Bitcoin?
A separate execution layer that batches transactions and posts proofs back to Bitcoin. Citrea's Orkun Kılıç explains the design in his episode.
Is quantum computing a threat to Bitcoin?
It could become one if large quantum computers break today's signature schemes. Hardware wallet makers are preparing.
Where should a beginner start?
With our guide to what Bitcoin is. Then try the Bitwise episode for the investment view and the Citrea episode for the builder view.