In this episode, I chat with Rockstar Dev, a legendary shadowy super coder, core contributor, and cypherpunk. We explore what Lightning and eCash mean for Bitcoin’s future, what it’s like to live a masked identity, and how to build better systems that empower individuals.
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––– Get To Know Today’s Guest –––
• Uncle Rockstar Dev on X: https://x.com/r0ckstardev
• Uncle Rockstar Dev on Nostr: npub1j8y6tcdfw3q3f3h794s6un0gyc5742s0k5h5s2yqj0r70cpklqeqjavrvg
––– Socials –––
• Check out our new website at https://TheBitcoinMatrix.Com
• Follow Cedric Youngelman on X: https://x.com/cedyoungelman
• Follow The Bitcoin Matrix Podcast on X: https://x.com/_bitcoinmatrix
• Follow Cedric Youngelman on Nostr: npub12tq9jxmt707gd5vnce3tqllpm67ktr0mqskcvy58qqa4d074pz9s4ukdcs
––– Chapters –––
00:00 – Intro
02:00 – Rockstar’s Origin Story & BTCPay Genesis
05:31- – Discovering Bitcoin’s Ideological Core
08:22 – Community, Collaboration & BTC’s Cultural Impact
11:00 – BTCPay as a Platform and Alternative to BitPay
14:38 – The Block Size Wars & Ongoing Cultural Conflicts
20:38 – Camaraderie Among Core Contributors
22:48 – Privacy, Identity & Living Behind the Mask
25:54 – Ego, Recognition & Stories of Gigi
33:00 – Satoshi as a Coder & Mythic Figure
35:10 – Information Madness & Cypherpunk Prophecy
38:40 – Compliance vs Building Better Systems
42:05 – Bitcoin for Personal & Collective Freedom
46:09 – Rockstar on Realizing Financial Independence
48:20 – Lessons from Working in Bitcoin Startups
52:58 – Why Lightning Thrills Rockstar
57:42 – Stablecoins on Lightning & Their Bitcoin Impact
01:00:00 – Bitcoin is for Anyone—but Not for Everyone
01:04:45 – Can We Have Privacy Without KYC-Free Bitcoin?
01:14:00 – Is Rockstar Planning on Disappearing?
01:19:00 – Keeping Satoshi Unknown
01:25:45 – Reflecting on Corporate Jobs & Finding Meaning in your Work
01:38:45 – How Bitcoin Has Changed Rockstar
01:41:45 – Hope for a Sovereign Future
I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for tuning in, supporting the show, and contributing. Thank you for listening!
