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Pete Cheyne is the co-founder of Block Matrix, which is the company behind Bottle. Bottle is an app that aims to make Bitcoin accessible to everyone by allowing users to instantly create a Lightning wallet with their social media account. In this show, Pete and I discuss the creation of Bottle, what it has been like building on Lightning Network, and the importance of making Bitcoin more accessible. Follow us on Twitter @ContrarianCast and follow @BottlePay.
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Nathan is the co-founder and CTO of the peer to peer cryptocurrency exchange LocalCoinSwap. We had a great conversation about the importance of peer to peer trading, Nathan's experiences as an arbitrage trader, the recent decision by Local Bitcoins to remove cash trades, making Bitcoin accessible to the masses, and the current regulatory climate in the sector. Follow us on Twitter @ContrarianCast and check out LocalCoinSwap.
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In this episode, I speak with Joshua Frank, the co-founder, and CEO of TheTIE. TheTIE is a platform for cryptocurrency traders that provides powerful market data. Joshua and I discussed: Their research on fake exchange volume across the market ⢠The correlation between Crypto Twitter sentiment and prices ⢠TheTIE's Sentiment Tracker which analyzes millions of tweets per day ⢠Bitcoin's rise in market share ⢠Follow us @ContrarianCast and @TheTIE ⢠Visit TheTIE: http://thetie.io
Show Notes courtesy of BlockchainSEO:
In Episode 10 of the Contrarian Island podcast, founder of TheTie.io Joshua Frank opens the discussion by giving a brief introduction to what jump-started his interest in crypto, along with a brief introduction of TheTie.io. He explains that The Tieâs primary purpose is promoting transparency in an otherwise difficult to navigate (and shielded) blockchain landscape â a solution to better help explain market data and price movement.Frank continues that noting the TheTie.comâs platform is geared towards traders, providing information and analytics on cryptocurrency sentiment, pricing, technical, on-chain data, and more. The first major topic of discussion podcast host Matt and Frank hit is a May 10th report released by TheTie on suspicious trading volume across nearly every exchange, but for 11.
The report ultimately found large discrepancies between volume per user visits and high incentive for exchanges to push out fake volumes due to a significant increase in traffic, referrals, and commissions. Frank emphasized just how egregious these fabrications were â to a point where several exchanges were touring $25 million in trading volume, when barely breaking $25,000.
The Tieâs 20 step report also noted the lack of exchange Terms of Services prohibiting âmarket manipulationâ specifically (less than 50%).
Such findings were alarming, with Frank reflecting how fabricated and suspicious volume was in fact one of the most substantial barriers to mainstream adoption (due to an extremely overinflated market).
TheTieâs Comprehensive Crypto Analytics PlatformâThe go-to dashboard to the crypto market.â
In the second half of Episode 10, Frank explains several novel features The Tie boasts, namely the âcrypto sentiment trackerâ. Frank explains that TheTie.ioâs crypto sentiment tracker accesses roughly 850 million tweets per day, and scores them based on a proprietary algorithm. For example, The Tieâs algorithm takes into account how long a Twitter account has been in existence, how accurate theyâve been tweeting about X coin (this generally wipes out about 97% of all tweets), and calculates a market sentiment.
In a day and age where social media and technology are so intertwined, itâs only natural that the blockchain ecosystem and Twitter should cross paths. Frank noted the extremely correlation between action in the crypto market and activity on Twitter about particular projects (or the market in general).
And, to hammer home true transparency and trust in The Tie and their mission, Frank stresses that no employee at The Tie actually holds any cryptocurrencies.
To wrap up the podcast, host Matt questions Frank on what he thinks are the major drivers and boxes that need to be ticked in order to truly realize mainstream crypto adoption. We canât give everything away in this article, so youâll just have to listen for yourself.
Final ThoughtsFrankâs incites into the crypto market and articulation of several fundamental id
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Really enjoyed this conversation with Nick Ward, the founder of Bitcoin apparel and merchandise site LayerOneBTC.com. We discussed finding Bitcoin amongst the chaos of the 2017 altcoin/ICO mania, why "time" is the main ingredient for mass adoption, and Bitcoin's fundamentals influence the merchandise designs at Layer One. Shop LayerOne: https://layeronebtc.com/. Follow @ContrarianCast and @Nck_Wrd.
Shows Notes By Blockchain SEO:
âWeâre on the cusp of the second layer to the Internet.âEpisode 9 of the Contrarian Island Bitcoin Podcast shifts gears from previous episodes, as itâs the first guest who has started their own Bitcoin-related business in furtherance of assisting mass adoption. The early half of the episode tackles Wardâs background in design and web developing, along with what served as the catalyst for his interest in blockchain. Ward noted that although he had first been introduced to Bitcoin back in 2014, it wasnât until the 2017 Bitcoin and blockchain hysteria commenced, that he hopped on board â citing Ethereum as the initial project to pique his interest.
Ward goes on to explain that once the market took off, he started looking for answers, realizing that the positive gains he was witnessing everyday on his crypto portfolio app were unsustainable. Crypto Twitter became a go-to platform, where he was able to find a filtered and concentrated message, and he soon solidified his position in blockchain.In the second half of the episode, Ward discusses his motivation behind creating LayerOneBTC, a Bitcoin and blockchain related online merch store. What struck a chord with us at BlockchainSEO was Wardâs deeper meaning behind the store and merch. He emphasized that LayerOneBTC wasnât just about selling Bitcoin-related merchandise, it was created in furtherance of spreading BTC awareness and conversation. Designs were/are thoughtfully tailored to generate discussion surrounding the fundamentals driving Bitcoin and blockchain (ex. Limited supply, Proof-of-Work, sovereignty).
He cited several t-shirt and merch designs which affirmed this, specifically one that reads â21 million,â a number made in reference to Bitcoinâs maximum supply. Ward further expanded on his partnership with âWhat Bitcoin Didâ podcast host Peter McCormack, along with his intentions for building out LayerOneBTC and its reach.
When asked by podcast host Matt where Ward sees LayerOneBTC.com heading in the next 10 years, he stated he was here to keep pushing the envelope with partnership and wanted to keep putting out important ideas in the space to generate thoughtful discussion (and serve as a platform for merchandising brands).Interested in picking up some Bitcoin and blockchain related merch? Head on over to LayerOneBTC.com to check out their collections. We also recommend following Nick and LayerOneBTC on Twitter. Also, make sure to check out all of Contrarian Islandâs past podcasts over at their Twitter page or website.
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Pavlenex and I chat about Bitcoin, BTC Pay Server, Hodlonaut, and Bitcoin mass adoption. Find us on Twitter @ContrarianCast, @Pavlenex, @BTCPayServer.
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Episode #7 is with Bitcoin researcher and writer, Gigi. We had a great conversation about Gigi's new piece titled Bitcoin's Gravity. We talked about feedback loops in Bitcoin, what needs to happen for mass adoption, different Bitcoin interpretations, what drives people towards Bitcoin, Proof of Work and more. All in all, it was an insightful Bitcoin conversation. Follow us on Twitter @ContrarianCast. Follow @DerGigi.
Show notes courtesy of BlockchainSEO:
âPeople have ideas, but ideas have people.âEpisode 7âs guest âGigiâ takes a deep look at everything Bitcoin, primarily centering around several concepts discussed in Gigiâs most recent and well-acclaimed Medium article âBitcoinâs Gravityâ. The article addresses some of the most egregious misunderstandings surrounding Bitcoin and underlying blockchain technology as a whole, outlining its primary goal (to reach consensus) and how it mirrors traditional games that have existed throughout history (one ripe with its own explicit and implicit rules).
Episode 7 begins with Gigi explaining his somewhat âtale as old as timeâ foray into Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, having come from a background in computer science, and only having been âswallowed wholeâ by Bitcoin post-Mt. Gox. He talks about his âeureka moment,â where he realized how it worked on the technical side of things and its novel idea of true immutability. Specifically, he cites three fundamental ideas driving Bitcoin which made things click; no inflation, no confiscation, and no central point of failure.
Gigi then expands upon the notion of four elements (addressed in Bitcoinâs Gravity) at the heart of the Bitcoin ecosystem and manifestation as a feedback loop: ideas, people, code, and nodes. Gigiâs ideal-value feedback loop goes something like this:
Bitcoinâs set of ideas â the ultimate value proposition â attracts people,Those people then freely choose which code to run,The respective code runs on individual nodes, which dictates behavior,More nodes join the network, and peers are connected to one another,The network achieves consensus, to decide upon who owns what, and finallyThe value then reinforces a set of ideas defined by its consensus.From Gigiâs understanding of Bitcoin as a feedback loop, he notes how it helped him learn how people are drawn into Bitcoin (and remain âmarriedâ to their own ideas and coins).
One quote that resonated with us at BlockchainSEO is when Gigi emphasized the already established nature of Bitcoin and its value, meaning that Bitcoin may ultimately change us more than we will change it. The gears are in motion. Supporting his argument, Gigi talks of the strengths of Proof-of-Work (PoW), and how as a true anchor to the real world, it ultimately solves core trust issues plaguing traditional systems and mechanisms. Host Matt and Gigi then discuss how while Proof-of-Stake has gained popularity over the years (while it, in fact, was not a new creation), it has yet to be âbattle testedâ in comparison to PoW.
Finally, host Matt and Gigi talk into where the crypto market is headed as a whole, to which Gigi asserts that we are likely in a relatively peaceful time at the moment â with potential for future high profile attacks and hash wars to follow.
We strongly recommend reading up on Gigiâs article titled âBitcoinâs Gravityâ before (or after) listening to the podcast, which can be found ove -
Today's episode is with Brett Richey, the CEO of BlitzPredict. BlitzPredict is a betting exchange that is revolutionizing prediction markets by utilizing blockchain technology. We have a fascinating conversation that covers: Brett's life as a poker pro ⢠The current problems with the underground Bitcoin casino market ⢠How BlitzPredict is using Augur and 0x to create a better betting experience ⢠Decentralizing trust ⢠The future of cryptocurrency and sports betting ⢠Follow us on Twitter @ContrarianCast ⢠Follow Brett at @BrettRichey ⢠Follow BlitzPredict @BlitzPredict â˘
Show notes courtesy of BlockchainSEO:
In Episode 6 of the Contrarian Island Podcast, podcast host Matt talks with his first non-Bitcoin focused guest, Brett Richey â a former professional poker player and CEO of BlitzPredict (built on the Ethereum blockchain).In the early half of the episode, Richey talks about his transition from professional poker (11 years), to heading Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) applications in Vegas, to the moment he realized blockchain tech was still in its infancy and near overnight foray into crypto.
Having come from a background of a high risk tolerance, one manipulated and highly saturated with unsavory actors and opaque business practices, blockchain tech was a no brainer for Richey â recognizing todayâs present day cat and mouse sports betting industry generated diminishing (and unbeatable) returns for average persons.
Richey proposed a solution, one focused on a healthy long-term sports betting ecosystem, where funds, lines, control exist solely âin the handsâ of its users (thanks to blockchainâs distributed ledger technology). Richey cited their original goal â to become a global aggregator of gambling (similar to how Kayak is at the forefront of travel deals and bookings). Cue BlitzPredict, the âFuture of Betting. â
âThereâs no difference between a bookie and a market maker, the difference really is just in the verbiage.âTackling todayâs highly fragmented, centralized, and traditional online sports betting platforms, BlitzPredict is a low-fee, highly transparent decentralized betting exchange built on the Ethereum blockchain and powered by prediction market protocol Augur and P2P asset exchange 0x Protocol.
Specifically, Augur is set to assist in one of the biggest hurdles â liquidity â while 0x Protocol enables speed (something especially important for market makers) â settling transactions on the blockchain (all while keeping the order book off-chain).
Essentially, BlitzPredict is a regulated and curated portal to global liquidity portals for sports betting and gambling. Furthermore, theyâre aimed at accessibility and the user-experience, looking to âmirror the ease of William Hillâs app.â
Richey goes into depth about several core problems plaguing todayâs sports betting markets (and blockchain as a whole):
Highly centralized and manipulative actors and framework,The vulnerability of user funds,Banning of winning gamblers without justified reason,Delayed or non-existent cashouts,Exorbitant fees.While BlitzPredict has only deployed its testnet so far, Richey anticipates the mainnet to go live sometime later this year (noting if all things go smoothly, it will be in conjunction with Augurâs V2). Due to the regulatory uncertainty and restrictions in the United States governing online gambling and sports betting, BlitzPredi
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Today's episode is with Lyn Ulbricht, the mother of Ross Ulbricht. Ross Ulbricht is currently serving a double life + 40 years sentence for his role in the Silk Road, an early Bitcoin marketplace. On this episode Lyn and I discuss: Bitcoin's Role in Ross' Aggressive Sentencing ⢠The Failed Drug War ⢠Criminal Justice Reform ⢠And Most Importantly, How We Can #FreeRoss ⢠Please sign Ross' petition for clemency ⢠I highly recommend watching RailRoaded to learn more about Ross' case ⢠FreeRoss.org ⢠You can find Ross on Twitter @RealRossU and you can follow this podcast @Contrarian Cast. â˘
Read the Show Recap courtesy of BlockchainSEO.net here:
At the very beginning of Episode 5, Matt notes the intertwinement of Bitcoinâs existence not only with that of financial transactions, but todayâs sociological, economical, and of course political landscapes, laying the ultimate framework for the thesis of the episode; the fight for Ross Ulbrichtâs freedom.For those unfamiliar with Ross Ulbricht, founder of the online, black market, e-commerce platform operating from February 2011 until late 2013, letâs take a deeper look at what the Silk Road was, along with the events leading up to Rossâs double life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Simply put, the Silk Road was the first modern darknet e-commerce platform and market for users to purchase literally anything. At the helm of the Silk Road was then 27 year old Ross Ulbricht, who, along with several others, operated the account and username âDread Pirate Robertsâ (DPR), named after the fictional character from 1973 fantasy romance novel âThe Princess Bride.â
Specifically, the Silk Road operated on The Onion Router (Tor) network, a volunteer overlay network geared towards identity obfuscation and anonymity, enabling users to browse and transact anonymously and securely.
The sole currency accepted and transacted with on the Silk Road? Bitcoin.
After a June 2011 Gawker article detailing the depths of the Silk Road went viral, the site became heavily scrutinized, and the subject of several government investigations (prompted by New York senator Chuck Schumer).
Arrest & ConvictionIn late 2013, Ulbricht was arrested while at the San Francisco Public Library, and charged as the âmastermindâ behind the Silk Road. Initially, Ulbricht was indicted on charges of computer hacking, conspiracy to traffic narcotics, money laundering, and murder-for-hire. However; the murder-for-hire charges were ultimately dropped.
On February 4th, 2015, Ulbricht was convicted on seven charges, ranging from computer hacking, to engaging a continuing enterprise, all the way to narcotics trafficking, and subsequently sentenced to double life imprisonment plus forty years, all without the possibility of parole.
âWeâre losing our right to a fair and impartial trial in this country.â-Lyn Ulbricht
In Episode 5 of the Contrarian Island Podcast, podcast host Matt interviews Lyn Ulbricht following her recent move from Colorado to Tucson Arizona due to Rossâs recent prison transfer. She notes that while held at USP Florence High, a high-security prison in Colorado, due to his charges (life in prison), Ross was held and mixed in with violent offenders and living under highly restricted conditions. Ro
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Where does Bitcoin derive its value from? ⢠Brandon Quittem is a cryptocurrency researcher and writer who you may know from his article titled "Bitcoin is a Decentralized Organism (Mycelium)" ⢠Majority of the conversation focuses on what makes Bitcoin valuable ⢠We also discuss Bitcoin as digital gold, Schnorr, fee-only market, the Bitcoin 2019 Conference, and a few of Andrew Yang's policies ⢠Follow Contrarian Cast on Twitter (@ContrarianCast) ⢠Follow Brandon on Twitter (@bquittem)
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Bradley Kam is the co-founder of Unstoppable Domains ⢠Unstoppable Domains is launching domains on blockchains ⢠They are backed by Adam Draper's Boost VC and received grants from Zilliqa and Ethereum ⢠Topics discussed on this episode: What are blockchain domains ⢠What is currently wrong with the internet ⢠How blockchain domains can revolutionize cryptocurrency payments ⢠What are the use cases for blockchain domains ⢠Why blockchain domains can become a massive asset class ⢠Their first auction with the extension .zil ⢠Building a censorship resistant internet ⢠Pre-order your .zil domains today at www.unstoppabledomains.com ⢠Follow us on Twitter (@contrariancast) ⢠Follow Unstoppable Domains on Twitter (@unstoppableweb)
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Daniel Frumkin is a cryptocurrency researcher and writer ⢠Topics discussed on the show: Daniel's decision to forgo a career in mechanical engineering to focus on cryptocurrency full-time ⢠The bullish case for Bitcoin ⢠Why Decred and Cardano are the strongest hedges in crypto investing today ⢠Personal growth from travel ⢠Follow us on Twitter (@ContrarianCast) ⢠Follow Daniel on Twitter (@dfrumps) ⢠Daniel's projects: book ⢠CrytoAndCopy ⢠Coin2Learn ⢠BlockchainSEO ⢠Medium
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The Introduction To Contrarian Island: A Cryptocurrency Podcast ⢠Topics Discussed On This Episode:What is Contrarian Island ⢠Who is the host ⢠What were the motivations behind starting the podcast ⢠What can listeners expect to hear on the show moving forward ⢠Follow us on Twitter
