Stephan Livera Podcast

In this episode, Chris Ritter joins me to discuss Lightning Network economics, yield opportunities, network centralization, and the rapid growth of Lightning payments. We explore who captures value in the Lightning Network, security considerations for routing nodes, and what recent data reveals about the future of Bitcoin payments.
Timestamp:
(00:00) – Introduction to Lightning Economics
(04:23) – Understanding Bitcoin Treasury Strategies
(09:08) – The Evolution of Lightning Network Routing
(14:45) – Growth and Volume in the Lightning Network
(19:57) – Centralization Trends in the Lightning Network
(25:08) – Security Considerations in Lightning Routing
(29:18) – Yield Generation in Lightning Network
(35:05) – The Future of Payments and AI in Lightning
(41:34) - Closing Thoughts
Links: 
https://zeusln.com/

https://freecritter.xyz/

https://x.com/ZeusLN

https://primal.net/freecritter

Report: https://zeusln.com/Lightning_Economics_Report_April_2026.pdf 

Stephan Livera links:
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In this episode, PakoVM joins me as we discuss the security challenges facing Bitcoin users, from scams and self-custody risks to the trade-offs of convenience versus sovereignty. The conversation explores emerging Bitcoin protocols such as Ark and Spark, the role of Linux and open-source hardware, advancements in wallet design, privacy, inheritance planning, and whether stablecoins and Bitcoin-native financial infrastructure can accelerate global adoption.
Timestamp:
(00:00) – Introduction 
(05:24) – Navigating Scams in the Bitcoin Space
(10:16) – The Rise of Linux and Desktop Alternatives
(15:18) – Bitcoin Technology: Lightning, Ark, and Beyond
(30:27) – Bridging Traditional Finance and Bitcoin
(35:10) – Bitcoin as a Medium of Exchange vs. Store of Value
(39:22) – Stablecoins and Their Role in Bitcoin Ecosystem
(41:50) – Wallets and User Experience in Bitcoin Transactions
(44:23) – Community Perspectives: Bitcoin Only vs. Multi-coin
(46:14) – Global Perspectives on Bitcoin Adoption
(50:17) – Future of Bitcoin Technology and User Adoption
(01:02:18) – Privacy Solutions and User Experience in Bitcoin
(01:08:21) – Closing thoughts
Links:
https://x.com/PakoVM

https://blog.bitbox.swiss/en/transferring-bitcoin-without-actually-moving-it-explaining-how-statechains-work/

https://pakovm.substack.com/p/ark-and-the-train-analogy-a-guide
Stephan Livera links:
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In this episode, Stephan sits down with Arbedout to explore one of the most debated technical topics in Bitcoin today: covenants, vaults, and the future of Bitcoin custody infrastructure.
They discuss why many people may be misunderstanding where the real demand for covenants comes from, and how covenant-related features could improve Bitcoin self-custody through vaults, spending limits, recovery mechanisms, and more secure long-term storage setups.
The conversation also explores Bitcoin adoption, conviction, long-term store of value dynamics, and the psychological challenges of holding Bitcoin through volatility.
Timestamp:
(00:00) – The privacy problem with co-signing today
(03:25) – What does Sigbash allow us to do?
(08:15) – What is Oblivious Signing? 
(12:20) – Privacy, Regulation, and Reducing Multisig Honeypot Risks
(15:10) - What does Sigbash use look like in practice? Inheritance, Vaults, and Multisig
(19:50) - Can the server grief the user?
(21:10) – Mobile Wallets, Assisted Self-Custody, and NeoBank Possibilities
(25:50) - Sigbash project and product
(28:29) – Sigbash vs PIPES vs BinoHash Explained
(33:01) – Covenant Demand, Bitcoin Security, and the Future of Self-Custody
(36:33) – Closing Thoughts
Links: 
https://sigbash.com/

https://x.com/arbedout

Stephan Livera links:
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In this episode, Sanjay Mavinkurve and Chase Palmieri join me to discuss Sovana, a groundbreaking product that allows property owners to leverage their real estate equity to gain Bitcoin exposure without traditional debt. They explore the product's mechanics, target audience, market timing, and future potential, providing insights into how real estate and Bitcoin markets intersect.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction
(02:50) - The Problem with Home Equity and Bitcoin
(06:38) - How Sovana Works
(11:10) - What if Bitcoin is down in 5 years?
(14:55) - Is this only for people who are already HODLers?
(17:25) - Why TradFi can’t ignore Bitcoin anymore
(19:17) - Would a 10 year period be possible in future?
(26:35) - Comparing Sovana to Traditional Financing
(29:05) - What about Capital Gains taxes?
(32:55) - Real Estate vs. Bitcoin Performance
(39:37) - Bridging the Gap: Conviction and Capital
(47:55) - Closing Thoughts
Links: 
https://x.com/SovanaHQ

https://x.com/sgmavinkurve

https://x.com/chasepalmieri

https://www.sovana.io/

Stephan Livera links:
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In this episode, we explore the latest in Bitcoin security with NVK, including the new MK5 device, firmware updates, and the impact of AI and quantum computing on crypto security. We discuss practical tools, philosophical debates on self-custody, and future tech trends.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Intro 
(00:21) - What’s new with @COLDCARDwallet?
(04:05) - Miniscript support in Coldcard
(09:48) - Thoughts on Bitkey
(17:49) - @bisq_network protocol exploit
(23:17) - Debunking the quantum FUD
(29:51) - nvk on AI & LLMs
(37:54) - llm-wiki
(45:38) - Practical guides for using AI agents
(52:03) - Closing thoughts 
Links: 
https://x.com/nvk 

https://bitcoinquantum.space 

https://learntoprompt.org/   

https://llm-wiki.net/ 

Stephan Livera links:
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