Bitcoin.com News Interviews

Latest Episodes:

Marina Markezic, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the European Crypto Initiative (EUCI) | How the EUCI Is Helping Shape Crypto Regulation in Europe | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

Marina Markezic, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the European Crypto Initiative (EUCI), joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how the EUCI is helping to shape the future of crypto regulation in Europe, ensuring that open, permissionless, and decentralized blockchain innovation continues to thrive under fair and forward-thinking policy frameworks.

The European Crypto Initiative is at the forefront of regulatory advocacy within the European Union, working to influence laws like MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) and other legislative measures that impact DeFi, blockchain startups, and Web3 builders. Marina shares how EUCI collaborates with policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society to protect decentralization, promote innovation, and ensure crypto remains open and accessible across Europe.

She also explores the broader global context — how Europe’s regulatory approach could set international standards for crypto governance, compliance, and user protection, while maintaining the ethos of Bitcoin and decentralized finance.

💡 In this episode:
• How the EUCI advocates for open and permissionless blockchain innovation
• The impact of MiCA and upcoming EU crypto regulations on Web3
• Why balanced regulation is key to protecting decentralization and user rights
• The growing role of Europe in shaping global crypto policy
• Marina Markezic’s vision for a transparent, innovation-friendly digital economy

🎧 A vital discussion for anyone interested in the intersection of blockchain, regulation, and innovation, as EUCI continues to define what the future of crypto in Europe will look like.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Marina Markezic – EUCI – Co-Founder & Executive Director, driving crypto policy advocacy, blockchain regulation, and decentralized innovation across Europe.

Bartek Kiepuszewski, Founder of L2BEAT | Ethereum Community’s L2 Watchdog | Tracking Layer 2 Scaling, Security & Transparency | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Bartek Kiepuszewski, Founder of L2BEAT | Ethereum Community’s L2 Watchdog | Tracking Layer 2 Scaling, Security & Transparency | Bitcoin.com Interviews

🧾 Optimised Description
Bartek Kiepuszewski, Founder of L2BEAT, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how his platform has become the Ethereum community’s go-to watchdog for Layer 2 (L2) scaling solutions — promoting transparency, security, and accountability across the rapidly evolving Ethereum ecosystem.

L2BEAT is a leading analytics and research platform dedicated to Ethereum L2 scaling, offering comprehensive data and objective comparisons of rollups, optimistic and zk-based systems, and hybrid scaling solutions. Bartek explains how L2BEAT’s mission is to help users, developers, and investors understand the trade-offs, security assumptions, and decentralization levels of each L2 project — empowering the community to make informed decisions.

He also delves into the future of Ethereum scalability, the importance of decentralized governance in L2 development, and how the L2 ecosystem will play a key role in enabling mass adoption of Ethereum and Bitcoin-compatible applications.

💡 In this episode:
• How L2BEAT became the leading transparency tracker for Ethereum L2s
• The differences between optimistic and zero-knowledge (zk) rollups
• Why transparency and data integrity are critical for crypto infrastructure
• The role of L2s in driving Ethereum scalability and DeFi innovation
• Bartek’s vision for a secure, decentralized, multi-chain future

🎧 A must-listen for anyone following Ethereum’s Layer 2 race, as Bartek breaks down how L2BEAT is helping to keep the ecosystem accountable and advancing the future of decentralized scaling.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Bartek Kiepuszewski – L2BEAT – Founder and Ethereum L2 expert, leading efforts to analyze, monitor, and ensure transparency across the Ethereum Layer 2 landscape.

Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget | Bridging Worlds: Blockchain, Finance & the Future of Innovation | Bitcoin Adoption, Regulation & Global Growth | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Vugar Usi Zade, Chief Operating Officer of Bitget, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how Bitget is bridging the worlds of traditional finance and blockchain, driving mass Bitcoin adoption while navigating the evolving global regulatory landscape.

Under Vugar’s leadership, Bitget has surpassed 100 million users, cementing its position as a top-tier global crypto exchange. He shares insights into the company’s growth strategy, its proactive compliance approach, and the crucial role of clear regulation in ensuring the long-term stability of the crypto industry.

Vugar also analyzes macroeconomic and political trends shaping the next phase of Bitcoin and crypto adoption — from U.S. leadership shifts and Trump-era influence, to how BRICS nations may use cryptocurrency to redefine financial independence. He outlines why centralized exchanges will remain critical bridges to Web3 adoption, and how Bitget’s investments in decentralized wallets and blockchain gaming are expanding its ecosystem beyond trading.

💡 In this episode:
• How Bitget reached 100 million users and built a trusted global platform
• The importance of compliance and regulation in Bitcoin’s mainstream growth
• How BRICS and global politics are accelerating crypto adoption
• Why centralized exchanges still play a key role in bridging finance and blockchain
• Bitget’s leadership philosophy and investments in wallets, gaming, and DeFi

🎧 A comprehensive look at how Bitget is shaping the future of Bitcoin adoption, balancing innovation and regulation to create a sustainable, inclusive crypto economy.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Vugar Usi Zade – Bitget – COO of Bitget, driving Bitcoin exchange innovation, regulatory leadership, and global blockchain adoption across finance and Web3.

Ralph Gebran, Managing Partner at Onramp MENA | What Bitcoin Adoption Really Looks Like in the Middle East | Custody, Regulation & Institutional Growth | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Ralph Gebran, Managing Partner at Onramp MENA | What Bitcoin Adoption Really Looks Like in the Middle East | Custody, Regulation & Institutional Growth | Bitcoin.com Interviews

🧾 Optimised Description
Ralph Gebran, Managing Partner at Onramp MENA, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to explore the state of Bitcoin adoption across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — from institutional investment and regulatory progress to the region’s growing demand for secure Bitcoin custody and asset management solutions.

Onramp MENA is dedicated to helping institutions and high-net-worth individuals in the region understand and safely integrate Bitcoin into their portfolios. Ralph discusses how regulators, family offices, and private banks are approaching the digital asset space, and why Bitcoin’s role as a hedge against inflation and capital controls is resonating across the Gulf and North Africa.

The conversation also covers Bitcoin custody models, sovereign-grade security, and how the MENA region’s energy, finance, and innovation sectors are converging to support long-term Bitcoin infrastructure.

💡 In this episode:
• The current state of Bitcoin adoption in the Middle East and North Africa
• How institutions are approaching Bitcoin investment and custody
• Key regulatory developments shaping crypto markets in the MENA region
• Why Bitcoin is gaining traction among family offices and sovereign investors
• Onramp MENA’s mission to bridge traditional finance with Bitcoin innovation

🎧 A timely discussion revealing how Bitcoin’s global narrative is taking root in the Middle East, where innovation, regulation, and capital are aligning to drive the next wave of adoption.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Ralph Gebran – Onramp MENA – Managing Partner, advancing Bitcoin adoption, institutional custody, and regulatory collaboration across the MENA region.

Mario Behling, Co-Founder of FOSSASIA | Promoting Open Source Innovation and Developer Growth Across Asia | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Mario Behling, Co-Founder of FOSSASIA, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss how the organization is driving Open Source software and hardware development across Asia’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem — and how blockchain, Bitcoin, and decentralized collaboration are shaping the next generation of global innovation.

FOSSASIA is one of the most influential Open Source communities in the region, empowering developers, engineers, and designers to build transparent, collaborative, and scalable technologies. Through its events, projects, and mentorship programs, FOSSASIA fosters a culture of shared innovation, encouraging developers to contribute to technologies that advance freedom, privacy, and decentralization — principles that closely align with Bitcoin’s ethos.

Mario shares how Open Source ecosystems in Asia are evolving, the role of community-driven projects in advancing Web3 and blockchain innovation, and how education and collaboration remain central to the digital economy’s success.

💡 In this episode:
• How FOSSASIA empowers developers through open collaboration
• The connection between Open Source philosophy and Bitcoin’s decentralization
• Why Asia is becoming a hub for Open Source blockchain innovation
• How education and mentorship are driving the next generation of developers
• Mario Behling’s vision for a globally connected Open Source ecosystem

🎧 A thoughtful discussion on how FOSSASIA is nurturing Asia’s developer community, promoting transparency and innovation, and supporting the Bitcoin and blockchain movement through Open Source principles.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Mario Behling – FOSSASIA – Open Source pioneer and community builder, championing collaborative software, blockchain innovation, and developer empowerment across Asia.

WBTC’s New Era: BiT Global Trust and BitGo Launch Multi-Signature, Multi-Jurisdictional Bitcoin Custody | Strengthening Wrapped Bitcoin Security | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Bitcoin.com Interviews, Dustin Plantholt explores the landmark partnership between BiT Global Trust and BitGo, which brings a multi-signature, multi-jurisdictional custody model to Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) — setting a new global standard for Bitcoin-backed asset security and institutional trust.

BiT Global Trust, a licensed digital asset custodian based in Hong Kong, specializes in institutional-grade Bitcoin custody solutions. Through this new collaboration, BiT Global now controls two of the three private keys used to manage WBTC, significantly improving decentralization and reducing single-point-of-failure risk. Together with BitGo, one of the most established providers of digital asset security and custody services, this initiative enhances transparency, resilience, and regulatory compliance for Bitcoin-backed token infrastructure.

This partnership represents a key step toward globalizing Bitcoin liquidity — ensuring that Wrapped Bitcoin remains both secure and scalable as institutional adoption accelerates. It also highlights how multi-signature, multi-jurisdictional frameworks can advance Bitcoin’s integration into the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenized ecosystems.

💡 In this episode:
• How BiT Global Trust and BitGo are redefining Bitcoin custody for WBTC
• The benefits of multi-signature, multi-jurisdictional asset management
• Why secure custody is essential for institutional Bitcoin adoption
• The growing role of Wrapped Bitcoin in DeFi and cross-chain liquidity
• How this partnership strengthens transparency and compliance in crypto custody

🎧 A deep dive into how Bitcoin’s security model continues to evolve — from self-custody to regulated, institutional-grade multi-sig frameworks driving the next phase of onchain trust and liquidity.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Partners: BiT Global Trust & BitGo – Leading the Bitcoin custody revolution with multi-signature security, cross-border governance, and institutional transparency for Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC).

Zuby | From Music to Money: Why the British Rapper and Oxford Graduate Is a Passionate Advocate for Bitcoin | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Zuby, the British rapper, author, podcaster, and public speaker, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to share his personal journey from music and media to Bitcoin advocacy — and why he believes Bitcoin represents freedom, truth, and empowerment in the digital age.

Born in England and raised in Saudi Arabia, Zuby returned to the UK to study computer science at Oxford University, where his curiosity about technology and finance laid the foundation for his later passion for Bitcoin. Known globally for his independent thinking and outspoken views on culture and society, Zuby discusses how Bitcoin’s decentralized nature aligns with his philosophy of individual responsibility, sovereignty, and self-determination.

In this candid conversation, Zuby explores how Bitcoin has become more than just a financial revolution — it’s a cultural movement built on integrity and empowerment. He explains why artists, entrepreneurs, and free thinkers are increasingly drawn to Bitcoin as a tool for creative independence and financial freedom.

💡 In this episode:
• Zuby’s journey from rapper and podcaster to Bitcoin advocate
• How Bitcoin aligns with freedom of speech and personal sovereignty
• The cultural parallels between music independence and decentralized finance
• Why Bitcoin’s principles appeal to creators, thinkers, and innovators
• Zuby’s message to the next generation of Bitcoin adopters

🎧 A powerful and inspiring conversation about Bitcoin as a movement of freedom and creativity, as seen through the eyes of one of Britain’s most authentic and outspoken voices.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Zuby – Musician, author, and Bitcoin advocate, using his global platform to promote decentralization, empowerment, and truth in the digital economy.

Eric Trump | “Bitcoin Is Coming, the Entire Industry Is Coming” | Inside World Liberty Financial and the Trump Family’s Crypto Vision | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization and co-promoter of World Liberty Financial, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss the Trump family’s entry into the cryptocurrency space, the future of Bitcoin and DeFi in America, and why he believes “Bitcoin is coming — the entire industry is coming.”

Announced in September 2024, World Liberty Financial is a new decentralized finance (DeFi) platform co-promoted by Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and President-elect Donald Trump. The project seeks to empower users to borrow, lend, and invest in crypto assets without traditional banking intermediaries — embracing Bitcoin’s foundational ethos of financial sovereignty and decentralization.

Eric discusses his perspective on Bitcoin’s growing role in global finance, the U.S. regulatory landscape, and how Web3 technologies like DeFi and tokenized assets could reshape traditional economics. He also shares insights into how the Trump family’s new venture aims to accelerate mainstream crypto adoption and promote financial freedom through blockchain innovation.

💡 In this episode:
• What inspired the launch of World Liberty Financial
• How Bitcoin and DeFi align with American values of independence and innovation
• Eric Trump’s views on Bitcoin’s future and blockchain regulation
• The Trump family’s evolving stance on crypto and decentralized finance
• Why 2025 could mark a pivotal year for U.S. crypto adoption

🎧 A landmark conversation on the intersection of Bitcoin, politics, and financial freedom, as Eric Trump outlines how the next administration’s outlook on blockchain could reshape the industry.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Eric Trump – World Liberty Financial – Executive VP of the Trump Organization and crypto entrepreneur, leading the charge for Bitcoin and DeFi adoption in the United States.

Justin Sun, Founder of TRON | Playing the Crypto Game at the Highest Level | Bitcoin, Web3, and the Future of Decentralized Finance | Bitcoin.com Interviews Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Justin Sun, Founder of the TRON blockchain and one of the most influential figures in the global cryptocurrency industry, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to discuss leadership, innovation, and the evolution of decentralized finance (DeFi) in the age of Bitcoin and Web3.

Recognized by Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for both China and Asia in 2017, Justin has built TRON into one of the most active and scalable blockchain ecosystems, driving billions in on-chain transactions and powering global projects through its integration with BitTorrent, USDT on TRON, and TRC-20 stablecoins.

In this episode, Justin shares how he’s “playing the crypto game at the highest level” — navigating regulation, building sustainable DeFi systems, and pushing blockchain mass adoption through transparency and interoperability. He also touches on how Bitcoin’s foundational principles of freedom and decentralization continue to influence his mission to build a borderless digital economy.

💡 In this episode:
• How Justin Sun built TRON into a leading blockchain network
• Why interoperability between Bitcoin, TRON, and DeFi is crucial for the future
• The global impact of stablecoins and decentralized finance
• Justin’s thoughts on regulation, innovation, and sustainable crypto growth
• Lessons from a decade of entrepreneurship in the blockchain world

🎧 A powerful discussion with one of crypto’s most recognized innovators — offering an inside look at how Bitcoin’s ethos and TRON’s technology are driving the next wave of financial decentralization.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Justin Sun – TRON Foundation – Founder of TRON, advisor to HTX, and visionary entrepreneur shaping the global Bitcoin and blockchain economy.

Markus Levin, Co-Founder of XYO | DePIN, Data Sovereignty & Universal Basic Income in the Age of Bitcoin | Bitcoin.com Interviews Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

Markus Levin, Co-Founder of XYO and Head of Operations at XY Labs, joins Dustin Plantholt on Bitcoin.com Interviews to explore how Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), data sovereignty, and Web3 incentives are shaping the future of global digital economies — with Bitcoin at the foundation.

Having begun his crypto journey as an early Bitcoin miner, Markus shares his firsthand experience of how blockchain innovation evolved from proof-of-work mining to the proof-of-location technology behind XYO, a decentralized oracle network connecting the physical and digital worlds. By verifying real-world data through DePIN, XYO empowers individuals to own and monetize their data, paving the way for privacy-preserving, user-centric economies.

Markus also discusses how the principles of Bitcoin’s decentralization inspire XYO’s approach to building infrastructure for a universal basic income (UBI) model powered by data contribution and verification, making blockchain participation accessible and rewarding for everyone.

💡 In this episode:
• How DePIN technology bridges the physical and digital worlds
• Why data sovereignty and self-ownership are core to Bitcoin’s ethos
• How XYO’s proof-of-location protocol empowers users through verified data
• The role of blockchain in building a sustainable universal basic income model
• Markus Levin’s perspective on Bitcoin’s continued role in DePIN and Web3 innovation

🎧 A fascinating conversation on how XYO is redefining the data economy through decentralization, aligning Bitcoin’s principles of freedom and transparency with the emerging world of DePIN and digital sovereignty.

🎙️ Host: Dustin Plantholt – Bitcoin.com Interviews
🔗 Bitcoin.com

💼 Featured Guest: Markus Levin – XYO – Co-Founder of XYO, advancing DePIN, data ownership, and blockchain-powered universal income through Bitcoin-aligned decentralization.

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