Citadel Dispatch

Latest Episodes:

FREEDOM MONEY: JEWHER ILHAM - CHINA May 25, 2024

Show notes

Jewher Ilham is an author and advocate for the Uyghur community and for her imprisoned father, Uyghur economist Ilham Tohti.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE MARCH 2023: https://youtu.be/kXzcVAXiZeE
FILMED MAY 2022.

(00:00) Introducing Jewher

(00:42) Jewher mission at Oslo Freedom Forum

(01:51) Authoritarianism in China

(05:45) Why there hasn't been support for the Uyghurs

(09:44) How companies operate in the Uyghur region

(09:53) Discussion on forced labor conditions, likening it to modern-day slavery, and the challenges in uncovering and addressing forced labor practices.

(14:22) Challenges with advocating for the Uyghurs

(17:09) The surveillance state in China

(20:25) Financial censorship in China

(26:05) Preserving the Uyghur culture

(27:58) Circumventing oppression in China

(32:34) Could Bitcoin help the Uyghurs?

(43:04) Jewher's family in China

(50:26) Taking action against companies linked to forced labor

FREEDOM MONEY: ABUBAKAR NUR KHALIL - NIGERIA May 24, 2024

Show notes

Abubakar is a Nigerian programmer, Bitcoin Core Contributor, CEO at Recursive Capital, and BTrust board member.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE FEBRUARY 2023: https://youtu.be/MWmfDSxtvi0
FILMED MAY 2022.

(00:01) Introducing Abubakar

(00:31) Abubakar's bitcoin story

(04:29) Abubakar teaching himself how to code

(06:34) Chaincode Lab's residency and Qala

(11:16) Why is open source software important?

(12:05) The Bitcoin developer ecosystem

(15:15) The mission of Recursive Capital and Btrust

(21:45) What does freedom mean to Abubakar?

(24:48) The Bitcoin community in Nigeria

(25:47) Bitcoin regulation in Nigeria

(29:47) Is Bitcoin inevitable?

(32:19) The future of the Bitcoin ecosystem in Africa

(35:20) The state of the naira

(38:03) The Bitcoin circular economy in Nigeria

(41:13) Abubakar's new wallet

(42:19) The use of the dollar in Nigeria

(44:57) Abubakar's advice to young bitcoiners

FREEDOM MONEY: JANINE ROEM - EUROPE May 23, 2024

Show notes

Janine is a journalist, bitcoin privacy educator, and an OpenSats board member.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE FEBRUARY 2023: https://youtu.be/xTfY5TjuN2A
FILMED MAY 2022.

(00:00:01) Introducing Janine

(00:00:23) What does freedom mean to Janine?

(00:06:07) Conveying the importance of freedom

(00:11:45) The purpose of KYC laws

(00:14:16) A world without cash and misconceptions about privacy

(00:18:34) Being proactive with your privacy

(00:20:52) Janine's decision to become an independent journalist

(00:24:33) Why privacy is important

(00:27:17) Why does Janine hide her face?

(00:33:34) Are public figures that advocate for privacy hypocrites?

(00:35:41) Is it ever too late to improve your privacy?

(00:37:56) Why Janine doesn't carry a cell phone

(00:44:32) Children being born into a surveillance economy

(00:53:20) The Free Assange movement

FREEDOM MONEY: ROYA MAHBOOB - AFGHANISTAN May 22, 2024

Show notes

Roya is an Afghan tech entrepreneur and founder of Citadel Software, a software development company based in Herat. Roya has since launched iNoura Academy, a technology company that focused on education, software services, and robotics.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE FEBRUARY 2023: https://youtu.be/D0y41yelcNM
FILMED MAY 2022.

(00:01) Introducing Roya

(01:18) It's never too late to discover Bitcoin

(05:47) Roya's experience fleeing Afghanistan

(06:53) The inspiration behind starting Citadel Software

(09:42) How Roya discovered Bitcoin

(15:08) Educating Afghanis about Bitcoin

(21:30) Bitcoin gives power back to the people

(23:41) The importance of Bitcoin education

(26:34) Roya's advice to other Bitcoin educators

FREEDOM MONEY: DER GIGI - EUROPE May 21, 2024

Show notes

Gigi is a bitcoiner and software engineer who writes words and code for Bitcoin. Since filming this conversation Gigi has joined me in our mission at OpenSats and leads our operations.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE FEBRUARY 2023: https://youtu.be/6Tr4-DL1c1s
FILMED MAY 2022.

(00:01) Introducing Gigi

(00:37) What does freedom mean to Gigi?

(01:52) Is there a disconnect between the West and other countries?

(03:20) The importance of freedom of speech

(06:50) Can you have freedom without privacy?

(11:40) Being a public figure and being pro-privacy

(15:07) Is the panopticon already built?

(18:43) The freedom to protest

(19:55) How to start improving your privacy

(25:36) Children being born under a surveillance state

(30:18) Why is Bitcoin important?

(32:58) Concerns with the current state of Bitcoin

(36:27) Is the success of Bitcoin inevitable?

(40:38) Introducing people to Bitcoin

(42:16) Why does Bitcoin education matter?

(44:23) Would Gigi change anything about his Bitcoin journey?

(47:38) The future of content

FREEDOM MONEY: INTRO May 21, 2024

Show notes

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE JANUARY 2023: https://youtu.be/pazn44uIekQ
FILMED MAY 2022.
NO DISPATCH THIS WEEK. WILL BE PUBLISHING THE FULL SIX EPISODE FREEDOM MONEY SERIES. ONE EPISODE PER DAY.

CD134: SELF HOSTING, START9, AND STARTOS WITH MATT HILL - COFOUNDER May 17, 2024

Show notes

(00:00:00) Jamie Dimon Intro

(00:02:14) Happy Bitcoin Friday

(00:03:06) Overview of Start9, StartOS, and self hosting

(00:47:58) Discussion on the importance of funding open source projects and sustainable business models

(00:49:49) Exploring the business model of Start9 and the importance of sustainability and independence

(00:50:36) Challenges and strategies in building a sustainable business model for Start9

(01:33:27) The importance of open source contributors in the StartOS ecosystem

(01:38:23) Introduction of a new SDK for packaging services for StartOS

(01:44:23) Appeal for support and contributions to the development of StartOS

CD133: BITWISE BITCOIN ETF WITH HONG KIM - COFOUNDER AND CTO May 15, 2024

Show notes

(00:00:04) WBD Intro

(00:02:27) Introduction to Citadel Dispatch

(00:03:01) Introduction of Hong Kim, cofounder and CTO of Bitwise, and discussion on Bitcoin ETFs

(00:04:28) Challenges faced during the 6-year process of working on the Bitcoin ETF

(00:07:35) Discussion on the approval process and timeline of Bitcoin ETFs by the SEC

(00:15:16) Reflections on the significance of having a Bitcoin ETF and the impact on the community

(00:22:36) Comparison of assets under management in the Bitcoin ETF market

(00:28:26) Discussion on the model of funding open source contributors through profits from the Bitcoin ETF

(00:34:41) Explanation of the long-term commitment and financial implications of funding open source contributors

(00:38:04) Discussion on the success of a debut and comparison to an IPO moment

(00:39:10) Comparison of the ETF moment to a state change rather than a singular event

(00:40:01) Challenges faced by financial advisors in including a Bitcoin ETF in portfolios

(01:18:56) Bitcoin ETFs in kind redemptions

(01:19:30) Importance of Self-Custody for Bitcoiners

(01:21:08) Advantages of Bitcoin ETFs and In-Kind Possibility

(01:30:52) Discussion on eCash and Financial Privacy

(01:46:39) Progress and Urgency in Financial Privacy

CD132: OPEN SOURCE DESIGN WITH CRISTOPH AND DANIEL May 08, 2024

Show notes

(00:00:03) Mallers Intro

(00:01:41) Introduction to Bitcoin Wednesday and Citadel Dispatch

(00:02:39) Conversation on open source design, specifically Bitcoin design

(00:05:21) Importance of user experience design in Bitcoin adoption

(00:08:48) Discussion on the Bitcoin Design Foundation and its goals

(00:10:08) Challenges and importance of design standards for Bitcoin projects

(00:20:42) Impact of privacy-focused design in open source projects

(00:36:06) Discussion on increasing donor support for Bitcoin design projects

(00:46:43) Process for project review and improvement suggestions by the Bitcoin design team

(00:50:21) Encouraging designers to contribute to projects

(00:51:11) Discussing the disconnect between designers and developers in project implementation

(00:52:34) Importance of collaboration between designers and engineers for product development

(01:35:24) Importance of unity and collective action during challenging times like COVID

(01:36:00) Acknowledgment and appreciation for the contribution of Mo to the community

(01:36:33) Recognition and gratitude towards dedicated supporters of the show

CD131: NO PRIVACY? NO FREEDOM. NO FREEDOM? NO WEALTH. WITH JEFFG May 07, 2024

Show notes

(00:00:03) CNBC INTRO

(00:01:08) Bitcoin Tuesday and Freedom Tech Discussion

(00:02:07) Introduction of Guest Jeff and Discussion on Nostr

(00:39:07) Concerns about privacy and security on social media platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok

(00:42:52) Discussion about the importance of having tools and libraries like NDK (Nostr Development Kit) for developers

(00:50:28) Reflection on the impact of OpenSats and the significance of developer support in the Bitcoin and Nostr community

(01:08:09) Personal reflection on the dedication to Bitcoin and the impact of its success or failure

(01:10:53) Discussion on the challenges and risks associated with managing funds in Bitcoin and the importance of security in handling large transactions

(01:12:56) Identifying obstacles that may be hindering the progress of Bitcoin and Nostr Development, and exploring potential lessons from other tech sectors for faster growth

(01:13:35) Discussion on OpenSats and Bitcoin company development

(01:15:55) Importance of OpenSats as a unique organization in the Bitcoin space

(01:21:28) Conversation on regulatory challenges and self-custody of Bitcoin

(01:27:57) Debate on privacy and identity protection in the digital world

(01:37:36) Exploration of mainstream adoption vs. niche user focus in Nostr

(01:49:26) Discussion on each and Fedi as useful tools in the ecosystem

(01:54:04) The challenges faced by ecosystem actors

(01:55:40) The importance of having multiple developers for improvements

(01:57:34) Encouraging contributions to open-source projects