I’m truly happy to be part of this team.
This is the only year-end wrap I wanted to share — because it’s the only one that genuinely matters to me. Not numbers, not vanity metrics, but people, shared values, and real work done together.
2025 has been a year of building: conversations, speeches, workshops, and concrete progress.
I had the chance to contribute, learn, and grow alongside people who deeply care about privacy in real life.
A heartfelt thank you to nostr:nprofile1qqsywfmwk93lc49nwvunp26ul406j3585x2nsudgwwk5lthfr6997wqde5yzw Lea Petrasova and Viliam Klamarcik for the trust, the vision, and the constant push forward — and to the entire nostr:nprofile1qyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqyvhwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytn6v43x2er9v5hxxmr0w4jqqgx62mz5khn8f8t945pccxty0pu5472wf7j6fm7uyz6fnq0ya3txcvkl3f4a team and community managers for the energy, openness, and commitment you bring every single day to make this vision real.
Being surrounded by people who believe in the things they're doing makes all the difference.
Grateful for what we’ve built so far, and excited for what’s coming next.
Let's rock 2026! 🚀
https://blossom.primal.net/876ff5a6642df53dafeb86ab2b4935c02df9806f77ac293d1a9afd985301f26b.webp
I could not imagine our team without you, Marco!
We are so grateful for everything.
Can’t wait to see where next year takes us.
nostr:nevent1qqsdpy82vannrygpn6tg46rrh73vc43m8je62megmka07z3zgkt9axcpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqd3ad2t
Can you tell me why not? We are in the freedom store on iOS and APK is available in android
A former employee’s access key you don’t say… stop giving your personal information away they certainly don’t respect it
Ok I’m back on nostr let’s try this again
What does a bitcoiner's life abroad look like?
In the Prague episode of Finding Home, I sit down with nostr:nprofile1qqsywfmwk93lc49nwvunp26ul406j3585x2nsudgwwk5lthfr6997wqde5yzw , who works with the P2P marketplace Vexl, to explore his journey from Mississippi to the heart of Europe.
It's a story of food, freedom, and building a sovereign life. The trailer is here. The full film premieres in one week on nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgqgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcqpqah55ex8qs07t8nvwsuk7gv8s92lh6a9w2hf259wjdrh3873ll9wqkzgf22
Featuring small cameos from nostr:nprofile1qyv8wumn8ghj7enfd36x2u3wdehhxarj9emkjmn99uq3zamnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wwa5kuef0qqsvfa085adgecmg84ffelcxx6zrn3ffu5jrc6cjtwng0zge3ptv43ckq3nc4 nostr:nprofile1qyvhwue69uhkyat8d4skutndva6hjtnwv46r5dpcxsuqz9nhwden5te0vfjhgcfwdehhxarjd9kzucmpd5qzqxvfqd89dw8kqmrjfaz6zt8gfggcg93p4tm3s2slv4jrszuugfmt74rjkj nostr:nprofile1qy0hwumn8ghj7en0deehgu3dw3jhxapwdah8yetwv3jhytnrdakj7qgcwaehxw309a5hxmrpdejzumn0wd68yvfwvdhk6tcqyzaz7w2gxdjcga0fz6qt3x8ehc83mpgpvmr2swwmuzzdqfn26m3q54mhg79
This episode wouldn't have been possible without the stellar efforts of nostr:nprofile1qqsw2llvpjqzat4v6leqgfmamv0cd64f9e3v4hgdy6tssn95uv2nh7q5jmgee nostr:nprofile1qy28wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytn00p68ytnyv4mqzxrhwden5te0wpex2mtfw4kjuurjd9kkzmpwdejhgqpqdqu222da7v7j260rwzxlvde4wtc3kdupznfztfx5v75mm99tau4quje37w and nostr:nprofile1qye8wumn8ghj7mrwvf5hguewwpshqetjwdshguewd9hj7mn0wd68ycmvd9jkuap0v9cxjtmkxyhhyetvv9usz9rhwden5te0dehhxarj9ehx2cn4w5hxccgqyqj8hd6eed2x5w8pqgx82yyrrpfx99uuympcxmkxgz9k2hklg8te7pq0y72
https://blossom.primal.net/5d21156b3763449262572a8cdb97c3d883e339d51ab55f696136dabf1446af73.mov
It was truly an honor to spend time with you in Prague and show you my home
nostr:nevent1qqstkkq3tsy8xcxy7ywjarygxa0my4lngksgmxycrydxy7dcl22254gndmu7u
Yes you do, as clubs can break the reputation model of not managed well. This is the entire point of vexl is to not need a club, but clubs can help you make friends, but if you establish trust with someone you should trade actual contact info.
The end game is not needing a club. Because you and your friends are the club.
But if you’d like a club we can certainly discuss it.
Now that is something that we are working on. https://primal.net/e/nevent1qqs03pwuacs0d6sp3w5kevjcdsmtpyp5sps3haeqxq4pq68sxqpvr6gzyt6el
I get your privacy concerns, but let me clear up some misconceptions.
Your data never leaves your phone.
We don't see your contacts.
We don't see your phone number.
We have zero record of any trades because no bitcoin actually moves through the app.
It moves between you and your trading partner via Cash or something you have agreed on.
You're asking us to build a new social network from scratch when the most robust web of trust already exists, your actual relationships.
Your university friend or someone you've known for 20 years has infinitely more trust value than some random Nostr pubkey you collected at a meetup.
No, I’m not saying that these people that you meet at meetup’s are not trustworthy. I’m just saying they don’t have nearly as much trust to someone that you actually know and if you get to know someone well overtime then you should feel comfortable actually trading real contact information with them.
Look, Nostr has promise, but right now it's a tiny echo chamber. Most people's Nostr networks are Twitter follows, not people they'd trust with their money.
You're essentially asking us to abandon the goal of making P2P trading accessible to normal people because you think our target audience is shadowy privacy minded people.
But the truth is we have to teach and make privacy default for all.
The phone number system isn't about convenience, it’s the reality…
Most of the world still uses phone numbers as their primary identifier.
You take for granted that you have access to Coinbase or Binance and can use those options if you want to. Like the “average Joe” you stated, but the truth is a lot of people don't.
They need P2P bitcoin, and they need it to work with the social connections they actually have.
They need NO KYC solutions.
We're not reinventing the wheel. We're leveraging the best web of trust that exists right now. When better ones emerge whether it's Nostr, Pubky, or something else we will adapt, but we are a long way from that point.
We can't build a circular economy on hypothetical networks with small user base.
Our code is open source. If you want to fork it and build Nostr integration, then mission accomplished. The tool you want exists, but the goal is bitcoin freedom for everyone, not just privacy purists with perfectly curated contact lists.
However, here is what really bothers me about your comment:
You are reinforcing the exact narrative that's poisoning this space.
Peer-to-peer bitcoin trading isn't sketchy. It's not just for people who "don't care about privacy."
It's the most sovereign way to get bitcoin.
When you suggest P2P is only for people buying "non-custodial IOUs on Coinbase," you're doing the establishment's work for them.
We need to make P2P normal, not niche.
If your network is small, that's a feature, not a bug. Start building real relationships.
Share your burner number with people you trust.
That's how circular economies actually grow.
Also, Vexl doesn’t touch bitcoin or Fiat so there are no records of any sort of trades or any connection to Bitcoin.
Signal, WhatsApp, and telegram all require a phone number to use.
The phone number is your human web of trust. It’s not shared with us but it can help you trade with others privately.
This may be the worst meme I’ve ever made… or..
https://blossom.primal.net/975bcc86ae2dcab3945eedcdb73d077219fcac1a409eb4f49f4193b43419f37d.mov
I trade bitcoin peer-to-peer
-no kyc required
-no fees to vexl
-no permission necessary
-no data collected
-never been hacked
-you hold your keys
-instant settlements
-no customer service needed
-no disputes with strangers
-no selfies required
am i winning yes or no?
You don’t give us your phone number or your contacts. Everything is done client side. We don’t touch Bitcoin and we don’t touch fiat. We have no records of trades. We have no records of anything. We simply connect you with your friends and friends of friends who are interested in trading with Bitcoin.
Ok, how about dropping phone number validation then?
nostr:nevent1qqsqqvhxzegfu9ky9wg0gff0yf3n96ujda4tmjlm4p6zd53364fulkcpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqgz07w3
Because currently there’s not a better web of trust in existence than phone numbers, your phone number is never leave your device.
Until we build a better web of trust, then we will use phone numbers.
Nostr is a great idea, but currently has a very small network affect. It’s on our roadmap. But currently it doesn’t make sense.
Let’s chat Chris, as it seems someone hurt you or you just ignore all the facts.
Your phone numbers are not shared with us. We can’t see any sort of names of anyone in your contact list. Your contacts never leave your device. Everything is hashed locally and the Hash is built out the network moreover, no trades actually happen on Vexl. Vexl is just a social platform with end to end encrypted chat. Lil allows you and the counterparty to discuss what you want to do.
Vexl is a nonprofit it does not touch Bitcoin. It does not touch Fiat. We have no records of any trades or any way to connect you to your identity.
Man trades octopus for bitcoin is a hell of a headline.
But seriously want to thank Gracious John for writing this piece.
All zaps will go directly to support her and her amazing work.
https://lightning.news/man-trades-frozen-octopus-for-bitcoin/
Start building your network of friends and friends of friends. Fuck KYC. Use nostr:nprofile1qqsd54k9fd0xwjwkttgr3svkg7reftu5una95nhacg95nxq7fmzkdscpr9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezu7n9vfjkget99e3kcmm4vsq3vamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwdehhxarj9e3xzmnydftacm and trade a lot more than just bitcoin. These are the tools we have now we just gotta start using them
Not sure where you live, but sounds like you just need a couple of good friends with good connections
you want bitcoin
coinbase wants your passport
kraken wants your selfie
binance wants your bank account
your friend has bitcoin
they want cash
you have cash
you want bitcoin
download vexl
meet at cafe
trade in 5 minutes
no forms
no photos
no bullshit
just bitcoin
the way satoshi intended
peer to peer
human to human
GM it feels good to be back on the wall
We’re back! This one is deep.
🎢 Episode 2 of Peer-to-peer on Rollercoasters is here!
nostr:nprofile1qqspnc6chqq37h60cefu2ewx6np0x0ejvc05lyyc9j0wms5j4pm5ascpypmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0v3jhyatwdejhyuewdejhgam0wf4j7qgwwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkctcvhjyyt and nostr:nprofile1qqsve2jcud7fnjzmchn4gq52wx9agey9uhfukv69dy0v4wpuw4w53nqppamhxue69uhkummnw3ezumt0d5qs7amnwvaz7tmwduh8xarj9e3hyscln5a dive head first into Bitcoin’s biggest boogeyman: quantum computing ⚡️
https://blossom.primal.net/e98a281102e0754e841ac995fcef2845f1e2347f7f47f0db42876f7f9f8b374b.mp4
Every bitcoin that never touches an exchange is a small victory for human freedom.
Gotta spread it. Vexl is word of mouth. Sometimes you just need 1 good contact :) have you checked your reach from your settings page
I’m so glad it fits! Helsinki was so much fun looking forward to hanging again soon