I love ₿itcoin. 🧡
Today, I'm heading into the Roxom studio in London’s Soho to start regular shows on Bitcoin, current affairs, UK policy, and to interview key voices in the space.
This is a hugely exciting opportunity and a perfect synergy with my work as CEO of Bitcoin Policy UK and as a journalist.
Bitcoin adoption in the UK is happening. ⚡️
10 years since I last walked Prague’s streets.
Still stunning. Still vibing.
But this time hit different.
It was my first nostr:nprofile1qqsd0f68dvf98gvs9am9dp0lu0f4r7xzu2k89rm9tt448axf5tu6wlgphpy4c . I usually skip Western conferences unless:
1. They serve #NeoWealth’s MEA goals, or
2. I’m invited to speak.
This time was the latter. and it was exactly what I hoped for:
Bitcoin-only. High signal. Solid venue. No fluff.
Big thanks to nostr:nprofile1qqsglr2necu08pzw7hdujxm8xnxmxyg5x4dkqsaqm3ey4jj2rpnqwjsy8x02g for including my keynote.
#BTCPrague officially became the *first major Western Bitcoin event* to spotlight *Bitcoin from the Trenches* real-world insights from the Middle East & Africa.
How did it go?
Huge thanks to the nostrichs who sent thoughtful questions ahead of the event. your input shaped the talk from the ground up.
During the presentation, the expo stage was locked in, focused, engaged.
Afterward, I had follow-up Qs from attendees, and even more feedback landed via my site and LinkedIn DMs.
Am grateful. That kind of response didn’t just energize me.
It reminded me why we do this.
What else?
– Deep convos with the African Bitcoin crew. more relaxed vibe meant more real talk than we usually get elsewhere. nostr:nprofile1qythwumn8ghj7ct5d3shxtnwdaehgu3wd3skuep0qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcqyp8q8vtqp3v94uytw86vquup03jfkudf0lg5vyswq9cr4fhvzq4r5mds05p nostr:nprofile1qqsgfhsg3q4kudnstnm9jth93e3jm4hqjtwkrsf3jt7gpjaupj7g9nq6arlph
- Dev drama convos with L2/Core Devs. Learned alot.
– It was truly warming to see familiar faces, reconnect with old friends, and form new friendships that I’ll carry forward.
– Met European Gen Z Bitcoiners, super young, sharp, and mission-aligned.
– Four seasoned fiat plebs asked how to enter Bitcoin consulting. That lit me up. Serious demand for sovereign consultants. More on that soon.
– Discovered #Tropicsquare ; grabbed their secure open-source chip to upgrade my node. Impressive. (enclosed pic)
– Got the nostr:nprofile1qyt8wumn8ghj7ct49eex2mrp09skymr99ehhyecpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqqyr4aa6ffghhs22pmuzkrmcjhslyp56jc5y84druuddsanh238td66va34er device. Needed a tablet. perfect excuse. Full review coming after I properly use it for a while.
- Met the full JAN3 team for the first time since I started supporting the region.
– Attended Saylor’s talks at the venue, the Corporate Day, and the VIP panel with Adam Back. Quite concerning. Deserves a full post. Soon.
– Attended the Braiins dinner. a standout evening. Grateful for the invite, nostr:nprofile1qqsw8cgev4y590aqgkrvdpyftas7tzw8ukzecag8gedhz3p7xtamras4z5eyn . Quality Czech, real insights.
– The Trezor dinner was a great chance to get to know the team better and connect with new builders in the space. Also: discovered nostr:nprofile1qyx8wumn8ghj7cnjvghxjmcpz4mhxue69uhk2er9dchxummnw3ezumrpdejqqg9mjrnlq5caf2a288lc2zg4wap5ldha8tlee7ud5f63n83yr66wlunn2zl8 ’s hilarious side IRL. loved it. Thanks again, nostr:nprofile1qyxhwumn8ghj7cnjvghxjme0qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcqyrl7e34g27shgwk8663rsqq9jewd7fv240kzwyfyzwtje0nxx9m4q70u5l6 for the invite.
Nostr Notes:
Meeting fellow nostrichs IRL was a joy.
Stopped by #primal and yep, as always, annoyed nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgqg7waehxw309anx2etywvhxummnw3ezucnpdejz7ur0wp6kcctjqqspywh6ulgc0w3k6mwum97m7jkvtxh0lcjr77p9jtlc7f0d27wlxpslwvhau with dev and support requests. But loved the new Studio feature for content creators. Meeting the rest of the primal family was the highlight of my primal booth visit this time!
Summary?
#Prague reminded me that there is still hope for #Bitcoin in the west. And that #nostr is needed more than ever.
Ha ha, love that! Hilarious side. It was so lovely meeting you.
What a packed few days from a phenomenal Women of Bitcoin event on KYC and privacy, to Who Wants to Be a Satoshi Millionaire, and talking about the benefits of Bitcoin mining.
Thanks nostr:npub167n5w6cj2wseqtmk26zllc7n28uv9c4vw28k2kht206vnghe5a7stgzu3r ! ⚡️
You’re right… sorry! 😅 I just loved the post. There’s not nearly enough Fear and Loathing on Nostr yet.
Bitcoin is bringing back that fantastic (not yet universal) sense that what we’re doing is right, that we’re winning...
This time, the wave won’t break.
Sounds like he’s confusing autonomy with censorship.
KYC doesn’t just put your data at risk; it puts people at risk.
Hackers recently demanded $20 million in Bitcoin from Coinbase, threatening to leak sensitive customer data.
While no passwords or private keys were accessed, the attackers obtained full names, addresses, contact details, partial Social Security and bank account numbers, and identity documents. This is the kind of data that can be weaponised for identity theft, fraud, or worse.
This is exactly the kind of risk I raised on the compliance panel at the Financial Times Digital Assets Summit last week. While KYC and compliance frameworks are presented as security features, they often do the opposite. They create massive, centralised honeypots of personal data that can and do get breached, sold, or exploited.
We’ve seen what can happen when that data gets into the wrong hands. Earlier this year, David Balland, the co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped along with his wife. His captors cut off one of his fingers and sent it to a business associate to demand crypto ransom. He was rescued by French special forces, but the message was clear: real-world consequences are now linked to digital identity exposure.
We need better solutions that don’t force users to sacrifice privacy and safety for access.
Compliance shouldn’t come at the cost of security.
https://blossom.primal.net/ac486e1dd87c2d3cb7de7f212911db32b4562b13e1faae0038e875e8b7183f4d.mov
You’re tracked. ID’d. Doxxed. Every payment tied to your face, all in the name of “fighting crime.”
But Czech Justice accepted 468 BTC from a convicted criminal and sold it for $45 million.
No public record of AML checks and no transparency.
It exposes the hypocrisy between citizen surveillance and state-level unaccountability.
This is asymmetrical power and surveillance.
KYC isn’t about stopping crime. It’s about control and the weaponisation of money.
The UK is pricing out innovation with bloated compliance and unclear rules.
Startups are being squeezed out while only the largest firms can afford to stay. Regulators failed to act on industry advice.
Companies are leaving, growth is hindered, and we’ve lost any chance of a second-mover advantage.
The real question is whether we’ll ever catch up.
How did the UK, once a global leader in financial services and computer science, fall so far behind?
https://blossom.primal.net/da4c1f8ff76df741c86bc3da0688ce8017968700d2977d73acc1c0f73853440b.mov
We’re excited to welcome Jordan Walker ( nostr:nprofile1qqsyy4sf8aj2c064yup7rzrmnedjyelc327nfwh5skv8umpvs0mhk5cpp3mhxue69uhkyunz9e5k7qg5waehxw309aex2mrp0yhxgctdw4eju6t0jyuvlv ) as our new Business Advisor at BPUK.
Jordan is the founder of The Bitcoin Collective, a UK-based media and Bitcoin strategy company. He helps UK businesses and individuals navigate Bitcoin and implement Bitcoin strategies effectively.
With a focus on education, strategy, and relatability, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the BPUK team.
Welcome, Jordan.
Delighted to have Jordan on board! His energy, vision, and clear focus on Bitcoin education will be a real asset.
Welcome to the team, Jordon. Looking forward to working with you. ⚡️
Heading to BTC Prague?
Catch me on the ‘Bitcoin Mining Benefits: Why it Matters’ panel.
Saturday 21 June at 1pm on the Expo Stage.
nostr:npub167n5w6cj2wseqtmk26zllc7n28uv9c4vw28k2kht206vnghe5a7stgzu3r
https://blossom.primal.net/19f8ca22dee14340dd158a124264ed472d74db4fc75a6f697d0551f6afa577d7.mov
I’ll be nostr:npub1rwh33t5x8n7czknhts5fg0v0fml8mkl7neaarksumkkf8d679qrqcz7avv hosting a panel on Bitcoin mining origin stories.
27 May | 3:00 to 3:30 pm | Mining Stage
Three industry leaders share how challenges, lessons, & innovation have shaped their approaches to mining, sustainability, scale, and strategy.
Hopefully see you there.
I’ll be hosting this panel at nostr:npub1rwh33t5x8n7czknhts5fg0v0fml8mkl7neaarksumkkf8d679qrqcz7avv.
Mining as a Backbone for an Abundant Future
29 May | 3:00 to 3:30 pm | Mining Stage
We’ll discuss everything from AI convergence, waste recovery, and how Proof-of-Work could unlock global energy abundance.
nostr:nprofile1qqsglmzzvfrcgk7aymek4e8hxaggc9wmasrag08p37xpx64euddvyysprdmhxue69uhkummnw3ex2mrp0yh8jet8dpex7tnnd96x2qgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcx8lxd2 nostr:nprofile1qqsfccf03dms7r3l6dwd4s4u2l7waptpu4s9qn4ztj9ealuwqdgjk0spy4mhxue69uhkummnw3ez6un9d3shjtnjv9mhyctswqh8wmmjddjhyuewv3jhvqgjwaehxw309ac82unsd3jhqct89ejhxyt6sup nostr:npub18q204nzhrcrrz8875ytkpf8vk0eg649dc98xuqwsz65znph7z5asz07j7z
Most people don’t find Bitcoin through marketing.
They hear it from a friend, fall down a rabbit hole, or get wrecked on something else first.
So, how do you market Bitcoin to the masses?
27 May | 12:30 to 1:00 pm | Genesis Stage
I’ll be in Vegas for Bitcoin 2025, hosting this panel.
This one’s about community, clarity, and cutting through the noise.
Homeschooling & Bitcoin share a philosophical overlap rooted in decentralisation, individual autonomy, and skepticism of centralised systems.
Come, chat and interact with the homeschooling maxis!
📍: nostr:nprofile1qqs9a6hqlezphzpvf2j5xsqy6kxyffkadfqr5qd2lr98ad7e9wn9k4cnmyv4e
🗓️: 31st May/1st June, 10AM onwards
🎟️RSVP: https://events.cyphermunkhouse.com/bloomfest
Cristina Llamas, Co-founder, Women of Bitcoin
Mother of 2 children and with over 25+ years of professional experience, she has worked as a management consultant in 5 continents and holds a Ph.D in aerospace law. Cristina is a Bitcoin advocate dedicated to supporting the use of Bitcoin as a new public infrastructure that promotes financial inclusion, freedom and fairness.
nostr:npub1lv7uy6gvygnsv394atap8m6ru0zwf3afr926jydjdg9ekmqstxfsgneyzz
She is a mother of 3, and has keen interest in dealing with both home & state education. She is passionate about education and freedom in all aspects of life.
Clair Prince, Co-founder, Women of Bitcoin
She is a home educating / Bitcoining mum of 4 future Bitcoiners.
Recently, Clair noticed that more women were attending these conferences and building on the success of nostr:nprofile1qqs97rtxhtxzxy75y6ywmprnqnptw4hghn8pfmhgzgjjp7wfpr5e30qrhu09c in Germany, she felt it was important to create a community for Women of Bitcoin in the UK.
Raising rebels, one block at a time 💪🏼
#Bitcoin #Nostr #Community #Meetups #London #LondonMeetups #Plebchain #Culture #Homeschooling #Bitcoiners #BitcoinKids #StudyBitcoin
nostr:nprofile1qyv8wumn8ghj7enfd36x2u3wdehhxarj9emkjmn99uq3zamnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wwa5kuef0qqsra2ey033mkdwl5w8q0jss9ak69zafh82xsuvhwsaauw3trkq2amgvvanjv nostr:nprofile1qqsyr7599w7z8w6v2xua8z7fvesjt33sjsqrcfpp7ah4r0k44aahwps9qmnyr nostr:nprofile1qqs8znsmjg8h9a3rfuq0ag20dqwgshget4pdf4hwxpjnlx2565pqd6svzqtmd nostr:nprofile1qqsp02kerjznyqgla3gujxw33dhr80lm7pvhp9vn8p2f2095afggdcgw69vs9 nostr:nprofile1qqsthy887pf36j465w0ls5y32a6rf7m06whlnnacmgn4rx0zg845alclxlsk4 nostr:npub1cxw2u3wuleask4ransck6dzxlf59m82ajtdqky8lpppn49p70lnqqznt7u
🔥
I agree that KYC sucks, but the co-founder story seems like a non-sequitur, how was this due to KYC?
Ledger had a data leak. While they haven’t confirmed the attack was due to it, the exposure of private KYC data is widely believed to increase the risk for high-profile individuals.
In theory, compliance and security can work together, but right now, compliance often means centralised data collection.
This article discusses the implications of the CARF regulations on Bitcoin privacy, and the potential risks associated with increased KYC requirements.
The extension of the FATF Travel Rule to Bitcoin raises further concerns about privacy and personal security due to mandatory KYC data sharing.
KYC doesn’t just put your data at risk; it puts people at risk.
Hackers recently demanded $20 million in Bitcoin from Coinbase, threatening to leak sensitive customer data.
While no passwords or private keys were accessed, the attackers obtained full names, addresses, contact details, partial Social Security and bank account numbers, and identity documents. This is the kind of data that can be weaponised for identity theft, fraud, or worse.
This is exactly the kind of risk I raised on the compliance panel at the Financial Times Digital Assets Summit last week. While KYC and compliance frameworks are presented as security features, they often do the opposite. They create massive, centralised honeypots of personal data that can and do get breached, sold, or exploited.
We’ve seen what can happen when that data gets into the wrong hands. Earlier this year, David Balland, the co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped along with his wife. His captors cut off one of his fingers and sent it to a business associate to demand crypto ransom. He was rescued by French special forces, but the message was clear: real-world consequences are now linked to digital identity exposure.
We need better solutions that don’t force users to sacrifice privacy and safety for access.
Compliance shouldn’t come at the cost of security.
https://blossom.primal.net/ac486e1dd87c2d3cb7de7f212911db32b4562b13e1faae0038e875e8b7183f4d.mov
Hmmm, nostr:nprofile1qqs2auxkkgfgylem580xrztp8ek5sf83s86k0vfq2feuz6y4lkhskgcprpmhxue69uhkc6t8dp6xu6twvaex2mrp0yhxxmmdqyd8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytn0wfskuem9wp5kcmpwv3jhv9cj04f ‘s " nostr:nprofile1qqsthy887pf36j465w0ls5y32a6rf7m06whlnnacmgn4rx0zg845alcpzamhxue69uhhyetvv9ujucm4wfex2mn59en8j6gpz4mhxue69uhk2er9dchxummnw3ezumrpdejqrdsrwf ‘s hardcore” is my “logical and evidence based”.
💕💕💕