In this episode, I chat with Rockstar Dev, a legendary shadowy super coder, core contributor, and cypherpunk. We explore what Lightning and eCash mean for Bitcoin’s future, what it’s like to live a masked identity, and how to build better systems that empower individuals.
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––– Get To Know Today's Guest –––
• Uncle Rockstar Dev on X: https://x.com/r0ckstardev
• Uncle Rockstar Dev on Nostr: npub1j8y6tcdfw3q3f3h794s6un0gyc5742s0k5h5s2yqj0r70cpklqeqjavrvg
––– Socials –––
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• Follow Cedric Youngelman on X: https://x.com/cedyoungelman
• Follow The Bitcoin Matrix Podcast on X: https://x.com/_bitcoinmatrix
• Follow Cedric Youngelman on Nostr: npub12tq9jxmt707gd5vnce3tqllpm67ktr0mqskcvy58qqa4d074pz9s4ukdcs
––– Chapters –––
00:00 - Intro
02:00 - Rockstar’s Origin Story & BTCPay Genesis
05:31- - Discovering Bitcoin’s Ideological Core
08:22 - Community, Collaboration & BTC’s Cultural Impact
11:00 - BTCPay as a Platform and Alternative to BitPay
14:38 - The Block Size Wars & Ongoing Cultural Conflicts
20:38 - Camaraderie Among Core Contributors
22:48 - Privacy, Identity & Living Behind the Mask
25:54 - Ego, Recognition & Stories of Gigi
33:00 - Satoshi as a Coder & Mythic Figure
35:10 - Information Madness & Cypherpunk Prophecy
38:40 - Compliance vs Building Better Systems
42:05 - Bitcoin for Personal & Collective Freedom
46:09 - Rockstar on Realizing Financial Independence
48:20 - Lessons from Working in Bitcoin Startups
52:58 - Why Lightning Thrills Rockstar
57:42 - Stablecoins on Lightning & Their Bitcoin Impact
01:00:00 - Bitcoin is for Anyone—but Not for Everyone
01:04:45 - Can We Have Privacy Without KYC-Free Bitcoin?
01:14:00 - Is Rockstar Planning on Disappearing?
01:19:00 - Keeping Satoshi Unknown
01:25:45 - Reflecting on Corporate Jobs & Finding Meaning in your Work
01:38:45 - How Bitcoin Has Changed Rockstar
01:41:45 - Hope for a Sovereign Future
I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for tuning in, supporting the show, and contributing. Thank you for listening!