CoinDesk Podcast Network

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io, KuCoin and DeFiHorse.

The Lightning Network is arguably the most anticipated scaling solution for Bitcoin to date. Why isn’t everyone using it?

“Speaking of Bitcoin” hosts Adam B. Levine, Andreas M. Antonopoulos and Stephanie Murphy are joined by Rene Pickhardt, Bitcoin and Lightning Network Developer. The four lead a conversation on the still in development yet rapidly growing Lightning Network. It's a second-layer network that enables fast, secure, private and inexpensive payments that don't make sense to store on bitcoin's base layer. But while that might sound ideal, it's not simple in practice. A scrappy community of companies and developers have been pushing the tech consistently forward as the number of hard problems still to solve ticks down.

Even as early as we are, Lightning has proven to be a radical improvement on the user experience of bitcoin. On the bitcoin network, fees vary but typically range from $1–5 and complete with confirmation in an average of ten minutes. With Lightning, fees and transaction times drop dramatically: the transaction fees are generally 1/100th or 1/10th of a penny and take just seconds.

If the improvements of Lightning are clear, why isn’t everyone using it today? Listen to hear more about the challenges and solutions coming to this rapidly-evolving aspect of bitcoin.

Additional reading:

• Mastering the Lightning Network
• Security and Privacy of Lightning Network Payments with Uncertain Channel Balances
• Optimally Reliable & Cheap Payment Flows on the Lightning Network
• Include the Uncertainty Network into the Payment Session and potentially acrosse payment sessions
• Rene's Lightning Test Tweets
• Zero Base Fee graph
• Support Rene's Work

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Nexo is a powerful, all-in-one crypto platform where you can securely store your assets. Invest, borrow, exchange and earn up to 12% APR on Bitcoin and 20+ other top coins. Insured for $375M and audited in real-time by Armanino, Nexo is rated excellent on Trustpilot. Get started today at nexo.io.

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KuCoin was listed on Forbes Advisor’s “The Best Crypto Exchanges Of 2021,” which highlighted hundreds of tradable coins, low fees, plus automated and margin trading. Sign up NOW to claim a $500 welcome bonus at KuCoin.com.

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DeFiHorse’s races start in Q1/2022. This GameFi project has premium graphics and highly competitive gameplay. DeFiHorse beams you to a cyberpunk world, providing you with legendary steeds to top the leaderboards and become the ultimate champion. For more info visit bit.ly/DeFiHorse.

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Album art created using AI by Adam Levine/

A look at what happened in crypto this week, from regulation to institutions.

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On this edition of “The Breakdown Weekly Recap,” NLW covers:

• The latest jobs report and what it means for Fed policy
• Comments from SEC Chair Gensler and a House crypto hearing next week
• The latest institutional bitcoin news from Fidelity and Goldman Sachs

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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.

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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Dark Crazed Cap” by Isaac Joel. Image credit: Nicky Loh/Bloomberg/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Bitcoin was changing in fall 2010 and what it means for today.

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

Eleven years ago, on Dec. 13, 2010, Satoshi Nakamoto posted on the BitcoinTalk forum for the last time. He would pop up in emails here and there for a few more months, but for the majority of the Bitcoin community, he was gone. In today’s episode, NLW explores how the Bitcoin community was changing, and how the legacy of that period remains with us today.

Read more about the transition to the post-Satoshi era from Pete Rizzo on Bitcoin Magazine: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/technical/what-happened-when-bitcoin-creator-satoshi-nakamoto-disappeared

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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.

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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Dark Crazed Cap” by Isaac Joel. Image credit: Janos Kummer/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

PepsiCo becomes the latest company to lay off executives as Wall Street braces for a rough 2023.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io, Circle and Kraken.

On today’s episode, NLW provides an overview of the broader economy, including:

• Wall Street’s predictions for a bad 2023
• PepsiCo layoffs
• OPEC+ oil decision
• China backing off Zero-Covid policies

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Nexo is a security-first platform where you can buy, exchange and borrow against your crypto. The company ensures the safety of your funds and keeps innovating with products like the Nexo Wallet - a non-custodial smart wallet that allows you to create your Web3 identity. Get early access at nexo.io/wallet.

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Circle, the sole issuer of the trusted and reliable stablecoin USDC, is our sponsor for today’s show. USDC is a fast, cost-effective solution for global payments at internet speeds. Learn how businesses are taking advantage of these opportunities at Circle’s USDC Hub for Businesses.

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Kraken, the secure, trusted digital asset exchange, is our sponsor for today's show. Kraken makes it easy to instantly buy 185+ cryptocurrencies with fast, flexible funding options. Your account is covered by regular Proof of Reserves audits, industry-leading security and award-winning Client Engagement, available 24/7. Sign up and trade today at kraken.com/breakdown.

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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and research by Scott Hill. Jared Schwartz is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. Music behind our sponsors today is "Back To The End" by Strength To Last. Image credit: Malte Mueller/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The much-memed Fed chairman officially gets a second term with the Biden Administration.

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

This week, after months of speculation, President Joe Biden has named Jerome Powell to a second term as Federal Reserve chairman. His most likely alternate, Lael Brainard, was promoted to vice chairwoman. On today’s episode of “The Breakdown,” NLW looks at why full employment remains at the centerpiece of the Fed agenda even as the nominations herald a narrative pivot on inflation. He also discusses the likely impacts to bitcoin, stablecoins and crypto more broadly.

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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.

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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Dark Crazed Cap” by Isaac Joel. Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.