Adam Back | Bitcoin's origins, the Satoshi mystery & why quantum won't kill it

Adam Back invented the proof-of-work system that became Bitcoin's foundation. The New York Times says he's Satoshi Nakamoto. He says he isn't, but he was the first person Satoshi ever emailed.Every major publication is asking whether quantum computing will break Bitcoin. The consensus is nervous. Adam Back, the man who built Bitcoin's cryptographic foundation, is not.In this conversation, he explains why none of the quantum computers that exist today can perform a useful calculation, why you shouldn't expect a real threat before 2035 at the earliest, and why the institutions buying Bitcoin through BlackRock ETFs changed themselves. Not Bitcoin.They also get into the real state of building on Bitcoin, why Lightning Network channel numbers are shrinking is actually fine, how $2 billion in Mexican promissory notes ended up on a Bitcoin layer 2, and what a lifelong cypherpunk actually thinks about AI.Also in this episode- Why Lightning Network channel numbers are shrinking (and why that's fine)- How $2 billion in Mexican promissory notes ended up on a Bitcoin layer 2- What a lifelong cypherpunk actually thinks about AITimestamps: 0:00 Intro0:30 Is Adam Back Satoshi?1:37 Does the speculation bother him?1:53 First contact: Satoshi reached out to Adam2:53 Weirdest thing about being a Satoshi suspect3:21 Hashcash and the CipherPunk mailing list4:28 Why proof of work was the breakthrough4:58 CipherPunk identity vs. BlackRock adoption6:02 How he reconciles crypto anarchism with institutions8:01 Are institutions changing Bitcoin or vice versa?9:25 The case against institutional Bitcoin10:19 Paper Bitcoin and synthetic derivatives14:04 Why governments are buying gold, not Bitcoin16:41 Has "build on Bitcoin" failed?19:32 Lightning compression isn't a demand signal19:57 Stablecoins and RWAs on Bitcoin layer 221:20 Why Mexican promissory notes ended up on Liquid22:03 Adam's stance on quantum panic23:33 The timeline skepticism 26:45 The danger of rushing a quantum solution28:18 The security budget problem31:13 What does a CipherPunk think of AI?Stay ConnectedSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt  Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin_hq Links to Follow:Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/45B9szUxVXEwfCDA6uRxwq?si=HT9XXqF9Q2CcM9hfLbmkVg   Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440  Follow Adam Back https://x.com/adam3us?lang=en