S17 E22: Jeremy Rubin on CTV, Char & Building on Bitcoin

Jeremy Rubin is the author of BIP 119 (OP_CTV, Check Template Verify) and co-author of BIP 348 (CSFS, Check Sig From Stack). More recently, he started working on Char: a decentralized shared sequencer for Bitcoin layer 2s. In this episode, which we recorded at the LayerTwo Labs booth during the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, we talk about the challenges involved in improving Bitcoin and why Jeremy chooses to be a relentless builder even in an adversarial environment. Time stamps: 00:00:48 Podcast Introduction and Sponsors 00:03:02 Jeremy Rubin's Bitcoin Journey 00:03:24 Introduction to Check Template Verify (CTV) 00:04:44 The Philosophy Behind CTV 00:06:40 CTV for Congestion Control 00:07:57 CTV for Self-Custody Vaults 00:09:35 The Failed Activation of CTV 00:11:25 The "Technical Consensus" Debate 00:13:45 FUD and Misinformation Campaign 00:17:45 Blockstream's Role in Bitcoin Development 00:21:44 The Inevitability of CTV 00:26:04 The State of the Bitcoin Ecosystem 00:28:20 Bitcoin Maximalism and Cypherpunk Spirit 00:29:34 Learning from Other Projects 00:31:52 Bitcoin Cash's Technical Progress 00:35:39 The "Small Blocker" Paradox 00:37:34 Cultural Barriers to Building 00:39:24 The Future of Bitcoin and Freedom 00:43:08 Paul Sztorc's Ecash Fork 00:49:06 Confiscating Satoshi's Coins 00:58:51 The Problem with OP_CAT 01:01:56 Security Practices at Conferences 01:06:01 What Excites Jeremy About Bitcoin Today 01:09:01 On Being a "Difficult" Personality 01:12:20 Introduction to Char 01:15:04 Why Use Proof of Stake? 01:18:38 Final Thoughts on Agency and Freedom