What's the Problem With Bitcoin? | James O’Beirne

from Inflection Point Hosted by Blockworks

In this episode, James O'Beirne joins the show to discuss the core theoretical and developer problems Bitcoin needs to address, the evolving vision for Bitcoin, and how the modern day crypto ecosystem grew from Bitcoin limitations and experimentation. We also delve into the leadership problem in Bitcoin, the hostile approach to Bitcoin developers and upgrades, and more. Enjoy! — Follow James: https://x.com/jamesob Follow Rizzo: https://x.com/pete_rizzo_ Follow Supply Shock: https://twitter.com/SupplyShockBW Follow Blockworks: https://twitter.com/Blockworks_ Join Supply Shock Telegram: https://t.me/+SpmLg6P_QcgxNDcx Supply Shock Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/supplyshock — Join us at Permissionless IV June 24th - 26th. https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-iv — Bitcoin DeFi is here. Stake, bridge, swap and earn real yield on Core - Bitcoin’s consumer chain and staking layer. Join Ignition and get onchain: https://ignition.coredao.org/blockworks Stake your Bitcoin with Core: https://stake.coredao.org/blockworks Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Supply Shock. As Bitcoin adoption grows, Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing over 20% of the world’s crypto. Buy a LEDGER™ device now for true self-custody and peace of mind in securing your Bitcoin. Devices are also available in Bitcoin orange. For every device ordered in BTC Orange, we’ll donate $5 to brink.dev. Buy now at https://Ledger.com. — Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:32) Inside Bitcoin Development (06:39) Evolution of Bitcoin Development (11:41) Bitcoin Problem Solving (17:54) Ads (Core, Ledger) (19:08) Bitcoin Problem Solving (24:41) The Evolving Vision for Bitcoin (30:51) Bitcoin Experimentation & the Crypto Ecosystem (40:09) Ads (Core, Ledger) (41:30) Bitcoin Leadership Problem (47:25) Attack Against Developers (53:06) Embracing Bitcoin’s Core Purpose (58:24) OP_CAT & CTV/CSFS (01:03:34) Revisiting Bitcoin Block Size (01:08:15) How to Measure Bitcoin Success (01:12:35) Bitcoin Security (01:13:57) The Problem with the Problems (01:19:38) Join Us At Permissionless — Disclaimer: Nothing discussed on Supply Shock should be considered as investment advice. Please always do your own research & speak to a financial advisor before thinking about, thinking about putting your money into these crazy markets.

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What's the Problem With Bitcoin? | James O’Beirne

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This episode was published on April 22, 2025.

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