Ready for Merge

Christine D. Kim shares the final bi-weekly brief of Season 1 of the Ready for Merge podcast, recapping the latest developments in Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development.She also breaks down the latest developments surrounding the Clarity Act, a major cryptocurrency market-structure bill advancing in the U.S. Senate, highlighting its implications for open-source developers, self-custody rights, and the growing role of decentralization as a legal framework for regulating digital assets.Finally, Christine shares how listeners can continue to follow major developments in blockchain technology throughout the summer via her newsletters and events.This episode was recorded on May 19, 2026.Timestamps:(1:53) Ethereum development updates(7:55) Bitcoin development updates(12:07) What is the Clarity Act? (14:49) Why the Clarity Act matters  (25:05) How to stay up-to-date on blockchain development through the summerEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected] Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Ben, a developer who works full-time on the Ethereum execution layer (EL) client, Nethermind. In just over two years, Ben has become one of the top three contributors to the Nethermind codebase — a remarkable leap for someone who once dismissed cryptocurrencies entirely. In this interview, Ben recounts how he found his calling working as a full-time Ethereum client developer and the twists and turns in his journey that led him through building online games and contributing to Microsoft’s .NET ecosystem to becoming one of Nethermind’s most prolific contributors.This interview was recorded on August 13, 2025.Timestamps:(0:49) Show announcements(1:23) Ben’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(19:59) Ben’s view on Ethereum leadership(31:50) What an average day looks like as a Nethermind developer (39:38) Rapid fire questionsEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected] Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Ready for Merge, Christine D. Kim shares updates from the Soldøgn Interop, a week-long gathering of Ethereum protocol developers and researchers organized by the Ethereum Foundation. She also highlights a newly disclosed high-severity bug impacting outdated versions of Bitcoin Core. She then unpacks the ongoing fallout from the KelpDAO hack and DeFi United recovery efforts. The episode closes by questioning whether crypto products like strkBTC and stablecoins truly deliver on the promise of private, permissionless money. This episode was recorded on May 5, 2026.Timestamps:(0:54) Show announcements(1:29) Soldøgn Interop takeaways(3:12) High severity bug in Bitcoin Core v28(6:02) DeFi United fund recovery efforts (10:50) What type of privacy strkBTC enablesEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected]  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this Ready for Merge episode, Christine D. Kim interviews Philip Ngo, a developer working on the Ethereum consensus layer (CL) client, Lodestar. Phil recounts his transition from the Canadian Armed Forces to working full-time on Lodestar for Chainsafe Systems. He shares what motivated him to make a career jump into crypto and his vision for the future of Ethereum protocol development. This interview was recorded on July 23, 2025.Timestamps:(1:41) Show announcements(3:06) Phil’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(3:47) Phil’s career before Ethereum(13:51) What it’s like project managing the Lodestar client(29:35) The pressures of open-source development(53:07) What Phil plans to do next(54:30) Rapid-fire questionsEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected] Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this Ready for Merge episode, Christine D. Kim discusses the fallout from the KelpDAO and Layer Zero exploit. For many, this incident is radically redefining what decentralised finance (DeFi) means and the true value of blockchain-based applications. This episode was recorded on April 21, 2026.Timestamps:(1:04) Show announcements(2:11) Bitcoin Core updates(4:32) Ethereum client updates(10:22) Overview of the KelpDAO and LayerZero hack(14:24) The Arbitrum Security Council’s response(17:37) The differences between DeFi and CeFi(26:28) Why public blockchains matterEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected]  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Tomás, one of the lead maintainers of Ethrex, a minimalist Ethereum execution layer (EL) client written in Rust.Before working in crypto, Tomás was a software engineer working on projects related to robotics, tourism, and video games. A few years into his career, Tomás joined a boutique software company called Lambda Class, where he and his peers won contracts and received grants to build software for public blockchains such as Starknet and Ethereum. Through these projects, Tomás and his team at Lambda Class became more invested in the development of Ethereum and eventually in the creation of Ethrex, a new, Rust-based execution-layer client built primarily for Layer 2 protocols. In this interview, Tomás shares his journey to becoming a full-time Ethereum developer and his views on the future of Ethereum development. This interview was recorded on April 10, 2026.Timestamps:(2:02) Tomás’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(4:00) How Tomás got into crypto(6:29) Why Lambda Class decided to build Ethrex(13:48) How Ethrex differs from other Ethereum clients(22:11) Tomás’s view on the main development priorities of Ethereum(36:03) Ethereum upgrade timeline expectations(45:36) Rapid-fire questions round Links: - Tomás ArjovskyX: https://x.com/TArjovskyGitHub: https://github.com/Arkenan- Lambda ClassOfficial Website: https://lambdaclass.com/- EthrexOfficial repository: https://github.com/lambdaclass/ethrexEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected] Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Christine D. Kim shares high-level updates on the upgrades planned for Bitcoin Core and Ethereum. She also dives into groundbreaking findings by the Google Quantum AI team on the feasibility of quantum attacks on public blockchains, and the responses by the Bitcoin and Ethereum developer communities. This episode was recorded on April 7, 2026.Timestamps:(0:52) Show announcements(2:28) Bitcoin Core v31 updates(6:58) Ethereum Glamsterdam developments(11:29) Ethereum Hegota upgrade planning(15:00) Google’s quantum crypto whitepaper(26:37) Next week’s showEnjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected]  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Christine D. Kim discusses Bitcoin developer community-building, culture, and events with niftynei from Bitcoin++ and Charlie Spears from Blockspace Media. This interview was recorded on April 1, 2026.Timestamps:(1:23) What Charlie and niftynei do in Bitcoin(5:50) Changes in the Bitcoin developer community culture(12:12) Navigating the politics of Bitcoin development (17:40) Bridging the gap between Bitcoin developers and institutions(29:09) niftynei’s goal and vision for Bitcoin++(37:17) The need for better Bitcoin UXLinks: Niftynei’s X profile (https://x.com/niftynei)   Charlie Spears’ X profile (https://x.com/cbspears)   Blockspace Media (https://blockspace.media/) Opnext Conference (https://opnext.dev/) Bitcoin++ Events (https://btcpp.dev/) OpenSats (https://opensats.org/) Enjoying this content? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://christinedkim.substack.com/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ready4mergeFollow on X: https://x.com/ready4mergeInterested in sponsoring the show? [email protected]  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Ready for Merge, Christine D. Kim shares a biweekly brief on the latest Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol developments, covering Ethereum’s upcoming Glamsterdam and Hegota upgrades alongside the nearing release of Bitcoin Core v31. This episode was recorded on March 25, 2026. Timestamps: (2:03) Ethereum development updates(16:55) The debate on FRAME(21:30) Bitcoin development updates(31:49) Next week’s showLinks: - Frame Transactions vs. SchemedTransactions for Post-Quantum Ethereum (https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/frame-transactions-vs-schemedtransactions-for-post-quantum-ethereum/28056) - ACD After Hours Newsletter (https://christinedkim.substack.com/s/acd-after-hours)  - Bitcoin Core v31 Release Schedule (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues/33607)- Bitcoin Core v31 Release Candidate 1 Announcement (https://x.com/fanquake/status/2033836033742410118?s=20)  - BTC Before Light Issue #29, The main features of Bitcoin Core v31(https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/btc-before-light-issue-29) - BTC Before Light Issue #32, Preparing for the AI future(https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/btc-before-light-issue-32)   Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Mark, a developer working for Sigma Prime on the Ethereum consensus layer (CL) client, Lighthouse.In 2013, Mark first heard about Bitcoin in a rap song. Three years later, the DAO hack introduced him to Ethereum — and set him on a path that would eventually lead him to become a core developer.After teaching himself Rust during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Mark began contributing to the Lighthouse client, and today he helps shape some of Ethereum’s most important upgrades.In this interview, Mark shares how he went from a curious outsider to a protocol developer and the lessons he’s learned along the way.This interview was recorded on August 20, 2025.Timestamps:(1:36) Mark’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(7:03) How Mark became a full-time Ethereum developer(16:07) Mark’s vision for Ethereum(33:10) An average day as an Ethereum developer(36:55) Advice for new contributors(40:20) Rapid-fire questions roundLinks: Mark MackeyX: https://x.com/EthDreamerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mackey-677b3679/GitHub: https://github.com/ethDreamerSigma PrimeOfficial Website (https://sigmaprime.io/)Blog (https://blog.sigmaprime.io/)LighthouseOfficial repository (https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse)Good first issues for new contributors to take on (https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/issues?q=state%3Aopen%20label%3A%22good%20first%20issue%22) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Preston, a developer working for Offchain Labs on the Ethereum consensus layer (CL) client, Prysm.Preston’s biggest contribution to Ethereum development is co-founding the Prysm team. Preston, along with three other developers, formed the first dedicated team to build software for Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition.The software they built, called Prysm, was the most widely used CL client during and in the first few years after the launch of Ethereum’s proof-of-stake blockchain, also called the Beacon Chain.In this interview, Preston recounts the story behind Prysm's founding in 2018, its acquisition by Offchain Labs in 2022, and its continued development in 2025.This interview was recorded on September 2, 2025.Timestamps:(3:26) Preston’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(5:24) How Preston found out about crypto(22:06) The early days of Prysm development(34:54) Key role models in Preston’s journey as a core developer(38:47) How Prysmatic Labs got acquired(58:02) How to get involved in Prysm developmentLinks: - Preston van LoonX (https://x.com/preston_vanloon)LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/prestonvanloon)GitHub: (https://github.com/prestonvanloon)- Offchain LabsOfficial Website (https://www.offchainlabs.com/)Blog (https://medium.com/offchainlabs)- PrysmOfficial repository (https://github.com/OffchainLabs/prysm)Discord (https://discord.com/invite/prysm)- Ethereum Protocol FellowshipGitHub (https://github.com/eth-protocol-fellows)Wiki (https://epf.wiki/#/)  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Summary:In this bi-weekly brief, Christine D. Kim breaks down the latest developments in Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development. She covers the upcoming Bitcoin Core v31 release and the growing debate around post-quantum cryptography. She also covers Ethereum developers’ discussions around the FRAME proposal and upgrade scoping for Hegota and beyond.This episode was recorded on March 4, 2026. Timestamps: (2:03) Bitcoin Core v31 feature freeze(3:35) Cluster Mempool status update(8:07) Bitcoin’s post-quantum roadmap(20:11) Ethereum’s post-quantum roadmap(23:39) The debate about FRAME(28:51) Next week’s showLinks: - BTC Before Light Issue #29 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/btc-before-light-issue-29) - BTC Before Light Issue #28 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/btc-before-light-issue-28) - The limitations of cryptographic agility in Bitcoin (https://groups.google.com/g/bitcoindev/c/O6l3GUvyO7A) - Introducing strawmap, a strawman roadmap by EF Protocol (https://x.com/drakefjustin/status/2026755969540108659) Song Credits:Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Summary:In this episode, Christine D. Kim discusses the Hegota execution layer (EL) headliner selection with two Ethereum developers: Jannik Luhn, Researcher and Engineer at Brainbot, and Justin Florentine, Besu client developer at Consensys. Both are backing LUCID, a proposal that would introduce encrypted transactions to Ethereum. Together, they unpack the motivation behind LUCID, how the design works in practice, and why they believe it should be prioritized for inclusion in Hegota. Their conversation also zooms out to cover broader questions about Ethereum’s development process, areas for improvement, and the emerging role of AI in protocol governance. This interview was recorded on February 25, 2026.Timestamps:(2:07) Why EEM was retracted from the Hegota headliner discussions(6:02) An overview of how LUCID works(15:08) Concerns about LUCID adoption (25:15) Concerns about LUCID implementation readiness(28:40) Why LUCID over FRAME and SSZ(32:25) Thoughts on the outsized influence of Vitalik and the EF(38:21) Areas for improvement in Ethereum governance(43:39) AI’s role in Ethereum governanceLinks: Jannik’s X profile (https://x.com/AnotherJannik)  Justin’s X profile (https://x.com/robocopsgonemad) Meet the Devs: Justin Florentine podcast episode (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/mtd-justin-florentine) Brainbot website (https://brainbot.com/)  Consensys website (https://consensys.io/)  Hegota Headliner: LUCID encrypted mempool (https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/hegota-headliner-lucid-encrypted-mempool/27658)   Hegotá Headliner Proposal: EIP-8105 Universal Enshrined Encrypted Mempool (https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/hegota-headliner-proposal-eip-8105-universal-enshrined-encrypted-mempool-eem/27448)  All Core Developers Execution Call #231 agenda and meeting details (https://github.com/ethereum/pm/issues/1931) ACD After Hours: ACDE #230 🌙 post covering LUCID vs EEM (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acde-230) ACD After Hours newsletter (https://christinedkim.substack.com/s/acd-after-hours) Song Credits:Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK). Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Summary:In this episode of Ready for Merge, Christine D. Kim sits down with Ethereum Foundation researcher Jihoon Song and Miga Labs founder Leonardo Bautista-Gomez to debate the two consensus-layer headliner proposals competing for inclusion in the Hegota upgrade: FOCIL and 2D PeerDAS. Jihoon makes the case for FOCIL. Leo argues for 2D PeerDAS. Each lays out the technical vision, trade-offs, and urgency behind their proposal—and why they believe it deserves priority in Ethereum’s roadmap. Beyond the upgrade itself, the conversation extends to broader questions about Ethereum governance, coordination, and the emerging role of AI in shaping the protocol’s future.This interview was recorded on February 17, 2026.Timestamps:(1:21) 2D PeerDAS overview(4:03) FOCIL overview(8:47) The urgency of 2D PeerDAS(10:41) The urgency of FOCIL(18:49) Hegota CL headliner predictions(22:18) Glamsterdam timeline predictions(29:35) Improvements to the headliner selection process(33:27) AI’s role in Ethereum governance(36:18) The vision behind Ethereum developmentLinks: Jihoon’s X profile (https://x.com/jih2nn) Leo’s website (https://leobago.me/)   Ethereum Foundation Protocol Prototyping website (https://prototyping.ethereum.foundation/) Miga Labs website (https://www.migalabs.io/) EIP-7805: Fork-choice enforced Inclusion Lists (https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7805) Hegota Headliner: Partial Reconstruction and 2D PeerDAS (https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/hegota-headliner-partial-reconstruction-and-2d-peerdas/27652) Cell-Level Deltas for Data Column Broadcast (https://github.com/ethereum/EIPs/pull/11176/files) ACD After Hours: AI and the future of Ethereum governance (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acdt-70) Song Credits:Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet “Floppy”, a full-time Bitcoin developer working on a decentralized privacy solution for Bitcoin called Joinstr. To unlock greater usability and resilience for Joinstr and other Bitcoin privacy solutions, Floppy has been championing Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) 119, OP_CTV. OP_CTV is a proposed opcode that would enable more expressive spending conditions on bitcoin. Though Floppy is not the original author of BIP 119, he has been spearheading ongoing discussions in the Bitcoin community about the proposal and next steps for its activation. In my interview with Floppy, we discussed how he first learned about Bitcoin in 2015, his passion for on-chain privacy, and his hopes for OP_CTV activation in 2027. This interview was recorded on January 16, 2026.Timestamps:(1:24) Joinstr overview(4:44) Joinstr development milestones in 2026(5:50) How Floppy first learned about Bitcoin(8:26) Why Floppy contributes to Bitcoin(9:27) Why Floppy started the OP_CTV workshops(11:14) OP_CTV overview(17:22) Alternative proposals to OP_CTV(21:42) Paths forward for OP_CTV activation(29:18) The main arguments against OP_CTV(36:33) Rapid-fire questionsLinks: - Floppy’s X profile (https://x.com/1440000bytes)- Joinstr donations page (https://donate.joinstr.xyz/) - BIP-119, OP_CTV (https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0119.mediawiki) - Discussion on OP_TEMPLATEHASH (https://groups.google.com/g/bitcoindev/c/5wLThgegha4) - BTC Before Light Issue #00 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-00) - BTC Before Light Issue #05 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-05) - BIP-348, OP_CSFS (https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0348.md) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Christine D. Kim gives another bi-weekly brief on the important updates in Bitcoin and Ethereum development.On the Bitcoin side, she covers two new pull requests merged into Bitcoin Core over the past week that will support ongoing benchmarking efforts for the protocol. On the Ethereum side, she gives an overview of the four proposals being discussed for inclusion in Ethereum’s Hegota upgrade. This episode was recorded on February 4, 2026. Timestamps: (1:25) Bitcoin development updates(5:18) PR #34207 overview(6:43) PR #34253 overview(10:00) Ethereum development updates(12:46) EIP 8105, Universal Enshrined Encrypted Mempool (EEM)(14:50) EIP-8141, Frame Transaction(18:01) EIP-7807, SSZ execution blocks(20:30) EIP-7805, Fork choice enforced inclusion lists (FOCIL)(31:50) Next week’s showLinks: Bitcoin PR #34207 (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/34253)Bitcoin PR #34253 (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/34207)Ethereum Magicians Hegota Topic (https://ethereum-magicians.org/tag/hegota)BTC Before Light Issue #26 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/btc-before-light-issue-26)ACD After Hours ACDE #229 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acde-229)Titan Builder at 50% marketshare (https://x.com/nero_eth/status/2018989296141701605?s=20) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Murch, a full-time Bitcoin protocol developer who co-founded his own Bitcoin development company called LocalHost Research.As part of his day job, Murch is one of six editors who oversee the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) process. He recently championed long-overdue changes to the BIP process. In my interview with Murch, we discussed his journey as a Bitcoin developer and his most recent work updating the BIP process through BIP-3. This interview was recorded on January 16, 2026.Timestamps: (2:38) Murch's contributions to Bitcoin(6:08) Murch's journey as a Bitcoin developer (14:18) The vision behind Local Host Research(17:33) What it takes to become a Bitcoin developer(21:02) What it takes to become a BIP editor(25:19) A summary of BIP-3 changes(30:46) The BIP process vs Bitcoin governance process(40:02) Ongoing BIP process challenges(54:03) How BIP-3 was activated(1:01:10) Rapid-fire questionsLinks: Murch's X profile (https://x.com/murchandamus)Bitcoin Optech (https://bitcoinops.org/)Local Host Research (https://lclhost.org/)BIP-3 (https://bips.dev/3/)Blockspace article about BIP-3 (https://x.com/blockspace/status/2011821673184375239)BTC Before Light issue about BIP-3 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-17)Chaincode BOSS program (https://bosschallenge.xyz/)BIP-110 (https://bip110.org/) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this bi-weekly brief, Christine D. Kim provides updates on the scoping process for the Glamsterdam upgrade. She also highlights updates to the Bitcoin Core and Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) Github repositories.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro(3:23) Ethereum updates(15:06) Bitcoin updates(27:17) OutroLinks: - Calvin Kim Ready for Merge Interview (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/podcast-ep-12) - EIP 8037 (https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-8037)- Glamsterdam EIPs List (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ifXjsiFFzQW8s1gl4Gz3kVDKE2pvTMkPslHuE3U7Nqk/edit?usp=sharing)- The Charlatan Bio (https://thecharlatan.ch/about/)Song Credits:Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Calvin, a Bitcoin protocol developer sponsored by OpenSats, who is working on the Utreexo project.Utreexo is a hash-based accumulator for the Bitcoin UTXO set. In non-technical terms, it's a way to store and retrieve necessary data about chain state to validate Bitcoin blocks and transactions.Calvin has been working on Utreexo since 2019.In this interview, Calvin shares how he came to work on Utreexo full-time and the exciting development milestones he anticipates reaching this year.This interview was recorded on January 7, 2026.Timestamps:(2:45) Utreexo explained in Ethereum terms(10:26) Utreexo in the Bitcoin governance process(14:02) How Calvin joined the Utreexo team(20:29) How the Utreexo project is funded(25:25) The sustainability of funding for Bitcoin development work(28:05) What Calvin might do next after Utreexo(38:01) Utreexo development goals in 2026(44:22) Rapid-fire questionsLinks:- Utreexo BIPs (https://github.com/utreexo/biptreexo)- BTC Before Light newsletter on Utreexo (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-03)- Floresta (https://github.com/getfloresta/Floresta)- Summer of Bitcoin (https://www.summerofbitcoin.org/)- Vinteum (https://x.com/Vinteum_org)- OpenSats (https://opensats.org/) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this bi-weekly brief on Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development, Christine discusses:1. The activation of the second Blob Parameter Only (BPO) hard fork on Ethereum2. Three Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs) requiring soft fork activation that the Bitcoin community is divided over right nowTimestamps:(5:05) Ethereum Updates(22:52) Bitcoin UpdatesLinks:Mempirate's analysis on the impacts of Fusaka on Ethereum (https://ethresear.ch/t/block-blob-propagation-with-peerdas/23801)An explanation of Ethereum's EIP-1559 code change (https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/ethereum-eip-1559-upgrade-100-days-later)ACDE #227: Call Minutes + Insights (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acde-227)BTC Before Light newsletter issue on the three Bitcoin code changes requiring soft fork activation that were mentioned in this episode (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-22)Song Credits: Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Summary:In this episode of the Ready for Merge show, Christine D. Kim reviews the most significant code changes in Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development for the year 2025. She highlights Ethereum's major upgrades, Pectra and Fusaka, which led to substantial Layer-1 and Layer-2 scaling improvements. On the Bitcoin side, the uncapping of the data carrier size sparked controversy within the community. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of both protocols and the challenges they face in 2026.Timestamps:06:48 The Most Influential Ethereum Code Merges of 202525:45 The Most Influential Bitcoin Code Merges of 2025Links: - Nethermind blog post on block gas limit testing improvements in 2025 (https://www.nethermind.io/blog/getting-ethereum-ready-for-gigagas) - R4M episode on the controversy of Bitcoin Core v30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFg-hU9KXxA) - R4M episode on the C-header API (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLh-flmUdg) - R4M episode on the cluster mempool PR (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp8sdOW4Xlk) - BTC Before Light newsletter post on the nTime overflow problem (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-21) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this guest episode of the Ready for Merge podcast, Christine is joined by EthPandaOps Engineer Barnabas Busa and Prysm Client Developer James He to review the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade from shipping to scoping. Fusaka is the latest hard fork that Ethereum developers have activated on mainnet. It contains several features that will help the protocol scale for more users. Busa and He share their candid thoughts on the main learnings from this upgrade and areas for improvement in the Ethereum protocol development process for the next.Timestamps: [1:05] Barnabas and James introductions[6:57] Was the Fusaka timeline too fast? [12:10] The motivation for shipping two forks per year[21:58] EthPandaOps live custody monitoring tool demo[30:09] Pending Prysm client optimizations and fixes for Fusaka [42:26] Hoodi blob storage calculator demo[46:16] The expanding role of EthPandaOps in the Ethereum development process[52:17] Final thoughts on Fusaka[57:57] Info about next week's R4M showLinks:- Barnabas' X profile (https://x.com/BarnabasBusa)- James' X profile (https://x.com/jameshe_eth)- EthPandaOps' live blob custody monitoring tool (https://lab.ethpandaops.io/ethereum/data-availability/probes)- Dasmon, live custody monitoring engine for PeerDAS (https://github.com/ethp2p/dasmon)- Hoodi blob storage calculator (https://dora.hoodi.ethpandaops.io/blobs)- Prysm v7.1.0 client release (https://github.com/OffchainLabs/prysm/releases/tag/v7.1.0) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this bi-weekly brief on Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development, Christine discusses two main topics: 1. Bitcoin Core's newly merged Cluster Mempool PR, what it does, and how it benefits Bitcoin miners2. Ethereum's Fusaka mainnet activation, how to watch it happen, and what to be watching forTimestamps: 4:09 - Bitcoin Updates16:54 - Ethereum Updates41:30 - Show Programming UpdatesLinks: - Delving Bitcoin Cluster Mempool overview (https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/an-overview-of-the-cluster-mempool-proposal/393)- Christine D. Kim Cluster Mempool Substack post (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-19) - Fusaka overview and recent client releases (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acdt-62)- Ethereum Foundation's Fusaka watch party livestream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upns65rH7mQ)- EthStaker Discord channel (https://discord.com/invite/ethstaker)- Eth R&D Discord channel (https://discord.com/invite/qGpsxSA)- Beacon Chain block explorer (https://beaconcha.in/)- Christine D. Kim subscriber chat (https://christinedkim.substack.com/chat)Song Credits:Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify⁠⁠: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this bi-weekly brief on Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol development, Christine discusses four topics: 1. Fusaka mainnet activation on December 32. EIP 7918, Blob base fee bounded by execution cost3. BIP-3, Changes to the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal process4. Ord V0.2.3 releaseTimestamps2:45 - Ethereum Updates26:03 - Bitcoin Updates39:16 - Show Programming UpdatesLinks- BTC Before Light issue on Ord V0.2.3 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-18)- BTC Before Light issue on BIP-3 (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-17)- ACD After Hours issue on the Glamsterdam FOCIL discussions (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acdc-169)Song CreditsSpecial thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios on Spotify⁠⁠. See: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qs62M8pLHGZuttTwgP6JK Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Justin, a Besu developer who works at Consensys.Justin wasn’t initially a fan of Ethereum. He was first interested in Bitcoin and considered Ethereum a memecoin.In my interview with Justin, we discussed how he came to work as a full-time client developer for the Besu team and his perspective on the role of client developers within the Ethereum ecosystem.This interview was recorded on July 16, 2025.Below are the show notes for the interview, along with the interview transcript.For more information about the ‘Meet the Devs’ interview series, read this post.Show Notes* Justin Florentine* X: robocopsgonemad* LinkedIn: Justin Florentine* GitHub: jflo* Consensys* Mission* Products* Blog* Besu* Official repository* User documentation* Good first issues for prospective contributors Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Christine D. Kim shares updates on the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade timeline, Glamsterdam scoping discussions, a controversial Bitcoin Improvement Proposal to limit arbitrary data storage, and the Bitcoin Core Kernel Project. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Topics covered 01:51 Ethereum Updates: Fusaka and Glamsterdam 23:15 Bitcoin Updates: Soft Fork Controversies and Code Merges 38:50 Conclusion: Next episode details Links: - Ethereum ACDT #60 Call Minutes (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/acdt-60) - Forkcast tool (https://forkcast.org/) - Bitcoin soft fork proposal controversy (https://christinedkim.substack.com/p/issue-15) - Bitcoin Core PR #30595 (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/30595) - Meet the Devs video archive (https://christinedkim.substack.com/s/acd-toolkit) Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Marius van der WijdenX: vdwijdenLinkedIn: Marius van der WijdenGitHub: mariusvanderwijdenEthereum Foundation- Official Website- 2025 Strategic GoalsGeth- Official repository- Good first issues for new contributors to take on Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Summary: In this episode of the Ready for Merge show, Christine D. Kim discusses the latest updates in Bitcoin and Ethereum protocol developments. She highlights recent code merges in Bitcoin, including improvements in transaction processing and multi-signature transactions. The episode also covers the upcoming Fusaka upgrade in Ethereum, detailing its implications for node operators and smart contract developers. Christine emphasizes the differences in development culture between Bitcoin and Ethereum, showcasing the unique challenges and progress in both ecosystems.Takeaways:* The Bitcoin Core development process involves regular updates and releases.* Recent Bitcoin updates focus on improving transaction processing efficiency.* The Cluster Mempool Working Group aims to enhance how unconfirmed transactions are handled.* Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade is set to activate on December 3rd, introducing significant changes.* Fusaka will activate a new transaction gas limit in Ethereum.* The culture of Bitcoin development prioritizes long-term stability over rapid changes.* Ethereum developers focus on speed and iteration in protocol upgrades.* The completion of working groups in Bitcoin is a significant milestone.* Christine highlights the importance of understanding code changes in both Bitcoin and Ethereum.* Next Wednesday’s Ready for Merge episode will be a rerun of a Meet the Devs interview with Geth developer Marius van der Wijden. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Show Updates 02:17 Bitcoin Protocol Developments 21:55 Ethereum Protocol Updates 38:40 Outro and Info About Future EpisodesLinks: * More information about the Bitcoin PRs mentioned in this episode and the great consensus cleanup soft fork * Holešky Testnet Shutdown Announcement * Fusaka Transaction Gas Limit Cap * Fusaka Information for Blob users * Fusaka Testing Updates and Christine’s views on Péter Szilágyi’s open letter to the Ethereum FoundationSong Credits: Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios⁠ on Spotify⁠⁠. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Giulio RebuffoX: GiulioRebuffoSubstack: Giulio’s SwampGitHub: Giulio2002Infinite Jungle Interview: Meet Giulio, CTO of ErigonErigon, the company- Official Website- BlogErigon, the client - Official repository- RPC tests repository Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Keywords: Bitcoin, Ethereum, blockchain, protocol development, cryptocurrency, podcast, code changes, decentralized technologies, Ready for MergeSummary: The Ready for Merge podcast, hosted by Christine D. Kim, focuses on the evolution of Bitcoin and Ethereum, aiming to make complex technical updates accessible to a broad audience. The show will feature bi-weekly updates, guest interviews, and discussions on significant protocol developments, ensuring stakeholders stay informed about the impacts of these changes on their investments and businesses.Takeaways:* The Ready for Merge show is a new podcast series created by Christine D. Kim.* It focuses on code changes in Bitcoin and Ethereum.* The show aims to be accessible to non-technical listeners.* Bi-weekly episodes will provide digestible updates.* Guest episodes will feature expert insights on specific changes.* The name ‘Ready for Merge’ references significant upgrades in Ethereum and Bitcoin.* Bitcoin Core V30 is a major upcoming release.* Fusaka is the next Ethereum upgrade to watch for.* Listeners can expect a mix of brief updates and in-depth discussions.* The podcast encourages community feedback and engagement.Timestamps:00:00 Welcome to Ready for Merge01:23 Understanding the Ready for Merge Show03:40 The Importance of Bitcoin and Ethereum Protocols06:54 Show Format and Frequency09:13 Meet the Devs Interview Series10:23 The Significance of the Show’s Title15:01 Current Updates on Bitcoin Development33:02 Ethereum Development Updates and Fusaka42:19 RPC Standardization and Its ImportanceLinks: - ⁠Christine D. Kim Substack⁠- ⁠ACD After Hours newsletter⁠- ⁠BTC Before Light newsletter⁠- ⁠Bitcoin Core’s letter to the community about uncapping OP_RETURN datacarriersize ⁠- ⁠Fusaka testnet upgrade timeline and testnet-ready client releases⁠- ⁠Substack post about why listeners should stay informed about both Ethereum and Bitcoin protocol updates ⁠Song Credits: Special thanks to Calios for the music featured in this episode. You can listen to the full track, “Our Lives,” and other songs by Calios⁠ on Spotify⁠⁠. Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Ben AdamsX: ben_a_adamsGitHub: benaadamsNethermind, the company- Official Website- DiscordNethermind, the client- Official repository- Good first issues for new contributors to take on Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Preston, a developer working for Offchain Labs on the Ethereum consensus layer (CL) client, Prysm.Preston’s biggest contribution to Ethereum development is co-founding the Prysm team. Preston, along with three other developers, formed the first dedicated team to build software for Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition.The software they built, called Prysm, was the most widely used CL client during and in the first few years after the launch of Ethereum’s proof-of-stake blockchain, also called the Beacon Chain.In this interview, Preston recounts the story behind Prysm's founding in 2018, its acquisition by Offchain Labs in 2022, and its continued development in 2025.This interview was recorded on September 2, 2025.Timestamps:(3:26) Preston’s biggest contribution to Ethereum(5:24) How Preston found out about crypto(22:06) The early days of Prysm development(34:54) Key role models in Preston’s journey as a core developer(38:47) How Prysmatic Labs got acquired(58:02) How to get involved in Prysm developmentLinks: Preston van LoonX (https://x.com/preston_vanloon)LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/prestonvanloon)GitHub (https://github.com/prestonvanloon)Offchain LabsOfficial Website (https://www.offchainlabs.com/)Blog (https://medium.com/offchainlabs)PrysmOfficial repository (https://github.com/OffchainLabs/prysm)Discord (https://discord.com/invite/prysm)Ethereum Protocol FellowshipGithub (https://github.com/eth-protocol-fellows)Wiki (https://epf.wiki/#/)  Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Mark Mackey X: ETHDreamerLinkedIn: Mark MackeyGitHub: ETHDreamerSigma Prime- Official Website- BlogLighthouse- Official repository- Good first issues for new contributors to take on Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe

Phil NgoX: philngo_LinkedIn: Philip NgoGitHub: philknowsChainSafe SystemsAbout usBlogDiscordLodestarOfficial repositoryContributions guidelinesZig architecture announcement Built on Ethereum Community store Get full access to Christine D. Kim at christinedkim.substack.com/subscribe