The Pregame (NYC) podcast artwork

PODCAST · technology

The Pregame (NYC)

Good drinks, bad opinions, great company.This show is where guests make their pilgrimage to PubKey NYC (85 Washington Pl), where they warm up in our VIP-only Parlor before their Live at PubKey show.This is THE PREGAME.

  1. 51

    THOMAS MASSIE: The Collapse of the American Dollar (w/ Matt Kibbe)

    Donate to Thomas Massie's re-election campaign here: https://secure.thomasmassie.com/donateThomas Pacchia welcomes special guests Thomas Massie (U.S. Representative KY4) and Matt Kibbe to an exclusive edition of THE PREGAME. 0:00 INTRO: Welcome Thomas Massie & Matt Kibbe!0:51 The problem with CBDCs (and modern farming)6:01 Retvrn to tradition (bartering with the Amish)9:02 Bitcoin vs. stablecoins—what’s wrong with the Clarity Act?10:12 How Thomas Massie helped free Ross Ulbricht 13:59 “I trust the coins the government doesn’t like”: Beware of stablecoins16:10 Will the U.S. Dollar lose its reserve status?19:00 OUTRO: David vs. Goliath—Massie’s re-election campaign against Big Money▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  2. 50

    How Smart Money Actually Trades Bitcoin (w/ Jeff Park)

    Was Jane Street actually manipulating the Bitcoin price? Or are they just playing a more sophisticated game than what meets the eye? Welcome to The Pregame. In preparation for their Live at PubKey show downstairs, ⁠Jeff Park (CIO at ProCap Financial) and Thomas Pacchia grab a cold one in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an unfiltered conversation about: 0:00 Intro: What's Jeff's favorite Pokémon? 5:47 What really happened with Jane Street? 15:53 The Do Kwon fallout & the Korean-crypto connection 22:14 The best buy signal for Bitcoin (hint: you're currently seeing it) 25:53 Jeff's 3 theses on the global intelligence crisis (and how to prepare for the coming wealth transfer) ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  3. 49

    Privacy Is the Only Defense Against Power (w/ Obi Nwosu)

    What can be done about the surveillance state and the ever-increasing power of centralized platforms? In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, ⁠Obi Nwosu (CEO of Fedi) and Thomas Pacchia grab a cold one in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an unfiltered conversation about the need for PRIVACY-FIRST communities... and how Bitcoin can scale them.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  4. 48

    Why the 100x Engineer Isn't Dead (w/ Spiral & Presidio Bitcoin)

    As AI accelerates, has developing and shipping in-person become even more important? We're joined by the good folks at Spiral—with a year of experience running the IRL community of Presidio Bitcoin—to answer that question. Welcome to THE PREGAME. We got Steve Lee, Haley Berkoe, and Mat Balez to grab a cold one with in the PubKey NYC Parlor just before their ₿uilder NYC event downstairs. ₿uilder is a monthly gathering for people who like to vibecode, build, and ship. This event series launched last year in San Francisco and has since spread to Miami, Austin, Vancouver, and Atlanta...and NYC is up next. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled. Visit PubKey: 🗽 PubKey NYC 🗽 85 Washington Place 🗽 New York, NY 10011 🇺🇸 PubKey D.C. 🇺🇸 410 7th St NW 🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004 🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey 🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menu Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  5. 47

    Your AI Agent Will Want Bitcoin (w/ HRF & Marks)

    What's the next for the future of AI... or is it all just hype? In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, Marks⁠ (CEO of ⁠MapleAI⁠) and ⁠Harrison Friedes⁠ (Freedom Tech Grants Lead at ⁠HRF⁠) grab a cold one with host ⁠Frank Corva in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about the future of AI, how activists can safely use AI in authoritarian countries, and what it all means for Bitcoin.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  6. 46

    Can a New Attorney General Save Bitcoin? (w/ Frank Corva & Khurram Dara)

    In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, ⁠Frank Corva and Khurram Dara grab a cold one with host ⁠Thomas Pacchia in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about:Why swapping out New York’s AG would change the state’s crypto business climate “overnight”How Khurram's career path runs straight through capital markets, early Ethereum DeFi, Coinbase’s SEC fight, Bain Capital Crypto, and now politicsA deep dive into the BitLicense and why it's a monopoly machine (duplicative licensing, opaque process, millions in compliance drag...)How a new AG could weaken or kill the BitLicenseWhat it'll take to repeal the real final boss of Bitcoin: the Bank Secrecy Act...and more!▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  7. 45

    Why AI Must Be Open-Source (w/ HRF & Alex Hancock)

    In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, Harrison Friedes (AI for Individual Rights Program Associate at HRF) and Alex Hancock (senior software engineer at Block) grab a cold one with host ⁠Thomas Pacchia in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about:The expansion of Human Rights Foundation’s freedom tech mission beyond Bitcoin into AI and open protocolsWhy Human Rights Foundation launched the AI for Individual Rights programHow Goose emerged from Jack Dorsey's Block as an open-source, local AI agentThe core fear driving the AI conversation today and how agents like Goose assuage those fearsWhy “vibe coding” is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for individual liberties (yes, really)...and more!▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  8. 44

    Ross Ulbricht Was Just the Beginning (w/ The Mises Caucus)

    In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, ⁠Angela McArdle (chair of the Mises Caucus) and Amber Harris (executive director of the Mises Caucus) grab a cold one with host ⁠Thomas Pacchia in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about:The takeaway from Tornado Cash and Samourai Wallet: the government is escalating war on Bitcoin privacy toolsHow Angela led the charge on freeing Ross Ulbricht (and what she said to President Trump to persuade him)Angela's advice for Bitcoiners to achieve maximal political effectivenessHow swing states and Bitcoin meetups are becoming real levers of national policy influenceThe risk of Bitcoin being captured by institutions... and what YOU can do about it...and more!SIGN THE PETITIONS to advocate justice for open-source developers:freeromanstorm.comfreeiannow.orgbillandkeonne.org▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  9. 43

    You Can't Censor America (w/ Preston Byrne)

    In preparation for his LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, ⁠Preston Byrne (Managing Partner at Byrne & Storm) grabs a cold one with host ⁠Thomas Pacchia in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about:Preston's fight against the U.K.’s Online Safety Act, a global censorship weapon aimed at Americans who never set foot in BritainWhy Preston stepped in alone to defend Gab, Kiwi Farms, 4chan, and others when every big law firm refusedThe UK’s thirty-year slide into criminalizing tweets (and why it’s the cautionary tale for every Western democracy)How anonymous and pseudonymous speech became a constitutional battleground in the age of surveillance and digital ID...and more!▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!) We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  10. 42

    How Bitcoin Defeats Nihilism (w/ Erik Cason)

    In preparation for his LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, ⁠Erik Cason (author of Cryptosovereignty: The Encrypted Political Philosophy of Bitcoin) grabs a cold one with host ⁠Thomas Pacchia in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about:How Bitcoin introduced a new form of political power that will reshape the structure of nation-statesWhy fiat’s century-long decay (from greenbacks to 1971 to the GFC) created today’s nihilism, instability, and rising extremismWhat Bitcoiners get WRONG about central bankers, Cantillon dynamics, and the moral psychology behind money printingThe coming clash between custodial Bitcoin (ETFs, treasuries) and self-sovereign BitcoinWhy AI and proprietary language models are becoming the new battleground for human autonomyHow generational resentment, collapsing institutions, and political polarization could push America toward a Weimar-style forkWhy REAL self-sovereignty demands new hardware, new UX, and a cultural shift toward running your own stackWhether Bitcoiners must eventually organize politically to avoid both authoritarian capture and extremist backlash▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Welcome home. PubKey is a bar and cultural venue located in New York City and Washington D.C. (With more locations coming!)We host FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC events for the curious, the rebellious, and the orange-pilled.Visit PubKey:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🇺🇸 PubKey D.C.🇺🇸 410 7th St NW🇺🇸 Washington, DC 20004🧡 Register for FREE weekly meetups and events: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🍔 Check out our food menu (yes, we discount 21% if you pay in BTC!): https://pubkey.bar/menuSometimes you want to go where everybody knows your nym.Est. 735075.

  11. 41

    Is Digital Privacy Under Attack? (w/ Frank Corva & David Z. Morris)

    In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, Frank Corva and David Z. Morris (journalist at The Rage) crack open a few cold ones with host Thomas Pacchia and pregame in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about the Samourai Wallet trial verdict:Why the DOJ dropped money-laundering charges against the devs but still pushed for a max sentence under “unlicensed money transmission”How Keonne Rodriguez's handwritten letter advocating for his innocence actually... backfired?The bipartisan war on privacy tech and why lip-service support from Washington D.C. doesn't protect developersHow Samurai’s own rhetoric (i.e. marketing to hackers and oligarchs) became the prosecution’s strongest evidenceAnd what this all means for open-source builders: decentralize early, lawyer up, watch your language (even in group chats you think are "encrypted" and "private"), and more▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬PubKey meetups are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Join us to ask live questions and enjoy a pint together. Good food, bad opinions, great company.🧡 NYC Meetups: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011Follow us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  12. 40

    Has AI Broken the Internet? (w/ HRF & Will Casarin)

    In preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs, Frank Corva, Zac Guignard⁠ (Financial Freedom Content Associate at ⁠HRF⁠), and ⁠Will Casarin⁠ (founder of ⁠Damus⁠) crack open a few cold ones and pregame in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about: Yes, centralized platforms strip autonomy, but Nostr’s open protocol flips control back to the userHow Damus broadcasts to 100+ relays at once, making deplatforming nearly impossibleWhy vibe coding is lowering the barrier to building decentralized appsWhat it'll mean for our current online incentives for content to go viral without an algorithm (hint: it disrupts the entire Internet)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬PubKey meetups are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Join us to ask live questions and enjoy a pint together. Good food, bad opinions, great company.🧡 NYC Meetups: https://luma.com/user/pubkey🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011Follow us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  13. 39

    What's the Final Boss of Bitcoin? (w/ HRF & Jorge Jraissati)

    Thomas Pacchia and Jorge Jraissati (Venezuelan activist and president of the Economic Inclusion Group) crack open a few cold ones and pregame in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about: How Jorge's fight for financial inclusion led to building a pro-Bitcoin advocacy group in WashingtonWhy the Bank Secrecy Act (and the ways it enables financial surveillance and censorship) is the real “final boss” for BitcoinersThe quiet alliance between big banks and regulators that keeps reform off-limits while crushing small businesses and human rights groupsHow the same AML laws used to fight crime are weaponized against dissidents (and give foreign governments access to Americans’ PRIVATE data)The definitive argument on why Bitcoiners must engage in politics▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬PubKey meetups are FREE and PUBLIC. Join us to ask live questions, engage with experts, and enjoy a pint together:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🧡 https://www.meetup.com/pubkey-meetups/events/🧡 https://luma.com/user/pubkeyCatch the next livestream on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  14. 38

    OpenAI Can't Save You (w/ CK, Matt Ahlborg, & Kyle Olney)

    In preparation for their Live at PubKey show downstairs, Christian "CK" Keroles, Matt Ahlborg, and Kyle Olney (with host Thomas Pacchia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) crack open a few cold ones and pregame in the PubKey NYC Parlor, where they let loose for an UNFILTERED conversation about: Why Tether adoption in Argentina exploded while Bitcoin lagged behindThe problem with centralized AI APIsWhy OpenAI’s success mirrors Stripe’s (but who really controls the Internet?)How PayPerQ could reshape AI access for activists, educators, and anyone sick of SaaS modelsBitcoin's cultural split: is it still a tool for dissidents, or has it gone full TradFi?▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬PubKey meetups are FREE and PUBLIC. Join us to ask live questions, engage with experts, and enjoy a pint together:🗽 PubKey NYC🗽 85 Washington Place🗽 New York, NY 10011🧡 https://www.meetup.com/pubkey-meetups/events/🧡 https://luma.com/user/pubkeyCatch the next livestream on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  15. 37

    Who's Afraid of Bitcoin? (w/ Max Keiser & Stacy Herbert)

    Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert pre-game at the PubKey NYC Parlor (with hosts Thomas Pacchia and Mike Germano) in preparation for their LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs. They let loose for an unfiltered, beer-fueled conversation about: How Max’s early Wall Street failures, stand-up gigs, and film sets converged into his Bitcoin origin storyWhy punk rock and NYC “asshole culture” are the real foundation of Bitcoin maximalismStacy’s reflections on cultural power, media collapse, and why El Salvador is the new FlorenceThe curse of soft men, the IMF, and what it'll take to fix the broken Western elite (yes, Bitcoiners may need a little more testosterone)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Pre-game livestream by following us on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠⁠⁠

  16. 36

    PRE-GAMING (w/ Quoth the Raven & Matt Kita)

    Quoth the Raven pre-games at the NYC Parlor with Thomas Pacchia and Matt Kita in preparation for his LIVE AT PUBKEY show downstairs. They let loose for an unfiltered, beer-fueled conversation about: Quoth the Raven's journey from disillusioned English major to bartender to short-seller... to accidental Bitcoin convertWhy the Fed is cornered the U.S. fiscal outlook is “beyond repair,” leaving most market participants due for a brutal reckoningWhat the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad campaign says about the state of the nationWhy Bitcoin works not despite its culture, but because of it (“tattooed freaks,” dive bars, and all)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Pre-game livestream by following us on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠⁠⁠

  17. 35

    How AI Unlocks Free Speech Social Media (w/ HRF & Alex Gleason)

    Thomas Pacchia sits down for a livestreamed chat in the PubKey Parlor with Alex Li (Bitcoin development lead at the Human Rights Foundation) and Alex Gleason (currently Soapbox, formerly ex-Head of Engineering at Truth Social). They discuss:Why Nostr's keypair system makes it more secure than Twitter (or even Mastodon)How Alex Gleason’s open-source software got co-opted by Truth Social, and how he discovered Trump Media wasn't TRULY interested in free speechThe massive vulnerabilities in Bluesky’s architecture and why it’s still “fake decentralization”How AI is unlocking creative potential for both activists and developers on the frontlines of freedom techWhy Bitcoin is still the glue that holds it all together... and why we need “freedom go up” alongside number go up▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠⁠⁠

  18. 34

    What's the 2025 Bitcoin Meta? (w/ Alex Leishman)

    Thomas Pacchia⁠⁠ and ⁠Drew Armstrong⁠ sit down for a livestreamed chat in the PubKey parlor with ⁠⁠Alex Leishman⁠⁠ (CEO and CTO of ⁠River⁠). They discuss:Why River prioritizes operational excellence over financial engineeringHow states like Ohio and cities like Roswell, NM are quietly becoming pro-BitcoinWhy the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies could create systemic risks (and how River’s approach differs from the $MSTR playbook )Whether "paper Bitcoin" is a threat among custodians like Coinbase▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠⁠

  19. 33

    The Importance of Bitcoin Culture (w/ Peter & Conor McCormack)

    Thomas Pacchia⁠ and Mike Germano sit down for a livestreamed chat in the PubKey parlor with ⁠Peter McCormack⁠ and his son ⁠Conor⁠, the father-son duo behind Real Bedford FC. They discuss: How buying an F-tier football team accidentally became a Bitcoin branding masterstroke What it takes to build a winning squad while orange-pilling a town in real time Why Bedford might become the first truly Bitcoin-native city The challenges of stacking sats, managing payroll, and selling out stadiums without fiat crutches How Real Bedford balances serious football ambition with a global internet cult following ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  20. 32

    The OP_RETURN Limit Debate (w/ Antoine Poinsot , ArbedOut, & American HODL)

    Thomas Pacchia and Drew Armstrong sit down for a livestreamed chat in the PubKey parlor with ⁠Antoine Poinsot⁠ and ⁠ArbedOut⁠. Partway through, ⁠MrHODL⁠ crashes our studio to stir the pot. They discuss: What really caused the OP_RETURN firestorm, and why it’s about more than just inscriptions How the push for more data storage is creating incentives for harmful workarounds and network bloat Why Bitcoin Knots is no longer “just a slightly modified Core," and why that should concern you The tension between “community values” and miner incentives in the age of alternate implementations The uncomfortable legacy of mempool policy: from anti-spam fixes to today’s shadow consensus BONUS: the French idiom that perfectly captures why decentralized decision-making is so hard ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  21. 31

    The Bitcoin Las Vegas 2025 Recap (w/ Frank Corva)

    The team is back from Bitcoin 2025 and the Oslo Freedom Forum! Thomas Pacchia hosts a packed post-conference debrief with Mike Germano, Drew Armstrong, and Frank Corva to break down what went down in Las Vegas and Oslo: What ACTUALLY happened behind-the-scenes at the Bitcoin Conference Why corporate treasury strategies dominated this year’s Bitcoin conference What it means when Bitcoin miners start acting like MicroStrategy Why some fear the next crash will be triggered by the new wave of public BTC holders How Pubkey’s Oslo Freedom Forum after-parties helped activists decompress Why Vegas felt like Bitcoin’s Madison Square Garden moment… and whether that’s a good thing ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠⁠

  22. 30

    From Louis Vuitton to Ledger (w/ Ian Rogers)

    Thomas Pacchia and Mike Germano sit down for a livestreamed chat with ⁠Ian Rogers⁠, who went from managing the Beastie Boys’ digital presence to running Beats Music, building luxury tech at LVMH, and now pushing self-custody mainstream as Chief Experience Officer at Ledger. They discuss: What the Beastie Boys taught Ian about decentralization LONG before Bitcoin How iTunes reshaped digital commerce (and what it got wrong) Why Louis Vuitton made him rethink scarcity, status, and what it means to “own” something How Ledger is designing hardware wallets for the next 100 million users Why streetwear, skating, and Bitcoin all thrive on earned identity, not marketing ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  23. 29

    The Non-Profit MSTR (w/ HRF & Alex Gladstein)

    Thomas Pacchia sits down for a livestreamed chat with Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation. They discuss: How HRF became an early Bitcoin-native organization (yes, even before Strategy) The hidden power of activist-developer collisions at the Oslo Freedom Forum Why authoritarian regimes (like North Korea) embracing Bitcoin might actually accelerate their collapse The plan to bring open-source AI tools to human rights defenders and keep them out of OpenAI and Worldcoin's hands ... and what scaling really means for Bitcoin’s next 100 million users ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey

  24. 28

    Stateless, Exiled, Still Fighting (w/ HRF & Berta Valle)

    Berta Valle, a Nicaraguan journalist and vocal critic of the Daniel Ortega regime, joins Arsh Molu (Financial Freedom at the Human Rights Foundation) and Thomas Pacchia for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they dive deep into:How Berta’s husband Félix Maradiaga went from professor to political prisonerThe moment her family lost access to all their savings overnightHow Nicaraguan police used banking data to hunt journalists and dissidentsHow exiled Nicaraguans are using freedom tech like to stay connected and fedThe terrifying legal trap of being declared stateless (and what it means for families)A daughter's letter that helped free her father from solitary confinement▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠

  25. 27

    We Shall Overcome (w/ HRF & Evan Mawarire)

    Evan Mawarire, a Zimbabwean pastor-turned activist who led a peaceful uprising against dictator Robert Mugabe, joins Ayelen Osorio of the Human Rights Foundation, Femi Longe, and Thomas Pacchia for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they dive deep into:The chilling story of Zimbabwe’s $100 trillion banknote—and what it felt like to hold worthless moneyHow Evan’s citizen movement started with a four-minute video and grew into a national protestWhat it’s like to watch your parents’ $80,000 life savings disappear overnightHow Zimbabweans survive when their government zeros out their bank accounts without warningThe underground networks and WhatsApp groups people use to find fuel, food, and basic necessitiesWhy Bitcoin and freedom tech matter in countries where the financial system is weaponized against the people▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠Recorded on April 3rd, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  26. 26

    How to Orange Pill the Police (w/ John Dennehy)

    Frank Corva (political correspondent at Bitcoin Magazine) and John Dennehy (founder of My First Bitcoin) join The Daniel for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they dive deep into:The insane story of how John was detained by British police—and how he got out of itHow My First Bitcoin went from one classroom to 25 countries without VC money or corporate sponsorshipWhy Bitcoin education is still stuck in “step zero” (and what it 'll take to move beyond it)The tension between Bitcoin adoption as a top-down state project versus a bottom-up liberation tool▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠ Recorded on March 31st, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  27. 25

    Who Will Build the Roads? (w/ 1A1z)

    Dan O’Prey and Mas Nakachi join The Daniel for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they discuss ​1A1z's recent reports covering both the organizations that fund Bitcoin core devs and VC firms focused on Bitcoin companies. They dive into: Why are there only 41 people maintaining a trillion-dollar network—and who’s paying them? What happens when the most important software in the world runs on a shoestring budget? The quiet role of Jack Dorsey and a handful of anonymous benefactors... and how normal people can be even more impactful Why Bitcoin’s biggest security risk might be a spreadsheet no one’s looking at The bizarre funding gap between flashy altcoin projects and Bitcoin companies What the VC world still doesn’t get about Bitcoin and everyday users—and how that might be changing ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: ⁠https://x.com/PubKey⁠ Recorded on March 20th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  28. 24

    Humanity Deserves Bitcoin (w/ Trace Mayer)

    Thomas Pacchia sits down for a livestreamed chat with Trace Mayer, one of Bitcoin's earliest advocates. They discuss: How Trace discovered Bitcoin during a law school research rabbit holeWhy gold bugs rejected Bitcoin early (and what they failed to see)The moment Trace knew he was being censoredWhy triple-entry bookkeeping is a bigger deal than most people realizeHow inflation, surveillance, and financial repression are all part of the same modern warThe mindset one needs to achieve the most good in the world...and more!▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: https://x.com/PubKeyRecorded on March 19th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  29. 23

    I Want Security (w/ Nick Neuman)

    Frank Corva (political correspondent at Bitcoin Magazine) and ⁠Nick Neuman⁠ (CEO of ⁠Casa⁠) join Daniel Modell for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they dive deep into: How the US suddenly woke up to Bitcoin’s strategic value Why the government may not even know where all its seized crypto is stored Lessons from nuclear stockpiles, Fort Knox, and even cheese reserves (yes, really) The risks of custodianship vs. self-custody for a national Bitcoin reserve Why time locks, multi-sig, and "vaulting" could save the US from catastrophic loss How this moment could reshape Bitcoin development priorities... and what Casa is watching closely ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: https://x.com/PubKey Recorded on March 13th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  30. 22

    A Progressive's Case for Bitcoin (w/ HRF & Jason Maier)

    Jason Maier (author of A Progressive's Case for Bitcoin) and Zac Guignard⁠ (Human Rights Foundation Research Associate) join The Daniel for a live-streamed chat in the PubKey Parlor, where they dive deep into:How a single $20 purchase (and a wave of paranoia) sparked Jason’s obsessionThe moment Jason knew Bitcoin's optics had a long way to goWhy progressives misunderstand Bitcoin, and how Jason is working to bridge that gapThe risk of Bitcoin becoming a single-party issue, and the fight to keep it politically independentWhy Bitcoin adoption will be won by reaching people who don’t know they need it yetHow Jason’s own wife became a Bitcoin advocateA clear-eyed take on the Trump-era Bitcoin pump, and why Bitcoiners need to keep their long-term vision sharp▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: https://x.com/PubKeyRecorded on March 6th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  31. 21

    Never Sell, Borrow (w/ Max Kei, Sean Bill, & Adam Back)

    A livestreamed discussion on Bitcoin loans and institutional adoption with Max Kei (CEO Debifi), Sean Bill (CIO Blockstream), and Adam Back (CEO Blockstream). Debifi⁠ is building bitcoin-backed lending with their "Never sell. Borrow." mindset—helping you access liquidity without letting go of your sats.⁠Blockstream⁠ is building the backbone of a bitcoin-powered future, from the Liquid Network to Lightning and beyond.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Catch the next Spaces by following us on X: https://x.com/PubKeyRecorded on February 26th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  32. 20

    Bitcoin Unlocks Endless Energy (w/ Erik Hersman)

    Bitcoin mining is changing the way the world produces and uses electricity. Once considered a wasteful expenditure of compute power, it is rapidly becoming a transformational force in rural, remote areas with untapped renewable energy sources.Join PubKey's Thomas Pacchia, the inimitable Drew Armstrong of Cathedra, and this month's special guest Erik Hersman of Gridless as they discuss this topic and much more.Recorded on February 6th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  33. 19

    Pouring One Out for El Salvador (w/ Danny Stagg, Dan O'Prey, Umi Miyahara, & Mike Germano)

    Possibly the most Dans we've ever had in the Parlor at one time.Danny Stagg (Breez) and Dan O'Prey (1A1z) are be joined by Umi Miyahara (Breez) to discuss why Bitcoin is more than "just" digital gold and why the time has arrived for bitcoin payments. They'll be sharing the stories of apps and merchants leading the growing trend around the world.Hosted by PubKey's The Daniel with Mike Germano.Recorded on January 30th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  34. 18

    Have Fun Playing With Your Bitcoin, America (w/ MrHodl, Arbedout, Shinobi, & David Zell)

    Arbedout, MrHodl, David Zell, Shinobi, and Thomas chat live from the parlor at PubKey.Recorded on January 16th, 2025 at PubKey NYC.

  35. 17

    Does Satoshi's Identity Matter? (w/ Cullen Hoback)

    You’ve heard Peter Todd’s take on Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity. (If not, you can watch it here!)Cullen Hoback is the documentary filmmaker and creator of Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, released in October. He'll be joined by PubKey cofounder Thomas Pacchia, for an interview about the film, the result of several years of investigative journalism that began with a thread Cullen pulled after discovering a link between El Salvador’s bitcoin adoption and early bitcoin developer Adam Back.We'll discuss the clues he found, how the evidence led to his theory, and why he thinks the identity of bitcoin's creator still matters.Arbedout, Thomas, MrHodl, David Zell and Shinobi chat live from the parlor at PubKey.Recorded on December 16th, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  36. 16

    Ten Dollar Bitcoin (w/ Jameson Lopp, Patrick Murck, Tuur Demeester, & Pete Rizzo)

    Joining us live above PubKey:Jameson Lopp — Cypherpunk, Co-founder & Chief Security Officer of CasaPatrick Murck — Founder and CEO of Surus, co-founder and General Counsel of the Bitcoin FoundationTuurThomasRizzoRecorded on November 21st, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  37. 15

    ELECTION SPECIAL (w/ Mason Lynaugh, Jason Brett, Frank Corva, Zack Shapiro)

    Mason Lynaugh, Community Director of Stand With CryptoJason Brett, Bitcoin and Blockchain Policy Advisor, Bitcoin Policy InstituteFrank Corva, Business and Political Correspondent at Bitcoin MagazineZack Shapiro, Managing Partner Rains LLC, Legal Fellow, Bitcoin Policy InstituteThomas Pacchia, PubKey FounderRecorded on October 29th, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  38. 14

    The Importance of Bitcoin Third Places (w/ Charlie Shrem, Courtney Warner, Aubrey Strobel, & Christian Langalis)

    Charlie Shrem, Courtney Warner, Aubrey Strobel, Christian Langalis & Thomas Pacchia live from PubKey NYC.Recorded on October 24th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  39. 13

    HRF x PubKey: Financial Freedom (w/ Troy Cross & Zac Guignard)

    Troy Cross is Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he specializes in contemporary metaphysics and epistemology. He has formerly taught at Oxford University and Yale University. Cross is also a long-time bitcoiner, and has been thinking about bitcoin's environmental impact and energy profile since 2011. He now writes on these issues as a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute and consults with media, policymakers, and industry.Recorded on October 10th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  40. 12

    HRF x PubKey: Would Mao Hold Bitcoin? (w/ Roger Huang, & Elisha Maldonado)

    Roger is the author of Would Mao Hold Bitcoin?, a book on Bitcoin and China, with the foreword written by Alex Gladstein. Roger was one of the first writers in 2014 to write about the intersection of Bitcoin in remittance payments and drug policy with VentureBeat and TechCrunch.Learn more at: chinabitcoinbook.com.Recorded on September 12th, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  41. 11

    Mining Talk (w/ Ben Gagnon, Jamie Mcavity, & Drew Armstrong)

    Recorded on September 18th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  42. 10

    The Bitcoin Archivists (w/ Aaron van Wirdum & Pete Rizzo)

    How will we preserve the history of bitcoin for future generations, so that they will understand the origins, the whys, and what it meant to be a bitcoiner back in the early years of the 21st century?Join us as we dive deep into THE ARCHIVES and uncover stories and hidden bits of knowledge from two of the most revered historians in bitcoin.Aaron van Wirdum is the author of The Genesis Book and the host of the podcast Bitcoin, Explained. Aaron is a freelance journalist and technical editor for Bitcoin Magazine, and has been researching and writing about bitcoin for over a decade.Pete Rizzo is widely considered to be the definitive writer on bitcoin, and conducts archival research on bitcoin’s history, working to identify the people, events, and philosophies that have most impacted its development. Pete was the founding editor-in-chief at CoinDesk.Recorded on August 8th, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  43. 9

    HRF x PubKey: Using Bitcoin Underground (w/ Roya Mahboob of Digital Citizen Fund)

    A discussion on how bitcoin was used to fund underground schools for girls in Afghanistan, with Arsh Molu of HRF and Roya Mahboob, Afghan entrepreneur and founder of Digital Citizen Fund.Recorded on March 28th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  44. 8

    Dunking on Bitcoin Mining Pools

    Recorded on April 4th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  45. 7

    Ten Years of Community (BitDevs Socratic Seminar #137)

    Recorded on June 27th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  46. 6

    Orange-Pilled by Galaxy (w/ Meltem Demirors & Kelly Greer)

    We explore the ins and outs of how bitcoin takes root on Wall Street, discuss the implications and opportunities of institutional adoption, and learn from the people who were there from the start.Joining us live above PubKey:Kelly Greer, Head of Americas Sales (Trading) at GalaxyMeltem Demirors, Chief Strategy Officer at CoinSharesRecorded on March 27th, 2024 at PubKey NYC.

  47. 5

    Original ‘Buy Bitcoin’ Sign LIVE AUCTION (w/ Christian Langalis)

    This is the original 'Buy Bitcoin' sign held behind Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen during her 2017 Congressional testimony.Hastily drawn on a yellow legal pad, this iconic drawing marked Bitcoin's intrusion into the global monetary landscape. The sign is one of few widely-recognized physical Bitcoin artifacts, given Bitcoin's virtual nature. Beloved by Bitcoin enthusiasts, the sign has spawned countless memes, derivative works, and imitation stunts. Mrs. Yellen has maintained vocal criticism of Bitcoin.The 'Buy Bitcoin Sign' is one of, if not the most legendary pieces of Bitcoin memorabilia. Up there with The Times Chancellor newspaper but who knows how many of those are out there.- cryptograffitiAn unidentified man held up a sign saying "buy bitcoin" during Fed Chair Janet Yellen's testimony Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee. Bitcoin subsequently climbed toward session highs and traded 3.7 percent higher, at $2,418.46, as of 2:27 p.m. ET, according to CoinDesk. The unidentified bitcoin proponent, whose stunt was visible on television, was removed from the hearing room. Holding up the sign violates the House committee's rules. Committee staffers told CNBC they didn't know the man's name.- CNBC, News Article - July 12, 2017Recorded on February 4th, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  48. 4

    COIN BASED: "But His Emails!" (w/ Drew Armstrong, David Seroy, & Arbed Out)

    Discussing COPA/Faketoshi, OP_CAT, Covenants, and more.Recorded on March 14, 2024, at PubKey NYC.

  49. 3

    Foundation x PubKey (w/ Zach Herbert, Seth for Privacy, Bitcoin QnA)

    Joining us live above PubKey:@zachherbert@sethforprivacy@bitcoinq_a

  50. 2

    Pilot (w/ Marty Bent)

    Marty Bent sits down with Thomas Pacchia for a live Spaces at Pubkey.Recorded on December 21st, 2023, at PubKey NYC.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Good drinks, bad opinions, great company.This show is where guests make their pilgrimage to PubKey NYC (85 Washington Pl), where they warm up in our VIP-only Parlor before their Live at PubKey show.This is THE PREGAME.

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PubKey Media House

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Good drinks, bad opinions, great company.This show is where guests make their pilgrimage to PubKey NYC (85 Washington Pl), where they warm up in our VIP-only Parlor before their Live at PubKey show.This is THE PREGAME.

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