Author: CoinDesk

Riccardo Spagni (“Fluffypony”), former Monero lead maintainer, says that Bitcoin's filter debate mirrors the blocksize wars, why most nodes don't matter for consensus, and what real Bitcoin privacy looks like. Plus: he accidentally becoming a WorldCoin top influencer.

Riccardo Spagni (Fluffypony), former Monero lead maintainer, joins the Bitcoin filter debate and explains why it's following the same playbook as the blocksize wars. Riccardo explains his early studies on Sybil attacking Bitcoin nodes, why filtering is fundamentally broken censorship, the thankless job of being a protocol maintainer. We also discuss his WorldCoin criticism, AI agent commerce, and why stablecoins will likely dominate machine-to-machine payments.

Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

**Notes:**

• Bitcoin nodes connect to 8 peers by default

• Fiber network enabled faster miner-to-miner relay

• Filtering OP_RETURN stops only 1 of 6 data methods

• Spagni maintained Monero 2014-2019 (5 years)

• Lightning privacy requires permanent open channels

• AI agents will likely use stablecoins, not Bitcoin

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

01:16 Who is Fluffypony?

06:45 Worldcoin influencer?

09:30 Filters (that don't filter anything)

12:53 Why don't "all nodes matter"?

18:35 Knots node count

23:16 OK, define censorship

31:24 Community criticism

38:26 The future of the "filter TM" debate

42:44 On-chain privacy

48:32 The state of Bitcoin privacy

53:23 OP_CTV

56:05 AI + Bitcoin

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👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

Unveiling the launch of EVE Frontier on Layer-1 Blockchain Sui with CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson and Mysten Labs Co-Founder and CTO Sam Blackshear.

In an exclusive interview, CoinDesk's Sam Ewen sit downs with CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson and Mysten Labs Co-Founder and CTO Sam Blackshear unveil the launch of launch EVE Frontier on the Layer-1 blockchain, Sui. They dive into the core reason why CCP is building a successor to its legendary MMO to create a player-owned, "forever" universe. Plus, they explore how Sui’s architecture, originally designed for high-performance gaming, enables the real-time, massive space battles and player-moddable economy that EVE Frontier demands.

For more information, visit www.evefrontier.com.

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Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This episode was hosted by Sam Ewen.

Unpacking the crypto rally and Solana's potential with Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan.

Bitwise Asset Management Chief Investment Officer Matt Hogan returns to Markets Outlook to dissect the forces behind the current crypto rally with CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie. With bitcoin reaching new highs and Washington shutdown, Matt explains why the "debasement trade"—fueled by institutional concern over fiat currencies—is driving massive flows and whether his $200,000 price target for BTC by the end of the year is still in play. Plus, his argument for why the market is big enough for both Ethereum and Solana to win.

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.

New York Stock Exchange's owner is close to a $2B investment in Polymarket. Can this bring the prediction market back to the U.S.?

Intercontinental Exchange is close to investing $2 billion in Polymarket, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Could the investment from the owner of New York Stock Exchange help bring Polymarket back to the U.S.? CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie hosts “CoinDesk Daily.”

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

JPMorgan analysts weigh in on price targets for IREN, CLSK, MARA, RIOT, and CIFR in a recent research note.

Click Here To Join the BitAxe Giveaway!

Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Will and Colin dive into JPMorgan's latest research report on Bitcoin mining stocks pivoting to AI and HPC. We analyze JPMorgan's IREN price target, break down the economics of co-location vs cloud services, and examine potential upside for Cipher, Riot, Clean Spark, and MARA.

**Notes:**

• IREN target

• Sweetwater needs 1GW+ deal to justify valuation

• Co-location: $3.7-8.6M/MW vs cloud: $5.3M/MW

• IREN expanding to 23,000 GPUs by Q1 2026

• Cipher EV/revenue at 31.9x vs IREN at 12.9x

• Core Scientific sets co-location benchmark

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

02:43 Mining stocks ripping

06:26 Core Scientific benchmark for AI pivot

15:34 Cleanspark Ad

16:05 IREN

27:06 Valuation models

👉CleanSpark, America's Bitcoin Miner!

CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America's Bitcoin Miner®, is a market-leading Bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. They own a fully self-operated portfolio of mining facilities across the U.S. powered by globally competitive energy prices. CleanSpark sits at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship. Optimally monetizing low-cost, high reliability electricity positions them to prosper in an ever-changing world.

👉 FBOX, Cooling for Bitcoin Mining and the AI Data Center Transformation

FBOX is the global leader in cooling system manufacturing, with the #1 shipment volume of bitcoin mining containers worldwide. Not only powering for the strongest hashrate, their technology also helps mining infrastructure transform into AI data centers. Backed by the largest production scale on earth, global deployment capability, and a full range of cooling solutions, they are shaping the future of compute.

👉 Luxor, Leaders In Bitcoin Mining and Compute Power!

Get game-changing mining results with Luxor Firmware. Boost hashrate, cut energy costs, protect your hardware, and maximize mining profits with LuxOS.

Published twice weekly, "The Mining Pod" interviews the best builders and operators in the Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining landscape. Subscribe to get notifications when we publish interviews on Tuesday and a news show on Friday!

Bitcoin hits all-time high above $125K. What's next?

Bitcoin surged to a record high above $125,000 on Sunday, extending its bullish momentum from last week. And, Polymarket bettors share their predictions on how long the U.S. government shutdown will last. CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie hosts “CoinDesk Daily.”

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

Bitcoin rallies to $121K as BlackRock's ETF cracks top 20, hash rate hits 1 zettahash milestone, mining stocks surge 624%, and ordinals show signs of life. Uptober is absolutely delivering.

“Uptober” is absolutely delivering Bitcoin pushes $121K with BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin ETF breaking into the top 20 ETFs by AUM - a meteoric rise for an asset that was "a scam" according to Larry Fink just two years ago. Hashrate hits the historic 1 zettahash milestone, mining stocks see 624% gains led by AI pivots, and ordinals collections pump double digits. The gang breaks down ETF inflows, network security, and why this cycle's retail is hiding in plain sight.

Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

Notes:

• Bitcoin trading at $121K, nearing ATH

• BlackRock's ETF entered top 20 ETFs by AUM

• Hashrate reached 1 zettahash milestone

• US ETFs saw $675M single-day inflow Oct 1st

• Mining stocks up 624% since June (Iris leading)

• Ordinals collections up double digits on week

Timestamps

00:00 Start

00:27 Pump it UP

02:08 IBIT Breaks Top 20 ETFs

09:09 Hashrate

21:18 Ordinals are SO BACK!

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👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

Outlook on bitcoin, and the impact of the government shutdown and President Trump's potential tariff 'dividend' on the markets with TheoTrade Co-Founder Don Kaufman.

In today's Markets Outlook, TheoTrade co-founder Don Kaufman joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie to break down crypto markets, sharing insights on a shift in bitcoin's behavior and warning of a major risk hanging over its price. Plus, he discusses what a government shutdown means for traders and why he believes that despite providing a short-term positive for altcoins, President Trump's potential tariff 'dividend' could pour fuel on the inflation fire.

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.

Will President Trump issue up to $2K of "tariff dividend" to Americans?

President Trump is considering rebates of up to $2,000 for Americans, funded by tariff revenues. The Covid relief in 2020 was a key driver in the altcoin bull run at the time, will this "tariff dividend" send altcoins up again? CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie hosts “CoinDesk Daily.”

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

ICE raided an ASIC repair shop this week, and a look into the crystal ball for Bitcoin’s hashrate at the end of the year.Click Here To Join the BitAxe Giveaway!

Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Ben Harper from Luxor Technologies joins us to talk about the brutal hash rate environment as hashrate surges past 1 zettahash. For news, we break down ICE's raid on a Bitcoin miner repair shop in Pyote, Texas, Core Scientific’s shareholder vote for the CoreWeave acquisition, and Tether's massive 86,000+ BTC treasury. 

**Notes:**

• Difficulty increased 6%, up 26% over 7 adjustments

• Hashrate expected to reach 1.2 zeta by year-end

• Core Scientific vote scheduled for October 30th

• Tether holds 85,335 BTC worth $10.4 billion

• ICE arrested 12-13 undocumented workers at TX ASIC repair shop

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

04:27 Difficulty Update by Luxor

06:48 ICE raids ASIC repair shop

11:30 Hashrate Forwards

23:03 End of year Forward projections

25:41 Cleanspark Ad

26:10 Core Sci Update

28:44 Tether holds more BTC than you think

👉CleanSpark, America's Bitcoin Miner!

CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America's Bitcoin Miner®, is a market-leading Bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. They own a fully self-operated portfolio of mining facilities across the U.S. powered by globally competitive energy prices. CleanSpark sits at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship. Optimally monetizing low-cost, high reliability electricity positions them to prosper in an ever-changing world.

👉 FBOX, Cooling for Bitcoin Mining and the AI Data Center Transformation

FBOX is the global leader in cooling system manufacturing, with the #1 shipment volume of bitcoin mining containers worldwide. Not only powering for the strongest hashrate, their technology also helps mining infrastructure transform into AI data centers. Backed by the largest production scale on earth, global deployment capability, and a full range of cooling solutions, they are shaping the future of compute.

👉 Luxor, Leaders In Bitcoin Mining and Compute Power!

Get game-changing mining results with Luxor Firmware. Boost hashrate, cut energy costs, protect your hardware, and maximize mining profits with LuxOS.

Published twice weekly, "The Mining Pod" interviews the best builders and operators in the Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining landscape. Subscribe to get notifications when we publish interviews on Tuesday and a news show on Friday!