The ₿ridge Report - #6
We Are in an Era of Full Scale Digital Transformation To a Bitcoin Standard
Welcome back to this week’s edition of The ₿ridge Report!
Today’s report is broken up into 3 parts:
The Bitcoin Meetup - a review of some broader happenings surrounding bitcoin and how it continues to influence culture and grow as a global community.
The Blockchain Audit - an insight in my personal journey as I continue to integrate a bitcoin standard into my life and the broader world around me.
The Volatility Index - a review of newsworthy articles, podcasts, and events of the week, an AI generated summary, and my Dose of analysis.
Bitcoin Meetup
If you want to meet people in the Bitcoin Community, the best way to do it is to get involved with your local Bitcoin Meetup.
I was in Nashville this past week for Grassroots Bitcoin 2025 and Mi Primer Bitcoin’s Educators’ Unconference and it’s been so energizing to see all the individuals putting in the real proof of work to help spread and grow bitcoin adoption. 100+ organizers from across the world converged in Nashville to discuss community building and bitcoin education for the masses.
Personally, I started going to meetups back in 2021 at the Strike office in Chicago and since then meetups have become a top resource to me for networking, community building, and overall learning about bitcoin and freedom tech.
It was really inspiring to hear the backstories of people who started meetups over the course of the last 10 years and those who began attending meetups as being interested in learning more about bitcoin (like myself) who then became leaders and organizers taking over monthly (or even weekly) events in their respective cities.
Or, there are people who didn’t have a meetup in their local community and took the initiative on themselves to start from scratch and create a network of local bitcoiners that help educate and strengthen their own cities’ presence. Block by block they’ve grown.
Another thing that’s so cool about these meetups is the culture and personality that each city takes on compared to others. Some are technical focused while others are more social. But, at the protocol level of it all is the idea of spreading a permissionless, sound money network in bitcoin. It’s truly amazing to see the diversity of thought and leadership share unique approaches, best practices, and overall growth strategies. Bullish.
Over the course of 4 days at the park we hosted 2 mini-conferences, 2 meetups, over 300 bitcoiners, great vibes, and pure signal. Bitcoin and Freedom Tech as the backbone of every conversation.
Thank you to all the other meetup organizers for helping push forward this industry and movement!
And now looking forward to this upcoming week I am getting absolutely pumped for Bitcoin Week in Austin TX.
This started with the Spring into Bitcoin event we at the Austin Bitcoin Club hosted to raise money for Hal Finney and the ALS Research Fund. Read more about his incredible life, work, and story.
Thank you to all who came out, ran, and donated. Such a fun day filled with steak, running, dogs, vibes, and bitcoin.
If you were unable to attend - NO WORRIES! There is plenty of events to get involved with this week. Check out our meetup page and please RSVP: bitcoinpark.com/austin.
Upcoming Schedule:
Monday 4/14: Austin LitDevs #17
Tuesday 4/15: AB⚡️DC - Austin Bitcoin Design Club
Wednesday 4/16: Meet the Authors of The Satoshi Papers: Reception, Book Sale, and Signing
Thursday 4/17: Austin Bitdevs #63
It’s going to be a great week - come say hi!
If you are interested in beginning to save in Bitcoin I currently recommend using Strike to set up purchases - this is one of the easiest Bitcoin Only exchanges (no crypto casino distraction) that provides a familiar, dependable experience.
Please use my referral link to waive fees on BTC purchases up to $500: https://invite.strike.me/D2CTXV
Happy stacking.
Aho.
Blockchain Audit
J’s Bitcoin Journey: Of the 4 events this week at Bitcoin Park in Nashville, one stood out to me: Evan Mawarire and his incredible story: Crazy, Epic, Courage.
Evan joined us for an Open House Meetup where he discussed his amazing journey of starting a revolution in Zimbabwe and leading the forced resignation of their dictator of over 30 years. Evan, a pastor turned freedom fighter, was able to fight the corruption in Zimbabwe to help people find the courage and voice to fight back against tyranny.
It was so moving to hear the stories of Evan’s fight for freedom and the bravery he displayed while being prosecuted, hunted, and arrested as a political defector against this regime. His story is a full spectrum of emotions with a roller coaster of twists and turns that has ultimately led to him finding refuge in the United States after leading this fight from the front in Zimbabwe.
An anecdote that he shared in the story was how his country’s currency was manipulated to totally diminish any value that the Zimbabwean dollar had. Full stop hyperinflationary crisis. He shared how he personally experienced the price of bread more than double by the time he was waiting in line to the time of checking out at the market. There has been a lot of complaints around inflation and money manipulation here in the United States, by myself included, around the importance of separating the money printer from the state. This did put into perspective how grateful I can be for being born in the United States and have not only a constitution that outlines freedoms to property, speech, and privacy AND a system that (generally) respects those rights.
Bitcoin plays an important role here as the underlying tool for freedom. The right to hold a self-sovereign asset that can’t be censored becomes an enabler for transactions with people who may not have the financial structure in place to transfer value and express beliefs - this can be done through hyperinflation or just pure censorship.
Hopefully sharing stories like this help people understand the global impact that a neutral, decentralized monetary network can provide.
Evan was gracious to share his story and I highly recommend checking out his book. We sold a ton of them after this session and I am excited to bring him to the Austin community to further spread his message, because the fight is not yet won.
Check out the recording of the open house. I highly recommend this listen.
You can buy his book and support his continued fight here: https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Epic-Courage-Challenged-Dictators/dp/B0DSTKC1RT
Volatility Index
This week’s headlines:
Ross Ulbricht To Speak At Bitcoin 2025
AI Summary: Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road and a Bitcoin pioneer, has been freed after receiving a pardon from President Trump on January 21, 2025, fulfilling a campaign promise. Ulbricht, who was previously sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years without parole, will attend Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas as a free man. The Bitcoin community has long advocated for his release, viewing him as a symbol of their fight for freedom. The announcement has sparked celebration among supporters who have rallied for years with petitions and "Free Ross" campaigns. The article encourages attendees to join the Bitcoin Conference to celebrate Ulbricht’s freedom and continue building a future aligned with their values.
My Dose: It was really cool being at the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville last summer. I was there when then presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke and promised to free Ross on day one of his administration. Promises made, promises kept.
The Bitcoin Magazine / Conference team obviously played quite a large role in helping achieve Ross’ freedom - so it’s pretty cool that his first public speaking engagement will be at this years’ upcoming conference in Vegas.
Aho.
BitGo and Voltage Partner to Launch Instant Bitcoin Payments via Lightning Network
AI Summary: BitGo, a leading digital asset custodian, has partnered with Voltage to integrate the Lightning Network into its infrastructure, enabling instant and low-cost Bitcoin and stablecoin transactions. This collaboration, a first for a major institutional custodian, allows BitGo’s clients, including exchanges and fintech firms, to leverage the Lightning Network’s speed and efficiency directly within their platforms. The integration promises transactions that are over 90% faster and cheaper than traditional on-chain Bitcoin transfers, boosting institutional adoption of the Lightning Network. BitGo’s CEO, Mike Belshe, highlighted the partnership as a step toward combining institutional-grade security with scalable, cost-effective global payments. Voltage’s CEO, Graham Krizek, emphasized the joint effort to deliver cutting-edge solutions, reinforcing BitGo’s history of innovation in Bitcoin security and scaling technology.
My Dose: Relying on a 3rd party custodian is not a preferred method of key management, but I understand that businesses that are handling a lot of value on their balance sheet will want to mitigate their perceived risk of the asset as possible. And that security can be outsourced to a custodian. I recommend Multi-Institutional Custody in these cases.
The big takeaway here for me is that this announcement will add more liquidity to the lightning network, which means faster, more reliable transactions. This is imperative to make spending bitcoin as easy as possible.
Pioneers: A Deep Dive Into Saylor's Strategy
AI Summary: Michael Saylor’s Strategy ($MSTR), formerly MicroStrategy, has embraced a pioneering Bitcoin treasury strategy, leveraging Bitcoin’s volatility and liquidity to drive shareholder value, positioning itself as a leader in financial innovation. The company’s evolution from a fiat-based business to a Bitcoin-focused entity involved strategic financial engineering, including convertible bonds and at-the-market stock offerings, culminating in the ambitious 21/21 Plan to raise $42 billion for Bitcoin acquisitions. New instruments like $STRK and $STRF aim to attract diverse capital while reducing pressure on common stock, allowing Strategy to accumulate Bitcoin during market downturns without excessive dilution. Critics question the sustainability of dividend obligations, but the company’s vision hinges on Bitcoin’s long-term growth and potential yields from future technologies like AI and the Lightning Network. Strategy’s bold approach embodies a pioneering spirit, risking spectacular success or failure, driven by a belief in Bitcoin’s transformative potential for global finance.
My Dose: Sounds like a new way to analyze business decisions. A sabermetrics revolution, if you will:
Bitcoin: Exit-Ramp From Dollar Hegemony
AI Summary: The article argues that the recent selloff in U.S. Treasury bonds reflects growing concerns about the U.S.'s unsustainable fiscal trajectory and diminishing global confidence in the dollar as a safe haven. It suggests that geopolitical tensions, such as trade wars, are prompting foreign central banks and investors to reduce exposure to dollar-denominated assets, turning instead to alternatives like gold and Bitcoin. The author highlights Bitcoin's potential as a decentralized "exit ramp" from a flawed financial system, particularly for a younger generation frustrated by the Federal Reserve's policies and bailouts that favor the elite. Recent market trends show gold outperforming major indices and Bitcoin demonstrating resilience, hinting at a possible shift toward safe-haven status. The article concludes that both retail investors and global institutions may increasingly view gold and Bitcoin as hedges against the eroding dominance of the U.S. dollar.
My Dose: Bitcoin is the life boat. The fire insurance while the house is on fire. I recommend you get in now in case it catches on.
Bull Bitcoin: The Cypherpunk Bitcoin Exchange
AI Summary: Bull Bitcoin, a privacy-focused, Bitcoin-only exchange founded in 2013 in Canada, has expanded internationally, launching operations in France to serve the eurozone and previously entering Costa Rica. Unlike typical exchanges, it operates a noncustodial model, sending Bitcoin directly to users’ wallets to prioritize privacy and align with cypherpunk values, while avoiding altcoins and speculative crypto markets. The company supports advanced Bitcoin technologies like the Lightning Network, Liquid Network, and PayJoin, and offers services like bill payments and real estate purchases with Bitcoin. Bull Bitcoin’s self-funded approach, led by founder Francis Pouliot, allows it to resist regulatory overreach and maintain a lean, profitable operation despite challenges like educating users on self-custody. Its commitment to Bitcoin’s decentralization was evident in its role during the 2017 Bitcoin fork war, where it helped defend community consensus against corporate-driven protocol changes.
My Dose: Great to see projects like Bull Bitcoin expanding and helping build out more education and accessible tools for people to buy and custody their own bitcoin. It’s been fun hearing and following the growth of bitcoin usage in Costa Rica and Bull Bitcoin has played a large role in this. Keep going!
See you next week, thanks for reading!
Hi Jack, it was great meeting you at the Austin event yesterday. Thank you for introducing me to your newsletter. It's amazing and obviously so much effort goes into it. Looking forward to "joining" you on your journey every week. Keep up the terrific work.