Bryan Bishop first heard about Bitcoin from the cryptography mailing list in January 2009 – but instead of quickly downloading the software, he was critical of it for only launching on Windows. After all, you can’t expect the future of money to run on the buggiest and least stable of computer operating systems. Bryan also witnessed Bitcoin’s announcement on the P2P Foundation forums just a few months later, but couldn’t get over the Microsoft inconvenience.

However, Bryan Bishop was only 19 years old at the time – and as a computer programmer, he wasn’t too interested in money in general. Admittedly, he only cared about building software. For this reason, he only joined the Bitcoin project after interacting with other developers – thus extending the relevance of his previously-established online identity Kanzure towards a whole new realm.

Today, Bryan Bishop plays two very significant roles in Bitcoin: on one hand, he is the moderator and maintainer of the bitcoin-dev mailing list. Essentially, he curates the conversations between developers and makes sure that the content is topical and free of scams. Bryan’s other role concerns editing BIPs (Bitcoin Improvement Proposals). Before recording this interview, accepting this position was still an uncertainty. But during our conversation, he revealed that he’s planning to take on the position that was previously held by Luke Dashjr.

Furthermore, Bryan explained why the bitcoin-dev mailing list was moved from Sourceforge to Linux Foundation to Google Groups. Though the internet giant might not be a pillar of free speech and individual freedom, its e-mail features are superior and offer better archiving and backup options – with the possibility to run personal servers too. Google famously banned Bitcoin ads in 2018 and has been at the forefront of censorship and information filtering. Nonetheless, the Bitcoin devs can store backups and then migrate the mailing list to another host if necessary.

Something that I appreciated during this interview with Bryan Bishop is his unapologetic authenticity. He works on a centralized non-Bitcoin and non-blockchain internet money project while scoffing at puritans: you expect your Bitcoin developers to be monks with no other interests or curiosities? And it’s not like Webcash is uninteresting – it has a very 1990s cypherpunk design which disregards the work that’s been done since 2009.

Of course, there are some borrowed elements: new coins get generated via Proof of Work, and there’s a total monetary supply of 210 billion webcash. But unlike Bitcoin, there’s a mechanism which sends 5% of mined coins to Bryan’s server. While Satoshi Nakamoto mined BTC, he never reserved a percentage of the supply for himself. Yet the point of Webcash is to be easy to mine and fun – a way to bring back memories from the early days of Bitcoin, when all you needed was your home computer and a piece of software that runs in the background.

For now, Bryan Bishop’s Webcash only runs on his personal server… and he wrote an extensive legal document to make sure that users understand the limitations of this centralized setup. But in the future, more people are expected spin up their own servers to eliminate the single point of failure.

Regardless of what you think about Webcash and experimentation with other types of internet money, Bryan Bishop is one of the greatest thinkers and contributors in the Bitcoin space. By curating the developer e-mailing list, he is up to date with the latest proposals and ideas. And as a BIP editor, he makes sure that every new concept is formally correct and ready to enter public debate. So by listening to him, you get insights from the mind of one of the most knowledgeable people in the space!

And yes, we do talk about technical topics too: from the issue of scaling Bitcoin, and all the way to more delicate privacy details. If you’re a fan of biohacking and life extension, expect to hear some insights about ongoing research in the field – as Bryan Bishop is very much interesting in becoming immortal and putting his knowledge to great use.

Season 15 of the Bitcoin Takeover podcast is sponsored by Wasabi Wallet, Hodling, LayerTwo Labs & Satochip!

Listen to Bryan Bishop (Kanzure) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & X!

If you use any of the big tech platforms linked above, then please consider subscribing and leaving feedback: your likes, comments, and 5-star ratings can make an enormous difference. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy a much more private experience with no trackers, unsolicited ads, or mandatory registration, then I recommend this free player – it’s lightweight and includes all the features you find on big tech platforms, with the added benefit of downloading the audio file for offline listening.

Time stamps:

Bryan’s Introduction (00:00:02) Bryan’s early involvement in Bitcoin, initial skepticism, and eventual interest in the project.

Transcribing Conferences (00:06:15) Bryan’s history of transcribing conferences, the challenges of speech-to-text technology, and the importance of transcripts for knowledge preservation.

Migrating the Bitcoin Dev Mailing List (00:11:49) The history of the Bitcoin dev mailing list, the decision to migrate to Google, and the challenges and concerns related to the migration.

Preservation of Historical Discussions (00:17:37) Discussion about the preservation of information, the decision to move the mailing list to Google, and the confidence in Google’s ability to maintain the information.

Importance of Bitcoin Dev List (00:20:47) The significance of the Bitcoin dev mailing list for historical discussions and high-quality conversations among developers.

Joining the Bitcoin Dev List (00:23:12) The process of joining the Bitcoin dev mailing list and the absence of a reputation system for participation.

Bitcoin Development Topics (00:23:53) Discussion on the focus of Bitcoin development, including protocol, software, hard forks, and research.

Sponsorship and Wasabi Wallet (00:26:25) Information about Wasabi Wallet’s privacy features, coinjoin, and integration with shopping services.

BIP Editor Role and Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (00:29:32) Explanation of the role of a BIP editor and the process of reviewing, processing, and assigning numbers to BIPs.

Bitcoin Improvement Proposal Process (00:34:23) Discussion on the informational and standard nature of BIPs, their activation methods, and the numbering structure.

BIP 39 and Bitcoin Core (00:41:32) Insight into BIP 39, its implementation, and the reasons for its status in Bitcoin Core.

Webcash and Layer Two Labs (00:47:11) Introduction to Webcash, a form of internet currency without a blockchain, and a humorous message from Paul Sztorc.

Each topic has been given a title and a brief description, as requested.

Webcash Introduction (00:48:54) Speaker 2 introduces Webcash, a digital currency, and its properties, emphasizing its differences from Bitcoin.

Webcash Demo (00:49:12) A live demo of Webcash, including sending and receiving tokens, is conducted, highlighting its speed and simplicity.

Historical Perspective and Proof of Work (00:52:29) The discussion shifts to the early days of Bitcoin, the psychology of mining, and the unique architecture of Webcash.

Electronic Cash Systems in the 90s (00:54:12) Speaker 2 discusses the failures of electronic cash systems in the 90s and the unique aspects of Webcash.

Purpose and Potential of Webcash (00:56:34) The purpose of Webcash as an experiment in electronic cash and its potential for simple online payments and development opportunities are explored.

Privacy and Security (00:59:11) The privacy features of Webcash, including encryption and the handling of private keys, are discussed.

Mining and Backups (01:04:42) Methods for mining Webcash and backing up private keys are explained, providing insights into the technical aspects of the system.

Monetary Policy and Future Development (01:08:27) The current mining schedule, potential supply changes, and the future development of Webcash are addressed, seeking user feedback.

Decentralization and Future Vision (01:11:02) The concept of decentralization in Webcash and the potential for multiple servers holding the ledger are contemplated.

The Webcash and Competing Implementations (01:11:18) Discussion on the centralized model of Webcash and the potential for competing implementations and applications like stablecoins.

Protection Against Server Operator Theft (01:12:39) Exploring protection measures against server operator theft, including audits and multiple control points.

Running a Node and Centralized Trust (01:13:28) Explanation of the inability to run a node in the current Webcash design and the reliance on centralized trust.

Bitcoin Developers’ Role and Compensation (01:15:13) Debate on the role and compensation of Bitcoin developers, highlighting the importance of fair compensation for their expertise.

Ethical Considerations of Bitcoin Development (01:17:25) Discussion on the ethics of Bitcoin development and the value of developers’ contributions.

Compensation for Bitcoin Developers (01:18:27) Exploring the lack of direct monetary compensation for Bitcoin developers and the challenges they face in the ecosystem.

Future Technologies and Biohacking (01:21:33) Exploration of future technologies beyond Bitcoin, including biohacking and genetic engineering.

Genetic Engineering and Ethical Concerns (01:31:43) Addressing ethical concerns related to genetic engineering, distinguishing voluntary customization from coercive eugenics.

Cryogenic Preservation and Future Technologies (01:33:20) Discussion on cryogenic preservation and the interest in future technologies among Bitcoin developers.

Why Bitcoin Is Not Enough (01:35:17) Bryan discusses the societal barriers to digital money and the importance of technological development beyond Bitcoin.

Money & Value (01:36:49) The impact of government-controlled money on society and the psychological effects of distorted value perception.

Technology & Aging (01:37:22) The concept of true prices and the potential for living more thriving lives through technology.

Life on Mars? (01:40:10) The idea of space colonization as an escape from political disagreements and the importance of personal agency.

To Regulate or Not To Regulate (01:42:51) The shift in ideology within the Bitcoin community and the impact of regulated entities on Bitcoin’s accessibility.

Life of Bryan (01:44:55)

Bryan’s career path as a Bitcoin developer and his involvement in regulated Bitcoin entities.

The AI Takeover (01:46:56) Discussion about the potential disruption of Bryan’s status as the fastest typist and his hope to utilize other skills.

Webcash as a Sandbox for Devs (01:48:21) Introduction to Webcash and its potential for new developers as an entry point before transitioning to Bitcoin development.

Contacting Bryan (01:50:52) Methods to keep up with Bryan’s work, including Twitter and Discord.

Kanzure? (01:51:28) Explanation of the origin of the pseudonym “Kanzure” and the considerations around pseudonym choices.

Retired at 19 (01:52:18) Bryan’s early experiences with web development and his announcement of retirement at a young age.