Asgardia: Creating a Cryptopia

In this episode of Cryptoconomy I sit down with Angela McArdle to talk about what happens when Bitcoin, state power and human freedom collide.Angela has spent the last few years at the center of the liberty world. She has helped push for clemency for Ross Ulbricht, fought lawfare against Bitcoin developers and activists, and worked to turn libertarians from “spoilers” into real kingmakers.We get into:• How the Ross Ulbricht fight actually worked behind the scenes• Why prosecutors and regulators are going after Bitcoin and privacy tools through the back door• What a government “strategic Bitcoin reserve” might really mean for freedom• Why recruiting Bitcoiners and misfits matters more than chasing party loyaltyThis is not a price talk episode. It is a conversation about power, lawfare and the kind of courage it will take to keep Bitcoin and open networks on the side of human beings instead of the state. Angela on X: https://x.com/RealAngelaMcMark on X: https://x.com/MarkKilaghbianMark's (free) dating app: www.dataing.io

18 Dec 202559min

In this episode, I sit down with Rapha and Jake Blockchain for a deep dive on the future of Runes on Bitcoin—what they unlock, what they break, and what actually survives once the hype clears. We get into why Runes exist in the first place, how they change miner incentives and blockspace markets, and whether Bitcoin-native fungible tokens end up as pure casino chips or critical infrastructure for the next cycle.Along the way we cover:• Runes vs BRC-20 and where each fits in the Bitcoin ecosystem• How Runes might reshape fees, mempools, and miner economics• The culture war around “spam,” memes, and “serious” Bitcoin use• What builders should pay attention to now if they’re Runes-curious• Our best and worst case scenarios for Runes over the next few yearsIf you’re trying to understand whether Runes are the future of Bitcoin experimentation or just another hype wave, this conversation will give you a grounded, no-BS view from both sides.Jake's Take: https://x.com/builtonbtcpod/status/1993768648356548678?s=46&t=cLmqCcO7_iC-4yxeKxl1AQRapha's Take: Rapha on X: https://x.com/RaphaStacksJake on X: https://x.com/JakeBlockchainMark on X: https://x.com/MarkKilaghbianfak.funBitcoinYield.comwww.pepecoins.io

7 Dec 20251h 7min

In this episode, Mark sits down with Naz Kabbani, an investor formerly at BECO Capital (the Middle East’s largest VC fund with $900M AUM) and Paradigm (a leading crypto VC fund with over $12Bn AUM). Naz shares an eye-opening firsthand account of the Lebanese Banking Crisis, revealing how his family—like many others—lost 75-80% of their life savings almost overnight.But in the chaos, an underground economy emerged, driven by crypto adoption, particularly Bitcoin and USDT. Operating largely through Telegram and Signal, this shadow economy has allowed Lebanese citizens to reclaim financial autonomy despite heavy governmental restrictions and corruption. Discover how crypto is quietly shifting power back into the hands of the people, reshaping Lebanon’s economic landscape in real-time.This remarkable story highlights crypto’s true global potential and its profound impact on people’s lives during crises.Follow Mark on X/IG: ⁠⁠@Markkilaghbian⁠⁠Try Mark's App: ⁠⁠dataing.ioCheck out Bitcoin Pepe: @PepeCoinSTX

21 Okt 202554min

Mark sits down with Frank Holmes, one of the most recognized voices in crypto infrastructure, to go inside the machine room of large-scale Bitcoin mining. Frank unpacks miner economics after the halving, how power contracts and geography determine winners, and the tech stack from firmware to immersion cooling. They explore treasury strategy (to HODL or not), AI/ML workloads as a new revenue lane for mining data centers, and the policy landscape shaping energy and proof-of-work. Frank also shares investor-grade frameworks for evaluating miners, common red flags, and how to think about BTC cycles without getting wrecked by volatility. If you care about the intersection of energy, compute, and sound money, this one’s a blueprint.Follow Mark on X/IG: ⁠@Markkilaghbian⁠Download Mark's Dating App: ⁠dataing.ioFollow Frank on X: @bulldogholmes

5 Okt 202552min

They called it a joke. Then they ignored it. Now DogeOS is on a mission to build the most culturally-aligned app layer in crypto. Is this the trojan doge? A decentralized rebellion against the sterile Web3 status quo? Join us on this episode of the Cryptoconomy Podcast as we dive into the world of Dogecoin with Jordan Jefferson.Discover how Jordan's journey from early Bitcoin days to building the leading Dogecoin wallet, MyDoge, has shaped his vision for the future of Dogecoin. Get a glimpse into the Doge community, the challenges of building during market fluctuations, and the exciting innovations on the horizon with Doge OS. Tune in to learn why don't need to be serious to be taken seriously.Follow Mark on X/IG: @MarkkilaghbianDownload Mark's Dating App: dataing.ioFollow Jordan on X: @MyDogeCEODogeOS website: dogeos.comMyDoge website: mydoge.com

14 Sep 202552min

In this episode of the Cryptoconomy Podcast, we delve into the innovative world of Hermetica, the creators of USDh—the first Bitcoin-backed, yield-bearing stablecoin operating outside the traditional fiat system. Join us as we explore how Hermetica enables users to earn up to 25% APY on their dollars without leaving the Bitcoin ecosystem. We’ll discuss the mechanics behind USDh, its integration with Bitcoin’s Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks, and how it offers a decentralized, secure alternative to conventional stablecoins. Whether you’re a seasoned crypto enthusiast or new to the space, this episode provides valuable insights into the future of Bitcoin-backed financial products and the potential of decentralized finance.Website: hermetica.fiJakob's X: https://x.com/jakob_btcMark's X: https://x.com/MarkKilaghbianCheckout Mark's AI Dating app: https://linktr.ee/dataing

20 Feb 202542min

On today's episode, Mark sits down in person with Rozar -- a Bitcoin DeFi builder who has led everything from free and permission-less liquidity pools to 9 digit meme coins all built on Bitcoin. When I first met Rozar, he was the charismatic community leader of the one of the biggest memecoins on Bitcoin -- $Welsh attracting thousands of passionate investors who ran the market cap over $100m. Since then, he's also been working on Charisma.rocks, a Bitcoin native DEX that quickly became one of the top exchanges on the network, competing with teams often 10 times larger and better funded. Rozar Twitter: https://x.com/lordrozar Welsh Twitter: https://x.com/Welsh_Community Charisma: https://charisma.rocks/ Mark Twitter: https://x.com/MarkKilaghbian Bitcoin Pepe Twitter: https://x.com/PepeCoinSTX

4 Feb 202533min

On this episode, Mark sits down with Chris Liu an Entrepreneur from the most recent cohort of the Bitcoin Startup Lab, who has been focused on developing tools to quickly and easily create, inscribe, and modify dynamic inscriptions on Bitcoin. With Yuzo you can instantly inscribe text files, HTML web-pages, or AI generated NFT collections directly on Bitcoin through ordinals, with the ability to recursively modify them to save on fees.  Learn about how developers are pushing the boundaries of what can be built on Bitcoin. Yuzo Website: https://yuzo.xyz/ Yuzo's X Account: https://x.com/yuzodotxyz Mark's X Account: https://x.com/MarkKilaghbian Bitcoin PEPE Memecoin: www.pepecoins.io

26 Dec 202448min