
Bitcoin Takeover Podcast S17 E14: Kristian Csepcsar on Braiins & The History of Bitcoin Mining
Mar 20, 2026
01:42:23
Kristian Csepcsar is the Chief Propaganda Officer at Braiins: the first Bitcoin mining pool and also the oldest Bitcoin company in existence. In this episode, he talks about the role that Braiins plays in the Bitcoin world (inside and outside of mining) and the moments that shaped the Proof of Work industry.
Time stamps:
00:01:09 Introducing Kristian Csepcsar, Chief Propaganda Officer at Braiins
00:02:13 Brains Company Overview & Mining Book Promotion
00:03:33 Audiobooks & Free Resources
00:05:22 Mining Videos & Norway Whale Salami Story
00:07:42 Brains/Slush Pool History & Name Origin
00:10:32 Short History of Bitcoin Mining
00:10:53 Zcash Mining & Cake Wallet Giveaway
00:12:59 Brains Hardware & Braiins Dock Device
00:15:38 HashPower Marketplace & Solo Mining
00:17:40 Solo Mining Odds & Use Cases
00:23:31 AI Pivot in Mining Industry
00:25:35 Brains’ Giveaway & Newsletter Challenge
00:27:52 Braiins Mini Miner (BMM101) & Mining Software Flexibility
00:29:10 Brains’ Mining Pool Size & Decentralization
00:29:46 Early Bitcoin Mining: CPUs, GPUs, Pools
00:32:07 Slush Pool’s Impact on Prague Bitcoin Scene
00:33:11 Mining Hardware Evolution: GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs
00:34:15 First Mining Pools & Fee Structures
00:36:16 ASIC Era & Bitmain Dominance
00:43:16 Slush Pool Hack & Trezor Creation
00:48:12 Brains’ Growth & Key Bitcoin Mining Events
00:52:17 Brains’ Political Stance & Protocol Upgrades
00:59:11 Mining Pool Centralization & Governance
01:04:07 Brains’ No-KYC Policy & Lightning Payouts
01:07:17 Brains Firmware & Machine Management
01:12:38 ASIC Manufacturing Competition & Challenges
01:17:22 Jack Dorsey’s Bitcoin Investments Critique
01:22:06 Open Source, Feedback, and Community Criticism
01:24:00 Mining Centralization Beyond Pools
01:31:14 Miners’ Role in Bitcoin Governance
01:34:32 Brains’ Business Strategy & Pool Size: Why Isn't Braiins Number 1?
01:40:13 Outro & Final Promotions
