TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast

Matt Corallo, Bitcoin developer and infrastructure engineer, explains why AI-driven agentic payments are a critical opportunity for Bitcoin. He discusses agents enabling non-coders to build payments, the race to create new payment rails, open Lightning interoperability versus centralized stablecoin risks, and practical steps to onboard merchants and build agent-friendly wallets and APIs.

John Arnold, operator at Ten31 known for macro, energy, and Bitcoin-focused analysis. He frames recent US-Iran moves as part of a China decoupling strategy. They discuss the Pentagon blacklisting Anthropic and the stakes of AI sovereignty. Conversation covers Bitcoin’s calm amid chaos, 10-year Treasury signals, and massive AI-driven layoffs reshaping tech and data-center demand.

Mark Suman, co-founder of Maple AI and builder of privacy-preserving, agentic AI tools. He discusses the rapid rise of AI agents and the privacy risks of closed-source models. He explores open-source tooling gaps, how agents will change app interactions, and why private, decentralized AI and open hardware matter for freedom and future wearables.

Calle, prolific Bitcoin and FreedomTech builder behind Cashu, BitChat and Clawi.ai, brings a physics background to AI and payments. He discusses the AI agent revolution and stages of change. He explores NFC tap-to-pay with eCash, agent-to-agent payments, and why eCash fits machine payments. He closes on which human skills will matter as AI handles more coding.

Michael Howell, founder of Cross-Border Capital and creator of the Global Liquidity Index, offers decades of macro liquidity analysis. He discusses why global liquidity growth has peaked and the main policy drivers behind the shift. Short takes cover liquidity’s impact on risk assets and Bitcoin, China’s gold demand, and where liquidity cycles tend to push allocations.

John (Ten31), author of the Ten31 Timestamp newsletter and macro/Bitcoin analyst. He dissects institutional reality distortion and the Supreme Court tariff ruling, explores alternative policy paths and irreversible economic reordering, contrasts Fed rate talks with Treasury funding assumptions, and reviews Bitcoin price action, hash rate recovery, and mining market shifts.

Alex Leishman, CEO and CTO of River, a Bitcoin-focused financial leader driving custody and product innovation. He discusses adoption persisting in a bear market. They cover the Lightning Network’s momentum and measurement. Conversation explores institutional vs individual ownership shifts, AI’s effect on productivity, quantum risk timelines, and River’s dual-money banking roadmap.

Melody Wright, housing market analyst and investigative researcher, exposes cracks in U.S. housing and labor data. She discusses hidden home-sale declines, off-market deals and MLS blindspots. Conversations touch on rising delinquencies, private-credit risks, municipal strain, and why price correction and on-the-ground data matter.

John Arnold, Ten31 Timestamp contributor and macro/tech analyst. He breaks down a viral AI post and why institutions miss AI disruption. They discuss managerial inertia, CBO budget blind spots, private credit risks from software upheaval, and the rise of a machine‑payable web via Lightning—and why Bitcoin must compete for agent payments.

Jesse Shrader, co-founder and CEO of Amboss building Lightning tooling and multi-asset rails. He discusses Taproot Assets enabling stablecoins and provable token supplies on Bitcoin. He covers RailsX, a peer-to-peer DEX on Lightning, and Magma for automated agent liquidity. Conversation touches on Lightning scaling, FX settlement potential, and AI-driven channel automation.