04-07-2026Price:

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AI & TECH

AI agents adopt Bitcoin and Nostr to exit nation-state finance

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 · from 4 podcasts, 6 episodes
Bitcoin AndNo SolutionsUngovernable MisfitsRabbit Hole Recap
  • Autonomous AI agents are using Bitcoin’s audit trail and Nostr’s identity layer to build their own financial systems.
  • These sovereign tools bypass KYC, turning frictions like Coinbase’s surveillance into catalysts for privacy tech.
  • The shift transforms Bitcoin from passive asset into the productive capital of a nascent machine economy.

AI is building its own economy, and it’s using Bitcoin to settle its debts. Developers across the Sovereign Engineering and No Solutions cohorts are deploying autonomous agents that generate their own Nostr identities and pay for API credits using Cashu ecash. These ‘Claws’ operate without phone numbers, credit cards, or centralized oversight.

Yo, No Solutions:

- Captchas are losing their utility because human status is no longer the primary requirement.

- The friction of legacy KYC is the only thing preventing total agentic saturation.

The metric has shifted from ‘Are you human?’ to ‘Are you useful?’ according to Yo on No Solutions. By integrating ecash, developers enable software to buy its own compute. This creates a parallel economy where agents act as first-class citizens, transacting over peer-to-peer relays rather than corporate servers.

Bitcoin’s transparent ledger, once a liability for privacy, is now an asset for machine trust. Experiments from the Bitcoin Policy Institute show nearly half of tested AI models naturally select Bitcoin when tasked with independent economic activity. Agents require a payment rail that doesn’t need a human to sign a terms-of-service agreement. Tanero Research recently documented a spike in autonomous agent activity on Bitcoin layers like Stacks, where agent-driven transactions doubled week-over-week.

Surveillance by traditional gatekeepers is accelerating the exit. Vik Sharma’s Cake Wallet was born after Coinbase closed his account for buying amoxicillin on a darknet market. ‘That's when I learned about chain analysis,’ he said on Ungovernable Misfits. This practical friction is pushing developers toward tools like Monero and Nostr-based systems that offer cryptographic privacy by default.

The infrastructure is being built for a machine-first web. Martti Malmi has stopped coding by hand, using AI agents to build entire decentralized protocols like Hashtree and NostrVPN. He estimates a 10x to 100x boost in productivity since Claude Opus’s release. Shadrach is mapping physical mesh networks from Austin to Nashville and proposing printed Cashu certificates to bring Bitcoin to non-digital communities like the Amish.

This isn’t a speculative future. It’s a toolkit being assembled now. AI agents are choosing the most permissionless rails available, and those rails are increasingly built on Bitcoin and Nostr.

AgentsBTC MarketsPayments
Mentioned:BitcoinBitcoin Policy InstituteCashuCoinbaseMonero
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NostrOpus

Source Intelligence

What each podcast actually said

Bitcoin And | Bitcoin & Economic News
Bitcoin And | Bitcoin & Economic News

cAIveman Speak | Bitcoin News • Apr 7

  • The SEC's crypto safe harbor proposal, which would allow projects to launch without immediate registration, is now at the White House's OIRA for review before publication.
  • In February, Bithumb mistakenly distributed 620,000 Bitcoin to users during a promotional event but recovered 99.7% of the funds the same day.
  • Second's new Bitcoin wallet Bark is built on the Ark protocol and has raised $5.1 million from a private investor with a team of 11 people.
  • Bark implements an Ark-to-Lightning bridge, allowing users to pay Lightning invoices from an Ark balance without managing channels or liquidity providers.
  • Tanero Research found autonomous agent activity on the Stacks layer-2 network doubled week over week, growing from 105 to 766 active agents transacting over 491,000 sats.

Also from this episode:

Stablecoins (1)
  • Polymarket is rolling out a completely rebuilt trading system and a new native stablecoin called Polymarket USD, which is backed one-to-one by USDC rather than directly by dollars.
Markets (1)
  • Intercontinental Exchange, parent of the NYSE, made a $600 million direct cash investment in Polymarket as part of a broader equity fundraising round last month.
Regulation (2)
  • SEC Chair Paul Atkins proposed a four-year startup exemption for crypto ventures to raise capital while providing investor protections, which critics argue opens the door to scams.
  • South Korea's Financial Services Commission now requires all crypto exchanges to conduct automated ledger-to-wallet reconciliation every five minutes and shift to monthly external audits.
Protocol (1)
  • Grayscale's head of research Zach Pandl argues Bitcoin's quantum threat is more social than technical, centered on community decisions about handling dormant coins in vulnerable addresses.
AI & Tech (2)
  • A Bitcoin Policy Institute study found 48.3% of leading AI models selected Bitcoin as their preferred currency in controlled experiments.
  • OpenAI released a policy paper calling for a global shift in taxation and labor policy to prepare for AI dominance, which the host interprets as a push toward socialism.
BTC MarketsAgentsProtocolSafety
No Solutions
No Solutions

No Solutions

#22: Sovereign Engineering w/ Yo • Apr 5

  • Yo describes an experimental agentic workflow that uses voice prompts to brainstorm ideas and generate implementation plans, then employs a cron job to execute tasks overnight, building a prototype. This system runs on a Virtual Private Server (VPS).
  • The host notes that OpenClaw offers rapid prototyping but is insecure, while ZeroClaw prioritizes security at the cost of usability, illustrating a trade-off between speed and robustness in agentic software development.
  • Yo champions running AI models on local hardware and anticipates a future with specialized agentic models, such as one exclusively for tool calling, that would route tasks through specific pipelines, an approach already implemented by platforms like Open Router.
  • Yo advocates for structuring AI agent workflows similar to human organizations, with separate sessions for planning and implementation, and specialized models for distinct roles, comparing it to the separation of powers in governance.
  • SCCO 6 focused on identity and signers, emphasizing that Nostr, Cashew, and Lightning provide essential building blocks for permissionless cryptographic identity, enabling agents to operate without traditional identity hurdles like phone numbers or numerous API keys.

Also from this episode:

AI & Tech (2)
  • Anthropic recently raised prices significantly, forcing power users like Yo to seek cheaper alternatives such as smaller, specialized Chinese models or switching from Opus to Codex, highlighting the high cost of advanced AI models.
  • Yo’s preferred prompting strategy for AI models involves asking questions and using polite, collective language like 'did we implement that,' treating the AI as a respectful colleague. A recent leak suggests models can react differently to specific keywords, including expletives, which may influence their responses.
Digital Sovereignty (5)
  • Yo joined Sovereign Engineering (SE) in its fourth cohort, initially to develop a peer-to-peer trading project needing encrypted communication, after discovering Nostr lacked robust DM capabilities two years prior.
  • Sovereign Engineering aims to fix the 'broken internet' by bringing together individuals with Bitcoin, cryptography, and peer-to-peer backgrounds, fostering a high-commitment environment to work on solutions for 10-15 years.
  • SCCO 7 is centered on mesh networks and hardware, featuring 'FIPS parties' focused on the Free Internetworking Peering System (FIPS), a new machine networking protocol rapidly replacing centralized internet components like DNS and IPv4.
  • FIPS has seen rapid development, integrated into ESP32 radios, running TCP/UDP, and serving as a base for VPNs and Tor, with a Quick3 server already operating on it, demonstrating its potential to replace traditional internet infrastructure.
  • Yo suggests the 'balloon idea' - deploying Toll Gates on balloons as a 'poor man's Starlink' - could provide sovereign communication, bypassing reliance on fiber optic cables and licensed radio bands, if the necessary chip technology proves viable.
Nostr (3)
  • Yo proposes a key rotation system for Nostr that combines cryptographic proofs with social attestation, shifting the responsibility of verifying migration events from clients to individual users, who communicate out-of-band to confirm legitimacy.
  • Jesus’s proposal for identity continuation treats identity as probabilistic, suggesting users create a proof with an OTS timestamp *before* compromise. This proof, rather than derived keys, can link a new key to the old identity without migrating historical notes.
  • Recent observations, like Pip’s work with Vertex, show that primitive identity continuation already functions purely through Web of Trust metrics, where a new account gains legitimacy as significant followers migrate.
Education (2)
  • The experimental 3-week duration for SCCO 6 was deemed insufficient for participants to fully adjust and get into a productive rhythm, indicating that a minimum of four weeks, or the standard six, is more effective for Sovereign Engineering cohorts.
  • A public demo day, the first since Cycle 1, will conclude the summer cohort at BTC++, showcasing projects developed by participants, who often bring long-held project ideas to fruition within the cohort's collaborative environment.
AgentsNostrProtocol

21: Hashtree, Nostr VPN, and Iris w/ Martti Malmi • Apr 4

  • Malmi plans to add exit node functionality to NostrVPN and later a cashu-incentivized exit node marketplace.

Also from this episode:

Nostr (13)
  • Martti Malmi built Hashtree because of personal annoyances with GitHub and a desire for a simple, decentralized Git alternative.
  • Hashtree adds directories, file chunking, and default encryption on top of Blossom servers to maintain filesystem structure.
  • Malmi notes content hash key encryption in Hashtree provides deduplication and removes moderation liability for server hosts.
  • Hashtree includes a WebRTC mesh for peer-to-peer connections that works in browsers and servers without needing domain names or IP addresses.
  • Malmi uses Hashtree for Iris development as a GitHub replacement, eliminating the need for GitHub API tokens.
  • Malmi's Git.Iris.TO web interface replicates GitHub's UI and supports Nostr NIP-34 for issues and pull requests.
  • Malmi ported his pre-Nostr social network project Iris to Nostr quickly after Jack Dorsey joined and it gained popularity.
  • Malmi is unhappy with Nostr's current state for public discussion, believing most people are fine with X due to network effects.
  • Malmi sees private chats and groups as a use case where Nostr can solve real problems without depending on network effects.
  • He has been working on a double ratchet protocol for Nostr to enable secure private messaging and group chats.
  • Malmi believes perfect encryption in large groups is less critical because participants can be compromised or leak screenshots.
  • He built NostrVPN due to annoyance with Tailscale's requirement for Google or GitHub logins, using WireGuard and Nostr relays.
  • He advocates for a social graph-based identity system on Nostr as the only viable solution to spam, rejecting global unique names.
Big Tech (1)
  • Martti Malmi views Microsoft's acquisition of GitHub as a turning point, citing degraded uptime and service quality.
AI & Tech (4)
  • Malmi sees AI agents drastically increasing coding capability, estimating a 10x to 100x improvement in personal output.
  • Malmi started working on Hashtree in earnest after Claude Opus released in November 2025, which he considers the first capable agentic tool.
  • Malmi expresses concern that AI will make white-collar and computer science jobs obsolete before blue-collar labor.
  • He predicts AI agents will erode the network effects of platforms like X by acting as a universal interface across services.
Adoption (2)
  • Martti Malmi made his last commit to the Bitcoin codebase in early 2010, around the time he got his first full-time job.
  • Malmi argues Bitcoin's permissionless nature and fixed supply make it 'singularity insurance' against machines devaluing human labor.
AgentsCodingPrivacy

20: Archipelago Meshtadels w/ Shadrach • Apr 2

  • Shadrach envisions printed Cashew certificates as a physical form of e-cash for the Amish, redeemable at a 'Bitcoin bank drive-through' for increased usability.
  • A decentralized house-sharing model using Nostr involves anonymous blobs for travel requests, agent responses, Bitcoin escrow, and QR code check-in/out.

Also from this episode:

AI & Tech (2)
  • The Podcasting 2.0 specification, combined with advanced AI models, can automate tasks like XML script production and value splits for podcast monetization.
  • New protocols like the A to B protocol (co-written with Jesus) enable interoperability between different ride-sharing projects (Routester, Drivester, Trotter) through shared primitives.
Nostr (8)
  • Spencer suggests venues adopt Nostr N-Pubs to cryptographically sign and manage live event streams, decentralizing control from individual artists.
  • Host suggests that social signaling, similar to in-game cosmetic purchases, could boost value-for-value (V4V) adoption on Nostr and Podcasting 2.0 platforms.
  • Community job boards built on Nostr can allow users to earn reputation, starting from simple tasks like mowing lawns at 12 years old and progressing to ride-sharing.
  • Shadrach advocates a 'demand-based economy' where buyers broadcast their needs (e.g., looking for a lamp), and sellers respond to encrypted Nostr blobs, reversing traditional advertising.
  • The Sap Store functions as a primary app store for many users, indicating the viability of decentralized, web-of-trust-based app distribution.
  • Nostr has proven to be an effective, modern implementation of a web of trust, overcoming the usability issues that plagued earlier technologies like PGP.
  • Modern privacy-focused communication apps like White Noise, MLS, and PECA leverage Nostr for contact lookup and handshakes, then use signal-level encryption for actual communication.
  • Marty Malmi demonstrated a Nostr VPN where devices connect via N-Pubs, enabling easy setup of private networks and shared exit nodes.
Culture (5)
  • Shadrach observed that many musicians are disillusioned with making money directly from music sales, instead relying on merchandise or concert tickets.
  • The Austin music scene operates on a 'pay to play' model, requiring artists to pay venues for performance slots and then cover costs by selling tickets.
  • Shadrach moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, motivated by concerns for food security and the resilience of the local Amish community in producing food.
  • Indie Hub, Archipelago's first major partner, is an open, decentralized platform for independent films, where directors set dynamic pricing and distribution is peer-to-peer via torrents.
  • Filmmakers can use Indie Hub to upload movies, set free periods (e.g., two weeks), then charge Sats (e.g., 21,000) with automatic price halving every six months.
V4V (4)
  • Despite efforts from figures like Adam Curry and projects like Open Mic, value-for-value (V4V) models have struggled to gain traction among musicians.
  • Open Mic aims to establish 30 V4V-enabled venues across the US to facilitate coordinated concerts and content distribution.
  • Shadrach's first experience with Podcasting 2.0 was boosting podcasts via the Fountain app around 2018-2019, predating his awareness of Adam Curry's initiative.
  • Value-for-value (V4V) models are highly effective because, similar to a Pareto distribution, a small number of generous donors can significantly fund projects.
Mining (2)
  • Shadrach's background includes industrial Bitcoin mining in Texas from 2017 to 2018, as well as Monero mining using CPUs.
  • Bitcoin miners who invested millions in S9 hardware in 2017-2018 found their equipment became scrap metal within 18 months due to rapid obsolescence.
AdoptionPrivacyProtocolNostr
Ungovernable Misfits
Ungovernable Misfits

A Prescription for Privacy | The Confab 30: Vik Sharɱa • Apr 3

  • Vik Sharma argues that using Bitcoin as a currency is what gives it value, citing the famous pizza purchase as a monumental milestone.
  • Sharma's experience with international wire transfers in the steel business made him acutely aware of the permissioned and cumbersome nature of traditional banking.

Also from this episode:

Stablecoins (2)
  • Vik Sharma sees stablecoins as a critical on-ramp for people in countries with failing local currencies to access global markets.
  • Sharma believes access to stablecoins eventually leads people in underserved markets to explore Bitcoin, Monero, and other cryptocurrencies.
Regulation (1)
  • The decentralized nature of crypto ensures people will find underground ways to access it even if governments try to ban or regulate it, according to Sharma.
Banking (1)
  • Sharma's interest in Bitcoin was sparked by the 2008 financial crisis and the perception that government bailouts devalued people's money.
Custody (4)
  • Sharma started Cake Wallet after realizing there was no open source Monero wallet for iPhone and believing others would want the same tool.
  • The first version of Cake Wallet was Monero-only for about a year and a half after launch.
  • Sharma's Coinbase account was closed immediately after he sent Bitcoin directly from it to the AlphaBay darknet market to buy antibiotics.
  • Vik Sharma believes we live in a multi-coin world and that it is okay to have different tools for different use cases.
Startups (1)
  • The initial Cake Wallet team had no prior crypto experience and was given the freedom to study and learn before building.
AgentsPrivacyBTC Markets
Rabbit Hole Recap
Rabbit Hole Recap

RABBIT HOLE RECAP #403: HAPPY EASTER • Apr 2

  • Iran is imposing yuan and crypto transaction fees on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with USD tokens being used.
  • Bitcoin is acting as a safe haven asset in a macro environment where central banks are devaluing their currencies.
  • Strike offers Bitcoin-collateralized loans with zero origination, early repayment, and liquidation fees.

Also from this episode:

Enterprise (1)
  • Oracle cut 20,000 to 30,000 jobs, citing a shift in capital towards AI data center spending.
Labor (1)
  • Oracle’s headcount had previously swelled from 132,000 in 2021 to 164,000 in 2023.
Markets (2)
  • Shares of Oracle rose 2% following the announcement of its major layoffs.
  • The buy now, pay later market is projected to exceed $500 billion in global transaction volume by 2025.
Protocol (3)
  • Researchers released Shrimps, a multi-device, post-quantum signature scheme that creates signatures 3x smaller than SLH-DSA.
  • The primary burden with quantum-resistant signatures is their significant consumption of block space and increased transaction signing time.
  • The theoretical advancement in breaking ECDSA is outpacing the development of the physical quantum computers needed to execute the algorithms.
Energy (1)
  • WTI crude oil is trading above $103, potentially heading for its highest daily close since July 2022.
TradeMiddle EastBTC MarketsChipsMacro

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