Satoshi's Plebs

<p>In this episode of <em>Satoshi’s Plebs</em>, McIntosh and Kenshin explore how Bitcoin is reshaping the payment landscape for merchants and consumers, focusing on the concept of “settlement rails” and what happens behind the scenes when money moves. They break down traditional systems like credit cards, ACH, and wire transfers—highlighting fees, delays, intermediaries, and chargebacks—before contrasting them with Bitcoin’s base layer and the Lightning Network, where transactions can be faster, cheaper, and final. The conversation makes a compelling case for why merchants should care, from reducing fees to gaining more control over their revenue.<br /> <br />Along the way, the hosts share practical insights on getting started with Bitcoin as a business, including custodial vs. self-custodial setups, tools like BTCPay Server, and real-world tradeoffs like volatility, UX challenges, and accounting hurdles. They also touch on broader themes like financial sovereignty, the evolving role of AI in their workflows, and the importance of education and adoption at the local merchant level. The episode blends technical depth with real-world perspective, offering a grounded look at what it actually takes to bring Bitcoin into everyday commerce.<br /><br /><strong>Bitcoin Price at Time of Recording</strong><br /><br />March 10, 2026: 70,700 $USD | 60,700 €EUR<br /><br /><strong>Block Height</strong><br /><br />941,041<br /><br /><strong>News and Notes</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://nirvati.eu/" target="_blank">https://nirvati.eu/</a><br /><a href="https://www.takemysats.com/" target="_blank">https://www.takemysats.com/</a><br /><a href="https://btcpayserver.org/" target="_blank">https://btcpayserver.org/</a><br /><a href="https://btcmap.org/" target="_blank">https://btcmap.org/</a><br /><br /><strong>Music Credits</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://bitcoinessex.co.uk/new-music-nudge-unit/#jj" target="_blank">Jaded Jester</a><br />Nothing Left to Say</p> <p><strong>Website<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com" target="_blank">https://satoshis-plebs.com</a><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />Podcasting 2.0 Apps available at <a href="http://podcastapps.com" target="_blank">http://podcastapps.com</a> and Value4Value information page available here: <a href="https://value4value.info" target="_blank">https://value4value.info</a><a href="https://value4value.info/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />McIntosh can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/McIntoshFinTech" target="_blank">@McIntoshFinTech</a>. His mastodon handle is @[email protected] and his <a href="https://njump.me/npub197swtr3ymz7aw72tu7eqspxjta7zwcwf23uw4fxyxe2r2eyrfa2sdpner3" target="_blank">Nostr</a>.&nbsp; Kenshin can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/kenshin_ninja" target="_blank">@kenshin_ninja</a> or on <a href="https://njump.me/npub10xxhztawwgtuapdej49q5jgfawu5p0f2j2tzuaxxww2hl546ct3sr7pcjl" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. Kenshin’s email is [email protected]. You can also follow the Satoshi’s Plebs podcast account on <a href="https://njump.me/npub1hkkcygtuz63jccf3ls63eqltrkztnx2n0kqtq2qgeqq6e52x9xyqpyfvlm" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. We are looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />We are looking forward to hearing from you!</p>

<p>In this episode, McIntosh and Kenshin reflect on a major Bitcoin milestone and use it as a jumping-off point for a broader conversation about where Bitcoin came from and why its foundations still matter. Along the way, they mix in some personal updates, thoughts on technology, and the bigger picture of how digital tools are changing the way we live and work.<br /><br />The discussion then turns to the Cypherpunk Manifesto and the lasting importance of privacy, encryption, and individual freedom in an increasingly digital world. The episode connects those earlier ideas to Bitcoin today, exploring how questions of money, privacy, and control remain just as relevant now as ever.<br /><br /><strong>Bitcoin Price at Time of Recording</strong><br /><br />March 10, 2026: 70,700 $USD | 60,700 €EUR<br /><br /><strong>Block Height</strong><br /><br />940,146<br /><br /><strong>Music Credits</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://bitcoinessex.co.uk/new-music-nudge-unit/#jj" target="_blank">Jaded Jester</a><br />Nothing Left to Say</p> <p><strong>Website<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com" target="_blank">https://satoshis-plebs.com</a><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />Podcasting 2.0 Apps available at <a href="http://podcastapps.com" target="_blank">http://podcastapps.com</a> and Value4Value information page available here: <a href="https://value4value.info" target="_blank">https://value4value.info</a><a href="https://value4value.info/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />McIntosh can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/McIntoshFinTech" target="_blank">@McIntoshFinTech</a>. His mastodon handle is @[email protected] and his <a href="https://njump.me/npub197swtr3ymz7aw72tu7eqspxjta7zwcwf23uw4fxyxe2r2eyrfa2sdpner3" target="_blank">Nostr</a>.&nbsp; Kenshin can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/kenshin_ninja" target="_blank">@kenshin_ninja</a> or on <a href="https://njump.me/npub10xxhztawwgtuapdej49q5jgfawu5p0f2j2tzuaxxww2hl546ct3sr7pcjl" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. Kenshin’s email is [email protected]. You can also follow the Satoshi’s Plebs podcast account on <a href="https://njump.me/npub1hkkcygtuz63jccf3ls63eqltrkztnx2n0kqtq2qgeqq6e52x9xyqpyfvlm" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. We are looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />We are looking forward to hearing from you!</p>

<p>McIntosh and Kenshin check in and talk about navigating the bear market with a clear head—how to think about volatility, keep perspective, and stay focused on stacking and building instead of stressing over day-to-day price swings. They also touch on how Bitcoin has been behaving in broader markets and why that doesn’t necessarily change the long-term thesis. <br /><br />They wrap with a few updates from the week, some thoughts on where tech and privacy are heading, and the usual network stats before closing out with a music pick and a reminder to stay humble and keep stacking.<br /><br /><strong>Bitcoin Price at Time of Recording</strong><br /><br />March 3, 2026: 68,500 USD | 59,100 Euro<br /><br /><strong>Block Height</strong><br /><br />939,170<br /><br /><strong>Music Credits</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://wavlake.com/nope" target="_blank">Nope</a><br />Tick Tock Next Block<br /><br /></p> <p><strong>Website<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com" target="_blank">https://satoshis-plebs.com</a><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />Podcasting 2.0 Apps available at <a href="http://podcastapps.com" target="_blank">http://podcastapps.com</a> and Value4Value information page available here: <a href="https://value4value.info" target="_blank">https://value4value.info</a><a href="https://value4value.info/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />McIntosh can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/McIntoshFinTech" target="_blank">@McIntoshFinTech</a>. His mastodon handle is @[email protected] and his <a href="https://njump.me/npub197swtr3ymz7aw72tu7eqspxjta7zwcwf23uw4fxyxe2r2eyrfa2sdpner3" target="_blank">Nostr</a>.&nbsp; Kenshin can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/kenshin_ninja" target="_blank">@kenshin_ninja</a> or on <a href="https://njump.me/npub10xxhztawwgtuapdej49q5jgfawu5p0f2j2tzuaxxww2hl546ct3sr7pcjl" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. Kenshin’s email is [email protected]. You can also follow the Satoshi’s Plebs podcast account on <a href="https://njump.me/npub1hkkcygtuz63jccf3ls63eqltrkztnx2n0kqtq2qgeqq6e52x9xyqpyfvlm" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. We are looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />We are looking forward to hearing from you!</p>

<p>This week on <strong>Satoshi’s Plebs</strong>, McIntosh flies solo while Kenshin takes the week off, and uses the downtime to riff on a question that’s been nagging at him: <em>how does AI actually “pay for things” once agents start doing real work in the world?</em> He shares a bit of personal momentum—how fast modern AI tooling is letting him build software—and then pivots into why Bitcoin (especially Lightning, and possibly eCash backed by Bitcoin) feels like the most natural settlement layer for agent-to-agent commerce. <br /><br />The big theme is that as agents become more autonomous—and as companies demand standards around security, skills, and guardrails—payments can’t stay “free” forever. McIntosh argues that Bitcoin’s divisibility and existing infrastructure make it a strong candidate for the default money of AI-to-AI microtransactions, and he leaves listeners with a question: are you ready for a “Jarvis” doing tasks for you… and do you think those agents will end up transacting in sats? <br /><br /><strong>Bitcoin Price at Time of Recording</strong><br /><br />February 18, 2026: 66,484 USD | 56,392 Euro<br /><br /><strong>Block Height</strong><br /><br />937,273<br /><br /><strong>Music Credits</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://wavlake.com/abel-james" target="_blank">Abel James</a><br />Voodoo Queen</p> <p><strong>Website<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com" target="_blank">https://satoshis-plebs.com</a><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />Podcasting 2.0 Apps available at <a href="http://podcastapps.com" target="_blank">http://podcastapps.com</a> and Value4Value information page available here: <a href="https://value4value.info" target="_blank">https://value4value.info</a><a href="https://value4value.info/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />McIntosh can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/McIntoshFinTech" target="_blank">@McIntoshFinTech</a>. His mastodon handle is @[email protected] and his <a href="https://njump.me/npub197swtr3ymz7aw72tu7eqspxjta7zwcwf23uw4fxyxe2r2eyrfa2sdpner3" target="_blank">Nostr</a>.&nbsp; Kenshin can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/kenshin_ninja" target="_blank">@kenshin_ninja</a> or on <a href="https://njump.me/npub10xxhztawwgtuapdej49q5jgfawu5p0f2j2tzuaxxww2hl546ct3sr7pcjl" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. Kenshin’s email is [email protected]. You can also follow the Satoshi’s Plebs podcast account on <a href="https://njump.me/npub1hkkcygtuz63jccf3ls63eqltrkztnx2n0kqtq2qgeqq6e52x9xyqpyfvlm" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. We are looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />We are looking forward to hearing from you!</p>

<p>This week McIntosh and Kenshin tackle the part of Bitcoin everyone <em>thinks</em> they understand… right up until a transaction gets stuck: <strong>fees, mempool dynamics, and UTXO hygiene</strong>. They frame fees as a live market for scarce blockspace, explain what you’re <em>actually</em> paying for (sats/vbyte), and show how transaction “weight” changes based on inputs/outputs—why a “cheap” fee rate can still be expensive if your transaction is big. <br /><br />They also cover the two practical “escape hatches” when things go sideways—<strong>RBF (Replace-By-Fee)</strong> and <strong>CPFP (Child Pays For Parent)</strong>—plus why wallet fee estimators can be misleading and why mempool visibility matters. Finally, they get into <strong>UTXO management</strong>: why too many small UTXOs (“dust”) can become unspendable in high-fee environments, and why <strong>low-fee periods are the time to consolidate</strong>, not when you’re already in a firefight.<br /><br /> <strong>Bitcoin Price at Time of Recording</strong><br /><br />February 10, 2026: 68,907 USD | 57,884 Euro<br /><br /><strong>Music Credits </strong><br /><br /><a href="https://wavlake.com/abel-james" target="_blank">Abel James </a><br />Voodoo Queen</p> <p><strong>Website<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com" target="_blank">https://satoshis-plebs.com</a><a href="https://satoshis-plebs.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />Podcasting 2.0 Apps available at <a href="http://podcastapps.com" target="_blank">http://podcastapps.com</a> and Value4Value information page available here: <a href="https://value4value.info" target="_blank">https://value4value.info</a><a href="https://value4value.info/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />McIntosh can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/McIntoshFinTech" target="_blank">@McIntoshFinTech</a>. His mastodon handle is @[email protected] and his <a href="https://njump.me/npub197swtr3ymz7aw72tu7eqspxjta7zwcwf23uw4fxyxe2r2eyrfa2sdpner3" target="_blank">Nostr</a>.&nbsp; Kenshin can be reached on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/kenshin_ninja" target="_blank">@kenshin_ninja</a> or on <a href="https://njump.me/npub10xxhztawwgtuapdej49q5jgfawu5p0f2j2tzuaxxww2hl546ct3sr7pcjl" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. Kenshin’s email is [email protected]. You can also follow the Satoshi’s Plebs podcast account on <a href="https://njump.me/npub1hkkcygtuz63jccf3ls63eqltrkztnx2n0kqtq2qgeqq6e52x9xyqpyfvlm" target="_blank">Nostr</a>. We are looking forward to hearing from you!<br /><br />We are looking forward to hearing from you!</p>