RGB protocol reaching production status, enabling smart contracts on Bitcoin and Lightning Network.
Started by Max Hillebrand, former contributor to Wasabi Wallet. Uses MLS (Messaging Layer Security) encryption standard developed by the IETF. Unlike Nostr DMs and public posts today, which leak metadata about who is communicating with whom, White Noise promises to obfuscate sender and recipient using the MLS encryption scheme. MLS provides Forward Secrecy (ephemeral keys ensure past messages remain unreadable if current keys are compromised) and Post-Compromise Security (TreeKEM key rotation protects future messages after a compromise).
8x 10K BTC transactions moved from older P2PKH addresses to newer P2WPKH (SegWit) addresses. Some speculate it may be "a hack" - Conor Grogan from Coinbase believes the transfer could be the largest hack in history because of a Bitcoin Cash test transaction that preceded the transfers. But others point out: "Given how slowly these sends transpired, it’s hard to be convinced it’s a hack, I’d imagine they would be a bit faster with moving these funds."
Bitchat is a decentralized messaging app that runs entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks without internet infrastructure. The system provides encrypted, ephemeral communication with no central servers, accounts, or data storage. Messages hop between devices within 30 meter ranges, making it perfect for conferences, protests, or disaster areas where internet access is unavailable or untrusted.
Chain code delegation proposal for private access control for Bitcoin keys.
Discussion of Australian law regarding warrant canaries and their legal implications.
Live hands-on session with Bitchat at the meetup.
Samourai Wallet developers pleaded guilty to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The conspiracy to commit money laundering charges were dropped as part of the plea deal - they were facing up to 20 years for those charges. Both Rodriguez and Hill face a maximum prison sentence of five years, a $250,000 fine each, and are required to pay a total of $6,367,139.69 between them. They both acknowledged that they knew some bitcoin moving through the service was derived from criminal activity.
OpenTimestamps got 0.12 sat/vB, a 4KB file got 0.11 sat/vB, mononaut got 0.1 sat/vB, and a 346KB inscription got 0.1 sat/vB. Mempool even added a decimal point to fee rates. The policy change PR to reduce the current 1 sat/vByte limit to 0.1 sat/vByte is kicking off again on Bitcoin Core PRs, and it’s having a severe impact on Compact Block Reconstruction.
Block built Augur, an open-source Bitcoin fee estimator that relies on real-time mempool data instead of historical blocks. Augur uses statistical modeling of historical mempool data to predict transaction confirmation times: it collects and buckets mempool transactions by fee rate, calculates transaction inflow rates at different fee levels, simulates mempool progression based on historical patterns, and produces fee rate estimates with multiple confidence levels.
Beacon: a Cashu wallet integration for WhatsApp.
Three new BIPs proposed for Utreexo: the specification of the Utreexo accumulator, the specification of Bitcoin block and transaction validation using the Utreexo accumulator, and the peer-to-peer networking changes required to enable Utreexo nodes. Utreexo is a consensus-compatible (non-soft fork) way to send and verify transactions without storing the full UTXO set.
Discussion of the Quantum Summit at Presidio Bitcoin and other quantum computing developments, including Jameson Lopp’s Quantum Migration proposal.
Simplicity is a completely new smart contract language designed as a clean-slate vision that’s more expressive than Bitcoin Script. It gives developers much more flexibility but deliberately avoids the complexities and security pitfalls of platforms like Ethereum. By excluding recursion, unbounded loops, and mutable global state, every execution path and fee cost can be proven in advance. Launching on Liquid provides a production environment where real money is at stake, without affecting Bitcoin’s main chain.
Peter Todd’s analysis of widely used coinjoin implementations and their effectiveness.
Split verdict in the Tornado Cash case. Roman Storm was not detained pending appeal on the unlicensed money transmitter charge.
What do financial professionals recommend for Bitcoin ownership? BlackRock suggests 1-2%, financial advisors recommend 1-2% (clients only own 0.5-1%), Ray Dalio (Bridgewater) recommends 15% in gold or Bitcoin, and Ric Edelman suggests 10% conservative / 25% moderate / 40% aggressive. Dalio says: "If you were neutral on everything and optimizing your portfolio for the best return-to-risk ratio, you would have about 15% of your money in gold or bitcoin."