This week, I had the privilege of putting Uncle Rockstar Dev in the hot seat for 21 Questions.
Watch the full episode here:
Who is Uncle Rockstar Dev?
For those newer to Bitcoin, Uncle Rockstar is a core contributor to BTCPay Server, the open-source payment processor that lets merchants accept bitcoin without fees and without relying on a third party.
With BTCPay Server, merchants can:
Set up a point-of-sale app
Embed a tipping button on their site
Send global payment links instantly
Sell worldwide with minimal payment friction
He has also contributed to projects like Strike and more recently a collaboration with Samson Mow called SamRock.
He has even officiated a wedding ceremony!
If you follow him on GitHub, Nostr, or X, you already know he is on an incredible contribution streak, committing code daily and inspiring others to do the same.
And throughout it all, he leads with unity and love.
Hot Topics in the Hot Seat
I wanted to hear his perspective on some of the debates dominating Bitcoin Twitter/X right now. Even within the tight 10-minute timer, we covered:
Spam Wars vs. Blocksize Wars
Censorship on Bitcoin
Consensus rules vs. policies
Balancing technically feasible solutions with what users actually want
On that last point, here is what he said:
“I listen to users, interact with them, try things out, and then talk with them. So I try not to close myself into my own intellectual superiority bubble and users are dumb.” – Uncle Rockstar Dev
Humility like this is not easy to find. Maybe it comes from his daily proof-of-work discipline.
Coming Next Week
In next week’s full interview with Uncle Rockstar, we will dive deeper into his journey: From hot conflict to Rockstar. How did he get here?
He has also promised to double the sats giveaway to 42,000. Stay tuned 🙌
Changing Things Up
I have gotten helpful feedback on the treasure hunt game.
TL;DR: Some participants have been using software to recover the 12-word seed phrase, which makes the challenge too easy for people using software and too challenging for viewers sincerely searching for the words manually.
Since this is meant to be a fun and educational challenge, we are adding a few twists:
Puzzle-style clues. Example:
Clue: “I’m an animal known for gathering nuts.”
Answer: “Squirrel”Clues distributed across multiple platforms including Nostr, X, and Substack
Adding a passphrase that is not part of the BIP39 English word list
Occasionally publishing a seed phrase in another language
Last Episode’s Seed Phrase
Congratulations to last week’s winner. For those who asked, here are the 12 words:
prevent
forward
onion
snap
alcohol
squirrel
zone
glove
vital
focus
warrior
access
Stay Connected
Be sure to subscribe on YouTube and follow on social channels so you will:
Catch fresh interviews first
Get clues as soon as they drop
Have the best chance at solving the treasure hunt
Subscribe and follow here:
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/askabitcoiner21
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askabitcoiner21questions
Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/askabitcoiner21
Nostr:
Important Reminder
Never share your own seed phrase. If you are storing any meaningful amount of bitcoin (the kind that would make you sick to your stomach if you lost it) keep it offline and secured with air-gapped methods.
For this podcast game, I use a dedicated wallet with small amounts as part of the promotional budget. The treasure hunt is strictly for education and fun.
If you enjoyed this, make sure to subscribe here on Substack and follow on YouTube so you do not miss new episodes, fresh interviews, and the next treasure hunt. I publish every week, and I would love for you to be part of the community. Share this with a friend who is curious about Bitcoin — the more people who play along, the more fun it becomes.