Emergency Keys & Inheritance with Ben Kaufman | SLP631

In this conversation, Ben Kaufman discusses the evolving relationship between Bitcoin and government, the implications of political engagement for Bitcoiners, and the advancements in self-custody technology.  He introduces Miniscript, a programming language for Bitcoin that enhances the flexibility of spending conditions, and explores innovative use cases, particularly in inheritance planning. The discussion also emphasizes the evolving landscape of Bitcoin self-custody, focusing on the security provided by Miniscript, the importance of emergency keys, and the role of Keeper in enhancing user experience.  Stephan and Ben also explore the challenges of self-custody, the need for education, and the catalysts that could drive more users towards self-custody solutions. The balance between security and usability is key, highlighting the advancements in technology that make self-custody more accessible to the average user. Takeaways 🔸The Bitcoin community's relationship with government is evolving. 🔸There is a tension between wanting less government and engaging politically. 🔸Miniscript offers a flexible way to define spending conditions in Bitcoin. 🔸User experience in self-custody has significantly improved over the years. 🔸Innovative use cases for Bitcoin technology are emerging, especially in inheritance planning. 🔸Time locks can be managed through absolute and relative methods in Bitcoin. 🔸The setup process for advanced spending conditions is similar to multisig wallets. 🔸Miniscript allows for complex configurations that enhance security. 🔸The importance of backing up wallet configurations cannot be overstated. 🔸Understanding the protocol level of Bitcoin is crucial for security.  Miniscript enhances the security of self-custody. 🔸Emergency keys provide a safety net for users. 🔸Redundancy is crucial in recovery solutions. 🔸User verification is essential for security. 🔸Keeper offers flexible options for emergency keys. 🔸Self-custody requires taking full responsibility. 🔸Education is key to increasing self-custody adoption. 🔸The landscape of self-custody is improving rapidly. 🔸Standardized templates for self-custody may emerge. 🔸Technological advancements are making self-custody easier. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:04) - Bitcoin’s relationship with the government (04:15) - Should governments be convinced not to buy altcoins? (08:09) - What is the current landscape of Bitcoin self custody technology? (11:20) - What is Miniscript?  (13:59) - What are some of the useful applications of Miniscript?  (16:12) - Sponsors (17:47) - What are Time Locks and how do they work?  (23:42) - Setting up advanced spending conditions with Miniscript & Inheritance planning (31:54) - Emergency keys & other Security models (37:46) - Which devices support Miniscript? (39:17) - What does Bitcoin Keeper offer? (41:20) - The future of Miniscript adoption (43:51) - Passphrases vs. Multisig (45:31) - Sponsors (49:13) - Why do normies avoid self-custody? (1:01:15) - Catalysts for self-custody adoption Links:  https://x.com/_benkaufman  https://x.com/bitcoinkeeper_  Sponsors: Bold Bitcoin CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Stephan Livera links: Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack