Jake speaks with Mike Hardcastle, a tech entrepreneur and early internet pioneer who has since become a passionate advocate for Bitcoin and Nostr. Mike shares how a cryptic tweet from Jack Dorsey led him to Nostr, and how its alignment with Bitcoin’s principles—self-sovereignty, permissionless communication, and censorship resistance—immediately resonated. Despite clunky early interfaces, Mike saw the potential and became deeply involved, running his own relay, verifying his identity via NIP-05, and even hosting his own Lightning address.

The discussion weaves through Mike’s 30+ year career in technology—from implementing early TCP/IP networks and lobbying to legalize commercial internet traffic in the UK, to building one of the first internet hosting companies. Drawing parallels between Bitcoin and the early internet, Mike argues we’re in the 1994–1997 phase of Bitcoin adoption—still early, but accelerating. He shares how he uses Nostr not only as an uncensorable social media platform but as a foundational tool for identity, payments, and proof-of-work online.

Mike also opens up about his plan to leave the UK, driven by rising taxes and regulatory overreach. He explains the Kafkaesque dilemma of exit tax on unrealized Bitcoin gains and outlines his workaround: stay tax-resident in the UK while living abroad, crystallizing small gains for living expenses rather than selling a large position. Through this, he maintains optionality without giving up a chunk of his Bitcoin.

Finally, the episode covers Mike’s unique digital lifestyle.