When Jed McCaleb discovered Bitcoin, there didn’t even exist an online marketplace to trade the cryptocurrency yet. The experienced founder who had earlier started file sharing site eDonkey, acted fast and started the first Bitcoin exchange MtGox which he later sold to now-infamous Mark Karpeles. Jed later founded the pioneering Ripple project before leaving to start Stellar.

We discussed his journey through the industry and the ambitious plans Stellar has to create an open financial system that will give access to financial services to a much broader spectrum of humanity.

Topics covered in this episode:

Jed’s early involvement in the industry and founding of MtGox and subsequently Ripple

Why Jed left Ripple and started Stellar

How Ripple and Stellar differ

The Stellar Consensus Protocol

Why the organization behind Stellar is a non-profit foundation

Stellar’s focus on developing markets and Nigeria in particular

The role and distribution of Stellar’s currency Lumen

Episode links:

Stellar Website

Stellar Consensus Protocol

Bitcoin-Lumen Giveaway

Stellar Graphic Novel

Digital Gold by Nathaniel Popper

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/128