Live from Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, El Salvador, in this episode, I sit down with Gabe Higgins, co-founder of BlockSpaces and co-author of Thank God for Bitcoin. We dive into his experience discovering affordable, high-quality dental care here (they even accept Bitcoin!) and how he’s now recommending it to friends and family as a clever way to save money while enjoying a vacation in paradise.

We then get into Gabe's journey with Bitcoin, which started in 2012 during the Ron Paul era, when he first realized how broken the fiat system is. Gabe shares how his love for technology and sound money led him to Bitcoin, and how he’s been on a mission ever since to spread the word through meetups, education, and eventually starting BlockSpaces.

Gabe talks about how BlockSpaces evolved from a small community space in Tampa to becoming a leader in helping businesses and financial institutions with Bitcoin adoption and the Lightning Network. We get into some of the exciting things they’re working on, including using Bitcoin as collateral to improve trust and transparency in financial systems.

This episode is packed with stories about building in the Bitcoin space, lessons from the market cycles, and even some hard-learned security tips.

You won't want to miss this one! Tune in now!

- Mike

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Connect with Gabe:
Website: https://www.blockspaces.com/
X: https://x.com/GabeBHiggins

Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:01:33 - What brought Gabe Higgins to El Salvador if not Bitcoin?
00:05:16 - How did Gabe Higgins get started with Bitcoin in 2012?
00:06:35 - How did Ron Paul’s campaign lead Gabe Higgins to Bitcoin?
00:08:40 - Is it too late to invest in Bitcoin in 2024?
00:18:43 - What happened when Gabe Higgins got SIM-swapped and lost his Bitcoin?
00:24:01 - How did Gabe Higgins stay positive about Bitcoin after being hacked?
00:25:23 - How did Blockspaces evolve from Bitcoin meetups to blockchain development?
00:29:32 - How is Blockspaces using Bitcoin as collateral for financial institutions?
00:32:52 - Can Bitcoin prevent fraud in the financial system with transparent collateral?
00:37:18 - What are Bitcoin lightning smart channels and how do they enforce collateral?
00:45:03 - How is Blockspaces raising funds to build Bitcoin-native financial apps?

Live From Bitcoin Beach