Welcome to Blockstream Talk today's conversation is with Kerem Tibuk of BTCTurk one of the longest-running exchanges in the business. In times of extreme currency distress or aggressive, Capital controls, Bitcoin becomes the safe-haven asset of last resort and we see prices spike around these kind of events. Kerem offered his boots on the ground assessment of how these kind of events can translate into real world Bitcoin adoption. We also discussed the many trials and tribulations of being an exchange operator, in what is still a very hostile world. Enjoy the conversation. Don't forget to like, subscribe and share.
1:30 - Meeting Kerem
3:50 - Is BtcTurk strictly for residents of Turkey?
5:38 - How big is the market in Turkey?
6:49 - What are the biggest hurdles to running an exchange?
11:42 - What is the biggest hassle of running an exchange in Turkey?
13:48 - Are there more transactions when turmoil breaks out in an area?
16:41 - Do people in Turkey view Bitcoin differently than Western countries?
19:12 - Is there a concern of capital controls in Turkey?
21:27 - What trends will exchanges see in 2022?
26:36 - Does Turkey see Bitcoin as a growth vector?
28:01 - Is Lightning useful for exchanges and traders?
29:58 - Central banking not liking Lightning as competition
31:30 - Are Bitcoin cycles over?
33:19 - Most exciting developments to look forward to for Bitcoin in 2022
34:45 - Where to find Kerem