Bitcoin self-custody advocate explains why on-ramps are key to adoption

cointelegraph.com:

Software developer Jameson Lopp believes improving usability and user experience of Bitcoin (BTC) self-custody solutions and making more avenues to acquire BTC will be key in further adoption of the preeminent cryptocurrency.

The co-founder of Casahodl, who’s a prominent figure in the Bitcoin and wider cryptocurrency space, spoke of the challenges in building self-custody solutions in an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph journalist Joseph Hall ahead of Miami Bitcoin Week.

Related: The Bitcoin transition: How hodlers can become changemakers and drive adoption

Lopp has a wealth of experience as a developer building a range of services and products in the cryptocurrency space, but has largely been focused on self-custody of digital assets in recent years. Casahodl offers a range BTC self-custody solutions and is set to provide Ethereum support in 2023:

Lopp speculated that users typically buy an entry level amount of Bitcoin on an exchange and leave their holdings in the respective wallet. He questioned whether some users are even aware that they can actually manage their own BTC holdings in a self-custodial wallet:

Nevertheless Lopp added that cryptocurrency custodian service providers like exchanges offer a level of convenience and usability through web applications that is more user-friendly to industry newcomers. There is a relatively low barrier to entry, with the only friction point being AML and KYC requirements that many web users are becoming accustomed to.

Lopp added that creating more on-ramps for people to acquire Bitcoin and driving economic activity with the cryptocurrency. He used decentralized social media platform Nostr as an example of an ecosystem that has integrated Bitcoin layer-2 Lightning