We connect the macro to the miner. Gold at highs, BRICS hedging, and the sudden flood of stablecoin rails from Big Tech and fintech aren’t random—together they outline how the U.S. could accumulate Bitcoin through balance-sheet proxies (think corporate treasuries and miners) instead of a headline-grabbing “sell gold, buy BTC.” If Bitcoin is the new reserve asset, its long-run security budget can’t rely on price doubling forever or on “fees will save us.” We dig into why miners keep going bankrupt post-halvings, how AI is siphoning racks and power, what a policy path of subsidies for home nodes/miners might look like, and why that still isn’t enough to keep Bitcoin credibly neutral.

Enter NAT: a parallel, market-driven subsidy that pays miners without touching 21M—designed to counter deflationary hardware trends and reduce centralization pressure. We cover who would actually buy NAT (and why we want miners to sell it), the “strategic reserve via companies” thesis, and how this all fits the next 100 years of dollar rails, stablecoins, and energy. If you’re a miner, dev, or serious Bitcoiner who cares about durability over vibes, this one’s for you. Nothing here is financial advice.

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DMT isn't just a meme; it might be the only way to uncover the hidden architecture of Bitcoin. We explore how pattern-driven token issuance, like NAT, could become the foundation for a more secure and decentralized mining future. If you're still laughing at 69s in block headers, you're missing the bigger threat: a Bitcoin security collapse that ends in miner centralization or state capture. We lay out the geopolitical stakes, the infrastructure behind DMT, and why NAT might not just be a token but the thing that keeps Bitcoin from becoming the next dollar.

We continue unpacking the NATpaper with Part 2 — diving deep into why $NAT has evolved from a novel idea to a structural necessity for Bitcoin’s long-term sustainability. With @SpiderPool_com, one of Bitcoin's largest mining pools, officially integrating @natgmi rewards, we're witnessing the early stages of an alternate security model being adopted at scale. We explore the fundamental question: can Bitcoin survive as a global monetary system without rethinking its incentive structure?

From dissecting Michael Saylor’s shifting perspective to drawing parallels between @blockbuster collapse and Bitcoin’s resistance to innovation, we lay out the full picture of what’s at stake. This isn't just about NAT anymore — it's about whether Bitcoin remains decentralized or becomes a Ponzi for sovereign nations.

We explain how NAT enables a second subsidy, how it ties directly to miner activity via the bits field, and why DMT opens the door to Bitcoin-aligned utility across other chains. If you’re a miner, developer, or policymaker — this is your blueprint for how Bitcoin can evolve without compromising its core ethos.

This is NATstoppable. Let's build forward.

Is Bitcoin’s security future-proof? We dive deep into why Bitcoin’s long-term survival hinges on increasing its cost of attack—and how $NAT may be the missing piece. We explore the uncomfortable truth: Bitcoin isn’t being used as peer-to-peer cash, and the current fee model may not be enough to sustain its security past 2140.

We challenge core assumptions about BTC’s future, question the infinite doubling thesis, and unpack how @natgmi aims to subsidize miners, increase decentralization, and reinforce Bitcoin’s cost of attack without altering its monetary policy.

From trillion-dollar hypotheticals to hardware realities, this is part 1 of our breakdown of the NATpaper.

**Welcome back to episode 279 of The Block Runner Podcast.  As always, we have your host William talking with your cohost I-man as we discuss cryptocurrency developments while we make this new technology relatable to you. You can watch the full episode on YouTube AND stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter at TheBlockRunner.com.

Here are some of the topics they discuss today:**

First up, revisit Bitcoin DeFi through the lens of this cycle’s emerging “industry cook”: digital-asset treasury companies.

Next, Do we really need native Bitcoin primitives, or will off-chain/custodial routes—UTXO time-locks and loan products be enough to make BTC productive?

and Finally, we pressure-test trench metas like Pokémon “phygital” and map where the music could stop.

Alright, let’s listen in!

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