Can Bitcoin Fix Podcasting? Inside the Fountain App and the Future of Creator Payments with Nick Malster (ep.241)
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In this episode of WS Podcast, host Wojtek interviews Nick Malster, co-founder of Fountain, a podcast and music app built on open protocols like RSS and the Lightning Network. The conversation dives into Fountain's mission to transform podcasting from a solitary experience into a vibrant, community-driven medium powered by direct creator-to-listener value exchange. Nick explains how Fountain integrates monetization (via Bitcoin and Lightning), social features like group chats, and open distribution—especially groundbreaking for music via RSS—to empower creators and deepen listener engagement. He reflects on the challenges of onboarding non-technical users, the importance of community over pure monetization, and the need to simplify Bitcoin adoption by focusing on tangible benefits rather than ideology. Drawing from personal experiences and mountaineering stories, Nick emphasizes resilience, trust, and the power of shared purpose in building meaningful digital spaces. The episode ends with a vision of a future where creators are fairly compensated, listeners feel connected, and technology serves human connection—not surveillance or extraction.
Fountain uses open protocols like RSS and Lightning Network to enable direct, frictionless payments and community building for podcasters and musicians.
The core value of Fountain is not monetization alone, but fostering authentic community and connection—making creators feel seen and listeners feel part of something.
Onboarding non-technical users requires hiding complexity: simplify sign-up, use familiar payment methods (Apple Pay), and let users experience value before understanding the tech.
Bitcoin’s real power lies in being a medium of exchange for value-for-value interactions—not just a store of value—especially in creator economies.
Community is the foundation of retention, growth, and monetization: engaged listeners are more likely to zap, subscribe, refer, and participate.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Problem with Podcasting: Isolation and the Void
The episode opens with a critique of the current podcasting experience—solitary, disconnected, and lacking community. Listeners consume content without feedback, and creators publish into a void. The host shares his own frustration with no engagement, setting the stage for Fountain’s mission to fix this by creating a space where listeners can connect with creators and each other.
Introducing Fountain: A Podcast App Built on Bitcoin and Community
“We wanted to bridge the gap between the listener and the podcaster and create an experience that was more connected and more fulfilling on both ends.”
Music on Fountain: A Revolution in Distribution via RSS
“You can listen to it for free, but you can choose to pay if you want. And so all you need is one listener out of 1,000 to pay $3 and you've already earned more than Spotify has paid you.”
The Real One Thing: Community Over Monetization
“Community engagement is kind of like the foundation for retention, for growth and for monetization.”
Onboarding the Normie: Making Bitcoin Accessible Without the Complexity
“We don't need to orange pill them, we don't need to purple pill them... We just want them to use our product.”
“You can listen to it for free, but you can choose to pay if you want. And so all you need is one listener out of 1,000 to pay $3 and you've already earned more than Spotify has paid you.”
“We wanted to bridge the gap between the listener and the podcaster and create an experience that was more connected and more fulfilling on both ends.”
“The change occurs when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing.”
Host
Guest
Nick Malster
person
Fountain
product
Bitcoin
other
Lightning Network
other
RSS
other
Wojtek
person
Oscar
person
Nostr
other
Stadio
media
The Bitcoin Standard
book
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