Ready for Merge is a podcast created and hosted by researcher Christine D. Kim. The show focuses on demystifying the technical developments and governance processes of the world's two largest public blockchain protocols: Bitcoin and Ethereum. ^{[1] [2]} The podcast, which launched in late 2025, aims to make complex code changes and protocol-level updates accessible to a broad audience, including investors, business leaders, developers, and other stakeholders in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. ^[1]​

Overview

The central mission of "Ready for Merge" is to serve as an educational bridge between the core developers building Bitcoin and Ethereum and the wider community that uses and invests in these technologies. ^[2] The podcast translates highly technical discussions from developer calls, research papers, and code repositories into a more understandable format. It covers topics such as core protocol upgrades, summaries of developer meetings, specific code change proposals, and the political and social dynamics inherent in decentralized governance. ^[2]​

The podcast's name, "Ready for Merge," is a dual reference to significant development milestones in both blockchains. For Ethereum, it is an allusion to "The Merge," the blockchain's historic transition from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. For Bitcoin, the name refers to the software development process where pull requests containing code changes are approved and merged into the Bitcoin Core software client, which represents the primary method of the protocol's evolution. ^[1]​

History

The "Ready for Merge" podcast was officially launched with a pilot episode released on October 8, 2025. ^[1] In the introductory episode, host Christine D. Kim outlined the show's format and its focus on providing clear and concise information regarding ongoing code changes for both the Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols. ^[3]​

Host

Host

Christine D. Kim is the host and creator of the "Ready for Merge" podcast. ^[2] She is a researcher in the digital assets space who specializes in protocol development and governance for public blockchains. In addition to the podcast, Kim is the author of two newsletters on Substack that cover similar topics: ACD After Hours, which focuses on Ethereum development, and BTC Before Light, which covers Bitcoin development. ^[1]

Production

Christine D. Kim is credited as the podcast's sole researcher and producer. ^[2] However, the podcast is also noted as being a collaboration with Protocol Watch, which is listed as the producer on the show's X profile. ^[3] The theme music used for the podcast's introduction is the track "Our Lives" by the artist Calios. ^[1]

Format and Content

"Ready for Merge" is published on a bi-weekly schedule and utilizes several distinct episode formats to cover developments in the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems. ^[1]​

Episode Formats

• BWB: These are the regular update episodes that provide a summary of the latest news and code changes across both Bitcoin and Ethereum. The titles for these episodes often highlight specific pull requests, network upgrade readiness, or other recent developments.
• DevTalk: This format is a deep-dive discussion focusing on a single technical event or topic. An example of a DevTalk episode is the "Fusaka Retrospective," which provided a detailed analysis of the execution of a major Ethereum network upgrade.
• MTD (Meet the Devs): This is an interview series featuring core developers from the Bitcoin and Ethereum communities. These episodes give listeners direct insight from the engineers and researchers who are actively building and maintaining the protocols.

These formats provide a mix of timely updates, in-depth technical analysis, and personal perspectives from key figures in the blockchain space. ^[1]​

Topics Covered

The podcast's subject matter spans a wide range of a technical and governance-related topics for both protocols.

Ethereum

• Network Upgrades: The show provides extensive coverage of Ethereum network upgrades, from initial testnet announcements to mainnet activation. For example, it closely followed the Fusaka upgrade.
• Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs): Discussions often center on specific proposals, such as EIP 7918.
• Client Software Development: The podcast covers developments related to Ethereum's execution and consensus clients, including Go Ethereum (Geth) and Hyperledger Besu.
• Standardization Efforts: Topics such as RPC standardization are also discussed.

Bitcoin

• Bitcoin Core Releases: The podcast reports on upcoming Bitcoin Core software releases, such as the planned Version 30.
• Code Changes and Pull Requests: The show explains the significance of specific code merges and proposals, such as Cluster Mempool and the C Header API merge.
• Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs): Updates to the BIP process and ongoing community governance discussions are regular topics.
• Community Debates: The podcast covers notable discussions within the Bitcoin community, such as the debate over the OP_RETURN datacarrier size.

The variety of topics covered reflects the show's mission to provide comprehensive insight into the evolution of both protocols. ^[1]​

Notable Episodes

Since its launch in October 2025, "Ready for Merge" has released several key episodes across its different formats.

• Ep. 1: Pilot (October 8, 2025): The inaugural episode introduced the show's mission, format, and core focus on demystifying protocol development.
• MTD: Marius Van Der Wijden (Geth) (October 29, 2025): An interview with a core developer from the Go Ethereum (Geth) client team.
• Ep. 5 - BWB: Fusaka Client Release Readiness & Bitcoin Core's C Header API Merge (November 5, 2025): A regular update episode covering progress on Ethereum's Fusaka upgrade and a significant code merge for Bitcoin Core.
• MTD: Justin Florentine (Besu) (November 12, 2025): An interview with a developer from the Hyperledger Besu client team.
• Ep. 9 - DevTalk: Fusaka Retrospective (December 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of the completed Fusaka upgrade on Ethereum.
• Ep. 10 - BWB: The Most Influential Bitcoin & Ethereum Code Merges of 2025 (December 17, 2025): A year-in-review episode highlighting the major protocol developments of 2025.

These episodes illustrate the podcast's blend of news updates, technical deep dives, and expert interviews. ^[1]​