Highlights of Bitcoin 2025 Conference: Art Show, Transaction Fee Savings, Politicians, and a Pitbull
So the Bitcoin 2025 Conference started today. It’s in New Orleans this year, having moved from Miami. I jumped into the livestream right when Senator Jim Johnson had his pitbull sitting right next to him on the stage. That dog is already a memecoin on Zora.
Of course his panel was rehashing some old stuff about Bitcoin mining and how it could encourage investment in renewable energy. They’re not wrong; some historical polls showed that more than half of American bitcoin mining companies seek renewable energy sources. It’s just that there’s nothing new here.
Between that and a few political and government panels, not much was new besides talking about Trump Administration policies being rolled out and bills going through Congress. Attendees may have shown an undercurrent of resentment toward Biden Administration policies and crypto opponents in Congress like Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios said, “Bitcoin is here to stay. … The train has left the station.”
Although Donald Trump couldn’t make it, possibly due to having a tee time, Donald Trump Jr. and JD Vance both made appearances.
They notably didn’t mention that dumb dinner with attendees who probably dumped their TRUMP memecoin by the time they got dessert if one goes by the negative 15% price move that day. At least one Trump dinner attendee admitted that the dinner was lackluster and he didn’t even get Trump’s ear.
More baldly? “The food sucked,” said Bitcoin investor Nicholas Pinto.
More Conference Highlights:
Steak & Shake COO Dan Edwards says it can save 50% on transaction fees by accepting Bitcoin. Of course that’s compared to credit cards and their high swipe fees. Edwards also says Bitcoin is actually faster than credit cards.
Senator Cynthia Lummis, a longtime Bitcoin supporter, says the United States’ military generals favor the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve for economic power. She also says Trump supports the Bitcoin Act currently winding its way through conference.
Rizzo & Marty challenged event attendees to set a Guinness Book of World Records record for most bitcoin transactions during a single event. Conference attendees managed to blow that record out of the water on the second day of the conference. The goal? Remind Bitcoiners about the original purpose of Bitcoin as “peer-to-peer digital cash” that could be used to buy souvenir pens and coffee.
Along with Steak & Shake, Square seconded that goal by announcing that it was beginning to roll out bitcoin payments at Bitcoin 2025 and expects to roll it out everywhere soon.
Brian Johnson dished on longevity, saying that it was possible to quantify health. He even showed his biomarkers. He says it’s also possible to slow down aging. He says he only ages 6 months for every year that passes! He suggested that one easy way to slow down one’s aging was to lower one’s resting heart rate and get more sleep.
“Don’t die,” he kept repeating. “We may be the first generation on this planet that does not die.”
Peter Schiff reportedly had a booth there and probably got a lot of flak for his longtime opposition to bitcoin. During his speech, he repeatedly got booed, and once got laughed at, while attempting to explain his reasoning. Of course it would be interesting to know why he even bothered showing up at Bitcoin 2025 if he opposes it so much.
Michael Saylor, best known for leading the bitcoin-siphoning Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), dished on “21 ways to wealth.”
And, finally, Ross Ulbricht made his first major conference appearance as the final keynote speaker of Bitcoin 2025. Although some commenters in the livestream chat thought he came off as a bit stiff, and of course there were a few conspiracy theorists, he may still be going through an adjustment period after spending 11 years in prison for his role in the darknet marketplace Silk Road. He compared Bitcoin and Bitcoiners to wasps: dangerous only when free, united, and decentralized. Take out one wasp and there are probably hundreds more remaining. Take out one nest and there could be a dozen more nearby. If you want to stop them, you have to take them out all at once — possibly by throwing a towel over the nests so they can’t sting you.
