On a bustling Saturday morning, around 11:00 A.M., the world’s largest Bitcoin conference of the year saw thousands of attendees lining up at the Music City Center. The queue snaked through the expo hall as people waited for hours to clear the Secret Service’s rigorous security checks. Their goal was to reach the highly secured main floor where former President Donald Trump was set to speak on how his potential second term could impact Bitcoin.
The crowd was a mix of political and crypto enthusiasts, many sporting “Make America Great Again” and “Make Bitcoin Great Again” caps. Conversations buzzed with speculation about Trump’s upcoming address.
Key Attendees and Activities
- Roundtable Discussion: While the main hall buzzed with anticipation, a floor below, Trump was engaged in a roundtable discussion with key figures from the crypto industry. Notable participants included:
- Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss – Co-founders of Gemini
- Paul Grewal – Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase
- Howard Lutnick – CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald
- Politicians – Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
- Industry Experts – Jason Les (CEO of Riot), Fred Thiel (CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings), Zach Bradford (CEO of CleanSpark), Chris Cook (CEO of Exacore), and Amanda Fabiano, a mining expert.
The roundtable also featured musicians Kid Rock and Billy Ray Cyrus, and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.
Michael Saylor’s Absence
Notably absent was Bitcoin billionaire Michael Saylor, despite being in Nashville the previous day for a speech. Saylor’s company, MicroStrategy, has heavily invested in Bitcoin, making his absence notable in the context of the conference.
Fundraising and Access
Access to the event came with a high price tag:
- Top-tier tickets: $844,600 for a seat at the roundtable, the maximum individual donation allowed for Trump’s campaign and the Republican Party’s joint fundraising committee, the Trump 47 Committee.
- Photo opportunities: $60,000 per person or $100,000 per couple for a photo with Trump.
- Miners’ tickets: Around $500,000 for access to various events, including a Gemini-hosted reception, a photo with Trump, the crypto roundtable, and front-row seats for Trump’s speech.
Participants had to surrender their smartphones, which were placed in signal-blocking pouches to maintain the event’s privacy.
Fundraising Success
Trump announced that his campaign had raised $25 million from the crypto industry since it began accepting cryptocurrency donations in May. This substantial sum comes from an industry still recovering from a bear market and recent financial and legal challenges.
The Bitcoin 2024 conference highlights the growing intersection of cryptocurrency and politics, with significant implications for the future of digital assets in the U.S.
