Former US President Donald Trump has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at the upcoming Bitcoin 2024 Conference. The announcement, scheduled to take place from July 25 to 27 in Nashville, Tennessee, was made by Bitcoin Magazine, organizer of what is billed as the world’s largest Bitcoin conference.
Trump to Speak at Bitcoin 2024
Organizers said in an email at noon Wednesday that several speeches on the agenda have been rescheduled to accommodate a new “very special guest.” Trump’s 30-minute address is scheduled for the final day of the conference (July 27) at 2 p.m. CT. In a press release EditionBitcoin Magazine stated: “President Donald Trump has been officially announced as a speaker at Bitcoin 2024. This announcement marks a major milestone for the event, which has built a reputation for historic news and major industry announcements.”
Over the years, the conference has been a platform for important statements, such as that of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in 2021 announcement making BTC legal tender. The tradition of significant moments continued with the emphatic speech of US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recommendation from the industry at the 2023 conference.
This year’s conference is moving from Miami to Nashville and will welcome two U.S. presidential candidates: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump. The event could potentially influence future BTC and crypto policy in the United States.
The inclusion of Donald Trump as a speaker is particularly notable given his recent involvement and engagement with the BTC community. In recent months, Trump has significantly shifted his stance on cryptocurrency, embracing a pro-Bitcoin agenda.
Last month he met with major US mining companies, where he pledged his support to mine “all remaining” BTC in the US. He further claimed, “I will ensure that the future of Bitcoin and crypto is made in the US,” and vowed to uphold the right to self-custody for the country’s estimated 50 million crypto holders if elected president.
Industry responses
The industry’s reaction was a mix of anticipation and skepticism. David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin Magazine, mention via X, “On July 27, we change the course of history.”
Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, a leading provider of on-chain and market data analytics, also went to X to remark and skeptically questioned the motives of Trump’s speech: “Is this a strategy to win votes, or is it a sincere attempt to make the United States a #Bitcoin nation? Does anyone know?”
Gabor Gurbacs, founder of PointsVille and strategist at Tether, as long as a more politically charged response: “If Trump wins the election, America will grow two big orange balls. Either way, it’s time for America to get its balls back.”
Matthew Pines, Director at Sentinel One, emphasized the potential broader implications of a Trump administration on global markets: “I don’t think most ‘serious’ macro analysts have given enough thought to how crazy a Trump administration would be for Bitcoin and the associated geopolitical and monetary implications.”
Zack Guzmán, an award-winning journalist, sums it up succinctly: summed up the high stakes and major promises that come with Trump’s attendance: “CONFIRMED: Trump to speak at largest Bitcoin conference in Nashville – Expect him to triple his bets on freeing Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht – Expect him to (re)commit to banning a US CBDC – Expect him to (re)affirm the right to self-custody and mine Bitcoin in the US. HUGE.”
At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $57,900.
Main image from Reuters, chart from TradingView.com