The Bitcoin 2025 event in Las Vegas was marked by noticeable political overtones and a sense of disillusionment among attendees regarding the Bitcoin community's focus. Prominent figures like Nigel Farage and JD Vance dominated conversations, leading some attendees to feel that the event strayed from its original purpose. Many Bitcoin enthusiasts opted out of attending, signaling a shift in community sentiment. The author reflects on personal experiences among the opulence of Vegas and the prevailing critiques of Bitcoin's trajectory, highlighting concerns over its commercialization and political activism.
Dancing cows dashed across my feed. "It's a political convention now," I overheard two attendees saying as they exited the Nakamoto stage, heads shaking.
Whenever I mention that I work for Bitcoin Magazine, I usually have to field questions about shitcoinery and political shilling.
With the glamor of the Strip itself and its sensory overload, it'd be easy to be dazzled - plus, it was the first time I had left Fort Europa for the land of the free in years.
None of my Bitcoiner friends come here anymore," said Ben, an entrepreneur who runs a Bitcoin business, on the fence about coming back next year.
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