Attending the Bitcoin Nashville Conference last week, hosted by BTC Inc., was a whirlwind of sensory overload: you had to stay present, follow the narrative, and try not to lose your mind—or your composure.
A few of us from CoinDesk were fortunate enough to be there in person. Instead of churning out another cliché conference wrap-up, we decided to give you a snapshot of our experience.
Our challenge was not just absorbing everything but also strategizing how we would cover former President Donald Trump’s keynote on Saturday, the conference’s final day. The security surrounding this particular speech was unprecedented for Bitcoin and crypto events. We weren’t sure if we’d be allowed to bring laptops or high-quality cameras inside, or if we’d have the connectivity needed to file stories and send updates.
Wednesday
Although the official conference kicked off on Thursday, side events and parties were already buzzing on Wednesday. We attended the BIT GALA at the Nashville Parthenon, a 127-year-old replica of the ancient Greek temple. The entrance path was covered in orange carpet—reflecting Bitcoin’s signature color—and the interior was bathed in orange light, illuminating the 42-foot-tall (12.8-meter) replica of the goddess Athena.
To be fair to the event organizers, the following image was captured before the festivities truly began. Later that evening, we had a 97-percent-confirmed sighting of Heather Morgan, aka rapper “Razzlekhan,” who, along with her husband, pleaded guilty in July 2023 to charges related to the $3.5 billion Bitfinex hack. On Sunday, Jameson Lopp, CTO of Casa and a contributor to open-source Bitcoin projects, mentioned crossing paths with her in Nashville. Additionally, we heard from a source that she was presenting herself as a “Web3 advisor.”
Below is a view of the main Nakamoto Stage, where many prominent figures spoke. This room would later be secured by the U.S. Secret Service with a separate security check, ahead of the appearances by independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday and Trump on Saturday.
