In the heart of El Salvador, a nation that made history by adopting Bitcoin as legal tender, an annual gathering has become a beacon for Bitcoin enthusiasts and innovators worldwide.
The Adopting Bitcoin conference, now in its fourth year, stands as a testament to the power of grassroots movements and open-source collaboration in the Bitcoin space.
What began as a one-time event in November 2021, just two months after El Salvador’s groundbreaking Bitcoin law, has evolved into an annual pilgrimage for the most dedicated members of the Bitcoin community.
The conference, organized by Galoy, a company developing open-source Bitcoin banking infrastructure, was initially conceived as a way to support El Salvador’s bold move and educate locals about Bitcoin.
Kemal, one of the organizers, explains:
“We had no intention of turning this into a recurring conference. But the feedback was so overwhelming. People were convinced there would be a second edition.”
Organizing an international conference in El Salvador initially presented significant challenges. The country’s former reputation as the “murder capital of the world” and the global COVID-19 pandemic created formidable obstacles.
However, the Adopting Bitcoin team’s determination and ingenuity turned these challenges into opportunities. Kemal notes that these hurdles inadvertently created a powerful filtering mechanism, ensuring that only the most passionate and committed Bitcoiners made the journey.
“It’s only a very special breed of people that go through so many hoops to make this travel,” Kemal observes. “It contributes to the quality of the attendees and speakers.”
This resilience and the attendees’ enthusiasm not only overcame the initial obstacles but also set the stage for the conference’s continued success and growth.
Remarkably, El Salvador has undergone a dramatic transformation since the conference’s inception. The country has done a complete 180, evolving from one of the most dangerous nations to now being considered one of the safest places in the world.
Despite the initial challenges, the first conference attracted 700 attendees.
By 2022, that number had grown to over 1,000, with the event expanding to multiple tracks. This growth parallels El Salvador’s own journey, from a nation grappling with security issues to a burgeoning hub for Bitcoin innovation and adoption.
Adopting Bitcoin has become more than just a conference; it’s an incubator for groundbreaking ideas in the Bitcoin space. Several significant projects made their debut or gained traction at the event:
- Fedimint, a community custody solution.
- Ark, a new layer-two scaling solution.
- Cashu, a free and open-source Chaumian ecash protocol built for Bitcoin.
The conference’s open call for participation and its non-profit nature have created an environment where “rough jewels become visible to the ecosystem,” as Kemal puts it.
Central to the conference’s ethos is the promotion of open-source development.
Galoy’s commitment to open-source solutions has enabled other communities, like Bitcoin Jungle in Costa Rica, to fork their software and create localized Bitcoin banking solutions. Kemal explains:
“We’re in the process of fighting against the Fiat Empire. It’s just not the time to try to protect your piece of the pie. We have to grow the pie, and open source is one way to grow it.”
As Adopting Bitcoin prepares for its fourth edition, it continues to be a crucial nexus for education, innovation, and collaboration in the Bitcoin space. The conference’s impact extends far beyond its annual gathering, fostering year-round development and adoption initiatives.
For those passionate about Bitcoin’s potential to transform economies and empower individuals, Adopting Bitcoin remains an essential event on the calendar.
It’s more than a conference; it’s a glimpse into the future of money and a testament to the power of community-driven innovation.
If you are interested in attending, you can get tickets here:
Adopting Bitcoin 2024 — High-signal Bitcoin conference for builders
