AUSTIN, Texas – As the vibrant city of Austin gears up for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival from March 11-15, 2025, a parallel movement is set to captivate attendees and locals alike: the Bitcoin Takeover.
This ambitious, five-day event, organized by passionate Bitcoin advocates including Parker Lewis, Head of Business Development at Zaprite and co-organizer of the initiative, is transforming Austin into the epicenter of bitcoin innovation, education, and community building—right in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cultural festivals.
The inspiration behind the Bitcoin Takeover stems from SXSW omitting bitcoin from the technology track each year.
In the mind of the Takeover organizers, big tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have come to overshadow the roots of the SXSW festival, which was a once cherished music and film festival rooted in Austin’s identity as the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
What began as a platform for indie artists and filmmakers has morphed into a corporate-dominated spectacle, leaving little room for groundbreaking technologies like Bitcoin—the most significant innovation of the past decade, according to Lewis.
“Fiat currency is starving the artists, literally and figuratively, and fiat incentives have killed the soul of SXSW across the board,” Lewis wrote in a recent post on X.
“Bitcoin alone can fix it, but despite its importance, bitcoin is always excluded from the SXSW schedule because bitcoin companies don’t have big checks to write.”
The Bitcoin Takeover is the antidote to this omission.
Unaffiliated with SXSW but strategically timed to coincide with its run, this grassroots initiative invites everyone—whether they’re new to bitcoin, seasoned enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, investors, or policymakers—to dive into the world of decentralized and sound money.
From March 11 to March 15, 2025, the Bitcoin Commons and Bitcoin Park will host eight distinct events across five days, offering a rich tapestry of educational, technical, and networking opportunities.
The week kicks off on March 11th with a “Bitcoin, Not Blockchain” 101 presentation, co-hosted with the University of Austin (UATX).
Parker Lewis and Dhruv Bansal will unpack why Bitcoin stands apart from the noise of crypto and blockchain, emphasizing its role as a true technological breakthrough.
That same day, a Bitcoin++ AI-powered hackathon led by Bitcoin educator Lisa Neigut will bring together developers to innovate on the Bitcoin network, while the Austin Bitcoin Design Club will explore Bitcoin product design at the Bitcoin Commons.
On March 12, the focus shifts to a critical debate: “Bitcoin vs. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs),” co-hosted with the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).
Christian Keroles, HRF’s Director of Financial Freedom, will present on the risks of CBDCs, followed by a panel featuring Tuur Demeester, Natalie Smolenski, and Charlene Fadirepo, who will explore bitcoin’s potential as a decentralized, open monetary system in contrast to the centralized dystopia of CBDCs.
March 13 brings PlebLab’s Startup Day, a full day of panels and discussions for aspiring bitcoin entrepreneurs, followed by Austin Bitdevs, a technical meetup delving into the bitcoin protocol’s intricacies.
The crescendo arrives on March 14th with the Bitcoin Takeover Main Event—a flagship gathering at the iconic Littlefield (built in 1910 pre-dating the Federal Reserve), featuring 10 entrepreneurs, including nine founders and six CEOs.
These leaders, spanning bitcoin custody, payments, Lightning infrastructure, open source, AI, education, energy, and mining, will share their visions and the platforms they’re building to support the bitcoin network, followed by a live podcast featuring Marty Bent of TFTC and Danny Knowles of What Bitcoin Did.
The week concludes on March 15 with a screening of Alana Mediavilla’s acclaimed documentary, Dirty Coin, which demystifies bitcoin mining and energy use, challenging the misconception that Bitcoin wastes energy and instead showcasing how it solves broader energy challenges.
“This isn’t just about bitcoin as an investment,” Lewis emphasizes.
“It’s about returning a sound money standard to the world, securing economic stability, and preserving freedom in an era dominated by fiat distortions and centralized control. Bitcoin is the light at the end of the tunnel, and Austin is the perfect place to shine that light.”
With free admission to many events and ticketed options for the Main Event and Startup Day, the Bitcoin Takeover welcomes a diverse audience—boomers and zoomers, novices and experts alike.
Attendees can secure their spot for the Bitcoin Takeover Main Event by purchasing tickets via this link). For a full schedule, additional details, and to immerse yourself in this transformative week, visit the official Bitcoin Takeover events page.
As SXSW buzzes with corporate rock and tech giants, the Bitcoin Takeover stands as a beacon for the future of money, inviting all to explore bitcoin’s potential to reshape our world—one satoshi at a time.
