Bitcoin Vegas: Ten Moments That Can't Be Missed In The Bull Run
Held in the heat of the Nevada desert and the heat of Bitcoin's bull run, it attracted policymakers, builders, institutional investors, and an increasingly diverse wave of new adopters. The tone was clear: Bitcoin is here to build.
Here are the 10 most compelling moments that defined today's events—and why they matter.
One of the most inspiring gatherings of the entire conference wasn't held on the main stage—it was at the Women of Bitcoin Brunch, where over 500 women came together to celebrate Bitcoin's growing role in financial freedom and inclusion.
Led by Natalie Brunell of Coin Stories and sponsored by Mara, the event featured open dialogue on how Bitcoin empowers women globally, especially in regions where traditional banking falls short. Among the special guests: Senator Cynthia Lummis, a fierce crypto advocate, who emphasized that Bitcoin represents not only financial opportunity—but generational transformation.
Women of Bitcoin Vegas 2025
Sandy Carter
The event also launched a new scholarship initiative to support young women entering the Bitcoin space. The youngest attendee? Just 12 years old. The signal: Bitcoin's next generation is already here.
In a major policy announcement, Senator Lummis revealed that the much-anticipated Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act will soon be introduced on the Senate floor. The bill proposes that the U.S. Treasury acquire 1 million Bitcoin as part of a long-term national reserve strategy.
Senator Lummis speaking at Bitcoin Vegas
Bitcoin Conference
This move would mark a monumental shift in how sovereign entities treat Bitcoin—positioning the U.S. as not just a regulator of crypto, but a strategic holder. It's the clearest indication yet that Bitcoin is entering the halls of power in a real and irreversible way.
Block, formerly Square, announced that its Point of Sale systems will soon support Bitcoin Lightning payments, making Bitcoin acceptance seamless for merchants. The rollout begins in late 2025 and is expected to reach all eligible sellers by 2026, pending regulatory approvals.
This means millions of businesses could soon accept Bitcoin with low fees and near-instant settlement, simply by scanning a QR code. Block's integration will also abstract away backend complexity—converting and settling payments behind the scenes. For the end user, Bitcoin becomes as easy to use as Apple Pay.
One of the more unconventional moments came from the exhibitor floor, where companies showcased how Bitcoin mining can now be done at home—and with surprising benefits - where you can earn bitcoin! This is very similar to the DePin devices that enable everyone to earn a passive income.
MeinCoffee demoed a countertop miner that doubles as a coffee warmer, while Solo Mining Co. introduced wax melters that mine Bitcoin while creating a pleasant home scent. As Duncan Coombe put it, 'Why shouldn't mining smell like vanilla and yield sats?'
Duncan Coombe showcasing a MeinCoffee
Sandy Carter
This marks a trend toward consumer-friendly mining hardware, unlocking passive income for everyday users.
Hot off a successful IPO in May, trading platform eToro brought major energy to the show floor. U.S. CEO Andrew McCormick emphasized the company's growing focus on digital assets and its ambition to bridge the gap between traditional retail investors and crypto markets.
In speaking with Andrew McCormick, Head of eToro US, he told me, "As a platform dedicated to opening access to crypto and capital markets, eToro works to empower users to trade, share, learn and invest in a way that suits their unique needs. It's a honor to now be a part of their investment choices as a publicly traded company. Listing on Nasdaq is a milestone along our journey and we plan to continue to push boundaries to meet the evolving needs of the retail investor.'
With new investment products and a larger war chest, eToro is positioning itself as a central on-ramp to Bitcoin for the next wave of investors.
In a statement that mixed politics with policy, Donald Trump Jr. emphasized that 'the U.S. should be long on crypto,' announcing plans to build a $2.4 billion Bitcoin treasury. While polarizing, the move continues a trend of political voices embracing Bitcoin as a national asset class.
The overlap between Bitcoin advocacy and campaign strategy is clearly growing, especially heading into an election cycle where digital assets are poised to be a talking point.
David Sacks, a founding member of the 'PayPal Mafia' and influential investor, delivered a succinct but powerful endorsement: 'Bitcoin is the financial system of the future.'
Coming from someone who helped architect modern digital payments, the statement underscores a generational shift away from fiat rails and toward decentralized value transfer.
Lindey Magee launched a beautifully illustrated children's book, Bitcoin: A Treasure to Hodl, with artwork by Kenny Nnoli. Targeted at children as young as five, the book simplifies the story and technology behind Bitcoin.
In a space where generational education is critical, this type of content is vital to helping families understand and engage with decentralized finance.
In addition to Senator Lummis, elected officials from New Hampshire, Ohio, and West Virginia attended the conference—many for the first time. Senator Justice and others participated in discussions about Bitcoin's role in financial innovation, monetary policy, and the next era of infrastructure investment.
The bipartisan presence of policymakers reflects a maturing dialogue between the crypto industry and Washington.
Bitcoin isn't just for burgers anymore. Steak 'n Shake's CEO revealed that customers can now pay for burgers and full franchise fees using Bitcoin.
Purchasing a burger with Bitcoin
Sandy Carter
This signals a growing trend of deep integration between BTC and business models. For franchisees, it's a step toward fully on-chain business operations—from investment to revenue flow.
In past years, Bitcoin conferences were dominated by speculation, maximalism, and memes.
This year felt different. Starting with yesterday's soft kick-off, we've seen:
More infrastructure.
More policy.
More diversity.
More utility.
Bitcoin Vegas 2025 was less about 'when Lambo' and more about 'when legislation.' Less about hodling in silence and more about building, educating, and scaling for the next billion users.
Tomorrow I'll be diving into the next set of speakers and community events.
Until then, let this conference be a reminder: Bitcoin isn't just alive—it's accelerating.Did you enjoy this story about the first day of Bitcoin Vegas? Don't miss my next one: Use the blue follow button at the top of the article near my byline to follow more of my work.
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Until we get more clarity, here's where things stand: Earnings look bullish: The long-term outlook for the stock market remains favorable, bolstered by expectations for years of earnings growth. And earnings are the most important driver of stock prices. Demand is positive: Demand for goods and services remains positive, supported by healthy consumer and business balance sheets. Job creation, while cooling, also remains positive, and the Federal Reserve — having resolved the inflation crisis — shifted its focus toward supporting the labor market. But growth is cooling: While the economy remains healthy, growth has normalized from much hotter levels earlier in the cycle. The economy is less "coiled" these days as major tailwinds like excess job openings and core capex orders have faded. It has become harder to argue that growth is destiny. Actions speak louder than words: We are in an odd period, given that the hard economic data decoupled from the soft sentiment-oriented data. Consumer and business sentiment has been relatively poor, even as tangible consumer and business activity continues to grow and trend at record levels. From an investor's perspective, what matters is that the hard economic data continues to hold up. Stocks are not the economy: There's a case to be made that the U.S. stock market could outperform the U.S. economy in the near term, thanks largely to positive operating leverage. Since the pandemic, companies have aggressively adjusted their cost structures. This came with strategic layoffs and investment in new equipment, including hardware powered by AI. These moves are resulting in positive operating leverage, which means a modest amount of sales growth — in the cooling economy — is translating to robust earnings growth. Mind the ever-present risks: Of course, we should not get complacent. There will always be risks to worry about, such as U.S. political uncertainty, geopolitical turmoil, energy price volatility, and cyber attacks. There are also the dreaded unknowns. Any of these risks can flare up and spark short-term volatility in the markets. Investing is never a smooth ride: There's also the harsh reality that economic recessions and bear markets are developments that all long-term investors should expect as they build wealth in the markets. Always keep your stock market seat belts fastened. Think long-term: For now, there's no reason to believe there'll be a challenge that the economy and the markets won't be able to overcome over time. The long game remains undefeated, and it's a streak that long-term investors can expect to continue.A version of this post first appeared on
