FrancescoTricarico on Nostr: > *It’s right to build an open-source wallet, but that shouldn’t be the first ...
> *It’s right to build an open-source wallet, but that shouldn’t be the first feature displayed on your website if you’re aiming for the mass market.*
We’re at a pivotal moment for Bitcoin, particularly in terms of adoption. Bailey, a marketing expert with top-tier experience, explains why. With a decade as the Head of Retail Marketing at Apple from 2002 to 2012—the era of revolutionary products like the iPhone and iPad—plus years as Vice President of Marketing at Samsung Smart-Things, he’s now **Chief Marketing Officer at Azteco**. **Speaking with Bitcoin Train**, Bailey discusses how Bitcoin’s messaging must evolve to engage the true mass market by focusing less on technicalities and more on tangible benefits for the average user.
Bailey’s message is clear: to achieve mass adoption, Bitcoin’s public presentation needs a shift toward emphasizing practical benefits over technical details. This shift would entail moving from a narrative focused solely on “hodling” to one that highlights Bitcoin’s qualities as a payment tool as well.
The full interview with David Bailey is available on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaZ8PtUMFfs&t=2493s); the following is a summary of the most significant points.
### *Let’s start by discussing your past: what was the sentiment at Apple when launching global hits like the iPhone or iPad?*
At Apple, we could quickly observe the interest and adoption of our products. Whenever we entered a new country, demand was high: retailers wanted entire shelves stocked with iPods and accessories. This let us gauge sales trends early on. But the key lay in how we presented the product. If you described it as “an MP3 player” or “an e-book reader,” the response was lukewarm. However, if you framed it in terms of user value, like “having a thousand songs in your pocket,” people got excited, and adoption followed.
Today, if you search online for “What is Bitcoin?” you find technical explanations about blockchain, mining, and more. But the real question is, what does Bitcoin mean for the consumer? It’s a way to spend and save, to send money globally in seconds without fees.
### *Bitcoin’s technical foundations have drawn developers, enthusiasts, and advocates. Why change the narrative now?*
There’s a book written about twenty years ago called *Crossing the Chasm*. It’s one of those books that has stood the test of time. Like any business text, it’s not a magical formula but offers a good conceptual framework for thinking about these issues.
The essential idea is that customers of a tech product are divided into two groups. On one side is the early market, about 15% of the total market, and on the other, the mass market, which covers around 85%. Between the early market and the mass market is a “chasm,” a kind of gap to bridge.
<img src="https://blossom.primal.net/3fff013076c1268140b4b6089ab028b08dc39e2c848b9a752284e8b07a9df621.png">;
### *The adoption cycle*
The early market consists of innovators and early adopters, followed by the early majority, late majority, and finally, the “laggards,” the last group to adopt technology. Innovators and early adopters are the ones who, for example, were among the first to use the internet or are experimenting today with virtual reality headsets and Apple Vision Pro. But the approach between those in the early market and those in the mass market is very different.
### *Are you saying interests vary greatly between these two types of customers?*
Exactly. Early adopters are attracted to the technology itself; they want to experiment and explore what they can do with it, even if it’s limited or imperfect. The early majority, however, isn’t interested in technical details; they care about tangible benefits: they want the product to work immediately, they want a simple, straightforward experience.
A similar example is the evolution of the internet 20-25 years ago. Initially, it was discussed in highly technical terms, making it seem like a niche technology with no apparent need for most people. Only when the practical benefits, such as sending emails or browsing the web, were highlighted did the broader public start to see its value. People didn’t need to understand VPNs or DNS; they just wanted to use the internet for practical purposes.
Early email users had to manage complex command-line interfaces. The early majority came on board only when email clients became user-friendly. At that point, it was enough to enter a username and password without worrying about technical details. The mass market simply wants things to work effortlessly.
The point is, to move from the early market to the mass market, we need to cross the “chasm.” Achieving this requires a deep understanding of what the consumer truly wants: not pure technology, but immediate and tangible benefits.
### *Where do we stand in Bitcoin’s adoption cycle? Do we need to make the leap?*
Yes, I’d say we’re right on the “chasm.” We’re near the end of the early adoption phase, and Bitcoin’s challenge is to cross this gap without getting lost in the middle. We must stop talking about how the technology works and start explaining how people can use it safely to gain real, practical benefits in their everyday lives.
### *Isn’t there a risk of abandoning Bitcoin’s foundational principles like privacy, open-source philosophy, and censorship resistance?*
Success lies not in changing the product but in adjusting the message and marketing strategy. It’s not about diluting Bitcoin’s fundamentals for the sake of simplicity but rather presenting its features in a way that resonates with the early majority.
It’s right to develop an open-source wallet, but that shouldn’t be the first feature displayed on a website if the goal is to attract a wider audience. While I support open-source and privacy, we must realize these aren’t the priorities for the next 100 million users. This doesn’t mean trivializing Bitcoin’s technology but rather tailoring the message to speak to people differently. Trying to convert everyone to the early adopter mindset, with the concept of the “orange pill,” is an ineffective strategy.
### *What kind of messaging should be used to effectively reach the masses? How should the marketing strategy change?*
We can tell stories of everyday people using Bitcoin for daily activities. Last year, around $669 billion was sent globally in remittances by people working in countries like the United States or Mexico to support their loved ones. Here’s a tangible use case: with Bitcoin, you can send funds to your family members wherever they are, instantly and without fees. And with services like Bitrefill, they can easily use them. Whether it’s paying a freelancer or sending money to someone on the other side of the world, the utility becomes real.
For those, like me, living in the UK, where the financial system is relatively stable, it may not seem so significant. But for people in the United States sending money to Mexico, or those living in Argentina or Brazil, where financial uncertainty has been a constant for decades, Bitcoin becomes a far more attractive choice. I know people in South Africa who prefer to save in bitcoin instead of the local currency, which they view as corrupt and unstable.
The goal, then, is to find everyday, concrete use cases. Currently, though, media narratives are almost exclusively focused on Bitcoin’s price, its volatility, or scandals involving the crypto world. We need to get past these distractions.
### *You mentioned daily payments as a use case that appeals to the mass market. However, there are many staunch proponents of hodling at all costs. How do you view this debate in the context of the adoption cycle?*
One thing I’m firmly convinced of is that if we focus solely on accumulating bitcoin and holding it, Bitcoin will never reach its full potential.
The truth is that Bitcoin can be both digital gold and digital cash. Right now, there’s an overabundance of attention on its store-of-value aspect, while we lack sufficient focus on making it a tool for daily payments. Enough people already view Bitcoin as a form of investment or savings. What we need to concentrate on now is promoting its everyday use, so it genuinely becomes a medium of exchange.
If millions of people start using Bitcoin for their daily transactions, it will sustain the system and increase its value for those who choose to save in bitcoin as well. We can’t have one without the other.
Azteco was created with precisely this goal: to promote Bitcoin adoption among consumers by making the process as simple as possible. We want people to be able to purchase Bitcoin easily, even for just $10, without having to go through an exchange, with no bank accounts or ID documents required.
We’re at a pivotal moment for Bitcoin, particularly in terms of adoption. Bailey, a marketing expert with top-tier experience, explains why. With a decade as the Head of Retail Marketing at Apple from 2002 to 2012—the era of revolutionary products like the iPhone and iPad—plus years as Vice President of Marketing at Samsung Smart-Things, he’s now **Chief Marketing Officer at Azteco**. **Speaking with Bitcoin Train**, Bailey discusses how Bitcoin’s messaging must evolve to engage the true mass market by focusing less on technicalities and more on tangible benefits for the average user.
Bailey’s message is clear: to achieve mass adoption, Bitcoin’s public presentation needs a shift toward emphasizing practical benefits over technical details. This shift would entail moving from a narrative focused solely on “hodling” to one that highlights Bitcoin’s qualities as a payment tool as well.
The full interview with David Bailey is available on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaZ8PtUMFfs&t=2493s); the following is a summary of the most significant points.
### *Let’s start by discussing your past: what was the sentiment at Apple when launching global hits like the iPhone or iPad?*
At Apple, we could quickly observe the interest and adoption of our products. Whenever we entered a new country, demand was high: retailers wanted entire shelves stocked with iPods and accessories. This let us gauge sales trends early on. But the key lay in how we presented the product. If you described it as “an MP3 player” or “an e-book reader,” the response was lukewarm. However, if you framed it in terms of user value, like “having a thousand songs in your pocket,” people got excited, and adoption followed.
Today, if you search online for “What is Bitcoin?” you find technical explanations about blockchain, mining, and more. But the real question is, what does Bitcoin mean for the consumer? It’s a way to spend and save, to send money globally in seconds without fees.
### *Bitcoin’s technical foundations have drawn developers, enthusiasts, and advocates. Why change the narrative now?*
There’s a book written about twenty years ago called *Crossing the Chasm*. It’s one of those books that has stood the test of time. Like any business text, it’s not a magical formula but offers a good conceptual framework for thinking about these issues.
The essential idea is that customers of a tech product are divided into two groups. On one side is the early market, about 15% of the total market, and on the other, the mass market, which covers around 85%. Between the early market and the mass market is a “chasm,” a kind of gap to bridge.
<img src="https://blossom.primal.net/3fff013076c1268140b4b6089ab028b08dc39e2c848b9a752284e8b07a9df621.png">;
![https://blossom.primal.net/3fff013076c1268140b4b6089ab028b08dc39e2c848b9a752284e8b07a9df621.png">](https://blossom.primal.net/3fff013076c1268140b4b6089ab028b08dc39e2c848b9a752284e8b07a9df621.png">){kind=link}
### *The adoption cycle*
The early market consists of innovators and early adopters, followed by the early majority, late majority, and finally, the “laggards,” the last group to adopt technology. Innovators and early adopters are the ones who, for example, were among the first to use the internet or are experimenting today with virtual reality headsets and Apple Vision Pro. But the approach between those in the early market and those in the mass market is very different.
### *Are you saying interests vary greatly between these two types of customers?*
Exactly. Early adopters are attracted to the technology itself; they want to experiment and explore what they can do with it, even if it’s limited or imperfect. The early majority, however, isn’t interested in technical details; they care about tangible benefits: they want the product to work immediately, they want a simple, straightforward experience.
A similar example is the evolution of the internet 20-25 years ago. Initially, it was discussed in highly technical terms, making it seem like a niche technology with no apparent need for most people. Only when the practical benefits, such as sending emails or browsing the web, were highlighted did the broader public start to see its value. People didn’t need to understand VPNs or DNS; they just wanted to use the internet for practical purposes.
Early email users had to manage complex command-line interfaces. The early majority came on board only when email clients became user-friendly. At that point, it was enough to enter a username and password without worrying about technical details. The mass market simply wants things to work effortlessly.
The point is, to move from the early market to the mass market, we need to cross the “chasm.” Achieving this requires a deep understanding of what the consumer truly wants: not pure technology, but immediate and tangible benefits.
### *Where do we stand in Bitcoin’s adoption cycle? Do we need to make the leap?*
Yes, I’d say we’re right on the “chasm.” We’re near the end of the early adoption phase, and Bitcoin’s challenge is to cross this gap without getting lost in the middle. We must stop talking about how the technology works and start explaining how people can use it safely to gain real, practical benefits in their everyday lives.
### *Isn’t there a risk of abandoning Bitcoin’s foundational principles like privacy, open-source philosophy, and censorship resistance?*
Success lies not in changing the product but in adjusting the message and marketing strategy. It’s not about diluting Bitcoin’s fundamentals for the sake of simplicity but rather presenting its features in a way that resonates with the early majority.
It’s right to develop an open-source wallet, but that shouldn’t be the first feature displayed on a website if the goal is to attract a wider audience. While I support open-source and privacy, we must realize these aren’t the priorities for the next 100 million users. This doesn’t mean trivializing Bitcoin’s technology but rather tailoring the message to speak to people differently. Trying to convert everyone to the early adopter mindset, with the concept of the “orange pill,” is an ineffective strategy.
### *What kind of messaging should be used to effectively reach the masses? How should the marketing strategy change?*
We can tell stories of everyday people using Bitcoin for daily activities. Last year, around $669 billion was sent globally in remittances by people working in countries like the United States or Mexico to support their loved ones. Here’s a tangible use case: with Bitcoin, you can send funds to your family members wherever they are, instantly and without fees. And with services like Bitrefill, they can easily use them. Whether it’s paying a freelancer or sending money to someone on the other side of the world, the utility becomes real.
For those, like me, living in the UK, where the financial system is relatively stable, it may not seem so significant. But for people in the United States sending money to Mexico, or those living in Argentina or Brazil, where financial uncertainty has been a constant for decades, Bitcoin becomes a far more attractive choice. I know people in South Africa who prefer to save in bitcoin instead of the local currency, which they view as corrupt and unstable.
The goal, then, is to find everyday, concrete use cases. Currently, though, media narratives are almost exclusively focused on Bitcoin’s price, its volatility, or scandals involving the crypto world. We need to get past these distractions.
### *You mentioned daily payments as a use case that appeals to the mass market. However, there are many staunch proponents of hodling at all costs. How do you view this debate in the context of the adoption cycle?*
One thing I’m firmly convinced of is that if we focus solely on accumulating bitcoin and holding it, Bitcoin will never reach its full potential.
The truth is that Bitcoin can be both digital gold and digital cash. Right now, there’s an overabundance of attention on its store-of-value aspect, while we lack sufficient focus on making it a tool for daily payments. Enough people already view Bitcoin as a form of investment or savings. What we need to concentrate on now is promoting its everyday use, so it genuinely becomes a medium of exchange.
If millions of people start using Bitcoin for their daily transactions, it will sustain the system and increase its value for those who choose to save in bitcoin as well. We can’t have one without the other.
Azteco was created with precisely this goal: to promote Bitcoin adoption among consumers by making the process as simple as possible. We want people to be able to purchase Bitcoin easily, even for just $10, without having to go through an exchange, with no bank accounts or ID documents required.