_nox. on Nostr: TLDR; Bitcoin Amsterdam was more hype and self-promotion than substance, though there ...
TLDR; Bitcoin Amsterdam was more hype and self-promotion than substance, though there were a few great talks. I’d prefer events like Baltic Honeybadger next time.
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Two days after attending Bitcoin Amsterdam, I’ve had some time to reflect on the talks and the overall atmosphere. In short, the event felt more like a Bitcoin trade fair than a true conference. I get it—these events need to pay the bills, but it still left me wanting more.
The organization was solid, with three different stages: the "Bull Arena," the "Orange Stage," and the "Proof of Workshop." However, the "Bull Arena"—the main stage—left me feeling unimpressed. Giant displays showing bulls running around whenever a speaker entered felt more gimmicky than professional. The MC was incredibly enthusiastic, constantly hyping how great Bitcoin is and speculating about bull runs and prices, but he seemed to miss the point of discussing Bitcoin’s deeper potential. His approach came off as more hypocritical than motivating, focusing on hype rather than the real value Bitcoin can bring.
One of the biggest letdowns was the content of some talks, particularly Adam Back’s, which centered around financial products and ETFs. From such brilliant minds, I had expected more in-depth discussions, but instead, the focus was on financial products that didn’t resonate with what I was hoping for—insightful and substantial discourse about Bitcoin’s potential beyond markets and trading.
Thankfully, not all was lost. There were genuinely interesting talks dedicated to Bitcoin. A standout for me was the story about the NGO Refunite and how they use Bitcoin for donations to ensure traceability of funds—a fantastic real-world use case that adds tangible value now.
I was also pleasantly surprised by several lesser-known but talented speakers. Tristan Sherliker’s talk, "Not Satoshi: The Attempted Fraud on Bitcoin Itself," was a riveting investigation into how they exposed Craig Wright as not being Satoshi. His detailed breakdown, including the analysis of software versions and document counterfeiting techniques, was impressive.Another great speaker was Aaron van Wirdum, the technical editor for Bitcoin Magazine, who delivered a superb talk on Bitcoin’s Cypherpunk origins. I also enjoyed the insightful discussion on "European Bitcoin Regulation & Government Adoption" by Samuel Kullman and Tom van Lamoen, which highlighted the actions politicians are taking to bring Bitcoin into parliamentary debate. I regret missing Joana Cotar's talk, but it’s on my watchlist once the videos are released.
Nostr also made its presence felt at the event, which I appreciated, as it shares values closely aligned with Bitcoin.
In conclusion, while there was plenty of project-shilling and some truly painful talks (courtesy of random CEOs and business types that made me roll my eyes), I did make some good discoveries. It’s always valuable to connect with the community and get a sense of the current pulse in the Bitcoin world. That said, I don't think I’ll attend again; I’d rather explore other events that align more with my interests in Bitcoin, like the Baltic Honeybadger conference.
————————————————-
Two days after attending Bitcoin Amsterdam, I’ve had some time to reflect on the talks and the overall atmosphere. In short, the event felt more like a Bitcoin trade fair than a true conference. I get it—these events need to pay the bills, but it still left me wanting more.
The organization was solid, with three different stages: the "Bull Arena," the "Orange Stage," and the "Proof of Workshop." However, the "Bull Arena"—the main stage—left me feeling unimpressed. Giant displays showing bulls running around whenever a speaker entered felt more gimmicky than professional. The MC was incredibly enthusiastic, constantly hyping how great Bitcoin is and speculating about bull runs and prices, but he seemed to miss the point of discussing Bitcoin’s deeper potential. His approach came off as more hypocritical than motivating, focusing on hype rather than the real value Bitcoin can bring.
One of the biggest letdowns was the content of some talks, particularly Adam Back’s, which centered around financial products and ETFs. From such brilliant minds, I had expected more in-depth discussions, but instead, the focus was on financial products that didn’t resonate with what I was hoping for—insightful and substantial discourse about Bitcoin’s potential beyond markets and trading.
Thankfully, not all was lost. There were genuinely interesting talks dedicated to Bitcoin. A standout for me was the story about the NGO Refunite and how they use Bitcoin for donations to ensure traceability of funds—a fantastic real-world use case that adds tangible value now.
I was also pleasantly surprised by several lesser-known but talented speakers. Tristan Sherliker’s talk, "Not Satoshi: The Attempted Fraud on Bitcoin Itself," was a riveting investigation into how they exposed Craig Wright as not being Satoshi. His detailed breakdown, including the analysis of software versions and document counterfeiting techniques, was impressive.Another great speaker was Aaron van Wirdum, the technical editor for Bitcoin Magazine, who delivered a superb talk on Bitcoin’s Cypherpunk origins. I also enjoyed the insightful discussion on "European Bitcoin Regulation & Government Adoption" by Samuel Kullman and Tom van Lamoen, which highlighted the actions politicians are taking to bring Bitcoin into parliamentary debate. I regret missing Joana Cotar's talk, but it’s on my watchlist once the videos are released.
Nostr also made its presence felt at the event, which I appreciated, as it shares values closely aligned with Bitcoin.
In conclusion, while there was plenty of project-shilling and some truly painful talks (courtesy of random CEOs and business types that made me roll my eyes), I did make some good discoveries. It’s always valuable to connect with the community and get a sense of the current pulse in the Bitcoin world. That said, I don't think I’ll attend again; I’d rather explore other events that align more with my interests in Bitcoin, like the Baltic Honeybadger conference.