Former President Donald Trump is set to deliver the keynote address at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Tennessee on July 27, 2024. The event, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of attendees from across the country, has become a platform for political figures and industry leaders to discuss the future of cryptocurrency.
Trump's participation in the conference comes after his campaign began accepting bitcoin donations and he vowed as president to make it easier for cryptocurrency mining companies to operate in the United States. His running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, is also a holder and advocate for Bitcoin.
The Bitcoin 2024 conference features a lineup of speakers including U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and industry leaders such as MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor and Bill Miller IV of Miller Value Partners.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a presidential contender, has promised to build up a U.S. reserve of at least 4 million Bitcoins if elected and make Bitcoin transactions unreportable to the Internal Revenue Service.
Edward Snowden, in his virtual speech from exile in Russia, urged stronger data privacy protections and criticized the power system in America, calling for a change in the concentration of resources into fewer hands. Russell Brand, a comedian and actor, promoted decentralized technology platforms and urged cooperation instead of competition to find a way out of the current system.
Trump's appearance at the conference has already had an impact on Bitcoin's price, with it rising approximately 4% since the announcement.
Despite his previous criticisms of Bitcoin, Trump is now seen as a supporter and advocate for the cryptocurrency industry. His presence at the conference is expected to further legitimize Bitcoin and bring more attention to its potential uses in politics and finance.