Speakers
Meet the voices shaping Bitcoin's future


Michael Saylor
Founder & Executive Chairman
Strategy

Michael Saylor
Founder & Executive Chairman
Strategy
Michael Saylor is the Founder & Executive Chairman of Strategy (MSTR), a publicly traded business intelligence firm & holder of more than ₿700,000 that he founded in 1989. He is also the founder of Alarm.com(ALRM), named inventor on 48+ patents, & author of the book “The Mobile Wave”. He founded the Saylor Academy (saylor.org), a non-profit that has provided free education to over 2 million students. He is an advocate for the Bitcoin Standard (hope.com) with dual degrees from MIT in Aerospace Engineering & History of Science. He posts his views on X @saylor and his website Michael.com. His 4 hour interview with Lex Fridman summarizes his thoughts on Bitcoin, Inflation, and the Future of Money with ~11 million views on YouTube.

Todd Blanche
Acting Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice

Todd Blanche
Acting Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
Biography of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche
The Honorable Todd Blanche is the 40th Deputy Attorney General of the United States, overseeing the work of the 115,000 dedicated employees who fulfill the Department of Justice’s mission at Main Justice, the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, ATF, and 93 U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
Todd began his career at the Department where he served for over fifteen years in a variety of capacities, including as a contractor, a paralegal in the Criminal Division, and at the United States Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York where he eventually became an AUSA and later a supervisor.
After leaving the Department, Todd worked as a criminal defense attorney that included representing President Donald Trump in three of the criminal cases brought against him in 2023 and 2024.
Following President Trump’s historic return to the White House, the President appointed Todd to work alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi to make America safe again. At the DOJ, Todd is working tirelessly to implement President Trump’s priorities that include confronting illegal protecting American businesses from fraud.
Todd has been married to his wonderful wife Kristine for nearly thirty years, is a father and grandfather.

Paul Atkins
Chairman
Securities and Exchange Commission

Paul Atkins
Chairman
Securities and Exchange Commission
Paul S. Atkins was sworn into office as the 34th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 2025, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2025.
Prior to returning to the SEC, Chairman Atkins was most recently chief executive of Patomak Global Partners, a company he founded in 2009. Chairman Atkins helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. He served as an independent director and non-executive chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets, Inc. from 2012 to 2015.
Chairman Atkins was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he advocated for transparency, consistency, and the use of cost-benefit analysis at the agency. Chairman Atkins also represented the SEC at meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he was appointed a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organizational control.
From 1990 to 1994, Chairman Atkins served on the staff of two chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt, ultimately as chief of staff and counselor, respectively. He received the SEC’s 1992 Law and Policy Award for work regarding corporate governance matters.
Chairman Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm's Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France.
A member of the New York and Florida bars, Chairman Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Wofford College in 1980.
Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Chairman Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida. He and his wife Sarah have three sons.
Prior to returning to the SEC, Chairman Atkins was most recently chief executive of Patomak Global Partners, a company he founded in 2009. Chairman Atkins helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. He served as an independent director and non-executive chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets, Inc. from 2012 to 2015.
Chairman Atkins was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he advocated for transparency, consistency, and the use of cost-benefit analysis at the agency. Chairman Atkins also represented the SEC at meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he was appointed a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organizational control.
From 1990 to 1994, Chairman Atkins served on the staff of two chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt, ultimately as chief of staff and counselor, respectively. He received the SEC’s 1992 Law and Policy Award for work regarding corporate governance matters.
Chairman Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm's Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France.
A member of the New York and Florida bars, Chairman Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Wofford College in 1980.
Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Chairman Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida. He and his wife Sarah have three sons.

Mike Selig
Chairman
Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Mike Selig
Chairman
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Michael S. Selig was sworn in on December 22, 2025 to serve as the 16th Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Chairman Selig was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to the post on October 27, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 18, 2025.
Chairman Selig brings to the role deep public and private sector experience working with a wide range of stakeholders across agriculture, energy, financial, and digital asset industries, which rely upon and operate in CFTC-regulated markets.
Prior to his leadership at the CFTC, Chairman Selig most recently served as chief counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force and senior advisor to SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. In this role, Chairman Selig helped to develop a clear regulatory framework for digital asset securities markets, harmonize the SEC and CFTC regulatory regimes, modernize the agency’s rules to reflect new and emerging technologies, and put an end to regulation by enforcement. He also participated in the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets and contributed to its report on “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.”
Prior to government service, Chairman Selig was a partner at an international law firm, focusing on derivatives and securities regulatory matters. During his years in private practice, he represented a broad range of clients subject to regulation by the CFTC, including commercial end users, futures commission merchants, commodity trading advisors, swap dealers, designated contract markets, derivatives clearing organizations, and digital asset firms. Chairman Selig advised clients on compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act and the CFTC’s rules and regulations thereunder, including in connection with registration applications and obligations, enforcement matters, and complex transactions.
Chairman Selig earned his law degree from The George Washington University Law School and was articles editor of The George Washington Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University.
Chairman Selig brings to the role deep public and private sector experience working with a wide range of stakeholders across agriculture, energy, financial, and digital asset industries, which rely upon and operate in CFTC-regulated markets.
Prior to his leadership at the CFTC, Chairman Selig most recently served as chief counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force and senior advisor to SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. In this role, Chairman Selig helped to develop a clear regulatory framework for digital asset securities markets, harmonize the SEC and CFTC regulatory regimes, modernize the agency’s rules to reflect new and emerging technologies, and put an end to regulation by enforcement. He also participated in the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets and contributed to its report on “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.”
Prior to government service, Chairman Selig was a partner at an international law firm, focusing on derivatives and securities regulatory matters. During his years in private practice, he represented a broad range of clients subject to regulation by the CFTC, including commercial end users, futures commission merchants, commodity trading advisors, swap dealers, designated contract markets, derivatives clearing organizations, and digital asset firms. Chairman Selig advised clients on compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act and the CFTC’s rules and regulations thereunder, including in connection with registration applications and obligations, enforcement matters, and complex transactions.
Chairman Selig earned his law degree from The George Washington University Law School and was articles editor of The George Washington Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University.

David Bailey
CEO & Chairman
Nakamoto Inc.

David Bailey
CEO & Chairman
Nakamoto Inc.
David Bailey is the CEO and Chairman of Nakamoto, a Bitcoin company he took public through a reverse merger with KindlyMD. Nakamoto raised one of the largest PIPE financings in digital asset history. A Bitcoin advocate since 2012, David founded BTC Inc. – home to Bitcoin Magazine, The Bitcoin Conference, and Bitcoin for Corporations, and co-founded UTXO Management, an institutional hedge fund focused on Bitcoin and digital assets. In 2024, David led a political engagement campaign that brought Bitcoin to the forefront of the U.S. presidential election advising President Donald Trump’s team on Bitcoin policy. David also serves on the boards of BTC Inc., the Bitcoin Policy Institute, and Moon Inc (HK Asia Holdings Limited).

Eric Trump
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
American Bitcoin

Eric Trump
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
American Bitcoin
Eric Trump is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of American Bitcoin Corp (Nasdaq: ABTC). In this role, he defines the company’s strategic direction and growth priorities, guiding its mission to build America’s Bitcoin infrastructure backbone. He brings extensive experience across capital markets, large-scale commercial development, and strategic growth, and is deeply committed to advancing the adoption of decentralized financial systems in ways that strengthen American economic and technological leadership.
Mr. Trump also serves as Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, where he oversees the global management and operations of the Trump family’s extensive real estate portfolio. This includes Trump Hotels, Trump Golf, commercial and residential real estate, Trump Estates, and Trump Winery. Known for his hands-on leadership and strong market instincts, he has played a key role in expanding the company’s presence across major U.S. and international markets.
A globally recognized business leader and public figure, Mr. Trump is a prominent advocate for Bitcoin and decentralized finance. He is a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, and serves on the Board of Advisors of Metaplanet, Japan’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.
Beyond his business activities, Mr. Trump has helped raise more than $50 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the fight against pediatric cancer, a philanthropic mission he began at age 21.
Mr. Trump earned a degree in Finance and Management from Georgetown University. He currently resides in Florida with his wife, Lara, and their two children. He is also the author of Under Siege, his memoir published in October 2025.
Mr. Trump also serves as Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, where he oversees the global management and operations of the Trump family’s extensive real estate portfolio. This includes Trump Hotels, Trump Golf, commercial and residential real estate, Trump Estates, and Trump Winery. Known for his hands-on leadership and strong market instincts, he has played a key role in expanding the company’s presence across major U.S. and international markets.
A globally recognized business leader and public figure, Mr. Trump is a prominent advocate for Bitcoin and decentralized finance. He is a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, and serves on the Board of Advisors of Metaplanet, Japan’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.
Beyond his business activities, Mr. Trump has helped raise more than $50 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the fight against pediatric cancer, a philanthropic mission he began at age 21.
Mr. Trump earned a degree in Finance and Management from Georgetown University. He currently resides in Florida with his wife, Lara, and their two children. He is also the author of Under Siege, his memoir published in October 2025.

Jack Mallers
Founder, CEO Strike | Co-Founder, CEO Twenty One
Strike / Twenty One

Jack Mallers
Founder, CEO Strike | Co-Founder, CEO Twenty One
Strike / Twenty One
Jack Mallers serves as the Chief Executive Officer, President and a director of Twenty One Capital. He has served in these capacities since December 2025. Jack is a visionary entrepreneur and one of Bitcoin's most influential advocates, shaping its perception and furthering its adoption by institutions, corporations and governments. As the Founder & CEO of Strike, he built one of the world's leading Bitcoin financial services company's, pioneering Bitcoin brokerage infrastructure and Bitcoin credit products. His leadership was instrumental in El Salvador's historic decision to become the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency, a major milestone in sovereign Bitcoin policy. Beyond Strike, Jack is a key advocate for Bitcoin's integration into global finance, engaging with institutional investors, policymakers and enterprises to accelerate its adoption as the world's premier monetary asset. Now, as Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Twenty One, he is building the first true Bitcoin-native public company redefining corporate treasury strategy for the Bitcoin era.

Cynthia Lummis
Senator
U.S. Senate

Cynthia Lummis
Senator
U.S. Senate
U.S. Senator Cynthia M. Lummis has been Bitcoin's most consistent and consequential champion in the United States Senate.
As the first-ever Chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Senator Lummis is the architect of the legislative framework shaping America's digital asset future. She introduced the landmark Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, the first comprehensive bipartisan crypto regulatory framework in Senate history. She co-authored the GENIUS Act — the first federal stablecoin law ever enacted — and introduced the BITCOIN Act, which would establish a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve of up to one million BTC. She is leading the Clarity Act, which will bring long-overdue regulatory certainty to the digital asset industry. She has also championed digital asset tax reform, including a de minimis exemption for small transactions and equal tax treatment for miners and stakers.
Known as Congress' "Crypto Queen," Senator Lummis represents Wyoming — a state she has helped build into one of the most digital asset-friendly regulatory environments in the nation. Before serving in the Senate, she served 14 years in the Wyoming Legislature, eight years as Wyoming State Treasurer, and eight years in the U.S. House. She is a three-time graduate of the University of Wyoming.
Her work represents a crucial bridge between traditional financial systems and the emerging digital economy, ensuring America leads the world in financial innovation while protecting the individual freedoms that define it.
As the first-ever Chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Senator Lummis is the architect of the legislative framework shaping America's digital asset future. She introduced the landmark Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, the first comprehensive bipartisan crypto regulatory framework in Senate history. She co-authored the GENIUS Act — the first federal stablecoin law ever enacted — and introduced the BITCOIN Act, which would establish a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve of up to one million BTC. She is leading the Clarity Act, which will bring long-overdue regulatory certainty to the digital asset industry. She has also championed digital asset tax reform, including a de minimis exemption for small transactions and equal tax treatment for miners and stakers.
Known as Congress' "Crypto Queen," Senator Lummis represents Wyoming — a state she has helped build into one of the most digital asset-friendly regulatory environments in the nation. Before serving in the Senate, she served 14 years in the Wyoming Legislature, eight years as Wyoming State Treasurer, and eight years in the U.S. House. She is a three-time graduate of the University of Wyoming.
Her work represents a crucial bridge between traditional financial systems and the emerging digital economy, ensuring America leads the world in financial innovation while protecting the individual freedoms that define it.

Adam Back
Co-founder & CEO
Blockstream

Adam Back
Co-founder & CEO
Blockstream
Co-founder and CEO of Blockstream, Dr. Adam Back, invented Hashcash, the proof-of-work algorithm cited by Satoshi Nakamoto in the Bitcoin whitepaper, as the future basis for its mining function. Throughout his two-decade-long vocation as an applied cryptographer and security architect, he has held senior roles with a number of technology companies, including Microsoft, EMC, PI, VMware, and Zero-Knowledge Systems, as well as advised many more companies on cryptography and peer-to-peer finance. Dr. Adam Back holds a computer science Ph.D. in distributed systems from the University of Exeter.

Amy Oldenburg
Head of Digital Asset Strategy
Morgan Stanley

Amy Oldenburg
Head of Digital Asset Strategy
Morgan Stanley
Amy is the Head of Digital Asset Strategy at Morgan Stanley, where she is focusing on building and connecting the Firm's digital asset capabilities, engaging with digital industry consortiums and collaborating closely with the various business units on this important strategic initiative to serve our clients. Most recently Amy was the Head of Emerging Markets Equity at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2001 and has over 25 years of finance experience including her pervious roles as Chief Operating Officer of Emerging Markets Equity and held roles in equity and FX trading, portfolio management support, and product development and strategy after starting her career in internet consulting. Amy received a BA in business administration with a concentration in finance from Fordham University and a MS in applied psychology from University of Southern California. She currently sits on Morgan Stanley's Firmwide Innovation Council. Outside the firm, Amy is an independent director of Abhi, a fintech company based in the UAE. She is an active contributor and speaker in the global digital asset community with specific interests in the use of digital assets in the emerging world, asset tokenization, and emerging business models.

David Marcus
CEO
Lightspark

David Marcus
CEO
Lightspark
David is the CEO and co-founder of Lightspark. Most recently, he led all payments and crypto efforts on Meta/Facebook. In 2018, David started Diem (fka Libra). He joined Meta in 2014 to lead Messenger, which he took from under 200M monthly users to over 1.5B. Previously, he was PayPal’s President. A lifelong entrepreneur, David launched two companies in Europe and then founded mobile payments company Zong in Silicon Valley, which was acquired by PayPal in 2011.

Matt Schultz
CEO and Chairman
CleanSpark

Matt Schultz
CEO and Chairman
CleanSpark
Matt Schultz is co-founder, CEO and Chairman of CleanSpark (CLSK). Matt led CleanSpark from its early days as an alternative energy generator focused on converting biomass into energy using CleanSpark’s patented gasifier technology. He then transitioned CleanSpark into the renewable energy sector, helping to identify critical software that was used to deploy microgrids, most notably at Camp Pendleton. Matt has helped raise over a billion dollars in capital. His leadership has been instrumental in making CleanSpark one of the largest and most recognizable data center developers in North America.

Fred Thiel
Chairman and CEO
MARA

Fred Thiel
Chairman and CEO
MARA
Fred Thiel is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) and has over 35 years of experience in the technology sector. Mr. Thiel is an acclaimed innovator and expert, having led organizations across diverse fields including digital assets, AI, semiconductors and enterprise software. Under his leadership, MARA has grown from a market cap of under $30 million to over $5 billion, becoming the largest in the space, with operations spanning four continents. MARA operates 15 data centers, including several across the United States, as well as locations in the UAE and Paraguay, boasting an energy capacity of 1700 MW. The company is fully integrated, enhancing its operational efficiency.
Throughout his career, Mr. Thiel has consistently driven rapid growth and created substantial shareholder value. Prior to MARA, Mr. Thiel served as the CEO of two other public companies, Local Corporation (NASDAQ: LOCM) and Lantronix, Inc (NASDAQ: LTRX). He has successfully raised billions in equity and debt through private and public offerings, led companies through IPOs, executed high-value exits to strategic and financial acquirers, and implemented effective M&A and roll-up strategies.
Mr. Thiel attended the Stockholm School of Economics and executive classes at Harvard Business School, and is fluent in English, Spanish, Swedish, and French. Mr. Thiel is the Chairman of the Board for Oden Technology, Inc. and is active in Young Presidents’ Organization where he has led initiatives in both the FinTech and Technology Networks.
A recognized voice in the industry, Fred frequently shares his insights on energy and technology with major media outlets like Bloomberg TV, CNBC, and FOX Business, contributing to vital discussions about the future of these sectors.
Throughout his career, Mr. Thiel has consistently driven rapid growth and created substantial shareholder value. Prior to MARA, Mr. Thiel served as the CEO of two other public companies, Local Corporation (NASDAQ: LOCM) and Lantronix, Inc (NASDAQ: LTRX). He has successfully raised billions in equity and debt through private and public offerings, led companies through IPOs, executed high-value exits to strategic and financial acquirers, and implemented effective M&A and roll-up strategies.
Mr. Thiel attended the Stockholm School of Economics and executive classes at Harvard Business School, and is fluent in English, Spanish, Swedish, and French. Mr. Thiel is the Chairman of the Board for Oden Technology, Inc. and is active in Young Presidents’ Organization where he has led initiatives in both the FinTech and Technology Networks.
A recognized voice in the industry, Fred frequently shares his insights on energy and technology with major media outlets like Bloomberg TV, CNBC, and FOX Business, contributing to vital discussions about the future of these sectors.

Tim Draper
Founder
Draper Associates

Tim Draper
Founder
Draper Associates
Tim Draper founded Draper Associates, DFJ and the Draper Venture Network, a global network of venture capital funds. Funded Coinbase, Baidu, Tesla, Skype, SpaceX, Twitch, Hotmail, Focus Media, Robinhood, Athenahealth, Box, Cruise Automation, Carta, Planet, PTC and 15 other unicorns from early/first rounds.
He is a supporter and global thought leader for entrepreneurs everywhere, and is a leading spokesperson for Bitcoin and decentralization, having won the Bitcoin US Marshall’s auction in 2014, invested in over 50 crypto companies, and led investments in Coinbase, Ledger, Tezos, and Bancor, among others.
He is a supporter and global thought leader for entrepreneurs everywhere, and is a leading spokesperson for Bitcoin and decentralization, having won the Bitcoin US Marshall’s auction in 2014, invested in over 50 crypto companies, and led investments in Coinbase, Ledger, Tezos, and Bancor, among others.

Afroman

Afroman
It's The Hungry Hustlin' American Dream, Bacc Slash African American Wet Dream, The Rocc N Roll Gangster, The Kenny Redd, Rest In Peace Of Reefer Rap, The Don Juan Of Dank, The Pimpin Ken Of The Ink Pen, The Money Q Green Of The Rap Scene. And Just Like Johnny Dollar, I'll Make Ya Girl Holla, Then Swalla. Afroman Is The Inventor Of The Hemp Pimp Cup. Afroman Is The Inventor Of The Corona Virus Cover. You Can Spit In Other Pimps Cup, But You Can't Spit In His. Afroman Is The First Musical Artist To Blow Up On The Internet. The Word Viral, Was Invented, To Describe, What Afromans Music Did Through The Computers And On The Internet. Afroman Went Viral, Before Viral, Was Viral. The 2015 Pimp Of The Year. The 2017 Hustler Of The Year. The 2019 Entertainer Of The Year. Then 3peat Bacc To Bacc Player Of The Year. Born In 1974, A Ghetto Resident, 2024 Afroman Ran For President. Afroman Is The Only Blacc Rapper In The World, That Doesn't Use The N Word. Afroman Is The Successful Failure. The Winning Loser. Afroman Gets Disrespect, Afroman Gets Dissed, But With Respect. OG Amsterdam AFRO Money Makin' Marijuana Smoking Mother Effing MAN Ya Know What I'm Saying? And YES. YES. When All The Buildings In New York City Fall, Afroman Will Be Standing Tall. This Aint No Joke. This Aint No Gimmicc. We Got To Get Paid After A Fake Police Raid, Monkey Pox, And Another Pandemic.

Danielle DiMartino Booth
CEO and Chief Strategist
QI Research

Danielle DiMartino Booth
CEO and Chief Strategist
QI Research
Danielle DiMartino Booth is CEO & Chief Strategist for QI Research, an independent research and analytics firm serving institutional clients, family offices and Commercial Real Estate professionals. Prior to QI, which she founded in 2015, DiMartino Booth spent nine years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas where she served as Advisor to President Richard W. Fisher throughout the financial crisis. Before serving in the public sector, she lived in New York and worked at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Credit Suisse. DiMartino Booth is a frequent keynote speaker, a regular commentator in the financial media and author of FED UP: An Insider’s Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America (Portfolio, Feb 2017).

Brent Johnson
CEO
Santiago Capital

Brent Johnson
CEO
Santiago Capital
Brent Johnson brings twenty-six years of experience in the financial markets to his position as CEO of Santiago Capital where he manages the assets of high net worth families via a combination of separately managed accounts and private funds.
He enjoyed more than nine years as a Managing Director at BakerAvenue, a $4 Billion Asset Manager and Wealth Management firm, with offices in San Francisco, Dallas and New York. During his time there he was the lead advisor for several of the firms largest clients.
Prior to joining BakerAvenue, Brent spent nine years at Credit Suisse in their private client group. He got his start as part of the training program at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) in New York prior to moving to San Francisco. He joined Credit Suisse in the fall of 2000 when the bank purchased DLJ.
Earlier in his career, Brent was a financial auditor for Philip Morris Management Company in New York City where he performed audits at the company’s headquarters as well as subsidiaries in Germany, Hong Kong, and Richmond, Virginia.
In addition to his role at Santiago Capital, he is also a member of the Advisory Board for Monetary Metals, a platform that allows investors to earn a yield on gold, paid in gold, by leasing and lending to qualified precious metals businesses in the industry.
Brent regularly gives interviews and speaks at conferences regarding precious metals, currencies & macroeconomic trends. He is well known as the originator of the “Dollar Milkshake Theory” and his views have been quoted in numerous print, online and television outlets. He lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico with his wife Mary and son Moses.
He enjoyed more than nine years as a Managing Director at BakerAvenue, a $4 Billion Asset Manager and Wealth Management firm, with offices in San Francisco, Dallas and New York. During his time there he was the lead advisor for several of the firms largest clients.
Prior to joining BakerAvenue, Brent spent nine years at Credit Suisse in their private client group. He got his start as part of the training program at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) in New York prior to moving to San Francisco. He joined Credit Suisse in the fall of 2000 when the bank purchased DLJ.
Earlier in his career, Brent was a financial auditor for Philip Morris Management Company in New York City where he performed audits at the company’s headquarters as well as subsidiaries in Germany, Hong Kong, and Richmond, Virginia.
In addition to his role at Santiago Capital, he is also a member of the Advisory Board for Monetary Metals, a platform that allows investors to earn a yield on gold, paid in gold, by leasing and lending to qualified precious metals businesses in the industry.
Brent regularly gives interviews and speaks at conferences regarding precious metals, currencies & macroeconomic trends. He is well known as the originator of the “Dollar Milkshake Theory” and his views have been quoted in numerous print, online and television outlets. He lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico with his wife Mary and son Moses.

Arthur Hayes
Chief Investment Officer
Maelstrom

Arthur Hayes
Chief Investment Officer
Maelstrom
Arthur Hayes is the CIO of Maelstrom, a family office that invests across the crypto and web3 ecosystem. He is also the co-founder of BitMEX – the first crypto unicorn. Prior to entering the crypto industry, he worked as a trader in the capital markets divisions of Deutsche Bank and Citibank. Arthur holds a Bachelors of Economics from the Wharton School of Business. He has appeared on major business news networks including Bloomberg and CNBC. He is active on X (@cryptohayes) and releases a monthly newsletter (Crypto Trader Digest) read by thousands of investors globally.

Patrick Witt
Executive Director, President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets
The White House

Patrick Witt
Executive Director, President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets
The White House
Mr. Patrick Witt is the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets at the White House. In this role, he leads efforts to develop and coordinate national policy on digital asset innovation, regulation, and emerging financial technologies. Mr. Witt also serves as Deputy Director of the Office of Strategic Capital within the Department of War (DoW), where he directs $200 billion of investment into the US military’s defense industrial base.
From January until May 2025, Mr. Witt performed the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, overseeing the defense science and technology enterprise, including DARPA, to drive technological innovation and digital transformation across the DoW.
During President Trump's first administration, Mr. Witt served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where he helped lead workforce management for millions of federal employees, retirees, and their dependents. After leaving government service, he served as Managing Director for a lower-middle-market private equity firm. Earlier in his career, Mr. Witt worked for McKinsey & Company, where he advised aviation, aerospace, and defense clients across four continents on a wide range of issues.
A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Mr. Witt received numerous academic accolades, including the Francis Gordon Brown Prize, a distinction shared by former President George H.W. Bush, and was also a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. In addition to his academic achievements, he excelled as a student-athlete, shattering numerous school records. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Mr. Witt was invited to participate in the NFL Combine and later signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.
Mr. Witt is a proud uncle to Joan, Kirby, Grace, and Charlie. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, a member of the State Bar, and a JAG in the Georgia Army National Guard. He is fluent in French.
From January until May 2025, Mr. Witt performed the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, overseeing the defense science and technology enterprise, including DARPA, to drive technological innovation and digital transformation across the DoW.
During President Trump's first administration, Mr. Witt served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where he helped lead workforce management for millions of federal employees, retirees, and their dependents. After leaving government service, he served as Managing Director for a lower-middle-market private equity firm. Earlier in his career, Mr. Witt worked for McKinsey & Company, where he advised aviation, aerospace, and defense clients across four continents on a wide range of issues.
A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Mr. Witt received numerous academic accolades, including the Francis Gordon Brown Prize, a distinction shared by former President George H.W. Bush, and was also a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. In addition to his academic achievements, he excelled as a student-athlete, shattering numerous school records. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Mr. Witt was invited to participate in the NFL Combine and later signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.
Mr. Witt is a proud uncle to Joan, Kirby, Grace, and Charlie. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, a member of the State Bar, and a JAG in the Georgia Army National Guard. He is fluent in French.

Natalie Brunell
Author, Bitcoin is for Everyone
Talking Bitcoin

Natalie Brunell
Author, Bitcoin is for Everyone
Talking Bitcoin
Natalie Brunell a podcast host, educator, media commentator and author of the new book, Bitcoin is for Everyone.
Her popular show, the Coin Stories Podcast, features interviews with Bitcoin thought leaders and covers headlines related to finance and economic issues facing society. Coin Stories is the top Bitcoin education show in the world, and consistently ranks Top 10 in Business News podcasts.
Previously, Natalie was an award-winning TV journalist and investigative reporter. For more than 10 years she covered in-depth local and national news topics and holds a regional news Emmy for breaking news coverage as well as multiple Emmy nominations for investigative news stories.
Natalie was recently an adjunct professor of advanced communication and visual storytelling at the University of Southern California. She holds a Master’s of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University.
Her popular show, the Coin Stories Podcast, features interviews with Bitcoin thought leaders and covers headlines related to finance and economic issues facing society. Coin Stories is the top Bitcoin education show in the world, and consistently ranks Top 10 in Business News podcasts.
Previously, Natalie was an award-winning TV journalist and investigative reporter. For more than 10 years she covered in-depth local and national news topics and holds a regional news Emmy for breaking news coverage as well as multiple Emmy nominations for investigative news stories.
Natalie was recently an adjunct professor of advanced communication and visual storytelling at the University of Southern California. She holds a Master’s of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University.

Frank Holmes
Executive Chairman
HIVE Digital Technologies

Frank Holmes
Executive Chairman
HIVE Digital Technologies
Renowned global investor Frank Holmes leads the HIVE board of directors, contributing to the company's vision and strategy. Mr. Holmes is chief executive and chief investment officer at U.S. Global Investors, a leading mutual fund and asset management firm. Mr. Holmes is a sought-after keynote speaker at international investment conferences and a regular guest in business media. His Frank Talk CEO Blog is one of the most widely read in finance.

Irene Gao
President of Mining
Bitmain

Irene Gao
President of Mining
Bitmain
Irene has years of experience in the digital currency mining space and is in charge of BITMAIN’s global business development. She is an expert on developing the mining ecosystem with vast knowledge of high-performance mining hardware and data center development. She is an advocate for renewable energy integration for green mining.

Jeff Booth
General Partner
ego death capital

Jeff Booth
General Partner
ego death capital
Jeff Booth is a visionary leader, technology entrepreneur and best-selling author of The Price of Tomorrow – Why Deflation is Key to an Abundant Future, and a founding partner of ego death capital; a leading venture capital fund in the growing ecosystem building on the Bitcoin protocol. With his expertise in technology, system thinking and design, he is at the forefront of a transition from an economic system built for the past, and one built for the future.
He is a Co-Founder of www.BuildDirect.com, and NocNoc, has been a Young Presidents Organization member since 2004 and contributes time as a Founding Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab.
Jeff currently sits on the boards of Core Scientific, Fedi and Breez.
He is a Co-Founder of www.BuildDirect.com, and NocNoc, has been a Young Presidents Organization member since 2004 and contributes time as a Founding Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab.
Jeff currently sits on the boards of Core Scientific, Fedi and Breez.

Miles Suter
Bitcoin Product Lead
Block

Miles Suter
Bitcoin Product Lead
Block
Miles Suter is the Bitcoin Product Lead at Block, Inc., a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Miles is focused on advancing bitcoin product development across Block’s ecosystem, including Cash App, Square, and Spiral. He played an integral role in bringing bitcoin and the Lightning Network to Cash App, and is a champion of the bitcoin community more broadly.

Curtis Yarvin
CEO
Urban Tiger

Curtis Yarvin
CEO
Urban Tiger
I'm obviously not Satoshi, but I think I'm actually the first person to explain Bitcoin economics--in a 2006 provisional patent and a 2005 effortpost. I also think I instigated the shift to store-of-value valuation in 2014. I'm not sure I have anything particularly novel to say in 2026, but I still think my game theory of monetary standardization is clear and correct and might even help people in practice. I also have thoughts about blockchain governance, identity and reputation.

Dave Ripley
co-CEO
Kraken

Dave Ripley
co-CEO
Kraken
David Ripley has served as Kraken's Co-Chief Executive Officer since October 2024. He previously served as Kraken's Chief Operating Officer from October 2016 to April 2023 and Chief Executive Officer from April 2023 to October 2024.
Prior to joining Kraken, Mr. Ripley was the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Glidera, a non-custodial wallet and funding service provider that was acquired by Kraken in 2016.
Mr. Ripley previously held roles in consulting at The Boston Consulting Group, where he advised clients across multiple industries, including technology and financial services. Earlier in his career, he also held management positions in software engineering and product management at Syclo, a mobile enterprise software company. Mr. Ripley holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Prior to joining Kraken, Mr. Ripley was the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Glidera, a non-custodial wallet and funding service provider that was acquired by Kraken in 2016.
Mr. Ripley previously held roles in consulting at The Boston Consulting Group, where he advised clients across multiple industries, including technology and financial services. Earlier in his career, he also held management positions in software engineering and product management at Syclo, a mobile enterprise software company. Mr. Ripley holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Faryar Shirzad
Chief Policy Officer
Coinbase

Faryar Shirzad
Chief Policy Officer
Coinbase
Faryar Shirzad is Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase, where he leads the company’s engagement with policymakers around the world and has become a trusted source for thought leadership in the global crypto policy space. Under Shirzad’s leadership, Coinbase has become a driver of crypto-regulation discourse in the U.S. He oversaw the creation of Coinbase’s Digital Asset Policy Proposal (or dApp), which laid out a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the rapidly-emerging industry and was recognized as “a dramatic shift from current policy in the United States”, sparking an ongoing conversation on how crypto should be regulated while safeguarding American innovation. Before joining Coinbase, Shirzad was Global Co-Head of Government Affairs at Goldman Sachs.
Shirzad has served as counsel to the highest levels of the U.S. government, including as deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs for President George W. Bush. In that role, he served as The President’s personal representative to the G-8 (the “G-8 Sherpa”). Prior to his time in the White House, Shirzad was assistant secretary for import administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce and international trade counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in Washington, DC. Faryar earned a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, a MPP from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a BS from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Shirzad has served as counsel to the highest levels of the U.S. government, including as deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs for President George W. Bush. In that role, he served as The President’s personal representative to the G-8 (the “G-8 Sherpa”). Prior to his time in the White House, Shirzad was assistant secretary for import administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce and international trade counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in Washington, DC. Faryar earned a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, a MPP from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a BS from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Alex Gladstein
Chief Strategy Officer
Human Rights Foundation

Alex Gladstein
Chief Strategy Officer
Human Rights Foundation
Alex Gladstein is Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation. He has also helped organize the Oslo Freedom Forum since its inception in 2009. In his work Alex has connected hundreds of dissidents and civil society groups with business leaders, technologists, journalists, philanthropists, policymakers, and artists to promote free and open societies. Alex's writing and views on human rights and technology have appeared in media outlets across the world including The Atlantic, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, NPR, TIME, The Washington Post, WIRED, and The Wall Street Journal. He has spoken at universities ranging from MIT to Stanford, briefed the European Parliament and US State Department, and gives lectures on freedom in the digital age at Singularity University. He frequently speaks and writes about why Bitcoin matters for freedom, and his books include "The Little Bitcoin Book," “Check Your Financial Privilege," "Hidden Repression," and "A Trojan Horse for Freedom."

Alex Leishman
Founder & CEO
River

Alex Leishman
Founder & CEO
River
Alex Leishman is the Founder, CEO, and CTO at River. Alex brings his deep expertise in software engineering, information security, and Bitcoin to River, where he oversees investor relations, corporate strategy, and engineering. Alex holds a Master's in Computer Science from Stanfard University where he helped teach the first Bitcoin class.

Paul Grewal
Chief Legal Officer
Coinbase

Paul Grewal
Chief Legal Officer
Coinbase
Paul Grewal is the Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase Global, Inc., where he is responsible for Coinbase’s legal, compliance, global intelligence and government relations groups. Before joining Coinbase, Paul was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Facebook and served as United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Paul was previously a partner at Howrey LLP. He received his JD from the University of Chicago Law School and his SB from MIT.

Phong Le
President & CEO
Strategy

Phong Le
President & CEO
Strategy
Phong Le is the President and CEO of Strategy, the world’s first and largest Bitcoin Treasury Company and a global leader in AI and business intelligence software. He became CEO in 2022 after joining the company in 2015, where he previously served in roles including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Strategy, Phong held leadership roles at Deloitte Consulting, Nextel International, and XO Communications. He earned a dual Bachelor of Science in Biomedical and Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Bernie Moreno
Senator
U.S. Senate

Bernie Moreno
Senator
U.S. Senate
Bernie Moreno was born in Bogota, Colombia. He moved to the United States with his family at age five and became an American citizen at age 18. Bernie purchased his first car dealership in 2005 and grew that one dealership into one of the largest dealership groups in America, eventually employing over 1,000 Ohioans. More recently, in 2016, Bernie recognized the value and transformational potential of blockchain technology, before it received mainstream attention, and moved much of his volunteer time and investment dollars into the space.
Bernie believes that Ohioans deserve better than what they’ve gotten from Washington, and he will fight to better their lives in the United States Senate.
Bernie believes that Ohioans deserve better than what they’ve gotten from Washington, and he will fight to better their lives in the United States Senate.

Igor Istratov
Head Of Digital Assets Product
Fifth Third Bank

Igor Istratov
Head Of Digital Assets Product
Fifth Third Bank
Igor Istratov leads Digital Assets Product at Fifth Third Bank, overseeing the design and delivery of secure, compliant, and intuitive digital‑asset products. His remit spans stablecoins, digital‑asset custody, and stablecoin‑based cross‑border payments. Previously, he led SoFi’s Crypto business and held product and leadership roles at Digital Asset and J.P. Morgan, scaling blockchain solutions globally.

Isabel Foxen Duke
Host
Bitcoin Rails

Isabel Foxen Duke
Host
Bitcoin Rails
Isabel Foxen Duke is the Host of Bitcoin Rails—a podcast on X covering up-and-coming “Bitcoin Season II” technologies. She formerly managed communications for both the Ordinals and BRC20 core protocols and is a GP in the Bitcoin-native assets fund, Unbroken Chain.
Since the launch of Ordinals, she's advised protocol teams throughout the Bitcoin L2, metaprotocol and ZKP/BitVM spaces with a focus on technical communications and community education. She currently acts as a communications advisor to both Domo (Creator or BRC20) and Robin Linus (creator of BitVM), and is a co-author of BIP 360.
Since the launch of Ordinals, she's advised protocol teams throughout the Bitcoin L2, metaprotocol and ZKP/BitVM spaces with a focus on technical communications and community education. She currently acts as a communications advisor to both Domo (Creator or BRC20) and Robin Linus (creator of BitVM), and is a co-author of BIP 360.

Isabella Santos
Founder
BTC Isla

Isabella Santos
Founder
BTC Isla
Isabella Santos is a Bitcoin circular-economy builder, storyteller, and founder based on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
She is the creator of BTC Isla, a real-world experiment proving that Bitcoin adoption must be bottom-up — not top-down. Through merchant onboarding, education programs, a Bitcoin Café, and on-the-ground storytelling, she documents what it actually looks like to build a parallel economy from scratch.
Isabella is also the co-founder of Get Based, a media company producing high-impact Bitcoin content and short-form tutorials for sovereign brands. Her work blends investigative storytelling, street interviews, and narrative-driven documentaries designed to wake people up from the fiat system.
Her focus isn’t price.
It’s sovereignty.
She believes Bitcoin is:
• a tool for saving human time and energy
• a hedge against systemic fragility
• a foundation for parallel systems
• and a bridge to healthier, freer communities
On Isla Mujeres, she has helped onboard dozens of merchants, organized Bitcoin meetups and retreats, and built a local ecosystem where people can earn, save, and spend in sats.
Her mission:
Prove that Bitcoin works — not on paper, but in real life.
She is the creator of BTC Isla, a real-world experiment proving that Bitcoin adoption must be bottom-up — not top-down. Through merchant onboarding, education programs, a Bitcoin Café, and on-the-ground storytelling, she documents what it actually looks like to build a parallel economy from scratch.
Isabella is also the co-founder of Get Based, a media company producing high-impact Bitcoin content and short-form tutorials for sovereign brands. Her work blends investigative storytelling, street interviews, and narrative-driven documentaries designed to wake people up from the fiat system.
Her focus isn’t price.
It’s sovereignty.
She believes Bitcoin is:
• a tool for saving human time and energy
• a hedge against systemic fragility
• a foundation for parallel systems
• and a bridge to healthier, freer communities
On Isla Mujeres, she has helped onboard dozens of merchants, organized Bitcoin meetups and retreats, and built a local ecosystem where people can earn, save, and spend in sats.
Her mission:
Prove that Bitcoin works — not on paper, but in real life.

Ishaan Narain
Co-Founder/Chief Product Officer
Receipts Depositary Corporation ("RDC")

Ishaan Narain
Co-Founder/Chief Product Officer
Receipts Depositary Corporation ("RDC")
Ishaan Narain is a former banker with over a decades experience in bridging markets using the American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") stock wrapper. Now a co-founder of RDC a firm that is focused on bridging traditional markets with Bitcoin utilizing the ADR to make it easy to use, trade Bitcoin in traditional capital markets without giving up ownership of the asset in line with it's ethos.

Jacob Langenkamp
CEO
Bridger

Jacob Langenkamp
CEO
Bridger
Jake is the co-founder and CEO of Bridger, a Bitcoin mining company that specializes in partnering with nations to identify and monetize their wasted or stranded energy. Prior to Bridger, Jake worked for the U.S. Department of Defense conducting training and military cooperation assistance in Central Asia, Europe and Africa.

Jake Claver
CEO & Principal
Digital Ascension Group

Jake Claver
CEO & Principal
Digital Ascension Group
Jake Claver is CEO & Principal of Digital Ascension Group and founder of Digital Wealth Partners, a digital-asset focused RIA, and leads Syndicately. A recognized expert in blockchain and Web3 adoption, he helps family offices reimagine wealth strategy, advising elite clients through a multi-family office model that integrates planning, governance, and next-generation investment frameworks. Jake is a frequent industry speaker, has been featured in major outlets including Bloomberg and MarketWatch, and is co-author of the bestselling book Wealth in Numbers. For more, visit jakeclaver.com.

James Poulos
Senior Fellow
Foundation for American Innovation

James Poulos
Senior Fellow
Foundation for American Innovation
During the pandemic James published the first book to Bitcoin, I Know This Sounds Crazy, the only novel set in the Epsteinverse of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. His subsequent book, also on chain, was the acclaimed Human Forever: The Digital Politics of Spiritual War, available exclusively for Bitcoin at Canonic.xyz. He has advocated for the right to compute, including the rights to mine, hold, and use Bitcoin, before the US Senate and in the New York Times, and is currently at work on a stealth Bitcoin fund project.

James Stephens
Founder & CEO
Qastle Wallet

James Stephens
Founder & CEO
Qastle Wallet
James Stephens is a blockchain security specialist, forensic investigator, and fintech executive with over a decade of experience across crypto, DeFi, and digital asset infrastructure.
He is the Founder and CEO of Qastle Wallet https://qastlewallet.com/ a next-generation digital asset wallet focused on redefining security in the age of quantum computing. Through a pioneering partnership with NYSE-listed Quantum eMotion, James has led the development of the world’s first quantum-secure wallet architecture, integrating advanced entropy and cryptographic resilience into digital asset self-custody.
In parallel, he is working with ExeQuantum to bring Signature Factor Authentication (SiFA) into enterprise environments, extending beyond traditional multi-factor authentication toward a more robust, multi-layered security model for corporations operating in high-risk digital ecosystems.
James has been recognized internationally for his leadership in technology and security. In 2026, he was named by Microsoft’s MSN as one of the Top 10 Leading Men shaping the future through technology, resilience, and long-term thinking, and has also been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who.
A member of the Forbes Technology Council and a certified expert in blockchain and cryptocurrency forensics, his work focuses on identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening system resilience, and helping define the next generation of secure financial infrastructure.
A frequent speaker on blockchain security and the future of digital assets, James brings a practical, security-first perspective to the challenges facing global adoption.
He is the Founder and CEO of Qastle Wallet https://qastlewallet.com/ a next-generation digital asset wallet focused on redefining security in the age of quantum computing. Through a pioneering partnership with NYSE-listed Quantum eMotion, James has led the development of the world’s first quantum-secure wallet architecture, integrating advanced entropy and cryptographic resilience into digital asset self-custody.
In parallel, he is working with ExeQuantum to bring Signature Factor Authentication (SiFA) into enterprise environments, extending beyond traditional multi-factor authentication toward a more robust, multi-layered security model for corporations operating in high-risk digital ecosystems.
James has been recognized internationally for his leadership in technology and security. In 2026, he was named by Microsoft’s MSN as one of the Top 10 Leading Men shaping the future through technology, resilience, and long-term thinking, and has also been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who.
A member of the Forbes Technology Council and a certified expert in blockchain and cryptocurrency forensics, his work focuses on identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening system resilience, and helping define the next generation of secure financial infrastructure.
A frequent speaker on blockchain security and the future of digital assets, James brings a practical, security-first perspective to the challenges facing global adoption.

Janessa Lopez
Head of Digital Assets Policy
Block Inc

Janessa Lopez
Head of Digital Assets Policy
Block Inc
Janessa Lopez is the Head of Digital Assets Policy at Block, a global technology company made up of Square, Cash App, Afterpay, TIDAL, Bitkey, and Proto. She is a strategic public policy leader with more than a decade of experience at the intersection of financial services and emerging technology, advocating for pro-innovation frameworks at the state, federal, and global level. Prior to this role, she worked at Gemini, where she helped build-out a government relations and public policy function for one of the world’s leading crypto exchanges. Before fully entering the fintech space, Janessa built her career in Washington, DC, serving as a Senior Policy Advisor in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Jan Warmus
Partnerships Director EU/USA
EMCD

Jan Warmus
Partnerships Director EU/USA
EMCD
Jan Warmus is an experienced Business Development Executive with over 7 years of experience in the cryptocurrency and Bitcoin mining space. Currently serving as Partnerships Director at EMCD, he specializes in building international sales teams, developing go-to-market strategies for crypto products, and has successfully managed millions in Bitcoin-related sales across European markets, making him a recognized expert at the intersection of traditional finance and digital asset mining.

Jason Fang
Founder
Sora Ventures

Jason Fang
Founder
Sora Ventures
Jason Fang is a prominent figure driving Bitcoin adoption in Asia, where he leads corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies across both public markets and venture capital. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of Sora Ventures, an Asia-based web3 venture fund with a Bitcoin-focused thesis, bridging Web3 innovation and traditional finance. He founded Sora Ventures in 2018 and has since deployed over $100M across 150+ Web3 companies, with a focus on infrastructure, capital markets, and institutional Bitcoin adoption.
Jason currently serves as Chairman & Co-CEO of Asia Strategy (NASDAQ: SORA), Chairman of Bitplanet Inc. (KOSDAQ: 049470), Chairman of Moon Inc. (HKG: 1723), and was previously a board member of Metaplanet (TYO: 3350), dubbed the “MicroStrategy of Japan.” These roles place Jason at the center of a growing movement to institutionalize Bitcoin across the region.
Earlier in his career, Jason was an investor at Fenbushi Capital and contributed to Ethereum research at Wanxiang Blockchain Labs. With a background in economics, business law, and experience as a full-stack iOS developer, he brings rare technical and financial fluency to his work in driving institutional crypto adoption.
Jason currently serves as Chairman & Co-CEO of Asia Strategy (NASDAQ: SORA), Chairman of Bitplanet Inc. (KOSDAQ: 049470), Chairman of Moon Inc. (HKG: 1723), and was previously a board member of Metaplanet (TYO: 3350), dubbed the “MicroStrategy of Japan.” These roles place Jason at the center of a growing movement to institutionalize Bitcoin across the region.
Earlier in his career, Jason was an investor at Fenbushi Capital and contributed to Ethereum research at Wanxiang Blockchain Labs. With a background in economics, business law, and experience as a full-stack iOS developer, he brings rare technical and financial fluency to his work in driving institutional crypto adoption.

Jason Goodman
Co Founder
Bathhouse

Jason Goodman
Co Founder
Bathhouse
Jason is the founder of Bathhouse, a modern wellness company operating "anti-spa" thermal cycling facilities in New York City, with expansion underway across major U.S. markets. A long-term proponent of Bitcoin and sound money, his interest in mining deepened in 2020 when widespread economic shutdowns signaled to him that significant inflation was on the horizon. As he studied mining, Jason recognized that miners produce enormous amounts of heat as a byproduct — nearly all of it dumped as waste — while his own business was spending heavily on energy to generate that very same heat for saunas and pools. This insight led him to implement Bitcoin mining on-site at Bathhouse locations, capturing the waste heat to warm their pools and turning a cost center into a dual-purpose asset. Jason sits at the rare intersection of proof-of-work mining and commercial thermal energy demand, building a real-world model for productive Bitcoin heat reuse.

Jason Hughes
VP, Development and Engineering
OCEAN

Jason Hughes
VP, Development and Engineering
OCEAN
Over two decades of experience as a professional software, network, and hardware engineer. Starting in 2012, co-operated the second-ever Bitcoin mining pool, Eligius. As a security researcher, became known as “the Tesla hacker” after discovering and reporting critical security flaws that allowed remote access to every Tesla vehicle in the world. Active software developer working towards a decentralized Bitcoin future.

Jason Twu
CBO
Avalon Labs

Jason Twu
CBO
Avalon Labs
Avalon Labs is the leading on-chain, Bitcoin-focused capital markets platform and the issuer of USDa, the Bitcoin-collateralized stablecoin. To date, Avalon has facilitated more than $3.1 billion in loan volume and serviced over 20,000 BTC, earning the trust of institutions and individual users alike.
The protocol provides a full suite of financial products, including fixed-rate Bitcoin borrowing, institutional-grade yield strategies, decentralized lending, AI-powered RWA yield vaults, and high-yield staking. By bridging traditional finance with decentralized infrastructure, Avalon Labs is building the financial center for Bitcoin—offering secure, scalable, and transparent solutions for the digital asset economy.
The protocol provides a full suite of financial products, including fixed-rate Bitcoin borrowing, institutional-grade yield strategies, decentralized lending, AI-powered RWA yield vaults, and high-yield staking. By bridging traditional finance with decentralized infrastructure, Avalon Labs is building the financial center for Bitcoin—offering secure, scalable, and transparent solutions for the digital asset economy.

Jayson Browder
SVP Government Affairs & Social Responsibility
MARA

Jayson Browder
SVP Government Affairs & Social Responsibility
MARA
Jayson Browder
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Responsibility
Jayson is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at MARA, a global leader in digital asset compute and largest publicly traded bitcoin miner. He is a committed public servant, bringing close to two decades of experience in governmental and non-governmental work. A trained United States Air Force engineer, he has spent the last 13 years post-military service managing projects and developing policy covering Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, Central America, and Mexico. Jayson has served in the White House, U.S. State Department, USAID, and on Capitol Hill. He is an Iraq veteran and a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Turkey. Jayson holds a Global Executive M.P.A. from New York University and University College London. He was awarded 40 Under 40 at the Middle East Policy Council and 40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy at New America, Diversity in National Security Network, and Huffington Post.
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Responsibility
Jayson is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at MARA, a global leader in digital asset compute and largest publicly traded bitcoin miner. He is a committed public servant, bringing close to two decades of experience in governmental and non-governmental work. A trained United States Air Force engineer, he has spent the last 13 years post-military service managing projects and developing policy covering Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, Central America, and Mexico. Jayson has served in the White House, U.S. State Department, USAID, and on Capitol Hill. He is an Iraq veteran and a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Turkey. Jayson holds a Global Executive M.P.A. from New York University and University College London. He was awarded 40 Under 40 at the Middle East Policy Council and 40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy at New America, Diversity in National Security Network, and Huffington Post.

Jay Zapata
CEO & Cofounder
Satokie

Jay Zapata
CEO & Cofounder
Satokie
Jay spent over a decade in financial leadership & operational management. After mining personally for 5 years, Jay cofounded SATOKIE with the goal to bring operational excellence and build a best-in-class service offering to the bitcoin mining industry. Before starting SATOKIE, Jay served as CFO of a $150MM revenue organization, managing complex portfolios & ensuring regulatory compliance.

Jeff Gardner
Founder
White Noise

Jeff Gardner
Founder
White Noise
Jeff Gardner is a Nostr developer focused on freedom tech. He is the creator of the Marmot protocol, which brings together the MLS protocol and Nostr's decentralized network to enable highly efficient and secure group communications. He is founder of White Noise, an end-to-end encrypted messaging app using Marmot, and is a founding member of And Other Stuff, a Nostr & Bitcoin builder collective. His work is supported by grants from the Human Rights Foundation and OpenSats.

Jeff Park

Jeff Park
Jeff Park was most recently a Partner and the Chief Investment Officer, responsible for leading its investment and capital markets strategy, portfolio construction and risk management.
Before joining ProCap Financial, Mr. Park was the Head of Alpha Strategies and Portfolio Manager at Bitwise Asset Management, one of the world’s largest crypto-specialist asset managers. Prior to Bitwise, he was a Partner at Corbin Capital Partners, a multi-billion alternative asset management firm that specializes in multi-strategy hedge fund and opportunistic credit investing, where he led the firm’s digital asset investing efforts.
He is a graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics and International Relations.
Before joining ProCap Financial, Mr. Park was the Head of Alpha Strategies and Portfolio Manager at Bitwise Asset Management, one of the world’s largest crypto-specialist asset managers. Prior to Bitwise, he was a Partner at Corbin Capital Partners, a multi-billion alternative asset management firm that specializes in multi-strategy hedge fund and opportunistic credit investing, where he led the firm’s digital asset investing efforts.
He is a graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics and International Relations.

Jeffrey Thomas
SVP of AI Data Centers
CleanSpark

Jeffrey Thomas
SVP of AI Data Centers
CleanSpark
Jeffrey Thomas brings his global, four-decade career spanning technology, logistics, digital infrastructure, and public-sector innovation to CleanSpark as the company’s SVP of AI data centers. He is responsible for guiding the company’s expansion into the next era of high-performance computing and architecting a robust digital infrastructure platform powered by resilient, optimally efficient data centers. Prior to joining CleanSpark, Thomas served as President of AI data centres for Humain (The Future AI Company), where he oversaw the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ $68 billion AI infrastructure program and lead executive engagement with global hyperscale and technology partners. Widely recognized for anticipating and shaping emerging data-driven industries, he has led or contributed to 19 startups, acquisitions, and restructurings generating over $12 billion in value. Thomas established the Corsham Institute, a renowned non-profit think tank examining the societal impacts of the digital age and producing influential policy work that joins together global thought leaders. He attended the University of East London and is currently working towards a PhD in infrastructure economics.

Jeff Vandrew Jr.
Board Member
Gannett Trust Company & Unchained

Jeff Vandrew Jr.
Board Member
Gannett Trust Company & Unchained
Mr. Vandrew is the Chief Financial Officer & Chief Legal Officer for Unchained, and a Board Member at its Gannett Trust Company subsidiary. He is a licensed attorney, a certified public accountant, and a certified financial planner. Before joining Unchained, he spent 14 years in private law practice as a Managing Member of Vandrew LLC, a boutique law firm. Mr. Vandrew joined Unchained through the acquisition of his company, KeyKeeper IRA (now Unchained IRA), in 2021.
Mr. Vandrew earned his Juris Doctor in Law from Rutgers Law School and and Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. He is a Floridian.
Mr. Vandrew earned his Juris Doctor in Law from Rutgers Law School and and Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. He is a Floridian.

Jeff Walton
Chief Risk Officer & CEO of True North
Strive

Jeff Walton
Chief Risk Officer & CEO of True North
Strive
Jeff Walton is Chief Risk Officer at Strive and founder/CEO of Strive subsidiary True North, a peer group and podcast exploring Bitcoin treasury adoption, securitization, collateralized finance, and macro strategy. With more than a decade of experience in reinsurance and capital markets, he brings deep expertise in structured finance, capital management, risk transfer, and probabilistic risk analysis. Jeff regularly comments on Bitcoin, equity and fixed income markets, and the evolving intersection of digital assets, insurance markets, and financial risk.
Jeff received his BA in Business and Economics from the University of Puget Sound.
Jeff received his BA in Business and Economics from the University of Puget Sound.

Jennifer Harding-Marlin
Attorney
JH Marlin Law

Jennifer Harding-Marlin
Attorney
JH Marlin Law
Jennifer Harding-Marlin is a Canadian-Caribbean attorney, entrepreneur, and global mobility strategist specializing in Bitcoin-aligned citizenship, residency, and asset-protection frameworks.
As Founder and Managing Director of JH Marlin Law, she advises Bitcoin founders, early adopters, and internationally mobile families on jurisdictional strategy, second citizenship, residency planning, and long-term sovereign risk mitigation. She has advised some of the earliest participants in the Bitcoin ecosystem and helped the world’s first Bitcoin investor design and implement a multi-jurisdictional passport portfolio as part of a long-term sovereignty and risk-mitigation strategy.
JH Marlin Law actively operates and maintains strategic partnerships across the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.
As Founder and Managing Director of JH Marlin Law, she advises Bitcoin founders, early adopters, and internationally mobile families on jurisdictional strategy, second citizenship, residency planning, and long-term sovereign risk mitigation. She has advised some of the earliest participants in the Bitcoin ecosystem and helped the world’s first Bitcoin investor design and implement a multi-jurisdictional passport portfolio as part of a long-term sovereignty and risk-mitigation strategy.
JH Marlin Law actively operates and maintains strategic partnerships across the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.

Jeremy Almond
CEO & Founder
Paystand

Jeremy Almond
CEO & Founder
Paystand
Jeremy Almond is the founder and CEO of Paystand, the world’s largest Bitcoin blockchain-enabled B2B payments network, powering more than $10 billion in payment volume across more than one million businesses. A lifelong engineer, operator, and investor, Jeremy has spent more than a decade transforming enterprise finance by replacing legacy payment rails with decentralized infrastructure built on Bitcoin and blockchain. He also hosts The reDeFined Podcast, where he explores the intersection of money, software, and freedom.
Jeremy has played a leading role in shaping the commercial DeFi movement. Paystand is the only company at this scale using Bitcoin to move enterprise payments, eliminate transaction fees, and automate financial operations through blockchain infrastructure. With nearly 300 employees and over $90 million raised from leading investors, Paystand continues expanding its financial network through strategic acquisitions, including Bitwage, a pioneer in global Bitcoin payroll and cross-border payments. Paystand has been featured in Forbes, recognized five times on the Inc. 5000 list, and is widely considered one of the fintech leaders building the next generation of financial infrastructure.
Through Paystand.org, Jeremy also leads one of the largest philanthropic efforts advancing Bitcoin in the real world, supporting NGOs that are building circular economies across the globe. He has spoken at major events including Money20/20, Montgomery Securities in Santa Monica, Unconference by Mi Primer Bitcoin in Nashville, and Bitcoin Medellín, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Mi Primer Bitcoin. A former Forbes contributor, Jeremy operates at the intersection of software, sovereignty, and scale—building a world where economic freedom is the default, not the exception.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyalmond/
Jeremy has played a leading role in shaping the commercial DeFi movement. Paystand is the only company at this scale using Bitcoin to move enterprise payments, eliminate transaction fees, and automate financial operations through blockchain infrastructure. With nearly 300 employees and over $90 million raised from leading investors, Paystand continues expanding its financial network through strategic acquisitions, including Bitwage, a pioneer in global Bitcoin payroll and cross-border payments. Paystand has been featured in Forbes, recognized five times on the Inc. 5000 list, and is widely considered one of the fintech leaders building the next generation of financial infrastructure.
Through Paystand.org, Jeremy also leads one of the largest philanthropic efforts advancing Bitcoin in the real world, supporting NGOs that are building circular economies across the globe. He has spoken at major events including Money20/20, Montgomery Securities in Santa Monica, Unconference by Mi Primer Bitcoin in Nashville, and Bitcoin Medellín, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Mi Primer Bitcoin. A former Forbes contributor, Jeremy operates at the intersection of software, sovereignty, and scale—building a world where economic freedom is the default, not the exception.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyalmond/

Jeremy Singer
HPC Systems Manager
ExxonMobil

Jeremy Singer
HPC Systems Manager
ExxonMobil
Jeremy Singer is currently the High Performance Computing (HPC) Systems manager at ExxonMobil, responsible for a portfolio of supercomputing assets and mission driven algorithms at scale. In addition to HPC, Jeremy is also active in market development of ExxonMobil Data Center cooling fluids as well as Venture execution of Low Carbon Data Center assets. Jeremy is passionate about bitcoin and open source computing projects.

Jesse Posner
CEO
Vora

Jesse Posner
CEO
Vora
Jesse Posner is CEO and co-founder of Vora, building self-custody products for securing both bitcoin and personal AI. Previously a senior blockchain engineer at Block (Bitkey), where he led work on privacy, cryptography, and security. Before that, an open-source cryptographer contributing FROST and adaptor signature implementations to secp256k1-zkp as a Brink and HRF Bitcoin Development Fund grantee. Co-author of a BIP on Chain Code Delegation. Holds a patent (US10903991B1) from his time at Coinbase (2016-2020), where he worked on key management, threshold signatures, and key ceremony design. Corporate lawyer turned cryptographer. Code is law.

Jesse Shrader
CEO, Co-Founder
Amboss Technologies

Jesse Shrader
CEO, Co-Founder
Amboss Technologies
Jesse Shrader is the CEO and Co-Founder of Amboss Technologies, a leading AI-powered payments infrastructure provider for Bitcoin's Lightning Network. Founded in 2021 and distributed across 10 countries, Amboss builds the tools that power real-time, low-cost transactions at scale, from agentic payments to enterprise compliance solutions.

Jethro Toro
Host
Bitcoin Country Podcast

Jethro Toro
Host
Bitcoin Country Podcast
Jethro Toro is a Bitcoin media and events professional in El Salvador. He cofounded the Economía Bitcoin conference in Berlín focused on growing circular economies, and he has been an emcee at multiple other events, including Bitcoin Histórico and the Max and Stacy Golf Invitational.
Jethro also hosts the Bitcoin Country Podcast, where he highlights the most interesting people and projects visiting and working on hyperbitcoinization in El Salvador.
Jethro also hosts the Bitcoin Country Podcast, where he highlights the most interesting people and projects visiting and working on hyperbitcoinization in El Salvador.

Jhonny
Fire Starter
Delgado's Fuego LLC / MotivPeru / Bitcoin Charlotte / Orange Pill Peru

Jhonny
Fire Starter
Delgado's Fuego LLC / MotivPeru / Bitcoin Charlotte / Orange Pill Peru
Bitcoin enthusiast and community builder. Co-founder of Orange Pill Peru, organizer of Bitcoin Charlotte, HODLween, and Bitcoin markets in Charlotte, NC, Motiv Peru Ambassador. Known for bringing the heat (literally) to Bitcoiners worldwide with Delgado’s Fuego hot sauce. Stacking sats, spreading adoption, and adding spice—one block at a time. ₿

Jimmy Kostro
Co-Founder
Bitcoin Chiang Mai

Jody Mettler
Chief Operating Officer
BitGo Trust

Jody Mettler
Chief Operating Officer
BitGo Trust
Jody Mettler is the Chief Operating Officer of BitGo and is also responsible for managing BitGo Trust companies to meet high standards of customer care and to ensure the safe and secure custody of their assets.
Prior to joining BitGo, Jody was the Director of Global Transformation at Citicorp. She spent over 20 years with Citicorp in various capacities ranging from corporate accounting to operations management primarily within the Institutional Client Group servicing large corporations to develop payment facilitation methods.
Jody also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Citicorp South Dakota Trust Company and is a member of the digital asset legislative task force to facilitate trust administration digital asset laws.
Prior to joining BitGo, Jody was the Director of Global Transformation at Citicorp. She spent over 20 years with Citicorp in various capacities ranging from corporate accounting to operations management primarily within the Institutional Client Group servicing large corporations to develop payment facilitation methods.
Jody also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Citicorp South Dakota Trust Company and is a member of the digital asset legislative task force to facilitate trust administration digital asset laws.

Joe Carlasare
Partner
Amundsen Davis LLC

Joe Carlasare
Partner
Amundsen Davis LLC
As co-chair of the Amundsen Davis Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and FinTech Service Group, Joe has experience in all aspects of the digital asset space. Joe has been an active investor and proponent of Bitcoin since 2015. Joe provides practical and legal knowledge to individuals and companies on regulatory compliance and custodial solutions for digital assets for the last several years. He advises crypto startups and handles disputes involving cryptocurrency exchanges. Joe closely studies the nascent field of litigation and discovery involving digital assets. He is prepared to help clients navigate the full range of complex and evolving issues in the field. Joe shares a passion for the technology driving global adoption of cryptocurrency and is a frequent speaker on digital asset regulations, capital markets, payment systems, Bitcoin, blockchain technology, and “DeFi.”
Joe has served as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, teaching trial advocacy. He also coaches Chicago-Kent’s nationally ranked Trial Advocacy Team.
Joe has served as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, teaching trial advocacy. He also coaches Chicago-Kent’s nationally ranked Trial Advocacy Team.

Joe Dillon
CEO | Founder
Adakon Energy

Joe Dillon
CEO | Founder
Adakon Energy
Joe Dillon is the founder and CEO of Adakon Energy Solutions, operator of the world’s largest dynamically controlled, grid-integrated Bitcoin mining platform — 250 MW and 80,000+ ASICs deployed entirely behind the meter as live, dispatchable grid resources. His work centers on a provable thesis: that behind-the-meter Bitcoin flex load isn’t just a cost arbitrage play — it’s a measurable mechanism for improving grid reliability at scale.

Johann Kerbrat
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Crypto and International
Robinhood

Johann Kerbrat
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Crypto and International
Robinhood
Johann Kerbrat is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crypto and International at Robinhood. Johann joined Robinhood to support the company in its mission to democratize finance for all and open up access to crypto to everyday investors. Prior to joining Robinhood, he held engineering roles at Airbnb, privacy-focused cryptocurrency startup Iron Fish, and founded an e-commerce and payments platform company. Johann grew up in Nice, France and holds an MSc in Software Engineering from Oxford Brookes University.

John Drew
Producer
BitcoinDay

John Drew
Producer
BitcoinDay
John’s visionary leadership shines through in the development of BitcoinDay Naples, and other BitcoinDay events in Florida. With a strong network of experts and innovative companies in the local Bitcoin ecosystem, John is known for his ability to forge collaboration and inspire innovation. Additionally, John is VP at Curated Mining, a Naples-based Bitcoin mining company, and also leads a vibrant meetup group of over 600 members, demonstrating his commitment to community development and the balance of professional success with Naples culture.

John Koudounis
President and CEO
Calamos Investments

John Koudounis
President and CEO
Calamos Investments
John Koudounis serves as the President and CEO of Calamos Investments, the third largest liquid alternatives asset manager in the US. Under his leadership, the firm’s AUM has surged to over $46 billion, nearly tripling since he took the helm in 2016. Notably, he has overseen the launch of innovative products, including the world's first suite of downside-protected Bitcoin ETFs.
With over 37 years of experience in the financial services sector, he previously held the position of President and CEO at Mizuho Securities in the Americas, where he significantly expanded the firm's capital markets teams and enhanced profitability, client base, and product diversity, elevating Mizuho to a top-tier global investment bank.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Koudounis is recognized for his thought leadership, frequently speaking at global conferences and platforms such as CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg TV. Koudounis is committed to philanthropy and is involved with several organizations including the Concordia Leadership Council, the SEAL Future Foundation, The Hellenic Initiative, and the Ecumenical Bartholomew Foundation.
He holds a degree in International Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs and Economics from Brown University.
With over 37 years of experience in the financial services sector, he previously held the position of President and CEO at Mizuho Securities in the Americas, where he significantly expanded the firm's capital markets teams and enhanced profitability, client base, and product diversity, elevating Mizuho to a top-tier global investment bank.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Koudounis is recognized for his thought leadership, frequently speaking at global conferences and platforms such as CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg TV. Koudounis is committed to philanthropy and is involved with several organizations including the Concordia Leadership Council, the SEAL Future Foundation, The Hellenic Initiative, and the Ecumenical Bartholomew Foundation.
He holds a degree in International Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs and Economics from Brown University.

John Paul Baric
CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric
CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.
A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.
An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.
A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.
An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.

John Riggins
CEO
Moon Inc

John Riggins
CEO
Moon Inc
John Riggins is the CEO of Moon Inc. (HKG-1723), a Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed Bitcoin Treasury company.
Prior to Moon Inc, John was a founding partner of UTXO Management’s Bitcoin Ecosystem Fund, the most active early-stage venture capital fund across the Bitcoin landscape and led Asia business for BTC Media, the world’s preeminent Bitcoin focused media group, with brands including Bitcoin Magazine and The Bitcoin Conference
Prior to Moon Inc, John was a founding partner of UTXO Management’s Bitcoin Ecosystem Fund, the most active early-stage venture capital fund across the Bitcoin landscape and led Asia business for BTC Media, the world’s preeminent Bitcoin focused media group, with brands including Bitcoin Magazine and The Bitcoin Conference

Jonas Nick
Director of Research
Blockstream

Jonas Nick
Director of Research
Blockstream
Jonas is the Director of Research at Blockstream. He has made foundational contributions to Bitcoin through co-authoring various Bitcoin Improvement Proposals, including the Taproot upgrade, and is a core contributor to libsecp256k1, the cryptographic library used in Bitcoin Core.
Recently, Jonas has focused on securing Bitcoin against future quantum computing threats. In late 2025, he co-authored the comprehensive paper "Hash-based Signature Schemes for Bitcoin", which laid the groundwork for his co-development of SHRINCS—an optimized hash-based post-quantum signature scheme. This work led to the first production deployment of post-quantum signature verification on the Liquid Network using Simplicity smart contracts in early 2026.
Alongside his post-quantum research, Jonas continues to advance classical cryptography with academic publications on constant-size aggregate signatures (DahLIAS), advanced applications of Schnorr signatures (MuSig2), and zero-knowledge proofs (Bulletproofs++).
Recently, Jonas has focused on securing Bitcoin against future quantum computing threats. In late 2025, he co-authored the comprehensive paper "Hash-based Signature Schemes for Bitcoin", which laid the groundwork for his co-development of SHRINCS—an optimized hash-based post-quantum signature scheme. This work led to the first production deployment of post-quantum signature verification on the Liquid Network using Simplicity smart contracts in early 2026.
Alongside his post-quantum research, Jonas continues to advance classical cryptography with academic publications on constant-size aggregate signatures (DahLIAS), advanced applications of Schnorr signatures (MuSig2), and zero-knowledge proofs (Bulletproofs++).

Jon Atack
Developer & Protocol Engineer, BIPs maintainer
Bitcoin Core

Jon Atack
Developer & Protocol Engineer, BIPs maintainer
Bitcoin Core
I'm concerned about human rights and freedom, decentralization of power, individual empowerment, privacy and self-sovereignty. Bitcoin and open source software play a key part in striving for these causes around the world that are increasingly important every day. As a contributor to Bitcoin Core since 2019 and BIPs maintainer since 2024, I pursue a long-term, evergreen role of help and service, hopefully with a measure of kindness, wisdom and forbearance, to the Bitcoin ecosystem. See my articles in https://jonatack.github.io/ for more.

Jonathan Bier
CEO
Farside Investors

Jonathan Bier
CEO
Farside Investors
Jonathan serves on Brink's board and brings experience administering the BitMEX Open Source Developer Grant Program. He has authored two books: The Blocksize War and Reckless: The Story Of Cryptocurrency Interest Rates. He has also written a series of research articles for BitMEX
Jonathan is also an advisor to Bitwise and a chartered accountant, having started his career at KPMG in London.
Jonathan is also an advisor to Bitwise and a chartered accountant, having started his career at KPMG in London.

Jonathan Melton
Head of Lending
Unchained

Jonathan Melton
Head of Lending
Unchained
Jonathan spent the first 13 years of his career at Morgan Stanley focused on foreign exchange markets and wealth management. In 2018, he left Wall Street to join the largest Bitcoin custodian in the world, Xapo.
At Xapo, he marketed custody and trading to institutional investors. Subsequently, he joined Silvergate where he helped to build and scale their Bitcoin collateralized lending program to nearly $1.5B in commitments with no losses.
Jonathan now leads the lending business at Unchained, the longest-tenured continuously operating lender in the industry.
At Xapo, he marketed custody and trading to institutional investors. Subsequently, he joined Silvergate where he helped to build and scale their Bitcoin collateralized lending program to nearly $1.5B in commitments with no losses.
Jonathan now leads the lending business at Unchained, the longest-tenured continuously operating lender in the industry.

Jonathan Ovadia
CEO
OVEX

Jonathan Ovadia
CEO
OVEX
Jon Ovadia is the founder and CEO of OVEX, one of Africa's largest Bitcoin and crypto exchanges. OVEX moves billions annually across African corridors, using Bitcoin and stablecoin rails to solve the FX and settlement problems that traditional banking cannot. The group operates under Satoshi Holdings, a name that reflects where its conviction has been since day one.

Jon Gordon
Co-Founder
SOUND HSA

Jon Gordon
Co-Founder
SOUND HSA
Jon has been working to integrate bitcoin into healthcare for the past 4 years. After leading business development for CrowdHealth, Jon went on to help doctors, dentists and ecommerce businesses adopt a bitcoin strategy. In early 2025, Jon teamed up with another healthcare veteran, Stu Lackey, to launch SOUND HSA, the first bitcoin health savings platform. SOUND HSA facilitates individual health savings accounts and a wellness program - move to earn - for companies to offer sats for steps to their people to improve health and encourage bitcoin education.
SOUND HSA also enables individuals to save step data to Nostr, and is moving towards decentralizing health data. Jon serves on the board of the Bitcoin Physicians Network. Jon is also a co-founder of NosFabrica, building web of trust tooling on Nostr.
Jon has been studying bitcoin for 5+ years and is an active leader in the Chicago bitcoin community. A certified yoga teacher, Jon believes bitcoin is the best form of money humans have ever discovered and has written extensively on the connection between bitcoin and yoga. He's currently manifesting hyperbitcoinization...
SOUND HSA also enables individuals to save step data to Nostr, and is moving towards decentralizing health data. Jon serves on the board of the Bitcoin Physicians Network. Jon is also a co-founder of NosFabrica, building web of trust tooling on Nostr.
Jon has been studying bitcoin for 5+ years and is an active leader in the Chicago bitcoin community. A certified yoga teacher, Jon believes bitcoin is the best form of money humans have ever discovered and has written extensively on the connection between bitcoin and yoga. He's currently manifesting hyperbitcoinization...

Jordan Guess
Head of Sales & Partnerships
Bitment & Satoshi Pacioli

Jordan Guess
Head of Sales & Partnerships
Bitment & Satoshi Pacioli
Jordan Guess is a CPA and a Partner at Satoshi Pacioli, a Bitcoin-focused CPA firm, and Bitment, an AI-native Bitcoin accounting and tax platform. At Satoshi Pacioli, Jordan leads a team of eleven serving Bitcoiners and Bitcoin businesses with tax strategy, compliance, and cost-basis tracking, from individual holders to mining operations. With Bitment, he co-built purpose-built software that brings AI and automation to Bitcoin accounting workflows, including IRS-compliant data pipelines and local LLM tooling deployed in production.
Jordan operates at the intersection of Bitcoin, AI, and professional accounting as a practitioner who builds and ships the tools his own firm runs on daily. He speaks on Bitcoin tax and compliance, AI adoption for CPAs, and what it takes to build real infrastructure for a Bitcoin-native economy.
Jordan operates at the intersection of Bitcoin, AI, and professional accounting as a practitioner who builds and ships the tools his own firm runs on daily. He speaks on Bitcoin tax and compliance, AI adoption for CPAs, and what it takes to build real infrastructure for a Bitcoin-native economy.

Jordan Urbs
AI Educator
AI Captains Academy

Jordan Urbs
AI Educator
AI Captains Academy
Jordan is an educator empowering creators and solopreneurs to build with agentic AI. His journey began two decades ago in the pursuit of individual freedom, inevitably leading him to Bitcoin and even a year of documenting entrepreneur life in El Salvador. That experience made him realize that true sovereignty requires reclaiming control over both money *and* time.
Today, Jordan teaches how to leverage AI agents to unlock that control and harness unprecedented levels of productivity, creativity, and autonomy. He shares how to build self-owned digital ventures, using AI to build & explore while anchoring one's financial freedom in Bitcoin's permissionless design.
Today, Jordan teaches how to leverage AI agents to unlock that control and harness unprecedented levels of productivity, creativity, and autonomy. He shares how to build self-owned digital ventures, using AI to build & explore while anchoring one's financial freedom in Bitcoin's permissionless design.

Josh Hendrickson
Professor and Chair
University of Mississippi

Josh Hendrickson
Professor and Chair
University of Mississippi
Dr. Hendrickson is a professor of economics and chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Mississippi. He is a senior fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, a senior fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research’s Sound Money Project, a senior affiliate scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and serves on the board of the Mississippi Council on Economic Education. Hendrickson’s research focuses on the intersection of monetary theory and political economy. He has written extensively on the political economy of bitcoin. He has published articles in scholarly journals such as the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, the Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Macroeconomic Dynamics, the Journal of Macroeconomics, Economic Inquiry, Economics and Politics, and Contemporary Economic Policy.

Julia Duzon
Chief Operating Officer
River

Julia Duzon
Chief Operating Officer
River
Julia Duzon is the Chief Operating Officer and Board Member at River. She has been at River since 2021 and oversees operations, finance, marketing, sales, and compliance. Prior to joining River, Ms. Duzon served as the Senior Director of sales and strategy for a top 20 U.S. bank. She was also a management consultant at Deloitte focused on bank strategy and risk management. Ms. Duzon holds an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a BA from Duke University.

Justin Dorey
Former Olympic Freeskier -> Analyst at Luxor
Luxor

Justin Dorey
Former Olympic Freeskier -> Analyst at Luxor
Luxor
Justin Dorey is a former Olympic free-skier turned Bitcoin maximalist with a background in brand strategy and management consulting at Deloitte. His interest political economy and counter-cultural movements led him to Bitcoin. Since then, he has dedicated his career to contributing to the movement in any way he can.

Justine Bone
Executive Director
Crypto ISAC

Justine Bone
Executive Director
Crypto ISAC
Justine Bone is Executive Director of Crypto ISAC, where she leads collective defense and intelligence collaboration across the global crypto ecosystem. She brings a career spanning Bloomberg, Dow Jones, and multiple security startups, along with board service across the cybersecurity sector. Her background includes enterprise security, offensive security research, and executive leadership at the intersection of cybersecurity, resilience, and risk management.

Justin Moon
AI Technical Lead
Human Rights Foundation

Kara Calvert
VP, US Policy
Coinbase

Kara Calvert
VP, US Policy
Coinbase
Kara Calvert has been at the intersection of public policy and the innovation industry for over 20 years. She is currently the Vice President of US Policy for Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the United States, and works with lawmakers, regulators, and the crypto community across the country to advocate for sensible crypto policy.
Kara began her career in Washington working for U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). Most recently, she was a partner at the Franklin Square team, where she represented the world’s most innovative and impactful technology companies for 13 years. Prior to her time at the Franklin Square Group, Kara worked for the Information Technology Industry Council.
Kara began her career in Washington working for U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). Most recently, she was a partner at the Franklin Square team, where she represented the world’s most innovative and impactful technology companies for 13 years. Prior to her time at the Franklin Square Group, Kara worked for the Information Technology Industry Council.

Keith Gardner
CEO
Branta

Keith Gardner
CEO
Branta
As the founder of Branta, Keith is pioneering the pre-payment verification layer of Bitcoin payments. After asking himself about how his Bitcoin could be stolen, the idea for Branta emerged.
Branta enables sending Bitcoin with absolute certainty; confirming counterparty addresses without revealing sensitive data. Branta’s triangulated security model adds an independent verification layer that eliminates the threat of address-swap and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Branta supports ecommerce, remittances, OTC, and wallet infrastructure.
Prior to founding Branta, Keith was a software engineer at Bloomberg. Keith loves coffee, cigars, surfing and boxing.
Branta enables sending Bitcoin with absolute certainty; confirming counterparty addresses without revealing sensitive data. Branta’s triangulated security model adds an independent verification layer that eliminates the threat of address-swap and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Branta supports ecommerce, remittances, OTC, and wallet infrastructure.
Prior to founding Branta, Keith was a software engineer at Bloomberg. Keith loves coffee, cigars, surfing and boxing.

Kellie Okonek
Vitality Architect and Executive Coach
Vital Systems, LLC

Kellie Okonek
Vitality Architect and Executive Coach
Vital Systems, LLC
Kellie is a Vitality Architect and Executive Coach, transforming people and businesses from functioning to flourishing. She integrates the principles of Bitcoin into how we live and work to design breakthrough results as an output of thriving.
She is also on a mission to integrate Bitcoin mining into oil and gas operations. A former BP executive (with experience at Shell and ExxonMobil too!) who's operated major fields in Alaska, Oman, and Iraq, she sees the marriage of the two industries as inevitable and is working to accelerate it.
Kellie is committed to helping Bitcoiners amplify their lives beyond the financial realm, using Bitcoin to create richness across the spectrum.
She is also on a mission to integrate Bitcoin mining into oil and gas operations. A former BP executive (with experience at Shell and ExxonMobil too!) who's operated major fields in Alaska, Oman, and Iraq, she sees the marriage of the two industries as inevitable and is working to accelerate it.
Kellie is committed to helping Bitcoiners amplify their lives beyond the financial realm, using Bitcoin to create richness across the spectrum.

Ken Egan
Head of Government Affairs
Bitcoin Policy Institute

Ken Egan
Head of Government Affairs
Bitcoin Policy Institute
Ken's Bitcoin journey started while in government service. He served as a Senior Operations Officer at the Central Intelligence Agency. He retired from federal service in September 2022 following two decades of combined service at CIA and the Department of State. He has long professional expertise working on Middle East and East Asia issues, including assignments at CIA’s Center for Cyber Intelligence (CCI). Prior to retiring, Ken served as the Deputy Chief of Operations at CCI. What began as a professional interest evolved into a deeply held conviction that a Bitcoin-enabled future represents the most promising path toward a free and peaceful world.

Kent Halliburton
CEO & Co-Founder
Sazmining

Kent Halliburton
CEO & Co-Founder
Sazmining
Kent Halliburton began his career transforming the energy landscape through rooftop solar, pioneering the first residential power purchase agreement, and driving innovation in distributed energy. Recognizing similar disruptive potential in Bitcoin, he now serves as CEO and Co-Founder of Sazmining.
Sazmining's Bitcoin Mining as a Service provides clients direct access to the Bitcoin network, allowing them to mine "wild sats" without relying on exchanges. Driven by renewable energy and fully aligned with client success, Sazmining is redefining the future of sustainable, purpose-driven Bitcoin mining.
Sazmining's Bitcoin Mining as a Service provides clients direct access to the Bitcoin network, allowing them to mine "wild sats" without relying on exchanges. Driven by renewable energy and fully aligned with client success, Sazmining is redefining the future of sustainable, purpose-driven Bitcoin mining.

Kevin Kelly
CEO
Kelly Intelligence

Kevin Kelly
CEO
Kelly Intelligence
Mr. Kelly is the Founder and CEO of Kelly Intelligence, an investment management and intelligence firm that seeks to bring cutting-edge ETFs.
He is the Portfolio Manager of Amplify's Bitcoin Option Income ETFs (https://amplifyetfs.com/bitcoin-income) where he seeks to monetize Bitcoin's volatility. Kelly Intelligence is the sub-advisor to the Amplify ETFs.
Kevin Kelly has been advocating for Bitcoin since 2017, appearing in several major media outlets including Bloomberg, Fox Business, and Fox News. Most notably, in a 2017 discussion on Fox Business with former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commissioner Bart Chilton, he refuted assertions about Bitcoin made by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.
He has an extensive background investment management, with a specific focus on options and ETFs. At Kelly Intelligence, he is responsible for investment strategy, ETF product design, index development, and portfolio implementation.
In September 2014, Nasdaq named Kevin an ‘ETF Insider’ for creating the QYLD ETF and as a recognized leader in the ETF space for design, distribution and growth with his extensive track record of launching multi-billion dollar ETFs. Kevin’s thought leadership on markets, derivatives, e-commerce, and technology can be found weekly in top media outlets.
He is the Portfolio Manager of Amplify's Bitcoin Option Income ETFs (https://amplifyetfs.com/bitcoin-income) where he seeks to monetize Bitcoin's volatility. Kelly Intelligence is the sub-advisor to the Amplify ETFs.
Kevin Kelly has been advocating for Bitcoin since 2017, appearing in several major media outlets including Bloomberg, Fox Business, and Fox News. Most notably, in a 2017 discussion on Fox Business with former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commissioner Bart Chilton, he refuted assertions about Bitcoin made by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.
He has an extensive background investment management, with a specific focus on options and ETFs. At Kelly Intelligence, he is responsible for investment strategy, ETF product design, index development, and portfolio implementation.
In September 2014, Nasdaq named Kevin an ‘ETF Insider’ for creating the QYLD ETF and as a recognized leader in the ETF space for design, distribution and growth with his extensive track record of launching multi-billion dollar ETFs. Kevin’s thought leadership on markets, derivatives, e-commerce, and technology can be found weekly in top media outlets.

Kevin Loaec
CEO
Wizardsardine

Kevin Loaec
CEO
Wizardsardine
Kevin Loaec is the CEO and co-founder of Wizardsardine, a Bitcoin security company focused on building open-source, failure-resilient custody systems. He has been working on Bitcoin security and adversarial design for over a decade, with a particular emphasis on vaults, self-custody, governance, and recovery mechanisms using native Bitcoin primitives. Kevin is best known as a co-architect of the Revault protocol, a multiparty Bitcoin vault architecture designed to mitigate key compromise, internal threats, and operational failure. His work has directly influenced how institutions and individuals think about timelocks, policy-based spending, and secure Bitcoin inheritance.

Khing Oei
Founder and CEO
Treasury

Khing Oei
Founder and CEO
Treasury
Khing Oei is the Founder and CEO of Treasury, a Netherlands-based Bitcoin treasury company, backed by investors including Winklevoss Capital and Nakamoto.
Khing is a seasoned investor with deep expertise across traditional and digital markets. He most recently served as Senior Advisor Crypto at a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund focusing on crypto distressed situations such as FTX and Genesis, where he is a member of the Board of Directors. In this role, he oversaw multi-billion-dollar Bitcoin swaps, acquisitions and distributions.
He began his career at Goldman Sachs in the Fixed Income, Currency & Commodities’ Special Situations Investing Group, before moving into senior investment roles at Fortress and Bardin Hill (formerly Halcyon), where he was CEO of Europe and built the firm’s $2.5B securitized credit business. He later founded and was Chief Investment Officer of Eyck, a $200M event-driven distressed & special situations hedge fund.
Throughout his career, Khing executed complex transactions across equities, credit, special situations, and digital assets. As an entrepreneur, he has also launched ventures such as Maicrotrader, an AI-driven Bitcoin and crypto trading agent platform.
Khing is a seasoned investor with deep expertise across traditional and digital markets. He most recently served as Senior Advisor Crypto at a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund focusing on crypto distressed situations such as FTX and Genesis, where he is a member of the Board of Directors. In this role, he oversaw multi-billion-dollar Bitcoin swaps, acquisitions and distributions.
He began his career at Goldman Sachs in the Fixed Income, Currency & Commodities’ Special Situations Investing Group, before moving into senior investment roles at Fortress and Bardin Hill (formerly Halcyon), where he was CEO of Europe and built the firm’s $2.5B securitized credit business. He later founded and was Chief Investment Officer of Eyck, a $200M event-driven distressed & special situations hedge fund.
Throughout his career, Khing executed complex transactions across equities, credit, special situations, and digital assets. As an entrepreneur, he has also launched ventures such as Maicrotrader, an AI-driven Bitcoin and crypto trading agent platform.

Kolin Burges

Kolin Burges
Early bitcoin advocate and media figure. Kolin is best known for his part in a two-week, two-man protest outside the MtGox bitcoin exchange in Tokyo in 2014, leading up to its collapse. The protest became a defining moment in early bitcoin history, bringing the first major wave of mainstream media attention to the space and focusing intense global scrutiny on MtGox. This helped lead to the last 200,000 bitcoins being returned to customers via bankruptcy rather than potentially being used to keep an insolvent exchange open longer term.

Korok Ray
Associate Professor & Executive Director
Texas A&M University

Korok Ray
Associate Professor & Executive Director
Texas A&M University
Korok is the Founder and Executive Director of BEI. He’s also an Associate Professor at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M University and the Founder and President of the Southwest Innovation Research Lab, another 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Korok teaches and researches Bitcoin. He also cofounded the Blockchain and Energy Research Consortium, which is dedicated to researching bitcoin mining in Texas. As an applied game theorist, Korok focuses his research on the intersection of economics and computation, specifically in distributed systems, computer networking, cybersecurity, and cryptocurrencies. Naturally, Korok’s work in this space led him to Bitcoin.
Korok teaches two classes on Bitcoin at Texas A&M. The Bitcoin Protocol is an engineering course that examines the technical codebase underneath Bitcoin, including cryptography, distributed computing, and computer networking. Bitcoin: Accounting for Digital Transactions, on the other hand, explores the business, economics, and policy of the Bitcoin industry, especially Bitcoin mining. These courses represent the first – and, so far, only – Bitcoin-only classes offered by a major US research university.
Korok writes a popular Bitcoin newsletter, Principles of Bitcoin. He speaks regularly on podcasts and conferences; notably, he delivered the keynote speech on Bitcoin and AI at MicroStrategy World 2024.
Prior to joining the faculty at Mays, Korok served on the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House from 2007 to 2009. During this time, he witnessed the Great Financial Crisis up close – it wasn’t his fault! Korok’s policy portfolio covered technology and financial services, and he was on the President’s Working Group for Financial Markets.
Korok earned a BS in mathematics from the University of Chicago and a PhD in economics from Stanford University. He has taught at the University of Chicago, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, and, now, Texas A&M.
Korok teaches two classes on Bitcoin at Texas A&M. The Bitcoin Protocol is an engineering course that examines the technical codebase underneath Bitcoin, including cryptography, distributed computing, and computer networking. Bitcoin: Accounting for Digital Transactions, on the other hand, explores the business, economics, and policy of the Bitcoin industry, especially Bitcoin mining. These courses represent the first – and, so far, only – Bitcoin-only classes offered by a major US research university.
Korok writes a popular Bitcoin newsletter, Principles of Bitcoin. He speaks regularly on podcasts and conferences; notably, he delivered the keynote speech on Bitcoin and AI at MicroStrategy World 2024.
Prior to joining the faculty at Mays, Korok served on the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House from 2007 to 2009. During this time, he witnessed the Great Financial Crisis up close – it wasn’t his fault! Korok’s policy portfolio covered technology and financial services, and he was on the President’s Working Group for Financial Markets.
Korok earned a BS in mathematics from the University of Chicago and a PhD in economics from Stanford University. He has taught at the University of Chicago, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, and, now, Texas A&M.

Kosta Ouzas
CEO/Founder
Minotaur Trading Systems

Kosta Ouzas
CEO/Founder
Minotaur Trading Systems
Kostas Ouzas is the founder of Minotaur Trading Systems, a company dedicated to building trading algorithms. With a background in quantitative system design and a deep focus on risk management, Ouzas developed Minotaur around the principle of protecting capital while capturing opportunity. Ouzas’s mission is to make institutional-grade trading intelligence accessible to everyday investors, enabling systematic exposure to Bitcoin’s long-term potential without emotion or speculation.

Kristyna Mazankova
Head of PR/Director of the Master in Bitcoin
BTC Inc/ Hesperides University

Kristyna Mazankova
Head of PR/Director of the Master in Bitcoin
BTC Inc/ Hesperides University
Kristýna Mazánková is the Director of the Master in Bitcoin — the world’s first English and global academic program dedicated entirely and only to Bitcoin as a social, technological, and economic phenomenon.
Before entering the Bitcoin industry in 2019, Kristýna built her career in technology and corporate communications, helping global and regional organizations communicate innovation and navigate change. She later led communications at SatoshiLabs, the creators of Trezor, and today serves as Head of PR at BTC Inc., the company behind Bitcoin Magazine and the world’s largest Bitcoin conferences.
At Hesperides University, Kristýna is shaping a new kind of higher education — one that treats Bitcoin not as a trend, but as a turning point in human organization, value, and trust. As she puts it, “Bitcoin deserves an academic space — serious, independent, and global.”
Her work connects communication, education, technology, and the growing movement for intellectual and financial independence.
Before entering the Bitcoin industry in 2019, Kristýna built her career in technology and corporate communications, helping global and regional organizations communicate innovation and navigate change. She later led communications at SatoshiLabs, the creators of Trezor, and today serves as Head of PR at BTC Inc., the company behind Bitcoin Magazine and the world’s largest Bitcoin conferences.
At Hesperides University, Kristýna is shaping a new kind of higher education — one that treats Bitcoin not as a trend, but as a turning point in human organization, value, and trust. As she puts it, “Bitcoin deserves an academic space — serious, independent, and global.”
Her work connects communication, education, technology, and the growing movement for intellectual and financial independence.

Kurtis Perdelwitz
Sales and Marketing Director
GIGA Inc

Kurtis Perdelwitz
Sales and Marketing Director
GIGA Inc
Kurtis Perdelwitz serves as Sales and Marketing Director at GIGA Inc. and INTUS Windows, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in the building materials sector. He is recognized for driving growth, scaling organizations, and building high-performing teams through a strategic, technology-driven approach. With a focus on sustainability, innovation, AI, and data-informed decision-making, Kurtis helps organizations improve performance while preparing for long-term success. He is also an active voice in exploring how Bitcoin and modern treasury strategies can enhance corporate resilience in a rapidly changing business environment.

Kyle Schneps
Director of Policy
DCG

Kyle Schneps
Director of Policy
DCG
Kyle Schneps is Director of Public Policy at DCG, working at the intersection of energy, data centers, Bitcoin, and AI. His work examines how emerging technologies are reshaping U.S. geopolitics, competitiveness, and national security.
The majority of Kyle’s career was spent as a U.S. Intelligence Officer. He also served in a diplomatic post at the U.S. Department of State advising the Special Envoy for Guantanamo Bay and in the New York State Governor’s Office overseeing state operations. He is a former White House Fellow focused on national security and federal budgeting.
Kyle is co-author and editor of National Security in the Digital Age. He holds two master’s degrees from Columbia University.
The majority of Kyle’s career was spent as a U.S. Intelligence Officer. He also served in a diplomatic post at the U.S. Department of State advising the Special Envoy for Guantanamo Bay and in the New York State Governor’s Office overseeing state operations. He is a former White House Fellow focused on national security and federal budgeting.
Kyle is co-author and editor of National Security in the Digital Age. He holds two master’s degrees from Columbia University.

Lauren Rodriguez
Wife of Keonne Rodriguez
#freesamourai

Lauren Rodriguez
Wife of Keonne Rodriguez
#freesamourai
Lauren is the devoted wife of Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, who is currently serving a five-year federal prison sentence for developing non-custodial, open-source privacy software. She passionately advocates for cryptocurrency privacy rights and criminal justice reform, focusing on securing clemency for her husband and bringing attention to others who have suffered similar injustice under the previous administration.
Lauren campaigns to highlights the broader implications of the Samourai case, drawing parallels to other privacy-focused projects, and calls attention to the lawfare against innovators in the Bitcoin and crypto space. Resilient and outspoken, she balances her personal grief with determined activism, emphasizing that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" as she strives for her husband’s freedom and systemic reform.
Lauren campaigns to highlights the broader implications of the Samourai case, drawing parallels to other privacy-focused projects, and calls attention to the lawfare against innovators in the Bitcoin and crypto space. Resilient and outspoken, she balances her personal grief with determined activism, emphasizing that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" as she strives for her husband’s freedom and systemic reform.

Lee Counselman
Managing Director
Barclays

Lee Salminen
Co-founder
Bitcoin Jungle

Lee Salminen
Co-founder
Bitcoin Jungle
Lee is a Bitcoin builder and open-source contributor focused on real-world adoption and self-custody. He is the co-founder of Bitcoin Jungle, where he builds Bitcoin and Lightning tools that enable everyday payments and circular economies in Costa Rica. His work centers on turning Bitcoin from an abstract idea into practical money used by local people and businesses. Lee is passionate about empowering communities through open systems, education, and sovereign technology.

Leon Johnson
Head of Operations
Fedi

Leon Johnson
Head of Operations
Fedi
Bitcoin operator and systems builder with several years of hands-on experience running bitcoin at scale inside operating companies. As Head of Operations at Fedi, led execution across treasury, controls, finance and organizational scaling including navigating the realities of holding bitcoin on the balance sheet through volatile market conditions. Focused on building durable financial systems that work under pressure, not just in theory.

Leo Wang
Vice President of Capital Markets and Corporate Development
Canaan Inc.

Leo Wang
Vice President of Capital Markets and Corporate Development
Canaan Inc.
Leo Wang leads public markets strategy, corporate development, and corporate communications at Canaan Inc., a Nasdaq-listed, Singapore-headquartered Bitcoin infrastructure company with a global footprint and a strong focus on the United States.
He brings over a decade of senior leadership experience across fundraising, investment, and capital markets at high-growth companies. Leo began his career in law and is a graduate of Columbia Law School. He is admitted to the New York State Bar.
He brings over a decade of senior leadership experience across fundraising, investment, and capital markets at high-growth companies. Leo began his career in law and is a graduate of Columbia Law School. He is admitted to the New York State Bar.

Liam Eagen
co-founder
{ ideal }

Liam Eagen
co-founder
{ ideal }
I do cryptography research into scaling Bitcoin via on-chain SNARK verification at { ideal }, a company I co-founded with Robin Linus and Ying Tong Lai. Previously, I was the founding cryptographer and chief scientist of Alpen Labs on BitVM and Glock and also worked at Blockstream research on proofs for private transactions. My work focuses on proof systems research and on BitVM and garbled circuits for verification on-chain. I also work on private transaction protocols like ShieldedCSV.

Lisa Hough

Lisa Hough
Lisa Hough operates at the convergence of U.S. energy infrastructure, Bitcoin, and AI/HPC data center deployment — helping energy companies structure partnerships that convert assets into compute-ready projects.
Her strategic fingerprints are on some of the most ambitious projects in the space. She played a catalytic role in architecting a ~2 GW AI campus initiative in West Texas — one of the largest of its kind — and is now driving similarly scaled efforts forward.
A Forbes Leading Voice in Bitcoin, Lisa serves on the Board of Directors of the Bitcoin Today Coalition, is a Founding Board Member of Proof of Workforce — supporting Bitcoin education and adoption for workers, unions, and pension funds — and sits on the Supervisory Board of Paris-based Melanion Digital, associated with a Bitcoin-equity ETF. She also advises Trammell Venture Partners.
Her career began in energy markets at Enron Capital & Trade, Phibro Energy, and PG&E National Energy Group, before moving into Bitcoin at Unchained and Custodia Bank, where she advised institutions on Bitcoin custody and regulatory complexity.
Her strategic fingerprints are on some of the most ambitious projects in the space. She played a catalytic role in architecting a ~2 GW AI campus initiative in West Texas — one of the largest of its kind — and is now driving similarly scaled efforts forward.
A Forbes Leading Voice in Bitcoin, Lisa serves on the Board of Directors of the Bitcoin Today Coalition, is a Founding Board Member of Proof of Workforce — supporting Bitcoin education and adoption for workers, unions, and pension funds — and sits on the Supervisory Board of Paris-based Melanion Digital, associated with a Bitcoin-equity ETF. She also advises Trammell Venture Partners.
Her career began in energy markets at Enron Capital & Trade, Phibro Energy, and PG&E National Energy Group, before moving into Bitcoin at Unchained and Custodia Bank, where she advised institutions on Bitcoin custody and regulatory complexity.

Liz Parrish
Events Coordinator
Bitcoin Bay Foundation

Liz Parrish
Events Coordinator
Bitcoin Bay Foundation
Liz Parrish is the Events Coordinator for Bitcoin Bay and former contributor to Bitcoin Charlotte, where she created HODLween. After nearly a decade as a traffic engineer in Washington, D.C., she transitioned into Bitcoin to focus on building high impact grassroots communities. Liz designs welcoming, design forward events that make Bitcoin accessible for newcomers while strengthening connection across the pleb community. She has also collaborated with the Beef Initiative, supporting decentralization, food sovereignty, and local ranchers within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Luke Rudkowski
Founder
We Are Change

Luke Rudkowski
Founder
We Are Change
Luke Rudkowski is the founder of We Are Change, a nonpartisan, independent media organization dedicated to exposing corruption and reporting truthfully on worldwide events. Luke is a journalist, entrepreneur and investor who has been using, covering and promoting Bitcoin for more than decade. Luke is also a self-defense instructor. His reports can be viewed at youtube.com/wearechange.


































