Bitcoin 2025

A Whirlwind of Chaos and Connection in Las Vegas

Jun 18, 2025

My apologies, I was a bit slow getting this piece out.

The Bitcoin 2025 Conference, held May 27–29 at The Venetian Convention Center in Las Vegas, was an electrifying spectacle featuring over 5,000 companies and 400 speakers. With more than 30,000 attendees, it cemented its status as the world’s largest Bitcoin gathering and reflected the ecosystem’s maturing influence on finance, politics, and global culture.

As both a volunteer and an attendee, I dove headfirst into it all—stuffing swag bags, wrangling media credentials, and navigating a whirlwind of political figures, high-voltage personalities, and wild side events. Spoiler: it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Chaos was a daily theme, much of it due to a startling percentage of volunteers simply not showing up. I’ve come to prefer smaller conferences as an attendee—where you actually see the same people twice and can build real connections—but I’ll admit: large ones are incredibly rewarding when you’re volunteering.

This is my account of a week where Bitcoin’s pulse beat louder than ever—blending high-stakes finance, cultural rebellion, and spontaneous camaraderie against the surreal neon backdrop of Sin City.

Why Vegas Was the Perfect Stage

Las Vegas was more than just a host city—it was the embodiment of Bitcoin’s ethos. With merchants like Golden Gate Hotel and Max Pawn accepting BTC, and Bitcoin ATMs sprinkled throughout the city, Vegas embraced the digital gold rush.

Vegas and Bitcoin share a unique cultural DNA. Both are unapologetic, high-pressure environments that thrive on raw capitalism and zero apologies. Vegas is where dreams are made or lost on the turn of a card. Bitcoin? Same, but digital. They're both double-edged swords—rewarding the bold, punishing the careless, and offering no guarantees. The Bitcoin logo lighting up The Sphere wasn’t just a marketing stunt; it was a moment of symbolic convergence between two ecosystems that understand the stakes... and embrace them.

Set-Up Day: The Calm Before the Storm

My conference week started earlier than most—May 25—with volunteer setup day. I was scheduled for pre-registration activities, but that’s not where I ended up. Nearly everyone was assigned to stuff thousands of swag bags, regardless of their shift or role. General Admission bags were underwhelming (a tote, a few flyers), while Whale bags came with Bitcoin poker chips, hats, and branded card decks and more. I meant to snag a deck for myself as a keepsake... but never found the time. Typical.

The Venetian Convention & Expo Center—2.25 million square feet—was still in construction mode. A Blue Origin shuttle pod sat gleaming in “The Deep,” the whale/VIP area. It was surreal seeing Bitcoin branding literally everywhere. It felt like wonderland.

The surprise highlight? David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin Magazine, came down and stuffed bags next to me for about an hour. Despite being arguably the most important person at the conference, he was completely chill and engaged. That moment reminded me that Bitcoin still has a human core beneath all the hype.

After the shift, I skipped the sparse social scene for some solo poker and a full night’s sleep.

Preregistration Day: Five-Minute Friends

Day two started with a mission: helping my friend Stacy by hauling heavy boxes of seed phrase plates and Bitcoin UNO decks to the venue. My truck was fully loaded. Chris—the guy I was delivering to—had no help and used a broken coat rack as a dolly. That broke in about 5 minutes. We got it done, barely. I made a mental note to remember his name in case I saw him again. (I did.)

At pre-reg (1:00–5:30 PM), lines were constant. Once I stopped trying to rush through people, I started really enjoying the vibe. I made a bunch of what I call “five-minute friends”—those short but meaningful micro-interactions that remind you why you love this space.

That night, I hit the volunteer appreciation event at “The Deep” for my one drink coupon. The real highlight came afterward—Mexican food with some new friends near The LINQ. I got caught in Strip traffic for 45 minutes on my way home, which tested my patience more than anything else that day.

Day 1: Industry Day & a Sunset Escape

I started the day in the media room, checking credentials. It should’ve been easy, but we were constantly swarmed with questions we weren’t trained to answer: “Where can I charge my phone?” “Can I rent camera gear?” “Where do I store my equipment?” You name it.

Whale pass holders were especially upset they couldn’t waltz in for coffee. You’d think we were guarding the Ark of the Covenant.

Later, I was pulled away to help with the Industry Day lunch, leaving Zach alone in the press area. Kristina (our lead) was not happy, but there just weren’t enough hands. This problem would repeat throughout the week. I’m convinced that at least 30% of the volunteers just didn’t show up. Pre-assigned roles were left vacant, which created stress, delayed breaks, overwhelmed stations, and ultimately made the experience worse for both volunteers and attendees.

With my shift done, I walked the venue and saw the booths and art in about 90 minutes. Honestly? A bit lonely without someone to share the experience with. I settled in for a couple hours at the Nakamoto Stage to catch speakers like Vivek Ramaswamy, David Sacks, The Winklevoss twins, and the DJT jr.

After, I joined a small group for a sunset hike up Lone Mountain. It took about 45 minutes up and 45 back down, and it was exactly what I needed: simple, social, peaceful, challenging. Views and camaraderie made for a nice moment

Day 2: Politics, Press Chaos, and Cigar Club Peace

Wednesday brought out the big dogs. Vice President JD Vance gave the morning keynote. I arrived around 8:30 AM to a line thousands deep—some of whom had camped out since 3:30 AM. The venue didn’t open until 10:00 AM due to Secret Service lockdown, which created a pressure cooker of humanity. No joke, it felt like a Tokyo subway at rush hour.

JD Vance: “Bitcoin and stablecoins aren’t just assets—they're tools for American strength and financial independence in a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions.”

Once inside, I returned to the media room chaos. At one point, a Whale pass holder—furious about being denied access—called a fellow volunteer “a real bitch”. Not just rude—entitled. Wealth clearly doesn’t guarantee grace.

Political momentum built all day. Senator Cynthia Lummis discussed a BTC reserve and tax reform for Bitcoin transactions. Don and Eric Trump hyped a $2.5 billion crypto treasury and went hard on traditional banking. There were dozens of politicians and insiders roaming around. The energy was electric—even if it made the event feel a little less cypherpunk.

There are a lot of mixed feelings out there about the role of politics in bitcoin, but we all knew that bitcoin was going to be a major part of everything. It just seems to be happening faster than people were ready for. I get it. Bitcoin doesn’t need DC suits in the slightest, but that’s not how freedom tech works.

Later, I was reassigned to Genesis Stage support, helping Mikey move furniture, replacing someone who couldn’t do it. The person meant to replace us at the end of shift? Stacy; 60-something, with a torn bicep. C’mon, seriously? Who is making these decisions? Eventually, another guy showed up, but the job really needed two people. I stayed past my shift to help, then dipped to catch Adam Back, Natalie Brunell, and James Lavish before ending my day at...

...Smōk cigar lounge, where my local Cigar Club raffle raised over $1,000. My wife and I had a wonderful night. I made a short appearance at an Orange Pill App afterparty where I got to see some long lost friends from years past before calling it quits—my social battery was toast.

Day 3: Ross Ulbricht and the End of the Madness

Thursday was my final media room shift—positioned just outside the Nakamoto Stage, which felt like defending Helm’s Deep. Again, relief came late. Again, volunteers were stretched thin.

But the speaker lineup made it worth it:

Lyn Alden
Jack Mallers
Michael Saylor
Ross Ulbricht

Ross Ulbricht: “Freedom in the digital age isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. Bitcoin represents our greatest opportunity to reclaim financial autonomy.”

His appearance—freshly pardoned—was surreal. His prison ID, artwork, and other memorabilia were auctioned off to support liberty-focused causes. It was a moving way to close the conference.

After the final speaker, we took a group photo (the one with the pro photographer turned out much better than the cell phone one where someone’s arm blocked my face). Then it was off to Tone Vays’ Unconfiscatable prep, loading poker tables and gear before crashing.

Post-Conference Weekend: Poker, Sats, and Goodbye

Friday morning, I picked up volunteers for a Hoover Dam tour, dropped them off at Boulder Dam Brewing Co., then headed to Unconfiscatable’s poker tourney.

I lasted until about 7:30 PM, placing 16th out of 55. Not a bad showing. I was card-dead near the end but played solid. Chris—the same guy from pre-reg day—found me and insisted on getting my details to send me something as thanks. Curious what’s coming…

Saturday I helped close down Unconfiscatable. The rest of the day is reserved for my family who I have neglected all week. Sunday ended with a chill home game of $1/$2 NLH with some high quality OGs. I doubled my dollars—which, of course, will become more sats.

Final Reflections: Chaos, Capitalism, and Community

This was the most intense Bitcoin event I’ve ever attended, and volunteering gave me a rare behind-the-scenes view.

The sheer scale of the event was both thrilling and problematic. Being short 30%+ of the volunteer force caused serious strain. That stress cascaded into delayed breaks, inadequate coverage, confusion, and some very real negative attendee experiences. A rethinking of the volunteer incentive structure is needed—especially since they gave away a bunch of free passes days before the event. Why would someone work 4 shifts when they can get in free?

As for conferences? I’ll say this:

Small ones = deeper relationships, more thoughtful conversations
Big ones = chaos, velocity, and unforgettable scale

Bitcoin 2025 wasn’t just a conference—it was a reflection of what Bitcoin has become: mainstream, messy, magical, and still undeniably revolutionary.

Michael Saylor: “Bitcoin isn't just an investment; it’s the architecture for financial security in an increasingly insecure world.”

For my Substack readers: if this is where Bitcoin is today, imagine where it will be in 5 years. Whether you're a HODLer or just crypto-curious, this event proved one thing—Bitcoin isn’t surviving… it’s thriving.

And next year? I’m aiming for a lead volunteer position to help make this even better. See you at Bitcoin 2026!