Speakers

Co-Founder & CBDO at Munich International Mining LLC

Bio: Luca is a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of one's passions - Bitcoin Mining. He is always on the lookout for new opportunities and ways to expand his mining operation. Luca's travels have taken him around the world, where he has forged valuable partnerships with other like-minded individuals and organizations.

As a trusted partner to many people, Luca has built a reputation for his reliability, honesty, and integrity. His commitment to decentralization and democratizing the space has opened up new opportunities for people around the world to participate in the mining process.

Luthando Ndabambi currently serves as Community Director (or Project Community Lead) for Bitcoin Ekasi — an initiative focused on Bitcoin adoption and financial inclusion in South Africa.

Earlier, he joined The Surfer Kids (a surf coaching / youth engagement programme) in May 2019 as a surf coach.

Over time, he expanded his work into the Bitcoin space (around August 2021) by learning about Bitcoin and helping onboard township shops to accept Bitcoin as payment.

When I’m not planning conferences, chances are I’m reading a book about bitcoin and drinking a cozy beverage.

Manash Goswami, CPA, CFA, MBA, is Chief Financial Officer at Synteq Digital. With over 25 years of experience across technology, power, logistics, e‑commerce, and capital markets, he leads all financial operations and strategy, including budgeting, forecasting, and reporting, to support business growth.

Maria Vovchok is an accomplished media professional and distinguished conference MC with over a decade of experience in media and more than eight years in blockchain, fintech, and Web3 communications.
Recognized for her articulate and insightful approach, Maria bridges complex technological subjects with broad and diverse audiences across global markets.
She began her Web3 journey as a news editor and anchor at several blockchain media outlets, later transitioning into marketing and PR roles within blockchain companies. Over the years, she has built strong relationships with VC funds, angel investors, and startup founders.
Maria has served as an MC and moderator at numerous tech and business conferences worldwide. Her distinguished presence has been sought by premier events such as TOKEN2049, Hong Kong FinTech Week, LEAP Riyadh, and more. She also served as Managing Director of the World of Web3
Summit, and was a contributing TV host at Moniify.
Currently, Maria is the Head of Business Development & Media Lead at the Dubai Blockchain Center, where she also hosts the Encrypted podcast, interviewing top voices in the Web3 ecosystem. She has also recently joined Gate as a Digital Producer & Host.
Beyond her professional work, Maria holds an ambassadorial role
with the Blockchain Association of Ukraine, and has been honored as one of the Top 25 Women in Fintech & Blockchain in MENA by DX Talks.

Mariangel Garcia is the Co-Founder of the Women in Investment Network (WIIN), a global circle that unites women investors, venture leaders, and visionaries who move capital. Through WIIN, she is advancing the mission of connecting women with curated investment opportunities, strategic alliances, and exclusive intelligence to redefine leadership, wealth, and legacy for generations to come.

She is an experienced Digital Marketing Strategist in the FinTech and Blockchain industries, with a proven track record in market expansion, community building, and business development. Previously, Mariangel led marketing and community initiatives at Binance Latin America and served as Head of Communities at BNB Chain, driving large-scale adoption and growth.

Named one of the Most Influential Women in Crypto 2024 by BeInCrypto, Mariangel is also a TEDx Speaker and U.S. Department of State Alumna, recognized for her thought leadership and frequent contributions at international conferences across the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East.

With 8+ years of experience in digital financial solutions, she is driven by a passion for financial inclusion, blockchain adoption, and empowering diverse leaders to shape the future of investment and technology.

Mark is the President and co-founder at OCEAN, a leading Bitcoin mining pool focused on decentralization, by empowering miners to reclaim their prominent position in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Mark is a former electrical engineer and utility executive, having spent 2 decades in high voltage power system design and operations in Canada and the USA prior to becoming a full time Bitcoin entrepreneur. Mark is a father of 7 and advocate of Bitcoin as the freedom technology of our lifetime.

Mark Connors is the founder of Risk Dimensions, an OCRO (Outsourced Chief Risk Officer) advisory that integrates his 35 years of institutional investment and financing experience with the recent advancements of bitcoin and AI. His career spans trading desks, multi-strategy hedge funds, and client-facing data strategy roles at Credit Suisse.

More recently, Mark led research at 3iQ during the 2022–23 crypto winter, where he applied behavioral finance, debt-cycle frameworks, and traditional risk models to contextualize the crisis—not as a protocol failure, but a failure of market participants.
This cross-disciplinary perspective drives his current research and consulting practice that demonstrates bitcoin is no longer a speculative anomaly and warrants inclusion in any multi-asset portfolio across the risk-reward spectrum.

Marko's journey with Bitcoin began in its early days, allowing him to witness the evolution of mining from CPU-based to GPU and ASIC-based setups.

Currently serving as the Lead Mining Manager at NiceHash, he has been with NiceHash since 2018​. At NiceHash, he focuses on managing and optimizing cryptocurrency mining products and operations.

Bitcoin investor for half a decade; founding member of MSTR True North, the leading podcast on Bitcoin treasury companies; and Director of Bitcoin Strategy at Méliuz, the first public Bitcoin treasury company in Brazil and Latin America.

Matt Cole has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Strive since April 2023 and serves as the Chairman of the Board.

A long-time Bitcoin investor and advocate, Matt has extensive experience in institutional asset management and fixed income, having spent 15 years at CalPERS in global fixed income, where he oversaw over $70 billion in actively managed Fixed Income assets. Matt joined Strive Asset Management in May 2022 as Head of Investment Office & Global Fixed Income. He was promoted to Chief Investment Officer, Global Head of Fixed Income in February 2023 before also becoming CEO of Strive. As CEO, Matt is focused on delivering innovative Bitcoin solutions and transforming how Americans interact with Bitcoin, making it accessible, practical, and central to their financial futures, while Strive remains committed to empowering investors through its pro-shareholder focused equity ETFs and actively managed Fixed Income ETFs. Matt is a CFA charterholder and holds an MBA from California State University — Sacramento.

Maurizio is a seasoned Bitcoin enthusiast and host of the long-running podcast Mr M Podcast which has been exploring the world of Bitcoin. With over a decade of experience in the crypto space, Maurizio provides insightful analysis, interviews with industry leaders, and discussions on the latest trends and developments in the blockchain ecosystem.
His passion for decentralisation and financial sovereignty continues to drive engaging conversations about the future of digital currencies.

is Bitkey & Proto Lead at Block, leading the development of the company’s self-custody bitcoin wallet Bitkey as well as the modular mining system, Proto. Prior to assuming this leadership role, Max was Hardware Security Lead at Block where he built and led product security and security engineering teams responsible for protecting a wide range of Square products and for shipping critical components that powered many different levels of Square's technology stack

Michael Ashby is an accomplished hedge fund and family office professional with 20 years of experience in the financial sector. He serves as CEO and CIO at AlgoQuant, a global quantitative trading firm. AlgoQuant manages internal capital, allocates to external managers and is building an asset management unit.

Michael Martin is a leading expert in institutional crypto advisory and private wealth management, currently serving as Senior Relationship Manager for Digital Asset Banking at Bank Julius Baer, one of world’s most respected private banks. With a career spanning 20 years across global financial centers— including Zurich, London, and Dubai — Michael has helped bridge the gap between traditional finance and the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.

At Julius Baer, he advises a global client base of entrepreneurs, family offices, and institutional investors on the seamless integration of crypto assets into long-term wealth strategies.

At the intersection of regulation, innovation, and client-centric advisory, Michael empowers clients to access Bitcoin and digital assets through secure custody, financial products, and strategic portfolio solutions.
Within the robust Swiss banking framework, Michael is shaping the future of digital asset banking — one relationship at a time.

Michael Peterson is the creative mind behind the Bitcoin Beach project that spurred the government of El Salvador to embrace Bitcoin as legal tender. The adoption of Bitcoin has put El Salvador in the spotlight as the unlikely catalyst to upend the worlds current monetary order established in Brenton Woods. Michael and his team have demonstrated how an open monetary system can overcome the challenges of bringing financial inclusion to those of the bottom rung of the economic ladder living in the most challenging of environments. In the past few years there have been hundreds of articles from major publications and dozens of film crews covering Bitcoin Beach and the revolution that it has sparked. The coverage of Bitcoin Beach from media giants like 60 Minutes and HBO have helped move the mainstream narrative about Bitcoin from “Bros and Lambos” to “financial inclusion and self sovereignty” for those previously trapped in destructive cycles of poverty.

Mohammed Ali Yusuf is the CEO and co-founder of Fuze, a regulated digital assets infrastructure platform focused on enabling banks and businesses in the Middle East to integrate digital asset products seamlessly. Under Mo’s leadership, Fuze is the fastest growing Fintech in the Middle East, surpassing $1bn in its first year. Fuze also completed a record-breaking $14M seed funding round and obtained several key regulatory licenses, including in UAE, Turkey, Canada and Europe. Mo is also the Co-Chair of Digital Assets for the MENA Fintech Association, driving forward the development of the region's fintech ecosystem.
Mo holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from a Canadian university and an MBA from the prestigious London Business School.

Mohammed Alshiekh, CTO and co-founder of DEMA Energy, builds systems that use Bitcoin mining as a flexible grid-balancing load. With 15+ years in engineering and AI, he develops immersion-cooled mining infrastructure, fleet management systems, and VPP platforms that merge Bitcoin and energy innovation.

As the CEO of amana, Muhammad Rasoul is a strong supporter of transparency, building financial literacy, and ensuring everyone has both the opportunity and the learning tools to scale the heights of the investment world. And by laying the groundwork for a more transparent approach to multi-asset trading and investing, he is steering amana into the forefront of a more innovative and accessible regional financial industry.

Over the course of his 25-year career, Rasoul has established a global presence as a financial industry innovator and thought leader. His expertise as a growth strategist has been instrumental in the creation, expansion, and successful sale of multiple companies, including Gain Capital, GFT Markets, and B2B liquidity provider, Alpha. He has also advised the CFTC, NFA, ASIC, FCA, and FSA in Japan.

Muhammad lives in Dubai with his wife, Sabina, and daughters Amirah and Alivia. In his spare time, he keeps in touch with Nadia, Yaseen, and Aiden, his three elder children, all of whom study and work in their native US. He is also an avid philosophy and history buff and can be found pouring over books about early American history. Last but not least, Muhammad is a fan of football and a long-time supporter of Chelsea Football Club!

Muslim Bitcoiner is the co-founder of Bitcoin Majlis, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslims about Bitcoin and exposing the dangers of fiat currency. He is the author of Anti-Riba Money: Dismantling Usury through Bitcoin, a recently published book that presents a compelling Islamic case for rejecting fiat and embracing Bitcoin. Active on both X and Nostr, he works to promote a deeper understanding of Bitcoin and its adoption within Muslim communities and organizations.

Mu’aawiyah Tucker has been engaged in educating, propagating and building on Bitcoin since 2017, and has a unique perspective of Bitcoin from an Islamic perspective due to being a specialist in Islamic Law.

Bitcoin advocate. Argentine-born, retired athlete, great at teambuilding, full-time learner and resilient.

Naser El Agha is a seasoned leader with over five years of experience in the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining industry. As CEO, he has played a pivotal role in building, scaling, and optimizing mining operations across multiple regions, with a strong focus on infrastructure development, energy efficiency, and sustainable growth.

His expertise spans mining infrastructure design, large-scale project execution, energy optimization, and regulatory strategy. Under his leadership, the company has successfully developed state-of-the-art mining farms, introduced advanced air and hydro cooling systems, and secured strategic government contracts and partnerships.

Beyond operations, Naser has been instrumental in expanding the company’s footprint by establishing new franchises and regional branches. He continues to advocate for responsible mining practices and works closely with regulatory bodies to shape policies that support innovation and energy-efficient blockchain adoption.

Driven by a vision to position Bitcoin mining as a sustainable and strategic industry, Naser combines technical knowledge with business foresight. A perfect balance between energy infrastructure and digital finance.

Neil Jacobs is a leading marketing strategist, educator, and content creator in the Bitcoin industry. With a big-four CPA background and 150,000 social media followers, he has driven brand and revenue growth for prominent Bitcoin companies, including co-founding FOMO21.com—which has served customers in over 70 countries—and previously serving as Head of Brand Engagement at Swan Bitcoin.

Neil’s Bitcoin journey began over a decade ago and he became a vocal advocate in the years that followed. Since then, he has hosted podcasts like Inside Bitcoin and served on the Board of Directors for SatsCenter, a nonprofit advancing Bitcoin education. Neil combines financial expertise with strategic vision to champion Bitcoin and foster its adoption globally.

Niko is the founder and CEO of digital media company Binifico.
He runs one of the most popular podcasts and YouTube channels on the topic of Bitcoin in the German speaking world: "Was Bitcoin bringt".
His popular English newsletter is called "Fix the money".
Niko is a sought-after speaker at conferences in Europe and internationally.

Nolan Bauerle writes, produces, and creates content related to our shift to a Bitcoin standard as a measure of economic production.

Obi Nwosu is cofounder and CEO of Fedi and a zealous advocate for Bitcoin mass adoption. He previously founded the Bitcoin exchange Coinfloor, and holds board positions at ₿trust and Gridless Compute.

Commercial Director at BitFuFu, overseeing the company’s energy partnerships and infrastructure development, while driving vertical integration across the company’s technology and operations. BitFuFu (Nasdaq: FUFU) is a leading platform in Bitcoin mining and mining services—combining self-mining, hosting, and cloud hashrate with an integrated stack to deliver efficient, resilient, and grid-responsive compute at scale.

Omar Al Yousif is an engineer, investor, and capital markets specialist with a background in project management. He has been pioneering and managing major digital and smart infrastructure projects across the Middle East, in addition to leading high-profile digital asset treasury initiatives in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, and Nasdaq.
As Deputy Chairman of 7-E Emirates Holding and Partner at 10X Capital, Omar works on bridging capital markets between Asia and the Gulf, structuring cross-border listings, and advising on public market strategies. His career includes senior leadership roles at Siemens AG and Etihad Rail, where he spearheaded multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, technology, and mobility projects across the MENA region.
With deep government and corporate networks, Omar is recognized for his ability to unite strategic stakeholders, drive innovative investment models, and advance transformative projects across industries from rail to blockchain.
Education: MSc in Major Program Management, University of Oxford; BSc (Hons) in Construction & Project Management, University of London

BIOGRAPHY
Paul Boots - Head of Sector Development, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)

Paul Boots, Head of Sector Development at the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), brings with him a wealth of experience as a senior executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record in innovation, leadership, and market development. With a diverse background spanning financial services, strategy, and technology, Paul has been instrumental in shaping the Middle East’s peer-to-peer financing landscape, notably as the founding Group COO at Beehive, where he pioneered one of the region's first peer-to-peer lending platforms. His entrepreneurial expertise also extends to co-founding a boutique advisory firm that focuses on leadership development and strategy for large UAE-based companies, with a special focus on AI-driven technologies.
Before these ventures, Paul played a key role in the executive leadership team at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), where he was instrumental in establishing Dubai as a global hub for trade across multiple industries. During his tenure, he conceptualized and built DMCC’s commodity trade finance platform, which facilitated Islamic banking partnerships. More recently, Paul led the development of a large B2B marketplace on behalf of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, further showcasing his ability to build innovative platforms that drive economic growth.
A graduate of Babson College, Paul’s passion for leadership, entrepreneurship, and building high-performing teams is central to his approach. His appointment at VARA aligns with Dubai’s strategic goals under the D33 agenda, as Paul’s leadership in sector development will play a critical role in positioning the Emirate as a global leader in the virtual assets space. His unique blend of strategic insight and operational expertise are pivotal as VARA continues to shape the future of virtual asset regulation and innovation.

Paul Dawalibi is a technology entrepreneur, investor, unicorn founder, futurist and gamer, with over 25 years of venture capital and startup experience. He is currently the CEO of Innovation City, the world’s first free zone fully powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in the UAE, where he is building the Silicon Valley of the Middle East in Ras Al Khaimah. Previously, he was CEO of Holodeck - the leading global media and technology company focused on gaming, esports and web3. His ability to communicate the business opportunity around innovation has made him the largest industry influencer and expert in the MENA region. Paul is the host and creator of Game Changers - a groundbreaking business show on CNBC Arabia reaching 50M homes in the Middle East. He is a frequently requested speaker at tech, startup, web3, and gaming conferences all around the world. He consults family offices, governments, investors, and global companies on startups and building innovation ecosystems. Paul is also the creator of the world's 1st esports NFT and founder of the 2020 fastest growing company in Canada. He believes that the future is fun™.
On TV and in media:
• My content is consumed daily and trusted by millions in 66 countries around the world, and am widely recognized as the thought leader in the region for startups, tech and gaming.
• Host & Creator of “Game Changers” – the most exciting weekly show on CNBC Arabia focused on gaming, esports and the metaverse, reaching 50M homes in the MENA region.
• Host & Creator of the world-famous Business of Esports podcast - the largest esports and gaming industry outlet and the only authority on the business side of the gaming/esports industry.
Live and in person:
• Chairman of the 1st ever Dubai Esports Festival (now called GameExpo)
• Invited to speak at the biggest innovation and technology conferences in the world - Next World Forum (KSA), PAX East, Esports Business Summit, World Metaverse Forum, GITEX, SALT, Crypto Bahamas, DIFCFintech Week, World Corporate Summit, Step, LEAP, TMRW, World AI Show, Future Blockchain Summit, RetailME Icons, Fast Company: World Changing Ideas, Dubai Future Forum, Ignite, World Blockchain Summit, Web Summit, AIM Congress, MIT NextTech Summit, etc…
• Retained as a startup, web3, AI, gaming, and esports expert by
companies, family offices, governments, and investors around the world.
• Professor of esports business at Saint Peter's University In books
• Author of Metaverse Dream – landmark metaverse book published by Assouline.
• Wrote the foreword for the best-selling esports business book of all time (The Book of Esports)
• As a VC, I've been talking about gaming, esports and the metaverse since 2011. At work (recent)
• Building the Silicon Valley of the Middle East and a global hub for innovation in Ras Al Khaimah
• Architect of a world-class gaming investment program for Abu Dhabi (DCT / ADGaming)
• Member of the Dubai Program for Gaming Working Group, charting the direction and future of the gaming industry in Dubai
• Advisor to Dubai Police on gaming and esports strategies
• Consulted as a subject matter expert on the concept & business model for Qiddiya (KSA gaming district)
• Consulted with Dubai Health Authority on the metaverse and gamification of
healthcare and was recognized by the Director General of DHA
• Developed the gaming content strategy for GITEX / Future Blockchain Summit
• Expert on building early stage tech, gaming and venture ecosystems

Pavlenex is a product manager dedicated to accelerating Bitcoin adoption through open-source payment solutions and mining infrastructure. He currently leads product strategy at BTCPay Server, an open-source payment processor, and Stratum V2, a next-gen mining protocol focused on enhancing decentralization and efficiency in mining. He is also a grantee of Spiral, a non-profit initiative by Block (formerly Square), founded by Jack Dorsey, dedicated to supporting free and open-source Bitcoin projects. He co-founded HUB21, one of the first physical Bitcoin hubs and BitcoinSmiles, a non-profit initiative providing dental healthcare to impoverished communities in rural El Salvador, Pavlenex actively contributes to both technological advancement and social impact within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Pedro is a designer and developer for the Bitcoin Conference. In addition to extensive contributions to no-KYC open source projects like Bisq and Mempool, he's directing the film Anatomy of Bitcoin, leads the design for the SatSigner project, founded the research and publishing house PirateHash, and co-founded the lighting game Chain Duel.

Peter is a key member of the Hub71 team, leading on Strategy and Product Development.

In his current role, Peter plays an integral role in designing new products and programs for the Hub71 ecosystem as well as identifying the right partners that could activate such programs.

A key part of Peter’s role is identifying synergies between startups, corporates, government entities, universities, global hubs and programs. Matchmaking entities based on identified synergies is a key role in enabling a fully functional tech ecosystem. Peter has been part of designing and launching programs such as Corporate Engagement Program, Ventures Lab, Value Creation, Academia Engagement, Banking Products for startups, The Outliers and many more.

Prior to joining Hub71, Peter was a Project Manager at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. As a consultant, Peter worked on building tech ecosystems, developing country-wide strategies, building new ventures, driving partnerships between private and public sectors as well as digital transformation and restructuring. This previous experience allows Peter to play a key role in shaping Hub71’s strategy.

Peter holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the American University of Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon) as well as a Machine Learning certificate from Stanford University (California, USA).

Ex-TradFi professional with 14 years of experience spanning Structured Finance at Cantor Fitzgerald, Investor Relations for an S&P 500 company, and Wealth Management. Now focused on bridging Bitcoin and traditional capital markets through the emerging Bitcoin Treasury Company movement.

Philip Rage is a London-based insurance executive and digital assets specialist with a strong focus on cryptocurrency risk management. He has built a career in strategy, innovation, and underwriting within the (re)insurance sector, previously at firms like Aon.

Currently Head of Underwriting at Soter Insure, a company specializing in digital asset insurance, Philip bridges traditional finance and crypto by providing coverage for Bitcoin in financial services.

His work helps institutionalize Bitcoin custody and DeFi through specialized insurance products, making him a key figure in onboarding traditional capital to the space.

HRH Hereditary Prince Filip Karađorđević of Serbia serves as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at JAN3, a global financial technology company. After a 13-year career in traditional finance, Prince Filip joined JAN3, driven by his belief in Bitcoin’s potential to deliver financial freedom and sovereignty to billions worldwide.

Prince Filip advocates for strong individual property rights and financial freedom through Bitcoin, while promoting legal frameworks that enable economic empowerment for the unbanked. A frequent guest speaker at prestigious international conferences, he engages with heads of state, legislators, monarchs, politicians, and C-suite executives.

Prince Filip envisions a new Renaissance, catalysed by Bitcoin, for Serbia and the wider world. Through his foundation in Serbia, he actively promotes Christianity, cultural heritage, financial literacy, the arts, technology, and family values.

Rachel Conlan, a visionary marketer and entrepreneurial strategist is the driving force behind Binance's global marketing and brand campaigns. As Binance embarks on its ambitious journey to reinforce and broaden its standing as the world's most trusted cryptocurrency brand, Rachel's leadership is instrumental. Before joining Binance, Rachel was a transformative figure at OKX, spearheading brand and marketing initiatives that included the negotiation and launch of high-profile international partnerships with Manchester City F.C., McLaren Racing, and Tribeca Festival. Her strategic insights and knack for partnership creation have left indelible marks on the brand. Rachel's vast experience extends to her tenure at CAA Sports, a leading international sports and entertainment agency, where she held the reins of Global Partnerships. She developed innovative brand partnerships and cultural marketing programs, bridging global brands, rights holders, and talent, adding immense value and contributing to CAA's market influence. As the Global Chief Marketing Officer for Havas, the sixth-largest communications company within the Vivendi conglomerate, Rachel demonstrated exceptional leadership. She was entrusted with enhancing Havas' reputation and revenue, crafting integrated marketing and experiential platforms for Fortune 500 companies that set industry benchmarks. In addition to her role as CMO, Rachel's contributions to Havas spanned various leadership positions. As Managing Director of Havas Luxhub, she led strategic and commercial operations, fostering pioneering strategies for luxury, fashion, and lifestyle companies to engage and retain a new generation of consumers. Her client portfolio boasted iconic brands like LVMH, PUIG, Sotheby's, Net-a-Porter, Netjets, and Kit and Ace. Rachel's strategic prowess was further displayed in her role as Havas' Global Growth Director. She orchestrated a comprehensive global new business development and marketing plan for the network. Notably, Rachel was part of the visionary team behind Havas' 2012 rebrand from Euro RSCG Worldwide, establishing a new standard for Havas Group's transformation. Rachel resides in Abu Dhabi, UAE with her husband and toddler son.

Rahim Taghizadegan is the last Austrian economist of the Austrian School in the direct tradition, teaching at universities in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany. Author of over 15 books, he was the first economist to teach about Bitcoin at university. He is the founder of scholarium.at, based in Zug, building Bitcoin citadels and educational hubs around the world, and of deedsats.com, building privacy-friendly solutions for digital assets on RGB and Bitcoin.

Pre-Bitcoin:

Graduated M.Tech in Structural Engineering in 2016, from IIT Madras.

Worked as a professional Structural Engineer for offshore oil rigs, water treatment plants, bridges, and metro viaducts. 2016-2021.

Found Bitcoin in 2017 at the dusk of the Blocksize War. Fell in love with the whole idea and started studying deeper. My journey has been entirely self-taught, where I taught myself the history of money, the principles of Austrian economics, and eventually cryptography and maths.

Over time the Bitcoin obsession became so big, that I started learning to code. Eventually, I became good enough to start contributing to Bitcoin FOSS projects. Which landed my first part-time gig at RGB and my first little contributions to Bitcoin Core, in 2020.

My journey self-studying at that time I documented in this blog: https://www.citadel21.com/from-hello-world-to-bitcoin-core

Left my structural engineering career completely to work on Bitcoiin full-time by being blessed as the first recipient of the Spiral Dev Grant from India, in 2021.

Since then my passion for Bitcoin has led me into an ongoing rabbit hole and it has become my life mission to contribute back to the Freedom Industry, in whatever way best I can.

Post Bitcoin:

Developer Works:
Bitcoin Core Contributor: 2020-2021
Developer at RGB: 2020-2021
Developer at BDK: 20021-2023
Lead Dev and PM in Coiinswap: 2023 onwards.

Community Works:
Cofounded the first Indian Bitcoin-Only Telegram channel: 2018.
Organized the first Bitcoin-Only Meetup in Bangalore: 2019.
Organized the first Biitcoiin-Only meetup in Goa: 2022.
Organized the Technical Track of the first Bitcoin-Only Conference in India: 2022.

Educational Works:
Mentor at Summer of Bitcoin: Since 2022
Started building Bitshala: 2023.
Blogs: https://rajarshi149.medium.com/


Bitshala:

At Bitshala we organize a package of educational activities to train the upcoming Bitcoin developers. We offer a roadmap to aspiring developers, reducing the barrier to entry in Bitcoiin FOSS, and finally get them started with a paid Felklowshiip Program to start professional contributions to real Biitcoiin FOSS projects.

Find more details here: https://bitshala.org/

My Twitter: https://x.com/RajarshiMaitra


Presentation Description:

The presentation will be on Bitshala, explaining its objective, mission, and models.

I will brief about all the programs we take up at Bitshala. The roadmap to becoming a Bitcoin development, and how people can start getting involved.

I will talk a bit about the FOSS Dev mindset, soft-skills required to be a FOSS dev, and tips on selecting FOSS projects to start contributing.

The talk concludes with a concrete roadmap for aspiring developers in the room to start taking Bitcoin FOSS as a viable career alternative.

My Bitcoin journey began unexpectedly in 2017 while working as a cybersecurity consultant. A client had fallen victim to a cyberattack, with the hackers demanding payment in Bitcoin—a currency I knew little about at the time. This experience sparked my curiosity as a computer engineer passionate about transformative technology, leading me to explore Bitcoin’s potential. After delving into research and connecting with colleagues, I met a tech-savvy friend who was already mining Bitcoin and coding Ethereum smart contracts, which deepened my interest. As the founders of Miningrid, we created a platform that simplifies Bitcoin mining through a secure, non-custodial wallet, making it accessible to all. My mission is to empower others by making Bitcoin mining and its ecosystem both understandable and approachable

Redouane Elkamhi is a Professor of Finance at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and a renowned expert in strategic and tactical asset allocation, cryptocurrency, and decentralized finance. He served as the inaugural co-director of the Finance Lab at the Rotman Financial Innovation Hub, where he spearheaded initiatives in blockchain, decentralized finance, and crypto-ventures.
With over two decades of experience, Professor Elkamhi has been a trusted senior advisor to several of Canada’s largest pension funds, providing insights into total fund management and innovative investment strategies. His research has been presented at premier academic and industry conferences and published in leading finance and economics journals.
Professor Elkamhi's contributions to the field have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Shimomura Fellowship from the Development Bank of Japan and Excellence in Research Awards from the University of Toronto and the University of Iowa. He has also received multiple Best Research Paper Awards from esteemed organizations and journals, such as ICPM, PCAM, AFFI, GARP, IFM2, the Review of Financial Studies, and the Review of Asset Pricing Studies.

Full-stack fiat marketer turned Bitcoiner. Supporting Bitcoin-native builders to find product–market fit while building my own under Bitcoin Studios — current projects: Bitcoin Works (land-based startup society) and Bit Mortgage (Bitcoin-backed mortgage provider).

Robert Warren is a builder with experience in, product, operations, and research. His technical training in Philosophy and Psychology, and a Master's in Education, positions him to explain and share freedom technologies and their cultural implications. He currently contributes at Bitcoin Park, leading Research, Education, and Programming and authored the Bitcoin Miner's Almanac

Daily Bitcoin Podcast Host. All-In Bitcoin since he is 21 years old and committed to interview every day a Bitcoiner in the next 10 years!

Rohan Hirani is the Co-Founder of BitcoinQuant, a data platform focused on bringing greater transparency to Bitcoin treasury investors. Prior to building BitcoinQuant, he was a Strategy Consultant at Bain & Company, where he specialized in private equity market analysis across software and wealth management.

Community Leader at Bitcoinbeach
Co-founder GoodLifeElSalvador
Co-founder Bitcoinbeach

Roya Mahboob is an entrepreneur and Afghanistan’s first female tech CEO, but her impact extends far beyond the sphere of business. Ms. Mahboob has used her success and tech expertise to help educate and empower Afghan women and girls, and she has been an outspoken advocate for their rights. She founded the Digital Citizen Fund (DCF), which aims to increase Afghan women’s technological and financial literacy. She also co-founded and supports the Afghan Girls Robotics Team. Ms. Mahboob has worked to build Innovation/Tech Centers across Afghanistan and has launched an online platform to strengthen the voices of Afghan women and journalists. Ancillary to this, she regularly speaks and writes eloquently about the vital importance of STEAM education and economic opportunity for women and girls as they pertain to human rights. Ms. Mahboob was named to TIME’s 2013 list of 100 Most Influential People and received the 2014 Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award, The Advancement of Gender Equality through Education Award, Young Leader of World Economic Forum 2015 , Asia Game changer 2019, Doha forum award of 2022, LantosHumanRights awards, the prestigious Presidential Leadership Scholarship and is a founding Leader of The NewNow, a group of rising global leaders tackling global challenges.

First professional athlete paid in Bitcoin.

Ruzbeh is the co-founder and CEO of 21st Capital, the Gulf region’s only self-custody platform with collaborative custody and multilayer timelocks. He brings 17+ years of banking experience across Germany, the UAE, the USA, and Switzerland, spanning derivatives, payments, compliance, sales, and fundraising. Active in Bitcoin since 2017, he co-founded Bitguide, an open Bitcoin university. Ruzbeh’s work bridges institutional-grade financial rigor with the security and sovereignty of Bitcoin-native custody.

Salah spent 20 years in NY running tech projects on Wall Street. Initially as a Management Consulting at Deloitte (for clients like MasterCard, CapitalOne, Citi, Lehman) and then worked in house at JP Morgan and Bank of America. At Bank of America he was Managing Director of Automation running a team of 300 people.

He saw the potential of Bitcoin in 2014 and has been HODLing since.

Salah started in tech early - with learning to code in high school. He then went to LUMS and got his Bachelors in Computer Science in 1997. He then got a Masters in Telecommunication and Network Management from Syracuse University in 1999.

Sam Callahan is Director of Strategy & Research at OranjeBTC, overseeing Bitcoin treasury operations and leading the firm’s research and education. He previously served as Vice President at Battery Finance and Lead Analyst at Swan Bitcoin, and he sits on the advisory boards of MARA Digital Holdings and Cantilever Advisors.

Sanjay Gupta leads Strategy, Business Development & Marketing at Auradine, a pioneer in web infrastructure solutions including AI, blockchain, and security. He has 25+ years of senior-level experience in driving the disruptive growth of global technology and financial services companies. Sanjay has a consistent track record of driving step-change growth across multi-billion-dollar organizations.

Scott Millar is a long-time Bitcoin advocate and entrepreneur, best known as the founder of SideSwap, a non-custodial exchange and wallet built on the Liquid Network, and BlockSettle AB, a Swedish-regulated payment institution. With a background in trading and fintech, Scott has been at the forefront of building tools for Bitcoin settlement, tokenization, and self-custody, driven by a vision of an open, interoperable financial system rooted in Bitcoin.

Sebastian has been an advocate for Bitcoin since 2013, having conducted academic research on decentralized systems and blockchain. Sebastian currently acts as General Manager of Komainu, a regulated digital asset custodian built by institutions for institutions, that recently completed a $75m fundraise in Bitcoin. Sebastian is also a contributor for Forbes Digital Assets, where he publishes articles on Digital Assets.

Serena Sebastiani is the founder and Managing Director of DawnX, a Management Consulting Boutique focused on Fintech, Digital Assets and the Future of Finance.
She comes from 15 years of experience @ PwC, where she last led the Firm’s Digital Assets business.
Ex-Regulator, Serena supports Regulatory Authorities in the Region to design their future-looking strategies and policies in the Fintech and Virtual Assets space, works with Banks and other TradFi institutions to enter the Virtual Assets space, and advises VASPs on their strategies, operations, compliance issues.
Serena supports the growth of the Fintech and Web3 ecosystem in the Region by contributing to the active community of players across the value chain.
She is also co-chair of the Digital Assets Committee at the Mena Fintech Association, the President for GCC countries at the Association of Women in Crypto, a mentor in acceleration programs and speaker at major industry events.

Believe in Bitcoin, freedom & positive-sum energy

Shalini Wood is a marketing architect with extended experience across Fortune 100, academia & Web3.

Recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 5 Female Executives Building a Lasting
Legacy in Blockchain, she played a foundational role at Babylon as the first
marketing hire & CMO— scaling the brand from whitepaper into a $6Billion
Bitcoin staking pioneer. Under her leadership, Babylon didn’t just join a
movement—it created it, giving rise to BTCfi, the now-emerging category that
connects Bitcoin with the world of DeFi.


She currently serves as Founding Advisor to Satoshi Financial, GCC’s first
dedicated Bitcoin treasury platform, a pioneering initiative in institutional-
grade Bitcoin treasury management. She is also Advisor & Growth Partner to
Botanix (Bitcoin Layer 2), Veera (Web3 browser & wallet with 3M+ users), and an emerging Layer 1 protocol (stealth).


Shalini is an angel investor and strategic contributor to high-growth projects
including Lombard, Lorenzo, Allo, BOB, Hetu, and others. She has also invested in a number of Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs), including BNC BNB Treasury Company, MCVT SUI Treasury, ETH Zilla Treasury, Satsuma European Bitcoin Treasury Company, TONX Treasury, and more.


Previously, she spent several years as a course designer and lecturer at Utrecht University in the Netherlands — one of Europe’s top research institutions — where she co-developed courses on blockchain, decentralization, and brand futures.


Earlier in her career, she led regional marketing communications for Honeywell
(Fortune 100), overseeing brand, PR, and digital strategy across the EMEA region— building visibility for mission-critical technologies in logistics, retail, and industrial systems.

Shanon became Compass Mining’s Chief Mining Officer in December 2023, following his exceptional work as Procurement Manager. Shanon oversees all aspects of mining operations, from energy acquisition to partnerships. Since entering the Bitcoin mining space in 2017, Shanon has established himself as a prominent leader, known for his ability to navigate the complex challenges of energy acquisition, co-location strategy, and cultivating international relationships. His expertise in optimizing energy use and building sustainable, scalable mining infrastructure makes him a sought-after speaker on industry panels, where he addresses key trends in mining technology and global energy markets.

Shawn Owen is a pioneering entrepreneur and CEO of SALT, the original bitcoin-backed lender. A Bitcoin advocate since 2011, Shawn believes Bitcoin is the best form of digital property and energy savings.

He co-founded SALT to offer innovative Bitcoin-backed loans, raising over $124 million and establishing a leading position in the Bitcoin lending industry. With over 25 years of business experience, he is recognized for his expertise in technology, capital allocation, and fostering growth.

started as a personal investment to hedge against traditional assets class of equity and gold. having realised the depth of an asset such as bitcoin pivoted a 40 year old organisation to hold bitcoin on its balance sheet making it the first publicly listed company in India to do so. Ambition to navigate a complex regulatory market of India to bring bitcoin or associated stock to a 100M people in India.

Simon Dixon has always considered himself a finance geek—obsessed with banking, monetary reform and geo-financial analysis that shape our world. After building a career as an insider in investment banking—as a stockbroker, market maker, and corporate finance banker—he developed a rare understanding of how the financial system really works. But when his father lost everything in the dot-com bust, Simon left his lucrative career behind to become a monetary reformer, determined not just to expose the flaws of finance but to fix them.

That mission led him to Bitcoin when it was just $3—a moment that changed everything. Unlike most early adopters who were tech enthusiasts, Simon came from finance, and he decoded what Satoshi left behind: Bitcoin was not just money, but the tool that could end the corrupt financial system, dismantle the Federal Reserve, and strip power from those who abuse it. He saw how politicians and regulators would deliberately co-opt innovation to maintain control—something he experienced first-hand when his attempts to reform the UK banking system were blocked.

With that foresight, Simon gained financial freedom through Bitcoin and became one of the earliest investors in the industry’s biggest names—including Coinbase, Kraken, BitPay, Bitfinex, Blockchain.com, Circle and Robinhood. He is also the author of *Bank to the Future* (2012), the world’s first published book to ever discuss Bitcoin.

Recognized by Robert Kiyosaki as “the first guy to ever talk about Bitcoin,” praised by Richard Branson for his investment platform BnkToTheFuture.com, and called by Max Keiser “the No.1 Bitcoin investment banker ever,” Simon has long been ahead of his time. Through BnkToTheFuture, he has facilitated over $2.5 billion of investments into companies that shaped the Bitcoin ecosystem.

He has helped thousands become Bitcoin millionaires and billionaires—and now seeks to help millions more protect themselves, their families, and their nations from an AI-driven jobless future and the oppressive control of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)—with Bitcoin as the tool for freedom and protection.

Simon is widely recognized not only for his pioneering role in Bitcoin but also for his expertise in geo-financial analysis, money, and investing. His ability to connect Bitcoin, macroeconomics, and global financial power shifts has allowed him to anticipate trends and events years before they unfold—making him the person many influencers and analysts quietly study.

Through his weekly show BitcoinHardTalk (100k+ YouTube subscribers, 200k+ followers on X), Simon helps people follow the money, self-custody their Bitcoin, and resist an oppressive financial system whose time is running out.

Sindura Saraswathi is a PhD student at the University of Central Florida, researching Bitcoin and the Lightning Network with a focus on scalability and reliability. Her recent work includes a closed-form framework for selecting optimal threshold signatures for Bitcoin custody and an in-depth analysis of pathfinding strategies across Lightning clients.

Sonia Mayenco is the Head of Compliance for Rest-of-the-World (RoW) markets at Kraken, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency platforms. A lawyer by training, Sonia brings over 10 years of experience in the crypto industry, with a focus on regulatory compliance, strategic market expansion and risk management across both emerging and mature markets.

Sonia began her career in Singapore, where she was a founding member of Cryptosigma (now Toast), one of the earliest Bitcoin-based remittance startups. The company was recognized as one of the top 3 startups at the Singapore Startupbootcamp FinTech accelerator program in 2015, marking an early chapter in what would become a long-standing commitment to digital finance innovation.

With extensive experience across APAC and LATAM, Sonia has helped shape global compliance strategies for a wide range of crypto products, including spot and margin trading, OTC trading, derivatives and tokenized equities. Today, she plays a pivotal role in Kraken’s expansion into emerging and regulated markets, helping bridge innovation with regulatory integrity.

Stafford Masie is a pioneering South African technologist, entrepreneur, and futurist with over three decades at the forefront of digital innovation. His career began in the early 1990s as a software developer at South Africa’s largest telecommunications company, followed by technology leadership roles at a major technology integrator. He went on to launch his own startup, later acquired, leading him to the U.S. tech scene in 1997, where he spent seven years immersed in Silicon Valley’s ecosystem of innovation at Novell’s HQ in Utah.

Upon returning to South Africa in 2004 as Managing Director of Novell Sub-Saharan Africa, Stafford later established Google’s first presence in the country in 2006, serving as its founding country manager. He later launched thumbzup that invented the Payment Pebble®, a world-first globally adopted fintech innovation backed by Visa Inc.

During 2014 he was first exposed to Bitcoin, sparking a lasting fascination up until today where he is known in SA as a Bitcoin maxi.

Since then, Stafford has become a leading voice and investor in the African Bitcoin and crypto ecosystem. He has angel-invested in and advised multiple AI and blockchain startups, co-founded BitMach, a Bitcoin mining venture in South Africa, and is currently launching a crypto audit and analysis platform in the United States.

He served as Chairman of the Board of Altvest Capital, which has since transformed into Africa’s first Bitcoin treasury company (BTCTC) listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), where he now holds the position of Executive Chairman and Director of Bitcoin Strategy.

In addition to his corporate leadership, Stafford independently advises African regulatory bodies on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency legislation. He has previously served on the boards of Discovery Bank, ADvTECH, and Chairman WITS University/Telkom Innovation Lab, among others.

Widely recognized as a Bitcoin maximalist, Stafford is passionate about “orange-pilling” key stakeholders and advocating for Bitcoin as a transformative force for financial sovereignty across the African continent.

Stefan Kern is the Founder & CEO of the Bitkern Group, a Swiss based provider of high-performance computing and Bitcoin mining infrastructure, which he established in 2017. Under his leadership, Bitkern has grown into a trusted partner for private and institutional clients, offering scalable data-center solutions, managed hosting, and hardware procurement across multiple international locations.

With a strong focus on energy efficiency, operational reliability, and technological excellence, Stefan has been instrumental in shaping the standards of professional Bitcoin mining. His strategic vision emphasizes the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and digital asset infrastructure, positioning Bitkern as a key player in the global high-performance computing landscape.

Bitcoin Podcaster

Bitcoin Journalist with a focus on education, and a financial analyst with a background in accounting, holding a deep interest in bitcoin and the environment. Working as a bitcoin columnist for a business-focused newspaper in London and authoring numerous research articles on the benefits of Bitcoin Mining and its implications for renewable energy's future. Serving as the Director and Head of Mining and Sustainability at Bitcoin Policy UK, committed to exploring and educating about bitcoin's technological innovation and potential environmental impact at the core of these professional pursuits.

Sélim Chidiac is a seasoned Board Director and former global CEO who has been deeply engaged in the Bitcoin ecosystem for over five years. He has attended leading conferences across the US, Europe, and the Middle East, participated in YouTube podcasts, and dedicated hundreds of hours to studying Bitcoin through books and podcasts. Today, Sélim combines his expertise in corporate governance, international expansion, transformation, and capital markets with his passion for Bitcoin, sharing insights on its role in reshaping finance and long-term value creation. He currently serves on multiple boards and advises leaders on innovation, strategy, and disruptive technologies.

Bitcoin 2017. Early team roles in swaps, derivatives, and project finance at Investec Merchant Bank, building treasury lending and structured finance desk from the ground up. Currently serving as COO/CFO to BlockSpaces, - innovating Bitcoin-native smart contract execution of collateral and risk management for institutional finance and trading/derivative markets. Advisor to Base 58, a Bitcoin protocol school for technical education. Advisory Board member of Bitcoin Arabia.

Tommy is the Head of DeFi Investment at Crypto.com Capital, a $500M venture fund investing in early stage token and equity rounds. There are over 100 projects in Crypto.com Capital's portfolio since inception.

Prior to that, he worked at Bank of America covering TMT sector in APAC, with extensive experience in US IPO, HK IPO and M&A.

Educator at The Bitcoin Way. Bitcoin Self-Custody • Cybersecurity • Plan B Residencies.

Tracy Ann Hoyos López is a strategic force in the Bitcoin and crypto space, currently serving as Chief of Staff, Strategic Initiatives to Arjun Sethi, CEO of Kraken, one of the world’s leading digital asset platforms. With a background in law and public service, Tracy now operates at the intersection of Bitcoin, crypto, policy, and high-level business strategy.

She played a pivotal role in orange-pilling President Donald Trump, directly influencing his embrace of Bitcoin and crypto during the 2024 Presidential campaign. Her leadership helped secure President Trump’s historic appearance at the Bitcoin Conference and led to a record-breaking $25 million fundraising effort in just 1.5 months. Her efforts established Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as core components of the national political conversation in the United States.

Tracy’s influence extends across the industry, bridging legal expertise, political acumen, and Bitcoin and crypto advocacy. At Kraken, she leads strategic initiatives that shape the company's positioning in both U.S. and global markets. Her deep understanding of regulatory dynamics, coupled with her commitment to financial freedom and decentralization, has made her a trusted advisor, a movement builder, and a driving force behind Bitcoin and crypto’s most important political and institutional breakthroughs.

Co-Founder, Basketball.fun | , Chief Digital Equity Officer World Mobile

Tristan Thompson is a championship-winning athlete, entrepreneur, and emerging voice at the intersection of sports, culture, and Web3. After more than a decade in the NBA, he’s shifted his focus to building the future of digital fan engagement and athlete empowerment through technology.

As Co-Founder and Lead Advisor at Basketball.fun (TEASER HERE) , Tristan is reimagining what it means to be a fan. The platform gives people the chance to own NBA moments, make live predictions, and build their fan identity through tokenized player shares and clubs, turning the energy of game night into a participatory, on-chain experience. Built on Somnia’s blockchain, Basketball.fun is fast, gasless, and simple enough for anyone to use. It bridges sports, culture, and community while using stablecoins to make rewards instant, global, and real.

Beyond sports innovation, Tristan serves as Chief Advisory Officer at AxonDAO, where he’s helping redefine how people control and monetize their health and bio-data. He’s also partnered with World Mobile, a decentralized project focused on expanding internet access.

Tristan’s thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo Finance , CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, Decrypt, The Block, and on CNBC Crypto World, The Street, Fox News, Thinking Crypto, and CoinMarketCap Live, where he was the first athlete ever featured. His high-profile interviews, including with Bo Hines, reflect his growing influence across sports, crypto, and technology.

He recently spoke at Korea Blockchain Week, where he discussed athlete empowerment and decentralized fandom, and is set to appear next at Binance Blockchain Week and Bitcoin MENA, continuing to champion the conversation around Web3 adoption and digital ownership.

Thought leadership Op-Eds penned by Tristan:

Newsweek: NBA Champion Tristan Thompson: ‘AI is the Ultimate Teammate’
Entrepreneur: How Building Tech With No Tech Background Taught Me the Most Valuable Skill in Business
Cointelegraph: Blockchain is the missing trust layer in sports analytics

Tyler is a the Chief Investment Officer at Kindly MD ($NAKA). He's the co-founder of BTC Inc., the publisher of Bitcoin Magazine and organizer of Bitcoin 2023. He is the Chief Investment Officer and General Partner at UTXO Management, an asset management firm focused on the Bitcoin ecosystem. Tyler serves on the boards of Metaplanet, the Smarter Web Company and Matador.

Walid is the founder of Unlock Blockchain, the MENA region’s leading bilingual platform for blockchain and crypto news. He is a recognized industry voice and frequent moderator of high-level panels, connecting global perspectives with regional opportunities.

Working on Circle STARK verifier and covenants on Bitcoin

With over two decades of technical expertise, Wright Wang joined MicroBT in 2018 and contributed to the development of two generations of ASICs. Subsequently, he transitioned from R&D to marketing and was promoted to Marketing Director in 2019. Wright possesses a profound understanding of the technical challenges faced by MicroBT’s customers and has successfully collaborated with numerous clients to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Under his able leadership, MicroBT has garnered recognition as a reputable brand, consistently delivering high-quality WhatsMiner products that are widely acclaimed by global customers. In 2023&2024, he was bestowed with the Outstanding Contribution Award of MicroBT, led the key client project team and won the award for outstanding team.

My style is to blend financial savvy with a passion for Bitcoin and conservative values. I seek to offer my clients and peers with a fresh, informed perspective on wealth management. I am interested in the intersection of behavior, incentives, and markets. My thoughts are inspired by the works of Srinivasan, Booth, Alden and many more. My values stem from my Christian faith. My hobbies, marriage, and involvement in communities keep me inspired. To stay active, I enjoy skiing, golfing, camping and hunting. #1 YIMBY and urbanist.

Founding member and Chief Marketing officer of the Space. Founder of Basilic Financial, a Bitcoin Wealth Management Firm.

Xiaohui Liu is the founder and CEO of OP_CAT Labs, a R&D company focused on OP_CAT technology on Bitcoin. He created sCrypt, a high-level smart contract language for Bitcoin. He also created the CAT protocol, the first miner-validated token standard on Bitcoin using OP_CAT. Before creating sCrypt, he worked as a research scientist at Facebook’s Connectivity Lab. Xiaohui holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science on p2p distributed networking.

Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Animoca Brands

Veteran technology entrepreneur/investor Yat Siu is the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, a global leader in Web3, blockchain, gaming, and tokenization with the goal to provide all users with property rights for virtual assets. Yat began his career at Atari Germany, then established Hong Kong Cybercity/Freenation, the first free web page and email provider in Asia. In 1998 he set up Outblaze, an award-winning pioneer of multilingual white label web services. After selling one of its business units to IBM, he pivoted Outblaze to incubate digital entertainment projects. One of those projects is Animoca Brands.

Yat has numerous accolades, including Global Leader of Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum, Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the DHL/SCMP Awards, and recognition as one of Cointelegraph's top 100 notable people in blockchain. A classically trained musician, Yat is a member of the advisory board of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and a director of the Asian Youth Orchestra.

Yoni Assia is the Co-Founder and CEO of eToro, the trading and investing platform. Yoni co-founded eToro in 2007 with the vision of a world where everyone can trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Today, the platform has over 40 million registered users from 75 countries and empowers users to trade, invest, share and learn.
Yoni showed an interest in finance and computer science from his youth and so decided to merge his passions and his belief in the power of shared knowledge by founding eToro. eToro is a collaborative investment community designed to provide users with the tools they need to grow their knowledge and wealth. Users can hold a range of traditional and innovative assets and choose how to invest: trade directly, invest in a portfolio, or copy other investors.
Yoni is widely acknowledged as a crypto pioneer, having co-written the Colored Coins whitepaper with Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin in 2012. He is also the founder of GoodDollar, the largest, community-driven blockchain UBI project in the world.
Yoni is a member of the YPO and was included by Financial News in its Fintech 40 ranking and their Rising Stars in Asset Management ranking. He was also listed in Fortune’s 40 under 40 and in City A.M’s fintech 100 top influencers.

Zuby is more than just a rapper. He is an influential public figure, creative entrepreneur, and avid bitcoin supporter. His unique perspective, authenticity, and infectious energy have earned him millions of followers on social media, and millions of downloads of his 'Real Talk with Zuby' podcast. He credits bitcoin with helping him preserve his sovereignty as an independent creator.