The Miami Bitcoin 2021 conference officially kicks off on June 4 and with it has resurfaced controversy over crypto tribalism involving some of the industry’s leading figures.
Organizers expect attendance exceeding 50,000 for the Mana Wynwood Convention Center hosted conference. Among the attendees in Miami this year is the founder of Quantum Economics and a former Senior Market Analyst at eToro Mati Greenspan.
Writing today, Greenspan highlighted a growing rift in the crypto community in what he described as a ‘toxic problem’. The financial advisor had inadvertently ignited a social media storm with the innocuous comment that Bitcoin 2021 would be “Biggest crypto conference ever!”
Greenspan was told in no uncertain terms that it was a “Bitcoin conference” intended only for BTC enthusiasts. Bitcoin Magazine editor Pete Rizzo set him straight:
“It's a Bitcoin conference, about Bitcoin. Bitcoin is the subject and hence why it's used as an adjective,”
Greenspan replied that “Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency sir”, however, it only served to fuel the tirade from Bitcoin maximalists claiming exclusivity on the event.
The Miami Bitcoin 2021 conference will run until June 5 and play host to a vast pool of industry luminaries ranging from former congressman Ron Paul, Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, the Winklevoss twins, and Morgan Creek Digital partner Anthony Pompliano. To be fair to the organizers they have been crystal clear that it's a Bitcoin Only Event/No Altcoins Allowed in the Telegram channel:
“This is a Bitcoin only conference. Please stay focused and on topic at the event. Save conversations about other protocols and cryptocurrencies for outside the conference.”
A clearly disappointed Greenspan retorted that there was clearly a lot of insecurity among the Bitcoin crowd, and eventually tired of the debate exclaiming: “This really is a shitshow.”
In his newsletter today he clarified his thoughts on the topic:
“Now, obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and they can call me whatever names they like, but the one thing I want to say about all this is that these so-called Maxis don't own the Bitcoin network. I am a Bitcoiner too, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.”
Greenspan said that “zealotry” was unproductive and urged the community to “focus our energy toward a common enemy and not spend our time and efforts on infighting. It doesn't help.”
The Bitcoin-only vibe extended beyond Greenspan with some questioning why Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin had made an appearance after various photos of him surfaced including one with Miami’s pro-crypto Mayor Francis Suarez. Buterin actually unveiled Ethereum at the Bitcoin Miami 2014 event.
DeFiPulse co-founder Scott Lewis saw the funny side of things: