How Bitcoin 2021 Redefined In-Person Celebration

This article first appeared in Bitcoin Magazine‘s El Salvador print edition. To get this piece of Bitcoin history sent directly to you, subscribe now.

There’s nothing inherent about Bitcoin that necessitates in-person gatherings. In fact, much of the success of the open-source software project can be attributed to the fact that it’s natively digital, decentralized and accessible by anyone, anywhere in the world with a network connection. Had Satoshi ever revealed their true identity and transcended online message boards to interface with contributors in real life, it’s very possible that Bitcoin could have failed.

And yet, there is a yearning within much of the Bitcoin community to meet up, to share ideas for the project in person, to applaud and boo one another, to celebrate and confirm that, yes, there are other real humans who love this culture and technology.