The atmosphere at Bitcoin Amsterdam, organised by Bitcoin Magazine, starkly contrasted with the real guts and heart of the movement headlined by Edward Snowden and Stella Assange, both lives have been profoundly impacted by the struggle against censorship. This isn’t to diminish the buzzing hope and optimism of the conference with over 2,000 attendees, rather, it amplified the urgency and gravitas that these key figures bring to the broader conversation on financial and informational freedom.
Hosted in the culturally vibrant Westerpark, a historic gas factory turned into an artistic hub, the conference was a masterstroke of planning and technology.
The tone for the event was set by an initial panel discussion questioning the readiness of Bitcoin to meet global financial challenges. This led to a charged debate on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), highlighting their potential to further erode financial privacy and freedom.
A common theme in these discussions was the observation that Bitcoin serves not just as a financial asset but also as a peaceful protest against a fractured financial system. This sentiment laid the groundwork for the keynotes that followed, particularly focusing on the theme of censorship.
Edward Snowden, appearing via a video link from Russia,…
