Nostr notes by Bitfest

Long Live Longy! ...

2026-03-28T23:32:08+01:00

Long Live Longy!

Support Bitcoiner Musicians ✊

2026-03-28T22:10:17+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…53za
_________________________

Support Bitcoiner Musicians ✊

Nostr event nevent1qqsqhmcexg22wj8ksdp6d93g3asdyas8y5cs8ct3qtt8xznnt3llzygzyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn58l0dj4

2026-03-23T07:26:27+01:00

🟠🎪

🫡🫡🫡

2026-03-05T23:51:28+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…hg8h
_________________________

🫡🫡🫡

Let’s make it happen! 😎

2026-03-05T23:50:23+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…lwnp
_________________________

Let’s make it happen! 😎

Working on it…🤝

2026-03-05T23:49:11+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…0h6w
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Working on it…🤝

Ayyye good people’s at Handshake! 💪

2026-03-05T23:48:19+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…nrak
_________________________

Ayyye good people’s at Handshake! 💪

Did someone say Bitfest 26? 😏 ⏳

2026-03-04T12:48:01+01:00

Did someone say Bitfest 26? 😏

⏳

New Music Economy at Bitfest: Ainsley Costello ...

2026-02-02T11:57:37+01:00

New Music Economy at Bitfest: Ainsley Costello

https://youtu.be/W59AidSwDcU

#Bitfest #NewMusicEconomy #LoveMusic #V4V #AinsleyCostello

Some quick views and outlooks on ‘The Future Of Bitcoin at ...

2026-01-31T14:48:26+01:00

Some quick views and outlooks on ‘The Future Of Bitcoin at Bitfest 2025’

https://youtu.be/acHnm9k7ygs

#Bitfest #Nostrshire

Amazing to hear some of the views from the attendees, speakers ...

2026-01-22T14:37:00+01:00

Amazing to hear some of the views from the attendees, speakers and more at Bitfest! 🧡

Why Bitcoin Is A Worldwide Phenomenon at Bitfest

https://youtu.be/aBQllJxZQME

🫡🫡🫡💪

2026-01-22T12:06:38+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…v76q
_________________________

🫡🫡🫡💪

Amazing article by @nprofile…w7rv via @nprofile…kxel on ...

2026-01-20T12:39:09+01:00

Amazing article by bitcoms (nprofile…w7rv) via bitcoinpolicyuk (nprofile…kxel) on #Bitfest and Nostrshire (nprofile…elq2) 🫡

Thank you! 🧡
nostr:

quoting
nevent1q…mepg
Bitcoin and the Decentralised Revolution

New writing for bitcoinpolicyuk (nprofile…xzud) on Bitfest (nprofile…glvj) Nostrshire (nprofile…4gv9)

Featuring
Nind (nprofile…7h63) Nathan Day (nprofile…m55g) AJ (nprofile…p7cx) Derek Ross (nprofile…x4pk) Bitcoinbach (nprofile…krp6) Nat.Atlas (nprofile…arxr) Rebel Money (npub1kka…knpy) LiverpoolHODL (nprofile…ckdl)
Thanks also to Roger9000 (nprofile…wedf) and Danielprince (nprofile…h3vk)

https://bitcoinpolicyuk.substack.com/p/bitcoin-and-the-decentralized-revolution

Phenomenal work form @nprofile…uwsn! 👏👏👏 ...

2026-01-03T13:31:17+01:00

Phenomenal work form dsbatten (nprofile…uwsn)! 👏👏👏

quoting
nevent1q…u7yx
The whole "Bitcoin uses too much energy" myth was built on an utterly false premise that environmentalists advocate for less energy use across industries.

Not true!

Very few people believe that industries should "use less energy".

The ones who do believe this are known as degrowthers, and do not represent the majority of the environmental movement.

The consensus view within mainstream environmental science and policymaking holds that labeling any large energy user as automatically harmful is reductive because it ignores critical factors:

The Energy Source: Emissions from 1 kWh of coal power and 1 kWh of wind or nuclear power are vastly different. The consensus focuses on decarbonizing the supply.

The Value and Flexibility of Demand: As discussed previously, some large loads (like certain industrial processes or data centers) can be highly flexible. This demand-side flexibility is a key asset for integrating variable renewables like wind and solar into the grid, a cornerstone of the mainstream transition plan.

Technological and Efficiency Gains: The consensus argues that innovation driven by economic activity can lead to "dematerialization", using fewer resources and less energy to produce the same or greater value.

Bitcoin mining, precisely because of its high (flexible) energy use, has been shown in multiple peer-reviewed studies to offer a number of decarbonization benefits that are extremely appealing to both environmentalists and grid operators.

These benefits include grid stabilization (Rudd et al), methane mitigation (Sechrest et al), obviation of gas peaker plants (Bruno et al), and accelerating the renewable energy transition (Lal et al, 2023). Bitcoin mining is only able to offer those benefits due to its high and flexible energy consumption pattern.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/changing-narrative-bitcoin-mining-daniel-batten-gkmwc/

It is for this reason that a number of leading sustainability periodicals have in the last year come out in favor of Bitcoin mining’s environmental benefits.

Further, a whitepaper by Rhodes et al concluded that flexible load centers (aka: Bitcoin mining) allows grid operators to build out the grid using renewable energy, whereas inflexible load centers (AI Inference datacenters) encourage the proliferation of fossil fuel based power on the grid.

Happy New Year people! 🎉 We just dropped the final recap ...

2025-12-31T23:13:58+01:00

Happy New Year people! 🎉

We just dropped the final recap article for Bitfest 2025. With more content to come, this feels like a cool way to close off as we move into 2026.

Many thanks to all for your support in our first-ever event, and we hope to connect with as many of you as possible in 2026 and beyond. 🍻

HNY! 🥳

quoting
naddr1qv…hkxt

Bitfest 25': Day #2 Recap

Continuing our recap of the inaugural Bitfest conference-festival that took place from the 21st to the 23rd of November 2025, the final day of the conference was more relaxed but still buzzing with conversations, talks and workshops throughout. If you haven't yet checked out any of our recap articles, take a quick read through Nostrshire — The UK's First Ever Nostr Conference at Bitfest 2025 and also Bitfest 25': Day #1 Recap, which recap both Day 0 and Day 1 of the event, respectively.

For clarity, we chose the day numbering scheme as a nod to SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) working practices and culture, with the first day, aptly titled Nostrshire (nprofile…nkw2) , the UK's first full-scale Nostr conference, being dedicated to Nostr and quite literally existing as an event within an event at Bitfest.

From day 0 through day 2, Bitfest brought Bitcoiners together from all over the UK and abroad, with a focus on community and culture that continues to reverberate in conversation around the Bitcoin global community. This is just the beginning.

The Memes

Inside the second and third days of the conference, many events and movements within Bitcoin culture were included as separate areas and events, being key parts of the overall conference festival. One such event and zone was Pepe.X.

Pepe.X is not a new event in the Bitcoin space; rather, its inclusion in Bitfest was the first attempt to scale up the experience. Founded and first run in November 2022, by OG Bitcoiner, Pepe collector and Bitfest co-founder Nind (nprofile…gwx2) , the experience brings early Bitcoin, Crypto and Pepe artists together to showcase, trade and network.\ \ At Bitfest, the Pepe.X zone was visited frequently, with both the art gallery and exhibitors being set up inside the area. The artworks on display went into a live auction via scarcedotcity (nprofile…83p5) , with each artist submitting works to the auction and featuring the classic Scarce City QR codes below, so that people interested could find out more about the art, the artists and place a bid if they wished to do so. The amazing Where's Wally-esque official Bitfest artwork, created by BitPopArt (nprofile…73td) also sold on Day 2 and, in a surprise turn of events, was subsequently donated to the conference organisers. 🧡

What we found especially magical about Pepe.X was the range of participants that took part in the zone. New and emerging Bitcoin artists, OG Pepe and Bitcoin artists, small, medium, and large Bitcoin projects, merchants, and also hand-in-hand support by and with the #SamouraiWallet team, who most kindly donated $1500 of sats to the conference. #FREESAMOURAI

Overall, the Pepe.X zone was an amazing glimpse into the Bitcoin art and creator world, its history, growth, and impact both online and IRL. A noticeable thing was how the zone caught the attention of both children and adults at the conference, showing just how interesting and impactful art and non-technical Bitcoin projects can be.

Artist/Exhibitor roll call:

BitPopArt (nprofile…73td)

sattvicsats (nprofile…tpk0)

2140.wtf #blockworkgallery (nprofile…yx9j)

Chiefmonkey (nprofile…9hmv)

Yojimble (nprofile…aye4)

Nardo

Mr. Hansel

zed-erwan☕️✏️🎨 (nprofile…r0c3)

Rebel Money (nprofile…9828)

Zima Blue

Mars Robertson

BenGWeeks (nprofile…7p7z)

Darky

Indelible

Simo

Basqkek

Crypsi

nartamoto (nprofile…zt9d)

Esay_B

Escape2Bitcoin

Nathan Sonic

Samourai Wallet

geyser (nprofile…n2y8)

2140 Art (nprofile…69rx)

Akme (nprofile…8j3u)

Kryptoes

Sally Marshall Art

The Bitcoin Bookshop

Threadstr (nprofile…34cf)

The Movement

As people met in the lobby, the main conference area and the breakfast hall to get ready for the final day's talks and activities, the day after the night before certainly seemed a bit more chill than the previous two days of activities. Nonetheless, people were up early and exploring the conference, some one-day ticket holders were still rocking up in excitement, getting involved in conversations as they hit registration.

The day's talks were spread widely between culture, community and economy, kicking off with an amazing talk from Rebel Money on the 'History of Bitcoin Art', followed by OG developer and artist, nprofile1qqswtqlje8z2p2vadyprn7sstwtrqysfn59guvd69y47e0dpxk24vmqf6qma0 (nprofile…qma0) , who probably has the oldest data-based, visualisation art of the Bitcoin blockchain, with 'Visualising Bitcoin', exploring the ever interesting patterns formed by various types of data points in Bitcoin.

Danielprince (nprofile…3424) took us through an eye-opening presentation on 'Usury, Your Bank and You', exploring rights, central banking, finance and the unique opportunities that change things when operating with Bitcoin as a sovereign individual.

A series of panels followed, including: 'Miners & NodeRunners: Why you should run Bitcoin' with Keto Miner and Nathan Day (nprofile…wfhh) , and two fireside chats: 'Bitcoin Layers' with (ARK Protocol), Rob Gaskell (Sundial Protocol), and Mad Bitcoins moderating, then 'WTF is Nostr and Why Should I Care?', with Oscar Merry (nprofile…n4mu) , Martti Malmi (nprofile…gud9) , Shortfiat (nprofile…w6af) , and Nathan Day hosting, concluding the morning session.

Post-lunch talks included a big focus on community, culture and sovereignty. 'Spam or Evolution, Filter or Follow?' was the first panel after lunch, featuring Jim.btc, takinbrrrr (nprofile…883l) and Daniel Prince. Moderated by Nat.Atlas (nprofile…jycc) , the debate focused more on the pros and cons of discoveries made since the introduction of Bitcoin Ordinals/Inscriptions and the advantages/disadvantages of running Bitcoin Core and other clients. All agreed Bitcoin is money and a monetary network, which should be utilised as such, whilst also agreeing that none of us really know how or what it could be used for, alongside its core use in the future, and that censoring is ultimately against Bitcoin ethos for most.

Helping those new to the space to stay grounded, the talk 'Early Days of Bitcoin: Is it too late?' with Martti Malmi and ThomasV (nprofile…6yx3) helped to remind people it's not too late to explore and use Bitcoin, and why.

The talk was followed up immediately with presentations on ARK and Sundial protocols from Veronika Kuett and Rob Gaskell, respectively. Next up was 'Bank Spying and the Online Safety Bill', a powerful chat with Susie (nprofile…2zl8) , Marco Giorgetti and Jamie Nuttall.

'Bitcoin Forged', a talk by Bitcoin Glasgow founder Peter Connor, took a look at the resilience of Bitcoin and the connections forged between communities and entities within the space. How connections are forged and communities built, all from the common interest in Bitcoin ethos and principles.

The next discussion, 'Mobilising UK Bitcoin Communities', revolved around building and activating smaller, local Bitcoin communities within the UK. Something that has been well experienced over the years by the panel speakers, Gary Smith (Bitcoin Bury St. Edmunds & BSE Conf), Coach Carbon (nprofile…cees) (Bitcoin Ballers & OxBit) and Nat Cole (STX:LDN, Coinscrum & 2140Music).

A much-anticipated talk came from super OG Thomas Voegtlin, Founder of Electrum. 'The Price of Attention: Attaching Bitcoin Fees to Nostr Events' explored deep theory and practical solutions of spam prevention and fees being attached to Nostr-based events.

Another much-anticipated panel followed immediately after, 'Are Bitcoin Treasury Companies the new S***coins?', which explored exactly that with speakers fnew (nprofile…s58k) , RMessitt (nprofile…3992) , Daniel Prince, and Rob Gaskell, all hosted by the magnificent Dominic Frisby. We're sure that if you know any of these guys, then you can imagine and appreciate how epic this panel debate was. Bitcoin culture golden moment for sure!

The afternoon went forward through exploring 'Open-source crypto tax software' with Scott Green on how to use open source tooling for taxes.

We explored the importance of BIPs and the evolution of contributors through 'Should all users be aware of BIPs?' with TheCryptoDonkey (nprofile…uvs5) and Takinbrrr.

We moved again to discussing the global stage and the UK's current attitude to Bitcoin and personal freedoms. Is it worth it to stay in the UK? We explored the choices through 'Escaping the UK: What is your Plan B?' in a discussion between andreloja (nprofile…kxan) , Short Fiat and Timothy (nprofile…l93d) , moderated by joenakamoto (nprofile…x32y) .

The penultimate talk was an inspiring and deep dive into 'Empowering local P2P circular economies' with Midimarcus (nprofile…dxa3) , from vexl (nprofile…3f4a) , exploring the importance of personal and financial sovereignty and how Vexl empowers individuals to this cause.

We concluded the conference with a powerful talk and presentation from BTCPrague (nprofile…py4c) co-founder, kucharmartin (nprofile…vfhf) , with 'Empowering Bitcoiners for the Fight', delving into the historical similarities between revelutionary movement in the UK and the Czech Republic, along with an open invitation for Bitcoin events and communities within the European region to continue to work together with BTC Prague into the future. This closing was epic, and we give many thanks and respect to Martin for his attendance and contribution to the first-ever Bitfest UK.

We can't forget that while all this was happening, workshops were being run in the workshop zone with massive contributions from Anon2140, Roger9000 (nprofile…2jjt) , MolonLabeVC (nprofile…kq7x) RobBrinded (nprofile…xdh8) , and more. The Bitfix Cinema became extremely lively with amazing productions and talks from AviBurra (nprofile…vkh5) and Sylvia Brinded-Püls with A Place To Be (nprofile…7kgm) . These workshops and the cinema were a key part of the conference-festival activities, with everyone from young and old, new and OG taking part in workshop and cinema sessions.

Everyone was tired, but everyone was active. The final day of Bitfest gave a little time for reflection post conference, as people left to catch planes, trains and automobiles home. The event was over, but the vibrations reverberated. 🧡

The Memories

Bitfest for us and many we've spoken to wasn't just a fly-by-night event, not just a series of pitch decks and random panels. Every incorporated event from Nostrshire, Pepe.X, the New Music Economy concert and Bitflix, reminded us of not just the early days of the Bitcoin community, but also just how far we've come and how Bitcoin has integrated into many facets of culture, lifestyle and industry.

For the UK, Bitfest became a historical checkpoint in British history. From the location, to the timing, the activities, the amazing speakers, artists, musicians, builders, plebs and wonderful attendees. Nostrshire and Bitfest mark an important turning point in the attitude towards and adoption of Bitcoin in the UK. Being open to and having activities for all is something we hope to continue to put foremost in future events, with the aim to be enjoyed by both those OG's, well-versed and new to Bitcoin.

Bitfest 2026 and Beyond

Will Bitfest and Nostrshire be returning in 2026? The straight-up answer is YES! However, the team are still figuring out logistics with venues and dates before any major announcements. The feedback we've received so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we stay open to suggested areas of improvement for the next edition.

We're also continuing to work with UK-based Bitcoin communities, events and entities, plus other conferences globally, to ensure that we can continue to bring Bitcoiners all over the UK together in positive, refreshing and inclusive ways. After all, we all have the same mission of spreading Bitcoin education and adoption as far and wide as humanly possible. The Bitfest team is made up of dedicated Bitcoiners, who are also running other projects and communities with their time. Bitfest is a grassroots conference-festival, and despite it being large-scale, we want it to stay that way.

The Bitfest Telegram remains open to newcomers, and you can register your interest for Bitfest & Nostrshire 2026 now on our website. We plan to have Early Bird tickets available starting in February for those who are paying attention. 😉

Lastly, we'd like to wish a Happy New Year to everyone, and we're excited to connect with you all in 2026 as Bitcoin adoption grows. Peace! 🎉

Just came across this great live commentary thread from Bitfest ...

2025-12-31T15:33:16+01:00

Just came across this great live commentary thread from Bitfest Adam Dalliance (nprofile…qupq) 😎 Thanks for this amazing write-up. It was great meeting you at the conference. Happy New Year for 2026! 👊🍻

quoting
nevent1q…2pp9
Despite much opinion to the contrary, the government money we use is crappy.

I'm at bitfest in Manchester to find out if Bitcoin could be a better money.

It could hardly be worse.

The mood is still good, people are joking about recent devaluation rather than crying. Those who aren't all in are trying to buy more at the discount.

After an introduction by Mad Bitcoins, Joe Bryan explains the problem with government money.

He imagines an island on which two types of money are tried, with a dividing wall between them.

When economic problems hit, government can just print more money on the fiat side. Everyone now using money which is worth less. Distorting prices, inflating asset prices, making the rich (who hold assets) richer and the poor (who have to pay inflated prices) poorer. Driving wealth inequality.

On the hard money side, government must tax properly. Take in more from the rich rather than inflating to take it from the poor. Reducing wealth inequality.

On the government money side, the wealthy monitize houses, stocks, resources. Saving in money is impossible, its inflated away. So they save in assets and hording resources. Capital is misallocated. The youth can't afford houses. Poverty traps are caused. The only way out is printing more for benefits. Making it all worse. More economic crises, more printing. More government debt.

Eventually, the wall is broken. Government money people can save in the hard money instead. It reduces the value of government money further. More printing. More inflation.

Eventually, war. Funded by printed money.

The dollar is the best of a bad bunch all other government money is falling in value even faster.

I wonder, is bitcoin really this better money though? It's limited, hard, and can't be printed without energy investment.

I'm still unsure that fixing money fixes the world.

--

Note: "crypto" is mostly more like government money than bitcoin. It can be printed indefinitely by it's makers, does not cost it's makers to print. Crypto is usually just a scam people to get more bitcoin. Bitcoin is not crypto.

#bitfest #bitcoin

Merry Christmas!!

2025-12-25T19:26:32+01:00

Merry Christmas!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4kCMhagukM

2025-12-21T00:14:47+01:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4kCMhagukM

BitFest existed because people showed up. ✊ Builders who built. ...

2025-12-19T17:31:41+01:00

BitFest existed because people showed up. ✊

Builders who built. 🛠

Artists who created. 🖼

Speakers who shared. 🎤

Musicians who brought the vibes. 🎶

Families, volunteers, and curious newcomers who made it real. 🤝

Thank you to everyone who was part of it. 🙏

Here’s a look back at Bitcoin IRL — and a glimpse of what comes next.

👇

https://youtu.be/q4kCMhagukM

https://yakihonne.com/article/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpthc92vlq6kyv55rkgve8zrc946t4ghcrz696jpl3va5znlcglmjqywhwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytfsxyh8jcttd95x7mnwv5hxxmmd9uqp2vm0x4jn2efht93y6w2gf9xxcsmxvs6yzagp4nudt

https://primal.net/e/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqx2yumy0mz9fej2gxyx7tthq3ph5ns79k60ed0dhjsqa6swh0pf6qqtxy6t5vejhxapdxg6j6erp0yknzttjv43kzuq50yhcj

Register your interest for Bitfest 26':

https://bitfest.uk

So, what happened on Day 1 of Bitfest? Let's recap! 😎 ...

2025-12-19T02:31:27+01:00

So, what happened on Day 1 of Bitfest? Let's recap! 😎

quoting
naddr1qv…pdls

Bitfest 25': Day #1 Recap

In our earlier article, 'Nostrshire—The UK's First Ever Nostr Conference at Bitfest 2025', we explored the impact and happenings in our efforts to host the UK's first-ever Nostr conference, bringing together Bitcoiners and Nostrians from the UK and beyond to discuss and present applications and concepts being built on and related to the Nostr protocol. The conference served as day zero to what would be the first-ever, full-scale Bitcoin conference festival in the UK.

Leading on from the legacy of the original Coinfest, an initiative set up by Adam Bates as far back as 2017 to celebrate innovation and community within the crypto space. Assisted and attended by Bitcoin OGs, Coinfest was Northern UK's largest crypto event for many years, before Adam himself wanted to focus the festival solely around Bitcoin post-pandemic.

Discussing the idea with active Bitcoiners Nind (nprofile…2che) and Nat.Atlas (nprofile…jycc) over the years, until the decision was finally made in early 2025 to put things into motion. Nind then introduced another legend to the core team, the amazing builder and educator Nathan Day (nprofile…wfhh) . Thus, forming a powerhouse core team that would go ahead to make Bitcoin history over a weekend in one of the UK's largest cities, with the largest Bitcoin event ever in the UK.

To clarify, when we say largest, we take into account 3 consecutive days of Bitcoin and Nostr-focused events and talks, broken into 5 parallel events, across multiple venues and activities. This was not a one-day meetup or one day of talks and two days of randomised, loosely related activity forced into a Bitcoin lens. Also, this is not an attempt to boast or brag but instead a reflection on just what we were able to achieve with a tiny team and the help of Bitcoiners, Bitcoin communities, and even some crypto individuals and groups across the UK coming together in unity, the love of Bitcoin, and cypherpunk values.

That being said, we'd like to say a massive shout-out to the teams behind The Bitcoin Adventure, BTCBSE, Glasgow Bitcoin, Bitcoin: A Competitive Advantage, Bitcoin Beach Retreat, and Advancing Bitcoin, who were the last teams in the UK to pull off large-scale, grassroots events in recent years that were open to the public and mainly focused on and driven by the culture and community-first principles.

The Main Event

Day one of the Bitfest conference opened up at 9 am for registrations, with talks beginning at 10 am. By 10:30 am, the event was already buzzing with a great opener by madbitcoins (nprofile…dkgl) setting things in motion, followed by a keynote summary of What's the Problem?, by SatmoJoe (nprofile…l3zj) . The first big panel of the day, 'Bitcoin Global Adoption: Your Network is Your Net Worth', featured views from Bitcoin leaders around the world, moderated by joenakamoto (nprofile…x32y) , and consisting of Shortfiat (nprofile…f9sf) , kucharmartin (nprofile…vfhf) , and andreloja (nprofile…kxan) (pictured above). The panel set the scene for how events and community are driving Bitcoin adoption globally, strengthening development, engagement, education, and ultimately the Bitcoin network.

It had not even reached midday yet, but the halls were already buzzing with conversation and people exploring other areas of the conference, such as the Workshop and Pepe.X gallery.

Talks continued in the main arena with Renegade Investor giving a deeply insightful presentation on 'How Broke and Battered Britain Can Bounce Back with Bitcoin', followed shortly after by a Fireside Panel of Bitcoin Educators. 'Educating the Bitcoin Way,' featuring Sylvia Brinded-Püls, Coach Carbon (nprofile…cees) , Huxley (nprofile…dhj6) and moderated by Susie (nprofile…2zl8) , focused on the different techniques and methods that are being used by Bitcoin educators today to get through to those who are yet to understand Bitcoin or its importance fully.

After a great presentation by Keto Miner on 'Running Nodes for Fun,' Rick Messit dropped in with a bombshell demonstration of a new Lightning Network-based lottery protocol. Featuring a grand prize of lottery ticket proceeds and his own Ford Fiesta, which was neatly parked outside the conference front door, before the main talks took a lunch break.

Focused on the Breakouts, Ignoring the Dip

One thing that was a next-to-nil discussion at the conference was Bitcoin's dollar cost, otherwise known as price. Aside from the talks, people, for the most part, were too busy exploring and enjoying the multiple breakout zones of the conference or spending time with intros or catch-ups in the communal areas and Lightning-powered bar and restaurant. Occasionally, people would bump into each other near the LNbits (nprofile…elle) -powered vending machine or Bitcoin Beer Taps, forming conversational groups and discussing what they were doing in Bitcoin.

The workshop area featured its own small stage with different activities throughout the day. The Pepe.X zone had OG Bitcoin artists and artworks, as well as exhibitors and vendors from around the Bitcoin space. Artworks adorned the artboards with QR codes powered by scarcedotcity (nprofile…83p5) , as day one of the auctions opened up to the public.

Each zone had its own unique focus, with people conversing a lot around those as they entered said zone. For the most part, the Bitflix theatre was quiet on day one, with the occasional group sitting in to watch one of the many great documentaries and films being shown back-to-back throughout the day. Still, the zone itself drew much interest later in the day and definitely on day 2, which we'll cover in our upcoming article feature.

Into the Afternoon

Following lunch, the legendary Dominic Frisby took the stage with the question, 'Are Bitcoiners too big-headed?' giving a great presentation on the things that Bitcoiners notice in the economy, which those with a Bitcoin mindset feel are all too apparent, providing clarity to ensure Bitcoiners weren't becoming disillusioned.

A fireside chat between Mad Bitcoins and Susie V. Ward followed, discussing Bitcoin in mainstream media, exploring the efforts Susie has undertaken to disseminate the truth, and how Bitcoin is typically portrayed by mainstream media outlets.

The afternoon roared on with panels covering 'Merchant Adoption in the UK' with Ben Arc (nprofile…2e5q) , Jordan Walker (Bitcoin Collective) and Christopher Gordon (Bridge2Bitcoin); 'Personal OPSEC' with Anon2140, QnA (nprofile…7v85) , Rick Messit and TheCryptoDonkey (nprofile…uvs5) , 'MoE vs SoV (Everyday Bitcoin)' with Prem, tomek (nprofile…fxgq) and metamick (nprofile…yr67) .

That was all followed by a great audience for 'The History of Bitcoin Gaming' by mandelduck (nprofile…lpuz) . 'Bitcoin Culture' with Nat Cole, MadMunky2140 (nprofile…k7z2) , Jim.btc, Jean-Louis Lauwers and Mad Bitcoins. Professor Yathu Yoga of UCL took us through 'The Anthropology of Bitcoin & Crypto', closing off with a classic quiz from Joe Nakamoto and closing remarks from Mad Bitcoins.

The event didn't just stop there; some went to grab a bite to eat or to chill at the networking afterparty taking place 2 mins away from the venue at Joshua Brooks. Others made their way over to the iconic Factory251, on the opposite corner, to make the best of the happy hour open bar and prepare for the night of entertainment ahead, and oh boy, what a night it was.

The After Party: New Music Economy Showcase

In a collaborative effort between 2140 Art (nprofile…69rx) , New Music Nudge Unit (nprofile…nu9t) and 2140.wtf #blockworkgallery (nprofile…yx9j) , the New Music Economy concert put together a slew of musicians from around the Bitcoin space to host an unforgettable display of creativity and technological intuitivity, all powered by Bitcoin.

Hosted at the iconic Factory 251, Manchester, the venue itself is a staple in British music history, as the former home of Factory Records. The venue was home to the beginning of the UK's underground indie band, acid house and rave scene, better known as the 'Madchester' era. Founded by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmaus, known for running one of the UK's most notorious indie venues, The Hacienda, and producing legendary bands such as Joy Division and Happy Mondays.

On the 22nd of November 2025, following Day 1 of the Bitfest conference, the room was filled with a different crowd of revolutionaries, though. Cypherpunks, creators, founders, plebs, and all types of attendees filled the largest and loudest room in the venue to witness something special.

After a bit of confusion, subsequently sorted with the open bar happy hour, revellers grabbed their drinks as Aaron of Essex (nprofile…yuuk) took to the stage to give the opening intro and host a short panel with some of the musicians in attendance. The panel also featured an appearance from legendary UK Hip-Hop artist, Blade, considered the Godfather of independently crowdfunded music, who has recently been introduced to the world of Bitcoin via the 2140Music community.

Following the panel, we were treated to a quick speech and an empowering performance from the amazing ainsleycostello (nprofile…90st) , who lit up the room immediately with excitement from the crowd in an energy-filled impromptu performance.

Next up was the OG Bitcoiner and parody rap meister known only as the Crypto Raptor with some hilarious anecdotal crypto raps over some classic hip-hop beats. This guy has been keeping UK meetups entertained since 2017 with his classic takes on what's going on in the space.

The next act to bless the stage was MC, producer, and instrumentalist Andy_Princz (nprofile…xaj4) , rocking the crowd with all kinds of hip-hop flavours and closing off with a hard-hitting performance of his single Hydroponics, getting the crowd hyped for the next act.

The performances continued, with the night's youngest performers, The Greensands, who gave a great full band performance, getting the place amped up as they thrashed guitars and drums with an amazing show of talent that the crowd went wild for.

Country and folk artist Edwin Williamson hit the stage next, bringing a homely and crowd-rocking vibe to the event with a mostly acoustic performance, filling the place with rich vocals and feel-good vibes before the next act.

Nathan Abbot and friends were the next act to keep the crowd stepping with acoustic and rock vibes, which had attendees hooked on the melodic sounds. A gripping performance from the V4V veteran.

Hard money and Hip-Hop were next on the bill as we were taken through a hard-hitting Hip-Hop and Danchall set by G.O.L.D (nprofile…v4kw) , with plenty of Orange Pill jams and roaring crowd participation.\

Another V4V legend and amazing musical talent, Longy (nprofile…l4uy) grabbed the next, bringing the crowd to awe with acoustic riffs and rock anthems, accompanied by awe-inspiring vocals.

Following a great performance from Longy, was one of the UK's hardest working Hip-Hop MC's, with 20+ projects released in 2025 alone, Airklipz (nprofile…x6mv) rocked the crowd with deep boom bap Hip-Hop flavours.

The crowd was then blessed with the penultimate performance of the evening with cypherpunk-inspired rock n roll from yet another Bitcon OG and V4V veteran Roger9000 (nprofile…2jjt) .

The night was closed off with an enthralling final performance from Manchester native band Fable, who kept the crowd rocking out until the lights came on and it was time to leave.

Overall, the NME Concert was a success, with speakers, revellers, fans and artists all interacting throughout the night. Each act entered the stage with two screens on either side displaying their QR codes for V4V tipping over lightning, with every artist receiving speculation from the crowd in enjoyment and sats.

The event proved that artists who perform live can earn in a sovereign way for providing immense value and entertainment to any conference or event globally, with a shared love and appreciation for Bitcoin and cypherpunk values. With the New Music Economy, built on a Bitcoin standard, both musicians and music fans can interact peer-to-peer, removing the restrictions associated with the legacy music industry, even through live experiences.

The Afterparty, after the uh, party...

Our time at the iconic Factory concluded at 10:30 PM, but still, the night was young.\ The party continued across the road at Joshua Brooks, where DJs were already in full swing with DJ sets from rootzoll (nprofile…7mpv) and Funky Prem, followed up with further mixing sessions by Andy Princz and Akme (nprofile…8j3u) , which included a surprise performance from Blade.

People were free to explore all levels of the club; however, the top floor was reserved for Bitfest attendees only. Groups of discussions formed, a lot of drinks were consumed as people hung out and connected or got together a team for the virtual darts lanes.

A special shoutout goes to Mad Munky, who took everyone all the way through the home stretch until 4 AM!

Rest Assured

The night was over, but the event was not. Day 1 of Bitfest felt surreal for the team. Besides the hustle and bustle and work of organisers and volunteers, the overall feedback was amazing, and all areas were buzzing with conversations about the previous day as we rolled on to day 2, which we'll be updating you on soon.

Thanks for reading this article. If you attended, volunteered or were a part of BItfest, in-person or online, we appreciate you!

For those who are discovering Bitfest, we hope to see you next year. Keep following for updates on Bitfest 2026.

Nostr event nevent1qqsxe6qkk3y075kugt9hwpv3q29ymyuegx2t95c4rdzaw8prh63n4qqzyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn5csy05v

2025-11-28T13:28:16+01:00

The Samourai stand at #Bitfest #FreeSamourai ...

2025-11-26T10:59:54+01:00

The Samourai stand at #Bitfest
#FreeSamourai

The Green Sands absolutely lit up our Bitfest conference party! ...

2025-11-26T00:22:17+01:00

The Green Sands absolutely lit up our Bitfest conference party! 🔥🎶 Thanks for bringing the energy and making the night unforgettable. #Bitfest #TheGreenSands

@nprofile…7p5v 👀

2025-11-24T23:26:14+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…92ar
_________________________

Ninimonk05 (nprofile…7p5v) 👀

And thank you Thomas. 🫂

2025-11-24T10:52:52+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…5ykc
_________________________

And thank you Thomas. 🫂

Yestr.

2025-11-24T10:16:28+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…0c6n
_________________________

Yestr.

It's @nprofile…7d78 video.

2025-11-23T18:26:52+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…5g0c
_________________________

It's MaxDeMarco (nprofile…7d78) video.

Can Homeschooling Save Your Kids now screening at Bitflix. ...

2025-11-23T15:50:57+01:00

Can Homeschooling Save Your Kids now screening at Bitflix.

A Place To Be (nprofile…tg0s) Q&A afterwards!

The final day of Bitfest just starting. ...

2025-11-23T11:15:16+01:00

The final day of Bitfest just starting.

Bitfest party round 2 Let's go! https://zap.stream/ ...

2025-11-23T00:26:07+01:00

Bitfest party round 2
Let's go!

https://zap.stream/

quoting
naddr1qq…ghk9

Nostr event nevent1qqs9dxgx6k6ezuyjqsawsff0f3v8t8axjglhem2r8vx57vqztz329kqzyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn5pk5k49

2025-11-22T21:28:12+01:00

We are. 🤟

2025-11-22T21:09:06+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…ea0q
_________________________

We are. 🤟

Behind the scenes ... ...

2025-11-22T20:12:34+01:00

Behind the scenes ...

We live! #naddr1qq…d362

2025-11-22T19:48:42+01:00

We live!

quoting
naddr1qq…d362

Thanks to the Speakers and everyone that attended Nostrshire. ...

2025-11-21T19:51:38+01:00

Thanks to the Speakers and everyone that attended Nostrshire. 🙏🙌 #Bitfest

Pepe.x starts Saturday morning. ...

2025-11-19T21:41:30+01:00

Pepe.x starts Saturday morning.

This weekend we are battling the weather and money printers at ...

2025-11-18T16:45:25+01:00

This weekend we are battling the weather and money printers at Bitfest.uk
Our weapons of choice, code, music, art and Gore-Tex.
Come down..

Yaaaaas!

2025-11-14T23:16:11+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…3ac0
_________________________

Yaaaaas!

Wat dis 👀 #nevent1q…zw8y

2025-11-13T21:06:22+01:00

Wat dis 👀

quoting
nevent1q…zw8y
New name and PFP find out why on Friday the 21st at Bitfest (npub1r9z…q8lx) 👀

Double header with New Music Economy on Sat 22nd confirmed. ...

2025-11-03T23:33:04+01:00

Double header with New Music Economy on Sat 22nd confirmed. ☠️

Scenes.

quoting
nevent1q…dq76
Nostrshire just got a level up!

nPubDub 🤟

nevent1q…8kdc

https://i.nostr.build/2ChgiprMChJB1poY.gif

2025-10-14T21:32:46+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…6h0w
_________________________

Even moar speakers added to #nostrshire and #bitfest 👀 Not bad ...

2025-10-13T22:55:42+02:00

Even moar speakers added to #nostrshire and #bitfest 👀

Not bad for a pleb conf!

bitfest.uk

TICK TOCK ⏳ ...

2025-10-09T12:46:08+02:00

TICK TOCK ⏳

🎟️ bitfest.uk

It ain't a conference without swag. ...

2025-10-02T14:06:59+02:00

It ain't a conference without swag.

🚨Early Bird rates end in less than 8 hours. Final call for 25% ...

2025-09-30T17:27:20+02:00

🚨Early Bird rates end in less than 8 hours.

Final call for 25% off the full conference ticket price! 👀

GET•YOURS•NOW!

https://bitfest.uk

Come and hear @nprofile…yyjl speaking about Glitch at ...

2025-09-21T20:18:12+02:00

Come and hear RobBrinded (nprofile…yyjl) speaking about Glitch at bitfest.uk in November!

quoting
nevent1q…89cf
Finally the big day has arrived... Glitch, my new book, has launched.

It's about debugging the mental programming that keep people stuck in repetitive patterns (the "hamster wheels") and learning to access "admin mode" to reprogram your life.

I have a chapter 9 ¾ - where I explain to people (interested in self help), the importance of understanding how our monetary system reinforces manipulation and a high time preference mentality and the book leads them of course to bitcoin. (🌽trojan horse for normies)

If you're serious about inner peace, getting the most out of your life and really understanding what freedom is - I would highly recommend the read.

There's a also cool quiz to find which side of the hamster wheel you reside.

Any help in sharing it would be really appreciated.

https://www.glitchthebook.co/quiz

Nostr event nevent1qqsvzjcldkeeyndh5x7jugry2zn2ld07lp6hw95euk9tufrzaqpfpaczyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn5qvl73h

2025-09-08T10:57:42+02:00

Good Morning Nostrians! ☀️

🫡🫡🫡

2025-09-08T10:53:13+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…tf4j
_________________________

🫡🫡🫡

The Hacienda Anthony Burgess Emmeline Pankhurst Alan Turing Oasis ...

2025-08-23T13:52:40+02:00

The Hacienda
Anthony Burgess
Emmeline Pankhurst
Alan Turing
Oasis
Ernest Rutherford.
BitFest

All associated with Manchester.

Nostr event nevent1qqszgj5jjge8y38qw6xsd5hlgy64up8p5czxzl3y6rt8jpphsr2q99czyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn5wcdxxe

2025-08-18T18:49:06+02:00

Nostr event nevent1qqsdglcdpp0lssk0yugejjmz8p29ruqqjgl25xsh08su2sqtmpza69szyqv5fekglky2nny5svgdukhwpzr0f8putd5lj67m09qpm4qaw7zn5h9qhpe

2025-08-06T10:15:28+02:00

Culture is as important as Code.

Bring your kids, your mum, your node—#BitFest25 is fully ...

2025-08-04T13:05:48+02:00

Bring your kids, your mum, your node—#BitFest25 is fully family-friendly!

🎈

https://BitFest.uk

Bitcoin isn’t just a currency—it’s a culture, it's art, ...

2025-08-01T10:17:02+02:00

Bitcoin isn’t just a currency—it’s a culture, it's art, it's music, it's a community...a lifestyle of freedom.

We’re building the future. 🌍🧡

#BitFest25

Something is definitely happening…😎 https://bitfest.uk ...

2025-07-29T18:56:17+02:00

Something is definitely happening…😎

https://bitfest.uk

🟠🟣🎶🎨🎪