The MIT Bitcoin Membership—a passionate coalition of scholars, alumni, researchers, and group members—presents the twelfth annual MIT Bitcoin Expo (April 5–6, 2025), a landmark occasion exploring how Bitcoin and freedom applied sciences empower people worldwide. With simply 5 days remaining, this student-led initiative continues its decade-long custom of bridging academia, activism, and technical innovation.
Why This Issues
Born from MIT’s 2014 Bitcoin Challenge—which distributed Bitcoin to undergraduates to review adoption—the expo has developed right into a important discussion board for sovereignty-focused dialogue. This yr’s agenda of freedom tech focuses on bodily liberation by way of know-how.
Audio system like Zimbabwean activist Evan Mawarire (#ThisFlag motion chief) and Lightning Community creator Tadge Dryja will dissect Bitcoin’s position in resisting authoritarian management and enabling real-world escape from oppression. This isn’t concerning the cryptoeconomics, nor concerning the meme cash. That is about life, liberty, and Bitcoin.
What to Anticipate
Day 1: Dive into freedom tech fundamentals with Mawarire’s keynote “Why Freedom Tech Issues” and Dryja’s evaluation of Bitcoin’s resilience in opposition to nation-states. Company adoption takes middle stage with Marathon Digital’s Paul Giordano and Bitcoin Core builders like Gloria Zhao. Get extra technical within the afternoon with matters akin to consensus cleanup, poisoning assaults, censorship resistance, Bitcoin Pipes, and so on.
Day 2: Shift to international influence with Mauricio Bartolomeo (exfiltration by way of Bitcoin) and panels that includes activists from Venezuela, Russia, and Togo. Technical deep dives embrace MIT’s Neha Narula on scaling self-custody and Steven Roose’s covenant softfork proposals. Different matters embrace way forward for freedom tech, quantum resistance, covenant gentle fork, Tor mission, and so on.
Past Idea: The Freedom Tech Hackathon
Operating parallel (April 4–6), this $10,000-prize occasion challenges builders to construct instruments for privateness, censorship resistance, and monetary sovereignty14. Previous tasks have secured funding from trade leaders—proof of MIT’s “Thoughts and Hand” ethos in action4.
Moreover, Anna Chekhovich from the HRF will run a workshop on Bitcoin self-custody 101.
Why Attend?This occasion prioritizes substance over spectacle. Tickets stay accessible, audio system current professional bono, and discussions deal with urgent questions:
– How can Bitcoin allow bodily escape from authoritarian regimes?
– What technical upgrades strengthen its anti-censorship properties?
– Can firms undertake Bitcoin with out compromising its ethos?
With 40+ audio system and 500+ anticipated attendees, the expo affords unparalleled networking with builders, activists, and teachers shaping Bitcoin’s future.
Occasion Particulars & Registration April 5–6, 2025 | 
MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Safe your spot: www.mitbtcexpo.org Questions? [email protected] / [email protected]
For twelve years, we’ve requested arduous questions. Be a part of us as we construct solutions.
