Bitcoin MENA 2024 kicked off today, promising key insights into the industry and featuring prominent speakers including Eric Trump, prominent business leader and son of U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump, as a headliner. The conference will also see the participation of Steve Witkoff, the new White House envoy for the Middle East and co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a crypto platform launched in September that Donald Trump helped form.
Eric Trump will deliver Tuesday’s keynote address at Bitcoin MENA 2024, which is projected to draw more than 6,000 people. He will then hold a “whale-only” chat in the conference’s VIP lounge, according to the event’s agenda. Witkoff will also speak at “The Deep Backstage: Whale Only” panel which will see the participation of large players in the market.
Region’s largest Bitcoin event
Organized by ADNEC Group and BTC Inc., Bitcoin MENA 2024 will take place on December 9-10 at the ADNEC Center in Abu Dhabi. Poised to be the region’s largest event of its kind, it will feature industry-defining discussions on investment trends, blockchain advancements, Bitcoin mining developments and financial growth strategies.
Other speakers who have close ties to Trump and World Liberty Financial are also participating at Bitcoin MENA 2024, including Justin Sun, founder of blockchain platform Tron. Three weeks after Trump won the election, Sun posted on X that he bought $30 million worth of WLF tokens, making him the venture’s largest investor.
Crypto market shift
Bitcoin MENA 2024 is taking place amid a significant shift in the crypto landscape following Trump’s election. The president-elect vowed that he would be the crypto president and make America the new “crypto capital of the planet.”
With hopes of a less restrictive crypto market, Bitcoin broke records last week when it surpassed the $100,000 level. The total value of the cryptocurrency market has almost doubled in the last year, hitting a record high of just below $3.8 trillion, according to CoinGecko.
The most popular cryptocurrency hit the milestone just hours after Trump said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The appointment sparked hopes of a lighter regulatory approach towards the digital currency, with investors betting on the friendly U.S. administration to cement cryptocurrency’s position in financial markets.
Bitcoin rose over 50 percent on the prospects of a more crypto-friendly administration. Trump’s election also saw several pro-crypto lawmakers make it to Congress. Crypto investors have been hopeful that Trump’s policies will reduce regulatory barriers and boost institutional adoption.
Read: Bitcoin price crosses $100,000 for the first time
Notable speakers
Other notable speakers at Bitcoin MENA 2024 include Saifedean Ammous, CEO of Saifedean.com and author of The Bitcoin Standard, and Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of AI at Dubai’s Department of Economy & Tourism. Changpeng Zhao, founder of Giggle Academy, will also provide insights into leveraging education and technology within the Bitcoin space.
Additionally, David Bailey, co-founder & CEO of BTC Inc., will provide perspectives on Bitcoin’s future trajectory and its role in shaping the financial landscape. Dylan LeClair, director of Bitcoin strategy at Metaplanet, will focus on strategic developments in Bitcoin investment and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Yoni Assia, co-founder & CEO of eToro, will highlight the democratization of finance through Bitcoin and its influence on global markets. Abdulla Aldhaheri, a representative from The Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi, will also showcase regional initiatives in blockchain adoption and innovation.
