President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, ... More DC. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski)

Over 30,000 people attended the 2025 Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas last week, one of the most significant crypto events of the year. Once known as a hub for disussing the ideals of decentralization like privacy, financial freedom, and rebellion against centralized power, the Bitcoin Conference has taken a sharp political turn. In 2025, the event felt more like a Trump-aligned political rally than a crypto summit, complete with MAGA-themed sequined jackets, “Make Bitcoin Great Again” hats, and an abundance of White House officials in attendance.

Bitcoin, first introduced in 2009 with the now-famous genesis block message “Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks,” was designed as a decentralized, apolitical alternative to government-controlled money. But today, there is a growing alignment between cryptocurrency and U.S. politics threatening the neutrality that made Bitcoin revolutionary.

Bitcoin was created to allow peer-to-peer transactions without banks or governments acting as intermediaries. But, in 2025, a growing mix of political ambition and financial power is steadily undermining that vision. At the Bitcoin Conference, Vice President JD Vance, speaking with rhetoric that felt unmistakably campaign-driven, described bitcoin as a hedge not only against inflation but against “the private sector itself.”

He also told the audience that stablecoins do not threaten the U.S. dollar, which reflects the administration’s broader effort to align with the crypto industry. While the message sounds anti-establishment, the actions tell a different story. On the opening day of the 2025 Bitcoin Conference, Trump Media

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