Bitcoin Nashville starts today: what to expect

Bitcoin Nashville is about to kick off, with industry attention centered on former President Donald Trump’s keynote address on Bitcoin and the whole crypto industry.

Hours left before the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, kicks off, bringing together key industry figures from the crypto world and and high-profile politicians for a comprehensive look at the market.

The most attention is focused on former President Donald Trump, who is expected to deliver a “historic message,” event organizer and BTC Inc. chief of staff Brandon Green told media. Despite the hype, the market appears unfazed, with Polymarket bettors skeptical that Trump will announce anything substantial.

What is clear is that the event will be a financial success for Trump as Bitcoin Magazine chief executive David Bailey reportedly committed to raising $15 million for the Republican presidential nominee during the conference.

Pro-crypto Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming is also expected to make significant announcements, potentially revealing that she’s been working on new legislation requiring the Federal Reserve to hold Bitcoin (BTC) as a strategic reserve asset. Other speakers include independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ARK founder Cathie Wood, and former MicroStrategy chief executive Michael Saylor, though the details of their speeches remain unclear.

As crypto.news reported earlier, the conference will also feature controversial figures, such as British comedian Russell Brand, who has faced multiple accusations of sexual assault and inappropriate behaviour from several women. He’s faced an investigation from police and has been questioned by detectives. More on that in our deep dive here.

Prior to yesterday, there was also speculation that Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris might attend the conference as well, but she reportedly declined following discussions with organizers. Trump is expected to be speaking at 2 p.m. CT (19:00 UTC) for 30 minutes on Jul. 27, the final day of the conference.