Bitcoin MENA 2025 in Abu Dhabi: Who’s Going, Why It Matters, and What to Expect
Our poll asks a simple question: Will you attend Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi on December 8–9, 2025?
Below you’ll find a quick attendee guide, plus short bios of the billed speakers.
This page is for information only—always check the official program for updates.
Why Bitcoin MENA?
- Regional hub: Abu Dhabi and Dubai are leading MENA finance/tech centers with zero personal income tax in the UAE and a growing Bitcoin/mining ecosystem.
- Global access: Strong flight connectivity, business-friendly environment, and event infrastructure.
- Network effects: Builders, miners, policy makers, and allocators converge—great for deal flow and hiring.
Travel basics
- Venue & dates: Abu Dhabi, December 8–9, 2025 (confirm the official venue on the event site).
- Entry & visas: Requirements vary by passport—check UAE government guidance before booking.
- Local norms: Respect dress codes and public-behavior rules; December weather is generally pleasant.
Speakers (as billed by the program)
- Michael Saylor — Executive Chairman, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy). Known for corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy and capital-markets perspective.
- Danny Knowles — Host, What Bitcoin Did. Experienced interviewer/moderator; guides high-signal conversations on stage.
- Michael Goldstein — President, Satoshi Nakamoto Institute. Focus on Bitcoin history, philosophy, and first-principles thinking.
- Bilal Bin Saqib — CEO; public figure driving blockchain policy initiatives in Pakistan (as billed). Perspective on national-level adoption.
- Russell Okung — Professional athlete & investor. Advocates for Bitcoin as savings technology and financial inclusion.
- Irene Gao — President of Mining, Bitmain. Insights on mining hardware cycles, efficiency, and deployment.
- Yoni Assia — Founder & CEO, eToro. Retail access, market structure, and tokenized assets discussion.
- Aaron van Wirdum — Bitcoin Magazine. Protocol history and upgrade narratives, explained clearly.
- Abu Akkuc — Founder & Creative Director, 21Million Fashion | Orange Elite. Bitcoin culture, design, and branding.
- Abubakar Nur Khalil — CEO, Btrust. Developer funding and open-source growth across Africa.
- Adam O’Brian — Founder & CEO, Bitcoin Well. Practical self-custody and on-/off-ramp experiences.
- Aleksandar Svetski — Founder & CEO, Satlantis. Bitcoin education, sovereignty, and entrepreneurship.
- Arsh Molu — Operations Lead, Human Rights Foundation. Bitcoin and civil liberties, grants, and advocacy.
- Brian Dixon — CEO, Off the Chain Capital. Value-oriented investing across Bitcoin & infrastructure.
- Christian Lopez — MD & Head of Blockchain/Digital Assets, Cohen & Company Capital Markets. Institutional adoption and capital-markets plumbing.
- Christoph Koster — CEO, ruya. Product and infra perspectives from a founder in the region.
- Cody Carbone — CEO, The Digital Chamber. Policy and regulatory engagement for the industry.
- Craig Deutsch — BTC Inc. Community building and conference operations (publisher behind Bitcoin Magazine).
- Daniel Sempere Pico — Chief Viral Officer, Viral Bits. Growth, media tactics, and content virality.
- David Bailey — CEO, KindlyMD ($NAKA) (as billed). Health/tech and Bitcoin-adjacent innovation.
- Denny Xing — VP Business Development, Hash House. Mining infrastructure and partnerships.
- Fred King — Founder, CryptoSnake. Bitcoin education and creative outreach.
- Irina Heaver — “UAE’s Bitcoin Lawyer,” Founder, NeosLegal. Legal frameworks, company setup, and compliance in the UAE.
- JP Richardson — CEO, Exodus Movement, Inc. Self-custody UX and multi-asset wallet design.
- Jayson Browder — SVP Government Affairs, MARA. Miner/regulatory interface and energy policy.
- Kevin Zhang — Head of Asia, Nakamoto. Regional strategy and institutional relationships.
- Maria Vovchok — Head of BD & Media Lead, Dubai Blockchain Center. Ecosystem partnerships and media amplification.
- Matthew Sigel — Head of Digital Assets Research, VanEck. ETF flows, valuation frameworks, and macro.
- Michael Peterson — Director, Bitcoin Beach. Grassroots adoption and circular-economy lessons.
- Muhammad Rasoul — CEO, Amana Capital. Brokerage rails and MENA investor access.
- Rahim Taghizadegan — CEO, Deedsats. Austrian-school economics meets Bitcoin education.
- Rami Alsridi — CEO, Mining Grid. Data-center design and scaling considerations in MENA.
- Robin Seyr — Founder & Host, Robin Seyr Podcast. Long-form conversations with founders and thinkers.
- Roman Martinez — Co-founder, Bitcoin Beach. Community building and global replication playbooks.
- Siddarth Bharwani — Director & CFO, Jetking. Talent pipelines and technical education.
- Susie Violet Ward — CEO & Co-Founder, Bitcoin Policy UK. UK policy engagement and consumer protection.
- Tony Yazbeck — Founder, The Bitcoin Way. White-glove self-custody and inheritance planning.
- Weikeng Chen — Research Partner, L2 Iterative. Bitcoin research, scaling, and dev tooling.
- Wyatt O’Rourke — Founder & CEO, Basilic Financial. Personal finance tooling for Bitcoin savers.
Make the most of your trip
- Plan meetings in advance; use Telegram/Nostr/X groups to coordinate.
- Bring a fresh mobile wallet for lightning demos (test with small amounts only).
- Respect OPSEC: no seed phrases, no balances on screen, keep backups at home.
Cast your vote above (Yes / No / Maybe) and share the poll—crowd data improves with more independent inputs.
