Sixteen years after the birth of Bitcoin, it is no longer just a dark web experiment or a countercultural asset. By 2025, it is increasingly interacting with politicians, institutions, and Wall Street giants.
This transformation was particularly evident at the recent Bitcoin 2025 conference held in Las Vegas.
In this week's (Byte-Sized Insight), Cointelegraph's Gareth Jenkinson explores whether politics and institutions have taken control of Bitcoin or if the importance of Bitcoin's status is undeniable.
The transformation of Bitcoin 2025
Once limited to Bitcoin believers, the conference now attracts numerous political and financial leaders. This indicates that Bitcoin has caught the attention of political and financial elites.
A notable trend is the rise of Bitcoin asset companies. Inspired by MicroStrategy, many companies are now adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets and providing alternative Bitcoin options for investors through the stock market.
Gareth interviewed Dylan LeClair, Bitcoin Strategy Director at Metaplanet. Metaplanet has recently become one of the most frequently traded stocks in Japan. LeClair stated, "We are all in, selling everything we have to buy more Bitcoin."
Institutional adoption of Bitcoin
Also participating in this episode is Jack Mallers, the CEO of Strike and founder of Twenty One, a new Bitcoin asset company supported by firms like Tether.
Mallers welcomes the attention to politics and institutions, emphasizing that the application of Bitcoin is naturally transforming from a payment tool to a long-term store of value.
To gain historical perspective, Gareth also conversed with Blockstream CEO Adam Back. Back believes that the technological and social evolution of Bitcoin reflects its increasingly global impact.
He said, "This is a new application of Bitcoin, not what they are doing for Bitcoin, but what Bitcoin is doing for them."
For the full interview, please listen to Cointelegraph's podcast.
