“Bitcoin’s strength is to be universalist”

Surfin’Bitcoin attracted more than 2,000 people to Biarritz last week, what is your assessment of this third edition?

This is the year of confirmation and internationalization. Compared to the previous edition, we took into account a number of criticisms: some found the interventions too general or complicated. So we tried to have a very broad program with bitcoin core developers, like Gloria Zhao, who has the role of “maintainer” on the GitHub. That is to say, it has the rights to validate or refuse the code modification proposals made by the other developers.

There was also a presentation of several scientific research reports on the latest Bitcoin and Lighting Network innovations (“Toward Better Bitcoin”), offered in partnership between the University of Pau (UPPA) and the R&D department of StackinSat . Personally, I am not an expert in very technical subjects, the idea is to reach a target of “tech guys” and Bitcoin developers. Normally, they rarely leave their homes, but we made them move precisely because they are offered this kind of very technical content..

Thaddeus Dryja, the creator of the Lightning Network was also there. It’s a chance, because I met him by chance: in November of last year, we were in El Salvador with the French delegation the day President Bukele unveiled the Bitcoin City. Buses had been chartered to go there and we ended up in the same one as Thaddeus Dryja. So we spent an hour talking, it was amazing and I will remember it all my life. Inviting him to Surfin’Bitcoin then seemed obvious to us. It gives us international credibility.

Conversely, with the first day of the show, “Surfin’Day”, the idea was to attract no-coiners [qui ne possèdent aucune cryptomonnaie, NDLR] with more accessible discussions and the broadcast of a documentary. The event is organized at the end of August also with the idea of ​​attracting a very large audience, because the population of Biarritz is multiplied by ten in the summer. Always with the aim of converting as many people as possible, we have programmed a treasure hunt for Surfin’Day, with satoshis as a reward [fractions de bitcoin, NDLR], which creates a financial incentive. People tell themselves that they have money to make and, through this financial means, they are compensated for taking an interest in Bitcoin.

It was a free day. And we thought about it even before we were criticized for the price of tickets for the other two days, when – frankly – it’s not more expensive than other conferences.

There were many more ether holders in the audience and among the speakers than last year. Is Surfin’Bitcoin intended to develop on altcoins [cryptomonnaies autres que bitcoin] ?

Absolutely not. NFTs, for example, are useless! To troll, we organized an auction of an NFT of a video. This one just points to the video with a hyperlink on YouTube – if you want I’ll share it with you.

We are bitcoiners. Bitcoin has real utility. In my opinion, this is not the case with other cryptos.

There are a few more opponents too, but some consider bitcoiners virulent, especially on Twitter. Don’t you think that deters them from coming?

I proposed to several opponents to join us, but some simply did not want to. I told them that even if I didn’t agree on the substance, I was still very interested in hearing their talk on the subject at Surfin’ Bitcoin. I can’t do anything more.

Personally, when I see errors or confusing elements, even in your articles, I do not seek to create a public drama on Twitter and rather send you an e-mail directly because I find it more correct.

Afterwards, it is not specific to Bitcoin; it’s the way Twitter’s algorithms work that pushes you to react like clockwork. Social networks and individuals generally prefer tragedies to saying things in private.

And what do you think of the accusation against cryptocurrencies of maintaining macho values?

Already, when I worked in a fin-tech [service financier via les nouvelles technologies] before, there were only men. Maybe it goes back to raising children: if you’re a girl, you get a Barbie; and if you’re a boy, a car. Some sectors have more men than women in the workforce. Even in the conferences: last year there were 20% women, this year we are at 17%. It’s not me telling them not to come, on the contrary.

French tech meets the same criticisms. In sectors where men are more represented, there is always this kind of criticism, but it is not specific to Bitcoin… It is also the case with politics.

Do you understand these criticisms against the Bitcoin community?

No, I don’t understand them. It’s like saying that yoga is a feminist practice because there are more women.

Media have reported on the American alt-right’s extensive use of cryptocurrency to finance itself. Is Bitcoin Far-Right?

In Bitcoin, there are all political edges. I am absolutely opposed to this shortcut, which consists in assimilating it to the extreme right. Even among the maximalists [ceux qui refusent d’investir dans d’autres cryptomonnaies que le bitcoin], you really have everything. There are often clashes with us, for example between an anarchist and another rather in the center. On many social issues, there are different opinions, it’s very heterogeneous.

But is it still libertarian?

Of course, but libertarian is neither left nor right. Putting people in boxes doesn’t make sense. There are obviously, among libertarians, those who put forward private property, but others will speak of social justice, which is perhaps more of a leftist value.

Bitcoin covers all political sides, all generations, all nationalities, all sensibilities, you can be gay or trans. The strength of Bitcoin is to be universalist. It is a common good that everyone is lucky enough to be able to possess without censorship, decentralized. It is magic.

Do you think it will continue to spread?

What I see as a possibility is that it will be adopted in countries that have real problems. In El Salvador, for example, money transfers were complicated, while the sums sent by the diaspora represented a significant part of the GDP. Western Union was taking a big percentage fee. And now the uncle in Miami can pay his nephew’s electric bill back in El Salvador with bitcoins almost for free. Bitcoin will continue to spread because there are problems and this is the solution.

Central America and Africa are the two areas that need it the most. In Europe, the issue of inflation also works in its favor, as bitcoins offer long-term purchasing power protection. If we look at the price since the beginning of the year, of course, it has about half of its value 50%. But, over the long term, it is rising sharply. We are in a long-term logic and not short-termist, it is important.