A bear market didn’t dampen the mood at the Florida Bitcoin & Blockchain Summit (FBBS), as its myriad of speakers focused on new achievements rather than price fluctuations.
Friday’s summit was a decidedly scaled-down version of the inaugural Tampa event, held at Amalie Arena last November. Chris Krimitsos, founder of the FBBS, expressed his sincere excitement to see everyone filling the Holiday Inn Westshore’s conference room, as the occasion was about the people that continue to believe in the new technology’s applications rather than a venue.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor kicked off the event by once again welcoming attendees to the city. While she didn’t offer to accept a portion of her salary in bitcoin as she did at last year’s summit, she did reaffirm her belief in the security of blockchain technology and the financial equity provided by the apex cryptocurrency.
Castor noted that officials need to “figure out” national and global regulations regarding cryptocurrencies. She also relayed that city government moves slowly but said she continues holding regular conversations regarding potential applications.
“And so, we are continuing to learn,” said Castor. “I’m very excited to support everybody in this endeavor, and we will definitely figure this out and move forward as a nation. And hopefully, we’ll be looked upon here in the Tampa Bay area as one of the leaders in bitcoin and blockchain.”
With bitcoin’s value plunging by about 66% since last November’s bull run, organizers aptly titled the event’s first panel “Spotting Opportunities in a Bear Market.” Joshua Jake, a crypto research analyst and co-founder of the educational CryptoKnight platform, told attendees that a bear market is a time to study and explore the industry.
While he believes the downturn could be an opportune time to find a “hidden gem,” Jake said the most critical aspect is that industry leaders continue developing new applications. He…
