Bitcoin Wednesday Amsterdam #133

Bitcoin Wednesday Amsterdam #133

Decentralized Departure:
Bit by Bit, WikiLeaks Founder Gets His Block Reward

We're dedicating this edition of Bitcoin Wednesday to Julian Assange's recent Bitcoin-fueled flight to freedom. See story below.

Our 133rd gathering will celebrate the intersection of digital assets and civil liberties, including the recent Assange Saga and subjects such as:

• Cryptocurrency, censorship and the evolving role of Bitcoin in preserving free speech;
• Financial freedom, privacy coins, mixers and protocols, and advancements in financial anonymity; and
• From WikiLeaks to your wallet, let's talk about how cryptocurrency continues to reshape politics and personal freedom.

Don't miss this chance to network with Bitcoiners in Amsterdam's beautiful Vondelpark.

Be part of the conversation that's redefining liberty in the digital age. Reserve your spot now for Bitcoin Wednesday #133!

Assange Freed, Gets His Block Reward

The controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange just cashed in his ultimate cryptocurrency dividend. Within days of a crowdfunding appeal, an anonymous Bitcoin donor surfaced with a $500,000 lifeline, chartering Assange's flight to freedom following a U.S. Justice Department plea deal.

This development isn't Assange's first dance with digital gold. A decade ago, he credited Bitcoin for keeping WikiLeaks afloat when Uncle Sam's financial blockade threatened to sink the whistleblowing site. That crisis catapulted Bitcoin into the limelight, showcasing its utility in defying censorship and preserving internet freedom.

In a surprising historical footnote, Bitcoin's pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto had once warned WikiLeaks to avoid the cryptocurrency, fearing political blowback. "The heat you would bring would likely destroy us at this stage," Nakamoto wrote in 2010 and before largely disappearing from the public eye, Satoshi was unequivocal in his disapproval, "WikiLeaks has kicked the hornet's nest, and the swarm is headed towards us."

WikiLeaks persisted in its use of the cryptocurrency despite U.S.-led economic sanctions. As traditional money lanes slammed shut, Bitcoin paved a new path, helping WikiLeaks to raise millions of dollars without any links to the traditional financial world.

In the years since, Bitcoin has evolved into a suit of armor for censorship resistance and the cause of internet freedom, taken up by developers of Tornado Cash, Samurai Wallet, and many others at the leading edge of privacy.

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Bitcoin Wednesday

One of the best and longest-running regular Bitcoin and Blockchain conferences in the Netherlands.

Always held on the first Wednesday of every month.

An open and informal program for anyone interested in digital currency and the blockchain.

For Bitcoin novices and experts alike. Beginners, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, miners, traders, legal professionals -- all find value in this event.

Brings together a diverse group of people from all levels and backgrounds without any barriers in order to give this important new technology a prominent role in Dutch society.

One of the goals of Bitcoin Wednesday is to promote the industry, to spread the word about Bitcoin (and related technology) in the Netherlands by raising the overall level of awareness and knowledge.