Wizards on stage. rock climbing. Don't forget about ax throwing.
These things and more helped set the tone for Permissionless III's opening day, as thousands of crypto residents descended on Salt Lake City.
There is excitement in the air as people attend sessions focused on topics ranging from investing in private markets to a fireside conversation with BlackRock's Samara Cohen (more on that later) (I will explain).
One participant stated that he preferred Permissionless over other popular crypto events, stating that it was “not a zoo.”
Although many attendees noted that the overall atmosphere was positive, Ram Ahluwalia said he found the atmosphere “uncomfortable.”
For Ahluwalia, one question lingered like a rain cloud over her head. Will latecomers bought as prices rise, or will they fall once they reach a new all-time high?
Blockworks Chief Operating Officer Sid Viswanath said they received a lot of positive feedback from attendees, with some saying they preferred the quality of the smaller event compared to last year.
As for the main stage, a16z crypto's Chris Dixon was one of the first speakers at Wednesday's conference.
Appearing on the main stage, Dixon pointed out that there is currently a “chill” in cryptocurrencies due to the overall environment and pushed for bipartisan legislation.
The regulatory environment, which has become one of the most popular topics for cryptocurrencies, was heavily mentioned throughout many panels, especially the one that took place on the main stage.
But there is a bullish vibe among the participants and speakers at this year's event. I'm not just writing this as a Blockworks staff member.
Please see the Opinions section for more information. Political candidates can no longer ignore crypto voters
BlackRock's Samara Cohen provided insight into IBIT investors and the investment appetite they've seen since the world's largest asset manager launched a Bitcoin ETF in January of this year.
Cohen said that approximately 75% of IBIT buyers are first-time buyers of iShare, indicating that the majority of investors are crypto natives.
Looking at the 13F filings, he noted that about 85% of the investors were direct buyers.
“What we are really seeing is demand for Bitcoin ETFs,” Cohen said.
After her talk, one attendee commented that Cohen was “terrible.”
Attendees filled the so-called breakout tracks, or small panels, outside the main stage, which began in the afternoon.
In one such panel, a wizard (Taproots Wizard co-founder Eric Wall) sits next to Galaxy's Alex Thorne while the two discuss Bitcoin with Bankless co-founder David Hoffman. Ta.
In addition to taking to the Permissionless stage, Hoffman will also be in the ring on Friday to take on Kane Warwick in a karate combat match.
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