{"id":13627,"date":"2022-09-05T11:46:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-05T11:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/ripples-of-bitcoin-adoption-at-biarritzs-surfin-bitcoin-conference-in-france\/"},"modified":"2022-09-05T11:46:24","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T11:46:24","slug":"ripples-of-bitcoin-adoption-at-biarritzs-surfin-bitcoin-conference-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/ripples-of-bitcoin-adoption-at-biarritzs-surfin-bitcoin-conference-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Ripples of Bitcoin adoption at Biarritz\u2019s Surfin Bitcoin Conference in France"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A sublime sunset enveloped Biarritz Casino on Aug. 27, bringing France\u2019s largest Bitcoin (BTC) conference to a close. Located in southwest France and organized by French Bitcoin exchange Stackin Sat, Surfin Bitcoin assembled a host of Bitcoin OG\u2019s, newbies and no coiners, those yet to buy or earn crypto, in a setting that would rival any Hollywood film set.<\/p>\n

Bitcoiners networked in the hope of learning more about the Lightning Network, landing jobs at one of the many French Bitcoin companies present \u2014 from Galoy Money to D\u00e9couvre Bitcoin \u2014 or simply rubbing shoulders with fellow Bitcoin believers. In a touch of bear market irony, as the Bitcoin chips are currently way down, the event venue took place at the illustrious Biarritz Casino.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From Bitcoin core maintainers to European royalty to naturally CEOs from the largest French crypto companies, the vibe was distinctly French, albeit with a fizzy international influence.<\/p>\n

Cointelegraph and Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier (right) in front of the Biarritz Casino and Biarritz\u2019 Grande Plage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bitcoin maximalism was on full display. Panelists and moderators had carte blanche to slamdunk on shitcoiners as hotly anticipated debates compared crypto venture capitalists to gamblers and boasted the merits and queried the limitations of Bitcoin\u2019s layer-2 Lightning Network. Representatives from Aave and various crypto decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) expressed their admiration for Bitcoin but held true to their vision of a multi-coin future.<\/p>\n

While there were several official commercial announcements during the event, speakers spontaneously stumbled across certain revelations. During a panel on mining, Pierre Rochard of Riot Mining announced his intention to rename mining to \u201ctimestamping\u201d to avoid confusion regarding the act of retrieving scarce resources from a physical space. Timestamping would make education easier, he explained, and it\u2019s also Satoshi Nakamoto\u2019s way of explaining mining in the white paper. <\/p>\n

Similarly, on the Lightning Network panel, Blockstream\u2019s Christian Decker, also known as Dr. Bitcoin, described the Lightning Network as an \u201cant network.\u201d In essence, he explained, the LN behaves like an ant colony. Much like a group of ants, the LN seeks out productive areas of activity and congregates in spaces where efficient routes or channel hops can link together.<\/p>\n

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This was a first for me, a #LittleHODLer<\/a> gallery section at @SurfinBitcoin<\/a> I also had the opportunity to create a drawing for the conference that was auctioned off for charity. Thank you for everything @Jhersco<\/a> @Joss_do_it_BTC<\/a> and team pic.twitter.com\/pNgBhaXbpW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Lina Seiche (@LinaSeiche) August 29, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Among the workshops and Q&A sessions, European Bitcoin artists such as Lina Seiche, the creator of the Little Hodler, displayed their pieces. Konsensus, a Bitcoin book publisher, sold French translations of popular Bitcoin books for a couple of Satoshis \u2014 the smallest denomination of a Bitcoin \u2014in the main hall. The usual Bitcoin t-shirts and merchandise could also be purchased for sats. But, to many Bitcoiners\u2019 chagrin, coffees, beers and refreshments were paid for with fiat money.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u26a1\ufe0f Spending Sats at @SurfinBitcoin<\/a> <\/p>\n

Comment ach\u00e8ter un livre de Bitcoin en Bitcoin ?
Avec Lightning bien s\u00fbr ! \u26a1\ufe0f<\/p>\n

How do you buy a Bitcoin book with Bitcoin?
With Lightning of course! \u26a1\ufe0f@OmniFinn<\/a> @KonsensusN<\/a> @edouard_knw<\/a> #surfinbitcoin22<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/uKVX1YRwrf pic.twitter.com\/OK9Gla46yR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Joe Hall (@JoeNakamoto) August 27, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Daniel Prince, co-host to the United Kingdom\u2019s second biggest Bitcoin podcast, Once Bitten<\/em>, told Cointelegraph that Bitcoin adoption at the conference and surrounding area was poor:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe casino guys are not orange-pilled, they\u2019re only accepting cash or card as payment. Even though, I just asked \u2018I wanna pay you guys in Bitcoin,\u2019 but no, they\u2019re not set up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, while the waves crashed around the Bitcoin bubble on Biarritz\u2019s La Grande Plage<\/em>, the waves of Bitcoin adoption were meager by comparison. From interviews snatched with street vendors, merchants, churros sellers and even surfers, Cointelegraph reporters learned that the area was \u201cno coiner\u201d territory. Nobody in the surrounding area had transacted with Bitcoin; no one could accurately describe the cryptocurrency or even recognize the Bitcoin \u201cB\u201d on a t-shirt or conference logo. <\/p>\n

There was one exception. The 19-year-old driver of Biarritzs\u2019 sightseeing tour train, Le Petit Train<\/em>, had a crypto story to share. The train conductor reportedly bought Bitcoin when he was 14 \u2014 when the price was around $500 \u2014 but sadly, he had lost access to his seed phrase to the 2.36 BTC. He joked that\u2019s why he was working as a train driver over the summer. <\/p>\n

The Stackin Sats team hit a dead-end for Bitcoin payments when the mayor of the Biarritz region reportedly halted the conference hall bars from accepting Bitcoin. As such, Bitcoiners were obliged to hodl their coins and spend their euros instead. That didn\u2019t discourage many of the Bitcoiners \u2014 including Prince \u2014 from orange-pilling local merchants such as taxi drivers and surf instructors. After all, Bitcoin is a grassroots, community-driven movement.<\/p>\n

Tonnellier interviewed by Cointelegraph on the terrace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Josselin Tonnellier, a co-founder of the conference, told Cointelegraph that the French crypto scene is dominated by blockchain companies, not Bitcoin advocates. In an exclusive interview, he lamented that the French fail to discern Bitcoin and blockchain. There there is a lot more education to be done, he said, as \u201cpro blockchain narratives\u201d hinder adoption in his home country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Related:<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>Bitcoin is for those in need, the rest need time to learn: Surfin Bitcoin panel<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In an attempt to encourage no coiners, the first day of the conference was free entry. The open day, called \u201cSurfin Day,\u201d enticed locals to dip their toes in the balmy Bitcoin waters. There was a Satoshi-inspired treasure hunt, a surf competition to win Sats and a screening of the popular French Bitcoin documentary, Le Myst\u00e8re de Satoshi<\/em>. The day promoted exchange and discussion \u201cbetween participants of a growing Bitcoin community.\u201d<\/p>\n

It appears to have worked. At a surf shop up the street from the conference, local C\u00e9cile told Cointelegraph on Aug. 28 that not only did she attend the Surfin Day, but she was inspired to learn more about Bitcoin. \u201cBitcoin is not as difficult as it first seemed,\u201d she explained in French. Maybe she\u2019ll accept Bitcoin in time for next year\u2019s edition of Surfin Bitcoin. <\/p>\n

However, with flagrant reminders that Bitcoin uses more energy than \u201cinsert small to medium-sized country here\u201d and that \u201cunhosted wallets\u201d should be banned and faced with grueling Know Your Customer laws, it\u2019s no wonder that Bitcoin adoption in France is slow. The European Union\u2019s stance on Bitcoin is clear-cut: regulation is coming and Bitcoin will be lumped together with every other crypto project. <\/p>\n

Bitcoin adoption in France will undoubtedly remain a ripple as the price continues to tread water. To make waves, Bitcoin would require a swell of positive public sentiment or a pro-Bitcoin splash from Macron \u2014 France\u2019s anti-crypto leader \u2014 or the European Union, which shows no sign of abating its Bitcoin bashing.<\/p>\n

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Le @satoboatproject<\/a> qui part au large de Biarritz… joli clap de fin pour #SurfinBitcoin22<\/a> <\/p>\n

A l’ann\u00e9e prochaine !!! pic.twitter.com\/f8f2gRudfl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Surfin’Bitcoin (@SurfinBitcoin) August 28, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Bitcoin Boat, called Sato Boat, set sail on the final day of the conference. Faced with a calm sea and an extended bear market, the Bitcoin adage, \u201cstay humble, stack sats,\u201d springs to mind. Overall, Surfin Bitcoin is \u201cze place to be\u201d for the French Bitcoin believers, but there\u2019s a lot of work and a heck of a journey ahead for the French Bitcoin scene to achieve greater levels of adoption.<\/p>\n

Bon voyage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n