By Landon Manning
Although Bitcoin (BTC) has embodied a decentralized vision of finance and economics from the very beginning without a single figure steering the ship, there is a wide cast of Bitcoin personalities who have come to define the dynamic and innovative environment of cryptocurrency worldwide.
The Bitcoin network was first created in January 2009, when a pseudonymous programmer going by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto first mined its genesis block. As Bitcoin started to get its first fledgling bits of notoriety, Nakamoto vanished without a trace in 2010. No hint of Bitcoin’s creator has emerged since, nor have any of the bitcoin known to be in their possession been moved, and this has left the community with a profound lack of “leaders.”
However, many prominent figures from some very diverse backgrounds have emerged to lead aspects of this space. Here are just a few to know:
Jack Dorsey
A prominent figure in the Bitcoin community today, Jack Dorsey’s road to his place in decentralized finance is a long and interesting one. The co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, the global social media juggernaut, Dorsey has deep connections to the “Web 2.0” digital ecosystem that was created (just like Bitcoin) in the wake of the financial recession of 2008.
Making extremely pro-Bitcoin statements in public since at least 2018, Dorsey has used more than just his public notoriety and large following to support the cryptocurrency. His new company, Block, has been working tirelessly to integrate Bitcoin into people’s daily financial decisions. Spreading the good word and bringing new access to Bitcoin functionality, Dorsey’s name is popping up all over the crypto sphere.
Cynthia Lummis
A sitting member of the United States Senate, Cynthia Lummis is the highest-elected member of the U.S. government to advocate for Bitcoin. Since her election to one of Wyoming’s two seats in late 2020, she has made headlines both for her outspoken support of the cryptocurrency and for her beliefs that it has a positive impact on the financial system — as well as for her persistent attempts to spearhead or contribute to various pro-Bitcoin initiatives in government.
Nayib Bukele
The president of El Salvador since his election in 2019, Nayib Bukele has certainly proven himself to be the most pro-Bitcoin head of state worldwide. His country’s entire history has been heavily colored by the influence of the United States and the Monroe Doctrine, most notably in 2001 when the currency in use in El Salvador since the 1900s was phased out, and the U.S. dollar became its sole legal currency. This put the nation’s economic independence in an unbelievably narrow position, and Bukele has shocked the world by recognizing bitcoin as a legal currency there. Although this rollout has had some rocky setbacks, Bukele has been working tirelessly both to integrate Bitcoin into daily life, as well as integrate ordinary Salvadorans into Bitcoin. His radical experiment in economic liberty can provide an example to nations all around the globe, who have no real control over the value of the currency imposed upon them.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of some of the very diverse types of people that have become enmeshed in the international Bitcoin community as it has risen to global prominence. Thanks to the decentralized nature of this radical cryptocurrency, many different types of voices are being heard worldwide, and the health of the global digital asset community is much better for it.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
