In brief
- Miami-Dade County is trying its best to lure Bitcoiners.
- County commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, who showered Bitcoiners with praises, said a taskforce is looking at possibly creating a hub for the Bitcoin industry.
Miami-Dade County’s commissioner implored attendees of Bitcoin 2021 to move to the region, enticing them with pro-crypto government initiatives, including the potential creation of a campus for the Bitcoin industry.
“Imagine a hub, a campus dedicated to Bitcoin,” said commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins said. “A Bitcoin valley right here.”
“I’m here to tell you you are already home. We are a community that came from nothing and started something. We support Bitcoin, we support cryptocurrencies, we support your industry!”
She then heaped lavish praise onto her audience to reel them in. “You understand that Bitcoin does not only have game-changing financial implications but also game-changing social implications!” she bellowed.
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Blockchain.com, which runs a crypto wallet and exchange, is moving to the Magic City. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced the news alongside Blockchain CEO Peter Smith this morning, not far from where the Bitcoin 2021 Conference officially kicks off tomorrow. According to Blockchain.com, the firm wants to hire 300 full-time employees by the end of next year, and in his City Hall announcement Suarez said the salaries would be between $80,000 to $140,000. The company certainly has the capital to...
Higgins’ dream of a Bitcoin center in Miami may run counter to crypto’s commitment to decentralization. But some companies have already started betting on Miami: Blockchain.com, a New York-headquartered crypto company, said on Thursday that it will move its 300-strong business to Miami.
She also pointed out that the NBA franchise—the Miami Heat—is now sponsored by cryptocurrency exchange FTX, co-founded by Sam Bankman-Fried and Gary Wang in 2019. The Heat’s stadium recently became the “FTX Arena” following a 19-year deal that cost $135 million for FTX.
Bitcoin, Like Uber, Is 'Too Big to Regulate': Miami Mayor
There’s been a lot of hemming and hawing in Washington, D.C.—and even among Silicon Valley FinTech companies—about the need to regulate cryptocurrency. The mayor of one of America’s most globally recognizable cities has a message: It’s too late. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, appearing at the Ethereal Summit hosted by Decrypt, told the audience that adoption is at a high-enough level that it would be very difficult for US and local lawmakers to put significant restrictions on cryptocurrency busines...
A few other parts of the country are trying to do the same thing as Miami. Wyoming lured Cardano, Ripple and Kraken with pro-crypto initiatives; Kraken is setting up a crypto bank in the state. However, Higgins said her county’s budget is bigger than 10 states, including Wyoming.
“You understand when it comes to Bitcoin—always buy the dip!” she told her crowd. “And one more thing: to the moon, everyone!”
