Bitcoin has teased the prospect of a fresh all-time high in recent weeks, and now the world’s best-loved cryptocurrency is in the spotlight once again. This time it’s the subject of a two-day conference organized by leading hashrate marketplace NiceHash, set to get underway in Slovenia’s charming city of Maribor on November 8.
The event, NiceHashX, was put together to commemorate both the platform’s 10th anniversary and Slovenia’s emergence as a European crypto powerhouse. And the timing couldn’t be more significant: the conference coincides with expected heightened market activity following the U.S. presidential election three days earlier.
Sunny Side of the Alps
In recent years Slovenia has established itself as a European blockchain hub. In fact, it’s second only to Switzerland – home to the so-called Crypto Valley in Zug – in terms of web3 startups. With NiceHash leading the charge from its Maribor offices, the Central European country has witnessed remarkable adoption rates and projections suggest a fifth of the population will be using digital assets by 2028.
It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that Maribor has been chosen as the venue for NiceHashX. Not only is the quaint city home to the hashrate marketplace, but it provides a picturesque backdrop in the form of the Pohorje Mountains.
Christened the ‘Bitcoin Conference on the Sunny Side of the Alps,’ NiceHashX will feature numerous high-profile speakers including BTC maximalist Saifedean Ammous, bestselling author of The Bitcoin Standard, BTC Prague conference CEO Martin Kuchař, and Bitcoin FilmFest Co-founder Pierre Corbinand. In addition to an expo area, there will be three main stages, numerous side events, and an official after-party with a VIP dinner and music show.
“We are delighted to welcome the world to discover how Slovenia is leading the way in European Bitcoin adoption,” says NiceHash CEO Vladimir Hozjan. “With 10 years of experience in this industry, we have witnessed phenomenal growth in the interest of using Bitcoin, here in Maribor and around the country. Join us as we celebrate, and witness Bitcoin in its purest form, used by everyday people, alongside some of the brightest speakers in the industry.”
Interestingly, NiceHash has developed a BTC payment solution that will be showcased at the event as well as in the city, an innovation that underscores its commitment to promoting adoption. Ticket prices range from just €21 to €2,100 for the bells-and-whistles VIP package.
NiceHash is a perfect example of Slovenia’s crypto-friendly status. From its humble beginnings as a project by two enterprising university students, the platform, which pairs buyers and sellers of hashpower, has grown to serve over 2.5 million users – including 250,000 daily active miners. Earlier this year, it made waves by launching the world’s first fully automated Lightning Network payouts for the latter cohort. Over 1,000 Slovenian businesses already accept BTC as payment.
Candidates Covet Crypto Vote
In recent months, the U.S. presidential race has brought crypto policy into sharp focus. Both Trump and Harris have made overtures to the Bitcoin community, marking a notable shift in mainstream political discourse around digital assets.
Donald Trump’s appearance at this year’s Bitcoin Conference included bold promises to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet and the Bitcoin superpower of the world.” While her rhetoric has been less overt, Democrat hopeful Kamala Harris has pledged support for cryptocurrency regulation.
Whoever wins the race for the White House, NiceHashX promises to be a lovefest for members of the Bitcoin community, from developers and entrepreneurs to freedom-loving citizens only too happy to exit fiat in favor of ‘digital gold.’
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