Jon Southurst is Associate Editor, Asia-Pacific at CoinGeek, the BSV blockchain news publication. Based in Tokyo, Japan, he covers Bitcoin and blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and agentic AI, and the digital economy — including stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and asset tokenization — with particular attention to developments across Asia.

Jon has worked as a technology writer since 1994, beginning with geographic information systems (GIS), digital mapping, and statistical data for Australian telecommunications company Telstra, and technology articles for print newspapers in Australia and Canada.

He turned to Bitcoin full-time in 2013 as a reporter for CoinDesk, remaining there until 2015. Based in Tokyo during the collapse of the Mt. Gox exchange in 2014, he covered the story at close quarters and produced several now-iconic images from that period of Bitcoin’s history. He went on to report for Bitcoin.com and Bitcoinist (2015–16), then co-founded Bitsonline, serving as Senior Editor from 2016 to 2019. He joined CoinGeek in 2019.

Alongside his writing, Jon has presented and hosted video interview programs including BitcoinSVtrain and MetaNetTV on YouTube, and CoinGeek’s “The Bitcoin Bridge.” His interview subjects over more than a decade of reporting include venture capitalist Tim Draper, economist Steve Keen, entrepreneurs Halsey Minor and Michael Terpin, Lyn Ulbricht, Roger Ver, Craig Wright, and musician Perry Farrell.

His CoinGeek article marking the anniversary of Bitcoin’s Genesis Block from January 2020 was cited in “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology,” a digital assets report published by the White House in 2025.

Jon has reported from blockchain and finance conferences around the world, including Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Tbilisi, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Denver. He has appeared as a presenter and panelist at conferences in Seoul (2014) and Changsha (2016), and served as a panel moderator at the London Blockchain Conference in 2023 and 2024.

His areas of expertise include Bitcoin and blockchain systems, digital currencies, central banking and financial regulation, and the intersection of artificial intelligence with blockchain and digital payments. His current reporting focuses on BSV software and application development, agentic AI, and the emerging digital economy.

Article by Jon Southurst

Australia’s new regime proposal to bring digital asset platforms in line with financial laws
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18 October, 2023

Australia’s new regime proposal to bring digital asset platforms in line with financial laws

The Australian Federal Government suggested a new type of financial product called a "digital asset facility" that would bring digital...
Bitcoin needs free market flexibility and fewer transaction limits to survive, Jack Rogers says
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17 October, 2023

Bitcoin needs free market flexibility and fewer transaction limits to survive, Jack Rogers says

Dr. Jack Rogers recently published a research paper examining Bitcoin equilibrium dynamics and devised a model to estimate what might...
Garrett Krause of TroyMoney: Real-world assets in a digital wallet, for spending or investment
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16 October, 2023

Garrett Krause of TroyMoney: Real-world assets in a digital wallet, for spending or investment

Speaking with the 5GOATs podcast, Krause describes TroyMoney's vision as one where users can buy and sell tokenized precious metal...
Australia’s central bank wants more power to monitor digital wallets
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12 October, 2023

Australia’s central bank wants more power to monitor digital wallets

Australian Federal Government's Treasury Department is calling for feedback from stakeholders on the draft legislation until November 1, 2023.
Tokenized’s James Belding: Everyone uses contracts, we make it much easier for them
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11 October, 2023

Tokenized’s James Belding: Everyone uses contracts, we make it much easier for them

Tokenized's James Belding joined Brad Holland on the 5GOATs podcast, speaking about what Tokenized does and how he decided to...
nChain presents real user benefits of ‘Web3 Revolution’ in Okinawa
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9 October, 2023

nChain presents real user benefits of ‘Web3 Revolution’ in Okinawa

nChain's Director of Research, Dr. Alessio Pagani, describes how data on a scalable blockchain is the best solution to today's...