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

FireSats is a new BSV wallet for NFT lovers
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6 October, 2023

FireSats is a new BSV wallet for NFT lovers

The "FireSats BSV Web3 wallet" is a fully self-custodial BSV wallet with an emphasis on tokens, supporting the 1SatOrdinals and...
Japan has unique opportunities for stablecoins, says YenPoint founder
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3 October, 2023

Japan has unique opportunities for stablecoins, says YenPoint founder

Japan has a large market for digital content including anime, manga, games, and movies/TV—and a stable-value, reliable digital currency that...
Frobots creator Jerry Chan: What’s next, and what we’ve learned from our game beta test
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29 September, 2023

Frobots creator Jerry Chan: What’s next, and what we’ve learned from our game beta test

Frobots is set to change online combat gaming as creator Jerry Chan prepares for its public release, recently talking about...
At last! BSV blockchain makes new inroads in Japan with promises of world’s ‘fastest, cheapest, most secure blockchain’
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27 September, 2023

At last! BSV blockchain makes new inroads in Japan with promises of world’s ‘fastest, cheapest, most secure blockchain’

nChain and Keio University organize a BSV blockchain-focused seminar where experts from the blockchain space, business leaders, and developers convene...
BSV blockchain industry has evolved in distinct ‘waves,’ says BSVdata.com creator
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27 September, 2023

BSV blockchain industry has evolved in distinct ‘waves,’ says BSVdata.com creator

Speaking to CoinGeek, BSVData's Fueng Lee summarized some of the essential knowledge he gained and the distinct "waves" in BSV...
Mt. Gox creditors given 1 more year to submit payment information
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22 September, 2023

Mt. Gox creditors given 1 more year to submit payment information

The Tokyo District Court grants permission to bankrupt Mt. Gox to extend the deadline for submitting creditors' repayment details until...