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

Craig Wright’s appeal against Hodlonaut given permission to go ahead in Norway
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23 December, 2022

Craig Wright’s appeal against Hodlonaut given permission to go ahead in Norway

Magnus "Hodlonaut" Granath and Dr. Craig S. Wright are set to have a rematch of their September 2022 trial in...
Zero-Knowledge Proof Hackathon ‘an overwhelming success’ as prize winners announced
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23 December, 2022

Zero-Knowledge Proof Hackathon ‘an overwhelming success’ as prize winners announced

The Zero-Knowledge Proof Hackathon was declared "an overwhelming success," with 928 participants, of which three emerged as winners, taking home...
Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang charged as Sam Bankman-Fried heads back to the US
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22 December, 2022

Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang charged as Sam Bankman-Fried heads back to the US

As per U.S. securities regulator, Caroline Ellison had misappropriated customer funds from FTX to use in Alameda's trading activity, while...
Get ready for big things in 2023: Calvin Ayre’s end-of-year message to BSV
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22 December, 2022

Get ready for big things in 2023: Calvin Ayre’s end-of-year message to BSV

"A new year beckons, and with it the promise of a fresh start. An opportunity to put the past behind...
Sam Bankman-Fried changes his mind about extradition, will return to the US
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21 December, 2022

Sam Bankman-Fried changes his mind about extradition, will return to the US

SBF's options for a comfortable life and freedom appear to be dwindling as he faces spending a lifetime in jail...
Coinbase’s asset recovery system shows clear need for users to regain access to lost coins
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20 December, 2022

Coinbase’s asset recovery system shows clear need for users to regain access to lost coins

Coinbase is about to launch its ERC-20 self-service asset recovery tool, designed to help users regain assets they may have...