In the shadow of today’s “proof of social media” that often clouds the true essence of Bitcoin’s roaring potential, a beacon of innovation and collaboration shone brightly in San Francisco! Just days following the courtroom drama of the bad Aussie man, the BSV blockchain community—undeterred and more united than ever—gathered at Nob Hill for the sCrypt Hackathon. It was here, amidst the iconic backdrop of San Francisco, that the future of blockchain was not just imagined but meticulously crafted, byte by byte.
This convergence wasn’t merely a technical showcase; it was a testament to the unyielding spirit of developers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries within the BSV blockchain ecosystem, and it was a ripe atmosphere for some serious debate about the future of big block Bitcoin. Armed with sCrypt, the community is unlocking the full potential of Bitcoin’s inherent
smart contract language, paving the way for groundbreaking applications of tokens, games, and complex financial instruments. I am proud to say that the hackathon was more than a display of technological prowess or social posturing. In fact, it was a declaration of the community’s commitment to harnessing the unbounded power of the BSV blockchain for real-world impact.
For my own part, I gave a presentation about JungleBus and the transformative journey of GorillaPool from “Bitcoin miner” to a “Web3 ISP.” This underscored my personal commitment to being much more than a social influencer, but instead, a futurist, a technologist, and a rogue Bitcoin entrepreneur. It’s a narrative of evolution for both myself, my company, and the community as a whole, where the traditional roles in the blockchain ecosystem are being redefined to meet the demands of an increasingly data-centric world. Here, the concepts of data ownership, privacy, and the revolutionary potential of micropayments were not just discussed but embraced as the cornerstones of a new digital era. For full clarity, my goal is to give the world the single best source of sending transactions to and accessing data from the blockchain.
As we venture further into this article, let’s carry with us the essence of the gathering—a spirit of resilience, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of innovation. Let this be not just a recount of events but a rallying cry for all who believe in the transformative potential of the BSV blockchain. Together, with technologies like sCrypt, Teranode, and platforms like JungleBus and GorillaPool.com, we stand on the precipice of a new world created by app developers and their businesses. We are not a protocol cult—although sometimes it feels like we are—but rather, we are trying to provide infrastructure to allow Ordinal tokens, wallets, exchanges, and social media to live on the blockchain and provide a world where data ownership, privacy, and the power of unstoppable micropayments are not just ideals but realities shaping the very fabric of our digital lives.
The road ahead is paved with limitless possibilities. It’s time to change the world, one block at a time.
Beyond the controversy: A community focused on building
In the wake of Craig Wright’s legal defeat in the U.K., a narrative of downfall proliferated among critics of the BSV blockchain, with some heralding it as the end of BSV. This sentiment, however, stood in stark contrast to the atmosphere at the sCrypt Hackathon in San Francisco. Far from a community deterred by legal outcomes or social media drama, the gathering was a testament to the enduring spirit and focus of BSV blockchain’s builders. Led by Xiaohui Liu, the week marked not an end but a new beginning, where the departure from an era dominated by legal battles and controversies opened up a fresh chapter centered on technological innovation, investment, and the growth of businesses within the BSV blockchain ecosystem.
The night before the event started, we all met for dinner at the Famous Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill, and I was excited to sit with some old friends and make a few new ones! The food was great, and the company was excited. Having been immersed in the trial for the last six weeks, I expected a lot of chatter, but most people only spoke about it in passing. Instead, we talked openly about Bitcoin’s potential. I helped a new friend understand how seed phrases work and why tokens need indexers. Ty Everett and his team were marching around in preparation for the day to come, and I had a good talk with Jake Jones about his role in the Teranode project over a perfectly prepared ribeye.
Having spent about 12 hours in travel, I made a point of going to bed early but I caught up with my old friend David Case at the hotel, who just might be the most prolific developer in Bitcoin. We shared some catch-up stories, and since we’re both fans of long walks, we laughed about how steep the hills were to get to the hotel.
In the morning, the day opened promptly with a presentation from Liu about the power of Bitcoin, script, and the sCrypt language, and why he retooled it to work in Typescript. He also talked about his vision of tokenizing everything and trading atomically over Bitcoin. I also had a good private chat with the team from the newly relaunched Yours.org and Yours Wallet, and Project Babbage gave a presentation about their suite of tooling and advocacy for Bitcoin’s fundamentals. All of it was inspiring.
I took a private meeting in the afternoon to discuss bespoke deals in regards to our JungleBus product and missed a bit of the session, but the good mood carried over into our dinner that evening. I was excited to sit with some fans of the CoinGeek Weekly Livestream and catch up with a few people who also have data-based blockchain startup ideas looking to get kicked off.
I also had fun sitting with Josh Petty and Billy Rose, talking about everything from Pokemon to luxury watches and digressing into what a weird city San Francisco can be. They are always a riot!
On Sunday, Jones presented on Teranode, Thomas Giacomo presented on the BSV Association’s role in providing funding, framework, and a roadmap for the continued development of BSV software and infrastructure, and I was excited to give my presentation about JungleBus and mining in general.
It was also an honor to sit on a panel with Xiaohui, Jones, Everett, and Case to discuss the differences between overlay networks and indexer-fed tools on the chain. It was intended to be a sort of debate, but we mostly agreed once we clearly defined terms across the panel.
Then, finally, the day closed with a panel called “BSV is Dead,” hosted by Petty, Rose, and the enigmatically tall Jack Liu. Apart from the shocking title, I think the meat of the presentation was mostly good in that the three gentlemen explained how if the BSV blockchain doesn’t shed itself of social baggage and learn to have fun, it will continue to lose market share and minds to chains like Solana and the BTC Ordinals movement. Parts of the talk did devolve into some negativity and name-calling, but then it wrapped. This wasn’t the high note I would have hoped to end on, but over the next hour, it was really heartening to see the people who were bickering standing in a circle for at least an hour and looking for ways to reach across the aisle and help each other succeed.
With that, I had to run swiftly to the airport with Case after a quick bite of dim sum with him and Brett Banfe, and then it was off on the red-eye back to sunny South Florida for me!
Final thoughts
While critics outside the community focused on the implications of Wright’s court loss, those within the ecosystem saw an opportunity to shift the narrative toward the constructive and positive developments occurring on the ground. Well, mostly…
The future if always bright for retards pic.twitter.com/FrNeidxHeF
— Zhell | God emperor of BSV (the memecoin) (@AzhellTom) March 23, 2024
With small blockers calling out big blockers for being “retarded” for sticking with BSV blockchain, the week after the Hackathon live event spawned a new embrace for being called “BSVtards,” so I think it’s safe to say that many of us are not going anywhere! But this transition period symbolizes a collective desire to move beyond past controversies and lay the groundwork for a future where the primary focus is on harnessing the potential of BSV for real-world applications, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The sCrypt Hackathon served as a clear declaration of this shift, embodying the optimism and determination of developers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries committed to exploring the unbounded possibilities of BSV. It was a gathering that illuminated the true essence of the BSV community: a dynamic and innovative space where the emphasis is on building, creating, and pushing the boundaries of what blockchain technology can achieve while remaining an extremely diverse group of people with strong views about many things.
In this new chapter for BSV blockchain, the message is clear: the true measure of the blockchain’s value lies not in the controversies of the past but in the innovations and achievements of the present and future. As the community continues to grow and evolve, the focus remains steadfast on building a legacy of technological excellence and real-world impact.
Watch: Tokens on Bitcoin? 1Sat Ordinals and sCrypt
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