Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town 2026 felt like Christmas as a kid

You know, that slow build-up of excitement leading up to the day, followed by that uncontainable energy the morning of, where you’re up at 05:00 to wake your folks so you can start unwrapping your presents.

Only in this instance, Christmas didn’t last a day; it lasted several. And the presents weren’t wrapped and under a tree; they were a mix of Bitcoin merchandise, cocktail evenings, networking opportunities, the sharing and exchange of ideas, the excitement around learning something new and the fun of bouncing between the main stage and the smaller rooms, stopping to talk to someone new and only later realising you missed half the talk you meant to see. It was chaotic in the best way.

You could sense the energy and excitement in the air. And while we were all there for the same core idea, Bitcoin, everyone brought different experiences, stories, ideas, and projects to share.

You could see how adoption is being driven from multiple directions at once. On the one hand, you have top-down scaling, where companies like MoneyBadger and Tando are bridging traditional payment rails with Bitcoin ones to reach the mass market.

On the other, you have bottom-up momentum, with circular economies across Africa, like Bitcoin Ekasi in South Africa, BTC Shule in Burundi, and Bitcoin Famba in Mozambique, where people are earning, spending, and saving Bitcoin as part of everyday life.

It also became clear that the store-of-value and medium-of-exchange narratives aren’t at odds; they can and should coexist. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

And perhaps most importantly, Bitcoin showed up as more than just money; it showed up as hope and as a practical tool for advancing real economic freedom in communities, particularly where traditional financial systems have failed the people they’re meant to serve.

Cheers

Nick

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