At the Bitcoin Conference, the Republicans were for sale

"I privation to marque a large announcement," said Faryar Shirzad, the main argumentation serviceman of Coinbase, to a astir bare room. His words echoed crossed the monolithic hallway astatine the Bitcoin Conference, heavy successful the caverns of The Venetian Expo successful Las Vegas, and it wasn't evident however galore radical were watching connected the livestream. Then again, idiosyncratic retired determination whitethorn person been funny successful the panelists helium was interviewing, 1 of whom was antithetic by Bitcoin Conference standards: Chris LaCivita, the governmental advisor who'd co-chaired Donald Trump's 2024 statesmanlike campaign.

"I americium ace arrogant to accidental it connected this stage," Shirzad continued, addressing the dozens of radical scattered crossed 5,000 chairs. "We person conscionable go a large sponsor of the America250 effort."

My jaw dropped. Coinbase, the world's largest crypto exchange, the proprietor of 12 percent of the world's Bitcoin supply, and listed connected the S&P 500, was paying for Trump to clasp a subject parade.

No wonderment they made the announcement successful an bare room. Today was "Code and Country": an full time of MAGA-themed panels connected the Nakamoto Main Stage, afloat of Republican legislators, White House officials, and governmental operatives, each of whom pr …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.