Crypto returns to Austin for Consensus conference

It was nearly impossible to dodge the cryptocurrency and NFT talk during this year's South by Southwest, and that hype returns to Austin next month for CoinDesk's "Consensus" conference.

State of play: Crypto enthusiasts will descend upon the convention center from June 9-12 for a week of conversations around blockchain, crypto, Web 3 and the metaverse.

Why it matters: For better or worse, crypto's popularity is gaining steam, and the conference's switch to Austin underscores the city's dominance as a tech hub.

Details: Crypto is changing the way people buy and sell.

• It's already a $2 trillion trading market, and wildly popular among young people, especially rich ones.

Yes but: The market is volatile, recently humbling companies that made a big show of building up exposure to digital assets in recent years.

What they're saying: Mayor Steve Adler, who is expected to speak at the event, praised the move.

• "Every day this disruptive revolution becomes more and more mainstream," he said in a statement. "Austin, a city of early adopters where new and great ideas flourish, embraces this new world and is eager to 'welcome home' Consensus 2022."

Of note: Ticket prices for Consensus range from $1,200 to as high as $9,000, with discounts for students and academia.