ETH culture pours into Denver
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Denver is a crypto capital this week with the arrival of ETHDenver.
Why it matters: The crypto industry roared back in 2024.
- That's despite asset prices collapsing after an abysmal 2022, culminating in the exchange FTX going belly-up.
The latest: ETHDenver events started earlier this week, with hackathons and side events citywide. The conference officially launches Thursday at the "Spork Castle" (better known as the National Western Complex).
What we're watching: Executives from some of the industry's most successful companies will talk about their progress and the industry's major issues, including:
- Bo Hines, executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets
- Coinbase, the biggest crypto exchange, and Dapper Labs, which brought us CryptoKitties and basketball-based NFTs
- Lots of the investors who funded companies that got consumers excited
Between the lines: Rather than discussing cryptocurrency in general, ETHDenver is focused on Ethereum, the world's second-largest blockchain, after Bitcoin.
- Bitcoin put money on the internet while Ethereum made money programmable.
- Yes, but: The coin associated with Ethereum, ether (ETH), has lagged the market for over a year now. Watch for folks at ETHDenver to discuss how they plan to turn that around.
The bottom line: Ethereum has a fantastical, feel-good vibe.
- That's because blockchains aren't just a way to do business. They are cultures.
Go deeper: For the play-by-play, follow our industry newsletter, Axios Crypto.