According to sources familiar with the matter, former President Donald Trump is reportedly in discussions to speak at the Bitcoin 2024 convention in Nashville at the end of July.
Trump's growing support for cryptocurrency contrasts starkly with President Biden's more reserved stance on digital currencies. This difference has attracted some wealthy crypto investors to support Trump's campaign.
Bitcoin 2024, organized by Bitcoin Magazine, is scheduled for July 25-27, just after the Republican National Convention. It is considered the largest Bitcoin event of the year. The convention has a history of high-profile announcements, such as El Salvador's decision to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender.
Trump is not the only presidential candidate expected at the convention. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tennessee Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn are also slated to speak. Bitcoin Magazine representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
On the campaign trail, Trump has positioned himself as a crypto supporter. "I will end Joe Biden's war on crypto," Trump declared at a recent rally in Wisconsin. "We will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in America."
Cryptocurrency is one of several issues on which Trump has shifted his position to garner more support. After initially threatening to ban TikTok over national security concerns, Trump opposed recent congressional efforts to target the app.
The Bitcoin convention has featured controversial figures in the past, including Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and investor Peter Thiel. Meanwhile, the Biden administration's lukewarm reaction to cryptocurrency has led some in the industry to view it as antagonistic.
Millions of Americans own cryptocurrency, but how much it will influence their voting decisions needs to be clarified.