Gregory Simon And The Dubai Bitcoin Conference

 Bitcoin has received negative onslaught from the main stream media, with much focus on anti-government libertarianism. Due to the technical background of this digital transfer system, it leaves many befuddled and overwhelmed. The importance of how the Blockchain can be utilized, and the community surrounding it, is being overlooked. Perhaps knowledge of these possibilities could incentivize the public to invest their time in understanding the technical background of cryptocurrency, envisioning a better future for us all.

Gregory Simon, founding member of the Bitcoin Association, was born in the USA, and studied in Japan for two years becoming fluent in the Japanese language. After graduating from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, he decided to go back to Japan to work, and spent the better part of fifteen years immersed in the culture and committed to the Investment Banking world.

Although enjoying his job at the time, in the last five years of his Investment Banking career, Simon grew uncomfortable with the design of the financial system. He found the system prohibits the majority of people from getting ahead, while a very small percentage of people were able to take advantage. No longer wanting to be a part of the problem, in 2012, Simon ended his career out of principle.

In 2013, Simon and his fiancée travelled the world together visiting forty countries. “I wanted to see the beautiful countries of the world before I may not have a chance to see them again,” Simon states. Although he had no interest in returning to a world of finance, he decided to revisit the technology of Bitcoin, having dabbled with research in 2010.

“the more I learned the more I realized that this technology is so much bigger than just a currency,”

Simon explains that on a basic level, cryptocurrency is a distributive ledger that eliminates the need for us to trust anyone and can contain any form of data. The possibilities seemed endless and when Simon discovered this, it changed everything for him. “I knew it was the answer I had been waiting for. To help make the world more transparent and fair to all of society.” Says Simon.With Simon’s background in finance and economics, he found the need to self-impose a crash course in the technology of cryptography and mining. “I fully believe in the power of cryptocurrency to empower humanity to take away the control of the banks, which we can use voluntarily without the resort to any form of violence,” says Simon.

The first conference Simon attended was in December 2013 and hosted in Buenos Aires, with approximately 250 people in attendance.  Buenos Aires is one of Simon’s favourite cities in South America, due to the beautiful architecture and people. Considering his extensive travel, this is something to be said. Sadly, Argentina suffers from double digit inflation, and the people are acutely aware of government controlled money and its negative implications. Due to the environment, the conference had underlying roots of libertarianism and anarchism much like the roots of Bitcoin.

Since Buenos Aires in 2013 Simon has noticed that conferences have evolved, along with Bitcoin. They both now encompass venture capitalists, financial institutions and banks seeking to profit. His experience of Inside Bitcoins – New York was in stark contrast to the rebellious, lets change the world, theme of Buenos Aires. Over 2000 people attended the New York conference, with a theme that focused more on investment.

Simon is now in the throes of organizing sponsors for the up and coming Dubai Bitcoin Conference set to take place in December 2014. The idea was originally conceptualized by Bruce Fenton, President of the Bitcoin Association. There was an obvious hole in the market, which needed to be filled given a large number of interested investors.

“I used to travel to Dubai when I was in banking, I’ve been there six or seven times. It’s an amazing city. It just made perfect sense,”

As it will be the first conference to be held in the UAE and Middle East. Simon hopes to see attendees from the Arab World, Northern Africa and Europe come together and discuss investment opportunities. The response received from the community is exceptionally positive. It should be noted at this point that this is not an official Bitcoin Association conference, it is a happy coincidence that two members of the association are organising certain aspects of it.

The theme for Dubai Bitcoin Conference is “The worlds emerging technology meets the worlds emerging city!” With a focus on technology, humanitarian aspects, and the outlook of crypto currency. Given the large number of migrant workers in Dubai, social aspects such as remittances will also be a key topic, highlighting the need to empower people in underdeveloped rural countries.

“This technology disrupts the central control that is causing so much pain and suffering in our world. Distortions of wealth and distortions of power, they [investors] want to equal that out in a non-violent way to empower the lives of humans and that really is very inspiring to me.”

From Simon’s observations as an investment banker, and now as an avid participator in the bitcoin community, he noticed the motivation behind the two is quite different. Investment bankers fit the persona of being highly intelligent and highly competitive people driven by money. “I think that people still of course are wanting to develop businesses that are profitable, but my impression is that the Universal motivation is really just to create a better world.”

It is apparent in mainstream media that there is little if any focus on the positive social aspects of the crypto community. “Go to a conference and meet someone like Roger Ver, Andreas Antonopoulos, or Vitalik Buterin, sit down and have a conversation with any of these leaders, you only have to talk with two or three of them. It’s completely different.” Simon encourages. These conferences, which bring to light so many possibilities and opportunities, may stimulate a shift in the media and the perception of Bitcoin by the masses.

B.Holmes

B.Holmes, author of The Range of Illusion and The Private Key instalments, is currently located in Thailand, researching and writing about crypto. You can follow B.Holmes on twitter @BanteringB, or contact via email: [email protected] B.Holmes will accept tips via:

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