Bitcoin appears in Washington DC – Washington notes

Written by Zack Cohen, the Bitcoin Policy Institute

Before I review it, I want to say thank you. On behalf of the entire team of the Bitcoin Policy Institute, thank you all who participated, supported, spoke, surveyed or participated in any way. We spent several months preparing for the third Bitcoin Policy Summit. What happened in Washington last week exceeded everything we expected.

More than 1,000 people join us: builders, policy makers, students, agents, journalists, energy experts and human rights advocates. What they found was not a party dressed up as a conference, but a serious two-day working session that reflected the arrival of Bitcoin conversation and where it went.

Bitcoin has long been misunderstood or watched in DC. It is easy for decision makers to fire or ignore it. But the 2025 summit sent a different signal: Bitcoin will not disappear. It’s not on the edge. It is an emerging center of dialogue about national strategy, economic strength, digital rights and innovation.

A welcome to set the tone

We opened with a crowded party, co-hosted with our friends at Pubkey. For outsiders, DC seems to be a rigid town – buttons, formal, slow movement. But if you spend time here, you know the truth: DC runs on relationships. Relationships are built in such a place.

More than 450 attendees gathered in a buzzing room, live karaoke, intense cocktails (yelled as the old-fashioned bull run and miner’s ule) and kept talking. Very big. Very happy. But most importantly, it is serious energy. Bitcoin has arrived.

Who is in the room

This year’s summit brought:

• More than 1,000 participants
• More than 300 public policy professionals
• 35 Congressional offices, including 12 members of Congress
• More than 100 federal government employees
• More than 50 members of the media
• 49 universities
• More than 90,000 live viewers

Participants included national security experts, financial regulators, think tank analysts, open source developers, nonprofit leaders, and more. Bitcoin’s alliance is expanding, which shows.

What we’re talking about

The plan revolves around a clear theme structure: national security, energy, privacy, financial inclusion and legislative strategies. Keynotes, panels and lightning negotiations provide space for technical depth and broad vision.

In the opening ceremony, Zack Shapiro outlines BPI’s national strategic framework – the vision of the U.S. Bitcoin leadership based on open source value, resilience and forward-looking policies. Then came the sharp panel of Senate priorities, including the Bitcoin Act.

Alex Leishman gave a full data speech on the advantages of US Bitcoin, which is why our institutions, capital markets and the rule of law will lead the U.S. position. Alex Gladstein brings human rights shots to life, reminding the room that Bitcoin remains the most powerful free technology of the 21st century.

Patrick Witt, deputy director of the President’s Digital Assets Committee, reiterated the government’s strategic interest in Bitcoin, highlighting continued progress:

“A report on inter-agency activities is about to be released. We have taken some steps to SPR. The question now is, how do we follow up on the accumulation plan? There are no shortage of opportunities and work to be done.

Two Democrats, Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) joined Bitcoin Core’s 10th developer Matt Corallo and BPI co-president Grant McCarty to discuss the need to make the certainty of blockchain specification Act Bipartisan.

Torres said at some point in the panel,

“Bitcoin’s value is safer than the value of gold because you can always find more gold, but the supply of Bitcoin in the world will remain fixed forever.”

Rep. Gottheimer, who recently served as co-sponsor of the bill, joined Rep. Torres on the stage, explaining his decision to co-sponsor the bill and highlighting the importance of protecting innovators and maintaining the integrity of the open source development ecosystem.

BPI’s Zack Shapiro sat down with SEC specialist Hester Peirce to discuss the ETF structure, qualified custody and what the future of Bitcoin’s local financial infrastructure might look like, and in one of the highest impact meetings, BPI’s Zack Shapiro sat down. It’s detailed, honest and substantive – what this moment needs.

Office hours and Q&A rooms

This year, we introduced structured office hours: a one-on-one meeting where attendees can sit down with our research fellows. These conversations mine into mining, privacy, regulations and monetary strategies in an unfiltered environment.

The Q&A room adds another layer of depth. Cygnal CEO Brent Buchanan recently conducted a poll of 800 midterm voters. The discovery is clear: Bitcoin is becoming a political constituency. Ignore their own risks.

Anna Chekhovich also hosted a Basic Bitcoin 101 Conference for policy makers, decomposing the basics of Bitcoin in pure language, rooted in her global human rights work.

Bitcoin on the mountain

BPI A day on the mountain To date, Bitcoin advocates interact directly with legislators is the greatest coordination effort. More than 120 participants attended 118 meetings confirmed with the Congressional Office:

• 48 Senate Offices
• 70 houses and offices
• 10 meetings at the member level
• Offices from 68 Democrats and 50 Republicans
• Representative from 28 states, DC and U.S. territories

This is not performative. This is strategic. For many in Congress, these are their first real conversations with serious, mission-driven Bitcoin advocates.

Reflection

What is prominent this year is the tone. Bitcoin in suit. Not as clothing, but as a signal. Let’s participate seriously. The excitement in the room is not a hype – it is based on the common sense of focus, preparation and the moment is important.

DC responded. Policy makers and employees are not only open, they are engaged. They asked good questions. They listened. The distance between Bitcoin and Washington is rapidly shrinking.

Personally, the most compelling understanding is that Generation Z is already effective. It’s not just the number of young people in the room, it’s their presence. They are engaged, keen, curious and genuinely excited, and become part of the conversation. The meetings I’ve been to go beyond my point of view, and it’s the first time I feel like my peers aren’t watching from the outside. They are in it – ask questions, drive dialogue, shape the future. Most importantly, we are just starting out.

This is just the beginning

The unique location of the Bitcoin Policy Institute can host a summit, with no one answering other than its mission. Bitcoin does not require special treatment. This is not a lobbying handout. It is based on merits, showing that it is crucial to the sovereignty, innovation and economic freedom of the United States.

This situation becomes even more difficult.

See you next year.

This is a guest post by Zach Cohen. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.