This past week I attended my first crypto and blockchain conference in Miami, Florida. The conference, Miami Crypto Experience, hosted over 25 workshops and invited over 40 vendors to attend the event. The conference brought together crypto and blockchain enthusiasts and leaders from various regions for an unforgettable experience.
The attendees at this event ranged from people who knew nothing about blockchain and crypto, to beginners in the field, to more experienced individuals, to professionals and experts. It was a really unique experience, as the conference allowed for people of all abilities to participate.
The conference created a “hands-on and interactive environment for attendees where they [could] learn, network, and have an unforgettable time while in Miami.” The event consisted of “two full days of workshops from Crypto 101 to Master Classes.”
Out of the panels and workshops I attended, there were a few that really stood out to me. The panels I attended ranged from crypto trading basic workshops to the power of NFTs to defi and current or upcoming legislation in particular states.
One of the most interesting workshops that I attended was called “Media, Capital, and the Future of Public Education, How the ntNFT will upend public education, launching a $16 Billion opportunity.” This workshop was led by Principal Z, who is a high school principal in central Harlem, New York. Principal Z is looking to revolutionize public education. He wants to create an incentive driven and decentralized education system where blockchain will be the bridge to accelerate learning. Principal Z emphasized that standardized tests and GPA are the only lasting academic measures; and, he is determined to change this.
Principal Z is proposing a decentralized version of high school ledgers using a system of incentives designed to drive quality digital content production via blockchain technology. To learn more about Principal Z and his quest to change the public education system please follow his twitter account https://twitter.com/nzeimer
Another interesting workshop I attended was called “Crypto For Rookies and Trading Basics,” led by Chelsea Hulin. Chelsea Hulin is a crypto advisor, crypto ambassador, crypto educator, crypto coach, and registered nurse. In her workshop, there were many concepts that stood out to me. One of my favorite concepts that she addressed, and actually favorite analogies I heard throughout my two days at the crypto conference, was the analogy of cryptocurrency to an email. Mrs. Hulin noted that Crypto is like an email in the sense that you know how to send it and receive it but you don’t really know what goes on behind the technology to accomplish this passage. This stood out to me because I am constantly asked by my family members and friends about the process behind the mining and transfer of Bitcoin and other altcoins. From this analogy, the concept is paralleled in that one doesn’t necessarily need to know how it works, but rather how it functions. Furthermore, this workshop was one of my favorites as it reviewed the essential foundations of blockchain and cryptocurrency. Mrs. Hulin went into detail about the differences between crypto and fiat, the differences between hot wallets and cold wallets, the differences between investors and traders, money flow, and trading terminology. Mrs. Hulin’s review on trading terminology and trading concepts was memorable. A key takeaway for me was the relationship presented between Bitcoin and altcoins. The following graphic shows this relationship:
Lastly, one of the most important takeaways of this workshop was her advice for first-time traders. Mrs. Hulin emphasized that it is essential for one to DYOR (do your own research). She suggested researching various coins on Coingecko and recommended that all new traders paper trade first! For anyone further interested in learning more about Chelsea Hulin and the concepts mentioned within her workshop, please visit https://cryptomagnet.io/ Additionally, if you would like to follow Chelsea, her linkedin is https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseahulin/
Out of the workshops I attended, the last panel that I will discuss is one that was attractive and interesting to me, possibly due to the fact that I am attending law school in Miami, Florida starting in August. The workshop was hosted by Samuel Armes and focused on the legislative landscape in Florida with regards to blockchain and cryptocurrency. Mr. Armes is a prominent figure in the crypto and blockchain legislative landscape in the state of Florida. He is currently the president of the Florida Blockchain Business Association and is making a valiant effort to make Florida a leader in cryptocurrency and blockchain. During the workshop, Mr. Armes reviewed past legislation in Florida with regards to crypto and blockchain and the current landscape of law, including how it is changing. He mentioned that 2021 was a year for cleaning up the language of the law and advocating for a proposed legislation that aims to bring consistency to money transmission regulations on cryptocurrency firms. Proposed legislation HB1351 and SB1758 intends to clarify cryptocurrency activities and modernize our money transmission regulations in accordance with new developments in cryptocurrency. Mr. Armes is determined to advocate and further legislation that would allow for the state of Florida to become the major hub and attraction for cryptocurrency and blockchain. If you would like to Linkedin connect with Mr. Armes here is the link to his profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelarmes/
There were many other workshops and panels I attended; from these workshops, I was able to gain insight into the power of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology and its future prospects. From the past workshop I discussed and the overall event, I was able to see Miami’s role in advancing and advocating for crypto and blockchain. I see Miami as a future tech hub, and it was apparent to me that it’s positioning itself to be just that. In the following months, Miami is hosting a few more conferences where crypto and blockchain enthusiasts and advocates can bring community and education together for an unforgettable experience. Here are upcoming crypto events that will be held in Miami:
- Bitcoin 2021 conference: June 4–5 at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center
- The Blockchain Event: June 22–25 at the Miami Beach Convention Center
- The Miami Crypto Experience: October 27–29 at the InterContinental Downtown Miami
I highly recommend that people with an interest in cryptocurrency or blockchain attend these conferences. These events give people an opportunity to learn, network, and embrace crypto and blockchain.
I am so happy that I attended the Miami Crypto Experience and I suggest that you attend one eventually too. For my first experience at a crypto and blockchain conference, I was impressed. I learned a lot, met some brilliant individuals, and really enjoyed the camaraderie around the bullish perspective on the future of blockchain and cryptocurrency. I am already looking forward to attending the next event. Until then, To The Moon!
Key takeaways:
- ntNFTs have the potential to transform the public education system.
- Crypto is like an email in the sense that you know how to send it and receive it but you don’t really know what goes on behind the technology to accomplish this passage.
- A great resource to research coins is: Coingecko.com
- Any beginner to cryptocurrency trading should paper trade first.
- Florida is on the rise to become a leader in cryptocurrency and blockchain.
To view all of the workshops at the event please click the link(s) below:
Jordana Cohen, Writer and Associate, Alpha Sigma Capital
Jordana joined Alpha Sigma Capital in November 2020 as writer and associate. Jordana graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University with a business major in finance and a minor in Spanish. In addition to her academic accomplishments, she has substantive experience in management and marketing endeavors through her establishment of several start-up events to fundraise for pediatric cancer research. Alpha Sigma Capital is a pioneering digital asset fund that invests in growth companies, private and public equity, mergers and acquisitions, and special situations. Alpha Sigma Capital believes in a fundamental research approach for investing and supporting the blockchain economy; and, it is rigorous in determining the value of such organizations.