Nevada Welcomes Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency: Day 2 of the America Loves Crypto Tour
Speakers and performers on the second day of the America Loves Crypto tour were just as passionate and motivated as the first day of the tour in getting the crypto vote out.
Politicians and cryptocurrency industry leaders attending the event, held at The Space in Las Vegas, included Sonny Vinuya, communications director for Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R), Rudy Pamintuan (R), chief of staff to Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros S. Anthony, Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine (D), and Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at Coinbase. Rapper and singer 070 Shake and Las Vegas-based DJ 3LAU performed at the event.
The common rhetorical thread from speakers and performers at the event was that crypto is here to stay, Nevada is the home of the crypto industry, and the crypto vote is very important in Nevada, a key state with a population of only 3.1 million, but a vote margin of only 33,516 in the 2024 presidential election.
Ensuring Pro-Crypto Candidates Win in Nevada
“We need to make sure that our policymakers and elected leaders are people who believe in what we do,” Pa Mintuan, who has been a cryptocurrency investor since 2015, told the audience.
“And in this election cycle, especially in Nevada, the election will be decided by one or two percentage points. That’s about 15,000 to 30,000 votes,” he added.
“If you add up the number of people in our state who have invested in cryptocurrencies, the number is much larger than the odds.”
According to the Stand With Crypto Alliance, 385,000 Nevadans own cryptocurrency, a figure that is likely an understatement. This number was flashed on screens throughout the event.
“In our business, we always say the market will decide,” Conin began.
“Well, what do you think, folks? You are the mayor and your vote matters. The elections in this state are always very close, and not because everyone votes and both sides are equal. Some people vote, but a lot of people are at home, so it’s close,” he added, before emphasizing that cryptocurrency voting could have an impact on voting in upcoming elections at the state and federal levels, urging the audience who aren’t registered to vote.
Nevada resident Lucy also took to the stage to call for action.
“We need you in this election,” she said.
“It’s really important to find out where your politicians stand on cryptocurrencies in your district and state. Ask them really hard questions and tell your friends and family to get out and vote.”
Nevada, the home of the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency industry
“Beyond the casino floor, Las Vegas is a city of opportunity,” Binuya shared on stage.
“Nevada is a hotbed of emerging technology and financial innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth,” he added, citing the governor’s office of economic development as stimulating $5 billion in economic investment last year and a 4 percent job growth rate in the state during that same period.
This trend stems from Nevada’s embrace of the cryptocurrency industry.
“With all of these exciting achievements under the leadership of Governor Lombardo and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Nevada has become a home for blockchain technology and cryptocurrency innovators,” he explained.
Binuya then revealed that next year’s Bitcoin conference will be held in Las Vegas.
“We have a great concept in our state called the ‘Nevada Way’, coined by Governor Lombardo, which means that as Nevadans, we never give up, we never give up, and we never stop dreaming,” he concluded. “The spirit of the Nevada Way is alive and well in the Bitcoin community, and we welcome your innovation and big dreams in Nevada.”
Leverage political momentum
According to Lucy, we have reached a point of no return with cryptocurrencies, and politicians can no longer afford to take a stand on the issue. That’s why Coinbase supports the Stand With Crypto Alliance.
“What we’re really trying to say here is, ‘Pay attention,’” Rouch told Bitcoin Magazine. “This is important to a lot of voters.”
Lucy cited the fact that 52 million Americans of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses now own cryptocurrency, explaining that politicians at the federal level are now recognizing the importance of the issue and taking action accordingly.
“We saw an undeniable shift in both parties in Washington, D.C. last year,” she said.
“We passed FIT21 in the House with a bipartisan vote, which is really unprecedented. It’s also the first time politicians have made a statement on cryptocurrencies, and I’m very optimistic about that,” she added.
Lush wasn’t the only speaker or performer at the event who felt upbeat.
Before starting his DJ set, 3LAU told the story of how he met the Winklevoss twins, early Bitcoin buyers and owners of the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, at a gig 10 years ago. He said that at the event, they explained to him what Bitcoin meant to him and that it gave him hope.
“Bitcoin has changed my life, and it has for the past 10 years,” 3LAU told the crowd before beginning his DJ set.
“This is probably the most important election of my life. We have a choice: Are we going to shape the future of our financial system, or are we going to follow the legacy bullshit that we’ve had to endure?” he added.
“And we’re all going to vote for cryptocurrency.”
