Strategic Mining: Embracing Energy Volatility as the Competitive Advantage

Energy volatility is not just a risk. For the best miners, it is an edge. This panel explores how flexible operations, smart power procurement, and demand response strategies turn price swings into profit, and why energy market dynamics are becoming a core competitive advantage in mining.
May 25, 2025
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Energy Stage
All access

Speakers/Moderators

John Paul Baric

Moderator
CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.

A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.

An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors
Scooter Womack is a visionary leader in the Texas energy market, recognized for his pivotal role in shaping today’s energy offerings for flexible loads. As Founder and CEO of Vega Energy Advisors, Scooter leads an expert team with decades of experience, guiding large-scale power users through development planning, tailored procurement, risk management, and Demand Response strategies.

Behind the scenes, Scooter has been instrumental in launching multiple market participants and driving innovation across the ERCOT landscape. His work has enabled organizations to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and implement sustainable solutions that align with evolving market dynamics.

With a proven track record of success, Scooter combines deep industry knowledge with strategic foresight to deliver measurable results for clients. His leadership continues to influence the future of energy flexibility and resilience in Texas.

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology
Nick Hansen is CEO of Luxor, building institutional-grade infrastructure and markets for Bitcoin miners globally. He is a systems-focused builder with deep expertise in mining economics, scale, and efficiency.

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower
As Director of Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower Energy, I focus on enabling and monetizing energy flexibility for Miners and AI factories. With over 15 years of energy sector experience, my work emphasizes automated demand response, energy arbitrage and distributed energy resources. My expertise includes Demand Response market access for flexible, digital, automated loads, AI-driven site optimization, energy storage, blockchain and digital assets.

Similar
Sessions

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3:00 pm
Mon
Monday, April 27
3:00 pm
-
3:30 pm
(30 mins)

The Post-Subsidy World: Should We Be Concerned About The Security Budget?

Energy Stage

Colin Harper

Moderator
Editor-in-Chief
Blockspace

Colin Harper

Editor-in-Chief
Blockspace
Colin is editor-in-chief of Blockspace Media. Previously, he served as the head of content and research at Luxor and had stints as a journalist for Bitcoin Magazine and CoinDesk.

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology
Nick Hansen is CEO of Luxor, building institutional-grade infrastructure and markets for Bitcoin miners globally. He is a systems-focused builder with deep expertise in mining economics, scale, and efficiency.

Mike Casey

Director of Engineering
MARA

Mike Casey

Director of Engineering
MARA
Director of Engineering, MARA
Volunteer Lifeguard, MaraPool
Product Owner, Slipstream

Author: Speculative Bitcoin Adoption/Price Theory (https://medium.com/@mcasey0827/speculative-bitcoin-adoption-price-theory-2eed48ecf7da) as referenced in "The Bullish Case for Bitcoin" by Vijay Boyapati.

Bitcoin Class of 2012

The Post-Subsidy World: Should We Be Concerned About The Security Budget?

Monday, April 27
3:00 pm
As Bitcoin’s block subsidy declines over time, transaction fees and market dynamics will play a larger role in paying for network security. This panel examines what a “post-subsidy” world could mean for the security budget, miner incentives, and long-term resilience, and what signals the industry should be watching as the economics shift.

Speakers/Moderators

Colin Harper

Moderator
Editor-in-Chief
Blockspace

Colin Harper

Editor-in-Chief
Blockspace
Colin is editor-in-chief of Blockspace Media. Previously, he served as the head of content and research at Luxor and had stints as a journalist for Bitcoin Magazine and CoinDesk.

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology
Nick Hansen is CEO of Luxor, building institutional-grade infrastructure and markets for Bitcoin miners globally. He is a systems-focused builder with deep expertise in mining economics, scale, and efficiency.

Mike Casey

Director of Engineering
MARA

Mike Casey

Director of Engineering
MARA
Director of Engineering, MARA
Volunteer Lifeguard, MaraPool
Product Owner, Slipstream

Author: Speculative Bitcoin Adoption/Price Theory (https://medium.com/@mcasey0827/speculative-bitcoin-adoption-price-theory-2eed48ecf7da) as referenced in "The Bullish Case for Bitcoin" by Vijay Boyapati.

Bitcoin Class of 2012
Text Link
10:30 am
Tue
Tuesday, April 28
10:30 am
-
11:00 am
(30 mins)

Strategic Mining: Embracing Energy Volatility as the Competitive Advantage

Energy Stage

John Paul Baric

Moderator
CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.

A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.

An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors
Scooter Womack is a visionary leader in the Texas energy market, recognized for his pivotal role in shaping today’s energy offerings for flexible loads. As Founder and CEO of Vega Energy Advisors, Scooter leads an expert team with decades of experience, guiding large-scale power users through development planning, tailored procurement, risk management, and Demand Response strategies.

Behind the scenes, Scooter has been instrumental in launching multiple market participants and driving innovation across the ERCOT landscape. His work has enabled organizations to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and implement sustainable solutions that align with evolving market dynamics.

With a proven track record of success, Scooter combines deep industry knowledge with strategic foresight to deliver measurable results for clients. His leadership continues to influence the future of energy flexibility and resilience in Texas.

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology
Nick Hansen is CEO of Luxor, building institutional-grade infrastructure and markets for Bitcoin miners globally. He is a systems-focused builder with deep expertise in mining economics, scale, and efficiency.

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower
As Director of Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower Energy, I focus on enabling and monetizing energy flexibility for Miners and AI factories. With over 15 years of energy sector experience, my work emphasizes automated demand response, energy arbitrage and distributed energy resources. My expertise includes Demand Response market access for flexible, digital, automated loads, AI-driven site optimization, energy storage, blockchain and digital assets.

Strategic Mining: Embracing Energy Volatility as the Competitive Advantage

Tuesday, April 28
10:30 am
Energy volatility is not just a risk. For the best miners, it is an edge. This panel explores how flexible operations, smart power procurement, and demand response strategies turn price swings into profit, and why energy market dynamics are becoming a core competitive advantage in mining.

Speakers/Moderators

John Paul Baric

Moderator
CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.

A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.

An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors

Scooter Womack

Managing Partner
Vega Energy Advisors
Scooter Womack is a visionary leader in the Texas energy market, recognized for his pivotal role in shaping today’s energy offerings for flexible loads. As Founder and CEO of Vega Energy Advisors, Scooter leads an expert team with decades of experience, guiding large-scale power users through development planning, tailored procurement, risk management, and Demand Response strategies.

Behind the scenes, Scooter has been instrumental in launching multiple market participants and driving innovation across the ERCOT landscape. His work has enabled organizations to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and implement sustainable solutions that align with evolving market dynamics.

With a proven track record of success, Scooter combines deep industry knowledge with strategic foresight to deliver measurable results for clients. His leadership continues to influence the future of energy flexibility and resilience in Texas.

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology

Nick Hansen

CEO
Luxor Technology
Nick Hansen is CEO of Luxor, building institutional-grade infrastructure and markets for Bitcoin miners globally. He is a systems-focused builder with deep expertise in mining economics, scale, and efficiency.

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower
As Director of Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower Energy, I focus on enabling and monetizing energy flexibility for Miners and AI factories. With over 15 years of energy sector experience, my work emphasizes automated demand response, energy arbitrage and distributed energy resources. My expertise includes Demand Response market access for flexible, digital, automated loads, AI-driven site optimization, energy storage, blockchain and digital assets.
Text Link
11:00 am
Tue
Tuesday, April 28
11:00 am
-
11:30 am
(30 mins)

From Hashrate to Hill: Why Miners Should Engage in Public Policy

Energy Stage

Kyle Schneps

Moderator
Director of Policy
DCG

Kyle Schneps

Director of Policy
DCG
Kyle Schneps is Director of Public Policy at DCG, working at the intersection of energy, data centers, Bitcoin, and AI. His work examines how emerging technologies are reshaping U.S. geopolitics, competitiveness, and national security.

The majority of Kyle’s career was spent as a U.S. Intelligence Officer. He also served in a diplomatic post at the U.S. Department of State advising the Special Envoy for Guantanamo Bay and in the New York State Governor’s Office overseeing state operations. He is a former White House Fellow focused on national security and federal budgeting.

Kyle is co-author and editor of National Security in the Digital Age. He holds two master’s degrees from Columbia University.

Filip Primec

Director
NiceHash

Filip Primec

Director
NiceHash
A trained lawyer turned Bitcoin enthusiast, he embarked on his crypto journey in 2017 with NiceHash. Over the past decade, he has tackled nearly every challenge the industry has faced—from navigating discussions with tax authorities and regulators to establishing AML frameworks and managing the fallout from security incidents. Having witnessed the industry’s transformation from its unregulated “wild west” days to today’s sophisticated financial markets with robust AML standards, he has remained deeply committed to its growth.

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.

A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.

An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.

From Hashrate to Hill: Why Miners Should Engage in Public Policy

Tuesday, April 28
11:00 am
Join this conversation as the panelists explore innovative strategies to address and overturn discriminatory regulations impacting Bitcoin mining operations worldwide. This panel will provide actionable insights into advocacy, legal frameworks, and collaborative efforts to foster a fairer environment for miners.

Speakers/Moderators

Kyle Schneps

Moderator
Director of Policy
DCG

Kyle Schneps

Director of Policy
DCG
Kyle Schneps is Director of Public Policy at DCG, working at the intersection of energy, data centers, Bitcoin, and AI. His work examines how emerging technologies are reshaping U.S. geopolitics, competitiveness, and national security.

The majority of Kyle’s career was spent as a U.S. Intelligence Officer. He also served in a diplomatic post at the U.S. Department of State advising the Special Envoy for Guantanamo Bay and in the New York State Governor’s Office overseeing state operations. He is a former White House Fellow focused on national security and federal budgeting.

Kyle is co-author and editor of National Security in the Digital Age. He holds two master’s degrees from Columbia University.

Filip Primec

Director
NiceHash

Filip Primec

Director
NiceHash
A trained lawyer turned Bitcoin enthusiast, he embarked on his crypto journey in 2017 with NiceHash. Over the past decade, he has tackled nearly every challenge the industry has faced—from navigating discussions with tax authorities and regulators to establishing AML frameworks and managing the fallout from security incidents. Having witnessed the industry’s transformation from its unregulated “wild west” days to today’s sophisticated financial markets with robust AML standards, he has remained deeply committed to its growth.

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc

John Paul Baric

CEO
Aurum Capital Ventueres Inc
John Paul is the CEO of Aurum Capital Ventures Inc., a modular data center company that has generated over $100 million in revenue in recent years. He has led the development of fifteen modular data center facilities and worked directly with hundreds of landowners, zoning boards, and local officials to bring new infrastructure and tax base to communities across the Midwest.

A recognized expert in large power loads and grid strategy, John Paul consults for major enterprises and has served as an expert witness on the siting of large data center loads. He has deep experience in the MISO and SPP power markets, including bilateral settlement agreements for electricity, and has helped utilities design market-based rates and Demand Response programs that align data centers with grid reliability and economics.

An entrepreneur since age 15, when he launched a robotics camp, John Paul has gone on to build three businesses, including Aurum, originally founded in 2016 as MiningStore. He has been involved in Bitcoin mining since the asset traded near $70 per coin and now advises Fortune 1000 companies entering the mining and digital infrastructure space. Combining energy-market fluency with hands-on development experience, John Paul is helping define the next generation of modular, energy-efficient data centers in the United States.
Text Link
12:30 pm
Tue
Tuesday, April 28
12:30 pm
-
1:00 pm
(30 mins)

Energy Symbiosis: Powering Compute for AI & Bitcoin Simultaneously

Energy Stage

Jesse

Moderator
Partner
BlocksBridge

Jesse

Partner
BlocksBridge
Jesse brings over a decade of experience in communications and public affairs, including advising prominent industry clients. Jesse previously worked with some of the world’s largest miners and several payments and financial services companies.

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower
As Director of Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower Energy, I focus on enabling and monetizing energy flexibility for Miners and AI factories. With over 15 years of energy sector experience, my work emphasizes automated demand response, energy arbitrage and distributed energy resources. My expertise includes Demand Response market access for flexible, digital, automated loads, AI-driven site optimization, energy storage, blockchain and digital assets.

Rick Margerison

Founder / Chief Infrastructure Architect / Visionary
Gamma Technologies

Rick Margerison

Founder / Chief Infrastructure Architect / Visionary
Gamma Technologies
As a Global Infrastructure Architect and leading authority on the convergence of high-density compute and advanced thermal management. With over 30 years of technology experience, including 20+ years specializing in HPC, AI, and ASIC infrastructure, Rick has pioneered the systems that power today’s most demanding workloads. As a global standards leader for the Open Compute Project (OCP), he has been instrumental in co-authoring the international protocols for immersion cooling and material compatibility. An accomplished inventor, Rick holds 11 patents in liquid cooling architecture, ranging from single-phase and two-phase systems to UL/CSA-certified modular data centers.

His expertise bridges the critical gap between extreme performance and industrial sustainability, particularly where AI training and Bitcoin mining operations are starting to merge. Rick is renowned for achieving a true circular economy in data center design, having successfully engineered systems that transition compute operations from energy consumers to thermal energy producers. By displacing fossil fuel heating in hospitals, greenhouses, and industrial processes with captured compute heat, he is redefining the environmental footprint of the modern data center and setting the gold standard for next-generation, high-density infrastructure.

Billy Boone

CMO
Simple Mining

Billy Boone

CMO
Simple Mining
CMO Simple Mining. Author of The Bitcoin Mining Investor. Macro & ai analyst.

Energy Symbiosis: Powering Compute for AI & Bitcoin Simultaneously

Tuesday, April 28
12:30 pm
AI and bitcoin do not have to compete for power. This panel explores how shared infrastructure and flexible load can run both types of compute in parallel, balancing uptime, economics, and grid constraints. Expect a dynamic discussion on coordination models that make “energy symbiosis” work in the real world.

Speakers/Moderators

Jesse

Moderator
Partner
BlocksBridge

Jesse

Partner
BlocksBridge
Jesse brings over a decade of experience in communications and public affairs, including advising prominent industry clients. Jesse previously worked with some of the world’s largest miners and several payments and financial services companies.

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower

David Chernis

Director, Flexible Compute Platforms
CPower
As Director of Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower Energy, I focus on enabling and monetizing energy flexibility for Miners and AI factories. With over 15 years of energy sector experience, my work emphasizes automated demand response, energy arbitrage and distributed energy resources. My expertise includes Demand Response market access for flexible, digital, automated loads, AI-driven site optimization, energy storage, blockchain and digital assets.

Rick Margerison

Founder / Chief Infrastructure Architect / Visionary
Gamma Technologies

Rick Margerison

Founder / Chief Infrastructure Architect / Visionary
Gamma Technologies
As a Global Infrastructure Architect and leading authority on the convergence of high-density compute and advanced thermal management. With over 30 years of technology experience, including 20+ years specializing in HPC, AI, and ASIC infrastructure, Rick has pioneered the systems that power today’s most demanding workloads. As a global standards leader for the Open Compute Project (OCP), he has been instrumental in co-authoring the international protocols for immersion cooling and material compatibility. An accomplished inventor, Rick holds 11 patents in liquid cooling architecture, ranging from single-phase and two-phase systems to UL/CSA-certified modular data centers.

His expertise bridges the critical gap between extreme performance and industrial sustainability, particularly where AI training and Bitcoin mining operations are starting to merge. Rick is renowned for achieving a true circular economy in data center design, having successfully engineered systems that transition compute operations from energy consumers to thermal energy producers. By displacing fossil fuel heating in hospitals, greenhouses, and industrial processes with captured compute heat, he is redefining the environmental footprint of the modern data center and setting the gold standard for next-generation, high-density infrastructure.

Billy Boone

CMO
Simple Mining

Billy Boone

CMO
Simple Mining
CMO Simple Mining. Author of The Bitcoin Mining Investor. Macro & ai analyst.
Text Link

Other
Speakers

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Afroman

Afroman

It's The Hungry Hustlin' American Dream, Bacc Slash African American Wet Dream, The Rocc N Roll Gangster, The Kenny Redd, Rest In Peace Of Reefer Rap, The Don Juan Of Dank, The Pimpin Ken Of The Ink Pen, The Money Q Green Of The Rap Scene. And Just Like Johnny Dollar, I'll Make Ya Girl Holla, Then Swalla. Afroman Is The Inventor Of The Hemp Pimp Cup. Afroman Is The Inventor Of The Corona Virus Cover. You Can Spit In Other Pimps Cup, But You Can't Spit In His. Afroman Is The First Musical Artist To Blow Up On The Internet. The Word Viral, Was Invented, To Describe, What Afromans Music Did Through The Computers And On The Internet. Afroman Went Viral, Before Viral, Was Viral. The 2015 Pimp Of The Year. The 2017 Hustler Of The Year. The 2019 Entertainer Of The Year. Then 3peat Bacc To Bacc Player Of The Year. Born In 1974, A Ghetto Resident, 2024 Afroman Ran For President. Afroman Is The Only Blacc Rapper In The World, That Doesn't Use The N Word. Afroman Is The Successful Failure. The Winning Loser. Afroman Gets Disrespect, Afroman Gets Dissed, But With Respect. OG Amsterdam AFRO Money Makin' Marijuana Smoking Mother Effing MAN Ya Know What I'm Saying? And YES. YES. When All The Buildings In New York City Fall, Afroman Will Be Standing Tall. This Aint No Joke. This Aint No Gimmicc. We Got To Get Paid After A Fake Police Raid, Monkey Pox, And Another Pandemic.
Afroman

Michael Saylor

Founder & Executive Chairman
Strategy

Michael Saylor

Founder & Executive Chairman
Strategy
Michael Saylor is the Founder & Executive Chairman of Strategy (MSTR), a publicly traded business intelligence firm & holder of more than ₿700,000 that he founded in 1989. He is also the founder of Alarm.com(ALRM), named inventor on 48+ patents, & author of the book “The Mobile Wave”. He founded the Saylor Academy (saylor.org), a non-profit that has provided free education to over 2 million students. He is an advocate for the Bitcoin Standard (hope.com) with dual degrees from MIT in Aerospace Engineering & History of Science. He posts his views on X @saylor and his website Michael.com. His 4 hour interview with Lex Fridman summarizes his thoughts on Bitcoin, Inflation, and the Future of Money with ~11 million views on YouTube.
Michael Saylor

Paul Atkins

Chairman
Securities and Exchange Commission

Paul Atkins

Chairman
Securities and Exchange Commission
Paul S. Atkins was sworn into office as the 34th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 2025, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2025.

Prior to returning to the SEC, Chairman Atkins was most recently chief executive of Patomak Global Partners, a company he founded in 2009. Chairman Atkins helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. He served as an independent director and non-executive chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets, Inc. from 2012 to 2015.

Chairman Atkins was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he advocated for transparency, consistency, and the use of cost-benefit analysis at the agency. Chairman Atkins also represented the SEC at meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he was appointed a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organizational control.

From 1990 to 1994, Chairman Atkins served on the staff of two chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt, ultimately as chief of staff and counselor, respectively. He received the SEC’s 1992 Law and Policy Award for work regarding corporate governance matters.

Chairman Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm's Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France.

A member of the New York and Florida bars, Chairman Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Wofford College in 1980.

Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Chairman Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida. He and his wife Sarah have three sons.
Paul Atkins

Mike Selig

Chairman
Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Mike Selig

Chairman
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Michael S. Selig was sworn in on December 22, 2025 to serve as the 16th Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Chairman Selig was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to the post on October 27, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 18, 2025.

Chairman Selig brings to the role deep public and private sector experience working with a wide range of stakeholders across agriculture, energy, financial, and digital asset industries, which rely upon and operate in CFTC-regulated markets.
Prior to his leadership at the CFTC, Chairman Selig most recently served as chief counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force and senior advisor to SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. In this role, Chairman Selig helped to develop a clear regulatory framework for digital asset securities markets, harmonize the SEC and CFTC regulatory regimes, modernize the agency’s rules to reflect new and emerging technologies, and put an end to regulation by enforcement. He also participated in the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets and contributed to its report on “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.”

Prior to government service, Chairman Selig was a partner at an international law firm, focusing on derivatives and securities regulatory matters. During his years in private practice, he represented a broad range of clients subject to regulation by the CFTC, including commercial end users, futures commission merchants, commodity trading advisors, swap dealers, designated contract markets, derivatives clearing organizations, and digital asset firms. Chairman Selig advised clients on compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act and the CFTC’s rules and regulations thereunder, including in connection with registration applications and obligations, enforcement matters, and complex transactions.

Chairman Selig earned his law degree from The George Washington University Law School and was articles editor of The George Washington Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University.
Mike Selig

David Bailey

CEO & Chairman
Nakamoto Inc.

David Bailey

CEO & Chairman
Nakamoto Inc.
David Bailey is the CEO and Chairman of Nakamoto, a Bitcoin company he took public through a reverse merger with KindlyMD. Nakamoto raised one of the largest PIPE financings in digital asset history. A Bitcoin advocate since 2012, David founded BTC Inc. – home to Bitcoin Magazine, The Bitcoin Conference, and Bitcoin for Corporations, and co-founded UTXO Management, an institutional hedge fund focused on Bitcoin and digital assets. In 2024, David led a political engagement campaign that brought Bitcoin to the forefront of the U.S. presidential election advising President Donald Trump’s team on Bitcoin policy. David also serves on the boards of BTC Inc., the Bitcoin Policy Institute, and Moon Inc (HK Asia Holdings Limited).
David Bailey

Eric Trump

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
American Bitcoin

Eric Trump

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
American Bitcoin
Eric Trump is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of American Bitcoin Corp (Nasdaq: ABTC). In this role, he defines the company’s strategic direction and growth priorities, guiding its mission to build America’s Bitcoin infrastructure backbone. He brings extensive experience across capital markets, large-scale commercial development, and strategic growth, and is deeply committed to advancing the adoption of decentralized financial systems in ways that strengthen American economic and technological leadership.

Mr. Trump also serves as Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, where he oversees the global management and operations of the Trump family’s extensive real estate portfolio. This includes Trump Hotels, Trump Golf, commercial and residential real estate, Trump Estates, and Trump Winery. Known for his hands-on leadership and strong market instincts, he has played a key role in expanding the company’s presence across major U.S. and international markets.

A globally recognized business leader and public figure, Mr. Trump is a prominent advocate for Bitcoin and decentralized finance. He is a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, and serves on the Board of Advisors of Metaplanet, Japan’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.

Beyond his business activities, Mr. Trump has helped raise more than $50 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the fight against pediatric cancer, a philanthropic mission he began at age 21.

Mr. Trump earned a degree in Finance and Management from Georgetown University. He currently resides in Florida with his wife, Lara, and their two children. He is also the author of Under Siege, his memoir published in October 2025.
Eric Trump

Jack Mallers

Founder, CEO Strike | Co-Founder, CEO Twenty One
Strike / Twenty One

Jack Mallers

Founder, CEO Strike | Co-Founder, CEO Twenty One
Strike / Twenty One
Jack Mallers serves as the Chief Executive Officer, President and a director of Twenty One Capital. He has served in these capacities since December 2025. Jack is a visionary entrepreneur and one of Bitcoin's most influential advocates, shaping its perception and furthering its adoption by institutions, corporations and governments. As the Founder & CEO of Strike, he built one of the world's leading Bitcoin financial services company's, pioneering Bitcoin brokerage infrastructure and Bitcoin credit products. His leadership was instrumental in El Salvador's historic decision to become the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency, a major milestone in sovereign Bitcoin policy. Beyond Strike, Jack is a key advocate for Bitcoin's integration into global finance, engaging with institutional investors, policymakers and enterprises to accelerate its adoption as the world's premier monetary asset. Now, as Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Twenty One, he is building the first true Bitcoin-native public company redefining corporate treasury strategy for the Bitcoin era.
Jack Mallers

Cynthia Lummis

Senator
U.S. Senate

Cynthia Lummis

Senator
U.S. Senate
U.S. Senator Cynthia M. Lummis has been Bitcoin's most consistent and consequential champion in the United States Senate.

As the first-ever Chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Senator Lummis is the architect of the legislative framework shaping America's digital asset future. She introduced the landmark Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, the first comprehensive bipartisan crypto regulatory framework in Senate history. She co-authored the GENIUS Act — the first federal stablecoin law ever enacted — and introduced the BITCOIN Act, which would establish a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve of up to one million BTC. She is leading the Clarity Act, which will bring long-overdue regulatory certainty to the digital asset industry. She has also championed digital asset tax reform, including a de minimis exemption for small transactions and equal tax treatment for miners and stakers.

Known as Congress' "Crypto Queen," Senator Lummis represents Wyoming — a state she has helped build into one of the most digital asset-friendly regulatory environments in the nation. Before serving in the Senate, she served 14 years in the Wyoming Legislature, eight years as Wyoming State Treasurer, and eight years in the U.S. House. She is a three-time graduate of the University of Wyoming.

Her work represents a crucial bridge between traditional financial systems and the emerging digital economy, ensuring America leads the world in financial innovation while protecting the individual freedoms that define it.
Cynthia Lummis

Adam Back

Co-founder & CEO
Blockstream

Adam Back

Co-founder & CEO
Blockstream
Co-founder and CEO of Blockstream, Dr. Adam Back, invented Hashcash, the proof-of-work algorithm cited by Satoshi Nakamoto in the Bitcoin whitepaper, as the future basis for its mining function. Throughout his two-decade-long vocation as an applied cryptographer and security architect, he has held senior roles with a number of technology companies, including Microsoft, EMC, PI, VMware, and Zero-Knowledge Systems, as well as advised many more companies on cryptography and peer-to-peer finance. Dr. Adam Back holds a computer science Ph.D. in distributed systems from the University of Exeter.
Adam Back

David Marcus

CEO
Lightspark

David Marcus

CEO
Lightspark
David is the CEO and co-founder of Lightspark. Most recently, he led all payments and crypto efforts on Meta/Facebook. In 2018, David started Diem (fka Libra). He joined Meta in 2014 to lead Messenger, which he took from under 200M monthly users to over 1.5B. Previously, he was PayPal’s President. A lifelong entrepreneur, David launched two companies in Europe and then founded mobile payments company Zong in Silicon Valley, which was acquired by PayPal in 2011.
David Marcus

Matt Schultz

CEO and Chairman
CleanSpark

Matt Schultz

CEO and Chairman
CleanSpark
Matt Schultz is co-founder, CEO and Chairman of CleanSpark (CLSK). Matt led CleanSpark from its early days as an alternative energy generator focused on converting biomass into energy using CleanSpark’s patented gasifier technology. He then transitioned CleanSpark into the renewable energy sector, helping to identify critical software that was used to deploy microgrids, most notably at Camp Pendleton. Matt has helped raise over a billion dollars in capital. His leadership has been instrumental in making CleanSpark one of the largest and most recognizable data center developers in North America.
Matt Schultz

Fred Thiel

Chairman and CEO
MARA

Fred Thiel

Chairman and CEO
MARA
Fred Thiel is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) and has over 35 years of experience in the technology sector. Mr. Thiel is an acclaimed innovator and expert, having led organizations across diverse fields including digital assets, AI, semiconductors and enterprise software. Under his leadership, MARA has grown from a market cap of under $30 million to over $5 billion, becoming the largest in the space, with operations spanning four continents. MARA operates 15 data centers, including several across the United States, as well as locations in the UAE and Paraguay, boasting an energy capacity of 1700 MW. The company is fully integrated, enhancing its operational efficiency.
Throughout his career, Mr. Thiel has consistently driven rapid growth and created substantial shareholder value. Prior to MARA, Mr. Thiel served as the CEO of two other public companies, Local Corporation (NASDAQ: LOCM) and Lantronix, Inc (NASDAQ: LTRX). He has successfully raised billions in equity and debt through private and public offerings, led companies through IPOs, executed high-value exits to strategic and financial acquirers, and implemented effective M&A and roll-up strategies.
Mr. Thiel attended the Stockholm School of Economics and executive classes at Harvard Business School, and is fluent in English, Spanish, Swedish, and French. Mr. Thiel is the Chairman of the Board for Oden Technology, Inc. and is active in Young Presidents’ Organization where he has led initiatives in both the FinTech and Technology Networks.
A recognized voice in the industry, Fred frequently shares his insights on energy and technology with major media outlets like Bloomberg TV, CNBC, and FOX Business, contributing to vital discussions about the future of these sectors.
Fred Thiel

Simon Gerovich

CEO
Metaplanet

Simon Gerovich

CEO
Metaplanet
Simon is the President of Metaplanet Inc., a publicly traded company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Metaplanet is undergoing a strategic transformation, leveraging Bitcoin as its principal treasury reserve asset. Metaplanet utilizes excess cash flow and implements accretive corporate governance, including financial management strategies such as debt and equity financing, to further its Bitcoin accumulation.

Simon has been an active investor in the digital asset ecosystem since 2014. He started his career at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo as an equity derivatives trader. He was a co-founder and Chairman of Red Planet Hotels, a regional hotel company focused on Asia’s value hotel sector. Prior to founding Red Planet Hotels, Simon served as the Chief Executive Officer of Evolution Capital Public Company Limited, a real estate asset management company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. As President of Metaplanet, Simon is responsible for spearheading the company's new Bitcoin investment strategy, guiding its overall direction, raising capital, and managing investor relations. He graduated from Harvard University with an AB in Applied Mathematics. Simon is an active member of YPO, the premier global organization of chief executives.
Simon Gerovich