Greetings From Toronto
Long drives do something to the brain.
Your hands are on the wheel, your eyes on the road—but your mind? It slips the leash.
Ideas show up uninvited. Decades-old regrets throw a party.
And somewhere between exits, clarity sneaks in.
That’s why I don’t fly when I can avoid it.
Flying is time travel without the soul. Driving is a choose-your-own-adventure.
No security lines, gate changes, $9 bottles of water, or random strangers sneezing directly into my soul at 35,000 feet.
When you fly, there’s no “Welcome to [fill in the blank]” sign.
Just a tired customs officer and the whiplash of being teleported from a Chili’s in Terminal C to an interrogation booth with fluorescent lighting.
No gradual buildup. No sense of arrival. Just a hard reset—your body moves faster than your mind can catch up.
Sure, the destination is the same. But how you get there? That part still matters.
The Davos of Crypto
I’m headed to Consensus 2025. AKA, the Davos of crypto—minus the private jets (OK, maybe fewer of them) and plus a lot more
Consensus began in 2015 at a time when Bitcoin was still considered the domain of anarchists, Reddit posters, and that one guy in every friend group who wouldn’t shut up about game theory. (Confession: I was that one guy in the friend group.)
The first event was held in NYC, drawing a modest crowd of developers, VCs, and early Ethereum enthusiasts.
It was so early Bitcoiners and Ethereum bulls still (kind of) got along.
In 2017, the bull run sent crypto to the moon. 2,000 people showed up. Bitcoin hit $20k.
In 2018, over 8,000 people packed the Hilton Midtown. Lambos were parked outside. Celebrities made an appearance. ICO bros flooded the lobby.
2019? Doldrums. The bear market set in, the regulators were circling. Consensus talks pivoted from hopium to infrastructure and real use-cases.
Now, this year’s Consensus feels different.
Not like Miami 2021 where Bitcoin bros were throwing parties that felt more like a rap music video than a financial awakening.
Not like Austin 2022, where everyone was glancing around nervously.
And definitely not like 2023, where booths were empty, the atmosphere was apocalyptic, and the spirit of Gary Gensler haunted the venue.
No. Toronto 2025 feels… sober.
What’s Happening Now
Let’s start with the obvious: Eric Trump is speaking. His new mining company American Bitcoin is reportedly going public.
Then there’s Bo Hines.
He’s heading the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets—and he’s laying out the White House's official strategy for crypto legislation. (Something tells me the words “stablecoins” and “tokenized Treasuries” will be uttered… a lot.)
Adrienne Harris, superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), will address regulatory frameworks in America’s strictest state.
And the wild cards, like Dave Portnoy, who will talk about…
Honestly, I have no idea.
Three things I’ll be tracking like a hawk:
- Stablecoins and Real-World Assets (RWAs) – Everyone from Larry Fink to your Uber driver is talking about tokenization.
- DePIN – Decentralized physical infrastructure is having a moment. Someone is going to figure out how to turn crypto into actual roads and wires. That’s when the real fight begins.
- AI x Blockchain – Half the speakers will say this is the dumbest combo since orange juice and toothpaste. The other half are quietly funding it. I’ll let you know who’s right.
One thing I do know…
This year is different.
It’s not just another conference. It’s a show of hands.
Is crypto still a punchline? Or is it finally growing up?
I’m voting on the latter…
But I’m here to find out for sure. And which parts.
If you see me wandering around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, I’m probably lost.
If I look confused, it’s because I probably walked into the wrong panel and accidentally joined a multi-year staking commitment. In French.
Or maybe just trying to figure out how to get my Lightning wallet to connect to a coffee machine.
Whatever the case, say hello.
