Bitcoin Day brings a different kind of ‘shareholders meeting’ to Omaha

On May 5, Warren Buffett’s famous Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting will take place in Omaha, drawing in thousands of investors and the money-savvy from around the country. Across town from that meeting will be another meeting on May 5: Bitcoin Day. Hosted by Alpha BTC and dubbed a “Bitcoin Shareholder Meeting,” Bitcoin Day is a…

On May 5, Warren Buffett’s famous Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting will take place in Omaha, drawing in thousands of investors and the money-savvy from around the country.

Across town from that meeting will be another meeting on May 5: Bitcoin Day. Hosted by Alpha BTC and dubbed a “Bitcoin Shareholder Meeting,” Bitcoin Day is a day of tactical education about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, aimed at both beginners and experienced crypto traders.

“We don’t own any; we’re not short any,” Buffett said about cryptocurrencies in an interview on CNBC. “We’ll never have a position in them.”

Edward Weniger, co-founder of Alpha BTC, said Bitcoin Day’s organizers want to help a new generation of investors obtain wealth through decentralized systems and blockchain technology, even if Buffett doesn’t think it’s a good idea.

“We get phone calls from people who tell us, ‘I don’t understand this, but my son told me to invest in it,’ for example,” said Edward Weniger, co-founder of Alpha BTC. “This is a chance for them to come and talk to other people and get their questions answered.”

Omaha-based Alpha BTC was started in 2013 to educate individuals on what digital currencies are and how to utilize them. Their focus is on working with investors and corporations of all sizes to integrate cryptocurrencies and blockchain into their existing business model and holdings.

Weniger said event organizers want to share things like how to read market charts, help them figure out when to buy or sell, and how to invest, and basic concepts of bitcoin and blockchain. The event will also cover issues of security and where to store coins.

“There is no FDIC, there are no places like TD Ameritrade that will hold your coins for you and reimburse you if you lose them,” said Weniger. “With the limited regulations and the technological complexity of the subject, we want to make sure people know what they’re doing.”

Bitcoin Day’s programming will be broken up into a morning block and an afternoon block to tailor information to attendees’ level of Bitcoin knowledge.

The morning session is an introduction for people who have just heard of Bitcoin and want to learn more including the basic concepts and history of Bitcoin. Weniger said it’s not a session to tell people to buy or sell, but rather to guide them in their investment.

The afternoon session is an advanced session for people who already understand crypto, exchanges, wallets, and trading but who want to take the next step to gain a deeper understanding.

Attendees will be exposed to advanced crypto technologies and trends that will include presentations on initial coin offerings, utility tokens, alt coins, as well as some interesting crypto companies like SALT, Bloom, tZero, etc.

Weniger hopes the afternoon session draws in people who already invest in assets like gold or silver or registered investment advisors whose clients are curious about investing in cryptocurrencies.

“It sounds cliche, but even though dotcom was a bubble, it still persisted and outlasted the bubble,” said Weniger. “[Just because you don’t invest during the bubble,] that doesn’t mean the technology or the industry isn’t something valuable today.”

Bitcoin Day will also offer networking with other Bitcoin beginners and professionals, a chance to win prices like hardware wallets, coins, and mor, a rare opportunity to see a cryptocurrency miner mine coins, and a chance to see and use a Bitcoin ATM to buy Bitcoin or Litecoin during the event.

Bitcoin Day is also focused on getting local people involved, not necessarily big names, but the people who have real-world experience.

“This is a good opportunity to hear from them and hear what they’ve been through and learned along the way,” said Weniger. “I think it will really be valuable.”

Tickets and additional information are available at www.bitcoindayomaha.com. Follow Alpha BTC on Twitter for Bitcoin Day promo codes.

––

Christine McGuigan is the Managing Editor of Silicon Prairie News.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

Channels: ,

Get the latest news and events from Nebraska’s entrepreneurship and innovation community delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday.