For self-justified personal reasons, a small number of crypto community members choose to believe in opposing Bitcoin (BTC), resulting in the narrative “blockchain is fantastic, Bitcoin is evil.”
Josselin Tonnellier, the creator of the Bitcoin exchange StackinSat and the organiser of Surfin ‘Bitcoin 2022, considers this concept to be one of the most significant obstacles to widespread BTC acceptance in France.
In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph writer Joseph Hall, Tonnellier talked about a number of important topics, such as whether or not Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are accepted in France, where the Surfin’ Bitcoin conference came from and what its goals are, and how to deal with problems during a bear market.
The CEO said that the pro-blockchain narrative that portrays Bitcoin negatively is one of France’s most important Bitcoin adoption problems. He asserted:
For many years, the consensus has been that blockchain is fantastic. Bitcoin is undesirable. People expect us to be able to explain what Bitcoin is, so we work with well-known Bitcoiners to make content.
In terms of the relationship between surfing and Bitcoin, the CEO stated that the purpose of the event was to provide a relaxed environment where ecosystem members could network. Tonnellier explained
“We wanted a venue where people could congregate in beautiful surroundings at the end of August so they could enjoy the beach and feel like they were on vacation while discussing Bitcoin. We also wanted the atmosphere to be extremely laid-back and casual, so you won’t see many suits and bow ties.”
The event organiser also noted that there have been several Web3 and nonfungible token (NFT) events in the nation, but fewer Bitcoin-related gatherings. He stated that this motivated his team to organise the event.
Experts opine that cryptocurrencies imitating Bitcoin don’t actually measure up.
In addition, Hall questioned Tonnellier on the challenges they are now having in arranging an event amid the down market. The organiser of the event noted that there are various ups and downs, including determining the budget. He said
This reduces the number of sponsorship options, particularly in bad markets, and as you might expect, the marketing budget is reduced significantly.
Tonnellier stated that despite the obstacles they faced, they were able to assemble attendees and proceed with the event. He said that it was great for his team to see people from countries other than France there.