Thrilld Labs <> Justin Doochin: Inside the Making of Bitcoin 2026

As the Bitcoin Conference (April 27-29 2026, Las Vegas) continues to be organised as one of the largest global conferences in the industry, we sat down with Justin Doochin, Head of Events at BTC Inc.

Justin has been the operational engine behind the Bitcoin Conference since joining BTC Inc. in 2018, growing the event from 2,000 attendees to over 30,000, with Vice President JD Vance, heads of state, and the most prominent names in Bitcoin taking the stage.  Justin oversees the full international conference portfolio including Bitcoin 2026 Las Vegas, Bitcoin Hong Kong, Bitcoin Amsterdam, and Bitcoin MENA. 
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From growing the conference more than 10x, to balancing builders, policymakers, cultures, and other stakeholders all under one roof, below, Justin shares a behind-the-scenes look at the Bitcoin Conference, one of our preferred partner events.

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Q. What’s something about running these repeatedly successful events that most people completely underestimate? 
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I’ve been doing this for just over eight years. Our first event back in 2019 in San Francisco had around 2,000 attendees, and since then, we’ve grown quite a bit. 
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The show itself is just the tip of the iceberg. 
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Behind the scenes, there are thousands of meetings, design iterations, floor plan versions, sponsorship calls, and vendor coordination. This all happens over the course of a year leading up to the event. 
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By the time 30,000 people actually show up on day one, everything is already built. At this point, it’s mostly the execution. 

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Q. The conference has grown more than 10x over the past few years; how did you make that happen? And what did you stop doing as the event scaled?

If I had to pinpoint one thing, it’s adaptation. We make strategic decisions and designs while staying true to our values, listening to our audience, partners, and the market, as well as always maintaining a Bitcoin-only ethos. This is probably the number one factor that comes to growth. 
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On the other hand, you can’t just “wing it” anymore. 
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At smaller events, you can make decisions on-site that don’t have major consequences. When you’re planning a 30,000-person event, it’s hard to make a decision that doesn’t have ripple effects. So planning becomes much more structured and deliberate. 

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Q. At this size, how do you think about structuring the audience…are you segmenting more across developers, institutions, and retail folks, and if so, how?
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It’s a balance, and it takes time. 
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We try to build something for everyone, whether that’s an open-source stage, an enterprise lounge, or whether people are interested in a treasury company, for which we have Bitcoin for corporations, or even an art gallery. 
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As the community grows, so do the different departments, segments, and interests that come with it, and you just have to adapt. One nice thing about working here at BTC Inc. is that there are leaders of each segment or community within the company who put it on a pedestal. We have someone who is working on the open-stage and is really passionate about it, and we have someone who’s more into enterprise and institutional. So I’d say we have a little bit of everything, and it’s important we include everyone, as at the end of the day, the Bitcoin Conference is truly for everyone.  

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Q. How central is policy today in the U.S. compared to, say, 4-5 years ago when you started as Head of Events?

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In 2019, policy was just a side conversation, but right now, it’s pretty central. 
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We’ve had major political figures like Donald Trump in 2024 and JD Vance speak in 2025. At the end of the day, we’ve evolved to reflect the reality of the ecosystem. 

We are still keeping the builders and culture at our core, but if policy is a major topic in the industry or if it’s a major talking point in the US, especially, we’re going to platform it.

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At least from the conference perspective in 2026, a big story is Bitcoin shifting from a pure permissionless innovation towards more institutional adoption, without losing its core principles. 

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‍Q. You’ve brought both top policymakers/regulators and leading builders onto the same stage; how do you even manage to attract both?
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It’s an art, but if you build it, they will come. 

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We create distinct areas within the conference that attract different communities; for example, we have deal day, Code & Country (our Pro Day Program, covering policy and tech), open source activations, and even an art gallery. 

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We may have a Code & Country reception taking place in a meeting room with policymakers, regulators, as well as CEOs, and they are sharing a wall with an open-source hackathon that is taking place next door. 

Now, these groups may not always mix directly, but they can coexist in the same space, and they all share one commonality: Bitcoin. 

We focus on what unites people rather than what divides them.
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Q. Regarding less-known folks: what’s your key criterion for who gets on stage?

Everything is audience first. 

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Our programming team looks for people who can change how the audience thinks about Bitcoin. That could mean having a strong story or the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and engagingly.

We review past talks, brainstorm panels, and carefully curate each speaker. The main stage is in front of thousands of people, and we take that seriously.


Q. Now, for a slightly feverish question, has there been an internal debate regarding whether a speaker is a good fit for a region? 

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Every speaker that we put on stage, there is a lot of thought that goes into it, and if a speaker is not the right fit for the region or if there is a reason to question it, it's definitely taken into consideration. 

We have four events a year, and a lot of the speakers can not partake in all of these events. So, we have to work with the speakers and talk to them and reach a consensus on which event suits their following better. 

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Q. What actually drives ticket sales in 2026… are most people coming more for content, networking, headline speakers, or the broader Bitcoin culture?

We did something unique last year: we gave away free GA tickets at the end of our conference. Now, whether that was a good move or not, we don’t necessarily know, but what it did do is it immediately had over 25,000 people registered for our event, that 12 months before the event, which is a strong win. 

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Now circling back to the question of what brings people to the conference? It’s everything - content, networking, speakers, culture, even the afterparties. 

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In addition, the biggest draw, in my opinion, is the in-person connection. 

A lot of people don’t have Bitcoin communities in their day-to-day lives. Conferences are their chance to meet like-minded people, have a drink with them, have real conversations, and build relationships. 

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Q. About networking... At 30,000+ attendees, how do you make networking actually effective?

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You can’t leave networking to chance at a conference like this. 

People are paying to network and to make deals. 

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We segment access through different pass types like GA, Pro, and Whale. Specifically for networking is the Pro Pass, as it gives access to the networking application that we use for matchmaking, messaging, and scheduled meetings. The Pro pass also includes access to networking lounges, and more.

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Q. Has your approach to sponsorships evolved a lot as the conference has grown, or does it depend more on the general market conditions?

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You absolutely have to adapt to the market. 

Even in a bear market, sponsorship is critical. So, sometimes you have to get a little more creative. However, regardless of whether it’s a bear market or a bull market, our sponsors are the reason why the conference is successful. The key is listening to sponsors and understanding their goals, then building tailored experiences around them. 

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For example, for one of our sponsors, we’ve worked out a way where they subsidize the Pro Passes for users who downloaded their app, creating value for both sides. 

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We’re very strategic about where we expand, making sure the market and partnerships are right. 

Right now, we have strong regional nodes in the U.S., Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Abu Dhabi, with potential for further expansion in the future. 

Each region is at a different stage in terms of maturity and interests, for example: 

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• The U.S. tends to be more narrative and policy-driven.
• Europe focuses more on regulation and infrastructure. 
• The Middle East leans toward capital deployment. 

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So, essentially, we have to tailor the content, activations, and lounges to each event, to which I think we do a good job, but one definitely has to take into consideration the culture of the region.
 

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Scaling a conference of this size is about intention and having the right team and partners on board, regardless of market conditions. 

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The success of the event, we think, lies in bringing people together around a shared interest, and creating the space for connections to be created and sustained.

Whilst our PRO pass giveaway has ended, one you can use our code (ThrilldLabs10) for a 10% discount if you wish to join the Bitcoin Conference.
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We don't earn from commissions. See you there!

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^{About Thrilld Labs}

^{Thrilld, built by Thrilld Labs, lets Web3 professionals find each other, talk business, and build human connections through a fair networking app; online and at industry events.}

^{Thrilld Labs is also building a decentralised app that lets Web3 event organizers sell tickets and enhance their reach as well as attendee engagement.}

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^{About the Bitcoin Conference}

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^{Founded in 2019 and organised by BTC Inc., the Bitcoin Conference has grown into a global phenomenon and remains the largest annual gathering dedicated entirely to Bitcoin. By offering a collaborative, open environment, it accelerates innovation, sparks essential conversations, and empowers people around the world to explore the full potential of decentralized finance and monetary freedom.
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Nakamoto Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire BTC Inc (the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions). BTC Inc. — including Bitcoin Magazine, The Bitcoin Conference and related media properties — will operate as part of Nakamoto’s portfolio of Bitcoin-native businesses.}

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