Despite a consistent fall, Bitcoin enthusiasts are alive and well, telling people to hold on.
As of Wednesday afternoon on the final day of Bitcoin 2026, the price for the cryptocurrency sat at about $75,500.
Bitcoin reached an all-time peak in early October of about $126,000, but the declining value was not at the top of mind for conference-goers at the Venetian Expo. Like many years before, conference-goers were still encouraged be patient.
The conference pulled big companies, sponsors and speakers, including multiple from the Trump administration and family. On Monday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Paul Atkins spoke.
On Wednesday, Eric Trump, President Donald J. Trump’s son and co-founder and chief strategy officer of American Bitcoin, spoke on the main stage, alongside John Koudounis, president and CEO of Calamos Investments, and moderator Eric Balchunas, a senior ETF analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence.
Trump encouraged people to hold on to their Bitcoin, saying it is getting “sticky.”
“We are in the greatest period, I think, in the history of crypto,” said Trump.
His speech came a day after a Forbes investigation which alleges he and his company American Bitcoin lost retail investors over $500 million. He called the article Chinese propaganda and an “embarrassment to journalism.”
Spirits were ultimately high at the conference as people talk about stacking the smallest unit of Bitcoin, diversifying their portfolio and holding on with hopes that the cryptocurrency skyrockets.
Alex Batson, an employee of conference organizers BTC Inc., said he recently sold some of his Bitcoin to buy a house.
“Stack as much as you can before it’s back at 100,000 and then 500,000 and who knows when it’ll be at $1 million,” said Alex Batson.
He said he hasn’t heard any complaints about the price of Bitcoin and “the vibes and energy have been spectacular here.”
The conference also had a distinct health and wellness focus.
During his keynote on Wednesday, first-of-its-kind Chief MAHA Officer at Steak N’ Shake Michael Boss touted the company’s use of bitcoin. Steak N’ Shake is one of the first companies to go all-in on the cryptocurrency, announcing it as a payment option in May 2025.
Boss said its use of Bitcoin has allowed them to save money on processing fees, enabling them to roll out new MAHA-focused health initiatives like 100 percent beef tallow fries and tots and removal of microwaves, as well as announcing new products like the Bitcoin Milkshake and the rollout of grass-fed, grass-finished beef at all stores nationwide.
“Bitcoin is a healthy currency that allows us to increase the healthiness of our products,” said Boss during his keynote.
In the same vein, there were multiple health and wellness exhibitors at the conference. Multiple exhibitors had fitness challenges and arcade punching machines, as well as vendors selling lymphatic drainage machines, biohacking, wood-fired hot tubs, fluoride-free nano-silver toothpaste and “decentralized nicotine.”
Rick Kyle, who works for lymphatic drainage company Vibratec, said there is an overlap with Bitcoin and health and wellness.
“If you’re going to try to get rich, why don’t you try to get better?” said Kyle.
And others agree, like Will Muesel, who also works for BTC Inc., tying it to sovereignty over their bodies.
“I think people in Bitcoin, you know, value sovereignty and having ownership over their wealth. I think that coincides with having ownership over your health,” said Muesel.
Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.
