Tether Operations Limited (Tether), the technology company supporting the blockchain-enabled platform that powers the largest stablecoin by market capitalisation (USD₮) and the Swiss city of Lugano announced today the speaker lineup for the first-ever Plan ₿ Forum, a conference addressing Bitcoin and its potential for global financial disruption.
Slated to take place from 28-29 October 2022, the Forum will bring together the foremost thought leaders and creators from the world of digital finance to discuss how Bitcoin is disrupting the world on a social and economical level through four different tracks: governmental, corporate, individual, and technological. The Forum promises to promote deep conversation around freedom of communication and financial freedom delving into topics including the disintermediation of finance, accessibility of financial services, unbanked persons, and regulation.
Confirmed speakers include Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, Jameson Lopp, CTO at CASA, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert, Co-Founders of El Zonte Capital, Peter McCormak, host of What Bitcoin Did Podcast and Chairman of Real Bedford, Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex/Tether, Samson Mow, Architect of the Bitcoin bond, Arnab Naskar, Co-Founder of STOKR and more. For a complete list of speakers, you can visit https://planb.lugano.ch/planb-forum/
Periods of high uncertainty lead to innovation. Since its creation, Bitcoin has evolved as a result of this innovation, acting as a vessel for financial freedom, the freedom of communication, and a reliable way for global citizens to escape endangered economies and unprovoked inflation. As a result, citizens worldwide are adopting and experimenting with Bitcoin to evade hyperinflation, strict financial controls, and rigid surveillance of central authorities.
Bitcoin's intrinsic features give it the potential to serve citizens whilst empowering the financial system, acting as “sound money”, guaranteeing protection of civil liberties against despotic interference by government, and strengthening social justice in many areas around the globe. That is why the Plan ₿ Forum was created. To spread these ideas and educate communities globally on the freedoms associated with Bitcoin.
In March of 2022, Tether and The City of Lugano joined forces on the Plan ₿ initiative to make Bitcoin, Tether, and LVGA the ‘de facto’ legal tender in the city. This was only the beginning of a larger objective to drive cryptocurrency adoption in Europe, which also includes the launch of the Plan ₿ Summer School, an educational program designed to bring crypto education to the masses. The Forum is an extension of The City of Lugano and Tether’s long term goal to make Lugano the blockchain epicenter of Europe. It was launched in order to drive awareness around the power of digital assets and blockchain, as well as to introduce the industry to the City and all it has to offer to the digital asset ecosystem, from the business friendly environment to a fantastic quality of life.
The Plan ₿ Forum 2022 event website is now live and will serve as an important resource for participants to register and gather information on the program and speaker profiles as well as information on travel and logistics to Lugano. Interested participants can visit https://planb.lugano.ch/planb-forum/
Why the Swiss city of Lugano?
In addition to working together on Plan ₿, an initiative to accelerate the use of and leverage bitcoin technology, the choice to host the forum in Lugano, comes at a time when the region is being recognized more than ever as a major player in the financial world. Switzerland and Lugano are globally acknowledged as a land of opportunity and freedom with an emphasis on providing individual financial freedoms. These three elements: freedom, finance, and cutting-edge innovation, combined with a decentralized, bottom-up political culture make Lugano and Switzerland the ideal place from which to promote a revolution - financial and technological - intrinsic in Bitcoin itself, on a global level and to drive true global mass adoption.
About Tether
Created in October 2014, Tether was the first stablecoin in existence and remained the sole stablecoin in the market until March 2018. Tether is disrupting the legacy financial system by offering a more modern approach to money. By adding fiat currency-digital cash to the bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains, Tether makes a significant contribution to a more connected ecosystem by introducing digital currency benefits, such as instant global transactions, to traditional currency and incorporating traditional currency benefits like price stability to digital currency. With a commitment to full transparency and compliance, Tether is the most secure, fastest, and cheapest way to transact with money.
About the City of Lugano
Lugano is the economic capital of Southern Switzerland, strategically located between the metropolitan areas of Milan and Zurich. Set in an exceptional natural context and landscape, Lugano is the ideal place for living and working. The city hosts an important financial center and vibrant pharmaceutical, commodity trading, and fashion hubs and remains a sought-after tourist destination. A university town since 1996, Lugano is home to world-class research institutes and infrastructure, including the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA) and the Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS). Among the safest cities in the Country, Lugano offers business-friendly legislation, great infrastructure, and political stability typical of Switzerland, combined with a Mediterranean flair.
About Plan B
Lugano’s Plan ₿ is a joint initiative between the City of Lugano and Tether to accelerate the use of and leverage bitcoin technology as the foundation to transform the city’s financial infrastructure.
The plan will scale blockchain and Bitcoin throughout the city to positively impact all facets of daily life for the residents of Lugano. From small transactions with local merchants to larger efforts – such as paying annual taxes – blockchain will serve as the foundation for the city’s financial exchanges.