Week in BTX: November 12, 2021
Happy Friday, the traditional markets have been closed for hours, how antiquated of them. Try to get away from your screens and enjoy this beautiful Texas fall weather!
Happy Friday, the traditional markets have been closed for hours, how antiquated of them. Try to get away from your screens and enjoy this beautiful Texas fall weather!
General
The vast majority of U.S. adults have heard at least a little about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ether, and 16% say they personally have invested in, traded or otherwise used one, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Men ages 18 to 29 are particularly likely to say they have used cryptocurrencies.
Texas based Landry's announced a partnership with NYDIG to power a bitcoin loyalty rewards program for the millions of customers in Landry's loyalty program - Landry's Select Club. This partnership will allow Landry's Select Club members to earn bitcoin points when dining at any of its 500 locations nationwide. Landry’s is wholly owned by Texan Tilman J. Fertitta, who also owns the Houston Rockets and Golden Nugget Casinos among many other properties.
Public Policy/Politics/Regulatory
After getting rugged on the federal infrastructure bill the The Blockchain Association has announced the hiring of Dave Grimaldi and Jake Chervinsky, respectively, as heads of government relations and policy. Good first step, now need to see some results on the federal level.
Texas State Securities Board entered an emergency cease and desist order against Treasure Growth LLC aka Treasure Growth Investments, a cryptocurrency cloud mining firm that has been soliciting Texans to invest in various cryptocurrency cloud mining programs.
Rulon & White’s Todd White is helming a push to raise massive sums for a super PAC focused on sending a legion of cryptocurrency-friendly lawmakers to Washington next year. American Blockchain PAC says it is looking to haul in $300 million to help elect a new generation of crypto-savvy politicians, opening up a new phase in the crypto industry’s political advocacy push.
Mining
Argo Blockchain files for $57.5 million offering of secured notes to fund Texas mining facility. The company said it intends to use the proceeds for construction costs and rigs at its Texas crypto mining facility, expected to be operational in 2022.
Argo Blockchain estimates that the cost of building and kitting out its proposed 800-megawatt mining facility in Texas could be $1.5-2 billion. Thats a lot of jobs and growth for west Texas! Construction continues on the west Texas facility.
The mining firm Genesis Digital Assets has announced the launch of a new bitcoin mining facility that will be located in west Texas. Genesis stresses that the new data center with 300 megawatts will showcase “sustainable infrastructure, high efficiency, and a low carbon footprint.”
Events
Texas Blockchain Council Houston Happy Hour November 16, 2021
Austin BitDevs November 18, 2021
Houston Bitcoin Meetup November 22, 2021
Bitcoin Block Party in Austin December 2, 2021
Bitcoin2022 Conference April 6-9, 2022 in Miami (10% off with code TEXAS10)
Consensus June 10-12, 2022 in Austin
BitBlockParty June 10, 2022 during Consensus in Austin
Coin Center Annual Dinner June 10, 2022 during Consensus in Austin
BitBlockBoom August 25-28, 2022, in Austin
Jobs
Unchained Capital is hiring for 17 positions based in Austin.
Lancium LLC (Bitcoin Miner) is hiring 10 positions based in The Woodlands
NYDIG is hiring 3 roles in the Houston area
People on the Move
Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan appointed State Rep. Tan Parker, Lee Bratcher, Cesare Fracassi, Natalie Smolenski, Peter Vogel, and Grant Weston as his delegates to the Work Group on Blockchain Matters.
Bitcoin Citadel
The 411 acre “Welfare Ranch” north of Boerne is on the market for 96 Bitcoin ($6,165,000). This property has several 360 degree views from different hilltops and a valley down below with live water running through Zinke creek with over 300' of elevation changes.
To Ponder While You Wander
“Adelle Nazarian, American Blockchain PAC’s chief executive, said the PAC will lead “efforts to build a vanguard of new Congressional candidates and reelecting officials who believe in and support cryptocurrency-blockchain innovation and transformation,” with ad buys “to support American digital ingenuity and regulation, with an emphasis on privacy protections for American investors.”