Blockchain is moving beyond buzzwords and into real use cases — that was the message coming out of the Blockchain Futurist Conference held November 5–6 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The conference brought together a mix of founders, developers, athletes, and investors, all focused on how to make cryptocurrency easier, cheaper, and more relevant for everyday users. Eric Trump was one of the keynote speakers, using the stage to launch his new venture, American Bitcoin. Positioning the company as a response to what he called the “debanking” of his family, Trump said the goal is to harness blockchain to build a transparent and U.S.-compliant financial infrastructure.
“There is nothing that the big banks do that can’t be done better, cheaper, faster and more transparently with blockchain,” Trump said. American Bitcoin claims to mine bitcoin at around half the market price — not by reducing energy consumption, but by locating mining operations in areas with low electricity costs, such as West Texas. The company uses a dual approach: buying bitcoin on the market and mining its own. Mined coins go into the company treasury, aiming to increase the value represented by each share over time.
Trump described bitcoin as “digital gold” and framed it as a tool for financial freedom, especially in countries dealing with hyperinflation. He also compared the current stage of crypto adoption to the early internet in 1990. “I think we’re gonna have monumental growth. I believe in it with every ounce of my soul,” he said.
Mass adoption was a central theme throughout the conference. Coinbase highlighted its efforts to simplify the crypto experience, acting as a front-end for decentralized finance (DeFi) services. Scott Meadows, Coinbase’s Head of Business Development, outlined how the company supports both retail users and financial institutions with on-chain infrastructure, allowing banks and fintechs to offer crypto products without building from scratch.
Jason Dominique, CEO of Onchain, talked about building tools that remove traditional gatekeepers from finance. His company created the Onchain Network Protocol (OPN), which allows users to purchase lesser-known tokens — the kind that usually aren’t listed on major exchanges — using Apple Pay or credit cards. “TradFi is permissioned. We’re building a permissionless system where you just do it,” Dominique said. The platform also includes smart checks for liquidity and contracts, aiming to make DeFi easier and safer for newcomers.
On the cultural side, NBA champion Tristan Thompson is betting on blockchain through a platform called Basketball.fun. Co-founded by Thompson, the app uses the Somnia blockchain to let fans make live predictions during games, earn rewards in real-time, and collect tokenized game moments. Unlike traditional fantasy sports or betting apps, Basketball.fun updates odds live and lets users cash out early, adding a gamified twist built for a younger, more engaged audience.
“This is great for live sports because it forces fan engagement,” Thompson said. “You gamify, you make it more fun.”
Across both tech and culture, the message was clear: crypto is shifting from speculation toward utility. Whether through simpler interfaces, decentralized tools, or interactive fan experiences, companies are focused on making blockchain tech part of daily life rather than a niche financial tool.
For a region like South Florida — already a magnet for fintech startups and crypto events — the continued push for mainstream adoption signals that blockchain isn’t fading anytime soon. If anything, it’s getting harder to ignore.
