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Miami Mayor says he wants “a Miami that lasts forever” as he announces Blockchain.com’s move to Miami.
Major crypto solutions provider Blockchain.com is moving its U.S. headquarters from New York to Miami in an attempt to spur aggressive growth over the next few years.
The $5 billion firm intends to hire 300 new full-time employees in the region over the next 18 months. The news broke a day before the city played host to the world’s largest Bitcoin conference, Bitcoin 2021.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez made the announcement at City Hall with Blockchain.com CEO Peter Smith. He explained that not only will the move boost local employment but it will also be an investment in the local science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) community via educational programming. Suaraz said:
"Blockchain.com's arrival in Miami perfectly encapsulates what the Miami Movement is all about — leveraging Miami's talent against the world's top companies in order to build towards our goal of becoming a Miami that lasts forever and a Miami that works for everyone."
Blockchain.com cited a key driver of the move was “the city’s welcoming regulatory environment serving as a hotbed of crypto innovation.” The firm's global headquarters will still be based in Londonn, however, Miami will stand as its U.S. HQ. Blockchain.com also has offices in San Francisco which will remain.
Blockchain.com, with a $5 billion post-money valuation, is arguably the biggest blockchain-related scalp claimed by Miami since Mayor Suarez began his intense crypto push. The company services 32 million users across 200 countries.
Over the last year, Suarez has made it clear that he wants to landmark Miami as the country’s crypto center. Crypto finance firm XBTO Group purchased a new Miami office in April, Scott Minerd from global investment firm Guggenheim Partners and Peter Thiel associate Keith Rabois have also bought property here. FTX crypto exchange secured a 19-year deal for naming rights to the Miami Heat arena, and Borderless Capital announced a $25 million fund for Miami-based crypto businesses on June 2.
Suarez has also held meetings with the Winklevoss twins, Elon Musk, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt in an effort to convince them of Miami’s benefits.
Suarez has demonstrated a personal conviction as well, publicly revealing that he owns Bitcoin and Ethereum, and is planning on “buying the dip”.
"I own #bitcoin and I own #ethereum," says @FrancisSuarez. "I haven't bought the dip yet but I'm planning to. I've just been too busy." pic.twitter.com/xdKpghIRR5
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) June 3, 2021
Miami is expanding as a crypto hub by hosting this year’s Bitcoin 2021 event.
The Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami has been touted as the largest Bitcoin event in crypto history, with organizers expecting a huge turnout.
The event, running for three days from June 3 at the Mana Convention Center in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, will play host to a number of industry executives and personalities.
Crypto luminaries scheduled for attendance include former congressman Ron Paul, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, pro-crypto Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, Square co-founder Jack Dorsey, and cryptographer Nick Szabo, among others.
The organizers are expecting more than 50,000 attendees, according to a Fox Business report.
Miami has emerged as a major tech hub in recent years, with the Wynwood neighborhood, in particular, evolving into a hub for technology and innovation. The crypto conference was previously held in Los Angeles but organizers decided to move it due to venue availability issues. On the official website, event organizers stated:
“In addition to moving cities, we are also pushing the conference back slightly to June 4–5, so as to allow ample time for the second wave of COVID-19 to pass and for vaccine rollout to take place.”
A “whale pass” entry ticket is being offered with starting bids at 3 BTC. The pass allows entry to Bitcoin 2021, five celebrity-suite tickets to the upcoming Mayweather vs. Logan Paul boxing match, three vintage bottles of 1996 Dom Pérignon, a meet and greet with pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, and access to VIP concierge services.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is among Bitcoin 2021’s speakers. Mayor Suarez has gained fame within the crypto community for his pro-Bitcoin stance and incentive schemes intended to bolster digital asset adoption across the city.
In February, Suarez stated that Miami city employees would be able to get their salaries paid in Bitcoin rather than USD if they wanted to. At the time he also revealed that he was considering financing his reelection campaign in BTC.
In April, Jackson in Tennessee followed Miami's lead, with Mayor Scott Conger announcing the city was actively exploring offering its employees to be paid in cryptocurrency, and consider mining Bitcoin that would be added to the city’s balance sheet.
With the cheapest condo listed for more than $10 million, Miami’s Arte Surfside luxury apartments are now aimed at crypto millionaires and billionaires.
Luxury Miami apartment Arte Surfside will now accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment for its remaining luxury residences — including the Villa Nove penthouse, currently listed for $38 million.
The firm has partnered with trading platform SolidBlock, allowing potential buyers to pay in multiple cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether.
The region’s "most exclusive" condominium is already home to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, as well as fashion blogger Arielle Charnas from Something Navy. It’s now attempting to appeal towards crypto millionaires and billionaires attracted by Miami's Bitcoin-friendly reputation.
According to the announcement, the cheapest condo available starts at $10.3 million with spaces ranging from three to five bedrooms, with access to a 75-foot indoor pool, meditation pond, rooftop tennis court, and private temperature-controlled parking spaces. The highest sale to date was $33M for the penthouse condo — the same one that has just been relisted at $38 million.
Developers Sapir Corp noted that a number of top Silicon Valley companies and venture capital firms had moved to the city and this played a role in the decision to accept cryptocurrencies.
Miami Mayer Francis Suarez has already met with 'Dogecoin CEO' Elon Musk, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt in an effort to convince them to move operation to the sunny state. Cryptofinance firm XBTO Group has a new office there, Scott Minerd from global investment firm Guggenheim Partners and Peter Thiel-associate Keith Rabois have bought property, and VC Delian Asparouhov joked on social media about moving Silicon Valley to Miami.
How can I help? https://t.co/hIC1k8ka1i
— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) December 5, 2020
Chairman of Sapir Corp Alex Sapir said the company supported Mayor Francis Suarez’s vision to make Miami a cryptocurrency and technology hub.
"As the most exclusive luxury building in the city, we're positioning ourselves for a future where half the world's billionaires are crypto billionaires, which will happen once Bitcoin reaches $200,000. With cryptocurrencies already creating incredible worldwide wealth, it's real estate that will sustain that wealth and provide buyers with a legacy.”
Over the last year, Suarez has made it clear that he wants to landmark Miami as the country’s crypto center and he hailed Arte's announcement as the first of many.
"The embrace of cryptocurrency and emerging technologies across all sectors of industry is precisely how Miami will become the city of the century," said Mayor Francis Suarez. "Arte is setting an important precedent and I won't be surprised to hear similar stories in the near future."
A resolution for a new cryptocurrency task force passed on May 6, looking at the feasibility of allowing the Miami-Dade county to accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment for taxes, fees, and services.
Next month, Miami will host the world’s largest Bitcoin conference, Bitcoin 2021 conference.