“We all speak about the privacy of communication and the right to publish. But isn’t the freedom, or privacy, of economic interactions actually more important than the freedom of speech, because economic interactions really underpin the whole structure of society?” —Julian Assange, Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet (2012)
Good morning folks.
I can’t believe I’ve now created 70 of these newsletters! If you’ve noticed a cypherpunk theme over the last 11 issues, I just have one more issue (in a total of 12) that I’m calling the Cypherpunk Series. I’m working on something special to celebrate the great pioneering work they did. More news on that in the coming weeks.
Let’s see what’s on this week as the Bitcoin Culture Festival kicks off…
This week’s sponsor is…
Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups
What We’re Up To This Week 📆
Tuesday
🍺 Leamington Spa: Meetups on the last Tuesday of each month at 19:00. You’ll find them this month at the White Horse, CV32 5PZ on the 28th.
Wednesday
🍻 Brighton Bitcoin: Building a bitcoin community in the Brighton & Hove area. A regular informal meetup happens every last Wednesday of the month at Indian Summer, where they accept bitcoin payments. The meetup starts at 20:00, or 19:00 if you’d like to eat first.
Thursday
🏴 Bitcoin Wales: This month’s Wales meetup will be on Thursday, 30th at 18:00 till 21:00 at ZeroDegrees Bar, CF10 1DD. They’ll have a lucky dip to win a £10 CoinCards gift voucher on the night.
🎬 Dirty Coin Screening at Cyphermunk House: Join from 19:00 in the Turing Room for a special showing of Alana Mediavilla’s award-winning documentary Dirty Coin. The film dives into the world of Bitcoin mining, challenging mainstream views on its environmental impact and revealing how mining drives innovation in global energy infrastructure. Part of the Bitcoin Culture Festival.
🍺 Manchester Bitcoin: Welcoming all individuals and businesses with an interest in Bitcoin in Manchester. The October meetup is on the 30th. Join them at Joshua Brooks, M1 6NG, 19:00.
Friday
☕️ Newcastle Bitcoin Coffee Morning Meetup: Every Friday morning at Pumphreys Coffee Centre and Brewing Emporium (bitcoin accepted). Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned maxi, head along to chat, share ideas, and connect with the local Bitcoin community from 10:00 to 12:00.
🎃 London ₿ White Paper Party: Celebrate 17 years of the Bitcoin White Paper on Friday, 31st October from 18:00–01:00 at BRIX LDN, London Bridge. Expect Bitcoin art, music, and the first-ever decentralised Bitcoin Awards, where Bitcoiners themselves choose the categories and winners. A free night of culture, creativity, and connection—join the London Bitcoin scene for this one-of-a-kind Halloween celebration. Part of the Bitcoin Culture Festival.
🍺 The Satoshi Society - Southampton: Join a friendly group of bitcoiners at The Maritimo Lounge, SO14 3LG on Friday 31st for food and a Bitcoin chat.
Saturday
🧠 Culture of Tech: Join on Saturday, 1st November from 14:00–21:00 at Cyphermunk House for a full afternoon and evening of talks, workshops, art, and music exploring the intersection of technology, privacy, and Bitcoin. Expect thought-provoking sessions, hands-on learning, and creative energy from the Cyphermunk community. Part of the Bitcoin Culture Festival.
🚶🏽♂️ Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh: Every Saturday, they walk around Arthur’s Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12:00 to keep fit and chat Bitcoin.
🛍️ The Northamptonshire Bitcoin Network: Join the Northants Bitcoiners as they pop across the border to Leicestershire to the Dog & Gun, LE17 5RG (bitcoin accepted) for an evening of Bitcoin talk and a mini sats market featuring books, jams, chutneys, Laser Eyes bolt cards and free samples of Kijicha tea. Bring along your own things to sell for sats too! Starting at 19:30 on November 1st.
Sunday
🔮 Leeds Bitcoin Network: The first Sunday of every month, the Leeds Bitcoin Network meet at the Global Tribe Cafe, LS1 6LG at 13:00.
Upcoming Special Events
These events aren’t happening next week, but it’s important to add them to your calendar now as tickets are selling fast.
📊 Bitcoin: A Competitive Advantage
📅 Date: Friday, 21 November 2025
🕙 Time: 12:00 – late (lunch on arrival; sit-down dinner at 19:00)
📍 Location: The West Mill, Darley Abbey Mills, Derby, DE22 1DZ, United Kingdom
This one-day event is designed for business owners, operators, investors, builders, and the Bitcoin-curious to explore how Bitcoin can provide a strategic edge.
Doing things differently: this isn’t another conference with back-to-back talks and rushed coffee breaks. The day is structured for people who want to properly explore Bitcoin, whether running a business, building something new, or simply curious. Sessions are short and focused, with breaks built in. Every ticket includes dinner, because the best conversations don’t always happen on stage — they happen over food, a drink, and networking.
Attendees will discover how Bitcoin can give them and their businesses a competitive advantage.
Featuring speakers including: Liz Truss (former British Prime Minister), Joe Bryan, Sam Roberts, Fahim Hussain, Alan Smith, Jez Casey, and more — with new speakers announced weekly.
📅 Date: 21 – 23 November 2025
🕙 Time: Various sessions across all three days (see full schedule)
📍 Location: Pendulum Hotel, Manchester, UK
BitFest 2025 is a vibrant, grassroots celebration of Bitcoin, creativity, and open-source culture. Over the course of three days, the event will bring together builders, artists, speakers, and curious minds to explore the full breadth of Bitcoin’s role in society — from protocol and policy to art, music, and community.
Rather than rigid conference structure, BitFest creates space for exploration, connection, and cross-pollination. Whether you’re presenting a talk, showcasing an art exhibit, performing live, or just roaming the hallways between sessions — every moment is part of the experience.
Expect:
Two full days of Bitcoin Conference programming — tech, philosophy, privacy, economics
A Nostrshire day diving into decentralised social media and communication
Pepe.X / Bitcoin Art exhibitions & creative showcases
Live music, after-parties, and immersive installations
Workshops, demos, community panels, and networking woven throughout
Join them to push boundaries, spark new collaborations, and see how Bitcoin’s culture, technology, and spirit intersect in exciting new ways.
More details, tickets, and full program at the official site.
Get Involved
Volunteer: Passionate about merchant adoption? Reach out to Bridge2Bitcoin on Twitter or website.
Start a Meetup: Want to launch a Bitcoin meetup? We’ll support you. Contact us on Twitter or just reply to this email.
Contribute to BTCMaps: Help maintain this key Bitcoin resource—no coding skills needed. Update a UK area.
Telegram: Join our Channel for UK meetup updates
Feedback: Reply to this email with ideas and suggestions.
Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.
Stay tuned for more updates next week!
Simon.
Founding Members Shout-out:
Roger9000 - Check-out his amazing music and Bitcoin work.
Psyfer - Pleb. Artist. Educator. Munk. cyphermunkhouse.com