© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Source: Big Bitcoin Comes To Texas

Wikimedia Commons user CASASCIUS
/
cc

Bitcoin, the digital currency, is still a little mysterious to most people. The peer-to-peer payment network can be earned by "mining," or maintaining critical infrastructure for the network, as well as through goods, services and traditional currencies. A federal judge in Texas recently ruled bitcoinsare money.

The first ever Texas Bitcoin Conferencebegins this week in Austin. The conference hopes to engage and educate the public, demystifying the online currency by talking about future regulation, better accountability, and how to connect Bitcoin with entrepreneurs. 

Despite exploding in value last year by nearly 1,000 percent from $13 to nearly $1,300 before falling by half in the past few months, most people associate Bitcoin with recent scandal. 

It is currently weathering disaster with MtGox, the Bitcoin exchange,collapsing.This comes on the heals of the arrestof Charles Shrem, one of the highest-profile Bitcoin advocates for drug-related money laundering as well as operating an unlicensed money transmitting service.

The 24-year-old Shrem denies the chargesand says that he is being prosecuted due to the bad actions of an associate. Despite being under house arrest as a result of Bitcoin transactions, Shrem believes that the currency will continue to thrive.

Bitcoin is accepted as real money at some nonprofits like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights group. Texas Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood, made a splash by being the biggest-named politician to accept them. A handfulof brick and mortar stores in Texas are accepting them also. 

Problems persist though, begging the question: Are they growing pains or big red flags? 

Guests:

  • Paul Snow, president of Texas Bitcoin Association
  • Charles Shrem, Bitcoin evangelist, entrepreneur, former board member of the Bitcoin Foundation

*The Source airs at 3 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM -- audio from this show will be posted by 5:30 p.m.

Stay Connected
Paul Flahive can be reached at Paul@tpr.org