Key Takeaways: Crypto firms held sessions on digital asset learning and online protection. Creative displays and digital experiments offered fresh views on asset use. The event connected tech experts with everyday users. The crypto sector had a small presence at South By Southwest (SXSW) this year. However, a few standout panels and marketing campaigns managed to make an impact. SXSW has been a tech, music, and film festival held in Austin, Texas, since 1987. While brands and creators have focused on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in recent years, crypto companies arrived at SXSW 2025 with a focus on mainstream adoption. Bitcoin-Themed Drone Show Lights Up Austin Sky A highlight of SXSW 2025 was Gemini’s record-breaking drone show . The US-based exchange set a Guinness World Record on March 13 by deploying 1,000 drones to create the largest-ever aerial display of a currency symbol, forming the Bitcoin (BTC) logo over Austin. The drone show also featured images of spaceships, an astronaut placing flags on Mars, and a woolly mammoth. In case y’all missed it… I just watched the BEST drone show of my life here at SXSW, with a world breaking record for the largest currency symbol in the sky, Bitcoin!! Thank you @Gemini for this absolutely incredible experience that I watched from my balcony!!! Go where… pic.twitter.com/yP4tPWGe1N — Rachel Wolfson (@Rachelwolf00) March 14, 2025 Olivia Santarelli, head of marketing for Gemini, told Cryptonews at SXSW that the 1,000 drone show was meant to share the story of Gemini’s “Go Where Dollars Won’t” campaign. Gemini launched the “Go Where Dollars Won’t” campaign in November 2024. It featured a woolly mammoth image in a series of Gemini ad placements illustrated by Matt Griffin, a renowned multimedia artist best known for his work on Dune, Dune 2, and Star Wars. “The drone show was meant to tell the story of the ‘Mars Safari,’ which is one of the featured images in our ‘Go Where Dollars Won’t’ campaign,” Santarelli said. “The campaign portrays a future where the world can use cryptocurrency. The audience at SXSW was able to see that Bitcoin is a global currency.” Record-breaking Bitcoin logo at SXSW 2025 in Austin. / Source: Gemini Santarelli added that Gemini wanted to host the Bitcoin-themed drone show at SXSW due to its broad audience, many of whom may already be familiar with crypto. “We really wanted to do this at SXSW this year because the audience has probably heard a lot about crypto, and the drone show is a way for them to experience Gemini and crypto differently from social media or the news,” she remarked. “I hope this served as another touch point to help people learn more about cryptocurrency.” The world-record-breaking drone show concluded with a giant QR code in the sky for 30 seconds. The QR code led to Gemini’s website, offering $50 in BTC for trades of $100 or more. “This call-to-action allows people to invest in a small amount of crypto while earning crypto back,” Santarelli said. Coinbase Discusses Crypto Security Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase also had a presence at SXSW this year. Philip Martin, chief security officer for Coinbase, spoke about risks of online financial scams on a panel titled, “ Tech-Wide Battle Against Online Fraud .” Philip Martin speaking about security at SXSW 2025. Source: Coinbase Martin told Cryptonews that he was joined by one of Coinbase’s “Tech Against Scams” coalition partners, Match Group, along with a former FBI agent, to walk the audience through how fraudsters operate across online platforms. “We discussed how bad actors carry out long-term, high-reward financial scams that rely on trust and relationship-building – also known as social engineering scams,” Martin said. Martin added that it’s important to identify the warning signs and know how to report these types of crimes. “Everyone who attended our panel at SXSW knows someone who can be vulnerable to online scams,” he said. “Our goal was for the audience to go home and discuss this with their parents, their grandparents, and anyone else who might be at risk.” Martin further remarked that it was important for Coinbase to be a part of the conversation at SXSW in an effort to educate the general public on how to stay safe against scams. “If the byproduct of the panel was that attendees walked away from our session feeling more knowledgeable and confident in using crypto safely, then I would consider that a win,” he stated. Decentralized Social Media Gains Attention In addition to leading crypto exchanges, a number of Web3-focused companies and content creators attended this year’s SXSW. Solo Ceesay, co-founder and CEO of Calaxy, told Cryptonews at SXSW that the event was an opportunity to connect with Web2 creators who may be interested in exploring decentralized platforms . “Many creators continue to push for decentralization, but creators remain beholden to platforms like X or Instagram and TikTok,” Ceesay said. “Calaxy took the stage at SXSW to push an alternative platform, where creators can build their own tribe and monetize in a place built around a crypto wallet that enables easy value transfer.” Ceesay also announced the launch of a new fund at SXSW that is designed to propel 50 content creators into the Web3 social media revolution. “The recipients, known as the Calaxy Class of 2025, will each receive $20,000, along with milestone-based incentives and sustainable monetization opportunities within the Calaxy ecosystem,” Ceesay said. SXSW attracted a number of Web2 content creators this year, and Ceesay mentioned the event was an opportunity to introduce mainstream audiences to the crypto sector. AI and Blockchain Discussed Violetta Zironi, a singer-songwriter who inscribed a song on the Bitcoin blockchain , told Cryptonews at SXSW that while artificial intelligence (AI) dominated discussions, blockchain played an essential role in digital ownership. “The panel I was on was called ‘Building Music Communities with and Around XR Technology,’ where we spoke a lot about AI,” Zironi said. “However, I made it a point to explain how blockchain is the infrastructure needed to verify everything built around AI.” Zironi added that while blockchain was not a hot topic of discussion at SXSW, she believes it’s an essential part of the conversations that took place throughout the event. Beyond Speculation: Crypto’s Shift Toward Utility For years, crypto’s presence at major events leaned on price speculation and technological hype. At SXSW 2025, the focus shifted toward something more practical: security, education, and creative applications. Gemini’s drone show, Coinbase’s panel on scams, and Calaxy’s push for decentralized social media all underscored a growing effort to make crypto useful rather than just exciting. If the industry continues down this path, it may find that mainstream adoption isn’t about chasing trends but about solving real-world problems. Whether audiences at SXSW left as believers or skeptics, they were given something far more tangible to consider. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What are the broader implications of crypto firms focusing on education and safety at events like SXSW? These sessions show a shift toward simplifying digital assets while tackling online risks. They build practical skills and user confidence, fostering an inclusive method for managing digital finance securely. How does the focus on decentralized social media at SXSW add value to crypto discussions? Emphasizing decentralized social media introduces alternative digital spaces for content creation. It spurs broader engagement, allowing users to explore asset management through community-led online networks. What future trends in digital finance might we expect following SXSW’s focus on crypto education and creative outreach? Future trends may include more interactive learning events and live digital displays that blend finance with art. These initiatives could drive wider user familiarity and reshape public views on digital asset use. The post SXSW 2025: Crypto Targets Mainstream With Educational Panels and Record-Breaking Bitcoin Logo appeared first on Cryptonews .
