2026-01-30 –, Blink
Bitcoin adoption faces a critical bottleneck: the confusing first encounter most newcomers have with our ecosystem. Too often, people's introduction to Bitcoin comes through trading platforms that present it as speculative investment rather than revolutionary money. This talk explores the typical newbie journey—from initial skepticism about "Bitcoin as a scam" to the overwhelming complexity of existing platforms—and presents actionable strategies for creating frictionless onboarding experiences.
Drawing from real-world experience building user-centric Bitcoin infrastructure, The session covers practical approaches to orange-pilling skeptical audiences, designing intuitive experiences, and building platforms that connect people directly to Bitcoin without unnecessary complexity. Through lessons learned from Bitika's approach to simplified Bitcoin access, attendees will gain concrete strategies for improving adoption in their communities and projects.
Most people's first Bitcoin encounter happens through the wrong door—trading platforms that frame it as speculation, get-rich-quick schemes, or sensationalized scam warnings. This broken first impression creates lasting barriers to adoption. This talk addresses how we can fix Bitcoin onboarding by understanding the newbie journey and implementing practical solutions.
The problem is systemic—traditional platforms prioritize trading over education, overwhelming newcomers with unnecessary complexity when they simply want access to better money.
The solution requires reimagining how we introduce Bitcoin. Key principles include simplicity first, education over speculation, user-centric design that meets people where they are, and eliminating friction at every step. I'll share specific strategies for orange-pilling skeptical audiences, including how to address "Bitcoin is a scam" objections with empathy and clear value propositions focused on Bitcoin's monetary properties rather than price speculation.
Drawing from Bitika's real-world approach, I'll demonstrate how these principles translate into practice through intuitive interface design, progressive educational pathways, trust-building through transparency, and measuring success by actual adoption rather than trading volume. Attendees will learn practical frameworks for improving their own Bitcoin products, education initiatives, and community building efforts.
This matters urgently as Bitcoin enters its next adoption phase. We have one chance to make the right first impression with each newcomer. By prioritizing clarity over complexity and understanding over hype, we can accelerate Bitcoin's path to becoming global money and empower the next billion users.
Fidel Otieno is the Founder of Bitika, a Bitcoin platform that makes it simple for the everyday Kenyan to buy bitcoin via M-Pesa in just 3 direct steps. A software engineer by training and a passionate Bitcoiner at heart, Fidel is dedicated to building tools that expand access to Bitcoin as a fair and open monetary network.
Driven by the belief that Bitcoin should be for everyone—not just the tech-savvy—he focuses on breaking down barriers to adoption through intuitive design and community engagement. Fidel is also an active advocate who enjoys “orange pilling” and sharing with newcomers the possibilities that Bitcoin unlocks for financial freedom and inclusion.