• The World Economic Forum (WEF) holds its annual conference in Davos Switzerland.
• Lugano is working to increase cryptocurrency adoption with their “Lugano Plan B” project.
• Pietro Poretti, director of Lugano’s Economic Development Department, believes that the future World Economic Forum should have more Bitcoin dialogue.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) held its annual conference in the Swiss skiing town of Davos in January 2023. Each year, the streets of the town become flush with events and companies renting out properties. This year, the cryptocurrency and blockchain space had a strong presence with many companies displaying their logos. Curiously, the last building on the fringe of the conference was branded with the logos of Polygon and Bitcoin, indicating the growing popularity of this technology.
Cointelegraph stumbled upon Pietro Poretti, director of Lugano’s Economic Development department, while shooting footage of the Bitcoin logo. Poretti has been working on the Lugano Plan B project, which seeks to increase cryptocurrency adoption in the city. This project allows residents to pay for municipal accounts with BTC and other crypto assets.
While cryptocurrency and blockchain were discussed at the WEF, there was little to no dialogue regarding decentralized cryptocurrency adoption. Poretti believes that future WEF conferences should focus more on Bitcoin, and that those involved should come with an “open-mind” to the technology.
The entrance to the WEF compound was restricted by cement barriers and security personnel, making it difficult to gain access to the conference. However, the Bitcoin logo on the Tech Lodge stand served as a reminder of the growing importance of cryptocurrency in the world. With Lugano’s efforts to increase crypto adoption, it is likely that conversations regarding Bitcoin will be more prominent at future WEF conferences.