Few individuals have contributed to the European Bitcoin movement as consistently and across as many fronts as Aaron Koenig. A true early mover, Aaron played a key role in shaping the ecosystem from the very beginning — from founding the stylish Bitcoin Exchange Berlin…
…to launching the global Bitfilm Festival, and serving as a Founding Member of the Global Bitcoin Association. He has also been a core force behind the renowned UNCHAIN conference series alongside Oskar Giese.
Beyond the strategy room and event stage, Aaron is also a prolific author with five books on Bitcoin to his name, and an active organizer of art and culture soirées centered around the Bitcoin ethos. A musician at heart, with years of band experience under his belt, Aaron continues to blend creativity with conviction in all his ventures.
On his recent first trip to Vietnam the BitcoinVN News team caught up with him to hear his impressions and discuss what the future might hold for his involvement in the region.
BitcoinVN News: Aaron, you have just returned from your first visit to Vietnam – what are your impressions?
Aaron:I just stayed a few days in Saigon, a very exciting city. I loved it and I will surely come again and explore the whole country. I was especially impressed by the Cu Chi tunnels in which the Vietnamese hid during the war.
BitcoinVN News: You have been involved in a leading role driving the early days of the Bitcoin communities in Europe, especially in Berlin. What were some of your key highlights from those early days for you?
Aaron: We had great meetings at Room 77, the first brick and mortar place on the planet where one could pay with Bitcoin. I remember buying a burger and a beer for 5 ½ Bitcoins there in 2011. We celebrated the premiere of our first Bitcoin film there in 2012, as well as two halvings. I organised a monthly Bitcoin meetup called BXB where one could buy and sell Bitcoin in person, and I met many amazing people through that.
BitcoinVN News: In recent years, you’ve mostly left Germany behind and moved on to greener pastures. What were some of the push and pull factors that led you to embrace a more nomadic lifestyle and explore other parts of the world more deeply?
Aaron: I love travelling and I spent a lot of time in Latin America, especially in Argentina, which has a very vibrant Bitcoin scene, and in Mexico, where I also organized a regular Bitcoin meetup. The Covid madness made me stay much longer there than I expected. In any case, I prefer to be in warm countries with nice beaches and a brighter future than Germany, which is suffering from too much regulation and socialist politics.
BitcoinVN News: From your personal travels, which places would you recommend an entrepreneurial Bitcoiner explore – particularly those with a favorable environment for high-agency individuals and doers?
Aaron: If president Javier Milei succeeds with his radical libertarian policy – and it looks very much like it – Argentina could become the best country in the world. It has lots of space, natural resources and most importantly many creative, entrepreneurial people. For decades wrong politics hold the country back, but that is changing rapidly.
BitcoinVN News: You’ve long been involved in the cultural side of Bitcoin – from launching the Bitfilm Festival to integrating music and creative formats. What’s your background there, and what do you feel this between Bitcoin and the arts can contribute to the space?
Aaron: It’s just what I am good at and what I love to do. Art and music are great tools to bring people together and to inspire them. The fascinating thing about Bitcoin is that it’s much more than business and finance, it has really grown into a culture in its own right with holidays like Bitcoin Pizza Day, its own lingo and symbols like the Honey Badger – some even say Bitcoin has become a cult (laughs).
BitcoinVN News: You’ll be performing at the Bitcoin Film Festival in Warsaw at the end of next month — one of the major fixtures on the calendar for European Bitcoiners. What should attendees expect from the event overall, and from your performance in particular?
Aaron: I will sing some of my Bitcoin and libertarian songs, and I will also present a science fiction series we are working on. It’s set in a hyperbitcoinised future and is supposed to reach people in a fun and entertaining way who have no clue about Bitcoin yet. It will be my first Bitcoin Film Fest, it seems that Tomek and his team have built a great event. I am very excited to be part of it.
BitcoinVN News: There are rumours floating that you might be up for another Saigon visit in the winter of 2025/26, possibly combined with a “cultural evening” for Bitcoiners and their friends — featuring music, art, and other topical elements that naturally come with such a gathering.
Aaron: Yes, we are considering to bring our crypto art exhibition, which we already showed in Buenos Aires, Prague and Tulum to Saigon, and of course I would love to sing some of my Bitcoin songs and show some of our films.
—
Stay up to date on upcoming announcements via our social channels
Nostr, Twitter/X, LinkedIn or Facebook
or through the local Bitcoin Saigon community.
Follow Aaron’s work on Youtube or read about his journeys on his personal website.
Tickets for the Bitcoin Film Festival Warsaw can be booked here.
Use discount code: BTCVN for 10% off on the ticket price
