Ross Ulbricht Addresses Bitcoin Conference 2025: "I Haven't Slipped Your Memory"
Ex-Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Speaks at Bitcoin 2025 Conference
In a historic moment, Ross Ulbricht, the mastermind behind the defunct Silk Road, made his first public appearance at the Bitcoin 2025 conference after serving nearly a decade in prison on charges related to the dark web marketplace.
At the event held last Thursday, Ulbricht, now a free man, expressed his gratitude to the Bitcoin community for rallying behind him throughout his imprisonment. He underscored their unwavering support, which he considered instrumental in his eventual release.
"You never forgot me. You gave me hope," Ulbricht told the audience, his voice laced with emotion. He recounted the years spent in isolation, emphasizing how their letters, advocacy, and fundraising efforts kept his spirits high.
Despite the drastic transformation of the world, Bitcoin, and technology since his arrest in 2013, Ulbricht struggled to comprehend his sudden new reality. He compared himself to Rip Van Winkle, emerging from a decadelong sleep to a vastly altered world filled with drones, AI, and cryptocurrency apps.
"I effectively went into a time capsule in 2013," Ulbricht said, perplexed by the progress he had missed.
Ulbricht was arrested by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in creating and operating the Silk Road, an online black market for illegal substances and services. He was convicted in 2015 and sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years without parole.
His conviction sparked a global campaign seeking his freedom, spearheaded by his mother, Lyn Ulbricht, and the Free Ross movement. The movement garnered significant support, including a Change.org petition that amassed over 600,000 signatures. President Donald Trump, during his 2024 election campaign, pledged to free Ulbricht, positioning himself as an ally of the Bitcoin community.
On January 21, 2025, Trump signed the pardon that released Ulbricht. Ulbricht thanked the President, calling his decision "a miracle" and a sign of integrity.
"It took President Trump recognizing that an injustice had been done and many of you demanding my freedom," Ulbricht said. "He's a man who does what he says - he said he'd free me, and he did. He's a man of integrity."
Emphasizing the importance of adhering to core principles amid rapid technological advancements, Ulbricht urged the Bitcoin community to remain united in their beliefs. He emphasized three key principles: freedom, decentralization, and unity.
Ulbricht concluded his speech with a call for unity among the entire cryptocurrency community. He emphasized the importance of standing together, avoiding division, and fighting for freedom and decentralization.
"Freedom, decentralization, unity - stay true to these, and the future is ours," Ulbricht said, leaving the audience with a rallying cry for the wider cryptocurrency movement.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
- Ross Ulbricht, during his speech at Bitcoin 2025, acknowledged the crypto community's instrumental role in his release, stating, "You never forgot me. You gave me hope."
- Despite the rapid progress in technology and advancements in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and others since his arrest, Ulbricht found himself struggling to comprehend the recent changes.
- In his speech, Ulbricht called for the crypto community to unite around three core principles: freedom, decentralization, and unity. He emphasized the importance of maintaining these values against the backdrop of rapid technological changes.
- As he closed his speech, Ulbricht extended a rallying cry to the entire cryptocurrency community: "Freedom, decentralization, unity - stay true to these, and the future is ours."
