Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town is a Bitcoin‑only conference. No altcoins, no speculation. The bio on X says it plainly: "High signal, Bitcoin‑only, annual 2‑day conference in Cape Town. Not crypto."

The fourth edition runs 26 to 27 February 2027 at Workshop17 Watershed in the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Speaker applications and sponsor inquiries are open now.

Key takeaway

  • Dates: 26 to 27 February 2027, 08:00 to 17:00 both days.
  • Venue: Workshop17 Watershed, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.
  • Hosted by Bitcoin Ekasi.
  • Fourth edition. Previous years: 2024, 2025, 2026.
  • Tickets on Pretix: Local R1,500 (both days), single‑day R750, International R3,300, VIP R10,000. Prices rise on a countdown. The site lists sats equivalents alongside the Rand prices. The 2026 edition was payable in Bitcoin only; check the ticket page to confirm payment methods for 2027.
  • Speaker applications: pretalx.com/abct27/cfp.
  • Sponsor inquiries: za27.adoptingbitcoin.org/#contact.

Why this conference exists

South Africa has one of the highest Bitcoin adoption rates in the world. It also has failing municipal services, unreliable electricity, and a weakening rand. The conference site frames it directly: the steady decline of the state over decades has pushed communities toward parallel institutions, and Bitcoin adoption is one of the clearest examples.

Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town (ABCT) puts those builders in the same room. The content stays on how people use Bitcoin as money in places where the old system no longer works.

2026 speakers

The 2027 lineup has not been announced yet. The call for speakers is open at pretalx.com/abct27/cfp. The 2026 edition featured a much larger roster than the seven highlighted on the current site. The full 2026 schedule lists the complete lineup across both days and multiple stages, and the Machankura Stage Day 1 livestream gives a sense of what the event looks and sounds like. Among them: Stafford Masie (Africa Bitcoin Corporation), Emily Hughes (Blockhunters), Ernst Roets (Lex Libertas), Fidel Otieno (Bitika), Cryptosquid (Start9), Anita Posch (Bitcoin for Fairness), and Benjamin de Waal (Musqet).

The organizing team

The Cape Town edition is part of Adopting Bitcoin, a global Bitcoin conference brand that runs yearly events focused on practical adoption. The first edition was in El Salvador in 2021, and the brand has since expanded to Cape Town (since 2024) and briefly to Arnhem, Netherlands (2024). The guiding principles are Bitcoin‑only, no altcoins or celebrity culture, with a focus on real‑world use cases and hands‑on experiences. Each edition adapts to its local community.

The 2027 Cape Town organizing team: Ricki, Nikolai, Carel, Hermann Vivier, Liza, Max, and Michael. Kemal Yasar is advisor and handles Code of Conduct matters. Andrej does design.

What previous attendees say

  • Nick Darlington (BitcoinFriendlySA), 2026 attendee. In a post on X he wrote, "Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town felt like Christmas as a kid. That slow build‑up of excitement, followed by uncontainable energy the morning of, where you're up at 05:00. Only Christmas lasted several days. The presents were Bitcoin merchandise, cocktail evenings, networking, the sharing of ideas, and bouncing between stages while stopping to talk to someone new. It was chaotic in the best way."

  • Louis Nel, 2026 attendee. Louis shared what he observed on the ground after attending: "Bitcoin works best in communities that already have trust. People use it with the shopkeeper, barber, and butcher they already know. The money stays local."

  • Samantha de Waal, 14‑year‑old speaker, 2026. Samantha spoke on stage with her father Ben de Waal. After her talk, an attendee sent a photo of them to his own daughters asking when they would join him at a conference.

  • Blaise Peter (Bit Fitness), 2024 attendee, 2025 volunteer, 2026 speaker. Blaise wrote after his first year: the conference showed him "how to live in a country without relying on the banks, all thanks to Bitcoin." In 2025 he came back as a volunteer, opening and closing the Machankura stage doors, helping people find rooms, and starting conversations with a shirt that read "Bitcoin for Sport and Fitness." In 2026 he spoke on the BTrust stage.

  • Thulisa, founder of Bitcoin Loxion, 2026 Circular Economies panel. Thulisa explained on the panel that she first came to ABCT as a volunteer, then joined the post‑conference road trip to Mossel Bay. Seeing Bitcoin Ekasi in action made her start Bitcoin Loxion in her own community.

What else is on the calendar

  • Garden Route road trip (28 Feb to 5 Mar 2027): Run by Bitcoin Ekasi, capped at 20 people, priced at 0.02 BTC. Visits six circular economies along the southern coast. It sells out faster than the conference. Bookings through roadtrip@bitcoinekasi.com. See our full coverage of the road trip and its six stops.

  • Pan‑African Bitcoin Tour (7 to 15 Mar 2027): Organized by Gorilla Sats, this 9‑day, 0.056 BTC trip through Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia flies out of Cape Town and visits eight Bitcoin projects including gorilla trekking in Bwindi and merchants at Victoria Falls. See our full coverage.

How to get involved

Frequently asked questions

When is Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town 2027?

26 to 27 February 2027, 08:00 to 17:00 both days, at Workshop17 Watershed in Cape Town.

How much are tickets? Local (Africa‑based):

R1,500 both days, R750 single day. International: R3,300. VIP: R10,000. Prices rise on a countdown.

Is this a crypto conference?

No. It is Bitcoin‑only. No altcoins, no Web3.

Is the call for speakers still open?

Yes, at pretalx.com/abct27/cfp.

What is the Garden Route road trip?

A post‑conference trip run by Bitcoin Ekasi visiting six circular economies along South Africa's southern coast, 28 Feb to 5 Mar 2027, 0.02 BTC, 20 seats.

Is this the same as Adopting Bitcoin El Salvador?

Same umbrella organization, different event. The Cape Town edition focuses on Southern African adoption.

Sources: za27.adoptingbitcoin.org, Pretix ticket page, @abcptza, and attendee accounts from the 2025 and 2026 editions.