Keynote Highlight ABC25: Abubakar Nur Khalil, CEO, Btrust

“Btrust exists to challenge the idea that Bitcoin should be built by a small minority of the world.”

In his keynote, Abubakar Nur Khalil, CEO of Btrust, spoke clearly about the organization’s purpose, priorities, and long‑term vision for Bitcoin’s future.

He began by emphasizing that Btrust is a non‑profit, not a charity and that this distinction matters. The goal is not handouts but long‑term, sustainable investment in people, systems and education that ensure Bitcoin’s future is truly global.

The Vision for 2026

Looking ahead to 2026, Abubakar highlighted Btrust’s growing collaborations with grant organizations and partners, noting how the foundation has continued to refine its priorities over the years. These priorities focus on grants, partnerships, and committee‑led decision making, all aimed at supporting the global majority.

Btrust has made a deliberate commitment to developer education, ensuring long‑term support through partnerships such as Bitshala, creating clear pathways for developers to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

One key initiative he spoke about was how QR codes are provided for new developers, especially those still finding their footing to access information and apply for grants to support their projects.

Abubakar reinforced that Btrust is set up to ensure Bitcoin’s future is in the hands of the majority of the world, not a selected few.

Btrust 2025 Milestones

Over the past two years, the organization has distributed over $2.28 million in grants across three continents, supporting more than 50 grants, with over $1.32 million going directly to developers.

Speaking on Btrust’s 2025 priorities, he shared several milestones:

The launch of Btrust Pathways, featuring five pathways, a boss program, and a bootcamp. Positioning Btrust as both a starting point and a destination for African Bitcoin developers

The launch of Developer Education LTS grants, including Bitshala and B4OS

New public partnerships and collaborations

Support for the Bitcoin CoreDev Meeting 2025

Over $1 million delivered in support of events and developer education

45+ BitDevs meetups hosted, reaching over 1,000 attendees across 13 BitDevs chapters

The standardization of all processes, setup from 2024

He closed by speaking about governance and leadership, noting that Btrust is doing everything possible to ensure the next set of capable board members are equipped to provide strong strategic leadership and direction for the organization.

Closing Thoughts

Listening to Abubakar Nur Khalil made one thing clear: Btrust is not just funding Bitcoin development, it is reshaping who gets to build Bitcoin. The focus on education, structure and long‑term impact shows a deep commitment to inclusion and sustainability.

This keynote wasn’t just about numbers or programs; it was about intentional systems that put power, knowledge, and opportunity into the hands of the global majority.