Skip to content

© 2026 Proof of Talk by Xventures | All rights reserved

← All Speakers
Adam Back
Speaker · Proof of Talk 2026
Blockstream and Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company (BSTR)

Adam Back

Co-founder and CEO, Blockstream and Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company (BSTR)

The creator of Hashcash now works across Bitcoin infrastructure, institutional asset management and active Bitcoin treasury strategy.

XWebsite
The Significance

Why the room needs them.

Back’s significance rests on a documented technical contribution. He proposed Hashcash in 1997, formally described it in a paper dated 1 August 2002, and that paper was cited by the Bitcoin white paper when describing Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system. His Paris 2026 appearance connected that cryptographic work with his roles at Blockstream and BSTR in a discussion about onchain investing and asset management.

The Numbers
May 1997
Hashcash first proposed
1 August 2002
Hashcash paper dated
2014
Blockstream founded
3 October 2016
Blockstream CEO since
40 minutes
Proof of Talk session duration
20 August 2026
BSTR and Cantor agreement terminated
The Timeline

Years of shipping.

May 1997
Originally proposed Hashcash as a proof-of-work mechanism intended to deter abuse of unmetered internet resources.
1 August 2002
Dated the paper “Hashcash: A Denial of Service Counter-Measure”.
2008
Back’s Hashcash paper was cited in the Bitcoin white paper, which described Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system as similar to Hashcash.
2014
Co-founded Blockstream.
3 October 2016
Was appointed chief executive of Blockstream.
16 July 2025
BSTR and Cantor Equity Partners I entered into the business-combination agreement later terminated in August 2026.
2 June 2026
Appeared at Proof of Talk Paris in “The Great Crossover: Asset Management for the Onchain Investor”, scheduled for Day 1 from 11:45 to 12:25 on the Hecto Main Stage.
20 August 2026
The parties terminated the proposed BSTR business combination with Cantor Equity Partners I. BSTR’s accompanying announcement said that its team would continue pursuing active Bitcoin treasury management.
In Their Words

Lines that keep proving correct.

“I am honored to take on the CEO position and am excited about driving Blockstream to reach its full potential.”

3 October 2016

“Despite current market conditions, we continue to see substantial demand for return on Bitcoin, and we have spent the last year building the capability to deliver it.”

20 August 2026
The Body of Work

What they have built, written, and backed.

Built

  • HashcashA proof-of-work mechanism originally proposed to deter abuse of unmetered internet resources.
  • BlockstreamA company that develops Bitcoin and digital-asset infrastructure.
  • Bitcoin Standard Treasury CompanyA company that describes its focus as active Bitcoin treasury management and Bitcoin-related business lines.

Adam at Proof of Talk

The next Proof of Talk is in Abu Dhabi.

Louvre Abu Dhabi, 3–4 December 2026. Admission is by application, and the room is capped at 2,000.

Request access