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Bitcoin Magazine

Block Releases THE Bitcoin National Ad Campaign

Block just launched “Bitcoin Does,” its first-ever mass-consumer Bitcoin advertising campaign, aimed at the 60 million Americans who are curious but haven’t taken the first step. Maria Pesce, Head of Bitcoin Marketing at Block across Cash App, Square and Proto, joins Grace Remington and Sean Hagan to explain why the ads skip the mining and blockchain explainers and just show Bitcoin working. She shares the customer insight behind the message, a Square seller calling Bitcoin “more honest money,” and how inflation, bailouts and private equity shaped the films. Plus, inside Block’s Lightning Lake at ComplexCon, where attendees fished for Bitcoin and paid over Lightning.

Chapters:
0:00 Block Joins the Open Secure AI Alliance With Nvidia, Microsoft and Visa
1:00 Maria Pesce’s Path From Gemini to Leading Bitcoin Marketing at Block
2:07 Bitcoin Does: Block’s First Mass-Consumer Bitcoin Ad Campaign
3:13 Connecting Main Street Frustration to What Bitcoin Can Do
4:42 What Cash App Users and Square Sellers Told Block About Honest Money
5:56 Fixed Supply, Self-Custody and Why Young People Are Choosing Bitcoin
7:18 Light Bulb Moments From People Who Didn’t Own Bitcoin
8:51 Making Bitcoin Work Like Email: Block’s Design Language
10:15 Lightning Lake at ComplexCon: Fishing for Bitcoin and Paying Over Lightning
13:36 Square’s 0% Bitcoin Processing Fees and What Keeps People Using Bitcoin

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BTC Inc., Bitcoin Magazine, or any affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Nothing contained in this show constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any securities or financial instruments. Viewers should consult their own advisors before making financial or business decisions.

This post Block Releases THE Bitcoin National Ad Campaign first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Patrick Green.

Bitcoin Magazine

Jack Dorsey’s Block Gifts One Bitcoin to Lucky ComplexCon Attendee

Jack Dorsey’s Block is pushing so hard for bitcoin adoption, it gifted 1 BTC to a lucky conference attendee at this year’s ComplexCon in Los Angeles. 

The fintech giant attended the Complex Networks yearly event at the weekend in a bid to introduce newbies to the leading cryptocurrency through — in its words — “culture, shopping and play.”

Block’s Cash App had a stall at the event with a fishing game dubbed “Lightning Lake”, allowing attendees to win small amounts of bitcoin. 

the ₿ was bitin at Lightning Lake https://t.co/t3SFTaLHIU

— Bitcoin at Block (@BitcoinatBlock) October 5, 2026

But one fortunate player was lucky enough to scoop up a whole coin — worth $85,000 at the time. 

“We wanted bitcoin to feel approachable, tangible and fun,” Maria Pesce, Head of Bitcoin Marketing at Block, told Bitcoin Magazine. 

“People could go from never having used bitcoin to paying with it, all in a trip around the lake.”

She added: “At Block, our goal is to make bitcoin everyday money, and ComplexCon gave us a chance to introduce bitcoin to a new audience through culture, shopping, and play.”

Block has long pushed for bitcoin adoption via its companies and products: Cash App allows users to send, receive and buy bitcoin and Square point-of-sale terminals accept the orange coin via the Lightning Network.  

NYSE-listed Block this month even debuted an advertising campaign to make the push for people to use the leading cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange.  

Dorsey, who in 2021 left Twitter to focus his efforts on payments and Bitcoin adoption in 2021, has repeatedly said he wants the cryptocurrency to be the global currency and “everyday money.”  

Block even piqued the interest of celebrities at ComplexCon: Kanye West’s daughter North West and rapper French Montana were spotted by Lightning Lake trying to fish for bitcoin. 

This post Jack Dorsey’s Block Gifts One Bitcoin to Lucky ComplexCon Attendee first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.