When Big Tech Goes Bitcoin

From cushy Silicon Valley jobs to Austin co-working spaces, tech veterans are betting everything on Bitcoin — with the Trump admin cheering them on.

Apr 13, 2025

Apple, Google, and Cash App engineers are ditching Big Tech for Bitcoin Commons in Austin
Why? A perfect storm of:
- 🔓 Open-source energy
- 🏛️ A Bitcoin-friendly White House
- 💸 VC money flowing into infra, not hype

“It’s the possibility of building something new that the world needs.” — Mark Suman, former Apple engineer

💼 What They’re Building

Inside Bitcoin Commons:

Open Secret: Decentralized cloud storage
Anchor Watch: Bitcoin-native insurance
Brink: Open-source developer funding
Zaprite: Crypto payments & policy push

These aren’t just startups. They’re ideological pivots — challenging centralized finance, cloud monopolies, and Big Data norms.

🇺🇸 The Trump Effect

Trump's pivot to pro-bitcoin isn’t just talk:

🧾 Pardoned BitMEX & Silk Road figures
🏦 Created a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
⚖️ Appointed a crypto czar
🪙 Backed Senator Lummis’ Bitcoin Act

“It’s not about politics. It’s about conviction.” — Suman

But the community remains cautious: one admin change could flip the script.

📈 Market Moves & Macro Winds

Bitcoin hit $110K ATH in January
Retraced to $70Ks, now rebounding to $85K+
VC funding surged to nearly $1.2B for bitcoin startups since 2021
PitchBook projects $18B in crypto VC by end of 2025

“Serious people no longer question Bitcoin’s future — they’re asking what can be built on it.” — Trammell VC

🧱 Reality Check

Despite bullish vibes, the builders know this isn’t easy:

Developers are still being arrested
Regulation is better — but fragile
Energy politics & custody remain battlegrounds
Open-source infrastructure needs more engineers

“Only 40 full-time engineers maintain Bitcoin’s core code.” — Mike Schmidt, Brink

🧠 Staten Take

This isn’t about chasing coins or getting rich overnight.

This is about:

Rebuilding finance from scratch
Owning data, not renting it
Turning ideals into infrastructure

“If we go down in flames, at least we tried to build something better.” — Suman

The real alpha isn’t just in tokens.
It’s in the builders betting big — before the headlines catch up.

📌 Bottom Line

Big Tech is losing talent. Bitcoin is gaining conviction.
As Washington softens and capital flows in, the next wave of infrastructure isn’t speculative — it’s foundational.

If you're watching crypto this cycle, don't just track prices.
Track builders. That's where the future is being written.

Until next time,
— The Bandicoots