About

Nick Spanos

Bitcoin Pioneer & Founder, Bitcoin Center NYC

If time is money, and they are printing more money, they are stealing time from you.

Nick Spanos is a Bitcoin pioneer, inventor, serial entrepreneur, and philosophical activist who has been at the forefront of the cryptocurrency movement since its earliest days.

In 2013, he founded Bitcoin Center NYC — the world’s first live cryptocurrency trading floor — at 40 Broad Street, directly across from the New York Stock Exchange. What began as a New Year’s Eve party became the epicenter of Bitcoin culture in America.

He is featured in the Netflix documentary Banking on Bitcoin and has keynoted at major international conferences including LABITCONF, AIBC Malta, Consensus, the World Government Summit, and the North American Bitcoin Conference.

Timeline

1978

Built his first computer at age 13 using a soldering iron. Grew up in a blue-collar immigrant family on Long Island.

1990s

Registered 12,000 domain names. Created NoMoreHotels and GetaRoom (1996) — the sharing economy concept, 12 years before Airbnb. Managed legendary NYC nightclub Webster Hall.

2008

Director of Voter Contact for Ron Paul’s presidential campaign. Led nationwide phone banking and grassroots mobilization for the “Audit the Fed” movement.

2010

First encounter with Bitcoin — accepted BTC as payment for a website domain name.

2013

Founded Bitcoin Center NYC and Blockchain Technologies Corporation. The world’s first cryptocurrency trading floor, 100 feet from the NYSE.

2014

Facilitated the first U.S. real estate transaction in Bitcoin — $18,000 rent payment in Manhattan via Bapple Realty. Launched Bitcoin startup incubator on Wall Street.

2016

Featured in Netflix documentary Banking on Bitcoin. Live-recorded Iowa Caucus results on the blockchain. Conducted blockchain elections at Libertarian Party conventions.

2017–18

Co-founded Zap.org (Ethereum oracle marketplace). Created EnergyLedger for oil & gas. Keynoted the first blockchain event in Saudi Arabia. Advised Armenia on blockchain voting.

2025

Opening keynote at LABITCONF 2025 in Buenos Aires: “We are Bitcoin. And we are unstoppable.”

Ventures

Bitcoin Center NYC

World’s first cryptocurrency trading floor (2013)

VoteWatcher

First patented blockchain voting platform

Zap.org

Ethereum oracle marketplace for smart contracts

EnergyLedger

Blockchain supply management for oil & gas

Bapple Realty

First BTC rent payment (2014), first ETH commission split (2018)

Blockchain Center Miami

Expanding the Bitcoin Center model to Miami

Connect

nickspanos.com ↗  ·  @nickspanos ↗  ·  Medium ↗  ·  LinkedIn ↗

The Series

This Is a Monetary Revolution is an ongoing thought leadership series exploring monetary independence, blockchain sovereignty, and the architecture of financial freedom.