From Prison to Podium: Ulbricht Returns at Bitcoin 2025

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From Prison to Podium: Ross Ulbricht Returns at Bitcoin 2025 Conference

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: May 30, 2025

Key Takeaways

After 11 years in prison, Ross Ulbricht appeared at Bitcoin 2025 following a President Trump-issued pardon in January 2025;
Ulbricht said the support from the crypto community helped him endure prison and thanked them for not forgetting him;
He urged the Bitcoin community to protect its core values—freedom, decentralization, and unity.

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From Prison to Podium: Ross Ulbricht Returns at Bitcoin 2025 Conference

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Ross Ulbricht, who once faced a life behind bars, stood before a live audience at the Bitcoin BTC $90,604.91 2025 conference on May 30.

Speaking publicly for the first time since his release, Ulbricht described the shift from prison life to modern society as overwhelming.

His release followed a presidential pardon signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025, which ended a sentence of two life terms plus forty years in prison.

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Ulbricht spoke about how the crypto community supported him during his time in prison. He recalled receiving letters, donations, and words of encouragement. "You didn’t abandon me. You didn’t forget me", he said.

He described his return to everyday life as confusing. The rise of new technologies, such as drones, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality, surprised him. "I effectively went into a time capsule in 2013", he said.

As the speech continued, Ulbricht focused on the importance of staying true to the values that originally defined Bitcoin. He named three principles that should remain fundamental to the crypto industry: freedom, decentralization, and unity.

Ulbricht ended by urging the community not to turn on itself. He said, "Have each other’s backs, as you had mine. Freedom, decentralization, unity—stay true to these, and the future is ours".

Crypto czar David Sacks, who also spoke at the Bitcoin 2025 conference, shared his thoughts on the US government’s Bitcoin holdings on May 27. What did he say? Read the full story.