Cold Storage Goes South: bitcoin++ Announces Antarctica Edition
Key Takeaways
- •bitcoin++ will host "Antarctica: Cold Storage Edition," a technical conference for Bitcoin developers aboard an expedition ship from January 24 to February 5, 2028, limited to 22 participants.
- •The 13-day, 12-night voyage departs from Ushuaia, Argentina, crosses the Drake Passage, and plans stops along the western Antarctic Peninsula before returning to Ushuaia.
- •The conference follows an unconference format in which attendees propose the talks, demos, and discussions, supported by onboard Starlink connectivity and a private room for hackathons and working sessions.
- •Fares range from $14,900 per person in a four-person cabin to $16,700 in a two-person cabin, and paying the full fare in bitcoin reduces the cost by 5%.
- •Reservations are open now, final payment is due October 1, 2027, and medical, evacuation, and repatriation insurance must be purchased separately by attendees.
bitcoin++ has announced “Antarctica: Cold Storage Edition,” a technical conference for Bitcoin developers that will take place aboard an expedition ship from January 24 to February 5, 2028. Only 22 spots are available.
The event extends a series that has gathered Bitcoin developers around the world — in Austin, Berlin, and Florianópolis, among other cities — and now plans to bring a group of them to the bottom of the world.
The format pairs conference sessions with an expedition voyage: the ship departs from Ushuaia, Argentina, crosses the Drake Passage, explores the Antarctic Peninsula, and returns to Ushuaia. The name plays on bitcoin’s cold storage, the practice of keeping keys offline. The organizers describe the trip as a way to take the conversation somewhere colder, with room for discussions that would otherwise fit into a hallway.
About bitcoin++
bitcoin++ runs technical conferences, workshops, and hackathons for Bitcoin developers. The series began in Austin in 2022 and has since held editions in Berlin, Florianópolis, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Riga, Istanbul, Taipei, Las Vegas, Vienna, Nairobi, Toronto, and Seoul. Each edition carries a theme, from “learn me a bitcoin” in Austin in 2022 to “lightning” in Berlin in 2025. The organization counts roughly 20 archived editions. Its next conference, bitcoin++ Seoul, the privacy edition, takes place on November 5 and 6, 2026.
Penguins, Parkas, and Private Keys
The Antarctic trip runs 13 days and 12 nights. The ship leaves Ushuaia on January 24 and crosses the Drake Passage to the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Possible stops include Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy, and the Lemaire Channel.
According to the trip’s website, activities may include kayaking, camping, hiking, snowshoeing, and Zodiac outings. The organizers note that weather, ice, and expedition decisions determine where the ship can land.
The conference follows an unconference format: attendees propose the talks, demos, and discussions. The ship will carry Starlink connectivity and a private room for impromptu hackathons and working sessions.
Cost and Booking
Reservations are open now. Fares are quoted in US dollars per person and range from $14,900 in a four-person cabin to $16,700 in a two-person cabin. Passengers may pay in five equal installments or in full at signup, and paying the full fare in bitcoin reduces the cost by 5%. The fare includes parkas. The final payment is due October 1, 2027. Medical, evacuation, and repatriation insurance is required and purchased separately.
Sponsors can place their brands on the expedition parkas, with placements ranging from $5,000 to $25,000; each placement covers about 22 parkas.
The organizers note that the expedition explores the Antarctic Peninsula, not the geographic South Pole.
Full details are available on the official event page at btcpp.dev/antarctica.
This post first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and was written by Micah Zimmerman.
