[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] Block, led by Jack Dorsey, gave 1 bitcoin as a prize to a participant at the ComplexCon event in Los Angeles, the United States.

On Oct. 7 local time, blockchain media outlet Bitcoin Magazine reported that Block attended the annual weekend event to provide first-time bitcoin users with a hands-on experience using cryptocurrency.

The centerpiece of the event was the “Lightning Lake” game run at the Cash App booth. Participants could receive small amounts of bitcoin in a fishing-game format, and one of them received 1 bitcoin worth about $85,000 at the time. The programme aimed not only to run a simple giveaway but to position bitcoin as an easy payment method.

Maria Pese, Block’s head of bitcoin marketing, said, “We wanted bitcoin to feel close, tangible and fun.” She explained that the setup was designed so users could move from never having used bitcoin to making an actual payment simply by following the flow inside the venue.

Block used the event to show a strategy of linking bitcoin with culture, shopping and play. Pese said ComplexCon was an opportunity to introduce bitcoin to a new public, and that Block’s goal is to make bitcoin “everyday money.” It put emphasis on broadening usage experiences rather than approaching bitcoin as an investment asset.

The move also ties into Block’s existing business. Cash App offers features that let users buy, receive and send bitcoin, and Square point-of-sale terminals support bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network. Block also launched an ad campaign this month aimed at getting people to use bitcoin as a medium of exchange.

From a market perspective, attention is focusing on how Block is pushing its bitcoin expansion strategy both inside and outside its services at the same time. It is seeking to attract new users by using offline events and touchpoints with popular culture rather than stopping at product features. It also reflects a view that real usage experiences matter more than technical explanations to lower barriers to using bitcoin.

Dorsey has focused on payments and expanding bitcoin adoption since leaving Twitter in 2021. He has repeatedly said he wants bitcoin to become a global currency and an everyday payment method. This event is also in that vein.

Meanwhile, interest from celebrities was also spotted at the event. North West, the daughter of Kanye West, and rapper French Montana were seen playing a game around “Lightning Lake” to obtain bitcoin. Block is continuing efforts to bring bitcoin into more familiar consumer experiences through such touchpoints.

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