The University of Wyoming started a Bitcoin Research Institute
The University of Wyoming is launching the UW Bitcoin Research Institute in August. The new institute aims to provide “high-quality, peer-reviewed” research on bitcoin.
Bradley Retler, a Bitcoin activist and associate professor at Wyoming, announced the new facility at X on July 28. He serves as the Director of the Institute.
Rattler described the current state of Bitcoin (BTC) research as “poor” and stressed that the industry needs more “high-quality peer-reviewed” publications to ensure the public has an accurate understanding of what Bitcoin is and how it works.
A 2018 study led by University of Hawaii professor Camilo Mora suggested that Bitcoin emissions alone could increase global warming by 35.6° Fahrenheit (2° Celsius) by 2048.
“They couldn't account for the awkward adjustment *and* didn't know there was a block size cap,” Rattler wrote in a July 28 X post.
“These mistakes find their way into journalism and policy. Bitcoin is multi-faceted in theory, and even more so in practice. Journalists can't be experts, so they rely on academics. Too many academics disappoint them.”
One of the institute's professors is Andrew M. Bailey, lead author of “Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin.” Retler is also named as the book's author.
The Bitcoin Research Institute will officially open in August when the 2024-2025 fall semester begins.
It runs annual summer workshops, presents academic awards and hosts weekly seminars, according to its website.
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BRI is classified as a charity and is accepting Bitcoin donations to support research.
“We allocate 4% of our investment to bitcoin, so if you donate bitcoin, we don't sell it,” Rettler explained.
Wyoming is quickly becoming the leading Bitcoin state in the United States, largely due to pro-Bitcoin Senator Cynthia Lummis and Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, which provides Bitcoin custody solutions.
Lummis in 2011. He announced the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve account at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville on July 27.
“It can be used for one purpose, to reduce our debt,” Lummis said during her keynote speech.
Wyoming lawmakers passed a law in February 2023 that would prohibit state courts from forcing someone to reveal their private keys to their digital assets. The state provides the legal framework for decentralized autonomous organizations.
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