The 2024 Proof Of Work Awards Awards List honors those whose dedication has propelled Bitcoin’s growth and innovation.

This list was built with those in mind who have contributed to the Bitcoin protocol in a myriad of ways, via action, research, or education.

A toast to all those who have ultimately let their work speak for itself, thereby accomplishing feats that only the most intelligent – and fortitudinous – could achieve. 

Without further ado, Here Are The Most Influential Bitcoiners of 2024:

1. Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman, MicroStrategy

Michael Saylor is widely regarded as the corporate face of Bitcoin adoption. As the Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy, Saylor spearheaded the company’s aggressive acquisition of Bitcoin starting in 2020, turning its balance sheet into a fortress of digital property.

Saylor remains a relentless advocate for Bitcoin, publishing his latest book on Bitcoin’s role as a global financial standard.

His public appearances and interviews emphasize Bitcoin’s superiority over traditional assets and its potential to protect wealth against inflation. MicroStrategy continues to lead the institutional Bitcoin adoption movement, with Saylor advising Fortune 500 companies on treasury management strategies.

2. Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan, Harvard University

Tshering Tobgay, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, has positioned his country as a global leader in sustainable Bitcoin mining.

Bhutan, endowed with abundant hydropower resources, has leveraged its energy surplus to mine Bitcoin with near-zero environmental impact.

Tobgay’s government has partnered with leading Bitcoin firms to integrate mining into the nation’s economy, generating revenue while showcasing how developing nations can participate in the Bitcoin ecosystem responsibly.

Under his leadership, Bhutan is also exploring Bitcoin-backed financial solutions for economic development and international trade

3. Micree Zhan, Co-Founder of BITMAIN

Micree Zhan is a co-founder and the CEO of Bitmain, the largest producer of ASIC miners.

As one of the earliest players in the Bitcoin mining industry, Zhan’s designs have consistently pushed the boundaries of mining efficiency and scalability. In 2025, Bitmain released its latest ASIC model, achieving record-breaking performance with a 20% improvement in energy efficiency.

Under Zhan’s leadership, Bitmain remains at the forefront of Bitcoin mining innovation, supplying miners to operations worldwide and investing in renewable energy-based mining facilities.

Zhan also advocates for decentralizing Bitcoin mining to maintain network security.

4. Jason Lowery, Proof-of-Work theorist, United States Space Force Guardian and Aeronautical Engineer

Jason P. Lowery is a Proof-of-Work theorist and a commissioned officer in the U.S. Space Force.

Lowery gained prominence for his book Softwar, which argues that Bitcoin mining acts as a decentralized form of defense infrastructure akin to a digital arms race.

Lowery has expanded on his ideas, presenting Bitcoin mining as a national security asset that reduces the likelihood of physical conflict.

He has been invited to lecture at military academies and think tanks, emphasizing the strategic advantages of Bitcoin in geopolitics.

His thought leadership continues to inspire debates about Bitcoin’s role in national defense.

5. Abubakar Nur Khalil, CEO Recursive Capital, Bitcoin Core Contributor

Abubakar Nur Khalil is a Nigerian Bitcoin Core contributor who has dedicated his career to making Bitcoin accessible to underserved regions, particularly in Africa.

In 2025, Khalil’s work focuses on improving Bitcoin’s scalability and reducing transaction costs, ensuring that it remains a viable tool for financial inclusion.

Through his organization, Recursive Capital, Khalil funds Bitcoin projects that benefit the unbanked.

He is also a leading voice in advocating for decentralized development within Bitcoin, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Bitcoin’s open-source ethos.

6. Dr. Giovanni Santostasi, Creator of the “Bitcoin Power Law Theory.”

Dr. Giovanni Santostasi, a physicist and mathematician, developed the Bitcoin Power Law Theory, which has gained widespread recognition for its predictive accuracy regarding Bitcoin’s adoption curve and price trends.

Santostasi’s research links Bitcoin’s growth to network effects and technological diffusion. His theory has become a cornerstone for institutional investors and analysts forecasting Bitcoin’s trajectory.

Santostasi regularly publishes peer-reviewed papers and appears at financial conferences, helping bridge the gap between academia and the Bitcoin community.

7. Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador

Nayib Bukele is a visionary leader who made El Salvador the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021.

Since then, Bukele has doubled down on his Bitcoin experiment, promoting the construction of Bitcoin City—a tax-free economic zone powered by geothermal energy.

In 2025, his administration launched Bitcoin bonds to attract foreign investment and repay national debt. Bukele has also focused on increasing Bitcoin adoption through education and infrastructure, making El Salvador a global hub for Bitcoin innovation.

8. Cynthia Lummis, Bitcoin Treasury Advocate, Senator of Wyoming

Cynthia Lummis, serving as the U.S. Senator from Wyoming since 2021, has emerged as a leading advocate for Bitcoin within the political sphere. In July 2024, she introduced the “Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness through Optimized Investment Nationwide (BITCOIN) Act,” proposing the establishment of a strategic Bitcoin reserve for the United States. This legislation aims to fortify the U.S. dollar and address national debt by acquiring up to 1 million Bitcoins over five years, representing approximately 5% of Bitcoin’s total supply.

Senator Cynthia Lummis Lummis’s initiative underscores her commitment to integrating Bitcoin into national financial strategies, positioning her as a pivotal figure in the cryptocurrency policy landscape.

9. Charlene Hill Fadirepo, MBA, Bitcoin Educator and Author

Charlene Fadirepo is a former banker turned Bitcoin advocate and educator. Her mission is to empower communities of color to achieve financial independence through Bitcoin.

Fadirepo has created accessible educational resources and hosted seminars across the U.S. and Africa, focusing on the Lightning Network, self-custody, and generational wealth-building strategies.

Charlene Fadirepo is recognized as a thought leader in Bitcoin literacy, particularly for her role in onboarding underrepresented groups into the Bitcoin ecosystem.

10. Skot, Electrical Engineer, Inventor of Open-Source Bitaxe Bitcoin Mining Machine

Skot, known by the handle @skot9000 on Twitter, is an electrical engineer and a prominent figure in the open-source Bitcoin mining community.

He is the creator of the Bitaxe project, an open-source, hand-held ASIC Bitcoin mining machine. The Bitaxe project showcases reverse engineering of Bitmain’s mining chips and has various versions centered around a single ASIC mining chip. Skot’s contributions have significantly advanced the accessibility and development of Bitcoin mining hardware.

Honorable Mention:

Honorable Mentions are reserved for individuals whose contributions are significant but couldn’t be included in the top 10 due to the highly competitive nature of the rankings. We couldn’t include everyone in the top 10, but these names stand tall as critical contributors to Bitcoin’s growth.

Donald Trump, POTUS (Appointing Bitcoin-friendly politicians in administration)

Donald Trump has emerged as a Bitcoin-friendly figure during his second presidential term. While initially skeptical of Bitcoin, Trump has appointed pro-Bitcoin policymakers to key regulatory positions in 2025.

His administration’s push for clarity in crypto regulation has fostered an environment where Bitcoin can thrive in the United States.

Trump’s pivot to supporting Bitcoin has positioned the U.S. as a leader in digital asset innovation.

Changpeng Zhao, Co-Founder and Former CEO, Binance

Changpeng Zhao, widely known as “CZ,” is a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency industry and the founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.

Under his leadership, Binance expanded beyond trading to offer services like decentralized finance (DeFi), staking, and blockchain education.

CZ’s influence extends beyond Binance, as he is an outspoken advocate for Bitcoin and the broader adoption of cryptocurrencies. His commitment to advancing blockchain technology has made him a key driver of innovation in the sector.

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, Bitcoin ETF Pioneer

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, has significantly influenced Bitcoin’s integration into mainstream finance.

Initially skeptical, Fink’s perspective shifted as he recognized Bitcoin’s potential as a legitimate financial instrument.

In July 2024, he stated, “I was a proud skeptic, and I studied it, learned about it, and I came away saying, okay, you know, my opinion [for] five years was wrong.”

Under Fink’s leadership, BlackRock launched the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in January 2024, which quickly became the largest spot Bitcoin ETF, amassing $18 billion in assets by July 2024.

Fink’s endorsement of Bitcoin as “digital gold” and a hedge against currency debasement has further legitimized its role in investment portfolios.

Larry Fink’s strategic initiatives have played a crucial role in Bitcoin’s journey toward widespread acceptance and integration into the global financial system

Cathie Wood – CEO, ARK Invest

Cathie Wood is the founder and CEO of ARK Invest, a global asset management firm known for its focus on disruptive innovation.

Wood has been a vocal proponent of Bitcoin, predicting its long-term growth potential as a global reserve asset. Under her leadership, ARK Invest has consistently included Bitcoin in its investment strategies, notably through the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF and ARK Cryptoasset reports.

In 2025, Wood continues to advocate for Bitcoin’s transformative potential, citing its role in decentralizing finance and protecting against inflation. Her firm’s data-driven analyses have positioned ARK as a trusted source for institutional and retail Bitcoin investors alike.

scottie Pippen, Nba Hall Of Famer, Bitcoin Advocae

Scottie Pippen, the former Chicago Bulls star, has recently garnered attention in the cryptocurrency community due to his engagement with Bitcoin. In September 2024, Pippen tweeted about a dream in which Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, predicted that Bitcoin would reach $84,650 on November 5, 2024.

Remarkably, Bitcoin’s price approached this figure around the specified date, leading to widespread discussion and amusement among fans and crypto enthusiasts.

Beyond this anecdote, Pippen has expressed bullish sentiments about Bitcoin, drawing parallels between its potential and the Chicago Bulls’ rise in the early 1990s. He likened Bitcoin’s current trajectory to the Bulls’ 1991 season, suggesting that a new “dynasty” is beginning.

Pippen’s involvement with Bitcoin positions him as a potential bridge between the sports world and the cryptocurrency space. His influence could encourage sports fans to explore and engage with Bitcoin, fostering broader adoption.

This is an opinion-editorial and the rankings Presented should be considered discretionary in nature.

^{BitcoinVersus.Tech Editor’s Note:}

^{We volunteer daily to ensure the credibility of the information on this platform is Verifiably True.If you would like to support to help further secure the integrity of our research initiatives, please donate here}

BitcoinVersus.tech is not a financial advisor. This media platform reports on financial subjects purely for informational purposes