Bitcoin Gets Shark Mascot ‘Bitcoinius Maximus’ in Santa Monica

At the Bitcoin Alpha ‘unconference’ in Santa Monica, California, entrepreneurs unveiled a striking art piece that positions Bitcoin as the dominant force in the financial ecosystem. The sculpture, named ‘Bitcoinius Maximus,’ features a great white shark suspended in a glass box, glowing under orange lights throughout the two-day gathering. According to a museum-style placard accompanying the installation, the piece represents ‘The Apex Predator of Money,’ drawing direct parallels between Bitcoin’s market position and the shark’s dominance in its natural habitat.

Ben Sigman, one of the event’s organizers, revealed that Bitcoinius Maximus served as the backdrop for dozens of private discussions during the conference. The nine-foot by four-foot enclosure contains a shark sculpture weighing approximately 500 pounds—significantly lighter than an actual great white shark, which can exceed 5,000 pounds. From concept to showcase, Sigman noted the entire process took less than a handful of months, demonstrating the rapid execution capability within the Bitcoin community.

The choice of a shark as Bitcoin’s representative animal carries deep symbolic meaning, according to organizers Sigman and Fred Krueger. Sigman explained that sharks are one of Earth’s oldest species, with a multi-million year track record that reflects how Bitcoin could potentially outlast traditional assets like cash and gold. Additionally, the biological requirement for some shark species to constantly swim to breathe mirrors Bitcoin’s 24/7 operational uptime—a fundamental characteristic that distinguishes it from traditional financial markets.

‘They’re cold, calculated, patient predators,’ Sigman added, describing how these traits align with Bitcoin’s fundamental properties. Krueger, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and previously worked as a prop trader with interest in Bitcoin ETFs, collaborated with Sigman on the conceptual framework. Importantly, the organizers emphasized they are proposing sharks as a symbol for Bitcoin rather than declaring them as one, noting that ‘that’s not how Bitcoin works’—acknowledging the decentralized nature of the cryptocurrency’s community and symbolism.

The final sculpture more closely resembles Damien Hirst’s ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’—which features an actual tiger shark suspended in formaldehyde—than the original concept of a standalone dorsal fin that referenced the cover of Sigman and Krueger’s book ‘Bitcoin One Million.’ This artistic choice elevates the installation beyond mere symbolism into the realm of contemporary art commentary.

Bitcoinius Maximus represents the latest chapter in Bitcoin’s history of animal symbolism. In 2013, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Roger Ver—known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus’—helped popularize the honey badger as Bitcoin’s spirit animal through billboards in Santa Clara, California. The honey badger’s reputation for fearlessness and tenacity resonated with early Bitcoin adopters who saw these qualities reflected in the cryptocurrency’s disruptive potential.

More recently, in 2022, a 3,000-pound statue was unveiled at a Bitcoin conference in Miami. Modeled on New York’s Charging Bull but featuring laser eyes and a cyberpunk aesthetic, the Miami bull symbolized the area’s growing influence as a financial and technology hub. This progression from land animals to aquatic predators reflects the expanding scope of Bitcoin’s perceived influence, with sharks representing a broader financial ‘ocean’ beyond traditional Wall Street domains.

Earlier this year, some Bitcoiners interpreted the discovery of an orange nurse shark off the coast of Costa Rica as an ‘auspicious sign,’ according to National Geographic. Scientists attributed the unusual coloration to a combination of rare skin conditions, but the Bitcoin community saw deeper symbolic meaning in the orange-hued creature—a color often associated with Bitcoin branding and imagery.

Bitcoin Alpha’s organizers are planning to make Bitcoinius Maximus the centerpiece of a pop-up installation called ‘Living with Bitcoin.’ Sigman identified Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, with its numerous empty storefronts, as a natural location for such an exhibition. This move would bring Bitcoin symbolism into public commercial spaces, potentially increasing mainstream exposure and engagement with cryptocurrency concepts.

Sigman articulated why sharks represent a more fitting symbol for Bitcoin compared to land animals: ‘Crypto is so much bigger than Wall Street. It’s really an ocean.’ This perspective positions Bitcoin as having the potential to engulf more than just traditional finance, encompassing a broader transformation of global economic systems. The shark symbolism suggests that Bitcoin’s reach extends beyond the confined territory of traditional financial districts into the vast, interconnected global economy.

The unveiling of Bitcoinius Maximus at Bitcoin Alpha represents more than just artistic expression—it’s a statement about Bitcoin’s evolving identity and aspirations. As New York’s Charging Bull has symbolized Wall Street’s financial power for decades, Bitcoin proponents now have their own mascot representing what they see as the future of money: relentless, efficient, and capable of navigating the vast oceans of global finance that extend far beyond the traditional financial centers.