X Discontinues Bitcoin Emoji During Bitcoin Conference Week

By: Eva Baxter

In a surprising move, social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, has stopped its support for the Bitcoin emoji, also known as a hashmoji or hashflag. As of now, when users type #bitcoin on the platform, the familiar orange Bitcoin symbol no longer appears alongside the hashtag.

Initially launched in 2020, the Bitcoin emoji added a visual element to tweets containing the hashtag #Bitcoin, quickly becoming a distinctive feature for Bitcoin discussions on X. The timing of its removal during the Bitcoin Conference week has garnered significant backlash from the crypto community, especially given the platform's complicated history with Bitcoin under the leadership of Elon Musk.

Musk, who owns X, has a well-documented tumultuous relationship with Bitcoin. Though Tesla and SpaceX—companies he leads—hold substantial Bitcoin assets, his public stance has fluctuated. In recent years, Musk displayed a profile picture featuring blue laser eyes, a symbol of support for Bitcoin. Despite his vocal support, Tesla liquidated most of its Bitcoin holdings in 2021 and 2022. Musk had stated that he would renew his support when at least 50% of Bitcoin mining used renewable energy, a benchmark that has been met without any changes in his stance.

As of now, neither X nor Musk has made any public statements explaining the removal of the Bitcoin emoji.

Nexo Advocates for a Bitcoin Emoji on Keyboards Worldwide

In an attempt to bring the Bitcoin emoji back to global prominence, crypto lending platform Nexo has submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium. This non-profit organization manages the global character standard, and if approved, the Bitcoin emoji would be available on all personal computers and mobile keyboards.

Though the Bitcoin symbol has been recognized by Unicode as a currency sign since 2017, it currently exists only as a black-and-white glyph rather than its more widely recognized orange emoji form. Expected to respond by Nov. 30, the Consortium’s approval could mean a significant boost for Bitcoin's digital presence.

Nexo revealed that their petition for this initiative has garnered support from 15,000 people and multiple top-tier crypto firms, including Kraken, Bitget, Chainalysis, and Nansen. Nexo’s goal, as stated, is to ensure “an orange pill for every smartphone out there.”

Fact Protocol, a decentralized network focused on AI and Web 3.0 that also supports the initiative, emphasized the significance of making the Bitcoin emoji universally available. The network stressed that the approval would engrave Bitcoin into the digital history books.

The removal of the Bitcoin emoji from X and the efforts by Nexo showcase the ongoing dynamics in Bitcoin's interaction with digital platforms. While platforms like X shift their strategy, the broader crypto community continues to seek ways to sustain and enhance Bitcoin's visibility and adoption.