Bitcoin Branding: What I've Learned Making Bitcoin Content Since 2017
Updated: 4 days ago
From 2017 to 2026
I got into Bitcoin design because of Madex.
If you don't know him, Madex is the creative director at Bull Bitcoin and one of the most recognizable artists in Bitcoin. He calls his work a "freedom project." Back in 2017, Bull Bitcoin's branding was hardcore, principled and completely unapologetic. It looked like it was made by people who actually believed in Bitcoin, because it was. That, plus Madex's art, is what pushed me to start making Bitcoin art of my own.
The other thing I noticed back then: most Bitcoin products looked clunky. Outdated websites, apps that felt like the backend team designed them, no real visual identity. The tech was serious, but the branding made it look like a side project.
I saw an opportunity there, and I've been working in it ever since. These days I make video ads, design and art for Bitcoin companies under the name MrMeadow. Here's what I've learned about Bitcoin branding along the way, mixed with what I've seen work for other Bitcoin brands.
Bitcoin is not crypto, and your brand should show it
I'll be honest: I used to take crypto work too. I stopped in 2020.
The scams and the shilling were part of it. But what really got to me was the pace. Everything had to ship yesterday, and nobody cared whether it was good. When the whole business model is pumping a token before the next one comes along, why would anyone care about quality?
Madex makes a similar argument about art in general. On The Block Reward podcast, he talks about how fiat incentives push artists to rush and chase volume, and how that kills quality. Crypto marketing is that problem on fast-forward.
Bitcoin is the opposite. It's built to last, and the people who hold it think in decades. Your brand should feel like that too.
Crypto branding | Bitcoin branding | |
Core promise | Gains, novelty, "Web3" | Ownership, self-custody, independence |
Visual mood | Neon gradients, 3D coins, rockets | Confident, restrained, built to last |
Time horizon | This cycle | Decades |
Vocabulary | Tokens, APY, moon | Sats, keys, nodes, proof of work |
I've watched plenty of companies go for the crypto look anyway. In my experience, they don't last long. Bitcoiners spot it instantly, and they don't trust it.
Make something Bitcoiners want to share
One of my popular projects was a short called Powerful Bitcoin Websites You Should Know. It was a joint campaign featuring five Bitcoin companies, and it reached 50K+ people.
Why did it work? Because it was genuinely useful. These were five real websites a Bitcoiner could go and use that day. So people didn't just watch it, they sent it to their friends. A sharp edit made it watchable, but the shareability came from the value.
That's the bar I try to hit now. Don't make an ad people tolerate. Make something people pass along.
There's a second lesson from my crypto days, on a project I won't name or promote. That video hit 120K+ views, mostly because it featured characters the audience already recognized. Familiar faces stop the scroll. In Bitcoin, the equivalent is the people, memes and references the community already knows. Use them well and your content feels like it came from inside the culture.
Stop repeating what's already been said
The biggest problem I see in Bitcoin marketing right now is generic content. Companies keep posting the same talking points everyone has already heard. It doesn't answer anyone's specific questions, and it doesn't stand out.
There's an irony here. Bitcoin itself is supposed to stay old school. It shouldn't change. But that doesn't mean the companies building on it should market like it's 2015.
Most Bitcoin companies aren't innovating in how they reach people. They don't have real funnels for getting new customers, and their onboarding is an afterthought. Meanwhile, every other industry gets better at this every year.
If you want a head start on the product side, the Bitcoin Design Guide is a free, open-source resource built by the Bitcoin design community for anyone building Bitcoin products. It's a good place to rethink your onboarding before you spend a sat on ads.
If your product is new, your marketing should feel new too.
Show up at the right place, at the right time
If I had to name one Bitcoin brand that nailed this, it's Bitcoiner Jobs.
Quick background: it's a job board only for Bitcoin companies, co-founded by Nathan Dennis and Cory Klippsten and later rolled under Swan. Even the name was picked to fit the message: Bitcoin will be fine, but Bitcoiners need help.
What impressed me was how they used X. Whenever someone posted that they were looking for a job, or wanted to break into the Bitcoin industry, Bitcoiner Jobs would reply: basically, "hey, we're here." That's it. No big campaign, no ad budget.
That's top-notch branding. They showed up exactly where they were relevant, exactly when it mattered. The person asking got help, and everyone reading the thread learned the brand existed.
Branding isn't only your logo and your colors. It's being the obvious answer in the moment someone needs you.
Visuals: keep the ₿ out of your logo
People overuse the Bitcoin B in their logos. It looks horrible, and I always recommend against it. Thousands of projects have already slapped a ₿ on their mark. Do the same and you're just one more orange circle in the pile. Your logo's job is to say who you are. Your product and your message can say "Bitcoin."
Color. Bitcoin orange (#F7931A) has been part of the Bitcoin logo since 2010. It's iconic, which is exactly why it can't be your only idea. Treat orange as an accent, or find your own shade. Bitcoin Well, one of my clients, does this well: its palette is built on deep purple and warm beige, with a golden orange (#FFB61B) saved for calls to action and key information. And check your contrast. Orange text on white is hard to read, so keep it for buttons, big type and highlights.
Typography. Pick type that looks like it'll still make sense in ten years. One or two families, used everywhere. Bitcoin Well runs its whole system on a single family, Poppins, from hero text down to body copy.
Imagery. Skip the stock photos of glowing gold coins and circuit boards. Bitcoin Well's guide puts real people in everyday moments front and center, and deliberately avoids showing wealth as the definition of freedom. Original art goes even further. Art is a huge part of Bitcoin culture, from Madex's physical pieces to the work I've sold at Bitcoin conferences, and it gives a brand something no template can copy.
Messaging: say it plainly
Bitcoiners have heard every promise in the book. What earns trust is plain language and specific claims.
Say what you do in one line. "Buy bitcoin straight to your own wallet" beats "revolutionizing the digital asset experience."
Lead with values, not price. Self-custody, privacy and independence land far better than gains. Bitcoin Well builds its whole identity around enabling independence.
Use the language correctly. Sats, keys, nodes, Lightning. Used naturally, they show you're part of the community. Misused, they show the opposite.
Show proof of work. Real numbers, real clients, real shipped products. Bitcoiners trust what they can verify.
My gut check: would your copy still make sense if the price dropped 50% tomorrow? If yes, you're writing for Bitcoiners.
Marketing isn't optional
The worst Bitcoin brands aren't the ones doing it badly. They're the ones not doing anything at all.
A lot of Bitcoin teams think marketing doesn't matter, or that the technical innovation will speak for itself. I get it, the tech is impressive. But if nobody knows about it, nobody uses it, and you end up with a great product nobody cares about.
You need both: the engineering and the story that gets people to try it.
Distribution is half the job
If there's one thing I'd change looking back, it's this: I used to hand over the finished video and walk away.
Nothing went wrong with the work itself. But I'd watch companies sit on a high-quality piece of content and never push it to the right audience, or post it once in the wrong place and forget about it. All that work, and it barely got seen.
So now I help with distribution too. Great content that nobody sees isn't great branding. Getting it in front of the right Bitcoiners is part of the job.
How I work
Most of my clients find me one of two ways. Either they've seen something I made, or I've slid into their DMs with an idea for a video they could share.
From there it's simple:
Discovery. I figure out what you're trying to achieve and what message you want to send. I'm pretty laid back at this stage. I just want to understand you.
Script. I write it around that one message.
Production. I generate the visuals and edit the video. This is where I go full maximalist.
Delivery. You get a finished, high-quality piece.
Distribution. We get it in front of the right audience, so the work actually pays off.
So far that's added up to 40+ video projects for Bitcoin brands, agencies and campaigns, and 21+ art pieces sold at Bitcoin conferences. Clients include Bitcoin Well, Bitcoin Racing, Lightning News, Cadena Bitcoin, Bitcoin Art Magazine and the BTC Prague 2026 art gallery.
I price everything in sats. Bitcoin is global, so anyone, anywhere can pay me, with no middlemen slowing down good work or blocking people from getting paid. Most clients love it. If someone really wants to pay in USD, there's PayPal.
Building a Bitcoin company and want content Bitcoiners actually share? See my client work, or DM me on X, Instagram or Nostr.
FAQ and TLDRs
What is Bitcoin branding?
It's how a Bitcoin company looks, sounds and shows up in the community. Good Bitcoin branding feels like it came from inside the culture, built for people who think in decades rather than market cycles.
How is Bitcoin branding different from crypto branding?
Crypto branding chases hype and speed. Bitcoin branding has to earn trust from a skeptical audience that has seen every scam in the book. In my experience, Bitcoin companies that go for the crypto look don't last long.
Should I put the ₿ symbol in my logo?
No. It's overused and it looks horrible. Let your logo say who you are, and let your product and message say "Bitcoin."
What makes Bitcoin content get shared?
Usefulness. My Powerful Bitcoin Websites You Should Know video reached 50K+ people because viewers could actually use what was in it, so they sent it to friends.
Can I pay for Bitcoin design in sats?
With me, yes. I price in sats because Bitcoin works for anyone, anywhere, with no middlemen. USD + Fees via PayPal is available too.
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