University of Wyoming Launches UW Bitcoin Research Institute (BRI)

Highlights:

• The University of Wyoming introduces its first Bitcoin-focused research institute.
• The UW BRI aims to improve the quality of academic Bitcoin studies.
• Recent bills and proposals strengthen Wyoming’s position as a Bitcoin-friendly state.

The University of Wyoming is set to launch the UW Bitcoin Research Institute (BRI), the first academic institution dedicated to Bitcoin studies. Bradley Rettler, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wyoming and Bitcoin advocate, announced the institute on X on July 28. Rettler has been appointed as the inaugural director. The BRI Institute will officially open in August with the start of the 2024-2025 Fall semester.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The University of Wyoming has established the UW Bitcoin Research Institute. https://t.co/qDuYZGmnxo

The BRI aims to produce high-quality peer-reviewed publications about bitcoin from all academic disciplines.

First act: hiring @resistancemoney!

1/

— ₿radley Rettler (@rettlerb) July 28, 2024

Rettler criticized a 2018 study by Professor Camilo Mora from the University of Hawaii, which claimed Bitcoin emissions could increase global warming by 35.6° Fahrenheit (2° Celsius) by 2048. He pointed out errors in the study regarding Bitcoin’s difficulty adjustment and block size cap, arguing these inaccuracies affect public perception and policy.

BRI Aims to Enhance Bitcoin Research and Address Academic Gaps

Rettler described the current state of Bitcoin research as “poor.” He said the institute aims to establish Bitcoin research faculty positions, reward quality academic studies, and encourage young scholars to pursue Bitcoin projects. It also plans to offer workshops on relevant papers and books. Moreover, the institute aims to connect researchers with an interest in Bitcoin and provide peer-reviewed research to journalists, policymakers, and the general public.

Rettler stated:

“These mistakes make 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 of those academics have let them down.”

One of the institute’s professors, Andrew M. Bailey, is the lead author of “Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin,” co-authored by Rettler. The book is a landmark work analyzing the historical and intellectual foundations of crypto. It argues that Bitcoin and other decentralized projects can counter authoritarian regimes, surveillance, inflation, and financial exclusion.

According to Molly Zuckerman, president of the Association of Cryptocurrency Journalists and Researchers, the book is a “measured thought experiment into truly determining how you feel about bitcoin in the world.”

UW Bitcoin Research Institute is a nonprofit organization accepting Bitcoin donations to support its research. “We allocate 4% of our investments to bitcoin, so if you donate bitcoin, we will not sell it,” Rettler said.

Wyoming is good. And from August 2025, I'll be a Professor of Philosophy at the new Bitcoin Research Institute at the University of Wyoming. @rettlerb and I have long dreamed of building something together; this is a dream come true.https://t.co/2Nhlq8QrhP https://t.co/FLw2KfGszE

— Andrew M. Bailey (@resistancemoney) July 28, 2024

Wyoming Embraces Bitcoin with Legislative Support

Wyoming has become a Bitcoin-friendly state in the U.S., supported by figures like Senator Cynthia Lummis and Caitlin Long, CEO of Custodia Bank. At the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville on July 27, Senator Lummis recently proposed the Bitcoin Reserve bill, which aims for the U.S. to acquire 5% of Bitcoin’s total supply to reduce national debt. 

Moreover, in February, Wyoming lawmakers passed a bill preventing courts from forcing individuals to disclose their digital assets’ private keys. The state also established a legal framework for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).

The creation of the UW BRI significantly advances Bitcoin research and public discussion. It leverages Wyoming’s supportive regulatory environment for digital assets. The institute will work with the philosophy and economics departments. It will also collaborate with the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation and the School of Computing.

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