Consensus 2026 Afterparty at Strip Club Sparks Backlash

What’s The Controversial Party?

The closing party took place on Wednesday, May 6, after day two of Consensus Miami 2026. The Best Event (TBV), co-founded by Tobias Bauer and Brent Fulfer, produced it. CoinDesk promoted the party on the official Consensus agenda as the premier networking event of the week. Sponsors included MetaMask, ChangeNOW, and TrustSwap.

E11even Miami operates as a nightclub known for pole stages, adult performers, and servers in lingerie. The same venue hosted a crypto afterparty in 2018 that ended in public apologies. Sponsorship for the Consensus 2026 afterparty reportedly cost backers around $90,000.

Thousands Lined Up, Most Got Turned Away

Between 5,000 and 6,000 people reportedly signed up through lu.ma. However, the venue holds roughly 1,000 people. As a result, lines stretched for blocks outside E11even.

Crypto founders, VCs, bankers, and international attendees waited for hours. Many never made it inside. Those who did encountered pole dancers and open bars. Clips went viral showing scenes critics called incompatible with a professional conference.

Criticism Explodes on Social Media

The backlash started on X around May 8. Jess (@theweb3jess), CEO of Blockus, led it with a viral thread. She called the Consensus 2026 afterparty a “massive step backward” for an industry seeking institutional credibility post-FTX.

Critics focused on several issues. First, the venue objectified women in a professional context. In addition, it excluded attendees uncomfortable with adult entertainment. And ultimately, it undercut crypto’s pitch to TradFi institutions.

One viral clip reportedly showed a man urinating at the bar. Another showed someone pocketing dollar bills from the stage. LinkedIn then removed posts containing footage, citing professional community violations.

Former Prosecutor Calls It “Horrifying”

Amanda Wick, a former federal prosecutor and crypto consultant, spoke to Bloomberg on May 9. She called the event “horrifying” as a gender equality advocate.

“Some have said there was a ‘corporate sheen’ on this year’s Consensus Miami event,” Wick said. “But if that sheen is just covering up the speculative, irresponsible, degenerate culture that everyone hoped crypto was maturing out of post-FTX, then TradFi will happily consume the entire industry.”

Her comments framed the issue beyond gender alone. If the culture persists, traditional finance could absorb crypto’s innovations without its community. That warning carried extra weight given crypto’s current push for regulatory clarity and institutional partnerships.

The 2018 Precedent at the Same Venue

E11even caused the same problem for crypto in 2018. The North American Bitcoin Conference held its afterparty there. Fortune and Bloomberg documented naked dancers, drugs, and men sliding dollars into thongs at a “networking” event.

That backlash forced public apologies from organizers and sponsors. CEO Moe Levin first defended the venue, then admitted it was “a mistake.”

Critics argue the 2026 repeat is worse. The industry supposedly matured since then. Institutional money entered through spot Bitcoin ETFs. Regulators engaged in good faith. The FTX collapse forced accountability. Yet the same mistake happened at the same venue.

Defenders Push Back on the Backlash

Not everyone agreed with the criticism of the Consensus 2026 afterparty. Some attendees on X called the backlash an “insufferable” overreaction. They described a fun, high-energy Miami event where real networking happened.

Defenders noted that E11even is not exclusively a strip club. It operates as a multi-level nightclub with legal, consensual entertainment. Some argued Wall Street parties are reportedly worse. Others pointed to a Solana side event with Mario Kart as proof that classy alternatives exist at lower cost.

One supporter wrote they were “proud” of the TBV team for a “fantastic party.” Meanwhile, several women in crypto said they simply skipped the event, knowing E11even’s reputation.

CoinDesk and Bullish Stay Silent

As of May 11, CoinDesk, Bullish, and The Best Event have not issued a statement. The event remains on the official Consensus agenda without edits.

Bullish CEO Thomas Farley formerly ran the New York Stock Exchange. Critics note the irony of an ex-NYSE executive branding an official event at a strip club.

The silence contrasts sharply with 2018, when organizers apologized within days. Some critics compared the Consensus 2026 afterparty to crypto “speedrunning” 1990s Wall Street excesses rather than evolving beyond them.

What the Consensus 2026 Afterparty Means for Crypto

This controversy exposes a tension at the center of crypto. The industry wants institutional validation and mainstream adoption. Yet its flagship conference promoted a party that LinkedIn considers too inappropriate to post about.

Women represent the fastest-growing demographic in crypto. Multiple voices this week highlighted how such events alienate that audience. They also signal a lack of diverse input in event planning.

The industry faces a choice. It can treat this as harmless fun, or recognize that the optics undermine its goals. As Amanda Wick warned, traditional finance is watching. And TradFi is more than willing to take over.