| Once upon a time, when a crypto executive made headlines for a trip to Washington, it typically was because they were suiting up to give Congress their well-prepared testimony on the digital-asset industry. The vibes were often serious, and the outcome was usually disappointing. This Friday, however, they'll be dressing up in Washington for an entirely different reason. President-elect and onetime crypto skeptic Donald Trump has turned into the industry's biggest cheerleader. And with his inauguration coming next week, many of the industry's A-listers are headed to DC to throw a giant party called the Crypto Ball. The event, organized by Bitcoin media company BTC Inc. and co-hosted by the advocacy group Stand With Crypto and digital-asset firms Exodus, Anchorage Digital and Kraken, will be held at the historical Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, just a few blocks away from the White House. The list of the event's sponsors is long, ranging from crypto exchanges to decentralized-finance developers. Single tickets fetched a minimum of $2,500 and the event is sold out, according to its website. Yet even though the ticket costs a fortune, a full stomach is not guaranteed: "There is no seated dinner, so guests are encouraged to eat dinner prior to their arrival," the website says, though "an open bar and a variety of heavy appetizers and delicious bites" are available. And for those who hope to network with the likes of new White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, the website insists that the Crypto Ball "is a social event and not a conference." The event is not open to press, yet given the nature of the crypto world it will not be surprising if photos and videos of the festivities turn up on social media. A representative of BTC Inc. declined to comment about the details. It is, of course, still not clear what exactly Trump will actually do to help the crypto industry. Yet the Crypto Ball highlights how dramatically sentiment has completely changed after Trump's election victory, even though the president-elect is not expected to show up at the party. And while it's just a party, there is some symbolism to be gleaned regarding crypto's maturation when it comes to the strict black-tie dress code for the evening. This is, after all, an industry famous for a fashion ethos that is decidedly more T-shirts and hoodies than suits and ties. | 
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