Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, recently made headlines by discontinuing its support for the Bitcoin emoji, also known as hashmoji or hashflag. Introduced in 2020, the emoji appeared alongside the hashtag #Bitcoin, adding an orange Bitcoin symbol to tweets. Its removal has sparked backlash from the crypto community, as it was a key feature in Bitcoin discussions on the platform.
The decision to remove the Bitcoin emoji comes as a surprise, given that X’s owner, Elon Musk, has a complicated relationship with Bitcoin. Musk’s companies Tesla and SpaceX hold significant Bitcoin assets, and he has shown support for the digital currency in the past. However, Musk previously sold most of Tesla’s Bitcoin holdings in 2021 and 2022 and stated that he would reinstate his support once Bitcoin’s hash rate was supported by at least 50% renewable energy.
Despite the backlash from the crypto community, neither X nor Musk has publicly commented on the removal of the Bitcoin emoji. In response to this development, crypto lender Nexo has proposed adding Bitcoin emojis to digital keyboards worldwide. Nexo submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium, which manages the global character standard, to include the popular orange Bitcoin emoji on all personal computers and mobile keyboards.
The Unicode Consortium has recognized the Bitcoin symbol as a currency sign since 2017, but it exists only as a black-and-white glyph rather than the popular orange emoji. If Nexo’s proposal is approved, the Bitcoin emoji will be available on keyboards globally, making it easily accessible to users around the world. Nexo has garnered support from several top crypto firms, including Kraken, Bitget, Chainalysis, and Nansen, with the goal of ensuring that the Bitcoin emoji becomes a widely recognized symbol for the digital currency.
Fact Protocol, a decentralized network focused on AI and Web 3.0, has also expressed support for the initiative to include the Bitcoin emoji on every keyboard. By submitting the proposal to Unicode, the initiative aims to ensure that the Bitcoin emoji becomes a permanent fixture in digital communication history. The Consortium is expected to respond to the proposal by Nov. 30, and if approved, the Bitcoin emoji will be a significant step towards increasing the visibility and recognition of the digital currency.
