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Interview with Ben Friedman — Head of Sales & Business Development at Bitcoin.com
AffPapa interviewed Ben Friedman, the Head of Sales & Business Development at Bitcoin.com. Ben spoke on their partnership strategies, the links between iGaming and cryptocurrencies, crypto industry trends, and more.
Yeva: You joined Bitcoin.com in 2022, and Bitcoin.com News is now a major player in the crypto media space. Can you tell us about your role and your journey with the company?
I joined Bitcoin.com in mid-2022 as an MBA intern, focusing on business development and partnerships. From there, I was promoted to Business Development Manager, where I concentrated on partnerships and integrations across Bitcoin.com and our Verse ecosystem. Now, as Head of Sales & Business Development, my core responsibility is driving revenue across key areas like news, media, SEO, and affiliates.
A key focus for us has been building long-term partnerships that generate recurring revenue. This approach is especially important in the digital asset space, where market volatility can affect advertising budgets. By locking in partners for longer-term agreements, we create stability. Our hybrid affiliate models, which balance short-term results with long-term upside, have been particularly successful. We’re continually evolving Bitcoin.com News to stay ahead of the industry. A large part of my role is ensuring that advertisers see the unique value we offer, such as our product integration and prominent news placement on the home screen of our wallet app, which reaches millions of users.
Yeva: Could you share more about your experiences with Bitcoin.com and describe how you were able to connect the two industries of cryptocurrency and iGaming?
I’ve been with Bitcoin.com for just over two years now, and it’s been an incredible journey. This was my first experience in the digital asset space, and I’ve grown from managing partnerships and business development to overseeing our entire sales function. One of our biggest assets is the Bitcoin.com domain itself—it’s one of the most valuable in the industry, and we’ve leveraged its strong SEO and brand presence to make strategic connections with the iGaming sector.
The gambling and betting markets are huge globally, and we’ve seen significant growth in crypto-focused casinos, sportsbooks, and traditional operators incorporating crypto payments. With hundreds of SEO-optimized pages, such as bitcoin.com/gambling and bitcoin.com/gambling/betting, we provide advertising opportunities in multiple languages for operators worldwide. Our goal is to drive high-quality traffic to our partners, helping them attract and retain high-value players. Through this approach, we’ve established Bitcoin.com as a leading affiliate for the iGaming industry, thanks to our top rankings and valuable domain authority.
Yeva: What are the most significant trends you’re noticing in the cryptocurrency industry, and how is Bitcoin.com adapting to them?
One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is the shift toward greater mainstream adoption of digital assets, with a particular emphasis on stablecoins and institutional involvement. As governments and financial institutions become more interested in cryptocurrency, regulations and legal frameworks are being developed, which is both a challenge and an opportunity. At Bitcoin.com, we’re adapting by offering user-friendly products that cater to both beginners and more experienced users, while staying compliant with emerging legal standards. We’ve also noticed a growing demand for DeFi and self-custodial solutions, so we’re focusing on expanding our product offerings in these areas, particularly with our Verse ecosystem, to help users take more control over their finances.
Yeva: What type of strategies do you use when it comes to growing a business in an industry as rapid and unpredictable as cryptocurrency?
In such a fast-moving space, agility and long-term vision are key. Our strategy is twofold: First, we focus on building long-term partnerships that generate recurring revenue and offer stability, especially during periods of market volatility. This helps us weather the ups and downs of the crypto markets. Second, we emphasize innovation—constantly iterating on our products and services to stay ahead of industry trends. While exploring new technologies like DeFi and NFTs, we always remain true to our core value of catering to what our users want, which is rooted in Bitcoin and the principles of economic freedom. By staying aligned with our core audience and leveraging data-driven decision-making, we adapt quickly to changes in user behavior and market conditions.
Yeva: With decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain continuously rising, what are some opportunities you see for Bitcoin.com News regarding partnerships and expansion?
With DeFi and blockchain innovations continuing to grow, Bitcoin.com News has a unique opportunity to partner with projects that are at the forefront of these technologies. By covering decentralized finance protocols, blockchain use cases, and crypto adoption trends, we position ourselves as a critical resource for educating users on these emerging technologies. We’re also able to collaborate with leading DeFi projects through media partnerships, sponsored content, and affiliate programs that highlight innovative financial services such as staking, lending, and yield farming.
From a broader expansion perspective, we see great opportunities in regional markets where DeFi is becoming a key part of the financial landscape. By enhancing our SEO strategies and offering tailored content in multiple languages, we can drive growth and visibility for DeFi platforms while providing educational content to new crypto users. This positions Bitcoin.com News as both an informational hub and a partner for DeFi projects looking to reach a broader audience.
Yeva: What are the future goals of Bitcoin.com News’ affiliate network and impact, especially given the rapid growth of the iGaming industry? What role will the sales and business development teams play in achieving that vision?
Our affiliate network is rapidly expanding, and we see tremendous potential to position Bitcoin.com News as the go-to platform for both crypto and iGaming affiliates. We’re continuously building out our affiliate models in new verticals like exchanges, mining, and crypto cards, while maintaining a strong focus on iGaming, given our hundreds of partnerships in that space. By leveraging our SEO dominance, we aim to create high-value traffic funnels that drive engagement and retention for our partners, particularly in the gambling and sports betting markets.
The Sales and Business Development Team plays a pivotal role in this, identifying new opportunities, securing partnerships, and ensuring our partners maximize the value from our platform. We’re also expanding features that our affiliates and end users want, such as optimizing page content, increasing language and region-specific exposure, and introducing new functionalities to drive traffic and engagement. In the long term, we aim to expand further into verticals that are rapidly adopting crypto at scale.
Yeva: Apart from your position, do you have any hobbies or passions that help you disconnect and spark your creativity?
Outside of work, I’m passionate about travel, cycling, and golf. These activities help me recharge and maintain a healthy balance. Traveling gives me fresh perspectives, while cycling and golf allow me to clear my mind and stay focused. They also help keep me energized and ready to tackle new challenges in my work.
Company: Bitcoin.com
Interviewee: Ben Friedman
Date: 24.09.2024
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