William "Will" Foxley is the co-founder of Blockspace Media, a media and data intelligence company dedicated to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Foxley is also known for his previous work at the digital asset news publication CoinDesk, where he was a reporter and a co-host of the daily news show "The Hash," and for his time as Director of Content at the Bitcoin mining company Compass Mining. ^{[1] [2] [3]} His full name is reported as William Foxley-Smith. ^{[1] [3]}​

Education

Will Foxley completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Grove City College, attending the institution from 2015 to 2019. While enrolled, he took part in student activities and academic organizations, including service as a Young Life Volunteer Leader and membership in Phi Alpha Theta, a history honorary society. ^[1]

Career

Foxley has built a career in journalism and media, transitioning from traditional newsrooms and marketing roles into a specialized focus on the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry.

Early Career

Following his graduate studies, Foxley's early career included several positions in media and communications. He worked as an Editorial Fellow at Vocativ from January to May 2016. ^[3] He also completed an international internship at the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Beijing, China, from June to August 2016. ^[5] He then worked as a Breaking News and Tech Reporter for the International Business Times from June 2016 to July 2017. ^[3] Following this, he held a role as a Social Media Editor at TheStreet from July 2017 to March 2018. ^[3] Other reported roles during this period include a brief position as a content marketer at the Ethereum software company ConsenSys in 2018 and a role at Hiltzik Strategies. ^{[2] [5]}​

CoinDesk

Foxley joined the cryptocurrency news outlet CoinDesk around 2018, marking his official entry into crypto journalism. ^{[1] [4]} During his tenure, which lasted until mid-2021, he held several key positions. Initially, he worked as a markets reporter and content producer, where he managed social media and newsletters while covering industry trends. ^[3] His reporting beat primarily focused on the Ethereum ecosystem, decentralized finance (DeFi), enterprise blockchain, and venture capital within the crypto space. ^{[3] [5]}​

He gained significant public recognition as one of the original co-hosts of "The Hash," CoinDesk's flagship daily video news show. In this role, Foxley provided live analysis and participated in panel discussions on the top crypto news stories of the day, establishing his profile as a knowledgeable industry commentator. ^{[1] [3]} Over his time at the company, he was promoted through roles including Editorial Manager and eventually Director of Content, a position in which he led media properties and oversaw content strategy for video, podcasts, and newsletters. ^{[3] [5]} A biographical note from his time at CoinDesk mentioned that he held BTC and ETH. [3]

Compass Mining

Around mid-2021, Foxley transitioned from CoinDesk to Compass Mining, a marketplace and hosting service for Bitcoin mining hardware. He served as the company's Director of Content, leading its media and content strategy. ^{[4] [2]} In this capacity, he was responsible for the company's content output during a period of significant growth and change in the mining industry. His tenure at Compass Mining concluded in late 2022 or early 2023, according to various professional profiles. ^{[3] [4]} During this period, he also began hosting "The Mining Pod," a podcast dedicated to covering developments and trends in the Bitcoin mining sector. ^[2]​

Blockspace Media

In late 2022 or 2023, Foxley co-founded Blockspace Media alongside Jake Pollack, assuming the role of CEO and Publisher. ^{[4] [3]} Blockspace was established as a Bitcoin-native media and intelligence company with a mission to cover the "investable landscape of Bitcoin-related assets." ^[6] The platform focuses on providing news, analysis, and data related to Bitcoin's expanding ecosystem, including markets, mining, technology, Layer 2 solutions, and on-chain assets. ^{[6] [4]}​

Blockspace's offerings include podcasts, articles, custom research reports, and a "market studio." The company also organizes the OPNEXT technical conference, with an event scheduled for April 16, 2026, in New York, focused on projects scaling Bitcoin. ^{[6] [5]}​

Acquisition of Bitcoin Layers

A significant milestone for Blockspace Media under Foxley's leadership was the acquisition of Bitcoin Layers, an independent data and research provider focused on Bitcoin's Layer 2 and scaling ecosystem. The acquisition was announced on January 19, 2026. ^{[6] [5]}​

The strategic goal of the acquisition was to integrate Bitcoin Layers' proprietary data tools and analytics into Blockspace's platform. This move marked the company's first proprietary data product and a strategic shift from being a pure publication to becoming a broader data and business intelligence firm for the Bitcoin economy. ^{[4] [5]} The integration is intended to provide investors, token foundations, and developers with tools to track on-chain metrics such as Total Value Locked (TVL), user adoption, and activity across various Bitcoin scaling solutions like rollups and sidechains. ^[5]​

Regarding the acquisition, Foxley stated, “Blockspace is more than a Bitcoin publication. We’re a platform for covering the investable landscape of Bitcoin-related assets. With Bitcoin Layers in Blockspace, we’ll be working directly with investors, token foundations, and Bitcoin startups to better understand their users’ on-chain metrics.” ^[6]​

Public Appearances and Media

Foxley is a recognized public figure within the cryptocurrency industry, largely due to his on-air and public speaking roles. As a co-host of CoinDesk's "The Hash," he regularly appeared on a platform that discussed the industry's most pressing topics. ^[1] He continues his work in media as the host of "The Mining Pod," which focuses on the Bitcoin mining industry. ^[2]​

He is also a frequent speaker at major industry conferences. For instance, he was a featured speaker at CoinDesk's Consensus 2025 event, where his scheduled sessions at the Bitcoin Mining Summit demonstrated his areas of expertise. Topics included "Positioned for Power: Meeting the AI Demand with a Bitcoin Mining Backbone," "Bitcoin Mining in the Age of Trump," and "Inside American Bitcoin, the Trump-Hut 8 Mining Venture." ^[4] Through his social media presence, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), he provides commentary and analysis on breaking news in the crypto industry. ^[3]​

Interviews

Will Foxley on Bitcoin & Crypto Media #01

On August 18, 2023, Will Foxley took part in an interview on the Galaxy Brains podcast, broadcast on Galaxy’s YouTube channel. The conversation addressed topics related to Bitcoin culture, Bitcoin mining, and the structure of crypto-focused media, based on Foxley’s professional background as host of The Mining Pod and his previous involvement in the mining sector.

During the interview, Foxley commented on Bitcoin’s period of low realized volatility, which he characterized as an indicator of structural change in the asset’s behavior. He associated this condition with a shift toward greater stability, noting that lower volatility may alter how Bitcoin is evaluated by institutional market participants. In this context, he discussed exchange-traded funds linked to Bitcoin, focusing on their role as financial instruments that could provide standardized market access rather than on speculative expectations surrounding their approval.

Foxley also addressed the organization of crypto media, describing it as decentralized and distributed across independent platforms. He stated that live-format coverage remains limited and fragmented, which, in his view, affects the consistency and continuity of information delivery. He outlined a possible syndication-based approach in which existing programs and podcasts could be aggregated into a continuous broadcast structure, comparable to traditional media distribution models.

The discussion further examined Bitcoin mining as a distinct segment within the broader digital asset ecosystem. Foxley described mining as influenced by operational constraints, energy sourcing, geographic factors, and industry-specific communities. He referenced recent developments such as ordinals and on-chain inscriptions, framing them as technical uses of the Bitcoin protocol that have generated differing responses within the community, particularly regarding network usage and long-term design considerations.

The interview reflected Foxley’s perspective on how mining economics, media practices, and protocol-level developments interact within the Bitcoin ecosystem, especially in light of events such as the Bitcoin halving and ongoing macroeconomic conditions. ^[7]

Big Tech Meets Rural America #02

On April 18, 2024, Will Foxley, co-founder of Blockspace Media, appeared on CoinDesk’s First Mover program to discuss The Big Empty, a documentary film examining the presence of a large-scale Bitcoin mining operation in Spur, Texas. The interview presents Foxley’s account and interpretation of the project and its subject matter.

According to Foxley, The Big Empty focuses on the social and economic conditions of Spur, a rural town with a population of fewer than 900 residents, following the construction of an approximately 800-megawatt Bitcoin mining facility operated by Galaxy Digital Holdings. The documentary centers on the interaction between local residents and the mining operation, emphasizing lived experiences rather than technical explanations of mining infrastructure.

Foxley states that the documentary originated after a recommendation from Amanda Fabiano, formerly head of mining at Galaxy Digital, which prompted site visits and on-location interviews in Spur. He reports that community responses to the mining facility were varied, with residents expressing a range of views, including uncertainty, concern, and conditional acceptance. Individuals with direct economic ties to the operation, such as employment or service provision, are described as generally more receptive.

As presented in the interview, Foxley notes measurable economic effects associated with the mining operation, including wages exceeding the town’s previous averages and funding allocated to local infrastructure projects, such as the refurbishment of a public swimming pool that had been inactive for an extended period. At the same time, he acknowledges concerns raised by residents regarding the long-term viability of Bitcoin mining, the cyclical nature of the industry, and the risk of reduced activity or withdrawal during market downturns.

The discussion also addresses the upcoming Bitcoin halving event. Foxley indicates that while reductions in mining activity have occurred in previous cycles, industry efficiency improvements and changes in operational models may influence outcomes differently in this instance. These observations are presented as contextual background rather than forecasts.

In the interview, Foxley characterizes The Big Empty as a documentation of how Bitcoin mining operations interact with rural communities, using Spur, Texas as a specific example. The film, as described by Foxley, examines economic participation, local perception, and uncertainty surrounding long-term industrial presence, without advancing conclusions about broader policy or industry outcomes. ^[8]