Outset Data Pulse: Conference Sponsorships Show No Traffic Lift After Bitcoin Controls

Outset Data Pulse's May 5 report confirms crypto conference sponsorships deliver no independent traffic gains across 274 outlets and 74 Tier-1 events once Bitcoin price momentum is controlled for, with US traffic flat and Asian uplifts vanishing. Initial May 4 analysis noted ~0.2% US and ~0.5% Asian traffic increases during conference months, but attributed these to concurrent BTC surges rather than sponsorship effects, concentrated in an October 2025 cluster. The study urges treating sponsorships—often six-figure costs—as relationship tools, timed with market upswings and paired with targeted media via Outset Media Index.