If only you could turn back time and buy more Bitcoin, right? Well, some people actually saw Bitcoin’s potential back when it didn’t have the hype and are now swimming in millions. With Bitcoin now worth over $100k, there’s no doubt that they made the right choice. There are incredible stories of people turning risk into millions—such as selling everything they owned, becoming millionaires within months, or even becoming millionaires by 18 after quitting school. At first, even now, some still think of Bitcoin and crypto as a gamble, considering the volatility of the markets.
However, with the right skills and research, investing in Bitcoin doesn’t have to be all about luck. A lot of comparisons are made between investing in crypto and gambling. But unlike playing casino games where luck is the deciding factor, following Bitcoin trends and expert opinions can make you money.
So let’s dive into some of the Bitcoin success stories that have happened before.
Erik Finman – Investing in Bitcoin at 12 and Becoming a Millionaire by 18
This is probably one of the craziest Bitcoin success stories out there. At only 12 years old, Erik Finman took $1,000 his grandma gave him and bought Bitcoin. At the time, one Bitcoin was going for around $10. He first discovered Bitcoin at a protest in Washington, DC, where he was with his brother and spotted someone with a Bitcoin t-shirt. He asked his brother what Bitcoin was, and his answer was simple: “It’s going to end Wall Street, bro.”That fascinated Erik, who started learning everything about Bitcoin, balancing school work and trading. People didn’t quite understand why he was so interested in Bitcoin and wanted to quit school. So, he made a bet with his parents to leave school at 15 and focus on Bitcoin. If he didn’t become a millionaire by 18, he would return to school or college.
When Bitcoin finally reached $2,700, his tokens made him a millionaire; at that time, he was only 17 years old. So, he won the bet.
Kingsley Advani – Sold Everything he had to invest in Bitcoin
Would you sell everything you have to buy Bitcoin? That’s the story of Kingsley Advani. He went all in during the Bitcoin bull run mid-2017, seeing the potential to make more money. A risk that clearly paid off. He sold all his assets, including his laptop, and emptied his bank account to buy Bitcoin worth $34,000. After a few months, he was already a millionaire. Kingsley nowadays travels from London to New York and San Francisco, advising startups in the cryptocurrency space. He is quoted as saying, “I think at no point in human history have people in their twenties had such an opportunity to invest in such high-growth assets.”
Kristoffer Koch – Spending “Real Money” to Buy “Fake Money” Paid Off
Kristoffer Koch was a Norwegian student back in 2009, writing his master’s thesis on encryption technology, when he stumbled upon Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper. Having a background in blockchain technology, he easily understood the impact Bitcoin could have. So, he bought 5,000 bitcoins worth $26.60 at the time. Even though it was only $26.60, his partner was doubtful that spending “real money” to buy “fake money” was a good idea. Four years later, in 2013, Kristoffer saw how Bitcoin had increased in value and realised he was almost a millionaire. He sold 1,000 bitcoins and bought himself an apartment. If Koch is still left with the remaining 4,000 bitcoins, his portfolio runs into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Kane Ellis – His Only Mistake Was Paying 2 to 4 Bitcoins for a McDonald’s Meal
Kane Ellis is an Australian entrepreneur whose passion for Bitcoin and technology started when he was young. Even though he has launched various companies like Nerd Herd and the CarSwap app, his biggest investment was mining bitcoin in 2010 when one BTC was worth $1.60. His only mistake was buying a McDonald’s meal for 2 to 4 bitcoins. With Bitcoin past $100k, that makes the Coke, fries, and burger combo worth roughly six figures. Not forgetting that Laszlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas with 10,000 bitcoins, which was about $41 at the time, making it the first known real-world BTC transaction.
A few years later, Ellis sold a small portion of his BTC portfolio to gift himself a stunning $200,000 yellow Maserati—a true status symbol for a crypto bro.
