In the new article we tell you who holds the most bitcoins (BTC), the secrets behind successful crypto millionaires, and practical tips you can glean from their stories.
The path to wealth in the digital age
The advent of the digital asset market marked a true financial innovation. The beginning of this new era was the creation of Bitcoin (BTC), the first cryptocurrency on the market, back in 2009. Over fifteen years, Bitcoin has grown from a niche hobby for tech geeks into a mainstream phenomenon.
This new type of money has brought new investment strategies and pathways to wealth, which the boldest have already traversed. So, let's delve into some of the most intriguing cryptocurrency success stories.
Understanding Bitcoin's impact on wealth creation
It is hard to overestimate the cryptocurrency market influence on wealth creation. This significance is composed of several key factors:
1. Decentralised nature of Bitcoin. This means that anyone with internet access can invest in cryptocurrency. Starting capital, social status, and geographic location play no role whatsoever.
Such a level of decentralisation is achieved thanks to blockchain technology, which underpins the first cryptocurrency. You can learn more about it from our article.
2. Limited supply and growing demand. Only 21 million BTC exist, and no more coins will ever be created. This predetermined cap makes Bitcoin a scarce asset, and this scarcity, paired with growing interest from crypto ventures, acts as a kind of perpetual engine driving the asset's price upwards.
Fun fact! Not all Bitcoins are yet in circulation. According to forecasts, the last BTC will be mined only in 2140, after which the process of Bitcoin mining will cease forever. Until then, read our article to learn what cryptocurrency mining is and how you can earn from it.
3. Potential for high returns. For better or worse, cryptocurrencies are far more volatile assets than financial instruments like gold or stocks. This means that cryptocurrency can yield much higher returns for its investors.
Bitcoin has already proven capable of this: at its launch, it wasn't worth even a dollar, but since then, its price has spiked by tens of thousands of percent. At the time of publishing this article, BTC is trading at $58,500.
Profiles of top Bitcoin millionaires
Let's finally learn more about those individuals who successfully transitioned from simple cryptocurrency investors to world-renowned Bitcoin millionaires.
Satoshi Nakamoto: the mysterious pioneer
A special place on our list is occupied by Satoshi Nakamoto—not just one of the Bitcoin entrepreneurs or early adopters, but the legendary creator of the first cryptocurrency himself.
Unfortunately, very little is known about his identity. To this day, no one even knows for sure whether it was one person or a group of anonymous developers. Whoever is behind this pseudonym, Satoshi disappeared thirteen years ago, on April 23, 2011. Since then, no one has heard anything about them.
However, some information about Nakamoto is known. Namely, the size of his crypto wealth. The community has determined that the king of crypto holds at least 1.1 million BTC. At current rates, this amount is valued at $64.45 billion.
Satoshi Nakamoto. Source
Well-known investors and entrepreneurs
However, our list of digital currency moguls does not end with Satoshi Nakamoto. Here are some of the largest crypto investors whose achievements cannot be ignored.
Changpeng Zhao (CZ)
The founder and former head of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, is a true blockchain pioneer.
His trading platform, launched in 2017, played a significant role in popularising digital assets. Binance is user-friendly and offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies, providing low fees and strong security. The exchange also has its own Academy, which educates the public on the blockchain technology
Alongside the growing popularity of cryptocurrency, CZ’s Bitcoin holdings increased as well. Today, his crypto fortune is estimated at $47.7 billion, making him the second richest person in the crypto industry.
Changpeng Zhao. Source
Brian Armstrong
The co-founder and CEO of Coinbase began his journey in cryptocurrencies while working as a software engineer at Airbnb.
Seeing the potential of Bitcoin and other digital assets, he founded Coinbase in 2012—a platform that simplifies the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies for a broad audience.
Today, his exchange remains one of the most well-known and sought-after in the market. Armstrong's own crypto wealth is estimated at $11.5 billion.
Brian Armstrong. Source
Giancarlo Devasini
The CFO of Tether began his career as a surgeon and electronics entrepreneur.
Devasini entered the world of cryptocurrency, allegedly, in 2018 through investments in the Bitfinex platform. Now he owns a 47% stake in Tether (USDT), valued at approximately $9.2 billion.
Giancarlo Devasini. Source
Michael Saylor
The CEO of MicroStrategy is a true Bitcoin entrepreneur and big fan. Under Saylor’s leadership, the company adopted a completely new investment strategy. The firm started investing in BTC. Interestingly, this strategic shift occurred relatively recently—in 2020.
According to the latest data, Saylor owns 12% of the company, or $5 billion in cryptocurrency.
Michael Saylor. Source
Winklevoss Twins
You’ve probably heard of Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss—they are the founders of the renowned cryptocurrency exchange Gemini. The Winklevoss brothers also serve as a prime example of Bitcoin and blockchain pioneers.
They started investing in BTC back in 2013, when the asset was trading at around $100. Since then, Bitcoin has grown thousands of times, increasing the Winklevoss brothers' crypto fortune to billions of US dollars. According to Forbes, they own about 70,000 BTC worth $2.7 billion (as of July 3, 2024).
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Source
How they built their Bitcoin wealth
Stories of Bitcoin millionaires often seem like fairy tales with happy endings or tales of simple luck, where people just happened to be in the right place at the right time. However, let's take a closer look at these stories and try to understand what helped today's Bitcoin millionaires achieve such success.
Early adoption and investments
A common trait among most cryptocurrency investors we discussed is early adoption of Bitcoin. Early adopters maximised their benefits by buying BTC at rock-bottom prices during the nascent stages of the crypto market and multiplying their Bitcoin investments many times over by simply holding onto their assets.
This category includes crypto pioneers like the Winklevoss twins, who first purchased Bitcoin in 2013, or Brian Armstrong, who founded his cryptocurrency exchange in 2012.
Their belief in a new and then-unknown idea eventually enriched them by billions of US dollars. However, this decision was far from simple—it required a deep understanding of a little-known technology and, equally important, a readiness to accept market fluctuations and potential losses.
Innovation and entrepreneurship in crypto
However, those who didn’t buy Bitcoin 10 years ago shouldn’t despair. Just look at Michael Saylor, who decided to seriously invest in Bitcoin only in 2020, or Giancarlo Devasini, who entered the ranks of Bitcoin millionaires this year.
These entrepreneurs share another crucial trait—the willingness not just to invest or trade but to innovate and build their crypto wealth through experimentation and entrepreneurship.
Take Michael Saylor’s bold investment strategy as an example. Driven by his belief in BTC's potential, he completely changed the course of MicroStrategy.
All creators of their own exchanges, projects, startups, and other businesses within the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem not only create additional avenues for their own crypto fortunes to grow but also help the entire digital asset industry develop.
Lessons learned from Bitcoin millionaires
Though the stories of the millionaires we've discussed are quite varied, there are a few common takeaways. Among the most significant, regarding investment strategies and risks, are the following:
Lesson 1. Stay informed and keep an eye on emerging technologies and trends. Don't dismiss them too quickly. By the way, you can always be updated on the latest news with itez blog and our social media. Every day, we publish the freshest news and reviews from the industry on Telegram and share analysis on X.
Lesson 2. Dedicate time to research. This will not only help you understand new developments better but also enable you to assess and manage potential risks more effectively.
Lesson 3. Don’t just be an observer, be a creator. Trading and investing in digital currencies can be profitable in itself. However, you can broaden your horizons and increase your crypto wealth even further by exploring additional sources of income and enriching the industry you're involved in.
The future of cryptocurrency and blockchain
The future of this sector remains a field for speculation and guesswork. Predicting the future of this industry is nearly impossible, as it is still highly volatile.
Nevertheless, Bitcoin enthusiasts with significant capital and a firm belief in the potential of crypto possess the influence and resources needed to develop and promote the technology to the masses.
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This article is not investment advice or a recommendation to purchase any specific product or service. The financial transactions mentioned in the article are not a guide to action. It’s not intended to constitute a comprehensive statement of all possible risks. You should independently conduct an analysis on the basis of which it will be possible to draw conclusions and make decisions about making any operations with cryptocurrency.
