The Secret History of Bitcoin: The Mysterious Street Bitcoin Trader

Source: Hashpai

Author: LucyCheng

Editor’s Note: The original title was “Mysterious Street Bitcoin Trader | The Secret History of Bitcoin (Sixty-eight)”

In the early stages of the Bitcoin mining market, when competition was increasingly fierce and there were not many exchange ecosystems, face-to-face over-the-counter transactions were one of the simplest and most direct ways to obtain Bitcoin. At that time, this market, which was not subject to any regulation and developed freely, not only caused many scams and frauds, but also some interesting stories. For example, Daniel Blank, the founder of blockchain startup Safebit, shared a mysterious street trading experience on the question-and-answer website Quora.

Screenshot from: Quora

In late 2013, when the price of Bitcoin was rising steadily, Blank and his friends decided to buy thousands of new shekels (Israeli legal currency) of Bitcoin at a price of $100 per coin. However, most of the ways to obtain Bitcoin at that time were too complicated or time-consuming, so after careful consideration, they chose to find OTC dealers to enter the market.

Through online searches, they quickly found a major local Bitcoin trader. However, the other party was very low-key and cautious, saying that not everyone could trade with him, and that only through the introduction of a mutual friend could a successful meeting with him be made. Blank felt very suspicious at first; the process of introduction by an acquaintance, meeting at an agreed location, and carrying out the transaction always made people unconsciously think of ***** transactions.

Despite this, Blank decided to take a chance. He and his friend contacted the trader via email, and after finalizing the amount and meeting time, they went to the agreed location with a large amount of cash and a laptop. During the 20-minute long wait, Blank imagined countless scenarios of meeting the trader, and even simulated what to do if he saw a liar or a criminal; but when the trader showed up, they were stunned because the person who came was a 13-year-old child.

What Blank never expected was that this 13-year-old boy was the mysterious seller. But compared to Blank's shock, the boy seemed very calm. He sat down and talked with Blank and his friends over a drink. During the conversation, the boy revealed that he had participated in Bitcoin mining not long after it was born and still held a huge amount of Bitcoin.

Looking back now, Blank still thinks the situation was very funny; but at the same time he is also full of curiosity about the boy, "I think that kid must have made a lot of money in the past few years. I'm curious about what he is doing now..."

Link to this article: https://www.8btc.com/media/580675
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