Mark Zuckerberg stole Facebook from them. Now they're crypto billionaires.
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Let's start with betrayal.
In 2004, twin brothers studying at Harvard had an idea for a social network and hired a coding genius named Mark Zuckerberg to develop it.
Months later, Facebook launched. But there was a problem — twins were not part of it.
The twins were outraged and filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg.
Facebook's popularity has exploded.
In 2008 (after a 4-year lawsuit), the twins settled for $65 million — $20 million in cash and 45 million in Facebook shares.
Most people would have given up at this point. But the Winklevosses? For them, it was just beginning...
Here's where it gets interesting: The twins held onto Facebook stock.
Despite feeling wronged, they believed in the company's potential. And it was the right decision:
By the time of Facebook’s 2012 IPO, its $45 million worth of shares had risen to $200 million.
The success of their "competitors" was their big gain. But the story doesn't end there:
Let's fast forward to the summer of 2013.
The twins heard about Bitcoin. Its price at the time was only $8.
They spent months researching this new technology that caught their attention and came to the following conclusion:
This will be bigger than Facebook.
So they made a bold move that took everyone by surprise...
They bought 1% of ALL Bitcoins in circulation.
Cost: $11 million
Amount: 120,000 BTC
People called them crazy. They mocked them for calling it "magic internet money."
But their discussion wasn't about currency. It was about a financial revolution...
According to them, Bitcoin was:
• Its supply was limited (only 21 million in total)
• It was decentralized (not under the control of any government)
• It was free (you can send money anywhere, instantly)
They believed that Bitcoin could transform finance. But owning Bitcoin was not enough:
The crypto world was like the Wild West in 2015 – risky and unregulated.
The twins saw an opportunity.
That's why they founded Gemini, a regulated crypto exchange - you can think of it like an exchange for digital currencies.
Gemini brought confidence to the crypto world.
He followed the rules, insured the deposits and kept everything safe.
The twins have become Bitcoin's biggest fans, speaking at events and teaching people about Bitcoin.
Why? As more people use Bitcoin, its value increases. Here are the numbers:
In 2017, the price of Bitcoin reached $20,000.
Remember their $11 million investment? It was now worth $1.3 billion.
But they didn’t cash in. Instead, they invested even more in the crypto space, expanding globally and encouraging crypto adoption.
This long-term thinking paid off:
2020 is here. COVID has spread. Governments have printed trillions of dollars.
Suddenly, people began to see Bitcoin as “digital gold” — a way to preserve wealth in uncertain times. In 2021, Bitcoin passed $60,000.
The twins' crypto empire was now worth billions of dollars.
Today, they are still working to bring crypto mainstream:
• Pressing for clear laws for crypto
• Investing in the next big blockchain ideas
But the Winklevoss story is not just about crypto. It is a masterclass in turning setbacks into opportunities:
Use rejection as a diversion.
Facebook’s door is closed, but it opened a window into a billion-dollar crypto future. Sometimes your competitor’s success can fuel your own.
Holding on to Facebook shares? A stroke of genius.
Important lessons:
Spot the trends early and then invest with all your might. The twins didn’t just buy Bitcoin; they built an ecosystem around it.
Always think long term and reinvest in a bigger vision.
Educate your market. By teaching others about crypto, the twins have grown both the industry and their own influence...
Be curious about new trends. It could be the next gold mine.
Don't let "no" stop you. Let it motivate you.
Remember: today's setback could lead to tomorrow's billion-dollar idea.
What will your $65 million revenge story be?
