Meet Erik Finman, the teenager who transformed $1,000 into millions!
In 2011, at just 12 years old, Erik received a gift of $1,000 from his grandmother, which he wisely invested in bitcoin when it was priced at $10 per BTC.
But how did he discover BTC at such a young age? During a protest at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC, where he spotted someone wearing a bitcoin T-shirt. Curious, he asked his brother about it, who cryptically replied, "it's gonna end Wall Street."
Taking heed of his brother's words, Erik dove into the world of bitcoin trading alongside his schooling. Though he didn't excel academically and faced discouragement from a teacher who famously quipped, "He might as well drop out and work at McDonald's, as he wouldn't achieve anything greater in life."
At 15, Erik made a bold decision to leave high school, striking a deal with his parents that if he could amass a million dollars before turning 18, he wouldn't have to return to school or pursue college.
True to his word, Erik cashed in $100,000 worth of bitcoin and launched Botangle from his bedroom—an educational platform facilitating video chat lessons, like pairing an Australian student with a private tutor in Tokyo. In 2015, faced with a choice between $100,000 or 300 BTC for his company, Erik bet on the future of cryptocurrency and opted for the 300 BTC, a decision that would prove immensely lucrative.
By age 17, Erik had become a millionaire as bitcoin's value skyrocketed past $2,700, fulfilling his wager ahead of his 18th birthday. Eschewing college, he embarked on global adventures, traversing cities like Dubai, Hong Kong, and Stockholm, and treating himself to a luxury Audi R8.
Today, Erik's bitcoin investments have multiplied exponentially, catapulting his net worth into the eight-figure realm. He's a notable investor in a Silicon Valley cryptocurrency startup and has been instrumental in advocating for the Crypto-Currency Act of 2020.