Most people don’t fall for Bitcoin overnight. It starts as curiosity, maybe even skepticism. Then, something shifts.
For some, it was making their first transaction without the need of a bank or seeing the price of their asset rise. For others, it was watching their government freeze bank accounts or realizing their savings were melting away due to inflation. Whatever the reason, every Bitcoiner has that moment—the one where they knew there was no going back.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we asked real Bitcoiners to share their stories: the moment they fell in love with Bitcoin. These are their love letters 🖤
Toony (Leather, Community Ambassador)
I’ve always been drawn to building things—startups, products, ideas. But every time I built within the system, I ran into the same limits: red tape, middlemen, and inefficiencies that felt unavoidable.
Then I found Bitcoin in 2018. At first, it felt like just another interesting “experiment,” like the many startups I’d seen rise and fall. I started buying small amounts on exchanges, watching it appreciate over the years. But as I dug deeper—reading the whitepaper, understanding its fundamentals—I realized Bitcoin wasn’t just another asset. It was the new digital currency.
The more I learned, the more I saw that Bitcoin wasn’t just a new technology—it was a new foundation. A way to build without permission, to create value without gatekeepers. It changed how I see money, time, and the work I want to do in this world.
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
3Hunna (Leather, Community Ambassador)
I was introduced to Bitcoin when it was $100, and I didn't jump on it because I thought it was a scam. In Africa, we had less knowledge about blockchain and Bitcoin. Also, we didn't have mobile data or home internet.
I became more knowledgeable about Crypto when I was introduced to Stacks 2022.
I then discovered how to put my music into Bitcoin Blockchain via Stacks.
I am slowly accumulating some Bitcoin.
I am officially and full-time in the Bitcoin Community.
Kate (Leather & Granite, Community Lead)
I didn’t discover Bitcoin on my own—a friend put me onto it as an alternative to stocks.
Before Bitcoin, I didn’t know how quickly my purchasing power was going down by holding dollars. I thought the natural state of the world was for everything to get more expensive all the time. I never questioned why.
I took the gamble on something new and interesting. Even in 2019, on ramps were somewhat limited. I was sending cash through the mail to Kraken to fund my account and buy Bitcoin. I remember thinking, Am I about to get scammed? Is this the dumbest thing I’ve ever done? But somehow, all those envelopes made it and the high risk, high reward was worth it.
As I continued to hold Bitcoin and learn about it, it opened up my mind. It allowed me to slow down and ask:
What if my savings actually gained value over time?
What would I choose to spend my money on even if I knew it would be more valuable in the future?
How would I spend my time if I wasn’t always rushing and trying to hustle for more money?
Bitcoin didn’t just change how I save—it changed how I see my time, my future, and my purpose during my short time here on earth. And once you start thinking like that, there’s simply no going back.
Jayson (Trust Machines, Marketing & PR Manager)
When I first got into crypto, it was easy to fall for the chase. Always running towards the next big thing. From the CryptoKitties to the first DOGE run-up, ConstitutionDAO, and more. What you realize upon looking back is that Bitcoin just kept growing. Bitcoin has that real finality. Bitcoin is the long-term low-commitment option. Bitcoin will let you hodl it or put it to use. I knew bitcoin was special when I realized you didn't have to chase after innovation; it's been steadily growing this whole time.
Reece (Leather, Community Ambassador)
I knew of Bitcoin in 2017, and bought a bit without serious thought or even being sure what it was. I knew nothing of crypto or web3 or the life Bitcoin had planned for me. Thanks to an email from CryptoCom, I circled back to web3 once I read about NFTs, and I started exploring more seriously. This kickstarted a journey that would lead me back to Bitcoin. After years of focusing on the 'use-case' of crypto, mainly Defi and art, I started slowly understanding the deeper game at play: what Bitcoin actually stood for.
It wasn't until I discovered Stacks that I committed to the relationship. This opened my eyes to the whole Bitcoin economy, and I started seeing it as the Trojan horse it's always been, but also the use cases it holds.
I've doubled down on Bitcoin as an artist and an individual, and I've found my forever home…
GPSC (Leather, Community Ambassador)
My journey in Bitcoin began in early 2022 while attending college classes, trying to make a new beginning for myself. I began exploring different Crypto related Youtube channels, learning as much as I could about Crypto as possible. I quickly began to question everything after witnessing the Terra Luna Crash in May 22'.
I learned quickly how volatile different assets can be. without the correct system of checks and balances, a whole blockchain could collapse. After witnessing my first black swan event, I decided to just HODL Bitcoin and continue doing my own research while staying sidelined on ALTs. Later that year I found Stacks and the mission stuck with me.
How do you unlock the Bitcoin economy in a decentralized, trustless system? I was sold. Creating a more programmable Bitcoin made sense to me. I began getting more involved with the awesome community Builders in the Stacks Ecosystem and I was inspired. I wanted to create my own Community on Bitcoin. I got back in touch with my love for creating Digital Art and the Giga Pepe Spaceship Club was born. Fast forward to the present day, I'm still inspired daily by those that always show up, trying to create a better future for people around the world via Bitcoin.
Bitcoin has taught me a lot about myself and has been a catalyst in my recovery. Bitcoin is not only the best store of value, It is a network of talented individuals trying to make real change in the world, empowering people to start writing the pages of their next chapter.
Brandon (Trust Machines, Social Media Manager)
I know exactly where I was when I first heard about Bitcoin.
It was 2013, I was in college, and like many college kids, I was trying to find ways to make money. I was also working at Microsoft at the time, and while keeping up with tech news for my job, I came across a blog post about Bitcoin. It mentioned that Bitcoin was going to be the future of money and would be widely used on the internet, which definitely piqued my interest. So I bought some. And then I bought some more a week later, and then I bought some more a month later.
And then in 2014, I sold it all. What happened? The main crypto exchange at the time, Mt. Gox, got hacked, and the price of Bitcoin fell by over 50%. Some "future of money" that was. So I sold it and didn't think about it for years.
But in 2017, one of my customers sparked up a conversation about cryptocurrency and talked to me about this altcoin. I was surprised Bitcoin was still around, much less a whole crypto industry. So I bought this altcoin in early 2017 and watched it and everything else go parabolic by the end of the year, only for it all to come crashing down in 2018. Everything except Bitcoin.
I came to realize that Bitcoin was unlike anything else. I got more educated and started to think of Bitcoin not as an investment, but as a savings vehicle. When you start denominating things in BTC, everything else begins to lose value. That was the moment Bitcoin clicked for me, and I've been a Bitcoiner ever since.
Rena (COO, Trust Machines)
I first learned about Bitcoin in 2012 while working in Oil. I was a petroleum engineer offshore out on the rigs. While on the rigs, you couldn't do much - gym & tv. At the time, I was obsessed with legal drama tv shows. While on my downtime, I was watching The Good Wife and my favorite character was defending "Mr. Bitcoin" and explained what Bitcoin is - why there needed to be a censorship currently, and most importantly - you can mine it.
As an engineer used to mining precious resources, something clicked. We live in a global world where everyone is trying to get access to staples (money, energy, food), and what if this system made it more equitable and inclusive for the whole world. Since I worked on a rig with access to free electricity... I started mining and learning about the symbiosis for energy and compute power. More than a decade later, nothing has changed. Bitcoin represents the world's more precious commodity and deserves a lifetime of research and development to make it scalable & sustainable for all.
Each person’s journey into Bitcoin is unique, but the pattern is the same: Bitcoin shifts your perspective. It challenges your beliefs, makes you think long-term, and teaches you patience in a world obsessed with instant gratification.
But that’s what makes it real. It’s not just another passing trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how we think about our own value, time, and sovereignty.
So to Bitcoin, and to every Bitcoiner out there who took the leap—We 🧡 you and we go together!
