Over the next few weeks, we’ll share highlights from some of the best stories you sent us. As we read through the first batch of stories, a key theme quickly emerged: crypto drives financial inclusion and lowers the barrier of entry for all—at the end of the day, all you need is a phone or laptop, plus an internet connection.
“Crypto saved me from homelessness.”
Ask Binance user ‘Gorilla’ what crypto means to him, and you’ll get a simple answer: “Crypto gives me the freedom to not be freaked out about money.” Today, ‘Gorilla’ has a 5 year plan to achieve financial independence. However, his crypto journey started very differently. He shares, “I was homeless in my early 20s, so always having a roof over my head is something I value as much as oxygen and clean water.”
Though he always had a laptop and phone, he spent his evenings moving from place to place in search of a couch or nearby park to sleep in. After spending some time reading crypto white papers, he decided to take his first steps into the crypto world, by mining on his laptop whenever he had the chance.
“I'm a firm believer that a man is only as rich as the life he lives, meaning I experience freedom worth way more than dollars in the bank.”
As his interest in crypto grew, he learned how to code. Today, ‘Gorilla’ works as a programmer in South Africa. His latest project? Reducing corruption with blockchain technology.
For him, the public ledger, a permanent record book of transactions that underpins cryptocurrency technology, coupled with AI, provides an opportunity to bring radical transparency to the procurement of goods and services, an area that’s prone to corruption. “I’ve been working on my own stuff for the past two years,” says ‘Gorilla’. He self-funds this endeavor with earnings from his crypto trading income. As a successful long-time trader, the profits he made in 2017 alone were enough for him to “buy [his] first house in cash”, a far cry from his humble beginnings.
When it comes to crypto, only a select amount of traders will experience the kind of stratospheric success that ‘Gorilla’ achieved, but a combination of hard work, patience, and a little luck goes a long way. “My advice for crypto newbies is if you are new to crypto, learn fundamentals,” says ‘Gorilla’. This was a lesson he learned the hard way. “I lost an arm [and a leg] thinking silly projects will win. Don’t be afraid to take profit, and if you can’t open a new position [at a lower cost], there are many great projects [to back]”. Whether you’re new to crypto or a seasoned trader, it’s always good to expand your crypto knowledge with some free learning resources.
These days, ‘Gorilla’ primarily trades crypto futures on Binance, and when he’s unable to trade, he subscribes his crypto in order to earn interest on select coins. Eventually, he plans to trade full-time, and travel the world while living in semi-retirement. For him, the great thing about trading is that all he needs is a laptop and Wi-Fi signal—or a phone if he’s using the Binance app.
People around the world are drawn to crypto trading for its diverse financial opportunities and accessibility. The freedom of being able to trade 24/7 has an enduring appeal. This is how Ally, who works as a journalist, found himself drawn to crypto.
“Coming from a 9-5 career background, I always found that life restricting and I had been searching for something else.”
Before he became a journalist, Ally worked as a communication officer in a local investment bank. When he discovered the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry, he realized that there was enormous potential. He knew first-hand from working at a local investment bank that “blockchain is still something new for the banks to explore and consider”, and that acceptance was still slow.
However, the turning point arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, Ally joined several online events about blockchain and crypto, and decided to learn how to trade on Binance.
“I believe I made a good decision. While the pandemic has affected others mentally and physically, I feel much more content to trade,” says Ally, who counts crypto amongst his hobbies, which include writing and poetry. “I’m grateful for such crypto services to exist.”
“While cryptocurrencies bring opportunities, Binance brings the opportunities easier and closer.”
Ally’s crypto journey began with Binance Savings, which he used to lend his crypto in order to earn interest. Eventually, he “learned how to do technical analysis and use spot or margin trad[ing].” Today, he mostly trades and holds, knowing that the industry will only continue to grow.
For ‘Gorilla’ and Ally, crypto has become an indispensable part of their everyday lives, playing an important role in shaping their paths toward financial independence. Join us next week for more highlights from #MyCryptoLife, including a story of how crypto changed the fortunes of a down-on-her-luck entrepreneur, as well as the next generation of crypto educators who are dedicated to sharing the benefits of blockchain and crypto with the world.
Got a crypto success story of your own? Tag us on Twitter and be sure to include the hashtag #MyCryptoLife.
