Takashi Kotegawa, famously known as BNF, is one of Japan’s most legendary traders a man who turned just $13,000 into over $153 million through pure skill, patience, and discipline.
He started trading around 1999, when he was just a regular college student with no mentor, no insider access, and no financial background. His starting capital was barely $13,000 his life savings. While most beginners lose everything in the early years, Kotegawa’s story was completely different.
In the early 2000s, when Japan’s tech bubble burst and markets collapsed, investors were panicking. But Kotegawa saw opportunity in that fear. His mindset was simple: “Buy fear, sell recovery.” While others were selling at the bottom, he was quietly buying undervalued stocks, waiting for the rebound.
He never relied on rumors or news only price action and volume. His trading style was fast, aggressive, and extremely disciplined. He used high volume scalping, taking many trades for small profits, but his timing and precision made those small wins grow into millions. The key difference was his mindset: he cut losses instantly, never let emotions take control, and treated every trade like a calculated mission.
His most famous moment came during the Livedoor Scandal in 2006, when the Japanese stock market crashed after fraud allegations against a major company. While the entire market was in free fall, Kotegawa spotted a bottom and went all in. Within hours, as prices bounced, he made millions of dollars a trade that turned him into a national sensation.
By 2008, his trading capital had officially grown from $13,000 to over $153 million (around ¥18 billion) a number he personally showed during a Fuji TV interview. It was one of the most shocking success stories Japan had ever seen.
After 2008, Kotegawa disappeared from the public eye. He stopped giving interviews and stayed away from fame. Many believe his real net worth crossed $200–300 million, but he never confirmed it. He always said that money was never the goal freedom was.
At one point, SoftBank offered him a high paying position as a professional trader. He politely refused, saying, “I can’t work for anyone else. I need my freedom.” That one line defined who he was a man who valued independence more than luxury.
Despite his massive success, he lived a simple life in a small Tokyo apartment, surrounded by trading monitors. No luxury cars, no expensive lifestyle, no show off. He focused only on charts, discipline, and inner peace.
Takashi once said, “The market rewards patience and punishes ego.” That single philosophy became his guiding principle and the reason behind his incredible consistency.
Even today, Japanese traders call him a legend the “God of Trading.” He proved that with patience, focus, and emotional control, one person with a laptop can build an empire.
Takashi Kotegawa the man who turned $13,000 into $153 million.
A true symbol of discipline, freedom, and mastery. 💴🔥
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