The Teen Back in 2010, 16-year-old Wei Zhang — a curious Chinese high schooler with a knack for tinkering online — stumbled upon an odd, underground concept in niche internet forums: Bitcoin.
With just $10 in his pocket and Bitcoin trading at less than a cent, Wei made a decision that would unknowingly put him on the path to becoming one of the richest teenagers in history. He bought almost 100,000 BTC — a digital fortune that, at the time, seemed laughably insignificant.
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From Obscure Miner to Crypto Visionary
Over the next few years, Wei watched his modest $10 balloon into millions. By 19, he wasn’t just an early investor — he became a pioneer. In 2014, he founded CryptoLeap, the world’s first cryptocurrency margin trading exchange.
It was a game-changer. Traders could now borrow funds to amplify their gains. Within months, CryptoLeap was buzzing with global activity, cementing Wei’s status as one of the brightest minds in the industry. By 2017, he personally held 99,000 BTC and sat atop one of the most influential exchanges of the era.
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The Email That Erased Everything
Then came the click.
In early 2018, an email landed in Wei’s inbox, seemingly from a major venture capital firm, offering an irresistible partnership. The attached link looked secure. Without a second thought, he opened it.
It was a trap. A sophisticated phishing attack captured his credentials, granting hackers full control over CryptoLeap’s wallets — including his personal treasure chest of 99,000 BTC.
Within minutes, everything was gone.
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Fallout and the $11 Billion “What If”
The theft made headlines overnight. Users panicked, Bitcoin’s price wobbled, lawsuits piled up, and regulators swooped in. Wei, devastated and blamed by thousands, shut CryptoLeap down and vanished from the CEO chair.
At today’s prices, his lost 99,000 BTC would be worth over $11 billion — a staggering reminder that in crypto, one wrong click can erase a lifetime of fortune.
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From Victim to Protector
Wei didn’t disappear entirely. Instead, he rebuilt himself as a cybersecurity advocate, teaching others how to defend against the same traps that destroyed him. His tale has become a legendary warning in crypto circles:
> In this world, wealth can be created in years… and stolen in seconds.
#BTC #USDT #BTC🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
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