Since I first bought Bitcoin in early 2023, I've watched it climb from under $20,000 to over $110,000 now.
Every time I stare blankly at the candlestick chart, I can't help but think: 'What if I had dared to go all in back then, would I have achieved freedom by now?'
My mind is filled with fantasies—
I don't have to stress over revising my thesis, applying for jobs during graduation season, nor do I have to endure emotional exhaustion in late-night conference rooms at consulting firms. I can drag my suitcase and travel globally, living that low-energy, FIRE lifestyle without relying on melatonin to sleep, and without checking 'Have you felt fatigued recently?' on a scale; my sense of security would spread across the room like sunlight.
But the dream has ended, and one must return to reality.
The deeper I delve into the storms of the crypto world over these years, the more I feel fearful—it's essentially a dark forest, with countless traps and bones hidden beneath my feet. Those who have made it to today perhaps truly rely on a bit of luck that comes with fate.
2011-2014: Want to buy? The first step was a huge barrier.
During the summer after graduating high school in 2011, it was probably the first time I heard the term 'Bitcoin.' Back then, I only knew how to binge-watch dramas on my computer, treating it as a novel term unrelated to being a 'computer idiot' (which I still am not much better at). I never imagined that it would shake the financial world over a decade later.
Even if I had genuinely been curious at that time, entering the market was as difficult as climbing to the sky. By 2013 and 2014, I already knew how to shop online, but I heard that the process of buying coins back then was primitive, resembling black market transactions: exchanges matched transactions through direct bank transfers, without stablecoins as a bridge, and sometimes you even had to meet offline to hand over cash. Plus, whenever the media mentioned Bitcoin, it always came with references to dark web transactions (like the Silk Road case), which made it seem like a synonym for 'unreliable'...
The bigger pit is the exchanges. When Mt. Gox collapsed in 2014, how many people's coins evaporated overnight? If I had stored my coins there back then, I probably wouldn't have seen the meager compensation in 2024, and I would have collapsed in despair first. Not to mention those small platforms shouting 'high returns, low fees'—when they run away, you can't even find a way to assert your rights.
2017-2018: The closest I got to entering the market, yet I still missed it.
2017-2018 was the closest I got to entering the market. The school was full of discussions about blockchain; I had grasped the basics of Bitcoin and attended industry seminars.
But more importantly, my understanding didn't keep up at that time—during that bull market, everyone was talking more about 'blockchain technology' rather than Bitcoin itself. The people around me were chasing 'potential new coins' like BCH and EOS, only to later find out that many either went to zero or were far inferior to Bitcoin. With my mindset back then, could I really resist the temptation and not follow the crowd?
Back then, ICO funding was rampant, and when the 94 regulation came, all fiat trading on domestic exchanges stopped. Then came the winter of 2018, where Bitcoin fell over 80% from its peak, and the market was silent. Domestic P2P platforms faced explosions, regulations tightened, USDT was being redeemed... Standing at that moment, who wouldn't doubt: Is this industry a scam? Will it evaporate completely by tomorrow?
Not to mention the global turmoil after the bull market in 2021—when FTX and Luna collapsed, the prices dropped dramatically. Standing at those turning points, could I have endured all the fear and held onto my coins until today?
2023: Finally owning BTC, and having a more stable mindset.
Until 2023, I finally truly owned BTC. Financial freedom is still far away, but I have a more mature understanding and can better handle volatility.
In recent years, I've watched Bitcoin grow amidst skepticism—
From 'virtual currency is a fleeting dream, a Ponzi scheme' to the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issuing a late-night document organizing the study of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins; from the SEC's frequent lawsuits to the approval of Bitcoin ETFs, the proposal of the stablecoin GENIUS act, BTC being included in strategic reserves, and the implementation of the 401(k) retirement fund executive order...
It gradually squeezed into the mainstream asset landscape, being accepted by more and more institutions and governments.
Perhaps now is a relative high point of a certain cycle, but I am willing to hold long-term. I always feel that with a few more steps forward, I can get a little closer to 'freedom'.
So rather than regretting not going all in back then, it's better to cherish the present—this is the chip I can actually hold in my hand.
