Bitcoin Story is a series that tells the eventful stories of Bitcoin and crypto traders. Every week, we’ll interview a Bitcoin or Crypto trader about their experiences and share them with you. This includes everything from those who have it rough to those who smile to the bank. You can also share your story with us.
My name is Stephen Aluko and this is my Bitcoin story.
See, I’ve seen things in this life that have made me ask how I could be so stupid. You know those situations that make you go “Ah, I’m probably an ode?”
Yeah, that was how I felt the first time I traded Bitcoin with my last ₦1000. Today, I am an experienced Bitcoin trader and life is good. But when I look back, I laugh.
I’ve always been a hustler. Like everyone else, I just want more money and a better life. Things were hard, and I was never sure of my food for the next day.
At some point, there was a strike at my university and I was jobless. I was scared I wouldn’t have anything to do, which meant more hunger. I tried job hunting but nothing clicked. I applied for 120 jobs in 2 weeks and nothing clicked. That’s how bad things were.
So I started hustling. What did I not do? First, I helped people register for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam. Next, I ran Cyber Cafe services. Then I did some work as a videographer. I didn’t stop there. I installed media gadgets and did training on media. The goal was to go wherever the money was or could be. I walked around all day with my beaten shoes, cracking my brain, thinking about what to do.
My First Trade!
Someone told me about Bitcoin, saying I could invest in this ‘internet money and it would somehow grow. I started laughing because I thought he was crazy. I actually laughed the lunatic out of my room.
Frankly, it sounded like baba was setting me up to lose. Also, I already didn’t have money so it felt like he was just insulting me. The guy refused to drop the matter sha, so I decided to try it with the last ₦1,000 in my account. Honestly, it was food for the next 3 days but I tried it regardless.
The moment I bought the Bitcoin, my body became cold. What if it was a scam? Looking back, it was probably just the fear of the unknown. I think everyone feels like that when they take a huge risk. I just felt like after all my hustle, it was one small boy that came to run me street. I went home in silence and didn’t tell my roommate so he wouldn’t laugh at me.
The next day, the guy told me that the money I invested had actually grown from ₦1,000 to ₦1,300. My blood pressure reduced as I saw that the whole thing was real. I told him to give me back my money first. After doing so, he explained how it worked and for the first time, it seemed straightforward.
Another Risk…
Till this day, I always laugh when I remember what I did next.
I borrowed money to plant a cucumber farm so I could raise some capital. Have you ever been so desperate? I was hungry literally and figuratively.
Fortunately, I was able to raise ₦70,000 after harvesting some really long cucumbers. Haha, I still have the pictures. I sold them and put the money into trading Bitcoin. It was easier this time because I knew I wasn’t being scammed. I know you think I would have looked for how to make fast money. But I took things slow instead. My first set of trades increased the money from ₦70,000 to ₦110,000.
Trading wasn’t a smooth ride. I made rookie mistakes that almost sent me back to my village. One time, I used all my capital to buy Bitcoin and didn’t sell immediately. It ended in hot tears… lol. But even with that, I was hooked from the first set of trades.
I decided to learn more about Bitcoin. I figured one of the best ways was to find a bunch of people who had been in the game for a while. I found and joined a community like this, where I could learn from other traders, share my problems, and get help too.
Where I am with Bitcoin right now….
From the beginning, I was determined to win so I learned whatever I had to. My capital base has grown (a lot, as in a lotttt) since the early days. Sometimes, I smile when I remember where I started from. Back then, I was fighting for every meal. Now, I fight my banker to increase my limits.
I completed my first trade 3 years ago and I’ve been a full-time ‘Bitcoiner’ ever since. I know people have had bad experiences but Bitcoin changed my life for the better. I got married a couple of weeks ago and things are looking up.
If there’s one thing in this life I would do over again (apart from meeting my wife because she is too awesome), it’s learning about Bitcoin.
It’s not been all rosy. Like anything else worth doing, there have been ups and downs. But I’ve absolutely enjoyed the ride. It has been insanely rewarding, to say the least, and my banker agrees. Haha!
Want to share your Bitcoin Story?
If you want to share your Bitcoin story or your experience with crypto, we would like to hear about it.
We want to hear all types of stories, the good, the bad, and the rough so we can share all sides of Bitcoin and crypto.
