Crypto Giggle
Origin Stories
Every legend has an origin story and when it comes to the “Bitcoin sign guy”, his story is as literal as his name. In another example of how freakishly fast time is going, it’s been six years since a mad lad, later identified as Christian Langalis, entered the halls of Congress with one goal: to photobomb Janet Yellen with a special sign. I’m sure he knew he’d receive a reaction, but I doubt he had any idea of the lasting impact his stunt would have on the community. (Okay, so it’s not Joker falling into a vat of acid or anything, but still..)
Today is the 6th Anniversary of Bitcoin Sign Guy! pic.twitter.com/wXx8DzeCcr
— Bitcoin Bulletin (@BTCBulletinPod) July 12, 2023
Back in 2017
Langalis’s sign reading “Buy Bitcoin” caught the attention of many during the congressional hearing, but it is what happened afterward that made his act so groundbreaking. Thanks to the virality of the internet and the use of a QR code, the congress “photobomber” ended up receiving over six bitcoins in donations from people all around the world.
This sparked a wave of enthusiasm that made it to cryptocurrency media outlets, where he was soon known as the “Bitcoin sign guy”. His story quickly became an inspiration for many and a reminder of how far Bitcoin had come since its inception in 2009.
Six years later
Fast forward to today and his story still stands strong as an example of the power of decentralized technology, and well… risk taking. To put things into perspective, back when Langalis pulled off his stunt and received 6+ BTC, the price of Bitcoin was about $1500. Today it stands in the tens of thousands, a reminder of how quickly this industry is evolving and the potential behind decentralized digital assets like Bitcoin. If Christian decided to HODL his donations, today his portfolio would stand at well over 100k — not bad for 5 seconds of being a cheeky lad, eh?
'Bitcoin Sign Guy' Nets Almost $15,000 After Fed Chair Appearance Goes Viral https://t.co/7WabxoPksD pic.twitter.com/NQb2hHsg6Z
— CoinDesk (@CoinDesk) July 13, 2017
Congress’ opinion on Bitcoin today
Despite the strides made in the crypto world since then, Congress’ opinion on Bitcoin is still quite polarised. Some members remain skeptical of the technology, while others see it as a potential solution to various global financial issues. Either way, there’s no denying that Christian Langalis’ stunt was instrumental in bringing attention to the world of cryptocurrency and decentralization which has gone on to shape the industry we know today.
We tip our hat to you, Mr. Langalis!
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