Inside the Life of Jeremy Gardner, Crypto Castle Founder and Bitcoin Evangelist

• Jeremy Gardner’s net worth doubled in five days due to Bitcoin’s rapid value surge.
• Gardner founded the Blockchain Education Network to support student cryptocurrency enthusiasts globally.

A South African safari changed Jeremy Gardner’s life profoundly. Gardner, who had flown out to AfrikaBurn, a local Burning Man event, immediately checked his Twitter feed after getting mobile service again. That which he saw stunned him: His assets had doubled in value in only five days as Bitcoin shot beyond $2,500.

Gardner told Business Insider, “I saw that bitcoin had broken like $2,500—all the crypto assets had exploded in value.” That seemed absurd to me.”

Developed in 2008, Bitcoin is a ground-breaking payment system that lets consumers transmit money and buy things anonymously without the need for banks or middlemen. Every transaction is painstakingly documented on a blockchain, a kind of digital ledger.

In 2017, the popularity of cryptocurrency—Bitcoin being the most well-known—rose dramatically. The price of one bitcoin increased from about $200 in 2015 to over $4,000 in August of 2017.

Jeremy Gardner: Early Investment and Millionaire Status

Jeremy Gardner, who is just 25 years old, made himself a millionaire by making wise investments in cryptocurrency. He purchased these token-like assets, thinking their value would rise. It paid off greatly since he was early committed to blockchain technology and bitcoin.

“I have made more money than I ever would have expected to make in my entire life — by a long shot—by dedicating my life to crypto assets and blockchain technology,” Gardner said.

Gardner has an unusual path to success. He left college twice, and now he works part-time at a venture capital firm that makes investments in businesses associated with cryptocurrency. He does not get paid, but he can follow his passion. While traveling the world, he also promotes Bitcoin and its possibilities.

The scandal surrounding Silk Road, an online market place well-known for using Bitcoin for illegal activities, sparked Gardner’s interest in the currency in 2013. Immediately drawn in, he purchased his first Bitcoin and saw its revolutionary potential.

Embracing Bitcoin’s Potential 

Jeremy Gardner recognized the huge ramifications of Bitcoin very quickly. “I came to see that I could trade value with anybody in the world who also had an internet connection with just an internet connection,” he said. “No longer had I to rely on a centralized intermediary, a troll under the bridge, such as a bank or a government.”

He turned the bulk of his stock and savings assets into bitcoin investments, referring to himself as a “Bitcoin booster” on Twitter and launching the Blockchain Education Network in 2014, which links cryptocurrency clubs at colleges all around the world.

Building a Crypto Empire

Gardner became well-known over the years in the worldwide bitcoin community. Launching Augur, a blockchain-based market forecasting tool, in 2013, he raised $5.3 million in a crowdfunding effort in 2015. He currently works full-time at Blockchain Capital, where he advises and sources fresh investments in businesses connected to cryptocurrencies.

He gets a piece of the company’s investment gains even though his position as entrepreneur-in-residence is unpaid. Gardner is working in secret on another startup as well.

Gardner’s net worth grew along with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. He admits the significant financial impact, even though he declined to reveal his precise earnings from virtual currencies.

“The price rises feel to me like ‘told you so’ moments. I felt as though this was inevitable,” Gardner remarked. When something happens rapidly, it is obviously cool, but I always anticipate it to fall quickly as well. Long-term is my goal in this.”

The Crypto Castle

Gardner lives in a three-story house known as the Crypto Castle with other software entrepreneurs in San Francisco, and his investment profits help him sustain his lifestyle.

“In the time they have lived in my house, over a half-dozen people have become millionaires as a result of cryptocurrency,” Gardner said. People developing technology linked to cryptocurrencies now congregate at The Crypto Castle.

Gardner admits to frequent vacations and a love of drink, which he views as his largest living expense, but he still leads a somewhat modest existence. Most weekends he spends visiting the thriving cryptocurrency communities in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Hong Kong.

Giving Back to the Crypto Community

Gardner pledges to support the sector that brought him success. “Giving back to this industry that is given me so much is important to me, as I have seen my wealth grow,” he remarked. He frequently throws dinner parties and club outings for friends and coworkers during conferences.

Gardner makes clear, though, that his backing goes beyond getting together with friends. He helped found the organization Blockchain Education Network, which offers students funding for educational programs on their campuses, career and internship possibilities, and conference tickets.