Interview with Roger Ver: 10 Questions to Bitcoin Angel Investor & Evangelist

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by Eugenia Romanenko · 4 min read
Interview with Roger Ver: 10 Questions to Bitcoin Angel Investor & Evangelist
Photo: Roger Ver/rogerver.com

Every week CoinSpeaker interviews famous people involved with Bitcoin, Blockchain, Internet of Things, and FinTech industry.

Roger Ver, an early Bitcoin adopter and voluntaryist, has been closely involved with the most discussed cryptocurrency since 2011. Also known as the first Bitcoin angel investor, he has been promoting Bitcoin and investing in various Bitcoin-related startups being convinced that Bitcoin is going to change the world.

Actually, his enthusiasm makes lots of users think that it’s highly probable. We caught up with Mr. Ver to chat about an all-star ‘ask me anything’ session he has been hosting on forum.bitcoin.com, his plans, and life attitudes.

1. You’re hosting the largest AMA in the history of Bitcoin, so can you tell me a bit about its purposes? How did you manage to make so many CEOs participate?

I needed a reason for existing Bitcoin enthusiasts to start using the Bitcoin.com forum over other competitors. The AMA seemed like a good way to do just that, so I started emailing all the CEOs in the industry. I’m sure the request coming from a domain like Bitcoin.com had a big effect on getting people to agree.

2. I know you invested in blockchain, exchange, payment processor, and other Bitcoin-related fields. Was it your plan or it just turned out that way?

My plan since my discovery of Bitcoin in 2011, is to help promote the use of bitcoin as a tool enabling individuals to have complete control over their own financial lives.  Wallets and payment processors are an important part of that ecosystem. I hope Bitcoin.com will be too.

3. Is Bitcoin.com an investment? How do you plan to develop it?

So far, Bitcoin.com has been a huge liability, but time will tell if it can become an investment. My goal is to build it into a better and better portal to the Bitcoin ecosystem.  I want Bitcoin.com to become an incredibly useful place for people who are brand new to Bitcoin, and Bitcoin veterans alike.

4. And what about Ross Ulbricht (convicted mastermind of a darknet market Silk Road.- CoinSpeaker)? Your $160,000 donation to his defense is a large sum of money. Do you think he is not guilty?

I think the police, judges, and other law enforcement officers who lock peaceful people in cages for possessing a plant or chemical without the permission of strangers, are the guilty ones, and need to stop.

5. In light of recent events, can you please comment on an antiterrorism network of hackers Ghost Security Group’s claim that terrorists who operated in Paris used Bitcoin to finance their operations?

To be honest, I haven’t had time to look into any of the claims regarding that, but the blockchain doesn’t lie. Anyone should be able to independently verify their claims.

6. Often people call you ‘Bitcoin Jesus’. What’s your attitude towards that nickname? Do you like it?

Things didn’t turn out so well for the original Jesus. I hope to meet a different fate.

7. May I ask you for a prediction? Can you say when bitcoin’s value volatility is going to decrease?

The price volatility isn’t going to calm down until Bitcoin is worth at least tens of thousands of dollars per bitcoin. Slides 17 through 20 (Roger Ver’s presentation on Bitcoin Exponential Growth.- CoinSpeaker) give some rough examples of where Bitcoin will need to be before the price can calm down.

8. Can you tell me how you earned your first dollar?

I earned my first dollar by selling candy bars to other students in middle school.

9. Do you want to come back to the U.S.?

No, renouncing my U.S. citizenship was one of the best decisions I ever made. I only wish I did it a decade sooner.

10. And finally, do you have a hero?

I have several, but if I had to choose one intellectual hero, it would be Murray Rothbard.

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