At the age of 23, crypto entrepreneur Dadvan Yousuf unfurled a flag bearing the logo of the first cryptocurrency at the summit of Everest, the highest point on Earth.
On the roof of the world with #Bitcoin! On Monday, May 20, 2024, at 14:50 (NPT) I reached the summit of Mount Everest and hoisted the Bitcoin flag. ?️ A symbol of freedom and independence, even in the highest places on earth. Simultaneously with Bitcoin reaching new all-time… pic.twitter.com/v9XH3hDWxC
— Dadvan Yousuf (@Cryptonnis) May 23, 2024
“A symbol of freedom and independence, even in the highest places on Earth. As Bitcoin reaches new heights, its flag has arrived at a record altitude,” he commented.
Yousuf completed the ascent of the 8,848-meter mountain on May 20. He emphasized that he became the first Kurd and Iraqi to conquer Everest.
He stated that by displaying the Bitcoin symbol, he aimed to draw attention to “global injustice in terms of access to financial education.”
According to Blick, Yousuf’s family moved from Iraq to Switzerland as refugees in 2003. At the age of 11, he became interested in the first cryptocurrency as a means for quick international non-bank transfers. He purchased his first bitcoins with 300 francs he had saved, but could not find a way to send them to his grandmother in Iraq.
A year later, the teenager discovered that the value of his digital assets had risen to 11,000 francs. Since then, he has been investing in cryptocurrencies.
As of 2020, Yousuf’s wealth was 270 million francs (~$300 million), according to his tax declaration. However, in an interview, the young man claimed to own 416,000 ETH, valued at over $1.2 billion at that time.
Back in 2018, the ASKfm project team attempted to deliver a hardware crypto wallet with native tokens to the summit of Everest. The expedition ended tragically with the death of one of the local guides.