The legendary Bitcoin meme HODL turns seven

The Bitcoin community celebrated seven years since the emergence of the now-cult word “HODL.”

It first appeared in a post on BitcoinTalk by the user going by the pseudonym GameKyuubi, who later became known as Mr. HODL. On December 18, 2013, he, by his own admission, somewhat intoxicated, said that as a bad trader he preferred to “hodl” to avoid financial losses.

“I printed the headline twice, because I made a mistake the first time. Still a mistake. A girl is hanging out in a bar for lesbians, Bitcoin is falling, so why do I hold? I’ll tell you why. Because I’m a bad trader and I know it. Yes, of course, you, good traders, can see the highs and the lows and, with ease, make a million dollars,” wrote GameKyuubi at the time.

That day Bitcoin fell in price by almost 40%, and GameKyuubi added that he did not belong to the ranks of successful traders.

“All these threads about needing to sell… No way, I shouldn’t have sold. I should have sold before everyone else sells, and bought before everyone buys. But I’m not as sharp as you. If you’re a good trader or a beginner living in a world of illusions, you sell only in bear markets. Everyone else holds in the middle. In this game there is only one winner: traders can earn money only if you sell.”

In January 2019, in an interview with Coindesk, Mr. HODL said that he had been trying to talk to his girlfriend and trade Bitcoin through a heavily lagging app. After several failed attempts, he went to his room and began drinking.

He also admitted that he knew he had become something of a celebrity in the Bitcoin community.

“I can go to any meetup, simply introduce myself as that very HODL guy, and everyone knows who I am,” he said.

The word “HODL” quickly became synonymous with the “buy and hold” strategy. In the crypto community, hodlers are long-term investors, and the act of investing — hodling.

HODL: hold Bitcoin and earn

Shortly before the seven-year anniversary of the famous meme, Bitcoin’s price hit a new historical maximum, rising above $23 700.

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