2026-01-12 10:25:02

Looking at this photo again, the more I think about it, the more absurd it seems.

The people in front of the camera, at first glance, look like old friends gaming at an internet cafe. The one in the front row wearing a T-shirt and slippers is CZ. At that time, he had just resigned from the exchange, full of ideas about building a new platform. As for the others in the photo? Some later got into real estate, some wrote science fiction novels, and others came from educational training institutions. The scene of people gathered around talking about Bitcoin back then is no different from a few friends now discussing new applications.

But history loves to play tricks on us. Years fly by, CZ has become a leader in the industry; the Ethereum story keeps growing; most of the people chatting back then have become influential figures or hidden wealth owners in the industry. ETH has risen steadily, BTC has experienced countless ups and downs, and those non-farm payroll data and market fluctuations have witnessed the growth stories of these people.

So this is not just a group photo. It’s a mirror image of the future. It tells us: every wave capable of changing the world begins with a small group of people in some corner. They talk about things others don’t understand, but their eyes sparkle with hope.

Just think, the friends around you now who say "this thing has a good future," ten years from now, will you also secretly search for this group photo?

BTC1%

ETH0,54%

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

14 Likes

Reward
14
4
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

hodl_therapist

· 5h ago

Damn, looking at it now, it's truly amazing. The friends I chatted with back then are now all big shots. Speaking of which, those buddies around me who kept saying "This coin has potential," I bet they'll regret it if it really takes off in ten years. Every time I see stories like this, I can't help but think about what I missed back then. It's really outrageous. It's just that those who got in early at the right time had good luck. At first glance, that photo really gives off the vibe of a bunch of internet cafe managers hanging out, but it ended up changing the entire industry. So now, those who say Web3 has no future might get proven wrong in ten years. We really can't see this thing clearly. But on the other hand, they probably didn't expect it to become so big back then.

View OriginalReply0

mev_me_maybe

· 5h ago

Wow, really. The buddies chatting about coins now, won't we all become big shots in ten years?

View OriginalReply0

AirdropHunterXiao

· 5h ago

This is outrageous. The people who chatted in internet cafes back then are now all big shots. --- NGL, this photo looks like a bug; a few casual conversations changed the entire industry. --- So, the real opportunities are in those "unintelligible" conversations. --- I just remembered, those friends around me who said they were optimistic about a certain project, and ten years later, they really made it. --- I feel like this photo is more valuable than any investment advice. --- The most outrageous thing isn’t that they succeeded, but that we’re now chasing after what they casually talked about back then. --- History loves to mess with us; looking back, it’s all predictions. --- Every time I see stories like this, I wonder if my current circle of friends also hides the next CZ. --- This isn’t a group photo at all; it’s a picture filled with what ifs.

View OriginalReply0

ColdWalletAnxiety

· 5h ago

I'm just afraid that ten years from now, when this screenshot is dug up, it'll be so embarrassing.

View OriginalReply0