In the realm of cryptocurrency, controversy often surrounds its prominent figures, and Roger Ver is a prime example. Once hailed as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his early and fervent support of cryptocurrency and related ventures, his personal narrative and cryptographic investments have grown more contentious in recent times.

Roger Ver, famously dubbed “Bitcoin Jesus,” is a pioneering and outspoken investor in the world of digital currencies. Well-known for his management of Bitcoin.com from 2015 to 2019, he’s invested in various blockchain projects such as Kraken, purse.io, Blockchain.com, bitcoinstore.com, and Ripple. Ver’s evangelical approach toward cryptocurrency earned him his famous moniker. However, around 2017, he shifted his support to Bitcoin Cash, highlighting his libertarian beliefs and run-ins with governmental authorities as factors contributing to his polarizing image.

Ver’s journey began in San Jose, California, where he was born in 1979. He studied economics, math, and astronomy at De Anza College in Cupertino from 1997 to 1999 and further pursued physics at Stanford University in 1998.

During college, Ver founded Memorydealers, a company dealing in Cisco-related memory and networking equipment. After dropping out to focus on the business, he served as its CEO for over ten years, exiting the role by 2012 and severing ties with the company entirely by 2018.

From 2004 to 2018, he founded and managed Agilestar.com, a company renowned as a global leader in fiber optic transceivers, boasting satisfied customers worldwide.

Since 2011, however, Ver has been more heavily associated with a diverse array of Bitcoin and crypto projects.

Ver discovered Bitcoin in early 2011, exclaiming it to be one of the most significant inventions in human history.

An early adopter of the inaugural digital currency, Ver integrated Bitcoin payments into Memorydealers.com, allowing Bitcoin transactions. By acquiring Bitcoin in its nascent stage, when it was under $1, he amassed a collection surpassing 400,000 bitcoins by some estimates. To spread awareness of Bitcoin, Ver likely dispersed his amassed bitcoins through transactions and project funding.

Ver’s financial backing launched several Bitcoin initiatives and startups, including the now-defunct BitInstant, which was founded by a Bitcoin millionaire and former convict. In 2012, he introduced Bitcoinstore.com, offering thousands of items available for purchase with Bitcoin transactions.

In both 2020 and 2021, more than 4,000 companies worldwide accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. Among these, Bitcoin remains the leading cryptocurrency, with nearly 60% dominance in the market share. The number of registered digital wallets is estimated to reach over 100 million by 2022, indicating growing acceptance and usage.

Switch to Bitcoin Cash

Ver earned the title “Bitcoin Jesus” for his impassioned promotion of Bitcoin and related projects; however, some later saw him reversing his stance. By 2017, he had shifted his support to Bitcoin Cash, criticizing the excessive speculative interest in Bitcoin and what he perceived as the destruction of its utility as currency by developers. He expressed significant concern for its future.

Aligning his views with a minority of crypto developers, Ver advocated for Bitcoin Cash, which emerged in August 2017. He controversially described alleged insider trading of Bitcoin Cash on Coinbase as a “non-crime,” echoing his libertarian ideology.

Though often appearing on “Wealthiest People in Cryptocurrency” lists, Roger Ver’s exact net worth remains elusive due to his involvement in private ventures and the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies, with estimates of his wealth hovering around $430 million.

In late 2013, Ver’s commitment to libertarian ideals led him to donate over $1 million in Bitcoin to the Foundation for Economic Education. By 2021, he contributed an additional $2 million in Bitcoin Cash to the foundation.

Subsequent Ventures

In 2015, Ver took the helm at Bitcoin.com, providing a range of services for Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. He served as CEO until August 2019, later transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman.

Even today, Ver remains actively engaged in numerous Bitcoin projects. As one of the Bitcoin Foundation’s founders in 2012, the nonprofit aimed to restore the cryptocurrency’s image following multiple scandals. He has always been a vocal proponent of Bitcoin’s worldwide and mainstream acceptance.

Citizenship and Entry Issues

Roger Ver’s citizenship and visa problems further fuel his controversial aura. He relocated to Japan in 2006.

In 2014, Ver renounced his U.S. citizenship, opting for citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis through their Citizenship by Investment program, which allows individuals to qualify by investing in real estate or the Sustainable Growth Fund.

In 2015, Ver faced visa denial from the U.S. Embassy in Barbados over concerns about overstaying his visit for a conference. Later in 2015, a different U.S. embassy approved his visa, allowing him to enter the United States by 2016 to attend a conference in Colorado.

Legal Troubles and Philosophies

Ver’s controversial remarks on insider trading should be viewed through the lens of his previous legal issues. He pled guilty to federal felony charges in 2002 for selling and mailing explosives via eBay without a license, resulting in a 10-month prison sentence. Critics often spotlight this as a means to criticize him.

Identifying as a libertarian and an anarcho-capitalist, Ver ran for the California State Assembly in 2001 representing the Libertarian Party. To critics, this highlights a potential rationale for his interest in decentralized cryptocurrencies, which are not government-issued.