Bitcoin Forum

To those who complain about the early adopters, consider that they have bought into a currency that is inflating at over 30% a year.  The inflation tapers off, but there is a lot of inflation left before we get there.  This high inflation is how Satoshi addressed the early adopter issue.

While I don't necessarily agree with those that assert early adopters took greater risks, they are certainly entitled to the benefits they reap if nothing more than due to having the foresight to see what Bitcoin could (has) become.

I can't say I see them as disadvantaged in any way.  However, if any early adopter disagrees and would like to trade shoes, I'll gladly take them up on the offer.  ;)

deal. just to be clear, in this exchange you pay to me the amount in dollars that i paid, as an early adopter back, for 10 btc back in june and i pay to you the amount in dollars that you, as a later adopter, will pay for 10 btcs at the present time.

Exactly.  If you hold BTC today you are an early adopter.  Less than a third of the currency has been issued at this point.

Deal.  You'll get the going rate as of June 1st.  I'll get the going rate as of July 22nd.  Ready when you are.

I'm sorry, but the early early adopters didn't risk much of anything, at 50 cents a BTC you could buy like 100 BTC for like 50 bucks, which is... not much of a risk to me, hell, that's not a big risk for a 12 year old kid who gets a couple bucks for his birthday

Then why aren't you buying up Namecoins right now at a mad rate? Moreover, if you expect these early BTC adopters to reap huge rewards in the future you also expect the BTC price to continue rising. In this scenario, why aren't you jumping in and buying now?

Early adopters (as a group) had to build infrastructure (exchanges, stores, the btc client, services, silk road) in order for the btc price to go up. It didn't just magically go to the current rate while people sat on their coins.

+1, well said.