I still don't understand why exchanges have to make it very difficult to buy Bitcoin. I would love to just create an account and buy directly with my visa card at market rates. Can't that be done and still be in accordance with AML procedures? All this personal id verification nonsense and directly connecting your bank account is what is holding back bitcoin and putting off a lot of people.

Were there exchanges back then and did these exchanges accept buyers' money from around the world? How was the process like on Mt. Gox? I'm trying to come up with reasons for why I couldn't buy Bitcoin when they were dirt cheap to make myself feel better for missing out on making a lot of money. Because I read about Bitcoin in 2011 but I didn't pay anymore attention to it and didn't think people would start speculating with it and blow up the way it did