Do you know anyone in the REAL WORLD who has bought bitcoin?

[ohiofarmer]

Granted I live in Ohio, but I've never met a single person who has bought bitcoin. I haven't seen a store that takes it, and everyone I talk to thinks it's "risky" (which I don't agree with). Anyway, I'd love to hear if other people have met anyone in the real world who owns bitcoin (or any alternative currency) and if so, where do you live?

[pa]

I live in NYC. Aside from myself, I have met two persons in the real world who have purchased bitcoin.

[justusranvier]

Probably somewhere between 200-300 people...

https://localbitcoins.com/accounts/profile/Justus_Ranvier/?ch=105

http://www.meetup.com/Dallas-Bitcoin-User-Meetup/members/

http://www.meetup.com/BitcoinAustin/members/

[hilariousandco]

No, but it's still early days. Cryptos have only just really started to break through into mainstream media and still only get little coverage, but they're waking up. Ask 100 people on the street if they've heard of bitcoin and I'm betting only around 20% will have. That figure will hopefully be well over 50% next year.

It is 'risky' to a certain extent, but what investment isn't? People also often think it's risky because they don't understand it fully, and the way it's described to them often sounds like a scam or pyramid scheme: "Hey, let me tell you how I made 7X my money by sitting in front of my PC" blah blah blah.

[ohiofarmer]

Probably somewhere between 200-300 people...

Wow, Austin sounds like the place to be!

[justusranvier]

Probably somewhere between 200-300 people...

Wow, Austin sounds like the place to be!

We're having a Meetup right now and so far we're at 35 people

[Pockets]

I live in NYC and know 6-7 people who have bought bitcoin.  I haven't been to any bitcoin meetups or any places that accept them yet though.

[TooDumbForBitcoin]

no

I tried to, but Coinbase didn't do the little "we deposit dust in your checking account and you tell us how much" thingy.

Just as well, eponomously speaking.

[pipelight1]

Granted I live in Ohio, but I've never met a single person who has bought bitcoin. I haven't seen a store that takes it, and everyone I talk to thinks it's "risky" (which I don't agree with). Anyway, I'd love to hear if other people have met anyone in the real world who owns bitcoin (or any alternative currency) and if so, where do you live?

I think age is a huge facotr, age and tech savy people. I have not met anyone and I am 48. So I expect to meet no one. I don't work in the field. Hell, I still don't know how to use the one I have pending. I won't use it either. I will just sit on it and hope for my number.....

One thing about being old is I have seen things like this before. Not exactly like this, but at some point when the value is too high and the price falls backwards for a continuos 2 weeks to 40% down. No one will sell you one, because they wont be able to buy one to sell you. Up n up... then its over.

As I asked about coinbase and someone said they buy it when you buy it. But what if there seller doesn't sell to them ? What then, do you think Coinbase will be able to buy one at your rate or lower ? No one is going to take a loss. That is what everyone is missing.... Kind of the beuaty of it too. I know no one is going to take a loss. So as long as new buyers continue joining in it will continue going up... LMAO.... It seems no one has noticed this...

I also think once this one is tapped out another one will follow it up and then tap out and so on..

[Green Haze]

Well yes. Speaking that I have a wide ring of friends many of us you BTC as a payment processor for items on Tor.

[ohiofarmer]

One thing about being old is I have seen things like this before. Not exactly like this, but at some point when the value is too high and the price falls backwards for a continuos 2 weeks to 40% down. No one will sell you one, because they wont be able to buy one to sell you. Up n up... then its over.

I'm in my early 30s, and this all reminds me of when the internet started catching on. If I were older back then, I hope I would have had the foresight to buy a bunch of domain names. I met a lot of people in Florida who are essentially living off the sale of domain names they gobbled up during the mid- to late 90s... I think bitcoin could present the same sort of opportunity. If it catches on and serious investors (outside of the Winklevoss's) start using it as an inflation hedge, I think it'll really grow fast -- especially if the Winklevoss's get their bitcoin ETF approved.

[dudebit]

Hello Ohiofarmer,
I am an OhioSmallBusinessman.
Being in the backwaters of the state (Toledo) I hadn't run into anyone who had bought bitcoin (although I am pretty much at work or home almost all of my waking hours).
At any rate, I wanted to see if there was any local interest so I placed an ad on localbitcoins a week or so ago (the closest listing on localbitcoin was 45 minutes away) I got my first response and met at a Tim Horton's a mile from my home. Turns out the 2 gents who showed up owned a local retail outlet and were there to buy their first coin. We ended up talking for several hours. Had a fun time. I am looking forward to meeting others. I don't really want to sell the coin I have but I figure that it is easy enough to buy more on an exchange. You might try doing the same. Help expand the universe of bitcoin.

[MRKLYE]

I'm from a small city in Manitoba, Canada.

Never sold any BTC here in town or met another user here.
I have however met a person through friends that lives in a town 3 hours away that buys BTC off me from time to time.

Cheers,

KLYE

[ohiofarmer]

Hello Ohiofarmer,
I am an OhioSmallBusinessman.
Being in the backwaters of the state (Toledo) I hadn't run into anyone who had bought bitcoin (although I am pretty much at work or home almost all of my waking hours).
At any rate, I wanted to see if there was any local interest so I placed an ad on localbitcoins a week or so ago (the closest listing on localbitcoin was 45 minutes away) I got my first response and met at a Tim Horton's a mile from my home. Turns out the 2 gents who showed up owned a local retail outlet and were there to buy their first coin. We ended up talking for several hours. Had a fun time. I am looking forward to meeting others. I don't really want to sell the coin I have but I figure that it is easy enough to buy more on an exchange. You might try doing the same. Help expand the universe of bitcoin.

Great idea. Good to hear from someone who lives in the same state and has some bitcoin! I'm in the Dayton area. Maybe I'll do that. I have seen some posts from a guy who lives about 30 minutes away who sells coins through Localbitcoins...

[ohiofarmer]

I'm from a small city in Manitoba, Canada.

Never sold any BTC here in town or met another user here.
I have however met a person through friends that lives in a town 3 hours away that buys BTC off me from time to time.

Cheers,

KLYE

Three hours away. That's dedication! 

[JoelKatz]

I haven't seen a store that takes it, and everyone I talk to thinks it's "risky" (which I don't agree with).

It is incredibly risky. The price of Bitcoin could crash to near zero at any moment and it's far from certain that it would necessarily recover. I think Bitcoins are a pretty good investment (though now is a particularly dangerous time to buy) but to deny that it's very, very risky is madness.

[beetcoin]

i got someone i know into bitcoin.. told him about it last week, and he's already talking about buying a mining rig 

[ohiofarmer]

It is incredibly risky. The price of Bitcoin could crash to near zero at any moment and it's far from certain that it would necessarily recover. I think Bitcoins are a pretty good investment (though now is a particularly dangerous time to buy) but to deny that it's very, very risky is madness.

Agreed. I guess I meant that they think it's too risky to even dream about getting involved with... like it's snake oil or something.

[Pockets]

i got someone i know into bitcoin.. told him about it last week, and he's already talking about buying a mining rig 

Hopefully you're there to talk him out of it

[BurtW]

i got someone i know into bitcoin.. told him about it last week, and he's already talking about buying a mining rig 

Tell him to take all the money he would spend on the rig and just buy coins.  Much better investment.