Wikipedia

Roger Ver

Roger Keith Ver (born 1979) is an entrepreneur best known as the first investor in Bitcoin and the Bitcoin ecosystem. He was an early promoter of Bitcoin and Bitcoin-related startups and is sometimes known as "Bitcoin Jesus"[1] for his evangelism of cryptocurrency in its early days.[2][3]

Roger Ver
Ver, December 2016
Born1979 (age 46–47)
San Jose, California, U.S.
OccupationEntrepreneur
Known forPromoting Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash
MovementLibertarianism, anarcho-capitalism, Voluntaryism
Websiterogerver.com

While Ver has often been associated with Bitcoin Cash,[4] he has consistently emphasized that he supports any cryptocurrency that functions as "peer-to-peer cash", as originally cited in the Bitcoin whitepaper authored by Satoshi Nakamoto. He previously was CEO of Bitcoin.com, later becoming its Executive Chairman.[5]

In 2014, he renounced his United States citizenship after obtaining citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 2024, he was indicted for tax fraud but eventually settled the case with the IRS and was not pursued criminally.

Early life and education

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Ver was born in 1979 in San Jose, California. He attended Valley Christian High School and then De Anza College for one year.[6]

Career

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From 1999 until 2012, Ver was the CEO of MemoryDealers.com, an online business that sold networking equipment.[7] In 2000, he ran for the California State Assembly as a Libertarian Party candidate. During his campaign, he strongly criticized federal law enforcement agencies, referring to the ATF and FBI as "jack-booted thugs and murderers" for their role in the Waco Siege.[8]

Cryptocurrency

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Ver began investing in bitcoin in early 2011 when a single Bitcoin cost around $1 each.[9][10][2] His first investment was in Charlie Shrem’s Bitinstant, which allowed the company to hire its first designer and programmer.[11][12]

He went on to invest over $1 million in early Bitcoin startups, including Ripple (XRP), where he was a co-founder and the second person ever involved after Jed McCaleb,[13] Blockchain.com also as a co-founder, first investor, and second person ever involved after Ben Reeves,[13] BitPay providing its initial seed funding,[13] and Kraken as the seed investor.[14]

In 2011, Ver's company MemoryDealers became the first established business in the world to accept Bitcoin as payment.[15] Also, in this same year he co-founded the Silicon Valley Bitcoin Meetup, one of the earliest Bitcoin meetup groups worldwide, helping to organize events and expand awareness.[16] In mid-2011, during Bitcoin's first major price crash, Ver and Jesse Powell assisted Mt. Gox with operational issues, helping the company to navigate technical and business challenges.[16] Ver began paying for national radio Bitcoin advertisements on the libertarian radio show Free Talk Live, which was aired on more than 100 radio stations. Ver additionally paid for the world's first Bitcoin billboard advertisement. It was posted along one of the busiest expressways in Silicon Valley. Lastly, in 2011, Ver made his public "Bitcoin Bet" that Bitcoin would outperform gold, silver, platinum, and the US stock market by over one hundred times over the next two years.[17]

He was also among the five founding members of the Bitcoin Foundation.[18] Ver has long promoted Bitcoin as a tool for economic freedom. In 2017, he supported the Bitcoin XT project, which pushed for larger Bitcoin block sizes.[19]Although often linked to Bitcoin Cash, Ver has clarified that he is not its creator.[20]

In June 2022, the cryptocurrency exchange CoinFLEX halted withdrawals and publicly blamed Ver for an alleged debt of $47 million. Ver rejected these claims, stating that CoinFLEX itself defrauded him. He later sued the company, and a settlement confirmed that Ver was owed over $100 million USD.[21][22][23]

Published works

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In 2015, Digital Gold was published, highlighting the role Ver had played in Bitcoin up to that time.[24]

In 2024, Ver self-published the book Hijacking Bitcoin, a book detailing the history and evolution of Bitcoin.[25]

Personal life

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Ver describes himself as libertarian, anarcho-capitalist, and voluntaryist.[10][14][26] He has lived in multiple countries, including Japan (since 2006), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, and others.[27][26][7][28][29][30] He renounced his United States citizenship in 2014.[31] In 2023, Ver was given the title of Duke and became the Minister of Finance for the Joseon Cybernation.[32]

Ver has competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, earning a black belt and competing internationally.[33][34]

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In 2002, Ver pleaded guilty to selling high-yield firecrackers on eBay. He was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.[14][27][35][36]

In April 2024, Ver was arrested in Spain on a U.S. indictment for alleged tax evasion.[37][38] Ver hired Roger Stone to lobby Congress for an end to the tax provision he was accused of violating and hired lawyer Chris Kise to his legal team.[31] On October 14, 2025, Ver reached a resolution with the U.S. Department of Justice by entering into a deferred prosecution agreement to settle federal tax charges. As part of the agreement, Ver was required to pay $49.9 million. The government subsequently dismissed the indictment against him.[39][40]

In 2020, he acquired citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda.[41] In April 2024, he was indicted in the United States on tax fraud charges, which he disputes.[42][43] The U.S. government considered him a fugitive until the second Donald Trump administration struck a deal with Ver, enabling him to avoid prison. Ver had hired a team of lawyers with close ties to Trump and lobbied Trump for a pardon.[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Cheng, Evelyn (11 December 2017). "'Bitcoin Jesus' is 'really, really concerned' about the future of the digital currency". CNBC. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  2. 1 2 Harjani, Ansuya (2 December 2013). "Meet 'Bitcoin Jesus,' a virtual currency millionaire". CNBC. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  3. ↑ Picciotto, Rebecca (1 May 2024). "DOJ charges 'Bitcoin Jesus' with $48 million tax fraud, seeks extradition". CNBC. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  4. ↑ Popper, Nathaniel (25 July 2017). "Some Bitcoin Backers Are Defecting to Create a Rival Currency". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "Bitcoin Cash Advocate Roger Ver Considers Launching Own Exchange". Bloomberg. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  6. ↑ "How Roger Ver, Silicon Valley Ex-Pat and 'Bitcoin Jesus,' Avoided Prison on Tax Charges". San Jose Inside. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 Farivar, Cyrus (7 January 2015). "Bitcoin investor who renounced US citizenship now can't get back in: Roger Ver gave up US passport in favor of St. Kitts last year". Ars Technica.
  8. ↑ SmartVoter (3 February 2000). "Voter Information for Roger K Ver". League of Women Voters.
  9. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  10. 1 2 Ver, Roger. "Biography". RogerVer.com. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Jeffries, Adrianne (13 December 2011). "Brooklyn-based Bitcoin Startup BitInstant Raises Seed Round". Observer. Observer Media. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  12. ↑ Russell, Kyle (29 January 2014). "Meet The 'Bitcoin Millionaire' Arrested for Allegedly Helping Silk Road Launder $US1 Million". Business Insider Australia. Allure Media. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 Lunden, Ingrid. "With PayPal-like Ambitions for Bitcoin, BitPay Raises $2M Led by Founders Fund". TechCrunch. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 Clenfield, Jason; Alpeyev, Pavel (16 June 2014). "'Bitcoin Jesus' Calls Rich to Tax-free Tropical Paradise". Bloomberg. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  15. ↑ McMillan, Robert (19 December 2013). "How Bitcoin Became the Honey Badger of Money". Wired. Conde Nast. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  16. 1 2 Vigna, Paul; Casey, Michael J. (2015). The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and Digital Money Are Challenging the Global Economic Order. St. Martin's Press. pp. 178, 268. ISBN 978-1466873063. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  17. ↑ "02011-02013 (2 years): Bitcoins will outperform the US Dollar, Gold, Silver, and the stock market by over 100 times over the next two years. - Long Bets". longbets.org. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Farivar, Cyrus (7 April 2015). "Bitcoin Foundation is 'effectively bankrupt,' board member says". ArsTechnica. Condé Nast. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  19. ↑ Bustillos, Maria (25 August 2015). "Inside the Fight Over Bitcoin's Future". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  20. ↑ Morris, David (8 January 2020). "In Cryptocurrency, It's Bitcoiners vs. Everyone Else". Fortune.com. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "Crypto Exchange CoinFlex to Issue Tokens After Withdrawal Freeze". Bloomberg.com. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  22. ↑ FatManTerra. "Ver had a long on BCH, and the platform allowed him to run a deficit because he personally guaranteed he would pay them back". Twitter. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  23. ↑ "Crypto Exchange CoinFlex Won't Resume Withdrawals as Planned". Bloomberg News. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Graphics, FT Interactive. "Digital Gold by Nathaniel Popper". FT Business book of the year award. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  25. ↑ Hijacking Bitcoin. Publishdrive Incorporated. 5 April 2024. ISBN 979-8-9894924-2-8. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  26. 1 2 Minsky, David (16 January 2015). "U.S. Won't Let 'Bitcoin Jesus' Who Renounced His Citizenship Come to Miami for Conference". Miami New Times (blog).
  27. 1 2 Sparkes, Matthew (7 January 2015). "Millionaire 'Bitcoin Jesus' denied entry to the US". Telegraph (UK).
  28. ↑ "Initial Coin Offerings: A look at the future of the latest investing trend". ABC News. 7 October 2017.
  29. ↑ "Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen to Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G". Federal Register. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  30. ↑ "Antigua Government says Roger Ver's charges not related to his Antigua citizenship". Antigua News Room. 3 May 2024.
  31. 1 2 3 Redden, Molly; Asher-Schapiro, Avi (22 January 2026). "How "Bitcoin Jesus" Avoided Prison, Thanks to One of the "Friends of Trump"". ProPublica. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  32. ↑ Tomlin, Bennett (19 December 2023). "Duke Roger Ver becomes finance minister for Joseon". Protos. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  33. ↑ triforcebjj (31 May 2013), Roger Ver vs David Garmo in 2013 BJJ World Championships, retrieved 2 October 2018
  34. ↑ "Roger Ver, World's First Investor in Bitcoin on His Passion for BJJ & Brown Belt". Bjj Eastern Europe. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2018.[dead link]
  35. ↑ "San Jose, California Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Explosives on eBay". U.S. Department of Justice, United States Attorney, Northern District of California. 2 May 2002. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015.
  36. ↑ Raskin, Max (13 April 2013). "Meet the Bitcoin Millionaires". Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  37. ↑ "'Bitcoin Jesus' Arrested in Spain for Evading U.S. Taxes". WSJ. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  38. ↑ "Roger Ver's legal team moves to dismiss indictment citing government overreach". Fox News. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  39. ↑ "Crypto investor 'Bitcoin Jesus' reaches deal to resolve US tax charges". Reuters. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  40. ↑ "'Bitcoin Jesus' to Pay Nearly $50 Million to Settle US Tax Case". Bloomberg. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  41. ↑ Editor (2 May 2024). "Antiguan citizen charged for tax fraud". Antigua News Room. Retrieved 7 March 2026. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  42. ↑ "Lawyers for Silicon Valley's 'Bitcoin Jesus' say his tax case violates constitution". The Mercury News. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  43. ↑ "'Bitcoin Jesus' Lawyers Say His Tax Case Violates Constitution". Bloomberg. Retrieved 31 December 2024 – via www.msn.com.
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