Start Adopting Bitcoin on the Ground

Start Adopting Bitcoin on the Ground

The existence of bitcoin adoption in societies creates organic use and insider education.

While bitcoin adoption continues to grow worldwide, education remains one of the biggest challenges we face.

Financial literacy must exist strongly, but in many places around the world, people are denied it - or even worse, they are misled.

But how do you approach something like Bitcoin? In my experience, it is individual communication that has made the strongest impact.

Confidence-building

This was an American non-bank woman who had no bank account and never wanted to, but she needed to buy an ad with Bitcoin to sell some things to make ends meet.

I showed her how to convert gift cards into Bitcoin if she could purchase one for a modest sum.

1. Twenty minutes later, I called again
2. the gift card was in hand
3. and walked it through the process.

Our conversation lasted about two hours, but eventually she was doing her first transaction.

• A few days later, we began receiving dozens of calls daily.

• We ended up directing nearly a thousand people across our site

• and our traders were scrambling to fill orders worldwide.

While global bitcoin accreditation begins and ends with education - education is nothing without patience, trust and good customer service.

My journey in Bitcoin

Throughout the journey I came across some amazing people working to increase education and make a difference around the world.

People like activist Farida Neburima, who is fighting for democracy in the country of Togo, the Solomon Brothers who empower their community in Nigeria through Bitcoin and Kal Kassa who spread knowledge about Bitcoin to isolated areas like Ethiopia.

Paco de la India's story is one that's worth reading.

 a man who made it his mission to visit 40 countries in 400 days mainly living on bitcoin.

• During his trip, he spreads public awareness of bitcoin.

• encourages people to use bitcoin to access financial freedom by educating random strangers on

• the street and organising events for local communities.

• It's stories like de la India that remind us how small businesses can make a big difference.

Bottom-up approach

A bottom-up strategy is essential for the adoption of bitcoin on a worldwide scale. That's why at Paxful, we invested so much of our time on the ground - meeting with users, hosting workshops, organizing campus tours.

I've learned from experience that you should never undervalue the value of human connection. Only through education, patience and understanding can we access collective adoption and provide equal access to finance anyone anywhere.