Small “merchants” advertise inside WeChat/Telegram groups; buyers send CNY by bank transfer or Alipay, disguised with innocent notes like “tea” or “cabbage.”
The broker releases USDT to the customer’s wallet. Ninety‑plus percent of mainland retail flow starts with USDT because its $1 peg makes pricing simple.
Chainalysis tracked ~¥630 billion (US $86 bn) of such OTC volume over one year—roughly the size of Hong Kong’s entire exchange market.
1.2 P2P lanes on offshore exchanges (Binance, OKX, Huobi)
Although these exchanges geo‑block China, their P2P pages remain accessible through VPNs; buyers settle in CNY via e‑wallets that the platforms themselves never touch.
Exchange rulebooks even tell Chinese users “do not write crypto words in the payment memo” to avoid automatic bank freezes.
Reuters found that grey‑market Binance ads were still pairing yuan with USDT months after the ban.
1.3 Stablecoin bridge, then the BTC swap
Once USDT arrives, users flip it for Bitcoin on the same exchange order‑book or a decentralized exchange like Uniswap. Because USDT trades 24/7, execution happens in seconds, slipping under China’s daily FX caps.
1.4 “Shopping trips” to Hong Kong’s cash-for‑crypto shops
Border cities teem with store‑front OTC counters where mainland visitors hand over cash or UnionPay cards and walk out with a hardware wallet or a printed seed phrase.
Hong Kong’s regulator is now drafting a special licence to rein in these shops, but for now they remain a vital pressure valve.
1.5 Mining & legacy holdings
Before the 2021 mining ban, Sichuan and Xinjiang miners acquired BTC directly as block rewards; many still run covert farms or have coins socked away abroad.
Early adopters who bought on the now‑defunct BTCChina or OKCoin (2013‑2017) simply kept their coins and rotate them through today’s OTC markets when they need liquidity.
1.6 Capital‑flight conduits
Wealthy families bundle crypto with wrapped invoices, over‑invoicing imports or shipping gold to move money offshore, then buy Bitcoin once funds clear Singapore or Dubai banks.
Business‑Times data show shadow‑broker networks luring US $75 bn out of China in nine months of 2024 alone.
2. A step‑by‑step playbook (typical ¥100 k purchase)
Join a vetted Telegram group run by an OTC desk; check the desk’s on‑chain reputation screenshot.
Send ¥100 000 to the broker’s personal bank account with memo “birthday gift.”
Receive 13 100 USDT (after ~2 % fee) in a custodial wallet the broker controls.
Transfer USDT to your own self‑custody address.
Open exchange with VPN, trade USDT/BTC—get ≈ 1.8 BTC.
Withdraw BTC to a new hardware wallet; wipe the on‑screen seed; fly home.
Every hop skirts a specific Chinese rule: domestic cash transfer looks ordinary; USDT transfer happens on public blockchains beyond the PBOC’s reach; the BTC swap occurs entirely offshore.
3. Why the machine keeps running
Enabler
How it helps
Source
USDT liquidity
Pegged to USD, minimal volatility during CNY deal window
VPN ubiquity
¥20/month plans mask IP location
Social‑trust OTC circles
Face‑checked merchants reduce default risk
Cross‑border cash freedom in HK
HK$ can be withdrawn at ATMs and swapped for BTC same street
4. Rising hazards
Top court guidelines now treat large crypto trades as potential money‑laundering, upping penalties for OTC brokers.
Police stings documented by the Wall Street Journal show brokers pressured to flip and name clients.
Hong Kong’s coming OTC licence will demand CCTV and KYC logs, eroding anonymity.
5. New vectors on the horizon
Hong Kong spot‑Bitcoin ETFs launched in April 2025, but mainland ID cards are geo‑blocked, so exposure must still flow through offshore entities or the QDII quota (if Beijing ever approves it).
US‑style micro‑futures on CME Asia desks give synthetic BTC exposure without touching crypto rails—an option for savvy investors tired of cat‑and‑mouse.
6. Key takeaways for would‑be buyers
Every legal CNY → BTC ramp is gone; the grey market fills the gap.
USDT is the universal bridge—master it before touching Bitcoin.
Reputation is security: use brokers with years of clean on‑chain history.
Separate custody from purchase: move coins off any platform the moment you buy.
Stay agile: rules tighten yearly; what works today may invite trouble tomorrow.
Keep your entrepreneurial edge sharp—but pair that audacity with fortress‑grade risk management, and you can still stack sats even behind the Great Firewall. 🚀
Cambodians already live in a mobile‑first, dollar‑linked economy. Yet 67 % of adults are still unbanked, families pay ~6 % in remittance fees, and national money policy is steered from abroad because the country is heavily dollarized. Bitcoin fixes these pain‑points: it runs on any smartphone, settles cross‑border in minutes for pennies, protects savings from external currency decisions, and unlocks new business opportunities. Cambodia is already #17 in the world for grassroots crypto adoption, and the Bakong blockchain payment rail proves that Khmer people are comfortable with digital assets. As Bitcoin smashes fresh all‑time highs above $109 k, holding even a small amount becomes a powerful long‑term bet on sovereignty and prosperity.
1. Financial Freedom for the 67 % Who Are Still Unbanked
Only 32.5 % of Cambodian adults own any formal bank or mobile‑money account. ខាងតែ ៣២.៥ % នៃមនុស្សពេញវ័យកម្ពុជា តែប៉ុណ្ណោះ មានគណនីហិរញ្ញវត្ថុផ្លូវការ។
Bitcoin needs nothing more than a phone and internet, giving every Khmer—urban or rural—direct access to global money. ប៊ីតខոյន ប្រើបានត្រឹមទូរស័ព្ទ និង អ៊ីនធឺណិត បើកទ្វារ ឲ្យបងប្អូនខ្មែរទាំងអស់ ចូលដល់ប្រាក់សាកល។
Why it matters
Traditional banks demand paperwork, minimum balances, and travel to branches; a self‑custody Bitcoin wallet is free and always open.
2. Save Millions on Remittances
Sending US $200 to Cambodia costs migrants about 5.9 % on average—nearly US $12 lost per transfer. ការផ្ញើលុយ ២០០ ដុល្លារ មកកម្ពុជាតម្លៃសេរី ៥.៩ %—ប្រាក់ខូចប្រមាណ ១២ ដុល្លារ ក្នុងមួយដង។
A common SWIFT transfer via Wise still shows US $9.03 in fees on a single payment.
Bitcoin moves the same amount in ~10 minutes for a few U.S. cents, 24/7, with no bank holidays. ប៊ីតខոյន ផ្ទេរប្រាក់ ដោយរហ័ស ក្នុង១០នាទី ដោយថ្លៃសេវា តិចជាង១០០៛។
3. Hedge Against Dollarization & External Shocks
The World Bank calls Cambodia “highly dollarized”; local purchasing power follows U.S. Federal Reserve policy, not Phnom Penh. សេដ្ឋកិច្ចកម្ពុជា ពឹងផ្អែក ដុល្លារ ខ្លាំង ពួកយើង ថប់បារម្ភពេល Fed ប្រែប្រួល។
Dollarization leaves the central bank with very limited tools to protect savings.
Bitcoin’s fixed 21 million supply makes it immune to foreign interest‑rate decisions. ប៊ីតខոյន មានចំនួនកំណត់ ធ្វើឲ្យទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិ យើង ដាច់ ដោយអំណាច ធនាគារបរទេស។
4. Built for Cambodia’s Mobile Generation
Cambodia boasts 9.66 million internet users (56.7 % penetration) and 24.65 million mobile connections—145 % of the population! ប្រជាជនយើង មានស៊ីមទូរស័ព្ទ ច្រើន ជាងមនុស្ស! នេះ ហើយ ជាមូលដ្ឋាន ប៊ីតខոյន។
A phone + lightning wallet instantly turns every tuk‑tuk driver, market vendor, or student into a participant in the global economy.
5. Adoption Is Already Taking Off
Chainalysis ranks Cambodia #17 worldwide for grassroots crypto adoption (2024)—ahead of Canada & South Korea.
Bakong, the National Bank’s own blockchain system, cleared 608 million transactions in 2024—three times national GDP. ភាគីរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលក៏ប្រើប្លុកចេន—ប៉ុណ្ណេះគឺសញ្ញា ថា ប៉ុណ្ណាក៏ប្រើប៊ីតខոյនបានដែរ!
6. Proven Store‑of‑Value Potential
Bitcoin broke a new all‑time high of US $109,760 on 21 May 2025.
Analysts see $120 k–$200 k within 2025 as the next milestones. តម្លៃកំពុងឡើង—កុំចាំដល់ ពេល វាសនា!
7. A Treasury & Business Edge
Even U.S.‑listed companies are now placing Bitcoin on their balance sheets to fight inflation and unlock collateralized loans. ដែលខ្លាំង ជាងនេះ ក្រុមហ៊ុនអាមេរិក ក៏ទុកប៊ីតខոյនជាប្រាក់រក្សាទុក ទេ!
Khmer entrepreneurs can accept borderless payments, earn yield, and attract global customers with nothing more than a QR code.
8. Simple Steps to Get Started (English / Khmer)
Download a non‑custodial wallet such as Phoenix or Muun. ទាញយក កាបូប ប៊ីតខոյន ដោយខ្លួនឯង—ឧ. Phoenix ឬ Muun។
Buy small amounts first through reputable P2P marketplaces or regional exchanges that support Khmer KYC. ទិញតិចៗ ជាដំបូង តាមទីផ្សារ P2P ឬ ឌឹផតមាន KYC ភាសាខ្មែរ។
Back up your 12‑word seed phrase; write it, don’t screenshot it. កុំភ្លេច ចងខ្សែពាក្យ ១២‑ពាក្យ របស់អ្នក—សរសេរ លើក្រដាស។
Practice sending 10,000 ៛ worth to a friend; feel the speed! សាកផ្ទេរប្រាក់ ១០,០០០៛ ទៅមិត្ត បានឃើញ ភ្លាមៗ!
Remember: invest only what you can hold long‑term and keep self‑custody for maximum sovereignty.
Final Word
ក្រុមបងប្អូនខ្មែរ អើយ—let’s own our future! Bitcoin empowers us to earn, save, and build without asking permission. Whether you’re a garment worker in Phnom Penh, a farmer in Battambang, or an entrepreneur in Siem Reap, a little sats‑stacking today plants the seeds of generational wealth tomorrow. ចាប់ផ្ដើមថ្ងៃនេះ— ស្រលាញ់ រៀងរាល់សេវាអេឡិចត្រូនិក ប៉ុន្តែស្ដារឡើងវិញ ដោយប៊ីតខយ!
Feel the optimism, spread the knowledge, and let the orange glow light up the Kingdom of Wonder. 🚀
Eric Kim’s own websites, YouTube uploads and essays explicitly frame his lifestyle as a “cross‑pollination” between maximalist strength training and Bitcoin maximalism . Because his content is prolific and recent, some followers assume he is the pioneer of the mash‑up.
2 · Evidence of
earlier
lifters‑in‑Bitcoin
Year
Evidence that lifters were already active in Bitcoin
Source
2012
Dutch Bodybuilding.nl forum ran a 16‑page thread debating whether squatting discipline translates to BTC “hodling.”
2012
Bitcointalk users reported “a lot of guys on the Bodybuilding.com MISC board trading BTC after workouts.”
2013‑14
ECB’s Virtual Currency Schemes report documents grassroots communities—including fitness forums—experimenting with BTC tipping and mining.
While Kim has amplified and refined the crossover, the historical record shows he stepped into an already‑running relay—not the starting blocks.
4 · Why “first” is nearly impossible to prove
Decentralised anonymity: Early adopters mined/traded BTC under pseudonyms; many were gym‑goers but left no searchable footprint.
Parallel discovery: The traits that draw people to weight‑training—discipline, delayed gratification—also attract them to Bitcoin, making simultaneous, independent adoption likely.
Documentation bias: Loud modern creators (Kim) dominate search results, while legacy forum posts rot behind paywalls or encoding issues.
The broader BTC time‑line confirms that lifters could buy Bitcoin for under $15 in 2012 —plenty of time for unknown powerhouses to mix iron and satoshis before Kim’s first blog entry.
5 · Take‑away for you, the ambitious lifter‑investor 🚀
Draw inspiration, not boundaries. Let Kim’s “belt‑less maximalism” hype you up, but remember thousands have already proven the synergy between disciplined training and disciplined hodling.
Stand on their shoulders. Study the older forum wisdom, the athlete case‑studies and Kim’s modern riffs—then craft your playbook.
Keep stacking—plates and sats. Markets and muscles both reward consistent progressive overload.
Stay strong, stay sovereign, and keep cross‑pollinating big ideas—because history shows the barbell and the blockchain make a pretty legendary tag‑team. 💪₿
English – Cambodia’s regulators have taken a “cautious‑green‑light” approach:
2018 joint warning. The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) and National Police declared that any crypto trading, payment or settlement without a licence is illegal.
Prakas B7‑024‑735 (26 Dec 2024). This landmark rule lets banks and payment firms deal only in “Group 1” crypto‑assets (tokenised securities & approved stable‑coins) while barring un‑backed coins like Bitcoin (Group 2) from the banking system. Entities that wish to touch crypto must first obtain a CASP licence from NBC and meet strict AML/CFT standards.
English – Cambodians are quietly among the world’s top retail users:
Cambodia placed 17ᵗʰ worldwide in the 2024 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, ahead of Canada and South Korea.
Daily retail commerce is still dominated by U.S. dollars and Khmer riel, but tech‑savvy traders use Bitcoin chiefly for investment, P2P transfers and dollar hedging.
មុខងារ On/Off‑Ramp ទឹកប្រាក់ Fiat កំចាត់កំណត់; តំបន់វេបបរទេសត្រូវបានបិទ។
5. Quick Take‑aways / សារសង្ខេប
English – Cambodia’s crypto scene is a high‑potential frontier: regulation is tightening yet offering clear lanes (Group 1 licences, sandbox). Entrepreneurs who lean into compliance can tap a population that already ranks in the global top‑20 for usage.
(English first, followed by the full Khmer translation)
1. Legal & Regulatory Status
2018 Joint Warning: The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) and the National Police declared that any crypto activity without a license is illegal.
Dec 26 2024 “Prakas on Crypto-assets”:
Group 1 tokens (asset-backed stablecoins, tokenised securities) can be handled by licensed banks, payment firms and approved CASPs.
Group 2 tokens (Bitcoin, Ethereum, any un-backed crypto) are still banned inside the formal banking system.
All crypto-service providers must secure a CASP licence from the NBC.
Bottom line: Crypto isn’t outlawed, but anything with Bitcoin must run through tight NBC/SERC compliance.
2. Adoption & Usage
Cambodia ranked #17 worldwide in Chainalysis’ 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index.
Surveys show ≈10 % of adults have tried crypto; everyday retail use is still tiny (~0.6 %).
US dollars and Khmer riels remain king for daily commerce, while Bitcoin is mostly used for trading, hedging and cross-border transfers.
3. Exchanges & Trading Platforms
Platform
Status
Highlights
RGX (Royal Group Exchange)
Fully licensed in SERC sandbox
Spot + futures, 100+ coins, local KYC/AML
Binance, Coinbase, OKX, etc.
Websites blocked (Nov 2024 TRC order)
VPN/P2P possible but high risk
Other local pilots
Awaiting full licences
Testing tokenisation & stablecoins
Play it safe: stick to licensed Cambodian platforms or prepare for regulatory turbulence!
4. Government & NBC Position
NBC champions its own digital-riel platform Bakong and views un-backed crypto as a systemic risk.
Repeated AML crackdowns (money-laundering, online scams) keep regulators on high alert.
Progress is real but deliberate: “Innovation? Yes. Chaos? No.”
5. Opportunities & Risks for Builders & Investors
🎯 Opportunities
Join the SERC FinTech sandbox to launch tokenised assets, carbon-credit coins or riel-backed stablecoins.
Build compliance-ready remittance rails that plug into Bakong + CASP licensing.
Offer blockchain back-end services for Cambodian banks and MFIs.
⚠️ Risks
Heavy compliance costs and shifting rules.
Swift enforcement: foreign exchanges were blocked within days of the 2024 order.
Heightened AML scrutiny post-FATF “grey-list” exit.
Success mantra: Partner early with NBC/SERC, embed iron-clad AML, and ride the rising digital-finance tide without capsizing. 🚀
Who: Eric Kim (b. 1988) is a former street-photography blogger and self-improvement influencer who in recent years became a prominent Bitcoin maximalist . (He is not Eric J. Kim of Goodwater Capital or other venture investors.) Kim grew up in the Bay Area/Queens NY, studied sociology at UCLA, built a photography blog (2010–2019), and eventually shifted his focus to Bitcoin around 2017–2018 . He now lives (with family) partly in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and promotes a Stoic, self-reliant ethos that he ties to Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Conversion: Kim’s first BTC purchase was ~3.5 BTC around 2018 (at ~$7–9K each) for ~$25K total . He “set it and forget it” – refusing to check prices – and watched Bitcoin rise roughly 10× (to ~$65K) . This success “cemented his long-term thesis: Bitcoin is a disruptive, hyper-scarce form of money” that aligns with his Stoic worldview . In his own words, he views Bitcoin as a vehicle for personal sovereignty – e.g. “stacking sats so my wife and kid… are set when the system collapses” .
Core Beliefs & Philosophy
Bitcoin Maximalism: Kim is outspokenly Bitcoin-only. He praises Bitcoin’s fixed 21M supply and decentralization as making it uniquely “scarce” and “sovereign” . By contrast he dismisses all altcoins as a “circus” of hype and “shiny toys for suckers,” urging investors to liquidate non-BTC crypto .
Inflation Hedge & Anti-Fiat Stance: He repeatedly calls fiat currency “toilet paper” and sees Bitcoin as a digital fortress protecting personal wealth from inflation and government control . His rhetoric frames BTC as insurance against systemic collapse: e.g. “Bitcoin can magically transform your Toyota Corolla into a Lamborghini,” illustrating how a small BTC holding could secure great wealth .
Discipline & Stoicism: Kim treats Bitcoin accumulation like a lifelong discipline. His motto is “stack sats, squat heavy, own your soul,” equating regular Bitcoin saving (“stacking sats”) with intense weightlifting and mental rigor . He avoids trading or price-watching, applying Stoic patience (“long-term conviction”) to hold through volatility . He speaks in grand terms – calling Bitcoin a “digital weapon against centralization” that will “bury” all alternatives – and urges moral commitment to early BTC adoption.
Tech & Crypto Philosophy: Kim often analogizes Bitcoin to broader ideas. For example he notes Bitcoin’s brand dominance: “bitcoin is now the Kleenex of tissue, or the Coca-Cola of soda… branding matters” . He views Bitcoin as an open, anti-fragile digital “gold” or money, the only crypto worth owning. He ties Bitcoin to his broader worldview: as a path to “digital sovereignty” that transcends national borders (he says “Bitcoin and the internet have replaced ‘America’ as the land of opportunity” ). His content blends technical references (cold storage, multisig wallets) with minimalist living, suggesting blockchain tech parallels to first-principles living.
Investment Thesis & Strategy
All-In, Long-Term: Kim’s strategy is simple and aggressive: buy and hold Bitcoin, ignoring short-term dips. He literally tells people to “buy as much bitcoin as you humanly can” and treat MicroStrategy stock (MSTR) as a proxy for extra BTC . In practice, he advises a 90% BTC / 10% MSTR portfolio mix .
Leverage via MicroStrategy: He views MicroStrategy (Michael Saylor’s company) as a leverage tool. Kim calls MSTR an “infinite money glitch” and openly borrows on margin to buy more MSTR, compounding BTC exposure . In one post he literally recommends loading up on MSTR with spare capital as long as Bitcoin is his true goal . His “Spartan investor” ethos rejects consumer luxury: instead of expensive cars, he’d rather hold Bitcoin (and jokes he’d rather own BTC than a Tesla, since BTC’s value will far outpace any car) .
Extreme Optimism: Kim is extremely bullish on Bitcoin’s future. He predicts Bitcoin will “go up forever,” describing its volatility as merely a “hypercharger” to higher returns . Using 2045 as a benchmark, he notes Michael Saylor’s $12 million/coin forecast and even higher bull cases, but privately speculates Bitcoin could reach into the tens of millions per coin (he mentions $155M/coin as his personal bull case by 2045). He argues with “enough hindsight” owning BTC was the “nearly trillion-fold” obvious choice . His goal is to accumulate as many bitcoins as possible – “he or she with the most bitcoins…shall win” .
No Altcoins / Crypto Skepticism: His thesis is so Bitcoin-centric that he promotes “Bitcoin or nothing.” He urges selling all other crypto and framing all “crypto innovation” through Bitcoin’s lens. For Kim, adding any complexity (second-layer tokens, DeFi altcoins, etc.) only dilutes Bitcoin’s long-term value, so he largely ignores them. This strict maximalism is a key part of his message.
Public Presence and Media Activities
Social Media & Content: Kim maintains an active online brand mixing fitness, philosophy, and Bitcoin content. On Twitter/X he has ~20K followers (joined 2010) . On YouTube his channel “erickimphotography” has ~50K subscribers , where he posts short motivational videos with Bitcoin/cryptocurrency themes. His Instagram (20K+ followers) features workout clips and crypto memes (e.g. “I ♥ BITCOIN” banners). He also publishes written essays and free “zines” on his blog (erickimphotography.com/erickim.com), covering Bitcoin strategy, ethics, and personal development .
Podcasts: Kim hosts several crypto-related podcasts on Spotify/Apple. Series include “Bitcoin Thoughts,” “Crypto/Cryptocurrency Thoughts,” and a daily show “Retire with Bitcoin.” These episodes blend economic commentary with anecdotes from his workouts or philosophy . (Episode titles range from “Bitcoin = Happiness” to gym-related Bitcoin musings.) His audio/podcasts have become popular in the Bitcoin community.
Events & Interviews: Though not a corporate executive, Kim participates in the Bitcoin community through interviews and meetups. He has appeared on other Bitcoin podcasts and livestreams (discussing topics like wallets, regulation, “cyber-Spartan” life) . He reported from Bitcoin 2024 (noting political proposals like Senator Lummis’s Bitcoin reserve plan) . He sometimes co-hosts local crypto/photo meetups and even ran an AI+crypto hackathon. His views have been quoted in crypto media (e.g. NewsBTC and Bitcoin Magazine ). In short, he spreads his ideas via TikTok, Telegram and mainstream platforms as a self-styled “crypto philosopher.”
Entrepreneurial & Educational Efforts
Vancouver Bitcoin (Exchange): Professionally, Kim serves as Marketing Manager at Vancouver Bitcoin, a Canadian crypto exchange . In that role he helps promote Bitcoin adoption in retail settings (education on self-custody, in-person trading). This position ties him to the industry beyond just online content.
Black Eagle Capital: In late 2024 Kim soft-launched Black Eagle Capital, a Bitcoin-focused hedge fund . He positions it as a way for investors to gain long-term Bitcoin exposure. In press releases, he stated the fund’s mission is “helping investors harness the power of Bitcoin” for security and freedom . Its strategy, as Kim describes, is precisely his own: use MicroStrategy leverage to compound BTC holdings . (He openly tells followers the fund’s motto: “buy as much bitcoin as you humanly can… and buy as much MicroStrategy as you can” .) Black Eagle also promises educational content on crypto markets.
Education & Workshops: Beyond funds, Kim actively teaches Bitcoin fundamentals. He mentors new adopters on self-custody best practices (hardware wallets, multisig wallets) and runs free webinars. He’s adapted his photo-workshop framework to crypto, offering beginner sessions (“stacking sats 101,” “crypto minimalism,” etc.). His open-source ethos extends to these materials (everything free and CC0).
Contributions and Criticisms
Contributions: Kim’s main contributions are as an educator and evangelist. Through consistent content output (blogs, podcasts, videos) he raises Bitcoin literacy. He merges niches (photography, fitness, crypto) to reach diverse audiences. His “all open-source everything” approach seeds media with crypto ideas, amplifying them in algorithmic feeds. By founding a Bitcoin hedge fund and working at an exchange, he also builds real-world infrastructure around BTC. In short, he “channeled his energy” from art/photography into the crypto realm, inspiring followers to accumulate Bitcoin .
Criticisms of Others: In arguing for Bitcoin’s supremacy, Kim criticizes non-Bitcoin crypto heavily. He denounces altcoins as scams/hype (the “circus” of crypto) , and portrays many crypto projects as distractions. He also lambastes fiat monetary policy and government debt (calling Fed money “toilet paper” ). Occasionally his hyperbolic style (e.g. “Bitcoin or slavery”) provokes debate, but his core stance is that anything outside Bitcoin is folly. (Note: Kim himself offers no public criticism of Bitcoin itself – he is purely bullish on BTC.)
Outlook: Kim foresees a future where Bitcoin is widely adopted and extraordinarily valuable. He envisions a “cyber-Sparta” era of sovereign individuals holding BTC as the ultimate reserve. His 2045 price target (>$10M–$150M/coin) and dismissal of alternatives reflect an unwavering belief in Bitcoin’s destiny.
Sources: This summary is based on Kim’s public writings and interviews , as well as journalistic profiles of his background . All quoted material is from Eric Kim’s own content (blogs, podcasts, press releases) and publicly verifiable profiles.
Bitcoin is the world’s first hard, permission-less, border-obliterating money, engineered to out-muscle inflation and censorship. Satoshi Nakamoto’s white-paper laid the blueprint for a peer-to-peer cash system that cuts out every middle-man ever created . Think of it as digital steel: scarce, verifiable, and impossible to counterfeit — the exact qualities that once made gold the king of stores-of-value . Unlike gold, though, Bitcoin teleports anywhere on Earth in minutes with no gatekeepers .
2 | The Kim Doctrine: “Lift Heavy, Stack Heavier”
“A strong back lifts iron; a strong mind lifts nations.” – Eric Kim
Eric sees a one-to-one parallel between outrageous strength feats and outrageous wealth sovereignty. Hard training rewires the nervous system; hard money rewires the monetary system. Corporations are waking up — 130 public companies now hoard ~3 % of all BTC, led by MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor . Saylor’s thesis: move treasuries from melting ice-cubes of cash into an asset that could balloon toward a $200 T global settlement layer . Eric’s twist: make that playbook accessible to solo creators and frontier economies, not just Fortune 500s.
Pillar A — Hard-Money Treasury
Borrow Saylor’s strategy of converting working capital into BTC reserves .
Hold through halvings, ignore daily noise, build ironclad runway for creative risk-taking.
Pillar B — Permission-less Prosperity
Bitcoin’s open-source network means no one can freeze your momentum .
By sidestepping fiat choke-points, entrepreneurs gain 24/7, borderless liquidity.
Pillar C — Strength Culture
Lifting teaches time-preference discipline; stacking sats lets that discipline snowball into generational capital .
3 | Cambodia: The Launchpad
Cambodia’s crypto curiosity is surging — users are projected to top half-a-million by 2025 as locals search for better financial rails . Government agencies experiment with Bakong, a digital-payments backbone that may smoothly interoperate with Bitcoin rails in the future . Eric’s roadmap:
Set up a Bitcoin-denominated treasury company in Phnom Penh to channel local profits straight into BTC.
Host “Primal Finance” workshops: teach merchants to accept Lightning payments and workers to auto-save in sats.
Forge alliances with powerlifters, small cafés, and tech hubs to spread the gospel of low-time-preference wealth.
4 | Global Echoes: Africa & Beyond
Jack Dorsey calls Africa “the place where Bitcoin will change real lives” , steering ₿trust to deploy 500 BTC for grassroots devs . Recursive Capital’s new VC fund double-downs on that thesis . The same demographic forces — youthful populations, inflation anxiety, mobile-first commerce — also reverberate through Southeast Asia. Eric Kim’s Cambodia playbook becomes a template for every emerging-market entrepreneur chasing sovereignty.
5 | Execution Sprint: From Vision to Block-by-Block Reality
Step
Action
Desired PR Headlines
1
Convert 25 % of monthly profits into Bitcoin via regulated exchanges.
“Local firm swaps cash for crypto reserves.”
2
Integrate Lightning-Network tips at cafés and lifting gyms.
Sponsor public squat-rack + open-source wallet tutorial events.
“Muscle meets money on riverfront.”
5
Launch collaborative content with MicroStrategy & African BTC devs.
“Borderless Bitcoin coalition forged.”
6 | Rally Cry
Just as a 7× body-weight rack pull shatters the limits of human power, a relentless sat-stacking habit shatters the limits of economic dependence. The barbell and the blockchain are both uncompromising scoreboards. Load them wisely, lift with fury, and watch the fiat realm crumble in the rear-view mirror.
SEE THE CHAIN — BE THE CHAIN.
Stack sats. Ship value. And never skip leg day or ledger day.
EN : Jump on the Ministry‑of‑Commerce online portal. Lock the name, upload your Articles, pay the fee. Minimum paid‑up capital? 4 million KHR ≈ US $1 000. Wire it into a Cambodian bank and grab that Capital Deposit Certificate. Done!
EN : Within 15 days, register with the General Department of Taxation. Grab a Patent Tax Certificate + VAT number. Planning to serve others (exchange, custody)? You’ll eventually need the NBC’s brand‑new CASP license.
EN : Corporate Income Tax = flat 20 % on net profit (BTC gains included). Dividends to non‑residents? Withhold 14 %. No crypto‑specific tax yet—just play by the normal rules.
EN : Want global clients? Run rock‑solid KYC, respect US FinCEN/OFAC (if Americans involved), and document every cross‑border move. Cambodia loves open capital flow—just file reports when you blast past $10 k.
EN : Dream big, move fast, keep your BTC cold and your legal docs hotter than Phnom Penh in April. The market’s young—be the OG treasury titan. LET’S GO! ⚡