A 23-year-old individual involved in the crypto world has a unique plan to bring attention to global financial literacy. Their plan involves displaying an orange flag adorned with the Bitcoin (BTC) logo at the summit of Mount Everest.
In a post on February 28, Dadvan Yousuf announced their intention to climb the world’s tallest mountain sometime between April and May. Their goal is to reach the summit and proudly display the BTC flag before returning it to the base camp. Yousuf hopes that this adventure will shed light on the unequal access to financial education around the world.
Yousuf, who reportedly purchased around $340 worth of Bitcoin in 2011 and has since invested in Ether (ETH) and nonfungible tokens (NFTs), was born in Iraq and now operates a business in Dubai. As of January 2022, their reported net worth exceeded $300 million.
Overtourism has become a growing concern at Mount Everest in recent years. The summit has gained popularity on social media, attracting inexperienced climbers who are ill-prepared for the challenging conditions. Tragically, in 2023, eighteen individuals lost their lives while attempting to reach the top, with many perishing in the dangerous “death zone” above 8,000 meters.
Additionally, Everest has also faced issues with waste. Climbers have been discarding oxygen tanks, food, camping equipment, and even human waste along the route to the summit. Yousuf, however, is committed to ensuring that he leaves no trace behind. He intends to bring everything back down with him, including the flag.
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Yousuf stated, “Preserving the pristine environment of Everest is of utmost importance to me. I will make sure to have minimal impact and leave only footprints behind.”
Yousuf is not the first to try to promote cryptocurrency on mountain peaks. In 2018, three crypto enthusiasts announced their plan to leave a Ledger wallet at the Everest summit, but unfortunately, one of their sherpas died on the descent. In 2023, another climber funded their trip to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania partially with Bitcoin, aiming to raise awareness for financial literacy.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin had briefly surged to a high price of $64,000 in 2024 before dropping below $61,000.
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