'Bitcoin Sign Guy' Nets Almost $15,000 After Fed Chair Appearance Goes Viral

Blockchain data reveals that it pays to be the Bitcoin Sign Guy.

AccessTimeIconJul 13, 2017 at 5:05 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 11, 2021 at 1:32 p.m. UTC

Blockchain data reveals that it pays to be the Bitcoin Sign Guy.

The bitcoin community was abuzz yesterday when, during an appearance before a Congressional committee by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, an attendee held aloft a "buy bitcoin" sign. The image of the sign quickly went viral, though the attendee and his friend were ultimately asked to leave by a staffer.

Soon after his appearance, it emerged that the individual is a friend of a cryptocurrency trader who tweets under the handle CryptoEthan. He posted a picture of the person – soon known as the "Bitcoin Sign Guy" – who, in addition to holding up the now-infamous sign, shared a bitcoin address as well.

As of press time, that address has garnered 6.32570673 BTC, an amount worth just under $15,000 at current prices. While most of the transactions involved, numbering 556 according to Blockchain.info, were small in scale, one notable contribution was for 1 BTC.

The photo that included the address was ultimately deleted at the Bitcoin Sign Guy's request, though he later visited the nonprofit advocacy group Coin Center, which is headquartered in Washington, DC.

The viral activity spurred several scam attempts, with some accounts posting Photoshopped versions of the original picture with new addresses.

Image Source: Twitter

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.