Influencer and Pro Poker Player Dan Bilzerian Teases Possible New Crypto Venture
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Once considered the “King of Instagram,” Dan Bilzerian may not be as active on social media, but that doesn’t mean he’s no longer making headlines. A self-reported multi-millionaire, the businessman and seasoned poker player has been vocal about his wealth online. While some speculate that his impressive fortune, estimated between $100 to $200 million, comes from generational inheritance, Bilzerian has said otherwise. Previously, he’d told his millions of followers that his assets were a result of his card-playing skills and smart investments.
Although his portfolio is already rather diverse, Bilzerian recently shared a post on X, which has led some followers to believe a new crypto endeavor may be in the works.
Who is Dan Bilzerian?
Bilzerian is a 43-year-old professional card player from Tampa, Florida. While he attended four years of college at the University of Florida, the Armenian-American eventually dropped out to pursue poker full-time. Although some critics will argue that Bilzerian exaggerates his prowess on the felt, there’s no denying that he did make a splash on the pro circuit.
In 2010, Bluff magazine listed him as one of the funniest poker players, thanks to his antics. A few years later, Bilzerian said he had earned over $10 million in a single night of poker in 2013 and another $50 throughout 2014. Known as a high roller, Bilzerian was reported to have lost up to $3 million in a single poker session. In an interview with Joe Rogan, Dan revealed that he no longer plays in pro games, although he still does make the occasional charity game appearance. Prior to this, he was a GGPoker Ambassador and had joined the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event a few times. Outside of poker, Bilzerian has raked in significant amounts through his internet following and numerous businesses. The latter includes Ignite International Brands Ltd., which is a company he runs that sells different products such as vapes and vodka.
What his own crypto could mean for Bilzerian
Considering his risk-taking performance in business and poker, it’s no surprise that Dan has already dabbled in cryptocurrencies. In general, cryptocurrencies are promising digital assets with a market cap of over $2 trillion. However, given their lack of regulators, they are marked by volatility. Nevertheless, in 2023, Bilzerian told Steve-O that he had made millions back after first receiving crypto winnings. Following a bout of poker with a friend, Bilzerian agreed to be paid his due in Bitcoin. Although initially skeptical, he later realized that he was sitting on a digital jackpot once market prices started rising. According to him, he eventually made millions from buying and selling more Bitcoin and Ethereum.
With this existing crypto familiarity, it would seem only natural that Bilzerian now seems to want to release his own token. In an X post he shared just this June, the controversial influencer denied being a part of any virtual coins that use his name. Instead, he went on to say that he was thinking of starting his own cryptocurrency, especially given his apprehensions about the way the current stock market plays out. This last sentiment reflects what many crypto investors have been feeling. As a full-blown asset class, cryptocurrencies can be controlled by the decisions made on the stock market trading floor.
Although Bilzerian has yet to expound on the potential of releasing his own token, it’s fair to speculate he’ll likely be pushing for this crypto to be used in many of his own areas of interest. Chief among these, of course, is poker. Currently, crypto poker is a very popular form of cards given its many benefits. These are evident on the online portal Thunderpick, where players can enjoy poker using various tokens such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Tether. Apart from more obvious perks, like faster transactions, lower processing fees, and more secure data privacy, using crypto for poker also allows players to make the most of special bonuses. For instance, players can enjoy a boosted first Deposit Bonus if they play using one of the eligible tokens. If Bilzerian were able to have his token usable on these online playing sites, this would further his status as a crypto and poker icon.
Since online poker games, in general, are also great at fostering community and collaboration, Dan’s popularity could receive a significant boost if players started espousing his token. Considering that perhaps the one thing that Bilzerian enjoys more than his money is his fame, this would create a win-win situation that the influencer would be happy to go all in on.