Idaho man became the youngest Bitcoin millionaire at 18 after making his first $1,245 investment at just 12 years old
Published on Jan 13, 2026 at 6:01 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jan 13, 2026 at 6:01 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This Idaho man holds the distinction of being the youngest Bitcoin millionaire after investing $1,245 at the age of 12.
It all started back in 2012, when a young Erik Finman reportedly told his parents that he had no interest in going to college.
He had other avenues in mind – and it wasn’t going to a trade school.
Instead, he took $1,245 gifted to him by his grandmother and invested it in Bitcoin, in a decision that would pay off handsomely in years to come.
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How Erik Finman’s investment turned him into the youngest Bitcoin millionaire
When 12-year-old Erik invested $1,245 in Bitcoin, it was trading around $12.
He first heard of Bitcoin while attending a protest with his older brother, and he ‘fell in love with the revolutionary potential of cryptocurrency’, The Guardian reported.
Initially, he started with 103 BTC, which doesn’t sound like a whole lot – but he would reap the benefits soon enough.
In 2017, BTC leaped to the heights of $20,000, and Erik’s initial investment jumped up considerably, making him a millionaire at the age of 18.
Starting off adulthood with $2.07 million sounds pretty good to us.
It’s believed that he purchased more BTC along the way, to around 401 BTC in total.
And what had he done with his newfound wealth as a Bitcoin millionaire?
According to LinkedIn, he used his Bitcoin cash to set up an educational tech startup company called Botangle, which he later sold for 300 BTC.
He has gone on to set up Metal Pay, a platform designed to educate people on investing in Bitcoin.
And best of all, he won a bet against his parents – if he’d made $1 million by the time he got to age 18, he wouldn’t have to go to college.
It’s fair to say that he’s won that fair and square.
We’ve seen a lot of people make big bucks off cryptocurrencies
It may not be dominating the headlines like it was in 2022, but cryptocurrencies are still a hotly debated topic online.
Some people swear by them as the ultimate key to financial freedom, while others think they’re too risky to invest in.
However you sit with the subject, there’s no denying that some people have become very rich by investing.
For one man, he was able to access $3 million worth of BTC once he gained access to his BTC wallet after 11 years.
The important thing is to do your research and make an informed decision for yourself – it’s your money after all.
Timeline of Bitcoin
2008: The Bitcoin whitepaper was published.
2009: Bitcoin was launched.
2010: First recorded purchase takes place on May 22, for two pizzas.
2011: BTC reaches $1 for the first time, as other cryptocurrencies begin appearing.
2013: First major boom as it reaches $1,000, and media attention grows – while the government begins discussing regulations.
2017: BTC gains global attention, as it peaks near $20,000.
2021: All-time highs of $69,000 are reached; El Salvador adopts it as legal tender.
2022: Market downturn as BTC drops below $20,000.
2024: BTC recovers, as institutional and sovereign interest grows.
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