'Bitcoin Sign Guy' Has a New Job, But He's Keeping His Identity Secret

A now-famous bitcoin supporter known for his promotional stunt during a US congressional hearing has landed an internship.

AccessTimeIconJul 20, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. UTC
Updated Aug 18, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. UTC

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

It's been a tumultuous week since the man known as "Bitcoin Sign Guy" held up a pad of paper emblazoned with the words "Buy Bitcoin" during a congressional address by US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.

But while details about Bitcoin Sign Guy remain largely shrouded in mystery, a few things appear to be certain. Namely, since drawing international attention to the cryptocurrency, he has apparently received thousands of dollars in bitcoin, become known (perhaps in jest) as one of the most often cited people in bitcoin and, most recently, got himself a new job.

  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • In a blog post yesterday, the non-profit public policy organization, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, revealed Bitcoin Sign Guy was the newest member of its team.

    Bitcoin Sign Guy's new boss, former Bitcoin Foundation board member Jim Harper told CoinDesk his latest intern, "BSG," had completed his first day of work, deeming it a success.

    But what stands out in Harper's description is the persistent protection his latest hire's identity.

    According to Harper, the decision to refer to Bitcoin Sign Guy by his given pseudonym is in line with the "bitcoin tradition" that began with the cryptocurrency's creator Satoshi Nakamoto.

    Harper wrote in an email:

    "I also wanted to see that he landed well, not suffering serious repercussions for tweaking the powers that be in Congress and the Fed."

    Harper's post described BSG as a recent college graduate working with "financial technology, bitcoin and the burgeoning variety of cryptocurrencies emerging on the scene to compete with government monopoly money."

    In his email, Harper further described his newest team member's first day at the office as including work with a researcher to explore a "blue ocean" study aimed at giving blockchain "a fully free financial future."

    "When I got to talking to him," wrote Harper, "I found him a poised young man with sophisticated knowledge of bitcoin, crypto and financial services generally."

    No benefit without risk

    Since BSG pulled off the publicity stunt, he's become a bit of a conversational staple, as evidenced by his citation in numerous informal polls.

    What remains to be seen, though, is why he needed the job in the first place. A tweet – posted by his "friend" as a way to share a bitcoin address and prove that he was the person who held the sign – was later removed, siting concerns about employment.

    As for Harper, he appears to have no such concerns.

    "He's a young person with a long life ahead of him," he wrote.

    "This event doesn't need to define him in his digital permanent record (creditable though it is)."

    Bitcoin Sign Guy image via Twitter

    Disclosure

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

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.


    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.