In 2010, a Chinese teenager named Zhao Tong bought Bitcoin for $10. Fascinated by the idea of a global digital currency, Zhao, at just 16 years old, dove headfirst into the world of cryptocurrency.
Early Interest and Challenges
Zhao was captivated by Bitcoin's potential and eagerly shared his enthusiasm with friends. However, buying Bitcoin in 2011 was not easy. The largest exchange, Mt. Gox, frequently went offline and even experienced a flash crash that saw Bitcoin's price plummet to $0.01 shortly after Zhao's purchase.
Building Bitcoinica
A self-taught coder, Zhao built Bitcoinica in just four days. Unlike other exchanges, Bitcoinica allowed for margin trading, enabling users to speculate on Bitcoin's future price. Traders and miners could bet up to 50 BTC instantly. Bitcoinica quickly gained popularity, trading as much as $40 million per month, second only to Mt. Gox. Zhao earned $10,000, or about 2,000 BTC, in the first two weeks alone.
Growth and Concerns
Despite its rapid growth, Bitcoinica faced skepticism. Critics questioned Zhao’s age and experience and were concerned about the exchange's security measures. Despite these worries, Bitcoinica continued to trade hundreds of thousands of Bitcoins each month.
The Handover and Subsequent Hacks
In late 2011, overwhelmed by his school exams, Zhao sold Bitcoinica to Wendon Group. The new owners sought to audit the exchange, enlisting the help of veteran Bitcoin developers, including the outspoken hacktivist Amir Taaki. Wendon Group invested heavily in Bitcoinica, even purchasing the Bitcoin.com domain for $1 million.
However, disaster struck in March 2012 when Bitcoinica was hacked, losing 43,000 BTC. The situation worsened with two more attacks later that month, resulting in the theft of another 48,000 BTC. This period was before the advent of hardware wallets or multi-signature security, making the exchange vulnerable to password resets.
Aftermath and Legacy
The hacks triggered outrage among users, many of whom, like Roger Ver, suffered significant losses. The exact details of what happened remain unclear, but Zhao's reputation was severely damaged. The term "Zhao Tonged" became a meme in the Bitcoin community, describing investors who have been robbed and cheated.
Zhao's final act in the crypto world was to invest 1,000 BTC in a rare solid gold Casascius coin, one of only three in existence, now valued at over $60 million. After this, Zhao left the industry.
Lessons Learned
Exchange hacks continue to plague the cryptocurrency world. Serious investors are advised to use hardware wallets or multi-signature custody to mitigate the risk of exchange hacks. These security measures are crucial to protect against the loss of funds. Today, it's estimated that over 1 million Bitcoins, worth $65 billion, have been lost due to exchange hacks. Bitcoinica remains the third largest hack by total Bitcoin lost, serving as a $6 billion reminder to take custody seriously and avoid becoming a victim Zhao Tong.