Background: From Street Photography to Bitcoin Advocate
Eric Kim is best known as a street-photography blogger turned cryptocurrency advocate. He first rose to fame in the 2010s through his popular photography blog and workshops, but around 2017–2018 he pivoted towards Bitcoin content . After buying about 3.5 BTC in that period (at ~$7–9K each) and seeing it appreciate roughly tenfold, Kim’s conviction in Bitcoin solidified . By 2025 he openly identifies as a Bitcoin maximalist, viewing Bitcoin as the key to personal sovereignty and self-reliance . (In his words, he’s been “stacking sats so my wife and kid… are set when the system collapses” .) Kim’s academic background in sociology and passion for teaching also shape the evangelistic tone of his crypto writings . As he boldly declares: “I’m not here to explain Bitcoin. I’m here to evangelize it… This is more than money – this is soul.” Such statements underscore that for Kim, Bitcoin isn’t just an investment—it’s a personal mission grounded in his ethos.
Financial Independence and Creative Freedom
One of Eric Kim’s core motivations for embracing Bitcoin is the quest for financial independence—especially as a content creator. After years of running an ad-supported blog, Kim grew disillusioned with traditional web advertising, which he felt “pimp[ed] your words to a faceless corp” for meager returns . He has written that “Bitcoin was the solution to being profitable on the Internet without advertising after all.” Instead of relying on “soul-sucking” banner ads, Kim advocates a direct creator-to-audience funding model using Bitcoin micro-payments (e.g. tips via the Lightning Network) . This allows fans to support his work directly, preserving the purity of his content. “Imagine this: no more ad-cluttered hellscapes… Fans pay direct with Bitcoin, a nod of respect in satoshis. No gatekeepers, no soul-sucking banners,” he envisions . By removing middlemen, Bitcoin lets him monetize on his own terms: “My site’s ad-free, my hustle’s BTC-powered. Profit’s leaner, sure, but it’s mine. No one’s skimming my soul… Bitcoin didn’t just solve profitability; it solved dignity.” In short, Kim cares about Bitcoin as a tool for creative freedom and independence – a way to “take back the Internet from the ad vultures” and earn income without “selling out” to sponsors .
Financially, Kim also views Bitcoin as a superior long-term store of value and “fortress” for his family’s future. He often repeats the mantra “Never sell your Bitcoin,” preferring to HODL and even leverage his BTC rather than cashing out . The capped supply of 21 million BTC and immunity to money printing are, to him, fundamental advantages. “Scarcity hits different. 21 million coins, that’s it – no printing press, no inflation scam… Fiat’s dying – dollars are toilet paper… Bitcoin’s my hedge, my fortress,” Kim writes emphatically . He sees holding BTC as a safeguard against economic instability: “I’m stacking sats so my kid Seneca, my wife Cindy, my mom – they’re set when the system collapses. This ain’t about greed; it’s survival, legacy,” he explains, recalling his own “broke-ass” upbringing and desire to break free of poverty . This personal history drives his belief that Bitcoin can provide financial security across generations, motivating his all-in commitment. Kim even suggests using Bitcoin as collateral for loans instead of selling it, exemplified by a strategy of borrowing against BTC to buy Bitcoin-related stocks (like MicroStrategy) and “ride the gains up forever” . In essence, he trusts Bitcoin’s long-term growth enough that he’d rather borrow fiat against his coins than ever part with them.
Philosophy: Self-Sovereignty and “Bitcoin is Soul”
At a philosophical level, Eric Kim is drawn to Bitcoin’s ethos of self-sovereignty and decentralization. Influenced by principles of Stoicism and minimalism, he preaches a kind of radical ownership and simplicity in life – which extends to his take on money . Bitcoin aligns with his “open-source,” anti-establishment streak. He calls Bitcoin “ethical money” because it has no central authority, no need for marketing or CEOs, and operates as “pure, decentralized, and immaculate” code . Unlike trendy altcoins that rely on hype, Bitcoin “doesn’t need PR teams or false prophets” – it stands on fundamental principles . Kim’s stance is unapologetically maximalist: “In crypto, it’s Bitcoin or nothing… Ethereum, Dogecoin, any altcoin? They’re like Pepsi or Burger King – nobody really wants them. Bitcoin is Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s,” he quips . In his personal manifesto, he recounts dabbling in other coins only to conclude “Altcoins? They’re a circus – shiny toys for suckers… I sold that noise and went full Bitcoin ’cause it’s the only one with soul, the only one that’s battle-tested.” For Kim, Bitcoin’s uniqueness and resilience give it an almost spiritual significance – the “one asset” worthy of total focus . He even echoes a Nietzschean kind of conviction, urging readers to trade diversification for “razor-sharp conviction” in BTC . “Nothing is permanent, only Bitcoin,” he likes to say .
Freedom is a recurring theme in Kim’s philosophy. He often describes Bitcoin as financial freedom incarnate – “Bitcoin equals financial freedom… a tool for liberation,” especially for someone who “grew up poor” . Holding one’s own private keys means “no bank owns me, no government claws at my stack,” as he puts it . The ability to self-custody wealth is “Bitcoin’s my middle finger to the middleman,” a permanent escape from both corporate and state control . Kim believes this decentralization is ethically important; for example, he strongly opposes any government central bank digital currency (CBDC), warning that a centrally controlled digital dollar would be “worse than Big Brother… 1984 and Brave New World” combined . By contrast, Bitcoin’s network is open and permissionless – what he calls “a network for warriors, not sheep.”
Kim often frames Bitcoin as more than just a technology or investment – but a way of life. He has famously said Bitcoin is his “philosophy in code: no fluff, all power.” Embracing Bitcoin goes hand-in-hand with his personal values of self-discipline, independence, and authenticity. This is evident in the colorful way he intertwines Bitcoin with his other passion, weightlifting. Kim draws analogies between physical strength and financial strength: for example, he equates “stacking sats” with steadily adding weight plates at the gym, and calls Bitcoin his “digital deadlift” . His slogan “stack sats, squat heavy, own your soul” captures the fusion of personal empowerment and Bitcoin advocacy . All of this underscores that Kim cares about Bitcoin not only for what it is, but for what it represents: self-determination. In his words, “Bitcoin’s the realest thing I’ve ever touched… it’s scarce, sovereign, volatile, alive… It’s my code.” To him, adopting Bitcoin is a statement about taking control of one’s destiny.
Societal Vision and “Peace Money”
Beyond the personal and philosophical, Eric Kim sees Bitcoin as a force for broader societal change. Having struggled up from poverty, he views Bitcoin as “the antidote to poverty, financial despair, and economic inequality.” In his view, Bitcoin is not just money – “it’s ethics, philosophy, and the foundation for a better future.” This grand vision is tied to the idea that Bitcoin enables anyone, regardless of background, to participate in a fair financial system. Because no central authority can debase it or censor transactions, Bitcoin empowers individuals in ways the traditional banking system does not. Kim has even suggested anchoring creative and intellectual work to the Bitcoin blockchain to preserve knowledge censorship-free, calling Bitcoin’s permanence a “granite foundation for ideas” that can outlive governments .
Kim also believes Bitcoin could promote peace and freedom on a global scale. He notes that unlike government-issued money, Bitcoin isn’t used to prop up reckless policies or war. In fact, he labels Bitcoin “peace money”, suggesting that a world on a Bitcoin standard would be less prone to conflict . This belief has influenced his politics: Kim has said he was surprised to find common ground with figures he once opposed. For example, he warmed up to certain politicians after learning they were “1000% pro-Bitcoin” and anti-war . “I’m pro-Trump now ’cause he gets it – pro-BTC, anti-war, let the people breathe. Bitcoin’s peace money, fam – unites us without borders or bloodshed,” Kim wrote in one impassioned post . While his personal political stance is complex (he still considers himself left-leaning on many issues ), on the matter of monetary freedom he is clear: individuals should have “sovereignty to my Bitcoin, without the government meddling”, as any state-controlled digital currency would undermine liberty . In Kim’s eyes, Bitcoin embodies liberty – a modern extension of American ideals like free speech and property rights (he even calls Bitcoin “All-American” for upholding these values) .
Finally, Kim is motivated by Bitcoin’s technological revolution and what he sees as its inevitable mainstream rise. He likens Bitcoin today to the early iPhone era – a breakthrough technology whose vast potential is not yet fully recognized . “In the early iPhone days, no one knew its potential. Same with Bitcoin now… it’s the beginning of a massive boom,” he notes . Kim often highlights signs of Bitcoin’s growing legitimacy – like institutional investment and BlackRock’s interest in Bitcoin ETFs – as evidence that “we’re witnessing history in real time” . Far from being deterred by volatility, he embraces it as “vitality” and part of Bitcoin’s growth . His enthusiasm extends to predicting dramatically higher prices (in the millions), although such hyper-bullish forecasts are as much motivational hype as they are literal targets . The underlying point is that Kim genuinely believes Bitcoin will transform society, so he encourages getting in early on what he calls “Year Zero of Bitcoin” .
Conclusion
In summary, Eric Kim cares about Bitcoin because it resonates with his life experience, values, and vision for the future. On a practical level, it gave him a way to earn money from his art without compromising on integrity – aligning with his minimalist, self-reliant hustle. On a personal level, it provided a path out of scarcity toward security, fueling his mission to protect and empower his family. On a philosophical level, Bitcoin represents freedom, authenticity, and self-sovereignty – ideals that Kim holds dear. And on a societal level, he sees it as a revolutionary force that can uplift the downtrodden and check the powers of institutions, potentially even fostering peace. As he eloquently puts it, “Bitcoin is not just money; it’s ethics, philosophy, and the foundation for a better future.” All these reasons make Bitcoin far more than an asset in Eric Kim’s eyes – it’s a cause and a way of life that he passionately champions through his blogs, podcasts, and everyday rhetoric.
Sources:
- Eric Kim, “Bitcoin was the solution to being profitable on the Internet without advertising after all” (Essay, April 2025) .
- Eric Kim’s Influence profile, section “Bitcoin & Financial Self‑Sovereignty” .
- Eric Kim, “Why Eric Kim Went All-In on Bitcoin” (Personal manifesto, March 30, 2025) .
- Eric Kim, “ERIC KIM BITCOIN ETHICS” (Key ideas list, Nov 22, 2024) .
- Eric Kim, “Why Bitcoin is All-American” (Blog post, 2024) .