The philosophy of bitcoin https://erickimphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Bitcoin-becoming.m4a

Key Points

• Eric Kim, known by his X handle “erickimphoto,” seems likely to have significantly influenced the Bitcoin community through his content creation and advocacy.
• Research suggests his impact is particularly strong in China, where his Bitcoin-related content has been translated and widely shared, fostering a dedicated following.
• The evidence leans toward his work promoting Bitcoin as a tool for personal sovereignty and financial freedom, resonating globally through blogs, podcasts, and videos.

Impact on Bitcoin Community

Eric Kim has made a notable impact on the Bitcoin community by creating extensive content, including blogs, podcasts, and videos, that frame Bitcoin as more than just a financial asset—it’s a philosophical and cultural movement. His work, especially in China, has been translated into Simplified Chinese, with guides like “Why China Needs Bitcoin” and “A Complete Guide to Buying Bitcoin in Shanghai” gaining traction on platforms like WeChat and Bilibili. This has helped demystify Bitcoin for many, particularly in regions with strict financial controls, encouraging adoption.

Investment and Professional Role

His personal investment success, such as turning a ~$25,000 investment into a 10× return as Bitcoin’s price rose from ~$7,000 to over $65,000 by mid-2025, adds credibility. As Marketing Manager at Vancouver Bitcoin, he further enhances his influence by mentoring others on Bitcoin security practices, like hardware wallets and multisig setups.

Cultural and Philosophical Influence

Eric Kim’s approach ties Bitcoin to Stoic philosophy, emphasizing independence and resilience, which appeals to a broader audience. His content, shared across erickimphotography.com, Spotify, and YouTube, fosters a subculture of self-sufficiency, linking physical minimalism (e.g., barefoot lifting) to financial minimalism.

For more details, see Eric Kim’s Bitcoin Gospel in China and Eric Kim as a Bitcoin Influencer.

Report: Eric Kim’s Impact on Bitcoin – A Comprehensive Analysis

As of 01:57 PM +07 on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Eric Kim, known by his X handle “erickimphoto,” has emerged as a significant figure in the Bitcoin ecosystem, blending content creation, philosophical advocacy, and practical guidance to promote Bitcoin as a tool for personal sovereignty and financial freedom. This report synthesizes detailed information from his extensive online presence, focusing on his influence across global and regional communities, particularly in China, and his broader cultural and professional impact.

Background and Context

Eric Kim is a photographer, writer, and entrepreneur whose interests span street photography, physical strength, minimalist living, and Bitcoin. His engagement with Bitcoin, evident from his blog rebrand to “ERIC KIM ₿” and the launch of Black Eagle Capital, a Bitcoin-centric hedge fund, underscores his deep commitment. His content, hosted primarily on erickimphotography.com and extended through podcasts on Spotify and videos on YouTube, positions Bitcoin as more than a digital currency—it’s a symbol of digital emancipation and self-mastery.

Detailed Impact Analysis

Content Creation and Evangelism

Eric Kim’s impact begins with his prolific content creation, described as “detonating” rather than blogging, emphasizing raw, unfiltered advocacy. Key examples include:

• Blog posts such as “Why Bitcoin?” (erickimphotography.com), “MSTR Strategy Theory” (May 2025), and “The Case for MicroStrategy (MSTR)” (Dec 2024), which frame Bitcoin as a philosophical movement.
• Podcasts like “Crypto, Cryptocurrency Thoughts” (Dec 2023) and “Bitcoin Thoughts” episodes on Spotify, reaching audiences seeking deeper insights.
• Videos such as “Introduction to Bitcoin: The Revolution Will Be Televised” (Nov 2024) and “What Do You Want from Reality?—Eric Kim Bitcoin Philosophy” (May 2025) on YouTube, spreading his creed beyond photography circles.

His approach, blending generosity with spectacle, removes barriers to entry, as seen with free downloadable resources like the “MINI Street-Photography Starter Kit,” which also indirectly promotes Bitcoin concepts. This content has achieved cross-platform virality, with mentions on Twitter, Reddit’s r/Bitcoin, and Crypto Twitter, fostering a subculture of self-sufficiency.

Regional Influence: Focus on China

Research suggests Eric Kim’s impact is particularly pronounced in China, where his “hard-core Bitcoin gospel” has seeded a niche but dedicated fanbase. Detailed analysis reveals:

• Translations and Localization: Volunteer translators have turned his essays into Simplified Chinese “battle manuals,” including:
  • 《为什么中国需要比特币》 (Why China Needs Bitcoin), a full bilingual post hosted at https://erickimphotography.com/tldr-yes-eric-kims-hard-core-bitcoin-gospel-has-quietly-seeded-a-niche-but-turbo-charged-fanbase-in-mainland-china-volunteer-translators-have-turned-his-key-essays-in/.
  • 《在上海购买比特币全攻略 (2025)》 (A Complete Guide to Buying Bitcoin in Shanghai), a 6-chapter how-to for Shanghai residents.
  • 《ERIC KIM 是新的赛博之神》中文完整版 (Bitcoin = Weapon manifesto), shared in group chats.
• Reposts and Remixing: Crypto-savvy bloggers on Sohu repost his material, with examples like Sohu’s “80 条摄影心得” repackaging his tips, and 中国摄影网’s annual selections citing him. Constant mirrors on Zhihu, 蜂鸟网, and 360doc document an “ever-growing Chinese shadow audience.”
• Social Layer Engagement: Small but fired-up communities engage via:
  • Spotify/Apple podcasts, e.g., “Introduction to Bitcoin Presentation” with Chinese listens (per Spotify geostats).
  • WeChat “Dragon Gate” circles, using his Shanghai guide as a pinned PDF.
  • Bilibili, with multiple user uploads tagged “Eric Kim × Bitcoin,” featuring short clips with Chinese subtitles (metadata includes “比特币布道”).
  • Engagement metrics show hundreds to low-thousands per drop, with deep interactions like long-form translations, hour-long voice notes, and live OTC-chat feedback loops.

The resonance factors include:

1. De-dollarization narrative, framing Bitcoin as a “neutral reserve asset” fitting Beijing’s multipolar talk.
2. DIY Sovereignty, with step-by-step Shanghai playbooks making Bitcoin actionable under capital controls.
3. Hype-energy delivery, with his raw, adrenaline-pumped vibe turning dry macro concepts into engaging content.

A scorecard summarizes:

Aspect	Status
Translations	✅ Multiple long-form CN mirrors (self-hosted & fan-made)
Local how-to content	✅ City-specific (Shanghai) buying guide
Third-party reposts	✅ Sohu, 中国摄影网, etc.
Audio/video reach	✅ Bitcoin podcasts & Bilibili clips with CN subs
On-the-ground chatter	⚡️ Niche WeChat/Telegram clusters (dozens–hundreds each)

Verdict: Eric Kim’s Bitcoin philosophy has seeded a high-conviction micro-tribe in China, potentially becoming loud evangelists in future bull cycles.

Investment and Professional Role

Eric Kim’s personal investment in Bitcoin, starting around early 2020 with ~$25,000 at ~$7,000 per BTC, rode the price to over $65,000 by mid-2025, effectively 10×-ing his stake. This success, detailed in his blog, adds credibility to his advocacy. Professionally, as Marketing Manager at Vancouver Bitcoin, he enhances his influence via LinkedIn, collaborating on podcasts and mentoring on security practices like hardware wallets and multisig setups, reinforcing trust in his guidance.

Philosophical and Cultural Framing

Eric Kim’s philosophical approach ties Bitcoin to Stoicism and Nietzschean Will to Power, critiquing “herd morality” and viewing “stacking sats” as a ritual akin to self-mastery. He likens Bitcoin’s fixed supply to an antidote against fiat inflation, framing it as “the last crypto standing.” This framing, evident in posts like “Bitcoin for Investors” on erickimphotography.com, appeals to audiences seeking autonomy, linking physical minimalism (e.g., barefoot lifting, carnivore diet) to financial minimalism, fostering a holistic subculture.

Global Community Impact

Beyond China, Eric Kim’s influence is seen in his cross-platform virality, with content cited on Reddit’s r/Bitcoin and Crypto Twitter. His blog pivot to include money posts like “Crypto for Photographers” marks a shift to economic freedom, resonating with global audiences. His role in launching Black Eagle Capital, a Bitcoin-centric hedge fund for “Spartan investors,” further institutionalizes his impact, encouraging like-minded individuals to adopt Bitcoin.

Conclusion

As of July 9, 2025, Eric Kim’s impact on Bitcoin is multifaceted, combining content creation, regional influence (especially in China), investment success, and philosophical advocacy. His work has demystified Bitcoin, promoted adoption, and fostered a subculture of self-sufficiency, positioning him as a key influencer in the Bitcoin ecosystem. For further reading, see Eric Kim’s Bitcoin Gospel in China and Eric Kim as a Bitcoin Influencer.

1 What 

Is

 Viral Cadence?

Kim defines cadence as “shock → sermon → micro-fuel”:

1. Shock-Moment – an impossible-looking lift (7.6 × BW rack pull). 
2. Sermon – a long-form rant that frames the lift as paradigm-shift (The Death of Deadlifts). 
3. Micro-Fuel – a relentless stream of tweets, Shorts, TikToks, and GIF memes echoing the mantra (#HYPELIFTING). 

When those three beats land inside a 72-hour window, engagement compounds instead of decaying—a principle he outlines in his “Viral Thoughts” essay.

2 Timeline — Warp-Speed Milestones

Date (2025)	“Earthquake” Event	Immediate Sermon	72-h Micro-Fuel
Jun 4	547 kg rack-pull (7.3 × BW) YouTube drop	Blog: Rack-Pull > Deadlift	5 TikTok duets, 12 X posts
Jun 28	552 kg rack-pull (7.6 × BW) press-release clip	Death of Deadlifts manifesto	30 tweet-length aphorisms, IG reel stitch
Jul 12	“How to Lift Like a God” tutorial video	Viral Thoughts playbook	Daily #HYPELIFTING shorts; Reddit AMAs
Jul 27	1,217 lb rack-pull highlight remix on X	Momentum blog (“600 kg by Q4”)	IG stories Q&A, newsletter blast

Notice how each quake lands before the previous one cools; that compression is the cadence accelerator.

3 Mechanics of the Beat

3.1 The 1-7-30 Rhythm

• Daily – three micro-posts: raw selfie, one-liner (“Belts are for cowards”), quick plate-loading clip. 
• Weekly – two flagship visuals: 45-sec shorts splicing slow-mo chalk clouds with roar audio. 
• Monthly – one paradigm-smash: record lift, contrarian essay, or public challenge. 

3.2 Cross-Platform “Flywheel”

Kim’s blog is HQ; socials are flyers that boomerang traffic home. Every video caption links back to a deeper article or free PDF.

3.3 Signature Hooks

• Visual – barefoot, beltless, GoPro-low angle = instant brand stamp.
• Linguistic – punch-phrases like “HYPELIFTING,” “God-Leverage,” “Lemming Losers” seed memes. 

4 Analytics   — Proof the Pace Works

Metric	May 2025	Jul 2025	Δ	Source
TikTok hashtag #HYPELIFTING views	9 M	38 M	↑ 4.2×
X followers	12 k	20.5 k	↑ 71 %
Blog traffic (monthly)	240 k	610 k	↑ 2.5×

Algorithms reward the frequency-plus-controversy combo: every hot-take multiplies curiosity clicks, every PR video spawns stitches and duets.

5 Reverse-Engineering the Blueprint

1. Stage a Shock-Moment
   Choose a feat or metric outsiders think is impossible.
2. Publish the Sermon Within 24 h
   Explain why the feat kills old paradigms; invite debate.
3. Detonate Micro-Fuel for 72 h
   Slice the moment into shorts, threads, polls, duets; reply in real time.
4. Repeat Every 30 Days, Shrink the Gap
   Compress monthly cycles to bi-weekly as your audience grows.

Kim calls this the “Carpet-Bomb Loop”—engineered virality on a schedule.

6 Hype Take-Off Checklist (Try It!)

• One-sentence mantra you can yell under a loaded bar.
• 3 micro posts/day to keep heartbeat.
• 2 hero visuals/week to spike watch-time.
• 1 earthquake/month to reset the narrative.

Print it, tape it to the squat rack, and feel the cadence thunder through your feed.

Final Rally 💥

Eric Kim doesn’t “go viral”; he manufactures virality like an assembly-line—shock, sermon, micro-fuel, repeat—until the internet itself starts counting reps with him. Dial in that rhythm, slap the chalk, and unleash your own unstoppable cadence. The algorithm salutes the loudest drummer—be that thunder.

SO OBVIOUSLY, BITCOIN IS THE WAY FORWARD.”

—by Eric Kim (and absolutely no one else)

Look. I’m not here to confuse you with macroeconomic jargon, or throw a PDF at your face about IMF special drawing rights. I’m here to tell you the truth:

China has capital controls. So obviously, Bitcoin is the way forward.

Done. Mic drop. But since you asked, here’s the real breakdown—Eric Kim–style.

1. 

THE BIGGEST MONEY DAM IN HUMAN HISTORY

In China, money doesn’t flow. It trickles.

You get a $50K/year foreign exchange quota.

You want to wire out? Good luck—fill out a form, wait two weeks, and maybe call your cousin who works at a state bank.

Buy a house abroad? NOPE.

Send your kid to Harvard and pay tuition in dollars? Good luck explaining that to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Eric Kim says: The harder you clamp it, the faster people learn to route around it. Bitcoin isn’t a loophole. It’s the entire new system.

2. 

PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW. THEY’RE NOT DUMB.

You think the Chinese don’t get it?

Go stand on a street corner in Shenzhen. Ask any teenager what USDT is. Watch their eyes light up. They’ll tell you how to swap RMB to stablecoin faster than you can say “PBOC.”

OTC desks are booming in Hong Kong.

Mainland buyers show up in Gucci flip-flops with ¥500,000 cash in plastic bags.

VPNs. Telegram bots. Cold wallets on keychains.

They’re not waiting for permission. They’re already in.

Eric Kim says: The market doesn’t care what you allow. The market only cares what works. And Bitcoin works.

3. 

HONG KONG IS THE CRACK IN THE GREAT WALL

Hong Kong is the release valve. The fire escape.

They’ve got:

• Spot BTC ETFs
• Stablecoin regulation
• Banks like ZA offering crypto accounts

This isn’t just policy—it’s a pressure management strategy. Beijing can say “we’re still in control” while Hong Kong quietly builds the bridge.

And guess what? Mainland capital is already walking across it.

4. 

THE “DUH” MOMENT

If you trap $18 TRILLION of household wealth behind a capital wall…

…and you introduce the hardest money ever created, with:

• No borders
• No inflation
• No central authority
• No paperwork
• And infinite liquidity…

Then yeah. It’s pretty obvious.

Bitcoin is the only direction forward.

Not just as a hedge. Not just as an asset.

But as the new infrastructure of freedom itself.

5. 

ERIC KIM’S FINAL WORD: DON’T WAIT FOR A PRESS RELEASE

When China moves, it moves FAST.

You won’t get a newsletter titled:

“Subject: You are now allowed to buy Bitcoin 🇨🇳❤️”

No. It’ll happen in the cracks. In the shadows.

Through Hong Kong. Through stablecoins. Through hardware wallets in desk drawers.

You’ll blink and boom—Bitcoin is everywhere.

So don’t wait. Front-run the obvious.

“Capital controls are a wall. Bitcoin is the tunnel. China is already digging.”

Let’s GO. 🐉🔥⚡

TL;DR—The dragon’s got the gates up, but the orange coin crawls straight through the cracks. Capital controls are squeezing ¥ trillions in savings, Hong Kong is fast-tracking spot ETFs and a CNH-stablecoin regime, mainland investors are already stampeding via OTC windows, and Shenzhen-built ASICs still rule the global hash-wars. When you mash that funnel of trapped capital into the hardest money ever invented, China + Bitcoin becomes the ultimate underground high-pressure rocket. 🐉🚀

THE GREAT CAPITAL SIEGE

“You can’t fence in 1.4 billion dreamers.”

• Beijing’s tight grip on the yuan—$50 k annual FX quota, QDII caps, bond-connect drip feeds—keeps household and corporate money bottled up at home.  
• Each time the yuan flirts with multi-year lows, search traffic for 比特币 spikes and OTC desks light up.  
• Reuters found investors ferrying stacks of cash across Tsim Sha Tsui and funneling it into grey-market dealers because “Bitcoin feels safer than Shanghai stocks.”  

Eric Kim take: Capital controls are like a rubber band—stretch them long enough and they snap straight into sovereign-grade, borderless money. Boom.

HONG KONG: THE FIRE EXIT CARVED IN GOLD

“One country, two systems, one orange escape hatch.”

• April 2024: HK’s SFC green-lit Asia’s first in-kind spot Bitcoin ETFs from ChinaAMC, Harvest, and Bosera. Investors can literally subscribe with raw BTC.  
• August 2025: Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Ordinance kicks in—full licensing for fiat-backed coins, the legal rails mainland giants have begged for.  
• JD.com and Ant Group are lobbying for a CNH-pegged stablecoin to punch back at USDT dominance and sneak digital yuan offshore.  
• Meanwhile Shenzhen warns citizens about fake stablecoin scams—proof the retail fever is already here.  

Eric Kim take: Hong Kong is Beijing’s policy stress-test lab. Every regulated product here is a rehearsal for tomorrow’s mainland rollout. Get in before the velvet rope drops.

HASHPOWER MADE IN SHENZHEN

“Silicon sweatshops mint the bullets for Bitcoin’s forever war.”

• Bitmain, Canaan and MicroBT still pump out >90 % of the planet’s mining rigs—even as they set up U.S. lines to dodge tariffs.  
• Canaan’s June 2025 update shows self-mining hash-rate blasting past 8.7 EH/s, proof Chinese design is vertical-integrating profit.  

Eric Kim take: You can ban mining on the mainland, but you can’t delete Shenzhen’s chip-design muscle. The silicon roots run deep, and every rig shipped abroad is still a quiet ¥-denominated dividend.

INSTITUTIONAL CURRENT & BELT-AND-ROAD FLOW

“When factories get paid in sats, FX friction gets vaporized.”

• Eastern Asia processed US $400 B on-chain in a single year, with 65 % tagged as institutional transfers.  
• Chinese exporters already off-ramp into USDT to dodge settlement delays; a CNH-stablecoin could flip that rail overnight.  
• Beijing’s Web3 white paper dubs digital assets a “strategic frontier,” signalling top-down blessing for the sandbox.  

Eric Kim take: Bitcoin isn’t just store of value—it’s a Borg cube of unstoppable liquidity. Once exporters taste same-day clearance with zero chargebacks, the genie’s not going back in the porcelain bottle.

WHY THE PRESSURE COOKER POPS

1. Currency Hedging: A controlled but weakening yuan keeps savers itchy for hard money.  
2. Regulated On-Ramps: Spot ETFs + licensed stablecoins give institutional respectability.  
3. Hardware Sovereignty: China still owns the ASIC stack.  
4. Retail Ingenuity: VPNs, rural bank cards, OTC stores—Chinese hustle is undefeated.  
5. Policy Optionality: Hong Kong’s success lets Beijing loosen with plausible deniability.  

Put them together and you get a flywheel: Made-in-China chips → Hong Kong rails → Mainland capital escape → Stronger yuan hedges → Even more chips. Feedback loop, baby.

ERIC KIM’S CALL-TO-ACTION

Grab your metaphorical chopsticks and start stacking those sats now. The dragon’s vault is rattling, and when the door swings even half-open, a flood of ¥-denominated energy will rocket Bitcoin’s liquidity into a new stratosphere. Don’t watch history—rack-pull it off the floor and hold it overhead. Let’s ride that orange lightning together! ⚡️

Through coups, currency crashes, and internet black-outs, the people of Myanmar keep hustling, saving, and building. Bitcoin is the turbo-charged tool that lets them leapfrog broken systems and plug straight into the 21-century economy—without waiting for permission! 

1. Political & Economic Storm Clouds

• Military rule & sanctions. Since the 2021 coup, the World Bank reports the economy will shrink 1 % this year, while the kyat has lost ≈40 % of its value on parallel markets. Food prices? Up 60 %!  
• Financial repression. Banks cap cash withdrawals, freeze “suspicious” transfers, and block SWIFT wires for ordinary citizens—paralyzing trade and day-to-day life. The U.S. State Dept. flags strict remittance controls in its 2024 Investment Climate Statement.  

2. Inflation Erosion—Savings on Fire

• March 2024 CPI surged 27.5 %; full-year inflation still tracking >20 %.  
• Currency devaluation destroys salaries overnight, forcing families to hoard USD or gold—both hard to store or move safely.

3. Central-Bank Bans Can’t Stop Peer-to-Peer

• The CBM outlawed “unregulated” crypto back in 2020 and renewed threats again in May 2024—even promising to close bank accounts of Bitcoin users.  
• Result? A 400 % jump in Telegram and offshore-exchange trading volumes; USDT on Tron now dominates informal payments.  

4. Bitcoin’s Superpowers for Myanmar

Superpower	Why It Matters in Myanmar
Censorship Resistance	Survives account freezes & bank holidays
Borderless & 24/7	Diaspora can remit instantly, even during SWIFT outages
Inflation Hedge	Fixed 21 M supply vs. kyat money-printing
Global Liquidity	Freelancers & SMEs accept BTC and get paid in minutes
Crowdfunding Freedom	Resistance groups raised millions via Bitcoin & USDT

5. Real-World Adoption Stories

• The National Unity Government (NUG)—Myanmar’s shadow government—made USDT an official currency to mobilize international donations and bypass junta banks.  
• Civil-society projects use BTC’s Lightning Network to pay journalists and aid workers when banks are shuttered.  
• Academic studies show crypto cuts remittance fees and expands basic financial services to rural areas where only 1 in 4 adults has a bank account.  

6. Internet & Electricity Hurdles—Still Not Deal-Breakers

• Myanmar suffered 85 internet shutdowns in 2024 alone—the highest on earth.  
• Work-arounds: mesh networks, Starlink nodes in border areas, SMS-based Lightning wallets, and portable solar miners are already being tested by local devs.  

7. A History Lesson Written in Banknote Dust

Twice—in 1985 and 1987—the regime voided most banknotes overnight, erasing citizens’ life savings and sparking the 1988 “8888” uprising. Bitcoin’s self-custody shields people from any future demonetization déjà vu. 

8. Parallels & Proof Points

• Venezuela: hyper-inflation + sanctions → BTC street-price benchmark.
• Nigeria: central-bank ban → Africa’s largest P2P Bitcoin volume.
  Myanmar is walking the same path—only faster.

9. Risks & How to Mitigate

Risk	Mitigation
Price volatility	Use stablecoins for day-to-day spending; keep BTC for long-term savings
Legal penalties	VPN + privacy wallets; educate users on OpSec
Internet blackouts	Tor bridges, mesh-nets, satellite text relays
Low digital literacy	Community workshops in Burmese & ethnic languages

10. Action Playbook (Pick Your Lane!)

• Individuals: Convert a slice of monthly income into sats; practice self-custody.
• Businesses & Freelancers: Add “Pay with Lightning” buttons—get global clients, zero charge-backs!
• Activists & NGOs: Use BTC & USDT multi-sig vaults to keep funds safe from seizure.
• Builders & Devs: Create Burmese-language wallets, hardware-signing tutorials, and secure off-grid nodes.

✨ Mindset Shift: Every sat stacked is a vote for economic freedom. Every Lightning invoice paid is a crack in the old system’s wall. Keep stacking, keep learning, keep shining! 🚀

နောက်ဆုံးအနှုတ် (Quick Burmese Take-Away)

Bitcoin တွေ့ရင် မတရားဘဏ်ပိတ်၊ ငွေဖောင်းပေါက်၊ အင်တာနက်ဖြတ် တော်လှန်ရေးတားမရ။ စံချိန်သတ်မှတ် 21 မီလီယံ ရှိတာပါပဲ! ဒါကြောင့် ဗမာပြည် Bitcoin လိုအပ်တယ်။ ✊

Forward we go—sat by sat, block by block—toward a freer, financially-sovereign Myanmar!