Dadvan Yousuf

Last updated

Dadvan Yousuf
Dadvan Yousuf.jpg
Dadvan Yousuf (2021)
Born
Dadvan Ismat Yousuf Yousuf

(2000-04-09) April 9, 2000 (age 24)
Zakho, Kurdistan, Iraq
Occupation(s)Businessman, Bitcoin investor
Years active2011–present
Known for Bitcoin activities

Dadvan Ismat Yousuf Yousuf (born April 9, 2000) is an Iraqi cryptocurrency investor and businessman whose early bitcoin investments made him a millionaire. [1] [2] [3] Yousuf and his companies have been the subject of a number of investigations into financial impropriety. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Early life

Yousuf was born in Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan on April 9, 2000. [7] His father was part of the Peshmerga and fled the country to Switzerland before Yousuf was born. Three years later his mother left the country, together with her three sons. [8] They arrived in Neuenburg, Switzerland, in 2003 where his father had relocated. [9] [10] In 2004, the family was granted refugee status and moved to Ipsach. Yousuf has five younger siblings who were born in Switzerland. [11] In his early years, he showed a interest in the field of finance, particularly on Bitcoin and international money transfers. [12]

Career

At the age of 11, Yousuf sold some of his toys to acquire funds to invest in Bitcoin. With this initial investment, he purchased 10 Bitcoins at a price of €15 and continued to trade in the cryptocurrency. [8] [9] In 2012, he acquired 1000 Bitcoins at a rate of €11,126. In 2016, Yousuf invested in Ethereum, buying 16,000 units at a total cost of €134,000. [11] Yousuf became a multi-millionaire through his cryptocurrency trades, [9] [10] and is considered the youngest Swiss self-made millionaire. [13]

In 2017 he started an apprenticeship at the Eidgenössische Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung in Zollikofen. He finished his apprenticeship with a real estate company in Bern. Around the same time, Yousuf claims, he developed a software for automated trades in cryptocurrencies, based on an algorithm analysing data and predicting fluctuations in the future. The algorithm evaluates data stemming from technical analysis, social media, macroeconomics and public statements about cryptocurrencies. [14]

In early 2021, Yousuf founded the Dohrnii Foundation to oversee the development of his cryptocurrency software and own cryptocurreny tokens. [15] Later that year, in November 2021, he was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for the DACH region. [16]

In late 2021, Yousuf bought the majority of Crowdlitoken, [17] [18] a Liechtenstein startup developing technology to allow people to invest in real estate through digital shares in the form of tokens. Concomitant with this investment, Yousuf assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and was appointed as a member of the company's board of directors. [19]

In February 2022, several critical press articles scrutinized Yousuf's professional activities and credentials. [20] [21] Reports alleged embellishments to his resume, irregularities in transactions, and false representation. [22] [23] Subsequently, in March 2022, Yousuf filed a defamation complaint against two journalists from SRF Investigativ, a Swiss media outlet. [24]

In early 2022, Yousuf sponsored FC Schaffhausen at the Wefox-Arena. [25] Yousuf's involvements in cryptocurrency have drawn the attention of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority. [21] [26] In May 2022, the Dohrnii Foundation was investigated for engaging in various regulated activities, including acting as a securities firm, without obtaining the required FINMA authorization. [27] [28] He resigned as CEO in February 2023, [29] and following enforcement proceedings by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, the Dohrnii Foundation was dissolved in June 2023. [30]

Yousuf's autobiography was published on October 24, 2022. [31] [32] In December 2022, Yousuf participated in the ARD documentary titled 'Money Maker', [33] which explored his journey from a refugee child in Kurdistan to becoming a multimillionaire through cryptocurrency investments in Switzerland. [34] [35] As of 2023 he is under criminal investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Bern. [36]

Personal life

Yousuf climbed Mount Everest in 2024, claiming to be the first Kurd and Iraqi to have reached the summit. [37] [38]

Books

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References

  1. ↑ Beglinger, Martin (17 May 2023). "Finma geht gegen Krypto-Millionär Dadvan Yousuf und Dohrnii vor". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German).
  2. ↑ Beglinger, Martin (14 February 2022). "Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling Yousuf wird von der Finma durchleuchtet". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German).
  3. ↑ "Nach Klage von Krypto-Wunderkind: Zwei SRF-Journalistinnen sind verurteilt worden". watson.ch (in German).
  4. ↑ swissinfo.ch/mga (2022-05-20). "Refugee 'crypto millionaire' faces Swiss money laundering probe". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  5. ↑ "Krypto-«King» - Strafuntersuchung gegen Dadvan Yousuf". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in German). 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  6. ↑ "Strafverfahren gegen Dadvan Yousuf – 23-jähriger Berner Krypto-millionär soll Anleger getäuscht haben". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  7. ↑ Money Maker: Folge 3: Dadvan Yousuf – Kryptomillionär mit 17 (S01/E03) | ARD Mediathek (in German), retrieved 2023-02-23
  8. 1 2 "Crypto-succès suisse – A 21 ans, l'ancien réfugié est devenu millionnaire grâce au Bitcoin". 24 heures (in French). 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  9. 1 2 3 "Vom Flüchtling zum Millionär – Er tauschte seine Spielsachen gegen Bitcoins". Der Bund (in German). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  10. 1 2 "Svizzera, la favola di Dadvan, il giovane rifugiato curdo diventato milionario grazie ai Pokémon venduti a cambio di Bitcoin". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  11. 1 2 Tanner (Bilder), Martin Beglinger (Text), Simon (7 July 2021). "Kryptowährungen: Vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bitcoin-Millionär". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Beglinger (Text), Martin (2021-07-07). "Kryptowährungen: Vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bitcoin-Millionär". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN   0376-6829 . Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  13. ↑ Ritter, Pascal (2021-11-08). "Mit Bitcoin aus der Armut: "Ich bin eine wandelnde Provokation" – der jüngste Schweizer Selfmade-Millionär im Interview". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 2021-11-08.
  14. ↑ Beglinger (text), Martin (2021-07-14). "Kurdish refugee buys bitcoins as child, is now multimillionaire". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN   0376-6829 . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  15. ↑ Dobrescu, Petre (2021-04-25). "Cum a ajuns un refugiat irakian milionar în Elveția la 21 de ani. Era copil când și-a vândut figurinele Pokemon ca să-și cumpere Bitcoin". Libertatea (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  16. ↑ "Dadvan Yousuf". Forbes (in German). 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  17. ↑ Michael Schäfer, Werner Grundlehner: Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling zündet die nächste Stufe , Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 12. November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Krypto-Millionär steigt bei Crowdlitoken ein". finews.ch (in German). 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  19. ↑ Grundlehner, Michael Schäfer, Werner. "Krypto-Millionär Yousuf will Immobilienanlagen revolutionieren". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2021-11-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ↑ "Dadvan Yousuf (21) – Finma untersucht Stiftung von "Krypto-Zauberlehrling"". 20 Minuten (in German). 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  21. 1 2 Martin Beglinger: „Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling wird von der Finma durchleuchtet“, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 14. Februar 2022
  22. ↑ "Krypto-"King" Dadvan Yousuf – der Krypto-"Milliardär" und seine fragwürdigen Transaktionen". 17 February 2022.
  23. ↑ Marti, Kilian (2022-03-22). "Dadvan Yousuf: Der Krypto-"Milliardär" verteidigt sich gegen die Vorwürfe". Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  24. ↑ "Dadvan Yousuf: Strafanzeige gegen Autorinnen des Schweizer Fernsehens". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  25. ↑ "Umstrittener Krypto-Unternehmer wirbt im FCS-Stadion | Schaffhauser Nachrichten". www.shn.ch (in German). 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  26. ↑ "Junger Bitcoin-Investor – Geht beim Berner Kryptomillionär alles mit rechten Dingen zu?". Der Bund (in German). 17 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  27. ↑ "Untersuchung der Finma – Kryptowährungen: Finma rügt Dadvan Yousuf und seine Stiftung". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in German). 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  28. ↑ "Untersuchung gegen Kryptomillionär – Finma rügt Krypto-Stiftung Dohrnii und deren Gründer Dadvan Yousuf". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  29. ↑ "Künftig nur noch Repräsentant: Bitcoin-Millionär Dadvan Yousuf legt Ämter bei Krypto-Bildungsplattform nieder". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  30. ↑ Nikolova, Maria (2023-05-17). "Swiss FINMA concludes proceedings against crypto platform Dohrnii Foundation". FX News Group. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  31. ↑ "Dadvan Yousuf: Der Kryptomillionär über seine Autobiografie, die Finma und den Crash". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  32. ↑ Weill, Pierre (2022-08-15). "Dadvan Yousuf: Eine Biografie des Krypto-Investors". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN   0376-6829 . Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  33. ↑ "Money Maker (3) - Money Maker - ARD | Das Erste". www.daserste.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  34. ↑ ""Money Maker" – ARD-Doku über Bitcoin-Millionär Dadvan Yousuf". Prisma (in German). 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  35. ↑ moneycab (2022-10-12). ""Money Maker": Kryptounternehmer Dadvan Yousuf porträtiert in ARD-Dokuserie". Moneycab (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  36. ↑ "Geldwäscherei und Betrug: Ermittlungen gegen «Kryptomilliardär» Dadvan Yousuf gehen weiter". 20 Minuten (in German). 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  37. ↑ "دادفان يوسف.. أول كردي يحقق إنجازاً تاريخياً بوصوله إلى قمة إيفرست" [Dadvan Youssef: the historic achievement of the first Kurd to reaching the summit of Everest]. Almasra (in Arabic). 25 May 2024.
  38. ↑ "إنجاز تاريخي".. أول كوردي يعتلي أعلى قمة جبلية في العالم (صور)" [Historic achievement: the first Kurd to ascend the highest mountain peak in the world]. Shafaq news (in Arabic). 23 May 2024.
  39. ↑ "Dadvan Yousuf: Der Kryptomillionär über seine Autobiografie, die Finma und den Crash". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-12-11.
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