Most people wish they had bought Bitcoin when it was cheap. Moeti Ncube actually did—purchasing his first Bitcoin at just $2.50 in 2011. But his story isn’t about becoming a crypto billionaire. Instead, it’s about how an early Bitcoin adopter learned hard lessons about greed, discipline, and using technology to lift others up. In a revealing conversation on Biblical Money with Rabbi Rami Goldberg of Israel365, Ncube shared how his decade-plus journey in cryptocurrency became an unexpected education in biblical principles.
The Accidental Crypto Historian
Ncube’s entry into Bitcoin came through an unlikely source: a sensational Gawker article about cryptocurrency being used on the dark web. Rather than being deterred, he was intrigued. “What appealed to me was in the first sentence it said a peer-to-peer version of electronic cash,” Ncube explained. “I grew up in that era in the 90s where you had the Napsters and all these peer-to-peer technologies, and I never heard that term connected to money before.”
Despite getting in at $2.50, Ncube admits he “did not hold”—a decision that could have made him fabulously wealthy. But he doesn’t dwell on regret. “Even though I did not necessarily make the optimal decisions from a financial perspective, the process of being within this whole movement allowed me to become a historian of sorts that I never even imagined myself becoming,” he reflected. “I have a million dollar story.”
Bitcoin as Digital Exodus
Ncube connects cryptocurrency to historical moments of institutional upheaval. The Bitcoin white paper was published on October 31, 2008—exactly 491 years after Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, launching the Protestant Reformation. Both events challenged entrenched power structures through new technologies: Luther used the printing press to democratize religious knowledge, while Bitcoin’s anonymous creator used cryptography to democratize money.
“I don’t think that’s a coincidence,” Ncube observed. “When you look at the reformation, it was challenging institutional power, and the Bitcoin paper talks about the same thing.”
Ncube describes the early Bitcoin movement as “almost like an exodus”—people frustrated with the current monetary system seeking sound money they could understand and verify. “Here comes this structure that says, ‘Here’s a sound money system, we can tell you exactly how much is out there,'” he explained. “It was almost like, ‘Let’s imagine this exodus into this new economy.'”
Lessons in Greed and Discipline
The volatile boom-and-bust cycles of cryptocurrency became Ncube’s classroom for understanding human nature. “Bitcoin has given me insight into some of the emotions of greed and fear that you hear people talk about, but it’s another thing when you personally experience it,” he shared.
He witnessed the classic trap repeatedly: people would set selling targets, but when their investments reached those levels, greed would take over. “Once something gets to a certain price, you’re like ‘Well if I just wait maybe another week and it doubles, then I can have a million dollars,'” Ncube observed. “And then it doesn’t work out, and all you do is sit back like ‘Man, I should have listened to what I said.'”
The solution, he learned, was having predefined rules and sticking to them regardless of emotions—a principle that extends far beyond investing. “Similar to how God has given us a code to live by on this planet regardless of what happens in the future, there are certain codes with money,” Ncube explained. “When you don’t do that, you end up just being led by your emotions.”
The Power of Consistency
One of Ncube’s most powerful examples involved a person who simply bought $100 worth of Bitcoin every week since 2017. “That strategy ended up outperforming every other thing he could have done,” Ncube noted. “It’s not necessarily the most flashy thing, but it makes you realize that the things people overlook because they don’t get attention ultimately end up being the most valuable.”
This disciplined approach mirrors biblical wisdom about faithfulness in small things. As Ncube put it, “If we all went back 10 years ago and just put $100 every single Friday, we all could have retired off of that from just being consistent.”
Using Success to Educate and Empower
Rather than chasing maximum profits, Ncube channeled his crypto knowledge into education and empowerment. He co-founded CryptoTutors with partners Nina and Lisa, creating an educational platform that elevates diverse voices in the cryptocurrency space. The company has consulted with major firms like Microsoft and Cash App, and even appeared on Shark Tank, garnering interest from “Mr. Wonderful” Kevin O’Leary.
But Ncube’s most meaningful work happens on a smaller scale. During a trip to Zimbabwe with his father, he gave 0.1 Bitcoin to kids at his father’s school—worth just a few dollars at the time. Years later, one student reached out when that Bitcoin was worth $5,000-$6,000. “I told them to hold on to this,” Ncube laughed, though he noted the importance of keeping passwords safe.
Investing in the Next Generation
Ncube regularly encounters young entrepreneurs at gas stations, trying to raise money for simple business ideas. While many see panhandlers, he sees potential business owners who need only modest capital to get started. “Sometimes all they need is $300,” he explained. “For me, I need a lot more money to start a business, but for them, three or four hundred bucks could be all they need because they’re just using labor at their level.”
His philosophy is simple: “Here goes $300—I don’t need equity in your company, just start your company.” He also runs a chess club for children in his community, combining education with mentorship.
The Bitcoin Revolution Continues
When asked about people who feel they’ve missed the Bitcoin opportunity at current prices, Ncube offered perspective from someone who’s seen multiple cycles. “I heard that same line of reasoning when the price was $100, when it was $1,000, when it was $10,000,” he said. “Every cycle, people say ‘Oh, there’s no way it can get higher than that.'”
His advice echoes the old Chinese proverb about planting trees: the best time was 20 years ago, the second-best time is today. “Allow this space to teach you something about discipline,” Ncube suggested. “If you have $50 to spare, start with that $50 every single week, and in five years you’ve taught yourself a new discipline.”
Faith-Based Finance
Throughout the interview with Rabbi Goldberg, Ncube repeatedly connected cryptocurrency principles to biblical wisdom about money, discipline, and serving others. His journey from early Bitcoin adopter to educator and community investor demonstrates how technology can become a tool for living out one’s values.
“Money reveals a lot about who we are because we assign so much value to having ownership of money,” Ncube reflected. “It’s a great way to exercise what we say we truly believe.”
For this crypto pioneer, the real treasure wasn’t the Bitcoin he sold too early—it was the wisdom gained along the way and the opportunity to help others avoid the same pitfalls while building something meaningful for the future.
Watch the full interview with Moeti Ncube on Biblical Money, where Rabbi Rami Goldberg explores how people of faith navigate the intersection of technology, money, and values.
