Winklevoss Twins

TL;DR

• The Winklevoss Twins are known for their spat with the Facebook founder and for creating the Gemini exchange.
• The former Olympians have 1.8 million followers across social media.
• Tyler and Cameron have a combined net worth of $3 billion.

Category	Entrepreneur
Founders	Gemini Exchange
Net Worth	$3 Billion (Combined)
Followers	1.8 Million (Combined)
Bitcoin Holdings	70,000 BTC
Date of Birth	21 August 1981 (42 years)
Place of Birth	New York, United States
Nationality	American

Who are the Winklevoss Twins?

Identical twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss were born in Southampton, New York, on August 21, 1981. They studied economics at Harvard University in 2000. During their time at university, the twins earned a name in sports for their rowing abilities. 

They competed in the 2008 Olympics, representing the US and achieving sixth place in rowing.

Winklevosses rose to fame when Mark Zuckerberg allegedly stole their social network idea when they hired him to help with their project. As a result, the brothers were given $65 million and stocks in a settlement.

In 2012, they took a big step toward their billionaire status by creating Winklevoss Capital Management. This venture focused on backing startups and investing in alternative assets. 

They bet big on Bitcoin and revealed in 2012 that they held 70,000 BTC.

Social Media 

Tylor Winklevoss = 1.06 million followers

X: 1 Million (@tyler)

Instagram: 58K(@tylerwinklevoss)

Facebook: 6K (@TylerWinklevoss)

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Cameron Winklevoss =  770K followers

X: 718K (@cameron)

Insta: 51K (@winklevoss)

Facebook: 1K (@CameronWinklevoss)

Website: https://winklevosscapital.com/

What are Winklevoss Twins’ achievements?

Founding Gemini

In 2014, they founded Gemini Exchange. It emerged as the first crypto exchange to earn a license in New York and has had good relations with the US regulators. 

Initially, Gemini focused solely on buying and selling Bitcoin easily. But as the crypto market evolve, the platform started including more new tokens.

Gemini now supports 81 digital assets and handles around $18 million daily trading volume. 

In 2019, the brothers’ venture into the non-fungible token (NFT) market by acquiring Nifty Gateway made a big impact amidst the 2021 NFT boom.

Influence on the Crypto Community

In 2017, the Winklevoss Twins were deemed the “Bitcoin Billionaires” for the first time when the BTC price hit the $20,000 mark. They started stashing BTC after they received their $65 million settlement from Facebook and currently hold 70,000 BTC.

Besides that, the twins also have a significant stake in Ethereum, claiming it has a lot of growth potential. 

The Winklevoss brothers have participated in several crypto conferences, including Bitcoin 2021, Consensus 2019, and SXSW 2018.

The Gemini founders are also dedicated to supporting Web3 projects, including BitClout (A blockchain-based social platform), The Graph Protocol, and Filecoin (FIL).

What is Winklevoss Twins’ Net Worth?

As of 2023, the Winklevoss Twins have a combined net worth of $3 billion. 

Their wealth is distributed among assets, including owning 1% of the Bitcoin in circulation, Web3 investments, and the Gemini exchange.

Apart from their involvement in crypto, the twins have a philanthropic side and have made several charity donations over the years. 

2019 they donated $10 million to Greenwich Country Day School, their alma mater. Later, in 2021, they backed the Bitcoin-HODLing Water Charity by donating 50 Bitcoin to the trust.

Controversies and challenges 

The brothers attended Harvard and were classmates with Mark Zuckerberg. Together, they created ConnectU, then sued Zuckerberg for stealing and using their idea to create Facebook. 

The Winklevoss twins’ settlement agreement ensured they got their share in cash and stocks in 2008.

The Winklevoss twins captured the headlines during a spat with Barry Silbert. Tyler and Cameron accused him of mishandling $900 million in customer funds frozen due to issues with Genesis, a part of Gemini’s Earn platform.

Initiated in July 2023, the legal proceedings are in progress, with Digital Currency Group striving to secure a dismissal of the lawsuit.

The Rise or Fall?

With their influence in Web3, we anticipate that the Winklevoss twins will continue enhancing crypto accessibility to American and global users by expanding Gemini’s reach.

Furthermore, their involvement in regulatory initiatives will help reduce the legal issues surrounding digital assets. And their support for Bitcoin is evident that they are likely to play a crucial role in expanding its ecosystem. 

Lastly, Tyler and Cameron are well-positioned to educate a broader audience about blockchain technology through their valuable insights.

Other influencers to Look for

Changpeng Zhao – CZ, or Changpeng Zhao, has earned a big name in the crypto market thanks to his contributions, including creating the world’s largest exchange Binance.

Michael Saylor – Michael Saylor is a popular figure for their vocal support for Bitcoin and his work in business intelligence through MicroStrategy, a company he co-founded.

Vitalik Buterin – Vitalik Buterin is the creator of the Ethereum blockchain that changed Web3 with smart contracts and DeFi.

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