Ethereum’s Accidental Birth: How a Visa Snafu Prevented Coinbase from Hiring Vitalik Buterin

Main Idea
A visa issue prevented Coinbase from hiring Vitalik Buterin, leading him to develop Ethereum independently, which has since become a foundational technology in the crypto industry.
Key Points
1. In 2013, Coinbase attempted to hire Vitalik Buterin but was unable to due to U.S. visa complications, forcing Buterin to return to Canada.
2. Buterin's inability to join Coinbase led him to focus on developing Ethereum, which he conceived in late 2013 and launched in 2015.
3. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO, acknowledged that the U.S. immigration system indirectly contributed to Ethereum's creation by preventing Buterin's employment at Coinbase.
4. Ethereum has grown into a major blockchain platform, powering decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and smart contracts, becoming the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
5. Despite the missed hiring opportunity, Coinbase now maintains a strong relationship with Ethereum, listing Ether (ETH) and supporting ERC-20 tokens on its platform.
Description
BitcoinWorld Ethereum’s Accidental Birth: How a Visa Snafu Prevented Coinbase from Hiring Vitalik Buterin Imagine a world where Ethereum , the backbone of decentralized finance, NFTs, and countless dApps, might have never existed – or at least, not in the way we know it. This isn’t a hypothetical thought experiment; it’s a fascinating slice of crypto history recently brought to light by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. His revelation on X (formerly Twitter) unveils a pivotal moment from 12 years ag...
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