A decade of ups and downs in talent: The evolution of the Bitcoin ecosystem from individual holdings to the AI Agent era

NullWhisperer · 2026-01-07T01:48:13+00:00

Veteran industry practitioners review over a decade of changes in the Bitcoin industry, emphasizing that as the industry rapidly develops, company boundaries become blurred and connections between people become more important. In the Web3 era, identifying talent and their potential becomes key.

NullWhisperer

2026-01-07 01:48:13

Abstract generation in progress

【BitPush】A seasoned industry veteran recently discussed an interesting topic. As an industry veteran, he reminisced about events from over ten years ago—back in 2013, when the founder of a now-leading project was still an intern at a university and had already begun working on Bitcoin-related projects. This founder has always been a steadfast Bitcoin holder.

Since then, how rapidly has the industry evolved? From pure Bitcoin to today’s AI Agents, it’s no exaggeration to say it’s been a complete transformation. Interestingly, as these changes have progressed, the once-clear boundaries between companies have started to blur. The scope of their businesses, collaboration methods, and ecosystem positioning are no longer as distinct.

In such a major upheaval, what is most important? His view is straightforward—rather than obsessing over what a company does, it’s better to focus on people. Identify those with ideas, execution ability, and potential for rapid growth, and then establish connections with them. This methodology seems more effective in Web3 than ever before. As the industry rapidly iterates, the most scarce assets are people’s qualities and potential.

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just_here_for_vibes

· 16h ago

Honestly, it still depends on the person. The company's boundaries have long disappeared. --- Since entering in 2013, the span is incredible. We are all living in an accelerated era. --- I agree. Instead of chasing company narratives, it's better to bet on the right people. This is the game rule of Web3. --- The world has turned upside down, and that's correct. But the problem is how to identify those who have both ideas and the ability to execute—this is the real challenge. --- Talent mobility has indeed become faster. The project teams are no longer the key; what's important is where the visionary founders are headed. --- It's been ten years. The interns from back then are now big shots. Time killers really are not just talk. --- I've seen too many cases of blurred boundaries. In the end, the one who overtakes on the bend often wins.

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TokenUnlocker

· 01-07 02:18

Damn, those who started playing in 2013 are now big shots. We newcomers are really late to the game. Talent is indeed more valuable than the project. That hits hard. After ten years, still chasing company whitepapers? It's better to just keep an eye on the founder's Twitter updates. The blurring of boundaries was actually obvious early on. Who still cares whether you're layer2 or an AI chain? The key is to find people who have ideas, execution ability, and are fierce. Such people are really scarce. Having such a network is the way to make money. I'm already tired of just looking at project proposals on paper. That's why you have to immerse yourself in the ecosystem. The connections you build there are pure gold. Ten years of ups and downs, in the end, it's still people who win.

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GmGnSleeper

· 01-07 02:17

You can see that these ten years have truly been a filtering process; only the strongest survive. --- So ultimately, it still comes down to betting on people. Company structures are changing, but only people's execution ability is the most reliable. --- Wait, how are the steadfast holders from 2013 doing now? That’s the real story, right? --- The era of AI Agents is here. The blurred boundaries were predictable long ago; the ecosystem should flow like this. --- Instead of reading project whitepapers, it’s better to find those who are actually doing the work. That’s an excellent approach. --- After a decade of ups and downs, what common traits do the founders who have truly survived share? Curious. --- Being called an ecosystem integrator sounds nice, but in reality, it’s just major forces starting to clash, and it’s hard to tell who’s who. --- The ability to recognize people is probably the most valuable skill of this era; it’s more useful than any analysis report. --- From BTC veterans to AI Agent hunters, those who can keep up with this transition are all tough characters.

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SleepTrader

· 01-07 02:11

Really, compared to the company name, it's still about the people. The intern from ten years ago is now a founder, and this is the result of betting on the right person. --- AI Agent has indeed become a bit chaotic, with boundaries becoming more blurred and it’s getting harder to tell who is doing what. But honestly, it still comes down to finding the right people, those with strong execution ability. --- Focusing on people is a brilliant perspective. Company boundaries will inevitably be reshuffled, but people with ideas and execution ability are always valuable. --- So the question is, how can we identify those who have ideas and can get things done? Not everyone is as lucky as that guy in 2013. --- More than ten years ago during the Bitcoin wave, those who persisted until now have become big players. What should we do now if we’re still struggling with company ownership? --- Industry landscape has changed dramatically, but ultimately, human capital remains important. This veteran’s words are indeed somewhat enlightening.

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LidoStakeAddict

· 01-07 02:00

Really, ten years have passed. From hoarding BTC to now AI Agents filling the sky, the speed of this transformation is a bit outrageous. To put it simply, you still have to focus on people; the boundaries of companies have long disappeared. The early batch that entered in 2013 really made it, but now newcomers are confused. Talent recognition is the core competitiveness; it hasn't changed. That's why I still look at on-chain data, trying to find those builders with real ideas. A decade of ups and downs has shown that ultimately, you have to trust people rather than just trusting the slogans of project teams.

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FlashLoanLarry

· 01-07 01:58

ngl the "focus on people not companies" take hits different when you realize most fund allocations are still stuck in 2017 portfolio mechanics... opportunity cost of sleeping on founder execution velocity is actually insane rn

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ContractBugHunter

· 01-07 01:52

Damn, people who got into the game back in 2013 are probably all getting rich now. Our generation can only compete with AI Agents. Ten years ago, it was about watching Bitcoin; ten years later, it's about watching people. It sounds like nonsense, but there's some truth to it. The key is still to find the right people, but how to find them? That's the real challenge. From BTC to AI Agents, the business boundaries are becoming blurred, which actually makes it easier to harvest profits, haha. How are the steadfast BTC holders doing now? Are they still holding tightly or have they diversified long ago?

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