Let’s talk about how Bitcoin is changing the game for the next generation of digital entrepreneurs. And I want to begin by painting a few scenarios for you. Try to visualize them as clearly as you can.
Imagine this:
- You’re getting paid by a client in Alaska, and it feels just like receiving a WhatsApp message. The notification pops up and the money is instantly in your account. No delays, no middlemen, no paperwork.
- Now imagine you’re about to settle a business deal. It’s worth 10 million Kenya shillings. The transaction takes less than 10 seconds and costs you less than 10 bob. In our current financial system, this is impossible. But with Bitcoin, it’s happening every day.
- And now picture yourself walking through Nairobi CBD. In your pocket, you have 100 million Kenya shillings. But you’re calm. No one knows. You’re not worried about muggers or pickpockets. Because that money is in Bitcoin and only you have access to it.
These examples may sound far-fetched, but they are happening. People can receive money across continents, settle huge amounts in seconds, and carry wealth in their phones without fear.
So, how is this even possible?
Bitcoin is the Tool Making This Happen
Bitcoin is a global, digital currency that allows people to send and receive money instantly, securely, and at an incredibly low cost. It is powered by a technology called the blockchain, which is essentially a secure digital ledger that records every transaction.
Why Bitcoin is So Powerful
- Bitcoin is Global
It works anywhere in the world. Whether you’re in Kenya, Alaska, South Africa, or the Philippines, you can transact with anyone else who has a Bitcoin wallet. It operates 24/7. No weekends. No bank holidays. No downtime.
- Bitcoin is Secure
Bitcoin runs on blockchain technology. Imagine a chain of blocks, each containing a list of transactions. These blocks are linked to each other in a way that makes tampering nearly impossible. To change a single transaction, you’d have to change every single block before it, and every computer on the network would have to agree to it. That’s almost impossible to pull off.
This is why the Bitcoin blockchain is considered one of the most secure systems on the planet.
- Bitcoin is a Store of Value
A lot of people argue that Bitcoin is too volatile to be taken seriously. But if you zoom out and look at its performance over the years, the story changes completely.
Back in 2016, you could buy a house worth $288,000 using 664 Bitcoins. Fast forward to 2024, that same house costs $434,000. But now it would only cost you 6.6 Bitcoins.
That means while the US dollar has lost value due to inflation, Bitcoin has appreciated. If you’d held onto those 664 Bitcoins, you could now buy not one, but over 100 of those houses—even though the price of each house has gone up.
Bitcoin has outperformed traditional assets like gold, real estate, and the S&P 500.
Bitcoin is Fast and Cheap
Let’s compare Bitcoin with traditional payment systems:
- PayPal: 2.9% transaction fee + $0.30
- Payoneer: 1% transaction fee (with a minimum $4) of the amount + exchange rate fees
- Western Union: Minimum $2.50 per transaction
Now compare that with a real Bitcoin transaction where someone moved 194 million Kenya shillings and paid only $0.10 in fees.
Can you imagine that?
If you were moving this much money physically, in bags of cash, you’d need security, maybe even armored trucks. If it were gold, it would be heavy and risky. But with Bitcoin, you can move massive amounts with a simple tap on your phone.
Bitcoin is Borderless
With Bitcoin, you don’t need to explain where your money is coming from, fill out lengthy forms, or seek approval for cross-border transactions.
If you’re using banks, any large international transaction is subject to scrutiny. You face Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures, and all sorts of documentation. But with Bitcoin, you just need a wallet.
Bitcoin is like M-Pesa, but for the entire globe. And with fewer restrictions.
Real Use Cases for Young Entrepreneurs and Students
Let’s take a look at how Bitcoin is already being used by students and young people.
- Freelancers Getting Paid Internationally
Many students offer freelance services like writing, graphic design, or coding. These gigs often involve clients from overseas.
If you’re using PayPal or Payoneer, you’ll deal with high fees, account limits, and sometimes you get locked out of your money for months.
But with Bitcoin, your client can pay you instantly. You don’t need a middleman. No waiting. No flags. No account closures.
- Tipping Content Creators Across Borders
Let’s say you’re a big fan of a Ugandan TikToker. You’d love to tip them, but they don’t have M-Pesa, and you don’t have MTN.
With Bitcoin, all they need to do is share a wallet address. You scan it and send some sats, maybe 1,000 which could be as little as Ksh 140. It’s instant. It’s global. And it’s easy.
- Pocket Money Across Continents
There’s a Kenyan lady who has a boyfriend in the US. She needs some pocket money, for her nails, shopping, whatever she wants.
If the boyfriend sends it through the bank, it’s expensive and slow. But if he sends 71,000 sats through Bitcoin, she can use an app like Tando to convert that into Kenya shillings and get it on her M-Pesa instantly.
Within a minute, the money moves from the US to her phone in Nairobi. That’s the power of Bitcoin.
Humanitarian and Real-World Impact
Bitcoin also plays a powerful role in humanitarian aid and financial freedom:
- In war zones like Gaza, Ukraine, or Afghanistan, people can receive support directly via Bitcoin. No government can block it.
- For the unbanked: Over 1.4 billion people globally are unbanked. Bitcoin allows them to become their own bankers.
- In hyperinflationary economies like Zimbabwe and Venezuela, Bitcoin protects people’s wealth when their local currency crashes.
- During protests like the Gen Z movement in Kenya, the government used mobile money donations to track financiers and supporters of the protests. But Bitcoin could have enabled fundraising and donations without exposing the supporters.
- In disaster zones, when financial systems are down, Bitcoin allows relief funds to be sent directly.
- Where property ownership is restricted, people can still build independent livelihoods and savings using Bitcoin.
Why Bitcoin is the Future of Finance
One day, people will realize that so long as governments control money, they will continue making bad policies that serve their interests.
Bitcoin separates money from power. It gives people control over their finances.
When people begin moving their savings out of fiat currencies and into Bitcoin, they’re choosing a system that’s transparent, secure, and decentralized.
And that future is already here.
How to Get Started with Bitcoin
Getting started with Bitcoin is simple. You only need three steps:
- Download a wallet
- Wallet of Satoshi (very easy to use)
- Muun Wallet (offers self-custody)
- Blink (another solid option)
- Create an account
- Each wallet has its own simple setup process.
- Start receiving
- Create an invoice
- Copy the payment address
- Share it with the sender and receive your sats
For instance, in the example of the lady receiving 71,000 sats, she simply creates an invoice, copies the generated address, shares it with her sender, and the money arrives almost instantly.
Need Help?
If you’re confused or stuck, BitBiashara is here to help. We support young entrepreneurs and small businesses to get started with Bitcoin.
We’ll show you how to download a wallet, set it up, receive your first payment, and even train you on how Bitcoin works.
Start now. Experience fast, cheap, borderless payments.
Bitcoin is the future of finance. And that future begins with you.