Trump’s DOGE recently grabbed my attention. Was it a new crypto venture backed by the man himself? Could it be another Dogecoin moment, or perhaps a chance to jump onto the crypto train I missed a decade ago?
But, Trump’s DOGE turned out to be the Department of Government Efficiency (to be spearheaded by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and SpaceX, and Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate), not a meme coin destined for the moon.
Dogecoin, created in 2013 as a joke based on the ‘Doge’ meme, gained a huge following online. Unlike Bitcoin, it has unlimited supply. It became popular for tips and small payments but skyrocketed in 2021 after Musk’s tweets. A meme turned into a financial trend, proving quirky ideas can go big.
Trump’s DOGE stirred up old memories — particularly my missed chance to turn my dusty 4×4 into digital gold.
In 2011, Dubai’s dunes beckoned, and I answered with a four-wheel drive: a gleaming Pajero for Dh116,000 ($31,500), bought on EMIs. My younger son wanted to experience dune bashing, and how could I deny him that thrill?
But in 2015, my elder son suggested I swap the Pajero for Bitcoin. Yes, Bitcoin. At the time, it was hovering around $300, and he saw it as the next big thing. ‘Sell the Pajero, Dad,’ he urged. ‘Bitcoin is the future.’
The very idea seemed ludicrous. Trading a solid, tangible car for a few virtual coins? Absurd. I dismissed it outright. The Pajero had just been paid off, and it was my pride. Why gamble on something as nebulous as cryptocurrency?
The math of missed millions
If only I had listened. That Pajero, sold for $25,000, could’ve bought me 83 Bitcoins. Fast forward to 2024, with Bitcoin priced at $91,360, those coins would now be worth over $8 million.
Imagine the possibilities: a luxury car collection, world-class education for my granddaughter, hospitals in my mother’s name, and fulfilling every wish of my wife.
Lessons in hindsight
Back then, Bitcoin felt too abstract. Today, I realise it wasn’t about the car or the currency — it was about foresight and risk. Trump’s DOGE may not be the crypto miracle I hoped for, but it reminds me that opportunities rarely come labelled.
The next big opportunity might still be out there. For now, I hold onto the memories of my Pajero conquering Al Liwa, Al Madam and Al Badayer sands in UAE, a ride that was priceless in its own way, even if it didn’t pave the road to millions.
