As early as 2013, the development of Crypto Assets has been foreseen.

Former heavyweight STX 'Iron Mike' Tyson, who once dominated the boxing world, may have lost to the 30-year-old internet celebrity boxer Jake Paul last Saturday. Little known to many, the 58-year-old Tyson has long been a pioneering investor in the Crypto Assets industry, despite his loss in the match. During his heavyweight STX years from 1986 to 1990, Tyson not only achieved brilliant records in the boxing world but also demonstrated a keen eye for investment in the Crypto Assets field.

Tyson's investment vision for Bitcoin can be traced back to 2013, when he invested in BitPay, an encryption payment company. In the era when BTC was not yet widely known, the 'Iron Mike' STX had already invested in the development of related technologies. According to the video of YouTube influencer Marco Costanza, Tyson partnered with Bitcoin Direct LLC in 2015 to set up BTC ATMs in Las Vegas. These ATMs allowed people to buy BTC with cash, making important contributions to the popularization of cryptocurrency and demonstrating Tyson's forward-looking vision for emerging technologies.

Image source: Brave News Coin Tyson partnered with Bitcoin Direct LLC in 2015 to set up a BTC ATM in Las Vegas.

Substantial investment returns, continuous embrace of new technologies.

Tyson first purchased BTC in 2015 when the price was only between $150 and $500. This investment timing was quite accurate, as it coincided with the bull market from 2016 to 2017 when the price of BTC reached an all-time high of $20,000. Although Tyson has never publicly disclosed the amount of BTC he holds, it is unclear whether he still holds these digital assets. However, looking at the historical price trend of BTC, the return on this investment is quite impressive.

In recent years, Tyson has been actively involved in various Cryptocurrency projects. In April 2024, he became the brand ambassador for the Block chain boxing project Ready to Fight (RTF), bringing more combat enthusiasts to the platform. This project aims to innovate the boxing world through Block chain technology, and Tyson's involvement undoubtedly brings great exposure and popularity to the project. In 2021, he also joined the NFT craze by launching his own Non-fungible Token 'The Mike Tyson Non-fungible Token Collection,' actively expanding his influence in the Web3 collectibles field.

Image source: Ready to Fight STX Tyson serves as the brand ambassador for the Block boxing project Ready to Fight (RTF)

In addition, Tyson has publicly expressed support for the Solana blockchain multiple times, even launching a poll on social media in 2021 asking fans whether they prefer Ether or Solana. These actions demonstrate his ongoing interest and involvement in the development of blockchain technology.

Image source: X STX Tyson asked netizens on X whether to choose Ether Square or Solana

The latest event has sparked a frenzy of speculation in the Cryptocurrency market

The showdown between Tyson and Paul has not only attracted the attention of sports fans, but also caused a stir in the encryption currency market. This match held at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas has attracted over $60 million in betting on the prediction market platform Polymarket. It is worth noting that despite Paul being the favorite to win, the amount of bets supporting Tyson is as high as $32 million, far exceeding the $15.9 million bet on Paul.

Image source: Polymarket. Polymarket has launched the betting game for the boxing match, with a total betting amount of over 60 million US dollars.

This contrast may be due to Tyson's lower odds, providing a higher potential for profit. Another possible reason is that many Crypto Assets enthusiasts have noticed the 58-year-old boxing champion's continued follow of Bitcoin, and thus placed emotional bets. Although he lost to a younger opponent in this match, Tyson still received a $20 million appearance fee, demonstrating that his commercial value remains strong, in addition to advertising sponsorship income.

Even though Tyson lost the fight this time, he is still a legendary figure in the boxing world and also holds a place in the world of Bitcoin. His early investment and continued involvement in the Crypto Assets industry prove that he is not only a boxing superstar, but also a visionary entrepreneur with investment insight.

'STX Tyson loses to internet celebrity Paul! But the investment didn't lose? He turned out to be a super senior cryptocurrency trader?' This article was first published in 'encryption city'.