Hundreds of voices all talking at once create an overwhelming roar. Businessmen and women stare intently at the constant flow of numbers and letters across dozens of screens, expressions changing to reflect what they see. The word “investment” might bring to mind a busy stock exchange, or perhaps a series of red and green lines with dramatic dips and rises. For those who speak the language of cryptocurrency, investments bring to mind the glow of a computer screen and the clicking of a keyboard.
According to Investopedia, cryptocurrency, also called crypto, is a relatively new type of digital investment that began in 2009.
Senior Jesse Williams realized the potential of investing with cryptocurrency and has taken the opportunity to maximize his income.
“I took the profits from my snow removal business and I put it into cryptocurrency, and then I cashed out on that money on a Mustang I bought over the summertime, at the end of the summer,” Williams said. “It was one of my dream cars, and I was able to get all the features I want out of it and everything.”
Williams chose to invest in three different types of cryptocurrency: Ethereum, XRP (Ripple), and XLM (Lumen).
“I was interested in it. I thought it was pretty easy and I knew if there was an opportunity to make money I was gonna take it,” Williams said.
He quickly learned the ins and outs of different cryptocurrencies and began seeing gains in his investments.
“I got pretty good at it pretty quick and it was just up from there,” Williams said. “Currently [my investments are] up very high.”
The senior’s success with crypto has encouraged others around him to invest digitally, such as Williams’ good friend, senior Curran O’Connor.

“As I got older, I was looking for ways to make money on the side,” O’Connor said. “Also, seeing Jesse’s success with it gave me the push to learn about it for myself and invest.”
This newcomer to investing has remained optimistic even without immediate results.
“At first it’s discouraging because you want to put in small amounts, but with the big currencies if you only put in $25 you might make $1 to $2 if it goes up, while someone who puts in $500 can make $20 or more with the same rise of the coin,” O’Connor said. “But once you put in a good amount of money and learn when to buy and sell, you become hopeful.”
Such stories of success and positive outlook have encouraged some to take a leap of faith and begin using cryptocurrency. For those who might be interested in starting to invest with crypto, Williams offers some advice.
“Do your research first. Take months and time and just research what you wanna do before you get into it, ‘cause a lot of rookie mistakes can set you back for years,” Williams said.