Miami Dolphins’ Odell Beckham is fading the haters. “Who said it was stupid to take my salary in Bitcoin?”

Odell Beckham Jr. has the last laugh on his Bitcoin bet in 2021. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver took to social media on Wednesday to remind everyone of his decision to receive his $750,000 Rams salary in Bitcoin three years ago.

“Who said taking my Rams salary in Bitcoin was stupid again?” Beckham said Wednesday afternoon when Bitcoin was trading above $90,000, which is a gain of almost 40% from the conversion of $64,293 on November 12, 2021.

If you read that tweet, you’ll immediately see flashes of an iconic intro from rapper Chamillionaire: “They see me rolling, ‘they hate'”

While Beckham’s representatives have not confirmed whether he has retained his entire Bitcoin position, his victory lap on social media suggests he stuck to his beliefs despite the market’s ups and downs. Any gains would be subject to capital gains tax on sale, in addition to the income tax likely to be paid on the starting salary.

The NFL star’s crypto assets were converted in November 2021 through a deal with Block Inc.’s Cash App.

While his investment took a hit during the crypto winter of 2022, falling to $401,500 at some pointThis year’s rally has put him firmly ahead, despite his decision being labeled a “cautionary tale” during the bear cycle.

Beckham isn’t alone in the crypto athletes’ club. Former Carolina Panthers player Russell Okung made waves in 2020 by converting $6.5 million of his salary into Bitcoin for $27,000 – a stake that is worth more than $20.9 million today.

Other sports stars such as Tom Brady, Saquon Barkley, and Trevor Lawrence have dabbled in crypto compensation through various deals and endorsements.

Jobs in the crypto industry continue to rise as more companies continue to hire and scale their projects.

Data from Tiger Research shows that the crypto industry’s momentum extends beyond price action, with global Web3 vacancies increase almost 20% annualized after US SEC approval of Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024.

Asia is leading the employment boom, with Singapore, India and Hong Kong emerging as key recruitment hubs.

Companies have “started to accelerate hiring,” with most paying partially or fully with “tokens, Ethereum and often Bitcoin,” Raman Shalupau, founder and CEO of CryptoJobsList, a prominent job portal for the crypto industry, told me. Declutter.

The rise in crypto values ​​follows Donald Trump’s election victory and his dramatic shift from crypto skeptic to advocate, promising to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet.” Bitcoin is up 139% in the past year, while Ethereum is up 55% to $3,100.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair