Who are the hodlers?

The term hodler comes from the English meme “hodl”, which was mistakenly used in place of “hold” and adopted by the crypto community. "Hold" translates in French to "hold" or "keep", which means that one wishes to keep the digital assets purchased. In the crypto universe, we can find the name "hodler" as well as "holder" as well as the French versions "hodleur" and "holder".

Why are holders important?

Holders are important because they are the ones who use fiat money (euros, dollars, etc.) to convert it into cryptocurrencies . Without them, no token would be purchased and therefore their value could not take off.

Holders are people convinced that cryptocurrencies will develop and become something essential in the future. Because of this, they usually talk about it around them and in turn convert other people who in turn become hodlers .

Hodlers are arguably the most important people in the cryptocurrency industry . This was especially true at the very beginning of the blockchain era when no institution took cryptocurrencies seriously, but they still maintain a prominent place by pushing the last traditional financiers to have to take the step of cryptos to offer these products to their customers. .

What is the profile of the hodlers ?

The profile of hodlers has evolved since the beginning of the cryptocurrency era. In the very beginning, it was mostly computer geniuses and people who hated traditional finance. We must not forget that Bitcoin appeared following the subprime crisis of 2008, which says a lot about the first crypto-investors.

Little by little, the profile of hodlers diversified, starting first by extending to the geek world, then to that of private finance enthusiasts who saw it as another financial instrument to generate large potential profits. Of course, there have also been a few criminals who have used Bitcoin to buy illegal goods and services, but this means of payment has always remained relatively marginal compared to cash, which is much more practical to carry out illegal transactions.

Finally, in recent years, traditional finance players have also arrived on the cryptocurrency market. For some, because it allowed to generate additional profits; for others, because it was necessary to meet the demand of some of their customers.

What about speculators?

Generally, hodlers invest with a long-term perspective. These are individuals who are convinced that cryptocurrencies will become essential in the future and who therefore see it as an excellent long-term investment. However, not everyone thinks like them.

Indeed, cryptocurrencies also attracted a host of speculators, who were only there to hope to make a quick profit. These people don't give a damn about blockchain technology and some of them are even convinced that digital assets have no future. Cryptocurrencies are a great way for them to grow money quickly before moving on.

Unlike hodlers , speculators do not add value to the industry. Worse, with their sometimes very aggressive techniques, they can make some hodlers no longer want to hold their positions. However, nothing can be done against speculators. Whenever a new way to generate money appears somewhere, they flock in wanting to take their piece of the pie.

Conclusion on hodlers

Hodlers are the main players in the blockchain ecosystem. Without them, the various technologies that have emerged through cryptocurrencies probably would not have materialized. Without their role as evangelizers, digital assets would probably not have been discovered by so many people.

The profile of the hodlers is very different and has varied a lot over time. However, all of these crypto-investors are generally there for the long term, which allows the industry to continue to develop and undoubtedly become essential in the years to come.