▁But er in ▁learned ▁about ▁Bit co in , ▁from ▁his ▁father , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 7 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁obtained ▁a ▁bronze ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁International ▁Olymp i ad ▁in ▁In format ics . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁he ▁visited ▁developers ▁in ▁other ▁countries ▁who ▁shared ▁his ▁enthus ias m ▁for ▁code . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Toronto ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁and ▁published ▁a ▁white ▁paper ▁propos ing ▁E there um . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Water lo o ▁but ▁dropped ▁out ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁when ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁Th iel ▁Fellow ship ▁in ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁went ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁E there um ▁full - time . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁But er in ▁was ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁a ▁death ▁ho ax ▁origin ating ▁from ▁ 4 chan . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁V ital ik ▁But er in ▁received ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Business ▁and ▁Econom ics ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Bas el ▁on ▁the ▁occasion ▁of ▁the ▁Dies ▁Academ icus . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Bit co in ▁Magazine ▁▁ ▁But er in ▁met ▁a ▁person ▁on ▁a ▁bit co in ▁chat ▁forum ▁trying ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁bit co in ▁blog . ▁The ▁owner ▁offered ▁five ▁bit co in ▁( about ▁$ 3