Dadvan Yousuf

Dadvan Yousuf
Yousuf in 2021
Born
Dadvan Ismat Yousuf Yousuf

(2000-04-09) April 9, 2000
Zakho, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
CitizenshipIraq
OccupationsEntrepreneur, cryptocurrency investor
Years active2011–present
Known forEarly Bitcoin investments; founder of the Dohrnii Foundation
Notable workVom Flüchtling zum Bitcoin-Millionär (2022)
AwardsForbes 30 Under 30 (DACH, 2021)
HonoursHonorary citizen of Nauru (2025)

Dadvan Ismat Yousuf Yousuf (born 9 April 2000) is an Iraqi-born cryptocurrency investor and businessman.[1] He became known in Switzerland for early investments in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and later founded the Dohrnii Foundation, a cryptocurrency education project that issued the DHN token.[2][3] Some media outlets described him as the youngest Swiss self-made millionaire.[4][5][6] In 2021 he was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for the DACH region.[7] His business activities later drew regulatory scrutiny from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), which ordered the dissolution of the Dohrnii Foundation in 2023.[8][9][10]

Early life

Yousuf was born in Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan on April 9, 2000.[11] His father was part of the Peshmerga and fled the country to Switzerland before Yousuf was born. Three years later his mother left the country, together with her three sons.[12] They arrived in Neuenburg, Switzerland, in 2003 where his father had relocated.[13][14] In 2004, the family was granted refugee status and moved to Ipsach. Yousuf has five younger siblings who were born in Switzerland.[15] In his early years, he showed an interest in the field of finance, particularly on Bitcoin and international money transfers.[16]

In 2017 he started an apprenticeship at the Eidgenössische Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung in Zollikofen. He finished his apprenticeship with a real estate company in Bern.[17]

Career

At the age of 11, Yousuf sold some of his toys to acquire funds to invest in Bitcoin. With this initial investment, he purchased 10 Bitcoins at a price of €15 and continued to trade in the cryptocurrency.[12][13] In 2012, he acquired 1000 Bitcoins at a rate of €11,126. In 2016, Yousuf invested in Ethereum, buying 16,000 units at a total cost of €134,000.[15] Yousuf became a multi-millionaire through his cryptocurrency trades,[13][14] and is considered the youngest Swiss self-made millionaire.[18]

In early 2021, Yousuf founded the Dohrnii Foundation to oversee the development of his cryptocurrency software and own cryptocurrency tokens.[19] The Dohrnii project was presented as an initiative intended to provide financial education through a mobile application and its own cryptocurrency.[20] The project included plans for an online learning platform and a digital marketplace in which services and products could be accessed or exchanged using the DHN token.[21] An initial coin offering (ICO) was conducted to support the development of the platform and its associated ecosystem.[22] Later that year, in November 2021, he was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for the DACH region.[23]

In late 2021, Yousuf became chief executive officer and a shareholder of Crowdlitoken (Crowdli AG), a Liechtenstein-based fintech company focused on tokenised real-estate investments.[24][25] The company's stated aim was to enable investors to gain exposure to selected properties through blockchain-based digital securities, with participation possible from relatively small amounts (reported as from CHF 100).[26] According to media reports, Yousuf's role included operational leadership and the further development of the platform's investment concept in connection with the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority (FMA).[27]

In February 2022, Swiss public broadcaster SRF published an investigative report concerning Yousuf's business activities.[28] Yousuf subsequently filed a criminal complaint for defamation against two SRF journalists.[28] The Zurich-Limmat public prosecutor initially discontinued the proceedings in May 2023, concluding that no legal violation had occurred.[28][29] Following an appeal, the Zurich cantonal high court returned the case to prosecutors, stating that the journalists had not provided sufficient exculpatory evidence.[30][28] The prosecution later issued summary penalty orders for defamation against the two journalists.[28][31] SRF accepted the penalty orders and stated that it did not contest them in order to protect confidential journalistic sources.[28] In 2025, Yousuf and SRF reached an out-of-court settlement concerning the disputed reporting.[32][33] According to media reports, SRF agreed to remove the contested article and issued an apology in connection with a personality rights violation identified in the penalty orders.[32] Both parties agreed not to pursue further legal claims relating to the matter.[32] The settlement included a confidentiality clause. Yousuf later publicly disclosed the agreement, stating that he considered transparency to be in the public interest.[33]

In early 2022, Yousuf sponsored FC Schaffhausen at the Wefox-Arena.[34] Yousuf's involvements in cryptocurrency have drawn the attention of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority.[35][36] In May 2022, the Dohrnii Foundation was investigated for engaging in various regulated activities, including acting as a securities firm, without obtaining the required FINMA authorization.[37][38] According to FINMA's enforcement report published in May 2023, the Dohrnii Foundation had sold DHN tokens to approximately 500 private individuals for a total of roughly €3 million through its ICO, while Yousuf personally sold tokens to around 60 individuals for approximately CHF 3.2 million.[39] He resigned as CEO in February 2023,[40] and following enforcement proceedings by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, the Dohrnii Foundation was dissolved in June 2023.[41]

Yousuf's autobiography was published on October 24, 2022.[42][43] In December 2022, Yousuf participated in the ARD documentary titled 'Money Maker',[44] which explored his journey from a refugee child in Kurdistan to becoming a multimillionaire through cryptocurrency investments in Switzerland.[45][46] As of 2023 he is under criminal investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Bern.[47]

Personal life

Yousuf climbed Mount Everest in 2024, claiming to be the first Kurd and Iraqi to have reached the summit.[48][49] Yousuf reached the summit on 20 May 2024 after an expedition lasting approximately 50 days, during which he displayed a Kurdistan flag and a Bitcoin flag at the peak.[50][51]

In 2025, Nauru granted honorary citizenship to Yousuf and his brother. The oath of allegiance was administered during a cabinet ceremony presided over by President David Adeang.[52]

Books

  • Vom Flüchtling zum Bitcoin-Millionär. — FinanzBuch Verlag (24 Oct. 2022). — С. 240. — ISBN 978-3959726641[53]

References

  1. ^ "Er tauschte seine Spielsachen gegen Bitcoins". Der Bund (in German). 2021-04-03. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  2. ^ "Kryptowährung: Dadvan Yousuf ist 21 Jahre alt und Multimillionär". Aargauer Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 2025-01-25. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  3. ^ Ritter, Pascal. "Dadvan Yousuf (21): Vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bitcoin-Millionär". Luzerner Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 2024-12-22. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  4. ^ Ritter, Pascal (8 November 2021). "Mit Bitcoin aus der Armut: «Ich bin eine wandelnde Provokation» – der jüngste Schweizer Selfmade-Millionär im Interview". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Früher Flüchtling, heute superreich: Dadvan Yousuf ist der jüngste Selfmade-Milliardär der Schweiz". Blick (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  6. ^ Luttmer, Nina (15 January 2022). "Vom Geflüchteten zum Multimillionär: die Geschichte von Dadvan Yousuf". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Dadvan Yousuf". Forbes (in German). 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  8. ^ "Blockierte Konten, Börsenkurs im Keller". Der Bund (in German). 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  9. ^ "Finma rügt Krypto-Stiftung Dohrnii und deren Gründer Dadvan Yousuf". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  10. ^ Beglinger, Martin (2022-02-14). "Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling Yousuf wird von der Finma durchleuchtet". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  11. ^ Money Maker: Folge 3: Dadvan Yousuf – Kryptomillionär mit 17 (S01/E03) | ARD Mediathek (in German), retrieved 2023-02-23
  12. ^ a b "Crypto-succès suisse – A 21 ans, l'ancien réfugié est devenu millionnaire grâce au Bitcoin". 24 heures (in French). 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  13. ^ a b c "Vom Flüchtling zum Millionär – Er tauschte seine Spielsachen gegen Bitcoins". Der Bund (in German). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  14. ^ a b "Svizzera, la favola di Dadvan, il giovane rifugiato curdo diventato milionario grazie ai Pokémon venduti a cambio di Bitcoin". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  15. ^ a b Tanner (Bilder), Martin Beglinger (Text), Simon (7 July 2021). "Kryptowährungen: Vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bitcoin-Millionär". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Beglinger (Text), Martin (2021-07-07). "Kryptowährungen: Vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bitcoin-Millionär". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  17. ^ Beglinger (text), Martin (2021-07-14). "Kurdish refugee buys bitcoins as child, is now multimillionaire". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  18. ^ Ritter, Pascal (2021-11-08). "Mit Bitcoin aus der Armut: "Ich bin eine wandelnde Provokation" – der jüngste Schweizer Selfmade-Millionär im Interview". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 2021-11-08.
  19. ^ Dobrescu, Petre (2021-04-25). "Cum a ajuns un refugiat irakian milionar în Elveția la 21 de ani. Era copil când și-a vândut figurinele Pokemon ca să-și cumpere Bitcoin". Libertatea (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  20. ^ Weill, Pierre (2022-08-16). "Dadvan Yousuf: Eine Biografie des Krypto-Investors". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  21. ^ "Er tauschte seine Spielsachen gegen Bitcoins". Der Bund (in German). 2021-04-03. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  22. ^ "Der junge Kryptomillionär Dadvan Yousuf im Interview". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  23. ^ "Dadvan Yousuf". Forbes (in German). 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  24. ^ Michael Schäfer, Werner Grundlehner: Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling zündet die nächste Stufe, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 12. November 2021.
  25. ^ "Krypto-Millionär steigt bei Crowdlitoken ein". finews.ch (in German). 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  26. ^ Schäfer, Michael; Grundlehner, Werner (2021-11-12). "Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling zündet die nächste Stufe". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  27. ^ Schäfer, Michael; Grundlehner, Werner (2021-11-12). "Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling zündet die nächste Stufe". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  28. ^ a b c d e f "Bericht zu Krypto-Unternehmer – SRF schützt seine Quelle im Fall Dadvan Yousuf" (in German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 11 April 2025.
  29. ^ "Krypto-Wunderkind vs. SRF – Staatsanwaltschaft sieht keine «Ehrverletzung»". watson.ch (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  30. ^ "Zürcher Obergericht: Hoffnung für Dadvan Yousuf nach neuem Urteil". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  31. ^ "SRF-Journalistinnen nach Klage von Krypto-Millionär verurteilt". 20 Minuten (in German). 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  32. ^ a b c Ritter, Pascal (14 April 2025). "SRF entschuldigt sich bei Krypto-Unternehmer Dadvan Yousuf" (in German). Watson.
  33. ^ a b Zobrist, Anja (14 April 2025). "SRF einigt sich mit «Krypto-König»: Er veröffentlicht Vergleich" (in German). 20 Minuten.
  34. ^ "Umstrittener Krypto-Unternehmer wirbt im FCS-Stadion | Schaffhauser Nachrichten". www.shn.ch (in German). 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  35. ^ Martin Beglinger: „Der Krypto-Zauberlehrling wird von der Finma durchleuchtet", Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 14. Februar 2022
  36. ^ "Junger Bitcoin-Investor – Geht beim Berner Kryptomillionär alles mit rechten Dingen zu?". Der Bund (in German). 17 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  37. ^ "Untersuchung der Finma – Kryptowährungen: Finma rügt Dadvan Yousuf und seine Stiftung". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in German). 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  38. ^ "Untersuchung gegen Kryptomillionär – Finma rügt Krypto-Stiftung Dohrnii und deren Gründer Dadvan Yousuf". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  39. ^ "Crypto «Wunderkind» in Severe Breach of Swiss Regulations". finews.ch. 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  40. ^ "Künftig nur noch Repräsentant: Bitcoin-Millionär Dadvan Yousuf legt Ämter bei Krypto-Bildungsplattform nieder". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  41. ^ Nikolova, Maria (2023-05-17). "Swiss FINMA concludes proceedings against crypto platform Dohrnii Foundation". FX News Group. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  42. ^ "Dadvan Yousuf: Der Kryptomillionär über seine Autobiografie, die Finma und den Crash". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  43. ^ Weill, Pierre (2022-08-15). "Dadvan Yousuf: Eine Biografie des Krypto-Investors". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  44. ^ "Money Maker (3) - Money Maker - ARD | Das Erste". www.daserste.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  45. ^ ""Money Maker" – ARD-Doku über Bitcoin-Millionär Dadvan Yousuf". Prisma (in German). 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  46. ^ moneycab (2022-10-12). ""Money Maker": Kryptounternehmer Dadvan Yousuf porträtiert in ARD-Dokuserie". Moneycab (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  47. ^ "Geldwäscherei und Betrug: Ermittlungen gegen "Kryptomilliardär" Dadvan Yousuf gehen weiter". 20 Minuten (in German). 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  48. ^ "دادفان يوسف.. أول كردي يحقق إنجازاً تاريخياً بوصوله إلى قمة إيفرست" [Dadvan Youssef: the historic achievement of the first Kurd to reaching the summit of Everest]. Almasra (in Arabic). 25 May 2024.
  49. ^ "إنجاز تاريخي".. أول كوردي يعتلي أعلى قمة جبلية في العالم (صور)" [Historic achievement: the first Kurd to ascend the highest mountain peak in the world]. Shafaq news (in Arabic). 23 May 2024.
  50. ^ "Bitcoiner raises the orange flag on Mount Everest". Cointelegraph. 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  51. ^ "Refugee-Turned-Millionaire Hoists Bitcoin Flag on Mount Everest". blocmates. 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  52. ^ Hässig, Lukas (2025-11-19). "Krypto-Prinz Yousuf, Ehrenbürger von Pazifik-Atoll" (in German). Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  53. ^ "Dadvan Yousuf: Der Kryptomillionär über seine Autobiografie, die Finma und den Crash". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-12-11.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.