Within my social circle, there is a large group of people who

Hear the words of Naval Ravikant, a seeker of wisdom and prophet of new economies: “Within my social circle, there is a large group of people who will take Bitcoin as legal tender; like, you can go to them and settle debts in Bitcoin, and they will happily take it.” These words were not uttered lightly, but in recognition of a turning tide, when money itself—once bound in gold, once printed on paper—was beginning to take form in the invisible realm of code. Ravikant spoke of a circle of pioneers, those who had chosen to treat what was once an idea as though it were already a coin, and in that choice, they created a new reality.

The meaning of this quote rests upon the nature of trust. All money, whether shells, silver, or paper, has meaning only because men and women agree it has meaning. When Ravikant declares that his circle accepts Bitcoin as legal tender, he reveals that currency is not born from governments alone but from consensus among people. What the state recognizes with law, communities can recognize with choice. Thus, before Bitcoin was written into legislation by any nation, it had already become money in the hearts and dealings of the faithful.

The origin of these words lies in the rise of cryptocurrency in the early twenty-first century. Born from the mind of the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin appeared as a rebellion against centralized banks and the printing presses of governments. At first, it was dismissed as fantasy, the plaything of technologists and dreamers. But slowly, those who believed began to trade, to buy, to sell, to settle debts, until in hidden corners of society, Bitcoin became not only a vision but a functioning economy. Ravikant’s words capture this moment—the transition from theory to practice, from speculation to living use.

History gives us echoes of this truth. Consider the rise of paper money in ancient China under the Tang and Song dynasties. At first, merchants were hesitant, for what value had a slip of paper compared to gold or silver? Yet when communities agreed to treat the notes as valuable, they transformed commerce, making trade swifter and safer across vast distances. What began as fragile trust became an empire’s backbone. So too with Bitcoin: once a small circle accepts it, that circle becomes a seed, and from the seed, a forest of acceptance can grow.

The lesson carved here is profound: value is born of agreement. If enough souls believe, the invisible becomes real, and the unreal becomes a power that shapes nations. Ravikant’s circle, by accepting Bitcoin for debts, became a microcosm of a new world. They demonstrated that revolutions in money need not wait for the blessing of kings or parliaments; they begin when people themselves choose to act as if the new order is already true.

What then must we do? As seekers of wisdom, we must look beyond the surface of coins and codes. We must ask: what do we trust, and why do we trust it? In our daily dealings, we should remember that every exchange, whether in dollars or Bitcoin, is an act of faith between people. Build circles of trust. Experiment with new forms, but do so with awareness of risk and responsibility. And above all, understand that money is not the metal in your hand but the bond between your heart and another’s.

Thus, remember the words of Naval Ravikant: “Within my social circle, there is a large group of people who will take Bitcoin as legal tender.” See in them not only a small group of innovators but the heralds of a greater truth: that the structures of the future are first built in small communities, then spread to nations, and finally reshape the world. Teach this to your children, that they may know: the power of belief can transform lines of code into wealth, trust into trade, and vision into reality. For all economies begin not with governments, but with the agreements of people.