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Got Bitcoin ink? Many Bitcoin believers do. But what are the risks? What about privacy? And what happens if one fateful day Bitcoin crashes and burns to zero?

Cointelegraph spoke with Bitcoin (BTC) advocates to understand why they have permanently etched a Bitcoin logo, motif, equation or slogan onto their skin. Theyve shown permanent solidarity with the decentralized movement, expressing theirsupport for the Bitcoin protocol and the values it represents.

Didi Taihuttu, father of the Bitcoin family, explained that he inked himself the moment he went all in on Bitcoin as I thought it was a very important step in my life. A familiar face among the crypto community, Taihuttu sold all of his familys possessions and slept in a campsite while the price of Bitcoin was in the four-figure territory with the B etched on his arm.

He now travels the world evangelizing Bitcoin, with his forearm on full view:

Anita Posch, another globetrotting Bitcoin evangelist, has a lightning bolt tattooed on her forearm. In the Human B Bitcoin documentary film, she said she wouldnt explain that the lightning bolt symbol (a nod to theLightning Network)on her wrist is Bitcoin-related but added Bitcoin is my life in follow-up comments.

TatumTurnUP (not his real name), the host of the Bitcoin show Between Two Asics, explained that he got his tattoo of the BTC supply formula because Its what proves scarcity.

The tattoo on his bicep is a common (but unfortunately not strictly accurate) formula for the supply of Bitcoin. He shared a warning with readers: The bottom of the Sigma might be the most painful thing I ever experienced. Just a forewarning.

However, isnt it risky to advertise ones love of a digital currency on ones skin?OpSec, or operational security, is a military term the internet has hijacked. Among the crypto community, it refers to the public sharing of identity or defining features. And a Bitcoin tattoo could put a literal target on ones back.

Erik Dale, whose tattoos are pictured in the above tweet, founded Norways Northern Lightning conference series. Dale told Cointelegraph he was aware of the implications. His tattoos are Equations, no logos or tribal markers, for OpSec reasons.

Rikki, of content creators and investigators Bitcoin Explorers, joked, We are not particularly concerned about bad opsec. He added another Bitcoin tattoo to his collection during a giveaway in Guatemala.

Bad OpSec can lead to doxing or the public reveal of peoples personal data. Thats why some Bitcoin advocates mask their online identities, using anonymous profiles on social media. Not so for Rikki and his partner Laura; they have their Bitcoin support on full view.

Piero Coen, the co-founder of Guatemala-based Osmo Wallet, told Cointelegraph that Bitcoin is a counterculture movement, and getting a tattoo related to it is a way to show our commitment to this movement.

Besides, for Rikki and Laura, much of their lives already permanently exists on camera. Rikki explained:

Laura put it even more succinctly in a recent tweet:

For Tatum, another content creator and a recognizable face in the Bitcoin space, Value is teaching people about Bitcoin and networking through it, so theres a constant battle with opsec.

Tatum walks around Bitcoin conferences wearing a bulletproof vest in a jocular nod to operational security in the Bitcoin space.

Unlike tweets, open letters or company creation, Bitcoin tattoos are tricky to delete. They require commitment.

So what happens if the currency goes to zero, like many other failed projects from Terra to Celsius? Tatum explained, well, sucks for me!

Billionaire Mike Novogratzs tattoo of the failed Terra (LUNA) token is an eternal reminder of the headiness and hedonism accompanying crypto bull runs. The tattoo remains on Novogratzs arm, while LUNA is worth next to nothing, and its creator, Do Kwon, might be facing jail time.Fortunately, Novogratz says he learned from the experience saying investing requires humility.

Dale explained hes prepared to live with the tattoos on his wrists even if Bitcoin does fail. Hes committed until the very end:If Im wrong about this, I want to carry that reminder every day. And if not, I cant imagine a prouder badge to wear for the rest of my days.

Related:Novogratz says LUNA tattoo is a constant reminder investing requires humility

For Taihuttu, its important to zoom out and focus on the bigger picture. Bitcoin is a long-term play:

Hes right; famous rappers and celebrities, including singer Kesha and actor Lena Dunham, have been inked with dollar sign tattoos. Its unlikely that they were asked if the dollar would go to zero prior to sitting in the tattoo artists chair.

On a sober note, Taihuttu explained that regardless of the Bitcoin movement underway, the large tattoo on his forearm represents an amazing 10 years of my and my familys life since 2013, the year that I started mining Bitcoin. And thats more than enough reason to get Bitcoin ink.

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Tattooing Bitcoin: Advocates wear cryptocurrency on their sleeve - Cointelegraph