How crypto billionaires are spending their digital wealth

With crypto currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum continuing to grow in popularity and value , it has never been easier to spend digital money on real-world luxury, with all of the usual suspects in the offing. Everything from megayachts to sports cars, art and even gold bullion can now be bought by people keen to exchange their digital wealth for physical assets. Here are some of the most exclusive, outrageous and luxurious ways to splash your crypto cash . Swiss yacht brokerage firm Ocean Independence this year announced that it would start accepting cryptocurrencies from buyers looking to purchase some of the world’s most exclusive ships. “Cryptocurrencies have become an integral part of today’s world and will become increasingly important,” says Peter Hürzeler, managing partner at Ocean Independence. “Therefore, it stands to reason that our clients are now able to pay for their yacht purchase and yacht charter with this type of currency. As one of the first yachting companies to take this step, we are delighted to facilitate the acceptance of most common cryptocurrencies.” A superyacht such as Soaring might be high up on the list of anyone with a crypto fortune burning a hole in their USB sticks. The 68-metre Abeking & Rasmussen superyacht features luxury accommodation for up to 12 guests in six staterooms, as well as an abundance of indoor and outdoor leisure areas, including a lavish spa. The owner also has access to their own private deck and outdoor lounging area. With a price tag of €98 million ($107.5m), Soaring could be yours for about 2,218 Bitcoin at the time of writing. A priority for any self-respecting crypto billionaire will be a luxury property. Luckily, the real estate world has been quick to begin accepting cryptocurrencies, with a host of agents now accepting Bitcoin in property sales. One such company is Bithome, which lists properties for sale around the world that can be bought with the popular digital currency. From a beach house in Fiji to a penthouse in Cyprus and a villa in Romania, there are plenty of options to choose from. Among them is a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of the historic Swiss city of Lugano, which sits beside the majestic lake from which it gets its name. Listed at 54.6BTC – about $2.25m at the time of writing – the 1,940-square-foot apartment is luxuriously appointed, with made-to-measure wardrobes from neighbouring Italy and two parking spaces in a thermoregulated garage. Finding suitable luxury cars to fill those two empty parking spaces should be no problem at all. Sportscars have been some of the most notorious purchases among a new class of ultra-wealthy individuals who made their money in cryptocurrencies. Europe’s Bitcars currently accepts a variety of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin, in exchange for some of the most exclusive automobiles on the planet. The company, which got its start selling luxury watches and jewellery, also for cryptocurrency, is currently offering a Ferrari SF90 for a little more than 22 BTC, about $900,000 in today’s money. Offered only to those customers deemed worthy by the storied Italian supercar maker, the SF90, a mid-engine plug-in hybrid, is the jewel in the crown of the marque’s line-up. With almost 1,000 horsepower provided by the twin-turbo V8 and electric motor, it managed to lap the company’s Fiorano test track even faster than the brand’s hypercar, the LaFerrari, all while still managing more than 80 kilometres to about four litres – perfect for the eco-conscious crypto baron keen to offset the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining. But it’s not just modern supercars that can be bought with cryptocurrency. For an altogether refined automotive experience, you could hardly hope to do better than a 1957 Mercedes 300 SL. Listed with Bitcars for 37.710400 Bitcoin, or about $1.5m, the convertible Mercedes oozes the charm and sophistication of a bygone era. Its sumptuous red leather interior would be the perfect vantage point from which to enjoy a jaunt in the Swiss Alps. For those with less of an interest in ostentatious displays of wealth who still want to invest their crypto wealth in tangible assets, gold or silver bullion could be perfect. Specialist companies such as Bitgild have sprung up to help meet the demands of shrewd investors looking to swap the volatility of cryptocurrencies for the relatively safe haven of precious metals. Unlike the luxury yachting world, the price of entry for such a service is within the means of even the moderately wealthy. A 50-gram bar of gold can be attained for about $3,200 or 0.0779064544BTC at the time of writing, while a one kilogram bar will set you back about $63,000. Bitgild already accepts 18 crypto currencies, including BTC and ETH, which can also be used to purchase silver, a kg of which can currently be purchased for less than $1,000. While sales of digital art for vast sums of real money have made headlines in recent months, it is also now possible to buy physical art with digital coins. Last year, Sotheby’s became the first auction house to accept cryptocurrency as payment for physical works of art when a pair of paintings by the British street artist Banksy sold for 3,093 ETH – more than $12m – in November. Sotheby’s, which has been in business for about 300 years, now also accepts live bidding with Ethereum during certain auctions, with the hammer price also payable in Bitcoin and USD Coin. Not to be outdone, Christie’s also began accepting cryptocurrencies as payment for physical art, offering a $5.4m Untitled painting by Keith Haring for sale last year. While it is mostly reserved for their sales of contemporary art, cryptocurrencies are also accepted in certain private sales at Christie’s. Best have your art buyer make an enquiry ahead of the coming sale of Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, which, if it reaches its estimate of about $200m, could become the most expensive 20th century artwork ever sold. No list of items to acquire with cryptocurrency would be complete without mentioning Tungsten. The somewhat rare and extremely heavy element has become the ultimate status symbol among a subset of the crypto-obsessed, who covet cubes of the metal as trophies of their success. Last year, the craze for Tungsten reached fever pitch when a group of anonymous crypto investors bought a cube weighing about 900 kgs. Manufactured in the US, the cube measured just under 37 centimetres across and sold, along with an accompanying NFT, for $250,000 in ETH. Those wishing to get in on the fashion for small blocks of surprisingly heavy metal should look no further than Midwest Tungsten Service, the very company that produced the record cube last year. The metal is available in a staggering variety of shapes – from entry level cubes measuring a few centimetres across, to seriously expensive cubes that still measure mere centimetres across but, importantly, weigh significantly more. For the ultimate status symbol, the four-inch cube is the one to go for, weighing in at an impressive 18.88kg. The Tungsten cube will set you back $3,499 and it is, of course, possible to pay with Bitcoin.

How crypto billionaires are spending their digital wealth

From superyachts to sportscars and bullion, the sky's the limit when exchanging crypto currency for real-world luxury assets