New social apps want to help Bitcoiners connect in real life

Finding real love starts with Bitcoin (BTC). That’s according to the founders of Bitcoiner dating service The Orange Pill App and LoveisBitcoin. The services join a growing list of ways in which Bitcoin enthusiasts can meet, chat and now fall in love “IRL” (in real life).

But first, why do people who love Bitcoin need to connect with others who are “orange-pilled?” For George Saoulidis, cofounder of LoveisBitcoin, Bitcoiners need a dating service because money shapes our lives more than we realize:

“Issues can and do arise if time preferences diverge a lot. Part of the orange-pilling process makes you see through the marketing and the propaganda to distinguish what is truly valuable: Experiences, family, friendships.”

Part of the Bitcoin ethos is having a lower time preference, and not succumbing to instant gratification. Saoulidis explains that personally, he couldn’t be with a spouse that clings to “fiat spending habits,” as it clashes with core values of Bitcoin culture — thinking long-term and prioritizing saving over spending.

#Bitcoin is the universal love language. pic.twitter.com/E4RV6ca8zZ

— Love Is Bitcoin (@LoveIsBitcoin21) July 27, 2022

For Matteo Pellegrini, the founder of the Orange Pill App, when he moved to a new neighborhood in Santa Monica, he wanted to hang out with Bitcoiners. However, he struggled to meet people who shared his passion for Satoshi Nakamoto’s invention.

He drove around California, and in some cases, he even knocked on people’s doors to ask if they liked Bitcoin. A lightbulb went off as he thought, "Why am I doing this? There should be an app for this." The Orange Pill app was born. Using geolocation, the app allows Bitcoiners to connect with others nearby. Similar to Tinder, it can be used for connection, but also friendship, post-conference catchups or even for finding work.

Tinder? No, we met over a peer-to-peer #bitcoin trade. pic.twitter.com/QOHZzbIoAs

— Love Is Bitcoin (@LoveIsBitcoin21) July 20, 2022

Pellegrini explained that it’s only a matter of time before most the entire world converts to crypto, so why not start meeting those people on the precipice of change now:

“Instinctively most people know that the money is broken. I’ve never met anyone who says, I love the system; I love fiat. Where can I get a fiat pill?” 

When it comes to dating, he joked with Cointelegraph that the biggest dating turn-off is “saying that Bitcoin is a scam.” Plus, Pellegrini explains that Bitcoin has an interesting and understated cultural upside. If you're both into Bitcoin, your values are aligned; you can skip the formalities and get to know each other quickly. Knut Svanholm, a Bitcoin author commented on the phenomenon in his latest book, Bitcoin: Everything divided by 21 million:

“Connecting with other Bitcoiners is a great experience. [...] You can skip the social charade of talking about the weather. This journey through hyperbitcoinization that we're all on is genuinely extraordinary.”

However, there can be a risk of “doxing,” the potentially damaging process of publicly revealing someone’s private and personal information through meeting in real life. Many Bitcoiners never reveal their faces and use anonymous accounts on Twitter and social media. Bad actors could use Bitcoin networking services to work out who the whales are and perform a $5 wrench attack to try to access their Bitcoin.

Based on a true story.#bitcoin pic.twitter.com/uJQhA8nhfy

— ⚡️ Orange Pill App (@orangepillapp) July 18, 2022

For the Orange Pill app, they’ve introduced a paywall to “filter out the noise,” and to ensure that the app isn’t abused. At LoveisBitcoin, security is paramount. Given that the public disclosure of owning Bitcoin could be risky, Saoulidis has entirely avoided the sharing of location data. The focus is on building a community of Bitcoiners for the future:

“Instead I'm trying to build a community that shares great examples from bitcoin people, builders, farmers, inventors, family men, women, teachers, educators, you name it.”

Along the way, the plan is to share memes and “fine examples of humanity,” as the world slowly warms up to Bitcoin. For the Orange Pill app, the long development roadmap covers love, events, and eventually employment. 

Related: Love in the time of crypto: Does owning cryptocurrency make daters more desirable?

True love.#bitcoin pic.twitter.com/FIxF9cOxh0

— ⚡️ Orange Pill App (@orangepillapp) July 25, 2022

When asked whether a networking service could pop up for another cryptocurrency, Pellegrini replied, deadpan:  "I doubt it. I doubt there will be one for Dogecoin. Rehab, maybe?" Nonetheless, the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection has hosted private networking events and meetups across the United States.