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Ben Delo, bitcoin billionaire and co-founder of crypto trading platform BitMEX, has pledged the majority of his wealth to Giving Pledge, the philanthropic organization set up by Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffet.

The 35-year-old crypto entrepreneur is Britain’s youngest self-made billionaire, and the latest to join the philanthropy movement. Delo has pledged the majority of his estimated $3.6 billion net worth to help alleviate catastrophic threats of nuclear war and climate disasters.

“My ambition now is to do the most good possible with my wealth. To me, this means funding work to safeguard future generations and protect the long-term prospects of humanity. This includes mitigating risks that could spell the end of human endeavour or permanently curtail our potential” – Ben Delo.

I’m thrilled that the Giving Pledge is becoming truly global. Melinda and I are pleased to welcome the addition of 14 more philanthropists from Canada, India, the UAE, and the U.S. https://t.co/jQHOXmX40m — Bill Gates (@BillGates) June 6, 2018

Bitcoin billionaire Ben Delo joins Giving Pledge

The Giving Pledge was established in 2010 by the Gates family and Warren Buffet. It invites wealthy individuals to pledge at least half their net-worth to good causes.

More than 200 high-net individuals have signed the pledge, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Michael Bloomberg.

Writing on the Giving Pledge website, the BitMEX founder said:

“As a schoolboy in Britain aged 16, I was asked to list my ambitions for the future. I answered concisely: “Computer programmer. Internet entrepreneur. Millionaire.” I have been incredibly fortunate to exceed those goals, and I’m grateful to be in a position to sign this pledge.”

Ben Delo Joins Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong

Delo isn’t the first bitcoin billionaire to join the exclusive philanthropy club. Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong has also signed the Giving Pledge. Armstrong wrote that, once a certain level of wealth is reached, it is important to look beyond one’s own ambitions.

“About ten years ago I wrote down a goal: “start a billion dollar tech company.” I associated a billion dollar valuation with scale and impact. It meant creating a product that reached millions of people around the world and building an amazing team to do it.”

Bitcoin philanthropy

While bitcoin is often associated with crime and scandal, there’s a healthy sense of community and philanthropy at its heart. The Pineapple Fund famously donated $55 million worth of bitcoin to charities at the peak of the crypto bubble.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin donated $300,000 in a single afternoon on Twitter to fledgling crypto startups. And Delo himself has already contributed to a number of non-profits, specifically in the area of responsible artificial intelligence.