Helmut Siedl: How an idealist of the Austrian crypto scene made millions — DMD Diamond
The world of cryptocurrencies attracts many characters, but Helmut Siedl is in a class of his own. In the Austrian crypto community, he is known equally for his unconventional views and loud voice, as well as his devotion to the principles of blockchain technology. He is, above all, a successful investor and a fervent idealist who upholds the values of decentralization, censorship resistance, and financial freedom. In a personal conversation over an hour and a half, he gave fascinating insights into his journey through cryptocurrencies, strategies, and visions.
Getting into crypto: early, but not early enough
Siedl’s journey began in late 2013 — early for many but “late” for himself. “I’m one of the late ones of the early born,” he says with a grin. At that time, he began investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. His approach? Contrarian investment.
“I always bought when everything was fucked,” he explains. He pursued this principle — buy cheap, sell high — with a tenacity that led him to take out loans and anticipate the worst-case scenario: “I would have had to donate blood plasma for seven years if everything went wrong.” But the effort paid off: an initial investment of around 40,000 euros eventually turned into well over 10 million euros.
“The timing wasn’t always perfect,” he admits. In 2017, he realized profits too early. “I took out my first three million euros in the spring of 2017 and missed the later market peak.” He had a similar experience in 2021 when he sold Ethereum at 300 euros instead of waiting for 3,000 euros. However, his growing capital today means he practices more conservative risk management. “I am now happy if an investment doubles. In the past, it was nothing if it didn’t increase at least tenfold.” His biggest win was 400x with the cryptocurrency NEM — now a dead project.
The investment philosophy of an idealist
Helmut Siedl sees cryptocurrencies as an investment opportunity and a cultural and economic paradigm shift. A deep understanding of the technology shapes his decisions.
“I primarily invest in blockchain infrastructure, not in tokens that have no substance,” he explains. Meme coins like Dogecoin, or “frogs and dogs,” as he calls them, are not for him. Instead, he focuses on projects with technological substance and long-term potential.
He sees Bitcoin primarily as a “pulse generator” of the market, but the cryptocurrency offers him too little upside. “I have two Bitcoins, one for each of my children — these are my Holy Bitcoins,” he explains. He invests most of his assets in projects, offering staking or other rewards. His “passive” income from staking alone is around 40,000 euros monthly. “Staking is active income; you validate the chain,” he corrects me.
His strategy remains simple: he takes profits in hype phases and moves them into traditional assets or stablecoins. In bear markets, he then moves money back into crypto. “I always keep part of my assets in crypto and part outside. In bear markets, more flows into crypto; in hype phases, more go out.” SaysSiedl says he plans to take some of his profits out of the market before the end of the year (2024) because he does not fully trust the current cycle. “There were new all-time highs too early. The meta has shifted, perhaps just a delayed reaction to the cycle that was stalled by Corona in 2021, but I don’t fully trust that — I’m ready for anything and can afford to get out too early again. Profits have already been made.”
One of Siedl’s strongest motivations is his belief that blockchain technology can create a better, fairer financial system. Nevertheless, he is pragmatic in his use of traditional financial service providers.
“Anyone who pays taxes has made a profit,” he says, accepting regulatory challenges. He relies on maximum transparency and has deliberately decided to work with Schelhammer Capital, a subsidiary of GRAWE. The company sees him as a pilot customer for blockchain investors.
In addition, Siedl uses the highest VIP level on Bitpanda. His extensive holdings of BEST tokens allow him to benefit from attractive rewards. “I feed the Bitpanda Black Edition credit card directly with the BEST rewards (15%) I receive. These rewards cover all of my living needs, which I process via the card — without reducing the basic amount of my BEST,” explains Siedl.
Top coins for 2025
“Can I take stablecoins, too?” he laughs. If Siedl had to divide his entire portfolio into just five coins by 2025, they would be Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Pantos, and the Bitpanda Ecosystem Token. His focus remains on coins with stable infrastructure and rewards.
A look into the future: Helmut Siedl’s vision
Helmut Siedl is not just an investor but also a doer. His own blockchain project, the DMD Diamond Chain, is not just an investment for him but a life’s work.
“This is my legacy,” he says emphatically. “If someone asks me one day what I have left to the world, it will be the DMD Chain.” The project he took over and developed further with the community stands for everything Siedl loves about blockchain technology: decentralization, censorship resistance, and freedom. It is not a short-term profit strategy but a contribution to the blockchain economy — a chain with exciting USPs.
Final thoughts
Helmut Siedl is a man with a mission. His success as an investor is impressive, but his dedication to blockchain technology principles sets him apart from many others. His world, not shaped by short-term thinking and profit-seeking, makes Siedl a role model for blockchain ideology, foresight, and solid long-term investing in his beliefs.
This article is the first part. The second part will investigate the DMD Diamond Chain and its role and place in the crypto world. Stay tuned — I look forward to profound insights into a blockchain with many notable, unique selling points.
Original article: https://onchainaustria.medium.com/helmut-siedl-how-an-idealist-of-the-austrian-crypto-scene-made-millions-4d34e85a4fab
