AB de Villiers is a renowned name that echoes through cricket stadiums. This celebrated cricketer captivated fans with his explosive batting style and unmatched achievements in the shorter formats of the game.
However, there’s more to this sports legend than meets the eye. Recently, de Villiers has delved into the realm of Web3 and cryptocurrencies, embarking on a new chapter after an illustrious sporting career.
In an interview, the 39-year-old South African icon shared his captivating journey as he transitions into the world of Web3.
From his passion for non-fungible tokens to his ambassadorship with a prominent Web3 investment platform, de Villiers has fully immersed himself in the intricacies of the vast cryptocurrency landscape.
How it all began
AB de Villiers candidly shared his encounters while venturing into the crypto landscape. He revealed how this new terrain has thrown challenging deliveries his way, demanding quick thinking and adept skills to navigate through.
For De Villiers, exploration of the crypto ecosystem has not only been a thrilling adventure but has also propelled him into the role of an ambassador.
Embracing this responsibility, he now represents a Web3 investment platform that seeks to standardize access for retail investors, enabling them to seize opportunities within promising new start-ups.
He Maintained a Cautious Distance Initially
Despite the persistent efforts of his Web3-savvy friends and family, AB de Villiers confesses that he maintained a cautious distance from the crypto world for several years, resisting their attempts to draw him into the industry as early as 2017.
Even though his brothers urged him to invest in Ripple’s XRP, de Villiers harbored doubts about the crypto ecosystem and chose to keep his distance. It wasn’t until he embarked on a more serious exploration of trading that his perspective began to change.
He stated that he started following his favorite things, like the markets—commodities, gold, and S&P 500. The cricketer found himself developing interest and began reading about global markets, including cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, XRP, and Bitcoin.
A couple of years later, the NFT craze erupted, with collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club fetching hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.
De Villiers recognized the significance of this emerging space and sought to enhance his understanding with the assistance of a friend working in the industry.
Together, they delved into the intricacies of NFTs, broadening de Villiers’ knowledge and paving the way for his deeper involvement in the crypto realm.
A Deeper Dive into Crypto
As AB de Villiers delved deeper into the world of NFTs, he quickly familiarized himself with Metamask, discovering its various wallet and network connections.
He stated that the allure of collecting NFTs captured his imagination, leading him on a journey filled with both triumphs and setbacks. De Villiers takes great pride in becoming the owner of a Mutant Ape, which happened to be his first NFT trade.
De Villiers estimates he has more than three hundred unique collectibles in his digital trophy cabinet. However, his enthusiasm was dampened when an unfortunate incident left him scrambling to recover.
Seduced by a malicious NFT disguised as a new Pudgy Penguin drop, de Villiers unknowingly granted a hacker access to his wallet by unknowingly signing a malicious contract over a year ago.
He lost a portion of his cherished NFT collection due to this unfortunate incident. To safeguard the remaining pieces, de Villiers transferred them to another wallet, reflecting on the challenges he encountered while navigating Web3 as a newcomer.
He stated that he made a few mistakes, and it cost him dearly. He further suggested that people who are interested in investing in NFTs or Web3 should simplify things as much as possible for their own sake.