Why I Left Circle: The Quiet Cost of Selling Tokens and the Loneliness Behind the Wealth

The Token That Didn’t Smile

I joined Circle not for the pumps—but for the promise. A decentralized future where value belonged to users, not shareholders. When they went public, I felt it like a funeral: $213.60 shares traded like candlelight in a hallway, illuminating who stayed and who fled.

The Quiet Exit of IDG Capital

IDG sold $68M—a fraction of their original stake—and walked away with 10.4% still in hand. Not greed. Strategy. They knew what was coming: liquidity without legacy. Their portfolio now glows like an old cathedral—still standing, silent.

General Catalyst & ARK: The Math of Missed Profits

General Catalyst cashed \(104M; ARK sold \)352M. At \(213.60, that’s over \)650M in opportunity lost—not because they were greedy, but because they were afraid to stay.

Jeremy Allaire’s B-Shares: Control Without Connection

He didn’t sell his power—he converted it. A-class shares became B-shares with voting rights—but no more community voice. His trust holds what money can’t buy: influence without accountability.

The Silent Holders Who Stayed

FMR held firm. Oak kept 5.9%. CPO Nikhil held 60k shares—still writing code instead of contracts.

We weren’t building wealth—we were trying to build meaning. What did you lose when you joined this movement?