We are in May, but April was very eventful in Poland — especially when it comes to money, and even more so crypto. Before I get into that, I want to set a bit of context. This isn’t just a story — it’s part of a conversation we’ve been having for years. A reflection on where we are, where we’re heading, and what is actually going on beneath the surface.
I could start with memories from my childhood — growing up in a post-communist industrial town in Poland. Being one of many kids. Becoming independent early, while at the same time having everything… and nothing.
Back then, I could never imagine that one day I would travel, visit places, or speak different languages. Poland in the 90s was a completely different reality. Many things felt impossible.
There were days when the fridge was empty. Days when I went to school in patched trousers. Wages were just a couple hundred dollars. Unemployment was everywhere. Dysfunctional families, crime, alcohol — you name it. But at the same time, people had tough skin, where scratches and bruises were simply part of growing up.
That was also the time when Western companies slowly started entering Poland. The first time some of us saw Coca-Cola. McDonald’s or KFC came even later.
Kids were hanging outside without much hope for the future. Just a raw, grey reality. Even the rainbow felt washed out. If I had to describe the atmosphere, I would say it was dense — dense with factory smoke, tight, unhealthy. And yet, at the same time, there was also a real feeling of freedom.
No mobile phones, but apples from trees. No computers, no digitalised world - but memories we know will never disappear.
Looking back now, I still can’t fully understand when that massive change happened. At that time, I had no idea I would one day travel the world, attend events, meet people, and experience things I couldn’t even dream about. Fancy places, big events, rooftop drinks, yachts, connections — yes, I’ve seen that world too, and all of that happened long before I even joined Hive.
And here I am, almost nine years on Hive, thinking about why I came here in the first place. It was never about money. In the beginning, it was about community, vision, and simply being human. I met people who talked about something bigger than profit or status.
This long introduction leads to the point I want to make.
I remember after my trip to Ghana — I was proud. Proud of the community, proud of what we were doing. I could talk about it anywhere. People listened carefully. They asked questions: What is Hive? How does it work? They were genuinely curious.
At the same time, I also remember conversations where some people said that “charity” doesn’t matter. That building wells, helping others — even as an example to the world — does nothing for the ecosystem. And maybe there is some logic behind that. Maybe growth and numbers do not directly reflect those actions. But still, I could never fully agree with it.
Over time, I started noticing a different direction being pushed — towards wealth, exclusivity, and high-end events. Monaco, Miami, luxury spaces. Places where you either have money, get sent there by Hive, or your profession allows you to enter those circles.
In my opinion, many of those things felt shallow. Not necessarily harmful, but disconnected from the original spirit of Hive that I knew.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe that’s part of the diversity we need. Maybe one day someone from those circles will invest millions and change everything. Or maybe not. Maybe all that will remain are certain memories — some meaningful, like Africa where at least visible change was created, and others that looked impressive on the surface but never really built much underneath. Because even in the most beautiful locations, you could still notice the person standing quietly in the corner, trying to fit into a world that never fully felt real.
Now, coming back to April.
A lot happened in Poland, and many people outside the country might not even be aware of it. One of the biggest stories was the collapse of a major crypto exchange — ZondaCrypto.
It was huge. Partnerships across Europe. Sponsorships in motorsports. Collaborations with football clubs like Juventus, Parma, and Atalanta. Presence at events like Giro d’Italia. Public figures connected to the brand, including Wojciech Szczęsny, Giorgio Chiellini, and David Trezeguet.
From the outside, everything looked strong. Growing. Successful.
But there were warning signs. The former CEO had disappeared under mysterious circumstances back in 2022. Still, the company continued. New leadership, more deals, more visibility. A new CEO living in Monaco, surrounded by motorsports and elite circles — the image was powerful.
Until it wasn’t.
In April 2026, independent analysts started pointing to serious financial gaps. People began withdrawing funds. At first, some succeeded. Then delays started. Then uncertainty. Then panic.
A snowball effect.
Withdrawals stopped. Communication became unclear. Eventually, it was revealed that access to a major wallet holding around 4500 Bitcoin was lost. Shortly after, the CEO disappeared. Within days, the exchange collapsed completely.
Tens of thousands of people lost money. Estimates go up to around 100 million dollars.
And just like that, all the glamour disappeared. The sponsorships, the events, the image — it all vanished. What remained was damage. And in Poland, where trust in crypto was already fragile, this hit hard.
At the very same time, something completely different was happening.
A Polish rapper, Bedoes, released a song together with a young girl fighting leukemia, Maja Mecan. The song, Ciągle tutaj jestem, unexpectedly became the center of something much bigger, supporting the broader cancer cause and the foundation “Cancer Fighters”.
A YouTuber called ŁatwoGang started a simple initiative: one like equals one second of listening to the song live on stream.
It began innocently.
He ended up streaming for more than 90 hours. Alone, in a small apartment. Just him, a camera, and the song playing on repeat.
At first, the initiative raised 100,000 PLN. Then a million. Then more. People started joining, sharing, watching, supporting.
Celebrities came. Musicians, actors, public figures. At one point, over a million people were watching simultaneously. Companies joined in too — donating millions. Brands, tech companies, logistics firms like InPost, financial platforms like XTB.
In total, the initiative raised around 75 million dollars.
From one stream. One person. No massive production. No luxury. No carefully manufactured image.
photo source, Filip Naumienko/REPORTER / East News
Just people coming together for something real.
And what stayed with me the most was his attitude. He kept repeating:
“It’s not about me. I’m nobody. What matters are the people fighting cancer.”
That’s the contrast I can’t ignore.
On one side — millions spent on image, sponsorships, and elite access, ending in collapse.
On the other — millions raised through genuine intention, community, and shared purpose.
And I keep thinking — what do we actually want to build?
Because maybe it’s not about Monaco. Maybe it’s not about who gets access to which room. Maybe it’s more about the impact we leave behind — and the things we know will never disappear.
