From Bitcoin Debt to Building Crypto Communities: How R'vin Built CryptoBilis
Arravind Prabu, the co-founder of CryptoBilis, a leading cryptocurrency commerce platform in Southeast Asia, never intended a career in blockchain.
In fact, his journey into the crypto world began unexpectedly in 2016, fueled by a bad debt experience.
This week on Stories from the Community, XGA chats with Arravind, who’s also known as R’vin, co-founder of CryptoBilis, to explore his path into crypto and the story behind CryptoBilis.
UNEXPECTED REPAYMENT, UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
Owed by a friend, R’vin received an unexpected repayment – 8.09 Bitcoin. Completely unfamiliar with cryptocurrency at the time, he embarked on a journey to understand this new asset class and recoup his funds.
“It all started with me trying to sell the Bitcoin and get my money back,” he recalls.
This experience sparked a passion for crypto, leading him to seek out communities and explore its potential.
However, while working in remote Sabah, Malaysia, R’vin noticed the absence of local crypto communities.
This personal need became the seed of a larger vision – to build a crypto community for Malaysians.
“There wasn’t really any community available. So I thought about building my own community then.”
Arravind Prabu, Co-Founder of CryptoBilis
Returning to Kuala Lumpur, R’vin connected with established communities and began organizing events.
This culminated in the founding of CryptoBilis in 2020, alongside the growing interest in cryptocurrency.
FROM EXCHANGE DREAMS TO PANDEMIC PIVOT
CrytoBilis’ initial ambition was to create a cryptocurrency exchange called [FECTH – TO BE CONFIRMED].
However, regulatory hurdles and the pandemic forced them to adapt. “We weren’t in time to complete the development of the system before the application for the regulation came out,” R’vin explains.
The exchange project was ultimately sold, but its core technology was repurposed into a crypto payment gateway – the foundation of CryptoBilis’ current business model.
LAUNCHING DURING A BULL MARKET AND EXPANDING REGIONALLY
CryptoBilis’ launch coincided perfectly with a crypto bull market in 2020. This opportune timing, coupled with their focus on education and awareness building, fueled rapid growth.
They secured media features and expanded their services, including integrating wallet solutions and MetaMask support.
“We launched at lockdown. And the good part, we launched during a bull market, so it was really easy to build because people started buying anything in crypto space.”
Arravind Prabu, Co-Founder of CryptoBilis
By 2022, CryptoBilis had set its sights on regional expansion, venturing into the US and Malaysian markets.
BUILDING TRUST AND BECOMING AN INDUSTRY LEADER
R’vin emphasizes that building trust within the crypto community is CryptoBilis’ core value. Their commitment to education, events, and local partnerships has fostered a strong reputation.
This trust has also positioned R’vin as a leader in the industry, leading to his election as President of the Access Blockchain Association.
The association works to bridge the gap between the government and the crypto industry, fostering collaboration and regulation development.
BEYOND NUMBERS: CREATING VALUE FOR THE COMMUNITY
Despite the crypto market’s volatility, CryptoBilis prioritizes building value for the community. They recognize the gap between awareness and active participation, aiming to bridge this gap and empower users.
“A lot of them are aware of the asset class. A lot of them have heard about it or have conversations with their friends about it,” R’vin observes. “But we still realize that not many of them are interacting with it yet.”
To address this, CryptoBilis has partnered with [Tokenize Exchange] to launch the Bitcoin Starter Pack.
This innovative product aims to ease newcomers into the crypto world by providing a physical starter kit with a wallet, educational resources, and a small amount of Bitcoin.
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