Bitcoin or bricks: Multimillionaire mum trades crypto for luxe property portfolio
![Crypto QUeen](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1280 720"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Gold Coast crypto trader Sydel Sierra outside her hinterland home. Picture: Glenn Hampson
A Millennial mum and Gold Coast crypto queen who cashed out for a $4.63m hinterland mansion says swapping Bitcoin for bricks delivers the best of both investments.
Sydel Sierra, 35, was travelling the world in her early 20s when she landed in a Bitcoin trading camp in Lithuania in 2017.
She turned an initial stake of $980 into $110,000 in 90 days with a breakthrough investment in the NEO cryptocurrency and was a multimillionaire within two years.
In December 2021, during the peak of the crypto market, she cashed out a significant portion of her holdings to purchase a lavish mountain estate. At age 30, she retired to live entirely off her cryptocurrency earnings.
![QLD_GCB_NEWS_CRYPTOSCAMS_JANSEN_29JUL24](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 768 1024"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Sydel Sierra believes the market is heading into its ‘crypto summer’. Picture: Glenn Hampson
“Crypto is like a wave — it goes up and down. Property doesn’t fluctuate as much, so you’ve locked in that profit for years to come,” said the trader, who has a six-month-old daughter. “If you do nothing, you’ll see a 90 per cent drop when we hit a market correction in 2026.”
Ms Sierra believes Bitcoin’s current surge is driven by a combination of factors, including the rise of ETFs (exchange-traded funds), the cyclic nature of the market, and what she calls the “Trump pump” from the incoming pro-crypto US government.
A survey by Finder shows 7 per cent of Australians currently own Bitcoin, and 16 per cent — an estimated 3.3m people — plan to invest in cryptocurrency by the end of 2024. Most intend to allocate $500 or less, equivalent to $523m nationwide.
Bitcoin’s recent surge in value has sparked renewed interest in digital currencies
The surge in Bitcoin’s value to a record high topping $150,000 last week has sparked renewed interest in digital assets, with Finder’s Wealth Building Report showing 21 per cent of Australians now consider crypto a good investment, up from 15 per cent a year ago.
“Investors wait years for moments like this,” Ms Sierra said. “In my opinion, I’m still acquiring crypto and won’t be selling until next year — there’s just too much exciting stuff coming around the corner.”
But she warns against holding on too long.
“Human greed is one of the biggest downfalls in this market. I’ve seen so many people ride it to the floor, taking the lift all the way up and all the way back down.”
Ms Sierra’s Gold Coast retreat
The sprawling estate has a pool, spa and fire pit with seating for 10
Ms Sierra said her hinterland home was her reward for taking profits at the right time. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home on 4.42ha features an internal lift, a pool, a spa, and a fire pit with seating for 10.
Her crypto-funded property portfolio also includes a sprawling beachside estate and several holiday apartments in Western Australia.
“Real estate is such a good asset class because there are future opportunities for development and generating income. The crypto I sold years ago continues to pay dividends despite the market’s volatility,” she said.
The mum-of-one also owns an Aston Martin. Picture Glenn Hampson
MORE NEWS
Top 10: Where you can invest for under $500k
Noosa designer home sold for $15m under the hammer
Surfer Mick Fanning’s mansion snapped up in pre-auction frenzy
The Gold Coast’s prestige property market has drawn the attention of some of Bitcoin’s biggest players. Amir Prestige principal Amir Mian said billionaire Ed Craven, co-founder of the crypto gambling platform Stake.com, has been scouting beachfront properties.
Mr Craven, who purchased an $80m Toorak mansion last year, represents a new wave of young, high-net-worth crypto buyers reshaping Australia’s luxury real estate market.
“Hedges Ave, or ‘Billionaire’s Row,’ has become a hotspot for this new breed of buyers,” Mr Mian said.
Bitcoin billionaire Ed Craven is eyeing the Gold Coast’s prestige property market
A render of Mr Craven’s $80m Toorak property
Originally from Perth, Sierra co-founded the Digital Wealth Group with her brother, Aden Michielsen, to educate new investors on cryptocurrency cycles. She’s also passionate about classic cars, with an Aston Martin Formula One edition and a Porsche among her collection.
This is general information and not intended as financial advice.
