Post
Topic
Board Development & Technical Discussion
Re: Gifting Bitcoin to a friend
by
o_e_l_e_o
on 17/10/2021, 08:07:39 UTC
If you receive airplane, helicopter or a boat as a surprise gift from someone, would you go with the process of learning to drive them if he provides you with paid instructions, learning lessons and license?
Probably not. Given that I've shown no interest ever in learning to sail a boat, I'd mostly wonder why the hell they bought me a boat and politely decline because I have better things to do with my time than learn a skill I'm not interested in and will almost certainly never use. Just because we all see bitcoin as the future does not mean everyone else does, and you can't force something on someone who is not ready for it.

I think it's best to give coins to non-bitcoiners by moving them to a new securely created private keys, store the key on some physical medium, and give it to them with instructions on safe keeping. (also making it clear that its not secure unless they sweep it).
The reason I don't like this is because it teaches them from day 1 to trust a third party (you). If they are not interested enough in bitcoin to sweep the bitcoin you gift them, then why gift them bitcoin at all? If they are interested enough to set up their own wallet and sweep the bitcoin, then surely helping them to set up a wallet securely and then sending them bitcoin directly is a better option.