Have fun staying poor is a taunt bitcoiners post at people who sell their bitcoin, mock it or refuse to look into it, implying those people will miss out while holders get rich. It is usually shortened to HFSP, and while some people use it as a joke or a rallying cry, many bitcoiners consider it rude and bad for the community's image.
If someone just replied HFSP to you, don't take it too hard. Here is where it came from, what people mean by it and why plenty of holders wish it would quietly retire.
Where have fun staying poor came from
Nobody has a verified first use of the phrase in bitcoin circles. Rude replies are hard to trace, and this one spread through thousands of comment threads rather than one famous post. By early 2021, during a strong bull market, it was everywhere on Bitcoin Twitter, often as a reply to skeptical economists, journalists and anyone who announced they had sold.
It was popular enough that CoinDesk ran a whole column decoding it in March 2021. That piece noted the phrase is often attributed to Udi Wertheimer, a bitcoiner known for his online humor, although he declined to comment for the story. So the honest answer to who started it is: the attribution is common, but unconfirmed.
The abbreviation HFSP followed naturally, since the phrase gets typed so often. You will also see it as hashtags, reaction gifs and image macros, which is why people search for things like have fun staying poor gif and have fun staying poor meme.
What people mean when they say it
The CoinDesk column made a good point: the phrase carries several meanings at once, depending on who says it and when. Roughly:
- A taunt. The most common use, aimed at someone who sold or called bitcoin a scam.
- Gloating. Posted after a price rise, often at critics who predicted a crash.
- A rallying cry. Said among holders during a rough patch, as encouragement not to sell.
- An in-group signal. A quick way of saying "I'm one of the bitcoiners" in a crowded thread.
- A clumsy plea. Underneath the snark, some users genuinely mean "please take a closer look before you dismiss this."
That last meaning is the one most worth rescuing. The trouble is that the words themselves do a poor job of carrying it.
Why many bitcoiners consider HFSP rude
You don't have to be a critic of bitcoin to dislike the phrase. Plenty of holders do, for reasons that are easy to understand:
- Poverty is not a punchline. Many people struggle with money for reasons that have nothing to do with their investment choices. Telling a stranger to enjoy being poor lands badly.
- It pushes curious people away. Someone who asked an honest question and got HFSP in reply learns that bitcoiners are unpleasant, not that bitcoin is interesting.
- It makes the whole community look worse. The CoinDesk column quoted Neeraj Agrawal of the policy group Coin Center, who felt the optics were terrible and that the meme hurts more than it helps.
- It ties bitcoin to price alone. Many bitcoiners care about self-custody, censorship resistance and sound money. HFSP reduces all of that to getting rich, which is exactly the caricature critics like to draw.
- It ages badly. Price moves both ways. A smug reply posted near a peak can look silly a few months later.
There is also a simple manners argument. You would not say it to a coworker's face at lunch, and most people find that a decent rule for posting too.
Is HFSP ever used kindly?
Sometimes. Among friends who already hold bitcoin, it can be a running joke, the online equivalent of good-natured trash talk at a ball game. Some people even say it to themselves, as in "sold the top, then bought back higher, have fun staying poor, me."
Self-deprecating HFSP is about as friendly as the phrase gets. Context is everything: the same three words that get a laugh in a group chat can start a feud in a public reply.
Friendlier things to say instead
If you want to make the same point without the sneer, try one of these:
- "Happy to explain how it works if you're curious." Open, low pressure and far more persuasive.
- "Fair enough, it isn't for everyone." Disarming, and often the start of a better conversation later.
- "Zoom out." A classic bit of bitcoin shorthand for looking at the long term instead of today's chart.
- "Few understand." Still a little cheeky, but the joke is on the speaker as much as the listener.
- Say nothing at all. Not every skeptic needs a reply.
Our bitcoin slang and memes glossary covers more of the community's vocabulary, and for the meme that tends to travel alongside HFSP, see our explainer on what number go up means.
Shirts that make the point without the sneer
We don't print HFSP, and that is on purpose. If you want a bitcoin shirt with some attitude that still invites a conversation, a few of ours fit. The Bitcoin Fixes This tee pairs the famous reply-guy meme with an orange adjustable wrench, so the joke is about fixing things rather than mocking anyone. The Laser Eyes tee keeps only the glowing orange eyes from the 2021 profile picture craze, no face required. And the Few Understand tee puts a switched-on orange light bulb above the words, the friendlier reading of an insider joke. All three are printed to order on a black unisex tee.
Nothing in this guide is financial advice. It is a guide to manners, memes and the occasional bad reply.
Source: CoinDesk, The Decoder, Have Fun Staying Poor (March 3, 2021).
