Los Angeles fire line, the anxious cryptocurrency tycoons and the mansions in peril

Author: Jaleel Jia Liu, BlockBeats

This may be the most severe wildfire in California's history.

The city most affected by the fire, Pacific Palisades, has seen 75% of its homes reduced to rubble; a new round of seasonal strong winds has fueled the fire's eastward spread; in addition to Palisades, there are currently two other wildfire areas in Los Angeles, where local residents are facing severe challenges.

In the face of this natural fury, even some of Los Angeles's wealthiest communities have not been spared. The mansions that once symbolized the wealth and achievements of European and American celebrities and crypto giants now stand on the front lines of disaster.

On the infamous streets of Los Angeles affected by the wildfires, besides these European and American celebrities, there are also some crypto giants and newly wealthy individuals. Once a showcase of commercial success, these mansions are now facing the direct threat of relentless natural disasters.

Moonbirds Founder: Home Completely Destroyed

"I'm sorry to say that I lost everything in the #PacificPalisades fire. There is nothing left here," wrote Moonbirds founder Kevin Rose, sharing video footage of his burned home and community.

As shown in his video, Rose's residence in Los Angeles was completely destroyed in the California wildfires.

Rose began his career by founding the website Digg and later became a venture capitalist, being one of the earliest investors in Twitter and Square. He gained fame after creating the Moonbirds project in December 2021 during the early NFT bull market.

Last year, Rose sold Moonbirds to Yuga Labs. As part of the deal, he became an advisor to Yuga Labs during a "brief transition period." Shortly after the project launched, it quickly attracted over $500 million in sales through a series of NFT sales events and raised $50 million from Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z).

Rose's fame peaked with the success of the Moonbirds project. During this time, he purchased a new home in the Brentwood community of Los Angeles for $16.5 million. This celebrity enclave is known for its luxurious properties, and the house Rose bought features modern design with over 7,600 square feet of space, mostly consisting of glass walls that offer panoramic views of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, this beautiful residence was completely destroyed in the fire.

Many people may not know that in a previous podcast, he revealed the immense pressure brought on by his involvement in NFT projects. He candidly discussed health issues he experienced, including anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, and a brain aneurysm, due to the explosive growth in NFT trading volume, even trying ketamine therapy, which ultimately made him feel a sense of relief he hadn't experienced since his teenage years.

Perhaps due to his previous treatment experiences, Rose also shared some philosophical views on accepting uncertainty on social media during this fire, hoping to find freedom and peace of mind through this approach. "When we understand the truth of uncertainty, we become free."

Brother Ma Ji: 16 Kilometers from the Fire Zone

When it comes to Chinese celebrities in the NFT space, the name Brother Ma Ji is well-known.

In June 2023, Taiwanese artist and NFT tycoon Huang Licheng (Brother Ma Ji) purchased a mansion in the famous Bird Streets community of Los Angeles for $25 million. This luxurious villa boasts 14,000 square feet of spacious living, featuring a wine room, marble bar, and large gym, with 5 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms.

Reportedly, this mansion in Bird Streets was initially listed for $34 million and was just completed in early 2022. However, photos show that Brother Ma Ji acquired it a year later for about 75% less than the asking price. He became neighbors with other celebrities such as Foxconn founder Terry Gou, the Winklevoss twins, and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault.

From the images, it can be seen that the entire house features beige and brown tones, with a spacious interior designed in an open layout, large windows providing a view of the entire Hollywood Hills, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.

Although Brother Ma Ji owns numerous mansions, during this wildfire season, this mansion on Bird Street, located just 16 kilometers from the Pacific Palisades fire area, may be one of the most concerning properties for him.

Ankr Founder: 14 Kilometers from the Fire Zone

In the neighboring block of the Bird Streets community, Brother Ma Ji has a crypto neighbor, Song Yunfan, the founder of Ankr.

On November 22, 2021, this 27-year-old cryptocurrency entrepreneur purchased a mansion in Los Angeles's affluent area for $12 million, situated near the hills of Doheny Estates, adjacent to the famous Bird Streets area. The house was completed in early 2019 and was initially listed for nearly $17 million, but after being on the market for over two years and undergoing multiple price adjustments, it was sold to Song Yunfan.

According to Dirt, this villa was designed by XTEN Architecture and has a total area of 7,500 square feet, featuring luxurious interior decor, including five bedrooms and six bathrooms. The design of the house highlights modernity, with large glass walls ensuring ample natural light and offering spectacular city views. Its architectural style complements the surrounding Hollywood Hills mansions, with amenities including a spacious living area, a dining area with a marble bar, a fully equipped kitchen, a private cinema, and an underground garage with epoxy flooring that can accommodate multiple vehicles.

Song Yunfan's personal achievements are equally impressive. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, he was previously a software engineer at Amazon, and not only founded the Ankr coin but also co-founded the NFT auction platform Bounce. In 2019, he was named one of Forbes' "30 Under 30," establishing his influence in the global technology and cryptocurrency sectors.

This luxurious villa is approximately 14.5 kilometers from the Pacific Palisades fire area. As of Saturday noon, firefighters had controlled 11% of the fire, which means the Ankr founder's villa is still safe.

Coinbase CEO: 25 Kilometers from the Fire Zone

A few months ago, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong held a grand wedding on the lawn of his Los Angeles villa, which cost $133 million and is located in the city ravaged by the wildfires. Fortunately, this luxurious villa has not been affected by the fires.

Located at 10671 Chalon Road, Los Angeles, CA 90077, this mansion not only spans nearly five acres but also includes a 19,000-square-foot main house and a 6,600-square-foot guest house, featuring at least 10 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. The estate is fully equipped with amenities, including a tennis court, two swimming pools, a car park, a home theater, as well as a spa and gym.

The design of this villa was crafted by the renowned British architect John Pawson, known for his signature minimalist aesthetic. The villa's design features a "stacked cube" structure, with large glass walls and minimalist interior decor complemented by spacious oak furniture, creating a modern and comfortable living environment.

The villa originally belonged to Hidetoshi Tomita, the founder of the Japanese job placement agency Dip Corporation, who purchased the property for $85 million in 2018 and later sold it to Armstrong for $133 million. This transaction is considered one of the most expensive single-family home sales in Los Angeles history.

This luxurious villa is located approximately 25.35 kilometers from the Pacific Palisades fire area, typically about a 22-minute drive under normal traffic conditions. The mansion offers expansive views, and sitting behind the spacious glass walls, watching the spectacular black smoke from the west, Brian Armstrong may have felt a twinge of anxiety, but fortunately, he and his family are safe for now.

Former Kraken CEO: Mansion in Jeopardy

The former CEO of Kraken may be one of the most anxious figures among crypto project leaders, as Jesse Powell's luxurious residence is very close to Pacific Palisades in the famous Brentwood community of Los Angeles.

Although this co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has stepped down from his CEO position, his life has not been peaceful. In March 2023, his residence was searched by the FBI as part of an investigation into his alleged hacking and cyberstalking of a nonprofit arts organization.

Now, this mansion that was previously searched by the FBI is under severe threat from the wildfires, located very close to the fire-prone area. Reports indicate that Powell's residence is only a few miles from the Pacific Palisades fire zone, and the neighborhood has been closed off.

This distance is enough to make any resident feel uneasy. Especially during wildfire season, continuous reports of fires and tense evacuation alerts may put unprecedented pressure on this important figure in the technology and cryptocurrency sectors.

Jesse Powell also seems to be one of the most concerned individuals in the crypto space regarding the fires. A look at his recent tweets shows that they mainly criticize the government's poor performance in fire control and the situation of affected residents, reflecting his concern and anxiety about the current situation. Therefore, we speculate that Jesse Powell has not sold this Los Angeles property in the years following the FBI search, and it remains in danger.

PayPal Founder: 16 Kilometers from the Fire Zone

As a well-known venture capitalist and co-founder of PayPal, Peter Thiel is also known as the "mobster" who ousted Elon Musk from PayPal, holding a significant position in Silicon Valley.

In recent years, Peter Thiel has chosen to publicly support Trump politically and has become increasingly distant from Silicon Valley, frequently praising the disruptive potential of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in public forums, advocating for them as alternatives to traditional finance and government structures. Peter Thiel's investments in Bitcoin and blockchain technology have also increased, with his venture capital firm Founders Fund being one of the earliest mainstream institutions to recognize and invest in Bitcoin, gaining increasing influence in the cryptocurrency space.

In 2018, to distance himself from the left-leaning environment, Peter Thiel moved his home and investment company to Los Angeles. His residence in Los Angeles is a luxurious home located in the Hollywood area, which he purchased for $11.5 million in 2011.

The estate is situated above Sunset Boulevard and is equipped with various modern amenities, including a large master suite, dining room, family activity room, gourmet kitchen, and swimming pool, featuring four bedrooms and five bathrooms, with indoor and outdoor living spaces infused with a Hawaiian atmosphere. The 5,870-square-foot property includes a swimming pool and two driveways leading to different streets, making it a rare prime location in the area.

The geographical location of this mansion places it just 16 kilometers from the nearest fire zone, Palisades, posing a potential risk to residential safety.

Others

As the wildfires rapidly spread across California, they not only threaten the safety of millions of residents but also severely impact many companies and individuals in the cryptocurrency industry. In this disaster, many members of the crypto community have not only lost their homes but also some irreplaceable assets such as hardware wallets.

Employees at the Santa Monica Bitcoin Office in Los Angeles and Swan Bitcoin, a company that previously hosted the Pacific Bitcoin conference in Santa Monica, are located directly south of the Palisades and Sunset fire zones, facing the threat of the fire. Additionally, blockchain service provider BlockDaemon and crypto game developer SuperVerse also have their headquarters in Los Angeles, while blockchain-based identity verification and tokenization company SpringLabs is located nearby in Marina del Rey.