The fintech world is brimming with young talent. One of them is none other than the son of German billionaire and fintech mogul Michael Gastauer, who, at the age of 22, is already a multimillionaire. Aurelius Gastauer, like many heirs in the business world, was seemingly set for life even before he reached the legal age. But unlike other business successors out there, Aurelius amassed his wealth on his own through his technological skills, business acumen, and most of all, hard work.
Humble Beginnings of a Tech Prodigy
At just 22 years old, Aurelius has already made significant strides from his early days in cloud hosting to becoming a formidable player in private equity. As the son of Gastauer with ex-wife Simone, Aurelius grew up in a family where innovation and business acumen were part of everyday life. The boy genius grew up in Switzerland with his father and mother, who were married between 1999 and 2019. They mostly stayed in a community that blended the rigorous German discipline with the precision and serenity of Swiss life.
From a young age, Aurelius displayed a keen interest in technology. By the age of 14, he had already ventured into the world of online business by running a cloud-hosting service for his friends and peers. He rented server space from major providers like AWS and resold it to his pals and acquaintances, particularly those involved in the online gaming community. This early entrepreneurial endeavor taught him valuable lessons in business management, customer service, and the technical intricacies of IT networks. In just a few months, he was already honing his skills in computer programming, which helped him unlock his massive potential as a tech prodigy.
Mastering Programming and Bitcoin
Aurelius’s fascination with technology didn’t stop at cloud hosting. By 15, he had self-taught himself four major programming languages, and this allowed him to develop software to manage his server operations remotely via his smartphone while attending school. This technical prowess set him apart from his peers and laid a solid foundation for his future ventures as a young investor.
In 2015, Aurelius made a bold decision that would significantly impact his financial future: he invested his earnings from the cloud hosting business into Bitcoin, which was already gaining traction among businessmen, investors, and even the general public. At that time, Bitcoin was valued at approximately $200. His belief in the potential of cryptocurrency was so strong that he would even ask for Bitcoin as gifts from his family for every holiday or occasion. By the time Bitcoin prices soared to $19,000 in December 2017, Aurelius had accumulated 180 BTC, worth more than $3.4 million. This only shows that instead of relying on his father’s wealth, the young businessman has always been a go-getter and someone who works hard for his own merits.
Transition to Private Equity
Given the substantial capital at his disposal, Aurelius eventually sought to diversify his investments and explore new opportunities. At 19, he moved from Switzerland to the UAE to establish his first private equity investment firm in Dubai. This move marked a significant transition from his technological pursuits to a broader focus on financial investments. It also marked the start of his career in the business industry as a young adult.
November 2021 was a landmark period for Aurelius. Around this time, Bitcoin prices were peaking at around $68,000, so this boosted his wealth to over $12 million. This financial security enabled him to engage in high-stakes private equity deals. One of his notable investments was in a European fintech firm. Aurelius invested $2 million of his own money into the company, which later underwent a takeover by a financial institution in Ireland. The resulting merger pushed the firm’s valuation to $1.4 billion, catapulting Aurelius’s shares to a staggering $200 million valuation.
Legacy and Future Aspirations
At present, Aurelius Gastauer stands as a self-made multimillionaire, who built a name for himself away from his father’s shadow. Despite his young age, he is already regarded as an influential figure in the investment world. But it is worth noting that his journey from a tech-savvy teenager to a prominent private equity investor mirrors the accomplishments of his father, Michael Gastauer. Michael’s ventures, particularly the Black Banx Group, have revolutionized digital banking and financial services.
Michael’s story is also one of vision and perseverance. Starting with a focus on digital payments and online banking in the 1990s, the Gastauer patriarch laid the groundwork for his later successes, including the establishment of his digital bank Black Banx. His commitment to financial innovation and inclusion has made a significant impact on the global fintech landscape. As such, he now reaps the fruits of his labor by having a net worth of $11.5 billion, making him one of the richest businessmen in Germany
But even though Aurelius’s success may bear a resemblance to his father’s, the former’s achievements are not merely a product of his father’s influence. His early exposure to technology, coupled with his bold investments in cryptocurrency, suggests his unique entrepreneurial spirit and strategic mindset. And so it goes without saying that Aurelius is poised to make even greater strides in the business world, as he continues to leverage his knowledge, experience, and the financial acumen he learned from his father to all his endeavors from here on out.