What is Dohrnii? — by Dadvan Yousuf
What is “Dohrnii”?
The world of cryptocurrencies swings between speculation and greed, but also innovation and progress. It bridges traditional monetary policy with a decentralized financial architecture. The underlying technology is fascinating and provides a stable foundation for new concepts. However, regulatory uncertainties create instability and pose major challenges for investors and entrepreneurs — even in countries that consider themselves pioneers of regulation.
Crypto offers countless concepts, mechanisms, risks, and opportunities — but where can one find a central, engaging, and easy-to-use learning platform? This was the question I asked myself years ago when I searched for a simple, understandable, and accessible way to impart knowledge about crypto and financial markets. But such a platform did not exist — so it had to be created. This is how Dohrnii was born.
The name Dohrnii comes from Turritopsis dohrnii, the “immortal jellyfish,” which can reverse its aging process — a symbol of renewal and limitless growth. This metaphor was not just an inspiration but also a challenge: How do you create a platform that enables continuous evolution?
Dohrnii was founded in 2021 — not initially as an educational platform, but as an investment management tool. However, reality quickly caught up with me: The regulatory hurdles were almost insurmountable for a 21-year-old. Licenses, financial market supervision, bureaucratic barriers — the creation of such a platform required more experience and resources than I had at the time.
But this challenge led to a new realization: Before people invest, they need the necessary knowledge. Thus, Dohrnii was redefined. True to the principle that “financial education is a human right,” Dohrnii transformed from an investment platform into an educational platform — with the goal of making financial knowledge accessible to everyone.
An Unexpected Enemy — SRF and the Smear Campaign
At the beginning of 2022, my career reached a turning point. Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) published an article with the title “The Crypto Billionaire and His Questionable Transactions.” The article, based on an anonymous source, accused me — without any evidence — of connections to terrorism financing and fraudulent organizations.
These false accusations put Swiss authorities under public pressure to launch investigations against me. Years of scrutiny, controversy, and reputational damage followed. However, in October 2024, the responsible journalists, Charlotte Jacquemart and Stefanie Pauli, were legally convicted of defamation — a historic moment, as it marked the first time SRF journalists had been found guilty in court.
At the time, it was not yet known that Pauli and Jacquemart were conducting a personal vendetta against me. But their accusations were taken seriously — even by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). In May 2022, both I and the Dohrnii Foundation in Zug came under FINMA’s scrutiny.
Overnight, our years of work were shaken. FINMA took an unprecedentedly harsh stance against Dohrnii — the main reason? My person. I was present in the media, labeled as “Switzerland’s youngest millionaire” — an image that did not fit the usual narrative or the reserved Swiss mentality.
David vs. Goliath — The Battle Against FINMA
Between 2022 and 2023, our struggle resembled a modern-day David-versus-Goliath scenario — an individual against an overbearing authority. There was no room for negotiation; it was a relentless confrontation. I publicly voiced criticism of FINMA, and its head made his stance clear in an interview, stating that he had “no fear of showing his teeth” — an open declaration of confrontation. However, rather than ensuring fairness and transparency in the financial market, FINMA revealed an unflattering side of itself and tarnished its own reputation.
They accused us of never having an operational platform — but how could we? A few months after the ICO, FINMA intervened without warning and prohibited any further activities. By means of a super-provisional order, everything was abruptly halted — a complete shutdown.
From 2021 until the conclusion of the FINMA enforcement proceedings in 2023, Dohrnii had only a few months of operational freedom. From the very beginning, regulatory measures blocked almost every path forward.
After the FINMA proceedings concluded, nothing was left — except Dohrnii itself. But that was precisely its essence: transformation and new beginnings.
In 2023, Dohrnii evolved from a beleaguered, outdated project into a renewed, forward-thinking platform. The turning point was the launch of the Dohrnii Academy — an ambitious educational project developed entirely with developers and designers from Kurdistan in northern Iraq.
A “Duolingo” for Crypto
The Dohrnii Academy was quickly celebrated as the “Duolingo for Crypto.” Thousands of downloads in a single night confirmed the success of the concept.
As Dohrnii grew, I personally came under fire from the Swiss media. SRF’s reporting turned me into a controversial figure. When I realized the damage caused by SRF was too great, I made a radical decision: In February 2023, I stepped down as President of Dohrnii to focus on fighting the Swiss National TV (SRF) — a battle I won.
Meanwhile, Dohrnii continued to thrive. What once began as a project had become a reality. Today, Dohrnii is more than an idea — it is revolutionizing access to financial and crypto education, empowering a new generation of learners.
From the beginning, Dohrnii was more than just a project — it was my vision. I founded it, built it, and will support it for the rest of my life. But today, it has grown far beyond me. It has become a movement — a symbol of the individual’s fight against the system.
Dohrnii now stands on its own and has earned its place. It is no longer just an ambitious undertaking but an established reality. Yet, the real journey is only beginning.
What was once a vision is now a growing platform setting new standards.
The challenges that drove us still persist — but Dohrnii is ready to face them.
The road ahead is long. This is just the beginning.
— Dadvan Yousuf
