All posts by flippener

Become a Bitcoin millionaire: 0.01 BTC is said to be enough to become rich in 10 years

In 10 years, the finite supply of Bitcoin (BTC) will be almost exhausted. This means that investors will only need 0.01 BTC to be among the top 13% in the world in the future.

While it may only cost $500 to buy 0.01 Bitcoin (BTC) today, current global wealth distribution trends and the inevitable realization of limited Bitcoin supplies could mean that 0.01 BTC will be worth $1 million future.

According to Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report 2020, there are 51.9 million people with a net worth of more than $1 million. The index considers a person’s net wealth, together with their financial and real estate assets, after deducting their debts and liabilities. Although they make up only 1% of the world’s population (excluding children), these millionaires own 43% of the world’s wealth.

According to Credit Suisse’s individual wealth breakdown, 175,700 people were worth more than $50 million. Of this elite circle, 55,800 owned at least $100 million, and 4,410 had over $500 million assets.

Bitcoin’s finite supply will reach 98% in 10 years.

Bitcoin Cryptocurrency (Image: MaxPixel)
Bitcoin Cryptocurrency (Image: MaxPixel)

As of 1 March, Bitcoin’s total supply consists of 18.64 million BTC, with 2.37 million coins still mined. In 10 years, the supply will reach 20.6 million, 98% of the 21 million coins in the total supply.

Subtracting the 1.9 million coins that have not been touched over a decade from the Bitcoin supply limit leaves a maximum limit of 19.2 million BTC for the world’s millionaires. Conclusively, this leaves 0.37 BTC per millionaire, including coins not yet mined, assuming that the Bitcoin supply is divided equally among said millionaires.

However, if every bitcoin that has remained unmoved for five or more years is lost, a maximum of 14.57 million BTC will be available for accumulation. In this scenario, each of the world’s millionaires could own only 0.28 BTC. Assuming the supply is evenly distributed.

In the future, the wealthy will fight over 0.01 BTC

In addition to certified millionaires, there are 590 million people whose net worth exceeds US$100,000. These people should not be disregarded as potential owners, even if their purchasing power is lower.

Assuming that the global wealth ratio shown in the chart above remains the same, millionaires represent 6.32 million BTC of the remaining Bitcoin supply, meaning that each individual would have the opportunity to buy just 0.12 BTC.

The remaining 590 million individuals currently worth $100,000 or more could effectively hold another 5.9 million BTC, resulting in just 0.01 BTC per adult. Note, of course, that the likelihood of more Bitcoins being lost forever over the next 10 years is quite high.

In summary, buying 0.01 BTC, which at current prices equates to an investment of around $500, can secure one a top 13% position in the world. If you compare the fiat and bitcoin markets’ relative wealth concentration, being among the top 13% of BTC holders is as exclusive as being a fiat millionaire.

Read more: Medium

Bitcoin price prediction: Another correction-turned-accumulation targets $60k

Bitcoin price is in the habit of touching fresh new all-time highs almost every month. At the time of writing, the BTC/USD is trading near $55,772 and within close range of the all-time peak. The buyers will try to use the thin weekend liquidity to push the prices higher amid a growing chorus for scaling new heights.

In the past week, the BTC/USD has survived bearish pressure from various corners. The price slid towards $52k, which only reignited fresh buying interest from the bulls. The $53,500 pivot point has been a prime accumulation spot, particularly for large investors. Bitcoin price prediction suggests that a recovery can target a region north of $60k.

The hourly trading volume is dipping as the weekend dawns, but the liquidity is ample for an up move. Last week’s 5 percent price drop appears to have subsided. Speaking of the entire March month, the BTC/USD moved within a tight range of $50k to $60k. Analysts believe that the current range is serving as consolidation for the pair. The recent bounce back does support the accumulation perspective in Bitcoin price prediction.

Bitcoin price movement in the last 24 hours: Grinding towards $60k
The daily charts speak a bullish story where the buyers are targeting $60k. However, there is extreme resistance between $58k to $60k. Bitcoin price prediction analysis shows a slight dip in the buying momentum compared to January 2021. Bitcoin will likely cross the $60k resistance in the next few weeks, provided the bulls maintain a solid upward momentum in Bitcoin price prediction.

Bitcoin Electronic Money (Image: MaxPixel)
Bitcoin Electronic Money (Image: MaxPixel)

The long-term technical indicators are showing a flip towards the bullish side. The buying momentum is highlighted towards the MACD indicator that is displaying the characteristic bullish crossover. The last week’s bearish crossover on the hourly charts didn’t materialize on the longer timeframe. Therefore, a reversal isn’t imminent, and the price is likely to continue its journey north of $58k in the coming days.

The current price range of $53,300 to $55,770 seems a more settled one where Bollinger Bands supports a muted movement. Whether this is a consolidation or not will be proven in the next few days.

The current daily price range seems immune to extreme corrections since the bears cannot dip the price under $52k. The RSI indicator is giving good signals for BTC bulls. Even though it is in the neutral zone, the upward bias is evident on the hourly charts. The seller’s market seems to have been over as far as technical indicators are concerned.

If Bitcoin price prediction maintains its natural course, the upward trajectory will bring the first line of resistance at $58,000. In the next 5-7 days, the BTC/USD will move towards $58,000 backed by long orders and bullish chart movement. The BTC reserves on the exchange are dropping, and sellers are reducing. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that HODLing is being undertaken by the traders and investors alike.

Institutional investors are safeguarding their investments and also accumulating more. There is no urge to book short-term profits. Their long-term HODLing strategy will only support higher price levels in Bitcoin price prediction.

Bitcoin price prediction conclusion: Next bull run momentum building up
The rising institutional adoption of Bitcoin is helping BTC cement its credentials as a mature asset. Also, Bitcoin ETFs are gaining steam in the crypto realm. The repeated attempts to touch fresh all-time highs show that Bitcoin is ready to give a serious challenge to the BTC critics. The entry of a diverse range of investors in the crypto realm sends huge positive signals to the investor community.

The 20-day exponential moving average is giving ample support at the $54,426 level. The ascending price channel and the long-wick candle are helping the bulls set up more long positions. The 50-day simple moving average at $51,278 is another support underneath the current wave.

Read more: Cryptopolitan

Bitcoin (BTC) RSI Level Shows We Are Still Early In the Bull Run

After staying under pressure last week, Bitcoin (BTC) has bounced back strongly making a move above $56,000 levels over the weekend. At press time, BTC is trading at a price of $56,369 with its market cap surging past $1 trillion once again.

Bitcoin has shows volatile trading patterns over the last two weeks swinging between the $53K-$61K range. While profit booking has ensured at some point, longer-term investors are still better-off! Bitcoin’s relative-strength-index (RSI) levels show that we are still very much early in the Bitcoin bull run.

PlanB, the author of the Stock-to-flow (S2F) model states that during the previous bulls runs of 2011, 2013, and 2017, the Bitcoin RSI levels crossed 95 and stayed there for nearly 3 months.

Further citing the chart of his S2F model, PlanB writes: “IMO we are only ~4 months into the bull market and nowhere near the end of it .. #bitcoin is just getting started”.

There’s been a lot of discussion as to where is Bitcoin (BTC) heading from the current levels. Also, a few popular analysts have suggested that BTC is poised to easily cross $100K levels by the end of this year.

Image by VIN JD from Pixabay
Image by VIN JD from Pixabay

Another on-chain data provider Santiment notes that the social sentiment for BTC and ETH is bearish at this point. Interestingly, the data provider points out that every time this has happened, prices have moved north.

Bitcoin’s Role At the Macro Levels and Rising Institutional Interest
Before the COVID-driven financial crisis of 2020, BTC’s role with the global financial market was largely uncorrelated. However, as institutions have started participating on a large scale, Bitcoin’s Correlation with the S&P 500 has jumped significantly.

As Glassnode reports: “This drastic shift in correlation pattern is primarily driven by the increasingly overlapping investor base of crypto and equity markets”.

Mike McGlone, the senior commodity analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence notes that Bitcoin (BTC) is on a transition to becoming the Risk-off reserve asset in 2021. He also notes that Bitcoin institutional products like the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) are gaining much popularity and outperformed giants like 50% this year. However, the increasing probability of a U.S. Bitcoin ETF is pushing the GBTC to trade at a discount.

Finally, he goes on to add that the biggest benefit that Bitcoin (BTC) enjoys over other asset classes is its limited supply. As per McGlone, what really matters for BTC is its increasing demand and adoption. “The potential launch of Bitcoin ETPs in the U.S. should keep the price buoyed. Increasing institutional demand, notably into corporate treasuries and accolades from a few billionaires, are part” he adds.

Read more: CoinGape

‘I Was Wrong About Bitcoin’: Billionaire Crypto Critic Invests in Norway’s Biggest BTC Exchange

Norwegian billionaire and investor Øystein Stray Spetalen has secretly purchased bitcoin and bought into Norway’s largest Bitcoin exchange to become a shareholder in an unexpected twist of events.

Spetalen, one of Norway’s most distinguished and experienced stock market investors is the latest Bitcoin convert to join a pool of many institutional investors who have in the past dismissed bitcoin as an investment asset and a practical, sound virtual currency.

According to a report by Norwegian news site Dagens Naeringsliv, Spetalen bought bitcoin and invested in MiraiEx, Norway’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange after meeting with its two founders who helped to change his mind about Bitcoin.

Miraiex crypto exchange is specifically designed for the Norwegian crypto market, enabling people to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and XRP directly using the Norwegian Kroner (NOK).

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Spetalen: I was wrong about Bitcoin
Earlier in March, during a DNB Invest conference, Spetalen talked about bitcoin but showed no interest in investing in digital assets. In fact, he reportedly said Bitcoin’s energy consumption is higher than that of his country’s entire consumption and therefore extremely environmentally hostile.

Spetalen added that the current payment systems in place today are doing well and then suggested that the EU intervene and take action against bitcoin’s usage in the region.

“If one really meant anything about bitcoin the authorities and the EU should ban this immediately. Then you cut CO2 emissions considerably.”

However, in a new interview with the same news site, the 58-year-old oil and petroleum investments guru said that he changed his mind about Bitcoin after he met MiraiEx founders, Thuc and Øyvind.

“When the facts change, I change. I met Miraiex founders Thuc and Øyvind the day after the podcast was recorded in March and realized that I had been wrong.”

Norwegian Energy Giant Influenced Spetalen’s Decision
Spetalen said his perspective was also altered by Kjell Inge Røkke, the Norwegian energy giant that also acted in favor of its bitcoin interest in early March. The company formed the bitcoin unit Seetee, a crypto company dedicated to investing in bitcoin and other crypto-related projects.

Seetee had an initial purchase of NOK 500 million worth of BTC, at a price which Spetalen referred to as higher than what he paid for his BTC.

Read more: ZyCrypto

11 Years Ago: an Amateur Bitcoin Poker Tournament – Prize Now Worth 662,500X

The total prize pool in an amateur poker tournament held in March 2010 was worth $120 in BTC. Today, that amount is over 66,000,000% higher at nearly $80,000,000.

Eleven years ago, in March 2010, a group of enthusiasts from the bitcointalk forum played what was touted as the first bitcoin forum online poker challenge event. The creator organized it using 1500 bitcoins as rewards, which were worth around $120 at the time. Fast-forward to March 2021, and that same amount costs more – significantly more – about $80,000,000.

BTC Used In a Friendly Poker Game
The year is 2010, and bitcoin is still a baby with essentially nonexistent applications. This is far before the current institutions’ mania, before ever being considered as digital gold, and even before it was traded on exchanges.

However, one of the first and most popular BTC-related forums, bitcointalk, did exist. In it, a user under the BitcoinFX handle had an idea to host a friendly tournament of Texas Hold ’em. Unlike the traditional games, though, this one had a little twist – instead of using fiat currencies, the host decided to use “no real money – we are playing for electronic bottle tops only” – he meant bitcoin.

Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay
Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay

He invited anyone who wanted to join with a maximum cap of ten people. The rewards were as follows:

“4 places will be paid. 1st – 750 bitcoins, 2nd – 375 bitcoins, 3rd – 250 bitcoins, 4th – 125 bitcoins (based on 10 players.”

Consequently, the entire pool was supposed to be of 1,500 bitcoins. BitcoinFX said that he will provide 1,000 BTC from himself, while the remaining players had to send 55 BTC as an entry fee.

The Multi-Million Dollar Prize Pool
Although every bitcoin proponent will say that 1 BTC equals 1 BTC and it shouldn’t be compared to fiat currencies, the cryptocurrency is still predominantly weighed against traditional money such as the dollar. As such, it’s compelling to review the aforementioned poker game in terms of USD back then and today.

That’s somewhat challenging, having in mind that it’s tricky to determine BTC’s price in USD that far back. However, data from Investopedia says that the cryptocurrency traded between $0.0008 and $0.08 in 2010. If we take the highest price of $0.08 per bitcoin, that means that the 1,500 BTC price pool was worth $120 in March 2010.

It’s quite remarkable what has happened with bitcoin’s price since then. In fact, it’s doubtful that any one of the participants could have imagined how much their bitcoins would be worth just over a decade later.

So, just for comparison, let’s look at the numbers now. With BTC’s price trading at around $53,000 now, it means that the asset has skyrocketed by about 66,250,000% in eleven years. Yes, that’s over 66 million (%).

This makes the entire prize pool worth 79,500,000. Yes, that’s almost $80 million. Just for reference, the 2019 World Series of Poker (the 50th annual tournament of the largest poker event) had a prize pool of $80,548,600.

If we break the prizes down to participants, it would mean that the winner’s BTC would have a value of close to $40,000,000, 2nd place – nearly $20,000,000, 3rd place – $13,250,000, and 4th place – $6,625,000.
Moreover, the entry fee alone of 55 bitcoins equals almost $3 million with today’s prices.

Read more: CryptoPotato

THE MACRO CASE FOR INVESTING IN BITCOIN

Key drivers like price, current macro trends and risks indicate that bitcoin is a great investment and possibly the best one available now.

Like many, when I first heard of bitcoin, my reaction was “Why would anyone invest real cash in magic internet money?” It was worth zero — backed by nothing. And, like a fool, I was keen to point this out to anyone who would listen. But still, I was curious what the buzz was about, so I continued to keep an eye on it until, in 2015, I had a mental breakthrough. I was listening to a podcast when Wences Casares made a statement that went something like this:

“The miracle of bitcoin was going from zero to one cent. The debate of whether bitcoin has value has been resolved. The market has already assigned it value, so we can now only argue over how much it is worth.”

Bitten by the bug, I spent months reading anything bitcoin-related, talking with friends, developing an investment thesis and assessing probabilities that bitcoin could actually achieve these outcomes. Like any good MBA graduate, I quickly worked up a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and a simple pricing model that compared the number of network wallets to price. At the end of this exercise, there was only one answer: It was prudent to invest a small percentage of my portfolio in bitcoin. For me, I chose 1 percent of investable assets. And now, like all other bitcoiners, I wish I had invested far more.

Below is my hopefully simple and concise explanation as to why I still believe bitcoin is a great investment, and quite possibly, the best investment opportunity there is right now. Let’s look at some key drivers of price, current macro trends and risks.

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

MONEY SUPPLY/STIMULUS
In my opinion, “printer go brrrr” is not exactly accurate as some of this is a swap of similar assets, but the Federal Reserve did effectively prevent wide-scale deleveraging during the COVID-19 pandemic by aggressively opening lines of credit, lowering rates and embarking on the most aggressive quantitative easing (QE) program we have ever seen.

Meanwhile, politicians are dropping cash on their constituents. Some of that stimulus will chase asset prices, and these actions have moved all markets to “risk on,” given that widespread deleveraging risk is off the table. In simple terms, deleveraging is the selling of assets by institutions or individuals to repair balance sheets and/or pay debt. This was a primary cause of the Great Financial Crisis. In my opinion, the risks today appear more tilted toward higher inflation, not deleveraging, and what better way to hedge inflation than with digital gold?

DEMOGRAPHICS
Millennials are the largest generation in the United States and are now entering their prime earning years (see the Fundstrat chart below). This generation watched during the Great Financial Crisis as their parents lost their jobs and homes. A Facebook survey showed that 92 percent of them mistrust banks, but that they love bitcoin. A survey has shown that 20 percent of them own bitcoin now, and more are likely to buy bitcoin in the future. I believe it. Anyone with kids today can see that youth value digital property as much, or more, than they do real property. I say, don’t fight youth.

RETAIL ADOPTION
The value of a network is related to its number of users, says Metcalfe’s law. Back in 2015, I modeled bitcoin’s price based on the number of network wallets (as a proxy for users). The statistical correlation was very good and the relationship very clear — more users equals higher price. What is particularly interesting about bitcoin is every FOMO event raises price, peaks interest and creates more HODLers.

I have watched this play out for two bitcoin Halving cycles. Now, as I watch a third cycle, I do not see that trend reversing. The bitcoin community is stronger than ever, and once someone falls down the bitcoin rabbit hole, they rarely climb back out. Bitcoin’s fixed supply, portability and auditability make an ideal potential global savings vehicle. I foresee adoption continuing until each country effectively has a currency duopoly — local currency for spending and bitcoin for long-term savings.

INSTITUTIONAL ADOPTION
Not all adoption is created equal. The small amounts retail has invested in bitcoin will pale in comparison to when institutional investors become heavily involved. MassMutual and Tesla are just the start. Bitcoin is an ideal institutional investment for several reasons.

Read more: BITCOIN MAGAZINE

Elon Musk: ‘You Can Now Buy a Tesla With Bitcoin’

EV manufacturer Tesla has begun accepting Bitcoin as payment for its automobiles—and it won’t convert the cryptocurrency to fiat.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced today on Twitter, that the EV manufacturer has begun accepting payment for its range of electric cars in Bitcoin. A Bitcoin payment button has appeared on the Tesla website.

Notably, the Tesla chief executive added that it will hold any Bitcoin paid to the company rather than converting it to fiat currency; it will be added to the cryptocurrency reserves the carmaker already holds.

Earlier this year, Tesla bought $1.5 billion in Bitcoin. In its February SEC filing, the company said that it intended to accept payment in Bitcoin for its products, including its cars, in the near future. Tesla took just six weeks to fulfill its pledge.

Musk also revealed that Tesla is “using only internal and open source software and operates Bitcoin nodes directly.”

He added that Tesla customers outside the US will be able to pay in Bitcoin later this year.

Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay
Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay

Lambo vs Tesla
Bitcoin’s price reacted favorably to the news, climbing back over $55,000, having lost ground earlier this week. In recent weeks, Musk’s tweets, about both Bitcoin and “joke” crypto Dogecoin, have helped to move the markets.

But as the price of Bitcoin rises, commentators have pointed out that very few people are likely to take Tesla up on its offer, because they want to hold on to their Bitcoin as an investment.

And Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently told Decrypt that almost no one has paid the basketball team in Bitcoin, after it introduced the cryptocurrency as a payment option. “We actually took our first Bitcoin five or six years ago, only nobody bought anything [in Bitcoin], and the only reason I did it was to prove a point that no one’s going to buy anything,” he said.

Earlier this month, Musk updated his title to “Technoking of Tesla,” while Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn added the title “Master of Coin,” according to a regulatory filing. (They retain the titles Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.)

But, with Bitcoin in the midst of a major market correction, Musk has seen his top spot on the list of the world’s richest people revised downward. The Tesla CEO was overtaken by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index of the world’s richest people in January. He’s now worth a mere $171 billion to Bezos’s $184 billion.

That could all change if Musk can persuade people to part with their Bitcoin, and if Tesla overtakes Lamborghini as the Bitcoiner’s car of choice.

Read more: Decrypt

The Best Crypto Lending Platforms to Consider in 2021

The crypto world has created an alternative for the financial world, giving users an alternative digital option to pay for goods and services. Although the industry is still shuffling, new technologies prove to be actual threats to the current financial world. For instance, to replace the contemporary financial world, the crypto ecosystem instituted lending and borrowing platforms for crypto assets just as done in the banking sector. These platforms have some of the best features that make them tower over the fiat banks, and with more pace, they will soon replace the banking world. But what are some of the best lending platforms in the crypto world, and what do they offer? Here is a list of the five best crypto lending platforms to watch in the year 2021.

BlockFi
Primarily, BlockFi is a crypto exchange platform guaranteeing users an average interest rate of about 8.6% annually on every crypto asset they deposit therein. This platform currently offers loans for collateralizing crypto assets in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, GUSD, and USDC. Instead of selling these assets when having emergencies, the users can lock their value in the BlockFi ecosystem and get a loan in the name of those crypto assets.

The platform doesn’t require the user to have some minimum assets stored in the account. Additionally, it offers its interest account that holds all interests earned by the user.

Although the compounding rate is 8.6%, different rates are depending on the assets. For instance, PAX, GUSD, USD all earn 8.6%, USDT earns 7%, PAXG earns 4%, LTC earns 5% and ethereum 4.50%. However, BTC has different rates depending on the value of holding; for instance, more than 2.5 BTC earns 3.2%, while for assets worth less than 2.5, the investor earns 6%. The minimum loan duration is 12 months.

If an investor does not have the coins mentioned earlier, they can deposit USD into the BlockFi Interest Account and earn monthly interest. Since there is a wide choice of assets, the investor can diversify between the assets.

Nexo
Nexo is a crypto lending platform working with almost similar attributes to the BlockFi network. It allows investors to collateralize their crypto assets and, in turn, receive fiat loans in the process. This platform offers loans in over 40 fiat currencies and several ways of sending the fiat to the borrowed account.

When repaying, the borrower can use either cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies and pay the full loaned amount plus the interest.

The interest rates in the Nexo platform are constant at 8% compounding rates, and that helps strengthen the attractiveness and viability of the Nexo platform. Users can withdraw at any time, with withdrawals being highly timely.

Nexo’s platform is highly user friendly; thus, the platform is highly efficient for both beginner and experienced crypto users when getting loans. It also offers several crypto assets and operates everywhere globally for better global access.

Bitcoin split (Image: MaxPixel)
Bitcoin split (Image: MaxPixel)

This platform is free from long processes of checking creditworthiness and approving loans. Nexo’s crypto assets include BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, XLM, EOS, BCH, LINK, TRX, and stablecoins like PAXG, BNB, NEXO, etc.

Compound Finance
Compound finance, launched in September 2018, is probably the Defi ecosystem’s largest Defi lending platform. Compound leverages smart contract capabilities in its functioning. This platform allows users to borrow some of ethereum based assets, including BAT, ZRX, and Wrapped BTC.

For lending BAT, lenders can earn a supernormal interest of up to 25%. Similarly, Compound finance does not institute KYC, AML, or even in-depth credit record checks like the two others mentioned above.

Rewards and interests in the compound platform come in the form of COMP tokens. Investors can enjoy storing their crypto funds in one pool and enjoy the benefits that come from lending out the assets.

YouHolder
The YouHolder platform allows users to borrow fiat funds by collateralizing their crypto assets at desirable interest rates for the lenders. Foremost, the loans given out depends on the value of crypto assets the borrower has. Youholder supports around 18 crypto assets, including the crypto giant BTC and ETH, as loan collateral.

For savings, it supports approximately 22 crypto assets, and it promises to add more over time. The interest rate is compounded at 12 percent per annum for the Youholder savings account’s crypto assets.

However, the interest rates may vary between a minimum of 2.5% and 13%, depending on the terms and assets held. For instance, every BTC loan has an average interest rate of 4.8%, while other stablecoins charge an average interest of around 12%.

Read more: The Daily Chain

Bitcoin Is Real

Bitcoin hasn’t changed. But recently, the narratives around it have. While skeptics still dismiss it, at this point it’s obvious it’s not going away.

Last week, an important person in my life asked me, in a cautious tone, if they could ask me a question about my new job. (I joined Decrypt on March 1 after spending a decade at legacy media outlets.) I had a feeling I knew what question was coming. The person’s question came out like this: “You didn’t take the job because you believe in that stuff—like, you agree it’s ridiculous, and you don’t think it’s real, right?”

Well, Bitcoin is certainly real. But I understood what the person meant: Am I a true believer, a crypto crazy? Do I think Bitcoin is going to replace the US Dollar? Do I pray at the Church of Crypto?

No. And I didn’t join a cryptocurrency news site in order to pump coins. (I own less than 1 Bitcoin, which I bought back in 2014 as a reporting tool—I believe crypto journalists should own a little bit to play with because they need to test out the exchanges and products they write about.)

I suspect any journalist who has covered crypto for a few years believes, at the very least, that the technology is interesting, exciting, and potentially transformative. Crypto is cool, even for non-coders. (I still remember the thrill of playing with the 21 Bitcoin Computer, a handheld mini mining rig—really it was just a souped-up Raspberry Pi—from Balaji Srinivasan’s company 21, which he later rebranded Earn and sold to Coinbase.)

I have heard the same person say to me, “When I hear the word crypto, my eyes glaze over.”And that’s perfectly fine. Bitcoin skeptics still abound, and I understand their skepticism. Bitcoin didn’t exist, and then it did, and 11 years isn’t so long in the big scheme of things. For a lot of people, it’s hard to see how something created out of thin air by a pseudonymous person in 2009, that you can’t physically touch, could be worth $60,000. (And who’s to say what the ‘right price’ is for Bitcoin?)

Bitcoin triumphant (Image: Maxpixel)
Bitcoin triumphant (Image: Maxpixel)

But I do believe something has changed in the last few years, since the mania of late 2017, when many onlookers viewed Bitcoin as a punchline: a larger number of people than ever before at least acknowledge that Bitcoin is something that exists and will continue to exist. They may dismiss it as boring, or nerdy, or stupid, or avoid it as an investment, but it’s clear that Bitcoin isn’t about to vanish or collapse tomorrow.

Fraud, tulips, rat poison, turds
Sure, we all know the most famous negative sound bites. Nouriel Roubini has repeatedly called Bitcoin a Ponzi scheme. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon called Bitcoin a “fraud worse than tulip bulbs.” Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett said Bitcoin investing is “not really investing,” and his respected longtime business partner Charlie Munger has called Bitcoin “rat poison” and “turds.” Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal called Bitcoin “another Enron in the making.”

But those sound bites were almost all from a few years ago, mostly in 2017 amid the notorious ICO boom, when crypto startups made millions through “initial coin offerings” of tokens that, in most cases, served no purpose and had no product behind them. Apart from Roubini, none of those folks have repeated their sentiments at any time recently.

Jamie Dimon has repeatedly walked back his comments, saying in 2018 he regretted calling Bitcoin a fraud, and saying in 2020 that it’s “just not my cup of tea” and that “very smart people” are investing in it. His own bank just filed with the SEC to start offering a “cryptocurrency exposure basket” to clients. His rival bank, Goldman Sachs, is relaunching its Bitcoin futures trading desk this month.

As for Prince Al Waleed’s comparison to Enron, billionaire investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban earlier this month, in an interview with Decrypt, said pretty much the opposite: He raved that if industries like healthcare and insurance start embracing blockchain record-keeping, “There’d be no Enrons. You wouldn’t have the level of fraud that you have now.”

Read more: Decrypt

How Elon Musk Is The Answer To Bitcoin Energy FUD

Bitcoin is constantly the subject of controversy, bringing out pundits, skeptics, and critics of all kinds and of various domains. Economists call it a bubble, investors call it rat poison, and environmentalists claim it is slowly killing the planet.

Energy FUD is an easy target for the cryptocurrency due to the complex, proof-of-work consensus algorithm that requires power to operate, but according to a relatively new figure in Bitcoin investing, the answer to dispelling the energy FUD lies in Elon Musk. But why?

The Bitcoin Network Energy Consumption Conundrum
When Bitcoin was first introduced more than ten years ago by Satoshi Nakamoto, nothing else like it existed in the world. Today, thousands of cryptocurrencies exist all based on some form of the original blockchain technology that launched with the Bitcoin network.

To solve the double-spend issue plaguing past attempts at making digital cash, and to keep the network itself and its assets decentralized – meaning able to function without a third-party intermediary such as a bank – Satoshi added the proof-of-work consensus mechanism.

Mining is the intensive process of converting energy into the computing power necessary to keep this system in operation. The larger the Bitcoin network grows, the more computing power and therefore energy is required to keep it chugging along.

Bitcoin keychains on circuit board (Image: BTC Keychain)
Bitcoin keychains on circuit board (Image: BTC Keychain)

The network now consumes more energy than small countries like Switzerland and Argentina, and as it expands, so will the demand for energy. The recent growth of Bitcoin adoption almost overnight has environmentalists sounding the alarms, but it isn’t nearly as bad as it seems.

In fact, one CEO could be the answer to the energy FUD once and for all.

Coming To Save Crypto: How Elon Musk Is The Answer To Energy FUD
Elon Musk has now become synonymous with crypto, whether he meant to or not. For years, the Tesla and Space X CEO has spoken out on Twitter about Bitcoin and Dogecoin, even being cheekily labeled as the “CEO of Dogecoin”

Musk’s Tesla recently disclosed a substantial BTC buy, adding the green-focused company to the many who now hold the cryptocurrency as part of their corporate treasure strategy.

Relative newcomer to the Bitcoin space but heavy hitter, Anthony Scaramucci, says that Musk is the best come back to any claims regarding the ongoing energy FUD surrounding the crypto sector.

Scaramucci claims that “no living person has done more to protect the planet against climate change” than Musk, and the idea he’d support something so harmful to the environment is “absurd.”

Instead, he says that Musk sees the future in a different view, and understands that renewable energies will replace the current environmentally harmful mining processes keeping Bitcoin going, and will convert that renewable energy into monetary value with the potential to demonetize gold, art, equities, and just about everything else.

Read more: NEWSBTC