Friday , March 29 2024
Home / Ryan Smith (page 2)

Ryan Smith



Articles by Ryan Smith

Peter Schiff’s Bitcoin Wallet Vanishing Act Is the Most Boomer Thing Ever

January 19, 2020

Peter Schiff cannot access his bitcoin wallet and is blaming his “losses” on the blockchain.
Schiff is a boomer in every sense of the word, and his lack of blockchain understanding shows.
Maybe he has a secret crush on bitcoin.
Peter Schiff has “lost” all of his bitcoin. Or at least he thinks he has.
A Sunday morning tweet revealed that he could no longer access his crypto wallet due to a decryption error:
Human error or something more sinister? | Source: TwitterApparently, the 56-year old gold-punter keeps all of his crypto on this faulty wallet, and the tragic loss is ironclad proof that bitcoin is “worthless.”
He complained:
So now not only is my Bitcoin intrinsically worthless; it has no market value either. I knew owning Bitcoin was a bad idea, I just never

Read More »

‘Independent’ Stock Market Researcher Fundstrat Shills Paid Crypto ‘Report’

January 18, 2020

Stock market research firm Fundstrat published a bullish 71-page report promoting the IOTA cryptocurrency to its clients.
Something doesn’t add up when you compare this to a public disclosure found on its retail portal.
The IOTA project already has a shifty reputation, and Fundstrat isn’t doing itself any favors.
The stock market research firm founded by notorious bitcoin price prediction “expert” Tom Lee has been spotted promoting the controversial IOTA cryptocurrency project to its clients.
As first noted by independent crypto researcher Hasu, the Fundstrat report was commissioned and paid for by IOTA Foundation co-founder Dominik Schiener himself.
Source: TwitterThe disclosure appears on page 71, conveniently tucked away from clear view:
Dominik Schiener is both

Read More »

This Epic Bitcoin Casascius Collection is a Hefty $700,000 Collectible

January 13, 2020

This impressive Casascius collection boasts roughly 87 bitcoin.
At today’s price of around $8,100 that translates into an investment of just over $700,000.
Novel as they are, collectibles still pose a major security risk.
A bitcoin collectibles collection worth a little over $700,000 has surfaced on Reddit. Known as Casascius, these rare “physically-minted” coins were all the rage back in cryptocurrency’s heyday.
Now, thanks to over-regulation, Casascius is proving to be even more valuable than the digital money it backs.
There are roughly 87 BTC in this collection | Source: RedditCasascius designer Mike Caldwell is also pictured in the photo above along with coins from Nicholas Mross who directed the feature-length documentary “The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin”.

Read More »

PewDiePie Shamelessly Shills TRON and Ponzi Blockchain DLive

January 12, 2020

PewDiePie’s credibility is in question after he shamelessly plugged a rather dubious cryptocurrency project
DLive claims to be blockchain-based but their proprietary currency has some major issues
If you blindly trust everything that Felix Kjellberg says you need to re-evaluate your priorities
Swedish digital influencer Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg is almost certainly not short of cash. But that didn’t stop the YouTube superstar from shilling a rather sketchy cryptocurrency project via his channel this week.

A recent video ‘Designs that will make you MAD!’ begins with a vomit-inducing advertising jingle that even Kjellberg can’t pull off:
All you need to do is click link in the description to join. Wow. But Felix who BitTorrent? BitTorrent is the biggest

Read More »

‘Bitcoin Super Cycle’ is Set to Storm the World, Says Fund Manager

December 19, 2019

Hedge fund CEO Robert Breedlove suggests that Bitcoin may on the verge of its next major bull run. His chart analysis of previous parabolic runs is remarkably similar to where we are today. If history is anything to go by we could see 35x returns from here until 2023. Hedge fund founder Robert Breedlove believes that the Bitcoin slump may soon be over. Thanks to some retrospective analysis of previous booms and busts, the CEO of Parallax Digital concludes that the world may be on the cusp of entering a “super-cycle”. Sour world economics should continue to boost Bitcoin | Source: TwitterThe flagship cryptocurrency rallied aggressively on Wednesday, though, if you zoom out, the larger trend still remains quite muted. According to Breedlove, Bitcoin’s fall from grace in December 2013

Read More »

Limited Edition Bitcoin Watch Beckons Mt. Gox Remnants

December 3, 2019

Social media entertainer Supercar Blondie has revealed a limited edition bitcoin watch linked to a Mt. Gox wallet.An investigative Redditor followed the clues and wonders whether the owner, possibly a member of the royal family, is linked to the Mt. Gox scandal.This wallet has a cool $17.7 million stored in it.Popular social media entertainer Alex Hirschi may have opened a whole new can of worms on Monday after she revealed a high-profile bitcoin wallet on Twitter. The catch? This is no ordinary wallet. It is, in fact, a limited edition bitcoin watch created by luxury Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller. The only functional #bitcoin watch by @FranckMuller ?#bitcoinwatch #ripple #blockchain #Ethereum #Encrypto #franckmuller #blockchain #ad pic.twitter.com/v1PoDw1sky— Supercar Blondie

Read More »

Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin to Sign ‘Free Virgil Griffith’ Petition Following FBI Arrest

December 1, 2019

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is signing a petition to free recently arrested developer Virgil Griffith.
Buterin argues that Griffith’s North Korean speech was basically public knowledge anyway.
Reasoning aside, Griffith still ignored a U.S. travel ban.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has come to the aid of estranged developer Virgil Griffith. FBI officials recently arrested the somewhat rogue developer in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving after he reportedly aided North Korea in its crypto development efforts.
Vitalik Buterin Promises to Sign a Petition to Free Virgil Griffith
CCN reported how the entire incident echoed an eerily prophetic New York Times profile that was made in 2008. A number of crypto outlets picked up on Griffith’s arrest, claiming that the Ethereum Foundation had

Read More »

Bitcoin Is Up More YTD Than Gold Is in Last Decade: Pomp

November 26, 2019

Bitcoin maximalist Anthony Pompliano claims he will never bail out of his long positions.
Gold cheerleader Peter Schiff likens this to a Titanic captain – loyal but misguided.
Even with its recent price plunge, bitcoin is still massively outperforming gold.
At What Point Will Bitcoin Maximalists Capitulate?
Peter Schiff never passes up a good opportunity to roast bitcoiners. The flagship cryptocurrency’s unexpected decline in the second half of this year has not gone unnoticed for (arguably) gold’s biggest cheerleader.
But maximalists like Anthony ‘Pomp’ Pompliano of Morgan Creek Digital are serious “hodlers” of last resort. And when speculators ask at what point Pomp will be shaken out of this interim bear market, his only response is: “Impossible.”
Bitcoiners Are Going Down With

Read More »

What Bitcoin Futures Data Reveals About the Latest Price Crash

November 24, 2019

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday released its latest Commitment of Traders report for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.Futures are derivative products typically aimed at institutional investors looking to get exposure in cryptocurrency. Published weekly, the COT highlights which way traders are positioned in the market.Here is the latest report:The latest CME COT report. | Source: BitOodaThe data may provide some insight into bitcoin’s latest tumble below $7,000. According to analysis from digital asset advisory firm BitOoda, a large drop in long positions is helping push prices lower.An excerpt from the analysis read:From this data we are inferring the latest sell-off to be mostly weak longs getting  out of the market pushing the price lower NOT new shorts coming in.

Read More »

Ray Dalio’s ‘New World Monetary Order’ is a Massive Bitcoin Endorsement

November 21, 2019

Ray Dalio suggests the current economic climate will lead to a ‘new world order’ similar to post WWII.The next recession will cause national leaders to come together to solve a new world crisis.Dalio is an outspoken crypto skeptic but could he be a secret Bitcoin hodler?Billionaire hedge fund guru Ray Dalio is in China speaking at Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum. Despite being an outspoken critic of cryptocurrency, his latest economic musings sound like a massive endorsement for Bitcoin.The Beijing conference sees Dalio, along with other business leaders, headlining discussions on an emerging new economy. With no end in sight for a US-China trade deal and growing political turmoil worldwide, Dalio compares the current economic climate to 1944 during World War II:Billionaire Ray Dalio tells

Read More »

Poop Token: A Literal Sh*tcoin for San Francisco’s Homelessness Crisis

November 14, 2019

A blockchain developer has created an appropriately titled sh*tcoin to track poop sightings in San Francisco. Despite its more humorous nature, the project may have some real-world applications. The city’s homelessness crisis remains grim. If ever there was a sh*tcoin that lived up to its name, SF Poop Token would be it. Blockchain developer Hart Lambur has created the first-ever crypto solution to track human poop sightings in San Francisco. The SF Poop Token was conceived at the recent ETHWaterloo event, a hackathon that encourages developers to collaborate in building decentralized applications on top of Ethereum. Hart Lambur has created the first-ever literal sh*tcoin. | Source: TwitterAccording to Lambur, the light-hearted project could incentivize the local government to issue

Read More »

Australia’s ‘E-Crime Squad’ Arrests Man Flouting Unregistered Crypto Exchange

November 12, 2019

Australian Detectives known as the ‘E-Crime Squad’ have arrested a man for providing unregistered cryptocurrency services. Authorities charged the man for breaking anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. The E-Crime Squad seized sizable amounts of cash, forged documents, and even a crypto ATM machine. Police in southeastern Australia arrested a 38-year old man on Tuesday for providing “unregistered cryptocurrency transactions.” Detectives known as the ‘E-Crime Squad’ arrested the man in Cairnlea and are holding him for questioning. Victoria police are working in conjunction with AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial intelligence agency and watchdog. The arrest is reportedly one of the first-ever E-Crime Squad investigations | Source: TwitterThe arrest is reportedly one of

Read More »

Reddit Roasts $500k Lottery Winner Who Invested Half in Bitcoin

November 5, 2019

An Illinois man provides proof of his $500,000 in lottery winnings and claims he put half of them in bitcoin.
Reddit roasts the man with crypto memes and says he made several crucial mistakes.
Either way, his investment has already paid off with an almost 100% return.
An Illinois man who won the lottery earlier this year has invested half of his winnings into bitcoin. The man who posted the score via Reddit confirmed on Monday that he had purchased roughly $178,000 worth of BTC back in May.
He also challenged readers to remind him in eight months if the investment was a good one, presumably in relation to the bitcoin price. Reddit had other ideas, of course.
Going by the handle Joxnlol, the man explained that he first had to fork over $143,000 in taxes to the state. While half of

Read More »

What You Need to Know About the Queen’s Crypto Tax Update

November 4, 2019

The UK’s tax authority has updated its tax policy for crypto assets.
Expect huge administrative headaches as all crypto transactions need to be converted into £ and recorded.
The authority reiterates that Bitcoin is not money.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HRMC) on Friday updated its tax policy related to cryptocurrency in the UK. Here’s what you need to know to stay compliant with the British taxman.
The HRMC’s statement on Cryptoassets: tax for businesses only provided details for what it calls “exchange tokens” such as Bitcoin. It will, however, provide more info on security and utility tokens at a later date.
How Tax Affects Cryptoassets in Your UK Business
Businesses, in particular, will pay tax if they use exchange tokens:
By buying or selling them
Exchanging them for

Read More »

XRP Is 10 Times Safer Than Fiat for Intl Payments – Ripple

November 1, 2019

According to Ripple, XRP is 1/10th as volatile as fiat for cross-border payments.
The current SWIFT system is so slow it exacerbates international payment risk.
XRP payments clear so fast that the exchange rate risk is negligible.
The math busters over at Ripple have crunched the numbers and conducted a study that concludes that XRP is 10 times safer for making international payments – or as Team Ripple explains, one-tenth as volatile as fiat for cross-border transactions.
Ripple’s head of Global Institutional Markets, Breanne Madigan, took to Twitter on Thursday to highlight this “unfounded criticism” that digital assets have been getting lately regarding their volatility.
Comparing XRP Volatility With Traditional Cross-Border Payments
SWIFT is the current international standard

Read More »

Bitcoin Is the Ultimate Pump and Dump Scheme – Peter Schiff

October 30, 2019

Peter Schiff trashed hodlers on Tuesday by claiming that whales are simply just offloading their bags.
The gold pundit appears to be indirectly suggesting that bitcoin is the ultimate pump and dump scheme.
Bitcoin is still performing excellently in 2019.
Peter Schiff is one tough nut to crack. The infamous gold and silver investor is not prepared to back down from his anti bitcoin sentiment.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday Schiff told bitcoin hodlers that whales are currently in the process of offloading their bags:
“Bitcoin hodlers won’t sell as they believe they’ll get rich when #Bitcoin moons. Bitcoin whales get rich by selling now to realize their paper gains before a market crash wipes them out.”
Schiff, who owns his own precious metals dealer, aptly named SchiffGold, naturally

Read More »

Bitcoin Price Catapults Near $9,000 with Triumphant 14% Rally

October 25, 2019

The bitcoin price zoomed higher on Friday, reversing its punishing losses from earlier in the week.
Following a 14% rally, BTC now boasts a market cap of more than $150 billion.
Some observers have connected the move to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent comments on blockchain.
Despite a wave of bearish calls on social media in recent weeks, the bitcoin price is bucking the trend on Friday. The flagship cryptocurrency has skyrocketed back above $8,000 to set a two-week high at $8,784.
Currently trading just shy of $8,800, BTC may be in the process of bouncing off trendline support and creating a  technical formation known as a morning star.
The bitcoin price appears to have bounced off its trendline.| Source: TradingViewBitcoin has been consolidating for the better part of

Read More »

Venezuela’s Bitcoin Birth Proves Crypto Beats Gold in Hyperinflated Economy

October 24, 2019

A Venezuelan man has used the bulk of his bitcoin savings to pay the medical costs of his son’s birth. Many consider adequate healthcare a universal human right but only few in the inflation-ridden country can actually afford it.
José Rafael Peña, a materials engineer from Caracas, outlined the payment process which took a day to clear and gave his son the best possible start at a new life. It also bolstered the case of bitcoin as a superior medium of exchange than gold:
“But telling this story has made me realize how important Bitcoin has been in my own life. It has allowed me to fight Venezuela’s hyperinflation, to amass some savings, and to pay large sums of money in a matter of hours, without having to actually travel anywhere. Imagine what it would take to sell that quantity

Read More »

Australian Police Seize Illegal Gun Runner’s Bitcoin to Cash 2000% Profit

October 23, 2019

Australian authorities have become unwitting benefactors of Bitcoin’s impressive bull run in recent years.
The Australia Federal Police’s latest Annual Report highlights a bust which netted them a cool 2000% profit. In it, the Feds reveals seized bitcoin worth approximately A$ 7,300 ($ 4,995) in 2016  from a man using the cryptocurrency to purchase three weapons in contravention of the 1901 Customs Act.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) posted this image of the paper wallet seized in the arrest:
A Bitcoin paper wallet seized by Australian Federal Police | Source: AFP Annual ReportFeds Still Wrapping Their Head Around Public-Private Keys
Despite claiming they had seized the Bitcoin three years ago, it appears officials had only secured the gun runner’s public key. In other

Read More »

Opera Continues Bullish Crypto Mainstream Drive With Bitcoin Payments

October 22, 2019

Browser minnow Opera is ramping up cryptocurrency support for Android users in version 54, which has just been released on Tuesday. Among a host of other cosmetic improvements and a new UI, this latest release improves upon the current crypto wallet with support for both Bitcoin and Tron payments.
Ethereum has been the staple payment option of the low-flying web browser for more than a year now; however, developers have heeded the calls in recent months for integration with other major cryptocurrencies.
Opera Looks to Undercut the Big Boys With Crypto
The Opera crypto wallet now supports Ethereum, Bitcoin & Tron | Source: OperaOpera is a Chromium-based browser that leverages off the innovations made by Google in the browser development space.
Despite introducing its own set of

Read More »

HTC’s Cheaper $250 Smartphone Runs a Full Bitcoin Node

October 21, 2019

On Saturday HTC launched a wallet-friendly version of its blockchain smartphone, versioned the Exodus 1s. The new phone comes in at a little under $250 (€219) and customers can buy it either with fiat or crypto. Its real selling point? Run your own full bitcoin node on the go. Verify your own transactions on the new HTC Exodus 1s | Source: htcexodus.comThe Taiwanese company launched big brother a year ago and initially tried to entice blockchain fans by pricing it in Bitcoin. It subsequently, however, priced it in dollars due to the volatile exchange rate of crypto assets. In 2018 the Exodus 1 arrived with a $700 price tag comparable to the low end of Apple’s latest flagship device, the iPhone 11. This release, however, is likely targeting a younger audience looking for a more affordable

Read More »

Canada Plots National Digital Currency… To Spy On Its Citizens

October 17, 2019

According to a report out of The Logic, the Bank of Canada is preparing to run the gauntlet and potentially launch its own digital currency in the near future. Journalists secured access to a presentation dubbed “Central Bank Money: The Next Generation”. The paper was prepared for the central bank’s board of directors and its governor Stephen Poloz. If launched, the digital currency would work hand in hand with physical cash. The bank, however, plans to eventually scrap physical trading entirely. The revelation is consequently receiving stiff criticism. Maxime Bernier, a leader for the People’s Party of Canada, warns of the dangers of the project. A digital-only currency would allow the government to spy on account holders | Source: TwitterCentral Bank of Canada: Surveillance is Our

Read More »

London Blockchain Conference Pulls Headline After Crypto Community Threatens to Boycott Faketoshi

October 14, 2019

A London blockchain conference has pulled the headline for one of its most controversial talks after the crypto community rallied in defiance against its speaker – the self-proclaimed creator of bitcoin Craig Wright, AKA ‘Faketoshi’. The CC Forum scheduled to take place Oct. 14-16 has a number of high-profile figures attending, including the infamous anti-crypto advocate Nouriel ‘Dr. Doom’ Roubini. Wright’s Fireside chat was controversially titled, “What Was Your Purpose as Satoshi Writing the Whitepaper?” but has since been removed seemingly in response to a boycott from the crypto community. No headline but it’s pretty clear what Faketoshi will talk about. | Source: TwitterModerators sandwiched the speech among other dubiously named talks like “What is the Perfect Crypto Wallet?” and

Read More »

5200 French Tobacconists Will Sell Bitcoin at 5% Premium, Once Again

October 11, 2019

French company Keplerk has confirmed that consumers will once again be able to buy Bitcoin at one of more than 5200 tobacconists countrywide. Buy €50, €100 or €250 worth of Bitcoin at your local French tobacconist | Source: TwitterAccording to a press release, customers can only purchase Bitcoin coupons in flavors of €50, €100, or €250. Cryptocurrency remains a technical beast for many French citizens who have little knowledge about digital wallets, keys, or exchanges. And although exchanges are much cheaper to buy from they aren’t particularly appealing to laypeople. Keplerk Still a Trusted Middleman? CCN reported earlier this year that Keplerk had decided to make their Bitcoin service available in January despite a fuzzy regulatory environment in France. Less than two months later the

Read More »

Crypto Giant Bitfinex Vigorously Disputes ‘Meritless and Mercenary’ Lawsuit

October 6, 2019

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex announced on Saturday, Oct 5, that it expects to be prosecuted by an unknown party in a ‘meritless and mercenary lawsuit’. The Hong Kong-based exchange which has been embroiled in a number of controversies apparently got wind of a damning report and is looking to quell any negative press ahead of its publishing. “Bitfinex is aware of an unpublished and non-peer reviewed paper falsely positing that Tether issuances are responsible for manipulating the cryptocurrency market. Bitfinex vigorously disputes the findings and conclusions claimed by that source, which rely on flawed assumptions, incomplete and cherry-picked data, and faulty methodology.” The Bitfinex Saga Continues Bitfinex has not yet disclosed the source of the claim, however, a number of

Read More »

Tim Cook Lands Facebook Jab to Confirm Apple Won’t Develop a Cryptocurrency

October 4, 2019

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed to Les Echos on Thursday that the American smartphone giant won’t be taking steps to develop its own cryptocurrency. As the Facebook debacle continues, mainstream media has been left to speculate on who next will wade into the murky waters of decentralized payment systems. When asked how Apple would respond in the wake of Facebook’s attempted Libra launch, Cook responded: “No. I deeply believe that money must remain in the hands of states… Money, like Defense, must remain in the hands of States, it is at the heart of their mission.” The Libra Association is already under pressure as two of its major backers Visa and Mastercard consider calling it quits thanks to continued pressure from regulators. Apple Not Willing to Dip It’s Toes in the Crypto Waters

Read More »

Craig Wright Incoherently Rambles About Bitcoin Payments & Privacy

October 1, 2019

Craig Wright continues to befuddle in the cryptocurrency space. The controversial computer scientist who maintains his identity as the one and only Satoshi Nakamoto recently spoke at the CoinGeek conference in Seoul on ‘The Power of Bitcoin SV Scaling’. The conference, which hosted a multitude of speakers, saw Wright headline and speculate on new inventions that could be built on top of his dramatic Bitcoin Cash fork now dubbed Satoshi’s Vision. Craig Wright, the promoter of government crypto. | Source: TwitterUnsurprisingly, the talk was difficult to follow. It was marred from the start after the conference host introduced Wright on stage with the following: “I’m going to introduce a man who I really want to be able to just let be himself. A man who I feel that we shouldn’t require to

Read More »

Venezuela’s State-Run Oil Company Has a Secret Bitcoin Stockpile

September 26, 2019

A recent Bloomberg report suggests that the central bank of Venezuela is looking to add both bitcoin and Ethereum to its international basket of currency reserves.The call for digital solutions was trumpeted by state-owned enterprise Petróleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA) which is apparently sitting on its own secret stockpile of bitcoin. The energy behemoth manages the country’s vast oil and natural gas reserves.Four anonymous officials have confirmed PDVSA’s request to store and use cryptocurrency as a viable medium of exchange when paying its suppliers.How Big Is the Stash?Unfortunately for onlookers, no intel on the size of the stockpile was given.One Venezuelan on the ground, however, points out that the government itself has likely mined a significant amount of crypto from confiscated

Read More »

The 5 Biggest Losers of Tuesday’s Crypto Carnage

September 25, 2019

The massive triangle that formed in Bitcoin since late June finally resolved itself on Tuesday as the flagship crypto nosedived toward the $8000 handle.Bitcoin typically leads the market and altcoins were in no mood to buck the trend as a massive exodus ensued coinciding with a less than stellar Bakkt launch.So who are the biggest losers from the carnage? We decided to take a look at the top 5 major cap fallers and to separate the riff from the raff, we filtered coins with a market capitalization of at least $500 million using CoinMarketCap’s rankings.5. TRON – TRX (20.94%)TRON comes in at number five. One of Asia’s leading coins is down a massive 20.94% and currently trades around $0.012 against the dollar.TRON is down 20.94% since Tuesday | Source: TradingViewJustin Sun, the eccentric

Read More »

Overstock Shares Crash as Former CEO Cashes Out – Goes All In on Crypto and Gold

September 19, 2019

Patrick Byrne, Overstock’s former CEO, is cashing out of the company he built. | Image: AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson

Ousted former CEO of Overstock, Patrick Byrne, revealed via a regulatory filing on Wednesday that he offloaded his entire holdings in the internet retailer he’s been at the helm for since 1999.
Byrne liquidated his entire holdings. | Source: investors.overstock.comIn a post directed to former colleagues of the company, Byrne stated that by Friday, Sept. 20 all proceeds, minus tens of millions in taxes, will have made their way into “counter-cyclical” investments including gold, silver and “two flavors” of crypto.
The kooky businessman didn’t, however,

Read More »