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Crypto Monitor: SEC Gives Ethereum Good News

By Vin Narayanan on June 22, 2018

Editor’s note: We’ve added a new feature to Crypto Monitor called Price Talk! In this segment, Adam Sharp and Andy Gordon discuss the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, as well as where the market is heading. You can look for this segment now on a regular basis. Summary When the SEC talks about bitcoin, it’s a big deal. When the SEC takes the time to talk about a cryptocurrency not named bitcoin, it’s a huge deal. And when the…
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Peer-to-Peer Lessons to Learn From

By Vin Narayanan on June 21, 2018

In a previous life, I worked in the business side of the casino industry. Some considered me an expert. I wrote about it. I edited books and magazines about it. I advised regulators. I helped run online casino companies (in Asia and Europe, where it was legal) and consulted. This…

Thinking Your Way Through Startup Investing

By Vin Narayanan on June 20, 2018

The majority of startups fail. That's why learning how to pick the right startup to invest in is critically important.

Medicare Limps Toward Bankruptcy

By Allison Brickell on June 18, 2018

Medicare is limping toward bankruptcy... and it might reach the end of the road sooner than you think.

New Early Investing Mailbag Answers Your Questions

By Vin Narayanan on June 17, 2018

The new Early Investing Mailbag tackles your questions about startups and cryptocurrencies.

News Fix: Ethereum and Sonic Heat Up

By Vin Narayanan on June 16, 2018

In this week’s News Fix, we look at how the SEC gave Ethereum a boost, startups making checking accounts cool again and the Sonic the Hedgehog toaster.
The SEC's current thinking about cryptocurrencies gives bitcoin, and other coins like it, a regulatory advantage.
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Crypto Market Update: A Bullish Turn?

By Adam Sharp on June 15, 2018

As you know, the crypto market has been hurting lately. But we just received a good reason to be optimistic (and opportunistic). On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that a senior SEC official said Ethereum is NOT a security. Here’s the quote from SEC Director of Corporation Finance William…
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You Like Robots, but What About Dinosaur Bones?

By Vin Narayanan on June 14, 2018

In our last poll, we found out you like robots and holding bitcoin. In this week’s poll, tell us your thoughts on dinosaurs and when to buy bitcoin.
The government crackdown on cryptocurrencies was fairly predictable - but not bad news. The resulting environment should allow bitcoin and other digital currencies to flourish.
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A Handy Guide to Selling on Bittrex

By Adam Sharp on June 13, 2018

Yesterday afternoon, we recommended selling your WAX position on Bittrex. Then we discovered Bittrex has made a number of changes to its site that makes selling less intuitive. You can no longer sell from the “Wallets” tab. So if you’re still trying to sell WAX, here are the steps you…
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New Recommendation: Draper Esprit VC Fund

By Adam Sharp on June 12, 2018

Draper Esprit VC Fund Type: Stock Ticker: (LON: GROW) Current price (May 2, 2018): 468 pence (Note: Share prices on the exchange are listed in pence, not pounds) Buy up to: 520 pence Dear Member, Today’s recommendation is a first for us. It’s a publicly traded…
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Sell Alert: WAX

By Adam Sharp on June 12, 2018

Unfortunately, my recent Speculative Portfolio pick Wax has been disappointing (to say the least). And we just received more bad news. OPSkins (the trading platform operated by the Wax team) lost an important partner – Valve. Valve games were responsible for a good deal of the…

Chart of the Week: Identifying Startups Worth Investing In

By Allison Brickell on June 11, 2018

A quick look at the “vetting pyramid” shows why it’s so important to perform due diligence before investing in startups.
For the first time in weeks, it was nothing but good news for bitcoin. And the news wasn't just good. It was great.
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A Quick Look at How Our Coins Are Doing

By Adam Sharp on June 8, 2018

Our portfolio, like the rest of the market, remains in a temporary downtrend. I fully expect this to reverse itself by the end of the year (with the institutional move underway by then), but for now it’s hard to say exactly when. Decred (DCR) Decred has been our strongest performer…