{"id":32597,"date":"2020-12-01T08:40:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T06:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=32597"},"modified":"2025-08-28T09:28:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T06:28:50","slug":"forklogs-person-of-the-year-2020-its-time-to-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/forklogs-person-of-the-year-2020-its-time-to-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"ForkLog’s Person of the Year 2020 \u2014 It’s Time to Vote!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bitcoin industry is built by people. Some become role models, while others are anti-heroes.<\/p>\n

ForkLog invites readers to choose the brightest and most influential figure in eight categories:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Bitcoin (Development);<\/li>\n
  2. Breakthrough Technologies;<\/li>\n
  3. Most Influential Exchange CEO;<\/li>\n
  4. Investor of the Year;<\/li>\n
  5. Most Influential DeFi Figure;<\/li>\n
  6. Most Influential Analyst;<\/li>\n
  7. Thought Leader;<\/li>\n
  8. Antagonist of the Year.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You can vote for and against multiple people within a single category.<\/p>\n

    In the Antagonist of the Year category, a “for” vote goes to the person who, in your view, has caused the most harm to the industry and its community.<\/p>\n

    We will tally the results together at the end of 2020. Onwards!<\/p>\n

    Bitcoin (Development):<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    A\u0302dam B\u00e6k<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Blockstream \/ Liquid Network<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Adam Back, head of the leading infrastructure company Blockstream, is one of the creators of the Liquid sidechain\u2014a solution aimed at accelerating movement of funds between exchanges and issuing digital assets based on Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

    Five years after the launch of the first commercial application based on this technology, Liquid has become a truly in-demand product, bringing together more than 50 participants in its network. Among them are industry names such as Bitfinex, Ledger and CoinShares, and the total amount of Bitcoin locked in the sidechain is now more than double the Lightning Network\u2019s figure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Piter Velle<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Blockstream \/ Chaincode Labs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Proposals to improve Bitcoin\u2014Schnorr signatures and Taproot\u2014will be among the most important updates in the history of the first cryptocurrency. In addition to boosting scalability and privacy, Schnorr\/Taproot are also aimed at improving the network\u2019s overall functionality and coin fungibility.<\/p>\n

    Also known as the author of the Segregated Witness (SegWit) protocol, another key Bitcoin upgrade, at the start of the year Piter Velle filed requests to include them in the Bitcoin Core codebase. In October, developers implemented<\/a> updates in the Bitcoin Core source code, but activation timelines remain uncertain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jack Mallers<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Zap<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Led by Mallers, the American startup Zap is developing its eponymous wallet on the Lightning Network protocol. In 2020, Zap Wallet developers presented a product named Strike, which enables paying Lightning invoices using bank cards alone, without wallets and other LN staples. Public beta testing of Strike, under Visa\u2019s Fintech Fast Track program, began in July.<\/p>\n

    The project\u2019s immediate goal is to launch the Strike card for consumer app users and integrate Visa Direct fast-payment services. Investors, including Morgan Creek Digital and Green Oaks Capital, funded the startup with $3.5 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Nikolas Dorier<\/strong><\/p>\n

    BTCPay Server<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The BTCPay Server processing service enjoys deserved popularity among Bitcoin users who defend financial sovereignty, allowing them to create their own payment gateways and accept cryptocurrency without intermediaries.<\/p>\n

    Recognition for the product, created by Nikola Dorier\u2019s team, is reflected by a grant from Square Crypto by Jack Dorsey.<\/p>\n

    In 2020 BTCPay Server leveraged Human Rights Foundation for donations, and the solution now supports assets issued in the Liquid sidechain. Moreover, developers unveiled Vault, a new app enabling connecting any hardware wallets to the processing, significantly advancing online commerce with Bitcoin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Piter Chapek<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Braiins \/ Slush Pool<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    This year, Braiins CEO Piter Chapek led the release of a new version of Braiins OS, including BOSminer and a working implementation of Stratum V2, a protocol designed to improve cooperation among miners and pools and to decentralize Bitcoin mining while boosting network security.<\/p>\n

    The Braiins OS and Stratum V2 development was the result of a team effort, including Peter Todd of OpenTimestamps and Matt Corallo of Square Crypto, but the project\u2019s godfather and the originator of the idea is Braiins\u2019 head, Piter Chapek.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Breakthrough Technologies:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Denny Ryan<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Ethereum 2.0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Leading Ethereum Foundation developer Denny Ryan, though often operating in Vitalik Buterin\u2019s shadow, is one of the key figures in Ethereum 2.0 development.<\/p>\n

    In September he published<\/a> an official proposal (EIP-2982) proposing the launch of Serenity\u2019s zero phase and the migration of Ethereum to Proof-of-Stake.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Charles Hoskinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Cardano<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    This year, led by Charles Hoskinson, activated<\/a> one of the main upgrades on Cardano\u2019s road map\u2014Shelley, and its native token ADA has broken into the top ten by market capitalization. Cardano is pressing on Ethereum\u2019s heels, which is also evidenced by a possible transition<\/a> to the blockchain of the SingularityNET project.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Gavin Wood<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Polkadot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Gavin Wood, who helped launch Ethereum, now heads Parity Technologies, the company behind Polkadot\u2014a protocol intended to interconnect different blockchains. Polkadot is hailed as one of the most promising next\u2011gen blockchains and a cornerstone of the Web3 ecosystem.<\/p>\n

    The Polkadot mainnet launched in May 2020, and its native token DOT has since entered the top tier by market capitalization.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Emin G\u00fcnde Sirer<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Avalanche<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Prof. Emin G\u00fcn Sirer\u2019s Avalanche protocol is offered as the first smart-contract platform with full support for the Ethereum Virtual Machine and a claimed 4,500 TPS, surpassing all existing blockchains.<\/p>\n

    According to the creator, the novelty lies in a scientifically grounded consensus protocol that makes the network as decentralized as Bitcoin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jae Kwon<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Tendermint \/ Cosmos<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    When Cosmos Hub\u2014the first in a line of Proof-of-Stake blockchains that will become part of the Cosmos ecosystem\u2014was announced in 2019, Tendermint\u2019s team led by Jae Kwon made clear a long-term plan. Today Cosmos is among the most popular DeFi platforms for building decentralized apps, and investor confidence in its native token ATOM is reinforced by support<\/a> for staking on Coinbase. A key product\u2014Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC)\u2014is on the horizon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Huan Benet<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Protocol Labs \/ Filecoin<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Huan Benet leads California\u2019s Protocol Labs, the developer of the decentralized storage platformFilecoin. Work on the project began in 2014, and the ICO in 2017 set a record for its time, raising $257 million. The Filecoin mainnet launched on 15 October 2020.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Aleksandr Skidanov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    NEAR Protocol<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Co-founder of NEAR Protocol, Aleksandr Skidanov, envisions the mission of the project as building an Open Web\u2014the internet of the future. The protocol runs on a native Proof-of-Stake algorithm and aims to solve scalability to support resource-intensive decentralized applications (dapps). In May, NEAR raised $21.6 million from major VC firms, including Andreessen Horowitz. The mainnet launch took place<\/a> in October.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    A\u043d\u0430\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0439 \u042f\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043a\u043e<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Solana<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Under Anatoly Yakovenko, the Solana project is developing a scalable blockchain protocol for building decentralized applications based on the Proof of History (PoH) algorithm. It rejects the Ethereum approach to sharding, instead betting on Turbine and Gulfstream transaction-propagation protocols and distributed data storage. With an average throughput of around 60,000 TPS in tests, the figure reached 191,000 TPS.<\/p>\n

    In the summer, decentralized exchange on Solana was announced by FTX, citing speed and cheap transactions as reasons. Additionally, Tether \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0430<\/a><\/span> the protocol to launch the USDT stablecoin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Aleksandr Filatov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Free TON \/ TON Labs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    In May 2020, the Telegram Open Network (TON) team, major PoS validators and the community launched the Free TON mainnet with the native TON token. The original protocol was developed by Nikolai Durov and the Telegram team, who could not complete the launch due to legal proceedings with U.S. authorities.<\/p>\n

    As Aleksandr Filatov, co-founder of TON Labs, notes, a key feature of Free TON\u2019s business model is the distribution of 85% of total token supply to partners who contribute valuable content and active users to the ecosystem.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Chen Yulu<\/strong><\/p>\n

    People’s Bank of China<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The People\u2019s Bank of China intends<\/a> to be ahead of others and issue its own digital currency (CBDC). The digital yuan testing aimed at supporting the country\u2019s new growth strategy is already underway, and China\u2019s advances have spurred similar work in other countries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Most Influential Exchange CEO:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Changpeng Zhao<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Binance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Binance has long held a position as one of the largest exchanges by trading volume and continues to expand its services. Under Zhao\u2019s leadership, Binance pursues aggressive expansion and participates in charitable initiatives, for example, in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic<\/a>, and funds<\/a> developers of projects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jean-Louie van der Velden<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Bitfinex<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The Bitfinex veteran, while no longer the top-liquidity provider, remains a key player in the market, supplying significant liquidity. This year the platform rolled out a solution to streamline liquidity transfers between centralized exchanges and DEXs, launched a custodial service for institutional clients, and contributed<\/a> to the Lightning Network\u2019s development. The strong ties between Bitfinex and Tether (USDT) remain a defining factor for traders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jess Powell<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Kraken<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Jess Powell continues to pursue the long-term vision of transforming Kraken into one of the world\u2019s largest players in the market. This year the California exchange expanded its geographic footprint, participated in mergers and acquisitions, rolled out a range of new services, and strengthened its roster with prominent industry figures, including former Blockchain president Marco Santori.<\/p>\n

    In September, Kraken became the first U.S. crypto custodian to obtain SPDI status, granting it the functions of a traditional bank.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Brian Armstrong<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Coinbase<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Despite the momentum of rivals, Coinbase \u2014 the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange \u2014 shows no signs of ceding ground. Some of Coinbase\u2019s moves and CEO Brian Armstrong\u2019s views, not everyone agrees with<\/a>, but the company continues expanding its offerings and assets, while increasing investments in infrastructure projects, including DeFi.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Winklevoss Twins<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Gemini<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Having failed to launch a Bitcoin ETF, the Winklevoss twins intensified their efforts in other areas, including strengthening trading infrastructure and security. Gemini topped CryptoCompare\u2019s exchange ranking this summer and received<\/a> accreditation from Britain’s financially strict regulator.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Artur Hayes<\/strong><\/p>\n

    BitMEX<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Despite regulatory troubles in the U.S. and accusations of market manipulation, BitMEX continues to contribute to the industry by funding developer grants.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Investor of the Year:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Barry Silbert<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Digital Currency Group \/ Grayscale Investments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Barry Silbert is the gray eminence of the industry. One might say that he is the head of the Digital Currency Group (DCG), which includes Grayscale Investments.<\/p>\n

    As of the end of September, Grayscale\u2019s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) alone held about 450,000 BTC, or 2.4% of the supply at the time. DCG continues to invest in a variety of crypto ventures (Luno being a notable example) and this year ventured into bitcoin mining. And that is not counting the growing set of offerings for institutional investors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Dan Morhed<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Pantera Capital<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Pantera Capital, a prominent crypto hedge fund, remains a key player. A July report shows Pantera Bitcoin Fund delivering over 15,000% in seven years; Pantera Digital Asset Fund with DeFi positions is up about 86% year\u2011to\u2011date.<\/p>\n

    The company\u2019s portfolio includes familiar names and projects, such as Abra, Bakkt, Bitstamp, The Block, Brave, Circle, Coinbase, ErisX, NEAR, Ripple, ShapeShift, Tagomi and Zcash. CEO Dan Moreh4d is convinced that Bitcoin will exceed $100,000 by summer 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Marc Andreessen<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Andreessen Horowitz<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    In April 2020, the leading Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) raised $515 million for its second crypto-focused fund, and subsequently led NEAR\u2019s $21.6 million round. In September, Marc Andreessen joined<\/a> Coinbase\u2019s board as an observer, a firm in which a16z had previously invested.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Mike Novogratz<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Galaxy Digital<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Galaxy Digital\u2019s recent multi\u2011million losses have not cooled Mike Novogratz\u2019s enthusiasm. In 2020 the firm partnered with Bakkt to build trading and custody solutions for institutional investors, co\u2011led a private token sale for AVA Labs with Bitmain, joined<\/a> ParaFi Capital\u2019s DeFi fund, and announced<\/a> plans for a \u201cone\u2011stop shop\u201d for Bitcoin miners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Mike Saylor<\/strong><\/p>\n

    MicroStrategy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Mike Saylor, who runs MicroStrategy, a Nasdaq-listed provider of analytics software, became the first public company to invest<\/a> a portion of its capital (about $425 million) into Bitcoin. Saylor is convinced that Bitcoin is a store of value and a digital alternative to gold, a view he expresses repeatedly; he has shifted about 80% of his assets into BTC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Pol Tudor Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Tudor Investment<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Hedge fund founder Paul Tudor Jones, whose wealth is estimated at $5.1 billion, keeps 1\u20132% of his assets in Bitcoin. He has recommended his clients include Bitcoin futures in their portfolios, calling the cryptocurrency not only the \u201cfastest horse\u201d but also a hedge against central bank policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Most Influential DeFi \/ CeFi Figure:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Hayden Adams<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Uniswap<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Despite skepticism<\/a> about decentralization, the Uniswap protocol rose to the top of the DeFi sector and leads the Defi Pulse ranking by total value locked. This was helped by the release of Uniswap v2, the $11 million in investments received<\/a>, and, of course, the launch of its governance token UNI UNI<\/a>. In August, daily volume on Uniswap first exceeded<\/a> that of Coinbase, the largest U.S. exchange.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Stani Kulechov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Aave<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Lead platform Aave remains a major DeFi player and sits among the top five by value locked. In October Aave received<\/a> $25 million in investments from Blockchain Capital, Standard Crypto and Blockchain.com to develop institutional lending. Earlier, the project raised $3 million via token sales of LEND to Framework Ventures and Three Arrows Capital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Sergey Nazarov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Chainlink<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Under Sergey Nazarov, Chainlink has become a central component of the DeFi sector. Its price oracles are extensively used and have become an industry standard. The project occupies a niche with little competition, effectively creating a monopoly in this space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Aleks Mashinsky<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Celsius Network<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Aleksandr Mashinsky is known for pioneering protocols and algorithms for IP-based voice communications, now immersing himself in crypto and leading Celsius.Network\u2014a lending platform aiming to provide financial services to the public. He argues that fully decentralised solutions cannot meet all needs, and Celsius should bridge the centralized and decentralized worlds.<\/p>\n

    In the summer, Celsius Network conducted<\/a> a crowd-funding drive, raising more than $20 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Robert Leshner<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Compound<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Led by Robert Leshner, the lending platform Compound rose to become a leader in the DeFi sector this year. The company Robot Ventures raised<\/a> $4 million for its second fund, aimed at developing DeFi projects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Andr\u00e9 Cronye<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Yearn Finance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Yearn Finance, focused on yield farming, burst onto the DeFi scene in July. In just a week after launch, the YFI token surged from $34 to $4,500 and later peaked at $43,678 in September after a rollercoaster ride. Opinions vary on yield farming and the issuance of \u201cuseless\u201d<\/a> tokens, but Crony certainly left a mark on DeFi history.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Anton Bukov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    1inch.exchange<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Anton Bukov advances the popular DEX aggregator 1inch. He has been developing software since 2002 and is a MakerDAO, Set Protocol and Kyber Network hackathon medalist.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Most Influential Analyst:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Plan B<\/strong><\/p>\n

    author of the Stock-to-Flow model<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Under the pseudonym Plan B, a member of an institutional investors team with assets under management of about $100 billion, who holds a doctorate in financial mathematics and endured the 2008 crisis, began exploring non-correlated assets (a kind of \u201cPlan B\u201d). Since 2015 he has gravitated toward investing in Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

    Plan B has repeatedly stated that his Stock-to-Flow model\u2014used by gold investors\u2014will prove correct, with predictions that Bitcoin will rise to $100,000 by the end of 2021. The concept has drawn criticism, but Plan B has revised his forecast upward: a rise to about $288,000 with a $5.5 trillion market cap.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Nik Carter<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Coin Metrics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    In 2018, Castle Island Ventures partner and Coin Metrics co\u2011founder Nik Carter argued that market capitalization is an irrational and inaccurate metric for bitcoin\u2019s capital that is locked up in the market. He proposed an alternative: realized capitalization, based on aggregating UTXOs with value calculated at their last activity.<\/p>\n

    This year Coin Metrics proposed new methods for measuring Bitcoin\u2019s hash rate\u2014CMBI Bitcoin Hash Rate Index and the Observed Work metrics\u2014providing a more current, accurate, and manipulation\u2011resistant picture than traditional methods. These metrics have underpinned futures contracts based on Bitcoin\u2019s hash rate, letting traders profit from network growth rather than price fluctuations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Mike McGloun<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Bloomberg Intelligence<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Bloomberg Intelligence commodity strategist Mike McGlone specializes in macro factors capable of catalyzing growth or triggering price drawdowns for the world\u2019s most popular crypto assets, including Bitcoin. Among his forecasts is a Bitcoin price above $20,000 by year\u2011end. He calls Bitcoin a leader in the \u201cshift toward digital money and a store of value\u201d and sees a low probability of competing scenarios.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Ryan Selkis \/ Ryan Watkins<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Messari<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Messari, a research and data platform, has established itself as a key source for up-to-date market data. Its analytics, metrics and research reports are the result of a painstaking effort by the Messari team, with Ryan Selkis at the helm and Ryan Watkins serving as head of research at the company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Larry Chermak<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Block<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The head of The Block\u2019s research department, Larry Chermak, is another respected voice in the crypto world. His regular analytical reports help assess both the industry\u2019s broader state and its narrower aspects, including on\u2011chain metrics and exchange dynamics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Mike Grenager<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Chainalysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Chainalysis is known not only for its tools to trace the origin of crypto transactions but also for its insightful research. Among its outputs are the Global Crypto Adoption Index, published in September, which ranks Russia and Ukraine among the most active crypto-using populations, and Geography of Cryptocurrency Report, naming Eastern Europe as a region with high dark web activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Isaac Schwartz<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Goldfoundinshit TM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Isaac Schwartz is the creator of the analytical Telegram channel Goldfoundinshit.<\/p>\n

    Before entering the crypto industry he worked as a communications engineer and technical specialist at a mobile operator\u2019s affiliate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Leader of Opinion:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jack Dorsey<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Twitter \/ Square<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    CEO of Twitter and payments company Square, Jack Dorsey, has long expressed his love for Bitcoin, seeing it as the internet\u2019s native currency. He backs his words with action: Square invested<\/a> roughly 1% of its capital (about $50 million at the time) in Bitcoin, and its crypto division funds developers through grants. Twitter also became the first social network to add the Bitcoin emoji.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Pavel Durov<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Telegram<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The creator of the popular messaging app experienced a setback with the Telegram Open Network blockchain platform but pressed on with his clash against Roskomnadzor, which ultimately rejected attempts to shutter the resource.<\/p>\n

    Nevertheless, he remains convinced that the Digital Resistance movement continues, and having criticized<\/a> Apple for blocking certain channels (Apple disputed Durov\u2019s claims<\/a>), he urged developers to fight censorship abroad. Telegram has demonstrated anti-censorship tools for users in Belarus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Anthony Pompliano<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Morgan Creek Digital<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Co\u2011founder of Morgan Creek Digital Anthony Pompliano is a staunch Bitcoin advocate, arguing its superiority to gold. He believes Bitcoin\u2019s market cap will surpass that of gold by 2030, and claims to have allocated about 80% of his assets to the first cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Ton Veis<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Analyst, Trader<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    ForkLog Live\u2019s resident Ton Veis does not hide his faith in Bitcoin\u2019s supremacy over other cryptocurrencies and counts himself among the \u201cshitcoin minimalists.\u201d In his view, the absence of a top dog should anger people enough to sell Bitcoin\u2014this may become the trigger for its rapid ascent in the future. He regards popular DeFi projects as Ponzi schemes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Aleksei Kirienko<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Managing Partner, Exante<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Aleksei Kirienko is a sharp critic of global regulatory actions and convinced<\/a> that the cryptocurrency money-laundering theory is flawed. Bitcoin, he says, is not used for money laundering in the classic sense; such activities pertain to the banking sector. He has previously argued that Bitcoin is among the safest assets and should have a place in every investor\u2019s portfolio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Steve Forbes<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Editor\u2011in\u2011Chief, Forbes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Forbes editor\u2011in\u2011chief, a member of the Forbes family, has joined the ranks of Bitcoin supporters. He calls cryptocurrencies a hedge against unstable government policy and a technologically advanced cry for help. Bitcoin gains special relevance when governments resort to free credit and quantitative easing to revive economies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Art\u043e\u043c Kozliuk<\/strong><\/p>\n

    RospolnSoveta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Artem Kozliuk heads the public organization RosKomSvoboda and is a staunch advocate for privacy rights, including online privacy.<\/p>\n

    According to him, digital rights are increasingly violated under the pretext of fighting the coronavirus, and the range of technologies used to monitor behaviour continues to expand. RosKomSvoboda campaigns include BanCam (against facial recognition systems), Pandemic Big Brother (monitoring digital rights during the pandemic), and LegalBitcoin (lobbying for legalization of cryptocurrencies).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Mikhail Chobanyan<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Kuna<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Founder of the Kuna cryptocurrency exchange, Mikhail Chobanyan is not only a participant in discussions about the industry\u2019s future in Ukraine but also takes an active civic stance. In September Kuna rejected<\/a> a request by the Belarusian Financial Investigations Department asking for information about the \u201cBelarusian Solidarity Fund,\u201d which pays compensation in Bitcoin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Antagonist of the Year:<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Kraig Rayt<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Bitcoin SV \/ nChain<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    The Australian Craig Wright, who proclaims himself the creator of Bitcoin, has failed to win over the community, yet presses on with the Bitcoin SV project and is linked to numerous scandals, including the Kliment v. Wright lawsuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Jihan Wu and Micri Zhang<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Bitmain<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Co-founders Jihan Wu and Micree Zhan of Bitmain have waged an internal corporate war for control of the world\u2019s largest producer of ASIC miners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Justin Sun<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Tron Foundation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Justin Sun\u2019s year has been marked by scandals. His well-intentioned attempts to win Warren Buffett over to crypto were overshadowed by a Steem controversy, the US government\u2019s grant of $2 million to Steem community support during the pandemic, and a refusal to pay the promised $1 million reward for information about Twitter\u2019s hack.<\/p>\n

    In The Verge\u2019s investigation, it says that in pursuit of profit, Justin Sun is willing to compromise morals; some critics call his business model a \u201cbrothel marketing\u201d approach rather than technology-driven innovation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    John McAfee<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Entrepreneur John McAfee is remembered for his famous promise to eat his own penis if Bitcoin does not rise to $500,000 in 2020.<\/p>\n

    McAfee\u2019s life has been a string of incidents and scandals, culminating in his arrest in October after the U.S. SEC brought charges for promoting ICOs on Twitter, along with allegations from the DOJ of tax evasion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Peter Schiff<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Investing in Gold<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    One of the most famous Bitcoin critics, Peter Schiff, began the year by claiming he lost access to his Blockchain wallet. It later emerged that he confused his PIN with his password, and he has no seed phrase backup.<\/p>\n

    Yet his frequent remarks that Bitcoin cannot be considered a safe haven continue to attract attention. He argues that only gold possesses such properties and even questions investors\u2019 smarts. By the end of October, Bitcoin\u2019s price had risen more than 80% since the start of the year, while gold was up about 26.3%.<\/p>\n

    Schiff was later accused of involvement in wrongdoing related to the Euro Pacific Bank and providing banking services to criminal syndicates and tax evaders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n

    \"ForkLog's<\/p>\n

    \n

    Grem Clark<\/strong><\/p>\n

    A Twitter hacker who breached the platform<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    One of the year\u2019s most high-profile events was the Twitter hack. Forty-five high\u2011profile accounts were compromised.<\/p>\n

    The main suspect was 17\u2011year\u2011old Graham Clark from Florida. The teenager was charged with 30 counts, including organized fraud, improper access to computer systems and personal data theft. State authorities also say the breach involved the theft of Bitcoin worth about $120,000. If found guilty, he could face up to 200 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Bitcoin industry is built by people. Some become role models, while others are anti-heroes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"1","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1144],"tags":[167],"class_list":["post-32597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-longreads","tag-research"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"31","promo_type":"1","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32597"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32599,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32597\/revisions\/32599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}