The Crypto Greats

 12mentionsin 12 ratings Co-founder of Ethereum

@VitalikButerinshare

The genius behind the world's second most valuable cryptocurrency today – Ethereum – first learned about cryptocurrencies from his father. After co-founding Bitcoin Magazine in 2011, Buterin spent two years learning Blockchain technology, its potential, and the applications it had to offer. The Ethereum white paper was published in late 2013. Buterin currently serves as the Chief Scientist of the Ethereum Foundation and leads Ethereum’s research team, which maintains the core technology of the cryptocurrency and works on future versions of the Ethereum protocol.

8mentionsin 12 ratingsBitcoin Evangelist & Author of 'Mastering Bitcoin'

@aantonop

One of the world’s greatest advocates of Bitcoin, Blockchain technology, and the principles of decentralization, Antonopoulos is a security and distributed systems expert, a widely published author of books, articles, and blog posts on cryptocurrencies, a frequent speaker at technology and security conferences worldwide, a coder, and an entrepreneur. Antonopoulos offers strategic consulting to a small number of cryptocurrency companies, as well as offering expert witness testimony as an expert in the security, technical details and use of cryptocurrencies.

8mentionsin 12 ratingsCreator of Litecoin

@SatoshiLiteshare

Primarily known in the crypto world as the creator of Litecoin, Lee – like many early adopters of Bitcoin – entered the crypto sphere by getting into Bitcoin mining. Lee sees Litecoin as the cryptocurrency best suited for smaller, lightweight transactions like online retail shopping, while Bitcoin is the currency for more heavyweight transactions like international payments.

8mentionsin 12 ratingsCreator & Designer of Bit Gold

@NickSzabo4

A major influencer in Bitcoin, Szabo’s expertise with cryptocurrency started back in 1998 with the creation of the BitGold proposal, the predecessor of Bitcoin. People have speculated that Szabo is Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, although Szabo has repeatedly denied the claim. Szabo is still considered the ‘father’ of ‘smart contracts,’ a term usually associated with Ethereum, and he continues to contribute his technical knowledge and commentary in the crypto industry.

7mentionsin 12 ratingsСo-founder & CEO of Coinbase

@brian_armstrongshare

With his double major in Computer Sciences and Economics, Armstrong had spent the most part of his life actively pursuing a career in the tech industry. Being well equipped for a foray into the tech startup arena, Armstrong co-founded crypto wallet and exchange Coinbase in July 2011. Coinbase was envisioned as a Bitcoin marketplace that would enable people to purchase the cryptocurrency more easily. Throughout his life, Armstrong has maintained a strong interest in the technology market and has always participated actively in developing solutions for the industry, becoming the leading advocate of Bitcoin adoption, as well as regularly speaking at conferences, workshops, and seminars. He was named “The Rockstar” in the Bitcoin community.

7mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Blockchain Capital

@brockpierceshare

As an early investor in Bitcoin, Pierce is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur with an extensive track record of founding, advising and investing in disruptive businesses. He pioneered the market for digital currency in games, and was one of the largest investors in the Ethereum crowdsale. Pierce has invested in over 30 companies in the Blockchain ecosystem, participated in over 100 projects, and helped raise over $200 million US for companies he was involved in. Pierce has also been a guest lecturer at the Milken Global Conference, Singularity University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and the University of California, Los Angeles.

7mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & CEO of Digital Currency Group

@barrysilbertshare

Known as a founder of The Digital Currency Group, Silbert is a serial crypto investor and a well-known proponent of the rival Ethereum chain, Ethereum Classic. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on the topic of trading illiquid assets and has appeared in many leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times, USA Today, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Fortune, and many others. In 2013, he started as an angel investor in Bitcoin companies, and he currently is one of the most influential figures and newsmakers  in the crypto world industries.

7mentionsin 12 ratingsPresident & CEO of The Tapscott Group, Inc.

@dtapscottshare

Tapscott has become an increasingly well-known figure in the cryptocurrency industry, having been one of the foremost authorities on the impact of technology for decades. He is also one of the most influential living theorists about business and society. Tapscott was identified as the most influential management thinker in the world by Thinkers50 and Forbes. He is the author or co-author of 15 widely read books about new technologies and new media in business and society, including ‘Wikinomics’ (2006) and ‘The Digital Economy’ (1995). His book, ‘Blockchain Revolution’ (2014), has made him one of the most active Blockchain governance references and proponents.

7mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & CEO of ShapeShift.io

@ErikVoorheesshare

Before he became an entrepreneur, Voorhees was a blogger with libertarian ideas, authoring long thoughts about the nature of money and politics and the role of cryptocurrencies in this balance. His active online presence ensures his voice is heard throughout both the crypto industry and mainstream media. Active in the industry almost since it began, Voorhees’s greatest claim to fame is arguably his most successful project – the crypto exchange platform ShapeShift – and his well-known Bitcoin gambling game SatoshiDice.

6mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of CivicKey

@VinnyLinghamshare

Lingham’s journey in Blockchain began with his startup Gyft, a service offering Amazon purchases using Bitcoin. He is a prominent commentator on Bitcoin and Blockchain, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including Top Young ICT Entrepreneur in Africa (2006) and Top 500 CEO’s in the World by Richtopia (2015). Lingham was previously a finalist for Men’s Health Best Man (2009) and ICT Personality of the Year in South Africa (2008). He is also named as one the world’s great advisors.

6mentionsin 12 ratingsSenior Editor at Forbes & Co-lead Reporter of the Forbes Fintech

@laurashinshare

Shin is best known for her work as senior editor of Forbes’ cryptocurrency and Blockchain coverage. She is also the host of the publication’s Blockchain-focused podcast – Unchained – and authored the Forbes e-book, “The Millennial Game Plan: Career And Money Secrets To Succeed In Today’s World” (2014). Her active participation in the crypto industry and her expert knowledges in this sphere make her one of the most influential persons in the crypto world.

6mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of the Blockchain Research Institute

@alextapscottshare

Tapscott is a prominent writer, speaker, investor and advisor interested in emerging new technologies, such as Blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and their influence on business, society, and government. He is the co-author (with his father Don Tapscott) of the critically acclaimed #1 Globe and Mail non-fiction best-seller, “Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin is Changing Money Business and the World” (2014), which has been translated into over 15 languages. Tapscott co-convened a meeting of Blockchain stakeholders to discuss the Blockchain ecosystem and he currently sits on the Advisory Board to Elections Canada. Tapscott has become a leading voice on cryptocurrency and Blockchain technologies.

6mentionsin 12 ratingsBitcoin Angel Investor & Bitcoin Evangelist

@rogerkvershare

Ver is famous for being one of the first investors in the Blockchain industry, financing the growth of many of its biggest names. He runs popular news and wallet resource Bitcoin.com, and became a notable proponent of Bitcoin Cash in 2017. Ver is a legend in the Bitcoin community, named as the “Bitcoin Jesus” for his tireless evangelism of the virtual currency  and for his investments in numerous Bitcoin startups. He called himself self-educated enthusiast who is spending his free time on studying economics and moral philosophy.

6mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & Director of Bitmain Technologies, Ltd.

@JihanWushare

Wu is a Chinese entrepreneur, financial analyst, and Bitcoin evangelist. He is a major proponent of Bitcoin Cash, having previously supported Bitcoin network scaling solutions such as Bitcoin Unlimited. He believes that Bitcoin and Blockchain technologies are now significantly changing modern world and people’s way of life. Wuis claimed to be one of the most controversial names in crypto industry meanwhile he is still one the most influential proponent of cryptocurrencies and Blockchain technologies worldwide.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Netscape Communications & Co-founder of LoudCloud

@pmarcashare

Andreesen is a co-founder of  Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, contributing funding to multiple Blockchain industry startups since 2013. He has a background in revolutionary technology, co-creating Mosaic and Netscape, two of the Internet’s first browsers. Andreesen is the recipient of numerous awards related to the Internet Industry, including Vanity Fair’s 2011 New Establishment List, CNET’s 2011 most influential investors list, the 2012 Forbes Midas List of Tech’s Top Investors, and was one of five Internet and Web pioneers awarded the inaugural Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in 2013. He was also named in the 2012 Time100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world assembled by Time Magazine.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsChief Scientist at Bitcoin Foundation & Lead Developer of Bitcoin Core

@gavinandresenshare

Andresen (formerly known as Gavin Bell) is a well-known figure in Bitcoin. A brilliant software engineer, he previously was a director and currently is Chief Scientist of the Bitcoin Foundation, as well as a Bitcoin Core developer. His technical involvement with Bitcoin stretches back to 2010, when he discovered Bitcoin, quickly recognising the benefits of its design. Andresen acts as arbiter and architect for the Bitcoin community and helps coordinate improvements to the core Bitcoin software used by the worldwide community.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & President of Blockstream

@adam3usshare

Back is a cryptographer and one of the founding fathers of ‘Bitcoin-like’ cryptocurrencies, developing Hashcash in 1997. He has become a major reference source in Bitcoin development, going on to co-found Blockchain tech company Blockstream in 2014. Back’s work was one of the eight references Satoshi Nakamoto had in the original Bitcoin paper.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsPresident of Crypto Valley Association & Founder of Bussmann Advisory

@obussmannshare

Bussmann is a globally recognized technology thought leader and driver of large-scale transformation at multinational organizations. Bussmann is something of a banker-turned-Bitcoiner. He is the recipient of numerous awards, named COO/CTO of the year by Financial News/The Wall Street Journal, European CIO of the Year by INSEAD/CIONET, received the Elite 8 Award, which is given to the most innovative leaders in technology working in capital markets by Wall Street & Technology Magazine, and has twice been included on the Financial News “FinTech 40” list of innovators shaping the future of finance.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsEditor-in-chief at Adamant Research

@TuurDemeestershare

Demeester is an independent investor, newsletter writer, and commentator. A globally-known entrepreneur and long-time cryptocurrency advocate, Demeester has maintained a heavy presence in Bitcoin and related debate online since 2013. Editor-in-chief at Adamant Research, he is well-known for his financial advice in the Blockchain industry. Before his career as an investment analyst, Demeester was actively involved  in sudbury-type schools, a libertarian type of schools where students have complete responsibility for their own education, and Austrian economics.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsDirector of Development at Digital Currency Group

@Melt_Demshare

Demiros has a diverse background in management consulting, corporate treasury, commodities trading, and supply chain management. She calls herself a ‘Blockchain believer’. As an experienced business leader, Demiros brings a wide range of international, multi-sector experience into building Digital Currency Group's global network. Her strategy is to focus on building and supporting Bitcoin and Blockchain companies by leveraging its insights, network, and access to capital.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Coinbase

@FEhrsamshare

A former Wall Street trader and writer at the Duke Journal of Economics, Ehrsam shifted his interests into the crypto industry in 2012 when he co-founded Coinbase, an online payment system with the stated mission of making Bitcoin easy to use. Ehrsam has been named in TIME Magazine's 30 Under 30 Who Are Changing the World (2013) and listed as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 (2014).

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of Bloq

@jgarzikshare

Garzik is one of the first Bitcoin Core developers. A futurist, entrepreneur and software engineer, he currently serves as the CEO of Blockchain-for-enterprise startup Bloq and remains a vocal commentator in the space on social media. He is also an advisor to several globally-known Blockchain industry companies, including Chain and BitFury.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Ztudium

@dinisguardashare

Guarda is globally-recognized top influencer, digital and crypto economics driver, evangelist and leader in fintech and Blockchain industries. With over 20 years experience in international business and digital transformation, Dinis has worked with new tech, cryptocurrencies, drive ICOs, regulation, compliance, legal international processes, and has created and been involved in various top 100 digital currencies. He is ranked as one of the most influential people in Blockchain in the world by Right Relevance.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & Executive Chairman of Moven

@BrettKingshare

King is a futurist, a bestselling author, an award winning speaker, and banking revolution advocate. He created the popular radio show Breaking Banks in 2013. After the show gained international acclaim, King launched smart banking app Moven, which has received almost $50 million US in venture funding. King’s primarily interest is how modern technologies are disrupting business, changing behaviour, and influencing society.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & CEO of ConsenSys

@ethereumJosephshare

Lubin is a worldwide famous distributed database entrepreneur. Before co-founding Ethereum, he worked as research staff in the Robotics Lab at Princeton, as well as at Vision Applications, Inc and various posts in field of technology.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of Chain

@adamludwinshare

Ludwin rose to fame in 2016 when his startup Chain secured deals with Visa and other major financial institutions, bringing ‘true’ Blockchain to an important area of the mainstream economy. Chain continues to expand, while Ludwin has become a vocal online presence on Blockchain and cryptocurrency.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsOwner, Editor & Publisher of the Digital Banking Report

@JimMarousshare

Marous is an internationally recognized financial industry strategist. He is named one of the most influential people in banking and a Top 5 Fintech Influencer. Apart from his writing and publishing, he advises on customer experience, portfolio growth, innovation, marketing strategies, channel shift and digital transformation within the financial services industry.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & CEO of Galaxy Digital

@novogratzshare

Novogratz was formerly a member of the board of directors of Fortress Investment Group LLC and Chief Investment Officer of the Fortress Macro Fund. Novogratz joined Fortress in 2002 after spending 11 years at Goldman Sachs, where he was elected partner in 1998. Novogratz has founded and serves as the Chairman of the Board for Beat the Streets, a non-profit organization which builds wrestling programs in New York City public schools, and is also the Honorary Chairman of USA Wrestling Foundation.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-director of CryptoCurrencies & Contracts (IC3)

@el33th4xorshare

Sirer is the creator of the first cryptocurrency to use a proof-of-work concept, The Karma System. A major figure in both Bitcoin and Blockchain academic research, he has contributed his technical expertise to multiple projects, including Ethereum smart contracts. He is known for his contributions to peer-to-peer systems, operating systems, and computer networking.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsVenture Partner for Blockchain Capital LLC

@jimmysongshare

Song has contributed technical innovations to various Blockchain-related projects, including the development of Bitcoin integration with open transactions. A revered Bitcoin technical commentator, he has authored many influential posts and explainers on cryptocurrencies’ characteristics and upgrades.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of Lightning

@starknessshare

Stark is a Blockchain​ entrepreneur, educator, and open internet advocate. She serves as a mentor with the Thiel Fellowship​, has collaborated with companies such as Google​ and Mozilla​, and is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Stanford's StartX. Stark previously taught at Stanford and Yale University about the future of the Internet, and was a visiting fellow at Yale’s Information Society Project. Stark played an instrumental role in the Internet freedom effort that defeated SOPA/PIPA, engaging 18 million people globally.

5mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & CEO of BitFury

@valeryvavilovshare

Vavilov’s entrepreneurial experience and passion for Blockchain technology led him to found the BitFury Group in 2011. Vavilov was inspired by Blockchain technology and saw an opportunity to build technological solutions that could improve the lives of people all over the world. He focused first on the hardware solutions that would ensure security and trust in the Blockchain, leading Bitfury Group to develop five generations of cutting-edge mining chips and state-of-the-art data center designs. Under his leadership, the BitFury Group has expanded its focus to provide custom-designed software, consulting solutions, and advanced hardware, all while maintaining its position as one of the major public Blockchain security and transaction providers.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Eyeka S.A.

@babgishare

Babinet is a French entrepreneur who has founded and managed numerous companies, specializing in the digital industry. In June 2012, Gilles was appointed French digital champion in 2012 by Fleur Pellerin, French minister of digital technologies. He worked with Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner in charge of digital technologies, a follow up of his former position as president of the French National Digital Council.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder & President of The Digital Chamber of Commerce

@PerianneDCshare

Boring has been a Blockchain commentator and public speaker for several years, becoming a recognized voice in the industry as the founder of Blockchain trade association, the Chamber of Digital Commerce, in July 2014. She focuses on public policy, specifically centered on US regulation of Blockchain and cryptocurrency.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCTO at R3

@gendalshare

Brown is a major presence in banking innovation. He worked with IBM before becoming CTO of cross-bank ‘distributed ledger technology’ project R3 CEV. He also advises a number of cryptocurrency and decentralised consensus firms, including Chromaway, an early developer of the ‘Blockchain 2.0’ platform, and Elliptic Enterprises, which identifies illicit activity on the Blockchain.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder of Draper Associates & Draper University

@TimDrapershare

Draper is a venture capital investor who has been recognized as a leading supporter of entrepreneurship with numerous awards and honors. He was listed as one of the most outstanding Harvard alumni, on the Forbes Midas List, and in Worth Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful People in Finance. Draper also received the World Entrepreneurship Forum’s “Entrepreneur for the World” in 2015.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCEO of Ripple

@bgarlinghouseshare

Prior to Ripple, Garlinghouse served as the CEO of file collaboration service Hightail. He was also the President of Consumer Applications at AOL from 2009 to 2012 and held various positions at Yahoo! from 2003 to 2009, including Senior Vice President. He is an active angel investor in over 40 companies worldwide.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCEO of Mattereum

@leashlessshare

Gupta is a materials scientist and a senior scientist at the Physics of Energy Harvesting department of the National Physical Laboratory of India. Gupta has co-founded and serves as Chairman at TripFactory Inc. He also serves as Director at Flight Raja Travels Private Limited. His award list includes the NASI-Scopus Award for young scientists from the National Academy of Sciences, India and Elsevier (2011), the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize--one of the highest Indian science awards--from The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (2017).

4mentionsin 12 ratingsFounding & Executive Director of the Bitcoin Foundation

@jonmatonisshare

Matonis is an e-money researcher and crypto economist focused on expanding the circulation of non-political digital currencies. His career has included senior influential posts at Sumitomo Bank, Visa, VeriSign, and Hushmail. He was an Executive Director of the Bitcoin Foundation until December 2014. Matonis also provides e-money consulting services to companies on alternative currency programs, Bitcoin processing, compliance, jurisdiction selection, monetisation strategies, risk management, and virtual currency platforms.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsFounder of Startup Management

@wmougayarshare

Mougayar  is a leading Blockchain industry analyst who has been described as the most sophisticated Blockchain business thinker. He is a Blockchain industry insider whose work has already shaped and influenced the understanding of Blockchain for people around the world, via his position as producer and host of The Token Summit, the first conference to explore the Token-Based Economy. Mougayar is a direct participant in the crypto-technology market, working alongside startups and entrepreneurs in addition to being an investor and advisor for some of the leading organizations in this space.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & President of Unocoin

@SunnyStartupsshare

Ray has over 15 years of experience in business development in the robotics and financial industries. He operates beyond the level of pure technology and always considers relevant social, economic, environmental, and political issues in the local and global level. In a 2015 interview, Ray identified India as one of the biggest unbanked populations in the world. After founding Unocoin in India, Ray made it the company's mission to improve financial inclusion in the country.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsGeneral Manager at IBM Blockchain

@mwieckshare

Wieck has been working for IBM for over 30 years, experiencing a variety of technical and executive roles in IBM’s hardware, software, and services divisions. She is passionate about innovation from diverse teams and about building new businesses. Wieck is currently the General Manager of IBM Blockchain where she is focused on driving open ecosystem growth around the Hyperledger Project and delivering enterprise Blockchain fabric and solutions that transform business processes and transactions.

4mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Winklevoss Capital Management

@tylerwinklevossshare

Winklevoss is an American businessman, an early Bitcoin Investor, an entrepreneur, and a founder of Winklevoss Capital Management. He co-founded HarvardConnection (later renamed ConnectU) along with his twin brother Cameron and classmate Divya Narendra. He was named one of the great comeback stories in American business. Winklevoss is a CEO and co-founder of the Gemini Exchange, a digital currency exchanger that became the world's first licensed Ether exchange.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCEO of Overstock & Co-Chair at EdChoice

@OverstockCEOshare

Byrne is the founder and CEO at Overstock, the Amazon rival that rose to fame when it chose to accept Bitcoin for payments long before other major corporations. He remains bullish on cryptocurrency, publicly defending Bitcoin against high-profile naysayers such as J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & Executive Chairman of BitPay

@TonyGallippishare

Gallippi is the co-founder and current Chairman of the financial services company BitPay, the largest Bitcoin checkout processor globally. He is involved in all of the day-to-day operations ranging from new business development to marketing. Gallippi has 20 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in the robotics and financial industries.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Casheer

@haydentiffshare

Hayden is a co-founder of Casheer, Inc., a free mobile payment processing platform for merchants and consumers. She calls herself a homeschooling mother who is interested in liberty, justice, and financial technology. She is also a member of Bitcoin GNO, an online community for women involved in Bitcoin, and a member of The Michigan Peace and Liberty Coalition. She’s a famous liberty advocate and fintech enthusiast.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Ethereum & Founder of Jaxx

@diiorioanthonyshare

Di Iorio is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and community organizer in the field of digital currencies, Blockchain and decentralized technologies. He is the founder and CEO of Decentral and Jaxx, and co-founder of the Ethereum project. Di Iorio is currently running Decentral​, an innovation hub for decentralized and Blockchain technologies located in Toronto.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of BTCC

@Bobbyshare

Lee is the CEO of China’s oldest cryptocurrency exchange, BTCC. The brother of Litecoin creator Charlie Lee, listed above, he has been a Chinese Bitcoin space celebrity since 2011. Lee continues to provide insight and commentary online and in the media.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder & CEO of AngelList

@navalshare

Naval is the CEO and founder of startup resource AngelList. As a serial investor, his interest in Blockchain has led him to investment and advisory roles in various startups in the industry.

3mentionsin 12 ratingsCo-founder of Blockstream & Bitcoin Core developer

@pwuilleshare

Pieter has been one of the most active Bitcoin Core developers. He is responsible for some of Bitcoin’s most recognizable upgrades, including the Segregated Witness scaling solution.

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