Issue #4

Brought to you by Bitcoin Talent Co.

🚨 News & Updates

Covering March 23rd, 2023 - April 5th, 2023

🚀 Company Updates 

MicroStrategy Inc., the biggest corporate owner of Bitcoin, paid off the remainder of its $205 million Bitcoin-backed loan from Silvergate Bank and purchased an additional $150 million worth of bitcoin. Proceeds from the sale of shares were used to pay off the loan. MicroStrategy's stock ($MSTR) has increased 106% this year.

Noones app launches with the goal of ending economic apartheid in the global south with bitcoin. The app allows users “to freely message and directly trade Bitcoin peer-to-peer” as a messenger, wallet, and marketplace all in one. Founder of Paxful, Ray Youssef, announced the partnership with Noones shortly after breaking the news that he is suspending his large peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency exchange.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, and its CEO Changpeng Zhao, are facing a recent lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The lawsuit alleges they offered the sale of unregistered derivatives to customers in the United States. The lawsuit also alleges the company operated a facility for the trading of swaps without being registered and failed to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act.

Coinbase has purchased One River Digital Asset Management, an institutional digital-asset manager, to expand beyond its core retail trading business. The company will be rebranded to Coinbase Asset Management and will be helmed by CEO and CIO Eric Peters. The purchase suggests demand for investment advisory services for institutional clients.

Bittrex announced the beginning of their process of winding down U.S. operations due to the current regulatory and economic environment. All customer funds are safe and available to withdraw, and trading can continue until April 2023. The announcement comes on the 9th anniversary of the company, which makes it one of the oldest crypto exchanges in history.

 🟠 Product Updates

Fold and Visa have expanded their partnership to offer prepaid debit products with bitcoin rewards in North America, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean called Fold Global. The announcement comes days after Forbes named Fold the best bitcoin rewards card in the US.

Moon Mortgage has launched a mortgage product which allows investors to use Bitcoin as collateral to purchase real estate in 3 US states—Florida, Texas, and Colorado. They have also launched Trade & Borrow which allows investors to borrow against Bitcoin. The platform has recently raised $3.5 million and is looking for more partners.

Coinkite announces (4) new colors for their popular hardware wallet, the Coldcard Mk4. Click here to view their product page to buy one yourself.

Kollider held an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session about the recent release of the Kollider Wallet. The Kollider Wallet is the first ever browser based Lightning wallet with synthetic stablecoins, allowing users to peg their bitcoin balances against a fiat currency. Read more on synthetic stablecoins and how they help protect bitcoin from price fluctuations here.

👥 People Updates

Neil Woodfine announced his departure from Unchained Capital. The former Head of Marketing teased out that he is embarking on a new bitcoin venture and will be announcing more details soon.

Ray Youssef, founder and CEO of a large peer-to-peer (P2P) bitcoin marketplace, Paxful, announced the suspension of the company citing if he is unsure if it will come back. Interestingly, Youssef recommended a new bitcoin marketplace app called Noones suggesting he will be spending more time building that marketplace.

🎙 Interviews w/ Industry Leaders

KEY: 🎙 = listen, 📺 = watch, 📖 = read

BTCo4: CK from Bitcoin Magazine: Host Eric Podwojski interviews the General Manager of BTC Inc. (Bitcoin Magazine), Christian Keroles (CK), to discuss his career path in sales and how he transferred those skills to a job in bitcoin. (🎙, 📺)

BTCo5: Rob Warren from Upstream Data: Host Eric Podwojski interviews Rob Warren who works on growth and business development at Upstream Data to discuss his career path working in various startups which eventually led to him finding bitcoin and now working in the bitcoin space full-time. (🎙, 📺)

WBD #637: A Bitcoin Reality Check with Sergej Kotliar: Host Peter McCormack interviews the founder and CEO of Bitrefill, Sergej Kotliar, about the mission of Bitrefill to be a financial empowerment company. (🎙, 📺, 📖)

WiM #290: Bitcoin Gaming Education with Des Dickerson: Host Robert Breedlove interviews the CEO and Co-Founder of THNDR Games, Des Dickerson, about the prospect of Bitcoin-based Gaming, the social impact of playing mobile games, how mobile games can popularize Bitcoin, and using human psychology to grow the gaming business. (🎙, 📺)

The Pomp Podcast #1182: Matt Hougan / Bitcoin or Ethereum? Insitutional Investor Reveals His Answer: Host Anthony Pompliano interviews the CIO at Bitwise Asset Management, Matt Hougan, about what the institutional world is currently saying about crypto. (🎙, 📺)

Swan Signal #102: Morgen Rochard & Isaiah Douglass / Bitcoin Financial Advisors: Host Sam Callahan interviews financial advisors Isaiah Douglass @IDFinancial and Morgen Rochard, CFA, CFP @MorgenRochard discussing orange-pilling clients, Bitcoin adoption, and investment portfolio management strategies that make sense in today’s fast-changing economy. (🎙, 📺)

🔦 Company Spotlight

Synota

Total Funding

$3M (Source: Business Wire)

About

“Today, a significant disconnect exists between when and how energy flows compared to when and how the energy payments are settled. The disconnect results in cash lag, credit risk and increased energy costs.

Synota resolves these issues by integrating existing hardware and software in the energy industry with Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, an open-source, peer-to-peer payment technology. Synota’s platform offers revolutionary transaction capability and instant settlements. Synchronizing the flow of energy with payments removes the financial friction currently inhibiting energy investment and innovation.

Synota will launch a pay-as-you-go service for Bitcoin miners, hosts, and their energy suppliers early next year. Flexible transaction capabilities include dynamic pricing and simultaneous multi-party settlement. The software will be available for the broader energy industry starting in 2024.”

Leadership

• Austin Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO

• Lisa Scott, Co-Founder and CAO

• Alan Schroeder, Co-Founder and COO

• Max Dignan, Head of Technology

💼 Working in Bitcoin 

Bitcoin Talent Co. is the first recruiting firm to focus exclusively on the Bitcoin landscape. We see through the noise of crypto, blockchain, Web3, and all other buzzwords to help Bitcoin-focused companies operate at scale. Below are some of the positions we are actively recruiting candidates for.

Open Roles

1. Bug Bounty Program Manager - A Bitcoin company leveraging the Lightning network to create a bounty marketplace is looking for a sales expert with a technical vocabulary who is able to attract quality developers to the platform to complete bounties. A candidate with sales and marketing experience is ideal.

2. VP of Engineering - An interoperable Web 5 company using the Lightning network for decentralized bitcoin payments is hiring a VP of Engineering to work closely with the CEO. The role requires a candidate willing to work more than 60 hours per week writing code and managing an engineering team.

3. Recruiter - Bitcoin Talent Co. is seeking an experienced recruiter to join the team. Knowledge about Bitcoin and Bitcoin culture is a must.

🤔 Interested in an open role or know someone who may be interested?

Send us a message or reach out if you have strong folks in your network that could be a great fit, we have a very exciting referral program!👇

That's a wrap for this biweekly newsletter. See ya in +2016 blocks from now! 

If you want more, be sure to follow our Twitter (@BitcoinTalentCo) and connect with us on LinkedIn.

 - Eric (@epodrulz)

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