Erik Voorhees

Erik Voorhees
Erik Voorhees always seems slightly out of step. An early evangelist for the tech, Voorhees may be a rarity in that he has not only maintained but grown his relevance on the industry stage, all the while fighting for an unpopular block size increase and launching projects that seem years ahead of their time. Still, controversy seems not to catch this sly fox, as 2017 saw a victory lap for Voorhees, who emerged as one of the few early advocates who's been able to adapt to its changes.

Amber Baldet

Amber Baldet
In darkness or in light? Either way, Baldet seems right at home whether she's onstage at a banking conference or somewhere in the islands, posing for pictures at an "ethereum unicorn party." Will she emerge as a real deal innovator? Or is she the ultimate imposter banking infiltrator? While Baldet's story is yet to be told, her association with one of the largest banks in the world, and power position on its so far compelling blockchain efforts are more than enough to enthrall imaginations.

Jihan Wu

Jihan Wu
Master of the ASICBoost, conjurer of Antbleed... Perhaps no character in the pantheon of industry leaders has been the subject of more conspiracy theories than Mr. Wu, a passionate bitcoin believer who's been reviled for his views. The young co-founder of Chinese mining giant Bitmain, he might not exactly be the villain we all believe. But, what might be for certain is that if there's a title for "most misunderstood," Wu would win hands down.

Bitcoin Sign Guy

Bitcoin Sign Guy
The man behind the sign steps into the light to reveal his motives. In a year beset by savage infighting, Bitcoin Sign Guy took a stand, with a small action that not only broke the internet, but raised the spirits of a beleaguered bitcoin community then ravaged by a years-long intellectual war. Were we all Satoshi? Maybe not in 2017. But, we were all "Bitcoin Sign Guy." Read more:

Jamie Dimon

Jamie Dimon
"Bitcoin is a fraud." Four small words ignited a maelstrom when JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon took the stage at a conference in September. The blockchain world was never quite the same again. In response, bitcoin became the talk of Wall Street, and in that dialogue a beast was unleashed that maybe ... just maybe ... took bitcoin out of obscurity, to its new peaks above $10,000.

Charlie Lee

Charlie Lee
It's good to be Charlie. After years of working at the first "Bitcoin Unicorn," Lee stepped out on his own in 2017 to take up arms against those who would delay bitcoin technical development. His weapon? The cryptocurrency network: litecoin. With the network – once languishing, now revitalized – Lee pulled no punches, becoming the opinionated voice of reason in a market that's known for its insanity.

Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant
If crypto assets really are the "Craziest Bubble Ever," then Naval Ravikant is the movement's elder statesman. The founder of AngelList, Ravikant didn't talk much about startups in 2017, instead preaching the gospel of the ICO on Twitter in 140-character bursts that were part roadmap and part prophecy for a burgeoning industry. In the process, he helped open doors for a new wave of innovative cryptocurrency projects, giving a vital boost to an industry that had all but been locked out of Silicon Valley following bitcoin's 2015 correction.

Joe Lubin

Joe Lubin
Part sheriff? Part outlaw? Either way, Joe Lubin appears right at home in the "Wild West" of cryptocurrencies. The leader of a company that's part ethereum project incubator, part change-the-world commune, Lubin showed no shortage of influence in 2017, launching some of the first successful ethereum tokens and winning over countless enterprises to the platform. If Vitalik envisioned the new world, Joe Lubin just might be colonizing it.

Yao Qian

Yao Qian
Call it the biggest short in history. China took plenty of actions against cryptocurrencies in 2017, banning ICOs, shutting down domestic exchanges and all but taking a match to what was once one of the industry's largest and most thriving ecosystems. But if China is setting a course apart from the world, Yao Qian may be its biggest asset. The man in charge of rethinking bitcoin on behalf of the world's largest state isn't just empowered, he seems to know crypto inside and out.

Pieter Wuille

Pieter Wuille
Speak softly and carry a big SegWit? If bitcoin saw its biggest and most controversial change this summer, the evolution can all be traced back to one developer. Still, the founder of the controversial startup Blockstream and the network's most prodigious coder, Pieter Wuille, is a bit of a mystery. In an industry with no shortage of egos and bluster, though, Wuille is a rarity, choosing to let his code do the talking for him.

2017: A Defining Year for Cryptocurrency Regulation

2017: A Defining Year for Cryptocurrency Regulation
This Year in Review article look at some of the major regulatory developments from 2017.

Where Are All the Quick Wins for Blockchain?

Where Are All the Quick Wins for Blockchain?
Was 2017 too long-term focused? Entrepreneur Tom Klein believes quick wins are what's needed to bootstrap corporate blockchains in 2018.

China on a Blockchain? Maybe in 2018

China on a Blockchain? Maybe in 2018
China may have moved to ban crypto activities in 2017, but that doesn't mean the country won't be a major player in the year ahead.

What DAO? Charting Ether's Epic 2017 Price Climb

What DAO? Charting Ether's Epic 2017 Price Climb
Ether's price began 2017 below $10, shooting to as high as $800 earlier this month.

2017: The Year Crypto Became a New Asset Class

2017: The Year Crypto Became a New Asset Class
Crypto assets may have become an asset class in 2017, but that doesn't mean there's work yet to be done to bring the technology to main street.

Blockchain Asset Registries: Entering the Slope of Enlightenment?

Blockchain Asset Registries: Entering the Slope of Enlightenment?
Putting real-world assets on a blockchain may be a promise worth pursuing, but field reports suggest it's an idea still just out of reach.

2017 Review: What Bankers Think of Bitcoin

2017 Review: What Bankers Think of Bitcoin
To short or to long? Is bitcoin in a bubble? We summarized the various views from prominent figures in the finance world and the academia.

Payment Provider Bitrefill Runs Successful Lightning Transaction Test

Payment Provider Bitrefill Runs Successful Lightning Transaction Test
This may have been the first real consumer transaction using the Lightning network.

Blockchain in Healthcare: 2017's Successes

Blockchain in Healthcare: 2017's Successes
Blockchain in healthcare might not be sexy, but it's moving forward according to one of the sector's leading female CEOs.

Indian Finance Ministry: Cryptocurrencies Are 'Like Ponzi Schemes'

Indian Finance Ministry: Cryptocurrencies Are 'Like Ponzi Schemes'
The India government doubled down its skepticism over cryptocurrencies, calling them like "Ponzi Schemes."

Avoiding Digital Feudalism Built on Blockchains

Avoiding Digital Feudalism Built on Blockchains
Blockchains may be transformative for society, but if that's the case, we should ask what society will remain, regulator Cab Morris argues.

Ripple Approaching $2 as XRP Price Doubles in Weekly Trading

Ripple Approaching $2 as XRP Price Doubles in Weekly Trading
Ripple's token XRP nearly doubled within one week, becoming now the third largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

From $900 to $20,000: Bitcoin's Historic 2017 Price Run Revisited

From $900 to $20,000: Bitcoin's Historic 2017 Price Run Revisited
Bitcoin's price started the year off by crossing $1,000, culminating with a run that brought it close to $20,000.

Bitcoin or Blockchain? Bet That Both Will Thrive in 2018

Bitcoin or Blockchain? Bet That Both Will Thrive in 2018
Competing technologies? Not so much argues Symbiont executive Caitlin Long who believes the best of both bitcoin and blockchain will prevail in 2018.

Crypto Exchange Poloniex to Impose Customer ID Requirements

Crypto Exchange Poloniex to Impose Customer ID Requirements
Cryptocurrency exchange service Poloniex is taking steps to ramp up the information it gathers on customers.

Hacks, Scams and Attacks: Blockchain's Biggest 2017 Disasters

Hacks, Scams and Attacks: Blockchain's Biggest 2017 Disasters
Hackers and scammers netted nearly $490 million in 2017. In this recap, CoinDesk takes a look at the most important incidents and their impact.

Bitcoin Among Year's Top Searches, Google Data Says

Bitcoin Among Year's Top Searches, Google Data Says
New data from Google suggests internet users searched for information on bitcoin at a rate that outpaced some of the top news stories this year.

Singapore Court Dismisses Dispute Over $43 Million in Bitcoin

Singapore Court Dismisses Dispute Over $43 Million in Bitcoin
The Singapore court dismisses B2C2's attempt to reclaim 3,092 bitcoin from Quoine.

2018 and Beyond: Tokens Are Slowly Eating the Firm

2018 and Beyond: Tokens Are Slowly Eating the Firm
Think DAOs and tokens are just a joke? This lawyer believes they may be coming to bring an open-source ethos to your business model.

Massachusetts Securities Regulator: Bitcoin Fails "The Smell Test"

Massachusetts Securities Regulator: Bitcoin Fails "The Smell Test"
The top securities regulator in Massachusetts raised concerns on the bitcoin bubble and called the bitcoin market "entirely speculation."

South Korea to Tighten Bitcoin Exchange Rules Amid ‘Speculative’ Boom

South Korea to Tighten Bitcoin Exchange Rules Amid ‘Speculative’ Boom
The South Korea now bans domestic cryptocurrency exchanges from allowing users to make transactions through anonymous accounts.

ICOs: The Beauty, the Beast and JFK

ICOs: The Beauty, the Beast and JFK
What did ICOs get right in 2018? What went wrong? Attorney and entrepreneur Christine Duhaime unpacks a chaotic year.

El-Erian Predicts Bitcoin Crash if Savvier Investors Sit Out Correction

El-Erian Predicts Bitcoin Crash if Savvier Investors Sit Out Correction
Either the investor base diversifies during this price correction or bitcoin will crash very hard, former Pimco chief predicts.

No One Should Control the Blockchain Supply Chain

No One Should Control the Blockchain Supply Chain
Blockchain supply chains are coming to market, but they might not look the same as they were once envisioned.

Former FDIC Chair: Bitcoin Policies Shouldn't 'Feed the Frenzy'

Former FDIC Chair: Bitcoin Policies Shouldn't 'Feed the Frenzy'
Sheila Bair, ex-chair of FDIC, argued that bitcoin shouldn't be banned. Instead, policies should be in place to protect investors.

Privacy on the Blockchain: Where Are We Headed?

Privacy on the Blockchain: Where Are We Headed?
Privacy may be an issue with major blockchains today, but 2017 saw innovations by leaps and bounds, argues VC Arianna Simpson.

ATB Coin the Latest to Face Class-Action Suit After ICO

ATB Coin the Latest to Face Class-Action Suit After ICO
Early motions may force the court to rule on whether or not this coin should be considered a security under U.S. law.

Israeli Finance Watchdog Seeks to Ban Public Firms from Bitcoin Trading

Israeli Finance Watchdog Seeks to Ban Public Firms from Bitcoin Trading
Bitcoin trading companies in Israel may soon face a tighter rule imposed by the country's financial watchdog.

Chinese Investor Buys Stake in Delaware Blockchain Exchange

Chinese Investor Buys Stake in Delaware Blockchain Exchange
A Chinese-based cloud company, headed by a high-profile media mogul, has moved to purchase a Delaware blockchain-based stock exchange. 

On Greed and Growing Up: Why Crypto Looks A Lot Like Wall Street

On Greed and Growing Up: Why Crypto Looks A Lot Like Wall Street
Crypto may have set out to rethink Wall Street, but a decade into the experiment, advisor Jill Carlson isn't convinced the industry has it right.

2017 Was Bitcoin's Year. 2018 Will Be Ethereum's

2017 Was Bitcoin's Year. 2018 Will Be Ethereum's
A long-time bitcoin investor is now staking his claim to a new blockchain network, one he believes will enable more value creation in the long term.

Bitcoin's Real 2018 Bottleneck

Bitcoin's Real 2018 Bottleneck
Bitcoin's markets may be booming but it's the network's rare development talent that may be most valuable.

Editable Blockchains? Mining Futures? 2017 Saw Crypto Patents Pile Up

Editable Blockchains? Mining Futures? 2017 Saw Crypto Patents Pile Up
A run-down of some of the more notable crypto and blockchain patents seen in 2017.

A Central Bank Cryptocurrency? Not in 2018

A Central Bank Cryptocurrency? Not in 2018
Central bank digital currencies may sound like a nice idea, but blogger JP Koning argues they'll remain just that in 2018 – an idea.

The Death of the ICO (And 4 Other 2018 Predictions)

The Death of the ICO (And 4 Other 2018 Predictions)
The year of interoperability? Or enterprise digital asset adoption? Both futures might be on the table for 2018, according to Ripple's CTO.

My Advice for ICOs? I'm Sorry I Was Right…

My Advice for ICOs? I'm Sorry I Was Right…
He's not your lawyer, but he's giving you advice. Avid pocaster and legal expert Jason Seibert enjoys a last laugh on ICOs.

2017: The Year Blockchain Got Weird

2017: The Year Blockchain Got Weird
Blockchain may be a revolution in finance – but it's also weird, as this tour through the outer edges of crypto cyberspace proves.

What Comes After the Futures? The Next Chapter for Bitcoin

What Comes After the Futures? The Next Chapter for Bitcoin
The future is bright following Wall Street's futures trading embrace, but education is emerging as a key hurdle ahead.

Utility: The Defining Word for Tokens in 2018

Utility: The Defining Word for Tokens in 2018
A rising token tide may be lifting all boats, but when the water line lowers, utility will likely be their key defense.

Poof, Your Money's Gone: Building for a New Wave of Blockchain Users

Poof, Your Money's Gone: Building for a New Wave of Blockchain Users
MyEtherWallet founder Taylor Monahan knows a thing or two about blockchain users, arguing they're not ready for the early blockchain tools of today.