Buterin called out BitConnect's scheme, followed by a massive dip in the coin’s market cap.
FM
Since September 2017, BitConnect had tripled its market cap and became the 8th largest crypto, according to the CoinMarketCap. But recently the coin is facing a massive controversy because of its too good to be true scheme.
The firm is offering an insane scheme to the public. With its four-tier investment system, the returns get more lucrative based on your initial investment. But it is promising that, irrespective of the initial investment, everyone will earn up to 40 percent total return per month. This translates to 1 percent RoI per day.
A few days ago, Ponzi Crypto Coins, an account dedicated to uncovering suspicious crypto deals luring newcomers, asked Vitalik Buterin and Charlie Lee about the scheme on Twitter.
Even though Buterin shot a quick reply denying any knowledge of BitConnect, he was quick to point out that if it is offering a 1 percent return a day, chances are it is a Ponzi.
Yeah, if 1%/day is what they offer then that's a ponzi.
The Reddit community quickly followed the conversation, and there was an uproar about the schemes of BitConnect - after all, it is one of the leading coins in the market. The community cited the resemblance of BitConnect to Bitpetite and Onecoin, the former a very similar Bitcoin lending investment alternative which is being accused of running a scam.
For instance, if someone invested 1 BTC when the value was $3000, on paper he might have rewards, but if he decides to withdraw his funds, he will only receive his initial investments that too in BitConnect coins. Meanwhile, BitConnect would have kept the Bitcoin whose current market value is over $7000.
Due to a technical recalculation of tokens in circulation, BitConnect recently dropped from 8th position to 15th on CoinMarketCap. The update certainly no longer considers the current tokens under loan as a part of its market valuation. This also took the market cap of the coin from over $2 billion to mere $582 million.
With the boom in the crypto space, BitConnect is not the only such scheme - it is an old one that continues working, making it even more dangerous.
Since September 2017, BitConnect had tripled its market cap and became the 8th largest crypto, according to the CoinMarketCap. But recently the coin is facing a massive controversy because of its too good to be true scheme.
The firm is offering an insane scheme to the public. With its four-tier investment system, the returns get more lucrative based on your initial investment. But it is promising that, irrespective of the initial investment, everyone will earn up to 40 percent total return per month. This translates to 1 percent RoI per day.
A few days ago, Ponzi Crypto Coins, an account dedicated to uncovering suspicious crypto deals luring newcomers, asked Vitalik Buterin and Charlie Lee about the scheme on Twitter.
Even though Buterin shot a quick reply denying any knowledge of BitConnect, he was quick to point out that if it is offering a 1 percent return a day, chances are it is a Ponzi.
Yeah, if 1%/day is what they offer then that's a ponzi.
The Reddit community quickly followed the conversation, and there was an uproar about the schemes of BitConnect - after all, it is one of the leading coins in the market. The community cited the resemblance of BitConnect to Bitpetite and Onecoin, the former a very similar Bitcoin lending investment alternative which is being accused of running a scam.
For instance, if someone invested 1 BTC when the value was $3000, on paper he might have rewards, but if he decides to withdraw his funds, he will only receive his initial investments that too in BitConnect coins. Meanwhile, BitConnect would have kept the Bitcoin whose current market value is over $7000.
Due to a technical recalculation of tokens in circulation, BitConnect recently dropped from 8th position to 15th on CoinMarketCap. The update certainly no longer considers the current tokens under loan as a part of its market valuation. This also took the market cap of the coin from over $2 billion to mere $582 million.
With the boom in the crypto space, BitConnect is not the only such scheme - it is an old one that continues working, making it even more dangerous.
Arnab Shome is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the National Institute of Technology, Agartala. He entered the retail trading industry about a decade ago, covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates, and later expanded his coverage to include forex and CFDs as well.
His work at Finance Magnates includes C-level interviews, data-driven analysis, opinion pieces, and scoops of industry exclusives. He also contributes to Finance Magnates’ quarterly industry report.
Area of coverage:
1. CFD broker-related news
2. Industry-related Regulatory updates and developments
3. New retail trading trends
4. Prop trading industry updates
5. Executive interviews
Education:
Bachelor of Technology - National Institute of Technology, Agartala (India)
After CLARITY: How the US Crypto Framework Stacks Up Against MiCA, MAS, and VARA
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