The Bitcoin Bear Market Diaries are a series of interviews featuring various important voices and perspectives in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Each interviewee was carefully selected and asked the same group of questions. The main goal was to provide the world with a collection of commentary and opinions on the state of the current Bitcoin and crypto market. Some of the names you will recognize while others don’t wish for the limelight but have great insight and experience we all can learn from.
These interviews are raw and unfiltered with no agenda other than giving each individual their opportunity to speak their mind. If you like what you see, please share with your friends. If something offends you, you should probably X out and find another crypto fluff piece that gives you warm fuzzies.
Apex is a Venezuelan Bitcoiner who understands the value proposition of Bitcoin better than most due to the geo political issues and rapid inflation taking place in his country.
Name
Apex
Country
Venezuela/USA
How do people know you?
@malandrox7 in twitter
How long have you been into Bitcoin?
December 2016
Best Bitcoin experience?
All of 2017 was awesome even with the segwit2x drama
Worst Bitcoin experience?
There is no such thing as a “worst” bitcoin experience
What do you think is Bitcoin’s biggest threat?
The only unknown is the possibility of a software bug we are unaware of. With that said, in bitcoin’s 10 year history unanticipated vulnerabilities in the code have been resolved professionally by extraordinary bitcoin devs.
What are your thoughts on the various Bitcoin forks?
They’ve been great to turn into more bitcoin. Besides that, they are useless spawn.
What are you optimistic about in this space?
Younger generation of users and developers that will build use cases we can’t even fathom. Just like in 1990 we couldn’t imagine we’d have phone conversations with live video with people on the other side of the globe. Also, improved GUI and safe storage.
Biggest regret during the last bull market?
No “ragrets”.
I guess I could’ve taken out more fiat out but who wants to hold a shitcoin?
What have you learned during the current bear market?
That if you have a strong understanding of what bitcoin is and what it is capable of, bear markets are a great opportunity to accumulate more bitcoin.
What is the biggest fail you have seen during the bear market?
The financially uneducated getting their asses handed to them and temporarily letting go of this amazing, once in a lifetime asset.
What do you think helped trigger the current bear market?
Crypto sweatshirts and crypto nails.
What kind of damage do you think latest price drop has done to buyer sentiment?
Those that owned bitcoin earlier than myself know that bitcoin was/is a chance for retail investors to get in before institutional investors. Now those retail investors that sold their bitcoin will get their lunch eaten by institutional investors….. again.
How do you feel about the current state and future of lightning network?
Lightning devs live and breath bitcoin. They are the smartest minds working day and night to create these layered solutions with possibilities of MoE and energy transfer we can’t even wrap our minds around. The future looks amazing. Also, if bitcoin were to remain what it was since its inception it would still serve it’s sound money purpose.
What are your thoughts on HODLing Bitcoin?
Bitcoin hodlers are creating a legacy for themselves and their families and they don’t even know it. My prediction is that in the next run, “hodl” will be caked into the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
What are your thoughts on alt-coins?
If people want to trade them to obtain more bitcoin, then by all means… They’d probably have better luck at the slot machines in Vegas since statistically 1 out of 10 traders actually make money in the long term. If it wasn’t for an alt-coin I wouldn’t have gotten into bitcoin. I’ll explain below.
Do you hold any? If not, why?
My pot dealer is the one that got me into bitcoin. He requested I pay him in Ether and proceeded to give me a crash course on “how it works”. Coming from a financial background I was immediately intrigued and hooked. I think because of my education in finance within a couple of weeks I quickly determined that bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency that mattered. All my cryptocurrency research went into bitcoin and is the only one I own.
My pot dealer solely owns bitcoin now because of our induced, meditative conversations. ;)
What kind of impact do you think the radical drop in alt-coins will have on their future?
Honestly, I do not know and can give a rats ass.
Thoughts on the notion of bitcoinization? Due to the economics of bitcoin I think it’s inevitable. At a core level, the worldwide populace has lost trust in our financial system. Bitcoin is an alternative to all that is corrupt and wrong with what your readers and followers already know.
What Bitcoin startups are you excited about?
Anything that @beautyon is involved in. This guy gets it and I encourage everyone to follow him. I’ve learned a lot just by following him. Azteco is his company.
What “crypto influencers” do you think get it wrong and why?
To me it’s not so much about the influencers as it is about the people that choose to consume their content. It’s a free market and people have the right to follow, read and view whoever they want. However, do so at your own discretion. Personally my little echochamber makes me more knowledgeable everyday.
What “crypto influencer” do you think gets it right and why?
See above.
What’s it going to take for this bear market to turn around?
Once I cut my hair, but I’m not done accumulating so everyone will have to wait.
How bullish are you on Bitcoin despite this recent pullback?
I have been completely unphased by this pullback. I’m a perma bull in life and in bitcoin.
Any tips you want to give to people new to Bitcoin?
In layman terms, see bitcoin as your savings account. So whatever percentage of your income you set aside for savings put it all into bitcoin and keep on grinding for more.
Best tips for storing Bitcoin?
Trezor wallet, Casa Hodl if your serious about your legacy.
Name some of your favorite information sources and/or podcasts in the space.
Adam Meister’s “This week in bitcoin” on YouTube. He has the best guests and everytime I watch I end up #stackingmoresats
I’m partial to his show also because he shines a well needed light on the situation of my country. Venezuela.
Any last words of wisdom?
Invest in your financial education. Unfortunately, education systems around the world do not emphasize this enough. It is up to you to put in the time. Only with a strong financial education can one achieve financial sovereignty.