Bonum Certa Men Certa

There is No Such Thing as 'Cryptocurrency' and Please Stop Referring to It as Cryptocurrency

Cryptography



Summary: A lot of reckless media, including the "journal of record" New York Times, helps a bunch of spammers and scammers hijack and distort words in order to promote theft

THE scam that is "cryptocurrency" has cost my friend his life savings. He's in his 60s, a university professor. For nearly a year he was too shy to tell his friends what had happened. It was embarrassing. He fell for it. He should have asked friends. Earlier today a friend told me that "crypto" is cryptography, whereas cryptocurrency is a "scam + waste of electricity" (a sentiment with which I agree).



Say what you will about the international/global banking system (yes, it is corrupt), but the alternative to it isn't some charlatans or frauds, boosted online by "bros" in social control media. "Get rich fast" schemes have long relied on misinformation, more so or especially relying on much-deserved distrust (alluding to "traditional" banks and governments). Having an alternative to something does not mean the alternative is better or safer. My above-mentioned friend was scammed by "cryptocurrency" charlatans through Microsoft's LinkeIn, which is social control media where corruption flourishes. No wonder, it's controlled by a company where scams are "business as usual" (Microsoft).

"Binance should be shredded to pieces and these pieces then be scattered into the deepest ocean."Earlier today we saw that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agreed to let Binance be [1]. We're not happy about this. Binance should be shredded to pieces and these pieces then be scattered into the deepest ocean. Banks in the US are collapsing and certainly more American banks will collapse by the end of the year. Binance might also collapse, just like FTX and the scam of Jim Zemlin's wife [1, 2, Jim 'FTX' Zemlin: “My Wife Who is a Successful Technology Executive and Harvard MBA [and Fraudster Facing Class Action Lawsuit for Securities Fraud] Really Had an Obvious Look of Disappointment... When I Told Her I Worked at a Non-Profit” [sic]].

When you allude to those "exchanges" as "crypto" you help perpetuate the lie that they are secure, even "safe". When you use the term "currency" you borrow credibility by insinuating that they're like physical coins, bartering etc. They're speculations at best. They're worse than lottery. So never refer to these as "cryptocurrency"; just call them... scams. You would not be wrong; it's only a matter of time before you're proven right.

"In many people's minds, the term "crypto" is hijacked to the point where cryptography is viewed as something risky, dangerous, illegal, even sinister/evil."Spam sites that take bribes in exchange for puff pieces continue to call these "crypto firms" [2], the "journal of record" called it "cryptocurrency" this past Friday [3] (even in the summary), and this same "journal of record" even said "Crypto Companies" in the headline earlier today [4]. We urge readers to contact these so-called 'newspapers' and ask them to quit doing this. Stop using the fake descriptions of Ponzi schemes. Charlatans and liars gain credibility each time the press uses their fictional vocabulary, which moreover misuses real words (here's a new example of "Cryptominers" [5]).

There are still examples of correct uses of terms, e.g. "cryptographer" yesterday [6], but those are becoming rarer over time. In many people's minds, the term "crypto" is hijacked to the point where cryptography is viewed as something risky, dangerous, illegal, even sinister/evil. ⬆

Related/contextual items from the news:



  1. Binance Reaches Deal With Government to Avert U.S. Shutdown
    The Securities and Exchange Commission agreed on a compromise with Binance that will keep the exchange open as it battles a fraud lawsuit.


  2. House testimony by crypto firm Prometheum CEO€ raises questions about regulation
    Recent testimony in front of the U.S. House by cryptocurrency firm Prometheum€ Inc. Chief Executive Aaron Kaplan has created a stir regarding regulatory clarity for digital assets.


  3. Francis Suarez, Miami Mayor, Is Running for President: What to Know
    Mr. Suarez, who is entering the Republican presidential race, is a cryptocurrency enthusiast who holds a largely ceremonial job as mayor of Miami.


  4. He Went After Crypto Companies. Then Someone Came After Him.
    Kyle Roche was a rising star in the field of cryptocurrency law — until his career imploded. Who orchestrated his downfall?


  5. 2023-06-12 [Older] Geoserver Attack Details: More Cryptominers against Unconfigured WebApps, (Mon, Jun 12th)
  6. Ouroboros LLMs and their impending entropy problem

    More to the point though, as any cryptographer will tell you, this reduction entropy is a disaster if your model requires original thought.



Recent Techrights' Posts

No Noticeable Libera Chat Exodus After Code of Censorship (CoC) Scandal Earlier This Month
Libera Chat pissed off some people by unmasking the CoC's real purpose
The Local Staff Committee Munich (LSCMN) Speaks of Deterioration of Working Conditions at the European Patent Office (EPO)
"At least 3 days per week in the Office for an allocated office"
IBM's Anderon is Like Theranos, But Will Anybody at IBM or Anderon Be Imprisoned for This Billion-Dollar Scam?
Will anyone ever be held accountable for it?
 
IBM RAs: "It's on Me"
IBM has no respect for the workers and it tries to hide the layoffs
Gemini Links 15/10/2026: Literature, Funerals, and Devices
Links for the day
The Efforts to Criminalise Opposition to a Ponzi Scheme Sold as "Super Intelligence" (Plagiarism Engines, Disinformation Generators)
Cops are becoming combatants for slop bros, i.e. they use power to promote a Ponzi scheme
Clownflare Sees Most Requests in Africa Coming From Android (Linux)
Android is the dominant platform
IBM's "RA Season" is Nearly Upon Us, But Tens of Thousands Are Already Marked for Removal With PIPs (as "Low Performers")
IBM is a dying company
Microsoft Has Confirmed It Had a Plan to Cut Azure (or Azure Costs) by 20%
So basically... yes! Microsoft did have a plan to slash Azure.
Red Hat Silent Layoffs Seem to Carry on Throughout This Month
How much longer will these silent layoffs (e.g. PIPs) carry on for?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Netflix and Its Newest Rival Carry 100 Billion Dollars in Debt
What sort of economy is this?
Egypt: GNU/Linux Still Measured at About 5%
Egypt is a prominent African nation and economy
Gemini Links 14/10/2026: Time Allocation, English as a Fourth Language, and "Reading News Sources" in Geminispace
Links for the day
DRM Giant Announces Giant Layoffs (Netflix’s Debt is Huge)
It's not like operational costs are decreasing, they're climbing fast.
Intercontinental Brigading - Part III - Reporting Harassment From America to British Police
Why are they so hostile towards (and afraid of) cops?
Gemini Links 14/10/2026: GemPub, Randogoth Forge F-Droid Repo, Oddμ, and Kolibri
Links for the day
Bluewashing as Silent RAs: A "journey that began at Neudesic [...] and continued as part of IBM" inevitably came "to a close"
IBM can be antagonistic and reckless with whatever it buys
Links 14/10/2026: Houthi Attacks on KSA and Airstrikes Near Sudan-Egypt Border
Links for the day
No Coronation for 'Cocaine King' Campinos (Not Yet Anyway)
A flash update suggests perils exist and we must all wait until December as the position for EPO President may open
In Reddit, Moderators of IBM Subs Are Allegedly on IBM's Payroll (IBM Can Censor Discussions About IBM)
There also seem to be PIP layoffs in India
If Worthless Companies Are Valued at a Billion Dollars in the Slop Industry, Then What Is the True Worth of 'Trillion-Dollar' Companies?
Definitely not a bubble!
It Sounds Like Microsoft Plans to Lay Off Over 2,000 Azure (Microsoft) Workers as the Datacentre Business Brings Nothing But Epic Debt
Trillions in losses is not a solid business plan
Microsoft XBox Won't Survive, Microsoft's CEO for This Perishing Business Turns to Slop
What the founder or father of XBox said about Asha Sharma earlier this year turns out to be accurate
Links 14/10/2026: So-called 'AI' Giants Go Bankrupt, "Military Will Hack the Election"
Links for the day
Indoor Season
we have more planned in order to improve navigation, accessibility, and workflows
Microsoft Demands That Staff Keeps Silent About the Mass Layoffs
Way to cause anger and ensure whistleblowers will go to the media
Microsoft Has Had Mass Layoffs in Azure Every Year Since 2020 and the Bleeding Continues Because It Misreports Earnings There
This is a bad week for Microsoft
Microsoft's International Mass Layoffs (Asia, Europe, Africa), Now Vietnam
A crisis that Microsoft is unable to hide
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Gemini Links 14/10/2026: Ceiling Fan, Fascism, Democracy, and Slop Being a Huge Bubble
Links for the day
Reports of Stress and Layoffs at Microsoft, Some People Laid Off Under the Guise of "Ban" (Gift From the Administration) and Many Sacked in India
"pip and gvsa" layoffs in India
ITwire Became Slop and Spam
The site still exists, but it's not what it used to be
W3C Died 20 Years Ago, Now We Live in a Post-W3C Era. Linux Foundation is 'Slop Bros', Now Linux is Becoming Unfree.
Torvalds is on the same side as Epsteingate
We're Way Past the Point Where Companies Announce or Declare Mass Layoffs
Layoffs are becoming hidden
Linux Kernel to Hide the Slop to Avoid Backlash, Suggestion Made by Former Microsoft Employee While Another Former Microsoft Employee is Worst Slopper/Culprit in Linux
Did Torvalds listen to slop antagonists?
Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Besieged by Blind Justice UK, Politicians Increasingly Involved
"Today we have written to Members of both Houses of Parliament"
Vance Has Helped Microsoft Implement Secret, Silent Layoffs
Nothing excites Microsoft more than means by which to discard many employees without an obligation to tell shareholders about it
To The Register MS, Microsoft is the Only Brand That's at the Main Menu!
Consider that the Editor of The Register MS is a longtime faithful Microsofter
Microsoft's Collapse Will Continue, It's Drowning in Debt Now
Expect many more mass layoffs
Legal Self-Sufficiency
The more impact our work has, the more legal bullying will come our way
Plans for Winter in Manchester and London
From many perspectives, we're satisfied with the certainty and robustness of UK hosting, it's just that we're not yet robust/resistant enough to DDoS attacks
Customer Support Experience in 2026
Because the customer is never right
Microsoft Shutdowns in Africa, Mass Layoffs Also Reported This Week
further shutdowns
Links 13/10/2026: More Plagiarism Lawsuit Over Slop and AirAsia Needs State Help
Links for the day
Intercontinental Brigading - Part II - An Outline of This Series
What's to come
Gemini Links 13/10/2026: Dopamine Nation, Planner and Fatigue, and Moderators
Links for the day
Links 13/10/2026: Norway Fines Microsoft and Cops Can Creep on Airbnb
Links for the day
When Computers "Expire" Because Certificates Expire
People who promote Restricted Boot are liars. They lie for a living.
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, October 12, 2026
IRC logs for Monday, October 12, 2026
Gemini Links 13/10/2026: Modern Science, Joplin, Luddites, and Lots More
Links for the day