Amid mounting anticipation for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of what many see as the “Holy Grail” of crypto — Bitcoin exchange traded funds (ETFs) — the regulator’s X (formerly Twitter) account was “compromised,” on Jan. 9, falsely announcing it had approved them.

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This scenario sent the price of Bitcoin for a ride before eventually stabilizing.

Some experts said this outcome was “completely unacceptable and a complete embarrassment for the SEC.”

“The social media manager in charge of an account that can cause a market crash failed to have 2-factor authentication? Total amateur hour at the SEC,” said Christopher Alexander, chief analytics officer of Pioneer Development Group. “There seems to be no accountability for those who want to hold the crypto industry accountable.”

This latest turn of events comes on the heels of the SEC warning against the safety of digital assets. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy posted a “say no go to FOMO” message to X on Jan. 6.

Since 2021, there have been several Bitcoin-linked ETFs — however, so-called spot Bitcoin ETFs are what many investors and analysts have been hoping for. In the interim, there has been continued stalling from the regulator, who has argued that spot Bitcoin ETFs might not be safe for investors.

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Why Is the SEC Reiterating Crypto Warnings Ahead of an Expected Approval?

According to Alexander, the SEC has positioned itself as a shield for the public against crypto and is reluctantly moving toward approvals for these ETFs. Per Alexander, the SEC is doing so while trying to maintain an image of “tough cops taking a hard stance on the industry as they find a new way forward.”

“Given the volatility demonstrated in the market the past two weeks, I don’t think urging prudence from investors is entirely unreasonable, though the SEC approach is alarmingly heavy handed,” said Alexander.

Are Bitcoin ETFs Safe, Broadly?

According to some experts, Bitcoin ETFs could pose something of a safety issue.

“You aren’t buying Bitcoin, which would be superior,” said Evander Smart, founder of Bitcoin University. “You are buying into a banking scheme, so the issuer, and the SEC, are in charge of your ‘safety.'”

Smart further argued that the safest Bitcoin investment is buying and securing your own Bitcoin — and that buying into ETFs is a “lazy form of exposure.”

“Banking products have a cost, and you don’t actually own anything, but a derivative. So, getting actual Bitcoin is the winning move,” added Smart.

Yet, other experts also point to the fact that Coinbase has been designated as the custody provider for most of these ETFs, which could ensure their safety.

“Coinbase has a reputation for sound and safe business practices in this space,” said Rich Rines, an initial contributor to Core DAO.

Yet, Rines also noted that the best way to own Bitcoin is directly through self-custody, perhaps holding it by way of a hard wallet, because this eliminates the counterparty risk of having your BTC in custody of a third party.

What Will These ETF Approvals Mean for Investors and for Bitcoin?

Many see these Bitcoin ETFs as an enormous positive factor, buoying the entire crypto ecosystem and spurring adoption.

These ETFs will merge traditional finance with the emerging world of decentralized finance, offering a regulated investment vehicle that enhances Bitcoin’s accessibility to a wide range of investors.

“I don’t know whether the price will go up or down, but the energy and interest in these ETFs suggest there could be a large amount of fresh capital flowing from traditional investors into these custodied BTC products,” said Rines.

Yet, as Markus Levin — co-founder of XYO Network — noted, the substantial amount of money that is likely to flow into these Bitcoin products from traditional investors will probably push the price much higher over the coming months and years.

Nonetheless, in terms of broad global adoption, these ETFs might not be sufficient. A crucial component of the digital asset space, including Bitcoin, will be creating services and products that operate in a non-custodial, decentralized fashion.

“That’s the core ethos for not only Bitcoin but also decentralized finance, NFTs, crypto gaming, etc. If we don’t achieve further decentralization in this regard, then these ETFs might not be enough to push the broader digital asset industry forward in terms of global adoption,” he added.

And while many experts argue that these approvals might boost Bitcoin’s price, some argue that the price will rise with or without the spot ETFs.

“Last year, Bitcoin rose over 150%, with no assistance from Wall Street,” said Alexander. “The ETF will just add fuel to the fire, but Bitcoin wins, either way. The individual investor wins when they hold Bitcoin.”

Another potential impact for investors is that a predicated influx of institutional capital — from the participation of major players like Blackrock, Vanguard, and others in the Bitcoin ETF arena — bodes well for the overall ecosystem, bolstering the market’s robustness and potentially paving the way for increased stability.

“It’s not just Bitcoin that will thrive. I firmly believe that alternative coins, or ALT coins as commonly referred to, will experience a notable surge,” said Mason Miller, president of AMP ALGOS.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-linked-etfs-safe-buy-175721618.html?guccounter=2

In the ever-evolving world of business, entrepreneurship remains a driving force behind innovation, growth, and success. As we enter 2023, there are several visionary entrepreneurs who are poised to make significant impacts in their respective industries. From innovative tech startups to groundbreaking social enterprises, these entrepreneurs have already achieved impressive milestones and are showing no signs of slowing down. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the top entrepreneurs to follow in 2023 and learn about the strategies and insights that have contributed to their success.

Mason H. Miller

Mason H. Miller is an American Investor & Entrepreneur based out of Houston, Texas. The successful operator sits as Co-Founder and Managing Partner of White Hat Capital Group — A digital asset-based hedge fund with a Multi-Strategy diversification focused on both hand-trading protocols and algorithmic trading protocols. White Hat Capital Group currently manages 8 figures AUM, with growth spanning over the last two calendar years. Mason’s reputation as an up-and-coming entrepreneur in the alternative investments space has attracted investors of all sizes looking for high-yield returns. With a deep understanding of the digital asset market and a proven ability to deliver results, Mason Miller is poised to become a rising star in the financial world.

Greg J. Woodfield

Greg J. Woodfield is an American Entrepreneur & Investor based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. In Woodfield’s career as a founder, Greg was able to scale an SMS Tech company known as VIA to a 350M valuation in just under 2½ years. With a proven track record, Greg is known as a business growth expert particularly, in taking companies from small businesses to enterprise-level organizations. As an investor, Woodfield is a shareholder of well-known startups such as: Olipop, Particl, & many others — as well as a board member of DAKUS, a leading SMS software company. With success comes passion & altruism; Greg enjoys spending his free time giving back and helping others by sharing advice & insight on achieving business growth.

Zach Friedman

Zach Friedman is a Canadian Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor focused on investing in sectors such as Finance, Blockchain, Art, and Technology. Friedman is best known as one of the founders & managing partners of Secure Digital Markets — Canada’s leading digital asset brokerage providing best-in-class service on spot execution, liquidity, and settlement for institutions, family offices, exchanges, miners and individuals seeking a safe and secure pathway to digital asset trading and liquidity. Friedman is also the Chief Operating Officer of GDA Capital (GDA), a leading blockchain-focused investment bank. With his roles, the successful operator has advised and supported startups, world-leading institutions, family offices, governments, and Fortune 500 companies alike. Friedman shares that with Quantitative Tightening making its effect known in the marketplace, digital assets such as Cryptocurrency are set to see more liquidity move into well-performing assets.

Chad Robichaux

Chad Robichaux is a former Force Recon Marine and DoD Contractor with eight deployments to Afghanistan as part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Task Force. After overcoming his personal battles with PTSd and nearly becoming a veteran suicide statistic, Chad founded the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a leading non-profit serving the active duty, military veteran and first responder communities around the world with highly successful faith-based combat trauma and resiliency programs. Chad is also an experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial artist, having had a successful career fighting as a professional MMA fighter with an impressive 18-2 record. Robichaux is currently working on a book tour for his most recent Wall Street Journal Best Selling book “Saving Aziz,” & has ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ukraine with Mighty Oaks International as the Russian invasion continues. As a Fortune 500 Public Speaker, National news Television Guest, & Presidential Advisor — look for Robichaux to continue to build his career & impressive resume.

Stefania Lo Gatto

Stefania Lo Gatto is an Italian Entrepreneur & Network marketer based out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Lo Gatto is best known for her success as a motivational speaker and network marketer, Where she has successfully earned millions in income. In the last year, Lo Gatto has shifted her network marketing career into her latest Co-Founded organization — JIFU. As Co-founder of Jifu, Stefania oversees the organization’s (4) pillars Traveling, Health, University, & Forex Trading. As a leading network marketer & motivational speaker, Lo Gatto enjoys sharing her story with her audience and organization members on how she became an influential business figure starting as a divorced single mother many years ago. Stefania plans to continue to grow within her new organization JIFU in the following years to come.

Maseeh Sharifi

Maseeh Sharifi is a Canadian Entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer of a global family-owned and operated brand — The Rosarium INC. The Rosarium offers fresh roses farmed from Ecuador for both direct-to-consumer online orders & corporate events. With over 15+ years of experience, Maseeh is excited to continue to build the brand that his father started nearly almost 25 years ago. Under the Sharifi Family’s meticulous management, The Rosarium is poised to be expanding in emerging markets in other countries such as Dubai, UAE, & Frankfurt, Germany. Maseeh shares that Rosarium has been able to handle Quantitative Tightening both domestically and internationally by leveraging its buying power with its providers to maintain pricing flexibility for its corporate clients & online orders across the world.

Dr. Dev Patel

Dr. Dev Patel is a globally reputed specialist in Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine, based in Portsmouth, England. The serial entrepreneur operates a multi-award-winning skin clinic, Perfect Skin Solutions and training academy. Patel also owns and operates an exciting new startup — CellDerma, which launched in the UK in 2021 & has quickly gained popularity amongst UK skincare professionals. Having also launched in Iceland in 2022, CellDerma plans to expand to countries including The United States, Canada, United Arab Emirates & Norway by 2024. On every level, Dr. Patel seems to be doing things differently by combining his extensive clinical experience with an inquisitive mind for research and, indeed sharp business acumen.

Michael Dennis Murphy

Michael Dennis Murphy is an American Business Leader, Author, Public Speaker, and Chief Executive Officer of the Murphy Auto Group — home of the Miracle family of dealerships.  Throughout his 24-year career in the automobile industry, Mike has many accomplishments to his credit as owner and CEO of Murphy Auto Group (MAG.)  He applied his entrepreneurial skills to grow from two dealerships to five top-performing dealerships in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Recently, Mike purchased four LANDS in the Sandbox Metaverse. Using innovative, cutting-edge technology, the “MurphyVerse” is Murphy Auto Group’s presence in the Metaverse.  It is a platform intended to reimagine how MAG accomplishes its goals in new and exciting ways. The MurphyVerse is a modern marketing tool for the Miracle dealerships that will be revealed to the public later this summer. In the future, Look for Michael to continue to build his organization and disrupt the automotive industry.

Stephen Scoggins

Stephen Scoggins is an American Entrepreneur, Investor, & Business Coach based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. The successful entrepreneur started as homeless many years ago; today, he is known as a 9-figure Serial Entrepreneur with businesses in Construction, Real Estate, Live Events, & Empowering Education. In Scoggin’s free time, he enjoys public speaking and applying his proven track record of business development advice for growing organizations. Stephen’s insights have been Featured on NBC, CBS, Forbes, Entrepreneurs, and many other notable outlets. Stephen is excited to launch his new program known as “Unstoppable Startup,” Which helps Entrepreneurs & Startups learn how to scale and grow their businesses with Stephen’s insight, all of which is available with weekly calls. You can also find him hosting the hit podcast, “Unstoppable Show,” which pulls in his world-class thought leader friends to break success down into bite-size steps.

Allen Bolen

Allen Bolen is an American Entrepreneur & the founder and Executive Chairman of the 8th largest residential solar and smart home company in the United States – AMP Smart. With over 25+ years of experience in D2D sales, Bolen has successfully been able to make a name for himself as one of the most well-known solar executives in the world. In his free time, Bolen also competes in Jiu Jitsu competitively and is globally ranked for his age group as a top competitor. Within the enterprise of AMP Smart, Allen oversees growth strategy, finance, & key relationships with capital and supplier partners. Under Allen’s management, AMP Smart is geared to continue to grow its market share and more importantly offer more unique energy services for homeowners in the years to come. With an altruistic outlook for low carbon emission & reusable energy, look for Allen & AMP Smart to continue to work in tandem with world leaders to install solar across the country.

Kennedy Anderson

Kennedy Anderson is a New Zealand based serial entrepreneur best known as the founder of New Zealand’s largest direct-to-consumer Teeth Whitening company — The Whitening Co. The Auckland, New Zealand native is also the founder of Kollab, which Anderson founded in September 2017. After a few years of growth, Kollab was acquired by eCommerce Firm Glass Elephant in 2020. Following the merger, Anderson has shifted his focus on expanding The Whitening Co. into various other emerging markets, such as The United States & various European countries. In his free time, Anderson enjoys working on his latest venture, Kontent & Co — which is a New Zealand based production & marketing firm geared toward helping brands scale and grow digitally.

Terry Kilakos

Terry Kilakos is a Canadian Mortgage Professional with over 17 years of mortgage lending experience. He sits as the Principal & Founder of Northeast Real Estate & Mortgage, a top-producing Multi-Disciplinary agency in the Canadian Marketplace. Kilakos also explained as a Multi-Disciplinary, his organization is licensed to sell Financial, Real Estate, & Mortgage products giving his organization’s licensed brokers more access to marketplace needs by aligning with other talents in-house. Kilakos and his organization have been able to shift with Quantitative tightening through seller credits & other forms of discounts to offset higher MTI on both residential and commercial property purchases for their clients. In the future, Kilakos is considering business expansion into other industries, potentially in the South Florida area. To learn more about Terry Kilakos and Northeast Real Estate & Mortgage, click here.

Brian D. Evans

Brian D. Evans is an American entrepreneur & the founder of BDE Ventures —A Top Advertising and Marketing Agency that now serves as a Web3 Venture Studio and Advisory firm. The ‘40 Under 40’ entrepreneur has founded, advised and consulted multiple companies in various industries & verticals such as eCommerce, SaaS Platforms, NFTs, Blockchain, AI, Marketing, and many more. Brian recently starred in “The Next Crypto Gem” as 1 of the 3 main judges alongside Layah Heilpern and George (CryptosRUs). Brian’s marketing & consulting agency made the Inc. 500 list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America and was one of the Top 25 Advertising and Marketing Companies in America. As a leading professional in the Web3 & Crypto sector, look for Evans to continue to scale and grow his organization BDE Ventures.

Amanda Cruz

Amanda Cruz is an American Real Estate Professional based out of New Jersey. The luxury agent primarily focuses on Monmouth County, one of New Jersey’s most pristine areas for unique & extraordinary beachfront homes. In her career, Cruz has successfully done over $70,000,000+ in transactions via successfully sold listings. As a knowledgeable and well-known real estate professional, Cruz has developed a team around her known as The Amanda Cruz Group, Brokered by EXP Realty. The group focuses on selling and aligning their high net-worth clients with some of the most desirable properties New Jersey has to offer. Amanda shared that with higher interest rates in 2023, her team has successfully been able to operate at a high level stating, “Although rates have risen, demand within the area has remained high due to lack of inventory.”  In the future, Cruz is excited to continue to grow her Real Estate team & expand into other surrounding markets in the New Jersey area.

Tasos Chasekioglou

Tasos Chasekioglou is a Greek American Business professional and hospitality entrepreneur. His current organization, Chef Tasos Luxury Catering, offers a white glove exclusive culinary & hospitality experience to high-level qualified individuals both domestically and internationally. Over the last few years, Chasekioglou’s firm has proliferated amongst wealthy South Floridians as the go-to events and large gathering catering. Tasos believes that in the future, the culinary and hospitality industry will continue to grow, especially at his company’s main locative service area which is Miami, Florida. With the shift of wealth and corporations moving from New York to Miami, Tasos is ready for an influx of private dinners and venues for high-level exclusive individuals that desire a full concierge experience. To learn more about Tasos Chasekioglou & his company Chef Tasos Luxury Catering, click here.

Jace Russell

Jace Russell is an American Entrepreneur based out of Huntington Beach, California. Jace sits as the Chief Executive Officer of Off Grid USA — A solar service provider focused on reducing energy costs with a proprietary advanced solar setup filled with cost savings & additional federal tax credits. Russell & his organization are currently focused on expanding their footprint in Long Island, New York — A market Jace feels has lots of opportunities. With Quantitative Tightening having its effect on financing, Russell shares that there have been no hiccups for consumer purchases. This has much to do with the extended federal tax credit for solar installation & the monthly cost savings homeowners receive once installation has been completed.

Devon Walden

Devon Walden is an American Real Estate Professional & Short-term rental expert based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. In his successful career, Walden has accomplished remarkable achievements, such as accumulating multiple short-term rentals under management & flips with only a few years of experience. Walden shares that he has successfully been able to maneuver rate hikes with his real estate portfolio by focusing refinancing and scheduling bonus depreciation on his short term rental portfolio. The successful investor loves to share his insight and mentorship in his program called — Infinite Routes, which helps inspired real estate investors to learn everything they need to know to be successful in the short-term real estate market. In the future, Devon is looking forward to continuing to expand his short-term rental portfolio in other domestic markets in the United States & continue to help his students in his mentorship program Infinite Routes.

Amanda Stein

Amanda Stein is an American entrepreneur and founder of Ellis Stein Group, LLC. Recognized in 2018 as one of the Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class, a Forbes Agency Council contributor, and a mother of four. Known for providing personalized solutions and establishing long-term and close relationships with her clients, she and her team have fine-tuned their business to manage a wide portfolio of projects, including defining and enforcing best practices for all aspects of the business, building and executing digital marketing strategies combining content curation, paid advertising, community management, and improving measurable key performance indicators for clients. Stein is excited to continue building Ellis Stein Group LLC and creating winning campaigns with her clients, which span from Small Businesses, eCommerce, and D2C Enterprise Level organizations. To learn more about Amanda or Ellis Stein Group LLC, click here.

Amy Gregory

Amy Gregory is an American Real Estate Professional based out of Phoenix, Arizona. As an experienced Real Estate Agent with over 20 years of experience, Gregory has been able to make strides in her career and be noted as one of the top agents in her area. Amy is also the founder of Powerhouse Real Estate Group — Which is a team of agents under Gregory’s management. With much success, Amy shares that her team has been able to grow their business due to a focus on digital marketing, something she shares is still an undervalued controlled communication vertical in the real estate industry. In the future, Amy is looking forward to continuing to grow her team and helping buyers and sellers in the Arizona real estate market.

Kate Parkhomenko

Kate Parkhomenko is a Canadian Real Estate Professional based out of Toronto, Canada. In her career, Parkhomenko has done over 100M in transactions spanning over a 15-year tenure thus far. The successful broker is the Co-founder of the Parkhomenko team, which is ranked as the 4th largest team by volume under brokerage HomeLife. As a likable personality, Kate has been able to grow her team and real estate business one relationship at a time. Kate specializes in build to own & or new developments in both domestic and international markets spanning from cities and municipalities in Canada all the way to Costa Rica & Dominican Republic. In the future, look for Parkhomenko to continue to grow her real estate business and be a loving mother to her two wonderful children.

Gianna Apostolski

Gianna Apostolski is the Founder & CEO of Split VIP Agency – A top-class event management & VIP Hospitality company based in Croatia. The successful entrepreneur has years of experience in the field of VIP hospitality, Public Relations and Event Management. Gianna prides herself on maintaining stellar relationships with her clients, approaching each client individually and creating a unique range of services for them that meets their requirements and expectations. Unwavering enthusiasm, relentless positivity and down to earth nature are the hallmarks of Gianna’s success. In the future, look for Apostolski to continue to grow her organization and expand her footprint as a well-known expert in VIP Hospitality.

https://wallstreettimes.com/top-entrepreneurs-you-should-follow-in-2023/