11 crypto influencers you need to be following in 2020

Cloudbet brings you 11 influencers that we reckon you should be following if you aren’t already.

At no time in history has our collective attention been so assailed by a daily deluge of distractions. Many of them come from our smartphone, which happens to be the first thing we look at when we wake and the last thing we stare at before sleep.

Of course, some distractions are more gratifying than others.

If you’re plugged into the weird and wonderful world of crypto, these can take the form of YouTube channels, podcasts, newsletters, blogs and, of course, the Twitter feed that your thumb just can’t get enough of.

Given the speed at which the cryptocurrency sector moves, the ascent of so-called “influencers” has been predictable: our thirst for news, trends and tips is all-consuming, driving us into the arms of industry movers and shakers who wield influence and dispense wisdom.

In no particular order, here are 11 influencers we reckon you should be following if you aren’t already - and a bunch of links to everyone's Twitter feed.

Ivan on Tech

Ivan on Tech, aka Ivan Liljeqvist, is a fresh-faced Swedish content creator who parlayed his infectious passion for crypto into 250,000 YouTube subscribers. The tagline of Ivan’s YouTube channel is “All About Blockchain”, and since 2017 he has used the platform as a forum to discuss interesting crypto projects, price movements in bitcoin (BTC) and ethereum (ETH), banking news, and everything in between. Ivan’s influence is such that he’s even been invited to give keynote addresses at blockchain summits and host workshops, and he recently started an academy for aspiring blockchain developers.

Chris Dunn

Chris Dunn’s channel is dedicated to helping viewers “learn skills to thrive in today’s economy”. While crypto isn’t always on the agenda, the savvy investor certainly keeps a close eye on the industry and fashions his content accordingly, with subscribers tuning in for market updates, interviews and informal discussions. Of his 10 most recent videos, seven concern crypto – mostly bitcoin.

Crypto Bobby

“An average dude with a background in enterprise tech, who loves talking about cryptocurrency and blockchain” – that’s Crypto Bobby in a nutshell. If you can get past the ubiquitous ‘Crypto’ prefix, you might enjoy what the eponymous creator has to say, whether he’s discussing bitcoin pumps, crypto hacks, the effect of Covid-19 on the markets, or working in the blockchain industry. CB doesn’t tend to churn out as much content as other YouTubers (he’s busy running tech recruitment firm Proof of Talent), but it’s definitely a case of quality over quantity.

Data Dash

Founded by fintech obsessive Nicholas Merten, Data Dash breaks down the endless crypto noise into substantive material. Geared towards active investors and traders rather than the everyman (although the layman might find certain videos interesting), Data Dash has amassed well over 300,000 subscribers due to its frequent updates which include newsworthy content and cutting-edge crypto trading tutorials.

MMCrypto

Christopher Jaszczynski is an on-chain analyst and all-round crypto good guy from Germany, whose MMCrypto channel boasts over 80,000 subscribers. Although Chris mainly focuses on bitcoin, he’s also produced video tutorials and predictions, altcoin reviews and interviews with industry figures. Like many of his fellow crypto YouTubers, Chris’s goal is to bring blockchain and crypto into the mainstream.

The Moon

For rigorous crypto chart analysis, few creators wield as much influence as Carl Martin Runefelt, aka The Moon, who has racked up over 19 million views within three short years. Though he looks like someone who might pack your bags at the supermarket, it turns out that Runefelt is actually very knowledgeable about the markets, trading strategies and much more. Recently, Runefeld and Jaszczynski collaborated on each other’s channels to discuss the fundamentals of Ethereum and developments in the world of defi.

Lark Davis

Whether discussing Wall Street’s perspective on bitcoin, the altcoin market, wider macro matters, Elrond’s defi ecosystem, bitcoin predictions or emerging blockchain projects, Lark Davis brings the same good cheer and keen eye. His larger than life personality has seen him rack up almost 15 million views, although he is a YouTube veteran compared to many others on this list, having launched his channel in 2009.

Incidentally, here's Cloudbet's recent look at defi and a few ways you may be able to use it to make some money.

Crypto Crow

Crypto Crow’s interests are a little wider than some other influencers on this list: he’s made his fair share of videos about bitcoin, sure, but he’s just as likely to wax lyrical about blockchain gaming, Cardano or Ripple. Jason Appleton’s channel is worth following if you’re similarly fascinated by wider market developments.

Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt (TFTC) is a crypto-themed podcast hosted by Marty Bent and Matt Odell, the former of whom also writes a daily newsletter centred on Bitcoin (Marty’s Bent). Engaging, humorous and thought-provoking, TFTC has attracted over 180 guests since it launched three years ago, including everyone from the likes of Zap, Inc. founder Jack Mallers and Useful Tulips creator Matt Ahlborg.

Unchained - Laura Shin

The Unchained Podcast releases new episodes on a weekly basis and attracts some of the industry’s most compelling figures, from Vitalik Buterin (one of the the co-creators of Ethereum) and David Chaum (computer scientist and cryptography pioneer) to Mike Novogratz (billionaire ex-hedge fund investor and bitcoin bull) and Aaron van Wirdum (respected bitcoin journalist; technical editor at Bitcoin Magazine). Hosted by independent crypto journalist Laura Shin, Unchained has been on the go since 2016 and is popular among listeners who prefer to hear different and unique perspectives.

Anthony Pompliano

Anthony Pompliano needs no introduction in the crypto world. An outspoken serial investor and bitcoin maximalist, the man known as “Pomp” hosts his own podcast with over 350 episodes now on the books and runs a popular YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers. A founder and partner at hedge fund Morgan Creek Digital, Pomp writes a daily newsletter geared towards institutional investors in the crypto industry and regularly appears on television preaching the good word about bitcoin.

This may not be the most recent clip, but here he is duking it out with bitcoin bear Kevin O'Leary (Shark Tank's (self-?)professed "Mr Wonderful") covering a lot of the bitcoin basics pre-halving, as well as here on CNN addressing some of the issues around Covid-19.

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