Cryptocurrency news that mattered most in 2019

2019 has been a crazy year for cryptocurrency news.

Bitcoin reached highs of $14,000 before crashing back down, Facebook announced the development of its own cryptocurrency called Libra, and the OneCoin ‘Cryptoqueen’ has seemingly disappeared with billions of pounds worth of investor funds.

Despite some negative price action in the second half of the year, questions about the space haven’t slowed down. Some of the most searched terms this year included “What is cryptocurrency?”, “How do you trade cryptocurrency?”, and “How do you invest in cryptocurrency?”.

Some of Coin Rivet’s biggest news stories throughout 2019 reflect that people are interested in making money, staying safe, and taking inspiration.

Below, we take a look at the cryptocurrency news that mattered most to you this year.

BitMEX millionaire ‘TheBoot’ on turning $4k into $3m trading Bitcoin

Our biggest cryptocurrency news story this year was centred around crypto trader ‘TheBoot’ revealing how he turned half a Bitcoin into more than 300. Telling Coin Rivet that there is “no magic pill” to success in the cryptocurrency space, he highlighted that theoretical knowledge and emotional control were two factors he considered important.

Read the story now to discover some important advice for newcomers in the world of trading, how Bitcoin Cash helped TheBoot to turn a profit, and what he thinks the future of cryptocurrency holds.

John McAfee on the run from US authorities

Who could forget that this was the year John and Janice McAfee went on the run from US authorities after they were indicted for tax fraud?

Not only was this one of our most read news stories throughout 2019, our exclusive video interview with the couple hit over 20,000 views.

Find out why Mr McAfee told the IRS that he wouldn’t be filing a tax return, how members of his presidential election campaign were impacted, and why he issued a cry for support from the cryptocurrency world.

Trader closes $34 million Bitcoin short position following reversal signal

It’s been a turbulent year for Bitcoin. The world’s largest cryptocurrency rose from lows of $3,500 to highs of $14,000 before dropping back down again.

Trading signals have been more important than ever before, and purchase decisions have had a huge impact on the market. Back in April, we reported that the amount of Bitcoin short positions on Bitfinex fell by 20% overnight.

This dramatic fall saw 23,000 Bitcoin being held in short positions overnight drop to just 6,500 being held in the same positions a few hours later. While Bitcoin has moved between now and then, signals such as reversals are critical to keep an eye on.

User loses four Bitcoin on the Lightning Network

There’s nothing crypto users fear more than losing their Bitcoin. Whether it’s through the loss of a private key, a hack on an exchange, or just a number of bugs, there’s nothing worse than being told that your Bitcoin is gone.

But this is exactly what happened to Reddit user ZipoTm, who lost four Bitcoin on the Lightning Network. Although the network has been touted as the solution to Bitcoin’s scaling dilemma, it’s clear that users should proceed with caution.

Find out how this user lost four Bitcoin, if the Lightning Network did much to help him, and what caused the loss.

16-year-old wins $3 million playing Fortnite

eSports is following cryptocurrency by becoming another booming industry that gives participants the chance to make money. Although it’s not cryptocurrency news, a 16-year-old winning $3 million by playing Fortnite certainly struck a chord with our readers!

Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf placed first in the solo tournament rankings at the Fortnite World Cup Finals, earning himself more money than Tiger Woods did for winning the Masters golf championship.

Read his story and discover why eSports is becoming such a prominent industry.

We can’t wait to see what 2020 will bring for the world of cryptocurrency. If you want to keep up to date with the latest news, follow us on Twitter!