The implication of this attack is clear: Every unprotected account is a potential vulnerability. As attackers refine their tactics, integrating 2FA and other robust security measures is no longer optional — but a critical component of your cybersecurity strategy.

Microsoft’s Password Spray and Pray Attack: A Wake-Up Call for 2FA Adoption

Chicago, IL – February 19, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: SoundHound AI, Inc.

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights SoundHound, NVIDIA, Nebius, Alphabet and Chipotle Mexican Grill

The latest Neue Klasse concept hints at the future of BMW M, including a central computer that BMW calls the "Heart of Joy."

See the BMW Vision Driving Experience from Every Angle

Samsung, ASUS and AOC represent some of the best UK Deals on gaming monitors right now

Amazon Has A Gaming Monitor For Every Budget With These UK Deals - IGN

This Is A List Of The Worst-performing Equity Mutual Funds Over Every Possible The Worst Performing Mutual Funds Of 2023 | Mutual Fund Rankings.

Five-Star Business Finance allots 8.28 lakh equity shares under ASOS | Capital Market News

Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will now lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues.

US, EU and UK stock markets hit by global trade war fears as JPMorgan says Trump administration may be ‘business unfriendly’ – as it happened | Business | The Guardian

With the January transfer window closed, see what each Premier League club did and rate how you think each side did.

January transfer window: Every Premier League transfer and rate how each club did - BBC Sport

This infographic has made it simpler, offering a fresh perspective by comparing cybersecurity to the human body.

Human Body Meets Cybersecurity: How Every Part Plays A Role

Every

every

A good old friend has left the company he had worked for five years. As he said, amazing five years. And when he left, this time and for the first time, he left a farewell celebration, as a song. It’s a song that you can listen, in Portuguese, and the lyrics are translated to English at the end. It went on like this: Another book has come to an end. Together, the conquest, the arrival, mission accomplished. But too, the missing, the trajectory, that good vibe. Another book has come to an end. Together, the conquest, the arrival, mission accomplished. But too, the missing, the trajectory, that good vibe. https://www.udio.com/songs/8T8sTSAa8jS7s1Du8qAjUq?embedable=true https://www.udio.com/songs/8T8sTSAa8jS7s1Du8qAjUq?embedable=true So, that is how he started, his reflective moment. And there are other great ones like that, or done as a reflection or meditation. But to me, as a writer for life, I am following along with my friend here. We know about the book of our lives, I know. But having him see his job’s mission, like a book, he had taken me back to that great way to see our work relationships like books, or like a Tour of Duty if you will. With that, and following along, I ask him and us: reflection or meditation. Tour of Duty Why Not Write a Book? I say this because you said it first. I agree that another book was closed, and what’s next is a book, too. So, as for what’s next, to you and me and to us, I ask, and remind us too, why not write an actual book? you Because with a book, you can move forward. You could really use some time like that, couldn’t you? Could you be sponsored or protected by your own Foundation? So, there we are, allow me to celebrate: what a chance to learn, and to make progress. what a chance to learn, and to make progress. What a chance for you, perhaps, to be closer to that kind of reflective writing that I know matters a lot to you. And as well, to be closer to that very audience that listens to you, the ones who make decisions, the same ones who need to make decisions with good thoughts. With a book, you are too solving a problem — any problem — as you always do, naturally. But it’s interesting too because with a book you may not even need a specific problem. Maybe just a theme is enough. The book takes care of itself, the book unfolds from the theme. With a book, I know, too, that whatever your next book is, it will also help you address those other challenges in the realm of our internal journey. It takes care of a problem for the outer and the things of our inner world. What is interesting about the book is that we know or feel them quite close to us, don’t we? Even if it often feels far away. It’s mixed. And although it may seem lonely, it’s not; we know it too. How a book is such a collaborative journey with the world. It’s a good place to be there, through the journey. A good place and a meaningful duty to commit to. With so many things happening right now, right next to us — on the outside, we know  — and inside too, sometimes thinking about a book can be overwhelming, I know. But, a great writer, Dorothea Brande, in 1934, wrote that “you can write about anything which has been vivid enough to cause you to comment upon it.” This is it, isn’t it? The things we want to comment, the things we want to sing, or yell sometimes too. This is a bit of how I walk now. Watching out, trying to be sensitive to these little sprouts of comments on my way. Comments I used to pass by, missing them, stepping on them. But they were there, and are there: small sprouts trying to break through, to rise, from our fertile garden. Those little things are the links to that vivid enough underlying thing, sometimes huge. It’s worth pouring water and words. Through writing. So I wish you, today, to write an actual book. But if that book of yours doesn’t materialize as a book that looks like a book, yet one thing we have agreed with, already. It will always be a book. Prólogo [Prologue] by Concept ACK [verse] [verse] Another book has come to an endThat mixed, unique, and confused tasteTogether, the conquest, the arrival, mission accomplished Another book has come to an endThat mixed, unique, and confused tasteTogether, the conquest, the arrival, mission accomplished And too, I miss, that trajectory, that good vibe. And too, I miss, that trajectory, that good vibe. So what's the next? So what's the next? [chorus] [chorus] This one is over, what will come next?“All things must pass,” GH tells me This one is over, what will come next?“All things must pass,” GH tells me So much coherence... So much coherence... [verse] [verse] A fresh start not in a hurry, A fresh start not in a hurry, Prologue!After a farewell without bitterness, a see you laterClean inventory, zero hours, no XP...Which class should I choose? Prologue!After a farewell without bitterness, a see you laterClean inventory, zero hours, no XP...Which class should I choose? [intermission][humming la-la-la] [intermission][humming la-la-la] [bridge]In the six-one rhythmThe meter suppresses the pawn... the queen, the bishopNot cool, guys, living by the card? Not cool...What's next? [bridge]In the six-one rhythmThe meter suppresses the pawn... the queen, the bishopNot cool, guys, living by the card? Not cool...What's next? [verse]Today, headphones have given way to the speakerThe sound fills my office...now it's a studioWithout a gold chain, but with historyWho’s going to turn off the light?It's not so dark anymore [verse]Today, headphones have given way to the speakerThe sound fills my office...now it's a studioWithout a gold chain, but with historyWho’s going to turn off the light?It's not so dark anymore [chorus]A sprint without a backlogThe coffee is in another kitchenThe guitar came off the wallThe cursor blinks on the first line [chorus]A sprint without a backlogThe coffee is in another kitchenThe guitar came off the wallThe cursor blinks on the first line Credits: Prologue, by Concept ACK Prologue, by Concept ACK

Every Job Is a Book, Isn't It? 

Welcome to MTP Business Boost — a series of expert publications filled with real-world strategies, transforming complex ideas into simple, actionable advice you can apply immediately (MTP stands for Marketing, Technology, and Psychology). In just 9 minutes, you’ll uncover how AI isn’t just adapting marketing communication for different generations—it’s giving businesses the power to dominate. By leveraging AI-driven personalization and precision, you can craft messages that resonate deeply, drive higher engagement, maximize conversions, and secure long-term customer loyalty. The result? Reduced costs, a stronger competitive edge, and undeniable market leadership. Personalization isn’t just a trend—it’s an expectation. A McKinsey study found that 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% feel frustrated when companies fail to deliver them. This frustration often leads to lost sales and weakened brand loyalty. On the flip side, companies that embrace personalization can see revenue increases of 5-15% and a boost in marketing ROI by 10-30%. Without it, businesses risk inefficiencies in customer acquisition and retention, ultimately falling behind their competitors (source). source source Before you dive in, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next expert insights packed with practical recommendations. Let’s get started! Weekend on a Yacht and Unexpected Consequences Weekend on a Yacht and Unexpected Consequences The golden hues of the Sydney sunrise painted the glass towers in warm amber as Alex leaned back in his sleek office chair, staring at the analytics report on his screen. His IT startup, a promising SaaS company specializing in cybersecurity solutions, had been steadily growing. But now, the data revealed an unexpected challenge—his customer base spanned multiple generations, each responding differently to marketing messages. What worked for Gen Z seemed irrelevant to Boomers, and Millennials had their own distinct preferences. Frustration crept in. How could he fine-tune his communication without hiring a team of specialists or overhauling his entire strategy? The budget was tight, the stakes were high, and he couldn’t afford to misstep. Just then, his phone buzzed. It was Daniel, an old friend and fellow entrepreneur, but leagues ahead in the game—seasoned, successful, and always three steps ahead. "Mate, your voice sounds tense. You need to unwind. Come spend the weekend on my yacht. A little time away will do you good." Alex hesitated. Leaving work for an entire weekend? Now? But something about Daniel’s tone made him reconsider. And so, with a mix of reluctance and curiosity, Alex accepted. The Sydney Harbour shimmered under the midday sun, a dazzling contrast to the deep blue waters. As Alex stepped onto Daniel’s sleek, state-of-the-art yacht—a floating masterpiece of luxury—he felt an unexpected sense of release. Polished teak, crisp ocean air, and the gentle lapping of waves made the city’s worries feel miles away. Over gourmet seafood and a chilled bottle of vintage Chardonnay, Alex shared his predicament. Daniel listened, nodding knowingly. "You’re making it harder than it needs to be," he finally said. "AI can handle this in minutes. It can analyze generational preferences, tailor messaging to their values and interests, and ensure each group receives communication that truly resonates." Alex raised an eyebrow. AI? Sure, his company used machine learning for cybersecurity, but for marketing? Daniel smirked, pulled out his tablet, and with a few taps, demonstrated how AI could segment audiences, adapt messaging for different generations, and align content with their unique expectations and behaviors. The next morning, back in his office, Alex hesitated for only a second before trying it himself. Within minutes, AI had analyzed his customer segments, optimized messaging for each generation, and provided actionable insights. It was effortless. It was powerful. And it worked. As he leaned back, a satisfied grin spread across his face. This wasn’t just a solution—it was a revelation. For the first time in weeks, he felt in control, ahead of the curve. And to think, it all started with a simple phone call and a weekend on a yacht. Winning Every Generation: AI-Powered Messaging Guide Let’s take an example and see how to adapt a marketing message for different generations. We’ll use a sample ad from a hypothetical SaaS company offering a sales automation product. Here’s the original marketing message: Boost your sales like never before with the ultimate SaaS solution for automating your pipeline! Say goodbye to manual follow-ups and hello to smart workflows that save you time and close deals faster. With AI-powered insights, you’ll know exactly when to reach out to prospects for maximum impact. Try it today and watch your revenue soar in just weeks. Sign up for a free 14-day trial – no credit card required! I recommend taking your own marketing message, following the steps below, and applying them right away. This way, you’ll put the knowledge into practice and see results quickly. Go to chatgpt.com Go to chatgpt.com chatgpt.com 2. Paste the following instruction for the AI and press Enter: Hello. You are a world-class expert in effective marketing communications. I need help adapting the following advertising message for optimal reception by my audience, which consists of the Baby Boomer generation. Hello. You are a world-class expert in effective marketing communications. I need help adapting the following advertising message for optimal reception by my audience, which consists of the Baby Boomer generation. Boost your sales like never before with the ultimate SaaS solution for automating your pipeline! Say goodbye to manual follow-ups and hello to smart workflows that save you time and close deals faster. With AI-powered insights, you’ll know exactly when to reach out to prospects for maximum impact. Try it today and watch your revenue soar in just weeks. Sign up for a free 14-day trial – no credit card required! Boost your sales like never before with the ultimate SaaS solution for automating your pipeline! Say goodbye to manual follow-ups and hello to smart workflows that save you time and close deals faster. With AI-powered insights, you’ll know exactly when to reach out to prospects for maximum impact. Try it today and watch your revenue soar in just weeks. Sign up for a free 14-day trial – no credit card required! Instead of “Baby Boomer,” you can swap in the generation your customers belong to: The Silent Generation (born 1928–1945)


Gen X (born 1965–1980)


Millennials, Gen Y (born 1981–1996)


Zoomers, Gen Z (born 1997–2012)


Gen Alpha (born 2013–2025) The Silent Generation (born 1928–1945) The Silent Generation (born 1928–1945) Gen X (born 1965–1980) Gen X (born 1965–1980) Millennials, Gen Y (born 1981–1996) Millennials, Gen Y (born 1981–1996) Zoomers, Gen Z (born 1997–2012) Zoomers, Gen Z (born 1997–2012) Gen Alpha (born 2013–2025) Gen Alpha (born 2013–2025) Here’s how the AI adapted the message for the Baby Boomer generation: 3. You can also ask the AI to explain why the adapted message works for that generation. Use this instruction: Write a detailed argument explaining why this advertising text is suitable for the generation of my clients. Write a detailed argument explaining why this advertising text is suitable for the generation of my clients. Here’s how the AI explained it in our example: 4. Now, let’s ask the AI to adapt the message for another generation, like Gen Y (born 1981–1996): Now, adapt this advertising message for Generation Y and explain why it is effective specifically for this generation. Now, adapt this advertising message for Generation Y and explain why it is effective specifically for this generation. The AI will also explain why the message fits Gen Y. 5. You can also have the AI adapt the message for all generations at once to compare them: Adapt this advertising message for all generations and present the results in a table format Adapt this advertising message for all generations and present the results in a table format 6. Plus, you can get the table as an Excel file: Generate this table in Excel format Generate this table in Excel format Besides Excel, the AI can provide the results in CSV or PDF formats. 7. You can also ask the AI for specific tips on communicating with your customers’ generation. In our example, try this instruction: Write the most effective recommendations for communication with the Baby Boomer generation. My product is a sales automation service Write the most effective recommendations for communication with the Baby Boomer generation. My product is a sales automation service 8. To make your communication with clients as effective as possible and avoid missteps, ask the AI: What mistakes should be avoided in communication with the Baby Boomer generation and why? What mistakes should be avoided in communication with the Baby Boomer generation and why? 9. After getting a lot of information from the AI, you can ask it to summarize everything into a handy PDF: Summarize all the information in this dialogue and present it in PDF format Summarize all the information in this dialogue and present it in PDF format Here’s what the AI-generated PDF might include: Extra Tips With AI, you can adapt almost any type of marketing communication: emails, Google Ads, social media posts, sales proposals, landing page content, and more. If you have data on your customers’ ages, you can group them by generation and make your communication even more personal and targeted. For example, if your email list has 100,000 subscribers—30,000 from Gen X and 70,000 from Gen Y—a single generic email might not work as well as two versions tailored to each generation. Now you know how to do this with AI, and it only takes a few minutes! Test the results to see the impact of adapting your marketing for specific generations. For instance, when sending an email, create two versions and check which one gets better conversions. Summary In this article, you’ve learned how to easily and quickly adapt your communication with clients based on the psychological perception of the generation they belong to. If the knowledge you gained from this article has been valuable and helpful to you, you can show your appreciation to the author by making a donation via this link or giving a like and sharing it. this link this link Would you also like to learn more about how AI can be used to grow your business and increase your market share? Feel free to leave your questions in the comments! About the Author Gene Misiev is a marketing expert with over seven years of experience in digital marketing. He thrives in highly competitive "red ocean" B2B markets. His focus is on growth marketing, market research, and strategic development for a complex SaaS product—a tender platform for government and private procurement. He has completed advanced training in Strategic Marketing and Generative AI applications in business at the Institute of Applied Technology (Australia). He has also undertaken specialized courses in leveraging ChatGPT for business and marketing automation. See You in the Next Issue Thanks for reading! Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next publication, which will bring even more insights to help you expand your business empire with the power of marketing, technology and psychology.

Want to Boost Your Sales? AI Knows Exactly How to Speak to Every Generation

The tech industry is at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation. Everywhere you turn, someone's talking about disruption, transformation, or unlocking new possibilities – but the truth is, not every new tech trend aligns with actual user needs. And as product managers, we would do well to remember that the innovation should always serve the customer, not the trend. Last week, I was invited to share my experiences of leading product at companies working with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the new iteration of the internet focussed on data ownership (web3) on a Product People webinar. Using a few examples from my career, I argued for ignoring the hype and focussing on solving real user needs – aligned, of course, to business objectives – when introducing AI or web3 into the product. Product People webinar Understanding the temptation Understanding the temptation Of course, it's tempting to jump on the bandwagon. After all, if everyone is hyped up about something, shouting about how it's going to change the world, that energy can be contagious. Even more so in the tech sector, where we're all afraid of missing out on the next big thing. So whether it's accepting crypto or integrating AI tools, there's often pressure – from consumers, from leaders, from investors, hell, even from ourselves – to "do something with the trend". But here's the catch – just because we have access to a new technology doesn't mean it makes sense for our users. A cautionary example is the way businesses have been introducing AI chatbots. Sure, you can now say that you're AI-powered, but how is the experience for your typical user? Far too often, poorly executed chatbots frustrate users rather than helping. Instead of enhancing their interaction with your product, it can lead to friction as they struggle to get access to human support agents. In other words, adding AI just for the sake of it can end up alienating the very users it's meant to serve. It's not all about the tech It's not all about the tech This tends to happen because we get so caught up in the possibilities of the technology that we forget the most important thing, what problem are we solving? This is especially relevant when we talk about driving adoption of new technologies. technology what problem are we solving I was once on a panel with a woman who'd been an early adopter of Bitcoin and blockchain-based currencies more generally, and she drew a comparison with the success of Skype and no one caring about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The underlying technology is secondary. Its main purpose is helping you achieve your goals quickly and easily. Skype helped connect you to relatives across the world without paying exorbitant fees, that's the value. helping you achieve your goals quickly and easily that's The other interesting thing to highlight from my fellow panellist's observation is that, of course, it benefits from hindsight. We know (as we knew then) what problems Skype was solving, but we didn't know at the time whether the Skype protocol would win over the other variations of protocols being developed. I must admit that I don't know the history in detail, but I would hazard a guess that user experience had something to do with Skype's ultimate success. hindsight didn't In the same way, blockchain is just the facilitator[1]. Of course, there are significant advantages in terms of security and permanence, but ultimately, it's about the problem it's solving for users. And right now, it's lacking on the user experience side, though we have made great strides in improving this. I'm personally a firm believer that blockchain, crypto, NFTs, and especially AI do add value, but my overarching point is that we as product managers need to look past the technology and solve for users. have do Uncovering the "why" Uncovering the "why" As such, when it comes to our users, we need to get to know them so well that we can anticipate their needs and build solutions without worrying about the underlying technology. There's the often-quoted Henry Ford statement that if he had asked user what they wanted, they would've said a faster horse. While it's unlikely that he actually said this, not the least because he didn't actually invent the car, the quote conveys an important point about the user need state to (a) get somewhere faster and (b) to be able to afford it. Ford's invention, therefore, becomes the solution to a very specific problem – getting from point A to point B more efficiently. without worrying about the underlying technology Therefore, it's always a good idea to take a step back and ask a simple question: why? Why are we adding [insert feature here]? If you can't answer in a way that addresses a key business objective, whether that's increased revenue, improved retention, better engagement, or whatever else, through a better customer experience, it's time to reconsider. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and think that blockchain or AI or some other new technology is the magical silver bullet solution, but you can't lose sight of what you're trying to achieve – both as a business and as the product with the customer top-of-mind. why The benefits of web3 and AI The benefits of web3 and AI So what benefits are there in web3 and AI? Of course, we haven't yet reached the mass adoption of, say, Skype circa 2013, and it remains to be seen whether we will from a consumer side. From the consumer side, there's a disconnect between the promise (store of value) and the reality (speculation) of crypto, as well as the promise (owning IP) as well as the reality (again, speculation) of NFTs – so while the technology is innovative, the why hasn’t been fully addressed, at least not for consumers. But blockchain is already being used in government and business applications. Estonian and American government bodies, for example, are using the KSI blockchain for protecting privacy and security. Governments and big companies store value in bitcoin. are consumer side why is And then when we think about AI, it's more of the same. Maybe we haven't quite identified the overarching why of consumer AI, though in my personal opinion, it's just a matter of time before mass adoption for the simplification of mundane tasks (my mother regularly uses DeepL to check her English, neurodiverse acquaintances swear by ChatGPT for tackling simple emails that would otherwise take hours, etc). From a business perspective, however, AI is already embedded into our meeting software, into collaboration tools, and even into the core of software development through tools like GitHub Copilot, with more use cases added daily. why Knowing when to pivot Knowing when to pivot A few years ago, I was working with a company that encountered this very problem – it failed to find product market fit among consumers, but found it for businesses. This was a mission-driven crypto startup focussed on bringing Bitcoin to emerging markets as a hedge against inflation. We gamified the experience, rewarding users with small amounts of bitcoin for engaging with the platform. On paper, this seemed like a great way to build user engagement, but the reality was that this didn't support our business goals long term. consumers businesses Given the market and the industry, we had to do everything by the book – complying with regulation, receiving the necessary licenses, partnering with banks and authorities. This was not without its challenges, often financial. It quickly became apparent that our target audience wasn't able to sustain our growth ambitions, and while target users were using us to earn bitcoin, we weren't seeing enough traction in terms of transactions to make any money off the exchange. Now, I was young, a bit naïve, and so committed to the mission as central to the product – in other words, the technology and the mission became inextricably entwined for me – that I left when the CEO decided to pivot, leveraging all our banking relationships and licenses to actually improve the experience of transferring money to more complicated regions using blockchain rails and our user-friendly UI. But with the wisdom of hindsight, I can admit that this use case actually solves a problem and adds value for users, and, from a business perspective, it's a clever repackaging of our existing tech and partner stack to solve a different problem for a different set of users. These new users don't care that the money transfers are cheap and convenient because of blockchain, they just care that they're cheap, secure, and get the funds to a heavily regulated market compliantly. because When technology becomes the solution to a problem that doesn't exist When technology becomes the solution to a problem that doesn't exist But it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes, we want to work the technology into the solution so much that the problem we're solving for users is forgotten. In another company I worked for, the founding mission was the ability to register Certificates of Authenticity for physical artworks on the blockchain as a permanent record, which matters to artists who want to track provenance. Blockchain was seen as a solution to the question of permanence, as well as security. The issue was adoption – this is an issue for the art world generally, why there isn't a single database of Certificates of Authenticity is that each artist, gallery, museum or whatever it may be issues their own, which makes it difficult to track and authenticate. So while there was a use case, the same issue pursued the startup, because in order for these Certificates to continue to exist as intended to, they needed to be transferred alongside the artwork. This was then complicated by the emergence of NFTs and our company's entry into the space, because NFTs were intended, first and foremost, to serve as proof of ownership in and of themselves – you own the NFT, therefore you own the underlying art, and any transactions are visible on the blockchain, therefore establishing provenance. However, instead of doubling down on the use case and pursuing the vision of establishing an immutable repository of Certificates, we focussed on the technology, and tried to certify NFTs alongside physical works. The logic being that NFTs can be faked, because it's easy to make an NFT with an underlying image that isn't your artwork – though, of course, NFTs track which address created the artwork, so the artists for whom this matters can prove or disprove authorship anyway. So how does this all reflect on the problem we were trying to solve? Well, the issue is that the decisions we were making (pursuing NFTs in parallel to certification) were contradicting the why of what we were doing (establishing authenticity of certification). And, of course, the big one – we were solving a very niche problem in a very complicated way, which prevented us from driving adoption by focussing on simplifying user needs. The main takeaway being, of course, that before getting too carried away with how to build the solution, determine whether the problem being solved matches your business objectives. simplifying Build or buy? Build or buy? To top it all off, there's the additional consideration of whether to build the solution yourself or to delegate the work to a third party. This becomes especially relevant when it concerns AI, because ownership of the underlying data model is a competitive advantage. In my current organisation, we have a number of products that are introducing AI-powered solutions that address specific user need states, such as manual and labour-intensive purchase invoicing. This kind of repetitive process with clear parameters is ripe for AI automation. Why AI? Because it needs to account for nuance in business operations, which is why attempting to address it with rule-based processing is not sufficient. But this kind of solution comes with additional considerations of tradeoffs (time-to-market versus long-term value, as well as who builds it and who handles the legal questions like data processing), all within the context of the breakneck pace of AI. nuance In Silverbucket, the product I am currently working on, there are many areas in which we can improve usability through AI, both internally and customer-facing. The important thing is to recognise what is actually relevant for us – for example, there's no need for us to screen "easy" customer service queries trained on our knowledge base, because we don't typically get any queries that don't require engineering. This then paves the way for a more comprehensive question of how to build AI assistants for our customers, because a simple AI chatbot for the sake of it is unnecessary. The main question that we need to answer when we think about how our solution addresses user needs is, how do we facilitate the user's intended result in the easiest way possible? As you can see, that last question doesn't say anything about AI – but in our day and age, this can very well end up being the answer, which is something that we're therefore obligated to explore as a potential (but not only) solution. how do we facilitate the user's intended result in the easiest way possible? Conclusion Conclusion The main takeaway is that companies need to solve real pain points, and the technology is just there as a facilitator. If we use it correctly, our users benefit; if we don't, we risk alienating them. The only thing we can really rely on is continuous discovery – watching users, speaking to them, looking at product analytics, exploring their need states, and understanding how to solve their problems, and this can be with or without web3, blockchain, AI or whatever new technology appears on the horizon. [1] I do want to sound a note of caution here, because AI is a bit of a different beast, the inputs do matter, because they can replicate existing inequalities or spread misinformation, but that's somewhat of a different conversation. do

Stop Jumping on Every Tech Trend—Real Innovation Always Puts Users First

Crypto is a wild ride—a gold rush where fortunes flip overnight. But here’s the dirty secret: when the market moons, you might not be the miner striking it rich. You could be the gold itself, mined by the big players. Welcome to "Exit Liquidity 101," where retail traders like you and me get chewed up by whales - those early investors with deep pockets and deeper tricks. This isn’t a conspiracy theory; it’s a playbook, and it’s running rampant in 2025. From Solana memecoins to overhyped Layer 1s, I’ve watched it unfold too many times to stay quiet. Let’s break it down, expose the traps, and figure out how to stop being the whale’s next meal. The Grift Explained: What Is Exit Liquidity? The Grift Explained: What Is Exit Liquidity? Picture this: a shiny new token launches - maybe it’s $TRUMP, riding Donald’s inauguration buzz, or a Solana memecoin with a cute mascot and moon promises. The price skyrockets, your X feed lights up with “100x gem” chatter, and you jump in, heart pounding with FOMO. TRUMP That’s when the trap snaps shut. “Exit liquidity” is the moment your money - new retail cash, floods the market, giving whales their chance to sell high and cash out. They walk away with millions; you’re left clutching a token that’s suddenly worth pennies. It’s not random. Whales often hold 70-80% of a token’s supply at launch. TRUMP insiders reportedly control 80% of its 1 billion coins. They bide their time, waiting for the hype to peak, then dump. Blockchain analysts pegged TRUMP’s insider profits at $100 million in trading fees alone when it hit $14.5 billion in January 2025, only to crash to $16 per coin by February. It’s clockwork: check any chart after a rally, and you’ll see the pattern: sharp spike, sharper drop. You’re not buying into a revolution; you’re funding their yacht. TRUMP TRUMP The Marketing Mirage: How They Reel You In The Marketing Mirage: How They Reel You In By the way, want to uncover the psychology behind the most successful crypto projects? Follow me on X! As a marketing pro, I dive deep into the industry’s manipulations and share insights you won’t find anywhere else. Follow me on X As you might know, for years I've been running a marketing agency that’s one of the biggest and most rated in the crypto industry. So I know for sure - none of this works without marketing. The puppet master pulling every string. Take TRUMP: launched in January 2025, it soared to $75 per coin, fueled by Trump’s name and a flood of X posts screaming “MAGA moon!” Or PNUT, which hit a $1 billion market cap on Solana with squirrel memes and “community” vibes. It feels organic—grassroots excitement, right? Wrong. It’s a mirage. Studies suggest up to 50% of crypto chatter on X is bot-driven, and paid influencers (those Key Opinion Leaders, or KOLs) amplify the noise for a paycheck. TRUMP PNUT I’ve seen it firsthand: X threads with thousands of likes, all pushing the same token, often from accounts with suspiciously perfect timing. Solana’s pump.fun platform churns out memecoins daily, each one cheap to launch, easy to shill, and brutal to hold when the hype fades. The branding’s clever, the airdrops are juicy, and the FOMO’s relentless—until the whale’s gone, and you’re stuck. pump.fun Real-World Rug Pulls: The Evidence Piles Up Real-World Rug Pulls: The Evidence Piles Up Let’s talk specifics. TRUMP was a textbook case: $14.5 billion peak in January 2025, then an 80% nosedive by February. Insiders held 800 million of its 1 billion tokens—80% locked up, giving them total control. Blockchain data showed top wallets dumping 50% of their stash at the top, pocketing millions while retail traders lost billions. Then there’s PNUT, Solana’s squirrel star. It hit $1 billion on meme hype, only to shed 60% in weeks as liquidity dried up. TRUMP PNUT BOME (Book of Meme) followed the same arc in March 2024. It soared to $800 million with X giveaways and meme contests, sucking in retail with promises of fun and profit. A week later, it crashed 70%. Whales exited early, leaving the “community” bagholding. Overhyped Layer 1s like Sui and Aptos had the pretty same path. Billed as “Ethereum killers” in 2023-24, they rode VC buzz and slick whitepapers to billions in market cap—Sui peaked at $2 billion, Aptos had $350 million in backing. But once insider token unlocks hit, prices tanked 70%, and guess who bore the losses? Not the VCs. BOME Book of Meme Sui Aptos Sui Aptos The Mechanics: Why You’re Screwed The Mechanics: Why You’re Screwed Here’s why it works so well: whales need you to buy high so they can sell high. Memecoins and low-liquidity tokens are their playground—small sell-offs trigger massive swings. A $1 million dump can tank a token 20%, and they could crash it whenever they pleased. Marketing hides the grift behind “community-driven” buzz, but the tokenomics tell the real story: insider lockups, hidden vesting schedules, and concentrated supply. Take Sui and Aptos: their whitepapers promised a decentralized future, but vesting schedules favored early backers—20% unlocked for VCs in Q1 2024, leaving retail to eat the dip. It’s not a glitch; it’s the system. Low liquidity amplifies the pain—when whales sell, there’s no one left to buy, and the price craters. Sui Aptos The Psychology: Why We Fall For It The Psychology: Why We Fall For It Why do we keep jumping in? It’s greed and fear, plain and simple. The promise of a 100x return blinds us—TRUMP’s $75 peak felt like a ticket to the moon. Memes and airdrops gamify it, making it feel fun, not risky. X amplifies the herd mentality; when everyone’s shouting “bullish,” it’s hard to sit out. I’ve felt that itch myself, refreshing charts at 2 a.m., convincing myself I’m “early.” But early for what? The whale’s exit party? TRUMP How to Outsmart the Whales How to Outsmart the Whales So, how do you stop being the meal? It’s not foolproof—crypto’s a jungle—but you can tilt the odds. First, dig into tokenomics: who holds what? Tools like Dune Analytics or Nansen track wallet moves—PNUT’s 90% supply in top wallets was a screaming red flag. Second, watch unlock schedules: TRUMP’s 3-year vesting means more dumps are coming. Third, tune out the hype—if it’s trending on X with no substance, it’s bait. I’ve learned to ask: “Who’s selling to me right now? And why?”. Dune Analytics Nansen PNUT TRUMP The Big Picture: It’s a Game of Survival Crypto isn’t broken—it’s built this way. Exit liquidity is the system, not a bug. Every rally asks the same question: “Who’s eating who?” I’ve seen people lose thousands chasing hype, and I’ve dodged a few bullets myself by stepping back. The whales aren’t invincible, though—they need us to play their game. Stop playing, and the trap collapses. Next time you see a token mooning, pause. Check the charts, the wallets, the noise. Stay sharp, or you’re just another meal. Share this if it clicks—let’s outsmart the whales together. Want more crypto deep dives? Follow me on X for real-time thoughts. Let’s keep the conversation going. Follow me on X P.S. Check out my previous articles on AI at HackerNoon: The Power of Community in Memecoin Success
Here's All The News Driving Crypto Markets in March 2025
Building Thriving GameFi Communities: Lessons From the Top Projects
The Ultimate Breakdown: Memecoin Marketing
How To Launch and NFT Promotion for Projects in 2024
AI Crypto Coins: When the Power of AI Meets the Blockchain
DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups The Power of Community in Memecoin Success The Power of Community in Memecoin Success The Power of Community in Memecoin Success Here's All The News Driving Crypto Markets in March 2025 Here's All The News Driving Crypto Markets in March 2025 Here's All The News Driving Crypto Markets in March 2025 Building Thriving GameFi Communities: Lessons From the Top Projects Building Thriving GameFi Communities: Lessons From the Top Projects Building Thriving GameFi Communities: Lessons From the Top Projects The Ultimate Breakdown: Memecoin Marketing The Ultimate Breakdown: Memecoin Marketing The Ultimate Breakdown: Memecoin Marketing How To Launch and NFT Promotion for Projects in 2024 How To Launch and How To Launch and NFT Promotion for Projects in 2024 NFT Promotion for Projects in 2024 AI Crypto Coins: When the Power of AI Meets the Blockchain AI Crypto Coins: When the Power of AI Meets the Blockchain AI Crypto Coins: When the Power of AI Meets the Blockchain DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups

Exit Liquidity 101: Why You’re the Whale’s Meal in Every Crypto Rally

Ethereum Block Building: The Hidden Economy Behind Every Transaction

Ethereum-Blockaufbau: Die verborgene Wirtschaft hinter jeder Transaktion

Construcción de bloques de Ethereum: la economía oculta detrás de cada transacción

Ethereum Block Building: piilotettu talous jokaisen transaktion takana

Ethereum Block Building: l'economia nascosta dietro ogni transazione

イーサリアムブロック構築: すべてのトランザクションの背後にある隠れた経済

Ethereum bloku ēka: slēptā ekonomika aiz katra darījuma

Kago ya Ethereum Block: Ekonomi ye e Pategilego ka Morago ga Kgwebišano ye Nngwe le E Nngwe

Ethereum Block Building: A economia oculta por trás de cada transação

Ethereum Block Building: Den dolda ekonomin bakom varje transaktion

Ethereum Block Building: Ang Nakatagong Ekonomiya sa Likod ng Bawat Transaksyon

Ethereum Block Building: Ikhonomi Leyi Fihliweke Endzhaku Ka Ntirhisano wun’wana Na wun’wana

Xây dựng khối Ethereum: Nền kinh tế ẩn sau mỗi giao dịch

Why the Market’s Still Soaring Despite the On-Prem Plot Twist (and Why You’re Still in Demand) TL;DR: Sure, some companies are hauling workloads back to on-prem servers, but the cloud security market’s not sweating it — it’s set to hit $156.25 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights). Hybrid and multi-cloud setups are the new norm, not a cloud exodus, and emerging threats like quantum computing keep the demand for pros like you sky-high. The future’s a wild mashup of cloud, on-prem, and quantum-ready defenses — so buckle up, you’re still golden. You’ve seen the headlines screaming: “Businesses are ditching the cloud faster than you can say ‘AWS outage’!” It’s the kind of news that could make a cloud security pro spill their coffee, mutter “Is my job toast?” and eye the server room exit — only to realize it’s still humming with cloud action. Before you trade your CNAPP expertise for a dusty on-prem manual, let’s cut through the noise. The cloud security market isn’t shrinking — it’s growing like your inbox after a week off, and the data backs it up. So, grab your caffeine fix, and let’s unpack this “cloud repatriation” drama — because spoiler alert: it’s not the endgame you think. Cloud Repatriation: Less Apocalypse, More Remix Hold your horses. Most of these companies aren’t torching their cloud subscriptions and swearing off Azure like it’s a bad Tinder date. They’re juggling a hybrid circus — part cloud, part on-prem — or hopping between providers in a multi-cloud acrobatics show. Think of it like pulling a few vinyls off Spotify to spin on your turntable. You’re not canceling streaming — you’re just vibing with both. Here’s the kicker: hybrid setups still need cloud security for the bits that stay sky-high. More clouds mean more chaos, and that’s where you swoop in with your cape of expertise. The cloud’s not dead — it’s just getting a funky remix. Why Are They Repatriating? (Hint: It’s Not Always Your Fault) So, why are companies dragging workloads back on-prem? Let’s break it down — and no, it’s not all about security nightmares: Cost sneak attacks: Cloud bills can hit you like a ninja in the dark — data egress fees, scaling costs, and surprise charges add up. Sometimes on-prem feels like a budget-friendly hug.
Performance divas: Certain apps demand the spotlight of local servers to shine — think latency-sensitive workloads that scoff at cloud lag.
Control freaks: Regulated industries (hello, finance and healthcare) love on-site servers for that warm, fuzzy feeling of keeping data under their thumb. Plot twist: even when workloads come home, most companies keep one foot in the cloud. Hybrid means double doors to lock, and multi-cloud’s a whack-a-mole marathon across platforms. Bad news for lazy weekends, great news for your job security. You’re the ringmaster keeping this tech circus safe. Cloud Security Market: Growing Like a Bad Wi-Fi Signal If repatriation were the cloud security grim reaper, the market would be flatlining. Instead, it’s throwing a rager: Markets and Markets: From $40.7 billion in 2023 to $62.9 billion by 2028, CAGR of 9.1% (Markets and Markets).
Grand View Research: CAGR of 13.1% through 2030 (Grand View Research).
Fortune Business Insights: $43.74 billion in 2024 to $156.25 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights). What’s fueling this? Digital transformation’s insatiable appetite, hybrid sprawl, and multi-cloud madness are pumping demand for tools like CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms) and ASPM (Application Security Posture Management). These are your security Swiss Army knives — slashing vulnerabilities, nailing compliance, and keeping the chaos at bay. The market’s not shrinking — it’s flexing harder than a bodybuilder on TikTok. From CSPM to CNAPP: The Glow-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed Cloud security’s evolved faster than a Pokémon on a candy binge. Remember CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management)? It was the OG, sniffing out misconfigs and compliance hiccups — solid, but siloed. Then came CNAPP, the all-in-one superhero: Infrastructure lockdown and compliance checks.
Workload protection (CWPP vibes).
Identity and access management.
Container and Kubernetes kung-fu.
App security testing on steroids. CNAPP’s Secret Sauce: Killing Alert Fatigue Ever drowned in a sea of alerts? CNAPP’s got your back with AI and ML wizardry: Prioritizes threats by “is this actually bad?” impact.
Correlates signals for big-picture clarity.
Suggests fixes so you’re not playing guess-the-patch.
Cuts false positives like a ninja with a katana. This isn’t just a tool — it’s your new best friend in the hybrid jungle. CSPM was the appetizer; CNAPP’s the full buffet. The Future: Hybrid Chaos, Quantum Twists, and You The IT future isn’t cloud-or-bust or on-prem-or-nothing — it’s a hybrid-multi-cloud mashup. Securing it? Think herding cats across AWS, Azure, and that dusty server rack in the basement. Each platform’s a diva with its own quirks, and you’re the maestro keeping the symphony tight. Your toolkit’s leveling up: CNAPP guards cloud apps, ASPM watches app lifecycles, and DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) babysits sensitive data. Oh, and “Shift-Left”? Not a dance move — it’s catching bugs early in dev, saving you from late-night firefights. Bonus Now, the wild card: Post-Quantum Cryptography. It’s a plot twist so trippy, Christopher Nolan’s scribbling notes in a quantum maze. Quantum computers could crack today’s encryption like a walnut, and bad guys are already hoarding data for the big reveal. NIST’s new standards (NIST) are your shield, but the clock’s ticking. No PhD needed — just a heads-up to quantum-proof your game. This future’s a cocktail of cloud sprawl, on-prem quirks, and quantum spice. AI’s your co-pilot, but you’re the captain — your human smarts keep it all from crashing. The cloud security gig? Still hotter than a server on overdrive. Key Takeaways: Your Survival Guide to Cloud Security Glory Repatriation’s not kryptonite — it’s a hybrid remix, not a cloud killer.
Market’s flexing, hitting $156.25 billion by 2032 — plenty of room for you.
Hybrid and multi-cloud reign, fueling CNAPP, ASPM, and DSPM love.
It’s not just security — cost, performance, and compliance nudge the on-prem shift.
Quantum’s your next boss fight — grab your post-quantum decoder ring and prep. Why You’re Still the MVP
Cloud security’s not fading — it’s evolving like a boss. Hybrid chaos and multi-cloud sprawl keep the market buzzing, with projections soaring past $150 billion. Quantum threats add a futuristic edge, and your expertise — tech chops plus strategic brainpower — is the secret sauce. So, keep locking down those digital skies. Your career’s brighter than a rack of LEDs — and twice as essential. May InfoSec Be with You! Why the Market’s Still Soaring Despite the On-Prem Plot Twist (and Why You’re Still in Demand) TL;DR: Sure, some companies are hauling workloads back to on-prem servers, but the cloud security market’s not sweating it — it’s set to hit $156.25 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights). Hybrid and multi-cloud setups are the new norm, not a cloud exodus, and emerging threats like quantum computing keep the demand for pros like you sky-high. The future’s a wild mashup of cloud, on-prem, and quantum-ready defenses — so buckle up, you’re still golden. TL;DR: Sure, some companies are hauling workloads back to on-prem servers, but the cloud security market’s not sweating it — it’s set to hit $156.25 billion by 2032 ( Fortune Business Insights ). Hybrid and multi-cloud setups are the new norm, not a cloud exodus, and emerging threats like quantum computing keep the demand for pros like you sky-high. The future’s a wild mashup of cloud, on-prem, and quantum-ready defenses — so buckle up, you’re still golden. TL;DR: Fortune Business Insights You’ve seen the headlines screaming: “Businesses are ditching the cloud faster than you can say ‘AWS outage’!” It’s the kind of news that could make a cloud security pro spill their coffee, mutter “Is my job toast?” and eye the server room exit — only to realize it’s still humming with cloud action. Before you trade your CNAPP expertise for a dusty on-prem manual, let’s cut through the noise. The cloud security market isn’t shrinking — it’s growing like your inbox after a week off, and the data backs it up. So, grab your caffeine fix, and let’s unpack this “cloud repatriation” drama — because spoiler alert: it’s not the endgame you think. The cloud security market isn’t shrinking — it’s growing like your inbox after a week off, and the data backs it up. Cloud Repatriation: Less Apocalypse, More Remix Hold your horses. Most of these companies aren’t torching their cloud subscriptions and swearing off Azure like it’s a bad Tinder date. They’re juggling a hybrid circus — part cloud, part on-prem — or hopping between providers in a multi-cloud acrobatics show . Think of it like pulling a few vinyls off Spotify to spin on your turntable. You’re not canceling streaming — you’re just vibing with both. hybrid circus part cloud, part on-prem — or hopping between providers in a multi-cloud acrobatics show Here’s the kicker: hybrid setups still need cloud security for the bits that stay sky-high. More clouds mean more chaos, and that’s where you swoop in with your cape of expertise. The cloud’s not dead — it’s just getting a funky remix. hybrid setups still need cloud security for the bits that stay sky-high. Why Are They Repatriating? (Hint: It’s Not Always Your Fault) So, why are companies dragging workloads back on-prem? Let’s break it down — and no, it’s not all about security nightmares: Cost sneak attacks: Cloud bills can hit you like a ninja in the dark — data egress fees, scaling costs, and surprise charges add up. Sometimes on-prem feels like a budget-friendly hug. Performance divas: Certain apps demand the spotlight of local servers to shine — think latency-sensitive workloads that scoff at cloud lag. Control freaks: Regulated industries (hello, finance and healthcare) love on-site servers for that warm, fuzzy feeling of keeping data under their thumb. Cost sneak attacks: Cloud bills can hit you like a ninja in the dark — data egress fees, scaling costs, and surprise charges add up. Sometimes on-prem feels like a budget-friendly hug. Cost sneak attacks: Performance divas: Certain apps demand the spotlight of local servers to shine — think latency-sensitive workloads that scoff at cloud lag. Performance divas: Control freaks: Regulated industries (hello, finance and healthcare) love on-site servers for that warm, fuzzy feeling of keeping data under their thumb. Control freaks: Plot twist: even when workloads come home, most companies keep one foot in the cloud. Hybrid means double doors to lock , and multi-cloud’s a whack-a-mole marathon across platforms. Bad news for lazy weekends, great news for your job security. You’re the ringmaster keeping this tech circus safe. Plot twist: Hybrid means double doors to lock Cloud Security Market: Growing Like a Bad Wi-Fi Signal If repatriation were the cloud security grim reaper, the market would be flatlining. Instead, it’s throwing a rager: Markets and Markets: From $40.7 billion in 2023 to $62.9 billion by 2028, CAGR of 9.1% (Markets and Markets). Grand View Research: CAGR of 13.1% through 2030 (Grand View Research). Fortune Business Insights: $43.74 billion in 2024 to $156.25 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights). Markets and Markets: From $40.7 billion in 2023 to $62.9 billion by 2028, CAGR of 9.1% ( Markets and Markets ). Markets and Markets: Markets and Markets Grand View Research: CAGR of 13.1% through 2030 ( Grand View Research ). Grand View Research: Grand View Research Fortune Business Insights: $43.74 billion in 2024 to $156.25 billion by 2032 ( Fortune Business Insights ). Fortune Business Insights: Fortune Business Insights What’s fueling this? Digital transformation ’s insatiable appetite, hybrid sprawl, and multi-cloud madness are pumping demand for tools like CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms) and ASPM (Application Security Posture Management) . These are your security Swiss Army knives — slashing vulnerabilities, nailing compliance, and keeping the chaos at bay. The market’s not shrinking — it’s flexing harder than a bodybuilder on TikTok. Digital transformation CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms) ASPM (Application Security Posture Management) From CSPM to CNAPP: The Glow-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed Cloud security’s evolved faster than a Pokémon on a candy binge. Remember CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management)? It was the OG, sniffing out misconfigs and compliance hiccups — solid, but siloed. CSPM Then came CNAPP , the all-in-one superhero: CNAPP Infrastructure lockdown and compliance checks. Workload protection (CWPP vibes). Identity and access management. Container and Kubernetes kung-fu. App security testing on steroids. Infrastructure lockdown and compliance checks. Workload protection (CWPP vibes). Identity and access management. Container and Kubernetes kung-fu. App security testing on steroids. CNAPP’s Secret Sauce: Killing Alert Fatigue Killing Alert Fatigue Ever drowned in a sea of alerts? CNAPP’s got your back with AI and ML wizardry: Prioritizes threats by “is this actually bad?” impact. Correlates signals for big-picture clarity. Suggests fixes so you’re not playing guess-the-patch. Cuts false positives like a ninja with a katana. Prioritizes threats by “is this actually bad?” impact. Correlates signals for big-picture clarity. Suggests fixes so you’re not playing guess-the-patch. Cuts false positives like a ninja with a katana. This isn’t just a tool — it’s your new best friend in the hybrid jungle. CSPM was the appetizer; CNAPP’s the full buffet. The Future: Hybrid Chaos, Quantum Twists, and You The IT future isn’t cloud-or-bust or on-prem-or-nothing — it’s a hybrid-multi-cloud mashup . Securing it? Think herding cats across AWS, Azure, and that dusty server rack in the basement. Each platform’s a diva with its own quirks, and you’re the maestro keeping the symphony tight. hybrid-multi-cloud mashup Your toolkit’s leveling up: CNAPP guards cloud apps, ASPM watches app lifecycles, and DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) babysits sensitive data. Oh, and “Shift-Left”? Not a dance move — it’s catching bugs early in dev, saving you from late-night firefights. CNAPP guards cloud apps, ASPM watches app lifecycles, and DSPM Bonus Now, the wild card: Post-Quantum Cryptography. It’s a plot twist so trippy, Christopher Nolan’s scribbling notes in a quantum maze. Quantum computers could crack today’s encryption like a walnut, and bad guys are already hoarding data for the big reveal. NIST’s new standards (NIST) are your shield, but the clock’s ticking. No PhD needed — just a heads-up to quantum-proof your game. Post-Quantum Cryptography. NIST’s new standards ( NIST ) NIST This future’s a cocktail of cloud sprawl, on-prem quirks, and quantum spice. AI’s your co-pilot, but you’re the captain — your human smarts keep it all from crashing. The cloud security gig? Still hotter than a server on overdrive. AI’s your co-pilot, but you’re the captain Key Takeaways: Your Survival Guide to Cloud Security Glory Repatriation’s not kryptonite — it’s a hybrid remix, not a cloud killer. Market’s flexing, hitting $156.25 billion by 2032 — plenty of room for you. Hybrid and multi-cloud reign, fueling CNAPP, ASPM, and DSPM love. It’s not just security — cost, performance, and compliance nudge the on-prem shift. Quantum’s your next boss fight — grab your post-quantum decoder ring and prep. Repatriation’s not kryptonite — it’s a hybrid remix, not a cloud killer. Market’s flexing, hitting $156.25 billion by 2032 — plenty of room for you. Hybrid and multi-cloud reign, fueling CNAPP, ASPM, and DSPM love. It’s not just security — cost, performance, and compliance nudge the on-prem shift. Quantum’s your next boss fight — grab your post-quantum decoder ring and prep. Why You’re Still the MVP Cloud security’s not fading — it’s evolving like a boss. Hybrid chaos and multi-cloud sprawl keep the market buzzing, with projections soaring past $150 billion. Quantum threats add a futuristic edge, and your expertise — tech chops plus strategic brainpower — is the secret sauce. So, keep locking down those digital skies. Your career’s brighter than a rack of LEDs — and twice as essential. Why You’re Still the MVP Cloud security’s not fading — it’s evolving like a boss. Hybrid chaos and multi-cloud sprawl keep the market buzzing, with projections soaring past $150 billion. Quantum threats add a futuristic edge, and your expertise — tech chops plus strategic brainpower — is the secret sauce. So, keep locking down those digital skies. Your career’s brighter than a rack of LEDs — and twice as essential. May InfoSec Be with You! May InfoSec Be with You!

Everyone’s ‘Ditching’ the Cloud—But Here’s Why That’s a Lie

Todo el mundo está abandonando la nube, pero he aquí por qué es mentira

Tout le monde abandonne le cloud, mais voici pourquoi c'est un mensonge

Todo o mundo está "abandonando" a nube, pero aquí tes por que iso é mentira

誰もがクラウドを「捨てている」が、それは嘘だ

ყველა „აშორებს“ ღრუბელს - მაგრამ აი, რატომ არის ეს ტყუილი

‘Nandainga’ ny Rahona ny Rehetra — Nefa Izao no Antony Mandainga

Хүн бүр үүлнээс "зайдаг" боловч энэ нь яагаад худал болохыг эндээс харж болно

सबैजना बादललाई 'छोड्दै' छन्—तर यो किन झूट हो भन्ने यहाँ छ

Todo mundo está ‘abandonando’ a nuvem — mas aqui está o porquê de isso ser uma mentira

Llapa runan ‘Puyuta zanjanku’ —Ichaqa Kaypin kashan imaraykun chay llullakuy

Сви 'одбацују' облак - али ево зашто је то лаж

எல்லோரும் மேகத்தை 'கைவிடுகிறார்கள்' - ஆனால் அது ஏன் ஒரு பொய் என்பது இங்கே

The ideal size of your Kubernetes clusters is a day 0 question and demands a definite answer. You find one giant cluster on one end of the spectrum and many small-sized ones on the other, with every combination in between. This decision will impact your organization for years to come. Worse, if you decide to change your topology, you're in for a time-wasting and expensive ride. I want to list each approach's pros and cons in this post. Then, I'll settle the discussion once and for all and argue why selecting the giant cluster option is better. The One Giant Cluster Approach Deciding on a single giant cluster has great benefits. Better Resource Utilization Kubernetes was designed to handle large-scale deployments, initially focusing on managing thousands of nodes to support extensive and complex containerized applications. This scalability was a key feature from its inception, enabling it to orchestrate resources across vast, distributed systems efficiently. Thus, a Kubernetes cluster is a scheduler at its core: it knows how to run workloads on nodes according to constraints. Without constraints, it will happily balance workloads across its available nodes. If you split the cluster into multiple clusters, you lose this benefit. You can have situations where one cluster is idle while another cluster is close to resource starvation and must cancel workloads and kill pods. Lower Operational Overhead Good Kubernetes practices mandate that you back up your etcd data, monitor your cluster metrics, log your cluster events, provide security-related tools, etc. Size aside, it stands to reason that it's more time-effective to operate fewer clusters. For example, regarding metrics, you'd set up a single Prometheus instance, potentially clustered to handle additional traffic, and be done with it. Automation can mitigate the repetitive aspect of installing and maintaining an instance for each cluster, but you'll still end up with as many instances as you have clusters (or more). Prometheus is just one example because many cluster admins have a long list of tools they run in every cluster. Straightforward Networking and Service Communication Service-to-service communication inside a single cluster is straightforward. Point to <service-name>.<namespace>.svc.cluster.local and be done with it. Even better, you only need the service name part inside the same namespace. <service-name>.<namespace>.svc.cluster.local You'll need a tool to help you with inter-cluster communication, from the simplicity of External DNS with LoadBalancer to the complexity of a full-fledged solution like Istio—both ends of the spectrum mandate time and operation costs. Simplified Governance Since every object is part of the same cluster inside a single cluster, one can enforce a centralized set of policies with a standardized approach. For example, you can create a namespace per team and environment, restricting access to only that team's members. Once you start having multiple clusters, even if you take the same approach, you'll duplicate the policy rules across clusters, with potential differences that will drift further with time. Cost Efficiency A single cluster means a single control plane, simplifying management and reducing overhead. While a control plane is essential for orchestration, its value comes from enabling efficient workload execution rather than directly running business applications. Additionally, many of the points above tie into cost optimization. With a single cluster, you only need to configure monitoring (e.g., Prometheus), logging, and security tools once, reducing duplication. In-place automation streamlines operations, helping manage costs without adding unnecessary infrastructure expenses. e.g. Downsides of a One Giant Cluster Approach Unfortunately, the giant cluster option is not only unicorns and rainbows; there are definite downsides. Larger Blast Radius The larger the cluster, the more teams will use it. Unfortunately, this means that if something bad happens to the cluster, it will wreak havoc on the work of more teams. It occurs regardless of whether the outage results from a malicious actor, a wrong configuration, or resource starvation. When an actual malicious actor does indeed breach access, a larger cluster exposes more workloads, and the actor can compromise more of them. Even without malicious actors, every maintenance operation and upgrade on a cluster can affect its users; the bigger the cluster, the larger the potential impact. When planning an upgrade for a single cluster, you need to conduct an impact analysis that encompasses all users and teams in the organization. Complex Multi-Tenancy Management Even within a single organization, multiple teams will use the Kubernetes cluster. Even if every team member behaves professionally, we must set strict policies to avoid issues. If the cluster resembles a building, you'd still put locks on your apartment even if you have friendly neighbors. Likewise, the cluster administrator must enforce strict rules to make sharing a cluster acceptable. At the very least, we need strict namespace isolation to avoid unnecessary access and resource quotas and enforce fairness across teams. The problems caused by using a single cluster by teams across a single organization multiply a hundredfold if the cluster is multi-tenant and shared across several organizations. Scalability Limits Regardless of how exceptional Kubernetes is, it's still a physically based system with physical limits. For example, some objects have a clear limit, but even if you never reach them, getting close to them will require excellent system administration skills with some fine-tuning. fine-tuning Even then, the more load you put on a Kubernetes API server, the more sluggish your system will be. If you're lucky, it will degrade linearly, but chances are it will hit some system limit and degrade all at once. Cluster-Wide Objects Kubernetes objects are namespace-scoped, but a couple of them are cluster-scoped. A cluster-scoped object can only have a single instance across the whole cluster. For example, a Custom Resource Definition is cluster-scoped. It means that if a team wants to use v1 of a CRD, then every team on the same cluster is stuck with v1 if they wish to use this CRD. Worse, if any team wants to upgrade to v2, they must coordinate across all teams using the CRD to synchronize the upgrade. What's the Ideal Size, Then? I could describe the pros and cons of very granular clusters, but they mirror the opposite of what we have just seen. For example, very granular clusters allow each team to work on their version of a CRD without stepping on another team's toes. For this reason, I'll avoid repeating myself. Most, if not all, articles evaluating the pros and cons of each end of the spectrum advise a meet-in-the-middle approach: "a couple" of clusters to mitigate the worst aspects of each extreme approach. It's all well and good, but none of them, at least none I've read, tell precisely how many "a couple" is. Is it a cluster per environment, i.e., production, staging, or development? Is it a cluster per team? i.e. ‎I'll take a risk and advertise for two clusters: one for production and the other for everything else. How would you manage the cons mentioned above? Read on. vCluster vCluster is an Open Source product that allows the creation of so-called virtual clusters. vCluster is part of the CNCF landscape, specifically a certified Kubernetes distribution. Being a certified distro means a virtual cluster offers every Kubernetes API you can expect, and you can deploy any application to it just like any other Kubernetes cluster. vCluster certified Kubernetes distribution vCluster operates by creating the virtual cluster in a dedicated namespace. You can specify the latter, or vCluster will infer it from the virtual cluster's name. By default, it creates a control plane using the vanilla k8s distribution, but you can choose another one, such as k3s. Likewise, by default, it stores its configuration in an SQLite database, which works particularly well for temporary and pre-production clusters, such as those you create for a pull request. Alternatively, you can rely on a regular etcd or even external databases such as MySQL or Postgres as a data store for more permanent usage and better resilience and scalability of the virtual cluster. Once you've created a virtual cluster via the CLI or the Helm chart, you can connect to it. The client-side CLI creates a dedicated reusable kubeconfig context. From within a virtual cluster, users see no other virtual clusters. If you need to access the host cluster resources from the virtual cluster or vice versa, vCluster uses a so-called syncer that syncs objects back and forth according to a configuration file. This way, you can set up an Ingress Controller on the host cluster and define your Ingress objects in the virtual cluster(s). How vCluster Mitigates the Downsides of a Giant Cluster Let's review each downside of a giant cluster and how vCluster handles it. Larger blast radius: When using a virtual cluster, the blast radius is automatically contained inside its boundaries. If you want to be conservative, aim for a small granularity approach, such as a cluster per team and environment. Larger blast radius: When using a virtual cluster, the blast radius is automatically contained inside its boundaries. If you want to be conservative, aim for a small granularity approach, such as a cluster per team and environment. Complex multi-tenancy management: Gone are multi-tenancy problems since your tenants don't see each other and are isolated inside their respective virtual clusters. Complex multi-tenancy management: Gone are multi-tenancy problems since your tenants don't see each other and are isolated inside their respective virtual clusters. Scalability limits: While the limits are still there, the chances of reaching them decrease with the number of virtual clusters. If your giant cluster had 100k services, they are now spread throughout all virtual clusters. Scalability limits: While the limits are still there, the chances of reaching them decrease with the number of virtual clusters. If your giant cluster had 100k services, they are now spread throughout all virtual clusters. Upgrades and maintenance risks: Upgrade and maintenance tasks are limited to the scope of a single virtual cluster. You can do them in turn, and they will only affect the virtual clusters you target. Upgrades and maintenance risks: Upgrade and maintenance tasks are limited to the scope of a single virtual cluster. You can do them in turn, and they will only affect the virtual clusters you target. Cluster-wide objects: Finally, with virtual clusters, every team can install their version of a CRD, and its virtual cluster binds the CRD. It allows each team to be entirely independent of each other regarding the version of a CRD they use. Cluster-wide objects: Finally, with virtual clusters, every team can install their version of a CRD, and its virtual cluster binds the CRD. It allows each team to be entirely independent of each other regarding the version of a CRD they use. But I Need Different Clusters! While a single giant cluster provides compelling advantages, there are contexts in which a multi-cluster approach is justified. The most common reason is geographic distribution—specific applications require clusters in multiple regions to meet compliance requirements, reduce latency, or provide disaster recovery. For example, companies operating under GDPR or financial regulations may need strict data residency enforcement, which requires region-specific clusters. Similarly, organizations with stringent security postures may enforce complete isolation between environments or business units, making separate clusters a hard requirement. However, even in these cases, vCluster remains relevant. It allows for minimizing the number of physical clusters while still enabling workload separation at a virtual level. Instead of creating a sprawling landscape of Kubernetes clusters, teams can deploy regional virtual clusters within a single host cluster, balancing isolation and operation complexity. Conclusion Kubernetes cluster topology decisions are critical and long-lasting. While many advocate for a middle-ground approach between a single cluster and many small ones, they rarely specify the exact setup. Instead of guessing how many clusters to create, consolidating everything into a single, well-managed giant cluster makes more sense. The benefits—better resource utilization, lower operational overhead, simplified networking, centralized governance, and cost efficiency—outweigh the downsides. That said, the traditional downsides of a giant cluster, such as a larger blast radius, multi-tenancy complexities, scalability limits, upgrade challenges, and cluster-wide object constraints, are valid concerns. This is where vCluster changes the game. By using virtual clusters, you retain all the advantages of a single giant cluster while mitigating its worst drawbacks. vCluster isolates workloads, reduces operational risk, scales dynamically, simplifies upgrades, and removes conflicts over cluster-wide objects. Enhanced with vCluster, one cluster for production and one giant cluster for everything else, is the best approach for long-term scalability, efficiency, and ease of operations.

The One Giant Cluster Approach: One Giant Kubernetes Cluster for Everything

AI Art by @NewAgerJul on NightCafe Studio AI Art by @NewAgerJul on NightCafe Studio @NewAgerJul Coding will be automated by 2026.
We will never need developers in the future.AI is coming for your job. Coding will be automated by 2026. We will never need developers in the future. AI is coming for your job. Every developer today has heard these comments. I’m writing this article to tell you they could not be more wrong. I’m writing this article to tell you they could not be more wrong. And how vibe coding can supercharge your development career, And how vibe coding can supercharge your development career, Vibe coding will make every developer a 10X developer! Vibe coding will make every developer a 10X developer! Vibe coding will make every developer a 10X developer! And it will make existing 10X developers 100X developers! And it will make existing 10X developers 100X developers! And it will make existing 10X developers 100X developers! Read this article to the end to find out why. First, here’s the truth about vibe coding with newbies. First, here’s the truth about vibe coding with newbies. The Standard Result of Vibe Coding Practically everyone I know has seen the vibe coding revolution claims. Children build cross-platform apps without knowing coding, just with Cursor AI and Claude Sonnet 3.5 (and now Sonnet 3.7). The famous flight simulation game built in HTML with vibe coding that earns 50K a month. that earns 50K a month What we have to realize is that these are rare exceptions. This is the general result of vibe coding when you do not know how to code: This is the general result of vibe coding when you do not know how to code: Even today, a CS degree is still a fantastic credential to have under your belt. Even today, a CS degree is still a fantastic credential to have under your belt. A Master’s degree in CS from a leading university is still the best investment for your future. A Master’s degree in CS from a leading university is still the best investment for your future. (Although it is best to work for a while so that you can support your own cost and not rely on your parents - (Although it is best to work for a while so that you can support your own cost and not rely on your parents - Or even better, have the company sponsor the entire Master’s degree for you). Or even better, have the company sponsor the entire Master’s degree for you). Why? Because of the knowledge you will receive that newbies don’t. Because of the knowledge you will receive that newbies don’t. What knowledge? What knowledge? Read on! Priceless Coding Knowledge that Sets Qualified Developers Apart These are the most crucial bits of knowledge that software engineers have and vibe coders do not: Fundamental Software Engineering Principles: This is what developers know, and vibe coders do not. This is what developers know, and vibe coders do not. Modularity and Debugging Modularity and Debugging If your code is written in a single file with a monolithic architecture, it is a nightmare to debug.
Even if the code is split into files and modules, how will you debug it when the AI fails you in a year’s time?
And with all the changes that your users will ask for, 1 year will be a short time.
How will you understand if your AI has made a mistake? If your code is written in a single file with a monolithic architecture, it is a nightmare to debug. Even if the code is split into files and modules, how will you debug it when the AI fails you in a year’s time? And with all the changes that your users will ask for, 1 year will be a short time. How will you understand if your AI has made a mistake? How will you understand if your AI has made a mistake? Design Patterns and S.O.L.I.D Architecture Principles The vibe coder will ask you what design patterns are.
If you talk about Dependency Injection you will get a blank stare.
Domain-Driven Design - what is that?
You get the picture. The vibe coder will ask you what design patterns are. If you talk about Dependency Injection you will get a blank stare. Domain-Driven Design - what is that? You get the picture. Test Driven Development “If your code hath not tests, it be not clean.”
Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) in Clean Code “If your code hath not tests, it be not clean.” Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) in Clean Code If your code has no tests - it is not trivial to modify.
And change is the unfailing rule of every software project.
There is no substitute for unit tests with 100% code coverage.
If you don’t have unit tests, when you make changes, you are driving with your eyes closed.
This is essential. Every software project today must have coverage with unit tests.
And do the advanced developer’s version of TDD, not the classical style. If your code has no tests - it is not trivial to modify. And change is the unfailing rule of every software project. There is no substitute for unit tests with 100% code coverage. If you don’t have unit tests, when you make changes, you are driving with your eyes closed. If you don’t have unit tests, when you make changes, you are driving with your eyes closed. This is essential. Every software project today must have coverage with unit tests. And do the advanced developer’s version of TDD, not the classical style. Version Control “I’m not a git, you are!”
Try explaining version control to a vibe coder.
Git is essential, especially when you already have a working MVP.
If you cannot revert your code and you cannot undo a commit -
What kind of coder are you? “I’m not a git, you are!” “I’m not a git, you are!” Try explaining version control to a vibe coder. Git is essential, especially when you already have a working MVP. Git is essential, especially when you already have a working MVP. If you cannot revert your code and you cannot undo a commit - What kind of coder are you? Computer Architecture As abstraction increases, this is less of a headache, but it’s worth noting.
Do vibe coders know how to profile their code?
Can they optimize edge cases?
Pipelining, caching, assembly language, hardware considerations, API costs…
I could go on and on. As abstraction increases, this is less of a headache, but it’s worth noting. Do vibe coders know how to profile their code? Can they optimize edge cases? Pipelining, caching, assembly language, hardware considerations, API costs… I could go on and on. Maintenance Software project - 5% design, 25% implementation, 70% maintenance.
And for large projects that can go to 10% development and 90% maintenance.
Yes, your AI can handle most tasks, so you are good -for 50% of changes.
When you want the entire code to be ported or optimized, are you going to vibe code again?
Perhaps AI can help you port to Linux or even use Flutter and Dart or Golang so no major changes are necessary -
But how can you reliably change something you do not understand when AI requires double-checking? Software project - 5% design, 25% implementation, 70% maintenance. And for large projects that can go to 10% development and 90% maintenance. Yes, your AI can handle most tasks, so you are good -for 50% of changes. When you want the entire code to be ported or optimized, are you going to vibe code again? Perhaps AI can help you port to Linux or even use Flutter and Dart or Golang so no major changes are necessary - But how can you reliably change something you do not understand when AI requires double-checking? But how can you reliably change something you do not understand when AI requires double-checking? I’m not mentioning mission-critical and life-threatening software here because that aspect is easy for everyone to understand. I’m not mentioning mission-critical and life-threatening software here because that aspect is easy for everyone to understand. I don’t need to explain why we can’t use vibe coding for over 50% of the world’s software because that should be obvious to everyone. I don’t need to explain why we can’t use vibe coding for over 50% of the world’s software because that should be obvious to everyone. Now; for the other side of the coin! Now; for the other side of the coin! Now; for the other side of the coin! Developers, Embrace AI and Become Legendary 10X Versions of Yourself If you are a qualified developer, now is your time in the limelight. If you are a qualified developer, now is your time in the limelight. Do not resist AI - embrace it! Do not resist AI - embrace it! Do not resist AI - embrace it! You will find that you can ace every review, write clean code effortlessly, and generate your unit tests and documentation with AI. I recommend Gemini Code Assist and RooCode because they are free. I recommend Gemini Code Assist and RooCode because they are free. I recommend Gemini Code Assist and RooCode because they are free. You can 10X your output extremely easily. All developers have heard of the 10X developer: The one who breathes system design
Who fixes difficult bugs in his sleep
Who stops everyone talking and makes them listen just by opening his mouth
Who has not mastered optimization for cloud, who IS optimization for cloud. The one who breathes system design Who fixes difficult bugs in his sleep Who stops everyone talking and makes them listen just by opening his mouth Who has not mastered optimization for cloud, who IS optimization for cloud. Well - this is your chance. this is your chance. If you are a developer, embrace LLMs and prompt engineering, and become a 10X version of yourself. If you are a developer, embrace LLMs and prompt engineering, and become a 10X version of yourself. If you are a developer, embrace LLMs and prompt engineering, and become a 10X version of yourself. If you are a developer, embrace LLMs and prompt engineering, and become a 10X version of yourself. I strongly recommend the coding assistants below (no affiliate links - I’m not that cheap): I strongly recommend the coding assistants below (no affiliate links - I’m not that cheap): GitHub Copilot https://github.com/features/copilot https://github.com/features/copilot Trae Coding https://www.trae.ai https://www.trae.ai Code Rabbit https://www.coderabbit.ai/ https://www.coderabbit.ai/ Replit.ai https://replit.com/ https://replit.com/ Gemini Code Assist https://codeassist.google/ https://codeassist.google/ Intellicode https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/services/intellicode/ https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/services/intellicode/ RooCode https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code There are other places to get a review of these tools. There are other places to get a review of these tools. I’m here to tell you why you should adopt one or more of them (some are free). I’m here to tell you why you should adopt one or more of them (some are free). Be Creative - Let Your Imagination Run Wild That app idea you always had? That app idea you always had? The creative idea you have been nurturing? The creative idea you have been nurturing? The unique value proposition that you always wished someone would implement? The unique value proposition that you always wished someone would implement? Now’s your chance. Now’s your chance. Now’s your chance. Now you can build everything you’ve ever been dreaming of. Now you can build everything you’ve ever been dreaming of. Let your imagination run riot. Let your imagination run riot. Dream! Dream! Dream big! Dream big! Dream really big! Dream really big! If people who know nothing about code can accomplish so much - What is the limit for someone who knows what they are doing? Aim for the stars - and you might just hit the moon! Aim for the stars - and you might just hit the moon! There are no limits. There are no limits. AI is not coming for your job. It’s coming for you. To make you the best version of yourself that you have ever dreamed of becoming. To make you the best version of yourself that you have ever dreamed of becoming. A superhero. A superhero. How cool is that? How cool is that? What About 10X Developers Who Are Already Superheroes? If you are already a 10X developer - If you are already a 10X developer - You probably have left your company - You probably have left your company - And started a company of your own - And started a company of your own - Because you are so good at what you do - Because you are so good at what you do - You know how powerful the 100X version of yourself with AI is - You know how powerful the 100X version of yourself with AI is - And you know how good your product will be - And you know how good your product will be - Because you truly understand the potential of AI to transform the industry almost overnight. Because you truly understand the potential of AI to transform the industry almost overnight. Because you truly understand the potential of AI to transform the industry almost overnight. One of the main reasons that so many senior developers start their own companies is the potential provided by AI. Truly, truly, I tell you: Truly, truly, I tell you: We are barely scratching the surface! We are barely scratching the surface! We are barely scratching the surface! There are so much potential wealth and startup sensations waiting to happen in AI, ML, AGI, ASI, Blockchain, AR/VR, AGI, Robotics, Automation, Real-World Industries, and even Quantum Apps - There are so much potential wealth and startup sensations waiting to happen in AI, ML, AGI, ASI, Blockchain, AR/VR, AGI, Robotics, Automation, Real-World Industries, and even Quantum Apps - That there are potentially an infinite number of use cases for all of these technologies - That there are potentially an infinite number of use cases for all of these technologies - To transform the world. To transform the world. We are just beginning a very wild ride. We are just beginning a very wild ride. Watch this space. Watch this space. Embrace AI. Embrace AI. Because we are just getting started. Because we are just getting started. The future will be influenced the most by the developers - who use AI to its full potential - in every sector. The future will be influenced the most by the developers - who use AI to its full potential - in every sector. The future will be influenced the most by the developers - who use AI to its full potential - in every sector. And the more creative and crazy your idea is - The better chance you have that it will take over the world. All the very best to your 100X AI-enabled developer future. All the very best to your 100X AI-enabled developer future. And never stop dreaming! And never stop dreaming! Ever. Ever. Life on Earth is too short for that! Life on Earth is too short for that! All images AI-generated by the amazing users of NightCafe Studio, the best community for AI Art in the world, available on this link: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/ All images AI-generated by the amazing users of NightCafe Studio, the best community for AI Art in the world, available on this link: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/ All images AI-generated by the amazing users of NightCafe Studio, the best community for AI Art in the world, available on this link: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/ https://creator.nightcafe.studio/ While I do not monetize my writing directly, your support helps me continue putting articles like this one without a paywall or a paid subscription.If you want ghostwritten articles like this one appearing under your name online, you can get it!Contact me at:https://linkedin.com/in/thomascherickalFor your ghostwritten article! (Prices are negotiable and I offer country-wise parity pricing.)If you want to support my writing, consider a contribution at Patreon on this link:https://patreon.com/c/thomascherickal/membershipAlternatively, you could buy me a coffee on this link (every month if you want):https://ko-fi.com/thomascherickalCheers! While I do not monetize my writing directly, your support helps me continue putting articles like this one without a paywall or a paid subscription.If you want ghostwritten articles like this one appearing under your name online, you can get it!Contact me at:https://linkedin.com/in/thomascherickalFor your ghostwritten article! (Prices are negotiable and I offer country-wise parity pricing.)If you want to support my writing, consider a contribution at Patreon on this link:https://patreon.com/c/thomascherickal/membershipAlternatively, you could buy me a coffee on this link (every month if you want):https://ko-fi.com/thomascherickalCheers! https://linkedin.com/in/thomascherickal https://patreon.com/c/thomascherickal/membership https://ko-fi.com/thomascherickal

Vibe Coding Will 10X Every Developer, Yet Never, Ever, Replace Them

Vibe Coding multiplicará por diez a todos los desarrolladores, pero nunca los reemplazará

Vibe kodeketak garatzaile bakoitzak 10 aldiz ordezkatuko ditu, baina inoiz ez, inoiz ordezkatuko ditu

קידוד Vibe יחליף אותם פי 10 מכל מפתח, אך לעולם, לעולם

Vibe Coding はすべての開発者を 10 倍に増やしますが、決して開発者に取って代わることはありません

Vibe Coding 10X podniesie poziom każdego programisty, ale nigdy go nie zastąpi

Vibe Codificación 10X Sapa Desarrollador, Chaywanpas Mana hayk'aqpas, Mana hayk'aqpas, Paykunata Sustituyanqa

Вибе кодирање ће 10 пута сваки програмер, али их никада, никада, заменити

Vibe-kodning kommer 10 gånger varje utvecklare, men aldrig någonsin, att ersätta dem

Vibe Coding Je 10X Kila Msanidi Programu, Bado Kamwe, Kamwe, Badilisha Wao

வைப் கோடிங் ஒவ்வொரு டெவலப்பரையும் 10 மடங்கு அதிகரிக்கும், ஆனால் ஒருபோதும், ஒருபோதும், அவற்றை மாற்றாது.

Vibe kodlaşdyrma her bir dörediji 10X bolar, ýöne hiç haçan, hiç wagt olary çalyşmaz

Vibe Coding Yi Ta 10X Developer Un'wana na Un'wana, Hambi swi ri tano A yi nge pfuki, yi nga tshuki, yi va siva

6 Tailwind CSS Productivity Hacks Every Developer Should Know

Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the way we think about money, offering new avenues for investment and financial freedom. But with great opportunity may come great risk. The crypto world has also been plagued by scams and hacks that have cost investors billions of dollars. From elaborate Ponzi schemes to sophisticated DeFi exploits, the dark side of digital finance is full of cautionary tales. Official stats vary, depending on the source. According to Crystal Intelligence, since June 2011 there have been 785 reported incidents, including security breaches, DeFi hacks, and fraud scams. In total, nearly $19 billion has been stolen, with fraud alone accounting for almost $8 billion. On the other hand, according to Chainalysis, at least $40 billion were received by crypto addresses marked as illicit only in 2024. According to De.Fi, over $80.8 billion has been stolen in crypto frauds and hacks since 2011. Crystal Intelligence Crystal Intelligence according to Chainalysis according to Chainalysis According to De.Fi, over $80.8 billion has been stolen in crypto frauds and hacks since 2011. According to De.Fi According to De.Fi Despite advances in security, crypto crime continues to rise, reminding investors of the importance of vigilance and caution. That’s why we’ll dive here into some of the worst crypto scams ever, exploring how they unfolded and the lessons we can learn from them. Finiko ($1.5 billion) All scams on this list have the same narrative for their victims: deposit X amount in crypto or fiat and receive 20, 30, 40, or whatever juicy monthly percent in returns —with few or no explanations about how those profits could be possible. Finiko offered up to 30% and received payments in Tether (USDT) and Bitcoin (BTC) from unaware customers. This was a Russian-based investment platform (but, in reality, a Ponzi scheme) established in 2019 by Kirill Doronin, Zygmunt Zygmuntovich, and Edward Sabirov. All scams on this list have the same narrative for their victims: deposit X amount in crypto or fiat and receive 20, 30, 40, or whatever juicy monthly percent in returns —with few or no explanations about how those profits could be possible https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZVmjr986Ks&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZVmjr986Ks&embedable=true The scheme collapsed around July 2021, with users reporting that they could no longer withdraw their funds. That’s an important piece of knowledge: in Ponzi schemes, the leaders actually pay out some percentages for a while, using the money of new users, because there’s no other income source. Such a system is, of course, not sustainable for the long term, and members end up being defrauded. In this case, Finiko took around $1.5 billion in over 800,000 separate deposits. The scheme The scheme Doronin was arrested in 2021, and the other founders followed in 2022. In 2023, Finiko declared bankruptcy, and all the founder’s property was sold to partially pay the debt to the victims. It’s unclear what happened to the total amount of lost funds. followed in 2022 followed in 2022 In 2023, Finiko declared bankruptcy, and all the founder’s property was sold to partially pay the debt to the victims. It’s unclear what happened to the total amount of lost funds declared bankruptcy declared bankruptcy Thodex, an infamous Turkish crypto exchange, was going to occupy the next place at the top. It’s been stated that its founder, Faruk Fatih Özer, left the country in 2021 with a hardware wallet containing $2 billion in funds from customers. However, recent reports showed that losses only amounted to around $43 million. recent reports recent reports HyperVerse ($1.8 billion) Also known as HyperFund and HyperNation, this was a cryptocurrency investment scheme that defrauded thousands of investors globally. Founded by Sam Lee, an Australian entrepreneur once dubbed the “crown prince of bitcoin,” and Zijing “Ryan” Xu, a self-proclaimed “bitcoin king” from China, the scheme operated under the HyperTech group, established in 2020. Founded Founded https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzG9NX9G2Ic&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzG9NX9G2Ic&embedable=true Promising daily returns of 0.5% to 1% from cryptocurrency mining, HyperVerse attracted investors with the allure of passive income. However, investigations revealed these claims were false, and the scheme relied on a multi-level marketing (MLM) model, where members were incentivized to recruit others to grow their networks —which means, yet another Ponzi scheme. Reports estimate losses between $1.3 and $1.8 billion, with many investors unable to withdraw their funds. Promising daily returns of 0.5% to 1% from cryptocurrency mining, HyperVerse attracted investors with the allure of passive income. In a bizarre twist, it was revealed in January 2024 that HyperVerse’s CEO, Steven Reece Lewis, never existed. Promotional materials claimed Reece Lewis held degrees from the University of Leeds and the University of Cambridge and had worked at Goldman Sachs and Adobe. However, no records of his existence were found, and the institutions denied any association. The scheme also used celebrity endorsements, including messages from Steve Wozniak and Chuck Norris, likely obtained through paid services. Despite these efforts to appear legitimate, the scheme collapsed in 2022, leaving investors stranded. it was revealed it was revealed Sam Lee faced legal consequences for his involvement. In January 2024, Lee was charged by the U.S. SEC and Department of Justice with conspiracy to commit fraud, while promoter Brenda Chunga pleaded guilty. Lee, who relocated to Dubai in 2021, denied involvement in HyperVerse’s operations but was implicated in its funds management. Ryan Xu’s whereabouts remain unknown. The HyperVerse saga serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of high-yield promises in the cryptocurrency world. Sam Lee faced legal consequences for his involvement. In January 2024, Lee was charged by the U.S. SEC and Department of Justice with conspiracy to commit fraud, while promoter Brenda Chunga pleaded guilty was charged was charged BitConnect ($4.1 billion) “Hey, hey, hey. Bitconneeeeeeeect!!!” If you’ve been in crypto for a while, this audiovisual meme must sound familiar. It was a very enthusiastic shout by Carlos Matos, a promoter of Bitconnect, during an event in 2017. At least they left us that. Otherwise, they presented themselves as a lending ecosystem with potentially high earnings and its own cryptocurrency, BCC —but, of course, all of it was nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabXXkZjKiw&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabXXkZjKiw&embedable=true Users were encouraged to exchange Bitcoin for Bitconnect Coin (BCC) and lend these coins for interest payments, supposedly generated by a “trading bot.” This bot claimed to earn profits from market volatility, allowing investors to receive daily interest. However, suspicions grew due to its multilevel marketing model and unrealistic promises of up to 1% daily compounded interest, which are common red flags for Ponzi schemes. By late 2017, Bitconnect’s market capitalization exceeded $2 billion, making it one of the most popular cryptocurrencies at the time. Users were encouraged to exchange Bitcoin for Bitconnect Coin (BCC) and lend these coins for interest payments, supposedly generated by a “trading bot.” On January 3, 2018, the Texas State Securities Board labeled Bitconnect a Ponzi scheme and issued a cease and desist order. Just two weeks later, on January 17, Bitconnect shut down its lending and exchange platform, causing BCC’s value to plummet by 92% within hours. Different reports estimate the total losses between $2 billion and $4.1 billion for investors globally. and issued and issued Legal consequences followed swiftly. In 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged founder Satish Kumbhani and U.S. promoter Glenn Arcaro with fraud. Kumbhani vanished, becoming a fugitive, while Arcaro pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 38 months in prison. In January 2023, a U.S. court ordered Arcaro to pay $17 million in restitution to nearly 800 victims worldwide. Although some affected investors received compensation, many others were left with significant financial losses. received compensation received compensation PlusToken ($5.7 billion) Guess what? This one was also a Ponzi scheme, with an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) included. PlusToken started in April 2018, mainly targeting investors in China and South Korea. It promoted itself as a cryptocurrency wallet offering high monthly returns, allegedly from trading, cloud mining, and referral commissions. The project also introduced its own token, PLUS, convincing millions of people to invest, promising profits between 9% and 20% monthly. The project also introduced its own token, PLUS, convincing millions of people to invest, promising profits between 9% and 20% monthly. The scheme was highly successful due to aggressive marketing, including face-to-face meetings and physical advertisements, which helped build trust among investors. By mid-2019, complaints emerged about withdrawal issues, marking the beginning of the end for PlusToken. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnN089OV0DA&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnN089OV0DA&embedable=true Estimates suggest that PlusToken scammers stole between $2.9 billion and $5.7 billion in cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and EOS. Besides, analysts believe that selling these stolen funds contributed to significant drops in Bitcoin’s price in 2019, as large liquidations generally drive down market value. analysts believe analysts believe Authorities eventually caught up with the scheme’s operators. In 2020, Chinese authorities apprehended 27 individuals linked to PlusToken. Additionally, about $4.2 billion worth of cryptocurrency was seized, marking one of the largest recoveries in crypto fraud history. In 2020, Chinese authorities apprehended 27 individuals linked to PlusToken. apprehended apprehended was seized was seized Now, we have to mention this: Africrypt, a fraudulent crypto exchange from South Africa whose founders disappeared with all the funds, was going to be occupying this position or one very close to it at the top. It’s been described that they stole around $3.6 billion in crypto, but other reports suggest that figure may be not accurate at all. other reports other reports OneCoin (up to $19.4 billion) A funny thing about this one? Yes, it was (it is?) a global and massive Ponzi scheme as well, but they never bothered to actually create any real token or ICO, not even to save face. OneCoin was a famous cryptocurrency that wasn’t a cryptocurrency at all because it never existed on any crypto network. They didn’t have any qualms to proclaim that they were using this technology, though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8oYt0mBdFY&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8oYt0mBdFY&embedable=true Launched in 2014 by Ruja Ignatova alongside Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary digital currency with a “private blockchain” whose value kept rising. However, no blockchain or actual coins existed—everything was confined to its own platform. Investors were lured with educational packages priced between $100 and $225,000, which included tokens allegedly used to mine OneCoin. The scheme relied heavily on a pyramid-like recruitment model, rewarding members for bringing in new investors. Launched in 2014 by Ruja Ignatova alongside Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary digital currency with a “private blockchain” whose value kept rising. However, no blockchain or actual coins existed—everything was confined to its own platform. OneCoin OneCoin OneCoin's impact was massive, with estimated losses ranging from $4.9 billion to a staggering $19.4 billion, depending on different reports. The vast discrepancy is due to the scam’s global reach and the continuous flow of new victims. The operation spanned numerous countries and languages, using aggressive marketing, flashy events, and even physical ads to gain credibility. They cleverly rebranded under names like OneLife, OneAcademy, and OneWorldFoundation to dodge legal consequences and keep the scheme alive. Despite mounting accusations, many investors were kept hopeful due to the company’s promises of high returns and misleading narratives about its legitimacy. estimated losses estimated losses The fallout was dramatic: Ruja Ignatova, known as the “CryptoQueen,” vanished in 2017 and remains at large, wanted by multiple international agencies, including the FBI. Her brother, Konstantin Ignatov, was arrested in 2019 and later pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and money laundering. Sebastian Greenwood was also apprehended and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Despite these arrests, the scam persists under new aliases like Fantastic Global Team and DealShaker, preying on uninformed investors worldwide. This way, the total stolen amount is still being counted. The fallout was dramatic: Ruja Ignatova, known as the “CryptoQueen,” vanished in 2017 and remains at large, wanted by multiple international agencies, including the FBI. under new aliases under new aliases Don’t fall for it! You never know when you may be the next victim of a crypto scam. Protecting yourself requires vigilance and smart practices. Here are some essential tips to keep your investments in your own pocket: Control Your Private Keys: If you don’t have your private keys, you don’t have full control of your coins. Legitimate and decentralized platforms like Obytealways enable users to have their own private keys. Avoid platforms that don’t offer this or at least some regulatory support (like crypto exchanges), as they have full control over your funds.
Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhance the security of your crypto accounts by enabling 2FA. This adds an extra layer of protection, even if your password is compromised. In Obyte wallets, you can do this by creating a multidevice account from the Global Settings or by setting up a passphrase used to sign all transactions.
Thoroughly Research Projects: Before investing, research the project’s team, whitepaper, and community feedback. Anyone can create customized tokens on crypto networks, and not all projects are legitimate. In __Obyte’s Asset Registry__it is possible to create customized tokens without coding for less than $1, for instance. So, always do your own research about every individual asset or project.
Beware of Unrealistic Returns:If an investment promises high returns with little to no risk, it’s likely a Ponzi scheme. Legitimate investments come with risks and more modest returns.
Avoid Pressure Tactics: Scammers often create urgency, pushing you to invest quickly. Take your time to evaluate the opportunity and don’t be rushed into making decisions.
Stay Updated and Informed: Follow trusted crypto news sources and communities to stay aware of the latest scams and threats. Knowledge is your best defense. Control Your Private Keys: If you don’t have your private keys, you don’t have full control of your coins. Legitimate and decentralized platforms like Obytealways enable users to have their own private keys. Avoid platforms that don’t offer this or at least some regulatory support (like crypto exchanges), as they have full control over your funds. Control Your Private Keys Obyte Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhance the security of your crypto accounts by enabling 2FA. This adds an extra layer of protection, even if your password is compromised. In Obyte wallets, you can do this by creating a multidevice account from the Global Settings or by setting up a passphrase used to sign all transactions. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Obyte wallets Obyte wallets Thoroughly Research Projects: Before investing, research the project’s team, whitepaper, and community feedback. Anyone can create customized tokens on crypto networks, and not all projects are legitimate. In __Obyte’s Asset Registry__it is possible to create customized tokens without coding for less than $1, for instance. So, always do your own research about every individual asset or project. Thoroughly Research Projects: Obyte’s Asset Registry Beware of Unrealistic Returns:If an investment promises high returns with little to no risk, it’s likely a Ponzi scheme. Legitimate investments come with risks and more modest returns. Beware of Unrealistic Returns: Avoid Pressure Tactics: Scammers often create urgency, pushing you to invest quickly. Take your time to evaluate the opportunity and don’t be rushed into making decisions. Avoid Pressure Tactics Stay Updated and Informed: Follow trusted crypto news sources and communities to stay aware of the latest scams and threats. Knowledge is your best defense. Stay Updated and Informed By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to crypto scams and Ponzi schemes. Stay safe! Featured Vector Image by Freepik Featured Vector Image by Freepik Freepik Freepik

Every Major Crypto Scam, Ranked From Least to Most Stolen

Hər Böyük Kripto Fırıldaqlığı, Ən Az Oğurlanandan Ən Çox Oğrulana qədər sıralanır

Всяка голяма крипто измама, класирана от най-малко до най-открадната

Las principales estafas de criptomonedas, clasificadas de menor a mayor robo

Minden jelentősebb kriptográfiai átverés, a legkevesebbtől a legtöbb ellopottig

主要な暗号詐欺をすべて、盗まれた金額の少ないものから多いものまでランク付け

가장 적게 도난당한 것부터 가장 많이 도난당한 것까지 순위를 매긴 모든 주요 암호화폐 사기

Kiekviena didelė kriptovaliutų sukčiavimas, įvertintas nuo mažiausiai iki labiausiai pavogtų

Секоја голема крипто измама, рангирана од најмалку до најмногу украдени

Setiap Penipuan Kripto Utama, Diperingkat Daripada Paling Rendah hingga Paling Dicuri

Sapa Hatun Cripto Estafa, Rankikusqan Aswan pisimanta Aswan Suwasqakama

Yese Yakakura Crypto Scam, Yakamisikidzwa Kubva Padiki kusvika Pakubiwa Kwakawanda

Khayaanada ugu weyn ee Crypto kasta, oo lagu qiimeeyay tan ugu yar ilaa inta la xado

Stories, News & Mentions about EVERY

Every’s Stories on HackerNoon

Every's News & Mentions