Bitcoin (BTC)
Now consolidating for over a month, bitcoin is out of the limelight. However, behind the scenes,
advancements toward scaling bitcoin continue. (We 􀃒rst wrote about them in May.) One scaling
solution is SegWit. Today, over 12% of bitcoin transactions are SegWit. We expect that to
accelerate as Coinbase announced it would be implementing SegWit in the near future. This will
help alleviate the congestion you’ve likely experienced in the network.
The other is the Lightning Network, which should be adopted some time this year. Lightning
Network will drop transaction costs by 99% and enable instant payments. We believe this will
cause BTC to explode higher this year.
Action to Take: Buy bitcoin (BTC) up to $25,000.
Ether (ETH)
On January 4, we issued a pro􀃒t sell alert on Ethereum (ETH).
Congratulations to those who took advantage of our original recommendation.
Let’s say you invested $1,000 at the time. If you followed our January 4 instructions, you’d have
booked a $55,000 gain and still be sitting on a position currently worth over $58,000.
Action to Take: Hold ether (ETH).
Monero (XMR)
As one of our original picks, we bought XMR in two lots in 2016 for an average price of $8.45. XMR
􀃒nished 2016 at $13.65, for a nice 62% gain. 2017 was even better as Monero advanced 2,457% to
􀃒nish the year at $349.03.
Congrats to everyone who jumped on Monero. 2018 is shaping up to be another banner year.
Developers are working on improvements to security, privacy, and scalability.
On the marketing side, Monero plans to continue Project Coral Reef, which has recruited over 50
mainstream artists, including Mariah Carey, to accept Monero.
Action to Take: Hold Monero (XMR).
Steem Power (STEEM)
Steem broke out of an 18-month consolidation when it broke $4 in December. It quickly reached
$8 and has since settled in the $4–6 range. One thing we’ve learned over the years is the bigger
the base (i.e., the consolidation period), the bigger the breakout. So, we’re holding on tight to
Steem.
In January, Steem partnered with Datawallet. With Datawallet, you can create a data pro􀃒le of
yourself, which you can then monetize by sharing it with companies. It’s one step closer to taking
back our data from the internet giants.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on Steem Power (STEEM) to $3.50.
Lykke (LKK)
In 2018, Lykke aims to be the best 􀃒at-enabled and regulated crypto exchange. It also wants to be
the 􀃒rst global marketplace to allow easy trading of digitized assets. To that end, Lykke is working
on Alpha Engine, an automated trading model that will provide liquidity to the market.
Also in the works are cards and payment systems to bridge the crypto and 􀃒at world, adding LTC,
ETC, BCH, and ERC20 tokens, and a web-based trading platform.
Action to Take: Hold Lykke (LKK).
Peerplays (PPY)
Last month, we informed you that Peerplays was starting beta testing and its sports betting
decentralized application (dApp) called Bookie. In early January, Peerplays announced a
partnership with iGaming Creative Agency, Vegas Kings, to build the website. It will go live in the
􀃒rst quarter of 2018 and the Bookie dApp will be launched later in the year.
In other news, Peerplays also announced a partnership with eXeBlock Technology. eXeBlock will
develop four dApps for the Peerplays platform over the next 24 months. There are now seven
dApps being built for the Peerplays blockchain, with more to come.
Action to Take: Hold Peerplays (PPY).
Neo (NEO)
NEO 􀃒nished the year at $75.96. And those who bought at the time of our original
recommendation are enjoying a 60,426% gain.
It was a great year for NEO. It successfully rebranded (from Antshares), updated its smart contract
infrastructure, and developed the NEP-5 token standard.
The NEP-5 standard is like the ERC20 standard for Ethereum tokens. A standard token contract
makes it easier to list tokens on exchanges. And that makes it easier for the NEO platform to
launch ICOs.
NEO now has over 25 projects preparing to launch ICOs on its platform in the 􀃒rst quarter of 2018
alone. Continue to hold NEO.
Action to Take: Hold Neo (NEO).
Gas (GAS)
All of the projects coming to the NEO have one thing in common: They’re going to need GAS to
operate on the platform.
That’s why on January 5, we raised the buy-up-to price to $45.
Action to Take: Buy Gas (GAS) up to $45.
Factom (FCT)
Factom got a boost to start the year as security expert John McAfee made it his “coin of the week.”
He noted Factom’s partnerships with the Bill Gates Foundation and U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. And he mentioned how Factom is one of the only fully functional cryptocurrencies in
existence today.
Thankfully, we told you about all that nine months ago, when Factom traded at $4.20. McAfee’s
tweet sent FCT brie􀃓y over $80, and it now trades around $65.
This one is now above our buy-up-to price. Wait for a pullback before getting in.
Action to Take: Buy Factom (FCT) up to $50.
Ethereum Classic (ETC)
Ethereum Classic 􀃒nished the year by releasing its Daedalus wallet. Keep in mind it’s new
software, so use it for low-value transactions for now.
The work on Ethereum Classic will accelerate in 2018. Lead developer Charles Hoskinson noted
how over 2017, they grew the development team and now have eight full-time developers. And it
will continue to grow over 2018.
On tap for 2018 is achieving Ethereum Classic scalability through the use of sidechains. (A
sidechain is a separate blockchain attached to the parent blockchain.) The team will also be
working with third-party developers to build apps on top of ETC. And the team plans to develop
proof of concepts for how ETC will be used for the Internet of Things.
Action to Take: Buy Ethereum Classic (ETC) up to $25.
Ripple (XRP)
Congratulations to those who followed our January 4 pro􀃒t sell alert. We sold 50% of our Ripple
position, locking in gains of 1,140.7%.
That means if you invested $1,000 in Ripple, you were just able to take out over $5,700. Plus, you
still have a stake worth over $3,000.
Action to Take: Hold Ripple (XRP).
Dash (DASH)
Dash continues its rapid global expansion. Last month, we 􀃒lled you in on Dash’s partnership with
Uphold. That will enable 94% of the world’s population to buy DASH. Plus, we informed you of
Dash’s partnership with KuvaCash, which seeks to bring DASH to Zimbabwe.
This month, Dash partnered with Spanish 􀃒rm Bitnovo. It will enable DASH usage in over 10,000
retailers throughout Spain. Latin American cryptocurrency exchange BitInka also added Dash.
Now citizens of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela will be able to
purchase DASH.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on Dash (DASH) to $800.
OmiseGo (OMG)
The OmiseGo software development kit (SDK) recently went from alpha to closed beta testing.
This is crucial, as it’s one of the 􀃒nal steps before releasing the SDK. Once released, developers
will be able to incorporate the OmiseGo wallet into their own programs.
Further, one of OmiseGo’s strategic partners, a large multinational company, is now using the
OmiseGo SDK to develop one of the 􀃒rst live use cases. Expect more news in the 􀃒rst quarter of
2018.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on OmiseGo (OMG) to $20.
ZenCash (ZEN)
When we originally bought ZEN, we put on just a half position due to its volatility. The plan was to
buy the second half on the 􀃒rst 50% pullback from the high after we buy.
ZEN never did fall 50%. But with the positive developments we see in the pipeline, we wanted to
make sure everyone got a full position. So on December 22, we put on the second half of our ZEN
position. It’s now well above our buy-up-to price, but continue to hold ZEN if you own it.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on ZenCash (ZEN) to $40.
Storj (STORJ)
Storj recently released an upgraded billing platform, and it now accepts STORJ as a form of
payment for storage space. It’s part of Storj’s plan to increase the utility of its token. Plus, for a
limited time, those who pay in STORJ will receive discounted pricing.
The company also announced a bounty program that covers everything from development to
marketing. The way it works, individuals can earn STORJ for completing speci􀃒c tasks. Storj is
looking to improve its Libstorj library, provide more translations, do marketing videos, and more.
Expect to see more of Storj in the news cycle in 2018.
Action to Take: Buy Storj (STORJ) up to $1.
ShortTerm
Cryptocurrency Portfolio
Iconomi (ICN)
Iconomi and the crypto funds on its platform 􀃒nished the year with $200 million in assets under
management. That’s an impressive feat considering it’s been open less than half a year. And it
continues to improve the platform.
DAA managers can invest in even more coins now. Iconomi added 15 new coins to the platform
last month.
Iconomi is now open to users in 187 countries (but not the United States). That may not matter
soon, as funds that meet the minimum requirements will get tokenized. And that means we’ll be
able to buy them on cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on Iconomi (ICN) to $2.
NEM (XEM)
We added NEM to the short-term cryptocurrency trading portfolio in early June. At the time, it
traded around 24 cents.
It then went sideways for the next six months. Kudos to all the patient holders out there. We sent
out a pro􀃒t alert on January 4, selling 50% of our NEM position at $1.69 and locking in gains of
609.2%.
Action to Take: Hold NEM (XEM).
Wings (WINGS)
Wings, the blockchain platform dedicated to the launching, backing, and promoting of new
cryptocurrency projects, is solving one of the big pain points for new projects: getting their token
listed.
In December, Wings announced a partnership with Aurora, a decentralized cryptobanking and
􀃒nancial platform. One of its products is IDEX, its decentralized exchange. Going forward, all
projects launched through Wings will also get listed on Aurora’s IDEX exchange.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price on Wings (WINGS) to $1.
Lisk (LSK)
Lisk holders were rewarded for their patience when we sent out a pro􀃒t sell alert January 4.
By selling 50% of our LSK position, we locked in pro􀃒ts of 1,643.8%. Remember, we advised
converting your LSK back into BTC. And holding onto that BTC for future opportunities.
Action to Take: Hold Lisk (LSK).
Waves (WAVES)
Waves 􀃒nished the year with a bang. It released its new consensus algorithm, Waves-NG, which
means Waves can now process 1,000 transactions per second.
It also partnered with Tokenomica to provide a 100% compliant legal framework for token
crowdsales, including private equity crowdsales.
Then it launched the Waves Lab blockchain incubator. The incubator will provide up to $300,000
for pre-ICO startups.
And 􀃒nally, Waves launched a blockchain venture capital fund called Basics. The fund will focus on
investing in promising blockchain infrastructure projects.
Action to Take: Hold Waves (WAVES).
Basic Attention Token (BAT)
Brave, creators of the Basic Attention Token and Brave browser, announced a partnership with
DuckDuckGo, an internet privacy company. The Brave browser will now have private search tabs,
much like Google’s incognito mode. The integration will happen in the 􀃒rst quarter of this year.
Action to Take: Buy Basic Attention Token (BAT) up to $0.35.
Syscoin (SYS)
Syscoin’s parent company, Blockchain Foundry, recently raised $3.3 million in a private placement.
The funds will be used to expand the software development team, build new proprietary software
products on the Syscoin stack, and for Blockchain Foundry to go public in the 􀃒rst quarter of 2018.
Action to Take: Buy Syscoin (SYS) up to $0.30.
MaidSafeCoin (MAID)
To end the year, MaidSafeCoin launched its Community Engagement Program. The program will
encourage developers to propose new innovative functionalities for the platform.
The way it works is that applications for new projects can be submitted on the SAFE Network
Forum. Requests that get enough support will then move to the proposal stage. And the winning
project will be awarded MAID for funding.
Action to Take: Buy MaidSafeCoin (MAID) up to $0.50.
Aragon Network (ANT)
Aragon just established Aragon Nest, a grants program to support the development of the
ecosystem.
The program is being done in conjunction with Placeholder Capital, a cryptocurrency hedge fund.
It’s led by Joel Monegro and Chris Burniske. Monegro is a former analyst with venture capital 􀃒rm
Union Square Ventures. And Burniske is the former lead crypto analyst at ARK Investment
Management.
The goal of the grants program is facilitating projects that will not only help Aragon, but the
Ethereum network as a whole as well.
Another thing to watch with Aragon is its transparency report. Aragon raised 275,000 ETH in its
token sale when ETH traded around $125. It’s much more valuable now.
As of January 2018, Aragon still holds over 262,000 ETH as well as 7.4 million ANT. Combined,
they’re worth $375 million. Meanwhile, Aragon’s market capitalization is $224 million.
Action to Take: We’re raising the buy-up-to price of Aragon (ANT) to $8.
SALT Lending (SALT)
On January 8, we raised the buy-up-to price of SALT Lending.
The platform successfully launched on time at the end of December. In the 􀃒rst week alone, it
funded $7.1 million in loan requests and received funding requests for another $550 million.
That’s more demand than anyone expected.
Further, the company announced that loans could be paid using SALT tokens. Here’s why that’s
important: The retail rate (the rate SALT Lending will accept) is $27.50. At the time of our alert,
SALT tokens were trading around $11 in the open market.
As news of this deals spreads, we’ll see the price of SALT reach parity with the retail price.
Action to Take: Buy Salt Lending (SALT) up to $20.
Stellar Lumens (XLM)
We’ve now successfully traded XLM twice for gains of 207.2% and 134.8%, both in less than a
month.
On December 20, we put out a third buy alert on XLM. It has since moved well beyond our buy-upto
price. But continue to hold. We expect good things in 2018.
Stellar recently completed its Stellar Build Challenge. It’s a contest for developers to build
applications on the Stellar platform. Stellar judges awarded 5.7 million XLM across 35 projects.
Also, for those of you who use Ledger devices for storage, XLM is now supported.
Action to Take: Hold Stellar Lumens (XLM).
Aion (AION)
On January 2, we sent out a buy alert for Aion. Its blockchain network focuses on interoperability.
It’s developing a protocol to seamlessly integrate blockchain systems. Whoever can solve this
problem will become very valuable.
We like that Aion is a project of Nuco, a blockchain infrastructure company that’s also a leader of
the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.
Action to Take: Buy Aion (AION) up to $10.
EOS.IO (EOS)
On January 4, we sent you a pro􀃒t alert, selling half of our EOS position and locking in gains of
696.5%.
As an example, someone who invested $400 into EOS at the time of our recommendation would
have taken pro􀃒ts of $1,393. That more than covers your original investment and gives you
􀃒repower for your next move. Plus, you still have an EOS stake worth $1,590 at the time of this
writing.
Action to Take: Hold EOS.IO (EOS).
Binance (BNB)
Kudos to all those who jumped on our December pick, Binance. We’re now up over 1,000%. The
cryptocurrency exchange is a classic pick-and-shovels play on the industry.
As more people come into the industry, trading volumes will rise, and Binance will be there to
capture a good chunk of that volume. Already, Binance has increased its daily volume from less
than $100 million in July 2017 to $6 billion per day now.
Action to Take: Hold Binance (BNB).
Qtum (QTUM)
We recently added Qtum to the short-term portfolio on January 8.
STOCKS
Name Symbol Buy Date Curr Price Return Yield Stop Loss Action
Sandstorm Gold Ld SAND 07/22/2016 $5.09 -1.5% 0.0% 52.3% Trailing Buy up to $8
Orezone Gold ORE-V 10/21/2016 $0.83 10.7% 0.0% 50% Trailing Buy up to C$0.75
SPARK THERAPEUTICS ONCE 12/22/2016 $51.53 8.9% 0.0% 50% Trailing Hold
Invitae Rg NVTA 01/19/2017 $6.77 -14.8% 0.0% 50% Trailing Buy up to $12
CRYPTOCURRENCIES
Action to Take: Buy Qtum (QTUM) up to $65.
Dragonchain (DRGN)
We recently added Dragonchain to the short-term portfolio on January 8.
Action to Take: Buy Dragonchain (DRGN) up to $5.
Worldwide Asset Exchange (WAX)
We recently added the Worldwide Asset Exchange to the short-term portfolio on January 8.
Action to Take: Buy Worldwide Asset Exchange (WAX) up to $1.40.
Cardano (ADA)
We recently added Cardano to the short-term portfolio on January 12.
Action to Take: Buy Cardano (ADA) up to $0.90.
Power Ledger (POWR)
We recently added Power Ledger to the short-term portfolio on January 17.
Action to Take: Buy Power Ledger (POWR) up to $0.85.
Stocks
Invitae (NVTA)
Invitae announced preliminary full-year 2017 results. Volume grew to over 134,000 samples for
year-over-year growth of 127%. And revenues grew 136% to $59 million for the year.
For 2018, Invitae is expecting to grow samples to at least 250,000 and revenues to over $120
million.
Despite the good news, Invitae dropped on the news. Wall Street was expecting a better 2018
revenue growth rate. Keep in mind, though, that this is just a preliminary assessment and
management has yet to 􀃒nalize expectations for the year.
Action to Take: Buy Invitae (NVTA) up to $12.
Connecticut Water Service (CTWS)
On January 17, we closed out of our long-term holding CTWS. We locked in a 62% pro􀃒t.
Action to Take: Sell Connecticut Water Service (CTWS).