My Next Chapter

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:02:25 GMT

I have joined the Early Riders venture firm to support their portfolio of cutting-edge companies accelerating the bitcoin space. I will be working as Head of Design at Onramp and Head of Product at Acropolis.

At Onramp, we are pioneering a bitcoin custody and infrastructure platform with Multi-Institution Custody (MIC) — a model designed to solve bitcoin’s biggest challenge: safe, resilient custody. Onramp serves individuals, advisors, and businesses, pairing technical excellence with a deep commitment to education. It’s a team of true believers building the fiduciary future of bitcoin.

Acropolis is the premier bitcoin-native treasury platform designed for businesses. Through Multi-Institution Custody, advanced risk controls, and practical treasury products, we empower organizations to begin integrating bitcoin as a strategic asset — whether as a hedge against inflation, a source of liquidity, or a tool for global payments.

After over 5 wonderful years at GE Aerospace, I am thrilled for this opportunity to pursue my passion and work full-time on bitcoin.

If you’re curious about what we’re building—or if you’re exploring bitcoin for your business, retirement, or future—reach out.

My New Website

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 03:54:25 GMT

I am pleased to announce the release of my redesigned portfolio website.

This early 2025 redesign was long overdue since I first released this site in 2018.

This website redesign was created on blockheight 879864.

Dear 20-Somethings, Bitcoin Is Sound Money

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:21:00 GMT

It is not the objective of this article to explain the Bitcoin protocol nor to convince you of its value.

Dear 20-somethings,

This is a message on a subject that many are mystified about: One: Bitcoin is sound money. Two: Our opportunity cost and overall risk increases by not holding this asset. And three: It is not too late to begin buying and learning about bitcoin.

Welcome and congratulations, you have one of the most unique and powerful opportunities granted to individuals who have roamed this planet. You have the opportunity to own and hold the scarcest and best-performing asset of all time while it is still in its infancy. Bitcoin is very much still in a phase of early movers and price discovery. It continues to prove to be a viable alternative to traditional investments (such as fiat) as it barely passes a 1 percent adoption rate worldwide.

Fiat: a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold.

You might be like me, a recent college graduate who has just entered the workforce. Let’s first acknowledge that we have won the lottery of life by being able to read and access this article online.

Secondly, as individuals, we are living in unprecedented times with influence and media coming at us from all possible directions. Also, like me, you might be adjusting to the professional world and a new type of personal and financial freedom. I will make the following two assertions that are not original concepts but might be unfamiliar when applied to our new situations. One: We are new members of the broken and overleveraged world of fiat. Two: If we don’t acknowledge our situation and take action, we will fall victim to a cascading hyperinflationary world that will devalue our hard-earned incomes and savings.

Without getting too technical and long-winded, I want to assert that our current framework of money is unsustainable, unbalanced and quite harmful to our population and our future. However, you don’t have to take my word for it. Throughout the history of the United States, we have been continuously warned by our own leaders about this circumstance as policymakers and institutions have continued to worsen our monetary situation. Here are a few examples:

Almost 20 percent of all existing United States dollars were created just in the year 2020.

Even 100 years ago, famous American inventor Henry Ford proposed an energy-backed currency to replace gold. This forward-thinking idea was an eerie precursor to Bitcoin as Ford even mentioned that “this currency would be issued only to a certain definite amount” — just like bitcoin’s 21 million supply cap. Ford claimed that this new form of money would “end all wars forever” stating, “Break the control and you stop war. And the simple way to break the control of these international bankers, the way to end their exploitation of humanity forever is to remove gold as a basis for the currency of the world.”

The Federal Reserve set to print another $1.9 trillion on the morning of this piece’s authoring.

So, we have a choice; we can ignore the countless red flags pointing to a dim hyperinflationary future, or we can initiate exposure to “a better form of money that provides all individuals with a credible path to opt out and to get off the hamster wheel,” as Parker Lewis put it in his famous 2020 article “Bitcoin Is The Great Definancialization.”

I propose that this exposure should be conservative and gradual. As the Bitcoin network grows in size and more people enter the asset class, it’s rate of growth will increase. Similarly, as your overall understanding and confidence in the Bitcoin network increases, your investment exposure would undoubtedly follow suit.

Everyone’s Bitcoin story is unique and continuous. I would make the following suggestions to my fellow 20-somethings or anyone interested by the best store of value on the planet:

1. Learn: Start with the resources listed at the bottom of this article. Understand that Bitcoin is:

2. Buy: Purchase as little or as much as you are comfortable with. It is not necessary to purchase a full bitcoin, you can buy in small increments. I suggest making your first bitcoin purchase with either Cash App or Swan Bitcoin.

3. Rethink: Rethink about the currency you are rewarded with for your hard work. Once you grasp the finite nature of bitcoin, you might reconsider some of your habitual purchasing decisions in order to secure more of this digital real estate. Try cutting out that daily coffee run, Uber Eats order or any unneeded cost that does not bring direct value to your life.

4. Hold: Often referred to as “HODL,” which simply means to hold and never sell.

5. Bank Yourself: Learn how to custody your own coins allowing for individual financial sovereignty.

6. Collateralize: Once hyperbitcoinization occurs, you will be able to make purchases with bitcoin or even borrow dollars against your bitcoin to leverage its value without reducing your stack.

There is no shortage of FUD when it comes to Bitcoin. However, most detractors of the space have not taken the time to fully understand their accusations and are often peddlers of traditional finance. Below, I address a few of the common statements that are asserted by deniers of the protocol:

1. “Bitcoin has no intrinsic value”

2. “Bitcoin mining is wasteful and disproportionately damaging to the environment.”

3. “Digital currency is not realistic/viable”

4. “Bitcoin is too volatile”

5. “Local and national governments can dismantle Bitcoin with regulation”

6. “The Bitcoin network and mining will be attacked and become centralized”

7. “Bitcoin will be hacked/affected by quantum computing”

There is not another crypto asset that has the potential value, network effect and fundamental properties of Bitcoin. Purchasing other crypto assets is often compared to playing in a virtual casino and I think this is an accurate representation. Sure, you can make some gains by taking a gamble but, in the long run, you are always better off simply holding bitcoin. If you are considering investing in altcoins or other crypto assets, I would recommend reading the second resource at the end of this piece.

Stick to buying and holding bitcoin. One day, it will be the standard of how we exchange and store value.

Sincerely,

Matthew Ball (@matthewrball)

At the time of this writing, bitcoin is valued at $56,679.

If you are at all interested in learning more about Bitcoin, I implore you to read these articles and resources. Also, feel free to reach out to me to challenge my positions or ask questions.

Hello World!

Tue, 20 May 2014 02:57:00 GMT

Welcome to my portfolio! I'm thrilled to share my creative journey with you. Explore my work, discover my approach, and join me in celebrating the User. Enjoy your visit!

Matthew Ball — Articles & Updates

My Next Chapter

My New Website

Dear 20-Somethings, Bitcoin Is Sound Money

Hello World!